Cyanide — it’s not just for Nazi leaders anymore. The bizarre death-by-cyanide of Abdirahman Dirie, a Somali native turned Canadian citizen whose body was found in Denver’s Burnsley Hotel earlier this month, has been ruled a suicide, and the modest amount of space devoted to the report by the Denver…
Saving humanity one sexy photo at a time. Listen to this lineup for an August 27 roundtable discussion at Boettcher Concert Hall on the topic of “Combating Global Poverty,” as announced by the Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee: Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State and co-chair of the Commission on…
Can’t wait to see the glass elevator. In the last week or so, I’ve ranted in this space not once but twice about my entire family being rejected for Barack Obama acceptance speech tickets. And given that the tickets were handed out this past weekend with much hoopla, the last…
Al Franken. Recently announced Democratic National Convention speakers such as Jimmy Carter, Tom Daschle and Patrick Leahy share at least one characteristic in common: They’re not very funny. Meanwhile, someone who has coaxed a laugh or two in his day, and who’s planning to be in Denver for the DNC…
Condoleeza Rice. So on August 21, four days before the start of the Democratic National Convention, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice says the United States and Iraq have agreed that timetables should be set for U.S. troop withdrawl from the wartorn country, and major news agencies are reporting the target…
Can’t wait to see the glass elevator. In the last week or so, I’ve ranted in this space not once but twice about my entire family being rejected for Barack Obama acceptance speech tickets. And given that the tickets were handed out this past weekend with much hoopla, the last…
Tom Golisano. A Rocky Mountain News report about Denver belatedly hitting its $40.6 million fundraising mark for the Democratic National Convention made passing reference to Tom Golisano, identified as “a billionaire from Rochester, N.Y.,” who was awarded a luxury box and fifty tickets to Barack Obama’s August 28 Invesco Field…
“How’s Tricks?,” Off Limits, August 14 One Gets Laid, the Other Laid Off Forty thousand prostitutes? I don’t think so! Obviously the good brothers and sisters of the church meant to develop an outreach program for the 40,000 journalists about to invade our fine city during the DNC. The confusion…
It was all glibness and grins at a recent press conference announcing the plan to give away tickets for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama’s August 28 acceptance speech at Invesco Field at Mile High — at least in the beginning. Democratic National Convention Committee CEO Leah Daughtry — flanked…
To view the 10 protesters you’ll meet at the DNC as a slide show, head to westword.com’s slide show page. The protesters are coming! The protesters are coming! How many? Thousands? Tens of thousands? Will our homes and businesses be safe? Or will the entire city be devoured by their…
There have been endless comparisons between this year’s Democratic National Convention and the one held in Chicago in 1968 — and not just because one of the primary 2008 protest groups is called Re-create ’68. On the fortieth anniversary of that chaotic convention, we are again immersed in an unpopular…
Ten things you should know before you step out into one of this city’s 300 annual days of sunshine. 1) John Denver is not from Denver — so don’t blame us for “Rocky Mountain High.” In fact, the former Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. never even lived in Denver, although he…
When Colorado became the 38th state in the Union, in 1876, a New York newspaper wrote, “There is something repulsive in the idea that a few handfuls of miners and reckless bushwackers should have the same representation in the Senate as Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York.” On the eve of…
Colorado makes more beer than any other state (23.4 million barrels), has the highest per capita number of craft breweries (92), and is home to both the biggest beer bash of the year (the Great American Beer Festival) and the largest single brewing facility in the nation (Coors). Oh, and…
Lots of states claim to be home to the mythical Springfield of Simpsons fame, but only Colorado can brag that it’s the site of that other great cartoon capital of the world: South Park, the setting of the subversively impertinent Comedy Central animated series of the same name. South Park’s…
As the folks at the Colorado Film Commission will tell you, our fair state offers an incredible variety of potential movie locations: mountains, deserts, farmland, big cities, little towns and so on. And even though we don’t offer Hollywood types — many of whom spend their leisure time at such…
Thinking of checking out Colorado’s gorgeous scenery this summer? Maybe some mountain lakes? Elk? A raging river or three? Go ahead. Have fun. That’s exactly the type of thing THEY want you to do. They being the pleasant little folk known as the CIA, the Illuminati, the corporate/alien overlords and/or…
An escape hatch? Is this an episode of Lost? Bloggin’ — on a Wednesday afternoon. Demver reveals the existence of a secret escape tunnel at the detention facility protestors have dubbed “Gitmo on the Platte.” Egad! Anarchists on the loose! Also on tap: ten suggested songs to play as Barack…
The Sheriff of Gitmo on the Platte, Bill Lovingier The temporary detainment facility erected for the DNC – Gitmo on the Platte, as it has been dubbed – was opened up for members of the media this morning in a special tour led by Denver Undersheriff Bill Lovingier. As workers…
The Democratic National Convention is almost upon us, so Adam Cayton-Holland, Westword’s resident fake drunk cowboy, and his friends at Wrist Deep Productions, have put together a handy DNC Orientation Video. It should probably used by the city to help make conventioneers, GOP spies, and business-savvy strippers feel welcome. But…
“It’s the Mile high city. Get it? High!” Fox & Friends hosts Steve Doocy, Gretchen Carlson and Dave Briggs don’t want delegates showing up at the Democratic National Convention thinking they’ll be able to reenact favorite scenes from Pineapple Express. During this morning’s broadcast, they noted that even though Denver…
Consider it a sign. Heading up U.S. Highway 85 to Greeley, the signs are hard to miss. Huge, militant pink and black letters urge you to R.E.S.I.S.T., and they’re plastered on ominous-looking billboards with pictures of teenagers. At first glance, it looks like the latest Army recruitment slogan. But alas,…
