Thanks for giving us the rest of the best Boulder story of 2006. While you wouldn't catch me dead in the military, I'd want Lance Hering (or Steve Powers) watching my back. Friends like Steve are hard to find. Somebody smart: Give this action hero a great job!
As the Enlightenment's Charles de Montesquieu, who actually wrote a book called The Spirit of the Laws, said, "It is always the adventurers who accomplish great things." Lance and Steve have that spirit. Whether it's true or not, I'm glad that Steve says he hasn't heard anything from Lance since he dropped him off at the bus station. Semper Fi.
Evan Ravitz
Boulder
When I first heard about this on the news, I was so against what these two young men did. Since reading your article, I now have to look at them in a different light. This is not to say that they made the best choices in the method of how they tried to solve Lance's problem. As we can see, it led to greater consequences. What your story does is give the situation human qualities. These are reflected by Steve and Lance's friendship.
Above all, our choices are guided by our human emotions. Not all crimes are committed because of hate.
Dorothy Dena
Lakewood
Adam Cayton-Holland's superb story touchingly focuses on the intimate relationship between Steve Powers and Lance Hering, each successfully protecting the other from societal predators (police and the U.S. military). The thirty-plus grand that Steve has had to pay for the unnecessary search and rescue should be paid by all of us as gratitude for saving Lance from having to go back to U.S. military hell and, quite probably, saving many Iraqi lives.
The sooner we all support U.S. soldiers resisting orders and going AWOL, the sooner we'll have our families back, and the Iraqi people will get their land and country back.
Mark Schneider
Denver
"No Pain, No Gain," Joel Warner, April 12
The story that Joel Warner did on the Enclave was fantastic! I am a member, and I think it's about damn time that someone wrote an accurate story about the issues that we in the BDSM community are facing!
Jaime Pierce
Denver
I thoroughly enjoyed the story on the Enclave. I am not a practitioner of BDSM, but find it quite fascinating. Any time an article can bring to light a topic that is normally on the "down low," I am thrilled. I hope that the Enclave is able to stay in business and that it paves the way for more BDSM businesses to open and become part of the general public. Thank you for writing about a taboo topic.
Michelle C. Schultz
Denver
Bravo! I had no idea that Westword had a competent and fair reporter! Joel Warner makes Jared Jacang Maher's articles look like fourth-grade submissions. Jared can only hope to aspire to be half the journalist Joel is. Thank you for writing such an outstanding piece about a taboo subject. This article helps make the public aware that places and groups such as the Enclave have every right to exist in society. It also exposes that many city officials will try underhanded tactics to push their own morals and agenda onto the public, even if their tactics are immoral and unjustified. Joel's piece was informative, unbiased, fair and, most importantly, accurate. Thanks again.
Scottie Ewing
Denver
Editor's note: Last week, the Colorado Court of Appeals issued its ruling on the Enclave v. Commerce City case; for full details, turn to page 14. And to read Jared Jacang Maher's "Swap Talk," in which Scottie Ewing figured prominently, click here.
"Carved in Stone," Patricia Calhoun, April 12
Thank you for your piece on Jim Stone, the Rocky Flats whistleblower. I am an attorney, and I've been following the Arvada residents' lawsuit that awarded the plaintiffs the record award against Rockwell and Dow Chemical in February 2006. You should know that Rockwell and Dow were reimbursed by the taxpayers for the $554 million award due to an indemnification clause in the contracts. You should also know that the action was commenced in 1990 and took sixteen years to get to trial, due to Rockwell and Dow defense attorneys who were paid by, you guessed it, you and me! So it goes.
Isabel P. Posso
Lakewood
Editor's note: While last week's issue was being distributed, Jim Stone passed away. He's survived by Virginia, his wife of sixty years, and sons Robert and Randy. A celebration of Stone's life will be held at the Arbor House of Maple Grove Park, 14600 West 32nd Avenue in Golden, at 1 p.m. on April 28.
Best of Denver, March 29, 2007
Boo freaking hoo! Ah, yes, another Best of Denver shows up, followed by another avalanche of missives complaining about either how they were chosen or who/ what else was chosen.
I think that such a venture is doomed to catastrophe due to the very subjective nature of human experience. No one in their right (or left) mind can expect any such listing to be objective or perfect. At least Westword's is always interesting.
As for the Blast Beatz: Being discovered by a newspaper and given recognition is just nature's way of telling you that you're not underground anymore and it's time to move along.
A. M. Jordan
Boulder
"Resigned to Design," Michael Paglia, April 12
Michael Paglia bemoans the fact that the Denver Art Museum is in the throes of employee reductions in part due to its inability to attain projected attendance visits for 2007. Paglia touches on many points associated with the new Hamilton wing, and does so in a very constructive way.
There are numerous successes in the Hamilton: the scarves video piece, the Betty Woodman ceramics display, the placement of the Edward Ruscha work, to name a few. Paglia makes an excellent point about looking at items from the "DAM's storage vaults" that may be suited for the Hamilton space. As the museum staff determines which of the DAM collection is displayed in the Hamilton and Ponti wings, it is important to note that the Hamilton is very much a sculptural piece itself, and objects that have more of a sculptural aspect may be better suited in that wing. I would love to see the Butterfield horses moved there.
I am hesitant to say things that may be construed as only criticism of the Denver Art Museum, but want to thank Paglia and Westword for writing and publishing a column that encourages discussion and input on such a crucial community topic. Denver had a great institution in the Denver Art Museum when it was the solitary Ponti structure. Now the DAM and its staff have two powerful wings and a quality collection to work with in creating a world-class facility that draws visitors from around the globe in combination with repeat visits from appreciative Colorado residents.
Jim Maher
Denver
