by Peter Boyles | Nov 2, 2015 | Blasting with Boyles
It’s been estimated that the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost the American taxpayer between 4 to 6 trillion dollars and resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people. The invasion of Iraq was one of the worst foreign policy decisions in American history. Politicians, analysts and military historians run from attempting to come up with explanations for the war. In the past in this column we have focused on the lies and deception practiced by the Bush administration, and the motives and causes manufactured by Cheney and company.
The overwhelming evidence is Iraq posed no threat to the U.S., and those who helped manufacture the rationales for the war knew it.
Now comes something even worse. As you may be aware the Bush administration suppressed a 28 page portion of the 2002 Congressional Report attempting to explain the terrorist attacks of September 11th. I waded through the report when it first came out sans the missing 28 pages. It is an 838 page report, chaired by former United States Senator Bob Graham of Florida. Graham now is the leading voice in wanting you and I to know what is in the 28 page portion and why it is classified.
On my morning show on 710 KNUS radio I have now been able to talk with former Senator Graham, as well as Republican Congressman Walter Jones of North Carolina, and Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky and I’m going to quote you what Thomas Massie said to me about the suppressed pages. He was shocked when he read them, “I had to stop every couple of pages, and just sort of absorb and try to rearrange my understanding of history for the past 13 years and the years, leading up to that.” It challenges you to rethink everything.
Walter Jones is the congressman who investigative reporter James Bovard said, “is best known for coining the phrase ‘Freedom Fries’.” He did so in 2003 when France opposed George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq. Bovard says Jones has become one of the most outspoken opponents of intervention in Iraq after reading the suppressed pages. Jones introduced a Resolution to the House for the public to be able to read the missing 28 pages. His quote: “The American people deserve the truth, releasing these pages will enhance our national security, not harm it.”
In my second interview with former Senator Graham he indicated that the Saudis are the guilty party, but disclosing Saudi links to 9/11 would have undermined the Bush administration attempt to tie Saddam Hussein to the 9/11 attacks.
So as James Bovard asks, “Do you have the right to learn whether a foreign government helped finance the 9/11 attacks?”
One of the saddest moments in reading about these suppressed pages is the Bush administration held back the release of the entire 838 pages until the middle of 2003, after the invasion of Iraq had already begun. Now most recently in a courtroom in New York, on September 28 of this year, the Saudis were dismissed as defendants in the lawsuits brought by the victims of the 9/11 attacks.
The judge, U.S. District Court Judge Daniels, said that the lawyers for the plaintiffs failed to show sufficient evidence to overcome the Saudis’ sovereign immunity.
There is evidence locked away and suppressed. If you’re a member of the House or Senate, my understanding is you can read those by going into a secure room on Capitol Hill if you can get permission from the intelligence community. I’ve read that only 18 Congressmen have done so.
This is like a handgun, fingerprints and tests, are in a police evidenced locker and the judge dismisses a murder case by telling the families of the victim there’s not sufficient evidence, while the gun, the prints and the tests lie behind lock and key. You’ve read my columns many times about my views on President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, and the way they manufactured the rationale for the war. As hard as it is for me to say — it’s worse than I imagined. Don’t take my word for this, do your own investigation and come to your own conclusions. Then contact your congressmen and senators, and finally demand the truth of what these people did.
George W. Bush invading Iraq because of 9/11 makes about as much sense as if Franklin Roosevelt had invaded Mexico because of the attack on Pearl Harbor. What would be in those 28 pages if we could read them? The truth, and it’s time to hold that entire corrupt administration responsible for what they did to this country.
More to come, Happy Thanksgiving.
— Peter
by Mark Smiley | Sep 25, 2015 | General Featured
by Casey Bloyer
For a craft beer fan like myself autumn is a wonderful time of year to celebrate with delicious fall beer and what else, Oktoberfest! The average American has attended or knows about the fall festival that has become a pilgrimage for most beer lovers, but do they know what it is really about? Oktoberfest is about a marriage that happened in 1810 in, yes you guessed, Germany!
On October 12, 1810, Crown Prince Ludwig was married to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. The wedding took place in Munich, and all the citizens were invited to come celebrate the nuptials on the fields at the city gates. The fields are now named Theresinwiese in honor of the Princess, and today Oktoberfest is still held there.
The locals refer to the event just as “Wies’n” and more than six million people now attend “Wies’n” every year! The celebration in Germany has evolved into one big carnival party with something that everyone can enjoy and, of course, beer takes center stage.
You can find many more Oktoberfests across the world. Locall
y you can find several different festivals in each city in Colorado spanning from early September to the beginning of October. Also, there is that little festival at the end of September in Denver called The Great American Beer Festival.
Summer beer festivals focus on the beer but Oktoberfest is more of a celebration that usually is more family friendly than regular beer festivals. This is just one reason that as a beer lover, Fall is my favorite beer season. The air grows crisp and the colors start to change and the beer grows more hearty and rich with deep flavors!
Since we are in Colorado, one of the big four craft beer states (California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington) we are very lucky to have so many choices for outstanding beer. I can’t wait for this time of year and for seasonal beers to be released with one exception…PUMPKIN BEER!
Never has a beer been more argued than this type of beer. If you have listened to Brewski-Reviewski.podbean.com you know that I absolutely hate these beers! I have yet to try one that I like, or that I think is good. So just know you won’t get any recommendations from this writer on pumpkin beer. I will, however, let you know about my five favorite fall beers.
These are the type of beers I like to have on a cool afternoon in th
e Rockies or by a fireside at night. Here they are from 5-1:
5: Left Hand Brewing — “Oktoberfest Marzen Lager” — The maltiness of this beer is off the charts and is one beer that you can have a couple of and not feel like you just ate a full meal! This is a crisp fun lager!
4: Prost — “Marzen Oktoberfest” — If you are looking for German beer and a great fall beer for that special festival this is the beer for you! This is a more traditional Marzen with a nice orange color to it. I don’t mind having 1… or 6 of these if I’m not driving anywhere.
3: Oskar Blues Brewery — “Ten Fidy” — Get ready for a beer that will knock your socks off! This 10.5% ABV is packed with a punch of chocolate, caramel and coffee! Make sure you don’t have these on an empty stomach!
2: Black Shirt Brewing — Any beer they do! They call their beers “The Red Ale Pro
ject” and all the beers they do tie into music! I have ye
t to have a beer at BSB that is anything less than great! I recommend the Red Porter for this time of year.
1: Avery Brewing Company — The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest — This is the beer to end all fall beers! I am not surprised this is what Avery does with all their beers. The malt combined with the spiced hoppiness is fantastic. If an Oktoberfest is not serving this in Colorado then it is not the right festival.
Honorable Mention:
Bull & Bush Brewery — Hail Brau Hefeweizen — This unfiltered wheat beer is a classic Hefeweizen and great beer for any Oktoberfest festival. But make sure you swing by their brewery for any of their beers and the food as well!
Comrade Brewing — Bierstadt Lagerhaus Hefeweizen — Great beer for this time of year and a lot lighter than any other beers coming up on this list. I love the banana notes that come from this beer. Make sure you try the superpower IPA as it well may well be the best IPA in Colorado.
Fall is a wonderful time in Colorado to be able to enjoy the outdoors, and a great beer is a plus. We are just lucky to have the best of both worlds here, so get out there and try a new beer. I hope to see you at one of the many festivals this fall and please tell me if I am wrong about any of these beers. I love hearing about new beers to try, but do not bring up those evil forsaken pumpkin beers! Enjoy the outdoors, have a beer and until the next time . . . raise your glass!
Casey Bloyer is the Executive Producer of The Peter Boyles Show and The Dan Caplis Show. He is the co-host of Brewski-Reviewski with Connor Shreve who is the Sports Director at 710KNUS. Brewski-Reviewski is a bi-monthly podcast talking about all things craft beer in Colorado. Twitter @Breviewski; Facebook www. facebook.com/craftbeerradio; email brcraftbeer @gmail.com.
by Mark Smiley | Sep 25, 2015 | Uncategorized
A Big Booo to you!
Both horrifying and hilarious, this is the bewitching month when “A Haunting We Will Go!” We must have bats in our belfry because what was once a one-day holiday has been carved into a full month of freakish parties, spooky street people and ghoulish performances.
Here’s the Chronicle’s list of haunted houses, paranormal parties, street prowling events and pumpkin carvings to keep you frightened and fearful.
The 13th Floor, Oct. 1-Nov.14
This house takes guests through a frightening tour of horror. Brave guests will learn just why the 13th floor is so often omitted from building plans — if they make it through to tell the tale. Thrills with intricate sets, highly selective casting, and incredible special effects makeup that are sure to make reality and fiction blur into terror. Information: 303-355-3327.
The Asylum, Oct. 1-Nov. 1
Back again, this 1800s era themed “hospital for t
he mentally insane” has been taken over by the patients and prisoners. Tapping into some of our greatest fears, the haunted experience is a head-trip that screams of its tortured souls inside the once orderly insane asylum. Information: 303-355-3327.
Mausoleum, Oct. 1-Nov. 1
You can’t predict what will happen next. No one can survive because you are already dead! Do you have the nerve to tour a haunted mausoleum at night? The ghosts await your arrival. Information: 303-795-6666.
13th Door, Oct. 2-Nov.1
This is a terrifying journey through petrifying halls filled with relentless scares and screaming. Only the brave should enter and try to navigate the horrifying hallways. Information: 720-261-0570.
Pumpkin Harvest Festival, Oct. 3-4
Old-time fall celebration with pumpkins, wagon rides, caramel apples and cider at Four Mile Historic Park, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The historic 12-acre site provides the perfect country setting for nostalgic autumn fun, including a scarecrow-building station and pumpkin patch, pie-eating contests, live music, crafts, seasonal treats, and county fair amusements. Historic demonstrations and tours of the Four Mile House Museum will highlight how families in the region lived and prepared for the season during the late 1800s. Information: 720-865-0800.
Colorado Ghost Stories, Oct. 8
Join Active Minds as they tiptoe through the haunted houses and ghoulish graveyards of the area. They will tell the ghost stories associated with the Stanley Hotel, Cheesman Park, the Molly Brown House, and more as we visit the past and the past visits with us a bit. The free event is from 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the Highland Senior Center. Information: 303-458-4868.
Glow At The Gardens, Oct. 14, 21 & 28
Pumpkin displays, luminaria-lined pathways and cocktail parties at the Botanic Gardens, 6-9 p.m. Stories by The Story Seeker, scavenger hunts and other fall-themed activities will be part of the fun. All activities included with admission. Separate costs are for food and cash bar. Oct. 14: Sea-themed pumpkin display with live music in the Glow Lounge featuring Branden Sipes. Oct. 21: Dinosaur-themed pumpkin display and a mask station for children. Glow Lounge live music by Yoshi & Dan. Oct. 28: Halloween-themed pumpkin display with trick-or-treating. Classic Vinyl Band Live in the Glow Lounge. Information: 720-865-3500.
Victorian Horrors XXII,
Oct. 16-17 & 23-24
Costumed actors at the Molly Brown House Museum bring to life tales of terror from such masters of Victorian gothic literature as Edgar Allan Poe, HG Wells and Mary Shelley. Come the first time, or come again for a fresh set of terrifying tales. Information: 303-832-4092.
Salem Witches, Oct. 21
Learn about an extraordinary series of events that took place in Salem, Massachusetts, and the hysterical community reaction known as the Salem Witch Hunt. Free event is in the Cherry Creek Library, 6-7 p.m. Reservations not required. Information: 720-865-0120.
Monsters & Legends, Oct. 24
From the vampires of Eastern Europe, to the stories of the Loch Ness monster, Big Foot, and more, Active Minds will explore the origins and history of familiar (and not so familiar) tales and how they have evolved and grown over time. Free event is at the Eugene Field Library on S. University Blvd. Reservations not required.
Pumpkin Patch Party, Oct. 24
On Havana Street event at The English Teacup where kids can decorate a mini pumpkin for free. There will be pumpkin scones and pumpkin tea. Information: 303-514-0958.
Boo At The Zoo, Oct. 25-26
The annual Boo at the Denver Zoo offers more than 25 trick-or-treat stations, creepy crawly animal demonstrations and exciting family-friendly entertainment under the canopy of fall foliage of the Denver Zoo. Activities are free with zoo admission. Information: 720-337-1400.
Halloween Party, Oct. 29
This YMCA event is for local kids with a costume contest, crafts, treats and a haunted house at the Glendale Sports Center, 5:30-7 p.m. Information: 303-639-4711.
Halloween BOO-lesque Show,
Oct. 29-31
Join the Clocktower Clockettes at Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret as they pay a spooky burlesque tribute to all the thrills and chills of America’s spookiest holiday. You’ll see zombies, vampires, witches, black cats and even The Blob … scenes so frightening they’ll scare The Clockettes right out of their shirts! I
nformation: 303-293-0075.
Highland Haunt, Oct. 31
Free and open to the public on 32nd Ave. between Zuni and Clay, activities include trick or treating, a costume parade, piñata stations, cakewalk and live music, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Information: highlandhaunt.com.
Spooky Walk & Howl-O-Ween Pet Costume Contest, Oct. 31
Event sponsored by On Havana Street offers free candy and prizes. Information: 303-514-0958.
Boneyard Garden Ghosts, Oct. 31
Enjoy Victorian tea service and delve into Victorian Halloween traditions, costumes and games at the suitably spooky and quite possibly haunted Molly Brown House, tea served at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Information: 303-832-4092.
Coloween, Oct. 31
Coloween is one of the most anticipated Denver Halloween parties. You can choose from parties at City Hall and The Curtis Hotel, among the wildest costume parties in the city. Information: 303-937-9365.
Halloween Costume Ball, Oct. 31-Nov. 1
Live Halloween entertainment and great DJs plus a $1,000 “Best of The Ball” costume contest. The Ball is in the Grand Ballroom of the historic Sherman St. Event Center, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Information: 720-319-8441.
Dracula, Oct. 31-Nov. 2
Colorado Ballet again presents a special Halloween presentation of Dracula at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Spine tingling would be an understatement for how this thrilling performance based on Bram Stoker’s gothic horror will leave you feeling. Portrayed through dance, Dracula will reveal passion, seduction and elegance in a way that the book cannot. Information: 303-837-8888.
by Mark Smiley | Sep 25, 2015 | Travel
by Megan Carthel
The walls of Koko FitClub, located at 6231 E. 14th Ave. in Mayfair, aren’t lined with mirrors and weight racks. Instead, a simple layout with a handful of elliptical, treadmill and weight machines fill out the small space. In fact, no mirrors will be found in this gym, and that’s just the point. “It’s not about being skinny or weighing 120 pounds,” franchise owner Jennifer Mercado said. “It’s about being strong.”
It’s no secret that Americans aren’t the trimmest. The National Institute of Health estimates nearly 70 percent of Americans ages 20 and up are overweight or obese. Mercado and her husband, Kevin, along with Koko Fitness, are trying to make that statistic smaller. After he suffered a heart attack at age 39, the Mercados knew they needed to change their lifestyle.
At Koko FitClub, technology is the personal trainer. It’s a marriage of both computers and fitness — a metaphorical match to the Mercados. Kevin, a software engineer, and Jennifer, a runner and formerly from a corporate environment, blend with the gym. “For me,” Mercado said, “it seems like one of the smartest ways technology can be there to help people get better and improve their life.”
So how is technology helping people lose weight? The answer is much like a game. Each member has their own website and USB drive that retains all of their information, such as height, weight, BMI, workouts and nutrition. Each workout is pre-planned and tailored to each member. Every part of the experience is tracked and designed to motivate. Club members carry their USB flash drives on colored lanyards correlated to the amount of time they’ve been training at the gym. Mercado said it’s a way for members to show pride in their progress.
A screen in the middle of the gym proudly flaunts member names on a “leader board” for perfect workouts. While burning calories, club members can have their pick of scenic routes and keep up with a pacemaker. At the end of each workout, members are rewarded with points. A perfect workout gets a member a free
T-shirt and their name on the leader board. Think of a gold star sticker, but for adults.
“It makes it a little fun, but it’s a great workout,” said club member Daniel Kraus, 29. Kraus said he’s never been a fanatic of gyms, but the streamlined ease of Koko is a perfect fit for him.
Kathy Adams, a 70-year-old member, said she checks the leader board every time she works out. This was a surprise to Adams who said she has always been a “do-it-yourselfer.” This simple work-for-reward technique seems to be one of the key motivational points for Koko FitClub. “It is that feeling, I think,” Mercado said, “that people just want to be recognized for working hard and feeling good about it.”
And, in a world of instant gratification, instant results can undoubtedly be motivational — and that’s what the technology at Koko FitClub can provide people. It’s real time data showing real time results. “The numbers don’t lie,” Adams said. “That in itself is very motivating. You can start seeing improvement. You don’t think you’re getting better, you know on paper you’re getting better and stronger.”
Mercado said many people quit trying to get healthy and lose weight because they don’t see results. The “smart trainer,” as it’s called, keeps track of the improvement each member makes during their workouts and shares the data instantly as well as on a personalized website. Koko FitClub seems to have found a way to simplify a very complicated thing. When club members come into the gym, everything is mapped out for them, from weight to reps.
Nutrition isn’t spared, either. Recipes and meal guidelines are part of each member’s website — something that Nel Lenhart, 50, a club member, said has made a positive impact on her family. The gym itself gives off a family feeling. Lenhart describes the atmosphere as “encouraging” and “comfortable.” Mercado said when people go into a large gym environment, they can sometimes be intimidated and uncomfortable asking for help, the exact opposite of what Mercado and the Koko FitClub conveys. “You get the sense that people are glad I’m here, and they’re proud of me for showing up,” Lenhart said.
Because the workouts are easy to follow, the fear of being “that person” at the gym is basically eliminated. “You don’t have to worry about the whole gym thing, going in with all these people, not knowing what you’re doing or waiting for this machine or that machine,” Kraus said. Koko FitClub supports a friendly environment and pushes the goal of health, not just quick weight loss. “We are the life prescription keeping people healthy,” Mercado said.
For more information call 303-872-8380 or visit kokodenver.com.
