CORRECTION: The March 25 story “God’s favorite success story” incorrectly referred to Asylum Street Spankers band members Christina Marrs and Wammo as husband and wife.
Tacky and un-Coloradan
(Re: “New Yorker go home,” letters, March 25.) Many thousands of people have moved to Colorado to enjoy the “beauty of the open spaces,” as you’ve described, though I’m sure no one’s idea of that beauty included the stench of sewage, regardless of what state they may have moved from. How very tacky, and un-Coloradan of you, to be regionist in your request that Mr. Licul return from whence he came. Does his complaint hold any less weight due to his birthplace? Would you be so thrilled to find your neighbors spreading sewage on their lawns? Do you have any more or less right to complain about it if you happen to be a born Coloradan?
And about those farmers, none of whom I hope lose their business … is it not (long past) time farming practices be updated? Is it not time for those farmers to care as much about the land they toil over as they do the bushels they reap? Sewage? Thousands of pounds of fertilizer and pesticides? To better their crop yield at the expense of poisoning the ground water? No, thank you. I happily support my local farmers … those that bring me such wondrous local goods without all that crap. No pun intended.
J.Marshall/Longmont
Great dance coverage
I want to congratulate the Boulder Weekly on the recent articles. I read with pleasure the articles about Lizi Martin, Alirio and Neisha Silva (Feb. 11, 2010) and Ricardo Changeux. All of the articles were written by April Charmaine. I know these artists personally and can attest to their knowledge, their commitment and their love for teaching and dance.
As a dancer myself, I am very happy that the Boulder Weekly is running stories that reflect the richness of dancers and artists who represent the cultures of Latin America and the Caribbean. Boulder is very lucky to have many artists “of color” that share with us the vibrancy and cultural heritage of countries from every corner of the world. I congratulate April and look forward to seeing articles about the many artists of Boulder County.
Muchas gracias, April.
Carmen Nelson, founder and director, Grupo Macondo/via Internet
True health care reform
President Obama recently signed sweeping “health care” legislation that created a major rift
over costs and other issues.
In 2009, we spent $2.5 trillion, or more than $8,000
per person, on medical care. That’s 17 percent of our GDP — more than
any other country. And even these outrageous numbers don’t account for
the economic toll of lost productivity, or the emotional toll of disease
and death.
Ironically,
these costs and the legislation have nothing to do with health care and
everything to do with medical care, directed at alleviating chronic
killer diseases that are largely self-inflicted through our flawed
lifestyles. Actual health care is absolutely free! It involves exercise,
rest and abstinence from smoking, drugs and meat and dairy products.
Yes, meat and dairy.
According to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, nearly 1.4
million U.S. deaths annually, or 58 percent of the total, are caused by
heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and other chronic diseases,
which have been linked conclusively with consumption of animal products.
We have no control
over national medical care policy. But each of us can exercise a great
deal of control over our family’s health every time we visit our
favorite supermarket.
Rudolph Helman/Boulder
Support the arts
The arts are proven to
help close the achievement gap. The collection of research described in Critical
Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and Social Development
finds that learning in the arts may be uniquely able to boost
learning and achievement for young children, students from economically
disadvantaged circumstances and students needing remedial instruction.
The No Child Left
Behind Act recognizes the arts as a core academic subject, making them
eligible for inclusion in broad categories such as teacher training,
school reform and technology.
However, recent studies have shown that some schools
are neglecting arts education in favor of other core subjects, such as
math and science.
President
Obama’s arts platform statement included support for arts education,
stating that: “In addition to giving our children the science and math
skills they need to compete in the new global context, we should also
encourage the ability to think creatively that comes from a meaningful
arts education.”
Arts
education helps prepare a creative work force. According to a 2007
Conference Board report, “Ready to Innovate,” there is overwhelming
support from school superintendents (98 percent) and corporate leaders
(96 percent) that creativity is of increasing importance to the U.S.
work force.
A 2006
report from the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce
said in its executive summary, “The best employers the world over will
be looking for the most competent, most creative and most innovative
people on the face of the earth and will be willing to pay them top
dollar for their services.” The report includes the arts as an essential
skill for the future work force.
Georgia Mattingly/Longmont
Obama, why?
President Obama, why is
Israel constantly required to make “confidencebuilding gestures” to the
Palestinians, yet the Palestinians are not even required to recognize
Israel as a Jewish state or “the Homeland of the World’s Jews”? How is
peace to be created by only one side of a conflict? The Palestinians
have done nothing to stop incitement of hatred towards Israel and of
Jews, and yet they enjoy America’s full support, while a long-term ally
is being trampled and treated as an enemy. Why, sir? Why?
Are you unaware of what
Jordan did to Jerusalem when it was under Muslim control? Are you not
aware that Jews were denied all access to holy sites under Muslim
control? Are you not aware that Israel has made access available to all
religions to all holy sites?
Please realize that if you abandon Israel as a friend
and ally, every Muslim state in the Middle East will lose trust in
America as a reliable friend.
Fred Nadel/Westminster
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