by Sean Doherty
‘”We were sitting there getting ready to cast our poles out in the water and then something really big jumped out of the water and tried to get on the dock but it was too big and fell right back into the water,” John Peck told CBS4.’
This is how a much publicized story began in Loveland, CO. Cages have recently been set up on the banks of Jayhawker Ponds where at least three witnesses, two of them children, are claiming to have seen a five to seven foot reptile in the waters.
Officials believe the creature to be a caiman or alligator that was most likely a pet whose owner chose to release the animal from captivity…into a public lake.
Maybe the witnesses are just crying wolf, er, alligator.
We’ll likely know soon enough; if the cages do not work for catching the creature, then plan B will be enacted. This means using an electric shock to stun everything in the water and cause the fish, etc., to float to the surface. If you’re like me, you’re attention might turn to another ’shocking’ story of recent headline worthiness in the newspaper. This other story is a sad one, a man who was confronted by officers and then shot with a Taser (a presumably safe weapon of control) only to later be pronounced dead.
That concludes this blog reporter’s account of strange and frightening.
Next week and in the future of this blog, I want to focus in on some good news in Colorado. On beautiful people doing beautiful things; and by this I mean all of us in our everyday life. You all know someone out there who is a beautiful person not just in physical terms, but because they enjoy going down to the homeless shelter, or are passionate about recycling, or they pick up trash on their walks… beautiful people doing beautiful things.
quote taken from http://cbs4denver.com/topstories/local_story_195171553.html reported by Mike Hooker
by Sean Doherty
Unless you’ve been living under a rock (highly unlikely since your reading an obscure Denver blog) then you know there was a strange and frightening incident at the State Capitol building just after 2pm on Monday July 16th. Here’s a line from the Rocky Mountain News in an article describing the incident in the following day’s paper:
“Snyder fell dead onto the marbled floor, blood pouring from his wound, just a few steps inside the Capitol’s north doors.” -Kevin Vaughan, David Montero and Sara Burnett, Rocky Mountain News
July 17, 2007 for the full article click here
To me, this description is a little bit harsh and just a little too graphic. Yes, a man wearing a tux entered the Capitol building and police officers were forced to shoot him. This is true and factual reporting, but do we need it in detail? This, to me, reflects poorly on the interest of us as a nation and what the media keys on to catch our attention and attract readership. Because the media outlets are just providing the news in a way that the public finds desirable and essentially, demands. Does this make sense? Our country is attracted to violence, mayhem, murder, etc. That is, after all, why they say ‘bad news sells.’
To top it all off, this article went out to readers throughout Colorado with an actual photo of the dead body, lying prone in the State Capitol. I suppose I could have included the photo on this blog entry for added effect, but I believe that photos are intended to be used in journalism to enhance the reader’s understanding of the article and improve their experience with the article. I do not feel a photo of the dead guy this article is about serves to achieve either end.
We have so much beauty in Colorado and so many great citizens who are doing so many beautiful things; it is a sad thing that front page news tends to be the murders, violence, rape, etc, the evils and ugly side of mankind and society.
by Sean Doherty
Following my recomendation for a movie, and since movies can be seen anywhere in the country, I decided to make a recommendation that is more specific to Denver. The theater. More specifically, Wicked. Now, this production isn’t just happening in Denver, but according to the website, it is only going to be in Denver through November. So hurry up and attend! I have heard great reviews from all of my friends and family. So for my next date, I’ll impress her with how ‘cultured’ I am and take her to the Theater!
click here for Wicked
by Sean Doherty
A movie I highly recommend Denverites and all Americans to go see or rent at some point is Michael Moore’s film, Sicko. Yes, it is a bias film. That’s what makes it film worthy in the first place. Moore wouldn’t have the popularity he currently enjoys if he made this film a balance between the pro’s and con’s of healthcare. So keep this in mind when watching the film. Regardless of bias, Sicko is an important film for all concerned citizens to watch. In response to this film, I’d like to open the comments on this blog entry for the readers to share their own experience, good or bad, with healthcare. I always encourage people to do their own research when politics, news, religion, etc., are concerned, so lets use this as a forum for research! Don’t be shy!
One thing this film did accomplish was make me want to move to Europe! In Europe they have:
+ five weeks vacation every year
+ thirty-five hour work weeks
+ an extra week vacation for your honeymoon, in addition to the allotted five weeks
+ and, of course, free healthcare for all citizens
To leave you with a cliffhanger, I especially enjoyed how Michael Moore paid back his long-time nemesis and arch-enemy for this person’s continued effort to destroy Mr. Moore… You’ll have to watch it to understand what I’m talking about…
click here for movie times and locations for Sicko
by Sean Doherty
Meet my three dogs (I’ll try to post some pictures in a later blog!)
I have a male 5yr old Chocolate lab named Ozzy
a 8yr old female Chocolate lab named Belle
and a 5yr old male Golden retriever named Yari (I am just babysitting him until August)
On our walk today around a Denver-area pond, I witnessed a funny and blog-worthy dog moment…
Now, Denver has leash laws, but my dogs aren’t the best at following these particular rules. So my male dog Ozzy, and his endless abundance of energy runs in, and out, and all around the pond on our walk. He has never, ever in his five years stopped to roll around in the grass, which is a favorite pastime of Yari, the golden retriever I’m watching for a friend. Well today, either Ozzy picked up Yari’s habit or the temptation was too great, but Ozzy stopped to roll around. I thought it odd that he stop his usual activities on the walk to run suddenly to a particular area near the water… But the scent of the area and the urge was too much for my male, and to my disgust I found him rolling directly on a large, dead fish washed ashore! He chose that one, very specific spot to roll around for the first time ever. It was like he had to roll on a dead fish, that he hadn’t really lived a dog life until he had done so…Bizarre creatures…
So we get home and, I admit, I talk to my pets. I says to Ozzy I says, “I know what you’re going to try to do, you’re going to go lay down on my nice new Tempurpedic bed with the sheets I just washed and make it smell like fish, aren’t ya?”
To alleviate my fears of my dog doing so, I take him out back and proceed to give him a bath. The entire time I’m spraying the hose or rubbing in shampoo, my Ozzy is giving me those puppy dog eyes as if to say, ‘what’d I do to deserve this? It was just one fish…”
I feel like telling him that, “no, Ozzy, it doesn’t matter where you found the fish, what kind of fish it was, or even how many there were. Every time you roll on a dead fish, you’re getting a bath.” But that’s the problem of being a dog owner; he’d never understand me and there so cute, you always forgive them anyway!
Hopefully this blog will generate some great pet stories from readers. C’mon readers, lets hear your favorite pet stories!
by Sean Doherty
Weather forecast for this weekend: sunny and nice, a great Colorado weekend
Fun and adventure forecast for this author: Wake up at 5am Sunday morning and attempt to summit Longs Peak by early afternoon.
Here’s a picture of the peak I’ll be hiking, foot by foot, all 14,255 feet. I hope this motivates some of my readers to get out this weekend and really enjoy the natural beauty and adventure of this state. It’s tremendous really, and I personally, think it better and more exciting than a weekend of video games or television…
by Sean Doherty
Every summer I have the good fortune of being able to attend children’s birthday parties due to my work as a martial arts instructor. I enjoy being invited out to celebrate my student’s birthdays and for me, this also means free food! Have you ever noticed at children’s birthday parties that, for all the children there, the most important thing of the day is the child, the fact that the child’s birthday is today, and also that everyone should be playing during such a happy event?
And sure, we have all outgrown this stage and why not: there are responsibilities like work, bills, family, church, voting, etc. Someone has to pay for the party right? But when was the last time we allowed ourselves to be swept up in the simple importance of playing like these children do at birthday parties?!?
I’m reminded of a party I attended not too long ago. A good friend of mine, Chris, had provided Bouncy Houses and other bouncy things for the five year old crowd to enjoy, which the five year olds did particularly well. Many of the five year olds took to trying to convince me, in all my twenty years of glory, to jump in the Bouncy House with them. They simply could not understand why I, or the other adults, refused to partake in the inflatable fun. We just had too much other things on our mind, I suppose, like what will everyone else here think if I actually take off my shoes and take five minutes to have fun in a child’s plaything with my five year old friends? Long story short, I did eventually, and from combined efforts of the children, enter the bouncy house for approximately five minutes. But I’ll tell you, the experience of taking five minutes out of my practiced adult exterior to jump in the bouncy house as a function of my younger, childlike interior that we all have, is something that will last a life time. When was the last time we allowed ourselves to be swept up in the simple importance of playing like these children do at birthday parties?!? For me, it was the last birthday party I went to, and I plan to enter the next Bouncy House I find at the next birthday party as well. Hope you enjoyed this…
for Denver bouncy house info click here If you or anyone else you know wants some fun filled party rentals, then this is the place to call!
by Sean Doherty
“Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom.”
Albert Einstein
“You can protect your liberties in this world only by protecting the other man’s freedom. You can be free only if I am free.”
Clarence Darrow
“Free at last; free at last; thank God Almighty we are free at last.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
by Sean Doherty
Happy fourth of July Denver, Colorado, and the United States!
I hope everyone takes some time today and this evening to not only enjoy the fireworks and community celebrations, but to think about what being part of the greatest and free-est country in the world means to them as a free individual with unlimited opportunities. Think about it!
by Sean Doherty
What do you like to do first, or most, when vacationing in a new city? Below are a few different options, then an example of what that particular option would mean in the Denver area. You can complete the poll by contacting me through email, or just leaving a comment.
What do you like to do first, or most, when vacationing in a new city?
1. Explore the natural attractions (for Denver this would likely be the Rocky Mountains)
2. Discover the fine dining options (somewhere like Cheesecake Factory or Sullivan’s Steakhouse)
3. Attend a sporting event (Colorado Rockies or Denver Broncos)
4. Tour the city (take a walk through Downtown, on the 16th street Mall)
5. Visit amusement park locations (Elitch Gardens in Denver or Water World)
6. Go to city landmarks (the Capitol building, the Mint, or maybe the Museum’s)
7. other (list your other option if you please)
I appreciate any and all feedback!
by Sean Doherty
Since I am out of Denver and over in Daytona Beach, I have managed to scape away from the sand and the beach to make a few quick posts. Being that my mind is in vacation mode and I don’t have the beautiful city of Denver in view, I thought to repost some polls for this week. This way, I can encourage all the Denver readers to participate in this blog! So leave a comment after reading through! Thanks everyone!
What aspect of the city of Denver are you most proud of? The available answers are general categories, with an option of ‘other’ and comments welcomed!
A) Sports teams
B) Business opportunities
C) Leisure activities
D) Family environment
E) Outdoor adventure
F) Layout, design, and structure of downtown
G) Being apart of the community
H) other
Thank you!
by Sean Doherty
Hello readers! This is yours truly, the About Denver author writing this blog post from the coast of Daytona Beach, Florida. I will be on vacation out here until July 2nd, but will try to make a blog post any day that I am around a computer with internet access. These posts will have to spring from my memories of Denver, since I am not there to explore and make my posts from observation (my preferred method of inspiring these blogs). If a few days go by with no posts, I’m having too much fun on the beach!!
by Sean Doherty
Need an interesting activity to pursue and plan for on the next family vacation or trip with friends? Here it is - VOLCANO BOARDING!
Obviously, this isn’t the type of adventure activity you can pursue in Denver. Here we have our own activities more suited to our geographical region: skiing, snowboarding, kayaking, water-skiing, etc.
But I came across a different type of extreme sport that is rapidly gaining popularity.
For Volcano Boarding to work, you and your group hike up an active volcano carrying with you protective gloves, a protective suit, and a Volcano Board. Once you’re at the top, you suit up, sit down on the board, and speed to the bottom of the Volcano. Be careful not to fall off your board and be sure to avoid any magma!
I realize this extreme activity won’t be for everyone (myself included) but it’s interesting to learn about and to learn that people actually do this sort of thing, and it may be fun to watch.
by Sean Doherty
What are our readers and Denver citizens favorite things to do when relaxing in Downtown Denver?
+ Window Shop
+ Visit Museums or libraries, or the zoo
+ Sporting events
+ Walk the 16th Street Mall
+ Endlessly ride the Free Mall Ride or other routes of the RTD bus system
+ Anything, as long as the company is good
+ Spend time with friends
+ Eat in familar restaurants
+ Eat in new places, new restaurants, new to you foods
+ Elitch Gardens
+ Its too hot in the summer, I’m staying inside with my A/C!
+ Swimming or other exercise
Leave a comment, let Denver know what the people enjoy most!
by Sean Doherty
Have you been to this specific area of Colorado? I’ll give you a hint, its a pedestrian bridge over Cherry Creek in Denver, and it is a great place to go walking.
