The interview Bill Moyers did with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. was nothing short of beautiful---and also revealing of our press and how our media workers can have anything communicate as it, the media so desires. I can easily see that the Reverend Wright Jr, if he is presented as he is by media could be more powerful a speaker than Martin Luther King if only because we as a people are more conscious of who and what we are.

David Krest

Lafayette

A WOMEN'S PRODUCT IS A WOMEN'S PRODUCT

As a local business owner, I would like to voice my complaint against The Denver Newspaper Agency. I responded to their personal request for my advertising dollars, and agreed to pay for an ad to be used in a pull out section of their Sunday paper offering information about "women's services and products", as well as for use in a handout at their 2008 Women's Exposition, this weekend April 26th and 27th. I got my info in well before the deadline, and today, 2 days before the event, I was told that they have refused to run my ad, (which they put together, and their VP of sales along with others in their organization approved weeks ago). I heard from the sales rep a week ago that there was some concern, and I emailed back if there was a problem with the ad, I was open to their suggestions. No one told me what the problem was, and I have yet to find out of they were opposed to the ad or the product.

I sell an unusual invention for women called the P-mate, which is a disposable device for a woman to use to discreetly stand up and pee without baring her bottom to the world. Many of the local papers, including the Denver Post, The Daily Camera, The Boulder County Business Report AND nationally, the Washington Post (among many others), have run articles about me since I started my business. In three years I have gone from investing $3,000 on my credit card to gross sales of almost $50,000 dollars in 2007. Female soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with hikers, runners, bikers, hunters, world travelers and all kinds of women are buying the P-mate with rave reviews.

I am incensed that an event targeted specifically to products and services for women would refuse to allow me to advertise this product. In a country where sex, hemorrhoid creams and adult diapers are commonly seen in advertising, I just don't see how the P-mate could be deemed offensive.

Karen Diamond

Broomfield

POLITICS LOOKS LIKE HOLLYWOOD

Celebrity culture has invaded politics as we now have the wife of a former president (e.g. '90s nostalgia) running foir president; Obama, a man lacking gravitas, as Grant Cyrus admitted in 2006; and worst of all the old serviceman who can't stop reminiscing about the "gooks", as he calls them, who put him in a cage in Hanoi: "I'm the engineer on the straight talk express, a war hero! And you ought to vote for me because I possess the glitter and celebrity charisma of warfare and masculinity, BEING I AM A WAR HERO...".

Al Brooks

Boulder

SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH CARE: THE WRONG PRESCRIPTION FOR AMERICA

The single-payer health care plan praised by Don Barshay in his 4/15/2008 piece "Let's push for real health care reform" has been an abject failure in Canada. With rare exception, patients cannot spend their own money on medically necessary services for themselves or their loved ones, but must instead go through the infamous government waiting lists. A Canadian woman who discovers a lump in her breast might wait for months before she receives the surgery and chemotherapy she needs, with the cancer cells multiplying rapidly as each week goes by. If she lived in Colorado, she could receive treatment within days.

Canadian patients routinely suffer and die while waiting for their "free" health care. The National Center for Policy Analysis recently noted, "During one 12-month period in Ontario, 71 patients died waiting for coronary bypass surgery while 121 patients were removed from the list because they had become too sick to undergo surgery."

To guarantee "free" health care, the Canadian government forces the individual to pay for everyone else's medical care and limits his freedom to pay voluntarily for his own. With bureaucrats deciding who receives what, the patient is therefore forbidden from spending his own money according to his own rational judgment (and the advice of his doctors) as to what's best for his health. When a government forces people to act against their own interests, it's no surprise that the results are misery and death.

Fortunately, Canadians are starting to recognize the problems inherent in "single-payer" health care and are taking small steps towards limited private medicine. America must not repeat Canada's mistakes. As P. J. O'Rourke said, "If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free."

Paul Hsieh, MD

Sedalia, Colo.

BOOTING AT BASEMAR

I am writing to warn shoppers at the Basemar Center at Broadway and Baseline in Boulder of some dubious parking enforcement policies. I have been a frequent shopper at Basemar for eight years as I live just several blocks away. On a recent visit, I parked my car directly in front of a sign that read "Basemar For Customers Only: Violators Will Be Booted At Owners Expense." I had dry cleaning in the backseat to drop off at Art Cleaners and grocery bags for shopping at Wild Oats so I was not worried about violating any parking policies. Before I ran these errands, I walked over to Starbucks, which I assumed was part of the Basemar Center, to meet a friend and get a coffee. I returned to my car less than one hour later to find it had been booted. I called the required phone number and an unmarked security vehicle arrived. The security guard with Colorado Security Services informed me that I had "left the property" and thus I was illegally parked. I told her I went to Starbucks and she replied that is not part of the Basemar Center. This was news to me. I did not see any signage that said "No Parking for Starbucks Customers" or "Starbucks is NOT a tenant of Basemar Center." I then told her I was planning to run several of my usual errands in the Center, but she refused to hear my argument and I was forced to pay $65 to have the boot removed. I have filed numerous complaints with both Colorado Security Services and the property management company, Swanson Properties. Neither has given me the courtesy of a reply. I will continue to fight my battle as I feel strongly that I have been wrongfully accused. So beware of bad booters at Basemar. They may try and violate your rights, too.

Rebecca Heaton

Boulder

GOD BLESS JIMMY CARTER

With all the recent attention given to Former President Carter meeting with Hamas to discuss a peace process, (and being ridiculed for it) one can't help but wonder...Why are so many on the right seemingly doing their level best to promote violence?

First, on a local level, we have Douglas Bruce assaulting a photographer, then making inflamitory remarks towards migrant workers, and if THAT weren't enough, he goes on to suggest that a revolution in Mexico would solve illegal immigration.

The same week, we have the self-described "journalist" Rush Limbaugh using our public airways to promote riots in Denver during the Democratic National Convention, as well as instructing his loyal followers to commit what could very well be described as voter fraud and other legally questionable actions that he proudly calls"Opperation Chaos".

I, for one, wonder if he's even a registered voter himself because, the fact is, he never bothered to participate in our country's elections until he was called on it by the media. (when he was well into his 40s).

Other draft-dodging radio hosts and public figures who have been flag-waving and cheerleading the violence in Iraq, Afghanistan and ,( coming soon to Iran) have all been so-called Conservatives. eg; O'Reilly, Savage (AKA Weiner),Cheney, Wolfowitz, Rove, Michael Reagan, etc,etc. etc. What's up with these guys (and gals, like Coulter and Malkin) ?

With all the nukes out there, and a host of people angry and/or nuts enough to use one,most sane folks would hope that peace would be at least considered before going off the deep end and promoting more war(s). At least President Carter is trying.

I wish we could say the same for folks in the "Republic" Party. (To paraphrase our friend Rush).

May God bless you Jimmy, you're a good guy, and a true Christian.

Tommy Holeman

Longmont

SUPPORT THE FULL GI BILL

The original GI Bill is one of the most enlightened acts ever by the US Congress--both for fairness and for contribution to the prosperity of the United States. Our current veterans deserve nothing less. Please support S.22--the full bipartisan bill, rather than the watered-down version proposed by Senator McCain and others.

Robert Cooper

Lafayette