A window on the weather
As a native of metropolitan Denver for 64 years, I honestly cannot recall a period when metro weathercasters have been so wrong, so often – despite advances in Doppler technology.
In your zeal to boost station ratings by sensationalizing your weathercasts, you have repeatedly sacrificed credibility to the degree that the accuracy of your prognostications cannot be trusted. Given that so many base their travel decisions on your forecasts, I’m sure that only a few Pollyannas found your transparent, face-saving spins on Friday humorous. Passengers on prematurely cancelled flights out of DIA and long-distance commuters who booked accommodations at area hotels because of your erroneous forecasts were certainly not amused. TV weather “entertainers” and their stations must simply be held to higher standards of accountability.
As once-loyal viewers tune out your stations’ weather shows, we will, of necessity, turn to that time-tested, albeit low-tech, device for our weather information: the window. Although its predictability is no worse than yours, its reliability is 100 percent.
Charles A. Bottinelli, Littleton
Talk show host’s firing
Re: “CBS pulls the plug on embattled Imus,” April 13 news story.
Over the years, I have been a listener of Don Imus’ program, recognizing the often deep irreverence of his speech and show’s banter. Clearly the market had every right to speak in evaluating his outrageous and irresponsible comments about the Rutgers women’s basketball team. I applaud sponsors, CBS and MSNBC for listening.
However, are CBS, MSNBC and others listening to the endemic speech being spewed daily via hip-hop and rap on the radio and CDs? Is Time Warner listening to what black comedians are dishing out on black comedians’ HBO television programs, or Comedy Central’s frequent offerings?
I cannot help but feel that while Imus probably did deserve the most severe of punishment for his comments, it does seem like he is being scapegoated by his broadcasters and advertisers.
Meanwhile, hundreds of millions of dollars are earned annually by broadcasters and music distributors that consciously choose to promote people whose speech I cannot begin to utter in this newspaper – speech that is far worse than anything Imus ever uttered. Who is holding these organizations to higher standards? Anybody?
Cary J. Polevoy, Centennial
…
Who’s the big loser? When it comes right down to it, we are. We have swept the issue right back under the rug. Don Imus had the platform and had the power to address the race issue on his show. No one felt worse than he about the vicious words spoken in one thoughtless moment. He is also a man who will fight to make it right. This is a man who fought to raise the death benefit for families of our fallen soldiers, and raised millions of dollars for children’s diseases. The firing of Don Imus has become a lost opportunity.
Melanie Henry, Denver
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Whatever happened to the old saying about sticks and stones? Of course words hurt, but there isn’t a group of people that has not at some time or other been the target of demeaning words or statements. Does that make saying such things right? Of course not. Before we judge others about what they said, we should consider what we have thought or said about the Japanese, Irish, gays, people with mental illness, Denver quarterbacks, presidents, blondes and others who appear to be fair game. Also, it may be probable that we all are a member of some group that is on the receiving end of such demeaning behavior.
If all this dialogue about what Don Imus said makes us more aware of our own attitudes and words, that will be of benefit. Unfortunately, our attitudes are so ingrained in our way of life that it will take a long time for major change. One small step at a time may be all we can hope for.
Barbara S. Brooks, Fort Morgan
Child-support laws
Re: “Child-support services in peril,” April 6 news story.
While counties fear losing federal money for their child-support collection efforts, I doubt very much that child-support income will fall. Why? Studies show that most divorced fathers pay their child support as long as they are employed. What the county collection agencies do is take credit for every dollar paid in child support, even if it would have been paid anyway, making it extremely difficult to measure their true effectiveness.
The current federal incentive plan rewards the states for the amount of child support collected. That sounds good, but it also places the state on the side of family destruction – after all, the more families destroyed, the more child support owed, and the more income the state receives.
If the state of Colorado really wants to increase the amount of child support paid, it should do two things: Pass a law requiring joint custody of children and do its best to make sure divorced fathers have jobs.
Paul C. Robbins, Arvada
Support for candidate
Re: “Council candidate indicted in 1981,” April 10 news story.
I cannot imagine what purpose your article served except to sully the character of a really good man, Mark Roggeman. This article dealt with an incident that happened 26 years ago. Charges were eventually dismissed. What really happened is that Mark was trying to save a girl’s life. Letters she had written to her parents showed she was on the verge of suicide. Mark helped to locate her. I know Mark Roggeman to be a compassionate, honest person who can be counted on to take action in tough circumstances. West Denver has tough problems. That is exactly the kind of person I want as my city councilman.
Donald Hildmann, Denver
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