Sunday, February 28, 2010

Addiction; what if God was one of us?

Dear internet,
Yesterday I wrote about the effects of drug and alcohol addiction and predictably, the sick addicts in our community wrote in denying there was ever a problem. I'm not publishing their remarks because they are totally merit less.
Two of them are addicts who were in recovery and have now managed to live in internal futility. We all have someone in our lives like that. They never want to look at their own addiction, complain about everyone else and then sink deeper into the mire.
One friend just switched drugs but he can't see it. He was pretty upset that I dare address community addiction....calling it something else....a favorite addict denial system blaming the "War on Drugs" for his problems. Another friend has a parent who is a terrible alcoholic. Boulder has a lot of parents who are terrible alcoholics who screw their kids up. This guy is pretty angry with my discussions on addiction too. But he has a glimmer of hope, because he sees where he is addicted and might be ready to quit again. That's where I can help. I am pretty good at helping people down that path. Folks just need a way out of addiction that is attractive and is doable in small doses so to speak ( pun intended).

Since it's Sunday, I though I'd talk about God before I go to church. Boulder is a spiritual community. The churches are filled. Even those who don't go to a church are seeking God on some path. We are seekers...searchers. I was. I went to every church in Boulder, tried every religion, went to every seminar you could think of and then one day while talking to a lady out on east Arapahoe, she invited me to Richie Furrays rock n roll church on 9th street. I went there not knowing what to expect and had a Joel Eddlestien moment.......the realization that their was a God, that I was a created being by someone else who cared enough that his presence would be shown to me if I asked. More about Him later.
tears of joy
from Americas most spiritual small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado


335 days left

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Boulders' alcohol and drug addiction epidemic "My Life in Boulder"

Dear Internet
Recently, I have done a couple of Jann Scott Live 3 minute video blogs on drugs...... one on marijuana and one on narcotic pain clinics. Basically, my take is that the medical marijuana clinics and pain clinics are ruses for selling drugs of all kinds to anybody who wants them regardless of age. There are no checks or balances. There is just a wide open drug trade supported by local government with no concern by health agencies.
So over the past month I have come under attack by the druggie crowd on Craigslist, twitter and in the general boulder underground. That is par for the course when ever I write or talk about drug addiction.
My colleagues in the addiction recovery field pretty much throw up their hands when it comes to addressing the out of control drug trade and burgeoning addiction in Boulder. My friend Crystal Gray, city council women just laughs at the whole thing...which is telling..because Boulder has long been a haven of the drug culture .....it's like who cares?
I care about the people who get sick; the families who have to endure hardship as a result of the illness. I care about young children who are introduced to drugs by their alcoholic parents or older brothers and sisters. I care about the incidence of domestic violence as a result of alcohol and drug abuse. I care that only 5% of drug addicts or alcoholics actually ever recover. I care that Boulder has no effective treatment for a city with the highest addiction rate in the USA.
I care that the professional community from DOC, courts, mental health, social services, probation, ARC, LE, DA, Boulder Community Hospital and University have never come together with the largest public resource in the city, the 12 step community of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. It could happen so easily too and a lot of lives could be saved at little financial cost. So what's preventing it? A lot of ego.
Just before the Jon Bennet Ramsey case broke in 1995, we had community wide Alcohol Summits which had us well on our way to become a community with a viable solution to the addiction epidemic affecting us all. We were about top become a community in recovery. It started in the DA's office who pulled the parties together and opened a community wide discussion. It never happened.
Today we sell more alcohol and drugs than ever creating more and more little addicts. The number of teenagers living in private drug treatment half way houses in boulder has exploded.

We are in such trouble.
from Americas most addicted small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado

235 days left

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Boulder's economy, Larry, Karen, Steve, Seth, Rob Smoke, Brett Parnes, ACLU

Dear Internet,
yeah, well I did get "dear Internet" from Conan O'Briens' last show on the day before I started this 365 day blog project. He asked, 'do you think anyone actually ever starts a blog with "dear Internet"...... I wanted to be first. I'll admit. Its the new dear diary..... a little girly...but what the hey.

My friend Larry who owns a restaurant told me that a lot of eateries in Boulder are on the brink of closing. We were having an advertising meeting this morning. My company Channel One Networks handles his TV, online, social marketing and advertising. The way I see it is Boulder has too many restaurants to be supported by a city in recession. About 10% will have to close. That is 30 more restaurants. The ones that will survive will be the restaurants with a loyal clientele with upper income. Restaurants that cater to construction workers are going to close because they are all out of work. So 2010 will be another 'ruff' year in that over built sector.

Karen a Boulder realtor also tells me she sees 2010 as another bad year for people who are upside down in their homes. Boulder has more this year than last. People with million dollar homes and mortgages have lost 10% to 30% equity and they are really in trouble. If you lost your high paying job, you most likely will be completely wiped out this year. The million dollar homes are not moving at any price.

Steve and I had the "modest meal" special tonight at Johnson's Corner. Real turkey, scalloped potatoes, salad, stuffing, real cranberry sauce for $6.00. Tonight the conversation went right to the economy. Steve's house is paid for and he lives on a modest income with no debt. This probably looks pretty good to those of you struggling to pay a mortgage. Two years ago he bought a house for half price in a short sale from a Denver bank who had to make the deal or fold themselves.

This afternoon I had a meeting with a documentary film client. We produced 5 films, published a book, built a website and 70 social media sites in 2009. We basically built and manage a media company for him. His focus is that which captured a segment of the American landscape this past year: The tea party. And they are all worried about everything conspiratorial.

My company is doing very well in this economy. We offer high impact advertising with guaranteed results, 24 hour service at a low price........my problem is we have so much business, I have to be careful not to take too much and I don't. We turn business down. But we are very good at what we do and we are in demand. This is all by design mind you. Internet companies come and go in Boulder at a rapid rate. I've been in business since 1987 and have seen it all. But we are intent on remaining rock solid, yet at the forefront of every new media innovation.....some we invent. Sounds like a pitch, huh.? It is. Say it loud and say it proud.


Rob Smoke sent in two articles on the miss doings of local government and the polluted water from Boulder reservoir. They are well written and posted in yesterdays comments. I've known Rob for over 20 years. Originally I met him around the rooms of Boulder. Then I read him when he was a writer for the Daily Camera, and finally ran into him at city council meetings where I would go to speak on public access TV. We've been fast friends ever since. He is an excellent writer and often has a clear take on complicated political issues though we disagree on some things. But he has been a staunch supporter of mine when I have been in the thick of the fight with Boulder City council, their contractors and the university over censorship of me and everyone else by all of them. It was a nasty fight from 2005 to just last year when the school district accepted our video blog 22Boom which includes the work of 8 local TV producers....... I'll tell you about that in the near future Do look at yesterdays blog comments for Robs latest.

Seth has been calling me for support every day. Fortunately, he's not drinking too much and taking his meds. He remains on the front pages of the local papers over the cities censorship of his comments. He met with the local chapter of the ACLU last night. They are going to officially protest Seth's treatment by the council. One of their lawyer members is Brett Parnes who was the chair of the Public Access channel in Boulder. Brett is a solid good guy who moved here from Michigan 12 years a go. He too was treated unfairly by local government over first amendment rights issues. This will be his and the ACLUs chance to rub the cities face in it once again. Brett once wrote a long missive about the poor treatment by the city of me and Seth. They fired him and his board when Brett refused to keep us off channel 54. The council also shut down the channel. So now in one scratch of the microphone the city council finds themselves embroiled in their 6th straight year of fights with the same free speech crowd. Our news department will be reporting on this on Boulder Channel One. But as a Daily Camera reporter told me last night "this story isn't going away anytime soon". Glee. No it isn't.

from the city where owning a million dollar home ain't what it used to be
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado

337 days left in project

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Crystal Gray told me Ken and George conspired to silence Seth

Dear Internet,
I had a long talk with Crystal Gray, former assistant mayor, current city council member, long time Boulderite, Whittier Neighborhood resident....exhale!
Crystal's around my age and I've known her for a long time. She's a fan. Her dad was a Baltimore sports reporter, so she has an affection for old guy news types like myself. She reads the blog and watches the TV show without regret.........well at least up until today.
So it turns out that when Seth was speaking at city council and got arrested last week, it was KEN WILSON who was scratching the sensitive mic that muffled Seth's comments. The council is now spilt over free speech issues. Ken, George, and Susie are about to be lynched by the other six council members. Or at least they are very close to getting slapped. I'm enjoying this immensely....mostly because I am not the center of this mess.....and secondly because "they had it coming" they really did. Seth's criminal case will most likely be dropped by the city attorney.
But the city government is in for a real firestorm now!
Seth it turns out is hiring my civil rights lawyer, David Lane. Lane has represented a lot of high profile cases including Ward Churchill. He is also very good and generally wins. The city will be smart enough not to go to trial and will settle for something in the neighborhood of up to 1 million dollars. Today, two council members Morzel and Gray both came out publicly stated that Seth's first amendment rights were violated.......that's it. It's a slam dunk now for the plaintiff. I think between all of us who had our rights abridged by the city or the university, it is clear to any reasonable person that our city has crossed the line to a real breach of our constituional rights.
So this is all good now

from Americas most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado
338 days

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

@CBS @ABC @NBC why do they relegate their best to last?

Dear Internet
My favorite news channels are on overnight between 2:00 am and 5:00 am. CBS, ABC, and NBC have the absolute best news casts, Barr none at ANY time of the day. They all have huge news organizations. The reporting and features at that time of the morning are far better than the crap we see on CNN and God forbid Fox. Yep. Better than PBS which is laborious, dry, dull and death at anytime. Better than BBC which is "over there".
The evening news casts for all three broadcast networks aren't very good. They are rushed and pressured. It looks like the news departments are frustrated and they have to do something with all of that talent, so the the networks let them do their thing in the dead of night when no one is watching. If the networks can sell infomercials they bump the news. Is anybody else besides me watching these broadcasts? They are young, hip, professional, "really intelligent", in depth and informative.
I like CBS the best. Two nights ago, the anchor for all 3 hours, Michelle Gilland interviewed an expert on Afghanistan who I've never seen before ) and I watch a lot of news and TV in general). In 5 minutes they explained something I never knew about Afghanistan.... That the government and military speak one language and all of the people they are fighting speak a totally different language and there are no translators and no one knows what the hell the other is doing or talking about. No wonder Afghan refugees want to come here and blow up the New York subway system. Makes sense to me. " Dude! you blew up my families hut! alright , I'm coming to New York and blow up your hut"
So what I want to know is why the hell don't these networks replay these overnight news casts during the day on their cable networks, when people are actually watchings?? It seems to be a huge waste. You and I are forced to watch inferior cable daytime drool. Not that they're reading this...........But if you are ever up late and can't sleep, check out the over night network news casts. (Oh incidentally I am on at that time too on comcast channel 22.)
I remember back in 1986 I used to watch all of the time when Charlie Rose hosted over nights on CBS. I felt the same way then. But since the economy has gone bad and networks can't sell infomercials, they put their very best on. Isn't it amazing how corporations and governments never seem to put their best forward??

writing tonight from my office high atop the world headquarters of World News One
Jann Scott
Boulder colorado
339 days left

Monday, February 22, 2010

Got my kicks on Route66

Tonight I have been working on my Route66 travel video series I produced from 1995 til 2003. It's a 22 part 30 minute series:

"This is the story of journalist and talk show host Jann Scott traveling on historic Route 66. He has been documenting his travels since 1992, visiting with various road legends. This show is the most comprehensive in existence and is played on various public access stations around America. They are sometimes off beat and wacky, and other times serious. If you would like to see our show on your public access station in your city, sign us up as a community producer and we'll send the series to your channel. Contact Jann Scott for more information. This is a rare collector's series. Each show is 30 minutes long and is available on DVD."

What's really weird is that I first travelled Route66 in 1957 when I was 11 years old. My mother and I drove the "mother road" from Chicago to Flagstaff for Christmas vacation. This was when the road was still a US hiway, before the interstate system......though we watched for hundreds of miles while it was being built along side of Route 66. We drove it again the next year in 1958 when the TV series Route 66 was smash hit. We drove her 1956 T-Bird which she bought new .
My mother passed on in 1986, but the Thunder bird lives on in its original condition in my brothers garage back in New England.

from Americas most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado
340 days left in project

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Snow plows go by in the night; Seth's suit; recall Ford Escape hybrid

Dear Internet,
I have been trying to quit smoking. I smoke 0-3 cigarettes a day. Some days I use the patch, but it seems I'm always going through nicotine withdrawal. I quit entirely for 25 years. When I pick it back up, it is off 6 month on 6 months 1 or 2 a day. Generally, I feel better when I don't smoke or use tobacco. But it does ratchet up my irritability and i save that for deserving ( or undeserving politicians or business hard heads.

It has been snowing for two days and I am pretty happy about that. I am loving driving on snow packed roads with my new studded snow tires on my hybrid Ford Escape. Although, the government should force a recall on my vehicle. The brakes haven't worked properly since I bought the SUV in 2006. They are spongy, don't stop very well, always have sensors or parts breaking and the hybrid electric system is by Toyota. I have also heard from other Escape hybrid owners who say the same. Some one of you might pass this on to DOT .

Isolation and loneliness plague many of us , even when we are in a crowd or with friends. The missing ingredient is intimacy.

My friend Seth has hired two law firms; one to defend him from criminal prosecution for speaking his mind last week at the boulder city council. the other is for a civil rights suit against my city for first amendment violations at the same council meeting. It needed to be done. Our local city council has been way out of control for the past 5 years. this will help vindicate all of us who has had our rights violated by local government and the University. I speak of Seth , rob Smoke, Ward Churchill, myself, Max Karston and more. It's about time. Congrats to the Daily Camera, Westword and the Denver post for finally coming on board to the first amendment.....well no that you're all nearly broke..

And our desperate city council members.....what have they done? First of all council should realize, that they are never going to win with Seth Brigham: they took away his civil rights over public access TV, called him a terrorist, and now had him arrested for speaking his mind: they should have learned from the disaster caused by the last two councils over this. Apparently not. Good luck, because now they have the Daily Camera, Colorado Daily, West Word and the Kansas City Star against them.....and if Ken Wilson isn't careful, he'll have the British Tabloids up our butt. ( Wilson deeply offended a British national in an email, telling her to mind her own business and stay in her own country. Problem is the unidentified lady is of diplomatic status.......so watch...here comes an international incident. Also, everyone dig deep. Estimates are that Seth will win over 1 million dollars.


I love our famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado
241 days left

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Fashion Under the Flat Irons snag; Whole Pay-checks tiny scanner monitors

Dear Internet,
Here's a little update on the
Downtown Boulder Fashion Show . If you remember I wanted Boulder Channel 1 News to cover the fashion show. Downtown Boulder's new girl in charge said no. I wrote the above column in response. Since then I have put ten phone calls into Sean Maher the director of DTB to which he finally took and said no way. With PR like this who needs bad press? We're going to be there. We're going to shoot news footage. And we are going to represent Boulders free press.....now, just out of principle. You know, I have a lot of old long time friends and clients who own mall business's and they are not happy about the way DTB has handled this.

Speaking of poor business practices, have you ever noticed when you go shopping at Whole Paycheck, their computer monitor screens with prices are at the far left of the isle making it impossible to check prices. The monitors are tiny too. Whole foods does this on purpose , because they know that most of their customers are dumb rich yuppies. They never check prices. But if you are a price checker like me, you have to hold up the line to see your prices. I almost always catch a wrongly priced item, too,. Some prices are not written on items so if you are not careful you might buy a $10 dollar Cauliflower.

from Americas most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado

345 days

Friday, February 19, 2010

Social media is a scam. Youtube, Google and governments rule our thoughts

Dear Internet,
It gives me pause, again, to see and think, that our lives are becoming ruled more and more by corporations and governments. Supposedly cool companies like You tube and Google have the ability to control your free speech, thoughts, even this blog, by their policy "support team" and its computers. I spoke today by phone with Steven Chen a policy executive at Google about getting our You Tube accounts re instated. I couldn't reach You Tube, but I went for the top at ( remember when I told you about going to top at T-Mobile) Steven Chen the CEO. I happened to land on Steven Chen (same name ) in policy at Google which owns you Tube.
He told me that the policy departments at You Tube and Google don't speak as much as they should and that these problems come up. The You Tube campus is across town in Mountain View California. He called around and sent us emails to have our You Tube sites restored.
Yet, we at Channel One Networks are still at their mercy. Same holds true with Twitter or Face Book. You can't build your company on their sites.... And we haven't....but we have fallen into the social media trap of using them for marketing and sending our viewers to them to get to us. So we are re-thinking all of that strategy now. We actually compete with them. the concept that the kids have, that we are all co operating in the new social media is really just a long line to the ovens.
We are completely different than You tube. We are a traditional television network only on the Internet; with channels in every city in the world...with original programming and an advertising revenue stream that is local. We are designed to save you tube from financial collapse. At some point I'll sell this company to Google, but they are eerie.
As most of you know I have addressed the issue of free speech, being controlled by governments and corporations for a long time. The Internet was supposed to be the new frontier, the last strong hold in that regard.......and it is now being eroded. Freedom must be protected lest we fall into a complete "nanny nation" mentality, only to be ruled by political morons on the left or right and by gobbling corporations.

from Americas most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado
342 days left in this 365 day blog project

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Who Let the Dogs out and other disasters

Dear Internet,
Yesterday was kind of a disaster; a real Murphy's law day, YouTube suspended 3/4 of our video sites...apparently because we have more than one attached to one email. They did it without warning or without ever saying we needed more E-mails. That is two years work up in smoke and a labor and financial cost that is annoying. You Tube and Blogger are both owned by Google so I am at their mercy when it comes to their stuff. That is why I own Channel One networks and have our own account, our video in our control etc. It makes me rethink using You Tube or google for marketing. My plan actually is to buy You Tube or have them buy us, since we are a far more efficient and profitable design and operation.
I tried to get a rear wheel bicycle wheel fixed for homeless Dave , but the bike store wants $80!! $80 dollars for a rear wheel. !!!!
Then we have to fix channel our 22Boom show with a disclaimer and information number so we don't completely freak parents out with my commentary on "black Tar heroin at the library". Not that I mind, but that's another $100 dollars.
Of course Seth is drinking heavily again. I tried to help him last year. He got sober for a while.
He's a good example of why I don't drink.

Now the good things that happened yesterday. I got up early and worked out at Ricks at 6:00 AM. Then I had coffee with about 49 friends. Dave came over to clean the house, so it's all pretty. I had a client meeting that went well. We signed a year advertising deal, plus we are taking over their website, all social media marketing, and are going to install 6 video TV displays. Jack and I had dinner and then went to see C U beat Oklahoma in basketball.. and of course I love basketball.
In the morning I went to church. It was Ash Wednesday and the beginning of lent.......shit I forgot to fast. But I am thinking about praying for everyone I come across for the next 40 days, "that they get what the want and need in life." God likes that. And I am trying not to piss him off to0 much.......I pretty much used up a lot of rope in this life........plus it makes me feel better..... not to mention when you pray for other people......miracles happen in their lives and that is extraordinary to see.

from Americas most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Seth Strips clothes at Boulder city council meeting.

Why Boulder is Amazing. For those of you who don't know, let me share a few realities here. This will fall into the category of everything we are, do, have, and can claim fame for in no particular order: Today a front page story in the Wall Street Journal about our intentions with clean energy.; This week named the healthiest city in the USA. That is only the 30th time that has happened . Our economy is good. We have low unemployment and low crime. Our city had a banner year from taxes. We are not in the red, rather far in the black. We are the most educated city in the USA. We have more bikes and runners than any city our size. We also have more hand gun owners by people who drive BMWs. We have at least 2 Noble prize winners, 30 Olympians, 4 original families from the Mayflower, Titanic family members, the home of Carrie Nation, 98% rich white people, gave Jerry Brown 73% of all votes cast in the 1992 presidential election, has more Volkswagen buses, Ferrari's and crash test Prius's than every city in the USA except 3; more CU girls who appeared in Playboy than any school in the Big 12, has had cast members on The Real World, Road Rules, Wife Swap and Lesbian Connection more than once; Is the highest income per capita than any city in the USA. Has the thinnest people in America. I mean fat people really really stand out here. Has at least 4 astronauts, two who have died on the space shuttle; have elite runners and world class athletes all year long and of course Boulder has me........and this 365 day project.
ps: if you have any to add please write them into the comments

Seth finally did it. He stripped his clothes off on "live television" in front of the city council and then proceeded to berate them. He was arrested and taken out in hand cuffs. He did keep his boxers on, and didn't use bad language.......but he did disagree with the Mayor who tried to make him curtail his remarks with no personal attacks. Rob Smoke called me ... "Well Seth was drunk."
He needs to go back to meetings and take care of himself. Drinking really exacerbates his mental illness.....like he turns into a raging uncontrollable alcoholic when he drinks. He ends up in these disastrous displays..........though amusing to some. He scared the last council half to death. Okay..they were wieners.
Seth started going to council meetings and giving them shit when they took away his free speech rights on public access TV 4 years ago. This is another example of Seth continuing to try to exercise that right. The previous city attorney told me anyone would have a winnable case in court. Doesn't matter. Seth won't sue and they won't tolerate him

from Carrie Nation to Nannie Nation
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado

Monday, February 15, 2010

#Boulder studded snow tires and tulip bulbs; "My Life in Boulder"

Dear Internet,
OMG! my bulbs have burst through the leaves in my garden. The first crocus shoots are up and it looks like the daffodils are up as well. I pulled some of the leaves off. I hope that is not a mistake. The dirt below the leaves is moist and soft. But I am afraid if I leave the mulch on top, the stems will come up too long and not flower. On the other hand, exposed shoots are a temptation to the dreaded squirrels.

This morning it is 15 degrees this morning. Yesterday it was 6 above. Snow coming. So I got fed up and went down and bought a set of studded snow tires. I am sick of sliding through red lights and off ramps. Studded snows are the only kinds of tires for me when i have to do TV work in bad weather. I'll save the all season tires I took off for June through September. I should have put them on last September, because I have not felt safe all winter with all of our bad snow.
But still my bulbs persist. Even though march and April have the biggest dumps, it is wet snow, melts right away, relatively warm temps........yep.....undeniable......Spring is just around the corner.


from Americas most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Spyware eats my race car in My Life in Boulder

Dear Interweb,
Tonight I have two computers going. On my Viao laptop I picked up the notorious Vista Internet security 2010 virus while showing Steve pictures of Danica's Sports Illustrated spread during the NASCAR race at Daytona. That'll teach me. Guys are so dumb. We'll fall for a good looking girl even while watching racing. But the virus took over my entire computer.
So now I've installed Spyware Doctor who is busily eating the vista virus. But I am happy I figured out how to find an anti spyware that would overtake this powerful virus. I think. It's supposed to be free.
Two big Daytona races were on TV today. These signal the beginning of spring with racing season in full swing. Tomorrow is the Daytona 500 the biggest stock car racing event in America. It has surpassed the Indianapolis 500 and Le Mans in Europe. I of course raced Stock cars here in Colorado, New Mexico and Kansas for 7 years. It was at an amateur level, though we did win money, so I guess that would be semi pro. Non the less Stock car racing is a very serious sport,
very American and incredible fun. It's like velodrome racing for cars.
Little kids just love it. They also love monster trucks, stadium motor cycle racing, rodeo, bull riding and fireworks. It is all a huge part of western culture which I find wonderfull.
Today(sunday) I will be watching the Daytona 500 at 11:00 am. This is the holy grail of racing. Boulder is a weird place because, it has never been a motor racing kind of place. I am one of the few who ever campaigned a stock car from here. O well. It's still fun.

from Americas most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Jane; our short lived trip to the summer Olympics of 1976

Dear Internet
In the summer of 1976 I was travelling all through Canada as part of a year long back packing hitching trip with my girl friend Jane. We spent a week in Quebec and watched the opening ceremonies of the summer Olympics on TV in a Quebec City youth hostel. When Fanfare for the common man played we were exhilarated. So it was off to Montreal the next day to catch the Olympics. We hailed a ride with some others from the USA in a Volkswagen bus. When we arrived the highway and city was jammed. People were everywhere. You couldn't move. We couldn't get tickets, all the hostels were full, and we were two of thousands of young Americans hanging out trying to see the Olympics. Security was so tight because of what had happened in Munich in 1972.....it became a nightmare and we left. We had hoped to see some of the runners from Boulder, but that was not to be. At the time both Jane and I were practicing Buddhists with a bit of Zen and Christianity thrown in for good luck.
we started our days off with chanting.
Sunup we headed west on the Can Am.......west toward the Rockies..across the great plains of Canada by foot. While having lunch in a small truck stop we learned of a disastrous flood that came down the Big Thompson canyon in Estes Park Colorado; 125 dead. A phone call home to Boulder proved to be fatal as some of our friends had been killed in the rushing waters two days before.
As I sit here watching the opening events of the 2010 Olympics from Montreal, I wish I was there. My friend John left by car last Sunday. He invited me, but who the hell wants to freeze in Canada in February. Yet the summer of 76 is with me as though it were yesterday.
Jane was a tall 5'8" blond girl of 22 from Indiana who lived in Boulder. She spent her time back packing and travelling. I met her in the Daily Camera parking lot while I was working for another newspaper (long story). That night we got drunk in Shannon's Bar and moved in together for three years.( it seemed like the right thing to do at the time...no regrets)
Before Canada in the summer of 76 Jane and I had gone to the 200th Birthday celebrations of America in New York City. Jane was a baton twirler with a Colorado marching band in the huge parade down Broadway. Later that day decked out in her white and gold hot pants band uniform, we watched the tall ships come into New York Harbor. That Night we watched the fire works over the Statue of Liberty from Battery park. We spent the wee hours leaning against one of the twin towers of the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan.
In the morning we caught a train out of Grand Central and headed to Boston station. There, with the Charles river as a back drop, we saw the Boston Pops Orchestra conducted by the famous Arthur Fiedler. It was simply a thrilling time of my life. From Boston we started walking to the White mountains of New Hampshire where we climbed Mount Washington. Compared to Longs Peak which we had climbed earlier that summer, it was a walk in the Park; except for the wind. From New Hampshire we went to Putney Vermont and visited my old college, Windham. Then off to Rutland and to the coast of Maine. From there it was Canada: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, Labrador and the stormy Sea of St Lawrence where I hit the jackpot on a ferry in International waters. That gave us enough money to spend the rest of the year on the road. In the spring Summer and Fall of 1976 Jane and I had backpacked and hitch hiked all over Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, down the entire coast of California, across Nevada, the entire united states, back trough Canada and down to the Great Lakes.
In 1976 we logged over 13,000 miles, went through three pairs of hiking shoes each. We both carried Keilty frame back packs, 1 set of cloths, shorts, two sets of underwear, little food, a camera, a map and serious gear. We did it on less than $100 a week. Through my writing I got all of the gear sponsored.
Today Jane lives near the Lewis and Clark trail in Washington with her cats. She wind surfs the Columbia River Gorge is 55 and a realtor.
from Americas most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado

348 days left

Friday, February 12, 2010

re #IgniteBoulder Why Boulder startups fail.

Dear Internet,
A few of you were wondering what I was getting at in yesterdays post. I was getting at the holy grail. No matter what group it is; The Tea party or Ignite Boulder, they are so lock step in religious fervor and group think, that there is no critical thinking allowed. The group think with the Ignite Boulder crowd is complete and total denial that their technology culture is connected. I made the links. That is "Ignite Boulder = Techstars= Startup Boulder = marketing pitches= new media = The New Economy" which they are all apart of. But what shown through is that snobby anti-business, anti sales, guilt and shame ie; "we're just having fun raising money for the environment or whatever". It is the lie that I honed in on. The defense is; 'you don't get us' Oh I get it. In fact I'm a fan. Ignite Boulder is great fun. What I'm not a fan of is the anti capitalist, anti business crowd doing business in many forms... ie Ignite Boulder is really a giant promotion for a lot of ideas, business and the tech culture itself. So why fight it ? Why be ashamed??
I hear it a lot from some of the sales people who work for these youthful companies..... The sales people tell me that their leaders hate business deep down inside. That cultural attitude poured out in yesterdays comments. As someone who runs a successful tech company, these are the kind of contractors and employees I try to weed out. They poison a company and are the main reason start ups fail.

I am amazed at the 20 hours a day coverage given by Speed and ESPN to speed weeks at Daytona. Auto racing has stormed across America as it's number one spectator sport. 27 year old Danica Patrick qualified 5th for Saturdays nationwide Race. Her first time in a Stock car. Just amazing.

Aaron, our webmaster and editor gets more done in an hour than most techies get done in a day. Just this last week he edited a 30 minute 22Boom, edited the news, Jann Scott Live, updated our 23 You tube accounts nightly, put up new shows on Boulder Channel1 daily, updated client websites daily, our restaurant channel, film channel....Plus he organized our social media links.

from Americas most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado

349 days left

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Sarah Palin is Retarded

Dear Internet,
I don't know where to begin. Okay. Over the weekend Sarah Palin appeared as the key note speaker at the extreme right winged Tea Party convention. I find her...these people not only incredibly stupid but "Nazi party" Dangerous. In the 1990's the "militia" movement produced crazed gunmen such as Randy Weaver from Utah, David Koresh and his right winged christian gun slinging cult from Waco Texas, and Timothy McVeigh( oklahoma bombing) and the Michigan militia. The nuts come out every time we have a liberal Democrat president. The same group killed Jack Kennedy when I was in high school.
To counter, Ted Turner used all his power this week to broadcast movies about the overthrow of our Government by right winged nuts; 7 days in May, Sophie's Choice, Julia and Stalag 17. It is apparent Ted Turner is taking a stand against the Sarah Palins of the world. As Americans we now not only have to worry about terrorist attacks by radical Islamics from outside our country but radical Christians within our country. Again.

I watched Michelle Obama on Larry king Live talk about childhood obesity. She sees it as the number one health problem facing us. She's got my vote. I am trying to consistently write down my food as a plan..........and my challenge is to do it everyday...so that it becomes a new positive habit......instead of the one I have now......unconsciousness.
from Americas most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado

351 days left

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

My yard; flowers birds and cats

Dear Internet,
I bought a pot of six tulips at King Soopers last week. They are exploding today on my dining room table as it snows outside. I have been a very amateur horticulturalist since a very young age. My grandmother first recognized my green thumb when I planted flowers from seed in a spot near a propane gas tank where flowers had never grown.
Every year I plant several hundred tulip, daffodil, and crocus bulbs in my yard. Very soon now they will start popping up . Last fall I completely turned the soil, added peat moss, sheep manure, then covered the dirt with 4 inches of leaves to keep the squirrels away during the winter. I will have to rake off some of the leaves so the shoots don't come up elongated.
My winter pansies, johnny jump ups and petunias seem to have survived the winter and they too will be in full bloom by Easter. But it is the Bulbs who truly provide a symphony of color. At the intersection of highway 36 near my house on a barren triangle of dirt I planted 100 mixed bulbs. I tried last year...with a few bulbs, but no go. This year I put in plenty of good soil. We shall see. The bane of every tulip bulb are squirrels. Once they bloom deer like to eat them. None of the critters like daffodils.
Added to this mix are my 8 bird feeders which attract song birds, magpies ( they look like nuns) and a host of birds. Some days in the spring my yard looks like Disney's animated film "Song of the South". Our neighborhood has many cats who come to watch (hunt) the birds. I have to go out and talk to them. Birders hate cats. But I love cats so I set boundaries by using a garden hose to discourage any errant feline. We have an understanding. Look but don't touch. So it is fairly amusing to watch the perimeter of my yard daily to see a cat or two sitting watching. But none of that is happening today however as the snow comes down. Yesterday was a wet spring snow. Today it is a bit more powdery.............. but soon.

from Americas most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado
351 days left in project

Monday, February 8, 2010

Sleepless in Seattle vs Football

Dear Internet,
Today I watched Sleepless in Seattle while the Super Bowl was on. When it was over I turned the football game on in the 3rd quarter. Dave came over to watch with me. I just can't put myself through 4 hours of gladiator nonsense....... 11 man Roman squads of suicidal warriors. It is a dumb sport. Unlike Baseball which is nonviolent or basketball less violent, football is a senseless skill less bloodsport like professional wrestling.
But the 3rd quarter of any football game proves to be the best time to watch and not be assaulted. I am too much of a romantic for a game that leaves most of its players invalids or with brain injuries.

from Americas most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado
352 days left in project

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Coffee with Paul: a chance meeting DRUGS.

Dear Internet,

I ran into one of my hard core Boulder heroin addict friends Paul at a coffee shop. He's been a using addict on and off for over 30 years. I first met him on my radio show in the 1990's. He had been part of a major drug cartel bust and lived to tell about it. He became the US governments star witness and was anxious to talk about drug pushing in Boulder. And so the conversation started again at Vics. First of all everybody knows that Boulder has been a city with a large part of its' economy off the books grounded in drug trafficking. Boulder has not only been a community where drug use made it famous, it has been a city of secrets that only a white educated community would support. That secret is commonly referred to as Boulders' Mafia....well heeled waspish drug traffickers. Drug trafficking in Boulder has gone largely untouched by the police for over 40 years. One reason is that the code of silence of the Boulder Mafia is honored.
The other is that it is an official city and police policy to not target drug dealers. I have been told this point blank: As long as people are not fighting in the streets or shooting each other we aren't going to intervene. Our policy toward drug use or trafficking is much the same as Aspen or Key West. Hands off.
What troubled Paul at Vics goes beyond the civil liberties of personal choice of drug use. We are all aware that Boulder has become the countries number II city for opening medical marijuana dispensaries. We are second only to Boston. This is with full support of our city government which has a few drug users...also common knowledge.
What people don't know is that Boulder has at least 5 so called "pain management"clinics whose primary function is to sell narcotics by the boat load to anyone with $150 for a Doctors office visit to the clinic. Just like the marijuanna clinics. Pain is the buzzword. Narcotics trad is the business. The way it works according to Paul, is that a heroin addict will go to the Pain Clinic, pay $150 for a Doctors office visit, get a prescription for Percocette, delodids codeine, Oxcecodone, Vicodin etc for one month.... approximately 90 pills or ampules. Some addicts stop right there. Others Then take the drugs down to the Boulder creek path by Boulder public library and sell each pill at an inflated rate to high school or college kids. You then take that money, walk up the path and buy "black tar heroin and meth" The problem with this is that we have a drug addiction epidemic in Boulder with kids getting hooked on narcotics at younger ages each year. And nobody cares. I find that disturbing....and completely unacceptable. I'll be talking about just that on my Channel 22 show next week. I am sure responsible parents don't want their kids to fall prey as they walk the creek path to school. I am hoping they'll do something about it. Like make the city and library clean up the park. Sometimes this is my job in life....to out the secret....... Children don't know any better.........if it is the norm, They will kill themselves with toxic drugs.
from Americas most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado Day 353

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Was I out of line yesterday ??

Dear Internet,
Something new to my blog at the top are links to my twitter account, my videos on you tube and my Jann Scott live TV show site. There is an RSS feed which will automatically send you this blog. You can also get it by follow on the right hand side.

Yesterdays blog set off a bit of a stir with readers. Some of you thought I pretty much laid out that I got pissed off by incompetence in business and would not give up. I do have a bit of a reputation with sticktoitiveness, being relentless, not quitting, making things work and knowing how to have longevity and make a profit.
A few of you told me you didn't like the business side of me and found it a bit ruthless. To tell you the truth , you are all probably right.
Downtown boulder did call me back. I did speak to someone there and will speak again on Monday to the director. The word is..... that there was some confusion and we will work something out. I dunno.
Sometimes I just get pissed off rather than being cool calm and collected. Fortunately, I acted politely to everybody on the phone....I did really. I sort of let it all hang out here.......but only you saw it....I didn't send out a press release on yesterdays post. You .....I mean who is you.?..... as far as i know..........friends.....who share the same issues as me..... self importance, grandiosity, obsession etc. Crap. Should I re-write yesterdays blog and tone it down a bit?? Was I out of line? Okay. I did a bit of name calling. Mrrmmmmahhh.

from Americas most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado

354 days left in project

Friday, February 5, 2010

Downtown Boulder Fashion Show media glitch: T-Mobil is our friend.

Dear Internet
At 10:00 I had a meeting here with a producer who wanted me to have our local channel cover a Downtown Boulder Fashion show at the Boulder Theater in March. This is something we have done a dozen or more times. I even started a series of fashion channels: Fashion Channel 1 and more. Sitting in my office we went over the details of the show and how television coverage could be arranged. Then I picked up the phone and called the coordinator at Downtown Boulder, a woman who was brand new to the job.
Our reception on the phone was "Chilly". Then we received a flat no to discussing news coverage. No? what? All of the downtown retail stores are in dire straights and we offer them TV coverage of the event to 40,000 Boulderites and no?? If Fashion Under the Flat Irons is about anything , it is about promoting and publicizing mall retail clothing stores. So it makes perfect sense to have NO TV news coverage. Uhh. A lot of downtown retailers are my friends and clients who I have known for years and they are not going to be happy about this. I'll keep you posted.

When we wanted a deal with T-mobile and got nowhere with their mid-level marketing managers, I called the switchboard in Seattle and asked to speak to the CEO of the company. His secretary answered......secretaries run companies........not personal assistants.........but CEO secretaries.......they have no power yet they have all power. I told her my problem with marketing, then told her my pitch to which she said: "why don't you call the president of Blackberry phone directly, he'll love this. Here is his private cell phone number. I'll email him and tell him you're calling." ( holly shit) You can guess what happened. I called the president of Blackberry.....he'd already heard the deal from his bosses secretary and in one minute and 30 seconds I cut a $20,000 annual advertising trade deal that lasted for 3 years..........It included every new Blackberry for our entire company before they are released to the public....plus service. It was good for Blackberry and T-Mobile and good for us. Win win as it were................



from Americas most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado
355 days left to blog

Thursday, February 4, 2010

"My life in Boulder" by Jann Scott day 9 My brother

Dear Internet.
This is day 9 of writing "My life in Boulder" project. What this means is that every day I have to come up with a topic, pick a time to write, think about what I am going to write and then write. I am trying to write about what is going on in my life day to day and perhaps write a related story from the past. I check and recheck grammar, spelling, and details.......watching #1 Kansas play C U basketball on TV.....excellent game evenly matched....2nd half.....I should be there.
I used to write 5 to 30 emails a day all day everyday for two years about all sorts of issues. It was just a little obsessive. This project is like writing one well thought out crafted email with a high level of exposure of who I am and what makes up my character; what has been my path and what is it now. I am starting to have deep revealing thoughts. Not that I usually don't, but they are becoming deeper.......3 point game Kansas....C U holding their own.......

When I was little my brother and father took me to some sports car and stock car races.......I have been a race car fan ever since I was five years old. My brother Jim has a bunch of race cars he races in the East. I have raced stock cars here throughout the Southwest. I also review new cars, test drive them and do an annual TV show covering every car at the Denver Auto show......but my brother and I don't talk......in fact none of my brothers and sister talk. I call one or another of them sometimes to wish them a happy holiday.....but they never call me or one another............ so I know we all are relegated to live out the past over and over until we resolve each time with love and kindness........1 point spread with 60 seconds to go .....CU at the line ....tie game............ My bother and I both played high school basket ball too. I miss him. What do you do with a family who don't talk?? ...........overtime....CU 60 Kansas 60..... They all live a few miles from each other and don't speak. Nobody talks. Their kids don't talk to their cousins......nobody talks to anybody. I would like to talk with them but sometimes when I do, I feel like I'm trying to rescue my family. It must be New England..........Kansas 72 C U 66..... final

About 50 of you are following "My Life......" on the 9th day. I am blown away by that. There is a way you can automatically have My life sent to you by clicking on the rss feed or follow. I have been emailing it to some of you.

from America's most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado
356 days left

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

J. D. Salinger Died this week

Dear Internet,
There was an excellent article about J.D Salinger's life in the New York Times. He had an extraordinary impact on my youth. I read Catcher when I was 17 at the same time when many of my friends were reading it. We all started talking like Holden Caufield. It was a private language. Like Holden I managed to get my self bounced out of prep school....a place called The Forum School. I was given the option of graduating by taking classes via correspondence ........studying at the library or at home. In the process I read everything by Salinger or about him that had been written. The Glass family short stories are a riot. I couldn't believe that Zoey actually called his mother " a fat Irish rose" to her face or told her often to" take a nice elevator ride for yourself." I identified with all of Salinger's characters. His setting was always New York city. I spent my 16th year there and knew the upper East side like the back of my hand. I'm afraid Salinger ruined my parents plans for me.
In my 2nd year at college in Vermont I landed a job at the school newspaper as a features writer. So one Sunday afternoon, my girlfriend Vicky Glenn and I took off in my old 1955 Porsche to look up J.D. Salinger at his house in Cornish New Hampshire just across the Connecticut river from Putney. It was easy to find. Vicky and I looked like two of Salinger's characters. She was from Greenwich, short, blond, beautiful dressed in a kilted skirt, green cashmere sweater with a circle pin. I had on a brown tweed jacket, dark red khakis and brown weejuns. ( I think we were stoned on pot). ...crap....I'm going to have to make amends to Vicky. I was a terrible boyfriend.....
We drove right up to his house, went to the front door and knocked...like we belonged there. Salinger came out. I told him I wanted to interview him for the Lions Roar. He said that he didn't grant interviews anymore and that he was watching the Giants football game on TV. We stood around in his dirt drive talking about why he liked teenagers and that he would talk to us....just not as a formal interview. His wife came out with a baby in her arms. Salinger taught at Dartmouth and had married a Radcliffe student 30 years his junior. She was near our age. Just as suddenly as the talk began, it ended and ol J D went back into his house. Wow. I actually got to speak to the most reclusive writer in America. He was my hero.
The interview was published in the fall of 1967 in the Windham College Lions Roar and has remained otherwise a secret at Salinger's request hidden from everyone until today. It is in the historical Windham College newspaper archives. The college closed in the late 1970s. I do not have a copy of it.
from America's most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado
357 days left in project

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Family Guy: Seth show up in his underpants: Johnson's Corner on the way to wyoming

I love Family Guy. Last night Brian was trying to expose mayor chapstick for corruption. Coincidentally, my certifiably insane acquaintance Seth is off to the Boulder city council meeting tonight.......IN HIS UNDERWEAR... to protest the new nudity law un consideration. I guess , I'll be sending him commissary money at the jail.

Johnson's Corner is 28 miles north of here on I-25 in Loveland. It is considered one of the best truck stops in America with traditional American cuisine. I go there about once a week for one of their inexpensive dishes. Today I had turkey breast with mashed potatoes. The turkeys are cooked on site and the mashed potatoes are made from scratch. In fact everything there is made from scratch including their 11 pound award winning Cinnamon roll. ( I didn't have one.... too much sugar). The restaurant is a 1950's original, but was remodeled last year.
It seats 250 people and is busy 24 hours a day. People come from all around to experience the atmosphere. It has been awarded every restaurant award imaginable. I like to go there because it feels like I'm on vacation every time I make the trip..... I need a real vacation...haven't had one in 4 years. I like travelling and travellers. I also like trucks and CB radios. Very low tech and real back yard home spun communication by salt of the earth real American workers who actually work for a living. I actually have two CB radios and two police scanners, one radar detector and two walkie talkies. For a period of time I drove trucks all over America to all 48 states. I used to tape CB conversations and write about the stories and jokes I heard. One favorite is the one about Wyoming which was started by truckers. It was about the 4 to 1 ratio of men and women. " "Wyoming! Where men are men and sheep are nervous." Or "Wyoming! Where men are men and cows walk backwards" It goes from there.

I got the inspiration for this blog while watching the DVD of Julie and Julia. It just struck me.......I have to do this. I have to take on a 365 day blog. I am a writer.....have been since I was 15. I mean, I write scripts constantly for all the shows I produce.....but some how I needed to be able to get my life down in a form that would not appear ( to my mind) to be as daunting as actually writing a book.

from Americas most famous small city
Jann Scott
Boulder Colorado
358 days of blogging left