Local briefs

We win!

Colorado, Michigan and Nevada had the highest number of foreclosures per household in the U.S. in the first half of 2007, according to data collected by Foreclosures.com.

About 0.92 percent of Colorado households, or 14,640 homes, were foreclosed on in January through June. In Michigan, the rate was 0.81 percent, or 16,968 houses and in Nevada it was 0.75 percent of households.

We win II!:

McDonald’s 108 Denver-area restaurants today began offering options bearing the state’s "Smart Meal" seal, indicating that the food has a calories count of 700 of less and meets other guidelines established by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

McDonald’s 11 Smart Meals also must contain no more than 30 percent total fat, no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium, no more than 0.5 grams of trans fat and two or more servings of beans, whole grains, fruits or vegetables.

Yum, yum!

We win III!: "Guardsmen deal with simulated terrorism at Pepsi Center: 3-day exercise hones skills for Dem convention":

The Colorado Civil Support Team invaded the Pepsi Center on Monday morning after a simulated report said three employees were dead.

The training scenario: A terrorist biochemical attack was suspected.

I can see the Pepsi Center from my window.

Not even an R&B remix from Britain's Amy Winehouse broke the National Guardsmen's concentration [wow!], the gravity of the situation unaffected by the fact that the victims were mannequins. . . .

Mannequin racism! (aka "anti-mannequinism")

The setting was that several people were found dead, apparently from exposure to chemical agents, causing crowds to stampede from the Pepsi Center, [National Guard Capt. Michael] Odgers said.

Uh-oh. Better get some Omega Man action going around here. Oddly, the drill was scheduled for the Pepsi Center long before Denver was "awarded" the convention:

Odgers said the Pepsi Center was chosen to host the simulation because it was a public venue.

"Anywhere that you can have a large number of people in a small space - that's a potential terrorist threat. The people who are facilitating this exercise planned this exercise months in advance, prior to the (Democratic National Convention) being awarded to Denver." . . .

The preparation can only help in the long run should the unthinkable occur. . . .

Why do they always say "the unthinkable" when they mean just the opposite? If it were unthinkable they wouldn't be preparing for it, noomnoots.

Update: Up against the wall, you mutha! That is a great trailer.