Jerry Kopel

One consumer is losing her hair, another’s son is just plain lost, and a third is losing money because solar-electric systems are being installed incompetently. At least, those are the complaints cited by applicants who want the 2009 Legislature to increase or change the regulation of professional hair braiders, human trackers and solar-electric system installers.

Will the Legislature reinstate an outrageous money grab?

Come November 5, you can call me either a sage or a sap.

There is a lot wrong with the Colorado lottery according to the state auditor’s office, which released its five-year performance report in late September. The audit identified and offered potential fixes for 16 problems — 31 if subsection recommendations are included.

“Jerry,” says fellow Legislator XY. “You know I oppose your four bills, and I could spend a lot of time and money to defeat them. But I know you aren’t that attached to them.

“I can join you in fighting Rep. EF’s bill. In fact, I can enlist my lobbyist friend to help us. Just tell the committee chair to let your four bills lay dormant.”

You scratch mine. I’ll scratch yours. Porno talk?

Nope. Just a conversation between two Colorado lottery players holding addictive instant game tickets costing $20 each.

The price of a lottery ticket is unlimited, except the lottery commission cannot, by statute, charge less than $1.

Can the Democrats roll a “six” in the crapshoot called the November 2008 election?

Democrats hope to end up for the fourth time in 132 years in control of the state House and Senate for six consecutive years. Will they succeed?

Are you ready to read this headline next March? “Black Hawk votes 51 to 49 to raise casino bets to $100.”

That’s not 51 percent. That’s 51 voters.

Casino operators are going to spend whatever is necessary to cram their Amendment 50 down the throats of Colorado voters.

Why? It will allow casino gambling 24 hours every day with bets 20 times greater than now permitted.

Because of a claimed large loophole, the state’s Noxious Weed Act may become an obnoxious waste of time, at least if Clear Creek County’s towns are any model for what is happening in other counties across the state.

Eighteen years ago the act, carried by Rep. Lewis Entz, R-Hooper, passed as House Bill 1175. The bill was a needed answer to damaging weed proliferation across Colorado. I voted for and co-sponsored the bill.