A R C H I V E

The only constant is change. A recent tour through Rome’s 2,600-year history reminded me that cities are either being born or dying, growing or falling apart.

In its brief 150-year history, Boulder has been a miner’s base camp, a university town, a county seat, a scientific mecca, and a cultural hub. Today, Boulder faces familiar challenges: budget cuts, declining sales tax revenue, rising homelessness, and a 32% office vacancy rate, not including subleases and ghost spaces.

Since its founding, Boulder has strived to cast itself as the “Athens of the West,” a stage for cutting-edge art, science, sport, spirituality, and technology. Think University of Colorado, Chautauqua, 32 national labs, IBM, Pearl Street Mall—and, now, Sundance…

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Trust is the foundation of every functioning relationship—family, work, community, and nation. Its erosion sits at the root of many personal and societal ills.

From presidents who lie about their mental acuity to those who enrich themselves at our expense, from pedophile priests and Boy Scout leaders to corrupt CEOs and financial advisors, it often feels as though we remain trapped in the law of the jungle.

In 1964, 77% of Americans trusted the government to do the right thing; today, that number is just 22%. In 1970, more than 70% of Americans trusted the media; today, only 31% do…

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We think of our community as a Black Sheep Club. The centerpiece of our art collection is a large diptych by local artist Frank Sampson titled Celebration—a whimsical portrayal of humans, animals, and mythic hybrids gathered around a dining table. The painting reflects a simple truth: what appears strange at first often reveals itself as familiar once we share a few meals and stories.

City Club embraces this truth, rejecting the fantasy of human perfection as an aspiration fit only for gods. Instead, we strive to attract members willing to do the more complex work of self-reflection—those brave enough to confront their shadow sides, rather than those who presume themselves to be evolved.

This paradox lives most vividly in our leaders. Consider the sexual transgressions of Kennedy, Clinton, and Martin Luther King Jr.; Jefferson’s slave ownership; or Churchill’s lifelong dependence on alcohol. Even Donald Trump’s unchecked appetites remain a mirror we must reckon with. Reducing people to their worst traits is lazy. Wrestling with their contradictions—our contradictions—is what it means to be fully human…

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The United States Surgeon General has declared loneliness the number one epidemic in America. Loneliness and social isolation profoundly affect both mental and physical health, raising the risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia, depression, and premature death.

I speak from experience, having suffered two heart attacks and carrying five stents in my heart, which I largely attribute to my first eight lonely and difficult years in America, and later, a divorce. Picture a geeky, foreign teenage engineering student struggling with language, culture, and a lack of friends—a stranger in a strange land.

Recognizing the magnitude of the problem, modern-day snake-oil salesmen peddle “community” alongside whatever else they’re selling. Starbucks calls itself “The Third Place,” yet removes seating from its 38,000 locations and locks its bathrooms. Step into a modern office or co-working space, and you’ll find folks wearing earbuds to signal, “Don’t bug me.”…

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The arc of human freedom reaches back to the enslaved Hebrews in Egypt who yearned for liberty. Cyrus the Great and Greek philosophers gave us democracy. Jesus taught us to love our neighbor. The Magna Carta in England, followed by the Renaissance in Florence, cleared the path to signing the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia.

In the 250 years since, America has strived to be the shining city on a hill. Compare that with the five thousand years it took to bring about the Agricultural Revolution, and the more than two centuries required for the Industrial Revolution. Now, we stand amid the AI Revolution. How long will it take, and what shape will its blessings and perils assume? The Declaration of Independence was a revolt against a tyrannical king. Today, we need a modern declaration to challenge the status quo.

In 2020, we launched the Highland Institute for the Advancement of Humanity to imagine—and help build—a brave new world of AI, quantum computing, cryptocurrencies, personalized medicine, and whatever else lies on the horizon. Five years in, we’re finally making solid progress on multiple fronts. For example, next week we’re hosting a nine-part series, Technology & Statecraft, to explore topics such as:..

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The only constant is change, and change moves in cycles. From Capital to Labor, Conservative to Liberal, political Left to Right, economic boom to bust, we’re perpetually caught in the rhythm of these swings.

The American Civil War was fought over freedom versus slavery. Today, America is simmering over immigration, abortion, gender, and social and economic justice. 

The liberal and hippie revolutions of the '60s and '70s ushered in conservative figures like Ronald Reagan as President and Rudy Giuliani as Mayor of New York. Now, the pendulum has swung so far left that New Yorkers are considering electing Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim immigrant and self-described Democratic Socialist…

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The Query family—Dave, Dana, Matt, and Sonya—has long been a cornerstone of Boulder and the City Club communities. So, when Dave told me, “You should meet John Cullen,” I listened.

Many individuals worked hard to bring the Sundance Film Festival to Boulder, but I consider John Cullen and Governor Jared Polis the primary catalysts behind Boulder’s successful bid.

John Cullen has been the owner and CEO of Grand Heritage Holdings since 1989. This global hotel and resort company has operated 51 properties across 17 countries, including the historic Stanley Hotel in Estes Park.

John is a force of nature: brilliant and bold, impulsive and unpredictable—equal parts Oscar Wilde and Tim Cook. He’s a bit hard to follow, not because of his British accent, but because his thoughts race faster than his words. A dealaholic by nature, John is either buying or selling, so unless you have a deal in mind, he doesn’t have time to deal with you!..

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In 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini led a revolution that toppled the Shah of Iran, inspiring militant students to seize the U.S. embassy in Tehran. America stood paralyzed and humiliated as 52 hostages were held for 444 days.

Rather than uniting Iranians with a hopeful vision, the new Islamic regime ruled through fear, torture, and repression, focusing instead on the destruction of Israel and America. It funneled oil wealth to Hezbollah, Hamas, the Syrian regime, and the Houthis to wage proxy wars—while pursuing nuclear weapons and declaring, “Israel is a one-bomb country.”

Since WWII, America has lost wars in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, leaving it war-weary and hesitant to confront Iran. But Israel, cornered, had no choice but to act—and prevail.

For 3,500 years, Jews have faced repeated threats of extinction. Today, they confront a new existential danger—this time as a fortified sovereign state, ranked second globally in innovation and among the top ten in military strength…

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The term “Semite” historically refers to a family of ancient peoples bound by Semitic languages such as Aramaic, Hebrew, and Arabic. In the 19th century, German agitator Wilhelm Marr coined the term “antisemitism” to rebrand Judenhass (Jew-hatred) with a more scientific veneer.

After over 2,000 years of exile, in 1948, the Jews re-established the state of Israel. To remain politically correct, the new Judenhass began using antizionism instead of antisemitism to express its hatred of Jews.

Humans carry hate in their hearts, and history shows Jews are often the first target. Today, it’s easier and even safer to direct that hate at Jews than at Blacks, gays, the wealthy, or other minorities. Yet hate, once unleashed, does not stay neatly contained. The same mob that chants for the eradication of Jews today will turn its rage elsewhere tomorrow, dismantling the fragile order that protects us all. Just last week, we saw a flash of this hatred erupt in Boulder. Although none of the quotes above use the word “antisemite,” the hatred for Jews is loud and clear…

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Last Sunday’s terror attack in Boulder demands more than our sorrow. It demands clarity. Who are these terrorists, and how should a free society respond?

We don’t have to look far. The agitators disrupting Boulder City Council meetings are the same ones who defaced Highland City Club with graffiti, vulgar posters, and racial slurs. Their hatred isn’t random; it’s targeted. Their tactics aren’t new; a moral and civic leadership vacuum emboldens them.

Political theorist Patrick Deneen notes that our crisis is not one of too little liberty, but too little order - not mere law and order, but moral order rooted in shared virtue and mutual obligation. He faults not only liberal excess but a hollow conservatism that is more invested in preserving status than cultivating character. Deneen calls for cultural renewal - an honest reckoning transcending our tired political binaries to support the common good…

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Remember when a bottle of wine from Trader Joe’s cost just two dollars? It didn’t matter if it was red, white, or rosé—whether it was Manischewitz or Two-Buck Chuck—wine was more about the buzz than the bouquet.

Then came the storytellers, educating us about grape lineage, soil minerality, and the family vineyard tucked away in Napa. Almost overnight, wine shifted from table filler to trophy, fetching $25 for a five-ounce pour at the neighborhood bar—including tax, sustainability surcharge, and a 20% tip.

Maybe this is just what aging feels like, but these days, restaurant noise spikes my blood pressure, the chairs are stiff, the lighting either blinding or dismal, the food too oily or salty, the service hit-or-miss, and the prices rarely match the value.

At City Club, you can enjoy a delicious glass of wine at a fraction of what you’d pay elsewhere—no tip required. The only background noise is birdsong and bubbling fountains. We don’t cook with seed oils, and our staff knows your name, not just your table number.

Come savor summer the way it was meant to be—unhurried, heartfelt, and shared among friends…

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Last week, I led an architectural tour of Highland, and this week, Constance guided a tour of the Highland Gardens. With Dustin now overseeing the operations of both Highland and City Club, it’s heartening to see members eager to learn more about the vision and effort behind our life’s work.

When I was young, I saw a black-and-white photo of John D. Rockefeller seated alone at the far end of a 24-person dining table, hunched over his meal. Behind him stood two servers, still as statues—like Foo Dogs guarding a lonely scene. That image left a lasting impression on me: all the wealth in the world means little if we have no one to share it with…

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To leave a first-hand account of Highland’s history, I’ve begun offering design, architecture, and furnishing tours to share my knowledge with the membership. In that spirit, I previously wrote about the large mythical bird perched above the condos—affectionately (and somewhat notoriously) known as “the evil chicken.” I hope that, in time, a section of City Club’s website can be dedicated to preserving this evolving historical record.

Nearly eight centuries ago, Persian Sufi poet Attar of Nishapur, a contemporary of Rumi, wrote “The Conference of the Birds.” In the poem, the birds of the world gather to decide who is to be their sovereign, as they had none. The hoopoe, the wisest of them all, suggested they should find the legendary Simurgh. The hoopoe leads the birds, each representing a human fault that prevents humankind from attaining enlightenment. 

The hoopoe tells the birds that they must cross seven valleys to reach Simurgh's abode…

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At City Club, the foundation of our community is a Securus Locus—a safe space where members can converse, debate, discuss, and engage in Jeffersonian dialogues on diverse topics, fostering learning and connection. In that spirit, I would like to adopt the sage advice of City Club member Ted B. Page and suggest the following rules of engagement to facilitate meaningful interactions in a group setting:

One person speaks at a time while others listen intently.

Avoid cross-talking and preparing rebuttals while someone else is speaking.

Pause for a second to ensure the speaker has finished.

Old habits die hard. As our community grows and gatherings become larger, we aim to strengthen these principles further. Here are a few suggested guidelines to foster meaningful communication:..

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Some artists dare to touch the places we would rather leave untouched—love, lust, betrayal, death. Poet-musicians like Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen guide us there with tenderness and unflinching honesty.

I have long been a fan of Leonard Cohen, knowing well the dark shadows he wrestled with. Yet, like a fine wine aging into deeper notes, Cohen ripened into something wiser with time, moving from the songs of love and longing in his youth to meditations on death and dying at age 82.

Today, Cohen’s final song, You Want It Darker, feels less like a farewell and more like a hymn for the living. Drawing from the ancient story of God giving Abraham a miracle child only to demand his sacrifice, Cohen does not flinch. He lifts the words of the Kaddish, the Jewish prayer for the dead (“Magnified, sanctified be Thy holy name”), and offers us a way to respond to darkness with sacred defiance: Hineni. Hineni. Hineni.

Here I am. Here I am. Here I stand…

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They say a convert is often more Catholic than the Pope. Likewise, a naturalized citizen often feels more American than a native-born. I speak from experience and remain bullish on America: its dollar, military, economy, people, science, and boundless potential.

The greatest strength of the American experiment is the First Amendment, which grants us the freedom to question, debate, and critique how this experiment is unfolding. Are we still on the right path as a nation? Can we still see that shining city on a hill? Do we still honor the cycles of history, trusting that creative destruction leads to renewal and rebirth?

In a previous column, I likened President Trump to Kali, the Hindu god of destruction and rebirth. As we approach America’s 250th birthday—having survived and flourished through three full 80-year historical cycles—it feels like the fabric of our national identity is fraying…

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By now, everyone living in Park City, Utah, knows where Boulder, Colorado is - whether they like it or not. Davos, Switzerland, could learn about Boulder next.

On April 1, the Sundance Film Festival announced its 2027 move to Boulder. While Boulder will be the primary beneficiary, the entire Colorado Front Range—from Estes Park to Colorado Springs—stands to gain from its social and economic impact. This relocation can potentially shift the center of America’s cultural soft power from the West Coast to the Rocky Mountains.

Under the agreement, Boulder has ten years to develop the infrastructure to host the expanding and prosperous Sundance Film Festival. This goal includes everything from new theaters and hotel rooms to expanded RTD rail service capable of transporting tens of thousands of attendees housed in Westminster, Erie, Broomfield, Superior, and Longmont…

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Last week, President Trump reportedly finalized his draconian tariff plan just hours before his Rose Garden announcement, rattling global markets. Meanwhile, the U.S. deployed two aircraft carriers—USS Harry S. Truman and USS Carl Vinson—to the Middle East to bolster security in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.

No one truly knows what Trump is thinking—but two things are clear. First, Iran’s theocratic regime, which calls Israel “a one-bomb nation,” must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. Second, America can no longer sustain multi-trillion-dollar deficits. With nearly $8 trillion in short-term debt coming due, today’s interest rates risk triggering a stagflationary spiral. It seems Trump thinks if war is the price to stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions and an induced recession is the cost to reset the global order—so be it.

Since 1979, when Iran’s clerical regime held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days, it has been a persistent adversary—arming Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Assad regime in a campaign to encircle Israel in a “ring of fire.” No superpower worthy of the name should allow that to stand…

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Boulder’s story is one of constant evolution. It began with the 1858 gold rush, incorporated in 1871, and grew in stature with the founding of the University of Colorado in 1874 and the arrival of Chautauqua in 1890. That spirit of innovation and preservation continued through the 20th century with the arrival of IBM and other tech pioneers, the establishment of 34 national research labs, and bold civic projects like the Blue Line, the Greenbelt, and Pearl Street Mall.

Last week, Boulder added yet another feather to its cap by becoming the new home of the Sundance Film Festival.

American politics lives downstream of American culture. For over a century, American movies have shaped global culture and served as ambassadors of American soft power, with Hollywood at its heart. From silent films to talkies, from black-and-white to Technicolor, and from analog to digital, filmmaking has continuously evolved—and the rise of artificial intelligence will undoubtedly bring another wave of transformation to the industry…

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It’s no coincidence that many of history’s great philosophers have been solitary men who choose to forgo worldly comforts in exchange for a quiet cabin in the woods, where they can hear themselves think and immerse themselves in philosophy. Think Thoreau. Think Nietzsche.

I count myself fortunate to have designed and built my cabin— perched on high land at the confluence of Boulder and Gregory Creeks in Boulder, Colorado. This sanctuary allows me to be uber-social by day and a philosopher in solitude by night and on weekends.

The love of wisdom and the hunger for growth in our later years can be as intense as the hormonal surges of adolescence—a primal force driving us to seek meaning, depth, and understanding. As City Club matures, I am grateful for the teachers and thinkers who have guided us— from the late Kevin Townley (may his soul rest in peace) to the many scholars, members, and mentors who inspire us to grow wiser and age with grace…

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