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Should the unvaccinated be denied health care?
The hippocratic oath requires doctors to treat all patients equally — but what happens when you run out of doctors? This isn’t the first time medical staff and hospital beds were in short supply during the pandemic. There is, however, something notably different this time. In the early stages of COVID-19, patients overflowed hospitals at […]
The link between extreme mudslides and climate change
Without a doubt, one of the largest threats to American infrastructure is climate change. This was illustrated yet again as upwards of 10 landslides ravaged sections of Colorado’s Interstate 70 corridor, closing the Glenwood Canyon portion of the highway indefinitely. This came after weeks of intermittent slides that have exhausted personnel and had a chilling […]
Literacy rates are falling, and Democrats could lose big
Twenty-five years ago Republicans were more educated than Democrats. Today, the inverse is true. The education gap is readily apparent. Facts have become partisan, and Republicans have tossed whole science books out the window. It’s a strategy that appears ill-considered at first glance — after all, what good is letting a virus ransack your base? […]
States and schools should reinstate mask mandates
If we don’t act now, masks could become a long-term fashion accessory. In the past 14 days, the United States has seen tremendous growth in COVID-19 cases again. This has included a 36% increase in hospitalizations and a 26% increase in deaths. With the more transmissible delta variant, infection rates are likely to keep rising […]
Colorado air is getting dirtier and dirtier
It’s not the altitude that’s making it hard to breathe — it’s the dirty air. It’s no secret that Colorado’s air quality has been in decline for years. This week alone saw health alerts for both smoke-filled skies and ozone levels that had already prompted the Environmental Protection Agency in 2019 to label Denver as […]
Delta variant Q&A
As the delta variant takes hold, the unvaccinated are in for a rude awakening. It’s not just ignorance — they’re begging for a Darwin Award. Unfortunately, thanks to all these unvaccinated knuckleheads, vaccinated Americans are now being put more at risk, too. The delta variant is a mutant strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Early estimates […]
Examining our hidden bias
Pride Month and Juneteenth may have passed, but the time to address systemic biases of all kinds certainly hasn’t. To start, a riddle: A father and his son are in a car crash. The father dies. The son is brought to the emergency department for life saving surgery. Upon entering the room, the surgeon shouts, […]
Leave God out of government
A minister, a priest and a rabbi go to Washington. There is no punch line. All of them should uphold the separation of church and state. It often shocks people when I say I don’t believe in God. To them, it’s as if all of my morality hinges upon agreeing to a single, socially constructed […]
The air conditioning paradox: How staying cool makes it hotter
Ain’t nobody got the words like a Southerner when it comes to heat waves — and this week, there’s gonna be a whole lotta hens layin’ hard boiled eggs. But before you reach for the thermostat, think twice. Every degree you turn it down, you’re turning up the dial on climate change. The air conditioning […]
Democrats should call on Tay Anderson to resign
For once, I (mostly) agree with Jimmy Sengenberger. With multiple ongoing sexual assault investigations, and extensive impact to Denver Public Schools, it’s time for Colorado Democrats to call out their 2020 Rising Star Award winner: School Board Secretary and Member-at-Large Tay Anderson should resign immediately. Republicans — hold the champagne. Those of you gleefully awaiting […]
Legislative trio brings ’embodied carbon’ bill to the table
You’ve heard of climate change. Have you heard of embodied carbon? If not, you aren’t alone. When it comes to green initiatives, we often turn to topics such as renewable energy or electric vehicles. Yet embodied carbon — the comprehensive carbon footprint of a material — contributes notably to greenhouse gas emissions. Embodied carbon is […]
Masks off: The nuance behind the CDC’s controversial decision
In other times, a “masks off” announcement might have been celebrated. Instead, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stepped straight into controversy. The confusion was palpable. Debates immediately spun out over whether the CDC’s decision to remove masks was backed by science. Some experts quickly condemned the decision. The largest nurses’ union came out […]