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Finding warmth and gratitude in 2020
Ah, the holidays. A time of love and joy. But can we find grace in a year where hope feels like squeezing an empty toothpaste tube? The reality is that no amount of thankfulness will undo the harm caused by President Trump, and no amount of positivity will make COVID-19 disappear. No matter how much […]
Reflecting on one year of a global pandemic
It feels like I’ve aged a decade this year. Incredibly, and without fanfare, Nov. 17 marked the anniversary of the novel zoonotic coronavirus as first traced to humans. Since this time, we’ve learned a lot. Based on the rise of infections, it seems we’ve forgotten just as much. Pandemic fatigue is real. Whether you’re a […]
Trump’s final wake of COVID death
Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell often refers to himself as the “grim reaper,” but it is President Trump who will have carried the scythe. The hole that’s been dug is deep. In the still-warm afterglow of a consequential rebuke of repeated lies and general malfeasance, the now disgraced one-term president will hand over the reins […]
Polis misses the mark without stay-at-home order
One of the things I’ve always liked about Gov. Jared Polis is his affinity for data. As a proud owner of tweed jackets with elbow patches, my brain lights up like a Christmas tree when he casually tweets about quantum mechanics or Schrödinger’s cat. Polis’ quirks aren’t new to me. I spent roughly 10 years […]
Redefining normal for a post-Trump era
Lately, I’m not exactly a ray of sunshine. With each grim milestone reached, it feels as if we’ve tumbled to political rock bottom only to find a new trap door leading further below. After years spent in a perpetual state of crisis, I find myself wondering if we can ever return to normal — and […]
Answers to common COVID-19 and vaccine questions
With the bleak anniversary of COVID-19 just around the corner, the following addresses common questions about what to expect over the next year and beyond. How long will the pandemic last? There are many variables, but expect at least three to five years from the point of origin (late 2019). This is the period of […]
The hypocrisy of Trump using medical science
All good con men master the art of deceit. President Trump is a very good con man. Prior to contracting the virus himself, the president had all sorts of remedies to offer the American public: Try “light inside the body,” he said. Take hydroxychloroquine “before you catch it,” he said. Injecting disinfectants is “interesting,” he […]
Republicans face the consequences of denying science
If America feels like an Amtrak barreling down the tracks with the brake line cut, rest assured you’re not alone. The silence has been deafening — no one seems to want to say it outright. Perhaps it feels uncouth to acknowledge a COVID-19 outbreak at the White House was preventable while the president lies in […]
Trump has COVID-19: What it means for Biden and the Supreme Court
After months of mostly refusing to wear masks, President Trump and his wife are now reported to have tested positive for COVID-19. Initial reactions have varied widely, from concern for the Trumps, to concerns for former Vice President Joe Biden and his wife to even skepticism of the positive test entirely. But with a little […]
Climate change will kill more people than COVID-19
Smoke first filled my home two months ago. For once in the Mile High state, inhaling isn’t the answer. Most days my weather app now reads “unhealthy air quality.” Headaches, fatigue and a scratchy throat have become as much of my daily routine as caffeine and pajama-pant Zoom calls. At least once a week I […]
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Replacing the irreplaceable
Black wool crepes drape over the chair that once held her 100-pound frame. The court’s flag remains at half-staff. Mourners pay their respects by the thousands. It feels like five feet small has never stood so tall. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the definition of a legal legacy. Even after passing, she continues […]
How to know when a COVID-19 vaccine is safe
In normal times, vaccine safety is easily recognized. These aren’t normal times. Despite robust science, public trust of a COVID-19 vaccine is at an all-time low. After months of coronavirus lies and misinformation fueled by President Trump, a recent poll found 54% of Americans would not get immunized if the vaccine were approved during the […]