thedenverpost--2020-10-23--It’s Never Too Early to Save for Retirement

Whether your retirement dreams involve a cozy mountain cabin , or jet-setting around Europe , all of them have one thing in common : planning .
More than just dollars and cents , planning for retirement means creating a clear picture of what life after work looks like to you , and developing a reasonable plan to get you there .
Alexandra Swanson , a Financial Advisor with CUSO Financial Services , LP* located at Bellco Credit Union , shares her tips , tricks , and unique perspective on retirement that can help you make those dreams come true .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ important , is knowing what your dream retirement looks like and setting goals for your future .
This is critical to helping you and your Financial Advisor get a plan in motion .
It also helps you reframe how you think about saving .
The extra $ 20 you put into your IRA this month isn ’ t just $ 20–it ’ s a brick in your retirement beach house or extra rigging for your houseboat .
Thinking about retirement savings as pieces of your dream can keep you focused in ways that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply can ’ t .
As Swanson likes to tell her clients , “ every dollar that we save or spend is a decision to save for tomorrow or live for today.
” “ There ’ s never a better time to start saving than today , ” Swanson says .
“ That ’ s true if you ’ re 20 years old or 65 years old.
” For younger savers , starting now means more time for your savings to potentially grow , whether it ’ s through compound interest , asset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re approaching retirement , starting now can mean building savings in case of emergencies .
A particularly useful tip that Swanson gives her clients nearing retirement age , is to live on the income they expect to be getting in retirement and save the rest .
“ If budgeting to that number feels like it ’ s just not enough , they may decide to continue to work for a little bit longer.
” Make Sure You ’ re Taking the Free Money ( If Your Employer Offers It ) Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 401 ( k ) contribution match .
If yours does , and you ’ re putting money into the plan , try to chip in at least as much as your employer is willing to match .
For example , if you ’ re contributing 4 % and your employer will match 5 % , adjust your contribution when you ’ re able to .
You likely won ’ t notice a 1 % difference in your paycheck , but your retirement account will , especially if it ’ s a long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Save If your employer doesn ’ t offer a 401 ( k ) plan , or if they do and you ’ re already contributing , there are additional ways to give your retirement savings a serious boost .
Consider putting some money into an IRA , or Individual Retirement Account .
You have the choice of a traditional IRA or Roth IRA , and deciding which is best for you is generally based on the amount of time you have before retirement , your current income , and your projected income in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determining what ’ s best is largely based on your specific situation .
Which brings us to the next tip .
Set aside time to reach out to a professional Financial Advisor .
They can help you identify savings opportunities that are right for you in both the short and long term , and can make sure you ’ re on track for your retirement dreams .
“ We like to be as comprehensive as possible , ” Swanson says .
“ We start by talking about what retirement means to you…once we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the financial components that are going to help you reach those goals.
” A Financial Advisor will also help you determine how much you should ideally be putting aside for your specific retirement goals–you do not have to figure it out alone !
Paying Off Debt vs .
Saving for Retirement ?
Whether you ’ re already saving for retirement or are just getting started , it ’ s important to know where your paycheck goes .
Part of that also means paying off debt .
It could be a car loan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or credit card–no matter where it ’ s coming from , prioritizing debt payments are an important consideration for savers .
But how do you know how much of your check should be going to debt , and how much should go to retirement savings ?
Swanson knows this can be a challenge , but it doesn ’ t have to get in your way .
“ This can be a very complicated question and depends a lot on the interest rate , your goals , your cash flow , and when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will say that you don ’ t have to do one exclusively over the other , you can certainly split extra income you have each month and do a little of both.
” As with all of these tips , talking with your Financial Advisor can help you determine what the best path is for you .
It ’ s never too late to start saving for the retirement you dream of , and having someone help you get there will make the process that much easier !
As Swanson says , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that fits into your budget is a great way to begin !
” *Non-deposit investment products and services are offered through CUSO Financial Services , L.P. ( “ CFS ” ) , a registered broker-dealer ( Member FINRA/SIPC ) and SEC Registered Investment Advisor .
Products offered through CFS are not NCUA/NCUSIF or otherwise federally insured , are not guarantees or obligations of the credit union , and may involve investment risk including possible loss of principal .
Investment Representatives are registered through CFS .
Bellco Credit Union has contracted with CFS to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to credit union members .
The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post ’ s preparation .

Whether your retirement dreams involve a cozy mountain cabin, or jet-setting around Europe, all of them have one thing in common: planning. More than just dollars and cents, planning for retirement means creating a clear picture of what life after work looks like to you, and developing a reasonable plan to get you there. Alexandra Swanson, a Financial Advisor with CUSO Financial Services, LP* located at Bellco Credit Union, shares her tips, tricks, and unique perspective on retirement that can help you make those dreams come true.
@whutwhanfoto via canva.com
Find Your Vision for Retirement
The first step, and maybe most important, is knowing what your dream retirement looks like and setting goals for your future. This is critical to helping you and your Financial Advisor get a plan in motion. It also helps you reframe how you think about saving. The extra $20 you put into your IRA this month isn’t just $20–it’s a brick in your retirement beach house or extra rigging for your houseboat. Thinking about retirement savings as pieces of your dream can keep you focused in ways that thinking about it in dollars and cents simply can’t. As Swanson likes to tell her clients, “every dollar that we save or spend is a decision to save for tomorrow or live for today.”
Start Saving
“There’s never a better time to start saving than today,” Swanson says. “That’s true if you’re 20 years old or 65 years old.” For younger savers, starting now means more time for your savings to potentially grow, whether it’s through compound interest, asset growth, or dividend reinvestment. If you’re approaching retirement, starting now can mean building savings in case of emergencies. A particularly useful tip that Swanson gives her clients nearing retirement age, is to live on the income they expect to be getting in retirement and save the rest. “If budgeting to that number feels like it’s just not enough, they may decide to continue to work for a little bit longer.”
©kaspars7 via canva.com
Make Sure You’re Taking the Free Money (If Your Employer Offers It)
Many employers, especially large companies, offer a 401(k) contribution match. If yours does, and you’re putting money into the plan, try to chip in at least as much as your employer is willing to match. For example, if you’re contributing 4% and your employer will match 5%, adjust your contribution when you’re able to. You likely won’t notice a 1% difference in your paycheck, but your retirement account will, especially if it’s a long way off.
Find Every Way to Save
If your employer doesn’t offer a 401(k) plan, or if they do and you’re already contributing, there are additional ways to give your retirement savings a serious boost. Consider putting some money into an IRA, or Individual Retirement Account. You have the choice of a traditional IRA or Roth IRA, and deciding which is best for you is generally based on the amount of time you have before retirement, your current income, and your projected income in retirement. As with most decisions, determining what’s best is largely based on your specific situation. Which brings us to the next tip.
©yacobchuk via canva.com
Talk to a Professional
Set aside time to reach out to a professional Financial Advisor. They can help you identify savings opportunities that are right for you in both the short and long term, and can make sure you’re on track for your retirement dreams. “We like to be as comprehensive as possible,” Swanson says. “We start by talking about what retirement means to you…once we define the goals, we can look at the financial components that are going to help you reach those goals.” A Financial Advisor will also help you determine how much you should ideally be putting aside for your specific retirement goals–you do not have to figure it out alone!
Paying Off Debt vs. Saving for Retirement?
Whether you’re already saving for retirement or are just getting started, it’s important to know where your paycheck goes. Part of that also means paying off debt. It could be a car loan, student loan, a mortgage, or credit card–no matter where it’s coming from, prioritizing debt payments are an important consideration for savers. But how do you know how much of your check should be going to debt, and how much should go to retirement savings? Swanson knows this can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to get in your way. “This can be a very complicated question and depends a lot on the interest rate, your goals, your cash flow, and when the debt will be paid off. I will say that you don’t have to do one exclusively over the other, you can certainly split extra income you have each month and do a little of both.”
As with all of these tips, talking with your Financial Advisor can help you determine what the best path is for you. It’s never too late to start saving for the retirement you dream of, and having someone help you get there will make the process that much easier! As Swanson says, “Just start! Any monthly savings amount that fits into your budget is a great way to begin!”
*Non-deposit investment products and services are offered through CUSO Financial Services, L.P. (“CFS”), a registered broker-dealer (Member FINRA/SIPC) and SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Products offered through CFS are not NCUA/NCUSIF or otherwise federally insured, are not guarantees or obligations of the credit union, and may involve investment risk including possible loss of principal. Investment Representatives are registered through CFS. Bellco Credit Union has contracted with CFS to make non-deposit investment products and services available to credit union members.
The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post’s preparation.


thedenverpost--2020-10-24--Endorsement: Ilana Spiegel for University of Colorado Regent in Congressional District 6

Ilana Spiegel is a dedicated educator , a mother of four children ( one of whom now attends the University of Colorado ) and a qualified candidate for CU Regent who is ready to bring change to a dysfunctional board .
“ Under the current board majority , there has been a lack of attention and a lack of transparency to our budget , including rising health care costs which are according to CU metrics the number one driver of costs , ” Spiegel , a Democrat , told us during a virtual editorial board meeting .
“ As a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transparency .
I ’ ll go line item by line item to see how we can lower costs for hardworking students and their families.
” We encourage voters to support Spiegel for this important job overseeing a $ 4.5 billion budget for the entire University of Colorado system , one of the state ’ s largest employers and biggest economic drivers .
She works for the Public Education and Business Coalition helping public schools across the state with teacher professional development .
In that role she has worked on search committees and helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boards — a major role of the regents is selecting CU leadership .
The regents are incredibly important and recently it has been divided along partisan political lines , causing a general dysfunction that has seeped onto its college campuses .
And that was before the coronavirus created massive decreases in budgets and enrollment for colleges across the nation .
Now , more than ever , we need a board that will help CU through these difficult times .
Spiegel is facing Republican candidate Richard Murray who also pledged to bring fiscal scrutiny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and qualified and he served as student body president when he went to school at CU Boulder .
However , tough budget cuts are going to need to be made and we think Spiegel is the candidate to help guide those decisions .
Both candidates harped on a truth we have known for a long time – Colorado ’ s universities are some of the most publicly underfunded in the nation .
Fortunately , former CU president Bruce Benson worked to secure funding outside of the state ’ s budget to help the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It likely won ’ t be possible anytime soon , but we agree that Colorado must find a way to invest more money in its public colleges .
Spiegel also said she ’ d bring more transparency to any future searches for leadership at CU Boulder .
The most recent search was fraught with controversy and conflict and we have felt like it was conducted with partisan intent .
That hasn ’ t been good for anyone , including President Mark Kennedy who can ’ t be blamed for the selection process that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really think that an effective presidential search in the future it has to be more transparent , less partisan and it has to really focus on what matters to educate the next generation of students and really the concerns we ’ re hearing from the community , ” she said , adding that the search firm used in the process will be key and she will bring transparency around that process too .
Spiegel is ready to help the University of Colorado system weather these trying times , and we ’ ll be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushing for openness and transparency .
To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail .

Editor’s note: This represents the opinion of The Denver Post editorial board, which is separate from the paper’s news operation.
Ilana Spiegel is a dedicated educator, a mother of four children (one of whom now attends the University of Colorado) and a qualified candidate for CU Regent who is ready to bring change to a dysfunctional board.
“Under the current board majority, there has been a lack of attention and a lack of transparency to our budget, including rising health care costs which are according to CU metrics the number one driver of costs,” Spiegel, a Democrat, told us during a virtual editorial board meeting. “As a regent I’ll fight to increase transparency. I’ll go line item by line item to see how we can lower costs for hardworking students and their families.”
We encourage voters to support Spiegel for this important job overseeing a $4.5 billion budget for the entire University of Colorado system, one of the state’s largest employers and biggest economic drivers. She works for the Public Education and Business Coalition helping public schools across the state with teacher professional development. In that role she has worked on search committees and helped with recommendations of high-level candidates to school boards — a major role of the regents is selecting CU leadership.
The regents are incredibly important and recently it has been divided along partisan political lines, causing a general dysfunction that has seeped onto its college campuses. And that was before the coronavirus created massive decreases in budgets and enrollment for colleges across the nation.
Now, more than ever, we need a board that will help CU through these difficult times.
Spiegel is facing Republican candidate Richard Murray who also pledged to bring fiscal scrutiny to the board. Murray seems competent and qualified and he served as student body president when he went to school at CU Boulder.
However, tough budget cuts are going to need to be made and we think Spiegel is the candidate to help guide those decisions.
Both candidates harped on a truth we have known for a long time – Colorado’s universities are some of the most publicly underfunded in the nation. Fortunately, former CU president Bruce Benson worked to secure funding outside of the state’s budget to help the schools and campuses remain world-class institutions. It likely won’t be possible anytime soon, but we agree that Colorado must find a way to invest more money in its public colleges.
Spiegel also said she’d bring more transparency to any future searches for leadership at CU Boulder. The most recent search was fraught with controversy and conflict and we have felt like it was conducted with partisan intent. That hasn’t been good for anyone, including President Mark Kennedy who can’t be blamed for the selection process that brought him on board.
“I really think that an effective presidential search in the future it has to be more transparent, less partisan and it has to really focus on what matters to educate the next generation of students and really the concerns we’re hearing from the community,” she said, adding that the search firm used in the process will be key and she will bring transparency around that process too.
Spiegel is ready to help the University of Colorado system weather these trying times, and we’ll be glad to have her on the board pushing for openness and transparency.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-10-24--Securities regulators fighting a surge in COVID-19 related scams

Securities regulators in Colorado and nationally are warning consumers about a rise in financial fraud in wake of the pandemic .
“ It is not surprising .
Every good crisis creates an opportunity for fraud , ” said Chris Perrin , counsel to the head of enforcement at FINRA , an industry regulatory body , during the Colorado Financial Symposium held online Friday .
Several companies pitching a way to protect or cure people from COVID-19 have sprung up , often with scant proof to back their claims , and have sought money from investors .
Firms have used scare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prices to investors , many of them older .
And with more people spending more time at home and online , cases of cyber fraud have shot up .
“ Scammers go where victims are , and we are all online .
Fortunately , enforcement is online too , ” said Tung Chan , who took over as Colorado ’ s securities commissioner in late March .
One way scammers have duped investors is through bogus popup messages that warn people something is wrong with their brokerage accounts .
People call in or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account information , only to have their accounts liquidated and the proceeds siphoned off .
“ It has caused significant losses for individuals and many seniors , ” Chan said .
Chan said securities regulators in the state have also seen a rise in schemes promoting precious metals .
Usually the pitches play off a sense of urgency and fears about the stock market .
Colorado joined with regulators in 11 other states last month to shut down Metals.com , alleging it took $ 185 million from 1,600 mostly senior investors .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would result in a government takeover of capital markets , one where only gold and silver would hold their value , Chan said .
Although not necessarily fraud , securities regulators noted that people with more time on their hands due to quarantine measures turned to actively trade stocks .
Zero-cost commissions are also contributing to the trend .
Overactive trading can increase the risk investors make a bad move or lose money .
Tom Piccone , associate regional director with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Denver , said brokerage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their clients are aware of the fees they are incurring and that the materials shared with customers and investors are fair and balanced .

Securities regulators in Colorado and nationally are warning consumers about a rise in financial fraud in wake of the pandemic.
“It is not surprising. Every good crisis creates an opportunity for fraud,” said Chris Perrin, counsel to the head of enforcement at FINRA, an industry regulatory body, during the Colorado Financial Symposium held online Friday.
Several companies pitching a way to protect or cure people from COVID-19 have sprung up, often with scant proof to back their claims, and have sought money from investors. Firms have used scare tactics to push precious metals at inflated prices to investors, many of them older. And with more people spending more time at home and online, cases of cyber fraud have shot up.
“Scammers go where victims are, and we are all online. Fortunately, enforcement is online too,” said Tung Chan, who took over as Colorado’s securities commissioner in late March.
One way scammers have duped investors is through bogus popup messages that warn people something is wrong with their brokerage accounts. People call in or visit an imposter website and provide their account information, only to have their accounts liquidated and the proceeds siphoned off.
“It has caused significant losses for individuals and many seniors,” Chan said.
Chan said securities regulators in the state have also seen a rise in schemes promoting precious metals. Usually the pitches play off a sense of urgency and fears about the stock market. Colorado joined with regulators in 11 other states last month to shut down Metals.com, alleging it took $185 million from 1,600 mostly senior investors. The company pitched a message of economic collapse that would result in a government takeover of capital markets, one where only gold and silver would hold their value, Chan said.
Although not necessarily fraud, securities regulators noted that people with more time on their hands due to quarantine measures turned to actively trade stocks. Zero-cost commissions are also contributing to the trend. Overactive trading can increase the risk investors make a bad move or lose money.
Tom Piccone, associate regional director with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Denver, said brokerage firms and advisers need to make sure their clients are aware of the fees they are incurring and that the materials shared with customers and investors are fair and balanced.


thedenverpost--2020-10-24--Gadgets were on the way out. Then 2020 happened.

Gadgets were supposed to be over .
Smartphones , tablets and smartwatches cannibalized the weaker devices around them , including cameras , music players , navigation units , fitness trackers and gaming devices .
The few tech products that broke through the noise of crowdfunding sites and the crowded field of startups were quickly commoditized and undercut on Amazon .
The stores that dealt in gadgetry — Circuit City , RadioShack , Best Buy — had gone out of business or become glum warehouses for no-fun products .
In 2016 , my colleague Farhad Manjoo declared a “ gadget apocalypse.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , through recessions and war , through stability and revolutions , they were always there , ” he wrote .
Soon , to the horror of enthusiasts and mere consumerists alike , they might converge into a bland rectangularity .
For now , at least , it appears the gadget apocalypse has been averted , due in part to threats of actual apocalypse .
Seven months of shattered plans , lockdowns and rapidly improvised new normals have converted jaded consumers around the world into frantic gadget freaks , each grasping for items that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the story of a strange , dark year : pulse oximeters , the iPhone 12 , HEPA air filters , infrared thermometers , bare-minimum tablets and laptops for schooling , the PlayStation 5 ( pre-order ) , ring lights , miniature freezers , home networking equipment , and noise canceling headphones .
Elements of this gadget boom are more 2002 than 2020 .
When ’ s the last time you went comparison shopping for a webcam ?
How are you enjoying that new inkjet printer ?
And yet it evokes 2200 as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer trying to figure out if an air purifier made by a Bluetooth speaker company was going to be sufficient to clear the atmosphere in your isolation pod on an increasingly hostile planet ?
One striking detail of this gadget boom is that the horsemen of the once-inevitable gadget apocalypse have slowed to a trot .
Gartner , the research firm and consultancy , estimated that smartphone sales fell by 20 % in the second quarter of the year , when much of the world was dealing with severe and increasing COVID-19 caseloads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are new game consoles on the horizon , but they ’ re not yet out ; the breakout device in the gaming industry was also the most gadgety of its peers — the 3-year-old Nintendo Switch .
Before 2020 , many popular consumer electronics were receding into the background , more vital and useful than ever but purchased , wielded and discarded with a sense of routine , rather than novelty .
In this way , smartphones are like cars : first , obnoxiously out of place ; then , ubiquitous and yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ granted and made invisible , despite remaking the world around them in increasingly ambitious ways .
The ways in which people buy gadgets , too , have become less distinct and more infrastructural .
Product review sites where readers might have compared wireless headphones are recommending , a few links over , home blood oxygen monitoring equipment .
A style and language developed by an enthusiast consumer culture is stretching to accommodate new needs .
( For a family stretching to get their kids set up for remote learning , “ The Best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How to Shop for a Used Laptop or Desktop PC.
” ) The pandemic gadget boom is a story of both new needs fulfilled and old desires restored .
Buying noise canceling headphones is , of course , a consumerist treat , setting aside the new circumstances that made them feel necessary — the construction downstairs , the baby 20 feet away , the spouse simultaneously trapped in a video meeting .
You can feel the faintest muscle memory activate when you comparison shop for a gadget of a type you ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gadget is — judging by back orders and top listings on Amazon as the winter creeps closer — a SAD lamp or an outdoor radiator .
This gadget boom will end like every other — with a bunch of little-used and rapidly obsolete junk stowed away in closets and landfills around the globe — but it won ’ t inspire much nostalgia .
This isn ’ t spontaneous mass hobbyism or a slide into decadence .
It ’ s a cornered populace spending what they can in hopes that some novel invention will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gloom .
The gadgets that were so recently on their way out were of a different variety , and purchased under different circumstances .
Gadget consumption has long been portrayed as an interface with some part of the future : options on a shelf from which you can select how , when , or if you want to engage with whatever is coming next .
This was always a pleasant illusion , and it ’ s one the pandemic has made impossible to sustain .
In this brutally unexpected year , the luckiest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sustained by the hope that another purchase might fix a new problem , momentarily re-empowered , if only by tapping another “ Confirm ” button , and buoyed by the simple , shameful pleasure of acquisition .
The rest were coping , meeting sudden demands or simply trying to stay safe , whatever the cost .
Pandemic gadgets don ’ t bother to lie about being the next big thing .
They do not even claim to be a way to catch up with the next big thing .
Their guaranteed future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a gadget — isn ’ t something to hide , because when it come to pass , it won ’ t be a disappointment .
It will be a relief .

The New York Times News Service Syndicate

Gadgets were supposed to be over. Smartphones, tablets and smartwatches cannibalized the weaker devices around them, including cameras, music players, navigation units, fitness trackers and gaming devices. The few tech products that broke through the noise of crowdfunding sites and the crowded field of startups were quickly commoditized and undercut on Amazon.
The stores that dealt in gadgetry — Circuit City, RadioShack, Best Buy — had gone out of business or become glum warehouses for no-fun products. In 2016, my colleague Farhad Manjoo declared a “gadget apocalypse.”
“For 30 or 40 years, through recessions and war, through stability and revolutions, they were always there,” he wrote. Soon, to the horror of enthusiasts and mere consumerists alike, they might converge into a bland rectangularity.
For now, at least, it appears the gadget apocalypse has been averted, due in part to threats of actual apocalypse. Seven months of shattered plans, lockdowns and rapidly improvised new normals have converted jaded consumers around the world into frantic gadget freaks, each grasping for items that, in their chaotic disparity, tell the story of a strange, dark year: pulse oximeters, the iPhone 12, HEPA air filters, infrared thermometers, bare-minimum tablets and laptops for schooling, the PlayStation 5 (pre-order), ring lights, miniature freezers, home networking equipment, and noise canceling headphones.
Elements of this gadget boom are more 2002 than 2020. When’s the last time you went comparison shopping for a webcam? How are you enjoying that new inkjet printer? And yet it evokes 2200 as well. Did you expect to spend your summer trying to figure out if an air purifier made by a Bluetooth speaker company was going to be sufficient to clear the atmosphere in your isolation pod on an increasingly hostile planet?
One striking detail of this gadget boom is that the horsemen of the once-inevitable gadget apocalypse have slowed to a trot. Gartner, the research firm and consultancy, estimated that smartphone sales fell by 20% in the second quarter of the year, when much of the world was dealing with severe and increasing COVID-19 caseloads and economies in steep decline. There are new game consoles on the horizon, but they’re not yet out; the breakout device in the gaming industry was also the most gadgety of its peers — the 3-year-old Nintendo Switch.
Before 2020, many popular consumer electronics were receding into the background, more vital and useful than ever but purchased, wielded and discarded with a sense of routine, rather than novelty. In this way, smartphones are like cars: first, obnoxiously out of place; then, ubiquitous and yet more demanding; finally, taken for granted and made invisible, despite remaking the world around them in increasingly ambitious ways.
The ways in which people buy gadgets, too, have become less distinct and more infrastructural. Product review sites where readers might have compared wireless headphones are recommending, a few links over, home blood oxygen monitoring equipment. A style and language developed by an enthusiast consumer culture is stretching to accommodate new needs. (For a family stretching to get their kids set up for remote learning, “The Best Laptops” is less relevant than “How to Shop for a Used Laptop or Desktop PC.”)
The pandemic gadget boom is a story of both new needs fulfilled and old desires restored. Buying noise canceling headphones is, of course, a consumerist treat, setting aside the new circumstances that made them feel necessary — the construction downstairs, the baby 20 feet away, the spouse simultaneously trapped in a video meeting. You can feel the faintest muscle memory activate when you comparison shop for a gadget of a type you’ve never purchased before, even if that gadget is — judging by back orders and top listings on Amazon as the winter creeps closer — a SAD lamp or an outdoor radiator.
This gadget boom will end like every other — with a bunch of little-used and rapidly obsolete junk stowed away in closets and landfills around the globe — but it won’t inspire much nostalgia. This isn’t spontaneous mass hobbyism or a slide into decadence. It’s a cornered populace spending what they can in hopes that some novel invention will stave off disaster, or even just gloom.
The gadgets that were so recently on their way out were of a different variety, and purchased under different circumstances. Gadget consumption has long been portrayed as an interface with some part of the future: options on a shelf from which you can select how, when, or if you want to engage with whatever is coming next. This was always a pleasant illusion, and it’s one the pandemic has made impossible to sustain.
In this brutally unexpected year, the luckiest were buying their way through hard times, sustained by the hope that another purchase might fix a new problem, momentarily re-empowered, if only by tapping another “Confirm” button, and buoyed by the simple, shameful pleasure of acquisition. The rest were coping, meeting sudden demands or simply trying to stay safe, whatever the cost.
Pandemic gadgets don’t bother to lie about being the next big thing. They do not even claim to be a way to catch up with the next big thing. Their guaranteed future obsolescence — perhaps the defining characteristic of a gadget — isn’t something to hide, because when it come to pass, it won’t be a disappointment. It will be a relief.


thedenverpost--2020-10-24--Apple iPhone 12 review: Superfast speed, if you can find it

I started this iPhone review in the most peculiar way : by opening a map to find out where I could test it .
That ’ s because Apple ’ s newest iPhones , for the first time , work with 5G , the ultrafast fifth-generation wireless networks that will theoretically let people download a movie to their devices in seconds .
The problem ?
The superspeedy 5G networks have not been rolled out everywhere .
I learned this the hard way .
When Apple provided The New York Times with iPhone 12s to test on Verizon ’ s 5G @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighborhood in the San Francisco Bay Area didn ’ t have any 5G connection .
So I went on a journey through San Francisco to find the superfast data speeds that Apple and Verizon executives promised when they unveiled the new iPhones last week .
When I found places where I could connect to the fastest 5G networks , the iPhone experience was hugely gratifying .
The network delivered download speeds to the phone that were up to seven times as fast as the best broadband services I have ever used .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5G were far less satisfying .
At one point , I found the speedy connection in the back of a Safeway parking lot .
Another time I was in front of a Pet Food Express .
What would I do with an incredibly fast internet connection there ?
In most parts of San Francisco , the iPhone instead drew data from a more vanilla flavor of 5G that Verizon calls “ 5G Nationwide , ” which is the connection that most of the country will get for the foreseeable future .
Those download @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twice as fast as my older iPhone , which was on Verizon ’ s 4G network .
That ’ s all to say that despite the hype around 5G , the network underwhelmed .
At this point , it should not be the primary reason to splurge on an expensive handset in a pandemic-induced recession .
The iPhone 12 , with bright screens and a more robust design , is still a solid upgrade from past iPhones .
But you will pay a premium : The device , which becomes available Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 699 for last year ’ s iPhone 11 .
( Another model , the iPhone 12 Mini , costs $ 729 but has a smaller screen and ships later this year . )
I tested the iPhone 12 and the high-end iPhone 12 Pro , which starts at $ 999 , for about a week .
Here ’ s how that went .
Phone carriers like Verizon and AT & T started rolling out 5G networks last year and have marketed them as superfast .
But what they aren ’ t telling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 5G and that the one you will most likely get is not going to be the speedier one .
Here are the two versions of 5G in a nutshell : • There ’ s ultrafast 5G , which is called millimeter wave .
( Verizon labels it “ 5G Ultra Wideband.
” ) It travels very short distances and has trouble penetrating obstacles and walls .
That makes it usable in outdoor spaces like street corners or parks , but probably not in our offices or homes anytime soon .
Because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country now have superfast 5G .
• Then there ’ s “ 5G Nationwide , ” which is more widely available .
It travels much farther , but carriers have said it will be only about 20 % faster than 4G wireless networks .
I saw the differences in 5G firsthand when I opened the Verizon coverage map for San Francisco .
Verizon used red to highlight locations with 5G Nationwide , while areas with the ultrafast 5G were marked in dark red .
The overwhelming majority of the city was shaded in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dark red .
To test ultrafast 5G , I drove to six locations that Verizon advertised as having the fast connection and used the Speedtest app from Ookla , a network diagnostics company .
At three of the locations in the city ’ s Marina district and Mission district , I was immediately disappointed .
I walked up and down the streets , constantly refreshing websites and running the Speedtest app , but there was no superfast signal to be found .
Instead , I got 4G or vanilla 5G connections .
Verizon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Marina over the weekend and were able to find the superfast 5G connection in one location but confirmed that the signal had weakened in the other .
( Verizon didn ’ t immediately comment on the location in the Mission district . )
That led me to conclude that Verizon ’ s coverage map was unreliable .
Still , I drove to three other locations in the city ’ s Marina , Presidio Heights and South of Market districts .
There , I finally found the fabled superfast 5G — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front of a camera store in South of Market , I got 5G speeds reaching 2,160 megabits a second , which was 2,900 % faster than 4G .
Even where it was a tad slower — behind the Safeway parking lot in the Marina district — the 5G iPhone drew speeds of 668 megabits a second , which was 1,052 % faster than 4G .
These were odd places to have blazing fast speeds , though .
Even before the coronavirus pandemic , these areas did not have much foot traffic .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be great for data-heavy tasks like streaming video , but I had no desire to do much streaming while standing on those street corners .
Why the nondescript locations ?
Karen Schulz , a Verizon spokeswoman , said the company ran into complex engineering tasks in San Francisco .
While ultrafast 5G relies on access to light poles , most of the city ’ s utilities infrastructure is underground .
Verizon ’ s progress to deploy 5G has run into red tape , she said .
When I tested the new iPhones on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improvement was hardly noticeable .
In the best cases , vanilla 5G was twice as fast as 4G , or 209 megabits a second compared with 103 megabits on 4G .
But in some locations , 5G was slower than 4G .
In one part of the Mission district , for instance , 5G speeds reached 28 megabits a second compared with 39 megabits on 4G .
Schulz said that customers should initially expect the 5G Nationwide network to perform like 4G , and that performance and coverage would grow over time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s good enough .
I ’ ve reviewed phones over the past 12 years and covered the transition from 2G to 3G , and from 3G to 4G .
I have never seen a network rollout this confusing and spotty — 5G , simply , is a mess .
Setting aside the network issues , there ’ s still a handset to review — and that brings much better news .
The design changes to the new iPhones are substantive .
The iPhone 12 has a fancy OLED screen , a more modern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has more accurate colors than the iPhone 11 , which used LCD screen technology .
( OLED was previously exclusive to Apple ’ s high-end iPhones . )
The edges of the phone are also now flat instead of round .
The changes have helped the handset shed some weight and thickness while maintaining a roomy 6.1-inch screen .
It felt much more comfortable inside my pants pockets than the iPhone 11 , which always seemed too thick .
Apple also said it had strengthened the display glass , making it four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s difficult to test that scientifically , but I dropped the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro several times by accident on hard surfaces .
They survived without any scuffs .
Also new is a charging mechanism that Apple calls MagSafe .
It ’ s basically a new standard to support faster charging via magnetic induction .
The new standard will open doors to other companies to make accessories that magnetically attach to iPhones , such as miniature wallets .
I tested both the MagSafe charger and Apple ’ s MagSafe wallet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal wire because it was faster , as well as carrying my own wallet , because it can hold more cards .
There ’ s a major downside to all of the new features : We have to pay a lot for these phones .
Apple is also no longer including charging bricks or earphones with the new iPhones since so many people already own power bricks and fancy wireless earbuds .
While that will lead to less waste , this shift and the price jump may annoy plenty of people .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fancy phone in a pandemic .
But here are three quick questions to ask yourself about whether it ’ s time to upgrade : — Can I still get software updates on my current phone ?
— Is my device repairable for a reasonable cost ?
— Am I happy with my phone ?
If you answered no to any of the above questions , you will probably be happy investing in this upgrade .
But if you answered yes , wait it out .
In a few years , the carriers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5G .
At that point , it may even be safe enough to leave the house again and reap the benefits of the mobile companions we carry everywhere .

By Brian X. Chen
I started this iPhone review in the most peculiar way: by opening a map to find out where I could test it.
That’s because Apple’s newest iPhones, for the first time, work with 5G, the ultrafast fifth-generation wireless networks that will theoretically let people download a movie to their devices in seconds. The problem? The superspeedy 5G networks have not been rolled out everywhere.
I learned this the hard way. When Apple provided The New York Times with iPhone 12s to test on Verizon’s 5G network, I quickly discovered that my neighborhood in the San Francisco Bay Area didn’t have any 5G connection. So I went on a journey through San Francisco to find the superfast data speeds that Apple and Verizon executives promised when they unveiled the new iPhones last week.
When I found places where I could connect to the fastest 5G networks, the iPhone experience was hugely gratifying. The network delivered download speeds to the phone that were up to seven times as fast as the best broadband services I have ever used.
But the locations where I tracked down ultrafast 5G were far less satisfying. At one point, I found the speedy connection in the back of a Safeway parking lot. Another time I was in front of a Pet Food Express. What would I do with an incredibly fast internet connection there?
In most parts of San Francisco, the iPhone instead drew data from a more vanilla flavor of 5G that Verizon calls “5G Nationwide,” which is the connection that most of the country will get for the foreseeable future. Those download speeds ranged from much slower than to twice as fast as my older iPhone, which was on Verizon’s 4G network.
That’s all to say that despite the hype around 5G, the network underwhelmed. At this point, it should not be the primary reason to splurge on an expensive handset in a pandemic-induced recession.
The iPhone 12, with bright screens and a more robust design, is still a solid upgrade from past iPhones. But you will pay a premium: The device, which becomes available Friday, starts at $829, up from $699 for last year’s iPhone 11. (Another model, the iPhone 12 Mini, costs $729 but has a smaller screen and ships later this year.)
I tested the iPhone 12 and the high-end iPhone 12 Pro, which starts at $999, for about a week. Here’s how that went.
The hunt for 5G
Phone carriers like Verizon and AT&T started rolling out 5G networks last year and have marketed them as superfast. But what they aren’t telling you is that there are two flavors of 5G and that the one you will most likely get is not going to be the speedier one.
Here are the two versions of 5G in a nutshell:
• There’s ultrafast 5G, which is called millimeter wave. (Verizon labels it “5G Ultra Wideband.”) It travels very short distances and has trouble penetrating obstacles and walls. That makes it usable in outdoor spaces like street corners or parks, but probably not in our offices or homes anytime soon. Because of that, only tiny slivers of the country now have superfast 5G.
• Then there’s “5G Nationwide,” which is more widely available. It travels much farther, but carriers have said it will be only about 20% faster than 4G wireless networks.
I saw the differences in 5G firsthand when I opened the Verizon coverage map for San Francisco. Verizon used red to highlight locations with 5G Nationwide, while areas with the ultrafast 5G were marked in dark red. The overwhelming majority of the city was shaded in red, with only small areas in dark red.
To test ultrafast 5G, I drove to six locations that Verizon advertised as having the fast connection and used the Speedtest app from Ookla, a network diagnostics company.
At three of the locations in the city’s Marina district and Mission district, I was immediately disappointed. I walked up and down the streets, constantly refreshing websites and running the Speedtest app, but there was no superfast signal to be found. Instead, I got 4G or vanilla 5G connections.
Verizon said its engineers walked those same streets in the Marina over the weekend and were able to find the superfast 5G connection in one location but confirmed that the signal had weakened in the other. (Verizon didn’t immediately comment on the location in the Mission district.)
That led me to conclude that Verizon’s coverage map was unreliable.
Still, I drove to three other locations in the city’s Marina, Presidio Heights and South of Market districts. There, I finally found the fabled superfast 5G — and I was blown away.
Standing in front of a camera store in South of Market, I got 5G speeds reaching 2,160 megabits a second, which was 2,900% faster than 4G. Even where it was a tad slower — behind the Safeway parking lot in the Marina district — the 5G iPhone drew speeds of 668 megabits a second, which was 1,052% faster than 4G.
These were odd places to have blazing fast speeds, though. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, these areas did not have much foot traffic. The carriers have said ultrafast 5G speeds would be great for data-heavy tasks like streaming video, but I had no desire to do much streaming while standing on those street corners.
Why the nondescript locations? Karen Schulz, a Verizon spokeswoman, said the company ran into complex engineering tasks in San Francisco. While ultrafast 5G relies on access to light poles, most of the city’s utilities infrastructure is underground. Verizon’s progress to deploy 5G has run into red tape, she said.
When I tested the new iPhones on the vanilla 5G network, any speed improvement was hardly noticeable. In the best cases, vanilla 5G was twice as fast as 4G, or 209 megabits a second compared with 103 megabits on 4G. But in some locations, 5G was slower than 4G. In one part of the Mission district, for instance, 5G speeds reached 28 megabits a second compared with 39 megabits on 4G.
Schulz said that customers should initially expect the 5G Nationwide network to perform like 4G, and that performance and coverage would grow over time.
I’m not sure that’s good enough. I’ve reviewed phones over the past 12 years and covered the transition from 2G to 3G, and from 3G to 4G. I have never seen a network rollout this confusing and spotty — 5G, simply, is a mess.
Everything Else
Setting aside the network issues, there’s still a handset to review — and that brings much better news.
The design changes to the new iPhones are substantive. The iPhone 12 has a fancy OLED screen, a more modern display technology. So it looks brighter and has more accurate colors than the iPhone 11, which used LCD screen technology. (OLED was previously exclusive to Apple’s high-end iPhones.) The edges of the phone are also now flat instead of round.
The changes have helped the handset shed some weight and thickness while maintaining a roomy 6.1-inch screen. It felt much more comfortable inside my pants pockets than the iPhone 11, which always seemed too thick.
Apple also said it had strengthened the display glass, making it four times less likely to break. It’s difficult to test that scientifically, but I dropped the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro several times by accident on hard surfaces. They survived without any scuffs.
Also new is a charging mechanism that Apple calls MagSafe. It’s basically a new standard to support faster charging via magnetic induction. The new standard will open doors to other companies to make accessories that magnetically attach to iPhones, such as miniature wallets.
I tested both the MagSafe charger and Apple’s MagSafe wallet. But I preferred charging with a normal wire because it was faster, as well as carrying my own wallet, because it can hold more cards.
There’s a major downside to all of the new features: We have to pay a lot for these phones. Apple is also no longer including charging bricks or earphones with the new iPhones since so many people already own power bricks and fancy wireless earbuds. While that will lead to less waste, this shift and the price jump may annoy plenty of people.
So Should I Buy?
It’s tough to recommend splurging on a fancy phone in a pandemic. But here are three quick questions to ask yourself about whether it’s time to upgrade:
— Can I still get software updates on my current phone?
— Is my device repairable for a reasonable cost?
— Am I happy with my phone?
If you answered no to any of the above questions, you will probably be happy investing in this upgrade.
But if you answered yes, wait it out. In a few years, the carriers will probably have a better handle on 5G. At that point, it may even be safe enough to leave the house again and reap the benefits of the mobile companions we carry everywhere.


thedenverpost--2020-10-24--In western Colorado, Democratic campaigns play it safe with COVID-19

In 2018 , when Democrat Diane Mitsch Bush ran to represent southern and western Colorado in Congress , the strategy in Delta County was “ knock , knock.
” “ We probably hit 5,000 doors , ” said Debbie Fisk , the chair of the Democratic Party in the deep-red county of about 30,000 residents .
Mitsch Bush lost that year but is back on the ballot facing Republican newcomer Lauren Boebert .
This time , though , there ’ s a highly infectious respiratory disease debilitating the country , and so for Fisk ’ s volunteers outreach looks vastly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worst nightmare of our lives , reaching voters , ” she said .
“ It ’ s really hard not to door-knock and get stuff done .
We ’ re having to rely on postcards , calling , emailing people .
But it ’ s an uphill battle in our county as it is , just being a Democrat.
” Fisk spoke to The Denver Post Friday at a parking lot in Grand Junction where the Joe Biden presidential campaign bus — minus the actual candidate — was in town for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course of about 90 minutes , roughly three dozen cars showed up , with drivers grabbing signs and buttons .
A few parked to take pictures with the bus and a cardboard cutout of Biden and his running mate , U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris .
For Democrats in the pandemic , this is what a ground game looks like — cautious , masked and only rarely in person .
Throughout Colorado , they have generally taken this approach , relying particularly heavily this year on mailers , text- and phone-banking , Zoom events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited face-to-face interaction with voters , while the Trump campaign and some other Republicans have doubled down on in-person canvassing .
“ We want to be safe and alive come 2021 , ” said Judee O ’ Neal , a Grand Junction Democrat who attended the bus event Friday .
Twenty-four hours earlier and about an hour down the road , Mitsch Bush ’ s opponent held a meet-and-greet campaign event at a park in Collbran that might as well have taken place in a different universe .
Most people did not wear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some hugged .
Groups dined on barbecue at picnic tables as Boebert , who describes mask-wearing as a personal choice , spoke about various assaults she perceives on citizen freedoms .
An attendee , Glen Denton , said one thing he likes about Boebert is that she defied public health orders by reopening her restaurant in May for in-person diners .
Democratic Gov .
Jared Polis “ having the right to shut down the state — we ’ re done with it , ” said another Boebert supporter , Kris Melnikoff .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And Democrats in this part of the state , as elsewhere in the country , aren ’ t taking risks .
All official Mitsch Bush campaign events are virtual .
“ We had 74 cases the day before yesterday .
That ’ s 30 more than the highest number we ’ ve had since the beginning , ” said Chuck McDaniel , who suspects he ’ s the only member of the Grand Junction City Council who votes Democratic .
“ It ’ s happening because people really stopped paying attention to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if and how the 3rd District candidates ’ different approaches to pandemic campaigning will affect their ability to win support and build enthusiasm .
“ I think the people who feel like public health is important are going to support what the Democrats are doing , and I don ’ t think that the Boebert effort will affect many people beyond their own echo chamber , ” McDaniel said .
Democrats at the Grand Junction bus event said they hope the fact that their candidates are leading by example , while Republicans like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health guidance , will pay off Nov. 3 .
“ This is pretty much a Republican stronghold , but the enthusiasm that I ’ ve seen has been exceptional , ” said Dan Lochner at the bus event .
“ A lot more people for Biden , and against Trump .
Probably against Trump , as much as anything.
” Still , he and other Democrats in Mesa County , where statehouse seats are as safely red as Denver seats are safely blue , acknowledge concern about the impact of pandemic precautions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The county Democratic Party chair , Maria Keenan , has been stuffing envelopes and distributing yard signs in lieu of traditional rallies and canvassing .
“ People have to appreciate that we ’ re trying to do something here , ” she said .
“ We need to pass change .
I would love to see some of my Democratic candidates win their elections , but if they don ’ t , at least we tried.
” For now , that means events like Friday ’ s — sparsely attended and minimally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidance and personal safety .
“ This is the best they ’ re gon na do , ” said Lochner , whose cousin was on a ventilator earlier this year .
“ We ’ ve got to realize that this pandemic is very serious .
A lot of people have died .
”

In 2018, when Democrat Diane Mitsch Bush ran to represent southern and western Colorado in Congress, the strategy in Delta County was “knock, knock.”
“We probably hit 5,000 doors,” said Debbie Fisk, the chair of the Democratic Party in the deep-red county of about 30,000 residents.
Mitsch Bush lost that year but is back on the ballot facing Republican newcomer Lauren Boebert. This time, though, there’s a highly infectious respiratory disease debilitating the country, and so for Fisk’s volunteers outreach looks vastly different.
“It’s been the worst nightmare of our lives, reaching voters,” she said. “It’s really hard not to door-knock and get stuff done. We’re having to rely on postcards, calling, emailing people. But it’s an uphill battle in our county as it is, just being a Democrat.”
Fisk spoke to The Denver Post Friday at a parking lot in Grand Junction where the Joe Biden presidential campaign bus — minus the actual candidate — was in town for a drive-up voter engagement event. Over the course of about 90 minutes, roughly three dozen cars showed up, with drivers grabbing signs and buttons. A few parked to take pictures with the bus and a cardboard cutout of Biden and his running mate, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris.
For Democrats in the pandemic, this is what a ground game looks like — cautious, masked and only rarely in person. Throughout Colorado, they have generally taken this approach, relying particularly heavily this year on mailers, text- and phone-banking, Zoom events and television commercials. Democrats have severely limited face-to-face interaction with voters, while the Trump campaign and some other Republicans have doubled down on in-person canvassing.
“We want to be safe and alive come 2021,” said Judee O’Neal, a Grand Junction Democrat who attended the bus event Friday.
Twenty-four hours earlier and about an hour down the road, Mitsch Bush’s opponent held a meet-and-greet campaign event at a park in Collbran that might as well have taken place in a different universe. Most people did not wear masks. Many shook hands, and some hugged. Groups dined on barbecue at picnic tables as Boebert, who describes mask-wearing as a personal choice, spoke about various assaults she perceives on citizen freedoms.
An attendee, Glen Denton, said one thing he likes about Boebert is that she defied public health orders by reopening her restaurant in May for in-person diners.
Democratic Gov. Jared Polis “having the right to shut down the state — we’re done with it,” said another Boebert supporter, Kris Melnikoff.
But the pandemic is not done with America. And Democrats in this part of the state, as elsewhere in the country, aren’t taking risks. All official Mitsch Bush campaign events are virtual.
“We had 74 cases the day before yesterday. That’s 30 more than the highest number we’ve had since the beginning,” said Chuck McDaniel, who suspects he’s the only member of the Grand Junction City Council who votes Democratic. “It’s happening because people really stopped paying attention to the rules.”
The big question is if and how the 3rd District candidates’ different approaches to pandemic campaigning will affect their ability to win support and build enthusiasm.
“I think the people who feel like public health is important are going to support what the Democrats are doing, and I don’t think that the Boebert effort will affect many people beyond their own echo chamber,” McDaniel said.
Democrats at the Grand Junction bus event said they hope the fact that their candidates are leading by example, while Republicans like Boebert and President Donald Trump openly disregard public health guidance, will pay off Nov. 3.
“This is pretty much a Republican stronghold, but the enthusiasm that I’ve seen has been exceptional,” said Dan Lochner at the bus event. “A lot more people for Biden, and against Trump. Probably against Trump, as much as anything.”
Still, he and other Democrats in Mesa County, where statehouse seats are as safely red as Denver seats are safely blue, acknowledge concern about the impact of pandemic precautions on races like Mitsch Bush’s. The county Democratic Party chair, Maria Keenan, has been stuffing envelopes and distributing yard signs in lieu of traditional rallies and canvassing.
“People have to appreciate that we’re trying to do something here,” she said. “We need to pass change. I would love to see some of my Democratic candidates win their elections, but if they don’t, at least we tried.”
For now, that means events like Friday’s — sparsely attended and minimally exciting, but respectful of public health guidance and personal safety.
“This is the best they’re gonna do,” said Lochner, whose cousin was on a ventilator earlier this year. “We’ve got to realize that this pandemic is very serious. A lot of people have died.”


thedenverpost--2020-10-24--Jim Montgomery, 10 months sober, gets second NHL chance with St. Louis Blues

This COVID-19 calendar year — a year many of us want to forget — has been life-changing for Jim Montgomery .
The former University of Denver hockey coach has identified the silver lining of his very public alcohol-induced dismissal as head coach of the Dallas Stars last December , and he embraces it .
It ’ s almost like he ’ s thankful it happened — because if it didn ’ t , he wouldn ’ t be a liberated and healthy family man and assistant coach for the St. Louis Blues .
“ I always used to say in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They didn ’ t do the right thing.
’ Well , I didn ’ t do the right thing and sometimes it takes an unbelievable breakdown to have an undeniable breakthrough , ” Montgomery said in a phone interview with The Denver Post .
“ Right now I ’ m a much better person and I think I ’ m going to be a much better coach because of everything that ’ s happened.
” Montgomery , 51 , says he is now 10 months sober and has a much better understanding of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conduct his life .
“ I learned that alcohol is no longer a viable option for me , because it had become a problem , ” he said .
“ Once you realize that and you understand the disease , moving forward doesn ’ t become easy but you start to understand the coping mechanisms you need and it becomes incredibly liberating.
” Montgomery had been known to drink excessively in public before losing his job with the Stars , according to a story in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram .
That included frequent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owner Tom Gaglardi located near the team ’ s home arena .
Montgomery was perceived as a public figure who drank too much , prompting Stars general manager Jim Nill to ask his hand-picked coach to address his behavior .
Less than midway through his second season in Dallas , he was out .
“ It ’ s one of the toughest challenges I ’ ve had to face because you got to change people , places and things that you do in life and that ’ s not easy at 51 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The most important thing , as a husband , as a father , as a friend , and a son and brother , I ’ m a lot more present .
I ’ m very much more in touch and a lot more unselfish in the sense that I ’ m always wondering now how can I be more of service to someone .
“ When you live in a lifestyle of being grateful and being of service to others , it ’ s incredibly empowering .
You do that as a coach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what I was really good as a coach to my everyday life and my personal life.
” The move out of Dallas Montgomery planned a mid-summer move out of Dallas with his family — wife Emily , sons J.P. , 11 , and Colin , 9 , and daughters Ava , 5 , and Olivia , 3 .
The options were St. Louis , where Emily is from and where Jim began his NHL playing career in 1993 , or Denver , where the family developed friendships during Jim ’ s five successful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chose St. Louis because of family ties .
Less than three months later , Jim was named an assistant coach for the hometown NHL team .
The two-year contract , signed Sept. 16 , will probably put him back on a path to become an NHL head coach again .
Montgomery , who was 60-43-10 with Dallas and had the Stars within a Game 7 double-overtime goal of advancing to the 2019 Western Conference finals , said he received interest from junior and professional teams and was prepared to live away from his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get back in the game .
Now , he ’ ll remain in St. Louis and continue to serve as an assistant coach for his sons ’ hockey teams and look over his two young daughters while working with the Blues .
“ I can ’ t tell you how incredible and fortunate I feel that a situation arose here where my family is living and I get to stay and live with my family , ” Montgomery said .
“ We were committed to me moving and living alone until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if I was to get hired somewhere .
“ I still get emotional talking about it.
” Montgomery replaces Marc Savard , who resigned Sept. 4 , and will run the forwards and power play for Blues head coach Craig Berube .
Montgomery said he was approached for the job by Keith Tkachuk , director of player recruitment .
“ You hear that Marc Savard had left , and I know how it works .
People call you , ” Montgomery said .
“ They know who they want , so to speak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I get a text from Keith Tkachuk … Doug Armstrong and Craig Berube had talked , and then I talked to both of them in consecutive days .
Within a week , I had another meeting , a breakfast meeting , with Doug Armstrong and our owner , Mr. ( Tom ) Stillman , then negotiations started.
” Like Dallas , St. Louis is in the Central Division with the Avalanche and Montgomery will again visit Denver often .
“ That is really exciting , to be able to see great friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denver , ” he said .
“ My kids still beg for us to move back there.
” The Stars , led by interim head coach Rick Bowness , whom Montgomery hired in 2018 , upset the Avalanche and the Vegas Golden Knights en route to the Stanley Cup Final , where they lost in six games to the Tampa Bay Lightning .
Montgomery watched the series on the edge of his seat like all Dallas fans .
“ I ’ m incredibly disappointed that they didn ’ t become victorious because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his former team .
“ Rick Bowness is an incredible human being , as is the rest of the staff — John Stevens and Todd Nelson are close personal friends.
” He added : “ I felt like I had a hand — a very small hand — but I had a hand in the structure that helped Dallas have success.
” At the same time , Montgomery sorely missed what he could have experienced .
Each of his five DU teams improved steadily and played their best hockey at the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the Pioneers won the NCAA championship — and he felt the Stars were capable of winning it all .
“ I love to coach .
That ’ s the bottom line , ” Montgomery said .
“ I love being part of a team and I love watching a group collectively come together and reach their ceiling .
Being able to do that at any level has always been my passion.
” Montgomery is now more passionate than ever about coaching .
and life .
He feels like he has more to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And he ’ s thankful .
“ You have this setback and then you start realizing how many great people there are to help me , and conversely , a lot of people have reached out and I ’ ve been able to help people , ” he said .
“ That ’ s powerful .
”

This COVID-19 calendar year — a year many of us want to forget — has been life-changing for Jim Montgomery.
The former University of Denver hockey coach has identified the silver lining of his very public alcohol-induced dismissal as head coach of the Dallas Stars last December, and he embraces it. It’s almost like he’s thankful it happened — because if it didn’t, he wouldn’t be a liberated and healthy family man and assistant coach for the St. Louis Blues.
“I always used to say in Denver when players were suspended, ‘They didn’t do the right thing.’ Well, I didn’t do the right thing and sometimes it takes an unbelievable breakdown to have an undeniable breakthrough,” Montgomery said in a phone interview with The Denver Post. “Right now I’m a much better person and I think I’m going to be a much better coach because of everything that’s happened.”
Montgomery, 51, says he is now 10 months sober and has a much better understanding of who he is and how he must conduct his life.
“I learned that alcohol is no longer a viable option for me, because it had become a problem,” he said. “Once you realize that and you understand the disease, moving forward doesn’t become easy but you start to understand the coping mechanisms you need and it becomes incredibly liberating.”
Montgomery had been known to drink excessively in public before losing his job with the Stars, and he admitted he was warned general manager Jim Nill before his firing. Less than midway through his second season in Dallas, Nill had enough of Montgomery’s behavior, and his hand-picked coach was out.
“It’s one of the toughest challenges I’ve had to face because you got to change people, places and things that you do in life and that’s not easy at 51,” Montgomery told The Post. “The most important thing, as a husband, as a father, as a friend, and a son and brother, I’m a lot more present. I’m very much more in touch and a lot more unselfish in the sense that I’m always wondering now how can I be more of service to someone.
“When you live in a lifestyle of being grateful and being of service to others, it’s incredibly empowering. You do that as a coach. And now I’m applying what I was really good as a coach to my everyday life and my personal life.”
The move out of Dallas
Montgomery planned a mid-summer move out of Dallas with his family — wife Emily, sons J.P., 11, and Colin, 9, and daughters Ava, 5, and Olivia, 3.
The options were St. Louis, where Emily is from and where Jim began his NHL playing career in 1993, or Denver, where the family developed friendships during Jim’s five successful years at DU.
Jim and Emily chose St. Louis because of family ties. Less than three months later, Jim was named an assistant coach for the hometown NHL team. The two-year contract, signed Sept. 16, will probably put him back on a path to become an NHL head coach again.
Montgomery, who was 60-43-10 with Dallas and had the Stars within a Game 7 double-overtime goal of advancing to the 2019 Western Conference finals, said he received interest from junior and professional teams and was prepared to live away from his family for a year if he had to get back in the game. Now, he’ll remain in St. Louis and continue to serve as an assistant coach for his sons’ hockey teams and look over his two young daughters while working with the Blues.
“I can’t tell you how incredible and fortunate I feel that a situation arose here where my family is living and I get to stay and live with my family,” Montgomery said. “We were committed to me moving and living alone until the family could join me the following season if I was to get hired somewhere.
“I still get emotional talking about it.”
Montgomery replaces Marc Savard, who resigned Sept. 4, and will run the forwards and power play for Blues head coach Craig Berube. Montgomery said he was approached for the job by Keith Tkachuk, director of player recruitment.
“You hear that Marc Savard had left, and I know how it works. People call you,” Montgomery said. “They know who they want, so to speak, when looking for coaches and players. I get a text from Keith Tkachuk … Doug Armstrong and Craig Berube had talked, and then I talked to both of them in consecutive days. Within a week, I had another meeting, a breakfast meeting, with Doug Armstrong and our owner, Mr. (Tom) Stillman, then negotiations started.”
Like Dallas, St. Louis is in the Central Division with the Avalanche and Montgomery will again visit Denver often.
“That is really exciting, to be able to see great friends again. I love the city of Denver,” he said. “My kids still beg for us to move back there.”
Rooting Dallas on
The Stars, led by interim head coach Rick Bowness, whom Montgomery hired in 2018, upset the Avalanche and the Vegas Golden Knights en route to the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost in six games to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Montgomery watched the series on the edge of his seat like all Dallas fans.
“I’m incredibly disappointed that they didn’t become victorious because of the great people,” Montgomery said of his former team. “Rick Bowness is an incredible human being, as is the rest of the staff — John Stevens and Todd Nelson are close personal friends.”
He added: “I felt like I had a hand — a very small hand — but I had a hand in the structure that helped Dallas have success.”
At the same time, Montgomery sorely missed what he could have experienced. Each of his five DU teams improved steadily and played their best hockey at the end of the season — primarily in 2017 when the Pioneers won the NCAA championship — and he felt the Stars were capable of winning it all.
“I love to coach. That’s the bottom line,” Montgomery said. “I love being part of a team and I love watching a group collectively come together and reach their ceiling. Being able to do that at any level has always been my passion.”
Montgomery is now more passionate than ever about coaching. and life. He feels like he has more to offer as a coach and a friend. And he’s thankful.
“You have this setback and then you start realizing how many great people there are to help me, and conversely, a lot of people have reached out and I’ve been able to help people,” he said. “That’s powerful.”


thedenverpost--2020-10-24--More than 4.3 million square feet of Denver office space is available for sublease amid pandemic

Call it the for-rent sign of the times .
More than 3.5 % of all the rentable office space in the Denver-Boulder-Aurora metro area was available for sublease at the end of September , according to the latest market report from real estate services firm CBRE .
That ’ s more than 4.3 million square feet of technically “ occupied ” but actually available real estate .
At the end of March , before the coronavirus pandemic fully sunk its teeth into Colorado , 2.5 million square feet of office space that was available for sublease in the metro , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy , the big jump isn ’ t necessarily surprising .
CBRE found that office-using businesses — a segment of the economy that includes government , financial and business services and the information industries — employed 4,100 fewer people in August than they did at the same time in 2019 .
Fold in the pivot to a work-from-home business model that many companies have chosen if not been forced to embrace , and you have a recipe for a 20 % office space availability rate across Denver area , CBRE ’ s data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ above and beyond the 15 % “ total vacancy ” rate CBRE tracked for the market , already the highest rate for that category in Denver since 2012 .
Average asking lease rates went up 21 cents last quarter to $ 29.02 per square foot , according to CBRE .
That was mainly because of new projects opening and doesn ’ t reflect an increase in other types of concessions .
It ’ s not all doom and gloom for Denver office providers , says Pete Schippits , the president of CBRE ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factor that didn ’ t make the market report that provides a reason for optimism : active tenants , or companies poking around in the market but not yet ready to sign a lease .
“ The list of active tenants is going up at the highest rate of any market in the country , ” Schippits said of Denver .
“ We continue to hear from our clients on the occupying side is they are going to pick a date .
They do notice the detriment of not having people working together.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ options to do so , on the sublease market and elsewhere .
There is a healthy — but not overabundant in Schippits ’ opinion — amount of office space under construction in the city , 3.3 million square feet .
Of that , 2.6 million square feet is being built on a speculative basis without tenants attached , including major downtown projects including Dick Monfort ’ s McGregor Square and the Block 162 tower on 15th Street .
Just 9 % of the speculative office space under construction downtown is pre-leased today .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of speculative office space under construction across the metro was preleased .
Schippits isn ’ t worried by that number either .
He said Denver has traditionally been a touch-first , lease-second market .
“ There is sort of less urgency in dealmaking right now .
People are being more methodical , ” he said .
“ That ’ s not a bad thing .
What we ’ re going through now is a disruption of how we use the space itself .
I think we will absolutely see a lasting impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home but that won ’ t decrease the value of office space .
”

Call it the for-rent sign of the times.
More than 3.5% of all the rentable office space in the Denver-Boulder-Aurora metro area was available for sublease at the end of September, according to the latest market report from real estate services firm CBRE.
That’s more than 4.3 million square feet of technically “occupied” but actually available real estate. At the end of March, before the coronavirus pandemic fully sunk its teeth into Colorado, 2.5 million square feet of office space that was available for sublease in the metro, according to CBRE.
In a COVID-19-shaped economy, the big jump isn’t necessarily surprising. CBRE found that office-using businesses — a segment of the economy that includes government, financial and business services and the information industries — employed 4,100 fewer people in August than they did at the same time in 2019.
Fold in the pivot to a work-from-home business model that many companies have chosen if not been forced to embrace, and you have a recipe for a 20% office space availability rate across Denver area, CBRE’s data shows. That’s a number above and beyond the 15% “total vacancy” rate CBRE tracked for the market, already the highest rate for that category in Denver since 2012.
Average asking lease rates went up 21 cents last quarter to $29.02 per square foot, according to CBRE. That was mainly because of new projects opening and doesn’t reflect an increase in other types of concessions.
It’s not all doom and gloom for Denver office providers, says Pete Schippits, the president of CBRE’s mountain-northwest division. There is one factor that didn’t make the market report that provides a reason for optimism: active tenants, or companies poking around in the market but not yet ready to sign a lease.
“The list of active tenants is going up at the highest rate of any market in the country,” Schippits said of Denver. “We continue to hear from our clients on the occupying side that they are going to pick a date. They do notice the detriment of not having people working together.”
There will certainly be lots of options to do so, on the sublease market and elsewhere.
There is a healthy — but not overabundant in Schippits’ opinion — amount of office space under construction in the city, 3.3 million square feet. Of that, 2.6 million square feet is being built on a speculative basis without tenants attached, including major downtown projects including Dick Monfort’s McGregor Square and the Block 162 tower on 15th Street.
Just 9% of the speculative office space under construction downtown is pre-leased today. At this time in 2018, 30% of speculative office space under construction across the metro was preleased.
Schippits isn’t worried by that number either. He said Denver has traditionally been a touch-first, lease-second market.
“There is sort of less urgency in dealmaking right now. People are being more methodical,” he said. “That’s not a bad thing. What we’re going through now is a disruption of how we use the space itself. I think we will absolutely see a lasting impact. We will see more work from home but that won’t decrease the value of office space.”


thedenverpost--2020-10-24--Friednash: When will this election end? Probably not on Nov. 3 thanks to Trump’s scheming.

The sideshow will officially take over the circus if President Donald Trump loses but fails to concede .
And , the likelihood of that is high .
This is the same person who has never stopped litigating in the court of public opinion an election he actually won .
Imagine Trump ’ s shenanigans if he loses .
I have no doubt the path ahead will be a tortured one .
America has seen contested presidential elections before .
In 2000 , 537 votes separated George W. Bush from Al Gore when three weeks after the election , Bush was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , giving him one more than the 270 votes needed to win .
A recount dispute followed and in an ideologically charged 5-4 decision , the Supreme Court handed Bush the presidency .
Trump has routinely called into question the legitimacy of mail ballot elections .
Trump has called it a “ rigged election ” fraught with voter fraud despite no evidence to support such a bald-faced assertion .
In the first debate , Trump warned that this “ is not going to end well.
” Trump has lied and misled the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have been repeatedly debunked by state authorities .
Trump ’ s complaint is really based upon his view that Democrats are more likely to vote by mail than Republicans .
In Colorado , where Sen. Cory Gardner , a Republican , was elected by mail six years ago , we know that dog won ’ t hunt .
Not satisfied solely with setting up an ostensible voter fraud challenge , Trump appears to be poised to use voter suppression tactics too .
This will be the first presidential election since a decades-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Committee from engaging in voter suppression tactics in 1982 .
Among other things , Democrats alleged that the RNC hired off duty officers to patrol majority-minority precincts wearing “ National Ballot Security Task Force ” armbands .
The RNC was prohibited from “ engaging in activities that suppress the vote , particularly when it comes to minority voters , ” such as nuisance voter challenges and intimidation activities .
The RNC reportedly has a $ 20 million plan that pays up to 50,000 volunteers to watch polling sites in key battleground states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardcore supporters , “ to go into the polls and watch very carefully.
” Trump has also threatened to send sheriffs and other law enforcement officials to polling places despite not have the legal authority to do so .
Donald Trump Jr. has turned to Twitter to recruit volunteers for this “ Army for Trump ” .
Famed Republican election attorney Ben Ginsberg recently wrote in an op-ed that , “ President Trump ’ s hints in last week ’ s presidential debate that he would weaponize the traditional role of poll watchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Ginsberg fears that the RNC will “ instruct its poll watchers to abandon their traditional role and , instead , lodge mass challenges both as voters cast their ballots and then as mail ballots are tabulated.
” Trump has even encouraged voters in North Carolina to break the law and vote twice — once by absentee ballot and once at the polls , to make sure their votes count .
Twitter went so far as to hide the tweet for violating site rules about protecting civic and election integrity .
And , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuits seeking to litigate the rules for the election .
All signs demonstrate that this will only intensify after Nov. 3 .
Responsible news organizations will likely be more hesitant to call the election results except where there are decisive state wins .
Meanwhile , vote counting in battleground states is likely to occur over days and possibly weeks as absentee and late mail ballots are handled and possibly adjudicated .
In a historic twist of fate , the election could ultimately be decided in the United States Supreme Court again where at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appointees will sit .
Two of Trump ’ s appointees were on President George W. Bush ’ s legal team in 2000 .
Amy Cohen Barrett helped President Bush ’ s legal team and remarkably claimed recently that , “ I can ’ t remember exactly what piece of the case it was .
There were a number of challenges.
” Trump appointee Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts , both in private practice , also assisted the Bush legal team .
Ultimately , Bush nominated both Kavanaugh and Roberts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D.C .
Circuit , which led them to later be appointed to the Supreme Court .
How political was the Bush decision ?
In his stinging dissent , Justice John Paul Stevens wrote , “ Time will one day heal the wound to that confidence that will be inflicted by today ’ s decision .
One thing , however , is certain .
Although we may never know with complete certainty the identity of the winner of this year ’ s Presidential election , the identity of the loser is perfectly clear .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the judge as an impartial guardian of the rule of law.
” If the Supreme Court in Trump v. Biden ultimately determines the outcome of this election , it is safe to say that the nation ’ s wounds may not heal for many generations to come .
Doug Friednash is a Denver native , a partner with the law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber and Schreck and the former chief of staff for Gov .
John Hickenlooper .
To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ submit by email or mail .

The sideshow will officially take over the circus if President Donald Trump loses but fails to concede.
And, the likelihood of that is high. This is the same person who has never stopped litigating in the court of public opinion an election he actually won. Imagine Trump’s shenanigans if he loses. I have no doubt the path ahead will be a tortured one.
America has seen contested presidential elections before.
In 2000, 537 votes separated George W. Bush from Al Gore when three weeks after the election, Bush was awarded Florida’s 25 electoral votes, giving him one more than the 270 votes needed to win. A recount dispute followed and in an ideologically charged 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court handed Bush the presidency.
Trump has routinely called into question the legitimacy of mail ballot elections. Trump has called it a “rigged election” fraught with voter fraud despite no evidence to support such a bald-faced assertion. In the first debate, Trump warned that this “is not going to end well.” Trump has lied and misled the public about specific instances of alleged voter fraud that have been repeatedly debunked by state authorities.
Trump’s complaint is really based upon his view that Democrats are more likely to vote by mail than Republicans. In Colorado, where Sen. Cory Gardner, a Republican, was elected by mail six years ago, we know that dog won’t hunt.
Not satisfied solely with setting up an ostensible voter fraud challenge, Trump appears to be poised to use voter suppression tactics too.
This will be the first presidential election since a decades-old consent decree was lifted against the Republican National Committee from engaging in voter suppression tactics in 1982. Among other things, Democrats alleged that the RNC hired off duty officers to patrol majority-minority precincts wearing “National Ballot Security Task Force” armbands. The RNC was prohibited from “engaging in activities that suppress the vote, particularly when it comes to minority voters,” such as nuisance voter challenges and intimidation activities.
The RNC reportedly has a $20 million plan that pays up to 50,000 volunteers to watch polling sites in key battleground states.
Trump, meanwhile has urged his hardcore supporters, “to go into the polls and watch very carefully.” Trump has also threatened to send sheriffs and other law enforcement officials to polling places despite not have the legal authority to do so. Donald Trump Jr. has turned to Twitter to recruit volunteers for this “Army for Trump”.
Famed Republican election attorney Ben Ginsberg recently wrote in an op-ed that, “President Trump’s hints in last week’s presidential debate that he would weaponize the traditional role of poll watchers should send shock waves through all Americans.” Ginsberg fears that the RNC will “instruct its poll watchers to abandon their traditional role and, instead, lodge mass challenges both as voters cast their ballots and then as mail ballots are tabulated.”
Trump has even encouraged voters in North Carolina to break the law and vote twice — once by absentee ballot and once at the polls, to make sure their votes count. Twitter went so far as to hide the tweet for violating site rules about protecting civic and election integrity.
And, there has already been an explosion of lawsuits seeking to litigate the rules for the election.
All signs demonstrate that this will only intensify after Nov. 3.
Responsible news organizations will likely be more hesitant to call the election results except where there are decisive state wins. Meanwhile, vote counting in battleground states is likely to occur over days and possibly weeks as absentee and late mail ballots are handled and possibly adjudicated.
In a historic twist of fate, the election could ultimately be decided in the United States Supreme Court again where at least two, likely three, Trump appointees will sit.
Two of Trump’s appointees were on President George W. Bush’s legal team in 2000.
Amy Cohen Barrett helped President Bush’s legal team and remarkably claimed recently that, “I can’t remember exactly what piece of the case it was. There were a number of challenges.”
Trump appointee Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts, both in private practice, also assisted the Bush legal team.
Ultimately, Bush nominated both Kavanaugh and Roberts to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, which led them to later be appointed to the Supreme Court.
How political was the Bush decision? In his stinging dissent, Justice John Paul Stevens wrote, “Time will one day heal the wound to that confidence that will be inflicted by today’s decision. One thing, however, is certain. Although we may never know with complete certainty the identity of the winner of this year’s Presidential election, the identity of the loser is perfectly clear. It is the Nation’s confidence in the judge as an impartial guardian of the rule of law.”
If the Supreme Court in Trump v. Biden ultimately determines the outcome of this election, it is safe to say that the nation’s wounds may not heal for many generations to come.
Doug Friednash is a Denver native, a partner with the law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber and Schreck and the former chief of staff for Gov. John Hickenlooper.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.