February 2020

One of the biggest questions of the 2020 presidential race is who will be the running mate of the Democratic presidential nominee. As of January 2020, seven names have been mentioned as potential vice presidential candidates for the Democratic Party, none of whom attempted to win the presidential bid [1]. However, running mates are chosen after a nominee from each party is determined. This gives individuals seen as party leaders a chance to team up, even after going head to head for the nomination within their primary. Because of this, it is not completely out of the question that the ticket for the democrat party will feature two candidates who are currently vying for the oval office.

“A teenager working on her anger management problem. Currently chilling and watching a good old fashioned movie with a friend,” reads the Twitter bio of 17-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg. Those are not her words, rather, she’s quoting a tweet from President Trump directed at her. Thunberg is another example of a Gen Z media star who harnesses the power of social media and youth to promote a cause across the world. The sharing of information across social media sites is changing the way younger people gain information and interact with political and social issues.

Inside McClennen and Maisel’s book, Is Satire Saving Our Nation, is the simple dedication, “To Russia, with love” [1].Without needing any other context, most readers can see the humor in the phrase: a book about humor dedicated to a nation known for its intolerance of that very thing. Satire is often recognized as a sign of a healthy, blossoming democracy, but is it? In my latest web article, “Gerald’s Great Fall: Satire and Presidential Approachability,” I focused on how presidents can use satire as a diplomatic tool to help their image. But the importance of satire goes beyond just heads of state. Comedy can be a tool to promote social change and act as a watchdog on the government, yet it often has unforeseen consequences. Political cartoons are one example of this kind of humor, often stoking the flames of protest and keeping the great heads of state from having overly-inflated opinions of themselves.

I’ve made friends from nearly every continent on local ski lifts. Utah’s license plates claiming the “Best Snow on Earth” are validated by the millions of skiers that flood the canyons each year to “catch the powder days” at Snowbird and Alta; “rip some groomers” at Deer Valley; or “hit the parks” at Brighton and Park City. Add to the ski tourists the hordes of locals who will drop anything at a moment’s notice for a good storm, and you’ve got an entire population of people chasing powder here in Utah. However cherished the sport may be, not every skier understands the politics behind protecting our slopes, nor the impact our ski resorts have on the environment.