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No need for a telescope: The right binoculars can help amateur astronomers get started

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:32 GMT

If you find yourself increasingly intrigued by the night sky and yearn to see more than what is visible with the naked eye, you don’t need to buy a fancy telescope costing hundreds or thousands of dollars. In fact, astronomy experts recommend that you don’t. Not at first.They suggest starting with binoculars, and not just because they are less expensive.Astronomy experts say novice astronomers starting out with binoculars should purchase 7x50s, which means they have seven times magnification with an aperture diameter of 50 millimeters. The Celestron Cometron (shown) costs $50 at Mile High Astronomy. Celestron makes binoculars and telescopes. (Celestron photo, provided by Mile High Astronomy)Telescopes are more complicated to operate, meaning it takes time to learn how to use them, and they can be clumsy to transport. Binoculars are easier to use and can help you learn the basics of the night sky. While they do offer less magnification, they show wider sections of the sky...

Changing term limits for elected officials in Denver? City Council members aren’t sold.

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:32 GMT

Term limits — both at the federal and local level — have been in the spotlight this year but most Denver City Councilmembers are skeptical of asking voters if they want to adjust the amount of time elected officials are allowed to serve. At least for now.The City Council’s fledgling charter review committee took up term limit reform as part of its first official meeting Monday. The discussion hinged on the possibility of drafting a ballot question to send to city voters in 2024 that could change those limits.The charter caps service time for the elected offices — mayor, councilmembers, city auditor and clerk and recorder — at three consecutive four-year terms for a total of 12 years.Councilwoman Amanda Sawyer, who is heading up the charter committee, noted that changing limits doesn’t necessarily mean going down from three terms to two, the current limit for U.S. presidents. Eliminating term limits, which were only enacted in Denver in 1995 follow...

Colorado’s creative, cultural and service-industry workers look to unions for leverage

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:32 GMT

Anna McGee has hit a wall. So has her boss.A 26-year-old front-of-the-house worker at Denver’s Mercury Cafe, McGee joined other employees last month to demand that owner Danny Newman institute changes to what she calls “dehumanizing working conditions” at the Five Points restaurant, including low pay, unpredictable schedules, and an unsafe environment.Newman doesn’t see it that way. He’s already making efforts to improve working conditions, he said. And there’s no money for big raises, as the business — a focal point of Denver’s poetic arts scene for more than three decades — hasn’t yet turned a profit since he bought it two years ago.“Danny’s been transparent about that,” McGee acknowledged. “We came back to him and said, ‘We’ll wait five more months for contract negotiations,’ which is what he was asking for, ‘but you have to voluntarily recognize our workers collective.’ &#...

Hidden gems of Colorado’s Western Slope include sandstone arches, James Beard-quality dining

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:32 GMT

Fall foliage drives get a lot of attention in Colorado — who doesn’t gawk at a shimmering, golden stand of aspen trees? — but have you ever made the mid- or late-summer trek from Denver to Grand Junction, winding through towering red rock canyon walls in the early evening? It’s like an amped-up golden hour, but with the earthy reds illuminated in a way that seems cinematic. And it’s a warm, radiant welcome to the Western Slope.Last July, my friend group somehow synced up all seven of our schedules for a last-minute getaway to the Grand Valley so we could bounce between wineries, float in the Colorado River and, of course, bring home a stash of juicy Palisade peaches and crates filled with plump cherries.But beyond the agricultural bounty that this part of the state is famous for, Grand Junction and its environs have become an outdoor lover’s playground, a reputation bolstered by the new — and epic — downhill mountain biking trail, the Palisade Plunge, and the...

Emotive Ocampo ‘genocide’ report is fundamentally flawed

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:32 GMT

In an opinion dated Monday, 7 August 2023, a former prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Luis Moreno Ocampo, has claimed that a genocide is unfolding in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh within Azerbaijan (‘the Moreno Ocampo Opinion’ or ‘the Opinion’) - writes Rodney Dixon KC of Temple Garden Chambers, London and The Hague.This is an extremely serious accusation to make. It is one with potentially far-reaching consequences, especially at this time. I have therefore been asked by Azerbaijan to provide a legal assessment of the Moreno Ocampo Opinion as an independent expert. My full assessment will be published soon. However, it is vitally important that provocative allegations, without any firm basis in international law, are not allowed to hinder the peace negotiations presently underway between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and to stir tensions on the ground.As has been widely supported by the international community, the governments of both Armenia and Azerbaijan are commi...

Bicyclist killed in crash while riding in Quartz Hill

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:32 GMT

A bicyclist was struck and killed while riding in the Quartz Hill area of Los Angeles County Monday night. The incident was reported at 10:51 p.m. near the intersection of 42nd Street West and Avenue L. Arriving officers found the bicyclist down with severe injuries and attempted life-saving measures. The unidentified bicyclist was taken to a nearby hospital, where the person was pronounced dead, a California Highway Patrol spokesperson confirmed. The sex and age of the bicyclist were not immediately released. A damaged Chevrolet Camaro was left at the scene and towed for evidence. The spokesperson did not say if the crash was considered a hit-and-run but said there was no indication that anyone was in custody.

Are CBD Gummies The Best Choice For New Customers?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:32 GMT

People in the hemp community always agree that new customers should start with a tiny CBD dose and gradually work their way up. However, not every hemp fan has the same opinion on the “best” CBD product for newbies. CBD isn’t as harsh as delta-8 THC, so it’s not as necessary to start with less-intense products like CBD gummies.That being said, a few people claim CBD edibles are the best option for people new to hemp. If you’re struggling to choose your first CBD extract, you may find that hemp gummies offer the most positives.Why Do Some People Say CBD Gummies Are Best For Beginners?The top reason someone would argue CBD gummies are “best for beginners” is that edibles have a low absorption rate. This feature is “good” because there’s less risk for side effects.True, CBD has a low risk for adverse reactions anyway, but it’s always better to introduce a new compound to your body in small increments. CBD gummies allow customers to get a “preview” of CBD’s effects without a significant...

49ers mailbag: Are rookie Moody’s kicking misses cause for concern?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:32 GMT

SANTA CLARA – Levi’s Stadium will host a 49ers game this Saturday for the first time since January’s playoff win over Dallas.To prepare for the Denver Broncos’ preseason visit, we opened up our mailbox of questions via social media from the 49ers Faithful:With a Super Bowl-contending team that needs every win, can the 49ers count on a rookie kicker to win? (@diehard49ersfans)It worked in 1994, when they last won a Super Bowl and did so with rookie kicker Doug Brien, who, like Jake Moody, was drafted in the third round. By the way, Brien did not make a field goal in the 1999 preseason opener (a 17-7 loss at Arizona). Moody missed both of his field goal tries on Sunday, but knocked through an extra point.Do you think Brock will play one or two plays? (@matty_maff)No, I expect Brock Purdy to sit out the farce known as preseason football. And no need for a ceremonial gesture of a home-field cameo against the Broncos on Saturday or the Chargers next Friday. Most important, Purdy to...

Skelton: An unlikely solution to the problems of Harris and Feinstein

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:32 GMT

President Biden has a problem. So does Vice President Kamala Harris. Sen. Dianne Feinstein is a problem. There’s a solution for all of this.Biden’s problem is Harris. She’s a burden — a drag on his reelection prospects.Feinstein, 90, is a problem for California because she’s no longer capable of fully representing the nation’s most populous state — a world-class economic power — in the Senate.A reader emailed me with the remedy: Feinstein could resign from the Senate and Gov. Gavin Newsom could appoint Harris to replace her. Biden then could find a more popular running mate, one more acceptable to voters as a potential successor.“Addresses multiple problems,” wrote Blaine Cavena of Pasadena, a retired technology consultant and self-described political centrist. “But probably just a dream.”You’re right on all counts, I responded.A great idea. But it’ll never happen because it would take all of the president’s persuasive and coercive powers to pull off. And he doesn’t seem the type li...

Cordell: Allow judges to reconsider life without parole sentences

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:32 GMT

California has long recognized rehabilitation as an important goal of our prison system. And yet, there are incarcerated individuals who are completely rehabilitated but continue to be warehoused in our prisons for decades and counting. Why? Because they were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Senate Bill (SB) 94, pending before the state Legislature, would give some of those individuals the opportunity to be released. Authored by Sen. Dave Cortese, this bill embodies the belief of many Californians that our prison system can truly rehabilitate some of those confined behind bars. I am one of those believers.For nearly 20 years, from 1982-2001, I was a trial court judge in Santa Clara County. As someone who has sentenced thousands of criminal defendants, some of them to life sentences, I strongly support the passage of SB 94 that would allow those sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, before June 5, 1990, and who have served at least 25 year...