Commentary
COVID, RSV, flu are straining health care systems – what ‘triple threat’ means for children
Every fall and winter, viral respiratory illnesses like the common cold and seasonal flu keep kids out of school and social activities. But this year, more children than usual are ending up at emergency departments and hospitals. In California, the Orange County health department declared a state of emergency in early November due to record […]
What the world would lose with the demise of Twitter
What do a cybersecurity researcher building a system to generate alerts for detecting security threats and vulnerabilities, a wildfire watcher who tracks the spread of forest fires, and public health professionals trying to predict enrollment in health insurance exchanges have in common? They all rely on analyzing data from Twitter. Twitter is a microblogging service, […]
Invaders coming soon to a forest near you
Forests define New Hampshire’s landscape. At more than 80 percent forested, our state is the second most forest covered state in the union, just after Maine. It hasn’t always been that way, as historians will remind us. When European settlers arrived, they found a forest that they assumed was primeval, or untouched. It was in […]
How the news media – long in thrall to Trump – can cover his new run for president responsibly
Now that he’s in the 2024 presidential race, the media circus that is Donald Trump is returning for a new season. Trump is still newsworthy. He’s been weakened by his defeat in the 2020 presidential election, his attempt to overthrow its result, and the underperformance of Republican candidates in the 2022 midterms. Nevertheless, Trump is […]
‘It breaks my heart to say no to so many people in need’
A friend contacted me about her adult daughter who had lost her job, was drinking alcoholically, and was considering suicide. I carefully considered the services my friend’s daughter should receive to help her recover. As physicians, we are trained to serve those in need and at the very least, to do no harm. My friend […]
If you want your faith in humanity restored, sign up to work at the polls
Starting in the early 1960s, both my parents were active in New Hampshire politics. They always “worked the polls” when I was a kid growing up in Manchester, though I never really knew what that meant. As an unsuspecting fourth grader, they had me stuffing envelopes for Barry Goldwater when he ran for president in […]
Editor’s Notebook: The times they are a-changin’ every few hours
When I woke up Monday morning, Nov. 14, Republicans held a 203-197 majority in the New Hampshire House of Representatives. By dusk, and after a handful of recounts, the Democrats had gained a seat to cut the margin to 202-198. Who knows what the score will be in an hour, or tomorrow, or next week […]
How much can public schools control what students wear?
School dress codes can be harmful to LGBTQ students and students of color, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress. These codes can lead school officials to punish these two groups for simply who they are or for expressing themselves. However, it has long been held by the Supreme Court […]
Editor’s Notebook: The day after
The morning of Nov. 9 felt like any other day. It was glorious. I’m not sure what I expected the day after Election Day to feel like, but on my way into the office there was joy in watching the mundane. The line of cars dropping off their treasures at my daughter’s high school. Workers […]
Stigma around mental illness needs to be dismantled
Anyone who gets a first-hand glimpse into experiencing the health challenges brought on by mental illness soon comes to see how often these afflictions and the people who face them are misunderstood, maligned, dismissed, or distrusted. Whether your vantage point is that of a professional like me, a family member of someone who suffers, or […]
Editor’s Notebook: The most important Election Day is the next one
If you ask quarterback Tom Brady, winner of seven Super Bowls, which championship ring is his favorite, he always answers the same way: the next one. It’s the answer I would give if someone asked about the most consequential election of my lifetime: the next one, always the next one. But I also have a […]
American voters are angry – that is a good thing for voter turnout, bad thing for democracy
Regardless of whether they live in a red state or a blue state, identify as Democrats or Republicans, or claim to be ideologically liberal or conservative, Americans have one thing in common. They are angry – especially about this year’s midterm elections. Americans’ anger is driven by contemporary political events. Republicans are enraged by troubling […]