So many topics; so little time.

Let’s prioritize quantity this week without sacrificing quality—at least, that is the hope. Here are eight hot takes on recent news and developments.

1. Those of my generation think of Gemini as the NASA space program that followed Mercury and preceded the Apollo moon missions. Those now coming of age will remember Gemini as an early-stage artificial intelligence product of Google and a fiasco at that.

AI is a worrisome enough proposition done right. Google Gemini has been the antithesis of a smooth rollout. It comes complete with all manner of baked-in, programmed-in prejudices and judgments, all supremely left-leaning and politically correct.

The inherent bias is not even subtle and harkens back to the dystopian predictions of Aldous Huxley and George Orwell. If AI is to be a centerpiece of a brave, new world, we can only ask that it not add further polarity to the deeply struggling one we currently inhabit.

2. Just as Google needs to do better, so does the Colorado Legislature. There may be a reason to update Sunshine and open-records laws to reflect a modern, digitized age. But newer technology should not be used as a justification to compromise long-held values of transparency and openness.

The early drafts of legislation in this vein were overly broad and wholly wanting. To this observer, they revealed a not-so-hidden intent to dial back on these commitments put in place by then-progressives decades back. Those drafts put the convenience of government insiders ahead of the interests of public outsiders.

And I am not sure we need to label some open-records requests as “vexatious.”

3. The most interesting developments in Colorado politics may be taking place 110 miles south of the capital city’s limelight. Pueblo, with its rich history of political machinations and shenanigans, is witnessing a major change of guard.

Back in January, restauranteur Heather Graham won a landslide victory over incumbent mayor and prototypical Pueblo old-timer Nick Gradisar. Per reports, Gradisar did not handle the rejection with particular grace, giving a testy interview, moving his stuff out of City Hall early the next morning, refusing a meeting with his successor, and heading to Vegas.

Two groups seem ascendant in Pueblo politics: Republicans and Latinas. That is a sea of change from the city’s historic roots. In another welcome shift, Graham and other Republicans new to the fore appear not to be hot-headed noisemakers but centrist and policy focused. What a concept.

Pay attention to Pueblo. All the news that’s fit to print is not confined to Denver, Aurora and Colorado Springs.

4. Kudos to David Migoya, a reporter in these pages, for continuing to peel back the onion on unsavory developments in the Colorado judiciary. Migoya’s reports have become their own powerful argument for the disinfecting power of transparency.

The last few years have revealed a rot within this system. To be clear, the scandals do not diminish the dedicated service rendered by the vast majority of judges and judicial officers. But no system is perfect and the Colorado judicial system has rested on its laurels for too long, trying to quash bad news, hide behind opacity and silence whistleblowers.

Moreover, any system where well over 99% (round it up to 100%) of judges are retained in office hardly provides meaningful voter participation. It is the ultimate in grade inflation while failing the test of accountability.

The Colorado judicial system is past due for some time in the shop. A complete overhaul is not indicated, but something more than a perfunctory tune-up is called for. What state leaders will rise to this challenge?

5. Speaking of failing the test, I give you Gov. Polis’s latest appointments to the state’s Parks and Wildlife Commission.

His appointees, especially Gary Skiba and Jessic Beaulieu, seem motivated by the grinding of specific axes as opposed to the historic mission of the commission. Credit goes to the Senate Agriculture Committee, especially its Chair, Sen. Dylan Roberts, for rejecting these two nominees and urging the full Senate to turn them down. Roberts again put the interests of those he represents in western Colorado ahead of partisan loyalty.

One critical test of leadership is the ability to say “no” to your friends. In Polis’s case, this applies to his spouse as well. First, Gentleman Marlon Reis is entitled to his ardent viewpoint on animal rights. But it is a dereliction for the governor to effectively outsource such appointments to him.

6. There are plenty of contenders for the silver medal when it comes to political treachery in Colorado. No-show Elisabeth Epps and carpetbagger Lauren Boebert are among those in that running.

But, the gold medal in this ignoble category can be awarded without close competition to State GOP Chair Dave Williams. What a contemptible display he has put on of unrestrained self-dealing.

Is there still a Republican Central Committee around here? Is such self-serving conduct okay with those members? Or are they now also so deep in the conspiratorial morass that even this is acceptable in the name of Trumpian fealty?

7. And two quickies at the finish: Hats off to Aurora legislator Naquetta Ricks for her bill to restrict “hidden fees.” This one hit home. I just purchased two tickets to an Avalanche hockey game, where I used to be a regular in years gone by, but less so recently. The tickets themselves cost a pretty penny. But adding insult to injury, the Seat Geek site waited until the checkout page to oh-so-kindly notify me of the $57 per ticket “service fee.”

Pass this legislation. Such charges are ridiculous enough, and even worse, they are not disclosed upfront.

8. Let me close with a note of commendation for a genuinely outstanding Coloradan. I have voiced my disagreement with the Trump disqualification lawsuit as a matter of tactics. The Supreme Court settled the issue, and we can be grateful for the unanimity of the ruling.

But, in my book, there is no questioning the integrity of the plaintiffs or the righteousness of their pursuit. This is especially true for Norma Anderson, the named litigant in Trump v. Anderson. At age 91, Anderson can look back with pride on a lifetime of public service and a deserved reputation as one of the most thoughtful and formidable legislators our state has produced. That pride should extend to her latest role as well.

Eric Sondermann is a Colorado-based independent political commentator. He writes regularly for ColoradoPolitics and the Gazette newspapers. Reach him at EWS@EricSondermann.com; follow him at @EricSondermann