Tuesday, 02 February 2010 20:00
Hypothermia is the mental and physical collapse that results from a lowered inner temperature of the body. It commonly develops at 30-50 degrees F when the victim is wet. It is enhanced by water and wind. If you are planning winter camping trips or cross country skiing, be aware of the following.
Symptoms to watch for:
Shivering
Slurred speech
Forgetfulness
Irrational behavior
Clumsiness, fumbling hands, and tumbling
Drowsiness or exhaustion
Lack of concern about physical discomfort
Watch your partner: Hypothermia symptoms are usually noticed by others before the victim is aware of it.
Prevention of Hypothermia: Stay dry and out of the wind. Take clothing suitable for the worst weather expected. If you are unable to stay warm and dry, give up the trip goal, get out of the wind, make camp, build a fire, and drink hot fluids. Make camp while you still have energy left. The fact that you are moving about may be the only thing that is preventing you from becoming hypothermic. Also be aware of wind, chill, dehydration, frostbite, altitude sickness, and hyperventilation.Tuesday, 02 February 2010 19:36
Thanks to Barbara J. Sullan RDH, BS, MS for writing and providing this article!
Did you know that your oral health could be affecting your overall health? This diagram depicts various ways that poor oral health can affect your overall health.
What is Periodontal Disease? It is a disease affecting your gum tissue and the bone that supports a tooth in its socket. It is caused by bacteria left undisturbed around the tooth in a person that is susceptible. Not all patients respond to undisturbed plaque in the same way. While some people can get away with “murder” by not flossing and brushing regularly, others are less lucky and will have a moderate to severe response to the bacteria. The following are examples of how periodontal disease can affect health:
- Preterm low birth weight babies: Preterm, low birth weight babies refer to infants who are born prior to 37 weeks of pregnancy and weigh less than 5.5 pounds at birth. These births account for 60% of babies who die in infancy. Pregnant mothers with active periodontal infections are at high risk of delivering preterm low birth weight babies.
- Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)/Atherosclerosis: Patients with Periodontal Disease have an increased risk of myocardial or cerebral infarction. Areas under study include:
- Hyper Coagulation: A thickening of the blood as a result of bacterial byproducts.
- Thrombogenesis - an increase in platelet aggregation which can lead to clot formation.
- Atherosclerosis - thickening of the blood vessel wall which can narrow the vessel lumen and dramatically decrease blood flow.
- Diabetes Mellitus: Studies have shown that patients with periodontal disease have a difficult time with glycemic control.
- Respiratory Diseases: The lungs and air passages of patients with respiratory diseases have been shown to be contaminated with organisms found from the teeth and gums. Areas under study are:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Acute respiratory infections: Pneumonia - as found in community-acquired or hospital-acquired infections. These infections are caused primarily by inhalation of infectious aerosols or by aspiration of oropharyngeal organisms.
Tuesday, 02 February 2010 18:00
On January 20, 2010 Pitkin County Community Development hosted the valley’s Caucuses at roundtable discussion concerning possible amendments to the Land Use Code involving agricultural issues. Each Caucus was represented by two members on the panel. Residents were also invited to give their input on the proposed changes as well as voice opinions on matters associated with the growing greenhouse push related to individuals and commercial efforts to produce food locally. During the three hour discussion many ideas were presented and noted by the Community Development staff. Because the proposed changes to the Code presented by the Snowmass/Capitol Creek Caucus apply to “traditional” agriculture (See September “09 minutes), it was concluded that “greenhouse” agriculture be defined separately. A committee of those attending the roundtable will be formed to define and address issues particular to that type of agriculture to be presented at an ensuing meeting. The proposed changes recommended by our Caucus will be reviewed by the residents of the other Caucuses, and that feedback will be presented to the County who will then act on the collective recommendation of the entire network of Caucuses. Initial response to our recommendations was positive. As mentioned previously, our Caucus has also formed a committee to study renewable energy guidelines. Community Development will host a roundtable discussion on this topic at a later date. We look forward to working with the other valley Caucuses on future issues common to us all.
Tuesday, 02 February 2010 17:30
In conjunction with last month’s article on “cloud computing” it seemed it would be helpful to present some of the new terms associated with the technology. The cloud community will continue to refine these definitions, but for now here they are.
Cloud provider - Any company that creates a cloud computing environment, including storage, software, and other resources, and makes it available to users over the Internet is a cloud provider. The connotation is also that the cloud services are provided via a public cloud rather than a private cloud.
Private cloud - Private clouds are also sometime referred to as “internal clouds”. A private cloud occurs when a company sets up and manages a cloud-like IT environment running on its own equipment, thereby enabling it to offer cloud services internally, to its own company, and typically not to any other organization or individual.
Public cloud - In contrast to a private cloud, a public cloud is available (usually on a pay-per-use type of service for businesses) for use by the general public.
Cloudburst - One of the more clever cloud puns in the cloud computing world, a cloudburst is any disruption in data availability that originates with the cloud service provider, such as power loss, a security breach, or a spike in demand that crashes a provider’s servers
Cloudstorming - Cloudstorming occurs whenever more than one cloud computing environments connect. Although “storming” tends to have a negative connotation, in this case it’s a positive event as in “brainstorming”.
January 2010 Newsletter
Sunday, 03 January 2010 12:21
Mount Sopris is named in honor of Captain Richard Sopris who in 1860 led a prospecting expedition up the Roaring Fork Valley. He was the first man of European descent to soak in the hot springs of Glenwood Springs and is generally credited with discovering the hot springs. He later went on to gain prominence as the Denver’s Mayor. He commissioned the creation of Denver’s City Park.
Did you know the Colorado River was once called the “Grand River”? This name gave rise to Grand Valley, Grand Junction, Grand County, Colorado and Grand County, Utah.
Did you know the reason Chicago is called the “Windy City” is because the bombastic local politicians who were trying to secure the Columbian Exhibition for their city were deemed “wind bags”? Most people incorrectly attribute the name to the lake breezes generated by Lake Michigan.
Saturday, 02 January 2010 16:00
On June 28th 2009 the annual Snowmass Capitol Creek Caucus picnic was held at Moon Run Ranch.
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Click the link below to view more photos from the picnic.
Thursday, 31 December 2009 14:07
Cloud computing uses the Internet to move in-house computing to massive, but scalable, third party services. While in the short run this new approach to handling data will primarily impact businesses, in the long run as consumers utilize more e-readers, smart phones, etc. their information will be gathered, stored and digested. Simply stated cloud computing employs a “cloud” of servers that store information and hold a suite of software products, including spreadsheets, word processing, and calendars. Picture massive data centers housing millions of PCs that have no keyboard or screens and are arranged in stacks and have been repurposed as servers to process searches, store information, conduct data transfers, etc. The use for businesses is obvious. For example, a manufacturing company that uses dozens, or hundreds, of servers to crunch the numbers on a sophisticated design model allocates a huge per cent of its budget to hardware and software outlay in addition to the personnel costs to oversee the task. With cloud computing, the manufacturer can go online, choose the capacity and configuration necessary for the modeling task, and then let the cloud provider’s servers do the work, substantially reducing the cost.Thursday, 31 December 2009 14:03
The genomes of many mammals have now been completed, including the cow, the dog, the chimpanzee and, of course, the human. Recently it was the turn of the horse to have its DNA sequence decoded. With it emerged further evidence of how horses have been close human companions and, like other mammals that share a evolutionary history with man, how they could help the understanding of hereditary diseases. But there was also a surprise: horses have a newly forming part in their genetic make-up which shows the evolutionary process in action in a way that has not been seen before.
December 2009 Newsletter
Thursday, 03 December 2009 18:44
Michael Kinsley, a Snowmass/Capitol Creek Caucus board member, recently won the Artist in Wilderness program established by the Wilderness Workshop. The program gives emerging and established artists the opportunity to create original works inspired by local wildlands. Applications are accepted twice annually for residencies in June and September. Applications are judged by a jury or local artists and art professionals. The selected applicant receives a stipend of $1500.00, the use of a mountain cabin for a week, and (if needed) travel expenses to Aspen and the use of a 4 x 4 vehicle. The artist is expected to donate one original painting and limited reproduction rights of other works created during the residency.
During his residency, Michael traveled to several Hidden Gems proposal areas, mainly in the Crystal River watershed, where he covered an extraordinary amount of ground while taking photos and making sketches. He has since created a dozen large and small paintings of the areas.
Congratulations to Michael!
Thursday, 03 December 2009 15:17
Founded in 1946, Aspen Skiing Company is headquartered in Aspen, Colorado, a small town in the Roaring Fork Valley of the Rocky Mountains. The company owns four ski resorts; Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk Mountain, and Snowmass, all of which are located within a short distance of its headquarters. These four resorts, together referred to as "Aspen," form one of the world's most famous and popular ski areas. In 1978 the company was purchased by Twentieth Century Fox and subsequently underwent several changes in ownership, eventually coming under the control of the Crown family of Chicago.
Skiing became common in and around Aspen long before the mountains were developed as ski resorts. As early as 1879, when mining prospectors founded the town of Aspen, people were using skis for both transportation and recreation. Two of the original settlers were Swedish, and it was they who introduced "snowshoes," or skis, which were essential during that first winter, when 52 feet of snow fell in the valley of the Roaring Fork River. Bolstered by silver mining in the surrounding mountains, the town's population grew rapidly, from 300 in 1880 to 8,808 in 1890. This would be a golden era for Aspen.
Then, in 1893, when the population hit 12,000, came the great silver panic, which forced Congress to drop silver as a monetary standard. Silver's value plummeted. Aspen, once predicted to reach a population of 100,000, instead suffered an exodus of miners. By 1917 the town had only 700 people; some were still mining for silver, lead, and zinc, while others were ranchers and potato farmers. During these "quiet years," as they came to be known, people still skied, but more often for recreation, as other means of transportation were taking over. Skiing was most popular among kids, some of whom made their own skis from wood stolen out of old, abandoned houses.
Thursday, 03 December 2009 11:04
This summer the Snowmass/Capitol Creek Caucus met on a continuing basis with staff from Community Development to discuss easing some of the agricultural code provisions to facilitate those engaged in agricultural pursuits. Following are the final recommendations generated by these discussions.
Request for Code Change
It is the belief of the Snowmass/Capitol Creek Caucus that the existing Land Use Code (LUC) regarding agriculture is unduly restrictive and not conducive to those who wish to engage in historical agricultural pursuits. The stated goal of Pitkin County is that the areas outside the main Urban Growth Boundary remain rural in character. Additionally, the Master Plan of the Caucus is replete with references to preserving the rural character of the Caucus area. The current language of the Code is counter to these objectives, and often results in individuals ignoring the Code in an effort to protect their animals and agricultural efforts.BARN SIZE AND HEIGHT
In order to address the underlying issues, the Snowmass/Capitol Creek Caucus analyzed the current Code provisions to better understand the parameters and offer recommendations to make the Code more amenable to rural pursuits. The ensuing analysis revealed the following. Current LUC allows that barns up to 58 square feet per acre for parcels ranging from 20 to 159 acres be exempt from Floor Area Ratio (FAR) calculations. At the lower end of the LUC’s parameters for acreage, the resulting barn allowance is too small to have a practical usage. A 20 acre parcel, while substantial in area, is only permitted an 1160 square foot barn. Conceivably, this structure would have to shelter animals, store hay and equipment, and provide room for anything else related to the particular rural activities. This is not realistic and effectively prohibits smaller parcels from engaging in meaningful agricultural activities. Further analysis also suggested the existing FAR exemption for larger acreages (more than 70 acres) was adequate to conduct agricultural activities.
Thursday, 03 December 2009 09:11
Neighbors Hawley Smith, Jr., Hawley Smith III, Eric Hansen and Jerry Ogier join Connie Harvey, Todd Stoner, Jerermiah Akers, Jeremy Morris, Seth Sachson, James Brundige, Jim and Casey Ward for the annual Harvey Ranch cattle round-up.
An early October snowfall moves in but does not deter the ”cowboys“ committed to the Harvey Ranch Round-up, which has been an annual event since 1962.
November 2009 Newsletter
Sunday, 01 November 2009 12:21
The Difference Between Cold and Swine Flu Symptoms
| Symptom | Cold | Swine Flu |
| Fever | Fever is rare with a cold | Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100 F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu |
| Coughing | A hacking, productive (mucous producing) cough is often present with a cold | A non-productive (non-mucous producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough) |
| Aches | Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold | Severe aches and pains are common with the flu |
| Stuffy Nose | Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves within a week | Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu |
| Chills | Chills are uncommon with a cold | 60% of people who have the flu experience chills |
| Tiredness | Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold | Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu |
| Sneezing | Sneezing is commonly present with a cold | Sneezing is not common with the flu |
Sudden | Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days | The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains |
| Headache | A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold | A headache is very common with the flu (80%) |
| Sore Throat | Sore throat is commonly present with a cold | Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu |
Chest | Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold | Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu |
Sunday, 01 November 2009 12:01
After having grown up in San Francisco, studying architecture and firefighting at UC Davis, and ski patrolling at Sugar Bowl in the Tahoe area, Eric went in search of a less populated place, with ski slopes and an ice arena to call home. A trip to the Roaring Fork Valley in the mid ‘80s revealed that quiet, unpopulated area. 1817 Shield O Rd became Eric’s new home in 1988.
Eric is a man of many jobs... Snowmass Ski Patrol, Paramedic for AVH Ambulance Dept., CPR/EMT instructor, Pitkin County Deputy Coroner, Property Manager of three homes in Shield O Terrace (including managing the subdivision itself) and most importantly, learning to be a kid all over again with daughter, Greta!
Kelly was born and raised in Corpus Christi, TX. After graduating high school and thinking the planet Earth was flat like South Texas, she ventured out into the big, mountainous world, starting with Santa Barbara, CA during college years and on to Seattle, WA. She decided to spend the winter of ‘85 in Aspen. That winter turned into the last 24 years.
Kelly has been the Office Manager of the Snowmass Urgent Care Clinic at the base of Snowmass Ski Area for 14 years. Prior to that, she worked for Continental Airlines, which allowed her and Eric to travel to many exotic, faraway lands....but none as amazing as our little valley.
Kelly and Eric married in 1993. After many years of fertility issues, Greta Daley Hansen was born in August of 2001, with a little help from some amazing friends. Locals, Laurie Shipe... egg donor, and Amy Covington... surrogate, helped the Hansens bring Greta into this world.
Greta is 8 years old and a second grader at Aspen Elementary School. She takes dance classes and loves to ski with her neighbor, Strider Michelson, (son of Kevin and Andrea) who she calls her ‘little brother’. We've got quite the extended family! It truly does take a village!
Sunday, 01 November 2009 11:55
Fasten the stems of older established perennial vines such as climbing hydrangea, trumpet vine, honeysuckle, and hardy wisteria. This will prevent them from suffering from winter storm damage.Remove fallen leaves that accumulate on ground covers since they can smother the plants and block the passage of air and water to the root zone
Watering should be done on a limited basis now. However, if it has been a dry fall without rain or snow, new plants will benefit from a deep watering while the ground remains unfrozen.
Do not fertilize ground covers, vines, and ornamental grasses during this month. Delay that activity for early spring when growth resumes.
Saturday, 31 October 2009 22:59
An electrocardiogram or EKG provides doctors with a simple test that records the electrical activity of the heart. The test may help detect and locate the source of problems within the heart.Your heart works by contracting certain sections of the heart muscle in a certain order. This contraction forces blood to move within the heart’s chambers. An electrical signal tells the different sections when to contract and when to rest. An EKG detects and records this signal as it travels across the heart.
An EKG may uncover a number of problems with the heart including:
- Heart attack
- Reduced blood flow to the heart muscle
- Irregular heart beats
- Problems with the heart not beating forcefully enough
- Enlargement of the heart
- Birth defects
- Diseases of the heart’s valves
The EKG recording not only shows what the heart is doing at the time of the test, it also indicates problems in the past such as a previous heart attack. A previous EKG can be used as comparison to help detect problems.
October 2009 Newsletter
More Articles...
- Did You Know?
- Meet Your Neighbor - The Michelsons
- Community Building
- Gardening - Fall and Winter Care
- September 2009 Newsletter
- Holy Hay
- Did You Know?
- Weed of the Month - Knapweeds
- Gardening - Fall Tips
- August 2009 Newsletter
- Weed of the Month - Field Bindweed
- Gardening Tips - Perennials
- Pasture Management for Horses on Small Acreages
- Meet Your Neighbor - Ken and Gwen Smith
- Did You Know?
- July 2009 Newsletter
- Valley History - Snowmass Falls Ranch
- Weed of the Month - Houndstongue
- Meet Your Neighbor - Barbara Reese
- Gardening Tips - X Rated Gardening
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