YOUR AD HERE »

Letters to the Editor

Compiled by Vail Daily staff
Vail CO, Colorado

Better parking for disabled

Many thanks to Sarah Will for bringing her tenacity and determination to bear on the issue of access for mobility impaired people living in and visiting our valley. Having skied Vail since the late ’70s, this past ski season was my second in a sit-ski after suffering a spinal cord injury nearly three years ago. I’m sure many have heard this before but when you are confined to an often tedious and frustrating daily existence in a wheelchair, the feeling of exhilaration, liberation, and independence while cruising the mountain on a sit-ski is indescribable. I wish that everyone suffering from disabling injuries and diseases has the chance to someday experience this joy.

I’m grateful to not only the crew at the Vail Adaptive Program but to everyone involved in the chain that gets me up on the mountain several days a week; Big Daddy and the parking gang, guests lending a helpful hand, ski instructors helping with my rig, the attentive lifties and the army of supporters taking time away from a big powder day to ski the front side groomers with me.



Dealing with all the barriers to get on the mountain makes showing up difficult on most days. The biggest barrier some days is the parking issue (big surprise!). As far as the disabled community is concerned, for the entire Vail ski area there are two handicapped parking spots that have good mountain access at Golden Peak with the option of $30 per day valet or Passport Club parking. Corralling the disabled into the parking structures adds another barrier to a difficult process and just doesn’t cut it from our perspective.

I think Vail Resorts, as one of the premier resorts in the world, the Town of Vail, Beaver Creek and our special community can do a much better job enhancing the skiing experience and supporting the independence of mobility impaired people by creating parking spaces near the action. As big money redevelopment steamrolls through town, please think creatively about taking care of those who need a little help.

Support Local Journalism



Doss Malone

Wildridge

Facts about Sept. 11

As I read and listen to different opinions, it fascinates me how divergent some views are. One person presents their facts, then another person refutes those facts with their facts. Both obviously believing their story to be the true one.

So, when I read an excerpt from the book “Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me),” I began to understand this phenomenon.

Apparently, “neuroscientists (by using magnetic resonance imaging)have shown that biases in thinking are built into the very way the brain processes information ” all brains, regardless of their owner’s political affiliation. Researchers found that the reasoning areas of the brain virtually shut down when participants were confronted with dissonant information, but the brain lit up when something they agreed with was presented.”

Sure explains alot, doesn’t it?

Now, let’s look at some facts and see what you think.

Fact: The official report for the collapse of the World Trade Towers attributed the collapse to the heat from the fire, which compromised the bolts supporting the floors, causing them to weaken, thus resulting in the collapse of the buildings.

Fact: The World Trade Towers were built with the specifications that they were to withstand an airplane impact.This was because an airplane had flown into the Empire State Building years before. (It did burn, and did not collapse.) The airport is nearby and there are fog issues, so the World Trade Towers were built with a 25-steel beam core.

Fact: No buildings have ever in history, ever collapsed from fire. Even fires raging for hours.

Fact: After less than 1 hour of a small fire in the buildings, each World Trade Tower collapsed in less than 10 seconds.

Not 10 minutes, less than 10 seconds. Folks, that’s free-fall speed.

Fact: Two 110-story buildings collapsed into a 30-foot pile of dust and rubble. Only 30 feet? Where did the buildings go?

Fact: Building 7 of the World Trade Tower complex, (which most people don’t even remember, but was a government building home to much incriminating evidence against people from Enron, World Com etc.), which wasn’t even the closest building to the World Trade Towers, that supposedly had a minor fire in it from flying rubble, also collapsed into a small pile of dust and rubble in less than 6 seconds.

Fact: The BBC News reported the collapse of building 7 before it collapsed!

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to realize that none of that adds up. For people who aren’t curious, I guess their brain bias isn’t registering the information. Maybe this will open up some type of discussion from inquiring minds.

Marlene Luczkow

Eagle


Support Local Journalism