Adrian Ballinger, a world-class mountaineer, skier, business leader, and professional speaker who lives in Olympic Valley, will share what it was like to climb Everest without oxygen.

As founder and head guide of the internationally acclaimed Alpenglow Expeditions, Ballinger has helped more than 100 clients successfully summit Everest, Lhotse (the fourth tallest mountain in the world), Manaslu (eighth tallest), and Cho Oyu (sixth tallest).

Last year, Ballinger achieved a lifelong dream of climbing Everest without oxygen—a feat about 200 people have ever achieved. He documented his ascent using Snapchat to provide an “unfiltered” look at the Everest climbing experience in all of its pain and glory.

He will be talking March 14 upstairs at Blue Angel Cafe in South Lake Tahoe. Doors open at 6pm for happy hour, with show at 7pm. Admission is $20 for adults and free for kids under 13. Proceeds go to the Sierra Nevada Avalanche Center.

The Family Caregiver Support Program of the El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency is hosting a free Aging and Caregiving educational series in South Lake Tahoe.

This series will be weekly on Mondays from 1-3pm beginning April 16 and ending May 21 at Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel.

The educational series will give instruction and support for people who provide care for a family member or friend aged 60 years or greater. The series will feature a different topic each week:

• April 16: Challenges of Caregiving and Self Care – Rebecca Phillipsen with Barton Home Health and Hospice. Discussion regarding the importance of self-care specific to the challenges of caregiving.
• April 23: Living with Alzheimer’s Mid-Stage Caregiving – Denise Hund with Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California and Northern Nevada. Learn the symptoms and care needs associated with the middle stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Discussion will include effective ways to provide personal care and manage challenging behaviors.
• April 30: Feed Your Brain and Dispel Food Myths – Theresa Fagouri with El Dorado County Public Health. Discussion regarding the importance of hydration and proper nutrition for caregivers and their loved ones. Also learn how to make nutritious and quick meals on a budget.
• May 7: Legal Rights and Responsibilities of an Agent – Michelle Ward with El Dorado County Senior Legal Services. Learn the rights and responsibilities of a health care and/or financial agent. Legal and ethical duties and decisions will be discussed including other responsibilities associated with the health and well-being of your loved one.
• May 14: Disaster Preparedness Planning for Family Caregivers – Lesley Coovelis and Kristine Oase Guth with El Dorado County Emergency Preparedness and Response. Learn how to be informed about emergencies/disasters with emphasis on special consideration for those with dementia, disabilities or other health needs when making an emergency plan.
• May 21: Responsibilities of the Long-Term Ombudsman – Mark Lee with El Dorado County Ombudsman Program. Learn about this valuable program and how a Long-Term Care Ombudsman advocates for quality of care and life of residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Participants may attend one or all of the classes. The classes are free; donations will be accepted.

Advanced registration is requested, but not required. Call 530.621.6151 to register for one or more classes.

The 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is bound to surprise a lot of people. Photos/Larry Weitzman

By Larry Weitzman

After spending a week in the new, much improved Mitsubishi Outlander and being impressed with its polish, remarkable performance out of a 2.4L four banger, good fuel economy, good looks and excellent value, it was only understandable to want to put the smaller Outlander Sport through its paces and a thorough wringing out. The bottom line reveals a top flite CUV.

Outside is a very attractive shape that has a bit of a luxury look with bright metal in all the right places. While the design is simple, its proportions are perfect, and its massive and strong front end give it an athletic look. The window line is graceful. Yes, it doesn’t take many chances with add-ons and wasted lines, and simplicity works here.

It received many positive comments, especially from those who didn’t know it was a Mitsubishi. When getting into the Mitsu at a local Micky D’s, one gentleman asked me what it was as he gave it the once over and said he was definitely  going to drive one and add it to his shortlist. I remarked he won’t be disappointed. He was impressed.

Remember Mitsubishi only sells about 100,000 cars annually in the U.S., but that number is growing as more people discover the value of the brand.

Specifications
Engine
2.4L MIVEC, DOHC, 16 valve inline four cylinder (SE, SEL) 168 hp @ 6,000
167 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4,100 rpm
Transmission
CVT
Configuration
Transverse mounted front engine/FWD/AWD
Dimensions
Wheelbase 105.1 inches
Length 171.9 inches
Width 71.3 inches
Height 64.8 inches
Ground clearance 8.5 inches
Track (f/r) 60.6/60.6 inches
Weight 3,285 pounds
GVWR 4,343 pounds
Weight distribution (f/r) 59/41 percent
Fuel capacity 15.8 gallons
Cargo capacity (Rear seats up/down) 21.7/49.5 cubic feet
Wheels 18X7 inches
Tires 225/55X18
Turning circle 34.8 feet
Steering lock to lock 3.3 turns
Performance
0-60 mph 7.71 seconds
50-70 mph 4.26 seconds
50-70 mph (uphill 6-7%) 7.81 seconds
Top speed Does anyone care?
Fuel economy EPA rated at 23/28/25 mpg city/highway/combined. Expect 25-27 mpg in rural/country/suburban driving and 32 mpg on a level highway at legal speeds.

As to the nuts and bolts of the Outlander Sport, it is quite similar to the larger, compact size Outlander (185 inches in length). The Sport is essentially a sub-compact built on the Outlander chassis, only losing an inch in wheelbase (105 inches), but about 13 inches in length at 172 inches. Width remain an identical 71 inches and track is also identical at a wide 61 inches, making the Outlander Sport a truncated version of the Outlander (and about 250 pounds lighter), and that’s a good thing unless you need that third row of seats or more cargo volume. The only other major difference is the availability of the fine Mitsu 3.0L V-6 in the Outlander which also adds about 60 hp, although the standard power for the Outlander is the same 2.4L four banger that came with my Sport. And as you will see the four banger will surprise you.

Speaking of the world engine (which is used by at least two other major manufacturers), the 2.4L MIVEC, DOHC, 16 valve four-cylinder engine, it puts out 168 hp at 6,000 rpm and 167 pounds of twist at 4,100 rpm.  There is no V-6 option and maybe it doesn’t need it. Power is sent via a CVT to either the front wheels and in the AWC version (as was my tester) to all four wheels when selected by a push button on the center console or with a second push of the button to all four wheels locked up, a nice feature when the going gets seriously tough. Unless you are upside down, this system will pull you out of most trouble. And if it doesn’t, you shouldn’t have been there in the first place.

Performance for this Sport is quite sprightly, with an average 0-60 mph time of 7.71 seconds. When you compare that to a 1957 Dodge D-500 5.2L 285 hp, V-8 muscle car, this Mitsu is a rocket as the so-called D-500 muscle car 0-60 mph time was 8.7 seconds.  Throttle response is strong with the CVT and there are times when power will build beyond your expectations which will give you a sort of “wow” feeling.

Passing times are also good with a 50-70 mph level pass taking just 4.26 seconds with the gear selector in Ds, which improves the vehicle’s responsiveness and up a steep grade that time slows to 7.81 seconds. All good times. As with its bigger brother, the Outlander, the Sport performs better than the numbers promise. How nice is that?

Fuel economy is about middle of the pack with an EPA rating of 23/28/25 mpg city/highway/combined. Overall is rural, suburban and country driving the Sport averaged between 25-28 mpg depending on how aggressive I was driving and because the throttle was a bit delicious, it was hard to stay out of it, so 25-26 mpg was more the norm. On the highway at 70 mph on cruise control the Sport averaged 32.8 mpg in a two-way run. In my round trip run from Placerville to Carson City the average was 29.3 mpg which was about an mpg less than the larger Outlander, yet the smaller Sport returned about one mpg better than the bigger Outlander in the 70-mph highway test. That might be attributable to that delicious throttle again. Fuel capacity is 15.8 gallons, bigger would be better.

Handling is also very good with state of the art suspension, stab bars at both ends, 18 x 7 inch alloys shod with quiet 225/55 tires and a tight 35 foot turning radius. About the only thing missing is quicker steering which in the Outlander and Sport’s case is 3.3 turns lock to lock. Three turns would be better. However, don’t worry as the Sport goes around corners like water in a hose and handling is very sporty with little roll, oodles of grip and accurate steering. With the Sport you will take the long and windy road option when available. Holding overall weight to under 3,300 pounds benefits Sport’s ability to change directions, performance and fuel economy above.

Ride quality is excellent, and my passengers noted the quiet and lack of engine, wind and road noise adding to its overall smoothness. Engine speed is a low 2,050 rpm at 70 mph and inaudible. Head tossing is minimal, and it handles bumps with aplomb.

My loaded Sport SEL came with the Touring package ($2,000) which added forward collision warning, lane departure warning and automatic high beams. These features add to the full compliment of acronyms and large four-wheel discs were quite strong. LED Headlights were excellent on low beam and very good on (halogen) high beam.

Inside is a leather interior (SEL model) that has firm, but quite comfortable heated front seats. Since it is the same width as the bigger Outlander, it feels spacious inside. Appointments, dash, doors, console and switchgear are all top quality. Mitsu does a nice job. The steering wheel is leather, and the steering switches are well done and easy to use.

The center console is almost identical to the Outlander and the touch screen system is one of the best while the HVAC is done by knobs and buttons as it should be. Special mention should be made of the trick fuel computer in the 7-inch touch screen.

Cargo volume is excellent as well with 50 cubes behind the front chairs and 22 cubes behind the second row which compares favorably with the bigger Outlander whose numbers are 63 and 34 cubes respectively. In other words, the Sport could be dangerous at a Home Depot or Lowe’s.

Now perhaps here is the best part, the window sticker, which is sometimes referred to as the Monroney, named for late Oklahoma Sen. Mike Monrony, whose legislation in 1958 required window stickers. My top of the line AWD SEL lists for $25,895, plus $2,000 for the Touring Package and $125 for the fancy floor mats and $100 for the cargo compartment cover. The boat from Okazaki, Japan, costs $940, bringing the total to $29,110 which is probably the best value is a subcompact CUV. And it comes with a standard ten year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The key word is value.

Larry Weitzman has been into cars since he was 5 years old. At 8 he could recite from memory the hp of every car made in the U.S. He has put in thousands of laps on racetracks all over the Western United States.

By Jenny Kane, Reno Gazette-Journal

Burning Man art started off as kitschy garage art, but it won’t go down in the annals of history as such. 

This week a selection of Burning Man art — from HYBYCOZO to “Maya’s Mind” by Carson City artist Mischell Riley — is on its way to the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C. “No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man” will be at the Smithsonian from March 30 through Jan. 21, 2019, in two phases. 

The exhibition features a curated collection by some of the more reputable artists who have created works at the 70,000-person arts celebration held every year in Northern Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.

Read the whole story

By Melinda Myers

Do you always squeeze in an extra tomato plant, another row of beans or hill of zucchini? It seems like a good idea at the time, until they all start to produce all at once. Your family, friends and co-workers start to hide as you try to pawn off yet another bag of zucchini or tomatoes. Here is a solution that satisfies your gardening obsession and feeds the hungry in your community. Designate some growing space to a giving garden and donate the harvest to your local food pantry.

Feeding America reports that 41 million Americans struggle with hunger. And many are children and seniors. Gardener’s Supply Company is inviting gardeners to lend a hand and take the “Garden to Give” pledge to grow food to give to those in need. 

They surveyed food pantries to find out what types of fruits and veggies people most enjoy eating, and those that store well. Best of all these late maturing vegetables will be ready for harvest all at about the same time, so you can make your donation in just one trip.

Don’t let a lack of space stop you from participating. Plant a row or container of one or more of these vegetables to share; join forces with a neighbor who may have the space, but only limited time to garden; or gather a few friends and rent a community garden plot. Together you can grow fresh produce and memories to share.

Get the children in your life involved in growing and giving. Gardening increases focus, decreases stress and elevates children’s moods. Giving helps children grow into caring well-rounded adults. Plus, if they grow the vegetables, they are more likely to eat them.

Be sure to capture a few photographs of your donation to inspire others to follow your lead. Starting in August, you can enter Gardener’s Supply’s online “Show What You Share,” photo contest for a chance to win a prize for you and your local food pantry.

With the “Garden to Give,” program, everyone who participates is a winner. The real prize is making a difference while doing something you love. Once you’ve experienced the benefits of sharing fresh produce with the hungry in your community, you are likely to find yourself making regular donations of garden fresh fruits and veggies to those in need… and feeling great about it, too. 

Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including “Small Space Gardening.” She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything: Food Gardening For Everyone” DVD set and the nationally syndicated “Melinda’s Garden Moment” TV a d radio segments.

By Abby Ellin, New York Times

The question came at check-in: Did I want to forgo housekeeping for the two days I was staying at the Flamingo in Las Vegas in exchange for a $10 a day food and beverage credit?

Huh?

The clerk repeated himself. Some guests, he explained, didn’t want to be bothered during their stay — hangovers and all that. So last summer the Flamingo, along with nearly all of its sister properties in Vegas (it is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment), decided to give people the chance to decline having their rooms cleaned in exchange for a voucher.

Read the whole story

Tickets are now on sale for the 3rd annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival hosted by Mountain Area Preservation on April 20 at the Community Arts Center in Truckee.

The festival will show 13 inspiring and adventurous films, including feature films “SHIFT” and “Follow Through.”

Films this year were based on a couple of themes, diversity and empowerment in the outdoors, and protecting our lands. Films cover diverse environmental and adventure topics from ultra running to mountain biking, as well as conservation films highlighting local salmon migration to public land protection.

In addition to the films, the Wild & Scenic Film Festival will have a raffle, food sales by Nourish and a bar with beer, wine and non alcoholic beverages. The Wild & Scenic After Party is being hosted at at Alibi Ale Works Truckee with live music by Mojo Green, 21 and up + $10 cover, festival attendees will get $1 off beers.

Tickets start at $20, and are available online or in person at Tahoe Mountain Sports in Truckee. Tahoe Mountain Sports is the only place to purchase the Mountain Pass Ticket for $25, which includes general admission seating, a Klean Kanteen pint glass, and two drink tickets (a $40 value). Mountain Pass tickets are limited.

For more information on the festival, contact Alexis@mapf.org or 530.582.6751.

Clean Tahoe and the city of South Lake Tahoe are partnering for the third annual Spring Cleanup Day on May 12 from 9am to noon. 

Cleanup captains are needed for the 14 neighborhoods.

Here are the areas:

·         Stateline-lake side

·         Stateline mountain side

·         Bijou

·         Rufus Allen/Old Bijou

·         Al Tahoe

·         Lower Ski Run

·         Upper Ski Run

·         Gardner Mountain

·         Tahoe Keys

·         Tahoe Island

·         Sierra Tract

·         Springwood/Silver Dollar

·         The Y

·         Eloise/James

Participants should meet at Lakeview Commons at 9am. There will be a free lunch at noon at Bijou Community Park.

To be a captain or for more info, email either tsheldon@cityofslt.us or catherine@clean-tahoe.org.

By Michael S. Jaffee, The Conversation

As we prepare to “spring forward” for daylight-saving time on March 11, many of us dread the loss of the hour’s sleep we incur by moving our clocks forward. For millions, the loss will be an added insult to the inadequate sleep they experience on a daily basis.

Surveys show that 40 percent of American adults get less than the nightly minimum of seven hours of sleep recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the National Sleep Foundation. The National Institutes for Health estimate that between 50 million and 70 million people do not get enough sleep. These recommendations for minimal sleep are based on a review of many scientific studies evaluating the role of sleep in our bodies and the effects of sleep deprivation on our ability of our body to function at our peak performance level.

I am a neurologist at the University of Florida who has studied the effects of both traumatic brain injury and sleep impairment on the brain. I have seen the effects of sleep impairment and the significant effects it can have.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, American adults currently average 6.9 hours of sleep per night compared with the 1940s, when most American adults were averaging 7.9 hours a night, or one hour more each night. In fact, in 1942, 84 percent of Americans got the recommended seven to nine hours; in 2013, that number had dropped to 59 percent. Participants in that same Gallup poll reported on average they felt they needed 7.3 hours of sleep each night but were not getting enough, causing an average nightly sleep debt of 24 minutes. Fitbit in January 2018 announced results of a study it conducted of 6 billion nights of its customers’ sleep and reported that men actually get even less than women, about 6.5 hours.

Why sleep matters

The problems caused by sleep shortage go beyond tiredness. In recent years, studies have shown that adults who were short sleepers, or those who got less than seven hours in 24 hours, were more likely to report 10 chronic health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma and depression, compared to those who got enough sleep, that is, seven or more hours in a 24-hour period.

There are more challenges for children, as they are thought to have an increased sleep need compared to adults. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that children 6 to 12 years of age should sleep nine to 12 hours a day and teens 13 to 18 should sleep eight to 10 hours daily on a regular basis to promote optimal health.

A Sleep Foundation poll of parents suggested that American children are getting one hour of sleep or more per night less than what their body and brain require.

Researchers have found that sleep deprivation of even a single hour can have a harmful effect on a child’s developing brain. Inadequate sleep can affect synaptic plasticity and memory encoding, and it can result in inattentiveness in the classroom.

Every one of our biological systems is affected by sleep. When we don’t sleep long enough or when we experience poor quality of sleep, there can be serious biological consequences.

When we are sleep deprived, our bodies become more aroused through an enhanced sympathetic nervous system, known as “fight or flight.” There is a greater propensity for increased blood pressure and possible risk of coronary heart disease. Our endocrine system releases more cortisol, a stress hormone. The body has less glucose tolerance and greater insulin resistance, which in the long term can cause an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes. Also, sleep deprivation causes a reduction in growth hormone and muscle maintenance.

We also rely on sleep to maintain our metabolism. Sleep deprivation can lead to decreased release of the hormone leptin and increased release of the hormone ghrelin, which can be associated with increased appetite and weight gain.

The human body also relies on sleep to help with our immune system. Sleep deprivation is associated with increased inflammation and decreased antibodies to influenza and decreased resistance to infection.

Inadequate sleep has been associated with a negative effect on mood as well as decreased attention and increased memory difficulty. In addition, someone who is sleep deprived may experience a decrease in pain tolerance and in reaction times. Occupational studies have associated sleep deprivation with decreased performance, increased car accidents, and more days missed from work.

The role of the brain

Researchers have known for a while that brain health is an important aspect of sleep. Notably, sleep is an important part of memory consolidation and learning.

Newer research has suggested another important aspect of sleep for our brain: There is a system for the elimination of possibly harmful proteins such as abnormal variants of amyloid. This waste removal process, using what is known as the glymphatic system, relies on sleep to effectively eliminate these proteins from the brain. These are the same proteins found to be elevated in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Studies show that older adults with less sleep have greater accumulations of these proteins in their brains.

Our sleep-wake cycle is regulated by the circadian system, which helps signal the brain to sleep using the release of the natural hormone melatonin. It turns out that our body’s system for regulating melatonin and our sleep schedule is most powerfully controlled by light.

There are cells in the retina of our eye that communicate directly with the brain’s biological clock regulators located in the hypothalamus and this pathway is most affected by light. These neurons have been found to be most affected by light waves from the blue spectrum or blue light. This is the kind of light most prominent in electronic lights from computers and smartphones. This has become a modern challenge that can adversely affect our natural sleep-wake cycle.

Additional factors that can hamper sleep include pain conditions, medications for other conditions, and the increased demands and connectedness of modern society.

As we prepare for daylight saving time, we can be mindful that many athletes have been including planned sleep extensions (sleeping longer than usual) into their schedule to enhance performance and that many professional sports teams have hired sleep consultants to help assure their athletes have enough sleep. Perhaps we should have a similar game plan as we approach the second Sunday in March.

Michael S. Jaffee is vice chair of the department of neurology at the University of Florida.

The Veterans’ Voices Writing Workshop has published its first anthology of work, “For Them, By Us,” which is available on Amazon.
 
Contributors to the anthology come from many walks of life, and bring myriad talents and backgrounds to the table. Many were not trained writers when they joined the workshop. The program encourages free thinking, open discussion, and supportive critique which promotes a safe and constructive environment.

While the focus of the workshop is not therapeutic in nature, organizers say creative endeavor tends to promote healing and the participants of the workshop have seen positive results from their work with the group. 
 
Local author Weston DeWalt serves as the workshop leader.

Veterans’ Voices Writing Workshop meets at the Veteran’s Memorial Building at 130 Placerville Drive every Monday night at 6:30, excluding holidays. The current session runs March 12, March 19, March 26, April 2, and April 9. The program is free to all veterans from any branch of service.

For more information, call 530.295.3496.