What we hear many news consumers 'just sayin', is that they do not care how much money 'Aspen' or individuals living in the region have.
That they could care less for listening to the endless pontificating in Aspen, Glenwood Springs and once in awhile Vail news outlets over "...The building sites of new mega-mansions scar huge swaths of land; once-bustling neighborhoods sit empty most of the year..." (Aspen Journalism) and 'how wonderful' the "old Aspen" was or how unique the current Aspen thinks it is.
That they truly appreciate all that Aspen and Vail bring to the table as far as ability to capitalize on with their own small businesses and earned wages; but what is devastating to everyones life in the area when it gets out of control, is the adamant refusal of "Aspen" to listen.
Here's a news flash to those in Aspen that are unwilling to listen to the rest of the world even though the most vocal live within a 100 mile radius:
If you were to approach these vocal locals directly with a comment like this: "...and escalating real estate prices have driven an untold number of locals down or out of the valley...(Aspen Journalism)", they would laugh at you. 'They' have not been "driven" out of Aspen, chances are they ran as fast as they could from Aspen.
We all come up and hit the high points and once in awhile for a unique gift shopped for or a dine out in a great restaurant. Used to come up to ski but frankly...it's not just the need to hock the house and kids to afford a ski pass...there is no way that anyone who works in Aspen is going to run right up there on their day off. It takes a weekend to shake off the snobbery, the arrogance and to listen to more pontificating while standing in the lines?? Forget about it. It's the weekend and the world outside of Aspen has a much broader view of the world than a lot of Aspen residents do.
Do they have friends and business relationships upvalley? Absolutely. Nine times out of ten those relationships will meet them outside of mainstream Aspen in order to enjoy the natural perks we all love and keep as the baseline for why we all put up with each other...while all living within a 100 mile radius.
Here's the thing, "Aspen".
The reason you're seeing a decline in so many areas and your population is strongest in the older age ranges is because you still live in the past. Even the upper middle age to the 'younger' generation of mid-twenties to thirty somethings. To remain being somewhat brutally honest, when you're not up on a soapbox of some kind or hopelessly into yourself; you're looking for the thread and glue to connect your dots out here in the land of the little guys.
The day that 'we' were 'driven out of Aspen' (if 'we' ever were) is long, long gone.
Maybe it's time to look around at the incredible assets that are all around you and let a little sunshine in.
With that said, one of our first stops every week is Aspen Journalism.
Brent Gardner-Smith has done an excellent job in lending balance to area news outlets. We obviously believe that the backbone of America is independent journalism. Every single day the world wakes up, eager to hit their favorite independent, trusted sources to find out what they missed while sleeping.
'Why' would some thing or someone as allegedly controversial as SandBoxBlogs and SandBox Nanny go chasing after regional, state, national and world news every day?
Because she hears others "just sayin" and they are not getting their voices listened to. (Why is that when "Aspen" sports some world class journalists?)
Not because she either feels the exact same way those consumer voices do (or) because she's on some alleged covert mission to flush out 'evil' lurking in the local media....(whisper...whisper...for gosh sakes...do these people have nothing better to do with their time than hallucinate... maybe it's the altitude and thin air....whisper...whisper...).
just sayin.
Catherine Lutz, Aspen Business Journal and Brent Gardner-Smith, Aspen Journalism:
"...Some have chosen to get even more involved locally—for better or for worse, or sometimes both. Bill Koch, for example, number 14 on the Forbes 400 list with a net worth of $4 billion, is one of several plaintiffs suing the city of Aspen over its plan to use water from Castle and Maroon Creeks for hydropower.
Is he in this case using his power and money to highlight a really bad idea, or to obstruct a widespread community benefit? Koch also wants to install guardrails (on his dime) along winding Castle Creek Road which leads to his home—a self-serving measure that would ostensibly make the road safer for all.
Stewart and Linda Resnick, 29th on this year’s Forbes 400 list, waged a legal war against local governments in the early 2000s over an employee housing project to be built near their home. They claimed in part that the worker housing would devalue their property, now worth $15.3 million. The Stillwater housing was eventually built, but with major design modifications.
Others’ influence is felt more broadly. Stephen Ross is head of New York’s Related Cos., which developed Snowmass Base Village but then defaulted on a major loan, leading to foreclosure on the property and a partially built development that has had major business ramifications and has been the source of much local concern...." (Read more? Click title)
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
5 comments:
The only ones who endlessly think about how many millionaires or billionaires live in Aspen are the stuck in the mud residents of Aspen. Nobody else cares. Yes, Virginia. Aspenites really do believe that people come to visit Aspen because they are special and might see a movie star. Reality is that hasn't been the case since somewhere back in the 1980's. The reason Vail is kicking tail and taking names is because they are not so vain to believe that anyone cares about how much money they have or what kind of mcmansion. They don't even sit around bemoaning the plight of the "99%" because they're happy. Which is something Aspenites haven't shown the world that they are since well, the 1960's or so. Nanny gave a news flash so I'll give a clue. We built those houses for those Aspen 50 billionaires and we clean them, unclog their drains and mow the lawns. We know the people themselves and you would never see any of us being so disrespectful to stand up on a soap box and talk about them in public. Get over yourself, Aspen. You might make some new friends.
I've got a lot of friends who live in Pitkin. I don't. I could actually afford to. But I would not raise my kids in Pitkin county and made that choice a long time ago. And more business relationships. All rock solid and part of my everyday world. I can honestly say that every single one of them sees what Nanny and mack are talking about and they talk about it themselves. I can also honestly say that I know dozens more outside of my circle that are closet types that put on the AAM, Skico and city/county stroking type faces on the outside and closet wail about their lives to regular people like me. This comment can't even be classified as stereotyping because the whole truth is that Aspenites love to talk about themselves. Madden wrote one awhile back on what a "who**" Aspen and Aspenites are. So true. This kind of description is what you all covet up there and you sure have reaped what you asked for. We're used to you and in our own way are pretty fond of you. But you are our minority, that's for sure. mack's right. You would never see any layperson or real world business person standing up anywhere and talking about clients we've built these houses for like these reporters are here or that Johnny's spewing about over on the Daily news today. It's disrespectful and I know for a fact that they eat, sleep, have lives-cares-concerns just like the rest of us. Do we have a hunch or know of some of their personal lives and financial lives? Yea, but we don't go consuming our lives with trying to be like them. If they're doing wrong the other thing they can count on is that the law doesn't see them any different than anyone else. Oh, wait. That's right. It's Aspen and the law up there does see them and many more out there in that breakline class different than us. Sorry, my bad.
It is always difficult to see us stripped raw and standing bare in the eyes of others.
Yet one would think we would be used to it by now as there is no truer critic than an outsider.
Sad thing about a story like this one for AJ is that the billionaires and upper millionaires of Aspen don't have a thing to do with the problem of soft corruption. Would be really nice to know if it's hard corruption or soft. The problem is in the lower tier millionaires and higher to upper middle class of Aspen and Snowmass. Those in that higher 2/3 of the six figure range. The tourism, professionals and construction industries are dripping with them. You see, in Aspen that's nowhere near the kind of money it takes to be one of the big guys and stay in the social set they want to be in. But it is the catch-22 money bracket. Too big to stop and live a simpler life so they just keep on stroking the real wealth. Then get caught up enough that they'll do anything to stay there. Hard corruption tactics or soft corruption tactics, makes no difference once you've sold your soul. Well said, Nanny. We would laugh at the idea of being "driven" downvalley if it wasn't so sad to watch the decline spiral of the most famous county in the country. Aspen apparently can't see yet that they're dying off with not a lot of hope that the young are going to come back. For sure, those empty mansions aren't going to save them. There's a lot to be said for living a prosperous but healthy life downvalley. One of the best decisions we ever made as a business was to not set up shop in Pitkin county but go ahead and work up there. Get in, do the job, go home to reality. Best thing that could happen up there is a good housecleaning and it sounds like they just might be headed for one.
always wondered what it will look like when that higher 6-figure bracket falls from grace in their old age and can't work any more. guess that will become the new 99%'ers snapping at the billionaire hands that feed them. there's probably some long, long memories of reports like this one that will be on the minds of those billionaires when that day comes. never ceases to amaze how the mentality that thinks it has every right to invade privacy does so without thinking about what harm they cause beforehand.
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