By Denise Simpson, Rutland Regional Health Services Influenza (the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. The flu viruses spread mainly from person to person through coughs and sneezes. People might also get the flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own…

Does the weather have you feeling down in the dumps? There might be more to it that you realize. For about 5 percent of the population, dark cloudy skies and few daylight hours can lead to an issue known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). “There are some factors that contribute to that, and usually it’s…

By Benjamin Raymond While there are hundreds of different types of sugars, there are only a few that are of much importance for use as sweeteners in foods. All sugars are made of the elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.  These elements are formed into a ring structure. Nutritionists and food scientists may refer to sugars…

Last week, YouTube released its annual (I assume) list of the ten most viewed videos of the year.  Each of the videos therein received tens—if not hundreds—of millions of plays in 2014, which makes the almost total banality of the videos kind of interesting. The only video on the list containing any real semblance of…

A few years ago, I approached Royal Barnard, then editor of the Mountain Times. Intrigued by Brett Yates’ “Generation Y” column, I suggested I write a column geared for our Baby-Boomer generation. The one-word response from Royal, “OK”, launched a four-year stint for me. My first column appeared in mid-September 2010 with the opening line,…

By Kate Rowe Ever wonder why so many people make a New Year’s resolution only to “fail” by February? According to research published in the Clinical Journal of Psychology published by the University of Scranton, almost half of the U.S. population makes a New Year’s resolution each year, yet only eight percent of those people…

A Christmas Tree farmer’s year in review By Patrick White Walking through a large chain store this past October – at least a week before Halloween – I stumbled upon a display of decorations. Not witches and pumpkins, but trees and bells. There’s no question that retailers are intent on pushing the start of the…

By Scott Funk How is it you can go to bed feeling great and wake up in the morning with a pain in your leg that turns out to be osteoarthritis? (For the younger readers of this column, osteoarthritis is a degeneration of joint cartilage the and underlying bone, causing pain and stiffness, usually in…

New years events that appeal to all tastes and styles By Stephen Seitz We don’t have to say goodbye to 2014 in front of the TV set sipping warm champagne. New Year’s Eve in Vermont offers plenty of choices for everyone, regardless of age. Here are some of the alternatives to Ryan Seacrest. Mountain View…

Editor’s note: The Mountain Times receives many questions from readers every week about Killington Resort and Pico Mountain operations. In order to best answer some of the most common questions we will pose them directly to Mike Solimano, president and general manager for Killington Resort and Pico Mountain, who has agreed to respond in an…

By Dom Cioffi My grandmother was the quintessential Italian: she was short, attentive, liked to wear sundresses, hid money underneath the mattress, and spent the better part of her days cooking and watching soap operas. When I showed up and knocked on her door (which was always locked), she would yell, “Who is it?” I…

By Tony Crespi Each season the ski industry unveils new ski collections boasting advancements and refinements in technology and design. Often unrecognized by the public is the complexity of engineering and design principles involved in this process. The tip to tail shapes and dimensions used in a ski are crucial to its performance, as even…

By Larry Abelman Editor’s note: Larry Abelman wrote a popular column, “View From The Cave,” back in the late 70s and early 80s for The Mountain Times. Last winter, he took a trip down south to ski and shares the story here. Growing up in D.C., skiing wasn’t really a subject that ever came up,…

By Brett Yates and Zachary Yates My fancy 18-year-old brother recently finished his first term at Dartmouth College. Given the school’s proximity to Killington—only 35 miles east, though perhaps somewhat more removed culturally—I proposed that he might share some thoughts about undergrad life across the Connecticut River for readers of this column. He responded as…

By Dave Hoffenberg This Saturday at the Pickle Barrel, Killington’s longest running band will perform. The Savage Brothers have been playing here since 1985 and whether you’ve seen them a hundred times or never, it is a show not to be missed. They “bring it” every time they hit the stage. They hail from Windsor…