September Newsletter 2020
We’ve Been Here Before
Check out the following quotes and tell us if they look familiar:
“Wearing a mask violates my rights, I refuse to do it”
“Businesses need to be reopened, it’s illegal to force us to close”
“They can’t close the schools; our kids need socialization”
If those seem to be quotes from today, they are not. They are examples of common complaints being levied against governmental pressure during….the Spanish Flu of 1918.
The more things change, the more they stay the same it seems.
The point is, we have been here before. The lessons we learned in 1918 and through other pandemics in history are still there for the taking if we pay attention and show some empathy for our fellow men and women.
One of the big takeaways that we found is that non-pharmaceutical interventions work.
Simple, but true. Masking and distancing have a greater effect than we all care to admit, but the truth is they work. The photo below shows Seattle policemen during the epidemic in 1918, so yes, we have indeed been here before.
We found a few interesting articles about the social phenomenon of prevention and intervention and wanted to share them with you.
CNN did a nice piece on the 1918 flu versus COVID and it can be found here.
The most common theme we could identify? That we need to take care of one another and not just ourselves. This pandemic has brought out the worst in people and the best in others (Big thank you to our front-line workers, health care providers and all of you that risk your lives daily for our well-being).
At the end of the day, this virus will eventually die off. Sadly, it will take many of us with it. We are going to do our part to make sure that the number is as low as possible, and we hope you will as well.
Lastly, thanks to all of you for being kind to us as we have fought through this together. We will continue to do our best to show respect, empathy, and kindness to all during this tough time.
Move Over…New Traffic Law
As usual, when we see an item that we think might help our readers, we share it.
How many of you know that when an emergency vehicle is stopped on the side of the freeway that you are supposed to move over and/or slow down?
Yes, it seems like common sense, but very few people do this.
Last year five state troopers were killed by careless drivers, so the legislature passed changes to Colorado’s “Move Over Law”.
The new law not only requires that you move over a lane if possible, but that you slow your speed to 20 MPH below what is posted.
While it doesn’t sound like much, if you get caught violating this law, it is considered a Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense and comes with 10 to 90 days in jail along with fines of $150-300. It’s also a 4-point violation on your license.
Definitely not worth it.
A recap of the law including a link to the CSP podcast about it can be found here.
Best ‘Hoods in Denver
Do you live in the best neighborhood in Denver?
Well, if you live in South Park Hill, 5280 magazine says you do.
That locale was followed by Wash Park, Congress Park, West Highland and Cherry Creek.
They published their annual list of the best neighborhoods in Denver and we wanted to share.
The ranking system utilized four variables as follows: home prices, crime data, school rankings, and an X factor score that accounts for things that can’t be easily quantified, such as access to open space, nearby public transportation, and the prevalence of restaurants and shops.
They weighted each one and came up with a firm ranking. Of course, there is always some subjectivity in these sorts of things, but we found it interesting.
750 Million Years Ago…..
Ok, we did it again.
Found a cool, time-wasting website to distract you from the chaos around us all.
Ever wonder what earth was like say 750 million years ago? We did and went down the proverbial rabbit hole to learn more.
In doing so, we learned about the continental drift theory and how it was upended by plate tectonics.
I’m sure you are saying “get to the point”, so we will.
In short, a California paleontologist has created an interactive map that allows people to see how far their hometowns have moved over 750 million years of continental drift.
So, if you are curious as to where your hometown was millions of years ago, the map will show you.
Our spot on the planet has changed dramatically over the years. In fact, 540 million years ago, Denver was a beach town it seems.
Kind of a cool thing to check out, we hope you enjoy playing with it as much as we did!!!
Can Air Conditioning Spread Covid?
One of the main concerns about COVID is how exactly is it spread?
Oh sure, we get it. Don’t touch your face. Check. Stay 6 feet apart. Check. Wash my hands. Check.
Those are all great pieces of advice, but beyond those, there has been a great amount of misinformation and confusion about how this virus really spreads.
One of the ideas is that COVID droplets can get into an HVAC system, say in any building where people gather. Then one infected person can infect everyone else, as the droplets pass through the system back into the entire space.
What we found is very similar to what we have found so far regarding this virus to be true….no one is sure.
It suggests that an air conditioning unit at a restaurant in China may have contributed to as many as eight other people being infected with the coronavirus in January.
The bottom line? No one really knows with 100% certainty. In the meantime, we will be checking to see if HEPA filters are present in the places we visit, and we certainly won’t be sitting directly under the vents!!!
Stay safe Denver.
Monthly Award Winners
Our monthly award winners for August were Rosario De La Rosa, Josefina Quinonez, Aurora Dominguez, Cecilia Reyes, and Maria Zapata.
In the Team Leader ranks, it was Socorro Ibarra and Juana Olivas.
We are very proud of our winners, and of all the folks that are in and out of your homes each week.
We continue to be grateful to you for allowing us into your homes.
Please join me in congratulating our best performers for the month of August.
Queen Bee Corner
by Angela
The Autumnal Equinox last week brought a feeling of closure to this extraordinary summer, and we are pleased to have come through it with our health, our optimism and most of our wits.
However, we can’t let up.
We will continue with all precautions and ask that the clients continue to keep us informed of any changes to their home situations. It is commendable that we have been able to seamlessly work together to keep both team members and clients safe and happy for these past months.
As always, you can reach me for any changes, questions, comments, or really anything house related. Just a text or a call away.
Bee