Dear Action Line,
Hey, I heard that parking is free again behind the Gaslight movie theater. Before I go park there, can you verify that’s true? What changed?
Sincerely, A. Fred Tupac
Dear A. Fred Tupac,
I didn’t want to just gaslight you, so I walked down there to see what’s what. As you can see from the picture, there was at some point paid parking behind there, but those signs have been covered up with new signage that allows free three-hour parking for patrons on the block, which contains the theater, Durango Bagel, consignment furniture store, etc., as well as the new BBQ joint that’s in the building behind the parking lot where Chez Grand Mère used to be. So as long as you are patronizing those businesses you can park there for three hours, which seems like a good deal!
Mr. Action Lift Line,
What is up with Purgatory putting a fake falling-snow overlay on its snow stake webcam, even though they claim to broadcast current conditions? Do they think we’re stupid enough to consume whatever they put on our plate? I am very much in favor of cheating tourists and drunks, except when I am one or both. No matter, the fake snow falls flat and never accumulates. All I want to see depicted on the webcam is whatever warmed-over winter weather we’re withstanding.
Sincerely, Don’t Fool Mother Nature Again
Dear Don’t Fool Mother Nature Again,
I agree that when I looked at the snow stake video cam when it was snowing up there that it looked AI-enhanced or something, especially compared to the video camera of the base. But I reached out to Purg and here’s what it said: “The camera on the snow stake is brand new and in 2K high-res. There isn’t a filter or any added effects. I don’t know the resolution of the base cam, but it’s older and lower-res. There is also a light that shines down on the snow stake, allowing you to see the video at night. Other than location, these are the two variables that might impact how the feeds look.”
I talked to other Purg employees who might know about this and they confirmed there’s no “enhancement” – it really is that you can just see the snowflakes more clearly with the higher resolution camera, and the snow falling is less wind-swept there because of the location in the trees. So you can park your suspicions freely, you are not being gaslit.
Email questions and suggestions to actionline@durangoherald.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. Today’s Fun Fact: The modern use of the term “gaslight” comes from the 1944 movie “Gaslight” starring Ingrid Bergman, where a woman’s husband tries to drive her insane with tricks in order to steal her inherited jewels that she doesn’t know about. When he repeatedly hides in the attic to search for the jewels he turns on the gaslights there, which makes the gaslights dim in the rest of the house, helping her to figure out his evil scheme. It was set in 1875 London, when gaslights were used before the widespread use of electricity.
