tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79350051153565571292024-03-14T00:44:39.102-07:00Bring Me That HorizonNews, information, images, sounds and anything else that catches my eye or imagination around the Valley of the Sun. It's also my online portfolio and exploration space.RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-13676579459618580852011-01-26T14:52:00.001-07:002011-01-26T14:52:15.244-07:00Architectural Dissonance at Arizona's BiltmoreEvery once in a while, common knowledge is wrong. Consider the case of the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa. This beautiful oasis nestled between Piestewa Peak (formerly Squaw Peak) and Camelback Mountain near the heart of Phoenix is often attributed to famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. In fact, it is the crowing achievement and probably greatest heartbreak of Arizona architect Albert Chase McArthur.<br /><br />The architectural authorship of the Arizona Biltmore has never really been in question. Original drawings of the resort held in the Arizona State University Library archives clearly indicate McArthur, who was a licensed architect in Arizona at the time while Wright was not, is the architect of record. Although Wright is often credited with, and indeed is said to have frequently claimed authorship of the hotel, he did try to set the record straight among his professional peers in a carefully crafted letter to The Architectural Record, published in 1941 which states: <br /><blockquote>All I have done in connection with the building of the Arizona Biltmore, near Phoenix, I have done for Albert McArthur himself at his sole request, and for none other. Albert McArthur is the architect of that building -- all attempts to take the credit for that performance are gratuitous and beside the mark. But for him, Phoenix would have nothing like the Biltmore and it is my hope he may be enabled to give Phoenix many more beautiful buildings as I believe him entirely capable of doing.</blockquote><br /><br />The confusion over who the architect was stems from the block system used in the hotel lobby. McArthur's "Textile Block" stem is similar to that previously used by Wright in California and he oversaw the original installation. McArthur's rectangular block design, however, differs from the square blocks Wright preferred on several levels.<br /><br /><blockquote>[The blocks represent] Albert Chase McArthur's chop (stylized signature stamp). This design is based on the logarithm of a B-flat minor. Albert was a brilliant mathematician and believed in the correlation between light and sound. The drawing of this mathematical equivalency from which this chop was formed exists within Albert's family.</blockquote><br /><br />The confusion was exacerbated during the 1970's when the property was acquired by the Talley family. Though their ownership lasted less than a decade it left indelible marks on the Arizona Biltmore, as well as McArthur's and Wright's association with the iconic hotel. A devastating fire struck the building in 1973. Although the lobby area and lower floors were not damaged by the flames that virtually destroyed the hotel's 3rd and 4th floors, the extensive water damage sustained by the lower floors led to an almost entire rebuilding of the facility under the guise of a renovation and restoration. <br /><br />It was during this renovation the much of the dissonance evident in the property was introduced. The rebuilding and renovations were completed in only 90 days. Three construction teams worked around the clock to complete the repairs and allow the property to reopen on schedule in September 1973. Whether because of the tight timeframe or from a misunderstanding of McArthur's chop, the reconstruction of the block system was bungled. Damaged blocks were replaced with new blocks cast from desert sand in the original molds. The re-installation, unfortunately was flawed. The blocks were not replaced according to the original design but rather in a haphazard manner better suited to Wright's stylized block system which relied on square, not rectangular, blocks. The result has led some to see palm trees where once the was music and math.<br /><br />The 1973 renovation also saw the conversion of the original solarium into a restaurant (named Wright's) and the installation of Sahuaros, a Wright-designed stained glass window. Sahuaros was fabricated by the students at Taliesin from Wright's design. Taliesin Archtectural Associates was the architect of record for the renovation.<br /><br />The Arizona Biltmore remains one of Phoenix' most luxurious resorts and identifiable landmarks. It just isn't the Wright one so many visitors and residents believe it to be.<br /><br />More information about the Arizona Biltmore can be found in "Arizona Walls: if only they could speak" by Judy Martin (Double B Publications. 1997).<br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-32101976105255490802011-01-16T07:52:00.001-07:002011-01-16T07:52:54.692-07:00Secret streaksLocals know things. Not just where to eat or the best routes to take when traveling. They know things about their communities others may find surprising. Which is why they don't expose every visitor to them.<br /><br />Consider this <a target="_blank" href="http://www.insidethetravellab.com/naked-bottom-cologne-rathaus/">hidden work of art in Cologne</a>. No wonder everyone smiles at the tourists, there's an inside joke hanging over their heads!<br /><br />It's things like this that make travel so much fun. They also make writing about your hometown entertaining. I can just see the grin on the local's face when he pointed out the moon! <br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-16719179928530707812011-01-15T12:17:00.001-07:002011-01-15T12:17:33.686-07:00Lessons in odd placesSometimes I discover things in the oddest places. I'm not talking about car keys in the refrigerator or a stray sock in the yard. No, I mean the fascinating facts about a place in a time that have vanished.<br /><br />For instance: I'm proofreading a children's book about Turkey for <a target="_blank" href="http://www.gutenburg.org">Project Gutenberg</a>. It was obviously published decades ago, maybe longer. Some of the information is still accurate. Much of it, however, has changed or vanished in time. Like the nugget about floating a disk of wood atop a barrel of water that is being transported to keep it from spilling. According to the book, it works like topping off a barrel of water with oil, a trick widely known and used by sailors. <br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-35199039950517126422011-01-03T10:32:00.001-07:002011-01-03T10:32:03.430-07:00First thought for 2011The first Monday of a brand new year! It like cracking open the latest work of your favorite author. That new book smell rises to greet you. Anticipation and excitement fill the air. You can't wait to jump into it.<br /><br />There are no guarantees you'll like the story or that it will have a happy ending. At this point, of course, you don't care. It's new. It's untried. The possibilities are endless. That's what makes the moment so wonderful.<br /><br />Here's a little thought, maybe a resolution, maybe just a reminder to help keep the wonder going for myself and all the writers out there:<br /><br />You must write every single day of your life. You must lurk in libraries to sniff books..." Ray Bradbury http://j.mp/hs7FL4<br /><br />Happy 2011!<br />RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-73823369690888405422010-12-01T14:48:00.000-07:002010-12-01T14:48:29.301-07:00Miss Me?I haven't blogged much since losing Mom. Actually, I haven't manage much of anything. That's not true, I have managed the occasional travel article as the Phoenix Travel Examiner for Examiner.com (check out my homepage on my Blogger profile or visit <a href="http://www.examiner.com/travel-in-phoenix/jay-hammond">http://www.examiner.com/travel-in-phoenix/jay-hammond</a> to read the travel news I've been covering).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP1ubNVoO2qO2V9ChV3sK4os-zp3CZGphSF9M3HTukE9E96HrGAtiHaI6f2V30LX9Pe8Yj1lFroVth-bz92xX4L4Kf4yl27pWLlNmN7O9KxpN27qTsWGK81jvztoctkLN6flhGvnB-sBVW/s1600/Lisa+Dahl+Xmas+2010+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP1ubNVoO2qO2V9ChV3sK4os-zp3CZGphSF9M3HTukE9E96HrGAtiHaI6f2V30LX9Pe8Yj1lFroVth-bz92xX4L4Kf4yl27pWLlNmN7O9KxpN27qTsWGK81jvztoctkLN6flhGvnB-sBVW/s320/Lisa+Dahl+Xmas+2010+002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>My travel beat for Examiner.com is great but sometimes things just happen that make me want and need to blog. One such serendipitous event was meeting Sedona restaurant owner and sous chef Lisa Dahl yesterday at her book signing at Saks Fifth Avenue in the <a href="http://www.shopbiltmore.com/">Biltmore Fashoin Park</a> in Phoenix, Arizona.<br />
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I'm not supposed to but anymore cookbooks. Before she died, I promised my mother that I wouldn't buy anymore books, especially magazines, knitting books and cookbooks. I've tried to keep my word. Lisa's <b>The Elixir of Life</b> was my downfall, even if calling it a "cookbook" vastly under-represents this delicious volume of photographs, travel and oh, yeah, recipes. Did I mention the DVD that comes with it full of enchanting music from local Arizona musicians and a glimpse into how Lisa fits travel and cooking together? All in all <b>The Elixir of Life</b> is a feast for the traveling foodie's heart, head and habits! And at only $34.95 this amazing collection is a steal.<br />
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In fact, were it not for the price, which is amazingly low given how much the book contains, I wouldn't believe this was a self-published book. Or maybe I would. I can't imagine a traditional publisher going out on a limb for a untried author (no matter how successful a chef) and producing this book. For starters, the book is overflowing with beautiful photographs that make you just want to dig in, whether that taking a trip to Sedona, Arizona to visit Dahl & Di Luca or Cucina Rustica restaurants, going all the way to Italy or just trying out one of these wonderful recipes at home. Speaking of recipes, the recipes Lisa shares are all from the Dahl & Di Luca or Cucina Rustica menus, so it's a great way to bring great food home from your Sedona trip. Each recipe serves about six, which gave me pause initially because I have a two-person household. Conversation revealed that all of the recipes were designed to be frozen, allowing you to "spend a Saturday afternoon in the kitchen, cooking all sorts of wonderful things and enjoying time at home with your family and eating wonderfully during the week when you may not want to spend a lot of time cooking." The Elixir of Life doesn't stop there, the way most cookbooks would. Instead, this book takes you on two remarkable journeys, one through Tuscany and the other through Lisa's adventure of becoming a self taught sous chef and owner of two of Sedona and Arizona's most notable restaurants.<br />
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I don't think I've ever read a cookbook before. Sure, I've thumbed through them, looked at what few pictures there are and tried the recipes that piqued my interest. But actually sat down and read a cookbook from cover to cover? No. Not once. And I boast that I'll read anything. Believe me, you'll read this cookbook. I did.<br />
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Most book signings are polished or at least orchestrated things. Lisa Dahl at Saks Fifth Avenue was not. It felt more like a popular friend was out shopping and decided to sit down and chat for a while. She seems to know everyone in town. Or maybe everyone in town knows her. It's hard to tell. The whole affair was so comfortable, despite a rather unfortunate location beside the UP escalator, that I recorded my first mobile interview. The sound quality is not great, nor is the lighting, but Lisa's insight into what traveler want and should expect of a restaurant is fascinating. Here's a portion of what she had to say:<br />
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More excerpts from the interview can be found on my YouTube channel at: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/ContentMarker">http://www.youtube.com/user/ContentMarker</a> You can also find my professional review of The Elixir of Life on Examiner.com.<br />
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Lisa is by far the most inspirational persona I have met in a long time. She obviously doesn't heed to internal naysayers that dog me (and sound like my mother) or she never could have achieved the success she is now enjoying. Whether you are a writer or a chef, there is so much to learn and admire about this amazing lady. I'm so glad I went to Saks yesterday, even if I didn't get any of the Holiday shopping I was planning to do done.RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-86471570993873654712009-10-06T06:50:00.001-07:002009-10-06T06:50:50.685-07:00Read the fine print!<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p>United Airline's baggage fee subscription option has received a lot of attention but this is one of the few articles that mentions it may not be necessary for some frequent flyers because their option (Red Carpet Club, Economy Plus, etc) already offers to waive or discount baggage fees for members. Before subscribing, be sure to check out the benefits of your United frequent flyer program.</p>in reference to: <a href='http://www.examiner.com/x-1682-Phoenix-Travel-Examiner~y2009m10d5-United-Airlines-adds-premier-baggage-option'>United Airlines adds premier baggage option</a> (<a href='http://www.google.com/sidewiki/entry/104659535739627607165/id/b9KgtMG7HEhNic_VMmzb9w8JChw'>view on Google Sidewiki</a>)</div>RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-66116625288485260302009-04-05T17:11:00.002-07:002009-04-05T17:23:28.712-07:00Writing as TherapyDeath, or so I am told, is an introspective process. Not just for the dying person, but also, for those remaining behind. Since the passing of my mother in February 2009, I have found it very difficult to write about the outside world. On the other hand, I am making great progress on my fiction, and I have begun keeping a journal in the manner of Anne Frank (that is to say, I write letters to my mother).<br /><br />Along the way I am learning more about myself and who I may become as a writer. I am not exactly who I thought I was, then, again, the world isn't the same as it was three short months ago. I admit I am interested to see where this journey takes me but at the same time would willingly give it up to have my mother back. Since that isn't an option, I will just have to continue along this path and see where it takes me....RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-67362613795549352882008-11-25T14:18:00.002-07:002008-11-25T14:22:22.853-07:00Moving on Up...to Examiner.comI recently signed on as the Phoenix Travel Examiner with Examiner.com. Since a girl can only write so much in a day without burning out, please look for new travel articles at: <a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-1682-Phoenix-Travel-Examiner">www.examiner.com/x-1682-Phoenix-Travel-Examiner</a>.RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-20107520230287234202008-06-08T07:24:00.003-07:002008-06-08T08:08:46.895-07:00AIrport NewsSky Harbor Airport is one of the most popular and hated places in the Valley. Residents will tell you that the crowds, endless construction projects and poor signage make trips to the airport are in the same class as trips to the dentist.<br /><br />The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Phoenix Business Journal</span> <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/06/02/daily51.html?ana=from_rss">reported</a> on June 5, 2008 that the crowds at least may be declining. In fact, passenger traffic was off by 1 percent in April compared to 2007 and was expected to continue to decline during the summer months.<br /><br />At the same time, passenger traffic at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport continues to grow. More than 27,800 passengers passed through the Williams terminal in February 2008 representing a load count of 85 percent. Those numbers were expected to increase to a 90 percent load count or almost 40,000 passengers in March, according to the minutes from the April 21, 2008 Williams Gateway Airport Authority meeting, the most recent meeting for which minutes are available.<br /><br />There are always fewer visitors to the Valley during the summer months. After all, who wants to experience temperatures reaching 110 degrees or higher? It doesn't matter that it's a dry heat, it's still HOT. This year, however, it also appears that more residents are staying put. Are you one of them?RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-2725966443371615672008-03-07T15:10:00.003-07:002008-03-07T15:18:47.247-07:00Commemorative Air Force Aircraft Museum Celebrates a Sentimental Journey<p class="MsoNormal">On March 13, 1945, the Army Air Corp accepted Sentimental Journey, a B-17 Flying Fortress, into service, assigning it to the Pacific theater for the duration of World War II. Almost 63 years later to the day, you can dance the night away in the shadow of this vintage aircraft at a glamorous event and fund-raiser for the <a href="http://www.arizonawingcaf.com/index.html">Commemorative Air Force (CAF) <st1:placename st="on">Aircraft</st1:PlaceName> <st1:placetype st="on">Museum</st1:PlaceType></a> at the City of <st1:city st="on">Mesa</st1:City>'s <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Falcon</st1:PlaceName> <st1:placetype st="on">Field</st1:PlaceType> <st1:placetype st="on">Airport</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.bigbanddance.com/">"A Night in the 40's"</a> will feature a WW II-era musical entertainment performed under the direction of Master of Ceremonies Danny Davis from AM 1230 KOY. The pre-show, featuring Forever Dance, begins at 4:45 p.m. The Kathy Donald Jazz Ensemble, including guest vocalists Debra Qualtire and Susan Gerkin, will be "swingin' and singing" between 5:30 and 7:30 when the Sun Lakes Big Band Orchestra takes the stage playing music favored during the war years. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">"This is a great opportunity to recapture one of the most important and nostalgic times in our history," said Rick Senffer, publicity director for the CAF Arizona Wing. "Events like these pay special tribute to all those who fought for freedom during WW II and allow us to look back on that piece of our past."</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Attendees are encouraged to dress in clothing appropriate to the 1940's to help everyone get into the mood. There will also be a costume contest for the best dress 1940's costume and a swing dance contest. Food, including a bar-b-que plate, and refreshments will be sold during the event, as well to help keep everyone charged up and dancing.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">CAF</st1:PlaceName> <st1:placename st="on">Aircraft</st1:PlaceName> <st1:placetype st="on">Museum</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> is an organization dedicated to keeping aviation history alive for current and future generations. The annual fund-raising event regularly sells out, attracting almost 1,500 attendees. Sponsors for this year's<span style=""> </span>"A Night in the 40's" include Comerica Banks and Hensley and Company, Taylor Rays, AM 1230 KOY and Alpha Creation Awards.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Tickets for "A Night in the 40's" can be purchased in advance for $35 per person at the <st1:placename st="on">CAF</st1:PlaceName> <st1:placename st="on">Arizona</st1:PlaceName> <st1:placename st="on">Wing</st1:PlaceName> <st1:placename st="on">Aircraft</st1:PlaceName> <st1:placetype st="on">Museum</st1:PlaceType>, <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">2017 N. Greenfield Rd.</st1:address></st1:Street>, Comerica Bank locations in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Mesa</st1:place></st1:City> at <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">1825 S. Val Vista Dr.</st1:address></st1:Street>, <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">5225 S. Power Rd.</st1:address></st1:Street> and <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">925 N. Dobson Rd.</st1:address></st1:Street> or online at <a href="http://www.bigbanddance.com/">www.bigbanddance.com</a>.</p>RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-8981889834140125862008-02-23T19:19:00.005-07:002008-02-23T19:24:01.173-07:00Exploring the Origins of Flight & the Ancestry of Birds<p>Six years ago a fossil of a 130 million-year-old creature with four wings and superbly preserved feathers was discovered in a stone quarry in China. Paleontologists had never seen anything like it. They aren't even sure how to reconstruct the fossils for an accurate depiction of the creature.</p> <p>On Tuesday, February 26, 2008, NOVA, the highest rated science series on television and Public Broadcasting System's (PBS) most watched documentary series, airs "<a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/microraptor/" title="Nova's Four Winged Dinosaur">The Four-Winged Dinosaur</a>". The hour-long program attempts to resolve the standoff debate among scientists regarding the origin of flight in birds by presenting two distinct reconstructions of the fossils and conducting an unorthodox experiment to determine whether a replica of the creature is capable of flight.</p> <p>Four days later, on March 1, 2008, the exhibit "<a href="http://www.mesasouthwestmuseum.com/exhibits/feathered/default.aspx" title="Feathered Dinosaur Exhibit" target="_blank">Feathered Dinosaurs and the Origins of Flight</a>" opens at the <a href="http://www.mesasouthwestmuseum.com/Home.aspx" title="Arizona Museum of Natural History" target="_blank">Arizona Museum of Natural History</a> in Mesa. The exhibit includes a collection 35 fossils that are national treasures on loan from the People's Republic of China along with life-sized reconstructions of how the animals may have looked.</p> <p>"The NOVA program and our exhibit 'Feathered Dinosaurs' could not complement each other more," Arizona Museum of Natural History Curator of Paleontology Dr. Robert McCord said. "Both examine fossils from Liaoning Province, China and both explore the question: how do all these feathered dinosaurs change our understanding of the origin of flight and birds?"</p> <p>The debate over how flight and birds evolved is not new. In his 1973 study of Archaeopteryx, paleontologist John Ostrom revived the theory, first made a century before, that modern day birds are the descendants of dinosaurs. As one of the earliest proponents of the theory during the twentieth century, one of the "winged dinosaurs", the Rahona ostromi, was named for him in 1998. Fossil remains indicate "Ostrom's menace from the skies" had feathers, a two-foot wingspan and a sickle-clawed second toe, when it roamed or flew the Earth between 65 and 70 million years ago.</p> <p>Ostrem is not the only supporter of the theory. Even among those who believe dinosaurs are the ancient ancestors of birds, however, it is disputed as to how flight actually developed. Some argue that two legged, ground dwelling animals developed feathers and wings which allowed them to become airborne. Others hypothesize that flight developed among tree-dwelling creatures who, after generations of leaping limb-to-limb, developed gliding structures to soften landings and extend the length of the leap. These gliding structures eventually became wings.</p> <p>Whether flight developed from the ground up or from the trees done does not alter the central theory that birds descended from dinosaurs.Not everyone agrees, of course.</p> <p>"My idea," Larry Martin, Curator in Charge of the <a href="http://nhm.ku.edu/" title="KU Natural History Museum" target="_blank">University of Kansas Natural History Museum</a>, said in 1997, "is that birds separated off early from the [evolutionary] stalk that gave rise to crocodiles and dinosaurs --- well before there was anything you could call a dinosaur."He points to Longisquama insignis a small reptile that existed in central Asia some 220 million years ago and some 75 million years before the earliest birds. Martin co-authored a study with several other scientists theorizing Logisquama had feathers and glided among the trees above the earliest dinosaurs.</p> <p><a href="http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/6/6/abstract" title="Modern Avian Lineages in BMC Biology" target="_blank">Research</a> published online on January 28, 2008 in the journal <em>BMC Biology, </em>appears to support a pre-dinosaur ancestor for birds.</p><p>"Scientists typically use two sources of information to date biological events: the fossil record, which contains physical remains of ancient organisms, and molecular genetic data," explains University of Michigan graduate student Joseph Brown, who is first author on a new study suggesting the ancestors of modern birds arose more than 100 million years ago, not the 60 million years ago indicated by the fossil record. Brown and his fellow researchers from the University of Michigan, the University of Chicago, the Centre for Biodiversity Conservation Mexico and Central America and Boston University explain that fossils tend to underestimate the amount of time since lineages diverged and that the molecular clock used to reconstruct evolutionary history isn't quite as precise as was assumed.</p> <p>"What my colleagues and I did was apply all these new methods to the problem of the origin of modern birds, with each method making different assumptions about how mutation rate changes across the tree," Brown explains. He says the researchers hoped to narrow the gap between the fossil and molecular data but the results in fact underscored the finding that the forebears of modern birds emerged more than 100 million years ago.</p> <p>Mark Davis, producer of NOVA's "The Four-Winged Dinosaur" and its predecessor the "Case of the Flying Dinosaur" (NOVA, 1991), has been tracking the debate over the origins of flight and the search for bird ancestors for almost two decades. He doesn't expect to resolve it in a single hour.</p><p> "In 'The Four-Winged Dinosaur', we weren't trying to solve the puzzle but rather provide a glimpse into what makes it such a puzzle in the first place," he explains in the <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/microraptor/producer.html" title="Four Winged Dinosaur Producer Story" target="_blank">Producer's Story</a> on PBS.org.</p> <p>Viewers and visitors to the "Feathered Dinosaurs and the Origin of Flight" which opens March 1, 2008 at the Arizona Museum of Natural History can decide for themselves.</p> <p>The <a href="http://www.mesasouthwestmuseum.com/Home.aspx" title="Arizona Museum of Natural History" target="_blank">Arizona Museum of Natural History</a> is located at 53 N. McDonald St. in Mesa.</p> <p>"<a href="http://www.mesasouthwestmuseum.com/exhibits/feathered/default.aspx" title="Feathered Dinosaur Exhibit">Feathered Dinosaurs and the Origin of Flight</a>" was organized by The Dinosaur Museum of Blanding, Utah in association with the Fossil Administration Office of Liaoning, China and the Liaoning Beipiao China Shihetun Museum of Paleontology. </p>RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-58322668877293712282008-02-04T12:02:00.000-07:002008-02-04T12:09:28.897-07:00A New Hot Spot in MesaMy laptop top isn't my constant companion, but I do like to stay current on where I can find free wireless access around town, just in case. The latest addition to the list is the Main Mesa Public Library.<br /><br />The service is available free of charge and with no time limits to any library patron with a laptop or similar device having wireless networking capabilities. No library card or password is needed, although a working email address is. Also the network is only available during the Library's hours of operation. The Main Mesa Public Library is located at 64 E. 1st. St. in Mesa.RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-64967902530057002922008-01-02T15:10:00.000-07:002008-01-02T22:32:17.167-07:00Growth Defies History for Amtrak's Sunset LimitedThe <span style="font-style: italic;">Sunset Limited</span> has long been the poster child for all that is wrong with passenger rail service in the United States. Yet, somehow, this troubled route has defied history increasing both the number of riders and ticket revenues.<br /><br />For more than 110 years, the <span style="font-style: italic;">Sunset Limited</span> trains have meandered between California new New Orleans. Back then, it was operated by Southern Pacific Railroad (now part of Union Pacific), which still owns the tracks the <span style="font-style: italic;">Sunset Limited</span> travels over from Orange, Texas to Los Angeles, California. Southern Pacific dropped the Limited from the name, along with many of the amenities that make long-distance rail travel enjoyable, in the 1960's. Amtrak took over operation in 1971, restoring the <span style="font-style: italic;">Sunset Limited </span>name along with the sleeper and dining cars and continues offering service 3 times a week to this very day.<br /><br />Amtrak extended service east of New Orleans to Florida in 199o's. A decade later, track damage from Hurricane Katrina disrupted this service which Amtrak has decided to discontinue it indefinitely. This truncated service is just one of the challenges the <span style="font-style: italic;">Sunset Limited </span>faces<span style="font-style: italic;">.<br /><br /></span>In 1993, the <span style="font-style: italic;">Sunset Limited</span> was involved in one of the worst Amtrak accidents on record when the train fell from a damaged bridge into a Alabama bayou killing 47 people. A year later the two locomotives derailed along with 8 other cars in Arizona, killing one persona and injuring 78. The case remains unsolved. Eighteen people were injured in 1999 when two locomotives and two cars derailed after colliding with a truck. Add such incidents to one of the worst on-time records of any Amtrak train and it's hardly surprising that the <span style="font-style: italic;">Sunset Limited</span> has inherited Southern Pacific's reputation as the railroad people love to hate.<br /><br />What may surprise people is that, after years of declining use and revenues, the <span style="font-style: italic;">Sunset Limited</span> appears to be enjoying a renaissance. According to the most recent numbers reported by Amtrak, the <span style="font-style: italic;">Sunset Limited</span>'s ridership increased by more than 22 percent during fiscal year 2007 while ticket revenues grew by nearly 32 percent. Growth in both areas exceeded that of any other long-distance service offered by Amtrak and many of the short-distance routes.<br /><br />Put another way, more than 63,000 people traveled through history last year. The territory between Tucson, Arizona and Del Rio, Texas is much the same as it was when the <span style="font-style: italic;">Sunset Limited</span> first rolled across it in 1894. Travelers can easily imagine themselves in a Western movie or the Old West itself as they rush past mesquite and cactus and play peek-a-boo with the Rio Grande. Crossing the Pecos High Bridge they might forget they aren't flying as the train is invisibly suspended 265 feet above the Pecos River on one of the nation's highest railroad bridges. San Antonio's station is within walking distance of the Alamo.<br /><br />Traveling aboard the <span style="font-style: italic;">Sunset Limited</span> is an adventure. There are no guarantees for on-time arrivals or departures, scheduled stops or even properly working equipment. One thing travelers can count on is making new friends as they experience the southern United States in a way too few do.RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-41397317771178284522007-12-27T08:18:00.000-07:002007-12-27T11:31:38.876-07:00Illiterate ArizonaValley residents are not a literate group, according to a new study measuring the literacy of America's largest cities. Among the 69 cities evaluated, Phoenix ranks 56th and Mesa ranks 61st. Even Tucson, with its artsy reputation barely manages to crack the top half of the standings, coming in at 33rd.<br /><br />As a voracious reader and professional writer living in the Phoenix metropolitan area, I am not sure I agree with this assessment. Then again, I'm not sure I totally disagree with it because, while most of the people I know are quite literate, they are not all widely literate. Some of them are generalists. Others are experts. So I guess it comes down to how you define literate.<br /><br />Dr. Jack Miller, President of Central Connecticut State University, and author of the annual ranking of "America's Most Literate Cities" evaluated 69 cities having populations exceeding 250,000, using 6 six literacy indicators:<br /><ul><li>newspaper circulation</li><li>number of bookstores</li><li>library resources</li><li>periodical publishing resources</li><li>educational attainment and</li><li>Internet resources.</li></ul>On that basis he may have a point. I can only think of a couple of independent bookstores in the Valley: Changing Hands in Tempe and the Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale. There may be others, but if so they keep a very low profile, or specialize in genres I don't follow. I can't even think of a kids-only bookstore in town.<br /><br />As to newspapers, the Arizona Republic, which is owned by media mega-corp Gannett, is the big dog for the entire state. It is also, according to their website, "one of the fastest-growing major metropolitan newspapers in the country, ranking among the top 20 newspapers in daily circulation." I am not a subscriber, although I do occasionally pick up a Sunday paper and regularly surf the azcentral.com web site., but that apparently is part of the Internet resources ranking rather than the newspaper ranking. I did subscribe, a few years ago, to the East Valley Tribune but I have let the subscription lapse. Both seem to get a significant portion of their content from the AP and it seems like a waste of paper to subscribe to either when I can get the content online. I'd say something about the shortcomings of their local coverage, however, being a local journalist but not a subscriber means I have to shoulder some of the responsibility for those myself.<br /><br />I regularly use the Valley's libraries. In fact, the Tempe Public Library on Rural/Scottsdale Rd. and Southern, is among the greatest libraries I have been in. It's no Library of Congress but it beats many others, including those in other college towns. The Southwest Regional Library is also amazing, but more for the environment than the stacks.<br /><br />The Phoenix New Times is the periodical I read most frequently, but again, I don't subscribe. I don't think anyone has actually ever offered me a subscription to the New Times. It's available free at several locations, so I don't even think about subscribing, although I have thought about contributing. I will purchase some of the local magazines if the featured topic is one I am interested in.<br /><br />Phoenix shares the 39th ranking in terms of Internet resources with Detroit. That's a bit of a surprise. I would have thought we would be higher. Still, the study only looked at library internet connections and most everyone I know accesses the Internet from home or work. Not even I surf the 'net at the library although I have been known to access the library's card catalog and electronic resources from home. I've even encouraged others to make use of the resources available online through the library to others.<br /><br />Since I don't have kids and am not a product of the Arizona educational system, I don't have any comment about it. I will say that I am very tired of cashiers who can't make change without a calculator and clerks who can't spell even with the aid of spellcheck.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I, and my friends, appear to be the exception, rather than the rule. The 2007 America's Most Literate Cities survey supports the conclusions of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) that Americans at all levels are reading less and less well. Disturbingly, this downward reading trend is occurring when Americans are spending more time in school and accomplishing higher levels of education. In other words, whatever Americans are learning in school, it is not literate behavior. At least, not literate behavior as measured by America's Most Literate Cities.RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-35455705068223458732007-09-12T17:43:00.000-07:002007-09-12T19:14:45.180-07:00Who Makes These Decisions?People make stupid decisions when they travel. Mostly because they are not familiar with the cultural, social and even criminal details of the places that they only visit for a few days. That excuse doesn't hold up when a city, community, state or nation makes a bad decision when trying to attract visitors.<br /><br />For instance, the Super Bowl is coming to Glendale in February. Hosting a Super Bowl in Glendale is not a stupid decision in itself. The University of Phoenix stadium is relatively new and still state of the art even if it does look like one of the notorious "Phoenix Lights" UFOs landed in the middle of nowhere. The stupidity is that we're trying to pull it off this season. Immediately following a Super Bowl in Miami which <span style="font-style: italic;">everyone</span> - from sportscasters to athletes to fans - <span style="font-style: italic;">LOVES.</span><br /><br />What's wrong with this season? Well...<br /><ul><li>Downtown and significant chunks of Tempe and Mesa are torn up with light rail construction that isn't scheduled to be complete until LATE 2008.</li><li>Hotel construction in Glendale is way below demand and unlikely to meet needs.</li><li>Traffic around the Valley is already bad and becomes horrendous during big events.</li><li>We're in the middle of a drought.</li></ul>To add insult to injury, the teams are staying at Kierland and Wild Horse Pass, meaning they will spend an hour each way in transit, though much of it will be on a freeway. Out-of-town media will be staying downtown which poses another unique set of transportation issues, including the light rail construction and confusing freeway access. At this rate the Phoenix metropolitan area is going to get slammed with negative impressions and press making it very difficult to attract future big events.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the Super Bowl is not the only example of bad decisions. Fortunately, Mesa, which is considering building a water park near a sewage treatment plant, can still back out of the arrangement or relocate the project. Waveyard is a proposed water park including multiple surfing, whitewater and swimming pools, 2 hotels and office/residential space looks great on paper. Claims that it will use only as much water as an 18-hole golf course seem a bit optimistic. Even assuming that is true, a desert is an odd place to put a water park, especially since the Valley is facing an imminent water shortage just from growth. Then there is that sewage plant....<br /><br />Such decisions really make you wonder about how officials make decisions around here. They obviously have the best intentions but that isn't enough. They need to think about what they are doing, not just the good they hope to do, but also the potential problems and risks. Constantly looking at the world through rose colored glasses is going to leave the Valley and those who love it with some massive black eyes.RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-85294344200955324802007-08-31T14:14:00.000-07:002007-08-31T17:48:50.785-07:00Dog RapWith a name like Lunchbox, you just know my dog is big and bad...if by big you mean "well-fed" and by bad you mean "minds when he has to". Obviously, I love my dog. I don't understand how anyone can hurt, or neglect, a dog, so I am glad to see that Sheriff Joe is investigating rapper DMX for suspected animal cruelty over his treatment of 15 dogs (12 living and three deceased) seized during an August 24 police raid.<br /><br />The pictures I have seen in the local media seem to depict very thin dogs. I realize that at healthy weights dogs should have a "waist" and that you should be able to feel their ribs, but the ribs of these dogs visibly stood out in photographs and video. I can see why someone might report DMX to Animal Care & Control, especially if they were aware that, according to the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Arizona Republic,</span> <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0829dmx0830.html">he pled guilty in 1999 to animal neglect charges in New Jersey</a>.<br /><br />In fact, DMX's most recent troubles are almost identical to those he faced in 1999, right down to the number and type of dog (13 pit bulls). Authorities also found weapons and drug paraphernalia in both instances. Back then, the impetus for the search was the shooting (in the foot) of Ray Copeland. I don't know whether a complaint, another investigation or the potential publicity from riding Michal Vick's coattails inspired Sheriff Joe's raid in August 2007, nor do I care. What I do care about is that this guy is not allowed to own any more dogs. Unfortunately, while animal cruelty is a felony in Arizona, conviction or a guilty plea do not preclude the individual from owning dogs in the future. It is an interesting side note that New Jersey's animal cruelty law was strengthened in 2001 and even the 1999 punishment was worse than what DMX currently faces in Arizona.<br /><br />I also care that people visiting or relocating to Arizona don't get the impression that dogs are not valued and cared for here. They are.<br /><br />Of course, dog owners are expected to take care of their animals and obey certain state, county, and municipal laws. In Maricopa County, which includes the Phoenix metropolitan area, that means keeping all dogs on leashes (except in designated off-leash sections of dog parks) or confined to controlled areas (such as backyards, runs or indoors) at all times. One of my pet peeves is that some people in my neighborhood just don't seem to understand that "at all times" means all the time. Lunchbox and I frequently encounter dogs off-leash when on walks, which is a potential problem since Lunchbox doesn't really like other dogs and is big enough that he will end anything another dog starts. I try to keep watch for them so we can turn off or around before they notice us, but the need for constant vigilance is annoying, especially since we go out of our way to walk at odd times when the likelihood of meeting other dogs is slim already.<br /><br />Dogs are allowed to be off leash in designated sections of dog parks throughout the Valley. The bark parks in Phoenix include PETsMart Dog Park at Washington Park, RJ Dog Park at Pecos Park, Echo Mountain Off Leash Arena, Rose Mofford Sports Complex and Steele Indian School Park. Many of the surrounding suburbs also have dog parks such as Fountain Hills Desert Vista Off Leash Dog Park, Chandler's Shawnee Bark Park, Mesa's Quail Run Park, Gilbert's Cosmo Dog Park (currently closed for renovation), Peoria's Sunnyslope Park and Goodyear's Dog Park among others. Rules vary at each park, so please, read and follow all the rules at each bark park you visit. Dogs are also welcome at several restaurants, coffee shops, RV parks, hotels and resorts. Contact individual destinations for more information regarding dog-friendliness.<br /><br />Obviously, the case of DMX is not typical and should not be a primary factor in thinking about dogs in Phoenix. It is unfortunate that this one person, who has no reason or right to own a dog ever again, in my opinion, is now linked with how Phoenix feels about and treats dogs.RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-74777512779544287572007-08-14T21:27:00.000-07:002007-08-14T21:40:50.330-07:00That Horizon's Getting Closer!I'm so excited! Allegiant Air recently announced service to two new destinations from Williams Gateway Airport (WGA). Service between WGA and 11 other destinations will be announced by September 16. I hope Denver, Pittsburgh, Washington and Omaha make the list. Imagine not having to go to Sky Harbor again...dare I dream?<br /><br />The two new destinations are Rockford, Ill. and Rapid City, S.D. Each is served by two flights a week. All the <a href="http://www.hotelsbycity.net/blog/usa_arizona_phoenix/2007/08/14/win-a-free-trip-to-a-new-destination/">details</a> can be found on the <a href="http://www.hotelsbycity.net/blog/usa_arizona_phoenix/">HBC Phoenix Blog</a>. <br /><br />Speaking of new, it looks like HBC has added a blogger for Scottsdale and another for Tempe. Both seem younger, which is great, because I am not into the club scene. On the other hand, I define Phoenix loosely as the whole Phoenix metro, so hopefully overlaps in coverage won't upset them too much. I'm guessing we have very different perspectives on things!<br /><br /><embed src="http://www.creamaid.com/cream.swf?id=10000002021000003884" width="341" height="376" flashvars="aid=10000002021000003884" wmode="window"></embed><img src="http://www.creamaid.com/2165bfa6beac81f2179a2ba233628e2d95236ca1.gif" width="0" height="0"/>RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-10236007241843251312007-08-03T06:40:00.000-07:002007-08-03T07:37:34.626-07:00Under the North PoleI always wanted the top bunk as a kid. Today, it seems the bottom bunk is in much higher demand, especially when the "bunk" is the seabed beneath the North Pole. The U.S. and Canada both have claimed it. Yesterday, a Russian submarine planted a flag on the sea floor marking it's claim to the region.<br /><br />The Russians staked their claim a year and a day before the U.S. celebrates the 50th anniversary of the voyage of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Nautilus.</span> On August 2, 1958, the <span style="font-style: italic;">Nautilus</span>, a nuclear powered submarine, became the first vessel to cross the North Pole underwater. She signaled her arrival beneath the North Pole by broadcasting "<span style="font-style: italic;">Nautilus 90 North." </span>Ninety-six hours later, she surfaced northeast of Greenland. In fact, she made three excursions beneath the polar icecap, covering 1,383 miles over 5.5 days.<br /><br />The <span style="font-style: italic;">Nautilus </span>is often called the first true submarine because it could remain submerged for extended periods of time (weeks, moths). Today, all the combatant submarines in the U.S. Navy are nuclear.<br /><br />To plant their flag, the Russians relied on <span style="font-style: italic;">Mir I </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">Mir II</span>. These mini-submersibles are familiar for their trips to the <span style="font-style: italic;">Titanic</span> and other famous wreck sites as well as the important role they continue to play in deep sea research. Powered by batteries, they carry a crew of only three. They also have manipulator arms and extensive video capabilities, allowing the crew not only to plant the flag but also to bring back video proof that they reached the sea floor beneath the North Pole, something other expeditions in traditional submarines were unable to do.<br /><br />It's unlikely that I, or for that matter, most travelers, will ever visit the Arctic sea floor. Depending upon which nation or nations ultimately are able to access the natural resources, such as oil, gas and mineral deposits, believed to be there, we might use some of the resources in our travels or daily lives. The closest we are likely to get to the sea floor, however, is touring the <span style="font-style: italic;">Nautilus</span> which is part of the U.S. Navy Submarine Force Museum located on the Thames River in Groton, Connecticut.<br /><!-- iCopyright Tag --------------------------------------------------------------> <a onmouseover="javascript:this.style.color='#E8B900'; this.getElementsByTagName('img')[0].src='http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-g.gif';" onmouseout="javascript:this.style.color='#0000FF'; this.getElementsByTagName('img')[0].src='http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif';" onclick="popup=window.open(this.href, 'contentservices', 'width=440,height=550,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes'); popup.focus(); return false;" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 7pt;" href="http://license.icopyright.net/7.7626" target="_blank"> <img alt="[Get Copyright Permissions]" src="http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif" align="left" border="0" height="25" width="27" /><br />Click here for copyright permissions! </a><br />Copyright 2007<br />Informed Ideas<br /><!-- iCopyright Tag -------------------------------------------------------------->RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-41243470089076621232007-08-02T08:45:00.000-07:002007-08-02T10:26:23.414-07:00A [Name] by Any Other [Name] is Not the SameBeing a girl with a boy's name, I can honestly say sticking with a name is worth it. Sure, there were times when I wanted a more ordinary name. That was before I realized having an unusual name increases the likelihood that I will be remembered and recalled, two very important things for a writer. I would think they are important things for an airport. too.<br /><br />Right now there is a debate raging about whether Williams Gateway Airport in Mesa, AZ should be renamed Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. I don't think it should. Here's why:<br /><br />There is nothing memorable about Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. Yes, it clearly identifies where the airport is and two of the markets it serves but that's it. If all airports were named after the markets they serve we wouldn't have JFK/Kennedy or LaGuardia airports in New York, O'Hare airport in Chicago, Logan airport in Boston, Epply airport in Omaha, Love Field in Dallas or even Sky Harbor in Phoenix. Obviously, having a non-locational name has not hurt these airports. In fact, they are among some of the most widely recognized airports in the country if not the world. If the goal of the proposed name change is to make the airport more recognizable and therefore more appealing to travelers, it seems like Williams Gateway Airport is as likely to achieve that as Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is.<br /><br />Phoenix is a popular destination, so there is some logic to including Phoenix in the name of the airport. Travelers, however, choose destinations for what they think they will find there. Unfortunately, there is no romance, emotion or even a strong image associated with Phoenix-Mesa. At best it sounds like some flat , rocky hill rising from a barren landscape the periodically destroys itself with fire only to be rebuilt. Not my idea of a fun place to vacation more than once.<br /><br />The IATA (International Air Transport Association) code, which is the 3 or 4 letter code pilots and savvy travelers use to identify the airport will not change just because the name of the airport does. IATA is a global association and IATA codes are used to identify airports around the world, not just in the U.S. so changing an airport's IATA is far more complex and difficult than changing the airport's name. The code for the airport in Mesa is IWA, easy to remember if the name of the airport is Williams Gateway Airport. Not so easy to remember if the name is Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. The logical codes for Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, such as PMG (Brazil), PGA (Page, AZ), and PMA (Tanzania), are already assigned, making it unlikely the IATA code would change along with the name.<br /><br />Name changes don't always stick. Even if they eventually do stick, it takes a long time for that to happen. For instance, it is not uncommon to hear Florida's Kennedy Space Center referred to as Cape Canaveral, even in the national media. (Cape Canaveral, by the way is still the name of the town located to the south of the Kennedy Space Center, but between 1958 and 1969, it was also the name of the NASA facility.) Closer to home, many people still call Piestewa Peak Squaw Peak and Piestewa Parkway, Squaw Peak Parkway, despite the fact that both were renamed to honor Arizonan Lori Piestewa, the first Native American woman to die in combat on foreign soil after she gave her life in 2003 while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Arguably, this name change was an improvement because it replaced a sexist and denigrating name with one that honors and exalts the contribution of the very groups (women and Native Americans) the original belittled. It will still take a generation to catch on. And what happens when somebody comes along in say 50 or 100 years and says "that name doesn't really tell people where the Peak or Parkway is, we should rename it Slightly East of Center Parkway"?<br /><br />Okay, so Charles Linton Williams is not widely known among today's Arizonans or even today's Phoenicians. The legacy of Williams Air Force Base, which graduated more pilots and instructors than any other Air Force Facility before it closed in 1993, deserves to be remembered and honored and is still widely known. Renaming Williams Gateway Airport Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport accomplishes neither of these things. In fact, all the name honors is the transitory nature and attitudes expressed by so many modern Arizonans who have called the state home for less than a decade. It is a disservice, not just to the long-term residents of the area, but also to the traveling public. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport adds nothing to the airport beyond making the airport easier to locate on a map, and let's face it, with MapQuest and Google maps it is easier to type in Williams Gateway, AZ than Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, AZ and the results are the same. If that is the only reason to change the airport's name, it is a poor one. Arizona is a young state with a young population. Let's treasure and preserve what history we have.<br /><!-- iCopyright Tag --------------------------------------------------------------> <a onmouseover="javascript:this.style.color='#E8B900'; this.getElementsByTagName('img')[0].src='http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-g.gif';" onmouseout="javascript:this.style.color='#0000FF'; this.getElementsByTagName('img')[0].src='http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif';" onclick="popup=window.open(this.href, 'contentservices', 'width=440,height=550,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes'); popup.focus(); return false;" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 7pt;" href="http://license.icopyright.net/7.7626" target="_blank"> <img alt="[Get Copyright Permissions]" src="http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif" align="left" border="0" height="25" width="27" /><br />Click here for copyright permissions! </a><br />Copyright 2007<br /> Informed Ideas<br /><!-- iCopyright Tag -------------------------------------------------------------->RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-39921976436621434232007-07-28T08:44:00.001-07:002007-08-02T10:25:56.598-07:00More About Airport & Airline AttacksIn my last post, I noted that terrorist attacks against airports and airlines were rare in the U.S. Rare is an imprecise term, and on e of the problems I have with modern journalism is the overuse of general and imprecise terms surrounding important issues.<br /><br />To be more precises: of the 554 terrorist incidents occurring in the U.S. since January 1, 1968, only 50 have been against airports and airlines, according to the data in the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism <a href="http://www.tkb.org/Home.jsp">(MIPT) Knowledge Base</a>. The 50 incidents include nine hijacking but not the attacks on 9/11. The events of September 11, 2001, which are listed as three separate attacks, are classified as an unconventional in the Knowledge Base because aircraft were used as weapons and the targets were business and government facilities. There have been eight terrorist incidents, including 9/11, in which unconventional tactics or weapons were used. They include the ricin attacks against news and government personnel in 2003 and 2004, the staking of trees by the Earth Liberation Front in 2001 and the lacing of two seedless grapes with cyanide in 1989.<br /><br />The Knowledge Base does not track whether any of the individuals involved in the 50 actions against airports or airlines were or pretended to be airport or airline employees to gain access to their targets. It does indicate that airline and airport employees have been injured and killed in some of the incidents which resulted in injuries or fatalities. Injuries and/or fatalities were reported in only about 10 percent of the incidents.<br /><br />It should also be noted that the only terrorist incidents recorded in the Phoenix metropolitan area was the arson and firebombing of a luxury home near Scottsdale's McDowell Sonoran Preserve in 2001 by ecoterrorist Mark Warren Sands. Similar arsons occurred in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson that same year.<br /><br />The Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism is a non-profit organization formed after the 1995 bombing of the Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City. It is dedicated to preventing terrorism on U.S. soil or mitigating its effects. The MIPT Knowledge Base is a resource for the research and analysis of terrorist incidents, court cases, groups and leaders around the globe that includes data from the RAND Corporation, the Terrorist Indictment database and Detica's research on terrorist organizations.<br /><!-- iCopyright Tag --------------------------------------------------------------> <a onmouseover="javascript:this.style.color='#E8B900'; this.getElementsByTagName('img')[0].src='http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-g.gif';" onmouseout="javascript:this.style.color='#0000FF'; this.getElementsByTagName('img')[0].src='http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif';" onclick="popup=window.open(this.href, 'contentservices', 'width=440,height=550,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes'); popup.focus(); return false;" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 7pt;" href="http://license.icopyright.net/7.7626" target="_blank"> <img alt="[Get Copyright Permissions]" src="http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif" align="left" border="0" height="25" width="27" /><br />Click here for copyright permissions! </a><br />Copyright 2007<br /> Informed Ideas<br /><!-- iCopyright Tag -------------------------------------------------------------->RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-4897734614116741352007-07-25T16:39:00.000-07:002007-08-02T10:25:14.782-07:00Security Gaps at Sky HarborHaving pointed out the gaps in security at one civil aviation airport in the Valley, I would be remiss if I didn't address the security issues raised recently at Sky Harbor. On Monday, July 23, 2007, Paul Armes, the federal security director at Sky Harbor International Airport was placed on leave after the local ABC affiliate, Channel 15, KNXV, aired a video tape of airport employees carrying bags, backpacks, boxes and other items entering the "sterile" zone or airside part of the terminals without passing through any security check beyond showing their employee badges. The employees were entering the normally secure area between midnight and 4:30 a.m. Because no commercial flights arrive or depart during this 4.5 hour period, no Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel were on duty and no X-ray machines or metal detectors were operating. Security was being handled by contract security guards.<br /><br />The security gap everyone is talking about is rather obvious: unscreened packages were being brought into a secure area, an area with access to not only planes but also the tarmac and airport ground vehicles and facilities including fuel tanks and tankers. Being obvious, the gap is relatively easy to close and, in fact, the TSA has already done so by taking over security and operating screening of all individuals, employees and passengers, entering the airside portion of the airport 24 hours a day, seven days a week.<br /><br />"TSA and our partners at Sky Harbor were rapidly able to close a potential loophole in aviation security," David Beecroft, Western Area Director for the TSA said in a written statement to the media. "Ensuring airport and aviation security at all hours of the day is paramount and we were able to fortify any deviations from that undertaking literally the same day we became aware of the issue."<br /><br />This statement is misleading in implying that providing 24/7 security at all airports is a goal of the TSA. It is not. There is no national requirement that the TSA provide such round the clock services. More subtly, the statement implies that the TSA has policies and procedures in place for the screening of airport employees both during and after hours.<br /><br />In fact, the TSA only announced plans to improve employee screening in April 2007. The first 90 days, which, based on the date the effort was revealed to the media would have ended less than a week before Armes suspension, were to be spent forming a working group with the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), the Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA) and the National Air Transportation Association (NATA). The goal of the working group was to develop the standards for employee screening and a timeline for implementing them. A phased rollout of the plan developed by the working group was to follow.<br /><br />No announcement has been made to indicate that the working group has completed their standards or developed a plan. Even if they have, it is unlikely that a plan that was 90 days in the making could be rolled out in all 452 commercial airports in the country in less than a week.<br /><br />Until the media revealed the gaps in Phoenix, there doesn't seem to have been a great deal of urgency to improve employee screening, although the April announcement indicates it was at least on the radar screen for the TSA and other airport groups. This lack of urgency is apparent in the testimony of Greg Principato, President of ACI - NA, before the U.S. house Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection in which he emphasized that "airports have an effective regime in place to screen individuals with access to secured areas including extensive FBI background checks, checks against the federal terrorist watch lists and security threat assessments; access control systems and initial and recurrent security training for employees." Perhaps this is why TSA executives are so confident that the security gaps discovered in Phoenix had not endangered passengers or the public.<br /><br />It should be noted that while explosives were the weapon most widely used against airports and airlines between 1970 and 2004 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), airport employees were not the ones delivering the explosives to the target. The tragic events of September 11, 2001 serve as reminders that attacks on American aviation can result in significant loss of life. Fortunately, attacks on airports and aviation in the United States have been rare.<br /><br />Also worth noting is the Department of Homeland Security believes Al Qaida continues to have an interest in aviation as a potential target. As a nation, America relies almost exclusively on airlines as a means of commercial passenger traffic, so any possible threat, and any security gaps, must be taken seriously, not just by those like the TSA who are employed to keep aviation safe but also by the flying public. We owe it to ourselves.<br /><!-- iCopyright Tag --------------------------------------------------------------> <a onmouseover="javascript:this.style.color='#E8B900'; this.getElementsByTagName('img')[0].src='http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-g.gif';" onmouseout="javascript:this.style.color='#0000FF'; this.getElementsByTagName('img')[0].src='http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif';" onclick="popup=window.open(this.href, 'contentservices', 'width=440,height=550,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes'); popup.focus(); return false;" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 7pt;" href="http://license.icopyright.net/7.7626" target="_blank"> <img alt="[Get Copyright Permissions]" src="http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif" align="left" border="0" height="25" width="27" /><br />Click here for copyright permissions! </a><br />Copyright 2007<br /> Informed Ideas<br /><!-- iCopyright Tag -------------------------------------------------------------->RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-58517258226700452642007-07-18T09:45:00.000-07:002007-07-18T12:25:00.167-07:00Arizona's Security Issues Go Beyond the Border<!-- iCopyright Tag --------------------------------------------------------------> <a onmouseover="javascript:this.style.color='#E8B900'; this.getElementsByTagName('img')[0].src='http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-g.gif';" onmouseout="javascript:this.style.color='#0000FF'; this.getElementsByTagName('img')[0].src='http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif';" onclick="popup=window.open(this.href, 'contentservices', 'width=440,height=550,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes'); popup.focus(); return false;" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 7pt;" href="http://license.icopyright.net/7.7626" target="_blank"> <img alt="[Get Copyright Permissions]" src="http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif" align="left" border="0" height="25" width="27" /><br /> Click here for copyright permissions! </a><br />Copyright 2007<br /> Informed Ideas<br /><!-- iCopyright Tag --------------------------------------------------------------><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTH8kfr1Fif9tYXhFLWg2nxWE19XbeHE8AtzlQio4l8lnESoUVSqlUw_JPW0W1S6HAzZLN9KVMWKatcpuj4t0wGnjVpU_pQ_am8rLUtCTUrsLJDWnjODJUGJEmCDIChJLvAvKsA4ZjNGJ/s1600-h/Military+Tower.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTH8kfr1Fif9tYXhFLWg2nxWE19XbeHE8AtzlQio4l8lnESoUVSqlUw_JPW0W1S6HAzZLN9KVMWKatcpuj4t0wGnjVpU_pQ_am8rLUtCTUrsLJDWnjODJUGJEmCDIChJLvAvKsA4ZjNGJ/s320/Military+Tower.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088586947083551634" border="0" /></a>On the 4th of July I went out to take some photos of local events. I ended up walking out on the tarmac of the Chandler Regional Airport and taking photos of aircraft, the control tower and surrounding areas. No one said a word or asked me what I was doing. A few people actually waved at me.<br /><br />I accessed the tarmac through an unlocked gate near the terminal building. The terminal building itself was closed and locked in observance of the holiday and no one seemed to be around. There was one other vehicle in the parking lot and the flag had been raised but the newspaper was still sitting on the sidewalk.<br /><br />Once through the gate, I was able to walk right up to the planes. The photos show how close I got. It was a fairly busy morning, with several planes taking off and landing during the short time I was there. Even so, there were plenty of opportunities for mischief.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2TbEWS_5NrdZMak3YasxA-SmtcOoFDUTanwWFm6hMvIjsN_3uNkhqsxiCxopOuXxdvXgUJoolqXQk6X8hYyb6ltpAlsFLXMUiUdh2r8uKkxlqlnpzomqWgg0OBOBHL5-iYRHZDbeA3I7/s1600-h/Wing+FlyBy.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2TbEWS_5NrdZMak3YasxA-SmtcOoFDUTanwWFm6hMvIjsN_3uNkhqsxiCxopOuXxdvXgUJoolqXQk6X8hYyb6ltpAlsFLXMUiUdh2r8uKkxlqlnpzomqWgg0OBOBHL5-iYRHZDbeA3I7/s320/Wing+FlyBy.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088596331587093410" border="0" /></a>Having spent a good portion of my life wandering around civil aviation airports, I can come up with plenty of excuses for why I went unquestioned and seemingly unnoticed:<br /><ul><li> It was a holiday, which always means visitors flying in and locals flying out to visit family or friends.<br /></li><li> People were off work and the weather was good making it a great opportunity to add some more flight time.<br /></li><li> People who visit civil aviation airports are generally private pilots themselves or relatives/friends/passengers of private pilots and so, be extension "belong" there.<br /></li><li> Making it tougher to get to their planes would mean some unhappy pilots.<br /></li><li> No one except pilots, their family or their friends would be taking photos of these smaller airports.<br /></li><li> Few civil aviation airports are located in the center of densely populated areas and therefore are not an attractive target.</li></ul><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cd7rRL6qwvFjnCewjsPVGjJ_2Wi6hFisAkjOyih5bdZRSNY9wJ0E0RjrPF_GwarIeFhiTClHudx5jEAm1h0dAkVc2VZwFgu5TlbTVJ5P3vbUitErQ1hj1Bijt_Qyb5x0pQ9Gic3C95hO/s1600-h/Busy+Fly+Day.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cd7rRL6qwvFjnCewjsPVGjJ_2Wi6hFisAkjOyih5bdZRSNY9wJ0E0RjrPF_GwarIeFhiTClHudx5jEAm1h0dAkVc2VZwFgu5TlbTVJ5P3vbUitErQ1hj1Bijt_Qyb5x0pQ9Gic3C95hO/s320/Busy+Fly+Day.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088602039598629810" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I know better than to think that any pilot close enough to see me didn't notice me, if only because of safety issues. Since I didn't approach any aircraft in operation, however, I wasn't in danger or putting them in danger and thus they could focus their attention elsewhere.<br /><br />That doesn't make me any more comfortable with the fact that I just walked out onto the tarmac and started taking photos. I've never flown into or out of this airport. I was a complete stranger to all of them, even if I did look like I knew what I was doing and had a valid reason for being there.<br /><br />My stroll occurred at a time when the nation's security threat level was elevated to the Yellow level. It was the same week terrorists crashed an SUV into the Glasgow Airport in the Scotland. A month earlier, four men had been charged with conspiring to blow up jet fuel supply tanks and pipelines at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVQ9jlhLHaadMjI1RGVcwsag-lBW-roYNKcXCtZLyWxBActBXqIJXyHxvAb7Ii7OVONGNgeE0xtfPcmt0hMA33bvEJzvnEPiKyc_xmLD14zY4tkuBf9g_3D5PqhVIISH3V83sq7sueTxU/s1600-h/Airport+Security.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVQ9jlhLHaadMjI1RGVcwsag-lBW-roYNKcXCtZLyWxBActBXqIJXyHxvAb7Ii7OVONGNgeE0xtfPcmt0hMA33bvEJzvnEPiKyc_xmLD14zY4tkuBf9g_3D5PqhVIISH3V83sq7sueTxU/s320/Airport+Security.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088612265915761602" border="0" /></a> The airport and tarmac <i>looked</i> secure. The tarmac, hangers, tower and aircraft were surround be fencing topped with barbed wire. I noticed vehicle gates which were closed and appeared to require the use of a security code or card in order to be opened from the street. The terminal building was locked up tight. There were plenty of people around. Obviously, none of this was enough.<br /><br />The <b>Arizona Republic</b> reported today that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0718phxhomeland0718.html">nearly tripling homeland security funding</a> in the Phoenix metropolitan area. This is good news, since the $3,920,000 in Urban Area Security Initiative Allocations (UASI) Phoenix received in fiscal year 2006 was among the lowest amounts provided. In fact, only the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Buffalo, New York and Toledo, Ohio areas received less. The $12 million in funding expected to be announced by the DHS today at least puts Phoenix on the same funding level as Texas' Dallas-Ft. Worth area and California's Anaheim/Santa Barbara area, based on the 2006 funding of those areas. A significant portion of those funds are likely to be used to address illegal immigration and the security gap posed by more than 1,000 people illegally crossing Arizona's border every day. Hopefully, some of the funds will also go to closing other security gaps like those at civil aviation airports. It would be nice to have such gaps closed before the nation's attention is focused on the Valley for Super Bowl XLII in February 2008.<br /><br />I haven't tried walking out on the tarmacs anywhere else in the Valley. I think part of me is afraid, especially after calling attention to this security gap, that I will get stopped. Part of me is afraid I won't. I'll let you know what happens.<br /><!-- iCopyright Tag --------------------------------------------------------------> <a onmouseover="javascript:this.style.color='#E8B900'; this.getElementsByTagName('img')[0].src='http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-g.gif';" onmouseout="javascript:this.style.color='#0000FF'; this.getElementsByTagName('img')[0].src='http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif';" onclick="popup=window.open(this.href, 'contentservices', 'width=440,height=550,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes'); popup.focus(); return false;" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 7pt;" href="http://license.icopyright.net/7.7626" target="_blank"> <img alt="[Get Copyright Permissions]" src="http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif" align="left" border="0" height="25" width="27" /><br /> Click here for copyright permissions! </a><br />Copyright 2007<br /> Informed Ideas<br /><!-- iCopyright Tag -------------------------------------------------------------->RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-3026560811549657962007-07-16T12:15:00.000-07:002007-07-16T13:23:12.506-07:00Friday Night Ruckus<div>The baseball game was over. The concert was in full-swing along the first base line while staff tidied up the rest of the infield. So why did two kids running across the outfeild merit being tackled, punched and apparently arrested? </div><div> </div><div>Yes, it is clearly stated in the Fan Ground Rules in the Chase Field portion of the Diamondbacks' web site that "guests...going on to the field will be ejected and subject to arrest." Of course, those same rules also refer to interfering with balls in play or the game, so their post-game application is debatable. </div><div><br /></div><div>The rules appeared to be selectively applied at the post-game concert. To be fair, Roger did try to keep it clean, but some foul language managed to sneak in. He was also handed at least two drinks, one apparently a shot of tequila, from audience members, so I won't even hazard a guess as to how many people appeared intoxicated but weren't thrown out. More significantly, several rows of VIP seating were actually set up along the first base line between the stadium seating the the stage meaning the management knew there would be fans on the field.</div><div><br /></div><div>Why then did two kids running across the outfield merit such abuse?</div><div><br /></div><div>Sure, the guy might have embarrassed the security guard or cop (I'm not sure which they were) initially chasing them because he easily outdistanced him. There was no way the girl was going to outrun the guy chasing her and she knew it. She kept looking over her shoulder, knowing it was just a matter of time before she was caught. Throwing a tackle that would have brought down a 250-pound professional football player to stop a 110-pound teenager was a bit extreme. After seeing the treatment his girlfriend recieved, it's hardly surprising that the guy tried to elude his chasers even though he clearly had no plans on what to do wen he reached the outfield wall. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBJSciz9k0-nV9redE_zcAfSuJQVjsQR3E7_A-SwCYy-um98G9V2VGPhtt-mrzWB5PZuWG-aiEW68VAh-8kSEY5JcKTZ4IiMbsF5gzc1c9M4RnRwEqAryRGCmayT27efZr4noYvW0BXJo/s1600-h/Concert+Ruckus.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5087890685640229746" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBJSciz9k0-nV9redE_zcAfSuJQVjsQR3E7_A-SwCYy-um98G9V2VGPhtt-mrzWB5PZuWG-aiEW68VAh-8kSEY5JcKTZ4IiMbsF5gzc1c9M4RnRwEqAryRGCmayT27efZr4noYvW0BXJo/s320/Concert+Ruckus.gif" border="0" /></a>His choices are moot since he lost his footing and was pounced on by at least three members of the security force. One, possible the one who had been outrun, could clearly be seen punching the kid. </div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div>I didn't get any photos of the actual punches but here another shot showing the pile-up continued even as the young woman was being led off in handcuffs. </div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Fr2I3QGydaOdpbMLkXHrBOtXqlGLHxETDtMR4Q6v1Yf_JuKZUJYWCiouRFg0-AZUhGRltggD-6P7DFdd4FncKhpdUyqXq4S3jDdUWdZx0GYWUIhIK6MHRi8Ipkk2EDTQs2L4bv7z6uip/s1600-h/Concert+Miscreants.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5087890981992973186" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Fr2I3QGydaOdpbMLkXHrBOtXqlGLHxETDtMR4Q6v1Yf_JuKZUJYWCiouRFg0-AZUhGRltggD-6P7DFdd4FncKhpdUyqXq4S3jDdUWdZx0GYWUIhIK6MHRi8Ipkk2EDTQs2L4bv7z6uip/s320/Concert+Miscreants.gif" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div>It seems a shame to have a great, and free, concert, marred by stupidity. Unfortunately, the Rocer Clyne and the Peacemakers concert after Friday's Diamondbacks-Padres game was. Read more about the positive aspects of the <a href="http://www.hotelsbycity.net/blog/usa_arizona_phoenix/2007/07/15/baseball-and-the-band/"><strong>Baseball and the Band</strong> </a>on HotelsByCit.net's Phoenix Blog.</div>RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7935005115356557129.post-12218246138725533022007-07-15T15:18:00.000-07:002007-07-15T15:23:53.983-07:00Hi! Hello! How Are You?Hello! I'm just getting started on Blogger but if you want to know more about what I've been up to, especially during July 2007, visit HotelsByCity.net's Phoenix Blog at <a href="http://www.hotelsbycity.net/blog/usa_arizona_phoenix/index.php?author=254">www.hotelsbycity.net/blog/usa_arizona_phoenix/index.php?author=254 </a><br /><br />The HBC blog is taking me to many places and events throughout the Valley. My imagination, however, is roaming even farther. Watch this space to find out where my imagination takes me!RoadWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10996586358311940884noreply@blogger.com0