Life as Edward Jensen

[Author's note: this post has nothing to do with downtown Phoenix, transportation, or anything of the like. If you're a fan of good Classical music, read on.]

For those who know me in real life, you know that I am a huge fan of Classical music. I listen to KBAQ practically all day (except when I can’t get decent reception on the bus or when my radio fails), I have a large Classical CD collection, and working on a decent music score library.

Anyway, I love the old recordings of music. I have many masterworks on LP because I cannot find a decent reissue on CD. The problem is that many record companies stop printing old recordings for various reasons.

My favorite online record store for Classical music is ArkivMusic. If you’ve received a CD from me, there’s a strong chance that it came from there. A few months ago, they started the ArkivCD project, or recordings that have previously been out-of-print and are otherwise unavailable.

I thought I’d buy one and see how it sounds, and so I bought a CD of Handel’s opera and oratorio overtures. The CD was originally released in 1986 and had gone out of print (obviously). What you get is practically what you would have received if you bought the CD back in 1986. You get full liner notes, any back matter, and a label on the CD that is a duplicate of the original CD. The sound quality is second-to-none, too. And it’s all authorized by the record companies.

Okay, sorry, that’s enough promotion. But I thought that I’d share this!

Cheers-
Edward Jensen

[Author's note: this comes from the latest post to the Downtown Voices Coalition blog. To check out the Downtown Voices Coalition, I invite you to go to http://downtownvoices.org/.]

The Maricopa Association of Governments is sponsoring a series of public meetings to get feedback on whether citizens would like more bus service, more light rail, or some other form of transit in the future. The public meeting in downtown Phoenix is at the ASU Mercado building C, located at 502 E. Monroe Street from 6pm to 8pm tomorrow (Thursday 26 June 2008). For all this information in iCalendar format to import into Outlook or other PIM, download here.

For further information, check out Building a Quality Arizona at http://www.bqaz.org/ or the Maricopa Association of Governments Regional Transportation Plan at http://www.mag.maricopa.gov/project.cms?item=411.

Cheers-
Edward Jensen

PS: I think you know what my opinion on this issue is: check out all entries with the theme “Light Rail and Transportation”…

On 9 June 2008, I wrote a blog entry about how a local computer repair firm retrofitted its automotive fleet to run on used fryer oil. In that post, I called on ASU’s President, Dr. Michael Crow, to retrofit ASU’s gasoline-powered fleet so it runs on used fryer oil.

This afternoon (24 June 2008): I received the following response by e-mail (excerpted):

In response to your blog post of June 9 suggesting that Arizona State University implement the use of biofuels, some years ago the university did this on a trial basis with some of the heavy trucks in its fleet. Some mechanical difficulties resulted which meant that alternative options needed to be considered. Since then, the university has increased its usage of electric vehicles and bicycles and scaled back its fleet program, encouraging members of the university community to take advantage of the Zipcar program and intercampus shuttles.

Exciting, no?

Anyway, I applaud the University for working around the difficulties of retrofitting automobiles to run on used fryer oil. The process is very expensive and sometimes doesn’t always work the way you want to, but it’s a start.

Perhaps ASU will try this in the future when the technology is better.

Cheers-
Edward Jensen

The construction of the new METRO Light Rail is winding down, as now Central Avenue between McDowell Road and Thomas Road is getting the final layer of asphalt. It’s being done in two stages over two nights: the outside lanes first followed by the inside lanes.

But there’s a catch. Between midnight and 4:00am on Thursday 26 June 2008, the outside lanes get their final layer of asphalt. In other words, people living in between Central and the non-existent part of First Avenue will be locked in lest they cut through alleys to the chagrin of Willo.

The sensible thing would be to open the gates that separate the State of Willo from the rest of Phoenix. However, correspondence with the City of Phoenix has indicated that the gates will not be opened and that people needing to enter/exit at that time are urged to park in the UFCW parking lot at the northeast corner of Central and Vernon.

So, this is a plausible concern. Let’s say there’s an emergency. One cannot plan emergencies in advance. What is the plan to allow for the safe egress and evacuation of Central Avenue? It has to involve being through Willo and the gates must have some form of being unlocked without residents closing them.

We shall see.

-Edward Jensen

One issue in all downtown and urban areas is that of dumpster diving. While it is illegal in the city of Phoenix, that does not preclude people from doing it.

Be mindful of what you throw away because it might not go straight to the dump/recycling plant…

Downtown Phoenix dumpster diving from Edward Jensen on Vimeo.
if you cannot see the video, please click here

Cheers-
Edward Jensen

I was listening to KBAQ 89.5 (Phoenix’s Classical music station) and the traffic report just shy of 8:50am was sponsored by the College of Public Programs at Arizona State University (my college)! The DJ, Stirling Beeaff, mentioned the Masters in Nonprofit Leadership, but I think that the College’s other Masters’ programs get their equal billing, too.

Call me crazy, but I was excited!

Cheers-
Edward Jensen

Apparently the United States Conference of Mayors shares my sentiment of America’s infrastructure (or predicted what I would write before I wrote it, but I doubt that). The Associated Press reported on 12 June 2008 that American mayors have urged Congress to help fix American infrastructure.

It is a good article and it only proves that which we know: American infrastructure needs updating.

Cheers-
Edward Jensen

(referencing Phoenix needs an MLS team)

WOW.

After 119 minutes without a goal, Croatia scored. Not more than 90 seconds later (in the 120th minute of the match), Turkey equalized.

The intensity of the game has just showed itself and it’s on to penalty kicks!

Cheers-
Edward Jensen

UPDATE Turkey win 3-1 on penalty kicks! Congratulations!

I’m watching the Croatia/Turkey match of Euro 2008 (where, as I type this, it’s 0-0 at the 119th minute), and I think more and more that the Phoenix metropolitan area needs a Major League Soccer team. Here are a couple of reasons why:

• We have a stadium that can handle the size of the football (soccer) pitch: the University of Phoenix Stadium in west Glendale.
• Football is a big thing in all of Latin America, and people of Latin American descent are a large share of Arizona’s population
• Football seems to be on the rise in America, so Phoenix should get in on the action

Perhaps I’m just being too idealistic but seriously: Phoenix should consider this.

Cheers-
Edward Jensen

Thanks to Sam Richard for helping me word the second bullet point better than it was originally!

I apologize that this is a bit tardy but it still needs to be written.

One week ago today (12 June 2008) was the Willo Neighborhood Association board meeting where the bylaws were discussed and voted upon. As expected, the vote was overwhelmingly in favor of changing the bylaws (on some margin of 13:1 yeas-to-nays) even with Tapestry residents being denied voting papers and also being denied the right to voice our concerns.

Okay, okay, this is nothing new. The real shocker was when the then-president of the board, Robert (let’s hope it’s not a loaded) Cannon said to the Tapestry contingent as we were debating the bylaws, “You can take you and your folks outside to discuss this.” The truth finally came out about how Willo feels about Tapestry. It is no longer speculation; it is now out in the open. We are someone else – infected, if I may – and not good enough to be a part of Willo.

A developer (Reid Butler) who was in charge of Tapestry-Willo relations when Tapestry was under development from 2001-2006 sat in, and apparently at the request of the Willo board. Butler asked the Tapestry contingent, “Why do you want to be a part of the Willo Historic District?” We promptly corrected him saying, “We do not want to be a part of the Historic District – we cannot because our building is too new – but we want to be a part of the Neighborhood Association.” We want to be a part of the Neighborhood Association so that we can voice our concerns and have our opinions counted when it comes to development in the immediate neighborhood. Willo has significant influence in development in and around the boundaries. If Willo wants something, it pretty much gets it. As neighbors, Tapestry should enjoy those same rights – because we were subjected to it when our buildings were under development!

The saga is far from over: the board are now invalid because when the bylaws took effect, the membership rosters of Willo were erased – including the board. Except the board disagrees…

Cheers-
Edward Jensen