Life as Edward Jensen » Miscellaneous

War is hell.

Edward Jensen — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:00:35 +0000

Or so said William Tecumseh Sherman, a General for the Union Army during the American Civil War in the late 19th century. It’s been an apt quote through the ages, and one that really comes into play at the moment.

Much has been made about the 90+ thousand pages of documents leaked about American involvement in Afghanistan and the geopolitical struggle in the region. Jon Stewart (of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) weighs in on this. Readers and viewers be advised, this contains strong language:

If ever there was a reason to support the troops, it would be to get them out of Afghanistan. We’re fighting alongside an Afghan army that could, quite frankly, care less about their safety and security. We’re fighting against a well-financed insurgency that might even be financed by the Pakistani government, which is in turn financed by us. We’re also fighting history: nobody has ever won a war in the eastern mountains of Afghanistan.

This war will not be won by military prowess alone. It will take a lot of well-choreographed diplomacy. Throwing money at Afghanistan (and Iraq) will not solve the problem.

I am a pacifist but there are times when even I believe that war is necessary. As Scripture says, “There is a time for war and a time for peace.” We’re past the time for war. Now is the time for peace.

Support the troops: End this unsustainable war.

-E

Look Around You!

Edward Jensen — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:30:29 +0000

No, I’m not saying if this is real or if it’s a spoof. But look around you!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=drE5cHe6c3s

-E

Farewell, Tempe Town Lake

Edward Jensen — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:30:59 +0000

Last night, around 9.45pm, one of the rubber retaining dams that contains Tempe Town Lake catastrophically failed emptying the lake into the downstream Salt River. The lake, which opened in 1999, was created by damming up a two-mile stretch of the Salt River and filling it up with water.

Listen to the press conference held this morning:
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Nick Bastian, the owner of the ever-popular RailLife.com, has some interesting pictures from today’s press conference that feature the now-drained Tempe Town Lake.

It’ll be interesting to see how the recovery takes place. We shall see!

-E

Hey…I’m back!

Edward Jensen — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:00:33 +0000

After a six-week hiatus of blogging, I’ve decided to start again. No, that’s not to say that I ever contemplated stopping, but it’s just that I couldn’t find time in which to blog. In the interim, I’m changing the appearance of my blog. That does mean that the maroon and gold colors will probably change to something else. I’ll give you a hint: the bright red is a sign of things to come!

I’m reworking my blog to suit its current readership and purpose. A while back, it was decided that blogging wouldn’t be a key part of the Student Ambassadors for Recruitment initiative at my college, the ASU College of Public Programs. Whilst I’ve had my qualms about this, I’m okay with it. So I have to figure out what I’m going to write about and we’ll go from there.

I’ll tell you that research has taken a lot out of me. I’ll have a post about that when I can sit down and write something eloquently. I’m also writing a post concerning when we might have “the year of the Linux desktop.” Unfortunately, we might never get to have that year…

If you’ve missed me, check out my Facebook page and my Twitter stream. There’s a lot of catching up to find there.

So welcome back! I’ve missed you all.

Cheers!
Edward Jensen

The College of Public Programs is awesome

Edward Jensen — Thu, 06 May 2010 16:00:40 +0000

For a couple of years, I’ve worked alongside Kirsten Martin in the Dean’s Office for our College. She will graduate in a couple days with her Master in Social Work.

To demonstrate the amazing things that College of Public Programs students are doing, here’s a quick note that she sent to her family, friends, and colleagues about a program that she implemented during her internship:

A program my supervisor and I implemented at my internship was featured on the channel 99 for those who have cox cable. This is a great program that teaches kids to be peaceful in their communities as well as in school or their homes. They have given service in the community and donated money to charities. This is a school in which 97% of the students receive free lunches due to socio-economic status and live in inpoverished neighborhoods and crime ridden environments. They are such an inspiration to me as they try to teach others to be more peaceful and see the good in each other. They truly give hope in places where hope is not often found! I’m so proud of them! This is an example of what schools can do and the good they can bring, yet they are in danger right now. This school is slated for closure should proposition 100 not be passed. Please watch this video and think about whether these kids deserve to keep their school and continue the good work they are doing. Vote YES on prop 100, not for you, but for their future!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqugHm0NPSg

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: There is so much amazing stuff that my college does. Most higher-education institutions say that they teach students to change the world. There’s one difference, though: the College of Public Programs actually does change the world.

I’m proud to be a student in my college, the College of Public Programs.

-Edward Jensen

Something to make us feel good

Edward Jensen — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 03:30:35 +0000

I think that, given what’s happened in Arizona, we need a smile on our face.

Yeah, I know it’s a marketing commercial for the Discovery Channel, but it reminds us of all the great things on this planet.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=at_f98qOGY0

www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0jZzBEKIMc

Stay strong.

-Edward Jensen

Housekeeping: New terms of use and commenting policies

Edward Jensen — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 04:00:47 +0000

In the heat of the recent ASASUD elections kerfuffle, students in legitimized positions of authority have posted comments to this blog endorsing one platform over another but have protected their identity and authority by posting under an alias. You’ll note that on the left column of this blog are some rather detailed blog terms of use and commenting policies. If you haven’t checked them out, I’m going to post them here for you to read through.

Terms of Use
Life as Edward Jensen and the News from Downtown Phoenix by Edward Jensen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

The opinions presented on this blog are solely and exclusively those of the author, Edward Jensen, and are well-researched, well-reasoned, and insightful. They are, however, not necessarily the opinions of Arizona State University, any of its affiliated institutions, or other institutions with which the author has been known to associate.

Discussion Policies
As part of the public forum, all comments and their authors to this blog are expected to follow a few basic standards of etiquette.

Comments are welcomed on posts published within the past ninety (90) days. Once a post has been live for 90 days, the comments will close for that post.

First, it is my hope that everyone’s opinions are considered; as a means to that end, please make your comments and submissions using your real names and not aliases. The commenting system provides you with a way to link your comment with your Facebook, Twitter, OpenID, Yahoo!, Disqus, or other web-based profile; if you don’t have any of these, then please leave your comment using your real names. Comments left under an alias will neither be approved nor posted. No exceptions.

Second, comments are posted by readers in the community and are not necessarily my opinions. With this said, you are more than welcome to disagree! As a colleague and friend of mine said once, “Discourse, dissent, and disagreement are the cornerstones of democracy,” so differing viewpoints are welcome and encouraged here.

Third, as I am able to stand by any claims I make, I hope you are able to do the same in your comments. Any arguments and claims you make must be backed up with verifiable evidence (e.g. links or citations). Personal attacks, spam, and arguments made without verifiable evidence will neither be approved nor posted.

Questions?
For questions, email terms-of-use [at] edwardjensen [dot] net.

Guys who Give Bachelor Auction

Edward Jensen — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 23:30:24 +0000

We here in the Dean’s Office are supportive of the endeavours of our colleagues and will shamelessly promote them to our friends, family, and blog readers.

This is one of those shameless promotions, and this is for a good cause. (Double win!) Elizabeth Apodaca, the events coordinator for the College of Public Programs, is organizing an interesting event called Guys who Give. Basically, it’s a bachelor auction whose proceeds benefit the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Society. See the poster:

(In full disclosure: I’m not up for auction. This is definitely a good thing.)

If this is your thing, check out http://guyswhogive.com/ to learn more and buy tickets.

And good work, Elizabeth!

-Edward Jensen

The Phoenix Symphony presents Mozart’s Requiem (18/20 March)

Edward Jensen — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:00:42 +0000

I’m going to this. See you Thursday! (And expect a review afterward.)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnXiBC-qiBQ

-Edward Jensen

Curling, explained

Edward Jensen — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:00:23 +0000

Here’s a video from the National Science Foundation and NBC Sports explaining the science behind my favorite Winter Olympics sport, curling.

if you cannot see the video, click here

Don’t be knocking my sport!

-Edward Jensen

Do you believe in miracles?

Edward Jensen — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:00:37 +0000

30 years on, that answer is still yes.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTev5pSuYLk

-Edward Jensen

Shields and Brooks on Civility in Congress, partisan politics, and everything else

Edward Jensen — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:00:03 +0000

For what it’s worth…this was on the PBS NewsHour’s 19 February 2010 broadcast.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=83R8RHIuR34

-Edward Jensen

Sandra Day O’Connor on Horizon

Edward Jensen — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:00:38 +0000

Last week, retired US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor stopped by KAET’s public affairs program Horizon to talk about what she’s been doing since she retired from the high court, civility in government, and her O’Connor House Project.

Justice O’Connor’s confirmation created the Horizon program back in 1981 and it’s apropos that she was the first guest in Horizon’s new set in the Cronkite School building on the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus.

if you can’t see the video, click here

-Edward Jensen

Our weird county…

Edward Jensen — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 23:00:07 +0000

Reporter JJ Hensley from the Arizona Republic sat down with Ted Simons on a recent edition of KAET’s Horizon to discuss what’s going on in Maricopa County.

With apologies to Stanley Kramer, it’s a mad, mad, mad, mad, county…

-Edward Jensen

Christmastide 2009 greetings: Hodie Christus natus est!

Edward Jensen — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:00:38 +0000

Merry Christmas to all!

“For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” [Isaiah 9:6 NRSV]

O come let us adore him!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhLIdT8DFI0

Today Christ is born: Alleluia.
Today the Savior comes: Alleluia.
Today the angels sing on earth: Alleluia. Glory to God in the highest.

Merry Christmas!

-Edward Jensen

Seven and two

Edward Jensen — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:00:43 +0000

Whew. That semester is finished. In addition to the one requisite in-class final, it also had quite the writing project, too. I took a graduate-level program evaluation class and the personal culmination was a 15-page paper on evaluation methods. Woot.

Seven (semesters) down, two to go. Yay!

Now to celebrate, join me on Facebook: fb.edwardjensen.net.

-Edward Jensen

“An issue of fairness and equality”

Edward Jensen — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:00:38 +0000

Presented without comment.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1criD7cMfs

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCFFxidhcy0

-Edward Jensen

LHCb sees where the anti-matter’s gone…

Edward Jensen — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:00:17 +0000

Last week, physicists working at the CERN in Switzerland and France recorded the first collisions in the Large Hadron Collider, a 17-mile underground circle that accelerates atoms to collide in an effort to recreate the universe mere moments after the Big Bang.

And, strangely, all I can think of is the Large Hadron Rap:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=j50ZssEojtM

-Edward Jensen

Thanksgiving treats: The Muppets in an Epic Win

Edward Jensen — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:00:16 +0000

I should think that no preface is needed. Have a happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgbNymZ7vqY

(if you need a refresher on all the Muppets featured in the video, go here.)

-Edward Jensen

Cameron Carpenter in concert: Horowitz’s Carmen Variations

Edward Jensen — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:00:17 +0000

While exploring through The New York Times website recently, I came across a review of an organ concert by Cameron Carpenter, an up-and-coming American organist known for his showmanship, technique, and his arrangements for organ.

Anyway, the concert review linked to a video of him performing his orchestration of Vladimir Horowitz’s Carmen Variations. This was performed on the Marshall & Ogletree organ at Trinity Wall Street, which readers of this blog will remember was the same organ whereupon Robert Ridgell played his tribute to the King of Pop on the King of Instruments.

Enjoy!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdsY-1QCvTk

-Edward Jensen

This is why one doesn’t leave doors wide open…

Edward Jensen — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:22 +0000

Here’s a quotation from Brian Cashman, the GM of the recently-crowned World Champions, the New York Yankees:

You can call us anything you want, but you also have to call us World Champions. [source]

And this is where the title of this post comes into handiness. On today’s edition of Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! (the NPR news quiz), Carl Kasell came up with this gem to Mr. Cashman’s invitation:

A group of wildly overpaid egotistical mercenaries whose pinstripes are actually artfully lined up steroid needles sewn into their uniforms. [source, scroll to 7:51]

[This in addition to calling them "world champions."]

Again, never leave questions wide open, because Carl Kasell, Peter Sagal, and the Wait Wait! crew will answer them for you.

-Edward Jensen

Requiescat in pace, Paul Manz

Edward Jensen — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:00:41 +0000

Organist and composer Paul Manz died Wednesday. As a musician who’s spent a little time behind the organ, I had the great privilege to play some of Mr. Manz’s works.

From the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

Paul Manz was a church organist who took the liberty of being creative at the keyboard. He liked to introduce hymns that the congregation at Minneapolis’ Mount Olive Lutheran Church would sing with improvisations. Church members loved them, and word about his compositions eventually led to Manz playing at hymn festivals nationwide.

For 37 years, he led music at Mount Olive at 3045 Chicago Av. S., where his music will be played and prayer services will be held from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to mourn and honor him. He died Wednesday in St. Paul following a long illness. He was 90. [source]

Now, he’s with the company of Bach, Handel, Buxtehude, Mozart, and the entire company of saints. He will be missed but his music lives on.

-Edward Jensen

ASU Downtown and Phoenix Partnership

Edward Jensen — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:00:41 +0000

Curious about why the Downtown Phoenix campus exists? Check out this video:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE4YAyf88UQ

-Edward Jensen

Where’s the METRO light rail gift shop?

Edward Jensen — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:00:26 +0000

So every city, it seems, has a place where one can buy trinkets of the usual touristy traps there. New York City’s visitors are inundated with tchotchkes of the Empire State Building or snowglobes with the Manhattan skyline. London’s tourists find models of what most people call Big Ben (but what’s technically called the Clock Tower at the Palace of Westminster) or those fuzzy hats that the Buckingham Palace guards wear. Toronto visitors can buy models of the CN Tower, this hemisphere’s tallest free-standing structure.

Preface given. Back a couple of weeks in the Dean’s Office of the College of Public Programs, friend and colleague Lonni Summers were discussing this same thing. Where’s the METRO light rail gift shop? Where can I buy a bumper sticker that says, “My other car is METRO light rail”? Or what about a keychain with a model of the trains?

The Phoenix METRO’s success isn’t really hinged on how many people ride it during the week. A recent New York Times article posited that it was the weekend users that make our light rail a success. My point here is that Phoenicians do it differently.

Why just limit this to the light rail? Who wouldn’t want a little replica of Her Secret is Patience (the art installation hanging over the Civic Space park) sitting on their desk? (I do!) Yes, the Grand Canyon might be the most clichéd and tourist-exploited place here in Arizona, but what about for urbanistas?

The economy is bad. Cities need to be creative in generating new revenue. So why not start here? And I really want my light rail tchotchkes.

-Edward Jensen

Mountain Bell Building implosion, 27 September 2009

Edward Jensen — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:00:26 +0000

A sad end to one of Phoenix’s architecturally significant buildings happened yesterday when the former Qwest/Mountain Bell Building, at 3rd St and Earll, was demolished. The building had sat as a steel frame for many years as it was supposed to be turned into a new development. But the economy went into the toilet and, well, need I say more?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA4-kuZN26A

So, it’s sad to see this building go, but it had become quickly vandalized and blighted. I guess this was for the best.

-Edward Jensen