"You won't last six months in this town." - Anonymous

If you’re sensible, you take an indirect hint from the broke fuckers who spend half their lives wasting away at the blackjack table, pounding back cigarette after drink after sorrow.

“It’s always like this,” The stranger across the table from me says after yet another losing hand.

I was in the same boat as him, walking away from the cards with 2/3 fewer chips than I started with. Thankfully, the $60 I used to bet with all came from video poker winnings from earlier. No matter what, I told myself, I’m leaving here $20 up.

Greed got the best of me that night. Though ending the night with a profit, it was much less than it could have been. After hitting two four of a kinds on video poker, I had turned my initial $40 into $150 for $110 profit. Half an hour and two more free beers, and that dropped to $60 profit, and I cashed out. It was 4 a.m., and this is when I tried to sleep and couldn’t. So I tried my luck at blackjack at 6 in the morning. On a Sunday. Though I lost winnings, I convinced the pit boss to comp me breakfast.

There are two ways to look at this situation I put myself in. Either I could have won more, got greedy and lost, or I simply won $20, free food and drinks, and a night out. All of this seems to relate back to a concept I recently read about called the anchoring effect.

You’ve undoubtedly experienced the anchoring effect, where your perceived value of something is set by an “anchor” value, then negotiated otherwise. This is why department stores have sales every damn day of the year: All of their “regular” prices are set unrealistically high then put “on sale” to give the appearance that it’s a good deal.

But that’s not the only situation the anchoring effect is found in. From the blog by David McRaney on “You Are Not So Smart:”

Is the population of Venezuela greater or fewer than 65 million?

Go ahead and guess.

Ok, another question, how many people do you think live Venezuela? [...]

In 1974, Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman conducted a study asking a similar question.

They asked people to estimate how many African countries were part of the United Nations, but first they spun a wheel of fortune.

The wheel was painted with numbers from 0 to 100, but rigged to always land on 10 or 65. When the arrow stopped spinning, they asked the person in the experiment to say if they believed the percentage of countries was higher or lower than the number on the wheel.

They then asked people to estimate what they thought the actual percentage of nations was.

They found people who landed on 10 in the first half of the experiment guessed around 25 percent of Africa was part of the U.N. Those who landed on 65 said around 45 percent.

They had been locked in place by the anchoring effect.

The trick here is no one really knew what the answer was. They had to guess, yet it didn’t feel like a guess. As far as they knew, the wheel was a random number generator, but it produced something concrete to work from.

When they adjusted their estimates, they couldn’t avoid the anchor.

The populations of South American countries probably aren’t numbers you have memorized. You need some sort of cue, a point of reference.

You searched your mental assets for something of value concerning Venezuela – the flag, the language, Hugo Chavez – but the population figures aren’t in your head.

What is in your head is the figure I gave you, 65 million, and it’s right there up front influencing how you answer the second question. When you have nothing else to go on, you fixate on the information at hand.

Anchoring happens more often than we realize. So, in the example of my gambling situation, I have to consider what my anchor is, and in some cases like this one, consciously set it myself. Is my anchor, “I have more than I started with,” or “I have less profit than I could have had.”? One makes me slightly happy, the other makes me slightly depressed. Which anchor do you think I chose to stick with?

(Click to enlarge. Image source: Unknown)

I believe the anchoring effect can even reach beyond numbers. Ask yourself these questions: Are you happy with who you are? Why? Is there anything about your life that you want to change?

If you are ever unhappy or doubt your self-worth, consider what you’re basing that opinion on. I believe people should be wary of the social anchors they expose themselves to. Societal “norms” aren’t always normal. Remember that. Identify what you (and only you) want to get out of your life and set those as your anchors.

Besides, an anchor should never be above you. If it is, it’s only going to crush you. (Gravity can be a bitch.)

Consider something motivational and uplifting, like the image on the right.

This is motivating simply because it helps to lower your social anchor, your expectations of life and yourself, if not just for a minute. It’s unrealistic to directly compare yourself to someone living in a completely different reality, but to take a step away from your reality for a change of perspective – that’s worthwhile in helping you feel better about who you are.

So, in brief, try to set your own standards/anchors to be happier with yourself. And don’t get too greedy when gambling; quit while you’re ahead!

For the first time in a long while, I’ve recorded a DJ mixset, and named after turning 21 in 2010. The original concept for this mix was to have 21 tracks to represent my 21st birthday, but that seemed a bit overkill. I was also trying to work some hip-hop into it, but that didn’t work either. In the end, I recorded an improvised, electro house set that’s 10 tracks and 40 minutes long. It’s great to dance to, and it includes some of my favorite electro tracks of the past year. (And only two of them are popular tracks, which is lower than average for my mixes.)
Listen on SoundCloud:

Alternately: Download the Album as Separate Tracks

djSquared, improvised mixing.

“ABS/SIR: How They Work for You” was found in an industrial vehicle, faded and neglected. It was made in 1995, and was meant to serve as an “edutainment” piece on how anti-lock breaks and supplemental inflatable restraints (SIR, or airbags) work. The first part about ABS was average and boring, while the part about SIR was, well… Take a look for yourself:

BT, and his vocal accompaniment JES, performed at Rain Nightclub at the Palms Resort and Casino Saturday night, and it was a hell of a show.

You're gonna have to trust me - this is BT.

Granted, this was my first nightclub experience, so it might as well have been all the same as any other club. But what made this particular venue attractive on this particular night was the man himself, BT.

A crooked hallway plastered in tiny mirrors beings me in to the club. The place is pounding with music. And people.

View from the balcony at RAIN nightclub at the Palms as strobe lights go off.

You have to shove past everyone in a club like this, but they’re all attractive, so I guess it doesn’t matter. Shoving past people for five minutes got me to a relatively uncrowded bar.

“What’s strong and cheap?” I asked the bartender after observing a guy pay $7 for a cheap beer. He gave me a double rum and coke for $13.

Waiting for the first DJ to finish, I stood on the upper balcony next to people I couldn’t hear. I watched as security guards ushered people, cleaned up drinks, etc. The dance floor was packed, and there was no telling where I’d end up if I tried to enter it. Best keep my distance.

Fanboy-ism Takes Hold, Pays Off

That cautionary distance broke when BT took the helm. I wandered toward the stage with my sweating drink. Soon they were passing out CDs, and I grabbed one – a super EP of “Every Other Way” with exclusive remixes. The one song BT played with words (“Break My Fall,” Tiesto/BT) I sang along to, along with many others. For a moment, I felt slightly popular.

A few more songs, and BT was off the stage. It was a relatively short set, and it was even met with over a minute of silence because of a power issue. Embarrassing, but it happens. According to an anonymous (but reliable) source, the cause of the issue was a disconnected then subsequently overloaded circuit. BT stepped off-stage for a while, something this source says they’ve never seen happen in a club before.

JES came out to sing “Every Other Way” after BT was done spinning, and afterward, she sang “The Light in Things,” another of my favorites from BT’s newest album, “These Hopeful Machines.”

At this point, I’d been at the foot of the stage for over an hour. I naturally sang along to “The Light in Things,” and as I did, JES looked my way while singing and seemed surprised that someone in the crowd was singing along. She smiled and sang a verse or two while our eyes were locked.

Overall, an electric night, mostly worth the cost for seeing BT perform live. It was bit more exciting than the rave I went to in Phoenix a couple of weeks ago.

Grab Your Glowsticks

The raver crowd isn’t one to be compared. Most of these teenagers and twenty-somethings aren’t exactly 21 (or don’t have a fake ID) so they dress up in lingerie and glowsticks to go to these pseudo-regulated parties in the middle of industrial Phoenix, a city well-known for its massive rave scene.

Several raves happen in “secret” locations in The Valley virtually every weekend. I happened to choose the most well-attended summer rave in town to go to: “MaryXMas in July.”

To figure out where the party is, you have to sift through comments on Don’tStayIn.com, a website dedicated to electronic-music-based
parties and raves worldwide. In a comment will be a phone number. If you call the phone number a few times, it’ll play a pre-recorded message with directions. That was easy. It makes you wonder how secret the location really is.

Not very, as the first people I saw when arriving were cops.

DJ "Teddy Graham" on the hardcore stage at "MaryXMas in July." (Picture credit: Unknown)

The warehouse looked too small to be holding three stages and oodles of people, but you could tell it was the place – Pounding baselines could be heard blocks away.

I stood in line for about 20 minutes before emptying my pockets and being patted down by security. I was pushed through and paid my $20 admission to a company/organization that was announced to no one. It was a pure mystery who hosted this party. No signs on the front of the warehouse, nothing.

It was definitely a warehouse. A gutted warehouse with lots of ravers and loud music inside. The three stages weren’t well separated, so the beats often mixed terribly with each other. One stage was for commercial hip-hop, house, and comparatively slower-paced dance music. Another was for hardcore techno and fidget house. The smallest stage was for what sounded like dub-step.

Outside of the warehouse was another crowd, half of which was smoking. They smoked all night. I found a pack of cigarettes on the ground and tried to sell them for money. I only made 35 cents.

It seemed many of the people at this party were underage, broke freeloaders who loved to wear next-to-nothing and do drugs while massaging each other.

Oh, drugs. That’s what the cops were for. Occasionally, three cops with bullet-proof vests would meander through the crowd outside and take someone away in handcuffs, presumably for selling pills. The going rate for a pill of ecstasy was $10. Why couldn’t anyone give me a quarter for a smoke?

The rave got boring quickly, but it had its perks. One of the hardcore DJs dressed up in a bear costume and called himself “Teddy Graham” and played some decent tracks. The people who were doing E (or X) were slouched up against any and all walls to receive “light shows” from other ravers who had special gloves with flashing lights on their fingertips. With their dumbfounded faces glowing as the lights flew toward and away from their faces, they was amusing to watch.

What I couldn’t understand is how anyone could enjoy dancing for 6 hours straight, even on drugs. On the hardcore stage, shirtless guys and nearly-topless girls danced on stage the whole night. Especially in an under-cooled Phoenix warehouse, this seemed insane. (It makes sense that the people who go to the ER while on ecstasy do so because they’re dehydrated.)

The Bottom Line

If you’re deciding on experiencing night life, the question is how much you’re willing to spend and what kind of music you enjoy dancing to.

If you enjoy alcohol, house/hip-hop, or class, go to a nightclub. Expect to spend at least $50 and be ID’d if you look under 21.

If you enjoy ecstasy, hardcore/techno/electrohouse, or the geeky anime/gamer crowd, go to a rave. Expect to spend $10-20 on admission and $3-6 on water. Plus extras, if you do that sort of thing. There’s no strict age requirement.

Both kinds of parties are perfectly legal. What happens at one of them is questionable yet managed by the police. Either way, I think I’m done with nightlife for a while, unless someone can merge the affordability of a rave with the quality of a nightclub.

Related Links

BT

JES

Rain Nightclub

Don’t Stay In

Today, driven to the Sea by low prices and a slumping economy, some have built small trailer homes on land that was supposed to be reserved for pristine vacation houses. The poor condition of the sea water has led to an environmental downfall, which makes the desire to live in such an area questionable.

Several times I read about Salton City, Calif. online and wanted to take a visit. Recently, I was able to. The sights and smells were incredible and disgusting: paltry life and a wasted environment. The sand isn’t made of rocks. It’s made of weathered and broken-down fish skeletons. This environmental damage has been reoccurring for decades.

Below are some pictures from the trip. It made me wonder what would happen to our world if corporations defined what life-ventures were profitable or not. It seems that a community founded entirely by a corporation is almost always destined for failure and downfall.

Sources and further reading:

Rudyland Blog – Salton Sea: What Went Wrong?

Salton City – Wikipedia

“Plagues & Pleasures” – Salton Sea Documentary

A rollover accident on the I-15 on the way to California. This was before first responders arrived, and there were people on top of the car trying to get people out of the overturned car.

An art gallery in Newport Beach, an extremely college-style town, at least by the beac. I loved the name of this particular galley.

People seem to act like Pita Pit is a Flagstaff specialty, but there was a Pita Pit in Newport Beach, CA. I've noticed that many of Flagstaff's "local" restaurants also have other locations.

Fresh plums at the Brea, CA downtown farmer's market.

Orange County, CA has a lot of independent burger joints, which is pretty refreshing from the usual fast food. PK's is a favorite of my dad's, and it's operated by an old Asian man who makes a joke out of every sentence you say. Also, to get sodas, he welcomes you behind the serving counter to the fountain. Awesome.

Outside of PK's Burger. There was no phone at this post, but it was fun to see the outdated AT&T sign.

Offered for free inside of PK's, this is a CD with a message from a presumably Viatnamese church. It was one of those cheap CDs that can be seen through when held up to the light. Kind of like sinners, I guess.

The family dog, Rascal, in the car and on the way to a public concert. This dog hates me, so I hate it. Except for its cuteness.

A gold shrine built in the San Juan Capastrano Mission. Quite intricate, and well worth a visit.

Oh, the I-5. One of the staples of California, along with lens flare.

On a sidewalk across the street from the largest bathroom in San Juan Capastrano, CA. Possibly written in blood?

I'd like to see a more pretentious marketing scheme.

Yet another independent burger joint. I didn't have a chance to visit this one, but the sign alone makes me salivate.

(Possibly) more to come after I return from Phoenix. After college, I’m going to miss summer.

I checked the usual: Phone, e-mail, etc. Reports had been coming in since 10:30 of a wildfire very close to the Flagstaff area. “Another one?” I thought. Flagstaff had an extremely close, 350 acre wildfire start the day before, called the Hardy Fire.

A long exposure of the Hardy Fire southeast of Flagstaff the night after it started.

Using preliminary information from APSN, I wrote a blurb and posted it on NAZ Today’s website. Little did I know that this would just be the beginning.

FLAGSTAFF (NAZ Today) – Another fire in the Flagstaff area has sparked up in the Schultz Pass area, approximately six miles north of the Flagstaff downtown area.

Evacuations of the now 50-acre fire are beginning in Timberline, Wupatki Trail, and Fort Timberline neighborhoods with Wupatki Estates and Fernwood on standby. With 15-17 mph winds gusting to 30 mph, this fire is growing rapidly.

According to APSN, the fire is active on both sides of the forest service road 420, and four air tankers, as well as two helicopters have been requested to help extinguish the fire.

The Flagstaff Airport is now redirecting all air traffic so that air tankers can easily come into the area, according to APSN.

The "mushroom cloud" of smoke from the start of the Schultz Fire, early Sunday afternoon as seen from the NAU campus.

I got ready, and drove to the newsroom, where I met co-workers Jon and Angie to begin covering the fire. We gathered a camera kit and a police scanner. This is what we gathered four hours after receiving preliminary reports:

FLAGSTAFF (NAZ Today) – The Schultz Wildfire that started late Sunday morning near Schultz Pass has grown to over 500 acres in size, forcing residents of the Wupatki Trail and Timberline neighborhoods to evacuate their homes.

The fire is currently zero percent contained.

Resources from the Hardy Wildfire have been reallocated to the Schultz Pass Wildfire. U.S. Forest Service representative Joel Luttman said there are now hundreds of firefighters responding to the fire.

The Schultz Pass Wildfire is being driven by high winds gusting up to 30-40 m.p.h.

Other than wind, one main problem for firefighters is clearing travel paths for evacuees blocked by onlookers, and there have been reports of homeowners refusing to evacuate homes in immediate danger of the fire. All areas north of Campbell Ave. and west of Highway 89 have been issued evacuation orders.

Second Chance Center for Animals, located along the 89 near Campbell, was also evacuated this afternoon. Animals from the shelter are being evacuated to Fort Tuthill County Park, according to officials.

Any residents in need of fire information may call 1-888-679-8393. Firefighters remind citizens that the summer months create dry conditions and to always extinguish fires completely.

There is currently a press conference being held regarding the fires in the Flagstaff area.

NAZ Today is there and will bring you more updates as soon as possible.

[See post to watch video]

This was obviously no small deal. The Schultz Fire, named after its origin in Schultz Pass, had already grown larger than the Hardy Fire. All over Flagstaff, people were watching the mushroom cloud of smoke loom over the city. Phoenix TV media had already started staging near the fire along highway 89. My car was the third to pull in.

As the day progressed, we updated with information from a press conference held later that afternoon by city, county, and emergency response officials. We also posted pictures and video with sound bytes from a firefighter spokesperson.

Smoke rises from the Schultz fire, with Doney Park in the foreground. Taken several hours after the fire was first reported.

Other colleagues came in and started helping with the reporting into the night. Monday morning, Flagstaff Mayor Sara Presler announced via Twitter that the Coconino National Forest would hold a public meeting that evening at Coconino High School. Immediately, the idea came to stream it live.

I spent my afternoon working with CHS faculty to test their Internet connectivity and scout the auditorium they were going to host the meeting in.

Faculty adviser Brandon, coworker Jon Cole (helped with first fire shoot), and me headed over to the school to start setting up. But, of course, problems came up that set us back tremendously.

First, the school’s new wireless system wouldn’t let us log in as a guest. That’s fine, because I tried a hardwire connection in a nearby classroom and it worked fine. (Better than fine, with upload and download speeds of 50 Mb/sec.) So I tried the hardwire, and it wouldn’t let us stream to NAZ Today’s video streaming server provided by NAU TV Services, presumably because of a port block.

I received wireless credentials from the IT representative at the meeting, and she said that no ports were blocked on WiFi. Perfect. I successfully start streaming 25 minutes until show, and I test the stream. “Player error?” This is one I couldn’t fix.

Connection issues aside, we had no apparent way to stream. Quick thinking brought up uStream. I registered an account and opened the broadcasting software. It’s now 5 minutes to show.

Unlike our normal streaming application, this Flash-based one didn’t recognize our video capture card as an audio source; the only one listed is the computer’s line input. The RCA cables plugged into it from the camera obviously won’t go into that 1/8″ headphone connector. The capture card has an RCA out, but I had no way to adapt it to the headphone jack. I look around the theater classroom I was set up in. Scattered throughout the room are 5-6 stereos, and connected to one of them was an RCA to headphone cable, probably for an MP3 player.

I plugged in the found cable, and bingo, we had audio and video. I find the object embed code to place on http://naztoday.com/watch, click “Broadcast,” and the show begins.

As the show begins, I create a new article on NAZToday.com for a live blog of the meeting and tweet about the fact that NAZ Today is streaming the meeting live online.

The meeting lasted two hours, and our peak number of viewers was 175. Pretty amazing, considering little PR was given to the fact that we were trying to stream the event.

Here’s the final product of that hectic night:

Watch the recorded Public Meeting:

Live Blog

8:55 – Over for the evening. Thanks to audience. Live-blog coverage and streaming by Kyle Anderson of NAZ Today.

8:54 – Question 29 – Danny Haniff from KOLT-FM – We’ve been clearing our information with the media office.

8:53 – Question 28 – Are there backup flight crews who can relieve the evening crews for the morning?

Answer: Realistically, there are relief pilots for mandatory days off, but there’s a limitation on how many tankers can be used.

8:52 – Question 27 – If it wasn’t for the other fires, the response would not have been quick. “We really dodged a bullet.” Thank you.

8:51 – Question 26 – What’s going on with our mail?

Answer: All of the affected areas are holding mail at the post office. You can go to the main post office on Postal drive. All of the mail for the affected neighborhoods can be collected there. You must provide picture ID to get mail.

8:50 – Question 25 – When the highway opens, can Fernwood residents return?

Answer: Fernwood has not been evacuated, so yes. You can go home.

8:47 – Questions 24 – (Technical Problems – Omitted)

8:46 – Question 23 – Electricity in Wupatki Trails was off. When will it be on?

Answer: APS says it is on, so they can follow up with a phone call.

8:43 – Question 22 – When will there be no wind?

Answer: Last night, air tankers flew until dark. If we fly them late in the day, we can’t use them early in the morning because of a 10-hour rest requirement.

Second Question: Would it be OK if citizens go into burned areas and collect wood cutting?

Answer: Firewood cutting can make a difference in small areas, but not large areas like the one covered by the Schultz Fire.

8:42 – Question 21 – The Hardy Fire is 50% contained. When do you expect full containment?

Answer: Those details aren’t available tonight, but if you call the city offices, they can have that for you.

Possibly 80% contained by Wednesday.

8:41 – Question 20 – If I see 89 open, does it mean I can get back in?

Answer: No.

8:40 – Question 19 – After this is said and done, are they going to replant the trees that were burnt?

Answer: After it has been controlled, there will be an assessment. Called “Burned Area Emergency Response.” It’ll focus on long-term rehabilitation, and trees is one of the focuses.

8:37 – Question 18 – Insurance denying claims because because of a “civilian authority” evacuation. Anything that can be done?

Answer: An emergency has been declared. We’ll provide copies of that declaration for insurance companies. There is a county declaration of emergency. There is also a FEMA declaration of emergency.

8:37 – Question 17 – Mountains are sacred to some, so thank you for saving them.

8:35 – Question 16 – Should employees of nearby non-evacuated businesses go to work?

Answer: Yes, it shouldn’t be a problem.

8:32 – Question 15 – Cars of fire onlookers have been crowding nearby neighborhoods to Silver Saddle and 89. What can be done about it? Cave Hill -There have been lots of people observing and lighting camp fires into the night.

Answer: Regarding fires, it’ll be illegal to have a campfire outside of a designated campground.

Answer to question about Transients: If they’re on forest service land, they’re camping. Within city limits, they’re camping illegally.

There will be an attempted traffic reroute at Silver Saddle and clear things up.

8:27 – Question 14 – What can we expect when we go back in terms of utilities? Travel up and down 89 – What can we expect tomorrow for travel to Fernwood? And is there any way we can keep “bums” from starting fires in the woods?

Answers: Utilites: They’re trying to get you back there. Going to be evaluating it tomorrow. Most of the power is back on according to APS. Gas probably hasn’t been shut off.

Roads: Everyone wants the road open, and the educational guess is that the road will be open tomorrow, but we can’t be sure. Strong probability.

Transients: (not addressed)

8:26 – Question 13 – Crying woman, saying that police blocked her from getting her pets from her house on the east side of 89.

Answer: Meet afterward to talk about getting to them.

8:24 – Question 12 – Any possbilitiy that the fire will cross into Doney Park?

Answer: Can’t say no possibility, the chances are no.

Second question: Basin was hottest part of the fire and it’ll burn for a long time. How long?

Answer: We’re still gathering data and info, but you’re looking at a couple of weeks. People who go back to their homes will have smoke in the evenings. Figure at least a couple of weeks.

8:21 – Question 11 – Dane Kennedy from KOLT-FM – Transmission lines are running from the backside to the broadcast towers on Mt. Elden. Status?

Answer: APS has been able to re-route power when power lines have fallen, so as of this time, they don’t see it as an issue. All comm for the Flagstaff area are based there, so it’s an important place to keep safe.

8:19 – Question 10 – What is the likihood that the fire is coming around the mountain into mountain communities?

Answer: The fire in Sugarloaf is not a controlled burn, it’s part of the fire. They’re trying to get ahead of it. Trying to keep it out of the inner-basin.

Everyone that lives in northern Arizona should have a plan. Know where your valuables are at all times.

8:18 – Question 9 – Alternate travel routes to Cameron, especially for those who are walking?

Answer: Through the Grand Canyon or the 505.

8:15 – Question 8 – Highway 89 – Asker commutes to Tuba City – What’s a good source of info for when 89 is open?

Answer: Ch. 4 could possibly be that source. Continue to call the 1-888 number. We can probably give some other sources after the meeting. Listen to the radio, use the www.coconino.az.gov website, which is updating constantly. Personal updates are being set up via e-mail and Twitter, as of today. Personal calls will also be made if needed.

8:13 – Question 7 – PetAlert.com – Presenting this as a tips website for people who don’t know what to do with pets who are being evacuated because “we’re going to be with this for a while.”

8:11 – Question 6 – Question for Sheriff – Are there patrol units in the communities that have been evacuated?

Answer: There are some units in the area. They’ve pulled officers from the entire county. You’ll see standing roadblocks. Detention officers have been pulled and put in the field because the last thing they want is for your home to be burglarized.

8:10 – Question 5 – Brandis Fire needs firefighters on scene.

Answer: We have been saving homes out there.

8:08 – Question 4 – What do the firefighters need from the community? What can the community do?

Answer: “That is really sweet.” Continued support, patience, a lot of good thoughts. Staying hopeful and remaining positive. If you know someone who needs something and they’ve been evacuated, give them a helping hand. We can live up to our name of being a tight-knit community.

Salvation Army is taking donations.

8:05 – Question 3 – Fox and other news sources have been saying that Timberline houses might burn down. Is that true?

(laughs from audience) Answer: Odds of losing houses is much better than 50/50 chances. They have no control over that report. Thanks to local responders for that.

Reporters are going to speculate, and they said something that could have come true.

8:02 – Question 2 – What are the chances of the fire moving back over Mt. Elden?

Answer: There is a possibility that it will move into that area. It’s not moving fast. The troubles are how “heavy” the fire is. Movement is minimal. Computer prediction is that it will run hard to the north. Once the fire is “tied back” to Schultz Pass, the city will be very safee. Fire will be secure by Wednesday.

8:01 – Question 1 – Why are we now having campfire restrictions?

Answer: Restrictions are placed according to measures, such as moisture (current was 60%, restriction level is 90%, did bump into the 80s%)

QUESTION AND ANSWER

7:59 - Cause of the fire was an abandoned camp fire. If you see anyone being irresponsible with fire, call: 928-527-3600

InciWeb.org – Will be better updated with pictures, maps, and feeds for the public.

7:59 - Sheriff: Contacted NAU to see if they can use Ch. 4 on NPG cable for this and other emergencies.

7:58 – (MC) Toll free number is: 1-888-679-8393

7:54 – Heather Provencio, Coconino National Forest

“It takes a community working together to solve a problem this difficult.”

Provencio sympathizes with those who are evacuated, and gives word to them that they will be protecting their property as best as they can.

Camping and smoking restrictions are beginning Wednesday (cheers and applause.)

Tonto and Coconino forests are going into restrictions.

Normal restrictions happen when highs hit the 90s.

7:48 – Don Howard, Summit Fire Chief

(Lots of cheers and applause)

Thanking citizens for support. “This is an emotional event for all of us.” Had opportunities to go to crowds like this one, stay for 2 weeks, and go home. But this time, it personally affects where he lives.

The mountain will look very different than it does today.

This is a fire that we talked about for literally 30 years. This fire behavior is some of the most extreme that we’ve ever seen. Years of training and commitment is what makes the firefighters as great as they are.

Still no losses of any structures. No significant injuries yesterday either.

Wildfire community is a wonderful one, according to Howard. Sees people of all races, genders, backgrounds, and they all come together to solve the issue. The wildland fire community promotes togetherness at a ” very high level.”

Fire crews are going to be here for a two week period to make sure no one loses their homes and the peaks remain beautiful.

Thanks for support over the years.

7:42 – Flagstaff Mayor Sara Presler

The Hardy Fire continues to put the city in a state of emergency. City has been operating since Saturday – now at about 50% with a “very secure” perimeter with no structure loss.

FUSD “deserves our respect and gratitude” for housing, shelter, and hosting tonight’s meeting.

“We’ve handled more calls about pigs chickens and horses…” “We honor that you have animals that are part of your family.”

Thanking Red Cross, Salvation Army, and N.A. United Way (?)

Asking evacuees to register.

“Life can be pretty tough, and we can’t always control the circumstances that are brought upon us in life. … Here we are in a situation where we’re not necessarily able to control what’s been happening to us, but we can control how we respond. I am undeniably proud to be a part of this community, and I thank you for your bravery and your support.”

“I’m so proud of your community, and I’m so proud of you.”

7:39 – Sheriff Pribil -

Nowhere east of 89 has been evacuated, and they hope that doesn’t have to happen.

The main goal is to get everyone back home as soon as possible.

1,044 was original estimate for home evacs — 756 parcels have been actually evacuated.

Wal-Mart and the Flagstaff Mall are accepting trailers.

3,000 calls in the last 2 days have been received by the Sheriff’s office.

7:37 – Sheriff Bill Pribil

Without everyone’s help, they couldn’t have done what they were sent out to do: “Keep you out of your houses.”

Lots of conflicting information. Example: 89 was opening. It was open for 5 minutes, but then it was closed again.

If you have an issue with getting something from your residence, contact the sheriff’s office and they will help you as best as possible.

Those wondering why you have been evacuated, especially those not seeing smoke, it’s because they’re airing on the side of caution.

7:34 – Mandy Mitzker (sp?), Vice Chairman (?)

“This is always what we talked about would happen. The community’s partnerships are our strength.”

Every entity one could think of in Flagstaff are in the emergency center helping. Clubs, non-profits, volunteers, etc. have been amazing, according to Mitzker.

“There is strength in this community, and boy, is it there.”

7:31 – “Rest assured, you have some good people looking out for you,” said Archuleta.

Emergency operation center is open with people there throughout the day. Archuleta has been personally sending out e-mails to people who want updates.

Mentioning Ready Coconino emergency response center (link here)

Red Cross is asking all evacuees to register so they can know where you are in case someone is looking for you.

Toll free number has been set up: 1-888-679-8393

County’s number one priority is you and getting you back in your homes, Archuleta.

7:27 – Liz Archuleta, Coconino County Supervisor –

“I’m sorry. You deserve the best of the best.” On rumors: Our objective is to get questions answered at this meeting and let you know where you can go for information. “We want you to feel at ease.”

Just returned from looking at the fire – Archuleta thought it was scary that there was a lot of smoke going near houses that she knew and recognized.

Firefighters and law enforcement that are there are working “tirelessly,” according to Archuleta. “They have this conviction beyond belief.”

7:26 – It’s extraordinary to see a fire reach 10,400 ft. where there is still snow.

“This fire’s going to be with us for a long time.” The mountains haven’t seen fire like this in decades or centuries. Estimated time for containing the fire entirely can range from days to weeks.

7:24 - “When you get to you home, it might look like some landscaping work was done.” Fighters removed anything flammable away from houses.

7:22 PM - A dozer line will be made along the base of the mountains south of the fire. Tonight, a fixed wing will fly over the fire with infrared to show the perimiter and how the fire is moving.

Highway 89 is closed again tonight. Fire is moving to the north. 89 will be opened back up. Tomorrow evening, returning to homes will be discussed.

7:18 PM - No homes lost so far. Air tankers had to be shut down because of the wind, also today. Smaller heli’s were also grounded due to wind. Some houses are being lost in CO; some tankers were sent there, but resources here are still plenty. Helicopters are dropping retardant.

7:16 PM – Duggar (sp?) says type 1 took over at 6am this morning. Gives praise for a “fantastic job” by local crews yesterday.

7:12 PM – Schultz fire now number 1 priority nationally, best firefighters in the nation.

After the meeting, I conducted three interviews: One with fire evacuees, one with attendees who weren’t evacuated, and the Coconino County Sheriff. Jon photoged, and Brandon took pictures of us.

After that night, I helped with general updates, but other coworkers took care of most of the work. I stepped in Sunday because the main people for covering news for NAZ Today during the summer, Brandon and Patrick Walker, were out of town. But I’m glad I stepped in – It was extremely exciting, the kind of thing I live for.

That mentality seems to be all but gone now. With a faster and higher-capacity Interstate system in place, highway travel is seen more as an inconvenience than an experience.

Peter Dedeck wrote in his book, Hip To the Trip: A Cultural History of Route 66, “Route 66 fell victim to its own success.” That success is the highway’s efficient planning. 66 followed the contours of the terrain, whereas other US highways such as US 30 and 40 did not.

Such an efficient and speedy way to head west gained popularity, and by the time the Interstate system was being developed in the 1950s, a culture was bred around the highway. Gas stations were established, roadside attractions were built, and popular artists wrote songs and made films about the expressway to the west.

That culture was disbanded when the Interstate was constructed. Many sections of Route 66, the most efficient paths, were paved over by Interstate highways. Dedek writes, “In 1985, Route 66 existed existed only as a series of mostly disused strips of eroding pavement stretching from Chicago to Los Angeles.”

And as many of the sections of Route 66 disappeared, so did the businesses that thrived off of them.

According to Dedek, the “funeral” for Route 66 was held in Williams, Ariz. in 1984. Icons from the highway’s culture gathered on main street to say goodbye to America’s Main Street.

In that same region, two abandoned structures along Route 66 struck a particular interest: Pine Springs and Twin Arrows. One of them is leading the way in a redevelopment of that highway culture that was almost lost.

What led these businesses to fall? What is their future? Will the Route 66 culture be re-fostered and restored in a point-to-point travel society?

Abandoned Arizona – Route 66 from Kyle Anderson on Vimeo.

PINE SPRINGS – ONCE BOOMING, NOW DESERTED

A landscape of the Pine Springs property from the west, through the chain-link fence surrounding the property.

“I’ve kinda grown up along this highway,” said Route 66 veteran, Jim Pritchett, recounting his highway life.

Pritchett spent over half of a million dollars rebuilding and restoring one of Flagstaff’s former trademark Route 66 stopping points: Pine Springs. But, as fate would have it, that investment didn’t quite make it.

“It looks pretty much like it does now [as] when I took it,” Pritchett said.

Pine Springs, located just west of Flagstaff along the historic drive, is a complex of buildings in many shapes, sizes and colors surrounded by a chain-link fence. The rusting sign with painted pine trees still stands as a reminder of what used to be.

“[It] used to be an old truck stop, years ago.” said Pritchett, Pine Spring’s landlord for about 15 years. For a time, Yellow freight used Pine Springs as its Flagstaff base station. Not surprising, considering it was the only truck truck stop in Flagstaff for a while.

Before the complex’s tenure as a fuel and service station, it served as something more commonly tied to Route 66.

“It probably, years ago in the ’40s, was a little restaurant and motel,” said Marjorie Skrobut, co-owner of the neighboring Woody Mountain Campground.

Skrobut has heard mostly rumors about Pine Spring’s history, but claims the site closed due, in part, to a construction accident.

“In the early ’90s, they put in some fiber optic cable up Route 66, and they hit a tank,” Skrobut said. “And they’d been leaking. So all of that ground, now, is contaminated.”

In actuality, Pritchett said that his lease with the Arizona State Land Department, dating back to 1978, wasn’t renewed.

“They thought that I’d just move out and let them have the buildings,” Pritchett said. “I wouldn’t sign it over to [them.]”

Pritchett said he figured it was about time to give up trying to save the property and end the legal battle with the Land Department.

“It was a thriving business. It’s sad to see it happen,” said Pritchett.

TWIN ARROWS – HISTORIC TRADING POST TURNED CANVAS

The larger-than-life markers for the Twin Arrows Trading Post pictured before their reconstruction in 2009.

Covering the cracking white walls of the Twin Arrows Trading Post, 20 miles east of Flagstaff, is a variety of graffiti and spray paint stenciling. This building used to be covered with art of a different form: Native American designs and themes.

“Twin Arrows was built approximately in 1932 to 1933,” said Mary Smeal, financial director for the Hopi Tribe Economic Development Corporation, or HTEDC.

The HTEDC is currently trying to restore the site to a usable state and reopen the business to serve its original purpose.

“[It was] a trading center for, not only the people going down Route 66, but Native Americans in the area,” said Smeal.

Before the death of Route 66, the trading post offered Native American arts and crafts, fuel, and food to travelers and nearby residents alike. The business remained open until the mid-1990s, and reopened for one year as a fuel-only station. Its second closure was blamed on mis-management.

“It was a very big cost to keep it open,” said Smeal.

Possibly the biggest draw for business were the unique products and giant landmark arrows, the first portion of the property to be restored as of last year.

“You have to find a unique way to get people off the highway,” said Smeal. “If you look at some of the old pictures, it was incredible what they had in their store that nowadays you only really find in a gallery.”

Smeal said that when Twin Arrows was reopened, the owners focused only on serving travelers and paid little attention to the cultural aspects of doing business from the historic trading post.

Plans for the renovation do, however, take culture into consideration.

“We’re going to put in an Indian marketplace,” said Smeal. “We’re hoping to have native American dances there, so I think that’ll make it very unique.”

Restoration of the site is slow but ongoing, with the Hopi Tribe’s primary source of funding being grants and private donations for the project.

“The Hopi Tribe is not a gambling tribe,” said Smeal. “So we’re looking for grants.”

Smeal remains convinced that the restoration project will be a success, but not without its fair share of issues.

“One of the obstacles that we’re running into is the deterioration of the buildings,” Smeal said, adding that the land the buildings are on is owned by the state. “The Hopi are in negotiations for that land, and it does not stop us from fixing up the building. It won’t stop us.”

ROUTE 66 CULTURE SEES NEW LIGHT

A sign in Kingman, Ariz. marking the beginning of the "Historic Route 66 Shopping District."

Those making efforts to restore remnants of Route 66′s roadside attractions seem to believe in rekindling the mentality of making the trip, and not the destination, the purpose in cruising the highway.

That mentality is evident in Elaine Ferraro, a Chicago native who traveled on Route 66 in the early 1970s.

On each page of a small, spiral-bound notebook, Ferraro logged every stop made with friends along the way to Las Vegas. She also noted the cost of gas, mileage, if and what they had to eat, as well as some tips for the next time she traveled.

The culture Route 66 created is still alive in some today. Some towns and cities that played key roles in the highway’s development have homages to the road in the form of museums, historic preservations, and other events.

“The old-timers in Williams and Seligman and Ash Fork – They know everything. They even have a Route 66 festival, and it brings people from all over,” said Skrobut.

But others found the construction of the Interstate to be necessary, regardless of the cultural implications it had.

“That Interstate highway was definitely needed along there,” said Pritchett. “Kingman to Seligman – They called it ‘Bloody 66.’ It used to have, I’d say, a head-on collision at least once a week.”

Though, Pritchett enjoys the Route 66 culture and would like to see it make a comeback.

“The culture of Route 66 is really something that needs to be addressed,” said Pritchett. “They are destroying it. Tear down the old; got to have all the new.”

If not found in Americans, a rekindled highway culture can be found in European travelers, according to Skrobut.

“The Europeans that camp here know more about Route 66 than any American,” said Skrobut. “They are fascinated by it and the old west.”

Skrobut said the European travelers she meets travel Route 66 completely for just that experience. And its an experience that has a clear definition.

“Where to stop, what to play, all the teepee motels and the dinosaurs – Those were the fun things, the landmarks that everybody remembered,” said Skrobut.

Flip through Elaine Ferraro’s Route 66 Trip Log from the early 1970s.

THE FUTURE OF THE HISTORIC ROUTE

Despite the fact that a culture has diminished with the construction of a new road system, passion for Route 66 still remains in some. The many businesses that were affected by the death of 66 seem to be making a comeback if they can. But a Route 66 comeback is likely to mean a slightly different nostalgia trip.

“Everybody that I met since I came here has pretty well moved somewhere else,” said Skrobut, meaning the people who take over Route 66 businesses are of a newer generation, slightly disconnected from the Route’s history.

Twin Arrows will be opening its Native American marketplace either this summer or next, though there is no set time line for the project.

Pine Springs won’t reopen at any point in the near future. According to Pritchett, the Land Department is no longer interested in commercial leasing. As long as they own the land, it will continue to decompose.

It’s decidedly unclear how Route 66 will be in the coming years as icons are reconstructed and re-marketed. But for Pine Springs and Twin Arrows, the glory days seem to remain in the past.

Cindy McBride dances with pom-poms during the 3rd inning of the Diamondbacks v. Phillies game on April 23, 2010.

Baseball fans inundated by the half play, half advertisement that is a Diamondbacks game seem to lack the resonating fanaticism that used to define our national past time. But one D-Backs fan remains loyal, consistently showing her support for Arizona’s major league team, usually from the upper level seats.

“Some of them take 20, 30, 40 hours,” says Diamondbacks fan Cindy McBride. “Or some take 80 or 90.”

She’s talking about her Diamondback flags. There are stacks of them, each on a wooden pole and about as big as McBride herself.

“It’s a visual support of the players,” McBride says as she waves gold and maroon pom-poms to the beat of the music during the 3rd inning.

Each player has a personalized flag, made of red, black, and gold sheen.

Most of the flags are signed by the players themselves.

“I make flags for the players when they come on to the team and that becomes their flag for the entire time they’re with the Diamondbacks,” McBride says, switching to a streamer.

Many fans refer to her as “the flag lady.” It’s hard to tell quite how much she’s appreciated by both the players and fellow fans, but inevitably, several people throughout each game ask her if they can wave one of her flags.

Her dedication is also evident through the fabric McBride uses to make each flag.

McBride's flags rest on the upper-level seats at Chase Stadium in Phoenix.

“I get my fabrics mostly from indiana because I can’t find them here,” McBride says.

And it’s obvious that she loves what she does.

McBride has been weaving and waving her flags diligently since 2002, and doesn’t plan on quitting any time soon.

“It’s just a lot of fun,” McBride says.

But that’s OK, because I take pride and joy in all of the work I do. Sometimes, I feel like I’m not doing enough work, to which my close friends call me insane for thinking. Here’s what I’ve been doing with my time aside from blogging here.

(Note: I normally don’t do this whole ”Sorry for all the lack of updating omglol” because I know no one cares about how infrequently I update or every little thing I’m doing with my life, but I felt compelled.)

Low clouds and remnant snow define this winter landscape of NAU's central campus.

University

I’m currently in my 6th semester. After this, I’ll be in my last year of college. I have a tendency to work ahead a bit, and next year I’ll only have to take 21 credit hours to graduate. What prevents me from graduating in the winter is the fact that my last senior capstone class in only offered in the spring. So I’ll be taking the minimum number of credit hours required to continue full-time: 12. This is a significant change from my typical 16-18 credit-hour semesters I’ve been doing since I started my college career.

This is an especially significant change considering I’m taking five upper-division courses including one other capstone this semester. Needless to say, that entails a lot of work, and it’s just the start of everything I’m doing right now.

Student Media

For a while, I had tricked myself into thinking that the I.T. background I left in my high school years for a more creative endeavor: video production, wouldn’t come back to haunt me. But now that I’ve moved up the ranks in NAU student media, doing everything I can for NAZ Today and the other media outlets, I somehow naturally fell into the position of Web Director for the Student Media Center. As such, I sit in on management meetings with several other peers and talk a lot about things we want to change about everything and the problems we’ve been having.

From left to right: Myself, Darryl, and Patrick pose on the set of the first 2010 mayoral debate, a production of the Student Media Center.

Oh, the problems we’re having. From my perspective, it all boils down to a lack of driven incoming students. To put it visually: When I first started as a freshman, the hour or two before each of our newscasts had the video editing bays packed and buzzing with activity. That has been reduced to one or two people – if any – cutting together archive footage and graphics. Some of that can be chalked up to a reduced number of staff and difficult transportation situations. But the fact remains: many of our people aren’t enterprising the stories they could be. What used to be “go find some stories” turned into “rewrite this press release and make a phone call.” Next semester, when I do have that free time, I’ll strive to be the antitheses of complacent news rewriting; See: the tag line for this website.

One great accomplishment of the SMC, though, is the production of Flagstaff’s first (within recent history) televised mayoral debate. The debate hosted the then three mayoral candidates about one week before the primary election and was co-produced by The Lumberjack and NAZ Today staff. I was one of three executive producers for the program, and the hour-long show really proved that when we put our minds to something, the SMC can put together an outstanding product. We catch lots of flack for having sub-standard media, which I don’t agree with. But I heard nothing but praise for the Mayoral Debate. Program developer and associate editor of The Lumberjack, Joey Chenoweth, said he’d like to see another debate before the general election. I’m so game for that.

Another role I somehow took on is graphics designer for NAZ Today. I’m currently working on a design concept for all of NAZ’s graphics, from lower thirds to full page motion graphics and over-the-shoulders.

Personal Projects

This is an attempt at being clever.

In the middle of January, I purchased a Zoom H2 audio recorder for about $130. After listening to a few episodes of This American Life, I knew I wanted to do something similar: recording everyday stories and sometimes sound effects. Now that recorder has come in handy for capturing the strangest of moments, from a 5 minute debate between two guys over a Cheesy Gordita Crunch to a one-minute interview with a man wearing a coyote pelt for a hat. The more practical purpose of it is becoming more apparent with the progression of my senior capstone project in journalism which is interview-heavy. I’m also anticipating creating short audio documentaries with the recorder.

One additional project that I’ll be using that cheap but handy device is called Things We’re Writing. It’s a start-up podcast and community publishing site that allows peers to read their written works on tape that would have otherwise gone unpublished and unseen, such as school essays, screenplays, poetry, you name it. Each reading is followed by a brief interview with the author about why they wrote the work and what their background is. So far, we’re still gathering content. My co-producer Angie is helping with editorial and I’m recording and hosting the show. Keep a lookout or send us a submission for episode one at http://thingswerewriting.com/.

I have that affinity for film photography still. But with all of the work I’ve had this semester, I’ve only gotten around to shooting a couple of color rolls, and they weren’t too exciting. I have plenty of black and white left over from last semester, and even though developing them is easy, printing them has become more difficult as I don’t have any light-isolated counter space to do enlargements on. I do have the option of scanning the film, but with the flatbed scanner I have, dust and lack of speed become big issues that I can rarely address well. Over the summer, I plan on purchasing a new DSLR that, although it might not have the same feel as film, it’ll be easier to use.

The Future

That DSLR is mostly a required purchase for the photography minor I tacked on to my double-major. The minor only required me to take four classes in addition to what I had already taken. As mentioned before, my class schedule for my senior year will be relatively light because I had taken slightly heavier semesters up until this point. With only three required classes remaining, I figured that, since I had to stay full time, I could afford to take four more classes and get some more photography experience while I was at it.

Cliche, but still nice. Flagstaff, Ariz.

The camera I’m considering purchasing is the Canon T2i, an 18 megapixel DSLR that has ISO sensitivity up to 6400 and can shoot full 1080p video. Though this camera is several hundred dollars more than a comparable camera that doesn’t shoot video, I figure I can use it in tandem with the Zoom recorder to get back into reporting news, doing freelance projects for money, and doing more personal video projects with a decent camera.

My family is slowly moving out of Las Vegas after over 20 years of living in Sin City. This is a direct effect of the economy’s downturn as the company my dad worked for started downsizing its project management department. My dad now lives in Brea, CA (in the greater Los Angeles area), and as my mom finishes her teaching career and I finish college in Flagstaff, my family will make the complete move west in mid-2011.

More close to the present, I’ll be working the NHTV workshops for the third summer in a row. The only difference this time around is that I’ll be of drinking age, and boy do the Dutch love to drink. Now I can join them for any recreational activity, not just movies and the mall. For the second half of this summer, I hope to get an internship at a TV station or newspaper doing multimedia work. We’ll see what happens.

Overall, it’s an exciting time for myself. Pretty much everything is going well, and though I have a lot going on, I feel like I have a lot going for me. A special thanks to everyone who has provided the opportunities that have allowed my growth so far in college.