MyLIFE Magazine

NOV-DEC 2012

Holiday Happenings Malala’s Hope CEO SERIES

Dr. Edgar D. Staren Cancer Treatment Centers of America

What’s in a Brand Name?

COMPOSER GEOFF ZANELLI

mylifemagazine.com

nov dec 2012 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5

table of contents

main features

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Backing Up Those Who Have Our Backs

An organization that helps active duty service members with a rank of staff sergeant or below.

18

USS Arizona Memorial

After 63 years at a Virginia Naval Base, the mammoth USS Arizona gun barrel will be on permanent display at a new World War II memorial exhibit.

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Can Humans Really Go to Mars?

So, now that robots can reach Mars, if we eventually discover that humans can survive on the Red Planet, we then have to ask, how can humans reach it?

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Malala’s Hope

Heroes and heroines come in all shapes and sizes, but this Pakistani schoolgirl is a giant among the world.

42

From Garbage to Energy

Bioenergy Frontiers is developing a Phoenix-based organics recycling facility that will convert your garbage into clean energy and high-quality composts.

44

Composer Geoff Zanelli

Emmy award-winning composer Geoff Zanelli shares with us his experiences working on some of the biggest blockbuster movies and discusses his new projects.

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opinions

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Letter from the Editor Paging Books with J.J. LaBarber - Moby-Dick

Moby-Dick is considered to be one of the Great American Novels and a treasure of world literature.

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CEO Series: An Interview with Dr. Edgar D. Staren

Dr. Staren is the president and CEO of Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

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What’s in a Brand Name? Everything!

38

A Geek’s Confession

Speaking Out! We Owe a Huge Debt to Our Returning Veterans.

Walmart’s New Service for Converting Discs to Digital Format.

vignettes

12 14 17 22 25 33 40 45 57 58

Turning 50 Spotlight: Holiday Happenings International Spotlight: For the First Time, Canadians Are Now Richer Than Americans

Transitions Crossword Puzzle: Thanksgiving in Our Culture.

Local Charity Spotlight: Shoebox Ministry.

Tekknowvations Political Cartoon One life is too high a price to pay. Let Us Never Foget.

Spotlight: Sports Broadcast Duo ASU’s Coach Todd Graham

events calendar

48 54 56

44 40

Around Town – What’s Hot Concerts – Premier Destinations Sporting Events – Arizona Teams

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from the editor

We as Americans have a great deal to be thankful for. As a nation and as individuals, we continue to face many challenges. However, as we approach the holiday season that encompasses Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s a great time to ref lect on how fortunate most of us truly are. The holidays are the perfect time in every year to slow down, sit back and share special moments with family, as we count our blessings and give thanks for what has been bestowed upon us.

Not everyone is presented with the same opportunities in life. Even though our nation has been at war for more than a decade, most of us have not had to leave family behind to serve on the front lines of two wars halfway around the world. Putting themselves in harm’s way and protecting all Americans, thousands of young men and women have done just that in Iraq and Afghanistan. Tens of thousands have been wounded and almost 6,500 brave Americans made the “ultimate sacrifice” so that we as Americans can continue to live in peace. We must remember these courageous individuals and thank them for their service, however we can.

As our publisher’s father would often say: “Son, if we sit back and ref lect, one thing seldom changes— things can always be worse, and they are for many others.” There are countries fighting for their independence—something we as Americans seldom think about. Populations are dying from thirst and lack of food, as we eat at McDonald’s and water our lawns. There’s also the 15-year-old Pakistani girl who was targeted for assassination by the Taliban, whose only dream was for an education so she could become a doctor. And then there is our right to free speech, which many Americans simply take for granted.

So, as we say goodbye to 2012 and prepare to enter the new year, let’s do so with fresh ideas and positive energies. Regardless of who wins the election, we need to come together as a unified nation—one that understands the needs of all Americans.

Therefore, when we ref lect, let’s also understand and appreciate that we, as a country, are so much better off than many others we share this planet with.

To our brave military forces and our veterans, to you and your family, we extend our warmest wishes for a happy Thanksgiving and joy throughout the holiday season.

mylife

MAGAZINE

THE HOLIDAYS ARE A TIME TO GIVE THANKS

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 CEO & PUBLISHER

James L. Copland FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ed Martinez ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Mary L. Holden PHOTOGRAPHERs

Chad Koerber John McMurray Michael Merone ARTISTS/ILLUSTRATORS

Zack Jones Edgar Martinez CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Leslie James Warren Jones J.J. LaBarber Warren Mason Craig Taylor Lisa Wilhelm MARKETING & SALES

Shannon Copland

(A division of Sentry Enterprises, Inc.)

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]

PAGING BOOKS WITH J.J. LaBARBER

Moby-Dick: One WHALE of a Read!

D

uring one recent rainy fall evening, I sat in the quietude of my den/ study glancing at the wall bookcase, with its contents of the many narratives that have given me extreme literary pleasure over the years: Gone With the Wind; The Old Man and the Sea; Moby-Dick; From Here to Eternity; The Godfather; and “products” of Edward Stratemeyer’s (through his Stratemeyer Syndicate): The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew.

Moby-Dick. Have you ever wondered why (as have I) the title is hyphenated? I’ve searched and searched for the reason and can only find that the title on the original cover of the book is hyphenated, but not within manuscript. So be it.

Moby-Dick, or The Whale, is the singularly great novel by Herman Melville, first published in 1851. It is considered to be one of the Great American Novels and a treasure of world literature. The story tells the adventures of wandering sailor Ishmael and his voyage on the whaling ship named the Pequod, commanded by Captain Ahab. Ishmael soon learns that Ahab has one purpose for this voyage: to seek out Moby Dick, a ferocious, enigmatic white sperm whale. In a previous encounter, the whale destroyed Ahab’s boat and bit off his leg, driving Ahab to take revenge.

Moby-Dick was published during a productive time in American literature, which also saw the appearance of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter and Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Two actual events served as the genesis for Melville’s tale. One was the mylife

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sinking of a Nantucket whaleship called the Essex in 1820, after it was rammed by a large sperm whale 2,000 miles from the western coast of South America. First Mate Owen Chase, one of eight survivors, recorded the events in his Narrative of the Most Extraordinary and Distressing Shipwreck of the Whale-ship Essex, written in 1821.

The other event was the alleged killing in the late 1830s of the albino sperm whale Mocha Dick, in the waters off the Chilean island Mocha. Mocha Dick was rumored to have 20 or so harpoons in its back from other whalers, and appeared to attack ships with premeditated ferocity. One of his battles with a whaler served as the subject for an article by explorer Jeremiah N. Reynolds in the May 1839 issue of New York Monthly Magazine. Melville was familiar with the article, which described the renowned monster.

Moby-Dick contains large sections— most of them narrated by Ishmael—that seemingly have nothing to do with the plot but describe aspects of the whaling business. In fact, the work begins with Ishmael declaring: “Call me Ishmael. Some years ago—never mind how long precisely— having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.” According

to the American Book Review’s rating in 2011, this is one of the most recognizable opening lines in Western literature.

The narrator, an observant young man from Manhattan, has experience as a merchant marine but has recently decided his next voyage will be on a whaling ship.

So, on a cold, gloomy night in December, he arrives at the Spouter-Inn in New Bedford and agrees to share a bed with a thenstranger. When his bunkmate, a heavily tattooed, Polynesian harpooner named Queequeg, returns very late and discovers Ishmael beneath his covers, both men are alarmed. But, the two quickly become close friends, and they decide to sail together from Nantucket on a whaling voyage.

In Nantucket, the pair joins the crew of the Pequod, which is soon to leave port. The captain, Ahab, is nowhere to be seen; nevertheless, they are told of him—“a grand, ungodly, godlike man” who has been in colleges as well as “among the cannibals,” according to the owners. The two friends encounter a mysterious man named Elijah

Herman Melville In the 1840s, Melville’s first three books gained a lot of attention— especially Typee, which became a bestseller. MobyDick was his biggest success; however, it did not receive major recognition until the “Melville Revival,” a period in the 1920s in which Americans at last recognized his genius. The book was hailed as a literary masterpiece, and Melville became one of America’s most highly esteemed authors, having his writings published by the Library of America.

on the dock after they sign their papers, and he hints at trouble to come with Ahab. The mystery grows on Christmas morning, when Ishmael spots dark figures in the mist, apparently boarding the Pequod shortly before it sets sail that day.

The crew members of the Pequod are carefully drawn stylizations of human types and habits—critics have often described the crew as a “self-enclosed universe.” There are 30 crew members, and as there were only 30 states in The Union at the time, it has been suggested that, in its diversity, Melville meant the Pequod to be a metaphor for America.

Yes … Moby-Dick is a HUGE work, requiring exclusive concentration while being read.

OTHER BOOKS YOU MIGHT ENJOY

10

The Great Gatsby

The Scarlet Letter

The Things They Carried

The Grapes of Wrath

the old man and the sea

By F. Scott Fitzgerald

By Nathaniel Hawthorne

By Tim O’Brien

By John Steinbeck

By Ernest Hemingway

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nov-dec 2012

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turning 50

BY CRAIG TAYLOR

film

JAMES BOND, 007

Who could forget one of the most memorable quotes in movie history: “My name is Bond, James Bond,” followed by the iconic music soundtrack, we’ve all learned to recognize in the last 50 years.

Ian Fleming’s Bond character, code name 007, has been played by some of Hollywood’s greatest actors: Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.

Craig will be returning to the big screen as 007 in Skyfall on November 9, marking the film franchise’s 50th anniversary.

Craig said he has no intention of departing from the role anytime soon.

british invasion

THE BEATLES

When The Beatles was formed in Liverpool in 1960, little did the band suspect that it would become the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed act in music history.

The band’s first single, “Love Me Do,” debuted in 1962 and instantly became a hit, not only the U.K, but all over the world.

The Beatles are credited for bringing the British Invasion to the United States. Americans could not get enough of The Beatles, and “Beatlemania” was born.

The British band has had more No. 1 albums on the British charts and has sold more singles in the U.K. than any other band. In the U.S., the band received seven Grammy Awards and has sold more than 177 million units.

In 2008, the band also topped Billboard magazine’s list of all-time most successful “Hot 100” artists. And, as of 2012, The Beatles also hold the record for having the most No. 1 hits on the “Hot 100” chart, with 20 songs.

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cold war

CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS

At one of the tensest times in American history, at the height of the Cold War, the United States and the former Soviet Union came close to engaging in nuclear war 50 years ago.

The idea of arming Cuba with nuclear weapons came from Nikita Krushchev, who made an agreement with Fidel Castro to install missile sites to deter future American invasions—after the United States failed to overthrow the Cuban regime during the Bay of Pigs invasion.

The Soviets stealthily moved nuclear weapons just 90 miles off U.S. shores, which were photographed by American reconnaissance aircraft. The confrontation between the two adversaries lasted 13 days.

music legends

the rolling stones

What can you say about one of the longest-playing bands in the world?

50 Years & Counting is the name of the band’s current worldwide tour. The Rolling Stones will be playing in London’s O2 Arena on November 25 and 29, and then in the United States in Newark, N.J., at the Prudential Center on December 13 and 15.

Five shows are planned, and audiences will have the first opportunity to see the Rolling Stones live in more than five years. Mick Jagger commented, “Everybody loves a celebration, and London and New York are two good places to do it in!”

The band will be performing tracks such as “Gimme Shelter,” “Paint It Black,” “Jumping Jack Flash,” “Tumbling Dice,” and “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll,” plus a few surprises and countless other classics. A new multi-format compilation RS50 album is also coming out in November to mark the Stones’ astonishing five decades at the top.

OTHER LANDMARK ANNIVERSARIES The Beach Boys

Death of Marilyn Monroe

Ford Thunderbird

OPEC

Houston Astros

The Corvette

Peace Corps

Vietnam War

Shelby Mustang

Walmart

NASA

The Osmonds

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SPOTLIGHT: HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

5 1 2

Las Noches de las Luminarias Wander the garden’s pathways, which are lit by the glow of 8,000 candles. Event opens to the public on Dec. 8. Desert Botanical Garden.—dbg.org

A Winnie the Pooh Christmas Tail Now, in its 16th year, Valley Youth Theatre presents this holiday tradition of friendship and loyalty. Christopher Robin and Piglet enlist the help of Pooh, Rabbit, Tigger, Owl, Kanga and Roo as they search for Eeyore’s lost tail.

—yvt.com

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Rides for Toys The annual Rides for Toys will take place from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Dec. 11 at Target, 2727 W. Agua Fria Freeway, in Phoenix. The Phoenix Department trades one ride in a fire truck or police car for a new, unwrapped toy or clothing item in sizes from newborn to 8.

Donations go to Valley charities help at-risk children. Donations are always accepted at Phoenix fire stations. —phoenix.gov/fire

Phoestivus Market Loosely inspired by a 1997 episode of Seinfeld, this open-air holiday market features approximately 70 vendors, seven food trucks and entertainment and activities for attendees of all ages. The first 100 attendees each evening receive a Phoestivus Goodie Bag. Phoenix Public Market. —phoestivus.com

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Holiday Story Time with PBS Children can listen as a PBS character reads a holiday classic on the District Stage.Hot chocolate and cookies are served. Clifford the Big Red Dog, Maya & Miguel and Curious George are scheduled to appear. Desert Ridge Marketplace.

—shopdesertridge.com

Stroll in the Glow Every year, the town of Fountain Hills spends weeks putting thousands of lights up on the Avenue of the Fountains for the holiday season. On the first Saturday of December, all of this preparatory effort culminates in a much-loved event called “Stroll in The Glow.” Shops stay open late and serve holiday treats and beverages, musicians play holiday music on the sidewalks, Santa arrives by fire truck to take requests from hopeful children, and tons of artificial snow make this event treasured by those of all ages! —fh.az.gov

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Moet Wine Dinner Enjoy an unforgettable holiday celebration in Lon’s wine cellar featuring Moet & Chandon Champagne and the finest caviar. Reservations required.

Hermosa Inn. —hermosainn.com/az/events

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Enjoy the beauty of the holiday season amid the glittering lights of the Mill Avenue District. The Tempe Fantasy of Lights kicks off with the Opening Night Parade, when Santa Claus arrives as the parade’s finale to take his seat and listen to children’s special gift requests. —millavenue.com

“Christmas at the Princess” Holiday Tree Lighting The evening includes musical performances, Santa Claus, carolers and complimentary sugar cookies and spiced cider on the Plaza. The Desert Ice Holiday Rink is christened with demonstrations by national ice skating champions. The Holiday Shoppe at Princess Plaza at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess will have a “Sparkle” event, where kids can dip and paint their own sparkle ornament. The event also kicks off the resort’s annual Toy for Tots Drive. —fairmont.com/scottsdale

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Fantasy of Lights

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Glitter and Glow Block Party Glendale Glitters’ holiday light display ends with a free block party, featuring 1.5 million lights, 20 hot air balloons and 16 bands playing rock, blues, reggae, country and jazz. Downtown Glendale, corner of 58th Ave. and Glendale. —glendaleaz.com/events

Tempe’s Mill Avenue From Rio Salado Parkway to Seventh Street is a light with holiday decorations of snowmen, reindeer and snowflakes from Thanksgiving through the New Year. The Christmas tree at Centerpoint Plaza is a main focus, while the highlight of your trip through downtown culminates in the spectacular lights lining the Mill Avenue Bridge. Admission is free.

—millavenue.com

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Holiday Lights See festive lights as you ride through the railroad park, which is transformed into a winter wonderland. Special tree-lighting ceremony, entertainment, carousel rides and a visit from Santa, who can be seen nightly at the park through Dec. 23. McCormick Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale.

—therailroadpark.com

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MILITARY ASSISTANCE MISSION

Backing Up Those Who Have Our Backs

BY E.J. MONTINI - THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC

I

could have written this column days ago but something Margy Bons said caused me to wait until after the anniversary of 9/11.

“It is really important to remember important dates like Sept. 11,” she told me earlier this week. “And to honor those who died and those who joined the service afterwards. Just like it’s important to remember Memorial Day and Veterans Day and the others. But the question I ask is, ‘What happens on Sept.

12 or Sept. 13?”

It’s Sept. 13. And for Margy, founder and CEO of the Military Assistance Mission, it’s an easy question to answer.

Since May of 2005 she has spent just about every day backing up the men and women who must back up our country’s tough talk, the folks in uniform who do the dirty work after politicians promise “justice” for an attack like the one this week in Lybia.

“It’s wonderful that we honor those who were lost,” Margy said, “but sometimes we forget what a burden it can be on families trying to survive while a loved one is deployed, and how difficult it can be for some of those who return. That’s my mission.”

It has been that way for her since Mother’s Day seven years ago, when a pair of Marines in full dress uniform knocked on her front door.

The oldest of her four children, Michael Marzano, a Marine sergeant, was killed on May 7, 2005, when a vehicle filled with explosives detonated near Michael’s unit in Hadithah, Iraq.

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“Time does not heal that,” Margy said.

“It just distances you from your plan.

When I say ‘plan’ people sometimes think that I mean ‘pain.’ I don’t. I mean plan. My plan was for Michael to come back. He and I were going to finish college classes together. My plan was for him to get married and make grand babies. My plan was changed. Time has distanced me from that plan. But I don’t miss him any less. This Mother’s Day was the seventh anniversary. Seven years, and it feels like seven seconds.”

After she lost her son Margy decided that the best way to honor the dead is to serve the living.

She worked for a long time with Operation Homefront, another organization that helps military families.

Then she started the Military Assistance Mission.

It surprises people to hear about what some of our military families need: Diapers for babies. Food. Help with rent or mortgages, utility bills, vehicle payments and insurance.

The organization helps active duty service members with a rank of staff sergeant or below, as well as National Guard members and those reservists who have been activated to deploy within 90 days of receiving orders.

They assist those who return with wounds that are visible and those with wounds that are not.

“We raise our kids by telling them don’t hit, don’t fight, be nice, then we put them in a uniform, give them a weapon and send them out to do

horrendous things,” she said. “After that we bring them back, take the weapon away and expect them to walk right back into their old lives. It doesn’t always work, and some of those families find themselves dealing with unemployment, anger issues and worse. There are way too many young homeless vets on our streets.”

The website for the Military Assistance Mission is azmam.org. The address and phone number are 20819 N. 25th Place, Suite B-103, Phoenix, AZ, 85050, and 602-246-6429.

It’s no coincidence that the initials for the organization are MAM. “Those are Michael’s initials,” Margy said. “This is the work I know that he wants me to be doing.”

She tells him about it sometimes.

Margy has kept Michael’s telephone account active the past seven years. She calls his phone periodically and leaves messages.

“I’ll tell him about a family we helped or a conversation I had or a donation we received, all kinds of things,” she said.

“What keeps me going is the greeting. I call the number and the greeting comes on and I hear him.”

INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT

For the First Time, Canadians Are Now Richer Than Americans

most Americans … and yet, even after these higher living costs, most Canadians have accrued greater savings. Another example of their savings discipline rests in the fact that most Canadians also have four times as much equity in their real estate holdings in comparison with Americans.

The Canadian economy is also stronger and is growing at a faster rate than is the United States’ economy. More people are working (and are therefore paying more taxes), as Canadian unemployment continues to drop and is likely to fall below 7 percent before yearend. Meanwhile, in the United States, the economic recovery continues to progress more slowly than desired. Of note, Canada’s population is currently about 35 million, compared with the U.S. population of roughly 315 million.

not based on the more typical $0.65 Canadian dollar (versus the U.S. dollar), which has been the case for decades. The parity between the two currencies certainly factors in the North American and global economies.

As reported in 2011, the average Canadian household now enjoys a net worth of $363,000, as compared with approximately $320,000 for most Americans. The difference is a significant $40,000 per Canadian household. Another serious consideration rests in Canada’s higher income tax rate for individuals (even though corporate tax is about 15 percent), which also offers all Canadians far fewer tax breaks/ deductions (e.g., no mortgage interest deduction) as compared with

voted

best breakfast in the valley!

Breakfast. Brunch. Lunch.

BY LESLIE JAMES

T

he average Canadian household is worth about $40,000 more than its American counterpart.

We know them as our Canadian neighbors to the north—and they are frequently on the receiving end of politically charged jokes. However, over the past few years, across the greater Phoenix market, those pesky Canucks have also been the primary buyers of both residential and commercial real estate.

Also, as reported in Toronto’s Globe and Mail, the average Canadian is richer than the average American. This statistic is important for many reasons, as the Canadian dollar has been at par with the U.S. dollar for almost two straight years. So, these comparison rates are

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USS

Arizona Memorial After 63 years at a Virginia Naval Base, the mammoth USS Arizona gun barrel will be on permanent display at a new World War II memorial exhibit.

BY ED MARTINEZ

T

he attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor and the sinking of the USS Arizona on December 7, 1941, became a symbol of horrific devastation, making it the worst single disaster in U.S. naval history. In all, 1,177 crew members lost their lives on that date. The attack also came as a profound shock to the American people, and the sinking of the Battleship Arizona signified the beginning of World War II for the United States.

Now, after 63 years in Dahlgren, Virginia, the last gun from the USS Arizona will be on permanent display at a new World War II memorial exhibit on December 7 at the Arizona Capitol Museum.

“This gun from the USS Arizona is a significant World War II Navy artifact,” said Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division Commander Capt. Michael Smith.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to help the state of Arizona preserve and display it at the Arizona Capitol Museum, where visitors can see rare artifacts from the USS Arizona and

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its crew.”

The 14-inch gun barrel will join a 16-inch gun from the Battleship Missouri at the exhibit. The USS Missouri became an instrument of surrender when the Japanese signed a formal surrender agreement on its deck on September 2, 1945.

“In addition to mounting the two gun barrels—one representing the beginning of the war and one representing the end—we’re going to have a monument dedicated to the Arizonans who died in World War II,” said Arizona Secretary of State Bennett. The names of crew members who made the ultimate sacrifice will be inscribed on a plate. “It’s a big part of saying thank you to the veterans who protected our country and preserved our freedoms, as well as the freedoms of tens of millions of people around the globe.”

The gun barrel was originally removed from the USS Arizona to be relined before the Second World War—at the Naval Proving Ground in Dahlgren, where it was undergoing proof testing when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred.

The 147,000-pound gun was part of the USS Arizona from 1925 to 1938 and was used in support of multiple World War II operations, including the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944.

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SPOTLIGHT: MARS

Can Humans Really Go to Mars?

BY ED MARTINEZ For millennia, humans have gazed

at the stars and wondered what’s out there.

We’re explorers! We want to go to new places, see new things and experience new worlds for ourselves. And that’s exactly what we are doing on Mars.

Even as we’ve shared the recent excitement of the Mars Curiosity landing, scientists have been looking to move from robots to humans for exploration of the Red Planet. The idea is far from new—NASA has been researching ways to accomplish a manned mission to Mars for the last 50 years. Yet, in half a century, no plans have materialized.

Could this ambitious goal now be closer to reality, given the success of the Curiosity landing? Yes, it could. NASA would not have spent nearly $2.5 billion on the Curiosity mission if it did not have a strong case for believing that Mars’ surface is capable of sustaining life in the future.

So, now that robots can reach Mars, if we eventually discover that humans can survive on the Red Planet, we then have to ask, how can humans reach it? And even more 20

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important, of course, can humans survive the trek?

“It’s a question of radiation,” said Frank Cucinotta of NASA’s Space Radiation Health Project at the Johnson Space Center. “We know how much radiation is out there, waiting for us between Earth and Mars, but we’re not sure how the human body is going to react to it.”

We’ve been to the moon and back, but humans have never really spent a lot of time in deep space, which is full of protons from solar f lares, gamma rays and cosmic rays from exploding stars. An aluminum-based ship like the Apollo command module could be built that would absorb about half of the radiation hitting it, but the trip to Mars takes a year.

Cucinotta noted that the risk could be too high for humans. He said the chances of humans developing cancer after returning to Earth could be great—and “that’s not acceptable.”

The answer, believe it or not, might be to build a spaceship made of plastic.

Seriously. “Plastics are rich in hydrogen

—an element that does a good job of absorbing cosmic rays,” Cucinotta explained. Polyethylene, the same material garbage bags are made of, absorbs 20 percent more cosmic rays than aluminum does. A form of reinforced polyethylene was developed at the Marshall Space Flight Center that is 10 times stronger than aluminum, and lighter, too. Cucinotta believes that this could become the material of choice for space building—as long as it’s costeffective.

If plastic won’t do the job, then pure hydrogen might be required. Liquid hydrogen blocks cosmic rays 2.5 times better than aluminum does.

So, can humans really go to Mars?

Cucinotta thinks so. However, he also realizes there’s still a long way to go before we make that attempt. “We’ve got to figure out how much radiation our bodies can handle and what kind of spaceship we need to build,” he added.

In labs around the country, the work is already under way.

mylife

nov-dec 2012

21

transitions

BY LESLIE JAMES

ICONS

FILM

MUSIC

MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN (December 10, 1957 – September 3, 2012) In recent times, he was best known for his roles in the blockbuster films The Green Mile and Armageddon. However, Michael Clarke Duncan performed as an actor in more than 90 films.

He had roles in films where you might least expect him—oftentimes in costume or doing a voiceover—but he was still easy to recognize by his unique, deep, commanding voice. Remember the lead gorilla warrior in the 2001 film Planet of the Apes? That was Duncan. His towering height and muscular frame enabled him to perform so many roles during his career. Some of his voice-over work was featured in Green Lantern, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore and Kung Fu Panda.

As a child, Duncan begged his mother to let him play football, but his mother, who raised him as a single parent, would not allow it. He grew up in the ’60s, resisting drugs and alcohol, and focused on academics instead. He attended a community college after high school and held a blue-collar job, digging ditches for a gas company in Chicago. He dreamed of becoming a famous actor and moved to Hollywood shortly after, where he worked as a bodyguard as he landed small roles. Duncan suffered a myocardial infarction in July.

LEVON HELM (May 26, 1940 – April 19, 2012) Levon Helm was inspired by legendary music icons such as Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis and Conway Twitty.

It’s no surprise that his father bought him his first guitar when Levon was 9 years old. He soon wanted to learn the drums as well, and he kept going from there. It would not be long before Helm himself would reach legendary status throughout the global music industry. In 1957, Ronnie Hawkins was recruiting musicians to tour Canada. He called on Helm and formed their own group: Levon and the Hawks. In 1965, the group began touring with Bob Dylan.

They ultimately took up residence in “Big Pink” (a large pink house) in Woodstock, New York, and soon became known as The Band—and the rest is pretty much history. The Band cut seven albums, including the most well-known classic track: “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.”

In 1976, in San Francisco, The Band held their final concert.

Band members went in different directions, with Helm returning to Woodstock at the barn and studio he had built. He was also an accomplished actor, playing many roles over a span of 30 years next to the likes of Mark Wahlberg and Tommy Lee Jones. In 1988, Helm was diagnosed with throat cancer. He stopped singing but continued to play. In 2004, as his voice returned, he started a series of of jam sessions from his Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, where famous musicians—old and new—would come to jam on a monthly basis. Accomplished actor, Artist of the Year, a recipient of multiple Grammys—sadly in February 2012, Helm’s cancer returned. He passed away a few months later. The world has already come to miss his energy, charm and musical talent.

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sept-oct 2012 nov-dec

TELEVISION

EDUCATORS

AUTHORS

FALLEN

AMERICAN HEROES

ALEXANDER GEORGE “ALEX” KARRAS (July 15, 1935 – October 10, 2012) Accomplished wrestler, NFL All-Pro lineman and actor—in October, Alex Karras passed away at his Los Angeles home.

He was 77. Suffering from numerous medical conditions, including kidney disease, stomach cancer and heart disease, Karras also had dementia, which was attributed to the many concussions and hits to the head he experienced while playing 13 seasons with the Detroit Lions. He was ferocious and a highly versatile pass-rusher, earning himself the name The Mad Duck. Born to Greek immigrants, Karras attended the University of Iowa, where, in 1957, he was awarded the Outland Trophy for being an outstanding interior lineman in college football. In 1958, during the first round of drafts, he was acquired by the Detroit Lions.

After football, Karras had an illustrious career both in television and on the big screen. He had many cameo appearances on shows such as M.A.S.H., Love, American Style and McMillan & Wife before starring in the highly successful sitcom Webster with his real-life wife, Susan Clark. The show ran from 1983 to 1989.

Karras also starred in many movies, including Blazing Saddles—a true classic, The Odd Couple, Against All Odds, Porky’s and Victor, Victoria. He was also part of ABC’s Monday Night Football team, alongside Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford. Karras was a smart and highly talented individual, a big man with an even bigger heart. He was a class act, and he will be missed.

NICHOLAS JAMES IVIE (October 13, 1981 – October 2, 2012) Some things are simply better left unsaid, especially for those who are willing to turn a tragedy into political theater.

Shame on those people for their lack of character and compassion. However, for the rest of us, what should be said is this: Loving husband, beloved father, faithful believer, horse lover, courageous agent and, most certainly ... American hero.

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23

FASHION

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mylife

nov-dec 2012

thanksgiving

CROSSWORD

in our culture

DOWN 1 3 4

5

7 8

11 12 14 15 16 17

18 20 22 28 31 33 34 35 36

Turkeys are related to this other type of bird Type of tree where turkeys sleep The Mayflower was headed for this place, but instead landed in Plymouth (postal code) Network that broadcast the first national Thanksgiving Day game in 1934 Third most popular turkey-eating holiday Former president who wanted turkey to be America’s national bird Baby turkey name The only state where wild turkeys are not found Wild turkeys are native to the United States and First to celebrate Thanksgiving harvest celebration A short turkey dance with jerky steps Country that was inspired by Thanksgiving holiday and established their own holiday in 1879 Turkey’s head changes color when Used in balloons at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade A one-year-old turkey Type of turkey that makes a clunking noise Country that eats the most turkeys In 2007, two turkeys earned a trip to World A large group of turkeys Commercially raised turkeys cannot Is the top-turkey producing state in the United States (postal code)

26 ACROSS

ACROSS 1 2 6 9 10 13 17 19 20 21

Turkeys have more of it than chicken or beef Turkeys in England wore them to protect their feet 200 years ago The only type of turkey that gobbles A Friday that marks Christmas shopping season Native Americans used turkey feathers as Male turkey name President Obama pardoned this turkey in 2009 Turkeys see poorly at Female turkey name Is the leading turkey-consumer state

in the United States (postal code) 23 National Turkey Lover’s Month 24 This type of acid found in turkeys is a sedative, but does not make you sleepy 25 One of three presidents that urged Americans to observe Thanksgiving as a national holiday on 34th Street featured 26 A 1946 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 27 Turkeys can see in 28 Former president who decreed that Thanksgiving should always be on the 4th Thursday in November 29 First department store to sponsor a Thanksgiving Day parade in 1920

30 Sesame Street character rumored to be made of turkey feathers 32 A five-to-seven-month-old turkey is called a young 35 A 16-week-old turkey 37 Former president who designated the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving ANSWERS For the answers to this crossword puzzle, visit MyLIFE magazine website at: mylifemagazine.com/crossword mylife

nov-dec 2012

25

Up Close and Personal

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80,000 gallons of water featuring giant South American Arowana, Arapaima, Kemp Ridly Sea Turtles, Shovelnose and Redtail Catfish, Peacock Bass, Pacu and the sharp toothed Payara!

26

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nov-dec 2012

WORLD SPOTLIGHT: MIDDLE EAST

Malala’s Hope I

BY JAMIE COPLAND

guess it simply was not her day

tragedy and to recognize and share

Simply stated, in this 21st century,

to die. How does one define grit

this young girl’s extreme courage

the

and courage? How does one truly

with others.

women have the right to receive an

Taliban

do

not

believe

that

honor heroism? For me, at least

In October, Malala—who had

education. In fact, in the last few years,

today, those qualities are embodied

made it well known that she would,

the Taliban have murdered thousands

in a vivacious, attractive 15-year-old

at whatever cost, get an education—

across Pakistan, many of whom were

Pakistani girl named Malala Yousufzai,

defied the power and control of the

women and children, and they have

who became a recent target (for her

Taliban, and she paid the price. On

destroyed hundreds of schools in the

beliefs) of an assassination plot by the

her way back from school, she was

process. Perhaps if the Taliban sought a

Taliban terrorist organiza-

higher level of education

tion.

(as Malala has), they might

Heroes and heroines come

see how deplorable their

in all shapes and sizes, but

actions have been. To attack

this Pakistani schoolgirl is a

a harmless young girl on her

giant among the world. All

way back from school takes

she ever wanted was to re-

no brains, no guts and no

ceive an education. Imag-

courage. However, through

ine that—simply wanting

these unheroic actions, the

to go to school, to make

entire world has come to

something of herself. In

recognize the true depth of

her

part

of

the

world,

though, education is not an option for many, and

the injustice that underlies Malala Yousufzai was shot in October by the Taliban for promoting education for girls in Pakistan.

the Taliban’s beliefs.

In critical condition for a

it certainly is not an option for most

ambushed by members of the Taliban,

week, with no guarantee she would pull

women. So, the Taliban, with all their

who attempted to assassinate her.

through, Malala lay in a coma in a hospital

might and courage, masterminded a sin-

Malala was shot in the head. The

bed while doctors made every effort

ister plot to assassinate a beautiful young

Taliban felt it necessary to take

to save her life. During the week of

girl for wanting to follow her desires and

their battle to even lower levels, by

October 15, when she was deemed stable

beliefs—something we very much take

targeting a 15-year-old girl whose

enough to travel, and under a web of

for granted here in America.

only desire was to get a decent

secrecy—for the Taliban had again

education. How proud must they be

declared that Malala would die—she

for committing such a cowardly act?

was airlifted to England, where she

MyLIFE magazine felt a responsibility and an editorial obligation to expose this

mylife

nov-dec 2012

27

is receiving expert medical care and

an education, so that she could aspire

carrying out their daily rituals of beatings,

protection against further Taliban threats

to new heights. I want to say to Malala,

shootings and assassinations.

on her life. Many groups, countries and

“Listen carefully. You have already

On Friday, October 19, Malala, with the

individuals, including former Arizona

aspired to new heights, and in doing

help of hospital doctors, rose from her bed

congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and

so, you have informed the world about

and stood on her own two feet. “Malala

her husband, Mark Kelly, have offered

how truly heinous the actions of the

Yousufzai’s condition this morning is

their help. Malala’s transportation was

Taliban are.”

comfortable and stable,” the hospital said

provided through the generosity of the

This is the enemy that our American

in a statement. At the time, she was still

United Arab Emirates’ royal family. The

and coalition forces have been fighting

unable to speak, and even though she was

Taliban failed, at least this time around,

against daily for more than a decade.

not yet out of the woods, doctors believe

but never willing to give up, they have

Some might even wonder whether

that eventually she might fully recover.

publicly vowed to go after and kill

any legitimate world force can possibly

Malala’s family.

prevail, when the enemy we are fighting

courageous

How inhuman can they be? It’s

counts among its targets innocent

Yousufzai, or her valor will have been for

incomprehensible, particularly when one

women and children, including orphans

naught! Thank you, Malala, for showing

considers that the Quran denounces the

and young schoolgirls like Malala.

the rest of the world how a single

killing of others, even if someone chooses

But, if one is to live in freedom, then

individual who believes in freedom can

to reject the religion—an act that

without further thought the global

make a meaningful difference in the lives of

Malala Yousufzai did not commit. Her

battle against the Taliban must continue

others. Get well soon. The world needs

only “crime” was her desire to receive

in an attempt to prevent them from

you.

Master-SDown-TravelHost-5.12:Layout 1

5/10/12

3:40 PM

Let us never forget the name of this young

woman,

Malala

Page 1

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mylife

nov-dec 2012

mylife

nov-dec 2012

29

CEO Series: an interview by ed martinez

BRINGING BACK THE AMERICAN DREAM

N

o one is prepared for hearing the words “you have cancer.” It’s life-changing. However, you can become an active participant in your cancer care and treatment decisions. Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) is a growing network of regional destination hospitals specializing in complex and advancedstage cancer care. CTCA provides a comprehensive, fully integrated and individualized cancer treatment experience at hospitals located in suburban Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Tulsa. The Patient Empowered Care model at CTCA places patients at the center of their care, encouraging and enabling patients and their families to take an active role in treatment decision-making.

MyLIFE: We all know the current U.S. debt is out of control and our economy is slowly recovering, but what do you feel is the most pressing issue currently facing America?

Staren: I do think that the economy is the most important issue—and I think that it comes down to jobs. I remember a very bright legislator when I lived in Ohio. He said there were three things that were important to people: one is jobs, two is jobs and three is jobs. And I think there are reasons for that.

At the end of the day, jobs create services [and] create goods, ultimately leading to the strengthening of the economy. If people don’t have jobs, they’re not going to have salaries or wages to be able to purchase things.

My economics teacher always told me that 70 percent of the economy is related to the consumer. If people don’t have jobs, they don’t have money to spend. That creates a whole host of problems. The economy doesn’t grow. Governments don’t have revenue from taxes to support infrastructure. That leads to social safety issues that can be problematic. Roads, health care support and other areas are not optimized, [nor is] our military, from a safety stand point. People are more reluctant, when they don’t have jobs, to engage in preventive activities.

They’re certainly not going to watch their nutrition, and perhaps [not] exercise or go to the doctor for preventive medicine. So, there’s physical deterioration, as well. You can really trace it back to having a job.

Lastly, and it cannot be underestimated, separating from the economic issue is the whole feeling of sustaining oneself and having a purpose. If you don’t have a job, [you begin to ask yourself ] why am I here? It’s a psychological feeling of purpose.

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MyLIFE: What key lesson or core principals did your parents teach you that you feel are important and that you still incorporate into everyday life?

Staren: First, my mom and dad always talked about “the three A’s”—available, affable and able. To be available to those in need—customers, or in my case, patients. To be available means that you’re there when they call you. To be affable is to be approachable, to be friendly and warm, so they don’t feel like you’re not a person who’s going to be interested in helping them.

And, to be able is to make sure that you are well-trained. You’re knowledgeable in your area, and as much of an expert as you can possibly be.

I also think that I was fortunate to have personal lessons from mentors and other family members—my father-in-law, and a mentor who was also my partner and my chief surgeon. They taught me the same lesson, but in different ways. My mentor, who was an incredible surgeon, just an amazing individual, always put patients first. Every patient had his home phone number. Mind you, this was the chairman of Rush Medical Center in Chicago. He took care of the biggest names in the city, but he would also take care of a trauma patient [who had been] knifed at a nightclub down the street. And he did so absolutely equitably. There was really no difference [to him],

PROFILE Name: Dr. Edgar D. Staren Year and place of birth: 1957; La Grange, Ill. Colleges attended: Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, M.D.; Rush University Medical Center, General Surgery Internship & Residency; Rush University Medical Center, Surgical Oncology Fellowship; Rush University Medical Center, Ph.D. in Tumor Immunobiology; Benedictine University, MBA Joined Cancer Treatment Centers of America: 2005 Moved to the Valley: June 2011 Most favorite saying: “Hitch your harness to a star, hold on tight and there you are.” - Oliver Wendell Holmes Favorite charity: Assistance in Health Care Family: Married to Lisa Staren; 6 children – Edgar (27), Daniel (25), John (24), Anthony (22), Michael (16) and Helen (13)

with DR. EDGAR D. STAREN because we’re all human beings. He took care of those individuals like he would a family member, and I greatly admired that.

have cursive handwriting. That just doesn’t occur anymore.

Now it’s keyboard training.

My father-in-law, also a doctor, in family practice, one of the sweetest men I’ve ever met. I could never be as nice as he was.

His family was always first. Everything was all about his wife and kids. Once I was fortunate enough to become his son-in-law, I was his son. He treated me with that kind of love. He gave up some hobbies that he enjoyed because it took time away from his wife and kids. And he would always emphasize the family and realized over the years how important his patients were to him. He would go in after dinner, to go and do rounds and go into his office. He would go in on the weekends. They [his patients] were always there, they were always calling. When he passed, the church was overflowing with patients, almost out into the street. He had taken care of so many people, and they dearly loved him.

That increase in technology aimed at making us all more facile and more efficient does decrease some of the interpersonal interaction. I also think that integrity becomes at risk. It’s easier to stretch the truth—and, by the way, all generations are guilty of this—when you don’t know the person you are dealing with. You haven’t looked at them in the face and tried to understand them. They’re human beings, they have families. That’s what I worry about.

So, I got to know them both. They were able to have balance in their lives, both putting patients and family first. They balanced that throughout their lives. It’s very hard to maintain that lesson.

MyLIFE: Based on today’s generation, what do you see as missing from the workplace that you wish was still present?

Staren: Let me preface a little bit by saying that I think CTCA is a very unique place. Many things that I would worry about or find lacking in the workplace and most environments are rare here.

And that’s one of the reasons that I feel very fortunate to be here.

Secondly, I’m very much a “glass half full” kind of person, so I think sometimes society—and especially as we get older—will be overly critical of young people. It’s often because we just don’t understand them. There are things they do that are different, and if we approach it in a very insular manner, it’s not as good.

I would suggest that young people today, newer generations and how they respond—they’re very honest, they’re very hard working. They have the same kind of values that older folks, including myself, end up having. They want to be able to have a safe life with their families, provide opportunities for them, put a roof over their heads, food on the table … be allowed to try to attain their aspirations and goals. I think people by in large are good, and the rules are the same. What’s happened in the workplace, I think, is that we’ve had such a rapid increase in technology, it takes away from some of the interpersonal interaction that was in place when I was younger. I grew up in an environment that didn’t have email. We had handwritten letters. The handwriting that I see in a lot of young people, frankly, is just not as neat. We used to

MyLIFE: What is your vision for your company over the coming years?

Staren: It’s actually very easy, because we all have a shared vision as an organization. It’s to have persons living with cancer recognize and trust us as the premier center for human health—it’s really very straightforward. And I dare say that every one of our stakeholders could repeat that organizational vision. We have an entity every day that we call alignment. In alignment, we repeat our vision, our values and our promise, and we do so every day. And, with that, we’ll have a reminder or activity that addresses our values. We can say our values off the top of our heads: we’re hopeful, we’re empowering, we’re responsive, we’re ethical, we’re team-spirited, we’re innovative and we’re compassionate. I guarantee every stakeholder would be able to say those, too. Because if you don’t know those and you’re not living them every day, then you’re not really going to fulfill your vision.

MyLIFE: Do you have any closing remarks you would like to share with our readers?

Staren: I think that one of the things that I try to do as a CEO is to understand some key things that are important to me as a leader and to my colleagues. One—and we talked about this a lot—is focusing on mission vision values. Be true to it every day. As a leader, you need to personify that vision.

Second is integrity. If you lose that, you lose all credibility, and the likelihood of … truly being able to lead is just not going to happen. The third one is about being a visionary.

You need to be able to look out there, and in our case, we have a strong, clear vision. Last, and most important—especially in the health care industry—is being a servant leader. Be able to get out there, roll up your sleeves and deliver [your product or service]. If you follow those as a leader, in whatever industry you’re in, you’ll give yourself the best chance to be successful. mylife

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NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: NFL

What’s in a Brand Name? Everything!

A

BY LESLIE JAMES

nyone who’s in business or who has sold anything for a living certainly knows the immense value of a brand name. Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and NIKE, to name a few, know that a good brand is an asset just like bricks and mortar—and it all has to do with the name that hangs on the front door.

One of the most revered and valued brand names in the entire world is America’s National Football League (NFL). The NFL is owned and controlled by a highly powerful group of super-wealthy businessmen.

This elite group of wealthy and powerful team owners got greedy, which impaired their ability to see reality. They forgot what the NFL stood for and further failed to realize that it wasn’t just all about them. They forgot that the NFL was also about the fans, the players and the refs. As they flexed their financial muscles (likely over cocktails), they made one of the stupidest calls of all time. Without any consideration for their own brand name, the group was willing to risk the honor and integrity of one of the world’s most revered brand names for a few pieces of silver.

So what really happened?

Many times we are guilty of overthinking situations, and others closer to the NFL lockout might have their own spin on what happened, but in this case the reason was simple. Team owners tarnished not only a great brand name, but also a highly respected

American institution. They collectively crapped on loyal fans, risked the safety of every player and possibly affected this year’s playoff standings in the very first few weeks of the 2012 season. The lockout by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and team owners came down to two basic words: power and greed.

Simply stated, at the center of this dispute (in general terms) was a new labor agreement (focusing on retirement benefits and salary increases) for referees. The overall amount involved was about $3.3 million—a small amount of money when compared with the salary of a somewhat decent cornerback, and a fraction of what the league earns annually, which is about $9 billion.

So, the next time you’re wondering exactly how NFL team owners feel about their fans, players, referees or brand name, here’s your answer!

Was the NFL referee lockout a huge win for organized labor?

Share your thoughts with us online at: mylifemagazine.com/nfl-lockout

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“OLD BOYS” NETWORK The lockout of NFL referees by the “old boys” network of team owners was a terrible call. The real question, however, is “What actually went wrong?”

The answer may surprise you. It’s both appalling and absurd.

NFL referee Gene Steratore prior to the game between the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on September 27, 2012

LOCAL CHARITY SPOTLIGHT

Shoebox Ministry

BY MARY L. HOLDEN

by Shoebox Ministry for 14 years and represents the third generation of a caring family. “Working here has given me insight into the other side of life, and at the end of the day, I am glad to have spent time helping others,” she shared.

The homeless or working poor who struggle to find jobs, support children and budget for meals benefit from this distribution of non-food supplies such as soap, toothpaste, deodorant, toothbrushes, shampoo, razors and lip balm.

Shoeboxes are gender specific—women interviewing for jobs appreciate lipstick, mascara, jewelry, barrettes or perfume.

Donations of new or clean, gently used socks are solicited in cool months. The Shoebox Ministry website offers a “shoebox recipe” for those who wish to prepare a box or donate supplies.

Boxes are gathered, stored and packed at the main office of Shoebox Ministry (7902 E. Wood Drive, near Sweetwater Avenue/Hayden Road in a guesthouse behind the main house; 480-905-1610 or 800-367-8939). Monetary support can be given online, designated for Shoebox Ministries by the United Way or through the Arizona tax credit for the working poor. For more information, go to shoeboxministry.org.

W

orld Homeless Day (worldhomelessday.org) occurs every October 10. The goal is to raise awareness and ask for help. Although homeless populations are difficult to count, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (samhsa.gov) published “The State of Homelessness in America,” which says the national rate of homelessness in the United States is 21 in 10,000 people. The rate for veterans is 31 of every 10,000 people. The World Homeless Day poster for 2012 asks for “thinking outside the cardboard box.”

Back in 1988, Scottsdale resident Judy Borgeson was thinking inside the cardboard box—a shoebox. She packed a shoebox with personal hygiene supplies to fill a need for homeless people that shelters could not provide, and Shoebox Ministry was born. Borgeson, now retired and president of the ministry’s board, said, “My father, Robert McKnight, was the second-shift yardmaster for a railroad company in south St. Paul in the 1950s and ’60s. He brought people into our home—gave them food and a shower. I grew up around people who had needs.”

As a credit to McKnight’s practice, shoeboxes have been filled and distributed in the Valley of the Sun and in several other states, as well as in Asia, Canada and Hungary, by nonprofits that used Borgeson’s idea. In Kansas City, the Shoebox Ministry idea was implemented by the mayor, who arranged for supplies and shoeboxes to be dropped off at fire stations. Firefighters packed the boxes in their spare time, in partnership between charity and a city service.

Laura Borgeson is Judy’s daughter. She’s been employed

HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF DAILY. The destination has been there as long as anyone can remember.

The rail line for more than a century. With 5 classes of vintage train service to select from, traveling to the Grand Canyon by rail may have you thinking of the past, but soaking up the present.

Departing daily from Williams, AZ. 1-800-THE-TRAIN | THETRAIN.COM Authorized concessioner of the National Park Service & U.S. Forest Service.

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We owe a huge debt to our returning VETERANS Our HEROES Deserve Better

by leslie james

A

SPEAKING OUT!

ll veterans deserve far better than most are currently receiving. Every year in November, we join together to celebrate Veterans Day, to honor those courageous men and women who paid the ultimate price for “our” freedom. So this year, how about we make a real difference by truly helping our veterans? It’s time to help give them a stable life after they come home. That means housing, jobs, retraining, counseling and access to every form of medical assistance.

In June 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, better known as the GI Bill. This historic legislation provided veterans of the Second World War funds for college education, retraining, job assistance, loan guarantees for a home, farm or business, and unemployment insurance for up to 52 weeks. Today, we need to do better.

We can’t all be so self-inclined and proclaim that we are the “greatest nation on earth” when we have forgotten that freedom comes at the highest possible price—human life! No sacrifice is greater than when a person puts his or her life in harm’s way or makes the ultimate sacrifice so that we as Americans (and others) can live in peace and freedom.

After more than a decade at war, our returning heroes are facing massive challenges.

Today, we are losing more (active and nonactive) members of the armed forces to suicide. Can you image this? More of our military are committing suicide every year than are dying on the battlefields of Afghanistan.

Recent Department of Defense statistics show

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that since January 2001, a staggering 2,293 active-duty service members have taken their own lives, which exceeds America’s total casualty count in the war since it began. And it’s not only a phenomenon among American troops; it’s also happening among Canadian forces and those in the United Kingdom and our other coalition allies. The common threads are relationships, finances and alcohol and drugrelated issues, all of which are underscored by post-traumatic stress disorder.

Another mounting problem—and it’s staggering—is the growing number of homeless vets. Returning heroes, many of whom have served this country with three or four tours of combat, are returning home to no jobs, no housing, little cash, little medical help (or hardto-get medical help) and, as such, very little hope. Today, almost 700,000 veterans across America now call home a local street corner, a park or a patch of ground beneath a bridge. Is this the America you know? Is this an America to be proud of? And is this how we honor our military people for their service?

The first question that needs asking is this: “What is our government doing to help our veterans?” The answer seems pretty clear: certainly not enough!” So, where are the flagwaving veterans who are now politicians and who claim to be big supporters of our veterans?

It seems, along with being totally disconnected from everyday Americans, that they are also oblivious to the plight of our courageous vets.

This has nothing to do with budgets, deficits or political partisanship and rhetoric. It has everything to do with honor, commitment

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Just another day on the job To serve our country in the armed forces is often thought of as one of the most patriotic, selfless acts there is. Our men and women in uniform put themselves in harm’s way every day.

Close call in south Afghanistan.

A paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team chats with an Afghan boy during an Afghan-led clearing operation April 28, 2012.

U.S. Army paratroopers prepare to load into a CH-47 Chinook helicopter during an air-assault mission to detain a known militant in the Bermel district of the Paktika province in Afghanistan.

Explosive ordinance disposal Marines destroy an improvised explosive device cache in Southern Shorsurak, Helmand province, Afghanistan.

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and the strongest of moral obligations. America owes a huge debt— one that’s due to every member of the military. We cannot turn our backs on them. If Uncle Sam can’t honor this debt, then we should stop sending them off to war.

Here is an oxymoron. As reported on CBS national news on September 17, 2012, a wounded soldier got hooked on painkillers after he returned from the war, buying them from any drug dealer who would sell them to him. Because of his actions and addiction, he was discharged from the military—and as a result, he lost all access to his veteran’s benefits. Now I ask you: Who was the numskull that drafted such a policy, and what idiots approved it?

How more ass-backwards could any policy initiative possibly be? This is not how we should be treating our wounded warriors!

Capitol Hill seems quite content to send our men and women into war, so how about providing for them when they return? Is it possible that our government, America’s Fortune 500 corporations and everyday citizens have simply grown bored and tired of the huge sacrifice these courageous individuals continue to make? Politicians are so gung ho about printing more money out of thin air to buy mortgage-backed securities. How about printing more money to fund the programs and services our returning vets need? Our military forces are an elite group of human beings. They are taught always to advance, never to retreat or turn their backs on America (or the world). And today, every American needs to do the same for them.

Recently I pulled up to a Fry’s Marketplace and saw a vet under a tree with a sign that read: “CAN YOU HELP A VET?” I pulled around and parked the car, opened

my trunk and grabbed four bottles of water. Along with some money, I gave the water to him and apologized for the water not being very cold. He replied, “Thank you very much, sir.

It’s certainly a lot colder than what I have in my backpack.” He was under a frigging tree in 112-degree Arizona heat—in the biggest country in the world. I have to wonder, is this really the best we can all do?

We rise and applaud them at sporting events, and we attach bumper stickers to our cars that say “Support Our Troops” … so how about making a huge difference in the lives of our veterans? No one person can solve the problem, but one person at a time can build an army, and we all know what an army can do. Trust me, one person can be an army, and one person can make a difference.

Listed below are local and national organizations that provide assistance to our vets through difficult times. I ask each of you who reads this piece to take a moment and make that all-important donation— whether it be $1 or $10—and when doing so, realize that freedom is never free, and that, as Americans, we can all make a meaning ful difference!

+++++++++++++++++++++++ Military Assistance Mission azmam.org, 602-246-6429 Operation Home Front operationhomefront.net, 210-659-7756 Armed Services YMCA asymca.org, 800-597-1260 National Military Family Organization militaryfamily.org, 703-931-6632 Fisher House Foundation fisherhouse.org, 888-294-8560 Homes for our Troops homesforourtroops.org, 866-7-TROOPS Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society nmcrs.org, 703-696-4904

TEK COLUMN

Walmart’s New Service for Converting Discs to Digital Format by warren jones

A GEEK’S CONFESSION

R

ecently, Walmart has been advertising its partnership with Vudu. The collaboration between the two companies allows customers to bring in their DVDs or Blu-ray discs to Walmart stores and have them “converted” to digital format for $2 to $5 per disc. At a glance, this is a wonderful option for parents who are putting iPads into the hands of children to keep them quiet on road trips or while out and about running errands. Chances are you bought an original DVD or Blu-ray for $20 or so, and the thought of paying another $15 to $20 for a digital copy of a movie you already own through iTunes or Google Play is outrageous.

But, as you dig a bit deeper, you realize that although $2 to $5 is better than $15 or $20, it’s still not that great of a deal. Here are some of the finer details “conversion” hopefuls may overlook when considering this service.

A free Vudu/UltraViolet account is required before “conversion” can begin. I’ve been writing “conversion” in quotation marks because nothing is actually converted, but we will get to that in a moment. Once your account has been created, you are able to search through the list of available movies. Not all movies are available through this service, but Vudu says they hope to add more over time. Currently, the participating studios are Paramount, Sony Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal and Warner Bros.

Once you figure out what movies you want to convert, take your DVDs or Blu-ray discs to Walmart for verification. The associate simply checks to see that you own the movie, and that it is not a rental or Netflix disc. The Walmart associate simply gives your Vudu account access to the digital copies of the 38

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movies you brought into the store. No conversion is actually happening here. Walmart is simply flipping a switch and stamping the inner ring of your discs with a label that prevents you from giving your copy of “Oceans Eleven” to your buddy so he can get a digital copy as well. The cost for this service is $2 for DVD-to-DVD quality digital copy and $2 for Blu-ray to HD-quality digital copy. If you want to “up convert” your DVD to an HD copy, it’s $5.

While this might not seem like much of a cost for someone who is converting say 10 DVDs, the hidden cost is in the Vudu service itself. Vudu is a service that works on your Xbox 360, PS3, Blu-ray player and iPad through an Internet connection.

And while access to the Internet usually involves a flat rate for unlimited usage at home, access on the road is another story.

Much like using the Netflix app on your iPad, you’re streaming these movies from the Cloud.

You don’t actually have a digital copy stored on your device or computer at home. That means you may have to purchase a 3G/LTE capable iPad or personal hotspot device if you don’t already have one—and with that come buffering, data caps and huge overages for something you thought would make your life a little easier.

If your goal is just to ditch the physical disc in favor of a digital system at home, then this new service from Walmart might be perfect for you. But, for the same cost as converting a 100-disc library ($200), you could easily grab an external hard drive and some free DVD conversion software from the Internet and convert the discs yourself. And, by keeping the digital copy on your home computer, you won’t have to rely on a system that may or may not be around in a few years.

WE

THE FORT COME HOME THIS FALL.

HWY 87 ~ 2 MILES NORTH OF SHEA BLVD | 1.800.THEFORT | FORTMCDOWELLCASINO.COM All promotions/events are subject to change/cancellation. See Fortune Club for details. Must be 21 years old to participate in gaming activities. Gambling problem? Call 1.800.NEXT.STEP.

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SECOND-LOOKERS

TEKKNOWVATIONS

TM

BY WARREN JONES

print

CUBIFY 3-d PRINTER

For those creative types out there who frequently imagine new products or redesigns for an existing one, fabricating your new invention or idea is often the most difficult and costly step.

Thanks to a company called Cubify, however, that may no longer be the case. The $1,299 Cubify system comes with all you need to take your ideas and turn them into a physical product, including the printer, printing material and creative ideas to begin tinkering with. Visit cubify.com to check out some ideas the Cubify team has already created, from phone cases to full-sized guitars, and get inspired to create your own.

—cubify.com

work

PenSoul Mate

Every once in a while a new product comes along that takes your breath away with its sleek, revolutionary design, real-world usability, catchy name and simplicity of use. The PenSoul Mate mechanical pencil fits that bill in every sense and far more. It’s fun and easy to use for people of all ages. There’ll be no more fumbling over mistakes! It’s perfect for kids who are just learning to write, people with arthritis and anyone who suffers from writer’s cramp.

fun

CROSSBOW SNOW LAUNCHER

—jazzhousedesign.com

If you’ve ever been in a snowball fight, you know that accuracy and distance are keys to victory. Now, you can improve both with one device. The Crossbow Snow Launcher can launch a snowball accurately up to 60 feet, giving you the power and accuracy to take on anyone. It also comes with a form that creates three perfectly sized snowballs in seconds, ensuring that you never run out of ammo. With $39.99 and a trip to sharperimage.com, you can become supreme ruler of your neighborhood.

—sharperimage.com

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SECOND-LOOKERS

drive

Hiroko CityCar

Just when you thought cars couldn’t get any more compact, MIT engineers have figured out a way to make them just a little bit smaller: by allowing it to fold itself up. The Hiriko CityCar is set to hit European streets in 2013 and is so small that when

fun

ARTIC LASER

For years, geeks have dreamt of the ability to wield the awesome power of the Star Wars light saber. While that technology is years—if not decades—away, Wicked Lasers has brought us one step forward. The $299 Arctic laser is the world’s most powerful handheld laser and is capable of outputting 1,250mW of power (your standard laser pointer has about 5mW of power), meaning the Arctic laser is extremely powerful and also easily capable of burning skin or clothing. Couple the Arctic laser with the company’s $99 Saber attachment that diffuses the laser into a long polycarbonate tube, and you have one cool looking and potentially dangerous

folded, three of them can fit into a single parking space. The Hiriko is an all-electric two-seater designed to thrive in cities where space is at a premium. Built on the premise that people can quickly rent a Hiriko to move from point to point, much like a ZipCar, the Hiriko can go 75 miles on a single charge and transform from 100 inches long when in driving mode to 60 inches when folded for parking. Since the front windshield is the door, the Hiriko can squeeze itself into even the smallest space, while still allowing the driver to get in and out. If the European market responds well to the Hiriko, it could begin making its way to the U.S. —hiriko.com

light saber.

—wickedlasers.com

gaming

NINTENDO GamePad

Announced back in 2011, the Nintendo Wii U is the successor to the ultra popular Wii from just a few years ago. Packing a 6.2 inch tablet, called a GamePad, with buttons and analog sticks for a controller, the Wii U gives gamers the ability to use the console in new ways. Games can be played on the TV as usual, with additional content displayed on the GamePad, or if the TV is otherwise occupied, games can be played using just the GamePad screen, saving families from fighting over the TV. In addition to games, Wii U also has a TV service called TVii that allows you to stream Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon and YouTube to the TV or GamePad while also using the GamePad as a universal TV remote when the console is off. The Wii U is also backwards compatible, meaning it’ll play nearly all your Wii games and allow you to use most of your Wii controllers and accessories. Look for Wii U to hit retailers November 18th, starting at $249.99.

—nintendo.com

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LOCAL SPOTLIGHT: ENTREPRENEURS

Bioenergy Frontiers team: Dawn Stressman-Orth, Chief Administration Officer; Ian Shiller, Chief Financial Officer and Emily Viau, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer

From Garbage to Energy I

BY ED MARTINEZ

t’s often said that science-fiction writers can portray the future accurately. This is especially true when it comes to advancements in science and technology.

In the 1985 film Back to the Future Part II, Dr. Emmett Brown, played by Christopher Lloyd, refuels the DeLorean time machine with garbage. Although the idea seemed far-fetched for moviegoers back in the ’80s, here in the present the application of such technology is now real, and is gaining momentum.

Bioenergy Frontiers is developing a Phoenix-based organics recycling facility that will convert your garbage into clean energy and high-quality composts. The company will be using a technology developed by

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Eisenmann’s solids anaerobic digestion system that takes all types of organic waste as inputs and converts that waste to biogas.

German-based Eisenmann Corporation to install a high solids anaerobic digestion system that takes all types of organic waste as inputs and converts that waste to biogas, or gaseous fuel produced by the fermentation of organic matter.

In the United States, anaerobic digestion is commonly used at wastewater treatment plants, at food-processing facilities and in the processing of manure in farms.

Bioenergy Frontiers will take solid and liquid food wastes— everything from grass and tree clippings to cooking fats, oils and greases, fat trimmings and such and convert the waste to a biogas. The biogas is then converted to thermal and electrical energy on site, using a combined heat and power (CHP) system. The solids coming out of the system are converted to a nutrient-rich compost. The facility is expected to produce its own electricity and heat to run its own operations and will feed the excess power to the local utility grid.

“We want to showcase Phoenix for more than just solar energy,” said Dawn Stressman-Orth, who is a co-founder and the company’s chief administration officer. “It’s an ideal environment for something like this. You don’t have any freezing issues … the compost can be sold year-round.”

Prior to launching Bioenergy Frontiers, Stressman-Orth spent almost a decade in marketing working with some of the most visible organizations in Arizona.

She partnered with longtime friend Emily Viau, who is now the chief

executive officer of Bioenergy Frontiers. Viau, who has a doctorate in environmental engineering from Yale University in anaerobic digestion and composting technology, has extensively researched and tested these processes in the wastewater sludge arena. Both Stressman-Orth and Viau share a desire to establish a business that has a symbiotic relationship with the environment.

The anaerobic digestion facility is planned to be up and running by mid-2014. However, in the coming year, the company will begin accepting green waste. Bioenergy Frontiers is a C corporation in Arizona, but Stressman-Orth said the company is modeling itself after a new type of corporation called a benefit corp. “It’s a social benefit corporation model—and it alters the way you do business,” she noted.

There are currently seven states that have benefit corporation laws, but Arizona is not among them. As a benefit corporation, a company must create materials that have a positive impact on society and the environment—while meeting a higher standard of accountability and transparency.

With solar power plants and wind farms springing up across Arizona, Bioenergy Frontiers has uniquely positioned itself to become a leader in the renewable energy industry with the development of its technology and the operation of a recycling facility.

The company’s process and commitment to the environment can help the United States reach its long-term goal of becoming energy independent. mylife

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FILM MUSIC FOR HOLLYWOOD

The Audio Life of Composer Geoff Zanelli

BY MARY L. HOLDEN

W

hen we are literally four months into life, our ears work. Even before we are born, sound is our first gift from the world outside. In some people, recognition of that gift develops into an interesting career.

Geoff Zanelli is one of those people. He composes music for movies (The Odd Life of Timothy Green and all of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies), TV miniseries (Into the West and The Pacific), bands (Mest, Story of the Year) and singers (Robbie Williams, Pink, Steve Martin and Edie Brickell). Zanelli won an Emmy for Spielberg’s Into the West in 2006 and a nomination for The Pacific in 2010.

A self-described late bloomer, Zanelli first picked up a guitar when he was a sophomore in high school. The guitar had been abandoned by his brother in the attic. It didn’t have strings—his mother found him using glue to fix the broken strings and then had the instrument properly repaired.

Three years later, he was awarded a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Yet, Zanelli said that even going back as early as the age of two, he cannot recall a time when he did not hear music in his head. In addition to his innate appreciation of sound, he said, “my father was nearly deaf, so

Composing for Film and Television Emmy Award-winning composer Geoff Zanelli has become a standout in the film and television scoring industry, garnering accolades and recognition for his work since going solo after numerous collaborations with Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer.

In 2006, Zanelli earned his first Emmy after scoring the original music for Steven Spielberg’s miniseries Into The West. A few years later, Spielberg once again tapped Zanelli to score HBO’s The Pacific, which earned Zanelli his second Emmy nomination.

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I had an early consciousness about the ability to hear and I’m positive that it influenced my career as a musician.”

Now the father of a 3-year-old daughter, Zanelli remarked that fatherhood has been an important influence on his career. An influence that coincided with an opportunity from Disney to score a film about parenthood.

In August, The Odd Life of Timothy Green, a fantasy-drama film, was released in theaters. (It will be out on DVD in December.) The story involves a

childless couple that inherits an unusual child, who arrives after a storm from out of the vegetable garden on their property. Branches and leaves appear on his shins.

Zanelli said the film “is about what children will teach you if you let them…and that’s what is happening to me right now. Being a dad helped me write the score. If this had come along five years earlier, I wouldn’t have had the same perspective.” He said he was inspired to “capture the look in [his daughter’s] eyes when she hears the music.”

Zanelli wrote the score for the film in collaboration with the movie’s writer and director, Peter Hedges. “It took four or five months of weekly meetings, which is fairly long, but Peter was very open to ideas and allowed me to play him any unusual musical experiment I could come up with,” he noted. On one track, the music is supplemented by humming; in another, pencils are used

for percussion. Author and musician worked so well together that in one scene (where the boy makes a soul connection with a girl) Hedges was inspired to go back and shoot more film to live up to the music Zanelli wrote.

Music is an important part of the story landscape in movies and TV shows.

Sometimes it plays in the background; sometimes it is as powerful as the graphic it matches. Zanelli said he was challenged by writing the music for TV and talked about the difference between a miniseries and a film score. “In each story there is a theme that has to be seen in the big picture. The beginning notes have to thread through all the way to the end. Music for a two-hour film and a 10-hour miniseries requires different architecture: creating music for the film is like building a home, and creating music for a miniseries—a 10-hour movie—is like building a museum!”

By the way, had Zanelli not gone into music, he would have liked “to become an architect.”

My favorite thing about Arizona Center?

Ea tin g lun ch a wa y from my desk!

Located in downtown Phoenix, Arizona Center is home to signature restaurants, services, and retailers with local flair!

400 E. Van Buren St., Phoenix, Arizona 85004-2240 · (602) 271-4000 · www.arizonacenter.com 46

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EVENTS CALENDAR WHAT’S HAPPENING ACROSS ARIZONA

AROUND TOWN - WHAT’S HOT (48 - 53) CONCERTS - PREMIER VENUES (54 - 55) SPORTING EVENTS - ARIZONA TEAMS (56 - 58)

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events calendar >>

AROUND TOWN WHAT’S HOT

ARIZONA THEATRE COMPANY: ‘LOMBARDI’ TUCSON The real story of Vince Lombardi, based on David Maraniss’ book “When Pride Still Mattered–A Life of Vince Lombardi,” at the Temple of Music and Art. Through Nov. 10 —arizonatheatre.org/our-shows/lombardi BIENNIAL JURIED PRINT EXHIBITION FLAGSTAFF Artists display their print work at the NAU Art Museum.

Through Nov. 17 —nau.edu/cal/art-museum/6th-biennial-juried-printexhibition BUTTERFLY MAGIC AT THE GARDENS TUCSON See colorful butterflies fluttering in a special greenhouse and help support global efforts for sustainable conservation at Tucson Botanical Gardens.

Through Apr. 30, 2013 —tucsonbotanical.org NAVAJO CODE TALKERS & NATIVE WORDS, NATIVE WARRIORS PHOENIX These two exhibits honor our American Indian soldiers by highlighting different aspects of Native language usage in military codes during wartime. Heard Museum.

Through Mar. 3, 2013 —heard.org ARIZONA CLASSIC JAZZ FESTIVAL CHANDLER Jazz music from various local musicians. San Marcos Golf Resort in downtown Chandler.

Nov. 1 – 4 —azclassicjazz.org WESTGATE BIKE NIGHT GLENDALE Weekly, hundreds of bikes line Coyotes Boulevard for the biggest bike night in the Valley. Westgate City Center.

Nov. 1, 8, 15 —westgatecitycenter.com/bikenight BALLET TUCSON OPENING NIGHT TUCSON Ballet Tucson presents three ballets (Esmeralda and the Hunchback, Three Virgins and a Devil, and Raymonda Variations) at the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre.

Nov. 2 – 4 —ballettucson.org 48 48

mylife mar-apr mylife nov-dec 20122012

CAREFREE FINE ARTS AND WINE FESTIVAL CAREFREE The streets of downtown Carefree are closed, making room for more than 165 artists and in excess of 5,000 original masterpieces of fine art.

Nov. 2 – 4 —thunderbirdartists.com NAPA WORLD FINALS BOAT RACE PHOENIX Drag boat racing. Firebird Lake at Firebird International Raceway.

Nov. 2 – 4 —firebirdraceway.com RED BARN THEATER: THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN TUCSON The Red Barn Theater Company presents the musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown, a fictionalized account of the life of Margaret Brown.

Nov. 2 – 25 —theredbarntheater.com TUCSON CELTIC FESTIVAL & SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES TUCSON Celebrate the heritage and culture of Scotland, Ireland and Wales with great music, dancing and athletic events at Rillito Race Track Park.

Nov. 2 – 4 —tucsoncelticfestival.org ARIZONA HUMANITIES FESTIVAL: AMERICAN JUKEBOX PHOENIX This festival provides a fascinating look at American styles of music and the unique part Arizona has played in crafting those melodies. Downtown Phoenix.

Nov. 3 —azhumanities.org ARIZONA ASIAN FESTIVAL MESA The festival is filled with many Asian cultures and ethnic foods. This is the only festival in Arizona with more than 14 Asian cultures. Mesa Arts Center.

Nov. 3 – 4 —aaaa-az.org BROTHERS GOW FLAGSTAFF In concert at Oak Creek in Flagstaff. Orpheum.

Nov. 3 —brothersgow.com GILBERT ART WALK GILBERT Paintings, sculptures, three-dimensional art, calligraphy, architecture, photography, printmaking, jewelry and more. Water Tower Plaza.

Nov. 3, 10; Dec. 1, 15 —gilbertartwalk.com

JONATHAN BEST IN SEDONA SEDONA In concert at Oak Creek Brewing Co. Nov. 3 —jonathanbest.com SCOTTSDALE AIR FAIR SCOTTSDALE The air will be “buzzing” with the sounds of jets, helicopter takeoffs, vintage war bird formation flights and fly-overs. Scottsdale Airport.

Nov. 3 – 4 —scottsdaleairfair.com SCOTTSDALE SUPER EXPO SCOTTSDALE Home & Garden Show, Health & Fitness Expo and Food & Wine Festival.

WestWorld.

Nov. 3 – 4 —exposaz.com/scottsdale-super-expo STEPHEN ASHBROOK JEROME In concert at the Spirit Room.

Nov. 3 —stephenashbrook.com PIANO AND FRIENDS CONCERT: BEHZOD ABDURAIMOV TUCSON A concert by Behzod Abduraimov, on piano, at the Leo Rich Theater.

Nov. 4 —arizonachambermusic.org/pianoEvent1.html GATHERING OF WEAVERS: NAVAJO WEAVERS MARKETPLACE PHOENIX More than 50 Navajo weavers are expected to gather to show and sell their textiles. Heard Museum.

Nov. 5 —heard.org GILA BEND DESERT SHRIMP FESTIVAL GILA BEND Young and old alike can participate in contests, including the most popular, the shrimp eating contest. Enjoy delectable shrimp dishes, eating contests, kids’ events, beer/wine, vendors, a live band and more.

Nov. 5 —gilabendaz.org CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP PHOENIX Phoenix International Raceway.

Nov. 8 – 11 —phoenixinternationalraceway.com IRATION & THE EXPENDABLES FLAGSTAFF In concert at the Orpheum.

Nov. 8 —theexpendables.net ORO VALLEY CONCERT SERIES: REAL TEARS TUCSON Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance presents a concert of classic jazz standards at the Oro Valley Marketplace.

Nov. 8 —saaca.org/oro_valley_concerts.html BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL WICKENBURG The festival features bands entertaining all three days and includes food & drink concessions, arts/crafts and a designated Kids Zone. Everett Bowman Rodeo Grounds.

Nov. 9 – 11 —business.wickenburgchamber.com/events/details/bluegrass-sponsors-19 CHANDLER MUSEUM CHUCKWAGON COOK-OFF CHANDLER Teams work from authentic 1880s chuckwagons to cook five courses: bread, beans, meat, potatoes and dessert. Judges decide winners in each category, as well as best authentic wagon and best overall meal.

Tumbleweed Ranch at Tumbleweed Park.

Nov. 9 – 10 —chandleraz.gov/default.aspx?pageid=289

CHILES AND CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL PHOENIX Delight your taste buds with indulgent gourmet chocolates, zesty salsas and other unique southwestern treats. Desert Botanical Garden.

Nov. 9 – 12 —dbg.org/events-exhibitions/chiles-chocolate FESTIVAL OF THE SUPERSTITIONS APACHE JUNCTION Carnival, vendors, food, beer garden, live entertainment, Harley’s heroes, bike nights, car show, parade, art show and tractor show.

Nov. 9 – 11 —ajchamber.com JOHN DOE FLAGSTAFF In concert at the Orpheum.

Nov. 9 —theejohndoe.com AHWATUKEE CAR AND MOTORCYCLE SHOW AHWATUKEE Vehicles of various classes include stock, modified, pickups, convertibles, street rods, sports cars, 4x4/off-road, etc. Ahwatukee Community Swim & Tennis Center.

Nov. 10 —ahwatukeehoa.com AZ OPERA: ROMEO ET JULIETTE TUCSON The ultimate star-crossed lovers battle family and fate in Shakespeare’s ode to love, presented by Arizona Opera at Tucson Music Hall.

Nov. 10 – 11 —azopera.com CHANDLER BLOCK PARTY CHANDLER Entertainment, Kids Zone, zip-line, skate board exhibition, food trucks, beer gardens, Chandler’s Got Talent competition, more than 100 retail, arts and crafts vendors and more. Downtown Chandler.

Nov. 10 —chandlerblockparty.com CROSSROADS OF THE WEST GUN SHOW MESA Show offers hundreds of tables to meet the needs of everyone, from the once-a-year hunter to the avid collector. Centennial Hall.

Nov. 10 – 11 —crossroadsgunshows.com EARTH AND SPACE EXPLORATION DAY TEMPE Science-related activities for students age five and up, families, educators and anyone interested in exploring Earth and space alongside real scientists. ASU. Nov. 10 —sese.asu.edu/earth-and-space-exploration-day HOT AIR BALLOON GLOW & FESTIVAL TUCSON Huge colorful hot air balloons hover over the fairways at Tubac Golf Resort & Spa during the festival with activities for kids, tethered balloon rides, food vendors, music and more.

Nov. 10 —tubacgolfresort.com/media/events/saturday-november-10-hotair-balloon-festival-and-glow LIVING HISTORY DAY AT TUCSON PRESIDIO TUCSON The Tucson Presidio, a replica of the city’s original adobe-walled fortress with museum/gift shop, re-enacts 1775-1856 Tucson life, with craft- and food-making demonstrations, soldier drills and more.

Nov. 10 —tucsonpresidiotrust.org SAHUARITA PECAN FESTIVAL TUCSON Celebrate the pecan harvest at a marketplace with Santa Cruz River Valley vendors, pecan dishes and farm demonstrations, a kids’ area, music, and a 5K run at the Green Valley Pecan Farm.

Nov. 10 —sahuaritapecanfestival.com mylife

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events calendar >> WAILA FESTIVAL AT OLD TUCSON TUCSON This celebration of Tohono O’odham social dance music at Old Tucson features performances of polkas, cumbias, schottisches and mazurkas.

Nov. 13 —oldtucson.com/events/do-it-in-the-dirt-the-2010-waila-festival MARTIN SEXTON FLAGSTAFF In concert at the Orpheum.

Nov. 14 —martinsexton.com

SPOTLIGHT: American Heritage Festival The American Heritage Festival is a grand scale, highly interactive educational presentation of diverse civilian and military aspects of historic American life as portrayed by a large and experienced cast of historical interpreters assembled from around the country.

Included are reenactments, dramatic portrayals of famous men and women, musicians, artisans, craftsmen, singers, colonists, pioneers, mountain men, soldiers and more ranging from colonial times, the American Revolution and founding fathers through frontier and pioneer days, the Civil War, the Old West and on into the 20th century, the World Wars and the Vietnam era.

Nov. 16 - 18 —americanheritagefestival.com

AMERICAN PILGRIMS – VALLEY OF THE SUN CHAPTER PHOENIX Join the 5-mile hike into the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. S.W. corner of Lincoln and 32nd Street. Continental tailgate breakfast afterward.

Bring a treat to share! RSVP to Aleida, 602.702.1979, or Laura, 602.680.8897. Buen Camino!

Nov. 10 — americanpilgrims.com VAIL COUNTRY FAIR TUCSON The Greater Vail Area Chamber of Commerce presents a fair with raffles and contests, charity dunk tanks, cow pie bingo and more at Pima County Fairgrounds.

Nov. 10 —vailcountryfair.com MESA OLD WEST DAYS MESA This expanded community-centered event will showcase the rich pioneer and territorial history of Mesa. Downtown Mesa.

Nov. 11 – 12 —mesaoldwestdays.com HEARD MUSEUM SPANISH MARKET PHOENIX Strolling mariachis, folklorico dancers and artwork by Hispanic artists from Arizona, New Mexico and South America highlight this festive, casual and friendly annual marketplace, the largest of its kind in Arizona.

Nov. 12 —heard.org DROPKICK MURPHYS FLAGSTAFF In concert at the Orpheum Theatre Flagstaff.

Nov. 13 —dropkickmurphys.com GREAT BRIDAL EXPO PHOENIX Everything for the wedding – honeymoon and home is featured and on display. Phoenix Convention Center.

Nov. 13 —greatbridalexpo.com 50

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COYOTE CLASSIC ALL-BREED DOG SHOW TUCSON Coyote Classic presents an all-breed dog show and specialty groups at Pima County Fairgrounds.

Nov. 15 – 19 —swfair.com D.R.I. (DIRTY ROTTEN IMBECILES) FLAGSTAFF In concert at the Orpheum.

Nov. 15 —dirtyrottenimbeciles.com RED ROCK FANTASY SEDONA Twenty-five displays and nearly one million lights are featured at this 21st annual holiday spectacular at Los Abrigados Resort & Spa. Nov. 15 – Jan. 5, 2013 —redrockfantasy.com THE REV PEYTONS BIG DAMN BAND FLAGSTAFF In concert at The Green Room.

Nov. 15 —bigdamnband.com ARIZONA ANTIQUE MARKET SCOTTSDALE Quality antiques from the 1800s through the 1900s, including deco, retro and modernism periods. East Thunderbird Plaza.

Nov. 16 – 18, Dec. 7 – 9 —azantiqueshow.com AVA AMPHITHEATER: COUNTING CROWS TUCSON Casino Del Sol presents American rock band Counting Crows with special guests Tender Mercies & Mean Creek.

Nov. 16 —casinodelsol.com/events/counting-crows GOOD GUYS 15TH SOUTHWEST NATIONALS SCOTTSDALE Goodguys Giant Car Shows are the place to be and definitely the place to be seen! For all vehicles 1972 and older. WestWorld.

Nov. 16 – 18 —good-guys.com THE BIG HEAP VINTAGE AND HANDMADE FESTIVAL CAVE CREEK Emerging as one of the most exceptional indie, vintage, modern, industrial and salvaged goods gatherings in the West.

Nov. 16 – 18 —thebigheap.com THUNDERBIRD EMPORIUM OF SCOTTSDALE SCOTTSDALE Features the finest of the arts and crafts world. The south bridge and waterfront will come alive with something for everyone, from stocking stuffers and wood carvings to glassware, hand-knitted hats and accessories.

Nov. 16 – 18 —thunderbirdartists.com WOOFSTOCK CHANDLER Features the Great Chandler Dog Walk and more! It’s a great event for the entire family — adults, kids ... and dogs! Bring your leashed, well-mannered dog out to enjoy a day of fun with other dog lovers and their K-9 friends.

Nov. 16 – 18 —chandleraz.gov/default.aspx?pageidWoof=284

ARTFEST OF SCOTTSDALE SCOTTSDALE Downtown Scottsdale features 200 artists from across the country, where you can find that one-of-a-kind gift just in time for the holidays.

Nov. 17 —888artfest.com

THANKSGIVING CROSS-COUNTRY CLASSIC TUCSON Southern AZ Roadrunners presents a European-style 5K around Reid Park to benefit Toys for Tots — a fun opportunity to cheer friends and family as they hurdle hay bales and water jumps.

Nov. 22 —azroadrunners.org/races/detail/thanksgiving

EL TOUR DE TUCSON TUCSON Participants cycle main-event distances of 111, 85, 60 or 42 miles, choose the Fun Ride 10 or 5 miles, or a fun ¼-mile activity course.

Armory Park.

Nov. 17 —perimeterbicycling.com

GLENDALE GLITTERS SPECTACULAR GLENDALE With 1.5 million lights covering more than 16 blocks in Historic Downtown Glendale.

Nov. 23 – 24 —glendaleaz.com/events

FORD IRONMAN TRIATHLON AND EXPO TEMPE This triathlon features a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a marathon. Tempe Lake.

Nov. 18 —ironman.com/events/ironman/arizona ARIZONA WINE GROWERS FESTIVAL AT THE FARM PHOENIX Shake hands and drink the juice of Arizona’s own grape farmers and wine producers in the picturesque setting of Phoenix’s historic The Farm at South Mountain.

Nov. 19 —azwinefestivalatthefarm.com FIRELAND PHOENIX FAERIE FESTIVAL GOODYEAR This festival is a celebration of the folklore and fantasy of the enchanted realms for Faerie. Don’t just see the faeries—be a faerie. Estrella Mountain Regional Park.

Nov. 19 – 20 —westerngatesfaerierealms.com/phoenixfaeriefestival.htm

EL TOUR DE TUCSON - NOV. 17

COUNTING CROWS - NOV. 16

ARIZONA INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW PHOENIX Exciting displays, auto show entertainment and the hottest new cars and trucks. Phoenix Convention Center.

Nov. 22 – 25 —autoshowphoenix.com

FESTIVAL OF TREES SEDONA Area artists and galleries will have more than 45 Christmas trees and gingerbread houses fully decorated in fun and exquisite ways.

Nov. 23 – Dec. 1 —tlaq.com HOLIDAY NIGHTS AT TOHONO CHUL TUCSON Celebrate the holidays on weekends at Tohono Chul, with twinkling lights and luminarias, cookies and cider, live music and children’s activities.

Nov. 23 – 24 —tohonochulpark.org ZOOLIGHTS PHOENIX This year, ZooLights celebrates its 20th magical year with 3.5 million lights and more than 600 glimmering light displays. Phoenix Zoo. Nov. 24 – Jan. 8, 2013 —phoenixzoo.org BELA FLECK FLAGSTAFF In concert at the Orpheum.

Nov. 25 —belafleck.com MARIPOSA MONARCA MONARCH BUTTERFLY EXHIBIT PHOENIX This engaging exhibit at the Desert Botanical Garden features interpretive displays about the life cycle and migration patterns of the Monarch butterfly, and the environmental threats and conservation efforts it faces.

Through Nov. 25 —dbg.org EL ZARIBAH SHRINE CIRCUS SCOTTSDALE WestWorld in Scottsdale.

Nov. 30 – Dec. 2 —el-zaribah.org

INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW - NOV. 22

DISCOVER INDIA PHOENIX A festival that aims to facilitate integration of the community of individuals of Indian heritage into their new homeland, the United States of America. Heritage Square.

Nov. 18 —iaphx.org

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events calendar >> HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING SEDONA Watch the annual tree-lighting ceremony, listen to holiday music and visit with Santa in uptown Sedona.

Nov. 30 —sedonamainstreet.com

GLENDALE’S WINTER WONDERLAND GLENDALE Features a children’s snow field. Enjoy delightful winter fun not usually found in Arizona. Historic Downtown Glendale.

Dec. 7 – 8 —glendaleaz.com/events

MARIE ANTOINETTE: THE COLOR OF FLESH TUCSON Beowulf Alley Theatre presents “Marie Antoinette: The Color of Flesh” by Joel Gross, a story about one of history’s most controversial figures, more than two centuries after her death.

Nov. 30 —beowulfalley.org

LUMINARIA NIGHTS AT TUCSON BOTANICAL GARDENS TUCSON Tucson Botanical Gardens’ paths are lined with luminarias for the holidays, and the gardens are filled with musical entertainment.

Dec. 7 – 9 —tucsonbotanical.org/events/luminaria-nights

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TUCSON MARATHON - DEC. 9

FALL Festival of the Arts - NOV. 30

A CHRISTMAS CAROL, THEATRIKOS THEATER COMPANY FLAGSTAFF A play version focusing on Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” Scrooge finds his way to igniting the Christmas spirit for young and old alike.

Nov. 30 – Dec. 16 —theatrikos.com

LUMINARIA NIGHTS/FIESTA DE NAVIDAD TUCSON The Village of Tubac celebrates the holidays by lining its streets and artist studios with luminarias.

Dec. 7 – 8 —tubacaz.com/event-calendar FESTIVAL OF THE LIGHTS SEDONA Thousands of glowing luminarias light up Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village. Entertainment includes musicians and dancers.

Dec. 8 —tlaq.com

FIESTA BOWL PARADE - DEC. 31

TEMPE FALL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS TEMPE The Tempe Festival of the Arts consistently ranks among the Top 20 art festivals in the nation. Mill Avenue District.

Nov. 30 – Dec. 2 —tempefestivalofthearts.com

ARIZONA THEATRE COMPANY: JANE AUSTEN’S ‘EMMA’ TUCSON Jane Austen’s “Emma” in a lavish new large-scale musical from composer Paul Gordon. Temple of Music and Art. Dec. 1 – 22 —arizonatheatre.org/our-shows/jane-austens-emma

THE ROMEROS WITH CONCERTO MALAGA TUCSON Performing works by Pedrell, Paris, Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky, Bach and Händel. The Fox Tucson Theatre.

Dec. 8 —foxtucsontheatre.org

DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN LAS NOCHES DE LAS LUMINARIAS PHOENIX One of the Valley’s best holiday events comes to life at the garden, with more than 8,000 hand-lit luminaria bags and musical groups.

Dec. 1 – 30 —dbg.org

LIGHTING OF LUMINARIAS AT TOMBSTONE COURTHOUSE TOMBSTONE Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park is festooned with luminarias and other decorations to ring in the holiday season; music and refreshments.

Dec. 9 —azstateparks.com/parks/toco/index.html

PHOENIX URBAN EXPO PHOENIX Business, housing, career, finances and health. Phoenix Convention Center.

Dec. 1 —phxurbanexpo.com

TUCSON MARATHON TUCSON Full and half marathons. Start in Oracle, finish in Oro Valley.

Dec. 9 —tucsonmarathon.com

ZOO LIGHTS AT REID PARK ZOO TUCSON Stroll through Reid Park Zoo and enjoy twinkling lights, jingle bells, falling snow, holiday displays and Santa Claus.

Dec. 1 – 23 —tucsonzoo.org

WINTERHAVEN RUN THROUGH THE LIGHTS 5K TUCSON Southern AZ Roadrunners hosts a noncompetitive 5K fun run past the houses decked in lights and holiday decor.

Dec. 9 —azroadrunners.org

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DOWNTOWN TUCSON PARADE OF LIGHTS TUCSON The Downtown Tucson Partnership presents a holiday-theme street

TEQUILA

fest

parade with decorated floats, vehicles and entertainers.

Dec. 15 —downtowntucson.org/visit/parade-of-lights CASA GRANDE HOLIDAY ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL CASA GRANDE The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance presents a festival with artists selling everything from oil paintings and sculpture to rustic furniture and jewelry at the Promenade Shopping Center in Casa Grande.

Dec. 15 – 16 —casagrandefestival.org A SOUTHWEST NUTCRACKER WITH TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA TUCSON Tucson Regional Ballet’s 1880s Southwest take on the traditional Nutcracker Ballet features dancing chili peppers, coyotes, cavalry and rattlesnakes at Tucson Music Hall.

Dec. 15 – 16 —tucsonregionalballet.org/#swnutcracker MARCH FOURTH MARCHING BAND FLAGSTAFF In concert at the Orpheum.

Dec. 15 —marchfourthmarchingband.com CELTIC WOMAN: A CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION TUCSON Irish music and Christmas songs in a unique symphonic setting at UA

What’s your favorite type of tequila?

Reposados, añejos or blancos? The Phoenix Tequila Fest has been offering tequila tastings and samplings of the world’s finest tequilas since 2009.

US Airways Center will host this two-day event, which features more than 50 types of tequilas—tequila brands, distilleries, varietals and tasting instructions.

Get the scoop from tequila experts and mixologists on the hottest trends in tequila, from fruit-infused tequilas to creative tequila cocktails.

The festival will feature live music entertainment—and runs in conjunction with the annual Christmas Mariachi Festival, on Saturday, Dec. 10, at the same venue. You can also experience authentic Mexican cuisine from some of the Valley’s most popular restaurants. Tempt your taste buds with carne asada, shrimp ceviche, flautas, taquitos and chimichangas, just to name some of the possibilities.

Ticketholders to the Phoenix Tequila Fest can ride the METRO light rail for free starting four hours prior to the event.

Centennial Hall.

Dec. 16 —uapresents.org/calendar/view.aspx?id=6404

Dec. 9 - 11 —phoenixtequilafest.com

MOSCOW BALLET’S GREAT RUSSIAN NUTCRACKER TUCSON Fox Tucson Theatre presents a Christmas tradition and a visual feast

NEW YEAR’S EVE MOVEABLE MUSICAL FEAST AT ARIZONA INN

featuring lavish costumes, larger-than-life puppets and hand-painted

TUCSON

backdrops with 3-D effects.

Ring in the new year with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra at the Arizona

Dec. 17 – 18 —foxtucsontheatre.org

Inn, with live virtuoso performances, an open bar and a multi-course gourmet dinner with wine.

THE NUTCRACKER BALLET TUCSON

Dec. 31 —tucsonsymphony.org

Ballet Tucson’s full-length holiday classic features swirling snowflakes, marching toy soldiers, giant mice and candy confections at UA

SCOTTSDALE’S ULTIMATE NEW YEAR’S EVE BLOCK PARTY

Centennial Hall.

SCOTTSDALE

Dec. 21 —ballettucson.org/detail/performances/the_nutcracker

Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers will headline Scottsdale’s Ultimate New Year’s Eve Block Party this year. Craftsman Court, in the heart of Old

USTA JUNIOR NATIONAL WINTER TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Town Scottsdale.

TUCSON

Dec. 31 —scottsdalesultimateblockparty.com

Prestigious invitational tennis tournament sanctioned by the USTA at Reffkin Tennis Center, Reid Park.

TUCSON JAZZ SOCIETY’S 7TH ANNUAL NEW YEAR’S EVE GALA

Dec. 27 – Jan. 1, 2013

TUCSON The Tucson Jazz Society presents a music-dinner-and-dancing party

FORT MCDOWELL FIESTA BOWL PARADE TEMPE

with Rick Braun and friends, all-night dancing, a champagne toast and

Features a dazzling array of colorful floats, magnificent helium balloons,

midnight balloon drop at JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort.

harmonious marching bands and spirited specialty and equestrian units.

Dec. 31 —tucsonjazz.org

Dec. 31 —fiestabowl.org FIESTA BOWL BLOCK PARTY TEMPE

Submit an event

One of the largest New Year’s Eve celebrations in Arizona, the Fiesta

Did we miss your favorite event? Please tell us about it!

Visit MyLIFEMagazine.com/event-submission and provide as much information as you can—we’ll take care of the rest.

Bowl Block Party is the place where Valley residents and visiting fans come together to celebrate college football.

Dec. 31 —fiestabowl.org

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CONCERTS PREMIER VENUES

ASU GAMMAGE TEMPE 1200 S. Forest Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85287 —asugammage.com

The Brian Setzer Orchestra Dec. 18 —briansetzer.com

ANYTHING GOES Nov. 13 - 18 —roundabouttheatre.org

Louis CK Dec. 22 —louisck.net

DONNY AND MARIE – CHRISTMAS IN ARIZONA Nov. 27 - Dec. 2 —donny.com

Jerry Riopelle Dec. 31 —jerryriopelle.com

THE ADDAMS FAMILY Dec. 11 - 16 —theaddamsfamilymusicaltour.com

Comerica Theatre PHOENIX 400 W. Washington St. Phoenix, AZ 85003 —livenation.com

CELEBRITY THEATER PHOENIX 440 North 32nd St. Phoenix AZ 85008 —celebritytheatre.com

Alanis Morissette Nov. 1 —alanis.com

Restless Heart & Walker County Nov. 2 —restlessheartband.com

KEVIN HART Nov. 3 —khartonline.com

Don Williams Nov. 4 —don-williams.com

Eddie Vedder Nov. 4 —pearljam.com

Waka Flocka Flame Nov. 5 —wakaflockabsm.com

T.I. Nov. 10 —trapmuzik.com

6 Rounds of Punk Nov. 9 —celebritytheatre.com/upcoming.php?viewevent=819

John Legend Nov. 14—johnlegend.com

Los Tucanes de Tijuana Nov. 17 —lostucanesdetijuana.com

Sesame Street Live: Elmo’s Super Heroes Nov. 16 - 18 —sesamestreetlive.com/shows/elmos-super-heroes

Pre-Thanksgiving Comedy Slam Nov. 21 —celebritytheatre.com/upcoming.php?viewevent=822

The Fresh Beat Band Live In Concert Nov. 23 —freshbeatbandlive.com

Chris Isaak Dec. 7 —chrisisaak.com

Enrique Bunbury Dec. 11 —enriquebunbury.com

Punany Poets Dec. 8 —celebritytheatre.com/upcoming.php?viewevent=821

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker Dec. 15 —nutcracker.com

MAZE featuring Frankie Beverly Dec. 14 —mazemuze.com

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JOBING.COM ARENA GLENDALE 9400 W. Maryland Ave. Glendale, AZ 85305 —jobingarena.com Eric Church - The Blood, Sweat & Beers Tour Nov. 2 —ericchurch.com Trans-Siberian Orchestra Dec. 1 —trans-siberian.com Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Dec. 6 —brucespringsteen.net FOX THEATRE TUCSON 17 W. Congress St. Tucson, AZ 85701 —foxtucsontheatre.org The Amazing Kreskin Nov. 1 amazingkreskin.com A Taste for NOURISH: Fried Green Tomatoes Nov. 3 nourishaz.org Jim Brickman Nov. 8 jimbrickman.com Boogie Woogie Blowout Nov. 11 owlsnestmusic.com/lisaotey Mary Black Nov. 20 mary-black.net Béla Fleck and Marcus Roberts Nov. 24 belafleck.com; marcusroberts.com Linda Eder Dec. 6 lindaeder.com Warren Miller’s Flow State Dec. 7 warrenmiller.com Romeros with Concerto Malaga Dec. 8 romeroguitarquartet.com

Ballet Academy of Arizona: The Nutcracker Dec. 22 - 23 balletacademyofarizona.org ORPHEUM THEATER FLAGSTAFF 15 W. Aspen St. Flagstaff, AZ 86001 —orpheum-theater.com The Expendables & Iration Nov. 8 theexpendables.net Dropkick Murphys Nov. 8 dropkickmurphys.com Phoenix Symphony PHOENIX One N. First St. Suite 200, Phoenix, AZ 85004 —phoenixsymphony.org Ignat Solzhenitsyn Conducts Stravinsky’s Petrushka Nov. 8 - Nov. 10 tickets.phoenixsymphony.org/single/psDetail.aspx?psn=5799 Michael Christie Conducts Carmina Burana Nov. 23 - Nov. 25 tickets.phoenixsymphony.org/single/psDetail.aspx?psn=5800 Meet the Artist Luncheon Nov. 23 tickets.phoenixsymphony.org/single/psDetail.aspx?psn=6097 Joseph Young Conducts Holiday Pops No. 30 - Dec. 2 tickets.phoenixsymphony.org/single/psDetail.aspx?psn=5858 Family Holiday Celebration Dec. 1 tickets.phoenixsymphony.org/single/psDetail.aspx?psn=5895 Handel’s Messiah Dec. 12 - Dec. 16 tickets.phoenixsymphony.org/single/psDetail.aspx?psn=6004 New Year’s Eve Celebration Dec. 31 tickets.phoenixsymphony.org/single/psDetail.aspx?psn=6009 PHOENIX THEATRE PHOENIX 100 E. McDowell Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85004 —phoenixtheatre.com Defending the Caveman Through - Nov. 25 —phoenixtheatre.com/events/defending-caveman

Ghostbusters Dec. 28-29 foxtucsontheatre.ticketforce.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=449

S’Wonderful Dec. 12 - Jan. 6 —phoenixtheatre.com/events/s-wonderful

ORPHEUM THEATER PHOENIX 203 W. Adams St. Phoenix, AZ 85003 —orpheum-theater.com

US AIRWAYS CENTER PHOENIX 201 E. Jefferson St. Phoenix, AZ 85004 —usairwayscenter.com

The Windows Of Christmas Dec. 1 - 2 orpheum-theater.com/orpheum_theater_flagstaff.php

Winter Jam 2012 Tour Spectacular Nov. 10 —jamtour.com/artist/tobymac

Cirque Dreams: Holidaze Dec. 6 - 9 cirqueproductions.com

Rush Nov. 25 —btrband.com Cirque du Soleil, Dralion Nov. 28 —cirquedusoleil.com

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SPORTING EVENTS ARIZONA TEAMS

PHOENIX COYOTES HOCKEY @ Buffalo Sabres Thu., Nov. 1 at 4:00 p.m.

@ Ottawa Senators Fri., Nov. 2 at 4:30 p.m. @ Montreal Canadiens Tue., Nov. 6 at 5:30 p.m.

@ Dallas Stars Thu., Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m.

Vs. Buffalo Sabres Sat., Nov. 10 at 6:00 p.m.

Jobing.com Arena

Vs. San Jose Sharks Tue., Nov. 13 at 7:00 p.m.

Jobing.com Arena

Vs. Carolina Hurricanes Thu., Nov. 15 at 7:00 p.m.

Jobing.com Arena

Vs. Anaheim Ducks Mon., Nov. 19 at 7:00 p.m.

Jobing.com Arena

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Vs. Edmonton Oilers Wed., Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m.

Jobing.com Arena

Vs. Florida Panthers Sat., Dec. 8 at 6:00 p.m.

Jobing.com Arena

Vs. Colorado Avalanche Sat., Nov. 23 at 7:00 p.m.

Jobing.com Arena

Vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Tue., Dec. 11 at 5:00 p.m.

Jobing.com Arena

@ Colorado Avalanche Sat., Nov. 24 at 7:00 p.m.

@ St. Louis Blues Tue., Dec. 18 at 6:00 p.m.

@ Detroit Red Wings Tue., Nov. 27 at 5:30 p.m.

Vs. St. Louis Blues Thu., Dec. 20 at 7:00 p.m.

Jobing.com Arena

@ New Jersey Devils Fri., Nov. 30 at 5:00 p.m.

Vs. Dallas Stars Sat., Dec. 22 at 6:00 p.m.

Jobing.com Arena

@ New York Islanders Sat., Dec. 1 at 5:00 p.m.

@ Boston Bruins Mon., Dec. 3 at 5:00 p.m.

Vs. Minnesota Wild Wed., Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Jobing.com Arena

@ Los Angeles Kings Wed., Dec. 26 at 8:00 p.m.

Vs. Los Angeles Kings Thu., Dec. 27 at 7:00 p.m.

Jobing.com Arena Vs. Colorado Avalanche Sat., Dec. 29 at 6:00 p.m.

Jobing.com Arena Vs. Philadelphia Flyers Mon., Dec. 31 at 7:00 p.m.

Jobing.com Arena

ARIZONA CARDINALS FOOTBALL

SPOTLIGHT: SPORTS BROADCAST DUO

@ Atlanta Falcons Sun., Nov. 18 at 11:00 a.m.

After a disappointing season both on and off the field that saw a series of yearlong controversies in the announcer’s booth, it

Vs. St. Louis Rams Sun., Nov. 25 at 2:25 p.m.

University of Phoenix Stadium

seemed time for a change, and in late October Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall made sweeping changes for the upcoming 2013 season. It was suspected by most within the local sports

@ New York Jets Sun., Dec. 2 at 11:00 a.m.

community that the contracts of both Daron Sutton and Mark Grace would

@ Seatlle Seahawks Sun., Dec. 9 at 2:25 p.m.

Bob Brenly, along with ESPN veteran sports host and anchor Steve

not be renewed, and that’s exactly what transpired.

Hall announced the hiring of former Diamondbacks’ manager and analyst Berthiaume, who will assume their roles as the club’s new television announcers. Both men are seasoned professionals.

Vs. Detroit Lions Sun., Dec. 16 at 2:05 p.m.

University of Phoenix Stadium Vs. Chicago Bears Sun., Dec. 23 at 2:25 p.m.

University of Phoenix Stadium @ San Francisco 49ers Sun., Dec. 30 at 2:25 p.m.

phoenix suns basketball

When Brenly, who previously called the Valley home, was given the opportunity to return to Arizona (he served as the Cubs’ announcer for the last eight years), he seized the opportunity quickly. He will take over the club’s analyst duties, which he held prior to assuming his role as the team’s manager—a position he held when the Diamondbacks won the World Series Championship in 2001.

Berthiaume brings to the role his expansive knowledge of the sports industry, which he garnered during his stint at ESPN for the better part of the last 12 years. He and his new play-by-play partner, Brenly, will make 2013 a great season.

Vs. Detroit Pistons Fri., Nov. 2 at 7:00 p.m.

US Airways Center

@ Charlotte Bobcats Wed., Nov. 7 at 5:00 p.m.

@ Orlando Magic Sun., Nov. 4 at 4:00 p.m. @ Miami Heat Mon., Nov. 5 at 5:30 p.m.

Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Fri., Nov. 9 at 7:00 p.m.

US Airways Center

@ Utah Jazz Sat., Nov. 10 at 7:00 p.m.

Vs. Denver Nuggets Mon., Nov. 12 at 7:00 p.m.

US Airways Center

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events calendar >> phoenix suns basketball VS. Chicago Bulls Wed., Nov. 14 at 7:00 p.m.

US Airways Center @ L.A. Lakers Fri., Nov. 16 at 8:30 p.m.

Vs. Miami Heat Sat., Nov. 17 at 7:00 p.m.

US Airways Center Vs. Portland Trail Blazers Wed., Nov. 21 at 7:00 p.m.

US Airways Center Vs. New Orleans Hornets Fri., Nov. 23 at 7:00 p.m.

US Airways Center @ Philadelphia 76ers Sun., Nov. 25 at 4:00 p.m. @ Cleveland Cavaliers Tue., Nov. 27 at 5:00 p.m. @ Detroit Wed., Nov. 28 at 5:30 p.m. @ Toronto Raptors Fri., Nov. 30 at 5:00 p.m.

Vs. Utah Jazz Fri., Dec. 14 at 7:00 p.m.

US Airways Center Vs. Sacramento Kings Mon., Dec. 17 at 7:00 p.m.

US Airways Center Vs. Charlotte Hornets Wed., Dec. 19 at 7:00 p.m.

US Airways Center @ Portland Trail Blazers Sat., Dec. 22 at 8:00 p.m.

Vs. L.A. Clippers Sun., Dec. 23 at 6:00 p.m.

US Airways Center Vs. New York Knicks Wed., Dec. 26 at 7:00 p.m.

US Airways Center

@ Memphis Grizzlies Tue., Dec. 4 at 6:00 p.m.

@ Indiana Pacers Fri., Dec. 28 at 5:00 p.m.

Vs. Dallas Mavericks Thu., Dec. 6 at 8:30 p.m.

US Airways Center

@ Minnesota Timberwolves Sat., Dec. 29 at 6:00 p.m.

@ L.A. Clippers Sat., Dec. 8 at 1:30 p.m.

@ Oklahoma City Thunder Mon., Dec. 31 at 6:00 p.m.

Todd Graham

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Vs. Memphis Grizzlies Wed., Dec. 12 at 7:00 p.m.

US Airways Center

@ New York Knicks Sun., Dec. 2 at 10:00 a.m.

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@ Orlando Magic Sun., Dec. 9 at 6:00 p.m.

nov-dec 2012

While the Pac-12 has four new coaches in college football this year, the one with the most to prove is ASU’s Todd Graham. He left Pittsburgh after only one year and is now a villain in that city.

Pittsburgh’s quarterback, Tino Sunseri, compared Graham’s offense to a high school offense. But who has one of the best records of the Pac-12’s quartet? Go ASU!

ASU FOOTBALL @ Oregon State Sat., Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m. @ USC Sat., Nov. 10 at TBA Vs. Washington State Sat., Nov. 17 at TBA Sun Devil Stadium @ Arizona Sat., Nov. 23 at 8:00 p.m

UofA FOOTBALL @ UCLA Sat., Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Vs. Colorado Sat., Nov. 10 at TBA Arizona Stadium @ Utah Sat., Nov. 17 at TBA Vs. Arizona State Sat., Nov. 23 at 8:00 p.m.

Arizona Stadium

NAU FOOTBALL @ Idaho State Sat., Nov. 3 at 3:05 p.m. @ Southern Utah Sat., Nov. 10 at 2:05 p.m.

Vs. Cal Poly Sat., Nov. 17 at 4:05 p.m.

J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome

credits >> IMAGE CREDITS

p. 1: Cover, Shutterstock; p. 4: table of contents, Shutterstock; p. 5: soldier with dog, MilitaryPhotos, Netherlands; Geoff Zanelli, CW3PR; p. 6: holiday decoration, Shutterstock; p. 9: Picassa; p. 10: Herman Melville, Library of Congress; p. 12: James Bond; moviegoss.com; p.13: jet, U.S. Air Force; p.14: Shutterstock; p. 16: Margy Bons, Cronkite News Service; p. 18: USS Arizona gun, U.S. Navy Photographer; p. 19: USS Arizona, U.S. Navy Photo; p. 20: Mars, NASA/JPL; p. 22: Michael Clarke Duncan, AP Photo; Levon Helm, Sam Heller; p. 23: Alex Karras and Nicholas James Ivie, the Associated Press; p. 27: Malala, AP photo; p. 32: referee by Evan Habeeb-US PRESSWIRE; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell by Elsa/ Getty Sport Images; p. 36: top photo, Goran Tomasevic / Reuters; second photo down, Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod; third photo down, Photo by U.S. Army Pfc. Andrya Hillbottom; bottom photo, Sgt. Mark Fayloga; p. 38: Shutterstock; p. 42: Bioenergy Frontiers team, Bioenergy Frontiers; artwork courtesy of Eisenmann Corp.; p. 44; Geoff Zanelli, CW3PR; p. 45: Zack Jones; p. 46: The Odd Life of Timothy Green movie poster, Disney; p. 47: Chris Isaak, official tour photo; p. 48: balloons, Bobo Ochoa; p. 51: Counting Crows; bike riders, Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau; p. 52: runner, Shutterstock; fiesta bowl parade, W. Scott Mitchell; press photo; p. 54: Nutcracker, official tour photo; the Osmonds; Jeremy Deputat; p. 56: Shane Doan, Norm Hall/Getty Images; Larry Fitzgerald, Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images; p. 58: coach Todd Graham, ASU Press. p. 59: star, Shutterstock.

mylife

nov-dec 2012

59

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