El Guru's Blog

Winter Storm 2010 Montage

2010-01-23T21:50:00Z

A Photo Montage of the 17 photos from the January 21, 2010 Winter Storm. The first 5 were taken on January 21st and the remaining 17 including the three along Arizona Ave were taken on January 23rd.

photos.elguru.me/MontageBrowser.aspx?montage=15991
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Winter Storm 2010 Part 2

2010-01-23T21:33:00Z

Friday crews were out mainly just to clear the trees from blocking the parking lot and pathways.

The truck has been unburied now.

Stumps/root balls and tree parts still piled throughout the parking lot.

The remaining stump of the tree that was burying that silver truck.

This tree was southeast of my building and in a lot more open area. I am not sure when this tree broke but I am thinking this was not a the same time as the others. This one was falling the opposite direction of the others based on the expose root on the left side.

Winter Storm 2010 Part 1

2010-01-23T21:05:00Z

For most of the week Arizona has been seeing a lot of rain and wind. Nothing too bad and the rain was much welcomed. From the start of the week though the weather forecasters had been warning us that the final system to move in on Thursday was going to be a big one, with lots of rain and wind. For the most part it was calm on Thursday, some periods of heavy rain but nothing too bad. However, late Thursday afternoon the wind picked up, peak gusts in my area were recorded at around 43 MPH at Hendrix Jr High School, no match for these desert trees sitting in rain soak ground.

Click photos for bigger images.

Two of three trees downed by the strong winds next to my building.

The owner of the silver truck really lucked out.

This looks a lot worse than it really was. Crews managed to get the truck unburied the next morning. There were a couple minor dents and some scratches on the side of the cab. Had that tree fallen a couple more inches over would have been a much different story.

This third tree I didn't even know about as I could not see this one from my balcony. It wasn't until I went to get pictures of the buried truck did I discover this one. You can see in this picture some of the roots from the tree that use to be on the corner of the building.

This photos shows just how powerful the winds were. The 'third tree' is off to the right.

Seinfeld: How to Respond to a Telemarketer

2010-01-23T21:01:00Z

Get a Mac Ads 2006-2009

2010-01-23T20:44:00Z

AdFreak has put together in one easy to access place, all the Get A Mac ads. Thus far there are a total of 66 ads starting from 2006 up until the most recent back in October 2009.
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Christmas 2009

2009-12-25T20:00:00Z

Some picture from Christmas. Click on pictures for larger size.

Winter Wonderland. This keeps growing every year, I'll either find something new at the local thrift stores or given something to add to the display

6-Foot Pre-Lit Christmas Tree in my office. First year going the pre-lit route, so nice not having to string lights.

My (early) Christmas Present to myself, an Acer 24" Widescreen Monitor.

Get a Mac - PC News

2009-11-12T09:50:00Z

More Windows 7 News...

Get a Mac - Broken Promises

2009-11-05T18:48:00Z

A Windows 7 themed Get a Mac:

First Microsoft Store Opens in Scottsdale

2009-10-23T08:37:00Z

Just in time for the release of Windows 7 on Thursday, Microsoft opened their first retail store in Scottsdale in the Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall. Microsoft also plans on opening another store soon in Mission Viejo, California next Thursday (October 29th).

The store's design includes four "zones" to show off an array of Microsoft products, including Windows 7 on PCs and laptops, Windows Mobile on smartphones, the Zune HD and the Xbox 360. The walls are lined with widescreen monitors, and an Xbox 360 is hooked up to a 94-inch HDTV in the back of the store, Microsoft said.

I am going to have to try to get up that way and check out the store. If anything just see that 94-inch HDTV in person.

The Microsoft Blog: Crowds invade first Microsoft Store in Arizona

Windows 7 Whopper

2009-10-22T20:54:00Z

From the Microsoft Blog. Only at BK Japan, The Windows 7 Whopper!

New Updates and Expanded Photography Section

2009-10-10T16:32:00Z

My ElGuru.me site has been updated and the photography section has been expanded.
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Bill Gates Photo - Albuquerque, December '77

2009-10-09T22:25:00Z

First came across this image on The Microsoft Blog. A quick Google Search turned up that Gates was booked for a traffic viollation, but the exact details can no longer be found.

An Update from El Guru

2009-09-11T08:43:00Z

It has been a long while since I have posted in this here blog. It has been a long and hot summer out here in Arizona and I haven't really felt like doing much on my days off. I am finally getting around to making some changes to my ElGuru.me site including updating the Firefox page. I hope to do more work this weekend, including expanding the Photography section. Since I returned to being a reseller (alnetsolutions.com) I have a premium version of Website Tonight which gives me nearly unlimited (999) pages. I had planned on using this Website Tonight for one my clients to redo their site this past summer. However ,the client opted to keep their site as it was so this Website Tonight package sat unused and forgotten on my account for a couple months. I happen to be reviewing my account and came across the unused Website Tonight. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it then I realized why I am paying for a Deluxe version when I get this Premium version included as part of my reseller package? The transition took a little longer than I expected but I don't think many people notice the site was down for a couple days. So now I can do a lot more with the ElGuru.me site.

Sometime back and I have no idea when or why I signed up for Facebook. For those who know me, I am not much of a social networking fan. However, I recently had a person I use to work with some years back contact me via Facebook. As I have gotten more into Facebook I have found many more friends, mostly people I currently work with or use to work with me at my current job.

Hopefully I will start posting more frequently on this here blog. I really need to get out and get some more use out of my new camera as well.

Purple Sky & Palm Trees

2009-06-20T16:53:00Z

Took these photos last night. Click the photos below to see the full-size (3072x1728)

The stormy (very little rain though, mostly virga) sky makes for a beautiful sunset.

I do love the zoom feature on this camera. Odd, I don't recall being able to see those palm trees from my front door. May be they are more noticeable since being trimmed and cleaned.

These are the Palm Trees I usually photograph in my sunset shots. These are visible from my balcony. Again the stormy sky adds an intesting effect by allowing a patch of sun to "back light" part of the Palo Brea tree.

A Spring Evening Sunset

2009-06-06T02:51:00Z

These photos were taken from my home in Chandler, AZ. Click on the photos below to view full-size version in a new window.

A Panoramic Sunset

3 Palm Trees | Close Up

3 Palm Trees

How to Remove Internet Explorer 8

2009-05-01T21:59:00Z

I mentioned in my Beware of Microsoft:: Internet Explorer 8 post that Microsoft has pushed the 'upgrade' to Internet Explorer 8 out as a Windows Update. In the event that Internet Explorer 8 was unwilling installed on your system, it appears it is fairly simple to revert back to Internet Explorer 7.

The Windows Help article: Uninstall Internet Explorer 8 outlines in 5 simple steps who to remove Internet Explorer and get Internet Explorer 7 back. Note this article only applies to users of Windows Vista.
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Beware of Microsoft:: Internet Explorer 8

2009-05-01T20:45:00Z

I noticed I had more than usual one or two updates for Windows Vista today. I always look through the updates before I install in case there is something I don't want. I was looking at the updates list and saw I had the usual new definitions for Windows Defender, an update for IE7 (not that I really use it) as well as an update for Microsoft .NET Framework (for whatever reason my laser printer insisted .NET Framework was to be installed). Okay so far so good, but wait what the heck is this last one Internet Explorer 8 for Windows Vista!

Microsoft is pushing IE 8 through as a Windows Update, no wonder I am getting so many calls at work about our website builder acting odd and these people having no idea how the heck they ended up getting IE8. I had one guy explain to me the process he went through to get Internet Explorer 8 off his system and getting Internet Explorer 7 back (by way of installing Internet Explorer 6 and then upgrading to Internet Explorer 7). A lady yesterday told me we got her using Firefox because all of the problems she was having with Internet Explorer.

Tip of the day: Don't ever let Windows automatically install Windows updates, because you won't know what Microsoft is trying to sneak by you.

Extra Photos

2009-04-25T20:48:00Z

Note: This is the last entry of photos from around Tempe.

Here some 'extra' photos that I took on April 24th.

Third Street

Looking east down Third Street. The second US Airways Center project on the left. Hayden Square to the right. Ahead is Tempe Butte also known as 'A Mountain' ASU's Golden A can be seen from this photo.

Hayden's Ferry Lakeside and Hayden Flour Mill

Over the past decade or so there have been plans to turn the old Hayden Flour in to a hotel or office building. There have been a couple transient caused fires at the site, but those have been contained to adjacent buildings and never spread to the mill itself. You c also see part of the northbound Mill Avenue bridge.

Downtown Tempe Skyline

Taken from the northern shore. Hayden Flour Mill, Brickyard on Mill, US Airways Center and the new Centerpoint Condominiums.

A westbound light rail train heading towards Phoenix.

This is western end of the Tempe Town Lake. The lake does extend a bit past the orange markers.

A high school rowing team wrapping up practice.

Several schools use the lake for rowing competitions. Boats are stored in a facility under the Red Mountain Freeway (AZ Loop 202) bridge. There is also parking for the northern shore of Tempe Town Lake. That pay phone is a rather odd location as it is off the road and not near any the trails.

A propped-up Saguaro

Taken along Washington at the Center Parkway light rail station. All new landscaping was added after the streets were rebuilt to accommodate two sets of light rail tracks. A newly planted Saguaro cactus is being carefully propped up. Even in this picture you can see the towers of the new Centerpoint Condominiums

Macayo's Depot Cantina

Part of the Macayo's Mexican Restaurant chain in Phoenix. This was once an old railroad depot which has since been converted into a restaurant. There is a huge outdoor patio with waterfall and pond. One word of caution if eating on the patio beware of the birds. They are not scared of humans and will come to your table and take chips out of the bowl.

The Changing Downtown Tempe Skyline

2009-04-25T17:10:00Z

Note: This is part 2 of several entries with photos from around Tempe.

When I went to ASU Tempe Campus from 1997 to 1999 the majority of the large buildings were either on the ASU Campus (Manzantia Hall, the Physical Science Building) or own leased by ASU (University Towers on Fifth and College). During this time the largest commercial building in the area was the Chase Bank building on Mill Ave and University. The largest residential NOT part of ASU was Hayden's Landing along Ash between Third and Fourth Streets.

Hayden's Landing Condominiums along the light rail.

Over the past few years growth on and off the ASU Campus has exploded, mostly with new student housing as well. In the late 90's an idea came to life to revitalize a 2-mile section of the dry Salt River on the north end of downtown in to a Lake, The Tempe Town Lake. Inflatable rubber dams were built on either end along with infrastructure to stabilize the shoreline. Also built was Tempe Beach Park an outdoor multi-venue site. Part of the 'master plan' for the Tempe Town Lake included commercial and residential condos (as if students are going to be able to afford lakeside condos). The first project to completed in the Summer 2002 was Hayden's Ferry Lakeside, a mixed residential, commercial and retail development. Hayden's Ferry was the original name of Tempe when it was settled in 1865.

Hayden's Ferry Lakeside along Tempe Town Lake - Tempe, AZ

The above picture only shows a small portion of the entire Hayden's Ferry Lakeside project. On this day I did not go east of the Mill Avenue bridges (southbound is pictured here). The site for Hayden Ferry Lakeside introduces the project as "a site spanning from Bridge to Bridge" (from the northbound Mill Avenue bridge to about a mile east to the Rural Road bridge).

In 2001 Phase 1 of the Brickyard on Mill was competed. The Brickyard on Mill is a mixed retail, commercial and residential project consisting of three towers. This project built along Mill Avenue along Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Streets. ASU has ended up leasing space in the Brickyard for several schools and research centers (note the link has an old photo which shows the recently closed Borders Books and Music). The below photo shows the original US Airways Center (not to be confused with the arena by the same name in Downtown Phoenix). From the far left is part of the Hayden's Ferry Lakeside project, the historic (but abandoned) Hayden Flower Mill, two of the three Brickyard Buildings, the US Airways Center and two of the four Centerpoint Condominiums).

Downtown Tempe Skyline along the southern shore of the Tempe Town Lake.

I mentioned in the above picture the Centerpoint Condominiums. This by far the largest and the most dramatic project taking place in downtown Tempe now. The project includes four 22 and 30 story residential towers with ground floor retail and boutique grocery. These are the larges buildings ever erected in downtown Tempe and besides the The Bank of America Financial Plaza in Mesa, the largest in the eastern Phoenix Metro area.

Centerpoint Condominiums Fifth Street and Ash Avenue - Tempe, AZ

I discovered (by accident) with this photo a neat feature of the camera. The camera automatically adjusted the orientation of the photo when it saved. With my old HP camera I would have to rotate these kind of photos with imaging software before I posted them.

New Construction in Tempe

2009-04-25T08:26:00Z

Note: This is the first of several entries with photos from around Tempe.

There has been lots of news how the economic downturn has wiped out a good chunk of the construction jobs in Arizona. Especially, when it comes to housing. However it seems the northern portion of Tempe, specifically along the new lightrail line, ASU/Downtown and the Tempe Town Lake has been immune to this downturn. If anything this area is booming. There are two huge projects near McClintock and Apache Blvd (Main Street in Mesa). These projects are right along the lightrail line and about a mile east of Arizona State University.

The Campus Suites project is about a block east of the station at McClintock and Apache and is the smaller of the two projects in this area. I am not certain if this is going to be a mixed-use (commerical/retail on lower levels) project.

Campus Suites - Tempe, AZ

The other project which is right at the McClintock and Apache station is Grigio Metro a mixed retail and residential project along with a 300-space Park-and-Ride garage.

Grigio Metro SEC Apache Blvd & McClintock Drive - Tempe, AZ

Into the downtown area of Tempe and west of ASU is another huge project nearing completion. US Airways has added another office building with retail just to the south of their current building. This building is located on Third Street between Ash and Mill Avenue. It is also directly adjacent to the Third Street and Mill lightrail station.

US Airways Expansion - Third Street and Mill Avenue - Tempe, AZ