Ken Carr Photo Art: Sunset behind power poles

One of the things I enjoyed living at Ridgepointe was the awesome view of Tucson sunsets from the bedroom balcony.

Now that I live in the house, the view of sunsets isn't as good. The difference is that we lived on the second floor at Ridgepointe and the elevation (plus the building there sat on a little hill) gave me a great view. The view from the backyard of this house has a bunch of stuff in the way including the neighbor's yards, trees, and power poles.

Tonight's sunset looked pretty and colorful from what I could see.

Tucson sunset on 1/17/15
as seen from the backyard
of the new Ken Carr World Headquarters.

Fatal accident at Valencia and Houghton

I was driving back to the TV station after the video shoot today (1/16/15) with show host Tina, and we happened upon what looked like a pretty serious traffic accident at Valencia Road and Houghton in the southeast part of Tucson.

There wasn't a lot of traffic at that intersection when we got there, so it didn't delay us much.

I handed my camera to Tina, and she took a couple of pictures since I was driving. I didn't know until I got back to the station and checked Twitter that unfortunately, someone died in the crash.

I always think accident scenes look exciting, but I never wish anyone to be hurt or killed.

The intersection was shut down to east and west traffic for hours while investigators worked on the scene.

Driving north on Houghton approaching
Valencia, with a lot of emergency
vehicles on scene of an accident

It appeared to be a pretty violent accident.
RIP to the victim who didn't survive.

Here's what $384,313 looks like

I was reminded today that I'm poor.

I've never had very much money. I think one of the reasons why is that I never learned how to. I've managed to stay employed 99 percent of my adult life, but have just never made a truckload of dough. Being money oriented is a learned skill, and I just never learned how. I'm always so busy working, I often forget that I should worry about the money part.

This isn't a sob story or me whining about not having money. It's about having moments where I realize I'm way out of my financial league in some situations.

I went with show host Tina to a video shoot for the show at an RV sale today at the Pima County Fairgrounds. I have no idea sometimes how the other half lives until I go to something like this. I know that RVs are expensive, but I really had no idea until today just how expensive. It is the kind of expensive that makes me wonder how anyone can afford an RV. Then, there were dozens of people there looking at the vehicles and I realized there are plenty... and I'm not one of them.

The first third of the segment was shot in one of the most expensive vehicles they offered. It is built on a bus chassis and it's spectacular. It had a shiny opulent tile floor, leather seating, four big screen TVs including one for outside (used apparently if you want to tailgate and watch sports while you're barbecuing), two bathrooms, granite countertops, a dining area, fireplace, washer/dryer, and push out sides that give you much more space.

It was on sale. Who doesn't love a sale? The discounted price is $384,313 -- which was over $40,000 off it's regular price.

$384,313. Holy crap. I felt like a hobo sitting in this thing with my $20 clearance rack Target sweater and $25 Old Navy jeans. I've never even lived in a house that expensive.

Again, not a sob story. Just perspective.

I took a bunch of pictures while the shoot was in progress. I figured I'd never have the chance to stand in a vehicle that pricey again.

They offered me a bottled water at the end of the shoot when we were leaving. I almost didn't take it because I thought since I wasn't a customer, it wasn't appropriate. Then, I remembered that they were selling $384,313 RVs. Maybe a fifty cent bottle of water wasn't so much of an imposition, after all.

Here's what a $384,313 RV looks like.
It's a steal, over $40,000 off.

It has a flat screen TV outside.



Sales manager Darren and show host Tina
walk around inside.

One of four flat screen TVs
and a fireplace on the left.

The kitchen is about as big
as the one at my house.

Looking toward the front with
show host Tina and videographer Scott
getting ready for the shoot.
That's another flat screen TV
above where the driver sits.

Bedroom with queen size bed.
Where the magic happens, of course.

Shower

It may be a spectacular RV
but it does make me look chunky.
It might also be the sweater,
or the fat.

Washer / dryer

Closet

Dual vanity sinks

View looking forward standing
at the very back of the RV

Flat screen TV in the bedroom

Full size side by side
refrigerator / freezer

Scott sits in the passenger seat
at the front of the RV

About to roll the video
for the segment

Walking to the next shoot location.
The RV on the left is a steal
at only $139,998, but we were
heading to another $300,000+ unit

A long row of RVs that cost
more than many people's houses

The next portion of the segment
being shot outside of a Winnebago
RV, priced just under
the first one we were in

Inside the Winnebago, while it's explained
that in Arizona, you don't need a special
license to drive one of these vehicles

A look into the Winnebago with
the same level of opulence that
was in the first one we were in

Resuming video shoot

Inside the exposition hall at the
Pima County Fairgrounds, where
they had plenty of RVs and fifth wheels
at a little lower price point than
the units outside

More video shoot next to this Winnebago
Mercedes RV, which goes for the
low low price of $95,068

The Mercedes/Winnebago comes with
doors that open at no extra charge.

Fifth wheel trailers on display.
Guy with cane sold separately.

Winnebago still makes their classic
Brave model, which you can take
home for only $87,631.
It takes someone more 'brave' than I
to afford one.

Fog rolls into Tucson

This winter has offered some unusual weather for Tucson.

It snowed (pretty heavily for this area) on New Year's Eve, and this morning the city woke up to relatively thick fog. Visibility in the area of town I live in (near Grant and Swan) all the way to work near Speedway and Kolb was less than a block.

Fog always reminds me of the years I lived in the central valley of California. I drove some nights (and even some days) in some of the thickest fog I had ever seen. I often commuted between Stockton and Sacramento or Stockton and Modesto, and driving at night with 100 feet of visibility (if I was lucky) was some of the scariest driving I have ever done.

Fog is unusual in Tucson. It is always so dry here that the conditions nearly never occur that can cause fog. It caused a bit of a stir with the locals and plenty of photos posted on social media. I took a few myself.

Fog looking north from my backyard.
Normally you can see mountains
and much farther than those palm trees.

The fog looking west from in front
of the Ken Carr World Headquarters

The fog driving east on Grant Road
at Beverly near Tucson Medical Center

The fog driving east on Grant Road
approaching Wilmot Road

The fog driving south on Kolb Road
at Speedway Blvd

The fog looking east from the
back parking lot at KGUN.
Can't see any mountains.

The fog looking north toward the
back of the KGUN building.
Eerie. Spooky. Eeeek.

The destructive power of feminine products

I've learned what destructive power that feminine hygiene products can possess.

A plumbing company was at work today cutting holes in the walls near the first floor restrooms. Lots of holes. The reason they had to hack into the walls: Someone (of the female persuasion) has been flushing their used feminine napkins and/or tampons, and it caused a clog that broke a drain pipe. This issue was discovered recently when there was some flooding in that section of the building that leaked into multiple offices. When the plumbing company originally came out to investigate what was causing the flood, the drain snake revealed that a feminine hygiene item was to blame.

The reason they had to do so much cutting (as you'll see in the photos), is that they have to find where the drain pipe has been compromised so the plumbing contractor can repair it.

It makes sense that anything flushed that has any mass to it will cause a potential clog. It's pretty amazing, however, that what looks like hundreds of dollars in damage was caused by a feminine hygiene product.

At least it's proof, and I can confidently say this, that I didn't do it.

UPDATE 1/13/15: I can admit when I am wrong, and it turns out I was wrong. Apparently the reason the holes were cut into the walls was not to find a damaged pipe. It was to dry the walls and insulation out since those areas had gotten wet. I don't know that much about construction. Oopsie.

Holes in the walls near the floor
outside of the women's restroom

Holes cut under the water fountain

Holes in the wall outside
of the men's restroom

More holes outside of
the men's restroom

Holes cut in the wall
in the graphics department office

Holes cut in the wall
in one of the production
department's video editing rooms