2017-11 5enses

NOVEMBER 2017 | VOLUME 5, ISSUE 11 | 5ENSESMAG.COM

5enses

November MMXVII • Volume V, Issue XI ~ vivat crescat floreat ~ Copyright © 2017 5enses Inc. Contact us at 5ensesMag@Gmail.Com & 928-613-2076 Visit 5ensesMag.Com & ISSUU for more

In which: David Moll

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shrugs off interest in a common plant but boasts on its botanical bounty

Doug Iverson

circumlocutes local lakes and locates a curved-bill bird in concave course

Robert Blood

feels folksy and calls on Prescott’s Celtic community for comely concerts

Robert Blood

Justin Agrell

Markoff Chaney

tags himself in and hits the streets to catalog a cacophony of found art

Alan Dean Foster

James Dungeon

Reva Sherrard

takes the Turing test for a spin and loans out some truth, I say, truth, boy bakes up a storm and makes donuts whole at Prescott’s Outlaw Donuts

laps up libelous libations and offers up the ultimate human sacrifice

James Dungeon

shops for a cause and finds new goods at Arts Prescott that’re charity bound

Ty Fitzmorris

winds down with the waning wilds and contemplates colder conditions

Fall 2017 Eclectic Works Exhibit November 23—December 26 4th Friday Artists’ Reception November 24th 5:00 – 7 :00 PM

702 West Gurley

exploits your attention and proffers a sharpened olive branch of insecurity

Jacques Laliberté

slakes his thirst and wets his whistle with aquamarine agua marina

Sean Gote´ Gallery

renews designs for continuing education and sojourns to the Ecosa Institute

Peregrine Book Co. staff

branches out and leafs through a forest of stubbornly verdant folio-age

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Publisher & Editor: Nicholas DeMarino Copy Editor: Reva Sherrard Featured Contributors: Alan Dean Foster, Ty Fitzmorris, Reva Sherrard, & Russell Miller Staff Writers: Justin Agrell, Robert Blood, Russ Chappell, James Dungeon, & Mara Trushell

Here & (T)here

Discover events in and around Prescott and the surrounding area

Oddly Enough

Smart, quirky comics about the strange-but-true by Russell Miller

928-445-2323

Open Tuesday-Saturday, 11-6 or by appointment or coincidence

COVER: Someone rests a hand on a horse at Bethany’s Gait Ranch for Heroes, the recipient of this year’s charity show at Arts Prescott Cooperative Gallery.

Photo by Jody Miller. Find out more on P. 12.

[xob eht edistuo gnikniht]

In the ‘Tis Art Center Main Gallery 105 S. Cortez St. Prescott www.TisArtGallery.com

WWW.SUMMERSDANCEWORKS.COM 928-583-7277 • 805 Miller Valley Road Ages 18 months to adult

5ENSESMAG.COM • NOVEMBER 2017 • CONTENTS • 3

Plant of the Month

Wright’s Silktassel Wright’s Silktassel with ripening fruit. Photo by David Moll.

P

By David Moll eople seem to really like Wright’s Silktassel. They seem to like it primarily because it’s an evergreen shrub, its broad, leathery leaves lending rich green color to winter landscapes. It also happens to be a useful illustration of botanical phenomena.

That attractive foliage is a clear example of plants that have leaves paired opposite one another on the branch. Other plants have an alternating or a whorled leaf arrangement. Furthermore, Wright’s Silktassel’s opposite leaves are set at horizontal right angles from the leaves at the preceding and following nodes. The fancy name for this phenomenon is decussation and leaf arrangements exhibiting it are called decussate. This is the most common formation among vascular plants. Leaf arrangement is a good thing to notice in our botanical explorations.

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right’s Silktassel is also an example of plants that have boy flowers and girl flowers on separate plants. This opens the topic of plant sexuality and can help us understand what we’re seeing when we investigate the plants we find in the field. We may be most familiar with flowers that have boys (stamens) and girls (pistils) on the same flower, but boys and girls can be on separate flowers, separate plants, or some mix. Let’s not forget vegetative reproduction which begs the evolutionary question of why sex at all.

If fertilized, those girl flowers will mature into a dark blue, berrylike fruit.

Birds, such as the exquisite songster the Hermit Thrush, consume these fruits and subsequently disperse the seeds. This broaches the topics of coevolution, symbiosis and ecology. It’s interesting to note that while silktassel seeds can be dispersed by animals, its flowers are wind-pollinated.

It’s not a dominant plant, occurring only here and there, but in a wide range of elevation and habitat types. It’s found mostly in our Interior Chaparral, and trending up into Pinyon-Juniper and Ponderosa Pine.

As mentioned at the outset, people seem to like this plant even if they don’t know what it is; but then they find out what it is and want some for their yard. Many native plants are apparently not practical for nurseries to grow, but, when questioned about it, Steve Miller, owner of The Native Garden had this to say: “It’s readily available and transplants easily. We always have it in stock.”

So, from principals of evolution to symbiosis to native landscaping, Wright’s Silktassel is an outstanding plant.

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***** David Moll studies nature in Arizona.

Bird of the Month

White-faced Ibis

Photo by Doug Iverson.

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By Doug Iverson he White-faced Ibis, a species seen mostly in migration in the Prescott area, is an unmistakable bird when sighted. It is a gregarious species you might first see in a flock of 15 or more birds as they circle over Willow or Watson lakes looking for suitable shoreline shallows. They may circle as if uncertain or wary before landing close to shore where they can be hidden from view by shoreline vegetation.

Depending on location, an Ibis will feed on insects, earthworms, snails, newts, frogs, fish, crayfish, and other invertebrates it can spear with its long, decurved bill, often digging prey out of the mud in a marsh, on a shallow shoreline, in an irrigated field, or even in damp soil. They will change both feeding and breeding locations depending on the availability of suitable habitat in a given year.

White-faced Ibis have a rich metallic luster, bronze-green feathers, long pinkish legs, pinkish lores, and white feathers on the face at the base of the bill. The White-faced Ibis can be distinguished from the Glossy Ibis only in breeding season when it has the border of white feathers on the facial skin behind the bill — they were formerly called White-faced Glossy Ibis — but this is not a local identification problem because we have no Glossy Ibis.

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he Ibis was a sacred bird of Ancient Egyptians, and the subject of many myths and superstitions. In lower Egypt it is called Aboumengel, “Father of the Sickle,” referring to its long, curved bill.

There are about 30 species of Ibis world wide.

Ibis are monogamous colonial breeders that suffered a decline in numbers in the 1970s when egg shells were too thin to hatch due to certain pesticides such as DDT, but populations have recovered since these pesticides were outlawed. Now, the main threat to their well-being is loss of habitat.

The shape of their feet makes them good perching birds, so their nests may be built off the ground. Nest building, incubating and feeding of the young are done by both parents. ***** The Prescott Audubon Society is an official chapter of the National Audu-

bon Society. Check them out online at PrescottAudubon.Org. Doug Iverson, a retired English teacher, is secretary of the Prescott Audubon Society and a board member.

617 Miller Valley Rd 928-515-0006 mobilityprousa @gmail.com

TRAX Records 234 S. Montezuma St. 928-830-9042

Turntables & quick special orders Buy/Sell/Trade new & used vinyl & CDs

5ENSESMAG.COM • NOVEMBER 2017 • FEATURE • 5

Clear as folk

Reflections on Celtic Concert Series, culture, & community

By Robert Blood

tive, and we’ve built up a group of people interested in this stuff.

[Editor’s note: The following interview was culled from conversations between the reporter and David McNabb, the director of Prescott’s Celtic Concert Series. Contact him at 928-771-1218 or McNabbPrescott@AOL.Com.] How did you end up organizing Celtic concerts in Prescott?

I started back in L.A. I was at Pepperdine University back in the 1970s and I was president of the Scottish club. There were two girls that grew up singing together there and there was a sister, though she didn’t go to Pepperdine, but after we graduated, she connected with me and started performing as the Browne Sisters with their cousin, George Cavanaugh, on guitar, and they wanted to find some places to play. I was pretty well connected with the Scottish community in Southern California, so that’s how I got started promoting Celtic concerts.

Was Scottish and Celtic culture an important David McNabb. part of your background prior to that?

I grew up listening to the bagpipes and traditional Scottish music and singers and going to the Scottish Highland Games, wearing the kilt, all of that. It’s always been a part of my cultural heritage. … Actually, I got married in Scotland in 1993. My wife is from the north of Scotland, above Loch Ness. We got married on a little country church on the shore of Loch Ness and had the reception at a castle in Dingwall and spent a month traveling around Scotland looking at different places. We’ve been back four times since 1993.

So, how did you end up in Prescott?

I was in Southern California, promoting the Browne Sisters and George Cavanaugh and, somehow, word got out that I was doing that. Booking agents who were working with Celtic performers started contacting me and asking to get their bands on bills. There was a Celtic Society in northern Hollywood, and they wanted to start a regular concert series and they asked me to be their concert director. I did that for six years before coming over here.

Maybe it was longer — I’m not sure. So, I was running that one, which was mainly local, California acts or acts coming from other states, and then I was booking my own series with bands based in Scotland and Ireland. … When I moved to Prescott in January of 2003, I planned on stopping the concert series, but somehow one of the promoters got my number over here and asked me to put together a concert with his groups. I agreed to do that about six months after I moved here and, through that, started up the Prescott Celtic Concert Series.

What was that early reception like, some 14 years ago?

There was a pretty good Scottish community here, the Scots of Prescott.

Then, I started up the Highland Games here, too, which is now in its 14th year. I used to be a Scottish athlete, too, and competed for 21 years, which was way too long. Actually, I was one of the top amateurs in the nation and I was also president of my clan society for about 35 years. So, yeah, I’ve had a lot of avenues and a pretty big background in this stuff. Anyway, we continued to put on these Celtic concerts here in Prescott, and people were recep-

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Courtesy photo.

What is it that defines Scottish music? How does that compare to Irish music or Celtic music at large?

Traditional Scottish music has a lot of ballads in it. It tells stories about real or imagined happenings. There are love stories, tragedies, people dying, unrequited love, and a lot of sad things. As far as instrumentation goes, there’s usually a guitar, a fiddle, an accordion, and sometimes bagpipes. Not usually, but occasionally there’s a bass and a drum kit. Sometimes there’s a bouzouki, which was introduced in the 1960s Scottish folk music scene. … I’d say Irish music tends to be faster and more repetitive and more instrumental. Scottish music tends to be slower and have more singing and more ballads. Irish culture leans more toward dancing. When we have a social gather, a cèilidh, whether it’s Scottish or Irish, it’s all ages, not just young people.

The Irish cèilidhs almost always have dancing. The Scottish cèilidhs tend to be more about listening to the music and singing.

How does the music tie into the culture?

There’s the Gaelic language aspect, and the language of a people is always instrumental in perpetuating its culture and heritage. Culturally, the bagpipes are really, really important. It stirs the blood of almost any Scot I’ve ever met. The English banned it in 1746 along with tartan and the kilt and certain weapons. They weren’t just trying to stop an uprising; they were trying to wipe out a culture. … Music and dance are a huge part of preserving culture. To me, my favorite thing is the music, itself. I love to bring Celtic music here and share it with people, especially people who haven’t necessarily heard it or aren’t as familiar with it. We’re always trying to get young people interested in it, too, which is why anyone who’s under 19 gets into concerts free. The college student price is only $10, as well. For adults, it’s $20-$25 a concert, depending on the group. I always encourage people to bring their kids, grandkids, and neighbors. We just had Jim Malcolm in October. … Over the years, we’ve moved through a couple of different venues, but now we’ve found a permanent home at the Trinity Presbyterian Church.

They’ve given us a strong commitment and have been very good to us. It’s a really good venue with theater-style seating because of the pews. We normally have around six concerts a year. The best way to learn about upcoming shows is to email me and asked to be added to my email list. … I should also mention that the Highland Games next year are going to be in September, the 15th and 16th I think. It got moved from the May date because of the weather. That’s another great place to hear Celtic music. The main thing is to try to get people exposed to the music. Most people, once they hear it, they really enjoy it. ***** Find out more about Prescott’s Celtic Concert Series and sign up for reminders by contacting David McNabb, director of the events, at 928-7711218 or McNabbPrescott@AOL.Com. Robert Blood is a Mayer-ish-based freelance writer and ne’er-do-well who’s working on his last book, which, incidentally, will be his first. Contact him at BloodyBobby5@Gmail.Com.

Peregrine Book Co.

Staff picks

Catered by Reva Sherrard “The Second Sex”

By Simone de Beauvoir Along with “The Feminine Mystique,” de Beauvoir’s “The Second Sex” is one of the quintessential tomes on mid-century women’s liberation. ~Lacey “The Book of Emma Reyes”

By Emma Reyes Reading “The Book of Emma Reyes” is like holding the key to a secret door. An incredible story of self-discovery, resilience, and courage. ~Lacey “In the Cafe of Lost Youth”

By Patrick Modiano Master of the hauntingly beautiful, Modiano weaves a world you won’t want to leave. Skillfully layered with the themes of emotion, identity, and human behavior. ~Lacey “The Trial”

By Franz Kafka Waking up to being accused of a crime and not being told what it is, to supposedly being under arrest but not apprehended and taken to jail, is an odd way to start the day. ~Joe “Sanctuary”

By William Faulkner This is my favorite in Faulkner’s oeuvre. Part Southern Gothic, part noir, and strangely elegant. Sanctuary is the book to read on a late summer night. ~Joe

cocting a frightening experiment. (As absurd as it sounds, this book is a thrilling page turner). ~Joe “Finnegans Wake”

By James Joyce The stigma surrounding the pretension of this book is infamous. However, I personally use it as a kick-starter for ideas. Randomly turn to a page and read a sentence. Coincidentally, this book of a man’s descent pairs well with the “Tibetan Book of the Dead.”

Many of its pieces are taken straight from it. ~Joe “No Exit”

By Jean-Paul Sartre A play about three people occupying a room in Hell.

There is no devil. No inferno. Just two women and a man driving one another crazy with their selfish behavior.

This is where the phrase “Hell is other people” originated. ~Joe “Made to Kill”

By Adam Christopher A retro-futuristic sci-fi noir filled with a robot detective, stars of the silver screen, murderous super computers. If you like detective stories or sci-fi, this book combines them beautifully. ~David “A Perfect Union of Contrary Things”

By Maynard James Keenan For fans of the bands Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer. Also for those of you who drink wine. ~Jon “The Complete Stories of Leonora Carrington”

By Leonora Carrington Deliciously peculiar, delightfully perverse. A perfect pairing with tea and crumpets. ~Michaela ***** Visit Peregrine Book Company at PeregrineBookCompany.Com and 219A N. Cortez St., Prescott, 928-445-9000.

“The Boys from Brazil”

By Ira Levin A Nazi hunter plays detective, searching for Josef Mengele, who is rumored to be in South America con-

5ENSESMAG.COM • NOVEMBER 2017 • FEATURE • 7

Here & (T)here

Find out what's happening in and around Prescott Talks & presentations

“Starry Night” • 6:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11: See clusters, galaxies, nebula, and double stars. Via the Prescott Astronomy Club.

(Pronghorn Park, 7931 E. Rusty Spur Trail, Prescott Valley, PrescottAstronomyClub.Org)

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T. Jefferson Parker • 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3: Mystery writer T. Jefferson Parker reads excerpts from his books. A Literary Southwest Series event. (Yavapai College Library, Susan N. Webb Community Room, 1100 E. Sheldon St., 928-776-2261)

“Geology of the McDowell Mountains near Scottsdale” • 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14: Geologist Steve Skotnicki discusses the geology of the McDowell Mountains near Scottsdale. A monthly Central Arizona Geology Club meeting. (Prescott Public Library, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500, Prescott Library.Info, CentralArizonaGeologyClub.BlogSpot.Com)

“Dia de Los Muertos: A Celebration of Life & Death” • 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4: Elena Diaz Bjorkquist, dressed in a Mexican hipil and with her face pained in a traditional calavera, discusses the history and roots of Dia de Los Muertos and how it's celebrated. (Phippen Art Museum, 4701 AZ 89, 928-778-1385, PhippenArtMuseum.Org)

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“From Corona to the Moon: Secret CIA Spy Camera that Mapped the Moon on Appollo Missions 15-17 Offers Valuable Science Today” • 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16: Dr. Ken Edmundson, photogrammetrist with the U.S. Geological Survey, discusses the 144 satellite launches in the secret reconnaissance program operated by the CIA and the U.S. Air Force from 1959 to 1972 known as Corona. A monthly Prescott Astronomy Club meeting. (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 3700 Willow Creek Road, 928-777-6600, PrescottAstronomyClub.Org)

“The Natural History of Galls” • 7-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16: Charlie DeMarco discusses galls, “a kind of swelling growth on the external tissues of plants.”

(Natural History Institute, 126 N. Marina St., NaturalHistory Institute.Org)

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“Die Wise” • 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11: Stephen Jenkinson, teacher, author, and subject of the documentary “Griefwalker,” discusses grief, dying, and the great love of life in one of his signature talks. (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Davis Learning Center, 3700 Willow Creek Road, 928-7776600, OrphanWisdom.Com, $115)

“U.S. Vets Story Slam & Art Show” • 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11: Celebrate Veterans Day for an hour of short stories, art, and a Q&A. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000, PeregrineBookCompany.Com, OrphanWisdom.Com) “Living History Adventure” • Saturday, Nov. 11: Take a peek back at territorial Prescott through activities like period gardening, cooking, handcrafts, blacksmithing, print shop work, and more. A monthly event.

(Sharlot Hall Museum, 415 W. Gurley St., 928-445-3122)

“In God's Trailer Park” • 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4: Prescott author Susan Lang discusses her unforgettable novel that, with tenderness and humor, depicts the nitty-gritty lives of residents of a small Mojave Desert town. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000, PeregrineBookCompany.Com)

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“Die Wise” • 3-4:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10: Stephen Jenkinson, teacher, author, and subject of the documentary “Griefwalker,” discusses grief, dying, and the great love of life. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000, PeregrineBookCompany.

Com, OrphanWisdom.Com) PHOTO: Stephen Jenkinson, courtesy photo.

“Griefwalker” • 7-9:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10: Documentary screening featuring an appearance by its subject: teacher and author Stephen Jenkinson. (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Davis Learning Center, 3700 Willow Creek Road, 928-777-6600, OrphanWisdom.Com, $25)

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“From Corona to the Moon: Secret CIA Spy Camera that Mapped the Moon on Apollo Missions 15-17 Offers Valuable Science Today” • 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16: Dr. Ken Edmundson, photogrammetrist for the U.S. Geological Survey, discusses the now-declassified program operated by the CIA and U.S. Air Force responsible for 144 secret satellite launches between 1959 an 1972. A Third Thursday Talk via Prescott Astronomy Club. (Prescott Public Library, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-7771500, PrescottAstronomyClub.Org)

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Professional Writers of Prescott • 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 22: A monthly Professional Writers of Prescott meeting. (Prescott Valley Public Library, 7401 E. Civic Circle, 928-864-8642, Catalog.YLN.Info/Client/En_US/ PVPL)

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“Suburban Safari” • 8:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 17: Discuss Hannah Holmes's book describing her observations of her lawn in Maine as its visited by various scientists who help explaining what's going on day by day, season by season. A monthly Natural History Institute Book Club meeting. (Natural History Institute, 126 N. Marina St., NaturalHistoryInstitute.Org)

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“Ecological Connections & Biodiversity Workshop” • 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, Nov. 18: Prescott College professor Walt Anderson leads an outdoor workshop in understanding and valuing biodiversity. (Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road, 928-776-9550, HighlandsCenter.

Org, $18, RSVP)

Prescott Valley Farmers Market • 3-6 p.m. Tuesdays, November-April: Weekly farmers market featuring local food, and much more. (Harkins Theatres parking lot, Glassford Hill Road and Park Avenue, PrescottFarmers Market.Org) Prescott Winter Farmers Market • 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays, November-April: Weekly farmers market featuring local food, and much more. (Yavapai Regional Medical Center Pendleton Center parking lot, 930 Division St., PrescottFarmersMarket.Org)

Groups & games Prescott Area Boardgamers • 4-8 p.m. first and third Wednesdays: Play modern, European-style board games. (Prescott Public Library, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500, Prescott.Library.Info)

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Nature, health, & outdoors

Prescott Indivisible • 6-7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3: Monthly meeting of a non-partisan group which seeks to promote a progressive and inclusive agenda in support of human rights and the environment.

(Granite Peak Unitarian Congregation Education Center, 882 Sunset Ave., 928-443-8854)

Jay's Bird Barn bird walks • 8 a.m. Nov. 2, 9, 15, & 29: Local, guided bird walks. Via Jay's Bird Barn. (Jay’s Bird Barn, No. 113, 1046 Willow Creek Road, 928-443-5900, JaysBirdBarn.Com, RSVP)

“Out of the Darkness” • 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, Nov. 4: Prescott's second annual walk to fight suicide with opening ceremony, guest speakers, community resources, and more. (Granite Creek Park, 554 Sixth St., 928-225-5096)

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Prescott Audubon bird walk • 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 11: Monthly bird walk. (Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road, 928-7769550, HighlandsCenter.Org, PrescottAudubon.Org)

8 • EVENTS • NOVEMBER 2017 • 5ENSESMAG.COM

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“The Oral Instructions of Mahamudra” • Nov. 3-5: Gen-la Jampa gives commentary on the practice of “The Hundreds of Deities of the Joyful Land According to Highest Yoga Tantra,” including how to make progress on the five stages of Mahamudra. (6701 E. Mountain Ranch Road, Williams, 928-637-6232, Info@MeditationInNorthern Arizona.Org, $15-$70)

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LAN party • 10 a.m. -10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4: Play multiplayer computer games like “Killing Floor,” “Rocket League,” “Counterstrike,” and “Tribes.” A monthly Prescott PC Gamers Group Event.

(Step One Coffee House, 6719 E. Second St., Ste. C, Prescott Valley, PPCGG.Com, $10)

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“Death Cafe” • 5:30 p.m. Thursday,Nov. 9: People gather to eat cake, drink tea, and discuss death with the objective “to increase awareness of death with a view to help people make the most of their (finite) lives.” Hosted by Dani LaVoire. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000, PeregrineBook Company.Com)

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“Friends of the Verde River — Vision for the Future” • 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Nov. 11: Chip Norton and Brent Bitz talk. A monthly Citizens Water Advocacy Group meeting.

(Granite Creek Peak Unitarian Universalist Congregation building, 882 Sunset Ave., 928-445-4218, CWAGAZ.Org) PFLAG Support Night • 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17: Monthly support night for LGBTQ+ community and those who love and support them or desire to do so. (First Congregational Church, 216 E. Gurley St.)

GYCC LGBTQ Coalition • 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21: Monthly general meeting open to all LGBTQ and allies in Yavapai County with guest speakers.

(First Congregational Church, 216 E. Gurley St., Facebook.

Com/LGBTQYavapai)

NAZGEM Support 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24: Monthly support group meeting for members of the transgender and beyond gender binaries community as well as family, friends, and youth. (Granite Peak Unitarian Congregation Education Center, 882 Sunset Ave., Facebook.Com/LGBTQYavapai)

Performing arts

“1940s Radio Christmas Carol” • 7:30 p.m. Nov. 30 & Dec. 1 & 2, Dec. 7, 9, & 14-16; 2 p.m. Dec. 3, 9, 10, & 17: With noisy plumbing, missed cues, electrical blackouts, and over-the-top theatrics, this Christmas Eve, 1943 radio show by the Feddington Players is an excursion into the mayhem and madness of live radio. Directed by Bruce Lanning. (Prescott Center for the Arts, 208 N. Marina St., 928-445-3286, PCA-AZ.Net, $14-$23) IMAGE: Courtesy image.

Visual arts

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4th Friday Art Walk • 5-7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24: Monthly art walk including artist receptions, openings, and demonstrations at more than a dozen galleries. (ArtThe4th.Com)

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Prescott Center for the Arts Gallery • 4th Friday Art Walk participant. (Prescott Center for the Arts, 208 N. Marina St., 928-445-3286, PCA-AZ.Net) Random Art • 4th Friday Art Walk participant. (Random Art, 214 N. McCormick St., 928-308-7355, RandomArt.Biz)

“Angels in America Part 1” • 6-10 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14: Via satellite, The National Theatre Live production re-broadcast of tony Kushner’s gay fantasia on national themes. (Yavapai College Performing Arts Center, 1100 E. Sheldon St., 928-776-2000, YCPAC.Com, $10-$15)

Sam Hill Warehouse • Student, faculty, and alumni exhibitions. (Sam Hill Warehouse, 232 N. Granite St., 928-350-2341, PrescottCollegeArt Gallery.Org) Sean Goté Gallery • New art and décor, plus guest art in the parking lot on weekends. 4th Friday Art Walk participant. (Sean Goté Gallery, 702 W. Gurley St., 928-445-2233, SeanGote.Com)

Open mic poetry • 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 15: Poet Dan Seaman emcees monthly open mic poetry. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000, PeregrineBookCompany.Com)

“Angels in America Part 2” • 6-10:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16: Via satellite, The National Theatre Live production re-broadcast of tony Kushner’s gay fantasia on national themes. (Yavapai College Performing Arts Center, 1100 E. Sheldon St., 928-776-2000, YCPAC.Com, $10-$15)

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“The Exterminating Angel” • 10:55 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18: Via satellite, The Metropolitan Opera’s production of Thomas Adès’s play inspired by the classic Luis Buñuel play of the same name.

(Yavapai College Performing Arts Center, 1100 E. Sheldon St., 928-776-2000, YCPAC.Com, $12-$24) Social dance classes • Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, & Sundays: Learn the Argentine tango, West Coast swing, tribal belly dance, Lindy hop swing, flamenco, and Latin dance. (Flying Nest Movement Arts, 322 W. Gurley St., 928-432-3068, Flying NestStudio.Com, prices vary) Performance dance/movement arts classes • Wednesdays & Thursdays: Learn contemporary dance, movement for life, and normative movement. (Flying Nest Movement Arts, 322 W. Gurley St., 928-432-3068, Flying NestStudio.Com, prices vary)

Mountain Artists Guild • Oct. 30-Dec. 22: “Holiday Show” gallery show. (Mountain Artists Guild, 228 N. Alarcon St., 928-445-2510, Mountain ArtistsGuild.Org) Mountain Spirit Co-op • 4th Friday Art Walk participant. (Mountain Spirit Co-op, 107 N. Cortez St., 928-445-8545, MountainSpiritCo-Op.Com)

Open mic poetry • 7-9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8: Monthly poetry jam presented by Decipherers Synonymous. (The Beastro, 117 N. McCormick St., 971-340-6970, TheBeastro.Com)

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’Tis Art Center & Gallery • Oct. 15-Nov. 14: “Adorn Yourself 2017,” featuring wearable art creations by Barb Wills, Joan Knight, and Laurie Fagen.

• Oct. 26-Nov. 21: “The Inaugural Works in Watercolor Exhibit,” featuring, of course, works in in watercolor.

• Nov. 16-Dec. 30: “Art a la Carte: Art to Satisfy Your Artistic Appetite,” featuring woven wearables by Jo Manginelli, polymer clay jewelry by Judith Skinner, and felt sculpture by Deborah Salazar, opening reception is Nov. 24, 4th Friday Art Walk. PHOTO: Sculpture by Deborah Salazar, courtesy photo.

• Nov. 23-Dec. 26: “Winter 2017 Eclectic Works Exhibit,” featuring eclectic works, opening reception is Nov. 24, 4th Friday Art Walk.

• 6-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1: “Art Connects Us All,” one-night show with original artwork supporting Northland Cares HIV Specialty Care Clinic, NorthLandCares.Org, 928-776-4612, sponsored by Clayote Studios. (’Tis Art Center & Gallery, 105 S. Cortez St., 928-775-0223, TisArtGallery.Com)

Arts Prescott Cooperative Gallery • Oct. 27-Nov. 22: New art by acrylic painter Vivian Farmer.

• Nov. 24-Dec. 21: Annual Fundraiser show, this year benefiting Bethany’s Gait , opening reception is Nov. 24, 4th Friday Art Walk. PHOTO: Courtesy photo via Bethany’s Gait.

(Arts Prescott Cooperative Gallery, 134 S. Montezuma St., 928-776-7717, ArtsPrescott.Com)

Smoki Museum • 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18: Old-fashioned games, American Indian style including dice, stick, and card games.

• Nov. 20-26: Holiday sale.

• 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 24-26: Christmas Indian Art Market including Indian artists from across the Southwest.

(Smoki Museum, 147 N. Arizona Ave., 928-445-1230, Smoki Museum.Org)

Art2 • 4th Friday Art Walk participant. (Art2, 120 W. Gurley St., 928-499-4428, ArtSquaredPrescott.Com)

Thumb Butte Distillery • 4th Friday Art Walk participant. (Thumb Butte Distillery, 400 N. Washington Ave., 928-443-8498, ThumbButteDistillery.

Com)

The Beastro • 4th Friday Art Walk participant. (The Beastro, 117 N. McCormick St., 928-778-0284, TheBeastro.Org) Huckeba Art Gallery • 4th Friday Art Walk participant. (Huckeba Art Gallery, 227 W. Gurley St., 928-445-3848, Huckeba-Art-Quest.Com) Ian Russell Gallery • 4th Friday Art Walk participant. (Ian Russell Gallery, 130 S. Montezuma St., 928-445-7009, IanRussellArt.Com)

Van Gogh’s Ear • 4th Friday Art Walk participant. (Van Gogh’s Ear, 156 S. Montezuma St., 928-776-1080, VGEGallery.Com) Yavapai College Art Gallery • Oct. 20-Nov. 11: “Strokes of Genius,” featuring original master prints from 1400-present. (Yavapai College Art Gallery, 1100 E. Sheldon St., 928-445-7300, YC.Edu)

9

Mouth-watering flavors The aesthetics of gurgle

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By Alan Dean Foster o … water has taste? Is that aesthetics, or is there science behind the claim?

I can remember when water was just water. At least, so it was for most Americans. Europeans always seemed to feel differently about it. I guess because they’ve been parsing foods longer than us. But … water?

Nowadays people have taken to speaking about water the same way oenophiles (I love that word … it’s stupid, but lovable) talk about wine. A glass of water might be “crisp” (as opposed to what … damp?) or “lightly mineralized” or “slightly acidic” (ah, there’s the science!) or having a taste like a “fresh spring morning.” Sometimes I can’t tell if the testers are talking about water or room deodorizer. I can see the difference between plain water and alkaline water, but some of the rest of the so-called differences leave me cold. As to alkaline water, why would people boast about drinking rock? Not for me to criticize individual tastes, I suppose, no matter how confounding they may be.

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parkling water seems to be a thing of the moment. Especially sparkling water flavored with “essence.” When I was young we used to call “essence” “concentrated,” but hey, whatever sells.

Perrier has been selling sparkling water, i.e. water full of bubbles, since 1863, so plainly there’s something to it. In order to compete with fashionable soda waters infused with essence, you can now find Perrier flavored with lemon, lime, L’Orange (because the water is French, you know), strawberry, pink grapefruit, green apple, and watermelon (because “watermelon” sounds better than “pastéque”). I wonder what the original founders of Perrier would have made of all this?

Despite calling itself the “anti-Perrier,” La Croix, the “in” favored water of the moment, still employs a French name. Interestingly, it’s bottled in La Crosse, Wisc. Vive la France Americain.

In 1799, one Augustine Thwaites of Dublin became, possibly, the first vendor to sell “soda water” under that name. (Personally, I think “Thwaites” has “Perrier” or “La Croix” all beat as a brand name.) When I was a lad in New York, we used to get the form of soda water called seltzer delivered to our apartment in large bottles. (Take that, Amazon!) Seltzer was important to our family because unlike some bottled soda waters, it contained no additives such as sodium citrate or potassium bicarbonate. Each bottle was stoppered with its own metal dispenser. As I recall, these were fashioned from a mysterious alloy of pewter, iron, and possibly moon rocks. Pressing down

Alan Dean Foster’s

Perceivings

on the handle would release a powerful stream of seltzer into a glass or, if you were in need of an audience, somebody’s face. Hence the immortal line from the Chuckles the Clown episode of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”: “A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down his pants.” “Perrier” just doesn’t work in that oration (although “Thwaites” might).

These massive bottles would be returned to be refilled by the vendor. They eventually went out of style, not only because home delivery went out of style (until now) but because if the carbonation process was not carefully monitored, the pressurized bottles could turn into early IEDs with catastrophic results.

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nough of deliberate flavoring, with “essence” or otherwise.

What of the supposed differences in plain water?

Do they exist? Do they

have leaped into the bottled water business to muttering. Because if one city’s tap water can best exotic bottled waters in a taste test, then how can they charge a buck for a bottle of their brand?

Advertising helps. All those quotes about “crispness” (geez, get an apple, already) and clarity and purity. This works because most folks don’t realize that a good deal of bottled water is simply local city tap water that’s been put through a rudimentary but adequate purification process. The water costs the bottling company virtually nothing.

What you’re paying for is the bottle, shipping … and that advertising.

If you really want to drink something reasonably pure, look for a still water that’s been sourced from as remote and unpolluted a location as possible. Don’t take at face value claims that water might come from a deep well in, say, Michigan.

Of Nestle’s Poland Spring water, about 30 percent comes from the area around the original Poland Spring (which dried up decades ago) and the rest from “other sources.” You want water from a real Poland spring, try Naleczowlanka. (On second thought, pronouncing “Perrier” is easier.)

If you want to drink something approaching true pure water, dihydrogen monoxide that actually might be deserving of the adjective “crisp,” look for water sourced from glacial origins. “Voss” (Norway) is probably more famous for their bottles (and their prices) than their water, but the water is fine. “Glacial” comes from British Columbia. My personal favorite is “Icelandic,” which is drawn from glacial sources in … you know. My reasoning is that if it’s been frozen since before civilization, the taste can rightly be called something akin to pure. Not expensive, better for you than a soft drink, and I like their bottle, too.

matter?

In annual still (i.e. uncarbonated) water taste tests, one of the regular winners is New York City tap water. Plain ol’ tap water. This perennial result tends to have multiple consequences. It temporarily shuts up those who profess to be water gourmets. It lifts the spirits of New Yorkers, who can always use a boost to the collective Components public domunicipal geist. main. Image by 5enses.

And it sets those giant corporations that

10 • COLUMN • NOVEMBER 2017 • 5ENSESMAG.COM

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hen it comes to the science of carbonation, sometimes less is indeed more. But I guess that’s a matter of taste. ***** Alan Dean Foster is author of more than 120 books, visitor to more than 100 countries, and still frustrated by the human species. Follow him at AlanDeanFoster.Com.

Myth & Mind: Harvests, hops, & human

sacrifice

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By Reva Sherrard utumn has arrived. The wind changed almost overnight: one day towing monsoon clouds from the southwest in summer’s established pattern, then suddenly restive, keeping the trees awake after dark and setting a fresher edge on the mornings. The light, compressed a minute at a time by approaching winter, became a little clearer, more insistently golden. The wind’s mood in autumn, a combination of restlessness and certainty, has always made this season my favorite.

The year is setting out on a journey whose destination is death.

To the ancient Celts, the germinant sleep of death preceded life; nightfall was the day’s beginning, and the beginning of winter was the new year. The festival of Samhain (SOW-inn), falling in early November, marks not merely the first day of winter but a resetting of the cosmic mechanism at a fundamental level. To pastoral-agrarian ancestors, winter’s onset meant it was time to move the herds down from the highlands to more sheltered pastures, time to reap and store the rich life of summer before harshening weather took it away, but furthermore the crux of nature’s cyclical drama of death and rebirth. As such it was a dangerous season: The doors between worlds stood open, and one might easily wander inside the hills where the race of fairy-folk lived — especially considering the marathon drinking bouts the Irish engaged in as a matter of course during the Samhain feasts.

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oth the Celts and the Germanic peoples offered sacrifices at this time to maintain a good working relationship with that other world and its denizens, who included the dead and yet to be born in an overlapping pool of souls, and which directly influenced the earth’s fertility. The native English name for November is blōtmōnaþ, “Sacrifice Month,” after the immemorial practice of conducting the year’s most significant sacrifices at this time. In pagan Scandinavia, the lateautumnal celebration of Álfablót (Elf-sacrifice) honored ancestors as well as the local land spirits who imbued and patronized the farm. In contrast to community and state-based offerings such as the famous nine-years’ sacrifices at Uppsala, this was strictly a family affair, carried out in the privacy of the homestead by the woman of the house; her male counterpart was in charge of distributing large quantities of ale to the other household members (spot the theme), and making a sacrifice of the sacred beverage. Álfablót was so intensely holy, in fact, that it overrode otherwise inviolable customs of hospitality, as the 11th-century Chris-

“Snap-Apple Night,” by Daniel Maclise, 1883. Via WikiMedia.org, public domain. tian skald Sigvatr Þórðarson discovered when he sought shelter in a series of Swedish farms during the observance and was repeatedly driven away by householders anxious to protect their all-important spiritual transactions from profanation.

In Celtic regions, the autumn sacrifice was more communal, and sometimes, human. The Irish bog body called Moydrum Man died with a stomach full of late-October-ripening sloes, a fruit which, having been sacred to the Celtic triple goddess of birth, fertility, and death, marks him as a sacrificial victim. Kings, too, might be killed in the fall. According to Irish legend the sixth-century rulers Muirchertach mac Ercae and Diarmait mac Cerbaill each underwent a “threefold death” — in their cases, by drowning (in wine and ale, respectively), burning, and being crushed by a roof-beam — at Samhain, after having received prophetic warnings of their ends. Their treble deaths bring to mind those inflicted upon ritually slain Irish and Danish bog bodies, whose executioners generally rendered them senseless with a striking injury before dispatching them with two further wounds by different kinds of weapons. Garrotting, hanging, stabbing, and decapitation were all fair game.

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ertain Norse kings in the antique Yngling line met similar demises, often at the hands of their captive brides: One was hanged by his golden torc, many were burned in their halls like Muirchertach and Diarmuit, and one drowned in a vat of mead (naturally). One, Domaldi, was

sacrificed outright at harvest-time to bring an end to three years of terrible famine. Accounts of his death have him variously hanged and slaughtered; likely both are true. He too fell victim to a vengeful wife, though not a mortal one. More than political figures, Bronze- and Iron-Age kings in northern Europe were married to the land and the multifarious goddess who ruled it — literally, via a white mare, in Irish coronation rituals (we may safely assume heavy alcohol consumption was involved here, too). As mediator between a tribe and the powers of nature, a king held ultimate responsibility for his people’s welfare and could be offered up to those powers as the ultimate recourse in times of dire need. Tales of wronged Yngling queens murdering their husbands may echo the prehistoric role of Scandinavian royal women as sacrificial priestesses, and the duty of royal men to die, if necessary, for the sake of their kingdoms. In Old Norse a sacrifice was said to be “sent” (senda), a communication to the other world as close as breath, or its lack, closest now of all times of the year.

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utumn has arrived; winter, as they say, is coming. So drink up, keep your eyes open, and stay away from open vats.

***** Reva Sherrard works at Peregrine Book Company, studies Old Norse religion, and is writing a novel.

5ENSESMAG.COM • NOVEMBER 2017 • COLUMN • 11

S(tr)addling communities Annual Arts Prescott show raises funds for Bethany's Gait

By James Dungeon [Editor’s note: The following interview was culled from conversations between the reporter and Jody Miller, member of Arts Prescott Cooperative Gallery, 134 S. Montezuma St., 928-776-7717, ArtsPrescott.Com, whose annual charity show opens with an artists’ reception on Nov. 24 and runs through Christmas.]

What is the Arts Prescott Cooperative’s annual charity show and how did it get started?

The gallery, itself, opened in 1994 and, ever since, there’s been a charity fundraiser show from Thanksgiving to Christmas. It’s kind of the gallery’s way of giving back to the community that’s supported it over the years. … The process goes like this: A couple of months before the holidays, members of the gallery do a sales pitch at the general meeting of a charity they think is deserving of support. The members get a month to think it over, then come back and vote. This year, it’s the charity that I pitched, Bethany’s Gait. In past years, there’ve been a lot of different groups. Last year it was Skyview School, which I think was the first time we supported a school. The year of the big fire, we did a fundraiser for the town of Yarnell. We’ve done groups like Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Yavapai Food Bank, and Hungry Kids.

We try to do a different one every year and cover

areas of the community we feel like are helping.

You pitched Bethany’s Gait. How did you come across that group?

As a horse photographer, I’m always looking for organizations that work with horses and might need financial assistance. I suggested Bethany’s Gait because they do equine therapy for veterans and first responders, which was something new for me. I’ve seen equine therapy for young kids and people with disabilities and handicaps — we have quite a few of those in this area — but I’d never seen one that does veterans. I just thought that we have a very large veteran community here and a very large retirement community, and we have the veterans’ hospital, so it’s a great fit. … Taking a step back, I feel like horses have helped me during emotional times. That’s why I continue to photograph them. I feel like they’re really kind, gentle animals. A lot of people are scared of them, but fortunately I’m not one of them. I find them very comforting creatures. I understand why they’re used for different therapeutic techniques.

How does the fundraising show work?

The 24 members of Arts Prescott all donate a piece to the show. It hangs the day before Thanksgiving, and opening night always coincides with the 4th Friday Art Walk, and it runs from that Black Friday launch through Christmas. One hundred percent of the proceeds go to the charity. We also reach out to the community and other artists to donate work, so it’s not just gallery artists whose work is for sale. I’ve already started receiving pieces from other artists. Anything that doesn’t sell is donated to the charity for future fundraisers. When you buy a piece, you pick it up that day. We’ll continue to take pieces throughout the entire show and put them up as pieces sell and go off the wall, so there’s not a strict submission deadline. … Most of the pieces sell from around $30 for a necklace or earrings all the way up to $1,000 for an original painting. As such, the amount of money raised by the show varies year to year. The checks we’ve written the last couple of years have been in the $1,000 to $2,000 range, but that doesn’t include the unsold artwork from the show donated to the charity for future fundraisers. *****

12 • FEATURE • NOVEMBER 2017 • 5ENSESMAG.COM

LEFT TO RIGHT: Courtesy photo fro gle,” by Marjorie Claus; “Bring ’em Cowpoke,” by Susan Peltier; c [Editor’s note: The following interview was culled from conversations between the reporter and Cristi Rose, founder and executive director of Bethany’s Gait Ranch for Heroes, who’ll receive 100 percent of proceeds from Arts Prescott Cooperative Gallery’s 2017 charity show. Find out more at BethanysGait.

Org.] So what is Bethany’s Gait and how long has it been around?

We’re a horse rescue that does rehabilitation of veterans and first responders and their families. We’ve been in the Prescott area since 2012, and before that we were in California for six years. … We ended up here because my husband was in the Marine Corps in California and, when he got out, he said he couldn’t take living in that awful state for another second. He’s from Kentucky, and I didn’t want to go there, so we settled on Prescott.

What’s the biggest challenge of doing this kind of work?

om Bethany’s Gait; “After the StrugHome USA,” by Jody Miller; “Grizzly courtesy photo from Bethany’s Gait.

Honestly, it’s probably funding. A lot of the veterans are OES, OIS veterans and most of them are disabled in some way, whether it’s mental or physical, and money isn’t something that comes easily for them. A lot of them have families and are trying to support them with whatever they’re getting from the V.A. Or other sources. Some can do little part time jobs or find other ways of getting money. Some of their wives are working. The primary thing regarding us, though, is that we offer our services free or for a small stipend. … The average horse costs about $300 a month when you work in all the veterinary care and fly masks and that kind of stuff. The tack does wear out, so there’s that on top of that, plus you’ve got to have the property to keep them on, or else you end up paying someone else for the space. … We have the capacity for ten horses, so that’s how many we usually have and it works well for the program. We don’t constantly rescue, but we do what we can.

We just adopted out a

horse from rehab that we got five years ago and realized that, hey, he didn’t enjoy this work and wanted to be a one-person horse. Having 10 horses is a lot, but it’s necessary for what we do, too. In California we actually had 20. At Bethany’s Gait we’re more about quality than quantity. We could do this six days a week all day long and have 100 clients a month, but we’d be just barely spending any time with them. It’s kind of like that little girl throwing a couple of starfish back in the ocean. We’ve found that just touching someone isn’t enough. To really make a difference, you have to put the time in. …

And unto that end, we added first responders and the families of first responders. It’s not just for the veterans or first responders — this is for their spouses and children, too. We primarily work through a retreat model. We have four days of intense work with not just the horses, but also with people leading sessions. It’s about reintegrating back into society.

With the spouses it’s about helping them understand the new normal for their partner and how to keep themselves and their kids safe. We do marriage retreats, too, with the Prescott Relationship Center — they do the classroom part, and we do the retreat part. One more thing we do on a regular basis is a mentorship program for the children. They’ll come out and get paired with a horse. About 90 percent of the time, the child picks a horse that’ll work, but we steer them another direction if we think a particular horse is too much. Anyway, with their mentor, they learn how to care for their horse from the ground up and how to ride. It’s an awesome thing for them.

These kids might not know how to talk about feelings, but caring for a horse brings something out of them.

How did you hear about the Arts Prescott fundraising show and that you’d be this year’s recipient?

Jody contacted me last year and she pitched us in 2016.

When she told me we didn’t get it, I figured that was that. You know, that happens sometimes, not a big deal. So when she told me I was surprised.

I didn’t even realize we were in the running again. … We’re so thrilled, too, because art is something we really believe in. It’s an important part of healing. It’s fun to do, especially with kids, and can be quite therapeutic. In the same way that we see people express a different side of themselves with horses, they express different sides of themselves with art. I just love that idea. … The money raised will probably go toward retreats or horse care, but we always ask someone when they’re making a donation, if they want the money to go toward a particular aspect of Bethany’s Gait. We use a lot

of volunteers, in fact we’re almost entirely staffed by volunteers. If anyone is looking for volunteer opportunities, that’d be great. Right now we probably have 10 solid volunteers. What we really need is people to help with events. … You know, if someone had told me when we started 11 years ago that we’d be serving veterans and first responders in Prescott, Arizona I would’ve laughed, but I’m so happy that’s what we’re doing. ***** Visit Arts Prescott Cooperative Gallery at 134 S. Montezuma St., 928-776-7717, ArtsPrescott.Com. The annual fundraising show opens with an artists’ reception during the 4th Friday Art Walk, Nov. 24, and runs through Christmas.

Find out more about Bethany’s Gait Ranch for Heroes at BethanysGait.Org. See more of Jody Miller’s equine fine art at JodyL Miller.Com. James Dungeon is a figment of his own imagination. And he likes cats. Contact him at JamesDungeonCats@Gmail.

Com.

13

News From the Wilds Weather Average high temperature: 60.6 F (+/-4.2) Average low temperature: 27.4 F (+/-3.2) Record high temperature: 83 F (1933) Record low temperature: -1 F (1931) Average precipitation: 1.22” (+/-1.35”) Record high precipitation: 8.68” (1905) Record low precipitation: 0” (15 percent of years on record) Max daily precipitation: 4.3” (Nov. 27, 1919)

Source: Western Regional Climate Center

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apparent injury back on Earth.

Swainson’s Thrushes pass through the Mogollon Highlands now on their way to wintering grounds in Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru. Photo by Ty Fitzmorris.

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By Ty Fitzmorris ovember is the beginning of the long quiet of winter for the Mogollon Highlands. The cold has crawled from the cracks of night into the light of day changing how all of the creatures of the region live. The coming season brings scarcity of food and water along with low, sometimes killing temperatures, and every species, plant and animal, has their set of adaptations to these challenges. These adaptations are sometimes physiological and sometimes behavioral, though for most species there is a little of both.

Mammals (including humans) and some non-migratory birds begin to undergo cold acclimatization now, which includes redirection of blood flow away from skin, accumulation of insulative body fat and fur, and metabolic and chemical changes, all resulting in an overall increase in tolerance for low temperatures. Insects undergo a wide variety of changes — some, including bumblebees, generate propylene glycol (antifreeze) in their blood, which prevents them from freezing, while others develop the ability to raise their body tem-

peratures far above that of the surrounding air, proving themselves anything but “cold-blooded.”

Reptiles and amphibians are able to tolerate very low body temperatures without any injury, though some snakes, such as rattlesnakes, gather together in large numbers in caves to avoid killing frosts.

Many birds, including the swallows and warblers, migrate south both for food and to avoid the cold, while mammals such as Black Bears, Rock Squirrels, and Beavers, create dens in which to shelter.

The winter adaptations that are often less discussed, however, are those that are evolutionary in nature, such as the development of life stages suitable for extreme conditions. The most conspicuous are plant seeds and insect eggs, which are excellent for dispersal but also are capable of extraordinary feats of survival. Seeds might remain dormant for decades in soil, waiting for perfect germination conditions, while some invertebrate eggs are tough enough to withstand the harshest of conditions and still hatch. It was this hardiness that led NASA to take the eggs of fairy shrimp far outside of our atmosphere, holding them with mechanical arms outside of spacecraft for long periods, and then hatching them with no

14 • FEATURE • NOVEMBER 2017 • 5ENSESMAG.COM

hese quiet months are a challenge to the naturalist after the bewildering panoply of the growing season, but some of the more neglected aspects of the natural world remain for us to explore. Winter is a great time to study the rocks and landforms of the Mogollon Highlands, which form the basis for our ecoregion as a whole. Formerly called the Central Highlands, the Mogollon Highlands are defined as the broad band of mountains and valleys between the Mogollon Rim of the Colorado Plateau and the deserts of the South, from the Chihuahua to the west to the Sonora to the south to the Mojave to the east. The Mogollon Highlands, as a result, have plants and animals from all of these regions, though intermingled in ways that have remained largely unstudied.

The three geologic processes that have affected our region most are the volcanism that has provided the extrusive igneous basalt cap of the Colorado plateau as well as the intrusive igneous granite that formed the Granite Dells and Granite Mountain; the spreading of the geologic plates, which have pulled the highlands apart, causing dropped blocks of crust to form valleys; and the movement of rock materials by gravity, water and wind, which carve the majestic valleys such as Sycamore Canyon, the Agua Fria, Walnut Canyon, and Oak Creek Canyon. ***** Ty Fitzmorris is an itinerant and often distractible naturalist who lives in Prescott and is proprietor of the Peregrine Book Company, Raven Café, and Gray Dog Guitars, all as a sideline to his natural history pursuits. He can be reached at Ty@PeregrineBookCompany.Com.

News From the Wilds, too A very brief survey of what’s happening in the wilds ...

Skyward

The leaves of the last deciduous trees in the Mogollon Highlands change color now before falling. Photo by Ty Fitzmorris.

By Ty Fitzmorris High mountains • Young Ravens gather into large groups (called “congresses of Ravens”), sometimes as many as 50-70 individuals, and can be seen at sunrise and sunset flying from communal roosts to feeding sites.

• Though Black Bears finished mating in the summer, they delay implantation until now and begin their pregnancy as they enter hibernation.

Visit: Spruce Mountain Loop, No. 307.

Ponderosa Pine forests • Mule Deer and White-tailed Deer ruts reach their peak now as bucks finish rubbing the velvet from their full-grown antlers. Look for bare spots on saplings where male deer have rubbed off their velvet.

• Arizona Black Rattlesnakes (Crotalus cerberus), along with the other five rattlesnake species in our area, begin looking for hibernacula in which to spend the winter, sometimes with many other rattlers. Rattlesnakes are much maligned, but are typically very interested in avoiding humans.

Visit: Schoolhouse Gulch Trail, No. 67.

Pine-Oak woodlands • Young Western Screech Owls find temporary territories. These beautiful small owls, which weigh from 3.5 to 10 ounces, will prey on worms, insects, rodents, birds, or even crawdads.

• Galls on oak trees and shrubs are very visible now. The most common is the Oak-apple Gall, which looks like a red-orange peach, but is really an incubation site for an immature wasp. The wasp stings the plant, laying its egg in the growing tissue of the oak, and the plant grows this specialized structure around the developing larva.

Oaks have over 300 types of galls.

Visit: Little Granite Mountain Trail, No. 37.

Pinyon-Juniper woodlands • Javelinas switch to eating large amounts of prickly pear along with whatever protein-rich plant food, such as acorns and pinenuts, still remains.

Visit: Tin Trough Trail, No. 308.

Grasslands • Pronghorn change their diets to shrubs and tough evergreen plants now that grasses have died back. Pronghorn can digest many plants that are poisonous to cattle, and thereby graze grasslands evenly. This, in turn, allows for a greater diversity of plants to thrive where Pronghorn graze.

Visit: Mint Wash Trail, No. 345.

Riparian areas • Many of the creeks in the Prescott area dry up until the snows of winter arrive and melt.

• The leaves of trees in lower-elevation riparian areas change now, reaching a riotous diversity of color before dropping.

• Hermit Thrushes, one of the last of the songbird migrants to migrate through our region, stop over only long enough to regain lost body fat and drink water. These relatives of American Robins migrate according to the magnetic field of the Earth and keep a straight, unwavering path, flying night or day. The only time they change course is when they pass near lightning storms, in which case the Hermit Thrushes fly directly toward the storm.

• Ducks and other waterfowl begin to arrive at our manmade lakes, such as Watson and Willow near Prescott.

• Beavers cut branches from Aspens and riparian trees, pushing them into river-bottom mud to store for midwinter food.

Visit: Lower Wolf Creek Falls, No. 384.

• Nov. 3: Full Moon at 10:23 p.m. This is the second of three “supermoons” this year, the other two being in the preceding and following months. During a supermoon the Moon is slightly closer to the Earth,and may appear slightly larger and brighter than usual.

• Nov. 4: Taurid Meteor Shower Peak.

This is a long-running shower, from Sept. 7 to Dec. 10, which occurs as we pass through two separate dust trails • Nov. 13: Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter. The two brightest planets in the night sky will be within a half degree of one another in the morning sky. The planets will rise at 6 a.m. and will only be visible in the eastern sky until the Sun rises at 7 a.m.

• Nov. 17: Leonid Meteor Shower Peak.

The Leonids are among the brightest and most reliable showers of the year, producing as many as 15 meteors per hour at its peak.

This shower is caused by dust particles from the tail of Comet Tempel-Tuttle, which last passed through our solar system in 1998, and will return next in 2031. The 33-year period of this comet results in a 33-year cyclonic peak for the shower, during which meteors are extremely abundant. As with all meteor showers, best viewing is after midnight, as our position moves onto the side of the Earth facing into our rotation around the Sun, which is the side that collides with the most meteors.

• Nov. 18: New Moon at 4:42 a.m.

Deserts/Chaparral • The leaves of Ocotillos (Fouquieria splendens) change color and fall. This species, along with Yellow Palo Verde (Parkinsonia microphylla), has photosynthetic bark and only grows leaves during times when water is abundant.

• Phainopeplas, the sole member of their family (the Silky-flycatchers) in North America, return to the desert from the uplands. These pitch-black birds would seem to be incongruous in the hot desert, but thermal studies have shown that their black plumage actually functions to decrease their skin temperature, in much the same way that the black robes of the Bedouins of North Africa diffuse incoming solar heat.

Visit: Agua Fria National Monument.

15

Building blocks

Ecosa Institute rethinks renewable

By Robert Blood [Editor’s note: The following interview was culled from conversations between the reporter and Jessica Hernreich, executive director of the Ecosa Institute for Ecological Design, 300 E. Willis St., 928-541-1002. Find out more at Ecosa.Org.] What is the Ecosa Institute for Ecological Design?

It’s an ecological design school. We’re a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and we teach the principals of ecological design. We break the mold of a traditional design education in the sense that we pack what would happen in two years in a design school into a 15week total-immersion semester wherein we teach the earth sciences: ecology, hydrology, biology, and climate science in conjunction with the design arts. There’s an emphasis on architecture, but there’s also a big focus on product design, landscape design, graphic design, and urban planning, as well as material sourcing for the fashion, building and product industries.

What exactly is “ecological design”?

Ecological design asks how do we create something that follows the logic of nature, that goes beyond sustainability or green building. The idea is to create systems, landscapes, and buildings rooted in the ecology of a place. That’s true sustainability. … Sustainability, for us, is a baseline.

Our job is to do regenerative work.

Each cohort goes through the program in one semester, correct? Is there a certificate or some other sort of designation upon completion of the program?

We issue a certificate. We’ve been around for 17 years and we definitely had a few revelations about how and what we award. We took a break from it, but now we’re regaining our accreditation through the American Institute of Architects and continuing education credit through the American National Standards Institute. It’s not for college credits as anyone would know it, but many schools acknowledge our certificate. You could think of it as part of a process of continuing education.

How would you characterize a typical Ecosa student?

It’s a pretty large target audience: undergraduates, graduates, and mid-career. That’s great for us because just as nature teaches us diversity is key, we look for a diverse set of people to make up our cohort. We have 14 students go through the program each semester. Last semester we had a pool of 37 applicants. We try to get as much diver-

Sketch of an Ecosa proposal for improvements to Sixth Street that were, in part, utilized in the Alarcon Street project. Courtesy image. sity in background, experience, age, and passion as possible. One other thing we look for is volunteer work. We want to attract a student who has an element of selflessness, who’s passionate about the environment and doesn’t just see a problem, but wants to be a part of the solution. How do they show up and volunteer? There’s also a very large need for self-direction. You hear about that a lot in experiential education. That’s vital. We need to have students who are incredibly self-sufficient and self-directed to make the most of the onesemester program.

What’s the cost of the program?

The market price is $8,000 per student. However, this year, in response to the Cop-21 and Paris Agreement decisions [Editor’s note: She’s referring to the current administration’s decision to not abide an international agreement intended to mitigate climate change.] and the incredible amount of student deficit hovering around $3.7 trillion, our board came together to give away two semesters for free. We believe that the information we provide is imperative and the issues we are addressing are time sensitive. Actually, the last enrollment period to get that ends in November, so if you’re reading this there still may be time to apply. We’re still doing a lot of heavy marketing to get students for this but, right now, it’s probably the last free semester. It’s a really great opportunity for people to participate who might not otherwise be able to go through this program.

16 • FEATURE • NOVEMBER 2017 • 5ENSESMAG.COM

What is the general approach you teach?

Our philosophy is that we consider design to be a problem-solving tool and we look to the logic of nature to drive our inspiration. Ecological design balances the needs of humans and the needs of nature and, ultimately, leads to a harmonious society that addresses the esthetic, social, economical, and environmental contexts in which it functions. We offer a very different approach to design education. Students aren’t passive learners; they’re contributors to this vision. We continually evolve to provide the best and most relevant in-depth design education as possible. We aim to change how people see the world and approach problems. We offer a cross-sectoral/trans-disciplinary approach, so we can’t be confined into the silos that a traditional education offers. There’s architecture and physics and ecology, but you might not learn all of those in one semester from one department if you’re going after a traditional architecture degree or a land management degree.

That separation is at the root of our problems.

Also at the root of the problems we are facing is a separation between humans and nature; you may learn how to protect the environment with a land management degree but that doesn’t address the human-built environment, and vice versa, you many learn how to design a green building but not how to protect ecosystems. This divide deepens the gap between humans’ needs and the needs of nature. I also have to say that climate change is probably the greatest design challenge because it’s so cross-sectoral and requires the involvement of

practically everyone and every species on the planet.

One of your primary conceits is that there’s a problem with the way things are going. Could you elaborate on that?

At the root of it, the human-built environment is destroying the natural ecosystem. We do that in the way we live. Urban sprawl is a good example. We move out horizontally and take up land (be it natural habitat or agricultural land uses) and turn it into “little boxes on the hillside.” Those are monocultures of human experience and human life. Through that sprawl, we’ve become dependent on personal vehicles and personal vehicles depend on gas which releases C02, which incites global warming. We’re having a huge impact on our natural environment through changing land use patterns which in turn have a cascading effect. We have to look at that as a design challenge. Every choice we make has an impact and you can trace it. If we can implement smarter systems, and build smarter, we can change that. Nature doesn’t create monocultures; humans do. Paolo Soleri’s concept of arcology on display at Arcosanti is a good example of creating the necessary density without the horizontal sprawl. Actually, our founder, Tony Brown, built much of Arcosanti in the ’70s, and adopted the design strategy that includes all the necessary pieces for human existence — a food system, work life, home life — in a more dense, three-dimensional environment that doesn’t require sprawl or land use segregation.

Is this an idea that everyone has to adopt in order to implement, or is it smaller scale than that?

According to the UN’s World Urbanization Trends 2014 report, 54% of the people living on this planet live in urban environments, and this percentage is anticipated to grow to 66% in 2050. So, this problem and this solution affect the majority of people on the planet. It’s not feasible with the way things are set up now to move the people back to the land, living off grid and growing their own food. They tried that in the ’70s, and it didn’t work. The conversation has shifted since then. We have to approach things from a design perspective. The director of the U.N.’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs, John Wilmoth, said “managing urban areas has become one of the most important development challenges of the 21st century.” The urban environment is a beautiful thing with so many resources and opportunities. It’s about working smarter, not harder, and revolutionizing that built environment. Creating a human environment needn’t require so many resources and so much land. One of the cool things we’re seeing right now is that in major cities across the world, people are revitalizing core metropolitan areas.

Look at Detroit. It was that classic case of that industrial interior having been eroded as people sprawled out. Well, now, neo-urbanism is sexy

sidewalks some days. Now, when the monsoon comes, the water is spread out and slowly sinks into the soil, creating a beautiful environment full of native plants. It’s not like Tucson with ornamental orange trees; these are plants you’d see if you took a walk up Thumb Butte. Those plants are designed to live off of those surges and survive on small amounts of water leading up to them. They’re adapted to that environment and serve that purpose. … Changes like that are huge.

Jessica Hernreich, executive director of the Ecosa Institute for Ecological Design. Courtesy image. and fun and people are going back to those places, working, living, and using public transportation. We have the skills and know how to really push this idea forward. It’s something that will be integrated and you might not even notice.

Could you cater an example that’s a little closer to home?

One thing that the city of Prescott just did is that project on Alarcon Street. They wanted to address the issue of traffic as well as drainage.

They had two separate problems and found a solution to both. Ecosa has done a number of presentations for the city over the years and actually submitted plans for projects on Sixth and McCormick streets. Now, those were unused, but one of the ideas is on display on Alarcon Street.

They ripped up the road and sidewalk and put in infiltration basins with native plants. It incorporated more of a pedestrian experience encouraging people to walk and not drive, as well, and the entire thing dealt with the drainage issue. Alarcon used to be a river when the monsoon came; you couldn’t drive down the road or walk on the

Why is Ecosa here in Prescott, anyway?

Why not somewhere more urban?

Our founder, Tony Brown, worked as a graphic designer in Boston and felt that there were so many social and economic problems that could be addressed through architecture, but he struggled to find a tribe of people or firm that was doing that. So, we floated around the country for a while and, while in Oakland, saw an exhibit and talk by Paolo Soleri about arcology and Arcosanti.

He proceeded to follow him to Arizona around 1969 and moved to Arcosanti before there was anything there. He was really the one who was able to take Paolo’s vision and say, this is how you build it. He and Paolo had a wonderful working relationship. You could say Tony was the engineer, though the project didn’t officially have one.

He was the one who taught everyone, including Paolo, how to build what he wanted to build.

After more than a decade at Arcosanti, Tony and his wife, Pam, moved to Prescott. She taught in a school, and they wanted to build a home up on Thumb Butte. He wanted to start his own school, which he did. … Tony’s biggest asset is that he could always see the big picture and never got caught up in the principal. If something didn’t work, he’d toss it out and move on. As much as he loved Arcosanti, he realized it needed to be more flexible than it was. He has no need for rigid principles. Nature teaches you to have flexibility in your approach to solving problems, which is what we teach. Long story short, with nearly half of the world’s population living in smaller cities which experience the most rapid growth, which in turn leads to the largest land use changes due to development and sprawl, Tony identified Prescott as a beautiful town to live in, and on the verge of significant rapid growth. He was right; look at the growth pattern of the Tri-City Area over the last few decades. In Tony’s mind, Prescott was and still is a great case study for our type of work.

It’s our belief that you must go where the work is needed. ***** The Ecosa Institute for Ecological Design is located at 300 E. Willis St., 928-541-1002. Find out more at Ecosa.Org. Robert Blood is a Mayer-ish-based freelance writer and ne’er-do-well who’s working on his last book, which, incidentally, will be his first.

Contact him at BloodyBobby5@Gmail.Com.

17

House of

(invisible, fnord)

leaves

An unsettling not-at-all-tall-tale for an unsettling time

I

By Justin Agrell magine a world where every new building has a secret room. Not a private workshop nor an armory, not a gift wrapping room nor an underground railroad hostel. The owner of the building has no control over the room.

It has no windows or doors. There’s no way in or out. Its purpose is protected and unknown and the owner must pay for the power and utilities the room uses. If it’s damaged or deleted, all utilities cease to function and the building becomes unusable immediately.

What you’ve heard about the rooms, officially, is that they’re for commercial monitoring and remote control access specifically and that only the rooms being used by professional utility companies and technical businesses are active and all others remain dormant and secure. There’s nothing to worry about. The rumors, however, are much more sinister than that. “The government uses the rooms to spy on us,” you hear. “The rooms are never dormant and can be activated at any time,” they add, and, “Hackers can use the rooms to steal information from us.”

So why have the room? Why have them in normal homes if they’re only for commercial use? The rooms aren’t mandated by any government but are simply installed by all home construction companies. How is it that all builders have come to agree that a secret room is needed? Wouldn’t the one company who decided to not build a secret room instantly become more successful than the others?

Why engineer the building to stop functioning if you remove or damage the room?

All of this may sound paranoid or like pure science fiction, but in the world of computers the secret rooms do, in fact, exist — and they’ve been around for years. Additional microcontrollers have been on Intel processors since 2006. They’ve been

Two-bit Column on AMD processors since 2014. And their true purpose and functionality remain hidden from us.

I

ntel’s ME (or “Intel Management Engine”) and AMD’s PSP (or “Platform Security Processor”) have unrestricted access to almost every part of modern computers.

This includes the most critical parts such as network adapters and system memory. They’re accessible when the computer is off as long as they have power of any kind connected and can turn the computer on. Whoever gains control of these secret systems can take control.

In May of 2017, Intel admitted to an exploit affecting many commercial computers that allowed access to their Management Engine giving the hacker administrative access to the systems.

They classified it a critical bug (CVE-20175689). This bug is an example of an exploit that’s known to us and that we can now patch.

It’s very common for exploits to be found by hackers and government military and, apparently, they’re withheld to be sold on the black market or to be used in wa time

18 • COLUMN • NOVEMBER 2017 • 5ENSESMAG.COM

to disrupt or damage the enemy.

There are too many secrets. We have already seen one exploit in the wild and we have no way of protecting ourselves from another. If a weakness is found in the Intel ME and AMD’s PSP and is used against us almost every computer built in the last decade will be at risk. In August 2017, a team at Positive Technologies, an European research firm, discovered evidence that a NSA project (High Assurance Platform) had specifically required that the Management Engine be disabled for them.

If our government’s own intelligence agency doesn’t trust these systems why should any of us?

We live in a world where we are at the mercy of advanced technology. It’s impossible to expect the average person to understand the concepts required to fully realize how vulnerable we are.

Thankfully we have individuals and organizations willing to fight for us. The Free Software Foundation, the GNU Project, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation are just a few that know the details of what is going on around us and are fighting to stop it.

T

o directly fix the “secret room” issue projects like ME_cleaner, Coreboot, and Libreboot have been created which allow us to completely remove the non-essential parts of Intel’s ME from several models of computer.

For most of us, though, our hands are tied. Mine included. I cannot possibly require my business clients to trade thousands of dollars worth of servers, laptops, and desktop computers to only models that support the removal of ME or PSP. The systems I own are modern enough to not be supported by the audited solutions and it remains beneficial to me that I trade my security for productivity. So what can we do? How much longer will be at the mercy of Intel and AMD? There are no easy answers here; there are only more questions. ***** Justin Agrell has been a certified IT technician since 2005. He loves Linux, adventure motorcycling, and computer gaming. To get in touch, just email him at Justin@U4E.US.

Lost & found

Here’s some random and not-so-random stuff

I

By Markoff Chaney should cater some context for this. But I’m not going to. Enjoy.

***** Markoff Chaney is an Earth-based whodunit pundit and (Fnord) Discordian Pope. He has lotsa bills and no sense. Contact him at NoisyNoiseIsNoisome@Gmail.Com.

5ENSESMAG.COM • NOVEMBER 2017 • FEATURE • 19

Hard drive by

Edsel shopping in the Digital Age

O

By Jacques Laliberté

in some hallowed “cloud” — does the rest. ur household requires I’ll have my loan answer within a second vehicle and the minute, “Do Not Refresh Your my 1989 Dodge Dakota Browser” warnings notwithstanding. pickup — hardy as it The next day, in what I took as a is, has over 233,000 hopeful sign — and not just because miles on her — is only trusted for he was a real person — a bank officer in-town lumber duty. As a freelance calls me. He’s looking over my loan pet portraitist, I can only reasonably app and has a few questions for me. afford an older car model, spendBank Real Person: “I see you have a ing under ten grand, if that. And I’d few charge-offs in the past.” prefer a European Classic that will I reply I am fairly sure that they got appreciate 400 percent during my paid off, eventually. ownership while attaining 80 mpg.

Bank Real Person: “Looks like All fantasy aside, I took the simple there is a late payment on your Masroute in my car search — the new terCard.” millennial one — and logged in to Thinking it’s probably not somescan the websites of local auto purthing a bank wants to hear, I say veyors, from frontage road Buy Here “This probably isn’t what a bank Pay Here lots’ garish sites to slick wants to hear, but as an artist, money manufacturer’s dealer showroom dealings are not a high priority for portals. me, and I kinda don’t understand They all pretty much use the same numbers all that well.” software to showcase inventory, allowing me Bank Real Person: “(Sighs, no clicks now.)

Illustration by Jacques Laliberté for 5enses. to filter my choices by make and model, year, You were late on your Volkswagen lease for mileage, MPG ratings, number of cylinders, several months running.” price range, even color. They are only missing front lot. Nikki was on it straight away: “I am so Me: “No, that vehicle was actually repossessed filters for “number of $1,000s needed in immediglad you asked about that! Give me your name so I long before that.” ate repairs” and “percent chance our mechanics know who I am talking with.”

I figure the truth is what a bank would want to hear. didn’t discover the pot stashed in a fender well.”

Me: “Fog Horn Leg Horn III.” Bank Real Person: “How much were you looking Then I wait a moment while clumsy algorithms to borrow?” nce on a website, scrolling down plod across shiny Intel chips.

Me, sighing: “Oh, I think eight grand will cover vertiginous listings of brawny preNikki: “Glad to meet you Fog Horn Leg Horn the type of vehicle Nikki picked out for me. Oh! owed — not used, mind you — SUVs AieAieAie. Give me just a moment to look up that And I’ll put $750 down,” I cheerfully add. and last years’ trade-ins, you are vehicle for you. (Odd clicks).”

And on like that for a few minutes more. I confronted with endless pop-up Me: “Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is twice the size thanked him for helping me out and hung up. windows that migrate infuriatingly across the of planet Earth. Will the Edsel make it across that screen like a lame Pong game. Portrayed by stock easily?” oments later I get an email from photos of Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, gorgeous Nikki: “How soon are you looking to purchase a new the dealer Nikki shills for. The salespersons with names like Nikki and Alexi vehicle Fog Horn Leg Horn AieAieAie? (Click-bzzt).” salesman says I didn’t get the seductively invite you to “live chat,” just as if you Me: “Uh — about that Edsel, Nikki?” loan. He suggests it’d be best I had clicked inadvertently on a racy dating site’s Nikki: “(Clicks.) How soon do you plan to drive sock a little money away in my homepage. across Jupiter’s Great Red Spot Fog Horn Leg checking account the next few months to prove inI start my chat by typing in questions deterHorn AieAieAie?” come. He suggests I periodically go on his website mined to reveal if I am actually texting with a Finally bored of this and fairly sure of the Tur— Hello Nikki! — to find the right vehicle. human vs. an A.I. Nikki in a real-world application ing results, I place my cursor on the X in Nikki’s Meanwhile, he suggests, “Try and not be (click) of the Turing test. The reason I am suspicious is be- chat-box’s corner, score some Pong points, and so freakin’ delusional about the car you can because I was once on the phone for almost 10 minmove on. lievably afford, and there’s no such car as an Edsel utes with a customer service “person” who turned Paramour, (click), not in turquoise.” out to be a sneakily cunning voice-simulation algoeciding to go the full monty, I use rithmic program. I know this because he repeated the site and apply for a loan. Forego***** “That’s great! Give me a moment to do that for you” ing any help from Nikki, I input a Author and artist Jacques Laliberté was a 20-plusevery 30 seconds. Remember, it took me the full 10 few particulars about myself, and year resident of Prescott, has written for and minutes to figure this out. Nice guy, too. the vast public web of my personal designed several publications and a novella. He My first question to Nikki therefore was about financial data, open accounts, payment history, often forgets the names of people he knows well. the turquoise Edsel Paramour I’d seen on their felonies, charge-offs, and bankruptcies — stored He willingly moved to Paulden a few years ago.

O

M

D

20 • COLUMN • NOVEMBER 2017 • 5ENSESMAG.COM

From scratch

Introducing Prescott’s Outlaw Donuts

By James Dungeon [Editor’s note: The following interview was culled from conversations between the reporter and Isiah Canady owner of Outlaw Donuts, 414 W. Goodwin St., 928-379-5606, OutlawDonutsInc. Com.] How long has Outlaw Donuts been around?

February makes it three years living in Prescott/Prescott Valley with my wife and kids.

We opened our doors on June 14 and we had a grand opening for Outlaw Donuts on July 26.

What’s your background?

I’m a certified chef — French cuisine — and traveled all over Spain, Morocco, and Germany.

My mother’s a tax accountant and we put our brains together on opening a B&B-like business.

Opening up a B&B these days is like trying to open up a taxicab company in the day of Uber, so we decided on a bakery. After two months of prepping for a full bakery it kind of turned into a donut shop. The name comes from a theme we were going to do with outlaws on motorcycles, but because this is Prescott it became a cowboy outlaw. … I’m trained in baking and in pastries, and everything, but I hadn’t done anything like this in the industry before. Baking requires a lot of different skills. It’s a lot of leaveners, mixing, battering, the temperatures of everything. The elevation plays a big role here. Hot order cooking came naturally to me. This didn’t come naturally to me, but I’ve learned a lot already.

Isiah Canady, left, owner of Outlaw Donuts. Courtesy photo. fritters the size of your head, cereal-topped ones like Fruity Pebbles, Cocoa Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms, and then bacon maple donuts with actual bacon on a long john. And we do some candied donuts with candy bars. There are holiday donuts and, well, lots of things. With the name Outlaw Donuts, you’re not really tied to anything. … We probably produce anywhere from 1,000 to 1,500 donuts daily and we rarely have many leftovers.

To say nothing of the ridiculous hours you no doubt keep.

It’s definitely crazy. Sometimes we come in at like 9 at night and sometimes it’s closer to midnight. Most of the time it’s graveyard shifts that make for 12- to 16-hour days. It’s me, my wife, my brother, my mother, and Lexi (Editor’s note: A patron interjects at this point. “Lexi’s awesome.”) There’s a lot of family around. The good part of that is you get to be around your family every day. That’s cool. ... The drawbacks are that you don’t have the authority like you would over other employees.

What’s been the response to the décor? And the location?

Everyone loves. People come in and look around and think it’s really cute and rustic. We’re close to downtown and we have all these neighborhood businesses right here. We couldn’t have picked a better location or better neighbors. … People seem to have really taken to us. People see us out at other places and come up and want to talk about the donuts. It’s nice to have support behind you like that. As far as our regulars go, we have the car guys who have these old classic cars who are here every Saturday morning and have started buying t-shirts from us.

So, you’ve got donuts. What kind of donuts?

We’ve got the traditional things like oldfashioned, maple, chocolate, white, glazed, cake donuts. Then we’ve got the funky ones. Apple

I’ve overheard you talking about your background with customers before. You turned down an offer to play football in Brazil in order to start this business, right?

Well, I’m very active in anything and everything I do. I put my full heart into it. I played football in high school and J.C. in college, then I kept playing when I went to culinary school. So I’ve been playing for 19 years. I took some time off when I was in Spain and had to take a break when I worked for UPS, but I was playing semi-pro football again. We had two days’ practice a week and games on Saturday plus we all pretty much had full time jobs. Plural — jobs — at the same time.

When you play semi-pro, you’re exposed to the CFL, NFL, and also the European Football League and groups like that. So, yeah, they wanted to pick me up in Brazil, but my wife got pregnant and I wanted to focus more on my career. Like I said: My mom and I put our heads together about a business and eventually we ended up opening Outlaw Donuts. And we’ve got another kiddo on the way now that’ll be our third.

What’s your favorite donut?

I don’t really eat them. (Laughs.) I do enjoy a maple bar every now and then. Blueberry donuts are probably my favorite. ***** Outlaw Donuts is open 6 a.m.- 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 6 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday at 414 W. Goodwin St., 928-379-5606, Outlaw DonutsInc.Com. James Dungeon is a figment of his own imagination. And he likes cats. Contact him at James DungeoCats@Gmail.Com.

5ENSESMAG.COM • NOVEMBER 2017 • FEATURE • 21

Not-asholy days

H

ow indulgence became inextricably linked with thankfulness is a bit of a mystery.

Luckily, there are plenty of other reasons to get energized this month. Consider celebrating ...

Nov. 3: Sandwich Day. (Time to go to bread.)

Nov. 8: Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day. (Pass the herbs and spices.)

L

ate in the 19th century a very strange set of objects was discovered in the peat of Lancashire, England. Tiny knives, scrapers, borers, and other flint tools were found that were obviously too small for human hands to use. The workmanship was extremely fine. Labeled as “ritual instruments,” none have ever been found alongside actual working tools, and for the most part, no one knows who carved them or what they were designed for. Some fanciful notions suggest gnomes and elves.

ODDLY ENOUGH … Whoever the creators were, they were apparently widespread, because “pygmy flints” have also been discovered in Egypt, Australia, Africa, France, Sicily, and India.

Nov. 13: World Kindness Day. (It’s a kind, kind, kind, kind world.)

Nov. 19: Have a Bad Day Day. (No effort required.)

Nov. 21: World Hello Day. (Say goodbye to unpleasantries.)

*****

T

here are over 1,600 species of starfish. This primitive animal has done remarkably well for a creature with no brain. Starfish reproduce in a variety of ways, but one of the strangest is that of the Linckia Starfish, which simply sheds its legs, each of which grows into a new, fully formed starfish.

Nov. 25: National Parfait Day. (We all scream for … .)

Nov. 29: National Day of Listening.

(I heard that.)

Nov. 29: Square Dance Day. (Called it.)

Nov. 30: Stay at Home Because You’re Well Day. (Unless, of course, you’re sick.)

ODDLY ENOUGH … The largest starfish ever caught measured nearly 5 feet across. The heaviest starfish ever recorded weighed more than 13 pounds. ***** Russell Miller is an illustrator, cartoonist, writer, bagpiper, motorcycle enthusiast, and reference librarian. Currently, he illustrates books for Cody Lundin and Bart King.

5enses get noticed in

prescott’s PREMIER art & science rag Call 928-613-2076 or email 5ensesMag@Gmail.Com for ad rates

22 • FEATURE • NOVEMBER 2017 • 5ENSESMAG.COM

tt! displays in all of Presco One of the largest light holiday event!

A must-see

ART WALKS 2017 Jan. 27 Feb. 24 March 24 April 28 May 26 June 23 July 28 Aug. 25 Sept. 22 Oct. 27 Nov. 24 Dec. 22

Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary

& animal sights Opening Thanksgiving Weekend!

November 24 and 25, 2017 And continues every Friday & Saturday night from December 1 through December 30

6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

1403 Heritage Park Rd.; Prescott, AZ 86301 • www.HeritageParkZoo.org Phone: 928.778.4242 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supported by the community.

See Special Events

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