"102 Minutes..."

In memory of those who passed away on September 11, 2001, I am reading a book called "102 Minutes The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers". The 323-page hardcover book from 2005 was written by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn. It is a sad reminder of the events that took place in Manhattan on that fateful September day, but I am glad that I am reading it. The sources for this book are 200 interviews with survivors and witnesses, thousands of pages of transcribed radio transmissions, phone messages, e-mails, and oral histories.

Monte Mendoza August 26, 2007 Sunday 10:00 AM.

"Smallville" Season Six on sale September 18, 2007

Season 6 of "Smallville" went on sale on Tuesday, September 18, 2007. The show debuted on the CW Network on Thursday, September 27, 2007. (Channel 6 or 61 here in the metro-Phoenix area.)

Monte Mendoza 9 30 2007 9:00 PM

I recently celebrated my 35th year without drinking alcohol. My life hasn't been perfect because of the decision to never drink alcohol that I made back in July of 1972, but I know that my life would have been a disaster if I allowed alcohol in my life. I have NEVER taken illegal drugs in my life. I thank God for the wisdom He gave me to make those decisions. July 21, 2007 Saturday 12:42 PM AZ

Recently Bought CDs

I recently bought some CDs, including Petra The Ultimate Collection. This double CD has 16 songs on disc one and 17 songs on disc two. The CD was released on March 21, 2006. Some of my favorites from disc one are: Why Should The Father Bother?, The Coloring Song, More Power To Ya, Not Of This World, Grave Robber and Hallow Eyes. Disc two favorites include: Thankful Heart, Love, Beyond Belief, Creed, Prayer, No Doubt and We Need Jesus. I am sure that once I listen to the CDs that there will be even more favorites.
I also bought the newest CD from Angelique Kidjo called "Djin Djin". It was released in early May of 2007 and the CD has 13 songs. I listened to about one minute of each song at the store , the FYE at Broadway and Rural in Tempe, Arizona. Lon Lon is song #13. It's a vocal version of Ravel's Bolero. It sounds really cool. Song #6 is Pearls with Josh Groban. There is also a cover of Gimme Shelter featuring Joss Stone. Angelique is from Benin, a country in West Africa.
I also bought a CD for 50 cents (no...not by 50 cents). It is the soundtrack to Wayne's World 2 with songs like...Frankenstein by Edgar Winter. Y.M.C.A. by The Village People. Spirit In The Sky by Norman Greenbaum. Those three songs alone are worth more than fifty cents. I didn't put the normal quotes around the song titles or use italics for the titles in order to save some time writing. June 10, 2007 Sunday at 6:05 PM AZ time.

747 book by Joe Sutter with Jay Spenser 2006

I recently began reading a book from the library called...
"747 Creating The World's First Jumbo Jet and Other Adventures From A Life In Aviation".
It was cowritten (?) by Jay Spencer. It's available in hardcover for $26.95 or in softcover for $14.95. It is a history of how the Boeing 747 was designed and created. Joe Sutter led the team of engineers that created the 747. As a HUGE fan of 747's, I look forward to reading this book. I am only in chapter 1 right now. I have learned already that the 747 first flew on February 9, 1969. I have never flown in a 747, but I will if I can ever pay off my credit card debt. There are 272 pages in the hardcover edition that I am reading. It was published in 2006 by Smithsonian Books in association with HarperCollins Publishers.
ISBN is 978-0-06-088241-9.
June 3, 2007, Sunday. 3:20 PM
I finished this book recently. I thought it was a great insight into the history of the 747 program. Joe Sutter did an awesome job of telling the story of the Jumbo Jet.
7 21 2007 Sat. 11:33 AM AZ time

Hello To Some Old Friends and Coworkers

I just want to say hi to some former coworkers and friends.
Jake Riccobono aka Giacomo Riccobono I really enjoyed working with you. I tried to call you several months after I left Metro, but your number had already been disconnected. I hope to see you again someday !!!
Jon Overson (aka Jonathan Overson)...I hope your two-year mission went well. I didn't get to say bye when I left EDS in Tempe, AZ. I'm not sure if you still live here in Arizona or if you went back to Palmer, Alaska.
Mark Huffaker I hope you and your family are doing well.
Jason Chouinard, I hope you are still working at the same place as when I last worked with you in Phoenix, AZ. That looked like an excellent job with lots of future potential.
Paul Hansen of Arizona...I pray that things are going well in your life. I miss working with you at ABCO 424 (ABCO FOODS or ABCO Desert Markets).
Also, hello to Joe Buelna. I hope you are still alive and kickin' it. Thank you for your MANY years of devoted volunteer work. You are an excellent role model. ("What's up?" ..."I can tell you what isn't.")
Hi to Scott Sepulveda. You are also a role model to me for how to treat other human beings. I had a lot of fun working with you at ABCO 409. That company name sounds like a potent toilet bowl cleaner.
If any of you ever want to contact me, click on the link to see my complete profile at right. Then click on "My Web Page". You could then leave a message in the comments of one of the photos at my Flickr page. Have a great day/night everyone !!!
Monte May 31, 2007 Thursday 23:05

Updated May 31, 2021 Monday 12:50

Steve Green The Ultimate Collection

One of my all-time favorite CDs is "Steve Green The Ultimate Collection". This CD may be my all-time favorite CD. Steve Green's music permeates my brain and my heart and I am a happier person because of that. I am one of the biggest fans of Steve Green West of the Mississippi River. Perhaps East of the Mississippi too. I became a Christian in 1987. I fell away from my faith in September of 1995. I came back to my faith in Christ in October of 2005. For the ten years of my life that I was a backslider from 1995 to 2005, I doubt that even one day passed when one of Steve Green's songs was not in my mind. I was not only constantly hearing his music in my head but I would often find myself singing his songs. This from someone who was no longer trusting in Christ as Savior. After ten years I finally regained my faith and just in time to fully enjoy the 25 songs on Steve's two CD greatest hits compilation. I bought mine at CD Universe. I have listened to many times and I try to listen to it at least once a week, and I hope to do so for the rest of my life. THANK YOU Steve Green !
"The Ultimate Collection" is one of those CDs that would be my answer to.."if you were stranded on a desert island and could have a CD player and only one CD to listen to...". Steve Green sings many of my all-time favorite songs. Disc one has some of them including "Broken And Spilled Out", "He Holds The Keys", "God And God Alone", "Find Us Faithful", "I Can See (On The Emmaus Road)" and "People Need The Lord". The first two songs I listed are songs that start slow and then become stirring ballads. Disc two has 12 songs including one of my favorites called "We Believe" which is a song that starts slow and then builds to a crescendo and could move even an atheist to drop to his/her knees and accept Christ as Savior. Many of Steve's songs have that capability. Steve Green's music didn't bring me to Jesus but it did bring me back to Christ. Disc two also has the songs "God Causes All Things To Grow", "He Who Began A Good Work In You", "Embrace The Cross", "That's Where The Mercy Begins" and "Oh I Want To Know You More". Going back to disc one, you will also be blessed with "When His Kingdom Comes", "Household Of Faith", "Cherish The Treasure", "A Mighty Fortress" and "Enter In". The lyrics are NOT included with the two CDs but a songbook can be bought separately. More info can be found as Steve's site called
www.stevegreenministries.org .

If you are looking for some CDs to add to your Christian music collection, I would HIGHLY recommend this one.

DISC ONE
1. People Need The Lord
2. Pleasures Of The King
3. God & God Alone
4. Find Us Faithful
5. Broken & Spilled Out
6. He Holds The Keys
7. Household Of Faith
8. Grace By Which I Stand
9. Cherish The Treasure
10. Revive, Us, Oh Lord
11. God Of Wonders
12. The Faithful
13. Teach Me To Love
14. I Want To Know You More
15. We Trust In The Name Of The Lord Our God
16. Enter In
17. When His Kingdom Comes

DISC TWO
1. I Can See
2. Touch Your People Once Again
3. He Is Good
4. The Letter
5. We Believe
6. A Mighty Fortress
7. What Wonderous Love Is This
8. God Caused All Things To Grow
9. I Offer Myself
10. Let Us Praise The Almighty
11. That's Where His Mercy Begins
12. Cross Medley
13. Sacrifice Of Praise
14. He Who Began A Good Work
15. Embrace The Cross
16. I Repent

May 30, 2007 WED. 3:00 PM

Chayanne My Favorite Singer of Spanish Songs

Chayanne is my favorite singer of Spanish-language music. Chayanne was born on June 28, 1968 (Friday) in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. His birth name was Elmer Figueroa Arce. He was the third of five children (four boys and one girl). There were some discrepancies in the release dates of his CD's when I researched it on the net. I will list his CD's in what I believe is the correct order. At age 10, Chayanne joined the Puerto Rican boy group called Los Chicos. They released 5 CD's. At about age 17, Chayanne went solo.

1. 1984: "Chayanne Es Mi Nombre"
2. 1986: "Sangre Latino"
3. Nov. 1988: Self-titled CD with the song "Tu Pirata Soy Yo"
4. Dec. 28, 1989: Self-titled CD with the song "Fiesta En America"
5. Aug. 7, 1990: "Tiempo De Vals"
6. July 28, 1992: "Provócame"
7. October 20, 1994: "Influencias"
8. Sept. 17, 1996: "Volver A Nacer"
9. Sept. 29, 1998: "Atado A Tu Amor"
10. October 3, 2000: "Simplemente"
11. August 21, 2001 or July 10, 2000: "Sus Canciónes" (Import: 3 CDs and 33 songs)
12. March 19, 2002: "Grandes Exitos" Greatest Hits (Also on DVD)
13. August 26, 2003: "Sincero"
14. March 29, 2005: “Desde Siempre”
15. September 27, 2005: “Cautivo”
16. April 10, 2007: "Mi Tiempo" May 30, 2007 WED. 2:40 PM

He had more CDs released after the one at #16. I haven't had time to update it.

Josh Groban CDs

My favorite singer is Josh Groban. (Joshua Winston Groban) Josh Groban was born February, 27, 1981 in Los Angeles, California.

He released his self-titled debut CD on November 20, 2001. He released "Josh Groban In Concert" DVD on December 3, 2002. He then released his CD called "Closer" on November 21, 2003. He released a DVD called "Live at the Greek" on November 30, 2003.
"Awake" was released on November 7, 2006.
Josh Groban's self-titled debut has the songs called: "You're Still You", "To Where You Are", "Let Me Fall", "Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)" and "Home To Stay" along with 8 more songs!
The CD called "Closer" is the CD that has his hit called "You Raise Me Up". It also has the songs "Mi Mancherai (Il Postino)" with Joshua Bell, "Si Volvieras A Mi", "When You Say You Love Me", "Broken Vow", "Caruso", "Remember When It Rained" (from the movie "Troy") and "My Confession". There are five more songs besides those.

I saw Josh Groban in concert on March 17, 2005 at America West Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. It was an excellent concert as was his concert on March 25, 2007 at the same location, but now known as U.S. Airways Arena.

Thank You for making some awesome music Josh !!! Millions of us greatly appreciate it.
I have Josh's songs listed below by CD and DVD. 

Self-titled debut CD:
1. Alla Luce Del Sole (G1), 2. Gira Con Me Questa Notte (G1), 3. You’re Still You (E1), 4. Cinema Paradiso (Se) (G1), 5. To Where You Are (E12), 6. Aléjate (E12), 7. Canto Alla Vita (E12), 8. Let Me Fall (E1), 9. Vincent (Starry, Starry Night) (E1), 10. Un Amore Per Sempre (G1), 11. Home To Stay (G1), 12. Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (G1) and 13. The Prayer (duet with Charlotte Church) (E1) . 

My personal rating system for songs is this: E for Excellent, G for Good, F for Fair and B for Bad. The number one means the song has a slow tempo. Two is faster, three is even faster, etc.

"Josh Groban in Concert" CD and DVD CD:
1. Un Amore Per Sempre (G1), 2. Aléjate (E12), 3. The Prayer (duet with Angie Stone) (E1), 4. For Always (from movie “AI”) (E12), 5. Vincent (Starry, Starry Night) (E1), 6. Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (G1), 7. Broken Vow (E1) and 8. O Holy Night (E12).
DVD: 1. Alla Luce Del Sole (G1), 2. You’re Still You (E1), 3. Vincent (Starry, Starry Night) (E1), 4. Gira Con Me Questa Notte (G1), 5. Un Amore Per Sempre (G1), 6. Aléjate (E12), 7. Broken Vow (E1), 8. To Where You Are (E12), 9. Cinema Paradiso (Se) (G1), 10. For Always (from movie “AI”) (E12), 11. Home To Stay (G1), 12. Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (G1), 13. Canto Alla Vita (E12), 14. The Prayer (duet with Angie Stone) (E1) and 15. Let Me Fall (E1).

Closer CD:
1. Oceano (G1), 2. My Confession (E1), 3. Mi Mancherai (Il Postino) (E12), 4. Si Volvieras A Mi (E12), 5. When You Say You Love Me (E1), 6. Per Te (G1), 7. All’ Improvviso Amore (G12), 8. Broken Vow (E1), 9. Caruso (G1), 10. Remember When It Rained (E1), 11. Hymme A L’Amour (G1), 12. You Raise Me Up (E12), 13. Never Let Go with Deep Forest (G1), 14. Mi Morena (G1) and 15. She’s Out Of My Life (G1). The "CLOSER" CD above costs about $23 as it has 2 extra songs (the last two listed). It also comes with a DVD called "The Making of CLOSER".

Josh Groban Live At The GreekCD
1. Oceano (G1), 2. Mi Mancherai (Il Postino) (E12), 3. Mi Morena (G1), 4. Canto Alla Vita (E12), 5. Remember When It Rained (E1), 6. Remember (from “Troy”) (E1), 7. America (G1), 8. Never Let Go with Deep Forest (GI)
DVD 1. Oceano (G1), 2. Per Te (G1), 3. To Where You Are (E12), 4. Mi Mancherai (Il Postino) (E12), 5. Mi Morena (G1), 6. Aléjate (E12), 7. Canto Alla Vita (E12), 8. Nocturne/Bohemian Rhapsody Lucia Micarelli (G12), 9. Alla Luce Del Sole (G1) and 10. My December (G1).
Josh Groban also recorded song number four on the soundtrack of "Polar Express". It's called "Believe". It's a great Christmas song/ballad.
Josh also sang a song called "For Always" in the movie "A.I.". It's an awesome ballad ! I have seen the movie twice but I have yet to hear where the song is played in the movie.

Here is a list of the songs from the new CD. There is a CD/DVD combo available also for "AWAKE" also. It has two bonus songs AND a DVD on "The Making Of Awake". The songs from "Awake" are
1. Mai (E12), 2. You Are Loved (Don't Give Up) (E12), 3. Un Dia Llegara (E12), 4. February Song (E12), 5. L'Ultima Notte (E12), 6. So She Dances (G1), 7. In Her Eyes (G12), 8. Solo Por Ti (G1), 9. Now Or Never (E1), 10. Un Giorno Per Noi (A Time For Us) (E12), 11. Lullaby (with Ladysmith Black Mambazo) (E1), 12. Weeping (Also with L.B.M.) (G12) , 13. Machine (with Herbie Hancock) (G12), 14. Verita (A bonus track on more expensive CD/DVD.) (E1) and 15. Awake (Another bonus track on higher cost CD/DVD.) (E1).

Josh has had many more CDs since I wrote this blog.

http://www.joshgroban.com/home
May 30, 2007 WED. 14:30 AZ

May 31, 2021 MON. 12:55

My All-Time Favorite Song

My all-time favorite song WAS by Gary Chapman. It was originally on his CD called "Shelter". It was song # 9 of 12 songs on that CD.
It is also song #1 of 15 songs on his CD called
"Best of Gary Chapman After God's Own Heart".
The song is...
"Man After Your Own Heart" (4:53).
Thank you Wayne Kirkpatrick and Billy Sprague for writing that awesome ballad. I will sing it until the day I die !!! "Shelter" was released on February 27, 1996. "After God's Own Heart" was released on February 2, 2002.
The CDs are most easily found at ebay.com OR at a local used CD store like FYE or at Zia Records if you are in the metro-Phoenix area.
May 30, 2007 WED. 1:50 PM

My current all-time favorite is "Fragile" by Jamie Slocum.

Phoenix Arizona Drive In Theaters Past & Present

The Round Up Drive In was located at 6599 East Thomas Road in Scottsdale, Arizona (1955 to 1979). It was my favorite drive in theater in the area of Phoenix, Arizona. It was the drive in with the huge neon cowboy. Today it is an apartment complex that has a road coming into the complex that seems to be the same path the original road took into the drive in. My family spent many evenings at that theater.
These are DRIVE-IN theaters that were once located in the metro-Phoenix area:
The Acres Drive In
Big Sky Drive In
Cinema Park Drive In
El Rey Drive In
Indian Drive In
Mustang Drive In
Northern Drive In
Nu-View Drive In
Oasis Drive In
Peso Drive In
Phoenix Drive In
Pioneer Drive In 1 and 2
Rancho Drive In
Rodeo Drive In
The Round-Up Drive In
Sands Drive In
Silver Dollar Drive In
South Twin Drive In
Thunderbird Drive In
Twin Drive In
Velda Rose Drive In
If you need any more information on any of these drive ins in the Phoenix area, leave your question in a comment here. I will try to get the information and update this post to reflect the information you asked for. I have addresses and other information for most of the drive-ins I have listed in this post. I also have lots of info on the indoor theaters in the Phoenix-metro area if that is of interest to you.
DRIVE-IN Theaters have decreased dramatically in the United States. They went from over 5,000 in 1956, to 837 in July of 1995, to about 600 in July of 2003. 


May 30, 2007 WED. 1:30 PM

Who is Monte Mendoza ?

I would like to tell a little about myself. I was born in Phoenix and I have lived in Phoenix, South Scottsdale, Tempe and Mesa during my life. I went to Yavapai Elementary School on Miller RD in Scottsdale, Arizona. I went to Coronado High School in Scottsdale in the late seventies. I graduated in the top 95% of my graduating class...near the bottom of that top 95%. Seriously, I was in the top 10% of my class. I owe some of that credit to my older brother, Tim P. Mendoza. He mentored me in Algebra and Geometry. My favorite class was Spanish, which I had for three years. I later took two semesters of Spanish at Mesa Community College. I always got straight A's in Spanish in high school and at MCC too.
I was married in the mid-1980's to Anne Hector. We lasted just over three years and four months. She was, and I pray that she still is, a great human being. I still think about her almost daily. For what it is worth, I still love her as much today as I did the day she and I were married. However, some things are not meant to be. In a perfect world, I would still married to her today and we would have a daughter named Anne, and three sons named Monte JR, Monte II and Monte III. That seesm strange to have four Monte's in one family, I know. Just think though about how simple it would be for my wife to call us all in for dinner..."Monte and Anne, let's eat !!!".
On September 1, 1995 I stopped trusting in Christ as my Savior because of personal problems that I was having, including my depression. Depression is a problem that I have had most of my life. I am happy to say that thanks in large part to the songs of Christian singer Steve Green that were always playing in my mind and being sung by me constantly, I came back to my faith in Jesus Christ as Savior on Sunday, October 2, 2005 at 10:10 PM, Arizona time.
Many people, of all ages, have ended their lives or tried to end their lives because of problems that they were facing in their lives. Personally, I have considered ending my life far too many times. However, I have come to realize that I can do more to make this world a better place while I am living as opposed to being six feet under ground or having my ashes poured out over some majestic landscape. That is true for you too !!! No matter who you are, what you do for a living, where you live, what you like, who you love, what you have done, ETC !
YOU can do more to make OUR world a better place too IF you decide to live and to FORGET about suicide FOREVER !!!
Don't let other people's opinions shape the way that you feel about yourself !!!
Learn to love yourself just as GOD loves you !!!
May 30, 2007 WED. 1:00 PM

Bible Gateway an EXCELLENT place to look for Bible verses

If you would like to visit a site where you can find a Bible verse quickly and in various Bible translations, check out...
www.BibleGateway.Com
You can search by Bible verse such as John 3:16, OR you can search by keywords or phrases...such as "blessed are the meek", and it will tell you where to find that verse or verses that contain "blessed are the meek". Bible Gateway is an excellent site.
May 30, 2007 WED. 12:50 PM

Looking for a Christian Church ???

If you live in Arizona, or any of the other 49 United States, and you are looking for a Christian church in your area, I would first look in your local yellow pages if they are available to you. If not, try the link below for Church Angel. It is a site that allows Christian churches to list their church on the site. The link I have goes to the part of their site that lists the 50 states. They also have a form to use to have your church included on their site. You can also find churches listed for Canada, Africa, India, and in MANY other parts of the world too. I would like to say "Thank You" to those who created that website. It's a great service. If you are looking for a church, give it a try !!!
http://churchangel.com/welcome.htm
May 30, 2007 WED. 12:45 PM

Human Services Campus in Phoenix AZ

The Human Services Campus has five service providers in one location.The 14-acre campus is located south of Madison ST. If you go south of Madison ST on 11th or 12th AVE...you will see it. You can also go west of 9th AVE on Jackson ST to get to the location. The actual address is 1209 W. Madison ST near downtown Phoenix, Arizona.

The campus opened on Monday, November 7, 2005 and it will help the homeless in the Phoenix area. The campus is made up of three buildings with 150,000 total square feet.The project cost $24 million. One of the five services that can be found is located south of Jackson and west of 10th Avenue. It is the St. Vincent de Paul dining room. The room has 300 seats and it's expected to serve 900 meals each day. In the large building west of the dining room you will find three services for the homeless. One of those three services is a Day Resource Center where the homeless can get off the streets to use the restroom, take a shower, or relax in a comfortable chair. This resource center also provides therapists, counselors and advisors from state, county, city, and private agencies too. These include substance-abuse and mental-health counselors, job counselors and housing advisors. St. Joseph the Worker is a job placement organization that assists the homeless in finding employment . Another service is offered by CASS, Central Arizona Shelter Services. This emergency homeless shelter has 400 beds. Mark Holleran is the Central Arizona Shelter Services Director. The CASS fund-raising Director is Martin Shultz. The third service located in the largest building is Health Care for the Homeless. This is a clinic offered by Maricopa County. Corinne Velasquez is the program administrator for this program. The 14,000 square-foot clinic has eight examination rooms. Dentist Kris Volcheck started a one-station dental clinic at CASS in 2000.He is now one of about 130 dentists that staff the dental clinic inside of the new CASS facility. Nova Safe Haven opened in 2006, I believe. It is a shelter for the homeless that are mentally ill. It is located in the separate building north of the largest building on the campus.

Thank you to EVERYONE who donated money to make this campus a reality !!! I pray that this campus will help many of the 12,000 homeless people living in the Valley of the Sun.

I also have a link to their website below and in the title of this post.

I am uncertain if all the information above regarding the Human Services Campus is still accurate as of today, 5/30/2007.

http://www.maricopa.gov/HSCampus/contact.aspx

May 30, 2007 WED. 12:34 PM