Nike Skydiving Spec by Joey Horvitz

[Starring - Dana Bowman] [DP - Bobby Eras] [Aerial DP - The late and great Eli Thompson] [Music - Eyal Federman] Written, Directed & Produced by Joey Horvitz Budget: $2000 Year: 2002 **In Memory of Eli Thompson 1973 - 2009



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TisA_6aANBE&hl=en

Josh Gets his toes in the beach with Skydive Surfcity!.mp4

Skydiving with Skydive Surfcity (aka Santa Cruz Skydiving ) over Santa Cruz with a beach front landing. Enjoy: -Unbeatable Coastal Views of the entire Monterey Bay -Best Safety Records -Most Experienced Tandem Instructors -Amazing Scenic Flight to Altitude -Jump from 10.000-14.000 ft - Unique Videos Cover the Freefall AND the Canopy Ride -Yes! We Offer Optional Beachfront Landings -Barefoot Skydive, Land in the soft Sand -Check out our personalized Gift Certificates (Best Present EVER!!!) With Skydive Surfcity you will never feel like just another jump. Although our instructors have done many thousands of safe skydives we do realize that YOUR jump may be YOUR first. For inquiries or reservations call 831 435 5169 or info@skydivesurfcity.com www.skydivesurfcity.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imlL05L6vp0&hl=en

Skydiving in Acampo, California

13000 feet. 60 seconds of freefall and 5 minutes of parachute fall. Awesome!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYTevYAjA8A&hl=en

Hillary Skydiving in San Deigo

Here is Hillary's first ever skydiving jump from 10000 feet above the California / Mexico Border. She doesn't look a bit scared. I, on the other hand, was completely terrified.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFOrJgY2kdQ&hl=en

AIR MIA: SKYDIVING OVER SONORAN DESERT (MIA FREGEAU)

Perris Valley Skydiving California



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJPIl18j8zk&hl=en

Attention Female Singles - Start Dating Wealthy Men Today!

Many younger girls dream of their imaginary Prince , with castles in the sky. As they begin their teen and young adult lives, this dream gets scaled down a little, from a Prince to maybe a single millionaire with a beautiful mansion in a swanky suburb, a condominium in Paris, also a beach home in California.

Usually, most female singles are content to settle down with a great man with a steady job who treats them with respect and love. But what about those female singles who still want to play out their dreams? How do they set about making their dreams a reality? The upshot of the situation is Prince Charming wont generally fall out of a tree, secondly the rich investment banker is not usually inclined to fall head over heels in love with the check out chick at the supermarket and sweep her away to a life of riches.

How do female singles land a Mr. Charming?
It requires work, girls! If you want to tap into dating and chatting to wealthy men and you want it bad enough, you need to be prepared to work for it. Here is some advice to help you start:

o Location is a starting point! If you're having your lunch at McDonalds each day, you're not likely to bump into the guys with the fat wallets. Even if you do, normally they are only there as they're in a hurry, and they are not perusing the menu. Give the cheap take outs and dingy cafes a miss and upscale, dear! Visit a restaurant or up market coffee shop in the central business district, shop at a gourmet grocery outlet, go for a stroll in an upscale neighborhood. These rich male singles won't come to you, you need to go where they are!

o Take up golf or tennis. These are regular pastimes for wealthy male singles on the upper end of the income scale, and often a love match has been formed over a match of mixed doubles.

o Volunteer for charity outings. You can discover which guests are attending and socialize with the nobs.

o Many wealthy male singles are car buffs, and particularly fancy vintage cars. It may perhaps be worth your while to research antique automobiles and attend some shows.

o Consider relocating. The small unit or apartment in a well-to-do area is superior than the most grand home in a lower class neighborhood, when it comes to rubbing shoulders with a wealthier group of people or rich male singles. Odds on that you will not meet and chat to wealthy singles in the common area of your low rent home, although who knows who you could meet and chat to in the elevator to your one bedroom apartment in that big trendy high rise?

o Changing your own work status is a great way to meet wealthy male singles, also. Stay away from jobs that do require you to wear uniforms, as this puts an obvious class distinction line between you and the wealthy male singles you want to chat to. You could find it worth the effort to go into a new field completely, such as a real estate sales position.

o Volunteer with high society charity do's. This allows you access to guest and seating arrangements, and more importantly, a free invitation to the actual event, where you can chat to all sorts of male singles you want to get to know.

If you do not have any cash resources that will not allow you to take up some of the options discussed in the article,an online dating service is also an excellent way to meet and chat with wealthy male singles. There are free online dating services that offer free dating and chat rooms, other online dating services specifically cater for rich male singles seeking a beautiful mistress or partner.

Will you be happy with a rich man ? This is really up to you both. It's been said often, "It's as easy to marry a rich man as a poor man," but the best advice of the lot is to marry the man who makes you the happiest, regardless of the amount in his bank account. If you marry for love as your first priority, you will receive the riches of your wildest dreams, if they happen to be rich, then count that as a bonus.

Dating Chat Singles

Wingsuit Flying at Skydive Elsinore

buncha birds in the sky havin fun



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXQTpC1zZpU&hl=en

Iara - Skydiving

Iara em Perris Valley - California/USA.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUzFRKz6Cx4&hl=en

Skydiving on the bank of Santa Cruz in California

me Skydiving! it was just AWESOME!!!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DRH2bMjWDo&hl=en

Overcoming Jet Lag

Frequent fliers - those who take to the sky either for business, pleasure, or a little of both - may notice that the discomfort air travel can bring doesn't always end when the plane reaches the tarmac. Lurking in the crevices of the overhead compartment, or maybe on your tray table, it pops out the second you reach your destination. Leaving you tired, irritable, and generally feeling "out of it," jet lag can ruin a plane ride quicker than the airline food.

Jet lag, in scientific terms, is the physiological condition that is caused with the circadian rhythm, or the 24-hour cycle, undergoes changes. Often blamed on airplane travel, jet lag can also be a result of working different shifts, day light savings, or anytime a person's light and dark cycle is disrupted.

When the blame of plane travel is warranted, it's not the length of the flight that is the deciding factor: it is the distance traveled east to west. Flying north to south in the same meridian will never cause as much jet lag as going from coast to coast. In short, the likelihood of jet lag increases with the amount of time zones crossed. Crossing numerous time zones disrupts the body's typical pattern, causing people to be ready for bed or for dinner during hours that don't coincide with the actual time. Someone who travels from New York to California may find themselves ready to call it a night at seven p.m.

The impact of jet lag varies from person to person: some people can recover from it relatively quickly, while others might find themselves symptomatic for days. They may feel dehydrated, with no appetite, susceptible to headaches and sinus problems, tired, irritable, unable to sleep, and dazed and confused.

Luckily for the person who flies, not to mention the people who have to pick them up from the airport, the moodiness and grogginess of jet lag is preventable, at least to a point. To begin, something as simple as taking a nap on the plane can be the first step in attempting to realign your body; if sleeping isn't entirely possible, then relaxing to the music of your i-Pod is the next best thing. Even this, with turbulence and the token three year-old kicking the back of your seat throughout the flight, might not be feasible. For this reason, other options must be explored.

These options can be found in your choice of drink: staying hydrated, and staying away from both caffeine and alcohol, can also help reduce jet lag. Some people have even found that preparing for jet lag before you set foot on a plane is the key: if they know they are going to a destination that is two hours earlier than the place they call home, they adjust to the change ahead of time. For example, a few days before they fly, they may get up two hours earlier, or go to bed two hours later. Jet lag can also be decreased simply by staying healthy: exercise and a balanced diet can keep it at bay.

For the frequent flier, and even the infrequent flier, jet lag may just come with the territory. Up there with lost luggage and delayed flights, jet lag is part of flying. Taking a few preventative measures, however, may help keep it from taking flight.

Free Things to Do With Kids in Southern California

With its comfortably mild sunny days, miles of white sand beaches and kid-friendly attractions, Southern California is a must-go destination for families. Legendary Tinsel Town appeals to visitors of all ages who flock to the streets of Hollywood and Beverly Hills to walk in the footsteps of their favorite movie screen idols. While there are many big attractions that will tax your wallet, there are a surprising number of free activities that will entertain kids and adults alike. Here are some suggestions of great free things to do with kids in Southern California:

Griffith Park is a 4,200 acre state park and the largest urban park in the country. Admission and parking is free and the park contains several attractions that kids will enjoy. The Griffith Observatory, open until 10 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays, is a leading astronomy institution in the country where kids will learn about celestial events in the Observatory's exhibits. Kids will be dazzled by the night sky seen through the free telescopes set up for the public each evening. Other Griffith Park attractions include the Travel Town Museum and Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round. Several hiking trails in the park offer good views of the landmark Hollywood sign.

The Getty Center of Los Angeles is one of the most important art institutions in the country and is open free to the public Tuesdays through Sundays except major holidays. Use the easy public transportation to the Getty to avoid paying for parking. The Getty offers an amazing array of activities just for kids. Give their creative energy an outlet in the Family Room where they can play, draw and go on treasure hunts while learning about art at the same time. Take them on a walk on the zigzag pathway through the Central Garden and bring your own picnic to spread out on the lawn while enjoying the beautiful views of Los Angeles and the Santa Monica Mountains.

The California Science Center has free admission daily except major holidays. It offers an amazing collection of science exhibits that will keep the kids engaged for hours. Exhibits are arranged according to theme such as the new Ecosystem exhibit that will teach kids about rivers, islands and forests and other wonders of the natural world. Other permanent exhibits include the Air and Space Gallery and the World of Life where kids will delight as Tess, a 50 ft. robot, will teach them how their body works.

Kids into dinosaurs will love the exhibits at the La Brea Tar Pits & Page Museum and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Both of these museums offer free admission for everyone on the 1st Tuesday of the month.

No visit to Southern California would be complete without a day at the beach. Start at Santa Monica State Beach and take the kids to the Santa Monica Pier for the carnival atmosphere. The pier and amusement park have free admission. Walk a mile down Ocean Front Walk to Venice Beach where the kids will be awed by an array of street performers who congregate on the boardwalk to entertain beach-goers.

Southern California is a fantastic destination for families and some of the best attractions are free!

Resort is Like Oasis on California's Interstate 5

Few travelers speeding along Interstate 5 near Coalinga realize that those cattle they see in feedlots next to the freeway are actually In-N-Out burgers waiting to be processed. Sure, everyone knows that burgers come from cattle, but did you know In-N-Out burgers come from these cattle?

That's because the famous California-based burger chain uses the high-quality beef produced by Harris Ranch, which is really much more than a feedlot. Drive on down the interstate a piece and you come to an island of hospitality that features a resort-style inn, four restaurants and various tourist services all operated by Harris Ranch.

Just about equidistant from Los Angeles and San Francisco - three hours each way - The word oasis is apt for Harris Ranch; as you're driving along the interstate it seems to come up out of nowhere. If you've drived north and south along Interstate 5, you know that there are hours of boredom driving through the San Joaquin Valley. A few service station-and-fastfood stops appear, but none like the one at Harris Ranch.

Drive into the parking lot at Harris Ranch and what you might have thought was just another freeway-side motel is actually a resort like you would find in Palm Springs or some other major tourist destination. The Spanish stucco buildings surround a dramatic Olympic-size swimming pool. Add some palm trees and resort-style landscaping and, voila, this becomes much more than an overnight rest on your way down the freeway.

We've gone past Harris Ranch many times, but our curiosity - and a need to break up the drive from Northern to Southern California - convinced us it was time to spend the night at the "ranch." It was a Sunday night and we found the inn filled to much less than capacity. Consequently, we were swimming in that huge pool all by ourselves with only one or two couples poolside at any given time.

Our over-sized room was on the third floor offering a view of the agricultural lands that seem to stretch forever in the San Joaquin Valley. The room was not a motel room - it was a resort-style room with many added amenities and, in fact, enough space to place two reclining chairs near the television. The beds were big, soft and comfy and yet another tell-tale sign was the fluffy resort-style bathrobes. This was proving to be much more than a stop-over; it was a destination all unto itself.

That's why many California families find Harris Ranch an ideal location to meet up with relatives from the far northern and southern parts of the state. It's a big state so, depending on where you and your relatives live, you can each eliminate hours of driving and pamper yourself while you visit with each other in a resort setting.

One big benefit of spending time at Harris Ranch is that you can settle in and enjoy one of the best beef dinners you'll ever experience -- with service to match. The Harris Ranch Steakhouse is a spot to rival even the most expensive steakhouses you see in the big cities. When the restaurant owner raises the cattle, the result is unbelievably tender beef cooked to perfection. Even if we don't have time to spend the night, we will make a point to return to the Steakhouse to sample more cuts of that tasty Harris Ranch beef.

The restaurant operation is indeed a major part of the Harris Ranch operations. According to Restaurants and Institution Magazine, Harris is ranked 57th in the nation among high volume, independently owned restaurants. It's the 6th highest in California, and it takes 400 employees to maintain all of the various Harris Ranch businesses.

The Harris Ranch story began long ago. The present owner is John Harris, whose father and grandfather were also farmers. In 1937, John's father moved farming operations to the San Joaquin Valley. When his father, Jack, died in 1981, John took over what was still a relatively small operation and turned it into a mult-million dollar enterprise that now includes seven different businesses that range from beef processing to raising 35 different farm commodities - everything from fruit to nuts. Harris even finds time to indulge his passion, raising thoroughbred horses.

At the heart of it all is the beef operation which, at any given time, can have between 60,000 and 120,000 cattle in the feedlots or being processed at a nearby facility. Harris Ranch USDA Choice natural beef is distributed throughout the country and is sold to major chains such as Costco, Albertson's, Safeway and, yes, In-N-Out. Another good reason to stop at Harris Ranch is that visitors can buy steaks to take or ship home - they come in ice packs to keep cold.

The restaurant began back in 1977, targeting nothing more than the local farmers who would come in and have coffee or a meal now and then. Because of its convenient location on Interstate 5, the restaurant became popular with travelers looking for a rest from a long drive. The 150-room inn was built in 1987 with the idea that the accommodations should be first-rate, but still casual. There's no valet parking, for example, but the lobby driveway looks just like one that would have valets. The rooms were designed by John Harris's wife, Carole, who included such features as Ralph Lauren fabrics for curtains and bedspreads.

The Harris Ranch complex today is like a mini-shopping center with shops that offer unique gifts and collectibles, spices and other goods. The bakery is a favorite for travelers who want to take home fresh-baked items all made from scratch. And of course there are the usual traveler services such as the gas station and Subway sandwich shop, and the not-so-usual facilities such as the Harris Ranch airport.

It all combines to make Harris Ranch much more than a beef processor, much more than a farming company, much more than a roadside inn or a restaurant. This little patch of ground along the freeway really is a small city and travel destination all its own - and home to millions of future In-N-Out burgers.

AT A GLANCE

WHERE: Harris Ranch is about 200 miles north of Los Angeles and 200 miles south of San Francisco on Interstate 5.

WHAT: Not just a rest stop for weary travelers, Harris Ranch has grown into a resort community with restaurants, shops and other services. The well-manicured grounds even attract many couples who decide to book the ranch for their wedding functions.

WHEN: Year-round, with blue-sky weather in the summer, a little cooler with some potential fog in the winter.

WHY: Harris Ranch is the perfect spot to break up a drive between Northern and Southern California. Sample the Steakhouse Restaurant and you'll see that Ruth's Chris and other famous steakhouses have nothing over the sizzling beef at this out-of-the-way restaurant. The inn is on a par with many resort-area properties.

HOW: For more information, call 800-942-2333 or visit harrisranch.com.

Book Review - Red Sky Morning by Andrew J Rafkin

Fast Moving True Life Non Stop Adventure

Andrew Rafkin has a tremendous respect for the ocean and a love for sports fishing. In his new book "Red Sky Morning" Rafkin relives the summer he turned 17 in this coming of age fast moving true to life adventure story of life on a commercial tuna fishing expedition.

Andrew relates his story in a first person narrative. A gifted story teller, Andy drew me into the story taking me back to my own teen years, as a younger Andy relates the adventure from his viewpoint. Interwoven throughout the story are interludes with Rosa, Lauren, Nicole, and Erin. These liaisons add an element of romance to Andy's 17th summer. The climax of the story is set two years later in a sports fishing incident that turned a dream opportunity into a recurring nightmare.

Rich in information on the back ground of sports fishing and the history of commercial fishing Andrew takes the reader From Monterey to San Diego on the West Coast all along the East Coast from Florida to Massachusetts. He describes the Western Ace as a "Navy seagoing tug that was converted to a modern day purse seiner. She was 176 feet long and cruised at 11 to 12 knots...she had the capacity of 800 tons of fish."

I experienced a kinship with the fourteen members of the crew as Andy described their reaction to the delays in port, the thrill of the catch, the tropical rain storms, the hurricane force winds, and the crashing waves battering against the ship. I learned that the life of a commercial fisherman is death-defying and is the most dangerous of all professions with more fatalities per year than any other vocation.

I was especially touched as Andy told of the importance of the summer as a bonding experience with his father. "...one of the best things was the time I spend, with my father, who, prior to this summer, I only saw a few days between fishing trips. Spending the whole summer with him gave me the opportunity to get to know him in his domain...I gained a tremendous amount of respect for my father, and came to understand what an awesome amount of responsibility he had being captain."

"Red Sky Morning" is a compelling seafaring adventure story that will be enjoyed by sports fishermen, by anyone who loves the ocean, and those who own or have dreams of owning their own catamaran, yacht, or boat.

Outskirts Press, 978-1432719425

As review by Richard R. Blake for Midwest Book Review

Science Fair Project Ideas That Win Awards Project #14 - Static Electricity

Objective

You will be making your own electroscope and testing the ability of various materials to conduct static electricity. You will also be making a list or triboelectric series which arranges materials according to their ability to conduct electrons.

Introduction

When and electric charge is built up in an object, it is called static electricity. Sometimes, this static electricity can be discharged suddenly, as seen in a lightning bolt across the sky. At other times, this static electricity causes a static cling that is seen on socks just removed from the dryer. Static cling occurs when two objects having different charges such as positive (+) and negative (-) come together. Static electricity can be produced as well as tested using various science fair experiments.

During science fair experiments, static electricity can be measured using an electroscope. You will build your own electroscope to test various materials and find out which ones conduct more static electricity.

Materials

foam plate, Balloon, foam cup, clay, drinking straw, aluminum pie pan, aluminum foil, thread, wooden ruler, masking tape, different materials for testing such as nylon, polyester, cotton, aluminum, plastic, copper, wool, tissue paper, saran wrap, and so on.

Preparation

Making your electroscope

Pierce a Styrofoam cup by pushing a skewer near the base and make holes for a straw to pass through. Put a drinking straw through the cup by putting it in these holes and push it till it sticks out on one side. Now invert the cup and stick it strongly with clay on an upright pie pan.

Make a few knots at one end a thread and make a marble-sized ball with a piece of aluminum foil at the knotted end. Now tape the free end of the string to the straw that is sticking out of the cup in such a way that the ball hangs from the straw and touches the rim of the pie pan. Secure the straw with a tape so that it does not move.

Testing your electroscope

One of the methods used in science fair experiments to create a static electric charge is to rub a Styrofoam plate with some wool. This produces a negative charge on the Styrofoam plate surface. Now lift your electroscope by holding the Styrofoam cup and place it over the charged Styrofoam plate. What happens? The aluminum foil ball moves away from the rim of the pie pan.

Why did this happen? When you placed the electroscope on the Styrofoam plate, the negatively charged electrons travelled to the pie pan and then to the foil ball. Since same charges repel, the ball moved away from the rim of the pan.

Now touch the pan and the foil ball with the tip of your finger and see what happens. The ball will return to normal as it was before, because the electrons were transferred to your finger and the pan and the ball were discharged.

Procedure

Now it's time to test different materials.

Charge different materials with static electricity. You may use materials such as a plastic wrap, a woolen scarf, a fleece sweater, an aluminum sheet, a balloon, and so on.
Now test each charged material with your electroscope.
Measure how far the ball is from the pan with a ruler.
Write down the distance in a table.
Make a note of which materials can carry an electric charge and which ones do not.
Since recording data is an important step in science fair experiments, you must arrange your data in order with the most charged ones followed by the least charged ones. This is called a Triboelectric Series.

Now that you are equipped with some great ideas, I'd like to give you something more in order to ensure your success. Here's your free copy of "Easy Steps to Award-Winning Science Fair Projects" which you can immediately download from the link below.

Things to Do in Nassau

No matter who you are or what you enjoy, Nassau, Bahamas has many things for you to do when you're in town. The Caribbean area offers a large range of fun-filled activities to fill your day. The beautiful sunny weather allows tourists to experience a variety of attractions on their vacation.

Start your day at the Bayshore Marina where you can experience many sport fishing adventures. Various fishing charter boats have scheduled trips throughout the day. Yacht charters are also available for a different type of experience. Whatever your choice is, you're guaranteed a fun time in Nassau.

After a long day of marlin or tuna fishing, enjoy some island picnicking. Various tour guides can recommend various island picnic areas for your experience. The sunny sky and warm weather will add to the overall experience. Perhaps a 18 hole round of golf is in your cards for the day as well.

After you take in the scenery, get suited up and enjoy some scuba diving. Whether you enjoy this exciting experience or not, you may also choose to embark on some snorkeling as well. Various scuba diving packages are available to experience as well. This long list of things to do in Nassau makes this a must-stop spot for any travel experience in your future.

Nassau is a tropical paradise. This vacation destination offers a wide range of outdoor activities for its visitors. This Caribbean delight offers great deep-sea and sport fishing opportunities. Take a fishing trip on the ocean. A variety of catches are available including marlin, tuna and black fin tuna. Cruise ships are also available for large scale fishing trips among the Islands. A tour guide can provide information on all of these amazing opportunities.

RU Lethal | Seat Belts and Skydiving

So we've got a hot chick skydiving, something about Tom Cruise, the Jaws of Life, and an oddly disturbing outtake. What does all of this have to do with wearing your seatbelt? Watch the video and find out.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouZKxzk_vyI&hl=en

The Fortune Cookie - From Where Did It Come?

With the Chinese New Year rapidly approaching, thoughts turn to colorful parades, fire crackers, spectacular fireworks exploding in the sky, and a plethora of food. What would a celebration be without those crunchy fortune cookies with the hidden messages?

No one knows for sure where fortune cookies first made their appearance. There are several schools of thought. Historically speaking, the first mention of secret messages hidden within a cookie occurred during the 13th and 14th centuries. China was occupied by the Mongols. In order to get word of the upcoming revolt, the patriotic revolutionary Chen Juan Chen disguised himself as a Taoist priest so that he might be able to enter walled cities which were occupied by the Mongols. He was able to move safely through these cities under the guise of a priest and thus, able to hand out moon cakes to other revolutionaries. It was said the Mongols did not care for the taste of lotus nut paste, an ingredient usually contained in moon cakes, The Chinese replaced the lotus nut paste yolk with secret messages, successfully alerting the revolutionaries of the uprising which would be the foundation of the Ming Dynasty.

Another Chinese custom involving cake rolls with messages is that when a baby is born, it is customary for the family to send out cake rolls containing a birth announcement.

An additional version of the origin of it involves the Chinese 49ers who laid down the railroad through the Sierra Nevada mountains during the California Gold Rush. The Chinese workers had few pleasures but they did exchange, during the Moon Festival, biscuits containing happy messages in place of the traditional moon cakes. It has been suggested that in San Francisco, a cottage industry making fortune cookies sprung up after completion of the railroad and the Gold Rush.

The generally accepted version of the origin of it goes back to 1914 San Francisco. Japanese immigrant Machete Hagiwara, a landscape designer, developed the plans for the renowned Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park. He was fired by San Francisco's anti-Japanese mayor around the turn of the 20th century, leaving him in financial distress until he was reinstated by a later mayor. There are two versions to the development of the fortune cookie. One version proposes Hagiwara created the cookies with a thank-you note inside as a gift of gratefulness to those who did not abandon him during his misfortune. Another version says he made the cookies as refreshment for the visitors strolling through the Japanese Tea Garden. In 1915, his cookies were on display at San Francisco's world fair, the Panama-Pacific Exhibition.

In the early 1900s, entrepreneurs proposed a plan to transform San Francisco's Chinatown from a poor slum area into a tourist destination. The city promoted decorations, parades, and architecture reminiscent of China. It is said the increased tourism led to the creation of fortune cookies so the visitors might have a dessert item. To this end, in the 1930s, a worker at San Francisco's Kay Heong Noodle Factory designed a plain flat cookie. While the flat cookie was still warm, it was folded around a slip of paper on which was written a prediction or some Chinese wisdom.

Still another version involves 1918 Los Angeles. It states that it was invented by Chinese immigrant David Jung, proprietor of the Hong Kong Noodle Company. Jung, worried about all the impoverished, unemployed men milling around the area near his business, passed out free cookies which contained uplifting verse, written for Jung by a Presbyterian minister.

Fortune cookies were traditionally made by hand using chopsticks but in 1964, Edward Louie of San Francisco's Lotus Fortune Cookie Company, designed a machine that automatically folded the dough and inserted the fortune.

Although they are served in Chinese restaurants throughout the world, they are almost unheard of in China. In the few places they are available in China, they are advertised as "Genuine American Fortune Cookies."

In 1983, in an attempt to finally ascertain the origins of them, there was a mock trial in San Francisco's pseudo-legal Court of Historical Review. San Francisco was declared the winner, with Los Angeles denouncing the decision.

Chinese, Japanese, or American? It does not matter - the cookies are delicious, no matter from whence they came.

Jen goes Skydiving on her altogether landing on the amazing bank with Skydive Surfcity

Skydiving with Skydive Surfcity (aka Santa Cruz Skydiving ) over Santa Cruz with a beach front landing. Enjoy: -Unbeatable Coastal Views of the entire Monterey Bay -Best Safety Records -Most Experienced Tandem Instructors -Amazing Scenic Flight to Altitude -Jump from 10.000-14.000 ft - Unique Videos Cover the Freefall AND the Canopy Ride -Yes! We Offer Optional Beachfront Landings -Barefoot Skydive, Land in the soft Sand -Check out our personalized Gift Certificates (Best Present EVER!!!) With Skydive Surfcity you will never feel like just another jump. Although our instructors have done many thousands of safe skydives we do realize that YOUR jump may be YOUR first. For inquiries or reservations call 831 435 5169 or info@skydivesurfcity.com www.skydivesurfcity.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0wMonYXpek&hl=en

Mexico Beaches

The best months to visit the Mexico beaches are from November to May. July-August, Christmas, and Easter attract large numbers of holidaymakers from both inside and outside the country. The hottest and most humid months, June, July, August and September are to be avoided in view of the torturous weather. Insect problem during these months is another issue. August-November has the possibility of rough seas on the Pacific coast mainly due to storms. For diving off Baja California, the time period from August to November is the best, with its warm, clear waters and blue sky. Mexican beaches can be enjoyed with a huge variety of sumptuous food and drinks and of course, music and dance. Other attractions are the coral formations that are simply superb at some places. Besides, some nearby ancient sites like Chichen Itza and Tulum are worth visiting.

Some of the places featuring the best of Mexican beaches are listed below. Tulum (on the Caribbean coast) has one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, with picturesque Mayan ruins overlooking the same. The ambience thus created is awesome and is the reason why thousands of tourists visit the place each year. Tulum is 130 km south of the massive resort of Cancún. It is a tiny but perfectly formed white sandy cove, with beautiful palm trees and the inviting azure Caribbean Sea to swim in. The entrance to Tulum has a huge car park, souvenir shops, café and restaurants. As such, there is no place to stay on the spot, but there are a few hotels and restaurants in Tulum village. Beside, there are plenty of resort type places, cabañas (beach huts) and campsites along the coast road south to Punta Allen.

Playa del Carmen (on the Caribbean coast) is a cool, casual beach with plenty of accommodation, excellent bars, restaurants and shops. Although very popular and draws crowds from all over the world, the place is still low-key, friendly and relaxing. It is the best place in Mexico to buy high quality crafts, especially jewelry. Boats are available for Cozumel, famous for world class diving and a park for swimming with dolphins. Puerto Escondido (on the Pacific coast) has several stretches of magnificent sandy beach, with a laid-back ambience and plenty of inexpensive accommodation. Popular beaches include the 2 km long Zicatela (surfing paradise) to the east of the town and Playa Puerto Angelito on the west. The surf here reaches 7-8 meters during the months of August-November due to south Pacific storms.

Puerto Angel area (on the Pacific coast) is known for its tranquility with the most popular beach being the Zipolite. Security is a bit of a problem here. Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo (Baja California) proffers miles of marvelous beaches and is a major American tourist destination for fishing and young partying. The best beaches are the Playa Cemeterio, Playa Santa Maria (great for swimming), Playa Costa Azul, Playa Canta Mar (ideal for surfing) and Playa Solmar (whale-watching from January to April).

The shore of Bahia Concepcion (Conception Bay) has several scenic beaches including Playa Requesón, Playa Buenaventura, and Playa Coyote. It is on the coast of Sea of Cortez, which is a protected marine sanctuary. The facilities are fairly basic (with no fresh water at some places) but the natural beauty and tranquility more than compensate for this. Excellent for water sports and great for seafood (especially clams). Playa Santispac has the best campsite, with some fine restaurants. Playa Buenaventura is for kayaking enthusiasts. Bahia de Matanchen, San Blas (on the Pacific coast) is a small but truly Mexican fishing village of San Blas featuring an excellent town beach but the best in the area is Bahia de Matanchen about 4 km away. It has a broad crescent bay with splendid beaches of prime soft sand and a relaxing atmosphere.

Between Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco, the central Pacific Coast has several hundred miles of coastline with fine sandy beaches and excellent facilities. The place is known for its fantastic seafood, lively nightlife and scores of activities.

Top California Hotels

Located on the west coast, California is one of the largest states in America. It is often referred to as the Golden State, due to its sunny weather and the discovery of gold during the state's development stages. California is a highly industrialized state and has a large number of important business concerns and firms operating within the state in various cities such as Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, and many others. California is an extremely popular state in terms of tourism and business and trade. Essential requirements to support this popularity are hotels, lodges, inns, and resorts. California offers many comfortable, luxurious, and star-rated hotels.

California is a rich and complex state offering a large number of attractions such as Hollywood and Disneyland. Most hotels in California offer a large range of amenities and services for relaxation and recreation to their guests. Fitness centers, casinos, spas, swimming pools, game rooms and theatres are some of the amenities available at most California hotels. The hotel rooms are extremely comfortable and offer entertainment channels, centralized air-conditioning, Internet access, and refrigerators.

Many top hotels in California provide people with all-inclusive packages to increase their goodwill. These kinds of packages lure visitors to take up reservations in the same hotel the next time they visit, ensuring a guaranteed business for the hotel. Usually, the choices of packages are made keeping in mind factors such as mode of transport, places to stay, amenities offered and budget of the visitors. All-inclusive packages are not available throughout the year and are proffered at specific seasons only if the hotel management feels it necessary to add them. When visitors are planning to choose a hotel in California, it is always advised to search online and go through all the facilities provided by each hotel, and then pick the most appropriate one.

Many sites available provide the customers with the opportunity to compare the various hotel rates and amenities. The sites also inform customers about the various discount schemes available. Tourists also have an option to register for these hotels online.

Ghost Town in The Sky - A Unique Attraction in Maggie Valley

One of the most popular Maggie Valley attractions to visit is the Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park. This is a unique amusement park in Maggie Valley that features all sorts of impressive rides and attractions. It is also a unique attraction in that when getting to and from the park visitors will be able to experience many of the most beautiful sights of the area.

Ghost Town in the Sky has been in operation since 1961. This park was formed as a unique Wild West-themed park that is home to all sorts of impressive Wild West attractions and activities. Over the years the park has been renovated heavily since it was closed between 2002 and 2006. Since it reopened in 2007 the park has become one of the top attractions in western North Carolina.

One thing that makes this different from other amusement parks or other Maggie Valley attractions is that to get to the park visitors will need to go through a chair lift. A chair lift is used to get visitors from the entrance and parking area of the park to the actual park. This goes from the 3,000-foot elevation at the parking area to the 4,500-foot elevation level of the park itself. While traveling up and down on the chair lift visitors will be able to see all sorts of unique sights of the nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Many different rides are featured here. The Cliff Hanger is the most popular ride at the park. Formerly known as the Red Devil, this roller coaster features a large loop and various high-speed valleys. Other rides to check out include the Undertaker scrambler ride, the Dream Catcher swing ride, the Geronimo Drop Tower and the Gunslinger swing ride. Various rides for kids are available too including the Tumble Weed roller coaster and a carousel dating back to 1929.

Many different attractions are available at the park too. Gunfight and bank robbery shows are featured as well as authentic western buildings including saloons, a jail and church among other features. Various authentic Cherokee Indian music and dance shows are featured here too. Also, every Sunday is Gospel Sunday where various nationally-renowned gospel groups perform for free to visitors.

The park is open on weekends in May and from September to November and is open every day from June to August. Season passes are available for visitors and discounts are available for active military members too.

Perfect Somedays by Nathan Nice

Nathan Nice's debut music video off his upcoming Rummage Sale EP, "Perfect Somedays," Directed by Rocco Rosanio. What would you do with a perfect day? Sky diving? Explore the Amazon with some Next Top Model? Nathan's content just chillin' in his neighborhood with friends, eating good food, music and art. With cameos made by super producer Brontosaurus, California MC's Sirah One, 1865, Knows (Headphone Jack), DJ Troma One, graff artist Comah, photographer Amelia Burns and starring Rosie Stephens. Produced by Rocco Rosanio & Nathan Kayser Cinematography by Tony Tavares Lighting Design by Walter Painter Jr. Color Correction by Natasha Subramaniam Associate Producers Stephen Buchanan, Walter Painter Jr., Evan Phan, Andrew Clark & Gerri Baum. Special thanks to the Brite Spot, MonkeyHouse Toys & Gallery, all the "I Heart LA" artists and Casa Del Kayser Inc. The Rummage Sale is dropping soon!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R69_7flWDvI&hl=en

The Allure of Larkspur, California

Anyone who has visited Larkspur California knows that this small city offers a unique and positive allure. Many people are charmed by the small town feeling that this Central Marin town of around 12,000 residents manages to invoke. The welcoming feeling is not only something that seems natural to the area, but is a quality which is actively worked on, going as far as the towns historic City Hall, which encourages the public to visit on Mondays through Thursdays.

Larkspur is one of the smallest cities in Marin County, which is part of the reason that the small town feel might be easier to pull off for Larkspur. This quaint town is located approximately 15 miles north of San Francisco, and is located close to the ever popular and famous Mount Tamalpais. The area may have some allure for classic rock fans, as the last known permanent residence of Janis Joplin is located in Larkspur California, and for those other hippies at heart there are places to visit full of redwood trees or magnolia gardens arranged in magnificent displays.

The allure of Larkspur California comes from being in such a beautiful location. Madrone Canyon is close by, the redwoods still reach for the sky here, and Larkspur is a town that still offers a Golden Gate Transit ferry system, allowing you to connect with the big city of San Francisco for a weekend out, or even for a mid week romp.

If you are into shopping and dining, the town has a fabulous mix of restaurants, boutiques, and other retail stores along Magnolia Avenue. Foodies will enjoy the Lark Creek Inn which features upscale American dining and a fabulous Sunday brunch, the French brasserie menu at Left Bank, as well as the freshly made pizzas featuring locally grown, organic ingredients which are dished out by Pico Pizzeria. For an evening nightcap, be sure to stop into the Silver Peso, a fun local tavern that takes pride in being a dive bar in one of Marin's most exclusive communities.

The allure of this centrally located town in Marin County, is that it's a small town that offers not only all the benefits and ambiance of a small town, but also all the best benefits that the state of California has to offer. If you love culture and the ability to hit the big city, but want small town beauty beyond just the ordinary (and there is nothing ordinary about redwood forests), then you know the appeal of Larkspur, California, and if you don't, then what are you waiting for?

Description
Located in Central Marin County, the small town of Larkpur is a favorite for San Francisco Bay Area residents and tourists. Learn what makes Larkpur California a desirable place to live and play.

Balloon Jump 8-27-10 Perris Valley, CA

Above the Rest Hot Air Ballooning & Sky Diving (951) 334-1689. Want to Skydive from a Hot Air Balloon??? This is the place to do it. Come Ride the Sky with Dawn and her crew in Southern California. Open to all interests, Weddings, Birthdays, Anniversaries, or what ever. Video by AirPlayPhoto.com Skydivers: Christian 'Crisco' Cody, Darren Burke, Kale Bradshaw, Kerry Sparkles Hartnett, Mike Lanfor, and others.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEhDkIhOexs&hl=en

Educational Apps To Make iPad Nursery-Friendly

A US toy firm has begun development of pre-school educational software applications for Apple's new iPad e-book.

The new 'apps' from San Diego-based children's educational toy company DANO2 use the iPad's touch-screen display to make the games more interactive and rewarding.

Their first game is Little Sky Writers, which teaches kids to write the letters of the alphabet by guiding a small aeroplane with their finger.

Guidance and amusing commentary are provided by the voice of Roger the air traffic controller, played by comedian and Nikcleodeon children's TV star Stephen Kramer Glickman.

The app was designed with the help of experienced nursery teachers and educational professionals. The developers claim that the game is so intuitive and fun that it reaches children long before a traditional school workbook can.

Design consultant for the game and California nursery teacher Diane Owen has been training teachers and teaching kids how to write the alphabet for some 30 years.

She says that she looks forward to using her "dream program for hands-on and kinaesthetic learners" this school year.

Ms Owen says that one advantage of Little Sky Writers is that it recognises and points out mistakes in pupil's writing straight away.

Ms Owen is piloting the software with a single iPad in her classes this autumn, but she has already begun applying for a grant to expand the number of the devices in her classroom.

She feels that it is a better and more affordable tool for students than traditional computers.

"My students are low income", Ms Owen says. "Many do not have the same access to technology as their higher-income counterparts.

"With this grant, not only will they learn how to write their letters properly, but they will also gain a crucial confidence with technology at an early age."

DANO2 vice president for educational development Lauren Monahan says: "Little Sky Writers gives kids who require a more active approach to learning a fair chance to develop educational success, and accompanying confidence much earlier."

Like Ms Owen, Ms Monahan, who was recently awarded a grant to attend an MIT conference on education and technology, believes that the iPad should not be viewed as an expensive toy, but rather an inexpensive computer - one who's intuitive touch screen display makes it the ideal tool for children.

DANO2 is a family owned company based in the town of Carlsbad in California. It manufactures all of its products in the USA using environmentally friendly, medical grade materials that are free from the plastics PVC, phthalate, and BPA.

The firm insists that all of its products are designed with input from education and health care professionals and are independently tested for safety.

Children Educational Toys

Skydiving in Lodi, CA

Skydiving in Lodi, CA from 13000 feet at Parachute Center.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29WUVJSAIRQ&hl=en

Elite 11 Invitation Only Quarterback Camp

Football fans love to talk about the Elite 11 Quarterback Camp, which is an annual clinic designed for the most promising young quarterbacks in the nation. It is held in San Juan Capistrano, California, the ideal location for such a camp because of its seclusion. Every year, it holds the best young arms in the nation. It was designed in the belief that quarterbacks are made, not born.

The players that have attended the Elite 11 Quarterback Camp are impressive: Cincinnati Bengals starting quarterback Carson Palmer, Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart, and rising star Mark Sanchez. The top 11 quarterbacks every year learn the essential drills and techniques that can perhaps take them to the ultimate level, the NFL.

Being a good quarterback takes more than just learning how to throw the ball. It requires an almost politically unbiased attitude towards the entire offense. A quarterback is the head of the team, and as such, leadership skills are a must. But, of course, you must have the bread to back up the butter, and learning the techniques and plays of the most promising quarterbacks in the nation is where it starts.

You can now buy DVDs designed to incorporate some of the highly successful habits of Elite 11 Quarterback Camp attendees. These products stress the absolute memorization of playbooks and the learned skill of reading defenses. Quickness, strength, and overall agility are fundamental building blocks of being a good quarterback, and they are addressed in abundance.

All quarterbacks must learn the drills and practice them to be the starter on your team.

Skydiving Kimberly

Kimberly's tandem skydive



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NytvA_lWk1w&hl=en

Trevor Donovan First Solo Skydive - 90210 The CW

Well, yet another little 3 minute passion project of ours has finally gone through its tedious process of post production and we are ready to show it to all fans of 90210 as well as the skydiving community! Thanks to @Skydive Elsinore and the VERY TALENTED @Niklas Daniel, @Brianne Thompson and ...@Jimmy Sireno for being part of this awesome project. This was produced by Hollywood Bubble, Inc. (www.hollywoodbubble.com) for RadarOnline.com. For all you tech junkies out there, we shot this on the Canon 5D and 7D rigs. Dig it!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf0ZBkajtco&hl=en

Extreme Skydiving in Acampo, California

My family gave me a great give for my 40th Birthday. Skydiving!!!! I have always wanted to skydive and I was able to jump out of an airplane at 15000 feet. This video consists of the pre jump suit up, the flight to altitude, my jump, landing and reaction on the ground as well as some clips of my family waiting below. I want to thank my family for this awesome gift as well as the Parachute Center, Wes my tandem jump partner and Steph who did a fantastic job recording and taking still photos of my jump. A lifetime of memories!!!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P1sAHRcGTs&hl=en

Sky Diver from India in Monterey Bay, California

My first ever sky diving Xperience... I want to share it with all of you.. its really amazing!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMLhl7AlF6I&hl=en

What is a Reflecting Telescope?

A reflecting telescope is one of two kinds of optical telescopes, refracting and reflecting. A reflecting telescope uses a single or combination of curved mirrors which reflect light to form an image. The reflecting telescope was invented in the 17th century as an alternative to the refracting telescope. The reflecting telescope was made to correct the server chromatic aberration that was part of working with a refracting telescope. Reflecting telescopes also create other aberrations, but they allow for a very large diameter which is helpful with research telescopes. The reflecting telescope comes in many designs which improve image quality. Reflecting telescopes are often referred to as "catoptric" telescopes.

There are many technical considerations to be aware of when using a reflecting telescope. Various aberrations are caused by the reflecting telescope, such as that the inner and outer zones of the telescope may not share the same focus. Spherical aberration can be eliminated with non-spherical mirrors.

Other aberrations are also common with reflecting telescopes. A coma may appear which is when a variation of telescope magnification may cause radial smudging which worsens at the edge of the visual field. Astigmatism may also occur around the focus of the aperture. Distortion of the field of view does not affect objects, but may harm sharpness. The best image plane is in general curved. This may not correspond to the detectors shape and may later cause focus errors. There are other reflector designs referred to as catadioptrics that correct some aberrations.

The majority of research-grade telescopes are reflectors. This is because, unlike a lens, the mirror does not need to be free of imperfections; it merely needs to be polished. Also, light of different wavelengths travels through a medium other than a vacuum at different speeds. The reflectors also work in a wider spectrum of light because certain wavelengths are absorbed when passing through lenses in comparison to reflecting off of them.

Bobby's First Sky Dive

Sky Diving for Greg's 25th Birthday



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpLUw2tEYFY&hl=en

Lake Tahoe - History and Fascinating Facts

Lake Tahoe is located on the western border of Nevada and the eastern border of California. It is 198 miles (316.8 kilometers) north of San Francisco, 98 mi. (156.8 km.) east of Sacramento, California, and 158 mi. (252.8 km.) west of Reno, Nevada. It is central to several National Forests and State Parks. It's known for its purity and outstanding clarity. Once can see objects clearly as deep as 100 feet (30.48 meters) beneath its surface. This lake has 72 mi. (115.2 km.) of shoreline, with open beaches and shaded, sheltered coves alike.

Tahoe is the eighth largest lake in the world (519 square miles, or 1343.69 square kilometers), and it is the third largest lake in the United States. It is fed by 63 streams and two hot springs. The water has a purity level of 99.9%, making it one of the cleanest natural water resources on the planet. It is 22 miles (35.2 km) long, and 12 mi. (19.2 km.) wide. The deepest point is 1645 feet (501.39 meters), making it the tenth deepest lake in the world. The Lake Tahoe Basin floor is at an elevation of approximately 4580 feet (1395.98 meters).

One research resource states that Tahoe never freezes to its depth, because of said depth and constant water movement. This same source went on to state that, if the lake were ever drained, it would take seven hundred years to refill it. Further, if Lake Tahoe were "tipped over" the contents would cover an area the size of California (163,707 sq. mi., or 423,837 sq. km.) in 14.5 in. (36.83 cm.) of water. The total volume of water is 39 trillion gallons (902,063,703 barrels-UK)!

Even at its elevation, the first 12 feet (3.65 meters) of surface water can reach 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) in the summer, with the shallows at the shoreline warming even more. At the coldest, the surface temperature may drop to between 40 and 50 degrees F (4.44 to 10 degrees C). The depths below 600 and 700 ft. (182.88 and 213.36 meters) stay consistently at 39F (3.88C) year round.

The Lake Tahoe Basin has an annual snowfall of 152 inches (386.08 cm.), which typically occurs between December and March. This accounts for 80% of the total annual precipitation for the area. Average temperatures range from 60 to 80F (15.55 to 26.66C) between June and October, and 20 to 60F (6.66 to 15.55C) from November to May. Records show that the mountain peaks surrounding the Basin can be snow capped all year round, and there may actually be snowfall even in the hottest months.

The water is typically a turquoise-blue, and reflects the sky and surrounding objects as clearly as a mirror when the surface is placid and undisturbed.

History

Lake Tahoe was formed when the valley which became Tahoe Basin sank between two parallel fractures in the Earth's crust. Mountains continued to form over a period of time. The lake began to fill at the south end of the valley, fed by snow meltdown and rainfall. During the course of formation, an erupting volcano blocked the outlets for water drainage and forced the lake to rise. During the Ice Age, large masses of ice determined the outlay of the land surface and terrain, which is the present-day topography that one can see when visiting the Basin.

The Native American Washoe tribe inhabited the Tahoe region as far back as 10000 years ago. The Washoe called the area "Da ow a ga", translated to "edge of the lake". The first white visitors to the area mispronounced this name, and called it "Tahoe". The name remained in this Anglicized form.

In 1844, pioneers began to settle throughout Tahoe Basin and establish claims on the land. In 1849, during the California Gold Rush, more settlers came along, opened roadhouses, and staked out ranches and farms. Toward the end of the 1800s, many Tahoe forests were leveled to supply lumber and fuel to the Comstock Mines in Virginia City, Nevada. Once the land had been stripped of its natural forestation, entrepreneurs snapped up the land (literally dirt-cheap) and began building hotels and mansions for the wealthy.

In the early 1900s, serious attempts were made to have Lake Tahoe declared a national park. These efforts failed, due to the fact that the area had been ravaged and lacked the "untouched" qualities necessary for national park status.

With the coming of the automobile and improved roadways, Tahoe lost its exclusivity with the influx of the general population. After World War II campgrounds and inexpensive hotels sprouted up, and were very popular during the post-war growth period.

The Winter Olympics in 1960 thrusted Tahoe into the international spotlight, and was instrumental in establishing it as a world-class resort. It quickly became popular in both the winter and summer seasons. The growth period that followed threatened the purity of the lake and its environment. In 1970, a group or preservationists and residents came together to form a regional planning agency to regulate the growth and protect the lake.

Tahoe is known today for it marvelous cold-weather sports conditions and great ski slopes, as well as the warm-weather amenities. It is a magnet for tourists from around the world. Thanks to the efforts of the regional agency, as well as the National Forest Service and other preservationists, much of the area surrounding the Basin has been restored to its natural beauty. The views are magnificent and the forests provide habitat for many species of wildlife, including some of those which are listed in the United States as endangered.

Reflections on 9-11 and Ramadan-1

September 11, 2007

This year, the birth of the invisible new moon, an event that will be followed in a day or two by the beginning of the month of Ramadan. Upon the sighting of the waxing crescent in the evening sky, will occur on September 11th, the anniversary of the infamous attacks of September 11, 2001 (9/11). Although no one can accurately claim that Ramadan will begin on the night of September 11th, this coming Tuesday, the beginning of the month of fasting will never be so close to the anniversary of those fateful events during the lifetime of anyone reading this article. That being the case, the occasion provides us with a good opportunity to reflect on 9/11 and Ramadan.

9/11 has been used by both the government and a significant segment of the Christian Right in this country, along with their allies, to launch a war on Islam. For the government that war has been confined to what it terms "radical" Islam. As for the latter grouping, that war can generally be described as a war on Islam itself, its beliefs, its Prophet, peace upon him, and its people. The actual prosecution of that war includes a variety of tactics, from invasion and occupation, to a war of words that involves demonizing and vilifying what is presented as the inherently violent Muslim "other" [2].

By choosing to wage this war, the parties mentioned above have placed themselves in the service, wittingly or unwittingly, of what the late American President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, referred as the military-industrial complex. They have become either the military or propaganda wing of that complex, aiding the accomplishment of its strategic imperatives. By so doing, they have contributed to a war that lacks an identifiable enemy, has no moral parameters for its execution, and theoretically, no end. Such a war threatens to undo most of the advances in international law and organization that have led to a situation in human affairs where war is an anomaly in relations between states, whereas in the pre-modern world it was the norm. Similarly, it threatens to erode valuable advances towards the creation of a global human rights regime that provided the basis for the extension of fundamental rights, at least in theory, to all members of the human family. These setbacks in international law and organization did not have to occur.

In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, America enjoyed the sympathy and goodwill of the entire planet, including the most significant political actors in the Muslim world. Muslim leaders including the presidents, kings, and dictators of all the Muslim countries, ranging from the President of Iran to the late Yasir Arafat, expressed their sympathy and support for the United States. An international climate was created, which would have allowed the United States to use her power and influence to help usher in an unprecedented international collective security regime. This regime would have been founded on the premise that global terrorism is an international problem that can only be effectively combated through the combined and principled effort of the international community.

The approach buttressing such a regime includes a combination of intelligence gathering, policy changes, and a series of highly focused disruptive activities targeting the financial, recruitment, training, and communications infrastructure of identified terrorist organizations. Such activities rely far more on effective police work than they do on the might of standing armies.

This approach has been employed in Europe, and has been overwhelmingly successful, even if we include the setbacks represented by the Madrid bombings, and the events of 7/7 in Britain. Despite those setbacks, many plots have been foiled, a wealth of useful information about violent groups garnished, and most importantly, a pervasive climate of fear and siege among the general population has been avoided.

On the other hand, the approach taken by the United States, one she encouraged among her allies in Latin America, in face of the threat posed by violent groups confronting many of those countries during the 1960s,1970s, and 1980s, includes brutal repression in a political climate characterized by suspension of the democratic process, usurped civil liberties, or both. This approach, successfully employed in places like El Salvador, Guatemala, Argentina, and most famously, perhaps, Chile under Pinochet, includes torture, kidnapping, curtailing the right of free association, electronic spying, along with other surveillance techniques. In saner times, such an approach would never be viewed as suitable for a democratic state. However, it is the basis of the strategy currently employed by the United States in her "war on terror." If one adds to these abuses secret military tribunals, closed deportation hearings, the suspension of habeas corpus for a new class of detainees who can be held indefinitely without any charges or evidence levied against them, one has a clear formula for a police state.

The irony of this situation is that all of the measures mentioned above, in the case of the United States, have proven of little efficacy in eradicating the terrorist threat, if anything, if has exacerbated it. Furthermore, describing these tactics and the larger strategy they comprise as a "war" is misleading and counterproductive. In the words of Philip B. Heymann, a leading international security specialist:

Repeating and relying on the concept of "war" is also harmful to fighting terrorism. What we face is a very prolonged series of contests with opponents that do not have the powers of a state, or hope to defeat our armies, or destroy our powerful economy, or threaten to occupy our territory-the dangerous characteristics we have traditionally associated with war. More important, designing our plans as if this is a war leads us badly astray. The dangers we face involve several possible forms of attack by several forms of possible organizations, each of which may have any of a rich set of possible motivations and a rich set of possible organizational structures. This wide range of possibilities must be handled in a variety of different ways-with a subtlety that is obscured by the simpler assumptions hiding behind the term "war." Many of the most important ways we do not require, and are not advanced by the use of, our awesome military capabilities. [3]The abuses outlined above, and using a fictitious "war" as a pretext for those abuses, is part of an effort to consolidate the position of America in the international arena as a militaristic global power. In addition to base motivations such as the mere lust for power, the militarism of this country has become the basis of massive commercial concerns, and those concerns are not just confined to the massive weapons manufacturing sector of the economy. To give just one small example: Whole sectors of the American economy have come to rely on military sales. On the eve of our second war on Iraq, for example, the Department of Defense ordered 273,000 bottles of Native Tan sunblock (SPF 15), almost triple its 1999 order and undoubtedly a boon to the supplier, Control Supply Company of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and its subcontractor, Sun Fun Products of Daytona Beach, Florida. [4]The growing militarism of America, and the attempts to consolidate and institutionalize the empire it facilitates in the international arena, in part through the abusive tactics mentioned above, has dire consequences for this country domestically and internationally. Domestically, as insinuated above, it threatens the civil liberties and freedoms that are the foundation of our democracy. Internationally, in addition to its destabilizing influence, it represents, among other things, a missed opportunity for this country to place its immense power in the service of justice, something many analysts see as being fundamental to a democratic state. Reinhold Niebuhr mentions in this regard: Modern democratic nations have sought to bring power into the service of justice in three ways. (a) They have tried to distribute economic and political power and prevent its undue concentration. (b) They have tried to bring it under social and moral review. (c) They have sought to establish inner religious and moral checks upon it. [5]Niebuhr discusses in a very pragmatic fashion the challenges to the accomplishment of these three objectives. He is particularly pessimistic about the feasibility of the achievement of the first in the international arena, although its attainment within a particular state is viewed as highly possible. He states in that regard: No world government could possibly possess, for generations to come, the moral and political authority to redistribute power between the nations in the degree in which highly cohesive national communities have accomplished this end in recent history. [6]Herein lies one of the greatest failures of the current administration, for in the aftermath of the attacks of 9/11 had our government pursued a policy that focused on redistributive justice, as opposed to blind vengeance, its moral and political authority, in the estimation of a sympathetic world, would have never been higher, and the beginning of a new, unifying political project would have been a real possibility. Rather than working for the creation of a true international community we chose to rationalize conflict. Rather than attempting to understand and work to accommodate the "other" we attempted to impose our strategic imperatives on him, or in the name of decency and democracy to eradicate his perceived barbarism. In pursuing this path, we are proceeding towards the negation of the moral foundations of our greatness. Niebuhr offers us prescient advice concerning the requisites of community. He says: Genuine community, whether between men or nations, is not established merely through the realization that we need each other, though we certainly do. That realization alone may still allow the strong to use the lives of the weak as instruments of their own self-realization. Genuine community is established only when the knowledge that we need one another is supplemented with the recognition that "the other," that other form of life, or that other unique community is the limit beyond which our ambitions must not run and the boundary beyond which our life must not expand. [7]9/11 provided this country with an opportunity to seek genuine community. By making the apparently tragic choice to pursue the path of war and blind vengeance, the administration has made the leap from irony to evil, for that choice accentuates the requisites of a militaristic policy to a point that pretensions to such virtuous goals as spreading democracy and stabilizing the Middle East ring hollow to informed observers. As long as the general public of this country supports such a policy, it can only be viewed as a partner in the evil that ensues. One of the ironies of our current situation is that the events of 9/11 are the greatest factor urging the general public to support the militarism of the government. Those events have been used to rob that public of the political imagination necessary to begin to think of sharing power and resources in a more equitable fashion or to desire to establish a genuine international community. Herein lays the challenge to the Muslims. Will we allow the events of 9/11 to destroy our political imagination? Will we allow them to rob us of the ability to resolve the ironies that define our situation, thereby pushing us to evil acts that defy our pretensions to higher virtues? It is here that we will speak of Ramadan. Ramadan is the promise of what Islam should be. Above all else, it is the unadulterated reverence and worship of God that seeks to glorify Him, and not our selves. In a beautiful passage in Lata'if al-Ma'arif, Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali mentions the following concerning the Night of Power (Layla al-Qadr) the very climax of Ramadan: The scholars differ concerning the wisdom of the angels descending during this night [The Night of Power]. Kings and notables do not like guests to enter their homes until they have adorned them with suitable furniture and carpets and decked out their servants with fine clothing and ceremonial weaponry. When the Night of Power arrives, the Lord orders the angels to descend to the earth, because the servants have adorned themselves with acts of worship: with fasting and prayer throughout the month of Ramadan. [They have likewise] adorned their mosques with candles and lamps. The Lord then says to the angels: "You have levied a grave charge against Adam's descendants when you said concerning them, 'Will you place therein [on earth] one who will work corruption and wantonly shed blood, while we glorify your praise and extol your sanctity?' Did I not say to you, 'Surely, I know that which you know not.' Go forth and behold them on this night so you can witness them standing in devotion, prostrating themselves, and bowing on their knees in prayer. Then you will know that I chose them over all other creation based on [my] knowledge." [8]This passage mentions what the angels perceived would be the reality of the human condition, but it also informs us of what God knew of our potentialities. Yes, we sometimes wrongfully shed blood. Sadly, we often do so in the name of God. However, we also pray to God, we seek His Guidance, we humbly confess our weakness before Him, we dedicate great acts to His service, and we seek light through Him. If we can lose ourselves, every individual "I", and each divergent "me", in the worship of God, as Muslims do on the Night of Power, then perhaps we can discover that the "I" and the "me" are not so important, that this life is really about the "He", God; and the "us", His children. If He can freely bestow His gifts upon us, what prevents us from sharing those gifts with each other? If He can forgive us for the countless transgressions we have engaged in relating to Him, what prevents us from forgiving each other? These are two other great lessons from Ramadan-forgiveness, and charity. It is related that the Prophet Muhammad, peace upon him, was excessively generous. However, he was even more generous during Ramadan. The reason for that enhanced generosity, we are told, is that the Angel Gabriel would visit the Prophet, peace upon him, during Ramadan and review the Qur'an with him [9].The Prophet's, peace upon him, reflection on the verses of charity as he reviewed the Qur'an would move him to his enhanced benevolence during this month. As for forgiveness, the Prophet, peace upon him, mentioned that the beginning of Ramadan is mercy, its middle days are forgiveness, and its latter part is liberation from Hell. Many paths leading to God's forgiveness are opened up for us during this blessed month. Fasting sincerely during the month is path to forgiveness. Standing in prayer during the nights of the month is a path to forgiveness. Spending the night of power in worship is a path to forgiveness. Remembering God is a path to forgiveness. Lightening the burden on an employee during this month is a path to forgiveness. Providing breakfast to a fasting person is a path to forgiveness. Merely, asking God for forgiveness is a path to forgiveness. All of these and many other avenues to good are open before us during Ramadan. The Qur'an also contains verses urging the faithful to fight, in the defense of the truth, the oppressed, and one's person. It contains other verses of great strategic import. However, these are not the lessons the Prophet, chose to emphasize in Ramadan. He emphasized charity. He emphasized forgiveness. He emphasized worship. These are the lessons, we as a community will have to collectively emphasize if we are to contribute to making the spirit of Ramadan the basis for the creation of the type of moral and political authority Niebuhr sees as essential for a more equitable sharing of power and resources in the international community.

Hence, Ramadan, if understood, could become our basis for a reformed world, for any real and lasting change is rooted in an idea, an idea that is subsequently actualized. That so many Muslims are able to actualize the ideas advanced by Ramadan in their individual lives and then make that actualization the basis for their personal reformation is a function of their moral imagination. Seeing those ideas as the basis for the reformation of our world is a function of our political imagination. Unlike so many others, we cannot allow 9/11 to destroy that imagination. If we can believe that a better world is possible, we can begin the work to make it a reality. If we believe otherwise, the terrorists, of all stripes, have indeed won.

Notes

[1] This article will not examine what actually happened on 9/11, although the glaring weaknesses and inconsistencies in the official narrative call for such an examination. For those seeking greater clarity concerning the events of that day see David Ray Griffin, Debunking 9/11 Debunking (Northampton, MA: Interlink Publishing, 2007).

[2] For an excellent historical overview of the techniques and purposes of demonizing and dehumanizing the Muslim "other" see S.E.Djazairi, The Myth of the Muslim Barbarism and Its Aims (Manchester, UK: Bayt al-Hikma Press, 2007).

[3] Philip B/ Heymann, Terrorism, Freedom, and Security: Winning Without War (Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2003), 161.

[4] Chalmers Johnson, The Sorrows of Empire: Militarism, Secrecy, and the End of the Republic (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2004), 2.

[5] Reinhold Niebuhr, The Irony of American History (New York: Charles Scribner and Sons, 1952), 135.

[6] Ibid., 136.

[7] Ibid., 139.

[8] Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, Lata'if al-Ma'arif (The Subtleties of Knowledge) (Damascus:

Dar Ibn Kathir, 1996/1416), 350. It should be noted this is an addition that appeared in the earliest published version of the book but does not appear in the available manuscripts of the work.

[9] As related by Bukhari #1906 and Muslim #2308.

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Skydivers Parachute Center Acampo California

Skydivers land at the Parachute Center in Acampo, California.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaRylqb5O8Y&hl=en

Types of Business Licenses and Permits

The last thing you want to find out after starting your business is that you have failed to conform to the law by not filing for the right permits for your business. Before establishing a small business, you should pay attention to your town, city, and county regulations. In most locations, every business needs a basic license which is sometimes called a tax registration certificate. Apart from this, other permits and licenses may be required as well.

Business licenses and permits are issued at all levels of government - federal, state and local (city, county, or town). Depending upon the kind of business you are running, you may need to apply for licenses at multiple levels. For example, if you decide to open a restaurant in the city of San Francisco, you will need a business license and health permit from the city of San Francisco, sales tax license from the state of California and a federal tax ID number from the U.S. federal government.

Not sure what kind of license or permit you need for your business venture? Well, as usual, we've made it simple for you. Below is a quick checklist covering the most common federal, state, and local licenses and permits you may need to acquire before commencing business:

Business License - This is the basic license that you will need to operate a business legally. If the business is located within city limits, a license must be obtained from the city; if outside, it is procured from the county. Contact your city's business license department to file an application. Also remember that you need to pay an annual fee.

Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) - Also known as a tax identification number, this is required for almost all types of businesses. Depending on where your business is located, you may also need to acquire a similar tax identification number from your state.

Zoning and Land Use Permits - Before you start your business, you have to find out if the space you are going to use is properly zoned for the kind of usage that is planned. You may need a zoning compliance permit. Zoning laws regulate off-street parking, waste disposal, and the size, construction and placement of signs.

Health Department Permits - If your business involves the preparation and/or sale of food, you will need a county health department permit. Note that the health department will inspect your facilities before issuing one.

Sales Tax License - This license is essential before you can sell almost any product or service in any state.

Fire Department Permits - Businesses such as restaurants, day-care centers or any other that attract a large crowd need a permit from the fire department.

Special State-Issued Business Licenses or Permits - You may need special licenses if your business involves the sale of certain types of products including liquor, lottery tickets, gasoline and firearms.

Special State-Issued Occupational / Professional Licenses - In many states, people in certain occupations must have licenses or occupational permits. State licensing is typically required for auto mechanics, plumbers, electricians, building contractors, collection agents, insurance agents, real estate brokers, repossessors and personal service providers (beauticians, cosmetologists, therapists and masseurs). If you are thinking of starting any of these businesses, you will have to pass state examinations in order to get the permit. Contact your state government offices to get a complete list of occupations that require licensing.

Special Federal Business Licenses or Permits - You may also require special business licenses from the federal government if your business involves investment advising, drug manufacturing, preparation of meat products, broadcasting, manufacturing tobacco, alcohol or firearms.

Licensing and permit requirements for small businesses vary from state to state; it is therefore a good idea for you to contact your state and local government to determine the specific obligations for your new business.

Home-Study Driver Education or Classroom Course?

Can we consider the home-study driver education a replacer for the traditional 30-hours classroom course?

With a view to obtain a proper result to this issue some specialists made a comparison between performance and background knowledge levels of some students, picked up randomly to accomplish three different driver ducation courses and another randomly chosen students to complete the other traditional course. We should add that the home study driver education courses which were to be tested comprised of two courses designed by Sky's The Limit Interactive under the contract of DMV: the interactive CD ROM course and a paper book for practice, both of them warring the license of Private Educational Network's(PEN) courses on the Internet and workbooks.

Moreover, the participants chosen randomly from California by means of voluntary application forms for participating in the study were assigned with both standard driver education and the some of three home-study courses. What should be also said is the fact that almost all the driver education schools participating in the research made an offer of highly reduced costs for students applying for the study, so as to enable teenagers by the permission of their parents to enroll in this research. At the end of the courses, DMV made a comparison between the results and performances of the students on both sides of the four courses, by means of an exam given at the end of the course, the DMV writing skills test and the DMV 'behind the wheel' drive test so as to remark if there were different levels of knowledge and performances given by the usage of the two different courses.

At the end of the test the balance seemed to be in favor of the home-study driver education, this way the primary question being answered. Researchers claim it is somewhat linked to the degree of focusing, interest and result, as a cause effect relation for the ones who have taken the home-study driver education which is bound to be the best alternative for the standard 30-hours classroom course.

first skydive AFF 1 California City

The short version of my very first skydive, also my first whack at video idioting. Thanks to Jacob Angeles, Jerry Cook and Joey Preston. 888-373-4007



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Take Off Into the Clouds For a Sky Diving Adventure

Diving is no longer a sport just for the worlds amazing underwater adventurers. Over the last few years, sky diving has become very popular with travelers across the globe. If you are an adventurer out looking for something new to get your blood pumping, sky diving may be something you are interested in giving a try.

Otherwise known as parachuting, sky diving became an international sport in 1951, though competitions date back 20 years before. Now, with adventure vacations becoming more popular in the tourism industry, most anyone can try their hand at the sport of skydiving. Most times, a group will be taken to the air to a designated drop zone free from obstacles at about 13,000 feet. You truly free fall with no parachute for about one minute, before you pull the rip cord and inflate your parachute. Then it is just a gentle float to the ground with nothing but you, spectacular views and a sense of accomplishment.

There are different types of sky diving for the novice to give a try. Some types of sky diving are tandem sky diving, or an accelerated freefall sky dive. There is a big difference in these types of sky diving.

A tandem sky dive is an easy way to begin, it helps you get the feel without actually having to go through much of the training involved with a solo freefall. With tandem sky diving, you will still experience falls up to 120mph, but will be strapped to an experienced sky diver already accustomed to jumping. A great way for the novice to experience the excitement of sky diving.

An accelerated freefall is a more advanced way to learn to sky dive. An accelerated freefall is also known as a progressive freefall in Canada. This is a fast way to learn to be able to solo freefall. You will be jumping with others in tandem and includes safety measures that allow instructors to assist divers in the deployment of their parachute should something unexpected happen. After multiple accelerated freefalls, you will be able to jump on your own. Explore the skies on a sky dive adventure. Whether novice or expert, the experience and excitement of a sky dive adventure is one you are sure to remember for the rest of your life.

There are many destinations considered great for freefalling, though it is not difficult to find places to sky dive all over the world. Here are a few of the most popular places. If you are interested in a sky dive vacation, some of the best destinations in the U.S. include Montana, Florida, Hawaii, California, Colorado, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Virtually anyplace can be a great place to make the leap. Whether surrounded by mountainous views or vast expanses of open fields, everywhere you jump will be an amazing view with something new to see.

Kalispell, Montana has a skydiving facility located conveniently near to lodging which has both experienced and novice sky diving experiences. In Florida, sky diving is available in Sebastian and Titusville, two very different excursions. In Sebastian, you will be falling near the Atlantic Ocean with beautiful views of this stunning area of Florida. In Titusville, not only do you get a view of the natural beauty, but will be freefalling over the Kennedy Space Center. California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington give you stunning views of some of the most well known and largest mountain regions in the world. Wherever you choose to sky dive, you will be in for an amazing treat. Experience excitement like never before on a sky dive adventure vacation.

5 Great Ideas For Patio Roof Designs

Patios are used for sharing meals together, having good conversations and even listening to drinks and music. They can be designed any way you like, but a great patio roof design can set the atmosphere for your patio. Here are some great ideas for patio roof designs:

1. Patio Umbrellas. These are made of wood, and the umbrellas come in many colors. If you have a pool, patio umbrellas are good patio roof designs because they are relatively inexpensive and give a natural, relaxed, resort feel to your patio. You can use patio umbrellas for smaller sized patios, seating areas of 4-6 by the poolside, or two of the same size in opposite areas of the pool. The great thing about patio umbrellas is that you can easily close them to enjoy the summer sun, and just as easily open them if you'd like more shade.

2. Canopies or Gazebos. Made out of wrought iron or wood, these are versatile as the covers can be removed to enjoy the summer sun, or draped over with canopies during the rainy season. Fabrics for draping come in many colors and designs, and can be water proof, depending on your budget and the feel you are looking for. For the sides of the gazebo, adding a trellis so that vines can climb up add a more natural feel.

3. Metal Patio Roof. For those who enjoy sitting in their patios during the rainy season, corrugated metal patio roof designs are sturdier and will last through the elements. These are more permanent fixtures, and can be attached to your home. They provide maximum shade and protection from the rain as well.

4. Clear Glass. Clear or tinted glass patio roof designs are a more daring way to express your creativity in your patio. They let the sunshine in, and at the same time protect you from the elements. Glass roofs are also very sturdy, and allow you to bask in some sunshine.

5. Aluminum Pan Roof. Aluminum is a popular choice because of its durability, and its low maintenance cost feature. Aluminum is also cool, and let some natural sunlight in while protecting from the rain and other elements. It also keeps you cool during hot summer months.

Remember to be unique when choosing patio roof designs, choose something that will compliment your house as patios are an extension of your living room.