Skydiving Video (Re-edited)

This is a combination of Julia and myself skydiving for her 20th Birthday. Enjoy!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rm0uqOA0bo&hl=en

Stripers Working the Puerto Vallarta Area

To many of us retirees, one of the more exhilarating moments in life is being front and center to a striper dance. Obviously, this article has the undivided attention of many of you geezers while you women probably just assume the author can't spell; however, stripers are not to be confused with strippers!

Stripers, stripeys, spikefish, spearfish, etc., are terms often used for striped marlin, a billfish of the Tetrapturus audax species of the Istiophoridae family of fish.

Of the billfishes that occur in Oregon, California, and Mexican waters, the striped marlins are easy to recognize. Marlins have scales, fins on the belly, and a rounded spear which set them apart from swordfish which have no scales or ventral fins. Sailfish have an extremely high dorsal fin not found among the marlins, and short bill spearfish do not have the long spear on the upper jaw nor the body weight of the marlins. The striped marlins are much smaller than the blue or black marlins but larger than most sailfish. The striped marlins are unique in that they normally develop conspicuous lavender to blue stripes along the sides of their bodies after death.

Because striped marlins are found in waters from 20°C to 25°C (68°F-77°F), they are often found all along the Pacific side of the Baja California peninsula during the winter months as the Pacific Ocean water cools and they migrate south to the warmer water. On the other hand, the blue and black marlins prefer warmer water, typically in the 25°C to 30°C (77°F-86°F). Therefore, the large blues and blacks are found off the coast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico during the summer months when the Pacific Ocean water temperature is in the low 80´s. Seldom do those same waters drop in temperature low enough to attract the stripers. Consequently, winter fishing in Vallarta will generally yield yellow fin tuna, dorado, and some sailfish but no striped marlin.

This year the climate along the Mexican Riviera has been somewhat different than that seen for quite a while (obviously due to climate cooling!). Pacific Ocean water temperatures that are normally expected to be around 75°F are closer to 72°F and the game fish that live in the 75°F water are nowhere to be found around Vallarta early in March this year. On the other hand, striped marlins that are usually found around Cabo San Lucas during the winter months have migrated south and are now being caught offshore from Vallarta.

During the second week of March while trolling with lures at a speed of 10 knots, approximately 50 miles offshore from Vallarta, we spotted a magnificent striped marlin about 15 feet from our boat. He was heading the opposite direction at about the same speed, just minding his own business in search for food. What an incredible sight; seeing this 150 pound striper, with his dorsal fin and tail well above the surface of the water, pass along the side of our boat heading in the perfect direction to spot our delicious looking lures. Of course, everyone onboard started shouting instructions in English, Spanish, and perhaps a couple other undistinguishable languages!

As that beautiful striper approached our lures, we were ready for action. He checked out the first lure, then the second, and finally the third. After making his decision, he dropped back perhaps 30 feet and then charged at high speed (they can accelerate to 70 miles per hour), attacking the third lure. Wow, all hell broke loose as we set the hook. He came flying out of the water, did a full flip with a triple twist (degree of difficulty rating of about 2.9), and then proceeded to dance across the surface on his tail; the best striper dance we had ever seen!

After playing with this 150 pound beauty of nature for a half an hour, man once again conquered beast. After grabbing him by his long bill, we were able to safely remove the hook and free this magnificent specimen, allowing him to search for a more nutritious meal and live for a better day.

Some of the finest sport fishing in the world can be found in the Puerto Vallarta area. The months of October, November, and December are probably the best for most game fish, however the summer months can also yield some mighty fine catches. That being said, it still doesn't get much better than being out in the Pacific waters with your best fishing buddy in the middle of the winter when the air temperature is 80°F during the day and 70°F during the night, the winds are gentle to non-existent, and the sky is clear blue during the daytime and absolutely cluttered with millions of stars during the nighttime.

During the past decade, Puerto Vallarta has exploded with growth which has brought with it every activity imaginable including about eight new championship style golf courses. Still, sport fishing, the original activity of Vallarta, remains one of its top draws and definitely of world class caliber.

Whether you're interested in stripers or strippers, you're apt to find them in the Vallarta area! One thing is for sure, you'll have the best time of your life enjoying the winter activities in this incredibly beautiful Paradise south of the border. So, why wait; with the recent 35% devaluation of the Mexican Peso, everything is now on sale and the time for an action packed trip to PV has never been better.

Olivia has a admirable skydive with volker

Oliviadoing a tandem Jump with Skydive Surfcity (aka Santa Cruz Skydiving ) over Santa Cruz with a beach front landing. Instructor: Volker 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 -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=XqDQOwEJzWI&hl=en

Harry Skydiving

Lodi - California



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFxn84sYFhE&hl=en

DC9 Jet Jumps

Jumping the DC-9 at Perris, California



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dOwPcH-m0c&hl=en

A Leading Outlet For Engagement Rings

Robbins Brothers are one of the most common collectors of engagement rings. They started their business in 1920 in Seattle and by the end of 1995 they had released the world's biggest engagement rings collection. Their business had flourished day by day and currently they are running online stores as well. Company is also running its website and guides you if you want to buy their product. They tell you the closest possible store from where you can get what you really want. Presently, their outlets are in California and Texas.

Engagement rings made of diamond are their specialty. They provide great selection opportunity for their customers. Their regular customers love to take rings for their engagements and weddings. They also take orders from customers however; all other engagement rings that they usually design come with money back warranty. If you take any ring but later on you are no more interested with this ring you can simply return it however within 30 days. On the other hand, your money will be back to you as paid. Here affordable rings are also available. They guide you in a great way according to your budget and convenience. This company has great employs, mastered gemologists and designers that are deeply involved in creating great rings for your engagement. They work with various gems as well as metal to give different impressions.

The main objective of this company is to produce a perfect item for their customers that really change their exciting event into a complete memorable one. In this regard they have experienced and professionals that are engaged in working for you. Furthermore this company has experienced and well knowledge people to advice you for your engagement and wedding celebrations. Robbin Brothers are also importers of diamonds. They have some most unique collections of the rings all over the world. So, if you are really interested in unique and distinguished items you can go with them easily.

Ron Paul Skydive October 2008

Ron and Paul go skydiving 14000 ft for Paul's 55th birthday in Santa Barbara, CA



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wFGucPh2n0&hl=en

Skydive - San Diego

Skydiving at Chula Vista, CA!!!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kE_Om2lMPU&hl=en

The Photography Diffuser - A Portable Cloud

The photography diffuser is one of the most useful pieces of equipment a photographer can own! They can smooth out wrinkles, diffuses the light, help us control our shadows and tone down those harsh contrasts! They are indispensable!

First...what is a photography diffuser?

There are a couple different types of photo gear that could be considered a diffuser. You could smear some Vaseline over the lens - it's diffusing the light that goes into the camera and could be called a photography diffuser. Or, you could have a cloud passing by in front of the sun and THAT TOO could be called a diffuser!

For the purposes of this article, we'll think of anything put on the lens as a filter and anything put in front of the light source as a diffuser.

As I said, a cloud can be a diffuser...

Imagine the sun. In relation to our size, it's just a tiny little thing way up there in the sky. Since it is very bright, yet small, it creates some pretty harsh, black shadows.

Imagine a white puffy cloud floating in front of the sun...What happens?

Now the sunlight is hitting the back of the cloud and bouncing all over the place! When the - diffused - light comes through the cloud, it has now turned the entire cloud into a huge diffused light source.

Since our light is now diffused, it's softer and less intense. Plus since the light source is much bigger, the light tends to wrap around our subject and soften or even almost eliminate the shadows!

That's a diffuser and ALL diffusers operate on the same principle. Now imagine a studio strobe lighting system. We don't generally have clouds floating around in the studio so how can we diffuse our lights? Easy! Just put some translucent material in front of the light.

Have you seen photographers shooting their light through umbrellas? That's a diffuser. Diffusers can be called umbrellas, softboxes, screens and dozens of other names depending on the shape and materials they are made of.

But, if you think of a photography diffuser as nothing more than a man made cloud, you should have no trouble understanding how they work and when they should be used.

The Impact of High Legal Costs on Healthcare

When it comes to the healthcare industry, spending money is part and parcel of it, especially for legal fees. While there could be reasons to sue a medical professional, often it has been seen that legal costs are way too high. This definitely has an impact on the kind of service medical professionals provide to patients.

This said, some of the legal costs are as a result of the current crisis that the healthcare industry is facing. Also, with sky-high cost of health insurance, millions of people either do not have coverage or have insufficient coverage. This means that not only will these people not receive adequate care; the healthcare professionals now have to taken on the burden of high malpractice insurance. So, whether you are a doctor or layman with no health insurance, you have to take steps to protect yourself in case of medical error.

It is estimated that in the United States around $10 billion is spent on a yearly basis to cover the costs of malpractice and legal fees associated with no health insurance or inadequate insurance. Also, due to the tort system prevalent in the country, there is nearly a 50 percent increase in the awards that juries give and 40 percent increase in settlements that are done out of court on an average.

What is more frightening these days is that juries have no compunction in awarding high amount in case of a medical malpractice lawsuit. This means that doctors, nurses and healthcare providers need a better insurance system to tackle the ever increasing costs. Also, it takes a lot of money to have a team of lawyers and pay for malpractice insurance.

While it is easy to put all the blame on lawyers and law firms, the country needs to address the underlying problems prevalent in the healthcare industry. There should be laws to protect doctors and other healthcare providers from frivolous lawsuits.

Hopefully the new healthcare plan that the government has passed will assist those people who do not have adequate health coverage. Also, with the government putting a cap on the awards given for malpractice lawsuits, the cost oflegal battles should reduce. However, this is not enough. The laws should be made tougher and healthcare providers should be trained in a proper manner. Above all, hospitals need have stringent guidelines that healthcare providers have to follow in order to the chances of malpractice and legal costs.

SKYDIVING - An in abyss attending into the aberration of it all

This is one of my first jumps. It was a bloody lotta fun, and I figured I'd put together a fun little video. Enjoy!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYoM7jPkxio&hl=en

Skydiving

Skydiving with pauldogg and the bozman at 18000ft!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE45PRWMk5A&hl=en

Greg goes skydiving

My first time jumping out of an airplane on purpose. (Yep, the other times I plumeted from an airplane were accidental.) Did I mention that it was wicked!?



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRZWR6bhfBM&hl=en

Erik Molano Sky Diving

It's me, Erik, sky diving in San Diego. This was filmed on 8-14-06 and it was my first time jumping off a plane. 13000 feet above ground and falling at speeds of up to 120 miles per hour, sky diving is probably one of the biggest rushes. You can't even hear yourself scream because the wind is going by you so fast. Your skin feels as if it'll come right off your bones! Go do it now! It's freakin amazing.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZjtOsPK1vo&hl=en

Birds - The Golden Eagle

The golden eagle is one of the largest birds of prey; the bald eagle and the California Condor are the only ones that are larger. This bird lives in the western Northern Hemisphere flying over prairies, tundra, barren areas, and in hilly mountain regions. Golden Eagles do not congregate in large numbers; they are solitary birds and will fly alone for the winter.

The Golden Eagle has a large hooked bill, and it is dark brown all over, but has a green sheen on its head. Its wings and tail are very long and broad, which can be seen when it's flying high in the air. The Golden Eagle is sometimes mistaken for a Buzzard when it is high in sky, but once the long wings and the head come into focus, it will be obvious that it is an eagle

Prey for the Golden Eagle consists of many animals. While it can attack large prey like cranes and domestic livestock, it tends to eat smaller animals like rabbits, hares, squirrels and prairie dogs. A Golden Eagle needs a huge territory of around 3,000 acres to fly over and hunt. When it finds prey, it will soar from the sky at speeds of 150km/h striking the prey with its sharp talons. Spotting its prey while high in the air is not a problem for the Golden Eagle, it has keen eyesight that allows it to see small animals such as mice or lizards. The Golden Eagle catches most of its prey on the ground; however, it sometimes catches birds while they are in flight. The eagle cannot attack a large animal; when it finds a large animal such as a deer, it will only eat it as carrion.

The Golden Eagle population decreased during the nineteenth century because farmers shot them. In the 1960s, the Golden Eagle, along with other birds, were affected by dangerous chemicals. A number of animals in the Golden Eagle's habitat ate one the chemical called DDT, which had been sprayed onto plants, and since the Golden Eagle was on the top of the food chain, it greatly affected them. Today, Golden Eagles remain protected by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and possession of any body part or a feather could lead to a fine or even up to 10 years in prison.

Golden Eagles live throughout the Northern Hemisphere. When identifying a golden eagle, look for an all over brown color and a hooked bill so that you do not confused it with a Buzzard when they're flying. Golden Eagles are also one of the few birds that have legs feathered all the way to their toes. It is also one of the largest birds of prey, and with binoculars, you can spot them flying in prairies, and tundra areas. Although DDT greatly affected the Golden Eagles, they have since increased in population, and there are plenty still around today.

My Skydive Video-18000 Ft

Monterey Bay, California



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK4CM6252lE&hl=en

Haley's First Skydive -- the coolest affair EVER!!

and my sister thought this was stupid...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9RB0AjnC10&hl=en

Fall Bird Watching - The Scrub Jay and the Steller's Jay

The warm autumn days we have been experiencing here in Northern California have made for some great bird watching! We have Scrub Jays here year round but the Steller's Jay is a bird we don't see all that much. I have described them both so you can realize the difference between the two.

The Western Scrub Jay is a large songbird with a blue head, wings and tail. They have a gray back, grayish underparts, with a whitish throat and a thin white eyebrow. They are 11 - 12 inches long with a wingspan of about 15 inches and weigh 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 ounces. Scrub Jays commonly inhabit scrub oak, chaparral, pinyon-juniper stands and residential areas. This Western variety will feed on parasites on the body and head of mule dear but both the Western Scrub Jay and the Steller's Jay are omnivorous, eating insects, berries, nuts, and seeds.

The jays in my area, where we have an over abundance of acorns this year, have deep, stout, slightly hooked bills good for hammering open acorns and ripping off the shells. They are frequent, although not always welcome, visitors to feeding stations.

The Steller's Jay is a large songbird and the only jay west of the Rockies with a crest. They have a black crested head with foreparts and upper back also black. Their lower back, wings and tail are deep blue. They are 12 - 13 1/2 inches long with a wingspan of about 16 inches and weigh 3 1/2 to 5 ounces. Steller's Jays commonly inhabit coniferous and pine-oak forests. They are aggressive and often hop up trees, one branch at a time in a spiral fashion. These birds have a harsh "shaak, shaak" call and they will also mimic the Red-Tailed Hawk's scream to the dismay of the other songbirds in the area.

I enjoy seeing these two species occasionally around the yard. They are both very colorful and energetic birds. I know their loud calls and aggressive behavior put some people off but they are beneficial, insect eating birds and I enjoy them as long as they are only occasional visitors.

James Allen Skydiving Perris California

Skydiving at 12500 ft over the Mojave Desert.



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

Balloon Jump, Perris Valley, California

First balloon jump, 6500ft.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A04sfmP1JF4&hl=en

Journey Into the Shadows - Existential Moments in Nature

Walking along the foggy Northern California coast one day (I think it was in 1992) I had a moment of extreme disorientation. Because I'd experienced lots of panic attacks in my late 20's, the sensations in my body that day were familiar and my cells screamed with frightening messages from the past; I had to return to my car immediately, stopping short the hike I was barely beginning with my friend John.

My heart beat right out of my chest, heavy with a fear so deep I was trapped in my body's responses to what felt a lot like loneliness. My breathing became shallow and very labored, and I was dizzy with overwhelmingly hot energy surging in my head like a storm wave. Disorientation turned to dissolution. Soon, I couldn't force in any more air and I was loathe to let go of what I'd already accumulated in what I experienced as collapsing, yet was most likely bursting, lungs.

How can this fullness feel so empty?

My arms and legs tingled--first with nervy numbness, then heaviness that turned to a complete loss of sensation, maybe circulation--as though they weren't even there.

Then I wasn't there.

In elevators or in traffic on bridges, panic used to feel like a heart attack; here, in nature, it felt more like I was stroking out...whatever that feels like. Then I became lost inside a place so deep inside myself I couldn't talk and my legs were like jello; even writing about it brings back the tiniest bit of those feelings again. Like a novice shape-shifter, I struggled and fought to sustain my form, to keep from disintegrating.

These symptoms worsened with thoughts of doom and death. Because I'd had these sensations before, I could re-create them easily, pulling on memories that led to obsessive thinking. Long, deep breath to change the context.

What triggered such an event? I think it was the fog.

Walking into the thick mist, the vanishing point ahead, I felt lost in the unknown; like driving in a blizzard, the drops of water were fast moving around us as we walked toward the one point we never reached. Even if we had continued on as planned, for 4 more miles, we would never reach that point; it would remain out in front, some elusive point in the sea of similarity, massive drops of fog that held the Universe inside.

Disorientation, fear, panic, and then non-existence. As soon as doubt rolled into my mind like the fog blankets the coast line, non-existence never really had a chance in this body as I clung to my many forms, anything that would keep me separated from the discomfort of not being me. My mind was tortured with pictures of vast expanses of ocean, lost at sea, with a thousand thoughts of loosing myself, of never being "this" again.

My ego desperately needed acknowledgment; even more, it needed to know and see familiar things. It needed to see the sky, the hills around us, my skin and even the ground, would have been a welcome sight to my ego that needed to be defined in that very demanding moment.

So I ran. I ran until I could see the light coming back through the flat monotones of grayish mist; I ran until I could see the trail markings, the signs and even the muddled lines that delineated it from the wild grasses, rocks and unmarked territory on either side. I knew the difference, however hazy the delineation, and I welcomed its strength in me.

I found, or maybe I should say repeated, this same scenario over and over in my life the next several years. Flying to Denver from Albuquerque or St. Louis, in the middle of hundreds of people chatting away, I was lonely and filled with panic. While sailing peacefully over the gentle seas of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California (and it was calm on many of those occasions), I was lost and alone out there with no land in sight, even on a clear, fog-less day.

While working at a hiking retreat in the Redwoods just south of San Francisco, I was introduced to these God-like centuries that stand looking down at the shores of Half Moon Bay below. Their old souls are discrete and simultaneously hide something dear in the dank darkness up there on the ridge. I love those Redwoods and long for them now, almost daily. They are the keepers and incredible protectors of a mostly unknown ecosystem deep underneath the canopy of their forestation. They are certainly unmet by those who drive past at 50 miles an hour on the way to some populated and comfortable place; they are mostly unseen to those who sail by sea looking up at their fortress, and even unknown to those who walk among them, between their spaces on the soft paths that wind through their middle world. Even to those who live nearby breathing the same air inspired by this mystical prana, their inner world is mostly undiscovered.

Over the years I've been lost in there as they too provoke my ego's comfort zone. Even on paths I've walked hundred's of times before, I am lost, because there is another level of awareness that pervades and destroys the known senses. In there, I am senseless.

Because I visit this inner terrain often--whether on land, in the forest or coastal hill fog; out in the middle of the sea or up in a plane--I can re-create the panic of being lonely inside the expanse, within the oneness, in the midst of so much freedom. It's really quite frightening.

Underneath a Cloudless Sky

Not that I'm one to report on the weather here in South Florida but this 'title' couldn't be more of a dichotomy as we go into 48 hours of straight rain.

About a week ago I was given this great new cookbook to read by my friend, Executive Chef Michael Bennett (of Bimini Boatyard) titled (yup you guessed it!) "Underneath a Cloudless Sky". Chef Bennett just so happens to be the author as well. After writing the review for his first book, In the Land of Misfits, Pirates & Cooks, we became "social networking" confidants so it only stands to reason that I got an advanced copy of his second book. Not all "cooking" is fun but Michael makes it fun as I pointed out in his first book ".....Bennett's signature style of presentation "food stacking". Bennett creates towers and rises with his food; Bennett clearly defines "playing with food....." Well dear readers, he's at it again but this time Chef Bennett plays with his ingredients. He put items together I didn't know existed let alone prepare and serve, like Breadfruit, Black Sapote, Guarapo, Azuki Beans and the list goes on!

Chef Bennett likes the exotic, why use oranges when you can use starfruit? Now don't let items such as Breadfruit and Azuki Beans scare you off, open your door and let them into your kitchen! Experiment! As Michael states in the introduction of his book he contends that "familiarity brings comfort and reassurance, while trying new things. He will bring the unfamiliar exotic food and cooking techniques into focus for you. After reading this book you will be comfortable using food your mother would have never considered cooking." In the Land of Misfits, Pirates & Cooks, is definitely the precursor to Underneath the Cloudless Sky.

Food can get boring, food preparation can get boring. So with a little patience and effort your dull-drab, same old way of preparing meals can instantly be transformed into exotic and tropical. Whether you're a fan of sweet and savory or spicy and zesty you'll find all the ingredients to unlock the boredom of grilled chicken in Chef Bennett's new cookbook.

So to put a fork in it, I decided to plan a dinner party using recipes only from Underneath the Cloudless Sky. Starting with the appetizer, I decided on Grilled Radicchio Pockets with Crab, absolutely luscious! The flavors literally BURST in your mouth! For the entrée I chose Seabass with a Chimichurri Beurre Blanc. It was amazing! The flavors and the textures all worked beautifully together. The preparation itself was straightforward, nothing complicated or vague about this recipe. I made two side dishes to accompany the entrée, Baby Bliss Potato and Maytag Blue Cheese and Chick Pea Salad, both recipes very easy to prepare, (if you can read you can prepare these recipes!) This had to be one of the best dinners I have served in quite some time. The balance of my meal choices were spot on. The food types worked well together as did the all of the flavors. The wines I chose were Prosecco with the Grilled Radicchio with Crab and for the entrée I served both a California Zinfandel and an Albarino from Spain.

The best part of having a cookbook is to sit with it and plan and dream. Chef Bennett's books definitely give you something to read and dream about with each book he keeps opening your pantry doors and gives them a good shaking. He's done it again with his excitement for food, the Caribbean-style of food preparation and his sheer love for the islands. Do yourself a favor pick up a copy of this book and sit "under a cloudless sky" and dream a little. You can purchase the book online at shop.foodbrats.com