My father flew out of Geiger AFB in Spokane. Flying a T-36 in 54'. Lost afterburner on take off and spread plane over 5 acres of ground. Walked away from crash (I still have B&W 8 X 10 Photos of crash). Made the radio news (not many TV's back then) about crash. When he called my mother after visit to hospital, he asked if she had heard about crash, she said "Yes, was it anyone we knew?" Dads response, "Yes, but I'm all right" Thats how he told her. Dad did have a slightly twisted sense of humor, and he expressed many times that throughout his life. He was at Pearl Harbor, Dec 7, 1941 at Hickam Field, flying B-24's. Got shot down later over Germany and spent 3 years as a POW. Flew Jets during Korea. Passed 16 years ago. I still miss him every day.

Enlisted in the Navy in 66' at age 17. Called a'kiddie cruse' which meant discharge the day before 21. Was discharged in 69'. Had #1 Seagoing Rate 'Boatswains Mate" and never saw or boarded a ship throughout entire tour. Sent to Fla., Bahamas (13 months), and Sub Base in Ct.(Joined the Navy to 'See the world', but don't think that was the world) Learned SCUBA while in Bahamas and still do it today (Just returned from completing 52 dives in Indonesia a week ago). Have spent more time on cruise ships than Navy ships. I think they be may slightly different experiences :-) Best experience, SCUBA. Worst - working for people dumber than I am (reason I decided not to stay in Navy) because they had one more stripe than I had.

I lived in Alaska for almost 30 years. Now that I don't, every time I get to go 'home' and I get off the plane, I am still amazed at how beautiful the state is. Thanks for sharing photos from 'home'

I once heard that if he had a roller he could have finished the ceiling in just three days :-)

Went through the original Panama Canal aboard the last cruise ship to cross in 2013 (New Years Eve). The new canal is next to the original and I could see the massive amount of work being done. The cruise ship we went through on was only 6" narrower than the locks of the original canal, and with the newer super tankers and super cruise ships and super cargo carriers now being built, they just would not fit in the original canal and their draft is to much. The new canal will allow for the larger ships to cross. Its an amazing bit of engineering. At the end of the canal crossing (I had never been through the canal before) we visited Panama and Colombia. Not what I had envisioned in my mind. They are both beautiful countries. I was extremely impressed.

Taken early this morning in my driveway. A bit grainy because it was shot at ISO 6400, F/25, 600 mm (300 mm w/ 2X converter), 8 sec. (cropped). Hope everyone got to see the event.

Blood Moon also

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Out on the deck last night and saw this guy at work. Next morning my wife said "you should see what he accomplished last night. Fog was lifting, but light wind was blowing. Manual focus (perhaps over the top of my glasses), mirror up, off camera trigger, low iso, shallow depth of field. Still soft photos. What would you focus on? Would it have been better to put black foam board behind web to bring it out more? B & W? My first time trying real 'web' photography.

Dew on Web

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Busy night

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Personally I think automobile makers should install a device that blocks all communication once the vehicle is taken out of park. If someone wants to use the phone, they should have to pull over to do it. Remember the old drive up phone booths. They worked before and should work again. I do not use my phone but I do drive where other people are using theirs and that is what bothers me.

This looks like one of those statements and questions like:

"You Turn Right"

"Is that my right, or your right?"

Depends on the use of the vest. For travel, with the current weight restrictions for carry-0n's for international travel, the Scotty Vest has paid for itself a couple of times for me. I like the look and whenever I travel I wear it for two reasons. Pockets to carry everything securely from an iPad if necessary to passport etc., all in hidden pockets. When not carrying anything, the vest is stylish and an extra layer if needed on a long cool flight. Just my opinion

I have been fascinated by this mountain for a long time. It is on my 'Bucket List' of places to see (not to climb, just to see from Tibet). Had an Austrian Climber stay with me in Alaska many years ago as he prepared for a climb by climbing Mt. Mckinley in Alaska. Read 'Into Thin Air' about the '96 climb and tragedy and used to show the video to my students. Had never seen the climb in 3-D. Thanks for posting.

my main carry around lens is my 18-300. It got knocked out of my hands in St. Louis a couple of weeks ago and got seriously dinged and would not move from about 42 mm. I just got it back from today from Nikon and consider it the best $400 on a repair I have spent as I really love the lens. It is a great all around lens. I have 4 other lenses for macro and telephoto, but for just an all around carrying lens, I like this one the best.

I used an Ikelite housing for awhile until I watched it flood at 108'. I knew the camera was toast at that point, so I just swam to the boat anchor and tied it off (might as well use it as an anchor as it was good for nothing else). I was just at the digital shootout and saw several EM-1's in Nauticam housings. I have always used Aquatica for my Nikon cameras, and of course there are Subal housings and many others as well. All are top housings, I just shy away from Ikelite personally.

I use Aquatica housings, but have had the opportunity to use Nauticam housings in the past. With expensive camera's come equally expensive if not more so, underwater housings. As a suggestion, when you get your housing, perhaps contact Backscatter @ www.Backscatter.com and purchase their vacuum lock. It is a way to be sure your housing is watertight before taking it underwater. If not that, then be sure to put your dive gear in a freshwater test tank prior to your dive, each time before your dive. (This advice is from someone who has also flooded a camera or two while diving, and now has a ritual before each dive) H2O insurance is another must, if you do not have that as well. Dive Safe and post more photos when you can.

I am preparing for a trip to Indonesia and the airline has a 7 Kg (15 lbs) carry-on weight restriction. My camera and lenses, and my Macbook Pro in a Think Tank camera bag weigh about 18 Kg (36 lbs). I will be doing both topside and underwater photography, so one of my checked bags has 50 lbs of U/W camera housings and gear, and my other checked bag will have 50 lbs of dive gear as well as two swim suits and 4 tee shirts. I am trying to figure out what I can leave behind. Been thinking about leaving Mac out of carry-on and just taking several 32 Gb cards for the camera, but this is an 18 day, once in a lifetime trip and without the Mac I won't be able to edit photos. Any suggestions. Don't like to check cameras or laptop through.