Recreational Skydiving!

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Skydiving takes place all over the world but it can be difficult finding a base near you. Not only this, but then choosing a base can be a decision that could change your life. Below are some Canadian skydiving bases and helpful skydiving resources.

I do not recommend or guarantee any skydiving bases below.

SKYDIVING->CENTRAL CANADA

CANADA->MANITOBA->STEINBACH

Location: Steinbach, MB.
Email: ajames@mb.sympatico.ca
Phone: 204-339-5867
Aircraft: C-182
Training: AFF, S/L, Tandem
AAD: Not Required
USPA Membership: Not Required

CANADA->MANITOBA->WINNIPEG

Location: Gimli
Email: mrhutch@mb.sympatico.ca
Phone: 204-799-5867
Aircraft: c 182
Training: AFF, S/L, Tandem
AAD: Not Required
USPA Membership: Required

CANADA->ONTARIO->TORONTO

Location: 5714 Smith Blvd, Baldwin.
Email: agrnwd@hotmail.com
Phone: 1-800-361-5867
Aircraft: Cessna 206
Training: , S/L, Tandem
AAD: Not Required
USPA Membership: Not Required

CANADA->ONTARIO->NIAGARA

Location: 536 Regional Road, Dunnville.
Email: dz@niagaraskydive.com
Phone: 905-701-5867
Aircraft: King Air, C182
Training: AFF, S/L, Tandem
AAD: Not Required
USPA Membership: Not Required

CANADA->ONTARIO->

Location: 65 Huron Street, Welland.
Email: pneumatic.sports@sympatico.ca
Phone: 1-800-693-5867
Aircraft: C185, Summer boogie 4-5 Super Otters
Training: AFF, S/L, Tandem
AAD: Not Required
USPA Membership: Required

SKYDIVING->EASTREN CANADA

CANADA->QUEBEC->ST-JEROME

Location: 881, lamontagne.
Email: info@paradrenaline.ca
Phone: 1-866-306-0855
Aircraft: Cesna 206 & Cesna 182
Training: AFF, S/L, Tandem
AAD: Required
USPA Membership: Not Required

CANADA->QUEBEC->FARNHAM

Location: 200, Chemin Lebeau
Email: info@nouvelair.ca
Phone: 450-293-8118
Aircraft: 2 Beech 18
Training: AFF, Tandem
AAD: Required
USPA Membership: Not Required

CANADA->QUEBEC

Location: 780 ch.du Volair St-Honore, Chicoutimi.
Email: skydive@parahorizon.com
Phone: 418-673-3004
Aircraft: C-182
Training: AFF, Tandem
AAD: Not Required
USPA Membership: Not Required

CANADA->NEW BRUNSWICK->MONCTON

Location: McEwans Airfield
Email: tot@skydivemoncton.com
Phone: 506-858-0675
Aircraft: Cessna 182 Wide Body
Training: AFF, S/L, Tandem
AAD: Not Required
USPA Membership: Not Required

CANADA->NOVA SCOTIA->WATERVILLE

Location: Waterville Airport
Email: dropzone@attcanada.ca
Phone: 902-423-5867
Aircraft: Cessna 182
Training: AFF, S/L, Tandem
AAD: Not Required
USPA Membership: Not Required

SKYDIVING->UNITED STATES A - C

SKYDIVING->WESTERN CANADA

CANADA->ALBERTA->EDMONTON

Location: Weslock Airport
Email: info@edmontonskydive.com
Phone: 780-444-JUMP
Aircraft: C182, C206
Training: AFF, Tandem
AAD: Required
USPA Membership: Required

CANADA->ALBERTA->BEISEKER

Location: Beiseker
Email: dz@albertaskydivers.com
Phone: 403-777-5867
Aircraft: C-182, C-206
Training: AFF, S/L, Tandem
AAD: Not Required
USPA Membership: Not Required

CANADA->BRITISH COLUMBIA->VACOUVER

Location: 5112 Gladwin rd, Abbotsford, B.C.
Email: info@vancouver-skydiving.bc.ca
Phone: 1-604-854-3255
Aircraft: Pilatus Porter, Cesna 206, 182, 180, 170
Training: AFF, Tandem
AAD: Not Required
USPA Membership: Required

CANADA->BRITISH COLUMBIA->OKANAGAN

Location:6260 Tronson Road, Vernon.
Email: okskydive@telus.net
Phone: 250-542-4487
Aircraft: C182
Training: AFF, S/L, Tandem
AAD: Not Required
USPA Membership: Required

CANADA->SASKATCHEWAN->MOOSE JAW

Location: Moose Jaw Muni - Regina Sask.
Email: info@skydivesouthsask.ca
Phone: 306-569-5867
Aircraft: c-182
Training: , S/L, Tandem
AAD: Not Required
USPA Membership: Required

->Four important things to remember before skydiving;

1. Always research the establishment and its employees, being aware of any lawsuits, deaths, injuries or complaints.

2. Pay attention to skydiving news and keep track of what types of mistakes cause injuries and deaths. For example, sharp low turns cause more deaths then malfunctioning parachutes.

3. People with heart conditions and some other types of medical conditions should not skydive.

4. Assess the risk - Is it worth it?

Bart Samuri
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Skydiving Accident Prevention and Training

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The danger in skydiving has decreased noticeably over the years. One detail that shocks a lot of non-skydivers is that most skydiving losses are attributed to jumper mistakes. From time to time such errors are made while dealing with an otherwise small mid-air crisis, and even on occasion, while flying underneath a fully-inflated parachute. Hardly ever is it actually a case of a correctly maintained, packed & deployed parachute failing to open.

If a skydiver experiences a malfunction of his main parachute, then foolishly waits too long before initiating his reserve deployment sequence, his perfectly good reserve parachute may never have time to fully inflate before impact. If this happens, it certainly can be said that his parachute failed to open.

This is not to suggest that properly operated modern parachute equipment never independently fails. It most certainly can, and sometimes does. However, seldom are such failures the random & comprehensive equipment failures the "parachute failed to open" lines suggests.

In fact, a good number skydiving accidents could have been easily prevented, and few cannot be traced back to some serious human blunder.

In recent years, advanced canopy designs have led to many fatalities associated with daring maneuvers known as "hook turns" and "swoops". As with flying high performance aircraft, the risks associated with these kinds of crowd-pleasing, show-off maneuvers are great.

If a jumper misjudges the altitude at which the final diving turn is initiated, or begins leveling-off for their landing too late, the jumper may impact the ground while the canopy is still diving at a very high rate of speed. This is often fatal, and has left the skydiving community often bemoaning the ironies of a skydiver dying under a perfectly good parachute. Many skydive centers have wisely banned the practice of low hook turns.

This type of fatality can also occur when a jumper mistakenly turns his or her canopy too sharply, too low to the ground -- as when maneuvering to avoid an impending collision with another canopy* or ground structure. (*another avoidable scenario is mid-air collisions between skydivers flying under canopy)

In an effort to reduce these kinds of avoidable accidents, student training centers have re-written their training syllabus to include more intensive canopy piloting techniques.

James Hunt
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Scuba Diving In Crete

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While on vacation to Crete I decided I wanted to try scuba diving, I used to do some in the Lochs and around the coast of Scotland when I was younger.

It was a beautiful place we were staying with a wide clear bay and a few fishing boats, there was a small diving school just up from the beach. I popped in to see what it would cost and see what sort of things I would be able to do. The scuba industry is regulated by different bodies depending where in the world you dive.

I had trained in Britain where the British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC) is the governing body and you have to get certified and trained by a local BSAC club in order to dive there. They keep records of all your training and any dives that you do in a log book, if your log book is up to date you can take it on holiday with you and show diving schools and tours your experience. The more experience you have the better and harder the dives you are allowed to go on.

Well anyway the school in Crete was a PADI affiliated diving school, PADI is the international version of the BSAC. I did not have my log book with me and it was a little bit out of date anyway, the last time I went diving was when I was at University about 15 years ago.

I would only be allowed to go on a training dive to start with and if that went ok some shallow dives over the next few days.

I signed up for the short day course and another 2 dives I can’t remember the price but it was pretty decent, not too expensive but not dirt cheap.

The training started the next morning with theory and book learning in the classroom. It was pretty basic stuff and I remembered most of it from when I had done my training. They just wanted to make sure we knew what we were doing and that we knew what to do in an emergency.

After the work in the classroom we had a chance to check out the equipment and get fitted for our training dive. The training dive was before lunch and we just went into the bay where the diving school was. We carried our equipment down the beach and waded into the water.

There was about eight of us with two instructors to keep an eye on us. They gathered us around in a circle and proceeded to show us how to clear our masks underwater, how to share a demand valve and some basic swimming exercises to make sure we were comfortable with the equipment.

After the short lesson the instructors took us for a swim around the bay, we saw many types of fish and a few crabs, there was some broken pottery and urns and a sunken boat. Then we stopped near a small reef and the instructors took out some slices of bread so we could feed the fish.

They took photographs of us being swarmed by hundreds of fish. You could feel them nibbling your fingers as you fed them the bread. The fish were so dense that you had trouble seeing anyone else. It was very exciting and great fun.

After everyone had a shot of feeding the fish we headed back to the dive school. We had to carry our equipment up the beach to the storage shed and clean it down with fresh water, you should do this with all equipment you use on a dive as salt water can be very corrosive if not washed off metal tanks, demand valves and ABLJ’s/buoyancy aids. We also washed the wetsuits and accessories we had used.

Once everything had been cleaned up we went back to the classroom and talked about the dive, we got our log books filled in if we had one and were issued a certificate to say we could dive down to a certain depth. This certificate would let me go for other dives while I was on vacation in Crete.

Hege Crowton
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Scuba Diving - Exciting and Exhilarating Hobby

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Scuba diving is an exciting and exhilarating hobby that allows you to view an underworld life most won’t ever see firsthand. When you are diving, you are given an intimate show of what life looks like below the water line. But, it takes a certain type of person to be able to go scuba diving because it is dangerous. Not only do you have to worry about losing oxygen, but what about the threat of underwater creatures?

Sharks and eels are probably the two creatures that strike fear into the hearts of most people when they think about scuba diving. But, actual attacks are very rare and your chances of getting killed or hurt are slim. Still though, you do have to think about what would happen if you were diving and came face to face with an angry shark. Your wet suit wouldn’t do anything to protect you against those teeth. So, think about that long and hard before you jump off that boat next time.

Though it is a scary thought, perhaps that’s the appeal for many scuba diving fanatics. Not only do you get to see the amazing underwater life, but you are also in a constant state of threat that something could go wrong at any minute. But, diving isn’t the only hobby that’s fraught with danger, think about rock climbing, bungee jumping and white water rafting. People love these activities for the thrill and the high they get. So, scuba diving probably isn’t any different and you get the added bonus of seeing vibrantly colored fish and exotic sea creatures as well.

Before you set off to go scuba diving, make sure you’ve been well trained. Take a class from a professional so you will know exactly what to do and when to do it. It’s always good to learn this way so you’ll know what to do in case of an emergency as well. Buy a quality wetsuit and other diving essentials and you’ll be a diving pro in no time!

James Hunt
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Snowboarding - Selecting The Right Snowboard

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There are several aspects to consider when selecting your snowboard. Beginners have fewer options than more advanced snowboarders. Novices should start snowboarding using a shorter rather than longer board. This will provide easier control until they become more experienced and competent. Determining what style of snowboarding you enjoy will also make a difference when selecting your snowboard.

Length

The snowboard should come to between your chest and your nose when stood up on its end. The newer the boarder, the shorter the board should be. For tricks like spins a grabs selecting a snowboard that is shorter will be more beneficial than a longer board. Adult boards are usually 130 to 160 cm and children’s boards are typically 110 to 140 cm. More advanced boarders can opt for longer boards that increase speed and stability on rougher terrain.

Generally, the more you weight the longer the board should be. This aspect should be kept in mind when selecting your snowboard. People weighing 100 pounds should stay with the shorter boards, and those weighing over 200 lbs should select a longer board.

Width

It is crucial to make sure that your toes or heels do not hang over the edges of the snowboard. If they do they will increase drag and make controlling the board very difficult. If your feet are larger than a size 11 or over you will have to go with a wider board. These are available at most retailers or can be special ordered.

Core

The core of the snowboard can be made of several different materials ranging from wood to composite materials. There may be a difference in price based on the composition of the core. Wood is generally considered the best core for beginning snowboarders as it is more durable.

It is advisable to get some reviews on different boards before deciding which one to buy. Asking friends and other snowboarders their opinions before buying is a good option. Contact local retailers and ask questions. Some ski and snowboard areas rent equipment by the day. Renting a variety of boards is one way of trying them out prior to selecting the right one for you.

Mike Singh
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Snowboarding Gear - What Do I Need?

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The right snowboarding gear is essential to having a great day on the slopes. Below are a few pointers for picking what’s right for you:

Head Gear

* Choose a helmet that fits your head snugly. Some helmets have more insulation than others, so make sure if there is little insulation you can fit a thin cap underneath for warmth.
* Make sure the helmet is comfortable and you can easily move your head when wearing the helmet.

Warm Clothing

* The best way to stay warm and dry is to dress in layers. Cotton or natural fabrics against the skin allow for moisture to be kept away from the skin providing warmth. A nylon or other water resistant outer layer will prevent outside moisture for getting in against the skin. Clothing should be loose to allow movement.

Protective Wear

* Snowboarding gear would not be complete without some extra padding for those sure to happen falls. Elbow pad and kneepads can help reduce the shock of impact to the joints. Padded lightweight pants are available to help protect the tailbone and hips from backward falls.

Bindings

* Bindings may step-in or strapped. Beginner snowboarders generally favour the step-in bindings, as they are easier to manage. They may not be practical for more advanced users as they tend to allow the foot to be released to easily.
* Strapped bindings may have two or three straps to hold the foot to the board. They tighten using a ratchet method to hold the foot snug.

Boots

* Boots, like all snowboard gear, need to fit correctly. Make sure you try on several styles to find the one that is most comfortable. Your heels should fit tightly in the boot but there should be no rubbing or discomfort when the boots are laced up. Walk around and bend in the boots to test their fit before choosing a pair.

Board

* The board should be the correct length and width based on your body size. It should come to the bottom of your chin and be wide enough to fit your feet.

Mike Singh
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Cross Country Skiing – An Introduction

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Considered to be one of the best aerobic exercises, cross country skiing is also called Nordic skiing or XC skiing. It involves the simultaneous use of ones arms and legs and making use of skiing equipment like boots, skis and poles.

Cross country skiing, finds its origins in Scandinavia and is over 4000 years old. It used to be the sole method of transportation for these snow and ice-bound regions. Today, cross country skiing has come a long way from being a mode of transportation to a major competitive sport, played at the Olympic level.

Did you know that a third of all medals are awarded for Cross Country Skiing and other Nordic sports? Nordic sports include the biathlon, which combines cross country skiing with rifle marksmanship and ski jumping; Nordic combined, which is a combined scoring of jumping and cross country skiing events; ski orienting, which is a marker search on skis with aid of compass and map; and telemark, a recent technique which involves using a free heel like cross country skiing.

Beginners are often confused about the difference between cross country and alpine or downhill skiing. Of course one can surmise that downhill skiing involves coming down slopes - we’ve all seen that in the movies! But the technical difference in the skis is that in XC Skiing, the skier’s heel is free, that is, only the toe is attached to the boot. This allows the skier to climb, slide down, and navigate the terrain making it a truly cross country sport. In alpine skiing and even snowboarding, the skier’s entire boot is attached to the ski, and thus one can only come down on the skis or snow board. Although cross country skiing today is not as popular as downhill skiing, it is an ancient sport and mode of travel, and the ancestor from which downhill skiing and snowboarding have been derived in the recent times.

Also called Langlauf in German and Ski de Fond in French, cross country skiing mostly takes place on prepared and signed trails called ‘Lopie’. These are graded in order of difficulty, form blue to black, or from easiest to the toughest, the latter having more climbs and descents. Overall, most cross country skiing trails are on relatively flat terrain and therefore found at the bottom of a valley or on a high mountain plateau. You could also ski ‘off-track’, where you find your own trail. Off-track ski conditions, on the other hand, are up to the weather and any previous skiers. For instance, one can have a great experience with previously "skied-in" tracks. Did you know that in places like Finland, in the smaller towns, you will often find children making their way to school in the morning on their skis!

Jack Smith
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Snowboarding Tips - For Beginners And Advanced Alike

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Snowboarding is a great way to get the benefits of exercise and enjoy the great outdoors in the winter months. Whether you are an experienced or a first time snowboarder it is important to consider several factors when planning your next trip. Using proper equipment, safety practices and general common sense will ensure a trouble-free outing. Below are some snowboarding tips to make sure you get the most out of your day:

* Check the weather before starting out. Make sure that the conditions are favourable for the day or plan to be back down to the bottom of the slopes prior to the expected beginning of bad weather.

* Wear the proper clothing. As there is a lot of movement needed to snowboard, it is important to wear loose fitting clothes. Dressing in layers with an outer layer of water resistant lightweight fabric will help keep you dry and warm the whole day.

* Make sure the board you are using is the correct size and that it is in good condition. The edges of the board should be sharp especially on hard or packed snow conditions. If the edges are not sharp, you will not have control over the board leading to safety issues for both yourself and other snowboarders.

* Know your limits. Don’t try to snowboard in areas that are too difficult for your level of experiences. Likewise, don’t snowboard faster than you feel comfortable going.

* Learn how to fall. Make sure your fingers are curled under and your arms are bent when falling. Try to land with your weight on your fore arms, not on your fingers, wrists or hands to prevent breaks.

* Make sure that you are well rested and have no physical injuries prior to snowboarding. When you notice that your legs are starting to tire stop and rest. Over exerting your muscles will only lead to injury.

* Wear safety equipment such as helmets, elbow and kneepads, and protective gear for those falls that may lead to tailbone injury.

* Make sure all gear is in good condition and fits correctly.

These snowboarding tips are designed to help you plan for your snowboarding outing. Safety and protection is key for enjoying your day and for getting the most out of your snowboarding experience.

Mike Singh
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Teaching - A Survival Guide for Students and New Teachers (Part 1)

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Most teachers make many mistakes in the early years of their careers. The majority of these mistakes, in hindsight, are avoidable. This series of articles is written with the experience of many years’ teaching in mind. I hope it can help you to avoid some of the common mistakes made by new teachers, including those that I made myself.

Teaching is an emotionally satisfying career, but an extremely stressful one. By following the advice given here, you can reduce the stress and hopefully manage it more easily. Some of the advice applies mainly to the first few weeks in a job, where the children are looking for weaknesses and before you have established yourself. The advice on Dress Code is one example, where once established you will be able to dress in a less formal manner.

Hopefully, this book can help more teachers to succeed that much sooner and help to reduce the loss of so many valuable newly trained teachers to the profession.

You will need your own car. Public transport is not a good way of travelling to school. Unless you live very close to the school there will be no direct bus route. If there are easy transport links to the school you can expect to be travelling with the children you teach. This often creates problems. Using public transport means that your day will be considerably longer too. Having to use a rail service with hourly trains may mean having to arrive in school before 8am and not leaving until 4.30pm.

In the short term, you may be able to arrange a lift with a colleague who happens to live nearby, but this becomes progressively less convenient when you have to arrange your domestic routine around the school and domestic commitments of your driver colleague.

You will almost certainly work for a month before you are paid. Most schools have a set date for paying their teachers. If you are lucky it will be the 20th of the month, but it is far more likely to be the 28th. You will have lost eligibility for Unemployment Benefit and Social Security payments on the day you started work, but you will have to live for a month on nothing but fresh air and loans from parents, friends, the bank or those wonderful credit cards. Arrange your applications for credit cards, overdrafts and loans in advance - you are going to need them.

Be sure to inform your employers of any previous employment. Some schools will give you incremental credit for your employment prior to teaching, even if it was many years ago. This is particularly important for mature entrants to the profession.

Join a union, or professional association as they are sometimes called in teaching. This gives you cover in the event of malicious allegations or assault by pupils. It is probably a good idea to join all the unions as a student, when they are free, then to choose one for paid membership depending on the relative strengths of the unions in your school.
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Strengthen Your Core, And Function as One Complete Unit

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Emphasizing core strength training and use high tension techniques to function as one complete unit will allow you to perform better.

Training your body to function as a complete unit by emphasizing core strength training and using high tension techniques will bring about the greatest performance improvement.

Performance improvement starts at the core... not at the extremities.

The center of power and strength is found in the core... and by the very nature of the human body, all movement involves the musculature of the core.

Therefore, by emphasizing core strength training you will improve performance over a wide spectrum of physical activities.

Imagine your body as three links in a chain... the upper body, the core and the lower body.

It is the core that coordinates all the movements of the upper and lower body.

When I talk about the core, I am talking about the entire trunk of the body... not just the abdominal muscles.

When I talk about strength, I am talking about the entire spectrum of strength... not just strength endurance exemplified by high repetition core exercises.

So what is proper core strength training?

Well, the first thing you do is... just say "no" to machines!

The excessive use of machines eliminates the adaptive stress for the stabilizer muscles in the body.

The stabilizer muscles are the muscles that give stability to the core and permit the other parts of the body, usually the extremities, to exert force.

Just think of it... performing exercises while strapped into a machine does little to prepare you for movement patterns in the real world.

How many times in the real world will you be asked to exert force while seated and strapped into place?

I dare say not very often.

The over reliance of resistance training on machines will rob the stabilizer muscles of the stress needed to improve in conjunction with the other muscles being trained.

The result... when you try to exert force in the real world with the extremities your core will be the weak link in the chain.

The inability of the core muscles to support the force trying to be exerted by the extremities will cause the body to disallow the movement.

Ultimately, the improvements in strength that are gained on machines will not translate into performance improvements that you can use in the real world... and over use of machines will eventually sabotage your performance.

This shows just how important the core muscles are to over all performance improvement... and the importance of core strength training.

Core strength training must use a variety of exercises, stresses and resistance... not just high repetition abdominal exercises.

The most important thing you can do for the core muscles is incorporate them into as many of your exercises as possible... by training the body to function as one complete unit.

You should look at every exercise you do as core strength training!

So, how do you do that?

Use High Tension Techniques!

Martial artists have know for centuries that incorporating the whole body into every movement by using high tension produces the most force.

When performing any exercise, you should incorporate as many muscles as possible into the movement to realize you potential strength and power.

There are various methods for generating high tension... but the most effective method is to use all the methods at the same time.

The most common methods are...

Tightening your Fists
When you perform an exercise, squeeze your fist as much as possible... if your hands are occupied you must tighten your grip as much as possible.

Tightening your Core Muscles
When you perform an exercise, squeeze you core muscles as much as possible.

This does not mean sucking in your stomach...but rather tightening the stomach muscles while keeping the stomach flat.

To create more tension... exhale with force in a controlled manner while contracting the core muscles.

Tightening your Butt Muscles
When perform an exercise, squeeze your butt muscles as much as possible.

Incorporating the butt muscles into your exercise will add a large muscle group to the movement and create a solid and steady base to perform the movement.

As stated above... to get the most benefit out of using high tension techniques you should try to do all three techniques at the same time.

The point is this... your body must function as one complete unit, and the core is the part of the body that allows the rest of the body to perform.

Have you ever wondered why Old-Time Strongmen had such well developed core muscles in an age before crunches, ab machines and magic potions?

What was there core strength training secrets?

Well, a healthy lifestyle and eating habits had a lot to do with it... But their core strength training came mostly from incorporating their core muscles into all physical exercise.

That’s right... no abdominal isolation and “feel the burn” for those guys.

Incorporating core strength training into all your physical training and varying stress, intensity and methods will develop a solid, functional core that will solidify your body as one complete unit and improve performance in a wide variety of physical activities.

Eddie Lomax
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Teaching - A Survival Guide for Students and New Teachers (Part 4) Body languagwe basics

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Body language is your chief weapon in your campaign for a calm and disciplined learning environment. With the correct posture or hand movement it is possible to control even the most rowdy of classes. Most of the ideas here are extremely simple but they do work. Practice them on colleagues and children and they will make your teaching much more effective.

Smile. It is an indication of confidence. Some classes are unused to anyone smiling at them because their behaviour is so dreadful that teachers have to work hard to keep them under control. These children delight in winding up their teachers. If you smile then YOU are winning and the class acknowledge this by working better for you.

If you stand up you are immediately above even the tallest of seated adolescents, this means that they are looking up to you, at least literally. Some lessons lend themselves to standing better than others, but basically, you should be standing whenever you are talking to children.

Make eye-contact with every child when you look around the class. Be careful that you are not moving your point of focus too quickly and that each child knows that you have seen them. Eye contact is particularly important when you are speaking to a particular child. Do not allow the individual to look away. The child looking away has switched you off and you might as well save your breath.

Always stand in the open, rather than behind a desk. This “exposing yourself” is a sign of confidence in yourself.

Move slowly about the room. Rapid walking around the room unsettles the class and makes them noisy.

If you are using your hands to describe left and right, remember your left is the children’s right.

Consequently you should gesture with the right hand when saying “Left”, and vice versa. One way to think about it is to imagine a large glass screen between you and the class with the image you are describing on it. It is as though you are behind the screen.

If you watch someone who does not use this technique it is very distracting and prevents the class concentrating on the concepts that the teacher is trying to convey.ovo

Ventura
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Life’s a Game; Wear a Helmet (and get a Life Insurance Quote)

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I have written other articles on various types of insurance – I do this mostly as an aid to my chronic insomnia – and this article, Good Reader, is yet another one. Grab your blankie and pillow, and pull up a mattress. It’s insurance time again.

Do I really need to get a life insurance quote? I was just enjoying my nap.

Wouldn’t you like to know what the heartless computer-generated actuarial tables say your life is worth? Wouldn’t you like that dot matrix, dollars and cents version of you? Yeah, okay, me too. Plus, you need to provide for the future, just in case.

You can get a life insurance quote through myriad sources, including the Internet. On the Internet, you can hide behind an anonymous keyboard and mouse, and avoid the high-pressure pitch from Trevor of Mutual Indemnity Life and Casualty Partners Limited, LLC of East Sausage, New Brunswick. But before you can get your life insurance quote, you have to decide what type of life insurance you want or need, as there are several.

Prior to getting a life insurance quote, understand the three most common types of life insurance: Term Life, Whole Life, and Universal Life.

Term Life Insurance
This is a temporary insurance, often purchased in five- or ten-year terms. It tends to be the least expensive of the three, but as such, accrues no cash value. When you stop paying, you have nothing to show for it. It’s like renting as opposed to buying – no equity buildup. Or to put it another way, it’s like paying protection to money Vinnie “Knuckles” Falzone – when you stop paying, you gotta problem, capisce?

Whole Life Insurance
This is a permanent insurance. It provides lifetime protection, but its fixed premium is generally paid for the life of the policy (meaning your life). This type of policy builds up a cash value and can therefore be used like any other asset – as loan collateral, for example. There are however, two types of whole life: participating, and non-participating. Without going into too much detail, participating earns dividends, which ideally, eventually pay the premium for you, and make the policy self-supporting. Non-participating does not pay a dividend, but premium payments may only be due for a fixed number of years. Sticking with the previous analogy, here Vinnie invests your money in a couple of Laundromats, pizzerias, and pawn shops, and gives you a “piece of da pie.”

Universal Life Insurance
This is also a permanent insurance, but it has a flexible premium as well as a flexible death-benefit amount. The amounts depend on how the underlying investments did the previous year. If you buy this type of insurance, you have to be prepared to possibly pay a higher premium on occasion, or have your beneficiary receive less (or more) than was expected. As investments go, it’s relatively low risk. You can look at it as a combination life insurance policy and savings account. In this situation, Vinnie invests your protection money in higher risk deals, like a casino or offshore oil drilling, and requires you to maintain flexibility in your payments. “We need’a extra c-note dis week on account’a dem lowlife inspectors needin’ a little extra palm greasin’.”

Okay, I get how “Vinnie” works. Now am I ready for a life insurance quote?

Why, yes! And as I stated earlier, you can get a life insurance quote from many places. You can Google “life insurance quote” and be shown plenty of options. If you have an insurance agent, or have worked with one in the past that you trust, set up a meeting. He can give you the benefit of his experience with the market, knowledge of specific insurance companies, and understanding of your particular financial situation, to get the best life insurance quote for your needs. Despite what I said earlier about the Internet, working with a financial expert is probably the most sensible approach. Even if his name actually turns out to be Vinnie.

Albert Medinas
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Basic Rock Climbing Gear

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We’ve all seen rock climbers on television or in the movies. Climbing rocks and cliffs take skill and endurance. In case you were thinking about taking up rock climbing, a listing of the necessary equipment is outlined below.

Shoes: You can’t wear your everyday hiking boots to climb a rock. Your shoe should be stiff and fit like a glove. Snug but not too tight. Because comfort is a concern, it’s best not to mail order shoes for rock climbing, you’ll definitely want to try them on first.

Harness: A harness is worn for safety and attaches to a rope so you won’t fall off the rock. Your sales associate will help you find a harness that fits properly, but you’ll want to be sure the harness fits comfortably around your thighs and waist.

Carbiners: These are actually hooks. You’ll use these to attach different items to your harness.

Helmet: This very important piece of rock climbing equipment will protect your head from falling debris. It will also guard you against bumps and bruises if you should happen to bang against a wall. This may in fact, be the most important piece of rock climbing equipment you own. Make sure you try on your helmet prior to purchasing and that it fits comfortably.

Chalk: Rubbed on your hands, chalk will help you grip rocks. Comes in powdered or ball form.

Chalk Bag: Holds chalk and attaches to your harness.

Rope: Rope should be 10 or 11 millimeters in diameter and 50 to 60 meters long and should be able to stretch a bit under tension to protect a climber in the event of a fall.

Belay Device: This is used to hold a climber’s rope. It helps the belayer protect the climber.

If you’re interested in rock climbing but don’t know where to start, be sure to do your research. Not only are there plenty of books available, but there are articles all over the internet. It’s strongly urged that you take lessons with an experienced instructor. If you’re unsure of the proper equipment, your instructor or experienced sales person can help you with this. It’s better to pay extra money to ensure safety than get seriously injured or worse because you don’t know what you’re doing.

James Hunt
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The Radical Sport of Tubing

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What better way to spend a sunny summer day than to go tubing? No, you shouldn’t confuse this water sport for the pipes or hoses that your plumber use when repairing your bathrooms or kitchen sink. Consider this type of tubing as the fun way to look at the word itself

Tubing is also referred to as inner tubing. In some groups, the slang “toobing” is also used to refer to this recreational sport.

Tubing is a water activity that entails a person to ride an inner tube either on water or snow. However, water tubing is considered more popular than snow tubing.

To go water tubing entails a person to ride a tube while a motorboat or a personal watercraft pulls on it. Tubing should be done in a river, a lake or any body of water with a large space for both tubes and motorboat to move around.

The current from the body of water conveys the tube while the high-speed pull from the motorboat gives the person riding the tube that sought after adrenaline rush that keeps tubing enthusiasts going back for more.

The tubes used for tubing are often times inner tubes of tires themselves or inflatable tubes specially designed for this recreational sport. If you are on a budget, some expert tubers commonly suggest looking through a phone book’s yellow pages and contacting some auto repair shops.

Try finding garages and service centers along a highway. More often than not, these establishments cater to trucks for repairs and tire replacement. Truck inner tubes are the best ones to use for tubing because they are large and sturdy enough to carry a full grown man.

Usually, a truck owner does not replace his trucks’ tires individually. More often than not, when a truck comes in for tire replacement, a garage owner ends up with several used truck inner tubes at a time.

If you know your way around and if you get on a garage owner’s good side, you can get these tubes for a very low price. If you are lucky, you may even get enough those inner tubes for free!

However, if you do not fancy tubing in old truck tires, there are specially developed tubes that you can buy on sport shops. These tubes may have built in handles for you to grip on while tubing.

Also, some tubes are crafted to have sleeves made from synthetic fabric to prevent the tubes from getting stretched and elongated while they are being pulled by a motorboat.

Like any recreational sport, tubing on water depends on the season. As already mentioned, it is best to go tubing during the summer and spring seasons when the sun is up and the temperament of the water is generally calm.

However, since tide and weather varies from state to state, it is best to inquire the local water recreational sports shops regarding the best time to go tubing.

It also is best to keep in mind some safety precautions when tubing. Checking local weather conditions is a step in doing so. Bear in mind that tubing before or after a storm can be dangerous because of the unpredictable movement of the water.

If you are just new to tubing, it is best to sign up with a water sport shop to help you go about with your tubing experience. Be sure that the water sport shop that you enlisted to go tubing with knows how to go about this sport. Tubing is a fun and exciting sport but it can be dangerous when not executed properly.

Lastly, it best to know how to swim when you go tubing. While in a tube, it is possible that you may fall in the water and risk the danger of drowning. If you do not know how to swim, have someone who knows how to swim ride on the tube with you. Have a life jacket on too just to be safe.

Now, who would have thought that the word tubing can go way beyond its usual definition?

James Monahan
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Skydive To The End

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A skydive is an activity requiring a person to break his/her free fall from a certain height using a parachute.

This is how skydiving is done:

A group of people called skydivers (these people are professionally trained and should not be imitated under any circumstances, unless a person has undergone the same kind of training) meet to perform a skydiving act.

The skydivers pay a base operator to take them up in the sky on a light cargo plane. To be able to skydive, they would have to jump out of their aircraft into the sky.

A skydiver usually travels at the speed of 12,000 feet or 4000 meters altitude and free falling from the sky. To help them slow down their speed in a safer altitude, they would have to activate their parachute at a certain height.

Once the parachute is open, the thrill of the skydive is almost finish. But then again, at a high altitude, the skydiver still needs to get back safely to the ground without hitting any obstacles like trees, electric post and other tall infrastructures.

The skydiver now is able to control his/her parachutes to his/her preferred direction.

Speculations to the reason why skydivers skydive is because this is the sport or activity closest to us humans, being able to fly at all.

Most skydivers when asked says that in skydiving, they can do pretty much whatever a bird can do on air, except that they can¡¯t fly up. Also, most skydivers feel that to skydive is a kind of addiction from the adrenaline rush that they get from it.

But to skydive is only an aerial activity wherein the skydivers use their body as a flying machine instead of an actual machine itself.

For inexperienced skydivers, the first jump is usually a tandem jump. A tandem jump is to skydive together with an experienced skydiver.

The beginner is usually in front of the professional, while the professional secures the jump exit, maintain freefall position and make sure it is stable and control the parachute in the skydive.

A skydive may seem to be a complex skill but it is actually a basic activity that can be understood even on the first jump. The first skydive is very crucial to all skydiving enthusiasts, here they learn the basics of the skill and learns to overcome their fear of not being able to control the chutes properly.

The four basic skills of a skydive is basic safety, free fall, operating the parachute and safe landing.

Basic safety is really just being able to know how to properly execute a skydive.

This would include checking of your gears, normal exit from the plane, how to react when facing an emergency, how to correctly deploy your parachute, knowing how to handle common malfunction, picking the right landing area and setting up and properly executing a landing

For the free fall maneuvers, skydivers basically need to learn how to maintain a stable skydive experience while they are free falling, belly first from the sky. They must also learn to move or turn while they are free falling all the while maintaining the belly down position.

Parachute deployment may very well be the key to a perfect skydive. Learning to know when and how to deploy your parachute also ensures the safety of the jumper. The practical minimum is about 2,000 feet for advanced skydivers to deploy their parachutes.

A good landing also ensures a safe skydive experience and of course a chance to impress everyone who is watching.

James Monahan
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Why is Safety in NASCAR Still Lagging?

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NASCAR racing is all about speed, adrenaline, checkered flags, and, unfortunatley, accidents and injuries. Its in the news almost on a daily basis nowadays. "Dale Earnhardt Jr. briefly lost consciousness and he hid a significant head injury from his team and NASCAR last year", "Winston Cup driver Jerry Nadeau, critically injured during a crash during practice at Richmond International Raceway", etc... We will discuss what causes these crashes and injuries and what is currently being done to prevent them and why more needs to be done.

The worst injuries result in death and lately their have been numerous basal skull fractures received by drivers like Dale Earnhardt and Adam Petty. Doctors have determined that a helmet harness is a good protective measure to stop some of these injuries. A basal skull fracture can result fro a severe whipping forward motion and/or a sudden abrupt stop - as in Dale Earnhardt's case. A basal skull fracture almost always results in immediate death. Another highly effective measure is shock or crash absorbing walls instead of steel reinforced concrete walls that have zero give - These could have spared Jerry Nadeau from his severe injuries or at least limited them. These walls are now being introduced and installed at several tracks.

NASCAR is over 50 years old. Why does it take a famous death or several to begin safety measures or to take them more seriously? Why is it that our own automobiles have air bags, side airbags, crumple zones, etc... Can't these same devices be reconfigured for NASCAR specs. Air bags have been proven in tests to be highly effective at speeds well over 100 mph. NASCAR drivers deserve more protection than we are currently giving them. The problem is that more attention has been given to advertising, advertisers, and speed. Placement of advertisers stickers on the car were and still are more important than the driver. More money is spent to make sure the different advertisers have their brands clearly displayed on the driver and car than on any safety measures. Some safety measures are thought of as increasing too much weight and are therefor discarded (thicker firewalls, absorbant

Take any other sport - Football, Baseball, basketball - the athletes don't have stickers, or patches with 50 different sponsors all over them. They are actually more concerned about athlete safety over advertising revenue in these sports, not in NASCAR, though. Yes, NASCAR is experiencing a huge winfall in earnings lately, but that cannot bring back the great legends like Dale Earnhardt. There is no problem with sport profits, but lets focus a little more on safety of our athletes. With all the money NASCAR has they should already be installing safety walls at all tracks, not just a few. Lets focus on safety rather than just on advertising dollars. That way we won't be left praying for our drivers outcome after a crash anymore.

David Maillie
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Go Cart Racing for the Long Haul

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In the world of go carting, many participants have embraced the sport competitively, which has resulted in racing events
occurring across the nation at tracks made especially for go cart street racing. Amateurs and seasoned go cart drivers are attracted to the large scale go cart racing events that have become serious competitions. Endurance karting is what many of the go cart races have been dubbed because most of the popular track events consist of long distance races.
Endurance karting is an event where a series of races are held at tracks around the United States, such as those in Florida, North Carolina, Nevada, New Jersey and Connecticut. The events have 90 minute, three hour, four hour, six hour and eight hour races with participants of all ages and experience levels competing. The endurance karting has a system set up to classify the racers by age, weight and experience level. In each race there are several first place prizes awarded because teams from every classification level compete in the races.

This type of racing is said to be a European style. Racers and advocates of endurance karting enjoy it because it mimics the Nascar races. The set up of these long distance, time consuming go cart races is professional grade. Go cart racers have driver changes throughout the race and tedious passing and other driving skills are strategically executed by each team.

Endurance karting events bring in numerous racers, but since the competitions are so long and require driver changes, teams are a must. Avid go carters or those that are members of a go carting club often bring their own team of three or four drivers. If you are new to the sport or just a lone rider, individual racers are welcome and will be appointed to a team.
Street racing go carts has become a hobby of so many because it appeals to a large age range. Go cart racing seems to not discriminate in the audience it attracts. The reason behind the interest in racing go carts is different for each person as well. Some enjoy the thrill and rush of fast races, while others have a taste for the challenge of enduring a long distance competition and working with team members.

There is no doubt that at events such as the endurance karting races, being a participant will introduce you to an
enthusiastic population of go cart racers. Endurance karting events and races like them are successful also for the diversity within them. The events not only host endurance races, they also hold special occasion events to appeal to a more precise audience.

Endurance karting has go cart racing events for families to participate in together. They have also held a women’s go cart racing day where experienced women drivers offered tips and lessons and all women go carters where recognized. The endurance karting challenges are for amateur, semi-pro and professional go cart drivers and each year they hold a championship series for those who follow the trail of racing events around the nation.

Mitch Johnson
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Kayak Accessories.

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First things first you should always consider your safety when packing to go kayaking and this means taking essential survival equipment with you. This is probably most important if you are going sea fishing because the weather can turn in a second and leave you hopeless against the elements; taking the correct kayak accessories with you may be the difference between a tiring slog home and not making it home at all.

A PFD is the most important of kayak accessories.

You should always wear a PFD without exception. A PFD is a Personal Floating Device and you can buy very comfortable ones now that even have storage pockets, so there is absolutely no excuse whatsoever to leave it lying around the bottom of your boat or, worse still, lying around in your garage.

A map and compass. Don’t just take a map, and leave the compass at home or the other way around. No matter how much you know your way around, one is pretty much useless without the other so make sure you pack them both and make sure your map is in a watertight wallet.

Not really kayak accessories but still a very good idea.

In this modern era there is no excuse not to carry your cell phone with you and you can buy watertight cases now so you know you will be able to rely on it if the need arises.

A bilge pump is an invaluable asset to any kayak and should be one of the first kayak accessories around. If the weather does turn or you get caught in the wake of a boat and your kayak overturns or is capsized you really are going to struggle to empty your boat without a pump of some sort. Even watertight areas of your kayak will likely leak water when you sink. The only way back from this is by using a bilge pump. Make sure you have one and make sure that it’s going to float if you need it to.

There are various other types of kayak accessories that you should consider taking with you especially if you are a beginner. Sponsons clipped to the sides of your kayak will hold your kayak relatively still allowing you to get back in should the need arise. Paddle floats can be used to steady yourself and lever your body back into the boat and these are very good kayak accessories to consider taking with you on your next kayak expedition.

Peter Lenkefi
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Bansko Property : When Skiing is Believing!

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How can you NOT think of investing in Bansko property when the area has resplendent mountain views and world class skiing at very reasonable – some would say cheap – costs? While Bansko is a cool place, property here is hot.

So hot the Danish, Swiss, British, Greeks, and Polish are flocking in droves to this skiing resort that is rich in history. And many Europeans are snatching up apartments and chalets that are being built with the highest construction standards that Europe is famous for.

Imagine properties that come with enthralling mountain vistas, spa and resort facilities, pleasant reception areas and lobbies, ski bus shuttle, and many other amenities. Some units are just minutes away from the Gondola.

Did you say bang for the buck? Bansko property won’t disappoint you. At prices almost half of what you would pay for in places like St. Moritz in Switzerland and Val d’Isere in France, it is no wonder why more and more Europeans are turning to properties in Bulgaria for their investment property dollars. The off-plan apartments that are currently being offered for sale – or for rent - make Bansko an investment option that you may want to consider seriously.

Bansko is one of the three most popular skiing resorts in Bulgaria, all of them nestled snugly along the mountain ranges of Rila, Pirin and Rhodopi. Buying Bulgaria property is like buying not only into history and a rich cultural heritage that sparks the imagination, but also the best that the skiing world has to offer. In 2007, a grand resort in Bansko will be completed, and investors will be eager to have a slice of the pie. If you like winter resorts minus the steep dollars that go with it, a ski property might be the ideal investment vehicle for you.

surrinder Ahitan
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Professional Wrestling - How To Participate Or Watch From Afar

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One of the most popular forms of sports entertainment, in the world, is that of wrestling. Attracting the attention of millions of fans, professional wrestling is a combination of successful merchandising and televised events.

World Wrestling Entertainment, also known as WWE, is the major powerhouse in the world of professional wrestling. Athletes aim for stardom as the compete in the sport’s largest organization. A number of wrestling schools, throughout America, train athletes to perfect the art of the sport, the maneuvers and even may help to provide placement for their most talented performers.

Individuals interested in training for professional wrestling may decide to call the organization that they eventually hope to work for, such as WWE, and ask for a list of wrestling schools that they scout. If there is a school that the company endorses, athletes may benefit from attending the recommended wrestling school in order to improve their chances of stardom.

Wrestling training centers can be expensive depending upon the amount of time spent training and the skill level. An amateur wrestler would be likely to spend more on wrestling training than an intermediate or advanced athlete. A series of weight training, workout regimens, diet regimens and actual ring practice can be expected during wrestling training. The schedules are demanding and the tasks exhausting, but training centers offer the best look at what a wrestling lifestyle is all about.

For those who prefer to watch from afar, and not actually be a part of the action, the sidelines are the best seat in the house. Televised tapings are held throughout the country with visits to stadiums and venues in almost every state. In addition, autograph events are frequently held in order to allow fans to meet their favorite wrestling superstars up-close and personal.

Wrestling is a form of sports entertainment like no other. The fanfare, lights, music and outlandish characters make wrestling what it is today. A combination of gymnastic moves, extensive training and dedication are required of all wrestling superstars. At each event, the athletes strive to provide a quality performance and one that fans will enjoy until the last minute. To garner even more excitement, the annual superbowl of wrestling, known as Wrestlemania, is held as a live pay-per-view event each year. A treat for fans and a test of skill to wrestling superstars, Wrestlemania offers some of the wildest, most exciting events of the year.

cristi
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