Whenever you practice, you should spend some time playing with your ball flight. Experiment with all the possibilities. Spin the ball left and right, a little and a lot.

Then make the ball go high and low, a little and a lot. Practice this routine with all of your clubs. As you are able to do more with your ball flight, you will lower your score and have more fun.

Can you see the differing of range and height on the ball? It is important to vary these as he mentioned so it can give you a feel for avoiding traps like trees that can cause your ball to drop faster than you can blink.

Por el momento, el único servicio que ofrecen es la recarga de saldo de comunicación desde importes de 1000 pesos. Un usuario indica el número de teléfono del destinatario, el importe a transferir y su clave personal, y la persona designada recibe ese tiempo de comunicación. La idea parece ser que cualquier usuario pueda convertirse en un revendedor informal de minutos.

Según indican en su web, la plataforma DDDedo permitirá en el futuro realizar otro tipo de operaciones como la compra de productos y servicios, la elaboración de pedidos, el pago de facturas y la transmisión y procesamiento de información en tiempo real (sic).

Habrá que esperar un tiempo hasta ver qué funcionalidades ofrece esta nueva plataforma...

Ich war vor einiger Zeit mit der USI Salzburg Kitesurfen in Lignano (Italien). So gut wie der Herr auf dem Bild bin ich aber noch lange nicht. Trotzdem kann ich es jedem der auf ein wenig Action steht nur empfehlen. Wer das gleich mit einem Urlaub in Rhodos verbinden will der ist bei der Firma meiner USI-Lehrer genau richtig. Die heißt Airtime und hat ein Summercamp dort.

Una mayoría de usuarios de telefonía móvil en la región emplea la modalidad prepago, en la que se dispone de un saldo recargable que se va agotando a medida que se hace uso de la red celular. Normalmente, este proceso se realiza comprando códigos de recarga en agentes y distribuidores, que proporcionan minutos de comunicación en función del dinero pagado por el código.

Es cierto que, en cierta medida, el saldo prepago comparte alguna de las características que definen el dinero electrónico en la legislación europea: almacenamiento en soporte electrónico, emisión ligada a la recepción de fondos de un importe no superior al valor monetario emitido y aceptación como medio de pago por empresas distintas del emisor. Si bien el saldo telefónico sólo cumple estrictamente la primera, los minutos de comunicación equivalen a un valor monetario recibido por el operador, y su uso como medio de pago puede darse en canales informales.

El saldo de telefonía móvil puede emplearse como medio de pago gracias a la facilidad para transferirlo, bien mediante el envío de códigos de recarga a través de una llamada o mensaje corto, bien mediante servicios específicos de transferencia de saldo entre clientes de un mismo operador (un servicio presente en varios países de América Latina). Sin embargo, su uso como moneda electrónica presenta varias limitaciones que lo hacen muy ineficiente:

• El saldo tiene una caducidad (normalmente, entre uno y tres meses desde la fecha de adquisición).
• El saldo no es convertible en efectivo, aunque puede revenderse con una prima negativa, o como minutos de conversación en teléfonos compartidos.
• El saldo de telefonía móvil está gravado por impuestos sobre el valor añadido, además de incorporar el margen de negocio correspondiente a la empresa de telecomunicaciones. Esto implica que cualquier operación financiera realizada con saldo se verá penalizada.

Sumando todos los costes de enviar dinero con este sistema, incluida una hipotética comisión de algún intermediario, pueden llegar a suponer cerca de un 20-25% del valor transferido, lo que da muestra de las condiciones tan desfavorables que está dispuesta a aceptar la población no bancarizada ante la falta de mejores alternativas, tanto en el envío de dinero nacional como en el envío de remesas. Únicamente podría llegar a ser ventajoso enviar remesas en forma de saldo en aquellos casos en los que el receptor vaya a consumir en comunicación móvil el importe enviado .

Originally intending to build a "bat wing" design ski kite, John was instead inspired by a photo of an experimental gliding recovery parachute for Gemini space capsules designed by Francis Rogallo to design a more practical, safer and controllable machine using the combination of a wing with conical sails - like the parachute - but braced by spars, a cable braced "A" frame control frame construction and a pendulum harness system.

These days, of course, the wing that John used is long obsolete thanks to the development of higher performing designs with far superior safety characteristics. If you define "Modern" as "Contemporary", the modern hang glider has come a long way since 1963 thanks to the contributions of many people - with performance in some cases, up to 6 times greater than the primitive wings of the early 1970's.

Hang gliding in various forms, of course, had been around for many years, (see this Wiki entry) with the first arguably successful machines appearing in the 1800's, but the aircraft were usually not simple, safe, cheap or adequately controllable, so it had never become a sport for the masses. Even the Wright Brothers flew their prototype machines as hang gliders, even soaring them on the Kitty Hawk dunes, before attempting to add power.

Entrepreneurial folks like Bill Bennett and Bill Moyes used versions of John Dickenson's ski kites to popularize (and not invent as some web press would have you believe) the hang glider, and they were themselves pivotal in establishing the sport of hang gliding as a popular pastime. Hang gliding was becoming popular in the USA using primitive wings in the late 60's and early 70's - the advanced version originally designed by Dickenson and taken up and flown by the Australian showmen was immediately seen as superior and adopted by these free spirits.

What you see in the skies today - the contemporary "Modern" hang glider, is of course, only historically related to Dickenson's work.

To call today's hang gliders "Dickenson Wings", as johndickenson.net wants us to, may be a nice homage to the man, but in fact the wing type itself was designed and used less successfully by others for hang gliding before John adopted it.

Dickenson wasn't, in fact the original inventor of the wing itself although he may well have reinvented the frame-braced version independently. The rigid frame and delta sail arrangement indisputably existed prior to Dickenson's version, in aircraft like NASA's 1962 Parasev (1964 flight shown at right) and even in Australia, courtesy of the Aerostructures Ski Plane.

The cable-braced triangular control bar had also been used in several earlier designs, such as Dr. George A. Spratt's towed hang glider on floats of 1929. Weight shift, including suspension by harness, had also been used by early glider pilots.

But it was the combination of these things that proved to be the winning formula.

And while many (but not all) contemporary hang gliders still use a wire braced triangular control bar and a weight shift system, there isn't a great deal of resemblance between the contemporary hang glider and the wing of 1963. Even to the untrained public eye, the wings look very different.

So many people over the last 45 years have contributed significant features to the modern (contemporary) flexwing. Some of these features have been extraordinarily important. Companies and individuals (and this is a far from complete list) such as La Mouette, Manta, Highster, UP, Delta Wing Kites, Wills Wing, Seedwings, Enterprise Wings and Moyes have all added innovations that are now standard on the modern high performance hang glider and stand alongside the harness and control bar as essential and visible design elements.

In many ways, the largest design revolution since Dickenson came with the UP Comet in 1980, when UP bought together a large number of innovations from various sources and put them all together in a wing which in many ways is the instantly recognizable forerunner of all modern double-surface flex wings, even to a layman. Yet these wings are not known as Haggard Wings (though for a couple of years afterward many were known, with good cause, as Comet Clones).

The contemporary hang glider wing is the sum of a large number of important inventions some prior, and some subsequent to Dickenson's contribution.

Here's a partial list of subsequent differences between the basic delta "Standard" and more recent flex wing hang gliders.

• Kingpost
• Shaped sail
• Defined aerofoil via rigid battens
• Folding control bar, folding spreaders
• Wing Camber at the nose via keel pocket or shaped keel.
• Wide nose angle, short keel, high aspect ratio
• deflexors (now not used)
• Roached sails (external wing area supported by sail tension and rigid battens)
• Deep keel pocket
• Tip sticks
• Curved tips
• Bowsprit bracing (no crossbar)
• Strut bracing (no lower rigging)
• Double surfaced sail
• Elimination of geometric billow
• Variable Geometry
• Enclosure of the spreader inside the sail
• Luff lines
• Raised hangpoint
• Fully cantilevered spreader (no kingpost)
• Sprogs

Of course there are some "Modern Hang Gliders" that aren't flex wings at all and some which don't even use Johns' control bar or weight shift system.

I fly a Modern Hang Glider myself. The wing itself bears no structural resemblance to the wing John used, but it does use a triangular bar and harness system for control.

John Dickenson made an amazing contribution to hang gliding technology in 1963, and he deserves full credit for his breakthrough design combination of the bi-conical wing, control bar and harness control system resulting in the ski kite/glider that sparked the boom in hang gliding.

Note: This post is closed for comments .

It was interesting to bring a present-focused perspective to the experience. I noticed there were two distinct aspects to the roller coaster experience that created a feeling of excitement for me.

One was my relationship to fear. It worked like this: The "oh my god I'm going to die" feeling would build and climax, followed by a release and a "I'm still alive" kind of joy. The first coaster ride of the day was this kind of experience for me. And I had mixed feelings about it. It left me wondering if I even wanted to go on any others.

But I went on a second one with the intention to let go of the fear. And I had a second kind of experience.

I surrendered to the fear and it dissolved (mostly). And what I experienced was the excitement from the physical experience. The speed, the airtime (the technical term for that weightless feeling you get from a quick up and down -- I prefer to call it "floaty action"), the turns and loops. This physical excitement was less acute than the fear-based version. But much more sustainable, in my opinion. I think this kind of experience would have let me notice and appreciate the nuances of a given coaster had I gone on any of them more than once, instead of each ride just being another blur of terror. :)

I remember hearing or reading somewhere that fear and excitement are very similar physiologically. And the main difference between the two is the mental interpretation or spin we give the experience. Yesterday's great Great Adventure adventure showed me how easy it is to surrender to a scary situation and appreciate it instead. The next step is for me to apply this lesson to the more common fears that I experience day to day.

If we use the 1990's as a reference point (and all of you radio pros from that era will back me up on this) the landscape of talk radio has most definitely changed from then until now.  In the 90's the average time allotted for a guest interview was anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes and most of the interviews took place in-studio.

Today if you want to find a 45 to 60 minute pr interview you have to focus on smaller markets (and/or smaller stations in big markets).  Why?  It all comes down to format.  Today, the format for guest interviews in top markets can be as short as 3 to 5 minutes and as long as 10-15 minutes.  So the same major market talk show that used to have one guest per hour will now how 3-5 guests in one hour!  Which is a big change in terms of your pr opportunities!

Also, say goodbye to in-studio interviews.  Most hosts today don't want guests coming to the studio. Now with shorter interviews, having to meet and greet an in-studio guest can be an unnecessary distraction, not only for the hosts but for other employees at the station as well.   And, where quality of sound used to be a factor, we've seen enough technological advances in equipment that phone interviews now sound far superior to those of the earlier days.

Ok, so things have changed.  But it isn't necessarily for the worst. Any opportunity to be a guest on a radio show is an opportunity you want to take advantage of - regardless of the amount of airtime, the size of the market or the power of the radio station!

For years I have told my clients about the power of radio, and have watched many campaigns produce fantastic results. Here are just a few helpful tips I share with my clients about the value of talk radio and how to maximize these opportunities to connect with their audience.

Work With However Many Minutes You Have on the Air!

Be careful not to fall into the negative mindset about short interviews.  Even if your interview only lasts say 10 minutes, these are 10 very valuable minutes of airtime, just learn how to maximize it!

* Develop those Sound Bites.  If you only have 10 minutes to talk about your book, product or service you just need to develop your message so that it's concise and will grab the audience's attention.  The secret for doing this is to make every word count in being able to communicate your message.

*  Know Your Message and Stay On it.  Figure out what your key message is and stick with it!  You don't have time to be thrown off topic by the host or caller.  When that happens, your job is to briefly acknowledge what was said and bring the conversation back to your message.  It can be done as politely as, "yes that's a good point, but"(the rest of your answer would be your message).  This kind of response allows you to keep your manners in so that the host doesn't feel like you've ignored his comment, but at the same time, you're in control of the communication and able to get your point across.

*  Know the Host and the Show.  If the show is simulcast on the internet, take the time to listen to it before your interview.  This will allow you to get a feel for the overall tone of the show and host and how he or she communicates with guests and callers.  It will also give you a feel for the pace of the show. Then when it comes time for your interview, you'll know what's expected of you as a guest and you'll be able to stay in stride.  I promise you, the host will appreciate that you're keeping the same pace and tone as he or she is!  The benefit to you?  The more the host likes you the more inclined they will be to promote your book, product or service for you!

Bottom line?  Advertisers pay hundreds of dollars for a single minute of time on the air.  So, a 10 minute interview is very valuable and can be worth thousands of dollars in advertising time!

Only Want a Long Interview?  Ditch the Major Markets!

If you only want longer interviews, then look to smaller markets.  If you are not sold on the benefits of these seemingly lesser markets, let me share some terrific facts about these rough diamonds:

*Get Your Feet Wet:  Interviews in smaller markets give you the opportunity to gain experience as a radio guest providing terrific insight as to the workings and rhythm of talk radio.

* Fine Tune: Knowing your message and knowing the right way to communicate it are two different things.  These interviews allow you to test your messages and identify which ones resonate best with the host and listeners.

* Question Time:   As a standard rule in talk radio, you always want to provide hosts with sample questions to ask you as the host won't always have the time or discipline to study your topic prior to speaking with you.  But, after doing a number of small market interviews you'll know which questions present the best opportunity for communicating your message and keeping listeners tuned into the show!

* ....and a higher concentration of listeners!

Yes, it's true. In smaller markets, there just aren't as many stations to choose from as in the larger markets.  So, what's the benefit of this for you?  Well, simply put, less choice of stations means listeners aren't able to do as much channel surfing.  Think about it: in Gainesville, Florida there are 3 stations that have a talk show format whereas in San Francisco, California there are 10.  So even though the population in Gainesville is minute compared to the population of SF - it's very feasible to have a larger audience listening to your interview in Gainesville, than the one you conduct in San Francisco.  It's the channel surfing factor at play.

In smaller markets listeners have less choice of talk stations to listen to and so they tend to have favorite stations and hosts they often view as a trusted advisor or friend.  So being on a small market show with dedicated listeners and a host who endorses your book, product or service, can be far more impacting on your sales.

Not In-studio? Not a Problem!

With in-studio interviews you have to:

* Schedule time off from work;

* Be away from your family;

* Spend time and money on travel (planes, trains and automobiles...remember?)

* Incur cost of hotels and meals while on the road.

And what if you arrive at the station and there's hot, late breaking news and the show cancels or the interview goes short?  Yikes!  There goes your time and money down the drain.  What a waste!

Radio phone interviews are so much more beneficial for you.  Travelling isn't necessary! Time of day is no longer an issue.  For example, if you have an interview on a popular overnight show, you can still do it, but from the comfort of your bed!  Just imagine, talking to people all over the country while lounging in your pajamas!

And what about those interviews during office hours?  Are you a busy executive?  You can integrate radio phone interviews into your work-day, around client meetings, staff briefings or in-between those important reports you're on deadline to get done.  You can even coordinate radio interviews when you're traveling on business.  We've had clients conduct live interviews from airports and even abroad on an overseas business trip!

Yes, in-studio interviews are great for establishing camaraderie between you and the host but that same camaraderie can be created with phone interviews.  It just requires that you become more adept at your communication skills so that your ability to have a quality communication isn't hindered simply because the person isn't sitting in front of you!

The Take Away...

Even though the face of radio has changed, in many ways it has leaned toward your advantage.  By using these tips, you can take make the most of the fantastic exposure that this medium can provide.

Band Websites

Don Dokken - Solitary (2008) - $25: I'm not going to lie, I'm a big time Dokken fan and I also like Don's solo album UP FROM THE ASHES (1990). I read a quick note online that Don was selling his new solo record exclusively on tour and at his website.....for a limited time. The download was $10 so I figured the actual disc would be around $15. I was wrong! $20 plus $5 shipping all through Don's website & Paypal.

Ebay

W.A.S.P. - Dominator (2007) - $11: I finally picked this album up after much debate. I've been listening to W.A.S.P. since the debut back in '84 but the last two albums (Neon God Pts. 1 & 2) didn't really excite me. Actually, I thought they were horrible. The price was right on the auction and the $11 I spent includes the shipping charge. The problem? It's a Russian pressing. I'll make it quick on Russian pressings: they are official releases for sale in that area only, they are usually sold cheaper due to the country's economics and many Ebay dealers buy up the Russian pressings and sell them for double profit on Ebay. The Russian subsidiary was listed in the auction but I didn't realize it until the auction ended. Everything looks good and the CD sounds fine but I would prefer to stay away from these pressings as they are bootlegged often and easily.

Akira Kajiyama & Joe Lynn Turner - Fire Without Flame (2006) - $7: Joe Lynn Turner always gets involved in excellent projects and taking over the vocals for a collaboration with Japanese guitarist Akira Kajiyama was a no brainer. They had worked with each other previously on many JLT solo projects. This was rated really high on many Best of 2006 lists and it's Joe Lynn Turner, one of the best Rock singers ever. The price was a true bargain at $7 from the same seller that I got the W.A.S.P. CD from, problem is it was another Russian pressing. Same situation as the other auction, buyer beware, but the CD seems perfectly fine.

Sunstorm (featuring Joe Lynn Turner) - s/t (2006) - $11: One of the top Melodic Rock albums of 2006 featuring "Mr. Smooth" himself on lead vocals, Joe Lynn Turner. I'm in a JLT zone right now because I can't get enough of his last solo record, SECOND HAND LIFE (2007), and Rainbow. This album has been on my Want List for a couple years and I finally found a copy at a decent price. The problem? Another Russian pressing. Again, my fault because the subsidiary label was listed in the auction.....but it was hard to find.

Lillian Axe - Fields Of Yesterday (1999) - $8.50: I picked this up because I needed to finish off my Lillian Axe collection. This is the original 1999 pressing, it has been reissued recently by the same label, Z Records, with a couple of bonus tracks. I went for the original release because I read that the reissue is also remastered, I wanted to hear it like I should have in '99. The price was also half what I could find the reissue for.

Heavy Load - Death Or Glory (1982) - $17.75: This is one of those rarities I had to have. Heavy Load is from Sweden and plays an early '80s style of Power Metal that is very good. The vinyl usually goes for big money and the CDs are hard to come by. I happened to get this Japanese pressing from a seller in the U.S. and I was the only bidder! The last time I saw a Heavy Load disc was back around '98 in a record store import section for $30.

Night Sun - Mournin' (1972) - $33.75: This is a rare piece of early '70s forgotten Metal. I've been getting into a lot of early to mid '70s obscure Metal and Night Sun has been on my list for a long time. This is the lost CD and I still haven't found it. Hopefully it will turn up at some point but I've checked the house, garage, cars and trash.....nothing.

Record Convention

Star Star - The Love Drag Years (1992) - $6: I went to my firs record/music convention last month and I was hoping to pick up some obscure Metal. Unfortunately there wasn't much to choose from but I did find this Sleaze/Glam/Punk album by Star Star. Brand new sealed for $9, I offered $5, compromised at $6.

Newbury Comics

Airtime - Liberty Manifesto (2007) - $18: Rik Emmett decided to Rock out once again and has released this new project with Mike Shotton (Von Groove). Unfortunately, the Triumph reunion details have kept this release under the radar but I heard the previews and it's solid Melodic Hard Rock. Paid a little bit more at the store than online but I wanted it right away.

Nightwish - Dark Passion Play (2007) - $15: Nightwish have always been one of those bands that I always wanted to check out but I never really gave them the time. I dig female fronted bands like Tristania, Lacuna Coil, Lana Lane, The Gathering, Benedictum and Epica so I figured that I should try some Nightwish now that they have a new singer. I re-listened to WISHMASTER (2000) the other day and I remembered why I keep wanting to dive deeper into the band's discography.

Lou Gramm - Ready Or Not (1987) - $5 used: I dig me some Foreigner and I like AOR so this Lou Gramm solo album was a nice find for five bucks. The single 'Midnight Blue' is worth the fiver alone! I hadn't seen this album in a long time and, all of a sudden, there were about 6 copies in the used bin. If you can get by the lighter fare from latter day Foreigner, then you can appreciate Lou Gramm solo.

Raging Slab - s/t (1989) - $6 used: I saw this collecting dust in the used bin and I wasn't sure I had it. I remember having the cassette way back when but I wasn't sure if I had replaced it on CD. Called the wife from the record store and had her check upstairs in the music room. Nope, not there! I hadn't heard 'Don't Dog Me' in a long time and I like Southern Hard Rock. Kind of the same situation as Lou Gramm: old disc, good price, good single.

Fair Warning - Live And More (1998) - $7 used: I got into Fair Warning in 2000 when they released FOUR but I haven't really paid much attention since. FOUR is a good Melodic Rock album but it's a little lite, maybe that's why I haven't explored more Fair Warning albums. This one was cheap for a 2 disc set and I figured it was a good way to check out some of the back catalog.

Scorpions - Animal Magnetism (1980) - $7 used: Finally! After waiting and waiting, I finally found ANIMAL MAGNETISM at a price I was willing to pay. $7 isn't bad at all for a classic record and an original pressing. This also takes another off my WANTED list. The only problem with this album is that I'll have to skip 'The Zoo' even though it's a classic tune, it just gets overplayed so much!

Quiet Riot - The Randy Rhoads Years (1993) - $6 used: I already have QUIET RIOT I (1977) and QUIET RIOT II (1978) so I've got the pre-METAL HEALTH era covered. This album has a few unreleased tracks and some remastered songs from the first two albums so it's essential to completing the band's discography. This is the only missing piece to my QR puzzle and I got it for a really great price.

Epica - The Divine Conspiracy (2007) - $7 used: Like I mentioned before, I like female fronted bands like Lacuna Coil, Lana Lane, and Nightwish so picking up Epica's latest album for a mere seven bucks was an easy purchase. I was actually going to pick this up brand new for $15 but I happened to notice that the used Metal section being re-stocked at the same time.....and there was the used copy! Someone had just traded it in!

U.D.O. - Mastercutor (2007) - $7 used: I've always been a huge Accept/U.D.O. fan and I have almost every release by both bands, there's a couple that have eluded me. Anyway, I wanted the European limited edition with the two extra songs but I never found it. The limited edition is on Ebay for $25 but I've been putting it off. I couldn't pass up the U.S. release at such a great price and I finally get to enjoy an album that has been out almost a year.

Fight K5 - The War Of Words Demos - $14: I've been putting this CD off for a while, mostly because I had missed the initial sale price of $9.99 when it first came out. I kept my eye on this disc over the last few weeks and it actually came down in price from $16.99! I figured I wouldn't find it for less and I was sick of waiting. The original Fight release was brilliant, any doubts I had about Rob Halford continuing Metal life after leaving Judas Priest were erased.

Tarja - My Winter Storm (CD + DVD) (2008) - $15: I'm not sure why I wanted this album so badly but I did. Same thing with the latest Nightwish, I think it was just time to give in and try this music out. I'd read a lot of reviews and they were all very good, I heard some online samples and liked what I heard so the decision to buy was made. A couple of weeks before the U.S. release, I saw this album at the store as an import for $30.....I passed. When it was released officially in the States, I compared the European import to the U.S. version: there was no difference at all. Both were an oversized digipak, both has the CD and DVD, both had the same tracklisting. Not sure what was so special about the Euro version 2 weeks prior but I was glad to get this at a more reasonable price.

Snoopy's "cardboard Sopwith Camel" effort hardly qualified as a flight but looked good.

For every Snoopy, there has to be a Red Baron. Unfortunately, as he leapt, the tail clipped the edge of the platform and he plunged headfirst into the murky Yarra.

The flying wing below was a serious entry, but was too flexible (look at the warped leading edge) and the pilot had no idea how to launch or fly it. The same problem crops up on most of these machines - they have difficulty getting the angle of attack for the run correct. Half the problem is that the wing gives no cues as to what angle is right. A hint, guys. Get some trial runs in first, and make a small widget that hangs from the nose that must be kept on the horizon and horizontal for the takeoff run.

Fancy dress is worth a few points, and this "sea monster" guy jumped well.

And the Englishman in a "phantom of the opera" mask, coolie hat and diaphanous wings fell elegantly.

Which is more than you can say about the "flying saucer man" whose costume turned out to have some hidden dangers, and it's a good thing he was not trapped in it. In the water it became a big "water bag" that was almost impossible to haul out of the river by the the retrieval crew once it filled.

Another serious entry with launch problems. He came of the ramp far too slowly.

Picture below: The guys on the platform lifted the whole wing and threw it and a girl lying on top of it off the edge. It looked and was dangerous, as she landed on top of the wing - it was a very sudden stop.

This primitive bamboo and plastic rogallo actually glided a little - like a high performance brick.

Take one stuffed pink unicorn and a loony and what do you get? A splash.

But there has to be a winner, and this guy has won it 3 years in a row. Not a great takeoff, as he had the nose too high on the takeoff run, but it flew 18 metres from the 4m launch.

(Pulsa means cellular airtime and/or Love. Both are not free).

Many of us have felt the thrill of a stolen kiss. Forbidden. Foreboding. Irresistible. Often this translates into a kind of affection we mistakenly call love, which for me does not exist.

For if love exists in the realms of truth why do we always run out of pulsa?

Recharging ad infinitum is an expensive affair, what with all the wining, dining and chatting over the ether; and then the finale of happy endings. I’ve been there and done that ad nauseam: The sorrows of parting are like an arrow through the heart that hurts every time I laugh.

Pulsa in Bali bears no affiliation to etiquette or common sense. Everything is done in the moment like POP cup noodles...a little warm water and it’s ready to eat. No hopes or plans for the future. The Now is omnipresent. Haven’t you observed people glued to their phones sending and receiving messages in trance like postures their fingers dancing across the keys: penetrating syllables, sweet exchanges or inane prattle that add up to a whole world of instant gratification. But the price per message thins the user’s wallet and dilutes the spontaneity of life that dwells within us.

For habitual offenders who are routinely out of pulsa it agitates their friends and brings them to grief over the long silences to messages that they send to the former. Words become the subterfuge. Sometimes it is horribly misconstrued. Then when the offender recharges and sends a flurry of messages back it reassures the others that all is well. The rhythm of life is temporarily restored.

I have often wondered as to the co relation between love and pulsa. Love if it exists is an eternal intrinsic feeling of giving without even a fleeting expectation of reward whilst pulsa is in our hands to recharge at our choosing. Of course in both instances the common denominator is money that keeps alive the endless pillow talk that surfs the ether waves and on the sheets that balances the figures. In spite of this, love unlike pulsa cannot be charged electronically.

Many of us are familiar with the saying, “No money, no Honey”.
I think the Kuta Cowboys have got it right with their refrain, “No Honey, no money!”

I really don’t know where this is leading to but humour me for a little while longer, please?

I arrived on this isle many moons ago when the air was heavy with perspiring bodies and my favourite drink was not in short supply...vodka on the rocks just like my personal life then. I didn’t care. It all evened out when my pulsa was charged and I could walk confidently into a restaurant knowing fully well I could pluck the cherries off the urbanites blossoming around the tables.

Co-habitation in paradise has its pitfalls. For instance, with the arrival of unplanned additions to the household, pulsa is spent on things that inevitably defer happy endings or at least numbs it. One soon gets bored with the daily chores. Words like “I don’t love you anymore” become the rule rather than the exception. If my definition of love is correct then how can one unlove a person? Can we ask for a refund of prepaid unspent pulsa from a service provider?

Our Sim cards like our hearts have expiry dates. Depending upon the service provider or person’s intentions, recharging before the expiry date is advisable especially when pulsa is at its nadir. A suggested form of escapism in the event pulsa runs out is to refrain from recharging and letting it expire naturally. That way there will be less question and answer sessions. And if the person is apparently in “love” with you, your phone will pulsate to your favourite ringing tone in due course when patience gives way to passion.

I have a friend, who has this obsession with replying to all messages immediately regardless of where she is or what she is doing, which includes driving. Even in meetings and family dinners she despatches words of infinite madness peppered with phrases that prompt a reply. Believe you me sometimes this goes on for a long time. Fortunately for her, pulsa never seems to run out as the bill is presented on a monthly basis. Lesser mortals like us need to prepay and akin to our hopes we rely on the change we carry in our pockets!

“I just called to say I love you” – this gooey syrupy song that sticks to the palate was a huge hit in the last century. MTV telecast this song by Stevie Wonder, who swayed from side to side like a pendulum with a phone in his hand. Oh those were the days my friends before mobile phones. However, it is relevant today when one considers the big picture…cell phones and cellulose lost in a vice like grip.

Have you seen Marilyn Monroe in the film Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, or something to like that. In the end my comrades in alms (!) its money for everything and chicks are not free, with apologises of course to Dire Straits and to all those wonderful people who fulfil our lives with wits, apathy, viscosity, insecurity and that four-letter word called Work.

I must sign off now, as my pulsa is running out. But before we are disconnected here’s a quicky for all those incorrigible romantics riding the ether waves looking for the ultimate pulsa. Do read this lament by William Blake:

It is not that I love you less
Then when before your feet I lay
But to prevent the sad increase
Of hopeless love, I keep away

If you can show me that love exists, dear Bali Times readers…
I will take you down the path to eternal pulsa.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om

Donna's a pretty site, sitting 3150ft above Warburton in the Yarra Valley. The launch is a expanded mesh ramp and a deep slot in the trees that you have to launch into and fly out of.
If there had been any wind to speak of, it wouldn't have been so bad, but the day was mild with only a breath of a breeze. Since you can't fly a floater hang glider at Donna because the landing area is so far away (you'd land short in fields belonging to unsympathetic farmers), I took the ATOS. This would be the first time I would do an inland footlaunch and landing with this glider. To do so in nil wind conditions at a whole new site was an added level of stress.
Steve Norman and I set up our ATOS’s by the side of the road, deeming it too difficult to manhandle them down from the normal setup area. This meant scrabbling about in some long grass, and I managed to pick up a couple of leeches, and bled copiously when they were removed.
Like me, Steve hadn’t flown Donna before, but he was impatient and launched first. His flight showed that there was lift about, but very light and not extending much if any above hill height. As he hung about in the valley, two flex wings launched, and then I took to the ramp.
After a hard run, I dived off the ramp and zoomed out of the slot. I found light lift on the hill, but it was very poor; I eventually headed out over the valley, finding lift over the landing field and taking it back to takeoff altitude.
Eventually everyone (about 8 gliders) launched, and we all milled about in the valley for an hour or so.
My landing was good, but I spoilt it by not properly running it out properly and subsequently dropped the bar.
Of course, then we had to go retrieve the 2 cars that had been left at the top of the hill, which took another hour. Then an hour and a half drive home.
Donna’s a lot of fun, but the logistics of getting there, getting to the top, waiting for the right wind, risking not catching a thermal and the long turnaround all remind me of why I turned to nanolights!

I've given the flying muscles a severe workout this weekend.

On Saturday, Ms Canada and I tripped down to Flinders to catch the coastal sea breeze.   Initially looking a bit doubtful with the wind off to the southwest, I set up the Fun and took off for an hour of cruising the  eastern section of the bowl.  A nice landing and lunch on the beach and I pack up as the wind slowly swings to the south.

Back at takeoff, I set up the ATOS rigid wing and launch.  The conditions become good, then excellent, with heights of 600ft and flying the coast many kilometers to the west past Cairns Bay.

3-1/2 hours this day.

Sunday was a late start, but I headed off alone to the Dynamic Flight Park out past Ballarat.  It was quiet, with three visiting Finns being launched by car tow.  I set up the nanotrike on the ATOS and launched. landing 3 hours later after climbs to 5000 ft and some excursions toward Lexton.

By the time I got home (at about 8pm) I was very stiff indeed!

It's been a while since my soaring trike has seen any airtime. There were some cobwebs on the exhaust! I needed some thermals.

I'd been looking at the weather forecast all week, and for days the long range view said "fine and light winds" on Friday 26th . Which is of course, a public holiday.Of course, I get up early on Friday and the latest forecast is less encouraging. "Light winds turning west-southwest and strengthening". But it's the only day of the weekend that might even possibly be flyable!

On the road then, to Locksley bright and early. There's no wind to speak of as I drive, but a bit of high cloud. When I arrive, there's a light westerly; a bit worrying so early. But I set up anyhow. By the time I'm ready, it's a tad stronger.

I launch at about 11:30am and climb-cruise out to 1km from the field where I contact light lift. It's disorganised. I can't get established. Too early perhaps? I spend 1/2 hour bumbling about, at one stage climbing to 2000 ft, but decide to go back, refuel (as I launched with only 1/3 tank) and see if things improve. Back at the field the windsock is showing more wind. My landing is rough and difficult; I have to land diagonal to the runway because of the crosswind.

I rest for a while and have some lunch. There's a sailplane being dragged out to be winched up, so I refuel and then push the trike out to the end of the strip to save fuel. I watch the sailplane get towed up. He works a little lift for a few minutes, which is encouraging, but then he comes back and lands. It's 1pm and things should be working. The sailplane lines up again and launches. I move to the flight line and take off as soon as he's clear.

As I lift off I see the sailplane coming back on downwind leg to land already, and he's really, really low. I find out why - there's massive sink all over the strip area. By the time I overfly the winch, I'm still at less than 200ft! Rather than continue on over trees, I turn early and head at right angles to the strip and quickly exit the down air.

There's more lift now, and I actually get the chance to kill the engine. But every time I get to about 2500ft, it gets really, really rough and the thermal gets torn apart. I know what's happening. There's a strong westerly up there above an inversion and it's ripping the thermals apart at the interface.

I bang my head against this barrier again and again. This is ceasing to be fun, and it's scary. Clouds begin to form at about 3-4000ft. Obviously some of the stronger thermals are getting through the inversion. But these clouds show streamers and raggedness. The wind is tearing them apart too.

An hour of this is enough. I land. The wind in the teardown area has picked up substantially . I can hear it roaring through the trees. I decide that that's my limit. I pack up.

A sailplane launches. He finds a thermal and climbs away, but he's drifting downwind at a great rate. Too strong for me though.

So, back on the road. Days like this are frustrating.