Wordless Wednesday – Nude Skydiving Playboy Bunnies With Skydive Hawaii

I heard from a friend that some Playboy Bunnies were going to do some nude skydiving with him this month for a show on Playboy TV.

A skydiving Playboy Bunny. Photo courtesy of Sascha Schindler of Sky and Hell Photography

Well this morning they did just that courtesy of Skydive Hawaii!

Photo courtesy of Sascha Schindler of Sky and Hell Photography

I’ve gotten to see some of the cool photos taken but I’ve been told we need to wait to see the “good shots” so to speak!  Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I don’t have Playboy TV so this is the best chance I’ll have to see naked ladies skydiving!

Related articles

• Setting a Tandem Skydiving Altitude Record With Skydive Hawaii… Pictures and Video (damontucker.com)
• More Incredible Footage From Last Weeks Record Breaking Tandem Skydiving Jump… Mike Zagorski’s Clip (damontucker.com)

NASA’s G-III Finishes Hawaii Volcano Radar Study

NASA’s Gulfstream III environmental research aircraft returned to the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., Jan. 14 following an eight-day deployment to Hawaii. Five science flights totaling more than 31 hours allowed scientists to collect radar imaging data about volcanoes intended to help scientists better understand processes occurring under Earth’s surface.

This ground-level photo of the Halema’uma’u Crater of the Kilauea volcano was taken by a member of the NASA JPL / Dryden research team during a day off from the radar imaging missions. Although lava is not flowing from this crater, smoke and steam continue to rise into the air above the caldera. Lava continues to flow from Kilauea's east rift zone, the most active part of Kilauea, as it has since 1983. (NASA / Troy Asher)

The airborne study was conducted from an altitude of 40,000 feet using the Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar, or UAVSAR, developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory mounted in a pod under the aircraft. The study focused on the Kilauea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, the state’s most active volcano, although science data flight lines were flown over nearby volcanoes including Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, Hualalai and Kohala.

NASA research pilot Troy Asher reported that good weather and the reliability of the aircraft and the radar equipment enabled the research team to accomplish virtually all of their planned science data collection flight lines.

“We had one day off, and used that time to do a little touring on the island to see firsthand some of what we were observing from 40,000 feet,” he added.

The UAVSAR uses a technique called interferometry that sends pulses of microwave energy from the sensor on the aircraft to the ground to detect and measure very subtle deformations in Earth’s surface. The radar data collected during the mission will be analyzed over the next few weeks to determine if significant ground movement or deformation is occurring in the active volcanic areas.

The UAVSAR’s first data acquisition over this region took place in January 2010. Assisted by a Platform Precision Autopilot designed by engineers at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center, flights over the volcano were repeated in May 2011. Those two sets of observations successfully imaged the surface deformation caused by the March 2011 fissure eruption in Kilauea’s east rift zone.

Related articles

• NASA Plane Returns to the Big Island to Help Study Voclanoes (damontucker.com)
• NASA Airborne Radar ‘Sees’ Inside Hawaii Volcano (space.com)
• NASA Airborne Mission Maps Remote, Deteriorating Glaciers (yubanet.com)
• NASA continues critical survey of Antarctica’s changing ice (eurekalert.org)
• Astronomy: Ready for boarding – finally (nature.com)

Pahoa Community Comes Out in Support of New Community Park

Tuesday night at the Pahoa Community Center, Councilman Fred Blas and members of the Hawaii County Parks Department discussed plans for the proposed 56 Acre Community Park that will be located in Pahoa.

The Pahoa Community Center was packed with community members

Parks official talked about the plans for the 56 acre park that included three multi-use covered tennis courts.

Park officials show the blueprint to the multi-use tennis courts

Folks talked about how the parks gave their children opportunity to expand and how the Pahoa community badly needed the facility.  In this video, community leader Aunty Maave talks about how much this is needed.

I asked County Council Candidate James Weatherford what he thought of the proposal and he said:

Pahoa and the surrounding Puna communities need recreation facilities that offer well-rounded opportunities —  indoor and outdoor activities, sports and arts, for families young and old and in between.

The proposed indoor playcourts and athletic field fulfill part of that need.

The perimeter trail, the arts and cultural center, and the keiki play area identified as community priorities are also part of that need and must be funded sooner rather than later.

Community members listen to the presentation and testimony

It seemed as though all of the speakers were very much in support of the park, although one resident discussed the concerns that there was no plans for restrooms which brought a silence to the crowd.

Community member Rene Siracusa spoke up in favor of the park

Big Island Police Investigating Attempted Robbery of 14-Year-Old Girl

Big Island police are investigating an attempted robbery Monday night in downtown Hilo.

A 14-year-old girl was reportedly accosted at the Moʻoheau bus terminal between 11:45 p.m. and 11:55 p.m. by a young man who brandished an edged weapon and demanded her purse.

The victim fled without giving up her purse and ran along Kamehameha Avenue until she reached a business and called the police.

The suspect is described as a local or Hispanic male in his early 20s, about 5-foot-4 and 115-120 pounds with a dark complexion, a bald head and a mustache. He had a tattoo on his left neck with cursive letters in a circle and a possible tribal tattoo on his right calf and shin. He was wearing black shorts and a black long-sleeved T-shirt.

Police ask that anyone with information about this case call Detective Wendall Carter at 961-2378 or email him at wcarter@co.hawaii.hi.us.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

19th Anuual Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival

The 19h annual Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival has a full lineup of multi-cultural performing arts, hands-on demonstrations, over 100 crafters, a new quilt show and food booths 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4 at various venues sprawling through town—look for pink banners identifying site locations.

Photo by Bob Fewell

Organized by members of the upcountry community and the county’s department of parks and recreation, the festival marks the blooming of the historic cherry trees at Church Row Park and celebrates the age-old Japanese tradition of hanami, which translates to “cherry blossom viewing party.” After a seasonal winter chill, the trees typically are blooming in February.

This year’s community festival is part of the nationwide 100-year anniversary that marks the 1912 planting of cherry trees along the Potomac River in Washington D.C. The Japan-U.S. Cherry Blossom Centennial celebration features the planting of cherry trees across the nation as a continued symbol of friendship between the two countries.

Photo by Bob Fewell

Using seeds presented from the Embassy of Japan that are especially suited to Hawaii’s climate, seedlings were cultivated last fall for planting at the festival. One seedling, Cerasus jamasakura Cv. Sendaiya, will be ceremoniously planted 10:30 a.m. in Church Row Park by Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi; Yoshihiko Kamo, Consul General of Japan in Honolulu; and Dr. Tetsuo Koyama, director of the Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden,

This year’s festival also commemorates three paniolo: Charles T. Kimura, Charles T. Onaka and Jamie Dowsett. The Big Isle residents will be recognized by Mayor Kenoi during opening festivities on the entertainment stage behind Parker Ranch Center.

Photo by Bob Fewell

The official festival program will be included just prior to the event in the North Hawaii News and also distributed at festival venues. It includes a map with activity locations and details on the many presenting organizations.

Photo by Bob Fewell

Festival parking is available at Parker Ranch Center and the soccer field across Church Row Park. A free shuttle offers transportation among festival venues with stops at Parker Ranch Historic Homes on Hwy. 190, Parker Ranch Center’s back parking lot and Church Row Park. A quick rundown of festival activities at various locations follows (times are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. unless specified otherwise).

Church Row Park

• Historical Cherry Tree Display: Waimea Lions’ Club offers a pictorial history of the cherry trees and serves as the festival’s official Lost and Found station. The Lions will also collect used eyeglasses, offer vision screening and sell pancake breakfast tickets
• Bonsai: The Waimea Bonyu Kai Bonsai Club offers a display and sale of bonsai, ongoing demonstrations and a clinic to discuss and work on the art of bonsai
• Cooking Demos at Kamuela Hongwanji: Big Isle chefs offer cooking demonstrations with free samples
• Japanese Cultural Demos/Entertainment at Kamuela Hongwanji: Enjoy taiko drumming and learn the time-honored art of origami by Kikuko Kibe and furoshiki (gift wrapping cloth)
• Asian Collectibles/Food Sales at Kamuela Hongwanji: Church organizations sell Asian-themed collectibles, cherry blossom note cards, lanterns made from recycled beverage cans, cherry tree seedlings and cherry blossoms in mugs, temple cookbooks. Asian foods: Inari sushi, teriyaki chicken bowl, nishime, manju, andagi and prune mui.
• Cherry Tree Planting: Seedling planted by dignitaries as part of the Japan-U.S. Cherry Blossom

Centennial, 10:30 a.m., Hamakua end of park

• Martial Arts Demonstrations throughout the day
• Food Sales at Imiola Church: Saimin, cherry ice cream and local delicacies

Parker Ranch Center- Hwy. 19

• Festival Entertainment Stage: In the back parking lot. Opening ceremonies at 9 a.m. kick off continuous entertainment until 3 p.m.: Bon Odori Taiko, bon dance, Japanese Preschool presentation, Kumu Hula Michael Pang’s Hula Halau Ka Noeau, Lono Kanakaole Trio, Kenny Endo’s Taiko, Darlene Ahuna, Kuhao Case and Tai Shoji Taiko.
• Craft Fair: Over 100 crafters inside Center and in the back parking lot, cherry tree seedlings for sale in back parking lot
• Mochi Tsuki Pounding: Help pound mochi using 500 pounds of rice with the Kona Hongwanji Mission outside the Fireside Food Court starting 10 a.m.; free samples

Mana Christian Ohana Church – (Formerly Kahilu Town Hall) Behind Parker Ranch Center

• Ka Hui Kapa Apana O Waimea’s Festival of Quilts: Show by six clubs: Sew N Sews of Waikoloa, Anuenue Quilters of North Hawaii, Mauna Kea Quilters, Laulima O Hamakua, Sew Fun After School and the host Ka Hui Kapa Apana. Show honors the late Nancy Donigan and displays the commemorative Aloha Airlines Quilt and sells crafts. Open 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Car Show: Hamakua side of parking lot

Waimea Historic Corner-Hwys. 19/190 intersection

• Firehouse Gallery Art Demos/Exhibition: Waimea Arts Council (WAC) presents a members’ invitational show with a cherry blossom theme. WAC members demonstrate paper, painting and jewelry making, plus sidewalk chalk drawings for all ages, while Waimea Community Theatre presents scenes from the upcoming production, “The Hollow.” Kohala Taco & Burger will sell tacos as a fundraiser for the arts organization.

Parker School-Hwy. 19

• Waimea Town Market/Performing Arts: Farmers Market open 8 a.m.-1 p.m. with calligraphy instruction, on-site stone oven featured fresh-baked bread, artisan products sale and a performance by Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko Hawaii-Kohala at 10 and 11 a.m., plus Okinawan dance.

Parker Ranch Historic Homes-Hwy. 190

• Cultural Demos/Performing Arts/Food: Enjoy ritual Japanese tea ceremony led by Emi Wakayama, the Sakura Ensemble on shakuhachi (bamboo flute) clarinet and piano; plus a display of oriental art and kimonos. Portuguese bean soup, smoked meat bowls and malasadas will be served.

Paniolo Heritage Center at Historic Pukalani Stables-End of Pukalani St. (turn south off Hwy. 19 at Ace Hardware)

• Paniolo Kepani-Hawaii’s Japanese Cowboys: Cowboy breakfast featuring smoked meat omelets and authentic paniolo pancakes 8-10 a.m. for $12 donation, lunch offerings later; talk story sessions by Paniolo Preservation Society featuring Japanese and Hawaiian cultural practices, Japanese cowboy exhibit including master saddlemaker Alvin Kawamoto, display of historic ranching artifacts and photos, and learn to play Japanese card game, Hanafuda, with Milton Yamasaki.

Topstitch-Holomua Center, Kamamalu St.

• Quilt Exhibit: by the Mauna Kea Quilters Guild and Topstich Fabric & Needlecraft. Make It and Take It free activity.

Kamuela Liquors-Hwy. 19

• Sake Tasting: Noon-3 p.m.

Kuhio Hale-Hwy. 19

• Farmer’s Market: More than 20 members of the Hawaiian Homestead Market offer a variety of products 7 a.m.-noon

Ginger Farm- (old Anderson Homestead) MM 55 across from Puu Nani St. on Hwy. 19

• Japanese Home Tour/Tea Tasting/Art Fun: Self-guided tour through traditional Japanese style home; Parker School students serve cherry tea and show keiki how to make a cherry blossom hanging scroll.

The Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival is produced by the Hawaii County Parks and Recreation Department. Overseen by the park’s culture education administrator, Roxcie Waltjen, the festival is a community-wide effort by a dedicated team of volunteers, 961-8706.

Related articles

• Cherry Blossom Festival Honors Three Paniolo (damontucker.com)
• Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival Set For First Saturday in Februrary (damontucker.com)