I just thought I’d let everyone know that we booked two trips to Pensacola, Florida today.  We will be diving with Scuba Shack Pensacola, aboard their custom designed dive vessel, the Wet Dream.  Both trips will feature Saturday boat charters to the Gigantic Wreck of the USS Oriskany, the largest intentionally sunk artificial reef in the world.  Sunday charters will be to popular Pensacola dive sites like the Russian Freighter and the Pete Tide.  Use the links below to check out the details of each of the trips.

July 12-13, 2008 - Pensacola, Florida

September 6-7, 2008 - Pensacola, Florida

Brad Ellis

When we began planning for the new DiveSports.com website, we needed to find the most feature-rich software platform. The result of our search landed us with Volusion, one of the premier e-commerce software providers in the country. Volusion is rapidly becoming one of the standard bearers in the industry, a standard against which all other e-commerce programs are measured.

About two weeks ago, Michelle Greer from Volusion contacted us about being the subject of a profile feature for the Volusion blog. This blog is followed by many people in the e-commerce business, because of the insightful information about selling online. We provided Michelle with answers to a number of questions about our business. Yesterday, she published the feature profile of Dive Sports on the Volusion blog. For those interested, you can read the profile by using the link below.

Dive Sports Profile on Volusion Blog

I would like to thank Michelle and Volusion for this focus on Dive Sports. I hope all of the readers of the divesportsblog enjoy it. Thank you again.

Phil Ellis

Save on Discount Scuba Gear at DiveSports.com

Yesterday, the President of the United States posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to Master-at-Arms Second Class Michael A. Monsoor, United States Navy. It doesn’t much matter what we think of the war, the depth and dedication to our individual politics, the conduct of our elected officials, or the wisdom of intervention in other places in the world. What matters most is that all Americans, and people from countries all over the world, get the benefits of the service of people like Master-at-Arms Second Class Michael A. Monsoor. When we think of the terms bravery, service, dedication, and honor, we should think about this sailor and all like him who stand up so that we can all stand up. With tears in his eyes, the President of the United States presented the official Citation to the parents of Master-at-Arms Second Class Michael A. Monsoor, in his honor. The text of the official Citation is shown below.

 

FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY AS AUTOMATIC WEAPONS GUNNER FOR NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE TASK GROUP ARABIAN PENINSULA, IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM ON 29 SEPTEMBER 2006. AS A MEMBER OF A COMBINED SEAL AND IRAQI ARMY SNIPER OVERWATCH ELEMENT, TASKED WITH PROVIDING EARLY WARNING AND STAND-OFF PROTECTION FROM A ROOFTOP IN AN INSURGENT HELD SECTOR OF AR RAMADI, IRAQ, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF BY HIS EXCEPTIONAL BRAVERY IN THE FACE OF GRAVE DANGER. IN THE EARLY MORNING, INSURGENTS PREPARED TO EXECUTE A COORDINATED ATTACK BY RECONNOITERING THE AREA AROUND THE ELEMENT’S POSITION. ELEMENT SNIPERS THWARTED THE ENEMY’S INITIAL ATTEMPT BY ELIMINATING TWO INSURGENTS. THE ENEMY CONTINUED TO ASSAULT THE ELEMENT, ENGAGING THEM WITH A ROCKET-PROPELLED GRENADE AND SMALL ARMS FIRE. AS ENEMY ACTIVITY INCREASED, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR TOOK POSITION WITH HIS MACHINE GUN BETWEEN TWO TEAMMATES ON AN OUTCROPPING OF THE ROOF. WHILE THE SEALS VIGILANTLY WATCHED FOR ENEMY ACTIVITY, AN INSURGENT THREW A HAND GRENADE FROM AN UNSEEN LOCATION, WHICH BOUNCED OFF PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR’S CHEST AND LANDED IN FRONT OF HIM. ALTHOUGH ONLY HE COULD HAVE ESCAPED THE BLAST, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR CHOSE INSTEAD TO PROTECT HIS TEAMMATES. INSTANTLY AND WITHOUT REGARD FOR HIS OWN SAFETY, HE THREW HIMSELF ONTO THE GRENADE TO ABSORB THE FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION WITH HIS BODY, SAVING THE LIVES OF HIS TWO TEAMMATES. BY HIS UNDAUNTED COURAGE, FIGHTING SPIRIT, AND UNWAVERING DEVOTION TO DUTY IN THE FACE OF CERTAIN DEATH, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR GALLANTLY GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY, THEREBY REFLECTING GREAT CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND UPHOLDING THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.

SIGNED GEORGE W. BUSH

Wow. How lucky we are.

Phil Ellis

Today is the traditional day of foolishness, practical jokes, and pranks on friends and relatives. Today is April Fools Day. Every year, when April 1 arrives, I begin the day by planning to learn how we came to consider April 1 as April Fools Day. I have access to lots of internet capability, but for some reason, I have never searched for the origin of this day. Well, today, I actually sat down at my computer and began a search. Guess what? There is no real answer to the question of how today became the day of the year for trickery and pranks. Lots of theories abound and there are a number of claims, but no definite answer.

I am apparently not the only one asking the question about how this day came to be. The answer is apparently so important that Yvette Best, a staff writer for NationNews, the largest newspaper in Barbados, actually wrote an article giving an explanation for this day.

The History of All Fools’ Day
Published on: 4/1/08 on www.nationnews.com

by YVETTE BEST

BE CAREFUL with whatever you do today; someone might very well be playing a trick on you!

Today is April 1, commonly known as All Fools’ Day, and while there are no specific traditions associated with the day here in Barbados, it has become the norm for people to fall prey to a few pranks. These tricks usually involve prank calls, silly jokes, being sent on false errands and leading people into believing that their shoelaces are undone or that something is on their face. Whatever the prank, the trickster invariably yells “April Fool!”.

Research has shown that there is no first April Fool’s Day that can be pinpointed on the calendar, but it is believed the day evolved in different cultures around the world, from celebrations involving the first day of spring.

The All Fools’ Day tradition is believed to have started in 1582 in France. Due to a change in the calendar under Charles IX, when the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, New Year’s Day was moved from April 1 to January 1. According to one account, news of this change traveled by foot and many people did not receive the news for several years. Some of those who got the information refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the new year on April 1. Those people were listed as “fools” by the general populace and were subject to ridicule and often sent on “fools’ errands”, or were made the brunt of practical jokes.

The tradition spread to England and Scotland in the 18th century and later to American colonies of the English and French. It is celebrated for two days in Scotland, with the second day devoted to pranks involving the posterior region of the body. It is called the
Taily Day. The origin of the “kick me” sign can be traced to this observance.

Over in Mexico, April Fool’s Day is actually observed on December 28. What was originally a day to remember children slaughtered by King Herod, evolved into a lighter commemoration involving pranks and trickery.

Well, I have already noticed that the jokesters are out on several of my favorite chat boards, I already have a prank email from a customer demanding a refund on everything he has ever purchased, and I expect more before the day ends. Regardless of how this day came to be, everyone sure seems to enjoy it. So, play a joke on me. I am an easy target.

Happy April Fools Day

Phil Ellis

Low Prices are No Joke at DiveSports.com

Just as a joke, I tried changing the date of this article to November 2, 1976, but WordPress wouldn’t let me. I guess the folks at WordPress don’t celebrate April Fools Day. Oh well.