September 2, 2010 - David Finnern - Underwater Treasure Hunting
David Finnern has spent over 35 years searching for and writing about shipwrecks, sunken planes and submerged ruins.
And he has found numerous sunken treasures along the way, including gold, silver, diamonds, rubies, emeralds and artifacts.
He'll take us on the adventure of underwater treasure hunting.
September 9, 2010 - Ladies Night Michelle Westmoreland - Headhunt Revisited
On a foggy day in March 1926, two intrepid women, portrait artist Caroline Mytinger and her close friend Margaret Warner, set out from San Francisco on a four-year journey to the South Pacific.
With little more than $400, a few art supplies, and a trunk of clothing--including a pith helmet and pearls--they
made their way for about a year on freighters and missionary boats to the mysterious islands and coastal areas of
Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, known then as the "land of headhunters."
Their objective was to document the existing cultural traditions that were fast disappearing under the influence of western expansion.
Their medium was portraiture--oil painting, and sketching--and their method was nothing short of madness.
In 2005, two equally intrepid women re-traced this journey, and documented existing cultural traditions with modern, digital photography equipment.
Michele Westmorland and Karen Huntt, photographers and writers from Seattle, encountered many of the same mysteries, such as sorcerers and witchcraft,
stinging ants and big furry spiders, babies in bags and an island of skulls.
But most importantly, in the process of re-kindling the spirit of the original expedition, they found living descendants of Caroline's portrait subjects, and a resurgence of cultural pride.
They also witnessed a rich natural environment under threat from logging and industrial fishing.
Join Michelle Westmoreland as she shares their journey and discover the mysterious beauty, resurgent cultural traditions, and the rich natural heritage of this region and its people.
Michele Westmorland and Karen Huntt have worked since 2002 researching the life of Caroline Mytinger, planning their own expedition, and developing content for this project.
Inspired by Caroline's journey in the late 1920s, they pieced together the life of this extraordinary woman, re-discovered her original art, and re-visited many of the same locales in Spring, 2005.
For eight weeks they traveled from village to village by boat, accompanied by a team of filmmakers, historians, and anthropologists.
A book, documentary, and traveling exhibit are planned based on their discoveries.
September 16, 2010 - M. L. (Roy) Martin - Test Pilot
Roy Martin is Chief Test Pilot at Northrop Grumman Corporation, Aerospace Systems.
He has over 10,000 flight hours and more than 40 years experience flying over 70 aircraft types including the F-4 and F-5 fighters,
T-38 trainer, C-141 transport, E-3A AWACS, Sabreliner, Lear Jet, and Gulfstream G-2 aircraft.
Mr. Martin was formerly a regular officer in the US Air Force, where he flew over 200 combat missions in Southeast Asia in the F-4 aircraft.
Following combat duty, he served as an F-5 instructor training foreign military pilots.
In 1976 he graduated from the US Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base as a Distinguished Graduate.
Mr. Martin served as a military test pilot for six years at Edwards AFB, working on various projects including E-3A AWACS flight tests, F-5 spin tests,
Air Launch Cruise Missile development tests, Space Shuttle simulator handling qualities evaluations, HAVE IDEA special projects, and as an instructor test pilot at the USAF Test Pilot School.
From 1982 to 1998, Mr. Martin was an active participant in the US Air Force Reserves.
He performed duty as a C-141 transport pilot and as Reserve T-38 Instructor Pilot and Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Commandant of the USAF Test Pilot School.
He retired from the USAF Reserves in 1998 with the rank of Colonel.
In 1982, Mr. Martin joined Northrop as an Engineering Test Pilot.
He has participated in F-5, F-20, QF-86, and TSSAM flight test projects and was backup test pilot for the YF-23.
He continues as the project test pilot and instructor pilot for numerousT-38 and F-5 upgrade projects, Cessna 206 and 208 experimental testbed projects, and Gulfstream GII experimental testbed projects.
Mr Martin is an Authorized FAA Instructor in the T-38 and F-5 aircraft.
n addition, Mr Martin has participated as an Air Vehicle Operator of Unmanned Air Vehicles to include TSSAM cruise missile tests and X-47A development flight tests.
Mr. Martin currently manages the flying activities and fulfills the duties of Chief Test Pilot for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Western Region’s flight test programs.
Mr. Martin received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Aerospace Engineering (Cum Laude) from Parks College of St. Louis University and Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University.
He is a Fellow, and past President, of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and a former member of the National Flight Test Technical Committee of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
He is a current member of the Air Force Association and the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association.
September 23, 2010 - Ramona Cox - The Burning Man Festival
The Burning Man Festival - Black Rock Desert, NV
"Trying to explain what Burning Man is to someone who has never been to the event is a bit like trying to explain what a particular color looks like to someone who is blind."
The Burning Man festival is a week-long event where 45,000 people gather in the barren lands of the Black Rock Desert and express themselves through their art and creativity.
Since 1996, Ramona Cox (aka Skychick) has flown her aircraft and landed on the desert to attend the Burning Man Festival.
Using a series of photos and video clips, Ramona will cover the history of the event and attempt to explain its nature and purpose.
Many people who have not attended have heard "rumors" of what it is and inevitably, those rumors came from the preconceived idea of another person who has also never attended.
Anything and everything can and DOES happen at Burning Man and Ramona’s slideshow will covers ALL aspects of the fun, frivolity and spirituality of the event.
Come with an open mind and be ready for a mind-blowing experience as you will never see anything even remotely close this experience anywhere in the world.
River of Gold, directed and photographed by Robert H. I. Silver, will be at the heart of this presentation.
Join us as Bob shares his adventures while filming in the remote jungles of Ecuador and along the Amazon River in a modern quest for a fortune in gold.
This mobile discovery operation included the use of two WWII amphibious landing crafts which were re-fitted for this exploration.
On a foggy day in March 1926, two intrepid women, portrait artist Caroline Mytinger and her close friend Margaret Warner, set out from San Francisco on a four-year journey to the South Pacific.
With little more than $400, a few art supplies, and a trunk of clothing--including a pith helmet and pearls--they
made their way for about a year on freighters and missionary boats to the mysterious islands and coastal areas of
Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, known then as the "land of headhunters."
Their objective was to document the existing cultural traditions that were fast disappearing under the influence of western expansion.
Their medium was portraiture--oil painting, and sketching--and their method was nothing short of madness.
"Trying to explain what Burning Man is to someone who has never been to the event is a bit like trying to explain what a particular color looks like to someone who is blind."
The Burning Man festival is a week-long event where 45,000 people gather in the barren lands of the Black Rock Desert and express themselves through their art and creativity.
River of Gold, directed and photographed by Robert H. I. Silver, will be at the heart of this presentation.
