As the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico grows ever more catastrophic, it can be hard to truly grasp the scope of this disaster amidst all the rapidly changing numbers and apocalyptic predictions. It wasn’t until I visited If It Was My Home – Visualizing the BP Oil Spill (http://www.ifitwasmyhome.com/) that I could get my head around the mind-blowing size of the spill.

Warning: this may be you.

For example, this is the size of the spill compared to my current residence on the island of Oahu in Hawaii:

Try to imagine that entire area covered in an oily sludge….

...like this poor guy here.

I’ve included more screenshots comparing the oil spill to other places around the world.

Be sure to visit http://www.ifitwasmyhome.com to track the spread of the spill.

» Read more of BP Oil Spill vs. The World «

This is why they won’t let me work in advertising… my twisted take on a Hardee’s commercial:

I’ll let Special Ed explain…

Less than two weeks! Yaaaaaay!

Given that I’ve been gallivanting around the United States for the last two months, I’ve had a harder time coming up with relevant updates about my life on Roatan. Therefore, it’s come time for me to reevaluate the purpose of TheScubaGeek.com and implement some long-outstanding revisions to the site.

Changes are coming. I’m currently working on an updated layout and structure for the site along with a bevy of new content. The updates will be slowly rolled out over the next two months, but for now here’s a sneak peak at what is under development:

• More Scuba. Dive site reviews, professional tips to improve your diving, fish facts, industry news, and more.
• More Geek. Web design advice, code samples, Photoshop tricks, and general geek talk.
• More Interaction. Improved blog discussion, more pictures and videos, and better maps.
• More Rum. Rum reviews, drink mixing guides, and rum-based recipes.
• More Roatan. How to get there, where to stay, what to do, and how to make the most of your trip.
• More Tales. True stories past and present of my life as a scuba diving instructor.

As 2010 approaches, keep your eyes on TheScubaGeek.com to catch these new updates as they are unveiled!

I’m leaving Roatan in six days.

Don’t worry, it’s not because something is wrong with this place! I LOVE ROATAN! It’s just that after nearly five years of working here, I need a break this rainy season to see other parts of the world.

Believe it or not, life on a tiny Caribbean island can occasionally become stressful. It’s during these stressful times that I like to return to the United States and remind myself how fortunate I am to live in paradise. Therefore, I’m taking off on a walk-about up the eastern seaboard to see friends, explore a bit, and hopefully ride out the rain.

Meanwhile, I’m going to continue to update TheScubaGeek.com with local news and nostalgic stories of some of my crazier experiences living on the rock. I’m also going to continue to develop the TiREngine so that it’s ready to roll when I return to Roatan. So don’t worry, this site won’t dry up with content. If nothing else, the high-speed internet should make it easier to make TheScubaGeek.com as amazing as I’ve always envisioned.

Life, as always, is “exciting”: the next six days will consist of me teaching a PADI Wreck Specialty class, writing a huge article about Roatan, waching sunsets, investigating a murder case, drinking lots of rum, packing my bags, and leaving. Please forgive me if there’s a brief silence on the site over the next week… I have a lot to do!