jumpnrandy

UPDATE!! Thanks to everyone for their kind and encouraging replies. This morning, August 16, 2005 I helped Sammie cross the "Rainbow Bridge" and he now runs again with the puppies. Just a few months shy of 16, Sammie lost control of his front legs and could no longer walk. I spent the last days carrying him where he needed and holding him tight while sleeping with him on the floor at night. I know I did the right thing by putting him down, but, DAMN, I feel like a real SHIT BAG right now. As I posted in April, Sammie has my loving friend for 15 years. He has been with me longer than I've been skydiving and longer than any one Woman in my Life! Those of you who have either stayed at the house or seen Sammie at a DZ know what a majestic creature he was and how you were always greeted with a friendly smile. GOD! My heart is broken.

Your gear safe? MY gear safe? Hit me on the Nextel. Randy

Here is some of the scoop on digital cameras. First, look for the highest megapixel rating in your price range. As a general rule, higher megapixels means higher cost. This is the most important feature and directly effects picture quality. Here is a Guide: 1-megapixel cameras produce images that are good for use on the web or in email. You usually find these cameras integrated with other electronics, such as wireless phones, PDAs, web cams and digital camcorders. 2-megapixel cameras provide significantly better pictures and you can print 4" x 6" pictures that are comparable to good 35mm film cameras. 3-megapixel models provide superb prints up to 5" x 7" and are well suited for serious amateur or business use, especially when close-up shots and enlargements are needed. 4-megapixel cameras deliver professional-looking results in all standard print sizes and are even suitable for prints up to 8" x 10". Cameras with 5.0 or more megapixels provide extremely high-quality images. Professional photographers use cameras of this caliber. Images can be enlarged significantly. Optical vs. digital zoom Unlike just about everything else digital, this is one case where digital is not better. A little digital zooming is just fine, but too much will cause your picture to look grainy and "pixelated." So why would anyone choose a digital zoom? The simple answer is that digital zoom costs less than optical and digital zoom is better than not having any zoom. Optical zoom works just like the zoom lenses in film cameras and may use multiple lenses and motors to create the perfect picture. Obviously, the more advanced and powerful the zoom, the more expensive it will be, but a powerful optical zoom gives you more control and better results on your prints. Next is memory. If the camera comes with any type of memory card, it will very small in capacity. Be sure to get another memory card for the camera you choose with at least 128 mb. Here is a case for larger is better (512 mb or 1 Gig) but as always, it comes with a price. Most digital cameras are fully automatic and simple to use. But just as with film cameras, some better digital cameras give the advanced user manual options for shutter speed, focus, speed shooting, backlighting and a host of other features. These cameras meet the requirements of skydiving will generally put you into the SLR Digital Cameras. These look and act just like a standard 35mm camera and use separate lenses. Unfortunately, they are on the higher end of the price range. I hope this helps with some of your questions. Good Luck with the search. Let me know if I can help. Randy

14 out of 15 YEEEEE HAWWWWW!!!!!! All this time in North Georgia has paid off after all. Randy

My elderly Samoyed (Silver Sammie) is getting close to having to be put down. GOD, I hate this. My loving friend for 15 years. Longer than I've been skydiving. Longer than any one Woman in my Life! His hips are failing. He can't get up on his own anymore. Sometimes I have to hold him while he does his duties. He does not appear to be in pain and this is confirmed by the Vet. Yet, there seems to me (at least) a dignity issue. I'll do anything to help him out. Getting him up and hold him is not a problem. In all my years, I've never had to put one of my animals down. How do you know when to say when. I don't want to proceed too soon and likewise, I don't want to hold on too long. Sammie deserves the best. This is a real difficult time right now. Thanks for your imput. Randy

Not always the case. I am an agent in the State of Georgia. There are many variables that need to be looked into. A good agent will work with you. Perhaps you are ok now as is. Maybe you will need to purchase a rider for your existing policy. You may have to change companies and get a new policy. It can be done and happens all the time. Agents can and do get sued for "errors and omissions" very similar to doctor malpractice. An example of this would be the agent just telling you no (when in fact you are). So you cancel the policy because you are not covered (so you think but you really are). You die w/o insurance skydiving (although you would have been covered all along having been given the right information). Friends and neighbors, that’s a lawsuit I want to avoid. BTW, I read these insurance posts all the time and the issue is always life. While life insurance is a necessary product, jumpers often do not take advantage of Short Term or Long Term Disability Insurance. Let me tell you, there are things in life Worse Than Dead. Trust me, you are at far greater risk of getting fucked up while skydiving than ending up dead from skydiving. Blue Skies, Safe Swoops Randy

http://gprime.net/flash.php/postingandyou

*** Be careful Randy you'll upset Mike to the G. Don't you realize that this is skydiving and you can't joke around about other dropzones!! Man! What were you thinking??!! Quote No Kidding Kerry, I must have been feeling too much love after Dublin. And to think that last night (Sunday) after the Dublin boogie, Carol and I are having dinner with Hans, Jack Cohn, and Eric Johnson. Mike to the G. is cool. He won't be upset by me joking around a bit.

*** Would that be, Alabama Skydive Center or augusta skydiving center or ashville skydive center or arkansas skydive center or Alaska skydive center or skydive nashville or skydive chatanooga or knoxville skydiving center or skydive birmingham or skydive montgomery , the web directions are so confusing as to how to get there. Must be sponsored by 800-skyride. Quote Hey, if the directions are correct, you are only 20 minutes away. It could be sponsored by "Little Mamma's Whore House" but at $12.50 its a deal. Oh Please, someone FLAME my ass! Randy

Going to DUBLIN. Been priming my liver all week in preperation. edit for drunk typing

Carol and I are loading up the truck now to leave early AM Thursday. Be there by lunch. HEY SCOTTY, since I can't get CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE how about a burger for lunch. Someone should start a "Pissing and Moaning" thread for all the poor bastards that can't or aren't coming to DUBLIN. This shit is going to be awesome. Se ya in the late morning. Randy

Also dont forget that this is also a Race Weekend and traffic will be HORRIBLE south of Atlanta!! Amen Brother, I just hope the knuckle head DOT folks don't close the interstate down to one lane like last year.

Here is your dinner menu folks Quote I love you guys and I am a bit confused. Thursday, March 17 is St. Patrick's Day and we are in DUBLIN GA yet there is no traditional St. Patrick's Day fare. Chicken Scampi w/ Angle Hair Pasta sounds great any other time but its St. Patrick's Day in Dublin. How about some Corned Beef and Cabbage with Spence providing GREEN BEER! Party on everyone, only a few days to go. Randy

Carol and I are leaving Atlanta Thursday morning but it will be after the morning rush. We have to go right by the airport so its no big deal if you can hang out till 10am or so. Lots of room in the Surburban. PM me. Randy

Chris, The last time I can think of is in '97. That was at the original SkydiveDive Atlanta in Ellijay, GA. Its fun to jump but takes a LONG time to get to allitude. RC edit for spelling

We can do that. Oh yeah, we can do that. If I can have PINK hair for the Nationals in Perris, I sure can have GREEN hair for the boogie. Also, I was thinking of volunteering for the dunk tank. How about, "Sink the Fat Bastard". Plus, using my sick and famous humor, I'm sure I can encourage everyone to purchase more balls to toss at me. Oh, BTW, the dubbing equipment is available for anyone to use. Can't wait to be there.

Hey David, I guess I must officially check in. I will be there flying video, of course with your approval, for the GSL Meet and the GA Record Attempt. I am a team player. Not looking to make any money. Only want cost covered, which Chris and I have talked about. I will bring, with Spences' asking, my dubbing equipment to include mixing board (data video) VCR and TV. Some of this equipment may be usefull for the GSL Meet. I could bring a CPU as well for DVD burning Digital Stills etc. Hope that is ok with you. Randy Cooke

Quotegood thing i have a good zooooom lens..... We may need different lenses. skinnyshrek is talking about the oldies hanging out at Spences camper while freeflynNicki says soap will be dropped. Well friends and neighbors, if that happens together were gonna need WIDE ANGLE

Ok Ok Ok I'll be there. Call off the REAPER!

Judy, Judy, Judy, I never said that it did. Please read the post agian. Panties in a knot are not a good thing. In with the good air out with the bad. May you fine peace, love and altitude. Randy

QuoteUnfortunately I've only been able to go out of state once since this issue has come up, but it was to a large boogie with people from around the nation so I got a pretty good sampling there in Florida. A lot of people are not happy.Quote Hey Dave, You don't remember me but that is ok. I was at Collegiates and Z-Hills over the holidays. You got it now, right there beside you all the time. Even camped out and hung out by the fire. BTW, got some GREAT shots of your accuracy landings during the comp if you want them. Anyway, please consider that many of the "upset" people in Florida you spoke with during Collegiates and Z-Hills boogie are many of the same 144 who have posted to this never ending thread. That is sort of like a double sampling. Dave, I'm glad you understand the term "Standing". Since none of your copyrighted material was stolen, you have no “Standing” or right to be a part of any legal proceeding related to that non stolen material. This is the same mantra for many of the other posters involved. There are however, some involved in this thread that have "Standing" and they should seek legal remedy. The others, of course, have the right to keep bitching forever and FOREVER, but, perhaps this energy is better spent fighting against animal cruelty, Appalachian poverty, the homeless and tsunami victims.

QuoteAs about a dozen single post posters have done so far, you’ve completely missed the point. IMHO, a lot of people are missing several points considering there are 36,421 registered users to dz.com and 144 of them have posted in this never ending thread. That is .00395% of dz.com users with their panties in a knot over Skyride. Now, what could the other 36,277 fine folks on dz.com possibly be thinking? Are they all that ignorant to the fact that Skyride exists? Have they been so terribly misinformed of the issue of Skyride and the plight of .00395% of the dz.com membership? Or, could it possibly be that a good majority of these 99.996% registered users of dz.com just don’t give a shit.

***hey randy, is there a cat tossing event? MeoWWWWWW!!!!! Sure, we can set one up. It will be fun. The only thing I need to do is make a cut away cable for the door of the cat carier. See you this weekend. Randy

i partied with cary this weekend, even talked a little about this thread.. that doesnt make anything right though. Gee Mark, A whole bunch of Georgia Skydivers Partied with Cary this past weekend. I'm glad you took the responsibility to be the official dz.com spokesperson/information officer. Hope to see you at the farm Saturday night. Trying to make it to both parties. Randy

I heard something about them having a swoop pond now, can anyone confirm this? Yes, the pond is complete. Its Great! Being that it is now a long walk from the new landing area, they always have someone out there in a vehicle to bring you back. These guys/girls have done a hell of a lot of work to get things going again. Be sure you visit them if you are in the area. Randy