blueshrew

When I was in high school, all the girls used to drool over the swim team and water polo guys. Oh, those backs .

Yeah, you theoretically would go if you're a guy, but there are a lot of things that can make you not have to go. You can do civil service instead. I know a guy who's coaching RW as his civil service. Basically, if you don't want to go, you won't. But now, I got one. College and University is tuition free. So even if you have no money (and no way to pay off student loans in the future), you can still choose to go. Oh, and the carry beer/wine in a brown bag thing, too (Is that really true, or just a rumor?).

Never heard of any issues of freedom of speech or politics. But anytime I saw Americans around Berlin they were wide eyed at everything you could do here. Hmmm... maybe that's just Berlin... It always seems to me that only Americans would say that the freest country is US. But seriously, everyone I've known that lived in both countries agreed on that. Maybe it is also the limits "society" puts on you in the US. I'll ask some friends and get back to you. But on the reverse, why do you think the US has more freedom than Germany or the Netherlands?

Not Germany and Netherlands hate the US. Germany and Netherland have more freedom than the US. Rrread, man, read

Germany and the Netherlands to name just two.

If that were true, the US wouldn't be the target of their "hate". There are a bunch of other countries that have more freedom. Besides, apart from say 3 countries in the Middle East, all your claims would bring anyone living there to hysterical laughing. Anyway, I'd say it has more to do with the US playing police when it has an economical gain. But actually, I think the percentage of people who "hate" the US down there, is equal to that in any other country, but you just hear about the fundamentalists and see them as the general rule, when in fact they probably don't even amount to 0.001%.

6 piercings, 5 in my earlobes and one in my belly button

I used a pack of kleenex. If that can injure someone, then physics has gone mad.

There are a few posts and photos by billvon and DiverDriver in General Skydiving Discussions.

At the DZ where I did AFF, you got grounded for the day to think about your behaviour if you did something unsafe. I think no matter how experienced you were that was the case. When I look at the difference in bahaviour the people there have to other DZ's I've been to, it is obvious what advantage that has for my DZ. Those people ARE safer, and more aware of everyone else in the sky with them.

I would definitely recommend a Sabre2. When I was looking for my first canopy I tried out different things, and loved the Sabre2 right away. You can fly and land it easily as a newbie, and it can still give you a relatively decent swoop while landing straight. edit: I went with the size PD recommends for a novice on that canopy, so you can check the table to see what size would be best for you.

If New Year's Eve was for couples there would be no parties. Parties are for everyone to celebrate TOGETHER, not in twos. Are you Americans only friendly with words? Go kiss everyone you know at midnight, and call it New Year friendly If it's a good party, no one will remeber anything anyway

I think 1% is a LOT. This means that around 2.5 to 3 Million people jumped?? We're talking 1 in 100. That can't be right, can it?

I agree with Gawain, we are all connected by the same thing, but that doesn't mean we all have to like each other beyond the norm. I must say, that I have never really seen some of the stuff I read about here in any of the DZs I've been to. The way I've experienced it is, you hang out with the people you like, you're friendly to the people you don't, but you don't try to make them feel bad because you don't like them. That would be sort of bullying and the ones doing it most definitely have a self-esteem problem. I've never really seen anyone not get along ok, because they didn't like each other. And if you get into a heated debate in the first place, you should know better that holding a grudge after it is over. As for the gossiping, oh well who cares. It's USUALLY the more obvious people that get the gossip. MOST of the time it's out of jealousy. I think those people couldn't care less, as they will know they needn't worry about it much. I try not to gossip, and if I do it's always with one and the same person that will not relay it. But I do love hearing gossip, but not to hold something against someone. It's just the burden of the community I grew up in, where every one knows everyone else, and every one knows what everyone else is doing; and hell, it's fun

BS in computer science, almost done with my MS.

Ok Skymama, now I'm dying to know what happened. I bet I'm not the only one (hope nothing bad, though)

That wasn't toggles with the blurred head, toggles is the tiny thing hanging to the mother's (Lilly, with the blurry head) belly But I have the same problem as everyone, student, living in an appartment. So my two dogs, and now their baby are living with my parents, and I only get to see them about once or twice a year But next time is in two weeks, yay

A tiny black German Shepheard. See in all my excitement, I forgot to ask male or female

Yay, I got a dog, I got a new dog!!! My dog had a baby, and I can't wait to get home for Christmas to see it.

Hi Michele, second attempt: first a reply: Israel was declared a state, but it was created "on top" of another state (this is not a point I care to be pro or contra at the moment, so take it as it is, which is what happened). It has been battling forever, but have you ever seen it lose any land? so much for fighting for its existence. But I do see your point. And if you are of that opinion, then I would be surprised it you were not of the opinion that Palestinians also are fighting for their existence. At this point in time, both fighting parties are plain WRONG to do so, at this point, there is no bad/good anymore. There are "normal" people of both races/religions that do get along, but they are not as interesting for the media, I suppose. Apart from the "war regions", people in Israel seem to be seeing it on the news, like anyone sitting in another country. Don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about. Seen them, talked to them, seen that they disapprove of the violence. I am talking about both Jewish and Palestinian Israeli citizens living among other places in Eilat e.g. I am of the opinion that the only valid argument in this case would be to support the Quartet, and hope that this will finally bring peace. Now the explanation: You have yourself said, that you haven't heard holocaust survivers complain to YOU. Those are probably what I would classify as real Jews, maybe the choice of words here was misleading. My point was, which I wrote in a previous post: at some point you have to move on. I never said that it is bad or anything but fair that they received the lot, but at some point, and I think we are there now, the world DOES understand and have respect. I as a woman do not still have to stand up for myself, because I am a woman, that fight is history, I stand as a person. I have not known one person to seriously judge me because I'm a woman, and there is not one thing or right I was denied because I am woman. I laugh at the super emances, because they spend more time arguing their rights than actually taking them. So my point in the end is, that I think that fight is also over (and Israel is a totally different issue now), but when will it stop being an issue we get worked up on?

Try sticking to the context of my post (or reading more of them), and not extracting a whole different meaning to it, then I will reply. The US BTW unfortunately is not the only country that has suffered a terrorsit attack in the last year or so. To unlucky: Yeees, it is so convenient to say things like: you have sympathy with terrorists, or you're just jealous, or something as rediculous, when you don't agree with someone, and don't really know how else to reply.

I am not quoting your post this time, as the length is getting ridiculous. -I don't think you believe that the US is the only state that was violently attacked in i the last 60 years. -The troops that are being sent to the Iraqi border are not MFOs. The UN team HAS been approved. And you did just answer my previous post about why there is still a decision of war (remember the oil thing?). -My point was (in regard to Jewish compensations): They have gotten loads in that respect, which I didn't say is wrong, or that one can ever compensate another one for what happened. But they have not been the only one mistreated in the past, and as you have said in reagrard to something else, there is a point where anyone will have to move on. Whatever race, nationality or religion. -You DO only see the Jewish Israeli side of events, as I gather from your post. The Palestinian Israeli side seems to only reach Europe. Can you honestly believe that a tank firing a bomb will not kill 10 times (probably more) more civilians than terrorists. It is not just one event involved, but just about every event. There ARE terrorists on both sides, whether one side is dressed as soldiers or not. And it is obviously easy to hide things in the US, too. If you're ever near or in Israel, you might meet "normal" Jewish as well as Palestinian Israelis. Ask them. both. -Again, I say, look at the maps. If the Jewish regions have multiplied, in which way would the pushing be going? -The US is involved in the 'Quartet', but I would not exactly say that it is the driving force behind it. -Tequila it is then Anyhting but beer, whisky and cachaca.

Hi Michele, by whining, I mean that they are still complaining about WW2. half a century later. after they were given a state that was just created like that. after getting loads of compensations, apologies, memorials, and god knows what else. But maybe my point may be misunderstood. I have nothing against Jews as Jews, and I should add that I was not talking about the majority, but the obvious and loud speaking part. But I do have something against the Jews that use their Judaism as a means of gaining power, money or whatever else they want to gain by that. I think probably a real Jew would not act that way, same as a real Moslem for instance wouldn't commit acts of terrorism. It is just the ones that make the headlines that catch our attention the most, and about whom we seem to generalize. I do have something against people who use and abuse anything they can by claiming a certain identity. And I do have something against terorrists. And so my statement was not clear, for that I appolagize. Hope that was clear and not even more confusing.

Nitpicky it is, as is repointing out that 1896 is the 19th century, which is 2 centuries ago I should ask you to do the same, i.e. try to understand the point behind a statement, and not put it in another context. If I delete part of the post, it is for length, as you also do, which is in the end ok, so I don't bicker about it. By right of law the president has 90 days before he must ask the legislative leadership for a declaraion of war in which to act or re-act as the case may have it. That also is nitpicky, note that I have said "wether they have informed, etc.". There are US troops surrounding Iraq, there were fighter planes in action. That for me is a war. The context was: I did not come across one person supporting the decision of the US war against Iraq, but the remotely related statement was: "well they did help us out with the Nazis, so we are in debt and so should help them out now." How about that for taking a thing out of it's context? When every nation, business (Bayer etc,etc) owns up. If you survived the time around holocaust when you were just born, you would be somewhere around 50 by now, and all you will know about it will be of someone's stories. So the people who were affected by slavery are not the mass of Jewish people still alive. The holocaust may have left orphans or relatives. But I have never heard of a descendant of a slave or orphan of another race or religion demanding compensation so loudly (correct me if I'm wrong). Nope, terrorist attack civillians, like the Palestininas do, Israel is sending forces to capture the ones who would do so, please view earlier post. That doesn't surprise me in the least, that that's what you were led to believe. Small children and babies would fall under the terrorist category then, I suppose. People who were murdered because the wrong house was hit, or because it's better to bomb that house, just in case a terrorist is inside. The horrors are slowly reaching Europe, and people are starting to see through the lies. It is very easy to hide the enemy's suffering and only show that of your friends'. Both sides have terrorists, but also "normal" people. I have met several Jewish and Palestinian Israeli citizens over the past few years, including this year. Both were of that opinion. There is even a group of Jewish women who call themselves Women in Black, that stand in the streets to protest for that cause once a week. The Israeli govt IS a very conservative one, which does fall under the religiously extremist/fanatic imho. That doesn't necessarily reflect the opinions of the Jewish Israelis. Does that matter at that point? If they were "thrown into the sea", the UN would have stepped in. The boundaries were broken several times. Jewish Israel is now way, and I mean way larger that it was when it was first devided. I ws under the impression that there already were pretty strict lines, but one side, does not like them. Pick a fight, loose, deal with it Wrong impression. Well at least in the effect that those lines weren't pushed over and over again. If there were clear lines, it probably wouldn't have come to what it has today. There is an effort being made to recreate a state Palestine. Israel is supposed to get devided to form a new Israel and a new Palestine. Just some German Foreign exchange students back in 1998 at my University who were extremely surprised by the lack of information that they had been handed growing up No one really You can't force lazy scholars to be good in a school subject. That has nothing to do with whether it is taught. Does Ancient Egypt qualify But I don't like beer anyway

You are confusing war with terrorism. And you are confusing a bunch of terrorists with whole nations. In fact, you seem pretty confused overall. I would like to know where I said I knew YOU, and where the post was that showed you some past experience beyond my knowledge. I do appreciate informed opinions and discussions, but your post conveys neither. Sorry if that sounds unfriendly, but the post just sound very immature and naive. Like something I would have written when I was 15.