sinker

Tonto: Mass murderer? You've got to be kidding. Did he MAKE people who were at high risk of having HIV/AIDS have sex? He didn't force ANYONE not to use a condom. It's amazing to me that people like you will vilify someone like the Pope when so much of the rest of the world recognizes and acknowledges what a brilliant and heroic man he was. I know he was because I KNEW HIM. I met him, had a private Mass with him, spoke with him, kissed his ring, read his books, heard him preach. (Please, no rude comments about sexual abuse here). Yes, he condemned the use of condoms and other forms of birth control. But he ALSO condemned pre-marital and extra-marital sex. He taught, more than any other Pope (and probably more than any other person) that sex was to be reserved for the marital relationship, to foster union between the spouses and to beget children. (NOTE: He did NOT say that sex was ONLY to conceive, and that engaging in the marital act even when conception was not likely, i.e. during menses or phase III of the woman's cycle, was a VERY GOOD THING!) Do you honestly think that the people who spread HIV/AIDS through promiscuity (either through pre or extra marital sex) were listening to the Pope about NOT using condoms and then NOT listening to the Pope about their illicit sexual practices? Give me a break. If they obeyed the Pope only on one thing and not on the other, that is not HIS fault. Again, he didn't MAKE anyone do anything. Each person has free will and the ability to make choices for themselves. What I have said is true, unless of course you buy into the lie that one's sexual behavior is compulsory and one does not have the ability to control him/herself. If you believe that, well, there's not much more to talk about now, is there... As for the issue of Colorado hospitals, I know I'm going to get flamed up the wazoo on this one (but I don't care, it's not like I post here much anymore), but "emergency contraception" ISN'T medical treatment! "Emergency contraception" isn't even contraception. The morning after pill and similar "treatments" are abortifacients. IF they work, it's only b/c conception has already occurred. Pregnancy is NOT a medical condition! If you don't think abortion is wrong, then this poses no problem. No, Catholic institutions ARE obligated to provide medical care for any trauma, physical and emotional, that comes from rape. Also, since a woman who was raped has an increased risk of contracting an STD, a Catholic facility can and should do what it can to prevent contraction, including flushing out the woman in order to try and wash away any semen. Yes, this may prevent conception. However, the INTENT is to prevent an STD. If this seems like a double standard, it isn't. It's the proper application of the Principle of Double Effect, which, briefly stated, says that an action that has both a good and evil effect can be done under certain conditions. I won't go into it here, this is already getting wordy. It's something that can easily be looked up. A woman can simply go to other hospitals, clinics, etc. Should the Catholic hospital REFER to woman? No, that would be a form of material cooperation in the matter. But they should clearly state up front that they will not administer abortifacients post-rape and that other facilities exist that can and will do so. This should be a very visible policy of the hospital or clinic. Catholic hospitals, who practice medicine according to the beliefs of the Catholic Church, cannot be made to violate what they consider the most sacred of all things, the creation of a unique and unrepeatable human being, EVEN if the child is the product of rape. Please don't misunderstand me, I'm not denegrating the woman. I'm not minimizing her pain and trauma. In fact, my view on what should happen to the rapist for what he does is pretty extreme. Still, to abort a child that was conceived through rape really just creates ANOTHER victim of the crime, for which the rapist should be punished! I know women who DID conceive through rape and DID carry to term and either adopted out the child or even kept the child. You don't hear those courageous stories in the mainstream, now do you? I wish we as a society did more to prevent rape from ever happening, then this would not be an issue. And, I think there are tons we can do about that! For example, look at the decrease in violent crime in the states that have passed concealed carry laws, allowing citizens to arm themselves. Also, we need to do a hell of a lot more to consistently and severly punish rapists. To those of you who have spoken so hatefully and harshly against the Catholic Church and the Pope, I'm praying for you, whether you want me to or not. I hope you some day come to see the beauty of the Church for what it is. Thanks for reading this painfully long post. Sorry if it angers anyone. michael -the artist formerly known as sinker

I haven't posted on DZ.com in a very long time, but I check back once in awhile to see how old friends are. And I just had to post about the passing of JPII. He was very very dear to me and my family. I know that many don't agree w/ his upholding of certain social doctrines of the Catholic Church, but no matter what anyone can say, he was always loving, always caring. I had the very good and humbling honor to attend a private Mass with him in his chapel in the Vatican in February of 2000. Afterwards, he met with each of us, about 1-2 dozen of us, and chatted briefly. He came up to me and said "ah, you are an American!" (Dear God! Is it that obvious?) I bowed and kissed his ring and, in that same second, from his ringed hand, he slipped a Papal Rosary into mine. He did that to everyone who was invited to attend his daily private Masses. I gave it to my wife, who was unable to be with me during that trip to Rome. We have since returned, just 4 months ago for Thanksgiving. This time we took our 3 kids. And we were lucky enough to attend a talk he gave during his Wednesday audiences. We were about 100 feet from him. This was before he became really ill. He had difficulty speaking then, but that didn't stop him from being with the people whom he so loved. Seeing him was always electrifying and inspiring. No matter what one's particular "moral code" is, viewing his life can't help but be inspired one to be more true to their ideals and more compassionate for other human beings. He did so much to unite the people of the world. He showed people how to live and how to die. Our world is much better because he was in it. And for me, I feel a deep emptiness and sadness that he is no longer here with us. He has left very big shoes to fill. RIP JPII -the artist formerly known as sinker

here's one... -the artist formerly known as sinker

Hi everyone. Most of you don't know me, but I knew Chris. He did my tandem training in '94 and my AFF later that same year. He and Gino Leon had a huge impact on me getting the skydive bug back then. For several years, Chris, Gino, Denny Collins, and Kent Stephens were my "family." I've not been in the sport for some time now, mostly due to my kids being so young. That makes Chris' death particularly hard, knowing that Haley and Annabelle now have to live with his absence. I'd come down to the DZ all the time and just hang out, wanting to learn whatever I could. Chris was always willing to teach. And joke. And poke fun. And loan me smokes. And bribe me into buying beer, even when I didn't owe any. And we'd fly the Lear Jet on flightsim when the weather sucked. And he would talk me into dipping my hand in AvGas to help him clean the dirty Twin-Bo he used to have. And he'd get pissed off at my clumsiness and yell at me but after I'd stay away for awhile, he'd call and invite me back, saying I was family. That meant tons to me, being new to TN and not knowing many people. And he would let me fly his stunt kite on windy days. And we laughed our heads off at the tandem he took up, the poor student had sinus problems and in freefall had snot all over his face. Chris did everything he could to avoid getting the shit all over himself! One load just off of AFF and trying to get my 200 lb ass out the Cessna door, he got impatient with me, roled the plane to the right and kicked me in the ass. Out I tumbled, onto my back. I could see him clearly, laughing his ass off. I flipped him off and he just laughed more. He was always safety conscious. I remember him landing out on numerous occasions if the wind was causing turbulance off the hangars at the DZ. He'd rather walk the long way back than take an unecessary risk. And he always had an AAD, at least as far as I knew. That is why his death makes me angry as well as deeply sad. Why didn't he have an AAD? Why such a small canopy? I don't understand and it makes me angry. But I do know that he died doing what he loved. That is somehow strangely consoling and inspiring to me. But the cost seems too high. I don't know. The man had passion, that's for sure. I hope that helps his family in their grief. My favorite memory of him is this... many of you who have been to his DZ might recall the picture that was on his office door for years. I came down in April of '03 and made a few jumps, and the pic was still there. It's Chris on the step of the Cessna, ready to jump. Strapped to his chest is a small teady bear. Here's the story of that pic... at that time my wife was a gradeschool teacher in Nashville. She had received that bear in the mail from a student in another state, a boy who was ill and wanted to send that bear across the country and see where it ended up before returning to him. Well, I thought it would be cool to ask Chris to jump with it and he agreed to it. I gave a cheapo disposable camera to the pilot, and viola, there's the pic. Chris was so happy to do this seemingly small deed for a sick kid. I sent the bear back w/ a copy of the pic to the kid. I never heard from him, but just imagine the grin on that kids face, knowing that his bear went jumping with a generous man, a skydiver, in Tennessee! I'll never forget that kindness Chris showed. Man, I'm bummed. Even though my relationship with Chris was from the past, his death still leaves a hole in me. And to read on this thread that Kent Stephens is gone too? I hadn't heard that and it makes me even more sad. Kent did my first tandem! He was down to earth and was very kind to me. Even though I'm not part of the jumping community anymore, I still grieve with you all. Chris was always the life of the party and he'll be missed. My prayers go out to him, Kristi, Haley, Kelly and Annabelle. michael dudek -the artist formerly known as sinker

LOL!!! EXACTLY!!!! -the artist formerly known as sinker

LOL! yup... "kiss me baby one more time..." -trinity -the artist formerly known as sinker

looks like I'm the one who's blind... I missed that! Looks like I'll have to see it again... all in all it was enjoyable, although I agree w/ those who said the first was groundbreaking, the second lost a lot (which the middle of a trilogy usually does) and the third was better than 2 but not as good as 1. i tell ya though, seeing all those sentinels penetrate the dock and the ensuing fight scene was intense. -the artist formerly known as sinker

Did anyone catch the BLANTANT Jesus crucifiction reference at the end of the movie? As a reminder the voice (Deus Ex Machina according to the credits) says "It is done" (which is what Jesus says in the Bible when he is upon the cross) fullfulling the prophecy that The One needed to die to save mankind (remember that Neo in the 2nd movie said "it felt like death"). Neo went back to the source most likely - just like the One was supposed to, and he is probably in the machine now. *** If anyone DIDN'T catch it, they have to be frickin blind... -the artist formerly known as sinker

the irony is.... I rated 69% pure... no shit... -the artist formerly known as sinker

one of you all should use this pic for an avatar... it was taken at a soccer match in Europe I think... kid has spunk, don'tcha think? -the artist formerly known as sinker

This past May, I was out west visiting my parents. My mother and I were going through my deceased grandmothers effects (she died a few months prior) when to our mutual shock, we stumbled upon a little piece of paper... it was actually currency from another country... written on it were the words of induction for my grandma into the mile high club aboard some airline flight way back in the '40s. I couldn't believe my eyes! Go granny! -the artist formerly known as sinker

those were some sweet pics... we live in such a beautiful country! -the artist formerly known as sinker

I typed in skybytch and it said.... skybytch is available for freelance work. lol -the artist formerly known as sinker

if you're so bored, get your moody ass to my house, I'm finishing my basement... puttin my home office down there... have lots of new shiny tools to kink with um I mean build with... -the artist formerly known as sinker

prayers and vibes to you Mujie, there are many many more reasons..... you'll find 'em...

me too... couldn't stop laughing while in my office (I work from home). Then, the kiddies came in asking what was so funny... luckily I closed the picture just in time and made up a bad lie... -the artist formerly known as sinker

doesn't the avatar explain his question? -the artist formerly known as sinker

just random fun off of boners.com -the artist formerly known as sinker

Caution: tasteless cat joke (that is VERY funny) so don't look if you're a sensitive whiner. -the artist formerly known as sinker

You all are wonderful*** no, not really. YOU are wonderful... and I'm so glad you made it through the hard part. now, just enjoy the wonders of opiod pharmacology and recover... can't wait to talk to you... peace love and mellonballs baby!!! -the artist formerly known as sinker

it's amazing to me that someone can make millions off of such a frivolous product. -the artist formerly known as sinker

As many of you know, our beloved Michele is undergoing surgery this morning. In fact, it is probably underway as I write this. Please do her a favor and offer some prayers and vibes. Many thanks y'all and here's to a speedy recovery Michele! -the artist formerly known as sinker

good night you fuckin loosers! -the artist formerly known as sinker

hey moody, fuck you and your moods. you cutie you! -the artist formerly known as sinker

i couldn't help but read that w/ a british accent. Are you English? -the artist formerly known as sinker