rgoper

....remember what i said about opinions in today's society. everyone is entitled to their own opinion, without recieving any grief for it, no matter what it is, from anyone. all we're doing here is going around in circles about who believes what, and why and/or why not. it doesn't make any sense. i will say that in my opinion, there are going to be quite a few enlightned folks when the "final day" does come. you can believe whatever you want, but KNOW this: "there is an up, and there is a down" and DOWN ain't so nice. believe what you want, that much is factual. i know this much from my experience from drilling oil and gas wells, the deeper you drill, the hotter the bottom hole tempertuature is, now that's a scientific fact. funny corelation, coincidence? who knows, i don't believe anyone can say for sure, but is is a strange coincidence at least. i'm happy, as i said before, that i can let someone else believe what they want, as long as i'm afforded the same luxery, what do i care? you CANNOT make a believer out of a NON BELIEVER. it's an exercize in futuilty, believe me, i've had extended conversations with geologists of which out of maybe 100, i've met one who does not think the world "just happened" the "big bang" theory is fairly popular, but if you read the bible, and corelate it to present day occurences, it's pretty sobering. how did god create the world in 6 days, and take one to rest? how long was a day back then? think about it. peace to all. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

**the government does not have the right to impose their beliefs upon us.** that is the most hypocritical statement i've heard this year. i believe after you hear my comments on it, you'd be wise to retract it, i simply ask you "do you pay taxes?" if the answer to this is yes, your statement is ludricrous at best, yet profound, but wishful, and youthful optism at best, rethink this my firend. "brother will kill brother, spilling blood across the land, killing for religion, something i don't understand" Dave Mustaine-Megadeth --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

at the end of the day, all of us as humans, have consounces, whatever it is that you do, to make sure you don't have to sleep with "one eye open" is what you have to do. if you can live with decieving, stealing, etc...then so be it. but WHATEVER you do, be ye NOT decieved "god is NOT mocked" not trying to get on a soapbox here, just trying to bring to your attention after this mortal life is over, "there is a up, and there is a down" and DOWN ain't so friendly. if there was no wrong or right, no heaven or hell, why are we worried about it? this goes back to what i've said previously, believers will believe, and non-believers won't. what happens between now and then, doesn't matter, your conscience is what you live with every day. i'll relate a story with you people real quick, and let you know what i think about EVERY day.... a friend of mine (close friend) front risered in this year, one of the first fatalities by the way. i told him something long ago, i truly regret, we were debriefing a head down dive we had done, he smoked past me in freefall after i was SSS at 2000' AGL, i counted to thousand 1-2-3-4-5 canopy, i thought "my god, he's going in" but he didn't, not this time. anyway after the debrief (you all know i'm a "safety nazi") i scolded him for not adherring to the "diveflow" and quized him on the possibilitie of 2 canopies out with his AAD, he asked "what AAD" i was truly at a loss for words, he was 27, i was 42 at the time, i told him, yeah, you might be younger than me, i'll outlive you and i'll be reading about you in the "fatalities page" i live with this thought, each and every day of my life. i loved that man, like a son, and here, i as much as phropesized his death. he's with me on every jump, still, to this day. i will NOT criticize anyone for believing what they want to believe, nor will i try to convert anyone, BUT, the ones that do believe deserve the same respect, not ridicule, or attack, or "war of words" live and let live, and know that at the end of the day, there IS a UP and there is a DOWN, we know that much from plane rides! having related all of this, this should pretty much end the controversy of the god, or no god. like it or not, he's there, and he cares about you, and your family. "live, and let live" words to live by. (john 3:16) --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

obviously a "hot topic" which it is. america, land of the free, home of the brave. in the name of god, we trust? each of us is entitled to our own beliefs, you CANNOT convince a non-believer to believe, nor a believer to not believe. so there's no sense in trying, i'm satisfied that i can believe what i want, when i want, and where i want, and with whom i want, that's what our forefathers fought for, and now our sons and daughters. my father (ex-marine saergeant) always told me "i may not agree with everything you say, but i'll fight to the death, your right to say it" words i've lived by all of my life, i'll continue to improvise! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

free: where is it? --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

**So then you subscribe to a pretty vengeful God, don't you?** careful of the words and phrases you use today, tomorrow may just be the day of reconing. god, vengeful? i don't think so, but as i said at the onset of this post, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, WITHOUT having to be criticized for it. it's a free country, let's not distort that in any way if we can help it. your opinion is just that, yours, mine is mine, and mine only. do i believe in god, YES, am i ashamed to admit it? NO, will i EVER deny his existance? NO. do i always live according to his will, of course not, as i said, there's only one perfect individual that existed on earth, and we crucified him for his efforts, and to that individual, you owe your soul to, regardless of personal beliefs. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

man, what a subject, and yet one which each and every individual is entitled to their own beliefs. having said that, NO ONE should be flamed or retorted for their beliefs, whatever they are. there was only one man that was perfect while on earth, and we crucified him for his efforts. a question was asked after the columbine school shootings "why would god allow this to happen" god's response "i haven't been allowed in that school in years" of course this is partially hypothetical, but food for provacative thoughts. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

you express yourself as a intelligent, gentile type of person, but a proffesional as well. it has been my experience that the way you approach others, is the way you will be recieved. i see no problem with being proffessionally confrontational. see how it goes, if he isn't responseable, he may just deny it, however, if he did do it, he may not be aware of it. in any event, unless he just becomes belligerant, i'd handle it mano~ de mano~ --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

doggone, sounds like a real pain in the ass! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

**"no eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn"** i know this is off topic, but i couldn't help but applaud the person who posted this. Jim Morrisson followers are hard to find! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

this incident should have been reported to the S&TA on the dz, prior to the experienced jumper going up with the low timer. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

HH: what is the max size for a jpeg image to be posted with the new database, i believe it was 500k with the old one. i couldn't get a jpeg to upload on a post, it was 366k. the new format is kewel!

glad he made it allright, sounds like it could've turned bad. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

in either event, "flight control tower" where were they? asleep at the switch AGAIN? they're lucky an f-16 didn't shoot them down after the incident of 09/11/2001, i wouldn't have felt sorry for them. but i still think the control tower should have been tracking them, especially in that airspace. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

surely the perpetrator(s) of this hideous crime will be caught, and punished. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

it is always perplexing to hear of these events. my best wishes to the divemaster, and my heartfelt condolences to the family of the passenger. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

well folks, we had the balloon at SDH this weekend! i left for the dz at 04:30 hours saturday morning, arrived at 05:45 hours. we got the basket off of the truck, stretched the balloon out inflated it (of course we had our safety meeting first) then about 06:15 or so we were taking off heading for altitude, we got to 4500 AGL then it was time to "bail" it was a blast!

you need to buy a soft, or hard container for your rig. it also helps keep mice, etc off of it at home, as well as help you transport back and forth to the dz and back. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

i read this the day he posted it, heck of a story. hope his plans for diving again come to fruition. low pulls are bad, don't do that! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

here's hoping that your "road to recovery" is short, and well directed. head high, chin up, and "arch" relax, and enjoy! take care, be safe, and my best always. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

is everyone aware that 1.88 million acres of land have been destroyed by fire this year alone? for the last 8-10 years we've only lost approx. 650-700 thousand acres, some of it "control burning" by the forestry service. the fires are reaching biblical propotions. i'm concerned. but here's the "kicker" 98% of the fires are started by individuals, and 65% of those started by people throwing ciggarette butts out of the windows of their cars...........DUH? (stats courtesy of the ABC evening news) we're also behind 9.5" or annual rainfall. tie all of this together with the ingrates in the west bank/gaza strip with the personal bombs, and isreal with their tanks, where does it stop? "can't we all just get along" Rodney King" the only intelligent statement i ever heard him make, even if it was coerced. set back, take a look at the "big picture" personally, i think i'll go sky diving this weekend to forget all of this bullshit! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

hey d: just noticed you went back home. hows come? hope to see you "next time round" and by the way guys/gals let's remember where SRV drew 90% of his influence from. an old viet nam vet named Jimmie. "foxy lady" both are sorely missed! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

they don't call him "Mighty Mouse" for nothing! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

Rhino: man, that's pretty optimistic statements. i'm not saying your wrong, you may be right. in my industry, it "hinges" on energy prices, and middle eastern events, O.P.E.C. etc... that's the only thing i don't like about being in the petroleum industry. i hate being in a field that relies on so many variables to continue exploring for hydrocarbons. let the middle east get pissed, we're done. 2/3 of the world's energy needs are met by the middle east. now THAT'S scary! i've always wished the petroleum industry would be unionized, but that will never happen, there's simply too many people waiting in line for "your job" Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"