Ron

I don't think either was really "better". At least Bush jr. DID serve...even if it might have been fishy. But like I have said before..prove I served... Then prove I served well, or poorly....I was told by one guy here that he had heard I was kicked out. Which was not true. Rumors run faster than a guy with the trots. And some folks will dig up, or make up shit just to be the one that "outs" a famous person. If Clinton went to school just to go to school, and not dodge the draft....I would be fine..But a large part of his "studies" was "Not go to War 101". Hell I was in the Army, and I didn't really want to go to war....But I WOULD if called...something both of these jackasses would not do. If I had to choose on this alone....At least Bush served.... "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

The #1 reason why skydiving is not part of the Xgames is very simple..... People don't understand it. They can't grasp it. NASCAR is popular due to the fact that most of us know how to drive...Football we all can throw a football, Baseball most of us have hit a ball before...ect. Even downhill skiing....Something I have never done, I can understand it....... People who don't jump don't really understand the sport. It is the same reason you don't see shooting sports on TV all the time...People don't do them, so they don't know about them. If they can do it in their back yard (base ball, basket ball, Foot ball, ect, or they can do something like it (NASCAR, Dragracing, Power boating...ect) then they understand it. Jumping from a plane 2 miles up is hard for a "regular joe" to understand. And in a society that thinks a guy with long hair that rides a board on wheels is XTREAME.....Thinks a guy jumping from a plane is beyond their grasp. And they are right. Skydiving will never be a "popular" sport....It will have fanatics, but it will never issue trading cards with bubble gum. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

The same people that try to say Bush did wrong by going the national guard instead of to war....Are the same folks that defend Clinton... There are two sides to the story...most times both are correct in some way. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Don't we first have to define what IS is? And then what Sex is? Then maybe we can try PERJURY? My whole point was that maybe he did "pull strings" but that is not any worse than the others that did it other ways. At least he did do something.....And he knew how to inhale....I could not vote for a guy that could not even smoke a joint right. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I climbed out once with it undone....I had maybe 30 jumps. I was pulled back in, and yelled at for a while while a guy did it and CRANKED it down...I was then told to get the fuck out of the plane and not screw up the 10way. I have caught several jumpers without it on, and last year I was coahing a 4way team and a guy jumped without it on...You can very clearly see it in the video flapping around. He didn't even know till the video guy told him after he landed. I check everyones gear I can on the plane...I never touch it, but I scan it with my eyes. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Spoon, I have been slammed by a Stiletto, Velocity, Jedei, Specter, PD190, FX, Cobalt (never got that thing to open well), and about 6 other canopies including the Sabre. The Sabre opens much harder than todays designs....It is what 15 years old? And yes it opens hard at times...But so do all the others..In fact my hardest opening to date was a Velocity 90....DAMN!!!! I chipped a tooth. The Sabre is not what I would recomend as a canopy to get today...But if its all you can offord, its better than some others...Esprit anyone? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

It has to do with folks bashing Bush for his way out of the Draft...(Which BTW was not a way out..He DID serve) But seem to ignore that others did the same or worse to avoid it. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Well you have your own answer...It depends on what part of the life cycle you are in. A good number of jumpers are screwing their future by jumping so much...I know an ex world champion that drives a cab to make ends meet. Now thats his right, and I bet he would not change a thing...But its also a fact. Good question... #1. I have the money. I don't have a nice house (In fact I live in a trailer on a DZ) But I have a real job (13 years), make real money, invest like crazy, and I am going to college. #2. I don't fun jump anymore. I don't do boogies, I train and compete in RW. I occasionally do tandems or work with students cause I like to..Not because I need to..(BTW all the money I make coaching or from Tandems, students, video, magazine articals I write..ect goes right into my IRA). #3. I don't have a family....So I can be selfish with my money...I don't have to pay for little Bobby's braces, or Monicas new blue dress. I don't have to pay for my wifes new car, and All I need to live in is a trailer....I fiqure its better to live cheap, and save like hell right now than buy a house I don't need. But that could change if I get married and have kids. But thats me....I have done the boogies (I organized at Quincy in 1995, and have never been back), I have been to the Nationals 3 times (1998,2002,2003) Placed in the top 10 in open twice, won 8 way Intermediate, and have a gold from 4way Advanced. I have been an instructor since 1995. All I'm trying to say is after you do a bunch of stuff....Well your shift MIGHT change...It might not..But it could. I used to want to jump on every plane...Now I only really train. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

OK here in FL (where I spent most of that 50,000)...You can get a nice house for 12000, and a really nice one for 180000. Nope, just pointing out THE OTHER SIDE....Ya know the side that people can see after they have been in the sport long enough to know more than just the good side. Yep, but you can't eat fun, and your kids can't go to school on your found memories. Ok, cool for you, but you don't think its possible you might drift back at some point in your WHOLE life? Like maybe after you have several thousand jumps? Or maybe a few kids? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Uh, I called today and got an appointment for next week. So at least in this case..thats bullshit. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Quade...Try to prove I served at all... I have an Honorable Discharge....But can YOU prove it? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

As opposed to Clinton just flat out dogging the draft. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

The USPA has no teeth....It will never happen. The USPA does not want to do it, and even if they did they have no power. Only ONE DZ ever has been audited by the USPA,,, and it failed. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Somewould say that when you DO grow up, then you will wonder why you spent 10,000 bucks on something that really added nothing but fun to your life. Imagine that you get laid off....You start to wonder about all that money and how much you could use it now. Give it a few years...At some point I think you will go..."Aw shit, I sure wasted a lot on jumping". It might take many more years, and it may only last a few seconds...But it WILL happen. Ever notice that folks dont like to say how much they have spent so far? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Well, I have spent over 50,000 on skydiving. Thats half a house. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Im not so sure I agree with kids jumping under ANY reason.... Not to slam you, hell I wish I could have, but that does not make it right, or even OK. I have doubts that a kid can make that kind of choice. Just due to the fact I don't think a kid can REALLY understand the situation. Of course I don't think some 30 year olds really get the situation, but at least they can sign a waiver "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

#1. Thats why I said MY OPINION. #2. Show me where a RESERVE worked AS INTENDED and hurt or killed someone. Show me where a MODERN AAD (CYPRES) worked within its operating envelope and hurt/killed someone. There are cases of an RSL killing someone WHEN IT WORKED AS INTENDED. Taking an AAD on a low pull is taking it out of its normal planned operations. Like I said an RSL can kill you even if it works right, and is used within it's normal operational envelope. The same CANNOT be said for modern AAD's, and reserves. So you can have a normal skydive with a mal, and get killed due to a saftey device...In (Again) my opinion...Thats not a safety device. Plus all you have to do is pull the silver handle after you pull the cutaway handle. Your noramal E procedures....Simple really. So its not needed. It's a device that lets people relax and they rely on it....And it can kill you. So it's not needed, and it can kill you...That makes it a bad thing to me. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

And there are diffent levels of understanding and grasp even with two students that went through the same program..... Simple fact...When SL was the top teaching method...we didn't need a coaches program. More people knew how to spot, and more people knew how to pack. Then maybe your program is missing out of something...today more skydivers get killed per year under a good main canopy than die not getting that last point. From a purley saftey aspect...canopy control is more important than turrning points....But thats not cool. Just stuff to think about. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

OK but low bucks racing events that are held all over the country every weekend and not aimed at the spectators...but at the other racers... Simple fact...Gear sponsorship works...If it didn't they would not do it. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

And I have to point out that the coach jumps ARE NOT MANDITORY.....You can get done in 7 jumps, and do solos till you have 25. Who is gonna be better? The guy that has done 15 spots from 4-12,000 feet, or the guy that has done 7 from Altitude? (Remember not ALL the S/L jumps are low, just the first 5, then its freefall with higher exit altitudes as you progress.) So my money is on the S/L student. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

1. Not all DZ's do that. 2. You are female. Grasp and understanding yes...But how much understanding and how much of a grasp? People with 1,000's of jumps still get coaching. I have a good "grasp and understanding" of freefall, but I still go to the wind tunnel. The simple fact is the more instrustion you get the better you will be...If I go do 15 coaching dives with you, you will get more than if I just did 5. But yet it can. Its called pencil whipping....It happens. I can name four people right now (all with around 600 jumps) that can't pack for themselves, just at Zhills. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Lady in Red...Chris Deburg. There was a girl I dated that WHENEVER that song played we danced....At a store, house, in public. Except in the car...But we even pulled over once. The Cannon. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Yeah, this one helped a bit. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Mines SSMDIVE Scuba Sky Muff Dive "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

OK so, thats ONE person... We are talking about in General. So answer the question... Which would be better. The SAME student with 8 coaching jumps, or 15? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334