DickMcMahon

Lori: Prayers work. Scientists even agree http://english.aljazeera.net/Articles/ScienceTechno/Scientists+say+prayers+work.htm My best to your father!

Hey Sean: The tunnel camp is great. I went to the one in Orlando 2 years ago and it helped me a lot. BUT, you just got your "A", you're on your way to skydiving stardom. Get the rig. It will save you a lot of money instead of paying to rent one.

After you've retrieved the important stuff, try LOTUS ... it's lot better and easier than Excel (at least in my opinion). ____________________

My first jump was on August 28, 1999 and before getting on the plane I pictured that date as possibly being the one engraved on my tombstone. Sometimes driving to the DZ, I still wonder why I'm doing this.

Kris: You're right. That Kimble.org site is pretty good! Thanks

This is David Copperfield's site www.tornadooffire.com

Jumped there in June 2003. Everybody was great in letting an American guy suddenly show up. I was told that you fall "up" when you jump down-under, but it felt the same to me.

Thanks for the advice, Derek

This is probably a dumb question ... but, my wife gave me a Pro Track dytter I'm still trying to figure out how to use. Could it be programmed to sound an alarm a few feet off the ground to indicate when to flare? There are wind factors and other things to consider in flaring, I know, but this is just a thought.

Steve: I've been blind in my left eye since I was a little kid. It happened by accident. The lack of depth perception really despressed me when I wanted to play baseball, and other sports. It's hard to judge the distance on a fast-moving ball being thrown my way. Then when 3D movies came out, it was really frustrating not to be able to experience what everybody else did. Well, to make a long story short, I started skydiving about 3 years ago. Have had a few injuries along the way, but still love the sport. My user name should probably be CRASH because that's what I seem to do a lot. Knowing when to flair is my problem. What's REALLY bad is that I'm getting used to it ... and EXPECT to crash. Hang in there man ... you can keep jumping! Hope your diagnosis goes good!

Well here's some new info ... hope this hasn't already been posted. _________________________________________ August 7, 2003 2:20 PM The Associated Press Camp LeJeune, North Carolina-AP -- A Marine has been sentenced by a military judge to 20 years in prison for cutting lines on parachutes before a training jump. Lance Corporal Antoine Boykins admitted cutting the lines on 13 of 22 parachutes used in a jump September 21st. He says he knew someone could be killed because reserve chutes fail about half the time. Nobody was killed, but three Marines were hurt. The judge at Camp LeJeune in North Carolina also reduced Boykins' rank to private and ordered him dishonorably discharged. Prosecutors say Boykins was angry because he had been punished and his pay was docked when he returned late from leave. Another Marine is also facing charges in the case.

Thanks Wildblue. Sorry I double did it. Sign, Another Sabre 2 guy

August 6, 2003 12:26 PM The Associated Press Camp LeJeune, North Carolina-AP -- A Marine has pleaded guilty in North Carolina to assault and endangerment charges in a parachute-tampering case. Lance Corporal Antoine Boykins is charged with cutting the lines of parachutes used in a training jump last September. Three Marines were hurt when their parachutes didn't open after they jumped at about 12-hundred-50 feet. Boykins told a judge he was aggravated by actions and treatment of people in his unit, but he regrets what he did. Boykins didn't say who or what angered him. The judge told Boykins he could face 31 years in prison, forfeiture of pay, reduction of rank and dishonorable discharge. Boykins' plea is part of an agreement approved last month by a commanding general. Charges against another Marine were dismissed in April. A third Marine still faces 31 counts.

Thanks David! Last post was a month or so ago after getting back from Australia. I had asked whether skydivers fall "up" down-under. An Ossie jumper down there sent me an email saying all they have to do is stand on the ground and throw out their pilot chute and they're whooshed up. They have to keep checking their gear as they walk around so a pilot chute doesn't get loose. Hang in there man!

http://webpages.charter.net/hkirtley/stress/

Dogs go to MARS to get more candy bars. Cats go to JUPITER to get more stupid-er.

Skydiver's Death Recreated for TV Thu July 17, 2003 08:29 AM ET LONDON (Reuters) - The murder of a young skydiver who died because his parachute cords had been cut is to be reconstructed and shown on British television in a bid to catch his killer. Horrified spectators at an airshow in northern England earlier this month saw Stephen Hilder, 20, plummet 13,000 feet to earth when both his main and reserve parachutes failed to open because their cords and straps had been severed. The events leading up to his death at Hilbaldstow Airfield in Lincolnshire will be broadcast on BBC's "Crimewatch" program on July 24 in the hope it will jog memories, Humberside police said Thursday. Police believe Hilder, who had more than 200 jumps under his belt, was killed by someone with knowledge about parachutes and sky diving. "I believe that there is someone out there, more than likely a member of the skydiving community, who knows exactly what happened to Stephen's parachute pack and why, and I am confident we will get that information," said Detective Superintendent Colin Andrews.

It doesn't require skill, like skydiving, but Australian Zorbing can be fun. Picture attached

2,600

Hey Mountainman! That's a cool quote at the end of your posting. But, who's Phil Bell?

CONGRATS Lisa! It must have been all that tunnel time that got you there. Dick

A guy named Steve Clay from Coos Bay was killed in the crash of a small plane near here last week. He was one of those kind of guys who always went for the most he could get out of life. I wish I had the chance to introduce him to skydiving ... he would have loved it. Steve had a motorcycle and a Corvette among other things, and liked moving fast. He was 54 years old, and a bit of a rebel while being a prominent businessman ... and was just married 3 weeks ago. The church was packed at the funeral today, and when his son spoke from the altar with tears in his eyes, he turned his head toward the casket and said ... I think what dad would want me to say right now is ... "LOOK, HE'S MOVING!" There was a lot of laughter, but I think everyone in the otherwise solemn ceremony was a little surprised. There were a lot of more laughs as the ceremony progressed. His son had a lot of guts to start things off that way, and it was probably EXACTLY the kind of send-off Steve would have wanted.

Has anyone here ever tried "zorbing"? They do a lot of it in Australia. I'm going to be there in a few weeks and am thinking of trying it out. Attached is a picture of a zorbinaut.

SUPERMAN! I've always wanted to fly through the sky and rescue Lois Lane.

Dave: You just scared the hell out of me! Just curious ... do you use a dytter?