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Kandinsky. I really like his purely abstract, yet balanced and orderly compositions. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

We have a black cat named Sabrina, she's 1/4 Siamese and VERY intelligent. She knows her name and likes to poke around with my clock radio because she knows she can turn on the radio and make the music play. Along with Sabrina, you could pick some other "Bewitched" names like Samantha or Endora. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Somewhat true, but greatly oversimplified. Early Christianity was very communistic, the Book of Acts speaks of Christian communities living together and sharing what they owned in common. But that's not to be confused with 19th century Marxism either, or especially with 20th century Leninism, Stalinism, Maoism, or any of the other "wonderful" variations of Marx's theories. I suppose Jones was communistic. Also ran a very strong cult of personality, maybe like the North Koreans and their reverance for the bad haircut dude and his late father. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

You mean "Gator Chow" ? The airline that killed a whole planeload of people because they ILLEGALLY loaded a pallet of expired oxygen canisters in the cargo hold ? Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Ummm, if it comes in a can it doesn't really count as beer. BOTTLES are preferred. Times are changing - Guinness and Pilsener Urquell both come in PINT cans now and are as yummy - and as welcome at any dropzone - as ever ! Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

She might be a good choice, she's already well known and recognized around the world. And believe it or not, a lot of people around the world actually like her. Attorney General could be a good choice too, especially for the axe flinging side of her personality. The problem with being a Supreme Court Justice is that first of all she has to wait around for someone to retire or die. Then we'd be stuck with her for LIFE, since she couldn't be fired. And she's not a judge, but then neither was Earl Warren. She definitely has a lot on the ball to offer her country and could be a real asset now that she won't be running the show. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Dont know for sure, but its what they both claim, or are you suggesting that she plays for the other team? Who knows ? Maybe she does, maybe she doesn't. Maybe it's cultural, maybe she's abused and too scared to speak up. Or maybe she's okay with it. It's possible, as well as very PC to say the wife is abused. If she is, she needs to get out of the situation. On the other hand, there are a lot of very kinky people out there. As long as she and the kid are alright, they may just have a different set of family values. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

The Pilot and Spectre are two of the softest opening canopies on the market. Yet either one of them can knock your socks off on occasion for reasons that are difficult to control. You can be meticulous about your slider, but what can you do about a tuck tab hanging up, unless you want to run out and buy a Vector, or go back to velcro ? A very good friend of ours was killed recently in an incident that may have involved a slammer opening, with a Spectre. That, combined with a health condition, ended in a fatal result. Any time you throw 70 to 300 sq ft of nylon into a terminal wind blast, ANYTHING can happen. This is a sport that cannot ever be completely safe, inspite of our best efforts. As a jumper who now owns and jumps his second Pilot, after having blown up my first one with a slammer, I cannot point the finger at the make, model, or maker of the canopy. This is a generic risk to our sport that obviously needs a generic solution. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

The electoral maps demonstrate the wisdom of the system - the winner needs the support of the country, not just 3 or 4 major metropolitan areas. Excellent point. In the early days, it was the agricultural South that feared the more urbanized and industrial North having all the power (which eventually led to Civil War anyway). But nowadays, does anyone, especially in the "red" states, want every President chosen by the east and west coast pinkos ? Because that's what would happen with a popular vote. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Thanks Lori for the terrific pics of a very memorable afternoon. I just want to give this thread a little bumpy to keep it on top of the list for a while. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

While I understand where you are coming from I do not agree. That's perfectly fine, that's why we have this forum. __________________________________________________(and if I missunderstood the point of who defines forgive me) No problemo, I just couldn't understand what it was you were saying. __________________________________________________ The vote as I understand it was a state constitutional vote. All CA state courts should have to abide by that vote. The only place it can go now it the US SC. And the only way it will get turned over is if the US SC convolutes yet another article of the constitution. __________________________________________________ Ordinarily, a referendum to amend a state constitution would be a done deal. And plenty of amendment referendums are proposed, even passed, in reaction to an unpopular court ruling. But there is a case to be made that THIS amendment flies in the face of the equal protection clause of the state's constitution. There's a good argument to be made that you cannot pass an amendment that contradicts one of the most basic doctrines of that constitution. NOTHING can or should be beyond the review of the courts, at least we'd all better hope not. The courts regularly rule on state and federal constitutions and have since the earliest years of the republic. Our entire system of case law rests on the courts INTERPRETING laws and the constitution. And plenty of amendments by intitiative have been struck down for no more reason than having been written so badly that they were vague and unenforceable. Which is not the case here, but this amendment is not, and should not be, immune to review by the courts. In any event, this is a state question and I would also argue that the federal courts have no jurisdiction in the matter, and might very well decline to even consider the case. __________________________________________________ Just as they did in Roe v Wade...... Oh, and I dont see this a lessening or removing rights from anybody. I see this as stopping a minority group getting special consideration under a law. Not protecting rights they have. Well, you may have summarized the Pro-8 argument there. I don't agree, but I expect that will be at the core of arguments defending Prop 8. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Government invented or defined marriage? Hmm, guess I learned something today I'm not sure what the context of your remark is, nothing I said suggests that government invented marriage, though it now seems willing to define it (i.e. between one man and one woman only). There would seem to be a solid case for the court appeals against Prop 8, under the equal protection clauses of state and federal constitutions. What sets Prop 8 apart from other constitutional amendments is that it TAKES AWAY a right under law from a select group of citizens. The only people I know of who can have their rights taken away are convicted criminals. The entire reason we have Bills of Rights and equal protection clauses is to protect the rights of unpopular minorities against the mob rule of the majority. Law abiding and tax paying gays and lesbians have a right to equal protection of the law and that right cannot be voted away by popular whim. Besides which, if we can strip gays of their legal rights, who else is next ? The Muslims aren't especially popular these days, why not go after their....property !! Besides, these appeals will be heard by the same State Supreme Court that ruled in favor of same sex marriage in the first place, so I'm optimistic of the court's ruling. But hey, we DID vote to let the chickens run free, on the floor, in their own chickenshit, so they can share more dieases with each other. The people of Kali obviously care more about a bunch of fuckin' chickens than people who just want to commit their lives to each other. Yeah, we can all be real proud of that.... Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Vinny, I don't think Chief of Staff needs Senate approval. It's not a Cabinet post or an official government office. He's the chief office manager & bottle washer and the Prez can pick anyone he wants to run the shop. Anyway, with a Demo majority in the Senate, I don't think Obama's going to have any trouble with his Cabinet or judicial appointments. Scot Simon on NPR is from Chicago and has profiled Obama and Emmanuel both as typical Chicago style politicians - charming, cunning, ruthless, and knowing when and where to pick their fights. I guess Emmanuel's got quite the reputation for his knife work. Which is probably just what the job calls for. You coming out to Perris anytime soon ? Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

I heard she once blew the whole football team at halftime. And they still lost. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Oh for Christ's sake people, it's a fucking ELECTION !! Your candidate lost, by a large margin. Get over it and go on living. I sure as hell had to 4 years ago, and especially 8 years ago. At least your guy didn't lose by one vote on the Supreme Court, by a judge appointed by the candidate's daddy. But you know what ? I'm not dead yet, and I didn't even leave the country. I even had some pretty good years and lots of great skydives, inspite of a Bush White House. This year it's MY turn to feel good about an election. You'll get your turn again, maybe not for eight years, maybe sooner. OUR country, yours and mine, is more resilient. WE will make it through thisw current godawful mess. So suck it up Buttercup, and go turn your flag back rightside up. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Lots of Americans, blacks included, are of mixed parentage. Historically, somebody like President Obama (geez, I like the sound of that...) would have been considered black with a lot less black and a lot more white blood. In the days of slavery, the lighter complexioned slaves got to be the house servants, rather than work in the fields, which to this day has led to a lot of nasty "house nigger" talk. But house servants or not, they were still slaves, BECAUSE they were black. In New Orleans, there was a highly prized class of prostitutes known as octaroons, because they were only 1/8 black blooded. And still considered black and still kept in slavery. I would think the fact that Jesse Jackson has questioned whether Obama is "black enough" should settle the question. If Brother Jesse doubts it, then Obama MUST be black ! (Saw Brother Jesse crying on TV the other night, "Boo-hoo, it should've been ME, boo-hoo..."). Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

If you remember stowing your crown lines. And you know what center lines are. Shaking your head and muttering "Sweet Jesus, you've got to be kidding me", the first time you saw a "hand deployed pilot chute". And while we're on the subject, you know what a "Jesus string" is. Wondering what that small bit of fabric was on top of somebody's risers (square canopies only). It takes the place of ropes & rings ? And it's called a "slider" ? Trying to figure out where you stuck your thumbs the first time you ever saw a 3-ring (I'm not making this up). Getting chewed out for pulling high, at 3 grand. Looking at ads for $220 Mini Systems, $360 PC's, $595 Clouds, $260 reserves, and thinking, "I'll NEVER be able to afford this sport..." Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

That's a classic comment... Another classic "but if the first canopy doesn't work and then the second one fails to, what happens then?".... My usual answer is: then "I'm going to die with a big splatter and the resque team will have to use a mop to clean up my mess".... I know it's a stupid thing to say but when you get this same question for the 1000'nd time then the answer isn't going to be any better.... My preferred metaphor is, "Like a bug on a windshield" and if I've been drinking I like to add the part about my ass being the last thing to go through my mind. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Isn't that why so many of us wear full visor helmets ? Or am I missing something ? Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

So these two Mormons walk into a gay bar.... Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Your "private investigators" should be able to arrange a similar "unfortunate accident" for your partner. Just don't even think about skimping on your "investigators'" fees, or you too may face a sudden "unfortunate event". Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Thank you Mr. Brit for making the suggestion the morning after OUR election. I don't think it will happen. Although President Obama ( I LIKE the sound of that...) is the charismatic type that draws loonies out of the woodwork, I think the Secret Service has learned a lot from incidents in the past. Aside from the Kennedy assasination, there have been near two misses with Gerald Ford, and then Ronal Reagan and several other people were shot by one kid with a revolver. And nothing of the kind has happened since, not in 27 years. I tried to go to an event at Boeing with Vice President Gore and couldn't even get into the building because I was carrying a Swiss Army pocketknife. Those guys do NOT fool around. And by the way, I think people really talk too lightly about this subject. Those of us who are old enough to remember the assasination of President Kennedy, as well as Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, all remember who intensely painful those events were. It's nothing to joke about and I find it rather offensive the way people treat the subject. It's NOT the American way. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Agreed. I don't agree, not quite anyway. Marriage should also not be the exclusive property of the churches. A civil marriage endows a couple - any couple - with rights and obligations under law. I see no reason why secular, or even athieistic people people should be denied the status of marriage. Marriage is commitment that two people make to each other and before their church and/or society at large. I'm a believer, and my wife and I were married in church, but why should a couple who chooses not to believe be denied the right to make the commitment and have it honored. "Civil unions" are bunk. They're a political expedient that was crafted as a sop to try to accomodate gay couples without "offending" someone else's sensibilities. Marriage is a RIGHT and there is no right more keenly appreciated than one which is denied. I've been reading a lot of opinions in these forums from presumably hetero writers who claim their marriage is "nothing more than a scrap of paper". That's how much they take it for granted. They should try telling that to someone who cannot marry, or whose right to marry is about to be taken away by other people who are too afraid, or stingy to share this basic right. It's that simple. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Too bad you didn't see John McCain's very gracious concession speech. He had a few hotheads in the audience, but managed to chill them out. It was probably the best speech of his campaign and for once I was impressed with his perspective and grasp of what it's about. You know, you really have no right to give up on your country like that. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Voted two weeks ago at a shopping mall, I was in and out of there in about 5 minutes. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !