tbrown

Nice going Dick ! The dumbass was tracking a bird and failed to notice his friend was in the line of fire. His office made no anouncement for over 24 hrs either, probably tried to suppress it under some national security clause is my guess. Some of the other excuses offered were that the guy was behind them and made no sounds (what's he supposed to do, shouting jumping jacks ? Doesn't thhat scare away the birds ?), also that the VP has a lot of medical staff in his entourage anyway, so that makes it alright I guess. At least he shot a Texas fucking Republican. About time one of THEM got a tast of friendly fire. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

I came back the sport after more than 20 years off (raising a family, etc.) and even though I really wanted to jump, I went through the whole newbie fear cycle all over again, dry mouthed on the plane, the whole bit. Being older and having some life experience gave me a chance to think about what was happening and how to deal with it. The fear is never going to completely go away. Even when you're good with it, it's going to be there in the back of your mind. And it's going to flare up on things like your first jump of the day, especially if it's been a few weeks since the last one. The thing is to understand that your fears are natural and healthy as well, so long as they don't paralyze you into inaction. Right now you're frustrated with yourself for not being able to jump, which you say is something you want to do. You've already made some jumps, so you know this is something you can do and that you're not dead yet. I'd try to find a good instructor who's open to talking about the psychology of human fear and who admits that we all have it and that he has it too. Some instructors are a little way too macho and hung up on their own testosterone, but there are some humanists out there. I don't mean to sound sexist, but maybe a woman instructor might be more open to a discussion about this if you can't seem to find a guy who can talk about it. Ultimately you might just decide this sport is not for you and that's okay too - really it is. But you don't sound like you believe that. You just need to somehow get yourself back in the air, because most of that fear evaporates the moment you go through the door and into the air. By the time you're sitting under an open canopy you'll feel better about yourself and everything else. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

First of all, it's perfectly okay if you don't want to jump again. I'll believe you when you say you do, but you should understand that it's okay if you don't. Sometimes people just get scared about it and don't want to do it anymore and it's perfectly okay. This sport is NOT for everybody, or even for most people. You should only jump because you really want to for yourself. Decond, your friend has some real asshole issues and jumping is just an excuse or outlet for expressing them. We all have our faults, and part of being friends is that we are willing to accept certain people with their faults anyway because we like them. Friendship demands a certain level of respect and caring. This jerk isn't showing you any of that. He's no friend. If it weren't jumpeing he'd be a dickhead about something else. If you start jumping again do you think he's going to change his tune ? I doubt it. Find new friends who like you and respect you for who you are. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

They die if you shoot 'em. They burn pretty good too. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Yeah, you can't slit his throat in front of a video cam the way you can with a helpless girl. The next time those shits send their el Fatwah or whatever the fuck their TV network is called another video of a hostage being murdered, we should protest by dropping napalm on one of their fucking mosques during Friday prayers. Kill 'em all, let God sort 'em out. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

What she sez - law school is paying off, the girl's getting a good education. I'd even be willing to pay extra at the party to drink good beer ! Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Yeah, creepers. Thanks, sometimes I just go blank for the right word. My kid's bandleader has a lot of creative ideas, like marching arrangements to Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite", or Gershwin's "American in Paris". Last year they did an Alladin thing for drumline and this year he wants to do something based on March of the Penguins. My kid has shown him some Airspeed videos that are just blowing his mind and he says THAT'S exactly the kind of thing he'd love to do with Drumline this spring. I thinks it's really cool. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

My daughter's high school drumline is trying to work up a routine based on "March of the Penguins". If you've seen the film, you know that penguins sometimes get around on their bellies. My daughter and her band teacher are extremely intrigued with Airspeed videos and would like to get more info on training casters, cost, where to get them, etc, etc. Any info would be most helpful. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Most unfortunate. However, B of B, which is a most excellent production, is a bit much for 12 years old in my opinion. But she should also keep a civil tongue in HER head. Cooler tempers all around would be better, perhaps even being graceful enough to say something like you may have been mistaken. It's that or go on hating each other, I'd go with the touch of humility and see how that works. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Kid, your mom's really cool. Tell her to take you out to the dropzone some time. Disclaimer: I have two daughters and take them both out to the dropzone, now & then. Rhonda - just do like I do and spray her with Wolf Repellant. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Probaly means he should hate The Guess Who for writing "American woman, keep away from me" long before he was even born. Also Lenny Kravits, for recycling the tune before he could get to it. Bummer... Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

I think it's sad too. I'm pretty alienated from the Democrats these days, as they defintely haven't got their shit together. But what do you suggest, a single party state ? America's always had a party representing the conservative interests of the wealthy, first the Federalists, then the Whigs, then the Republicans since the 1850's. The other liberal point of view has been taken by the anti-Federalists, the Democratic-Republicans, and the Democrats since the 1820's. Both parties have done this country a lot of good in their own different ways. I don't think we'd have Social Security, or Medicare, or the G.I. Bill, or Civil Rights legislation without the Democrats, the Republicans never wrote any of that and actively opposed all of them. I don't know how old you are, but I remember back in the sixties and seventies when BOTH parties had men of really great vision for their COUNTRY. Maybe it was because they were from the generation that saved the world from Hitler and they just wanted better for their children. But they were able to work together and for all the screw-ups that happened, they managed to pull some pretty neat rabbits out a hat that you and I both enjoy and pretty much take for granted nowadays. In 1964 after the LBJ landslide, everyone was questioning whether or not the Republicans could even survive as a party. Obviously they did, but only after taking a good look at themselves and changing things around. The Dems will do that too, they have to. The fortunes of the parties will come and go, such is life in a multi party state. Unless you really want a one party state. They had one in Russia. Their entire system collapsed because of it too. I don't think you want that either, I sure as hell know I don't want it. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

I don't know why the Moslems should feel insulted by anybody's cartoons when you look at the virulently anti-Semitic cartoons they run in their Arab language newspapers. Not a day has gone by in years, no decades, that there hasn't been some daily cartoon of hook nosed, beady eyed, money grubbing jewish characters stabbing somebody in the back. So this is "acceptable" ? Apparently they think it's "normal". I often wonder whatever went wron with the Moslems. Time was when they were the leading civilizatrion in terms of art, architecture, science, medicine, poetry and literature. At a time when Europe was crawling through the mud of the Dark Ages. What on earth happened to these people, that all they can do anymore is rant and rave and want to kill everybody. They treat their women like livestock and when they're not busy killing Westerners, they delight in killing each ohter. WTF, over ?? Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

As I don't like either of them, I won't take sides. But the House leadership made the decision to move on and choose a new floor leader because things weren't getting done. Having to change it all again would just throw another wrench in the gears. So right or wrong, as a practical matter, I don't think it will happen. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Two weeks ago at Perris we had a powerful Santa Ana (that's a desert wind for those of you back east) kick up a little past noon. First thing they did was to put all the tandems and other students on hold. Manifest also got on the horn and advised to one & all that winds were 15 - 20 knots and gusting and that we should feel sure about whether we were comfortable jumping in those conditions. At that point a number of jumpers (myself and friends included) decided to scratch off our load. A few more loads went up and then the uppers got so powerful and unpredictable that manifest announced they were shutting down operations for the day. So I guess we do have wind holds. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

"What is most offensive to me is that Julian Bond denigrated Secretary Rice and Colin Powell as tokens at the beginning of Black History Month. President Bush's appointments are not based on skin color, but the content of peoples' character. This was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream. The fact that Rice and Powell became the face of U.S. foreign policy during President Bush's first term, as well as Rod Paige at the Department of Education and Alphonso Jackson at Housing and Urban Development, says a lot," said Project 21 member Geoffrey Moore. "And yet NAACP leaders still seem to wonder why President Bush refuses to address their annual conference." Further evidence that the NAACP and Bond in particular are way out of the mainstream thinking of many blacks. Martin Luther King and Ralph Abernathy Jr. founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in part because they felt the NAACP was out of step with the times - and that was in the 1950's. As anyone who reads these forums know, I'm a rabid Bush hater. But truthfully, I don't think the guy has a racist bone in his body. In fact, about the only good or smart thing I can think of him ever doing is the way the Texas Republican Party has reached out to Hispanic voters - with resounding success (compare this to California's Republican Party, which is the standard bearer of white racial purity and pays for it in every state election). That doesn't mean that his shills and minions don't resort to racial hijinks - especially the harassment of black voters in heavily black precincts in states like Florida. But a racist ? Bush ? no, I don't think so. I despise the guy enough that I wish I could say he was. But he's not. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

So, knowing human nature a bit. And knowing how *I* react when I fuck up....I am almost willing to bet that no matter how much I train "Straight to silver when low".....I bet the first time when I am there I will automaticly reach for the handle I have thrown 3800 times vs 6. NOT saying that I still don't drill "When low go to silver"....But I know that when I am in low and moving, my instinct kicks in and my right hand acts faster than my brain. Plus, aside from your box score of 3800 to 6, when's the last time you even LOOKED for Mr. Hackey Sack ? Answer is we don't, we find him by muscle memory. Finding Mr. Silver is more of a look down and pat your chest, going, "Oh God, where the fuck is it ?!?" kind of routine. Your body trusts its ability to find and grab that main p/c handle so completely that you're NOT even thinking about it. I'm not sure if there even IS a solution to that dilemma. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

I really like the part about "J. Edgar Ashcroft". But I'm so tired of comparisons to Nazi Germany, whether it comes from anti-abortionists or the NAACP. The plain truth is that if we had lost World War II, we not only would have plenty of swatstikas on the flag, we would have no black people. They'd have all gone up a chimney somewhere in Nevada or Montana. Seriously, think about it. If the Nazis had already done it to the Jews, they'd have about finished the Holocaust if they'd won the war. And they'd have moved on to other "inferior" races in conquered lands like the Americas. In North America there would be NO racial minorities anymore. South America and Africa would be massive slave labor continents on a scale we can't even imagine. No kiddin' people, we literally saved the world with that war. From great evil. People who compare anybody with the Nazis may mean well, but they just don't understand that there is no comparison with what they did and would've done. And what they don't teach you in school is just how close the Nazis came to winning that war - it almost happened. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

I think it's a great move by the DA to get another shot at her without any double-jeopardy bullshit. The real issue is whether or not she was in her right mind when she killed her kids. Nobody doubts that she killed them all & she's confessed as much. And even if she is not guilty by reason of insanity, she still belongs in an institution, much like John Hinkley is for shooting President Reagan. But the question of her state of mind and whether or not she's guilty of a crime should be settled once and for all with one trial, as her state of mind was one and the same for all of the kids. But this is Texas, where they give out varsity letters to executioners and they don't care what kind of lengths they need to go to in order to stock some fresh meat on death row. Guilty, innocent, insane, who cares ? If they can kill 'em they will. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Only if you're turning forty, which would make your dob 6/6/66. If so, then I'd expect your feet will probably turn into hooves and you'll be getting rather feisty. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Early to mid sixties I was watching Popeye, Mighty Mouse (the OLD one, though the new eighties version was pretty good too), Magilla Gorilla, Milton the Monster, The Beatles (yep - the fab four had their own cartoon show), Tom Slick, and of course the Buggs Bunny Show. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

I seem to look at the altimeter quite a lot under 6000 feet though. On a standard jump from 12,500 ft., I probably don't even glance at my alti for about 20 - 25 seconds, then more below about 6 grandish. I mount my alti on the back of my hand, so after one final look at breakoff, I don't look at it again until I'm open. While tracking it's just more important to be looking out for everybody else and keep a general perspective on the size of the ground. I usually end up throwing my pilot chute just below 3 grand, always have. Since I just recently started using an audible, it's been validating that I've been pulling right where I always thought Iwas, as the second "pull" tone (set for 3 grand) goes off just as I'm clearing myself and waving off. In the old days that was considered "high", nowadays some people would consider that "low", it seems to be about average for So. Cal. Only difference is in the old days I'd be opened a few hundered ft. hugher because openings were snappier back then, now I'm open around 2200 ft. It's possible to become too dependent on any kind of an altimeter, even a visual one. I've known people who've pulled low because they waited for their altimeter to tell them it was pull time and the needle was stuck ! The size of the real estate below is ALWAYS your best indicator. All you need is more jumps and more experience to help you build up more confidence in your abilities and comfort level. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

I haven't seen any of the current SOS systems, but some of the original Australian SOS rigs, circa 1980 had a "reserve only" handle that was below the main handle, with the cable routed through the main handle to the "only" one. It seemed like a good idea, so don't they still make them that way ? Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

What, no vodka ? Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

PS: Bush is kind of "squirmy" every time he speaks -- what was different today? The vodka he pours on his corn flakes. No, seriously folks what I can't believe is how "surprised" everybody is by the Hamas landslide. In some ways it parallels the Republican sweep of '94. The voters threw out an entrenched and corrupt party and put in their place the party that promotes traditional values. Hamas is disciplined, at least as far as corruption is concerned. And they've provided real social services, while Arafat and Fatah spent the money on themselves, their friends, and their lawless overfed thugs who comprised some 13 different "police" functions. Who would YOU choose if you were a Palestinian voter ? I hardly even read the paper, but the handwriting's been on the wall for years. Now that they have some elected power, we'll just have to see how they use it. A reminder that democracy in the Middle East doesn't always work in our favor. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !