hipgnosis

You can find a sound level meter at Radio Shack for around $50 (catalog 33-2055). Hipgnosis Professional Lurker

Lets see.... Flying (little Cessna type critters) Street Bikes (Suzuki GSX-1300R) Poker (Holdem, NL Holdem) Mountain Biking plus any sports I can get involved with/find people to play with/against. Oh, and the most important hobby : Neglecting housework . Hipgnosis Master Rated DZ.Com Lurker

So, what type of beer do you have in that bad boy?

Don't sweat it. Don't sweat it. Don't sweat it. Next time just go out to enjoy yourself and don't focus on the jump as much as having a good time. If you fixate on something it becomes much harder to overcome, as opposed to just relaxing and letting it happen as almost an incidental event of the day. In conclusion, always remember : Don't sweat it.

It should be pointed out that while type O-Negative people are considered "universal donors" as their blood can be donated to anyone else. http://www.americasblood.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=display.showpage&pageID=13#universal_blood_type Unfortunately, they can only receive blood from other type O-Negative people (8% of the US). So if you are able to and are type O-Negative, please give some blood! Bill M

Eric is a great up and coming skydiver, and I know that I'll miss him during the next several months at Perris. All my best wishes and prayers are with him and his family during this trying time. Bill Morrison

In my opinion, flawed as it is, it comes down to this. Safety should be everyones concern, especially when we're engaging in something that is inherently dangerous. If you see something that is looks wrong, especially on the aircraft where a mistake can harm everyone onboard, tell someone. Tell the person doing the action, or tell someone he's jumping with. Don't get excited, just bring it to peoples attention, preferably just the person involved or as many people as are needed to either correct the situation or to explain that things are correct. Most of the time a little reminder, even non-verbal will cue them in and common sense will take hold. We had someone sitting in the back of the Otter this weekend with their seat belt on and the door open, Quade waved his seat belt buckle at them, they acknowledged and took their seat belt off. Quick, simple, and resolved a potential problem. In every firing range I went to in the military everyone from the Range Officers down to the lowest, greenest Private had the authority, at any time, to call cease fire. Why? Because, even if we lost ten minutes of range time because the Private was 100% incorrect, it beat the hell out of the alternative. It's far easier to explain to someone why you erred on the side of safety, than to explain why you let something dangerous happen. Bill

While I don't know about tipping your instructors, I do know that there are times when tipping your packer is appropriate. Take the Big Way Camp a couple of weeks ago at Perris. Hot, hot temperatures, people coming down in waves of 40 or more needing quick repacks (I believe a majority of us used packers), and yet my packer still managed to get my rig packed in time for the next jump, and gave me a nice on heading opening almost every time. I know he and all the other packers were busting their arses keeping us packed for our next jumps. Repeat this scene 20 times in the space of four days, and you can see where they deserved a little something extra for their efforts. Naturally, of course, this weekend I forgot to pay him before I left this Sunday and will have to get him back this weekend Bill

You mean you don't pay your employer for the pleasure and excitement of work?!? For shame, for shame. Bill

Awwww, and so the adventure ends Needless to say we're looking forward to your next visit! Bill