ScubaSteve

I was one of the wimpier kids until 8th grade. I remember how much fun dodge ball (we called it bomb-bardament *sp) was and usually came home with plenty of welts and cuts. I hated those 8" rubber balls!!LOL I was usually the last kid left on a team and would strech the game out until my team begged me to get out. I learned being small and fast made me hard to hit. I see the point in not letting younger kids play but they need something. They need to learn that there are winners and losers and more importantly they need to learn to lose properly. We sometimes learn valuable lessons from losing and sometimes it takes a little pain to get our attention. We are not good at everything: if you cannot throw, you better catch. If you cannot throw or catch, you better be able to dodge!

Great service. I tried ordering an item that I really wanted. Baddog services was out and the only alternitative was odering from AUS ($$shipping). A rep ofered to sell me the item out of personal, unused, stash for listed price. I will be buying more gear as i need it for those guys.

I dont agree with (Ret.) Col. Hackworth but he is consistant. Unlike the atni-war (i mean anti-bush) croud today. This guy just plain hates the hell that is unleashed by any form of war. ********************* Col. David Hackworth Turn off the war junkies From his column "Defending America" April 30, 1999 On the first day bombs dropped on ex-Yugoslavia, Mrs. Albright said, "I don't see this as a long-term operation." Pardon me, Madeleine, it's already been a 30-day-plus nightmare, and unless the fumbling NATO bureaucracy manages to drop a bomb directly on Slobodan Milosevic and his inner circle of criminals, we can expect a much longer siege. The superior firepower and skill of NATO -- read U.S.A. because we're already carrying 80 percent of the load -- will eventually take out the second-rate Serbian conventional army. But when there's nothing left to bomb but rubble, NATO ground troops will be stuck into the mud of Albright's not-exactly blitzkrieg war. And it won't be Desert Storm-easy, nor as bloodless. The absence of a decent launching pad, the rugged Kosovo terrain, the lousy weather and the Serb fighting spirit and skill are sure to take their toll and slow down our high-tech punch. The destruction of the Serbian conventional army will not usher in an end to the fighting, either. The Serbs invented the word "hardcore" and aren't big into white flags. The next phase will be a guerrilla effort that could last for years. Hit and run. Much like the tactics Tito's soldiers employed against the Nazis, and the Vietnamese used against the French and then us. The Serb insurgents will have nothing to lose. And they'll be fighting for sacred ground against an opponent they'll now hate as much as they did the Nazis. Sun Tzu wrote 2,500 years ago, "In all history, there is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare. Only one who knows the disastrous effects of a long war can realize the supreme importance of rapidity in bringing it to a close." Clinton, Albright, Cohen and their NATO counterparts know nothing of war or they wouldn't have erred so badly when they called so quickly for the military solution. This is the second time in my lifetime that a war has made me deeply ashamed of my country's policies. The war in Southeast Asia, where we were ultimately responsible for killing more than three million Vietnamese, one million Cambodians and a half-million Laotians, was the first. And now this. The Serbian and Kosovar people are not our enemies. Milosevic and his thugs and the KLA terrorists are the bad guys. Both evil camps could have been removed without the death and destruction so far wrought at less than was spent on the first day of the bombing campaign. Of course, not using the military solution would have taken wisdom, statesmanship and patience -- traits never easily found among world leaders during the 20th Century, where over 160 million human beings have been killed in conflicts because shooting is so much more profitable for the weapon makers than talking. What surprises me most about this latest mayhem is how little public protest there's been. The nation rightfully weeps and builds yellow-ribboned memorials when buildings are blown up by homegrown terrorists or when kids imitate Hollywood in Colorado. But we seem big into denial when confronted with the mass murder, destruction and chaos being perpetuated by our tax dollars and wreaked on our behalf by our sons and daughters and politicians upon a land that's endured strife for hundreds of years. While the American people shut their eyes or allow themselves to be brainwashed by a superficial TV news apparatus, driven by ratings and sensationalism, the U.S. Congress is spurred on by the likes of war cheerleader Senator John McCain, who, like Albright, has seen few wars that didn't push his buttons. Both are driven by early experiences of war. As a child, Albright saw her native Czechoslovakia invaded by the Nazis and again by the Soviets. McCain was shot down on his 23rd mission over North Vietnam and spent the next five years as a prisoner of war -- during which, by his own admission, he violated the soldier's sacred Code Of Conduct by providing military information to the enemy (U.S. News and World Report, May 14, 1973). Both Albright and McCain might find therapy more helpful than playing out earlier traumas at the world's expense. For that matter, maybe the whole country should shut off the tube and get shrunk.

I cannot believe you used Ex President Carter as a credible source..LOL!!!!

Most of it true. What point do you disagree with and why? Careful. SOme of you quotes are taken way out of context.

Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Flight (1903-2003) George Putnam It is this reporter's opinion that in the hustle and bustle of our busy lives today, always on a red-eye to somewhere, we take flight all too much for granted. In commemoration of the approaching 100th anniversary of flight, it is only fitting that we take a moment to remember the two men whose insatiable curiosity made the quick travel of today possible: the Wright brothers. They were men of character, wit and curiosity, keen of humor and humility, those inventors of the airplane. Years ago, my Sally Conlon's grandfather, Walter McMurray, a Dayton, Ohio, dealer in antique furniture, recalled to me his memories of the Wright Brothers. Walter would sneak into their bicycle shop and watch Orville and Wilbur as they assembled the first plane. He recalled they were extremely fond of one another, but they argued for the fun of it. The bicycle shop was a fascinating place and as the brothers worked, they seemed to revel in arguing. One would make a statement, the other would immediately disagree, and over the hours that followed the arguments would continue. They were men of few words; Wilbur would say, " 'Tis," Orville would respond, " 'Tisn't either." And away they would go ... " 'Tis too!" " 'Tisn't either!" and for half an hour, these would be the only words they'd utter. And then, to be cantankerous, the brothers would switch to the opposite side of the argument. Walter spoke of their curiosity about all mechanical things, which led to all types of inventions, most of which were never patented. They were in the newspaper business and they invented a gadget for folding newspapers – to save time. When mother Wright was canning fruit in glass jars one day, Orville invented a little gadget to automatically tighten the lid without a strain. Would you believe it – they were such constant tinkerers that they would actually buy an automobile, a refrigerator or a typewriter and take it apart piece by piece ... and put it back together again. It always worked – except once. That was the time Orville bought a new IBM electric typewriter. He fiddled with it for days, but couldn't put it back together again. Finally, he called the local IBM repairman and when the poor fellow entered the room, he just threw up his hands, stood and looked at the dissembled mess, then gathered up all the pieces in a box and shipped it back to the factory. They once bought a car – a Ford – and dissembled it, brought all the pieces inside and reassembled it in the living room. They had a housekeeper who threatened to quit. She said, "This is the last straw!" – so they then had to dissemble it, take it out of the house and put it all together again. Both of the brothers were able pilots, but it was Orville who had the feel for flying. By the way, Orville never did master the skill of driving an automobile. Wilbur refused to drive at all! Orville drove an old air-cooled Franklin and later switched to a Hudson, but there weren't many people who would dare ride with him. One fellow who rode with him jumped out and said, "Never again!" He said Orville spent as much time on the wrong side of the road as he did on the right. The poor fellow was a nervous wreck, but he finally got to Dayton, Ohio. Neither of the Wrights ever married and both dedicated themselves to flying; and history has claimed their wondrous generation for the ages. Now they are buried on a hill in Woodland Cemetery overlooking Dayton. That's where the airplane was born and there rest the remains of Orville and Wilbur Wright. And close by, as though looking adoringly from a vantage point in the bicycle shop, lie the remains of my friend, Walter McMurray. And just as Walter idolized the Wright brothers, so did the kids of the next generation who looked to Lucky Lindbergh ... just as those of today find a hero in Neil Armstrong, our man on the moon. In the magnificence of hero worship, there is no generation gap. I invite you to read on: http://www.first-to-fly.com http://www.wam.umd.edu/~stwright/WrBr/Wrights.html http://www.nps.gov/wrbr http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/wright http://firstflight.open.ac.uk http://www.flight100.org/index.cfm * * * * * * The legendary George Putnam is 88 years young and a veteran of 68 years as a reporter, broadcaster and commentator ... and is still going strong.

Can I get the original pic of cloud/mountain? Thanx in advance.

LMAO!

http://members.aon.at/rialskaedda.html/gimproulette.swf

I want "WUFFO"

Based one the fine job in the Balkins. Not the grunts fault, but look where the country is today.

Great story. I like how the writer describes feeling breifly connected to something he cannot describe.

That is a perfect description of my younger brother. He left for basic training two weeks after graduating High School. He didn't need the army with his grades and sports. It was his choice. He just finished Airborne School in Ft Benning on Saturday. He is waiting for his new orders and hopes to be home for a few weeks in late Nov - early Dec. When home he plans on making his "first" freefall jump at Skydive Chicago. I don't know who is more excited, me or him: ) After home he is off to hawaii attached to the 25ID. I think between the two of us we shortened our mothers life quite significantly.

No wonder the system has problems. Look who is in charge... David M. Walker became the seventh Comptroller General of the United States and began his 15-year term when he took his oath of office on November 9, 1998. As Comptroller General, Mr. Walker is the nation’s chief accountability officer and head of the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO), a legislative branch agency founded in 1921. GAO’s mission is to help improve the performance and assure the accountability of the federal government for the benefit of the American people. Over the years, GAO has earned a reputation for professional objective, fact-based, and nonpartisan reviews of government issues and operations. The long tenure of the Comptroller General gives GAO a continuity of leadership and independence that is rare within government. Both elements help to allow GAO to consider long-range and cross-governmental issues and alert policymakers to problems looming on the horizon, such as the growing burden of entitlement programs or the nation’s deteriorating infrastructure. Before his appointment as Comptroller General, Mr. Walker had extensive executive level experience in both government and private industry. Between 1989 and 1998, Mr. Walker worked at Arthur Andersen LLP, where he was a partner and global managing director of the human capital services practice based in Atlanta, Georgia. He was also a member of the board of Arthur Andersen Financial Advisors, a registered investment advisor. While a partner at Arthur Andersen, Mr. Walker served as a Public Trustee for Social Security and Medicare from 1990 to 1995. Before joining Arthur Andersen, Mr. Walker was Assistant Secretary of Labor for Pension and Welfare Benefit Programs from 1987 to 1989 and in 1985, was Acting Executive Director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. His earlier technical, professional, and business experience was with Price Waterhouse, Coopers & Lybrand and Source Services Corporation, an international human resources consulting and search firm. Mr. Walker serves as Chair of the U.S. Intergovernmental Audit Forum, the U.S. Joint Financial Management Improvement Program, and the Center for Continuous Auditing. He is on the Board of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions and various educational and not-for-profit entities. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and an active member of various professional public service, and other organizations. Mr. Walker is also listed in Who’s Who in the World and Who’s Who in America. Mr. Walker is the author of Retirement Security: Understanding and Planning Your Financial Future (John Wiley & Sons, 1996) and a co-author of Delivering on the Promise: How to Attract, Manage and Retain Human Capital (Free Press, 1998). He has also written numerous articles and opinion letters on a variety of subjects. Mr. Walker is frequently quoted on a range of government and management issues and has been the subject of several cover stories in various national, professional and governmental journals. Mr. Walker is a certified public accountant. He has a B.S. degree in accounting from Jacksonville University, a Senior Management in Government Certificate in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and a Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration from Bryant College. He is married to the former Mary Etheredge, and they have two adult children—a daughter, Carol, and a son, Andy.

Some history on the suprised Gov. http://www.puertorico.com/forums/showthread.php3?threadid=9221 this was a double win for the left. The military occupied 1/3 of the habbitable land in islands. The land will now be usedas a wildlife habitat and cannot be developed. The Gov was shocked because she was planning on building resorts and private residences ($) on the newly opened land. Ha! Now thats justice.

1991: Bush orders Allies to begin bombing Baghdad The Gulf War Allies send hundreds of planes on bombing raids into Iraq, at the start of Operation Desert Storm COOL

Required reading for the voo-doo econ people. It works folks. http://www.wanniski.com/showarticle.asp?articleid=2803

My Favorite... http://www.happytreefriends.com/goodies/images/desktop_patterns/flippy_800x600.jpg

My hometown is nicknamed Radium City. http://home.earthlink.net/~rogerr6/radiumdials.htm

I have become much closer to my family since I started skydiving. I appreciate each day I get with my brother and sisters.

Looks like me in SDC blue shirt and green cargo shorts that I frequently wear to DZ.

Here is a try

Here is one.

http://www.turbopilot.com/turbowx/winds_aloft_forecast.htm Check here for temps @altitude.

I think the problem is that most civilized do "live and let live" and thats the problem. The politicians (right and Left) like to divide the population in segments for control. They use fear as a means of control. Fear of what the other groups will get and you will not. All groups could function fine without being divided into groups.