meltdown

I've got 17 jumps and I still suck going out the door. Every single time I get flipped around somehow and have never been able to watch the plane fly away. I stabilize quickly, but just wig out for the first couple of seconds. I think it's fairly common for us newbies.

She needs to do a tandem ASAP. I was nutso for a few weeks when my wife started skydiving, then I decided to do a tandem. It completely changed my view of skydiving, and of life in general. I didn't think I'd ever get into the sport, but now I'm obsessed. In fact, we're both obsessed. She just needs to see what it's all about. Then maybe she'll understand.

TSA = T housands S tanding A round! ________________________________________________ They're waiting for a disabled 7 year old girl in a wheelchair so they can make her get out and frisk her. Happens every time I fly with my daughter. Then they go back to doing squat.

Here's that link I was looking for. This is your "everyman" in person. Anyone know how to make this clicky? http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,74883,00.html

A little bit off the subject, but does anybody remember reading news stories a few months ago about how Moore went off verbally on an audience, I think in London or somewhere, at a one man stage show he was doing? If I remember right, he was complaining that he wasn't paid enough, or that the food backstage sucked or some other thing you would expect to see in Spinal Tap. If anyone has any links on this, I'd be interested in checking it out.

*** >This is by no means a documentary or even "fiction", just a waste of time. And so you saw it several times? Interesting. _____________________________________________ HAHAHAHA BTW, I can't stand Michael Moore, but that's damn funny.

*** You misread my challenge. ________________________________________________ I think your challenge would be an interesting experiment, but would be necessarily subject to the bias of the person doing it. I just don't have the time or inclination to pursue it, and even if I did, it would probably prove nothing. If you can find an unbiased person to sift through all that stuff, I'd be interested in seeing the result.

Kallend - I think most people are gullible at some point in their lives. My point was that unquestioning adherence to a set of beliefs is a barrier to personal growth. In my particular case, I was immersed in a liberal culture and the "blame the rich" mentality that went along with that helped direct my decisions at the time (to my detriment). People should question the validity of information they are exposed to regardless of the source, because both political ideologies have spin machines working overtime to win over a gullible public.

*** One of the reasons we have Al Qaeda is that these people have a very simple "black and white" view of the world and lack tolerance. _______________________________________________ Ok, call me simple, but I lack tolerance for people who want to blow me up.

*** The more troubling thing is that these right wing sources continue to put out such drivel. The only reason I can think of that they do this is that there are many people out there gullible enough to believe it and too lazy to question it. __________________________________________________ If you substitute "left" for "right", this statement described me perfectly up until about 10 years ago. I believed every liberal lie I heard. Then one day I started paying attention. Since then, I got a real job, bought 2 houses, earned many promotions, and have plenty of money to do shit like skydive without having to worry about feeding or clothing my family. Back when I believed the liberal drivel, all I cared about was where my next bag of weed was coming from. I can't (and don't want to) imagine where I'd be if I hadn't opened my mind to new ideas. The funny thing is, back then I was totally convinced I was "enlightened" and "open minded" and that all conservatives were idiots who just didn't "get it". My, how things change.

I love the way you left coast liberals pat yourselves on the back because of your superior "diversity". You unknowingly expose your true racist selves when you make this argument. You love to point out skin color and say "look how diverse we are". But when a minority doesn't fit your liberal mold, you discard them like old socks. Just ask Clarence Thomas or Miguel Estrada. You use race to prop up your weak arguments, but when the chips are down, it's all about power.

You've gotta wonder what would compel a person to start a thread doing nothing constructive, but dissing the population of an entire state (actually 2 states, without even knowing it). I thought you liberal Californians were "compassionate" and "tolerant". If a conservative were to do what you've done, it would instantly be dubbed "hate speech". Pretty sad, Sue.

"Texas" didn't drag anybody to death. A couple of losers did, and they paid dearly. In your state, the criminals are always "victims", and the state is held hostage by liberal interest groups, not to mention the $18 billion deficit. Maybe that's why so many left coasters are moving to Austin. Who's backwards?

Wednesday was a great jumping day - got in 1 T-Bo jump with practically no one on the load. Had to cut out of work early but it was worth it!

I was terrified on my first solo. There was just one other guy on the plane (182) and me, and I'd just done my AFF 7 about 45 minutes earlier. He was going to do a hop-n-pop, so I was going to have to open the door. Just the thought of that scared the shit out of me. Then the other guy decides to ride all the way up, which was a relief. On top of that, it had suddenly got very cloudy. Great. We got to altitude, and the other guy left. It was just me and the pilot. I said what the hell and just leaped out, and it was the BEST skydive I've had to date. No instructor, no drills, no nothing but me and the sky. It totally kicked ass. In fact, it was the first time I'd actually completely relaxed on a dive. I've only got 15 jumps, but I still love going out solo the best of all. Fortunately, I haven't yet learned how to pack, although I'm about to leave work and go jump a demo rig that is 20 s.f. smaller than anything I've jumped to date. JUST DO IT! Good luck!

Sally

*** Yep...wasn't trying to defend anyone, just pointing out some current, relevant facts. However, for 30 years, since Watergate, the Democratic candidates have always limited themselves to what is permitted under that program, unlike the Republicans. Personally, I'm very much in favor of campaign finance reform. Both parties are equally guilty of manipulating the system in an effort to buy votes. ________________________________________________ I gotcha. I personally don't favor so called campaign finance reform - it's just another infringment on the rights of individuals to say what they want to say. I'm far more concerned about vote buying schemes perpetuated by those already in office (new social experiments, amnesty for illegals, and the like).

*** Breaking with a nearly 30-year tradition, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean Saturday announced he would become the first Democratic presidential candidate ever to opt out of the system for publicly financing elections. _________________________________________________ I'm not sure I understand the point you're trying to make. All this shows is that Dean has SO MUCH cash, that he doesn't need the taxpayers' dime to finance his campaign. That's MORE money in politics, not less.

*** I think that either a flat or a progressive tax works well. ________________________________________________ I think flat tax is the way to go. Right now the system is so screwed up, with the richest people sheltering so much income, and poor people paying nothing, or receiving refunds on monies never paid. A progressive tax would be bearable if it weren't so damn convoluted, but once you start complicating the formula, it quickly gets out of control (like practically everything in Washington). A flat tax would guarantee that everybody pays something (which they should), and the wealthiest would still pay more, because they make more. And it still allows for capital formation and wealth effect factors to remain in place, which create new jobs for the chumps like me.

*** I can't believe the conservatives around here have nothing to say about this. I'd think they be screaming from their desk tops what a travesty it is for a rich man to be supporting Democratic causes I, for one, would like to give Soros a big hug and a kiss - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sorry, no screaming here. It's a free country. The guy can spend his cash wherever he wants, although I wish he'd buy me a new rig before throwing all of it away . The funny thing is, liberals in Washington (McCain included) were falling over each other (very recently, in fact) trying to convince everybody they wanted the "money out of politics". I can't wait for them to get hold of this one. Oh wait, the money's coming to them, so I guess this doesn't count. And, in case you haven't noticed, practically all of the richest of the rich in Hollywood support your so called "progressive" politics and left wing causes.

3 area DZ's, all just about a 1 hour drive.

*** students are easier to control anyway...either or, ya know?? Perhaps have a student landing area and enforce it. _______________________________________________ I like this idea. It seems like it's mainly the students and low timers that create the hazard. Separate them from the pack until they (we) can prove their ability to land safely and it's probably better for everyone.

*** You know, if people did a proper pattern, then it would be a non-issue. They'd be predictable. Talk about piss someone off, don't fly a pattern, just hit your final, then s-turn to bleed altitude. That, IMHO, is more dangerous then a swooper that knows what he/she is doing and is flying a proper patter, setting up and landing in a predictable fasion. _________________________________________________ This is an excellent point. However, I find that quite often I don't have the luxury of setting up a proper landing pattern due to the spot, in combination with my limited canopy skills (I have 15 jumps). At our DZ, I often see people coming in from all directions, conservative landers and swoopers both. Then of course there are the students who do the pattern but find they've overshot the landing area, so they try to bleed off altitude with S turns. Maybe it's the students who should be segregated. I know I've found myself overshooting more than once (after doing the appropriate pattern), and I sure don't want to cause an accident any more than I want to fly into a fence.

*** CBS, who just abided by conservative's wishes and took a program that conservatives objected to off the air? That's an example of what a liberal station does? _______________________________________________ That's a business reacting to paying customers. I'm talking about newsrooms. And on the Moyers bit, I think you probably know I'm talking about major media outlets, not quotes you dig up on the internet. And if you deny that those other outlets don't lean way left, you must live in la la land. _______________________________________________ *** Conservatives are loath to give that up, because by claiming the media is a bunch of "bleeding heart liberals" it makes it easier to manage news they don't like - if most of the media are lying liberals, any bad news can be discounted. _______________________________________________ I didn't believe it either, back when I was a liberal. And it's not about "managing" news we don't like. I get news from plenty of sources, and I have no problem "managing" any of it. It's about noticing the things that are reported, and the way that they are reported, and the things that are conspicuously missing. It's not that difficult.

*** Absolutely. And it's good to see people admitting (finally!) that the media is controlled as much by the conservatives as by the liberals. Like you said, they make up half the country; they have half the influence. __________________________________________________ Well, this I can't quite agree with. Let's see - conservatives have talk radio, Fox News, the Wall Street Journal editorial page, and the Washington Times. The liberals have ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, PBS (taxpayer help on those last two!), my local paper, and on and on. Also, most of the conservative stuff you see is presented as conservative opinion/commentary. A conservative's opinion on a major network is nearly always presented with the person being labeled "conservative" as a disclaimer (so the listener/viewer knows he shouldn't take it seriously). On the flip side, how often do you hear Bill Moyers called a liberal? The liberal spin, usually, is cleverly disguised as objective reporting. Practically all news people/reporters are liberal. That's a fact.