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I think if you did a survey you would find that most military members signed up to get a paycheck and/or for money for college. Some to serve their country or because it is a family tradition. Some even to defend their country. I doubt any signed up to go sleep in the sand in Iraq or Afghanistan. In particular the reservists will fall in to the category of "what the hell am I doing here?" "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

And the world would be a better place for it. Another mistake made by the Irish. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Looking forward to it. I hope to be at the DZ this Saturday. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Only because of my lack of experience. I am just getting to the point where I cannot only see if some one is close to me but those farther away too. For the first time a few weeks ago I saw a free flyer who was out after me fall past me. Again great seperation so no risk, just the first time I ever saw it. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Donna: Maybe we can talk about this this weekend but I have to ask, how close is too close. When we had Otter Load 1 a few months back I went out after the 10 way, a good 10 - 12 seconds behind and had not planned on even seeing them. However when I got stable there they were, well below and to the side. By well below I mean each person was about the size of the end of my little finger. Not having seen anything like that I just watched, staying to the side. When they broke off I too turned 180 to track away from them. So was this a dangerous lurk or was I in a position to avoid danger to myself and them? "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Did you get the Buyer Protection or whatever they call it at PayPal? After looking at this guys feedback and seeing that he is no longer a registered user you may be screwed. His proportion of negative to positive feedback (25%) and low rating in the first place would have prevented me from bidding. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

If the DZ has a computer on site and ther "Group Member" credentials the can check your status here. http://uspa.org/membership/group.htm Edited to make it clicky. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Not entirely true. Start here. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

everybody lighten up

From a Society For Creative Anachronism list that I am on. "Actually, Texas Penal Code Chpt 42 lists swords as an illegal weapon, PC 46.02 Unlawful Carrying Weapon includes swords but there is a traveling (which is a very specific to and from defense) and a 'sporting activity' /theatrical defense that can get you off the hook for it, but if you get a cop that is very suspicious and you accidently left it in your car from a weekend event and it is Wednesday...or if you get pulled over in Williamson Co, you might get a free trip to jail...I've seen it happen to people with a 3 inch throwing daggers(two sided blades in illegal weapon category)for karate demos. So watch yourself and use common sense please. " "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

And it is quite good homebrew too! "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

I thought he used the perfectly clear line more often than that but I was a youngster at the time. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

I think his "I am not a crook" quote would be closer to the Clinton quote. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Too funny! "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Unless you have it with permission of the copyright holder it is theft. Does it hurt Metallica, probably not. Might it hurt the next up and coming artist, maybe depends on if you then go out and buy the full album. Lets think of this as a skydiving photographer instead. He/she shoot a really great picture that every one here loves and downloads and uses a screensaver but no one sends him/her any cash. He/she has to hock the camera to eat and gets a job flipping burgers and can't afford to jump any more. No chance of another great picture from the artist. The artist is certainly injured and I would hold that civilization is injured to a small degree too. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

I've never jumped there so I can't comment on the facility. Texas Skydiving says they will take a 16 year old. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

I can image my cats saying exactly what is in JJohnson's post but you have clearly never owned a cat. BTW I have seven dogs and three cats so no accusactions of favoring cats. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Just like I am sure you don't like being called a "gun-nut" I don't like being called "anti-gun." I am the closest thing to a friend ya'll have on the liberal side of the fence. I don't think guns in general should be outlawed. I do think they should be registered and heavily regulated. Owners should be required to go threw extensive training before a purchase of any kind and not just for a concealed carry license. Why? Because so many of them are used for illegal and dangerous purposes. My opinion of the assault weapon ban has changed based on what I have learned here. I don't think it went far enough. Quite possibly removeable magazines in rifles should be banned all together and there should be minimum size and weight requirements that make them to big and clumsy to be easily used in crime. And while I have pointed out more than once that this thread is about rifles and not handguns don't even get me started there. To many people are killed intentionally or accidently by people they know with handguns. You are right guns are used all over the place in safe, legal and fun ways but their intent is to be used to kill. Kill might be game for dinner or to defend my home and country but the purpose of a gun is to kill. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

... What guns do you believe "civilians" should not be able to own? Why? I've said this elsewhere in this thread but will say it again here. You're not going to like it. Guns whose primary design purpose is to kill people not game. This would include any weapon designed for use by the military and guns designed to look like guns designed for the military. Yes I know deer rifle can be used to kill people but when someone looks at it that is not what they imagine it being used for. It is also a lot harder to sneak one into a convenience store than say an Uszi (SP?). I had the pleasure of taking the a week of Army basic training while I was in the Air Force. The combat arms familiarization part. This was nearly 25 years ago so not all of the details remain clear. We fired a lot of M-16 rounds, learned about grenade launchers, fired a rather large (50 caliber I think) machine gun. At night no less, tracers are cool. Threw a couple of live handgrenades and fired a Light Anti-tank Weapon (LAW). Granted it only had a "willy-pete" smoke rocket in it. I don't think civilians need to own any of those weapons. Because some guns are more dangerous than others. I also believe in mandatory training and licensing. I have to have more training to get a drivers license than to buy a gun. If the weapon is illegal two things happen. Legal demand for it goes away and manufacturing declines or ceases. We need to face the fact that every legally manufactured gun that is used in a crime was originally purchased legally and then made it's way into the hands of a "bad guy." Quite possibly stolen from the home of a responsible gun owner. If a person commits a crime and has in their possesion an illegal firearm that is one more charge against them and hopefully increases their punishment. I don't see how you can say it won't make it easier to prosecute them any additional charge helps. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

All three of my children were born in the 80's. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Should have called the cops and I would definately stop defining him as "friend." "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

There is the the Places to Jump forum where people talk about where they are going and asking for advice a hooking up with other other dz.commers. I just may get to meet chaoskitty in a few months

By definition breaking a law is doing something wrong. We had a constitutional amendment once that made drinking alcohol a crime. It didn't matter that you or I thought it was OK you drank booze you broke the law and it was "wrong." I don't see anything inherently wrong with smoking pot or gays getting married or a lot of other things but in our current system they are against the law and by legal definition wrong. There are a lot of laws that should be changed or eliminated. Do I think gun ownership is wrong, no. Do I think there are guns civilians should not be able to own, yes. Your train of thought leads to a utopian look at the world. Nothing should be illegal because we all should do what is right. We have laws so that we can punish the people who do wrong not to hurt the people who don't do wrong. I don't steal because of the law but because I know it is wrong to steal. Laws don't prevent crime they only give us the ability to punish the people who break them. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

At Skydive San Marcos in Texas it is not uncommon to have to cross the runway after landing, students in particular. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

The only people effected by any law are those who obey it. That is as long as we mean "can't do what I want to do " as defining effected. Hopefully people who ignore laws are effected by punishment. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes