RedBull

Since I didn't get to jump it, I didn't give myself a point for a first this weekend (first new rig).

2:0:0 The weather here in VA sucked, as nws01 pointed out. On the bright side, my new Odyssey is finally here.

That's me! Here is a full-sized version. The bi-plane ride rocked!

I'm pissed off about orange juice! That's right. I'm annoyed that in order to buy some f'n juice, I have to wade through a dozen different pulp gradations in the store. "No Pulp", "Low Pulp", "Medium Pulp", "Some Pulp", "Extra Pulp" ??!! I've even seen "With Pulp". Of course it's "With Pulp" you brainless freaks, it's friggin' smashed oranges!! I want the amount of pulp in my damned juice that was there before people became so motherf'n persnickety!!

This week, I have my rigger moving my Cypres from my old rig into a new rig (

0:4:0 Solo (getting used to new jumpsuit), 8-way, 8-way, 13-way The weather was great today, and I'm improving the consistency of my landings under my new (to me) Safire. Woo hoo!

My best belly fall-rate is 168 mph (TAS), according to my Pro-Track. This was in a polycotton RW suit w/ cordura booties and forearm slip-ons -- I guess I'd better lay off the doughnuts.

Cool! I recommended you, whatever that means. Me? 1144 work units and counting!

I was bothered by the ads sponsored by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. These ads were spreading the message that if you use drugs, you support terrorism. The truth (IMHO) is that the prohibition of drugs is the only thing that makes drug trafficking particularly profitable. So, every dollar (of ours!) that goes toward the 'War on Drugs' amounts to a taxpayer-funded terror subsidy. It seems we've learned nothing from Alcohol prohibition (as well as gambling and prostitution laws), which allowed organized crime to thrive early in the 20th century. vote Libertarian!

Thank you for your replies. As I look at this, it seems it will be more trouble than it's worth to keep searching. Even if such code exists, it would probably be a pain to integrate into my app. The first rule of programming: If your can't get it the way you want it, want it a different way.

Does anyone have some java .class (or whatever) code that will allow me to have a table cell's BGCOLOR fade from one color to another? No motion, just color A on the left, color B on the right, and a gradual transition in the middle. I've looked around the web for hours at java libraries, and nobody's bothered to post anything so seemingly simple.

or rump ranger butt pirate ("Ahrrrrrgh. Prepare to be boarded!") My favorite euphemism for male masturbation is "dishonorable discharge"

Uh ... what does "ming" mean? And, whilst I'm inquiring about the language of our UK brethren, what does "ponce" mean? I've heard it on Red Dwarf and Junkyard Wars.

Nope, it's not. You just have to be patient. I hate those stupid eye-crossing things, too! I've never seen a f'n thing in those, although it may be due to my abysmal color vision. I know the skin is a jealous skin I know the sky is its only competition - Soul Coughing

Born in Virginia Beach, VA (The Old Dominion State, Mother of Presidents, Virginia is for Lovers) Live in Richmond, VA Jump at Skydive the Point (West Point, VA), where I was skyborn 7/23/2000 I know the skin is a jealous skin I know the sky is its only competition - Soul Coughing

Isn't there also one like ... ? "I'll bet they lied about the truck being there to pick me up, too!" I know the skin is a jealous skin I know the sky is its only competition - Soul Coughing

Well, I knew that Ron Jeremy (aka "The Warthog") was a household name, but I wasn't sure about Mr. North ("The Decorator").

I'm a little ashamed that I actually know who Peter North is.

Since we're sharing jokes .... Q: What's the best thing about going on a date with a homeless girl? A: You can drop her off anywhere.

News from St. Jospeh, MO City backing out of free-fall event By PATTY SCULLY pscully@npgco.com The city of St. Joseph has backed out of deal to co-host a free-fall convention at the municipal airport next summer. Rosecrans Memorial Airport Manager John Cox said the city stopped negotiating a lease agreement with the World Free Fall Convention Inc. because of security concerns, construction conflicts and pending litigation between the group and the city of Quincy, Ill. “The lawsuits certainly didn’t help,” Mr. Cox said. The St. Joseph Convention & Visitors Bureau had planned to co-sponsor the event, but also has withdrawn its support. The event, which involves sky-diving activities over a 10-day period, has been held in Quincy for 12 years. The convention promoter, Don Kirlin, has been talking about moving it, possibly to St. Joseph, since 1997. Public Works Director Bruce Woody said the economic impact of the convention was estimated at $6 million, including fuel sales, food vendors, camping and live entertainment. The promoter wanted the city to provide services Mr. Woody estimated could cost up to $400,000, including full utilities for a 35-acre site on the airfield west of the crosswinds runway. He said the aviation, street maintenance and traffic and water-pollution-control divisions of his department would have to make a significant investment of time to the event, as would the police department. Mr. Woody recommended the city invest no more than $130,000. The lease also would have to adequately address liability issues, he said. As lease negotiations stumbled and concern grew over whether municipal and Missouri Air National Guard construction projects could be completed in time, city interest in sponsoring the August 2002 event waned. Then in mid-December, a reporter from the Quincy Herald-Whig contacted Mr. Cox for an article the newspaper was doing. The newspaper reported the convention promoter had filed suit Dec. 12 seeking more than $300,000 in damages, claiming the city reneged on agreements and failed to work in good faith with organizers. The suit alleged that “excessive and unreasonable policing” during the 2001 convention interfered with organizers’ relationships with participants, spectators and vendors. The lawsuit was filed the day that Quincy city officials set as the deadline for the convention to pay $45,000 for police, fire and other services. On Dec. 18, St. Joseph’s interim city manager, Vince Capell notified Mr. Kirlin that “we feel it is not in the city’s best interest at this time to pursue hosting the convention in 2002.” If a lease agreement can be worked out by April 5, the city would consider supporting the event in August 2003, Mr. Capell said.

Good point. I guess this sort of revenge is best reserved for people's homes.

In addition to making a nuisance of yourself until you get your money back, this BB location must, IMHO, receive an upperdecker. In fact, at least a dozen of them, preferably after you've primed the pump with some 7-layer burritos. --------- Note: For those of you not schooled in the fecal arts, an upperdecker is when you crap into the tank portion of a toilet rather than the usual bowl part. Hilarious! What you do w/ the paper is up to you. Have fun and be careful. --------

How 'bout: "Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu waza Banga" ?? This, as we all know, was the name of the former dictator of Zaïre (now Congo). It translates roughly as "the all-powerful warrior who, because of his endurance and inflexible will to win, will go from conquest to conquest leaving fire in his wake". Cool name.

There's a holiday party going on here in the office -- it's been impossible to get any work done for the last hour and a half. Earlier there was talking, milling around, praying, eating and even babies here. Now they're having a rather loud gift exchange. These Pentagon/Air Force employees are engaged in this silliness on your dime, and mine. I'm a contractor and I work by the hour. I can either 1) lie on my invoice about my work hours, or 2) be honest and then send a bill to Jesus for my lost time. (I know he has the money; I've seen the Vatican) Ya think he'd pay up? I am amused by the simplicity of this game. Bring me your finest meats and cheeses.

I just remembered that when I went to the emergency room for asthma attacks as a kid, they would inject me with adrenaline. (I clocked by heartrate at 250 bpm after one of these) Maybe natural adrenaline makes skydiving easier for asthmatics than other sports. I have excercise-induced asthma, and as I said above, I've never had a problem. I am amused by the simplicity of this game. Bring me your finest meats and cheeses.