DZBone

1:13:0 Saturday started at 5:00am (EDT), still managed to get three jumps in at Perris, and hang until midnight (PDT). May have overslept Sunday. Monday was chillin'. Would have preferred 1:25:0, but hey, that means 25 pack jobs too! And any more in the first column would be a disservice to the best girl in the world, who was left behind. Carl

Right on. Go Micro$oft free and find out what life truly has to offer. By the way, is it me or do Linus Torvalds and Olav Zipser have a lot in common (in addition to easily-mispronounced names)?

glug glug glug glug glug.......... ahhhhhhhh! Thanks, man.

Congrats, man! Now the real education begins!

Actually, Luigi is the peace-sign guy, and his partner in this picture is the also-infamous Clint Clawson!

What, something like this?

You got it, Shark. Road trip to Elsinore! I'll actually be staying at the Lake Elsinore Casino next weekend. Sounds like fun, I think. OK, here's another Bomb Shelter portrait! Hint: Albitross is sitting at the bar, but you almost can't see him.

He forgot a critical qualification for a loader. Must be able to deflate large egos, deflect snide prima donna remarks, and control urge to strangle stragglers and other idiot skydivers.

You are amazing. See who can spot the drunk or near-drunk dz.commers in the attached pic!

I'll fifth or sixth that. We missed some of you guys out there. I hope you had as much fun as we did! Nice, clean two-plane formation 34-way, and props to Quade for some AWESOME video of it! Fun (some more successful that others ) small-ways with the peops. And dare we forget to mention one soldier who's got the paper, but not the pre-second freedom jump? Hmmmm??? Again next weekend??

Jenn, did you get my PM? Carl

See what I mean about a lighter course load?

Well, we found out about this, didn't we? diver123 had to take one for the team, but none of the rest of us plan to go out there. I assume(?) that the USPA visits are substantive, not recreational. There is a useful middle ground here, which is that he should be able to advertise that he meets USPA guidelines on safety and practices relating to the tandem operation, without having to accept fun jumpers. All I'm saying is let's not go too far. The self-regulated nature of the sport has a lot of advantages that we all enjoy. Too much regulation to control the occasional outlier will erode them.

Friday - spend the day w/Doreen, won't be seeing her for a couple a weeks Saturday - catch a plane a 6:30 (am!) to sunny, southern California! ya! Jump ass off.

I'm not sure I follow the line of reasoning here. This guy has a business, it is his, he should be able to run it any way he likes, within the law. Obviously the guy is a moron, but that's his right as an American! Now, as far as USPA group membership requiring that he accept any comers who hold USPA cards, that may sound great, but think what might come of that. Right now, a dz can ban anyone, any time for any reason. Not many exercise this right, because most are not morons. They can exercise it, however, in cases other than for safety that you may appreciate. For example, if there is someone who is distruptive and ruining the vibe or community, wouldn't you appreciate a political banning in this case? You know that HH can ban any of us from his site at any time, remove postings, etc. Rather than being upset about this, we appreciate it because it maintains our community in the vision he has made it in, which we all like. To take it a step further, what if being a USPA member meant that you had to jump with any other USPA member who asked, as long as you determined that it was safe to do so? How happy would you be about that? I mean, most of us would anyway, and be glad to, but what if we were required to? I think we are much more powerful against this particular individual by voting with our dollars and our voices. Michele has taken a very proactive and sensible course of action by voicing her concerns directly to the dzo and the USPA. All of us now know what is going on out there and will tell everyone we can to avoid the place. We will be watchful for illegal practices, and be ready to raise our voices again should the need arise. But let's not get too carried away by suggesting policies and practices that will limit the freedoms of other dropzones that operate in a more ethical and sensible way, just because one person is a moron. /me steps off his soapbox

Dude, I went through the same thing when I was in college. The good news is that when you make the decision to go back, especially after having a taste of what the "real world" is all about, you will apply yourself and succeed. And it's a great feeling when you get those first set of grades back and realize you are finally off academic suspension. But the really big deal for me was when I finally realized that I didn't want to do what it took to get to medical school (brown-nose advisors, take chem and bio, compete with unethical peers, etc). It freed me up to do what I really loved, and even left time to take courses in areas I never would have, and really dug! I was so much happier, and have probably ended up more successful because of it. Do what you love and the rest will follow. Anyway, good luck! P.S. f) the Princeton Band

Sure, but did you have SET THE SKY ON FIRE?!!

Yea, it's in an old factory building, big tall windows that open! Of course, last week a bird flew into my office and startled the life out of me. What a rush! Here it is. If you are bored, try to find the USPA logo and my name.

So, putting the pieces together: "Hey, you coming out this weekend?" "You bet, I want to do some hot four-ways with you guys" "That'll be great, it'll be Joe's hundredth" "No shit! He's definitely getting a pie in the face!" "Maybe we should do a horny gorilla!" "Or maybe some tube dives!" "Only if you pack my shit when we're done." "Aren't you afraid I will make you snivel?" "No, you usually give me a hard opening." "I am going to be so exhausted afterwards."

I assume that when you say "you do something enough" you are referring to playing games and getting lost in a train of thought, not skydiving in general. Accidents are not inevitable, that's why they are called 'accidents'. Although in most cases, they should be called 'fuck-ups', or 'equipment failures', which would be more accurate. I hope your friend is all right. Wish him a speedy recovery!

The tallest point in Rhode Island is 600ft, and it's at the Connecticut border!

Gurl, you find a guy like that and I'll marry him!

The Yin and Yan of Tao and Zen? My brain hurts.

Arthur's awesome near misses didn't get many responses, so I don't expect any from these, but you might enjoy looking at these when longing for the sky, rather than whatever is outside your window... Cloud Pictures

The Sixth Sense Haley Joel Osment: I see dead people. Bruce Willis: Try talking to them. Haley Joel Osment: It worked. From Movie-A-Minute.