Programmer

"...there is even fewer good looking ones" How about smart ones? Is there any smart ones? I'm just giving you some shit, man. I was wondering, though. Is this really your first post? Couldn't you have started with something a little safer, like "Canadian Beer Sucks" ? Hotties abound in this sport, and this might require some damage control. At least you didn't post this in the women's forum where Skymama could put the smack-down on ya.

The singing of La Marseillaise (which was forbidden under German occupation in WWII France) is one of the most emotional moments in film - IMHO.

Pirana ( and others ) are right, but you could go off in a different direction. Find some exotic microbrew, bring some and try it out. If the folks don't like it, take Katiebear's advice.

"...juries are not as clear-headed today." Lawyers have gotten better at jury selection. I've been called for jury duty several times. The court always asks us to introduce ourselves and tell our occupation. When I say I'm a computer programmer and I work for an insurance company, the plaintiff's attorneys shrink back in fear making the sign of the cross in front of themselves with their fingers and shouting "Noooo, Noooo". I've never been seated on a jury.

I agree with everything posted above. Another thing you can check on when buying gear is to find out where the seller jumped with it. Call that dropzone and find out who the rigger is. They should have a record of a reserve repack. If the rigger and dropzone owner don't know the seller or the gear, ask the seller some more questions before you send any money.

Now. Why are you still here when there's work to be done?

Could be right on the money. Maybe the wife got it in the divorce.

What an amusing thread. It turned into a thigh-pie sex thread in no time, then it got hijacked back to food. Oh yeah, key lime pie.

Your daughter's future boyfriends ??

Whatever it is, it should have high standards.

You should get with Turtle. He just won a few million multinational dollar-pounds. He can pay your credit card bill and have enough money left over for some beer.

I'm sorry, did you say Chuck Norris ? I thought you said Chuck BERRY.

You left out so many other possibilities: Eat chocolate Go shopping Tell the first man she sees that men are insensitive and just don't understand. Jump out of an airplane Rearrange all the furniture .........

If you like hot sauce, Google "Red Savina". If you can find some of this stuff, keep some cold beer handy, you're gonna need it.

I think Aprilcat really wanted to tell us about that rash. Probably a good story there involving lot's of drama and maybe some beer. If the rash is on her chest - we have a winner!

Why do Texans barbecue cows when everybody in the civilized rib-eating world knows that the best barbecue is made from pigs ?

Underpants gnomes.

If you're talking about an ambitious project, you've picked a good one. If you're talking about raising money for cancer research or something like that, there are probably other things you could do that would have a better cost/benefit ratio. ( Lurking a tandem with Lance Armstrong as the passenger comes to mind, but think about what kind of things get press coverage and I'm sure you'll come up with lots of stuff ) Back to your original question: There are 3 USPA dropzones in Alabama separated by almost the length of the state. To start at one, drive to the next, then drive to the next would take about 7 hours. That doesn't include time to jump and pack. That means a jump at each dropzone in Alabama would be easily done on a long summer day, but then Alabama is not a big state. California and Texas would be more challenging. Anyway, be sure to post what you do with this, because I'm sure it'll get interesting.

Two girls in New Orleans, chatting guys up to win a bet.....I'm not sure that proves guys are scared of smart women, but it does prove that girls are evil - and sneaky !

If a sex bot's purpose is to have sex, then how could working in a brothel be "enslavement"? That's like saying that a dropzone enslaves a skydiver.

Two words - jump more. The first jump of the day is usually the most nervous, so do two AFF jumps in a day if you can. As you gain confidence, you'll be less scared, but the fact is, it's not what you're reading that scares you. It's the two miles of air between you and the ground that's got your attention. If you ever lose that healthy respect for gravity, you really will be in danger.

"A limited liability for the service performed is necessary in any industry" Not quite. This issue is not unique to skydiving. e.g. In Colorado, if you rent a horse from an outfitter and get hurt riding the horse, you can't sue the outfitter. The issue is that horses are unpredictable and he can't control the horse or the rider. If you don't know enough about horses to be comfortable on one or to decide which one you're not comfortable on, you walk. This absence of liability is what saves that industry. No outfitter in his right mind would assume the risk of being sued every time someone fell off a horse because the horse took a bad step or the rider didn't adjust the saddle right. Same holds true in skydiving. No one would run a dropzone if they could be sued any time someone made a low turn or rode a lineover too long or a lot of other things a DZ owner can't control. There are regulations, both FAA and USPA, and penalties for violations, but the bottom line is that you don't have to jump out of a plane. If you do, it is to a certain extent a leap of faith. You can learn a lot about skydiving before you actually make a jump. Visit a wind tunnel and learn to fly your body. If you have the time and money, take a rigger's course. If you have the time and want to make a little money, get a job as a packer at a dropzone. Read about it, talk to people, learn all you can, but in the end, it's your decision and your risk.

So I guess soaking a roll of toilet paper in JET-A and kicking it around like a football is right out then. Pretty soon we'll have to go back to electric stars to have any fun.

One time I worked with a guy who welded all day without a shirt. Next day, he couldn't come to work due to intense sunburn over his upper body. And don't wear a polyester shirt.

Boy is this a hypothetical question .. Since we're dreaming, I'd rent the Goodyear blimp for the weekend and bring it to the drop zone. Does anybody have a blimp jump in their logbook?