Jewels

I saw the hard copy as well. I have no idea how wide the distribution is, but it's still nice to see good articles--with the one possible exception being the line about expecting or "demanding" instruction ahead of time. Demand? A first time flyer wouldn't get in without it!

More good press: http://www.militarytimes.com/indoorskydiving and http://www.militarytimes.com/offduty/sports/military_022508_indoorskydiving/ TPM Sister #102

The entry in event of emergency thing is very standard and I think for almost any townhome/condo scenario like the one you're describing, you're likely to see similar language in the HOA docs. I can appreciate why you might not love it, but as you said, it makes sense. When you share walls, etc., with other spaces, things that happen in your unit can quickly affect others, and vice versa. I can think of one specific instance where flooding in an upstairs condo did some massive damage to the unit below. The owners of the upstairs condo were out of town, so they had to go in anyway to cut off the water. In fact, there are probably many emergency situations in which you'd WANT someone to go in. Good luck! TPM Sister #102

I did, but I like to play

I can't help it. Just shake your head and move on. . . . TPM Sister #102

I think you're interpreting my comment about aggressive driving as being the equivalent of "offensively aggressive" driving, which I don't mean at all. Driving fast can be fun and I think some people are more equipped than others to drive quickly and do so safely. But on the whole, at least here in the U.S., even people who are going over the speed limit on an open highway still probably aren't traveling at a sustained speed of over 100. So, relatively speaking, that speed would be aggressive in comparison to my sweet little old mother, who, I can most definitely assure you, would be following the 55 mph speed limit with great precision. I'm not saying that being aggressive is the equivalent of being bad or, even necessarily inappropriate. It CAN be, but doesn't have to be. Anyway, I think you know what I mean. TPM Sister #102

I do real estate work in Colorado, and while sometimes people will ask their attorneys to review the title documents (including HOA docs), it's usually in the context of custom home building and it's probably not an expense that most people would want to incur unless there's something particularly unique about the transaction or there is a lot of money involved. (NOT saying your transaction may not qualify, but you know what I mean.) I'd suggest reading through the documents yourself and seeing whether any red flags crop up. HOA docs usually aren't written in Greek or legalese, even though they may have legal import. If there's anything that gives you pause, talk to other homeowners in the area, people who serve on the HOA board, or, decide if it's worth it to contact an attorney. You might also discuss it with your broker if you have one. It's no guarantee that you won't have any surprises later, but it's a cost/benefit ratio for you to consider before you think about having a lawyer review those documents for you. Besides--a lot of the things that you might be most interested in may appear in the rules and regulations, and you're probably better positioned than an attorney to know which of those rules may be a real problem for you. TPM Sister #102

I kind of think that any time you're going over 100 on public streets, it qualifies as "aggressive driving." Going 5 mph over the speed limit, maybe not--unless the weather or other similar conditions make a difference. I agree that there are a lot of factors to consider when you're calling driving "aggressive," but that much speed, even on the open highway, definitely qualifies. On a race track, it might be very conservative. In this case, though, I have to agree that it's just plain aggressive even if it's done carefully and under control. TPM Sister #102

Yeah . . . he said he had the gas pedal only about 3/4 of the way down. It was a nice little ride! TPM Sister #102

A friend of mine has a Cobra. Last weekend, we did a short stretch of road at 110, and while I have no idea what that did or didn't do to the car, I must say that it was a lot of fun! Felt like going 55 and the car DEFINITELY was ready for more. TPM Sister #102

Definitely something new to try at league next week. I'll be sure to get video and then I'll report back to let you know how the ambulance ride was. TPM Sister #102

Hmmmm . . . I notice that you go all the way to picture #8 before other men start to appear in the photos! Peter knows how to work it, apparently! TPM Sister #102

Then make sure it's a good one. Can you imagine if the last thing you hear in life is a bad joke? You'll get people all worried about their final destination! TPM Sister #102

The possibilities are interesting, but it sounds like there's a long way to go before those possibilities fall into place, if they can even do them effectively at all. It sounds like a "time will tell" situation, but you're right--it's exciting to think that new avenues could be opening with this. On the other hand, the old curmudgeon in me is still a little bit leery and kind of uncomfortable with how much that kind of technology might reveal about what's going on inside my head. Even if it's just reading anxiety levels, there's a part of me that feels like that's the last realm of privacy we have. I know it's not REALLY mind reading, but somehow I still feel like I want to be able to guard those things. TPM Sister #102

I should have been specific. It was Star Trek The Next Generation, so unless you watched that one, this reference is meaningless. (Well, and if you watched STNG but don't remember that episode, anyway, it's still meaningless.) TPM Sister #102

If you have to ask . . . I know, but denial is such a HAPPY place! TPM Sister #102

Thank you for knowing what I was talking about! At least I'm not the only one. TPM Sister #102

Those headsets remind me of an old Star Trek episode where there was some addictive video game everyone was playing. I mean, um, hypothetically . . . I think someone told me about it . . . or something. (My inner geek isn't really THAT big, is it?) TPM Sister #102

Actually, depends on the Chinese food. I usually LIKE Chinese food left-overs. I DON'T think Monte Cristo sandwiches hold up too well, though. Or fried fish. TPM Sister #102

Where were you shooting in Spain? Great country! TPM Sister #102

You might contact Developmental Pathways here in Denver. I understand that part of their function is to place people with a variety of developmental disabilities in suitable positions. http://www.developmentalpathways.org/fssp_employment.htm TPM Sister #102

Trust me, if they were mine, I'd be calling Ouragan to see about getting them little sleeper suits to hold them until they were ready to fly. TPM Sister #102

I'm no professional, but I think they're still a bit young. . . . (ADORABLE, by the way! Congratulations!) I think the tunnel here will fly them when they're out of diapers and I've heard a rough age of two--but someone who works there should confirm because I'm just repeating things I've heard, which can get you in real trouble! TPM Sister #102

Hey, it's up to you. I don't think you're using humor to break the ice; you're using it at other people's expense and then telling the online community how gullible those people were. Now you're trying to make it into a joke. I'm just telling you that it doesn't really come across the way I think you had in mind. But if you want to go on with this, be my guest. TPM Sister #102

You just didn't actually use the word. You DID mention that "all my best friends are women and they're all far too smart to fall for that stuff," which pretty well implies that the others AREN'T smart enough to fall for that stuff. Seriously--re-read your post. You're not coming off well here. TPM Sister #102