gemini

We have shifted to a male vs female student issue and differences in instruction each may receive either intentionally or unintentionally. Placing that to one side, I still stand by my original position that "any" student who does not execute the proper EPs is grounded until they relearn them and demonstrate they can execute them the next time. As Hook has repeatedly pointed out, this could also be an instruction issue so an instructor is not off the hook simply because it was the student that screwed up. The problem needs to be discussed in an instructor meeting where all intructors need to hear the same thing. If it is not clear to the instructors, how can it be clear to all the students? Instructors who repeatedly "forget" to include such critical information and will not change their method of instruction or content need to be terminated. Failure by the dz to take such action could be the crucial "crack in the wall" that a good plantiff's attorney could use to break the dz waiver. Something along the lines of "you knew about the problem and didn't take steps to cure the problem, therefore you are grossly negligent!" I think it is an important lesson for the student that they be told they are grounded regardless of the duration of the grounding. Sometimes you have to grab them and shake reality into them in this sport. Blue skies, Jim

The measurement differences could make a huge difference in fit and comfort. I would download the mfgr's measurement sheet from their website and use it before ordering anything. Usually they explain the more unusual measurements. Blue skies, Jim

Blue skies everyone = Your evil bee's knees. I love to skydive = Vividly seek too. Blue skies, Jim

Shhhh....... Listen........ You can hear the Cardinals singing........ Blue skies, Jim

Yet at the first WFFC in Rantoul the local police and coroner's office specifically requested volunteers from the attendees at the convention to help search! Guess it depends on the situation and local authorities... Blue skies, Jim

A lot of the commercially available RW suits start around $225. However, just like a container it's all the extras that you want that really add to the cost (booties, inside leg grips, inseam zippers, etc.) Blue skies, Jim

We have different dictionaries!

BUFF - Big Ugly Fat Fuckers (Military reference to a B-52) BUFF- Big Ugly Fat Fellow (Non-military or polite company) SNAFU- Situation Normal, All Fucked Up (again military based) MOPAR - Mostly Old Parts and Rust FIAT - Fix It Again Tony TOYOTA - To Often Yankess Overprice This Auto ADIDAS - All Day I Dream About Sex Blue skies, Jim

Get your DZO (or the DZO's at the DZs you have jumped) to print out your jump account. It should list all your jumps by date (and some will show altitude in general categories like 3.5, 10.5, 13.5). I had to reconstruct some of my jumps that way. It is a pain, but better than being logless when you show up at a new dz. Blue skies, Jim

Ok, but I'm sending her home for the day to think about what could have happened and why it is important for you to do everything you can do to save yourself. People who walk around in a daze and do not hear what is being said are dangerous to you, me and the sport. Blue skies, Jim

And not performing your EPs is not dangerously stupid? Blue skies, Jim

I think so. What if her Cypres had not been turned on? It happens... Blue skies, Jim

Blue skies, Jim

If I buy beer for a minor and give it to her, it's illegal. If I buy beer with money she has given me and I give all the beer to person's of legal age, it's legal even if I say it is from her. She never bought it or possessed it, or drank it. Blue skies, Jim

A lot of newbies complain that they really don't know many people at the dz and feel left out of things. If they would buy beer once in a while, I guarantee everyone will know their name and invite them on a jump or two! Blue skies, Jim

Nope! Give the money to a legal aged friend and that friend will buy the beer on your behalf for all your other friends!!! Blue skies, Jim

I'd find out what similar positions pay in other companies and then ask for 2X including doubling the paid time off. Remember it will be necessary to get a way and jump more often to relieve the stress! If they really think you are the person for the job, they will pay what it takes to get you in the slot. Most people will not ask for what they think they are worth and later regret not asking for more. The last time I did it, the owner said "Well that is a lot higher than I was planning, but if you agree to come in at 1.5x and do the job, I will give you 2x at the end of 6 months. I agreed and six months later I got the increase I really wanted and a year end bonus on top of that. Don't be afraid to ask for a reasonable, fair market price for your work. Good luck. Blue skies, Jim

One day last week three jumpers decided it was time for a base jump. Knowing of a 2K tower they decided to drive over and check it out. But they didn't have a car! What to do? What to do? I know, let's borrow a girlfriends car. She won't mind she is out of the country and will never know anyway. Upon arrival at the tower it was noticed that the security gate was open. Good! Let's drive right in and check it out a little closer. Let's head to the top and check it out from up there! Arriving at the top, one of the jumpers was concerned about the wind and made the call to not jump. The other two reluctantly agreed and all three went back down. The jumpers put the gear back into the car and drove out of the fenced area to the road where they stopped for on coming traffic. As the patrol car passed by them on the highway, the jumper driver got really nervous and jumped out of the car and ran into the woods. Yes dear readers, he had the keys in his hand! The patrol car slowed, stopped and U turned and came back to the jumper's car. The deputy sheriff got out and asked what was going on. The two remaining jumpers, sitting next to their rigs, immediately said "Oh nothing. Saw the gate open and decided to look at the tower." The deputy looking at the rigs said "Base jumpers right?" He was a former paratrooper with the 82nd AB which was one of the remaining jumpers units. Back-up arrived. The deputies wanted to know which one of the two remaining jumpers was the driver. It tooks several hours to convince them there really was another person and he had run off with the keys, and they didn't know why he had run away! "Does he have a cell phone?" asked a deputy. "Yes!" So one of the remaining jumpers called the fleeing jumpers number.....AND.... the phone on the dashboard starts ringing! The deputies called in the license and registration of the car and somehow identified the brother of the girlfriend who told the deputies the boyfriends name. The deputies spotlighted the surround swampland and woods and said they never saw the third jumper although one of the remaining jumpers thinks they may have and decided to teach him a lesson. Now they knew who he was and why he had run. Something about probation and a prior incident which involved trying to outrun a DPS patrolmen on foot around a year earlier. Finally convinced they were telling the truth and that they had not jumped since the rigs were packed, the deputies decided to let the two remaining jumpers go. BUT the auto had to be towed! Instructed to get their gear, but leave the third jumpers "stuff" the two remaining jumpers managed to get all the rigs out leaving only a small soft bag in the vehicle which was then towed away. Out in the middle of no where, the deputies decided to give the two remaining jumpers a ride to a place where they could then call someone. It was an expensive $75 cab ride back to town for the two remaining jumpers who got to at least sleep in their own beds. MEANWHILE, out in the woods in water up to his waist, the fleeing jumper was questioning his decision to run. It was dark, wet and about 40F degrees. The good news was that, in the words of one of the deputies "Well, with the cool weather at least the mosquitos are gone and the snakes and alligators are dormant!" I heard that the fleeing jumper arrived back at the dz around 5 PM the next day after hitchiking and promptly took a warm shower and went to bed. Wonder what the girlfriend has in store for him when she gets home! Towing should be around $100 with storage fee of around $70 per day. Since she is registered owner, she is the only one who can pick the auto up from the impound yard. What a night!

Ok got another one with Anomaly. It was another six-way hybrid. We launched a three-way base (me & Steve Boyd Sr on belly with one hanger, Eric Boyd). Anomaly (Jed, Stevie & Trent) then stung the belly flyers. Trent & Stevie released, popped above the hybrid a few feet and rotated facing each each other in the burbel. Video by Major Nathan Blood looks pretty cool. What made it especially nice was to see Steve in the air with Eric and Stevie, and have me and Trent together too! Of course we had to have our favorite adopted son Jed to complete the picture. Blue skies, Jim

Oops! Forgot the attachment. Last year during the period you will be here there were 2 non-jumpable days, 2 marginal days, 3 perfect days with highs near 60F. Blue skies, Jim

At the WFFC it is 30K for Halo. We got out at 30.5K and -41F. Mullins ground speed was something like 265MPH, but the exit felt no different than a diving exit out of an Otter due to the thin air. Freefall time was only 2 min 15 sec because we were honkin' at the top. Halo jumpmaster and I turned 6 2-way points and then enjoyed the view from above 17K. Getting up at 4AM to suit up and prebreathe Oxy was a pain in the butt though! Blue skies, Jim

Attached is the weather by day for 2005. As Dave said, January can go from warm to very cool. What is not shown in the data is cloud coverage. My best guess for January is also 50%, worsening through February with worst rains in March. Blue skies, Jim

Ha! You're older than I am! Sorry I missed wishing you a happy day yesterday. Would you have thought we would ever get this far back in 65-70? Happy birthday. Don't burn the trailer down with all them candles! Blue skies, Jim

Regs do not actually say that. There is something about "at the descretion of the commander." Unfortunately with budgets and costs being what they are... Rules were put in place to keep civilians from bumming rides on military aircraft. (Read politicians = civilians). Since they can't ride damn it, NO ONE WILL RIDE! Blue skies, Jim

His customers need to come to his aide. They can intervene on his behalf and petition that he is crucial to their businesses. Yes it is much harder now than it used to be, but it still can be done with a lot of patience and $$$. Having the right attorney is very, very important. If they advertize that they are immigration specialists, they usually are not very good. Blue skies, Jim