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When does to early turn into to late? It's almost a catch 22 situation for elected officials. If they call an evac early AND the storm hits, they are heros. If they call an evac early, BUT the storm does not hit they are bumbling, overcautious bums. If they call it late and it hits they are negligent bums. They call it late and it misses they are ignored bums. Blue skies, Jim

My only reqret is not being more supportive when a jumper was downsizing to quickly. I should have "offered" more advice and jumped with them more often. Blue skies, Jim

My problem is the cost to get out there. If I hand them a piece of paper and they say it's not good enough, then I have to go to Square 1, buy a log book, fill out a jump and have someone sign it; OR call my home dz and have them fax the last page of my jumps from jump run (which I did the very first time I went out there.) They accepted the fax from Spaceland without a signature. Why take a chance. A logbook is only $9 and all you have to fill out is the first jump in the book anyway. They said l;ogbook, I now give them a logbook, They want another jumpers signature on the last jump and I give them another jumpers signature on the last jump. No big deal! Just don't show up with nothing... Blue skies, Jim

Only thing known for sure is that the weather changes, ice ages come and go.... Blue skies, Jim

Correct, but Perris wants someone's signature on your last jump or last few jumps. As Lisa said, they're pretty anal about it. Blue skies, Jim

1) That it's gona' happen sometimes regardless of how many jumps you have! 2) Remember where the relative wind is when you exit and fly it accordingly. From a plane with a port/left exit door: If floating, come off the plane feet down, chest to the wind, and head up. You should see your partner above you and the plane above him. If diving, left foot forward, right elbow up, slightly push out on your partner, and dive at his knees on the count. 3) Don't be late! Go with the count unless instructed otherwise. (If you were diving and your arms were pulled to full extension when you went out, you were late.) Thousands of other exit tips exist for different exit formations, types of jumps, position in exit, etc. It's fun learning them as you go along so don't get discouraged. At some point as you and your friends get better, there will be more good exits than bad exits!

Hopefully in Austin or College Station so we can still jump! Blue skies, Jim

Saw it last night during the halftime show. It takes 6 Spaceland guys to heave the battery cart into the Otter and it only weighs around 400 pounds! Blue skies, Jim

http://euler.atmos.colostate.edu/~vigh/guidance/ Blue skies, Jim

Get your home dz to print out your jump run account if they have one. Otherwise you would have to create a logbook and have another jumper attest (sign) for you. I usually update mine on the flight to Perris from my protrac. Since I get out there 3 or 4 times a year it is not to bad. I got 700 jumps behind once and the S&TA would not approve my jump and freefall awards without a hardcopy record of jumps starting with jump 1 since I had never applied for the awards. You do have to prove currency at Perris. Blue skies, Jim

As of 6 AM this morning, more of the models are showing a strike between Matagorda (SW of Spaceland) and Corpus Christi, and 3 are showing the Brownsville area/Northern Mexico now. Another strange item to note from the predictions are the hard right turn (North) some of the models are showing after approaching Northern Mexico. Guess this is predicated on the high pressure currently over Houston to quickly slip to the East as the Pacific lows approach from the West. One renegade is still showing Florida panhandle into Alabama. Blue skies, Jim

This may be true if stated as: If global warming =more hurricanes and if refinery locations = hurricane landfall, then less fuel production. Blue skies, Jim

Most of the current projections are showing landfall Southwest of Houston near Matagorda (within 150 miles). Going to Missouri City is moving toward the Southwest of Houston. I would go North or Northeast. Blue skies, Jim

Although I don't want to wish the storm on anyone else, I would rather it hit further down the coast where it is less populated and open ranch land. If it hits Matagorda my brothers and mother are in for a rough time! Here's the current list of recommended supplies & stuff to protect: May 26, 2004, 3:01PM Emergency supplies From staff reports Gather the following supplies now, and take them with you wherever you go if you evacuate. A change of clothing, rain gear and sturdy shoes. Blankets or sleeping bags. A first-aid kit and prescription medications. An extra pair of eyeglasses. A battery-operated radio, flashlights and plenty of extra batteries. Credit cards and cash. An extra set of car keys. Games or toys for children, and books for adults. A list of family physicians. A list of important family information, such as the style and serial numbers of medical devices, such as pacemakers. Special items for infants, elderly or disabled family members. A supply of water (one gallon per person per day). Store water in sealed, unbreakable containers. Identify the storage date, and replace every six months. Non-perishable packaged or canned food for snacks. Keep important family documents in a waterproof, portable container: Wills, insurance policies, contracts, deeds, stocks and bonds. Passports, Social Security cards, immunization records. Bank account numbers. Credit card account numbers and companies. Inventory of valuable household goods. Important telephone numbers. Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hurricane evacuation tips: Some tips in case you need to evacuate your home for a storm: -- Stay alert to storm advisories. Evacuate if told to do so. -- Map out your route, using roads specified by local authorities. -- Do not get on the road without a place to go. -- Fill your car with gasoline. -- Before a storm threatens, contact your veterinarian or local humane society for information on preparing your pets for an emergency. -- Secure your home before leaving. Board up windows and glass doors, anchor loose yard objects or bring them inside and lock your doors. -- Get cash. After a hurricane, banks and ATMs may be temporarily closed. -- If possible, evacuate to the home of either friends or family in a non-vulnerable area within your county. -- Next try a motel or hotel and as a last resort go to a public shelter. Remember, shelters are not designed for comfort and do not usually accept pets. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source: Florida Division of Emergency Management; American Red Cross Blue skies, Jim

Lastest storm models attached. Red line is a direct hit on Galveston and Houston (and maybe the green and yellow predictions as well). Thanks to everyone for offers of safe harbor. We have 5 days so will make decisions on Wednesday. This really sucks, especially for all the Louisiana folks who are here and may have to go through it again. Blue skies, Jim

Something about a more professional image. Blue skies, Jim

Sept. 19, 2005, 2:47PM Galveston asks residents to leave By KEVIN MORAN and RHEA DAVIS Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle GALVESTON - With the National Hurricane Center's official forecast naming Galveston as Rita's most likely Gulf Coast target later this week, island officials are calling for a voluntary evacuation and considering a mandatory evacuation. Activating its emergency management plan this afternoon, Galveston asked residents to voluntarily leave in preparation of Rita, which is a tropical storm now but is expected to strengthen into a hurricane this afternoon. By the time it hits the Gulf Coast on Saturday morning, it is likely to be a Category 3 hurricane. "It could hit anywhere in the window of Brownsville and New Orleans,” said Lance Wood, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. "The Houston area is in the center of that window." “It would be wise for everyone on the Texas and Louisiana coast to pay attention and watch this storm,” he said. Galveston's evacuation is to begin at 2 p.m. Tuesday if the weather forecast holds, but five-day forecasts are often off by hundreds of miles. Galveston officials are likely to decide whether a mandatory evacuation is warranted by Wednesday. Galveston City Manager Steve LeBlanc warned that those who stay will be on their own in the event Rita hits, since the police and fire departments will not operate during such a storm. But he also said police don't plan to drag anyone out of Galveston even if the evacuation order becomes mandatory. "If there are people who are unwilling to leave, we're not going to go pry them out of their households," LeBlanc said. Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas urged residents to fill up their gas tanks and gather essentials such as a three-month supply of medicine in addition to identification, deeds, insurance policies and other important papers. She said those who need transportation should call 409-797-3710. Galveston is lining up over 80 buses to take out evacuees starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday and running through 2 p.m. Friday. They will leave from the island's community center at 4700 Broadway, using buses from the city, school district and Houston Metropolitan Transit Authority. Volunteers will drive the buses and will be allowed to bring their families. Taking a lesson from Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans who refused to abandon their pets, Galveston officials have decided to let residents bring their pets on the buses as long as they're in cages. Pet owners can call 409-763-8477 to make arrangments. Bed-ridden Galveston residents will be evacuated by Emergency Medical Services. To make arrangements, call 409-938-2424. Galveston UTMB plans to decide by Tuesday whether to begin some sort of evacuation and will post information on its website at www.utmb.edu. Rita comes on the heels of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the Louisiana coast three weeks ago and revealed the serious inadequacy of Gulf Coast evacuation plans. At a town hall meeting called in response to Katrina, Galveston officials said there's work to be done before they can assure that everyone who wants a ride out of town will get one. Today Galveston County Judge Jim Yarborough urged residents to take responsibility for their safety. "Government can't do better than you can do for yourselves," he said. But he also urged calm. "Folks, we've down these roads before," he said. "There's no reason to panic." Blue skies, Jim

For those of you flying into Skydive Spaceland in your private plane, here is the location: B&B Airpark 16111 FM 521 Rosharon, Texas 77583 Phone Number 281.369.3337 NOTE: Pilots must contact management via telephone before arrival for landing instructions Identifier: TE88 Lat: 29° 21' 05" N Lon: 95° 27' 06" W Listen for parachute activity on 123.45 MHz Blue skies, Jim

For those of you who do not know where Spacey is located, attached is a map showing Houston, Spacey (red star), Galveston and Freeport. Galveston is less than 12 feet above sea level at its highest point. Note that a storm surge into Galveston Bay could flood the Eastern part of Houston which is primarily industial, but also includes a lot of older, poorer neighborhoods. Areas like Clear Lake which houses the NASA Johnson Space Center (Mission Control) could also be badly hurt. I also know that the BP, Exxon, Shell, ConocoPhillips, and Citgo refineries make gasoline and are immediately adjacent to the ship channel or Galveston Bay. If the port closes due to ship channel or Galveston damage, look for another big spike in gasoline prices. Blue skies, Jim

Nope, but they did expand it a lot, leveled it, and added drainage. Main entrance was also smoothed out and regraded. Blue skies, Jim

You looked a little quesy on the video and that explains it! Glad it worked out ok. Blue skies, Jim

Galveston will announce at 1:30 PM Monday whether or not to start a voluntary evacuation at 5PM Tuesday and a mandatory evacuation at 5PM Wednesday. Galveston or Freeport (25 mi South of Spaceland) are projected as the primary landfall for Rita. Spaceland is currently making plans for the hurricane. Blue skies, Jim

You're right Bill. For every $1,000 that is used for the intended prupose, there is some percentage that is not. All we can do is try to keep the "is not" to a minimum. At least they stopped the card program almost immediately instead of making it a permanent part of the process. Blue skies, Jim

Tami: Conway and I plus a lot of other Spaceland jumpers will be at Perris this weekend for POPS. Come by and say hello. Blue skies, Jim

What this means to the non-rocket scientists (sorry Wendy!) out there is that most of the main landing area has been raised 8-10 inches above the old level so that you can land on dry ground instead of the mud. In addition, a new maintenance building is under construction where all the tractors, tools and other equipment will be stored. This will free up the main hanger space for more creeping area, planes, and parties. In addition, the deli has been remodeled into a cafe with more seating area, upgraded food selections, hot lunches and dinners, and professional management. They also have their beer license in place so the after hours activity is increasing. What's in the future for Spacey? Plans are in place for expanded air conditioned packing, and an air conditioned loading area, and an expanded second floor deck/bar area. Blue skies, Jim