gemini

Some of us have to work Friday's Jeff! Blue skies, Jim

After reading the earlier prices, I wondered what they would be in current dollars. A quick search disclosed an inflation calculator for 1878 through 2003 that showed: A jump in 1960 from 12.5K cost $5.25 now would equal 32.66/26.36 using the CPI/GDP. A jump in 1970 from 7.5K cost $3.50 now would equal 16.59/13.44. A jump in 1980 from 12.5K cost $10.00 now would cost 22.30/19.50. A jump in 1980 from 7.5K cost $8.50 now would cost 18.96/16.58. There was no data available after 2003 and I didn't know what jump prices were in 1990 and 2000. It will be interesting to see what happens after 2003 as a result of the fuel price increases. Blue skies, Jim

I have more than a spare Michelle and he can have them all! Tell him it is from one of his long-time fans. Vibes and blues to both of you, Jim

Trent and I were there several Christmas' ago. It is a great city with a friendly, young population. I know he would go back if he got the chance! I felt out of place because everyone seemed to be in their 20's. Food is different...not bad, just different. Wines and beers are good. Home of the real Budweiser!!! Blue skies, Jim

Glad she enjoyed it Slap. Good to see you again. Blues, Jim Blue skies, Jim

I'll second that Chris. Glad you landed ok, Jim

The first time Trent and I jumped out together. A close second was my first 100-way in Perris. But when you get right down to it, they're all fun and make me pretty damn happy! Blue skies, Jim

Casa, C182 and King Air Blue skies, Jim

http://www.flytecomm.com/cgi-bin/trackflight Here is a handy link if you are picking someone up at the airport and you need the actual arrival time. If you want to test it enter Southwest Airlines flight 472 for the next three hours today. Edited for the Aggie! Teasips need Aggies to keep them in line! Blue skies, Jim

You're still on the Big Way list. The TSR will be in August 2006 in Dallas. It's gone to an every other year format. Blue skies, Jim

Hope everyone has fun on BA. She is a good bird! Blues, Blue skies, Jim

HA...likely excuse! Me thinks you are going bowling instead and just blew us all off!!! Blue skies, Jim

Although not my favorite, I bought one the other day that was in the same can, had the same colors and same basic design as Red Bull... ....it was called Pit Bull! Kinda' made me think what dog piss might taste like. Blue skies, Jim

OUCH!!@!! That sounds to familiar!!@@###!! Blue skies, Jim

Yes they do get treated differently, but are trained exactly the same. Yes get invited on jumps outside their range by guys! Let's face it. There are male and female predators at every dropzone that prey on students and new jumpers especially if they are young. These people are usually interested in only one thing and it isn't the safety of the target. Blue skies, Jim

Hell I just hope nobody in freefall gets a finger caught! Blue skies, Jim

Happy Bday Mike!!! Hope you get what you want, errr need, err at least would like to have! Blue skies, Jim

Come on down to Spaceland. Got your SCR yet? Amanduh here's one we can do before skyfest!!! Blue skies, Jim

Good luck getting it from the DZ or the plane owner! Blue skies, Jim

I got a PM about this and I think it is the dz's you frequent. When you get a chance travel to a few others. They are not all like your's. Blue skies, Jim

I'm sorry, but I diagree with this statement. Most of what I have leaned in skydiving has come from other jumpers with more experience than me and I never had to pay them a dime. I have learned something from every jump and usually the info comes without me asking or paying for it. There are great people in the sport and not all of them are well known nor do they work in the sport. At our dz the LO's are not paid staff and they are some of the most knowledgable people at the dz. They freely give, you just have to listen. Blue skies, Jim

Hey my FJC didn't teach anything about landing patters or canopy control either. After a few near misses, I realized something had been left out or maybe I hadn't heard what I should have. So I started watching the other jumpers and listening to what they said...not just to me, but to anyone else as well. Then I had to ask questions. I was lucky that I was able to jump with some great, long-time jumpers (25 years) who never hesitated to answer my questions. Sometimes they laughed at first and hurt my feelings, but when I heard the answer I usually understood why they laughed and laughed with them. The difference between you and I is that I really love the sport and the people. I haven't found anyone who couldn't teach me something or make me laugh and have a better day if I was down. Many, many jumpers do not post on dz.com and refuse to even log on to review the posts. That's their choice...just like it should be yours to continue to participate in the sport. Don't let someone you don't know make you quit something that you love to do. I once got very discouraged because of the responses to a post in the incidents forum. Then I realized that maybe the posters were right and sometime near the end of the post Bill Booth clarified the issue so that I understood it. I don't think I lost any friends over the issue. At least they have not said anything when I have met them at dz's around the country! I guess what I am trying to say is we all make mistakes. Unfortunately sometimes those mistakes hurt and hurt badly...other times we get to walk away. As Eener said, we have to learn from the mistakes and move on. If you truly love jumping, don't let a few comments run you away. Sometimes our posts can seem cold and indifferent. Rest assured that we have seen to many friends lying in the grass broken and bleeding and want to do everything we can to prevent another friend from suffering. It is horrible when someone is badly injured and it eats us up knowing the accident could have been prevented with a little more training and education. Please learn what you did wrong and move on. If you continue to post in response to someone, they will continue to post rebuttals and other comments. Just walk away from the thread. This doesn't mean quit the sport. As I've said several times before if you really love the sport and the people you jump with, do not let a stranger run you off. Blues and whatever your decision, make it the right one for you, Blue skies, Jim

Funniest off-line has got to be the trio of Alanab, CieloDiosa, and Amanduh! I never laughed so much as I did at Dublin..... Blue skies, Jim

When I was young and in my teens, I met a girl from New Orle'ens. She was young a pretty too, and had this thing called ring-dang-doo. ... anybody remember the rest? Blue skies, Jim

Let's see Bill Von or Kallend....ummmmhhhh no, ...ok, I'll vote for Slappie too! Blue skies, Jim