RhondaLea

Just remember, Faber, that old age and treachery trump youth and skill every time. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Thought he wears it so we can't see him and feel the need to scream. rl Edited to add: You're starting to rub off, Faber. I really hope no one saw that sentence until after I fixed it. If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Ya think? rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Because that would be gross. BASE became the reason to cut your fingernails short I suppose that's why you think BASE is the reason to cut your fingernails short. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

If anyone were to do this, he or she should get the standard release and divert an appropriate share of the proceeds to the star of the show or the charity of his choice. Doing it without permission would be bad. And I'm bad for not mentioning in my post. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Postcards. Notecards. Posters. Calendars. We can send them to NPS as Christmas presents. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Done. I'll be there Wednesday (early, I hope). I'll find you and give you the canopy then. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I have a Bruiselite (in perfect condition--less than 50 jumps) that I'd be happy to lend you (or anyone else who needs a canopy) if you can find a rig to put it in. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

What happened after 9/11? Edited to add: Why would there be? NRGB doesn't belong to NPS, no matter how much they try to act like the whole damn shootin' match is theirs. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

The spectators are spectators. They come to watch, not to participate. Bungee jumping isn't very exciting to watch--especially for kids--and who are the participants going to be? Are 400 bungee jumpers going to come to BD, fill up the Holiday Inn, and put on an exhibition? How many people in the crowd do you think will pay $50 for a bungee jump? Speaking of which...perhaps someone who was there might post about the year when bungee jumping was part of the festivities. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

What other group? What can someone do on that bridge that will take the place of a 20+ year tradition? Bungee jumping? That'd be a laugh. I can't imagine what would draw tourists the way base does, but maybe I'm prejudiced. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Bridge Day Jumpers Insurance Waived Posted 9/22/2005 08:07 PM The company in charge of BASE jumping is not required to have liability insurance [...] But while the Park Service decided to waive the insurance this year, it says it's requiring the insurance next year. Cal Hite with the Park Service says this is the third time he's asked the group to get the insurance. [...] Copyright 2005 West Virginia Media. NPS is just determined to make things difficult. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

In fact the don't even suggest that BASE happens. Its like a bad step child in their eyes. Do you see any BASE in the rag they call parachutist besides PAID advertisements. The only reason I even pay the fucking dues is because i like to skydive at a boogie now and then. fuck. I LOATHE THE STANCE OF THE USPA THAT base 'ISNT' PARACHUTING. FUCKEM!!! does this mean i lose my precious member number Well...there's theory, and then there's practice: BASE no longer censored from Parachutist But back then, even getting an ad in Parachutist was a big deal: Base Ad in Parachutist If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Apart from the black eye he inflicted with his other statements, I'm curious about this: He blamed the attitude of state authorities in Australia who refuse to issue permits to BASE jumpers for increasing the risk of illegal jumps. "Where it is made difficult by authorities you get people who are doing irresponsible things like this," he said. That excerpt doesn't seem entirely consonant with the quotes attributed to him, unless those quotes were taken out of context. I've seen too many people made morons by the media not to wonder about what was elided. I'm sure that if a reporter were to mine this board for the discussions of site burning and legal access, he could come up with some stunning quotes to paint base black. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Depends on the dropzone. DeLand has always made children welcome, although the children whose parents spend time there regularly are obviously more welcome. It's only human nature to have an interest in a child you have watched grow up (versus one who shows up fully formed), and there are quite a few children who have grown up on the dz in DeLand. Also, it is essential to make ones own prior arrangements for babysitting while jumping, rather than picking a face from the crowd and saying "Hey, will you watch my kid while I go make a jump?" You may find that there will be those who will happily volunteer, but it's not something you should take for granted. Nor should you take for granted that you must be very plain-spoken and forthright with your child about everything associated with skydiving. The more a child understands, the less likely that child will be to exercise his/her huge capacity for curiosity--the biggest problem with a young one on the dz. And finally, when your child is old enough to understand that bad things happen, you have to do two things--talk about them when they do, and make sure your child understands exactly what will happen to him/her if something happens to you. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

A woman after my own heart. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Bridge Day BASE jumping in jeopardy Nice job, Jason. If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

For many years, you will be the center of your child's universe. You--and only you--can make the decision about whether you are willing to risk leaving your child to the tender mercies of an alternate caretaker in the event you should meet with misfortune. First things first. You need to make provision for your child's future in a world where you no longer exist--because it's not just skydiving that can maim or kill you. And having made a plan for the worst case scenario, you can then decide what level of risk you are willing to take on as your child grows. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

She was raped?! Well, what was she doing walking down the street without a bra??? Analogy fails because "she" has a perfect right to walk down the street without a bra (and sex crimes are not crimes of passion but crimes of power and control), whereas "he" disobeyed a duly authorized, mandatory evacuation order. I don't really think, however, that it's particularly relevant. There were a lot of people who did not have the means to leave, order or no. And the whole mess was handled poorly (understatement). This account just puts a face on the disaster that's harder to discount, although some people will certainly try. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Yes. Yes you think we are all unjust? Define "we all" in this context. My intention is to affirm that it is unjust to demonize a human being who is, to the best of our knowledge, afflicted with a terrible mental illness, and who, when he is on the correct medication, is just a regular guy. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Yes. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Why? All the compassionate reasoning for defending the offender are the same. He was sick, he couldn't control himself, he must feel bad enough for what he did now that he's back on the meds... That's not true. Rape is a crime of power and control, not of passion or of sickness. Rapists are not, as a class, mentally ill. Rapists do not regret rape, although they may regret being caught. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

These being the meds he's demonstrated a disinclination towards taking? It isn't always because of failure to take the meds. The drugs used to treat certain mental illnesses, especially schizophrenia, can have serious physical side effects, so different combinations of drugs are given a trial to determine their efficacy. Sometimes the outcome of such trials is unexpected and unfortunate. Y'know...some of you want to bury this guy. And I guess that's okay, because it takes all kinds to make a world. Me, I have issues with substance abusers and the personality-disordered (those who lack empathy), and I don't cut them any slack; as a survival strategy, I just try very hard to cut them out of my life. On the other hand, I see most of them as having a choice. But this guy didn't have a choice. He didn't ask to have a mental illness, he has apparently tried to live as normal a life as possible, and now, because he had a problem with his meds--one that he may never have again--he is being written off for worthless. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

What part of "he is a paranoid schizophrenic" did you not understand? My father was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic in the late 50s, before I was born. Although I'm not certain I agree with his diagnosis, I was around for two of his psychotic episodes, and a psychotic episode is a psychotic episode, no matter what the diagnosis. One of my earliest memories is the night he ate the dogs' dinner because he thought the animals were going to save him. I'm not overly fond of my father, but I have known other people with ps as well. Perfectly wonderful to be around, and many have incredible, flying minds. But when the meds aren't working, weird stuff happens, some of it frightening if you don't know what you're dealing with. If he were in the midst of a psychotic episode, he probably didn't know that what he was doing was stealing. It probably had some very different meaning for him. And the answer to the question someone is bound to ask is: yes, on meds he should be perfectly fine to skydive or anything else he would like to do. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

It sounds like everyone got their stuff back. That's good. I don't think anyone is blindly defending him, nor do I think anyone has said that stealing is okay. I think the point is that this is a case in which there appears to be an extenuating circumstance, and if that is true, then it might be reasonable to take that into account. In addition, if the various suppositions about his illness are true, and he is just like the rest of us when on his meds, then total ostracism forevermore seems a little over the top. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb