JamesNahikian

Austin Powers. Isn't that how all British people speak? D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

Looks like I'll be visiting Tx soon for a little FF. D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

'round here you swoop into the wind or else you end up in Iowa, lately. D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

If I had your hairline I'd beg BB for a patch or two and pay his asking price. Not to mention he makes good stuff. D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

Just wait until you're the boss someday. "Revenge is mine sayeth the Lord (blah blah blah)." D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

Save yourself. Don't look! D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

I "get" the joke but I'm looking to become a Vegan nevertheless. Probably was the body fur that pushed me over the edge. I've foresworn catsup, too. D. James Nahikian CHICAGO (feelin' a bit queasy)

Previous offer rescinded. Good night. D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

You have that much space and you can't post a logbook program? Get some sleep then e-mail your code to jnahikian@hotmail.com (intentionally not clicky). I'll do the best I can. D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

Post your code; this issue can be resolved quite easily in all likelihood. I hope to remain awake for another 1/2 hour and that's pushing it dude. D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

Dude, post your entire program. You probably have pointer error but w/o the substance of your program it's unlikely that somebody can help you. And, yeah, Visual C is not my favorite IDE either. D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

I've stopped adding that stuff to my scotch whisky but the S.O. would move out if I ceased using it altogether. Citric acid in the form of a twist is the next item on my banned list. I'm not progressive, apparently. D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

Please add my name to the night jump list for this weekend. I'll check the SDC bulletin boards and confirm. We'll have enough folks. The weather, now that's a separate issue. D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

Thank you Sunshine. I, a weighty, fastflying, opinionated blob of meat, will be only too happy to serve as your in-flight plumbline for yet another year. Until I see you again please perform some pagan ceremony or something and _make this weather lift_. Jimmy The Fin CHICAGO

Free advice often is worth what you paid for it, but . . . While jumping with a FF guru certainly can contribute to FF progression, I believe you'll find that it's only a part of a successful approach. Like athletic training generally, you probably will progress to your inherent FF limitations most rapidly by eating, sleeping and breathing each targeted move to the almost exclusion of other skills until you own that move. IMHO, the "recipe" to advancing your FF skillset includes the following elements (1) focus like a laser beam on a particular move, i.e., left head down 360 with crisp stop, until you own it before you attempt another move, (2) mix-in a qualified FF instructor jump every 3 to 5 jumps for the same move, (3) jump with the same patient and consistent friend when you're not jumping with the instructor, (4) get videoed as many jumps as possible and study your video ad nauseum, (5) study video of other people attempting that same move, (6) stay close to a ball on some of the skill dives to gauge your fall rate, and (7) repeat the above fanatically and without mercy on yourself until you've mastered a target move and only then select another skill to master (perhaps taking a break at this juncture). Also, I'm not convinced that dirt diving individual moves really boosts progression. Once you've got a move down, the learning curve should rise in your favor for similar moves. Continual awareness of the positions of, and ability to fly, your feet is the indispensable ingredient of just about all FF moves, and earned confidence in your direct altitude awareness is crucial to both learning and surviving FF. So IMHO paying a FF Great a boatload of money in exchange for coaching will only take you so far . Just like having a hall of fame coach doesn't guarantee you'll get drafted, success is mostly achieved via a combined training regime. Hope you enjoy some breakthroughs irrespective of you choose to proceed. D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

Saw it on the Beeb this morning. Nobody in the cabin area was using a seatbelt or other restraint at the time of decompression? Amazing. D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

Hey, somebody have views on Headshield helmets? I'm interested in a Headshield sidemount and wondering how solid the construction is in comparison with a Mindwarp. Thx D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

"Bad" High School Hazing - Initiation into the Latin club. We were blindfolded and then unwittingly fished out a cow's eyeball from a bowl of them in front of the "patricians." The blindfold was removed and we were obliged to stare into the "eye of Destiny" while our Latin teacher forecast aloud our supposed and humerous futures to the heckling of the audience. "Good" High School Hazing - Varsity football. The night before our Homecoming game the cheerleaders visited each of the starter's homes while we were at practice. With our parents' permission, the cheerleaders decorated our bedrooms with signed pillow cases, streamers and candies. They also tp-ed our front lawns with blue and gold tp. Ironic the Latin Club hazing was tough and the football hazing was benign (except for having to clean up the tp when you're sore). D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

It was such an obvious study in contrasts that I couldn't resist making a wisecrack. I hope to jump there someday, and having Mike Ortiz there is yet another incentive to do so. D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

Never heard of it. Where's that? __________________________________________________ It's in Tijuana, Mexico if I'm not mistaken. D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

The water is also nice in Alaska __________________________________________________ So is the parachuting, at least in Wasilla. No such thing as night jumps during peak season, though it tends to rain a lot. D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

Could be worse. At least they don't have alewive problems: http://www.heraldpalladium.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2003/April/24-1196-news2.txt D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

Gotta love my home state. Bowling For Columbine be dam-ed! D. James Nahikian (Wolverine) CHICAGO

I assume that out of Wisconsin, Texas or California you did the smart thing and chose Florida. __________________________________________________ A product of the Florida school system, are you? D. James Nahikian CHICAGO

My vote is for Austin, Texas. It's cosmopolitan, there's lots to do and the weather is good in comparison with Wisconsin. Cali would be my last choice for a number of quality-of-life reasons, and I used to live in Westwood/Los Angeles. Wisconsin is, well you know better than I do, "God's Country." D. James Nahikian CHICAGO