howardwhite

Does anyone else consider $500 a hair on the low side? HW

Didn't I tell you that to your face Saturday? You're stealing my lines. Also didn't I tell you it's Categories, not Levels? Maybe if you had done a Category D instead of a Level 5, you would have been o.k. HW

Jumptown Orange MA uses a Pioneer DVDR7000. We haven't heard of any complaints about not playing. HW

Well, here's http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Transports/455.htm a Dove. Might even be Bach's. Note the distinctive bubble cockpit. HW

There is also a DH Dove. Richard Bach, of Jonathan Livingston Seagull fame had one, and I saw it when he flew it into the old Skydive Tampa Bay. Even though he was jumping at the time, I don't think he let anyone jump out of it. HW

Dunno. I think she'd be hard pressed to exceed Cheryl Stearns. But I'll see her again next week and will try to remember to ask. HW

Well, i scratched my head when I read this because there are no woman AFF instructors at Jumptown. Today, I learned that the mysterious primary was none other than Nancy LaRiviere, who was there doing a canopy control class. Nancy is president of the Jump Shack and a multi-time national and world champion in style and accuracy. You got taught by one of the best, dude. HW

I jumped at Indiantown several times many years ago. About the only rule was "don't throw your beer cans out of the plane on the way to altitude." Parties at the Seminole Inn were intense. HW

Well as a one-time journalist, I met many famous people, mostly politicians. But I wish I could find my picture, taken in Walpole, MA, state prison with Albert DiSalvo with his arm around my neck. Albert was the alleged Boston Strangler, but I never believed he was, and I also met the guy who probably was. HW

I think there was only one static liner. The other two were jumping into the Old Stone Lodge, an after-jumping watering hole a few miles away. I don't remember any pictures and doubt that there were any, but The Spotter, a regional newsmagazine, certainly published an account. HW

Well, it was Turners Falls, MA, not so far from Orange. It was not the jumpmaster (Marc James) but another jumper (George McCulloch) who got the static line entangled. George was probably in his mid-70s at the time. Otherwise, roughly true. HW

Very clearly stated on the signs offering DVD. You get the analog tape as well as the DVD. People want them because they don't wear out and can be played on many computers. HW

Jumptown Orange MA offers DVD for tandem and anyone else who's already getting VHS video for an additional $35. The burner is a Pioneer something or other. Manifest takes the VHS tape and burns the CD (while showing it as well); no heavy lifting. There is *no* claim that the DVD is digital. I know of no customer complaints. The DVD is "finalized" at the end of recording, which means, I think, that no further recording is possible. If you want the recorder model, let me know. HW

I voted yes, but with an unstated caveat -- where is the wedding? I'm guessing it might be in Herzlia, just north of Tel Aviv. I worked for a company based there, and spent many summer evenings watching weddings. If so, it seems to be pretty safe. Oddly, Netanya, not much farther north, has had several suicide bombings. As to hot, if you're in Tel Aviv or Herzlia, you're not far from the beach. And (as they say in Arizona) it's a dry heat. HW

Never NEVER buy anything from Broadway. Do a web search; you'll find all kinds of appalling stories about how they lie/cheat/steal. HW

http://www.tvparty.com/ripcord.html HW

I know a guy who was a full-time tandem instructor for years. He now learns that he has a congenital heart condition which requires surgery, but has neither a job nor insurance to pay for it. (Not sure what he would have done instead if he weren't doing tandems.) HW

Perhaps you're thinking of QuickTimePro ($29.99). It offers a variety of quality/compression/file format options. Available for download purchase from Apple (Windoze versions available.) http://www.apple.com/quicktime HW

This http://store.doverpublications.com/0486232050.html is a wonderful book (Science From Your Airplane Window) which explains glories and lots of other neat stuff. HW

Check out 'lurch.' Registered late April, up to 68 posts at last check.

O.K. it didn't show skydiving, but on Law and Order/Criminal Intent Sunday night there was a guy who the cop diagnosed as having "reduced fear factor" or some such. He was a skydiver. He said, approximately, "I had a parachute pack fail at 15,000 feet but I opened it with a pen knife with 1,000 feet to spare." He was a suspect because he was considered psychotic. HW

Not sure. Of those getting video, maybe 5 per cent or a bit more.

A couple of months ago, I started a thread about offering DVD. I got lots of interesting observations, so I owe you a follow-up report. I see that thread drift has this currently in the New Sony Camera thread. The club rejected a proposal from a guy who wanted to charge $65 (for himself) for DVDs with pretty color labels and menus, all to be mailed sometime during the week following the jump. Instead, we bought a DVD recorder, Pioneer something or other, for about $900. It is connected at manifest to a VHS player with connections to a TV nearby. Manifest takes the VHS from the videots and burns a no-frills CD. Posters at the DZ clearly say the DVD is from a VHS master. Yes, I know the quality is not as good at it could be, but it's from the first generation VHS and won't wear out as many skydiving videos do. The labels are color printed but the subject's name is written in hand, as of course is the label on the VHS. Most people walk away with their tape and video, but expectations are set that they might have to wait or get it by priority mail. Price is $35 above the video/stills price. That covers paying for the machine as well as a little more than $3.20 for disk and label. So far, there have been no complaints about CDs that won't play. This will pay for itself in another month or two. HW

Yea, I guess I can dredge it out of my garage and make some pics. I abandoned it because it was not friendly to various cameras. HW

I have a Leo Dickinson helmet in my garage; haven't jumped it for years. I never cut it away. HW