Niki1

All generelizations are false. Including this one. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

I'm a graduate of the Jethro Bodine School of Arithmatic and I don't have a clue what you said after,"Anyone have any idea how to convert ..."

Oh, Man! You've done it now. This is going to devolve into Eastern NC BBQ vs Western NC BBQ vs Georgia BBQ vs Florida BBQ vs Texas BBQ vs all the other hundreds of variations of BBQ. And I hope so. This should be one mouth watering thread,

So what religion are you?! Thanks! I've adopted the answer I saw some one give on this forum; I'm not superstitious at all. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

If this is declared an accident, it will be by the same sheriff who said the guy at the bottom of the lake was a suicide because he tried to swin off with more chain than he could carry. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

I'm thinking he has a lot more time practiceing being in a fetal position. Takes time to break a habit like that. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Studies have shown that 74.3% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

That Oxy Moron is dead. One that sticks in my mind: "Up to 50% off and more!" Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Even a static line will work for that. No matter how we teach skydiving, only a small percentage of first jumpers will go on to be licensed skydivers. It's just human nature. Our sport is high profile and exciting, and a lot of people want to do it just once, to see what it's like and be able to say they did it. Heck, I was only planning to make one jump myself. Some get hooked, others don't. So just like most who ride in a small plane don't go on to get a pilot's license, most who make a tandem won't go on to get an A license. It's not a big deal, it's just the way things are. I agree with all of that. But I think Tandems have actually lowered the rate of retention. The same number of people stay and go on to an A licence but there are a LOT more making that one jump because it is so much easier and safer now. And it's because of those one timers that have lost our "crazy, daredevil" image. Hell we're looked upon as almost normal now. If they only knew. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Back in 1984 when the Tandem system took hold, THAT'S what it was intended for! Simple & 'safe' comparatively, to be utilized as a method of dual flight instruction...you know, like in an airplane. In retrospect~ I'm pretty sure it would have probably gone that route anyway, but I use to wonder sometimes if 'we' didn't maybe help it along as an 'amusement park' ride, way back when. We use to do tandem jumps as part of our demonstration act starting in 1985...and we did a LOT of shows nationwide! ~it started with experienced jumpers on the front, but quickly became a 'perk' for the organizers to grant to various officials or dignitaries. . .we kinda 'had' to allow it to get the 'announcer time' (P.A.) needed to describe & explain. . .to MARKET the system. It got to be a real 'Catch 22' because on one hand you're saying it's not a 'stunt' for the show, but in fact a new method of instruction that (again) is relatively safe and easy... Kinda hard to tell the show boss that HE (or his wife in a few cases) can't do it then...the USPA hadn't addressed it until fatalities at drop-zones and the resulting negative PR gave them concern regarding the possibilities of an even MORE public 'embarrassment'. It did get the desired effect regarding mass public exposure...literally 100's of people would wait in line to ask where, when & how they could do it. The DZ's bought the rigs to accommodate, but very quickly reali$ed it was more profitable to give 'em a ride and get 'em out, moving on to the next one...than it was to tie up re$ources training prospects for continued involvement. I was there....I saw it happening. Never in my wildest dreams could I ever have conceived that there would someday be drop-zones dedicated ONLY to slinging meat with no experienced skydivers allowed! So YES, people actually 'thought' that because THAT'S what it was meant to be! Edited to add a really OLD pic~ http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=50215&l=62ae131e7b&id=100001482098738 Accurate history. But Bill Booth used to say it was the best way for a skydiver to get laid. There was a story about South African Steve and a string of townie girls at a Quincy Freak Brother Convention... Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

I'm thinking, "Rick, thick as a brick." When he picked up the tow rope, I thought to myself, "This cannot end well." Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

That sounds like a personal attack to me. It was not meant as a personal attack. I was just wondering if the members of the Flat Earth Society had a sense of humor.

That's a good one. Thanks. I wish I could've heard something like that 40 years ago. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Didn't I see you in the movie, "Idiocracy" ? Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

If I still lived in DeLand, I would go there. I would like to see a lot of people start showning up 24 hours before hand and encircle the property. Not on his property but on the neighbors. I like to think they would not be supporting an idiot like this. A crowd of people standing srm in srm, maybe even in 2 rows around the place. Try ont to let anyone in. Like a "Gandi" thing. Insert Facetious Icon Here. OR (and this is WAY more radical and probably counter-productive) hold a alternate book burning. How about the Torah? Jews killed Jesus so let's burn their book. And the Bible. The Catholic church killed a LOT of people in the Inquesition os let's burn their book. And the Hindus. I'm not sure what they've done but... On second thought, let's not burn the Kama Sutra. Seriously, some thing needs to be done. Those guys on 9 / 11 didn't just hijack airplanes, they hijacked the Muslim religion. If more of the mainstream Muslims had made a lot of noise about how they didn't agree with what the hijackers did, things might be a little different now. If Christians allow this guy to hijack Christianity, the reaction in the Muslim world will be understandable. It would be a great thing if mainstream Muslims beat down the fundamentalist muslims and the mainstream Christians beat down the fundamentalist christians. But sadly, I don't thind that will happen. "Can't we all just get along?" No, Rodney, I gress we can't. Sorry this was so long. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Unemployed Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

I don't think it was a pot of gold he found. Some thing better. He found gold pot.

I guess this is the same sort of phenomona (sp) as a "pilots halo". Seeing a rainbow around the shadow of your plane on the top of a cloud is cool. Seeing your shadow on top of a cloud in the middle of a rainbow is way cool because right after that you go through the rainbow. It's like getting a hook up with yourself. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Is this math screwy, or do the platforms always have tankers to offload to? I'm still trying to figure out what explosion means here - was this a major incident, or a small fire? When the media gets fixated on a subject (like dog bites), every event gets national coverage. When it's not in the limelight, it's on page 23 for 2 paragraphs. According to an NPR report, this is a production platform not a drilling platform. I'm guessing (hoping) that they turn the spicet on when a tanker comes along side and close it when there's not one available. But I'm guessing (hoping). I still haven't heard any definate word about a continuing leak. Let's all hope fot the best. And Bill, that didn't look like a "blame Obama" comment to me. If I was in Obamas position, I would want some ones head on a stick. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Not currently producing? I read it as being in production. "The platform is a fixed petroleum platform that was in production at the time of the fire, according to a homeland security operational update obtained by The Associated Press. The update said the platform was producing about 58,800 gallons of oil and 900,000 cubic feet of gas per day. The platform can store 4,200 gallons of oil." And this sounds like they won't have the money to clean up their mess or pay reparations. " Mariner Energy focuses on oil and gas exploration and production in the Gulf of Mexico. In April, Apache Corp., another independent petroleum company, announced plans to buy Mariner in a cash-and-stock deal valued at $3.9 billion, including the assumption of about $1.2 billion of Mariner's debt. That deal is pending." My bet is that no head will roll. After BPs massive fuck up, everything else will seem routine and hardly worth noticeing. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

That reminds me of a saying my friend (girlfriend of a skydiver) told me many years ago. I don't know if it is an old saying, or some of the lyrics to a song, but a search doesn't reveal anything. One part angel, one part whore, the other part owns a liquor store... When I met my first wife, I wanted a women who was an aristocrat in the living room, an econmist in the kitchen and a whore in the bedrom. And I got it, sort of. She was a whore in the living room, an aristocrat in the kitchen and an economist in the bedroom.

Yeah, radical Islam is a real threat to any one they percieve as an "infidel". But then, so is radical Judeism, and radical Christians and radical Hindus. What would a radical Buddhist be like? Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

"A plague on both their houses." This is how religion started. Some one, a long time ago, wanted to control the people around him so he said, "I know what makes lightning and thunder. It's God (or Ra or Zeus or whatever). And the only way to contact him is through me." The people fell for it and that started the ball rolling. New religions are still being started so that some one can have control over the others. Religion has very little to do with God. And most Christians don't act very Christ like. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

Bob? Hey! I'm Bob. Should some one be sending me money? I think so. Because I'm Bob.