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Funny how everyone obsesses over such minor points. I mean, look at the difference. One TINY word! Trump organization: Manafort - guilty. Cohen - guilty. Flynn - guilty. Gates - guilty. Papadopoulos - guilty. Clinton organization: Craig - not guilty. I mean, there's only ONE WORD different there.

Don't kick yourself because you aren't flying like you think you should be at this point. Skills improve fastest if you are jumping often, and they tend to erode if you don't stay real current. If you can bump up the number of jumps you are doing, you'll get there faster. Tunnel time spent working on levels will help a lot, as will 2 ways with someone who will fly base while you work on up/down. You'd be surprised how many jumpers are more than happy to jump with you. You might think the jumps are boring for them but they are actually a lot of fun. Jumping with a newer jumper requires actively working to stay with you. It's a challenge, and they get to share in your successes as you progress. It's also great practice for future AFF instructors. Stick with it. And remember to smile and have fun on every skydive.. cuz that's what it's all about, right?

Hi guys, I'm developer of Skyduck - the new mobile app for skydivers. I'm trying to make the best app for skydivers, so I need your help. First of all I need your feedback. Now it is in open beta test and available for iOS devices (iPhone 6 and higher except iPhone SE) DOWNLOAD FROM APPSTORE What it is now? • Easy-to-use automated skydiving logbook • Jumps digital signatures • 3D visualization of jump • Detailed statistics on a graph • Vertical/horizontal speeds Blue skies, Igor

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelshellenberger/2019/09/04/why-renewables-cant-save-the-climate/#43a9e9203526 But around the world, renewables are in crisis because they are making electricity more expensive, subsidies are expiring, and projects are being blocked by wildlife conservationists and local communities.

Thank you, all. It's easy to get discouraged, even easier to think I'm the only person who ever got discouraged while jumping, and I appreciate the reality check that you all provided. My home DZ is having a boogie this weekend and will be flying a caravan, so that should be a good excuse to get more than a few jumps in.

You sound upset. Thoughts and prayers.

There is no spoon.

They're just virtue signalling their carbon footprint.

I have to chime in on the misuse of a word. Toxic masculinity is not the gender opposite of toxic feminism. The word I think you're all looking for is femininity, not feminism. Dr. Peterson started it. He first said (per the Wiki article and subsequent quoting here) that feminism contributed to the threat to masculinity. He continued by positing men were encouraged to be more feminine under this construct, which illustrates his misuse of the word "feminism". This is not how feminism works. Feminism, is simply the idea that everyone has the right to the same opportunities, having their abilities judged without regard to gender (including men being able to take on roles that society has assigned to women). That is a very basic example -- gender identity should be included in this freedom. The patriarchy is the construct that only cis-gendered men have the right, or should be encouraged, to be in positions of power and influence. Laws restricting women's equal access (or the opportunities of anyone who isn't a cis-gendered, hetero male), per the patriarchy, at best are seen as a desire to "protect" women, and at worst are intended to codify the cis-gendered man's lock on these opportunities. [/soapbox]

It'll be fine. If you don't want it I'll take it. Ship it to me and it can sit in a truck for three more days. Lee

I'm the skeptic and cynic around here. So let me give you the bad things I've seen with older skydiving students. And at 56 I'm old enough to have some of these issues myself, but I already learned how to do this. Two older students who became skydivers come to mind. One was in his 60's when he took it up. Was a biker, thin and lanky and no real health issues. Engineer as I recall, anyway some sort of technical professional career and still working when he started. But he was always one beat behind the dive. He could get out, fall stable, open his parachute and land. But when simple RW was added he was always not quite with the flow of the dive. I often saw a blank look on his face asking (What's next?) And not just the points. Exit order and plan, awareness of other jumpers, etc. He just was no longer thinking and processing as fast as others. Now maybe this was age related or maybe he would have always been like this. After a collision on opening due to awareness issue and some other near misses he finally realized that maybe he wasn't quite up to the task. I helped him come to this decision not because I didn't like him but because I did. He LOVED skydiving as much as and more than many students/newbie jumpers. Skydiving was keeping him young. But it also almost killed him at least twice. He went to Quincy several times and loved hanging out. And he realized his mistakes after they were explained to him but was not progressing at his awareness and skill in the air. Several of us were more than happy to go jump with him to try to help him out. But it sometimes bit us. He desperately wanted to do a balloon jump at Quincy but wanted some to go with him. So I agreed and we planned for me to exit on my back filming with him exiting a second later and opening first. After we climbed over the side he never looked at me, let go just as I let go and got under me and had no clue I was there. Took all I could do to get out from above him before he dumped with no clue where I was or even remembering I was in the air. When he landed he thought everything went as planned. He retired from skydiving with a couple hundred jumps and went back to biking. And thanked me and gave me some of his gear. Other older student was similar but more arrogant in his attitude. Not bad but no humility. He owned his own tool and die business and also loved jumping. But again seemed to have issues keeping up with what was going on and NEVER became acceptable at canopy control, even though one DZ owner had him talking in students on the radio at 100 jumps. (Don't ask.) We tried to help him out some too but wasn't interested in advice. He ended his career when he had his ripcord folded under his harness and pulled on his FXC braided housing instead of his reserve ripcord until the FXC opened his reserve. He was tumbling and blew up his round reserve. Landed on tarmac with the lower lateral band severed and canopy split to the apex. He lived but was broken up pretty badly. Some others come to mind also. Again, folks that weren't staying up with the program and never quite got it. One couple in their 50's. She had no concept of altitude awareness. I watched her fall on her back until she finally got stable and pulled. Even when I saw her main leave her back I thought she was dead. Her main opened faster than it ever had. (pre AAD era) After she came back from the off airport landing she didn't know anything went wrong. Her husband spun himself into the ground after being warned/trained about low turns several times. He used to wear a USPA polo shirt and give advice to students when he had 30 jumps and no clue. Yes I'm being a negative nancy but wanted you to hear something besides the cheer leaders. After all if they are on here they survived being a student. You SHOULD get into skydiving, I think everybody should. But be aware of your limitations as they may appear. I know my mind isn't working as well as it did at 30. (See my sig line.) And when everything goes great blow raspberries at me. On the positive note another student started in his 50's. He became a very good skydiver quickly and we still have fun jumping together. Get going, have fun and be aware as things might come up. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE