Malfunction

Feline Festival Maple Syrup Festival Annual Doll and Toy Sale Kite Day (bummer if there is no wind) Tulip Time Loyalty Day International Migrating Birds Day Czech Days Slovak Days Cival War Reinactment (funny, wasn't no cival war fought in Iowa) Green Day Volkswalk Toto Fest (as many dogs that look like Toto get together and there is a contest to see who looks most like Toto...and this is Iowa, not Kansas... figure that one out) Melon City (much like the 'melon thump' all of this fun and excitement before the first day of Summer! I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

I have OK State in both of my pools. One pool, that is the only team I have left. In my other one, I have OK State, UCONN and Duke left... OK State beating Duke. I think I have a decent shot... I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

I hit 115 in my 1990 Cavalier Z24. It was fun... a 4 mile strip of flat land just past my DZ. Had the undercarriage lights on too... All you saw was a purple blaze... at least that is what my buddy said. The last time I was pushing trip digits was in a Mercury Mountaineer, 90-95... then hit a deer. Now, I don't mind going 10 over, but that is the limit... until I pull out my motorcycle... 03 Ninja hit 110... then slowed WAY down... Road rash would have hurt... Oh, had a '95 Lexus ES300 over the century mark... before I had the Mountaineer... I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

Cats! Less high maintenance. Set a bowl of food and a bowl of water and a clean litter box every week, and they are good to go. Dogs got to be let outside every few hours, attack visitors, bark loudly at any noise that frightens them, stink something awful. Cats at least take baths... I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

I admire that. I am all for that, I just wish it was done on a NATIONAL level. Afterall, it is the folks sitting in the White House, miles and miles of seperation between them and the people the new laws, measures and taxes will directly effect, yet they have no clue what we want, demand or expect of them. Because they are the ones that directly influence the decisions and policies made by not only our President, but our Congressmen too. Everything passes through them, and I invite you to a senate meeting in the state of Iowa. There are literally people that do not belong on the senate floor and are not part of the offices involved, whispering and nodding at the Senators and Reps when it is decision time. Companies like ENRON and MICROSOFT, associations like the LAWYERS BAR ASSOCIATION, NRA and Big Tobacco bank roll these politician's campaigns, and during the term in office if elected, are untouchable. Oil companies have Presidents and other politicians in their pockets; engineering firms own Vice President Cheany and get kickbacks when jobs are shipped overseas to workers who will work for pennies on the dollar. Hey, it saves the firms money and therefore NAFTA must be a good thing, right? In the mean time, we are giving money to Iraq, Malaysia, Haiti, Japan, Germany, and 155 other countries so the Corporate Owners in America can get richer, and thus the budget will NEVER be balanced if the benefit is going to private citizens rather than the source of the contribution. Both! They take the decisions out of the hands of the people and put it DIRECTLY into the hands of the members. NO OFFENSE MEANT TO ANYONE WHO MAY BELONG TO ANY OF THE FOLLOWING, I AM USING THESE AS SUPPORT ARGUMENTS! Stats for you: Who backed Clinton from 92-00? The LAWYERS BAR ASSOCIATION. In the 8 years Clinton was in office, law suits tripled across America and the average payout doubled while the number of frivolous law suits (like $1.3m against McDonalds for a cup of coffee) being thrown out of court diminished. Divorce rates went from 15-20% to nearly 50% because it was easier to get a divorce approved from the courts. The "No Fault Clause" was introduced for the first time, and awards of alimony, child support and other ex-spouse maintainence grew and grew until finally it has plateaued. Tell me the BAR ASSOCIATION had nothing to do with that. Who backed Bush Sr.? Big Tobacco. How often did taxes on tobacco raise from 88-92? Once. But every other tax increased multiple times, including oil. Tell me that Big Tobacco and the seven leading producers didn't tell BUSH not to raise the taxes on their product? After Bush left office, Clinton raised the taxes on Tobacco. The price went from $1.50-$2.25 per pack to nearly $5.00 now. That is a jump of over 100% for the mathmetically challenged. Yeah, Bush Jr. is raising the taxes too, but he isn't backed by Big Tobacco. One of the main reasons we went to the middle east in '91 wasn't to rescue Kuwait - afterall, Hussein was still OUR boy then. It was because he was seizing control of the oil, and Bush Sr. couldn't have that... afterall, he had/has ownership in nearly 1/3 of the oil fields there. Who is currently backing BUSH Jr.? Cheaney's engineering company (contributed nearly 1/4 of Bush's campaign money in '00 and as a result got the contract to rebuild WTC) and ENRON (who's CEO's stole millions from retired and soon to be retired members of America and got off scott free while the courts gave the maximum punishment to Martha Stuart who barely made $50,000). Not to mention Clear Channel Communications who owns most all the mega-media outlets, including bulletin boards, radio stations and the music video stations on cable and satellite. When the decision was made to crack down on the improper use of media outlets (like Janet and Howard), CCC was allowed to buy out any company that could not meet the newly defined FCC fines and thus grow even bigger. That is, if I have ever seen one, a kickback. Most states have speed limits over 65 now, am I right? Iowa is still 65 because the people that make the bill are required by the special intrest groups (such as Construction Unions) to place an addendum that stats if the speed limit is raised, they have SOLE INTEREST in repairing the roads. Sure, the state senate keeps shooting down the bill, but it is the fact that the hidden bill has to be approved at the same time and it is at the request (more like demand) of the special interest groups. Special Interest groups dont necessarily have to fall into the two categories. Special Interest Groups are defined as any group that has interest in any decision made by any decision maker and can influence that decision. At least, that is the general concensus of 90% of the Government, Politics and Civilization instructors I have ever met, and it is my stance too. I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

Just like me Philly, but what do you have to show for it? Have any of YOUR ideas made it through congress? Has YOUR congressman done anything for you? Mine certainly hasn't. In fact, recently he started a bill in congress that was directly OPPOSITE of the farm subsidy he promised while campaigning. And THAT is my point. We, the people of the United States Of America, have absolutely NO voice towards what happens once our representatives leave the state and constituents behind. We can cry, moan, complain, write letter, make calls all we want, but it is the Special Interest groups that have this country in a strangle-hold. I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

No, but I am drinking right now. Spiked Mt. Dew... gotta love it! SHHHHHH! Don't tell my boss! I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

Theoretically, that is a great start. However, one simple thing is overlooked... WE DON'T RUN THE GOVERNMENT NOR DO WE HAVE A SAY IN HOW THE GOVERNMENT IS RAN. Sure, we do the American thing and go to the polls every 4 (if you are active like me, then every 2) years, we get the feeling like our votes count, but it is the Electoral College that ACTUALLY ELECTS THE PRESIDENT. We feel we are being patriotic by writing to our congressman saying things like "Don't let that ridiculous bill making self mutilation in Georgia illegal!" but it is the Special Interest Groups that have the ultimate pull. If balancing the stupid fucking budget was THAT easy to do, it would have been done, but that would mean the Special Interest groups would not be getting KickBacks on the Government spending, thus would limit the bankroll of the congressman, so it would never pass. Yeah, it is a great system and a great idea, but somewhere along the lines, the idea got lost and turned into what we have now. I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

So long and the automobile is insured, and the insurance is provided on demand to the government. I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

I was 7 years old at the Kansas State fair in Hutchinson, Kansas (one of only 3 states that has the State Fair NOT in the capital city), and saw skydivers land just before Alabama took the stage. I told Mom that I was going to do that some day... her natural response was "not while you live under my roof." I got to college and chose skydiving over my 3.6 GPA. Now I am a skydiver by hobby, mortgage processor by trade, and no college degree. Life is sweet. I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

That article is why I elected for the much less complex MORTGAGE line of work. I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

I am jealous. I don't get to jump anywhere that nice. I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

Take off Haiku, FLY I'm copying Cunundrum Let this post live long! Weather sucks right now Foggy, Rainy, plain shitty Is the sky calling? I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

Friday Haiku is up... numbers should start growing... I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

Lets Do A Haiku To celebrate one million All Post-Whores unite! I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

Can you say "Silent Thread" - props to CrazyIvan... whatever happened to him anyway? I like GFD... oops did I say that out loud? I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

3) 15 years ago I visited an Indian Reservation (as part of my family history search) and spent a summer there. Before I left, the 'shaman' gave me a spirit animal - the wolf. (I like to think it was genuine, but then again, it may have just been a stunt for a stupid white-man). 4) I have a relative in all 50 states. I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

1) I had my appendix burst when I was 5. It put me into a coma for a week and nobody (including the doctors) thought I would survive. I remember nothing prior to walking out of the hospital. 2) I have had over 2000 stitches in various places on my body, ranging from my finger tip to my forehead to between my toes. All happened before my 18th birthday. I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

Strange that this poll should come up now. A few summers ago, this exact thing happened to me (in fact, I briefly mentioned it in the "What did you give up..." thread. When faced with any untimatum, I always choose the decision for me; it could be skydiving, Warhammer, Motorcycles, X-Box, Drinking (although I did give up illegal substances, but that was "give them up or go to jail"). Thinking back, I would have to say that if I knew then what I know now, I may have changed my mind. There is another post about giving up jumping, and that post got me thinking too. If I were burned out of jumping when confronted, I would have given up jumping. But then I remember how much of an abusive #&%^$ she was and don't regret my decision. When you find the person of your dreams, the person that you know is right for you, you will never have to make this decision. I truly believe that, and that is why no ultimatum makes it very far with me. I may miss the company and companionship, but I have had MANY airgasms... There is only one ultimatum that could get me to quit FOR GOOD (I pray that my son nor his mother ever reads this thread) and that is my son asking me to. I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

I have this feeling a lot, never more so than the last year. Unlike you, many things changed for me: I have a best friend that went in a couple years back and is still on the road of recovery, another aquaintence that died last summer (RIP Roger), I moved halfway across the state from my DZ, I don't have my own gear (no harness/container or reserve), and my boy will turn 2 this summer. Personally, there are more inportant thing in my life than jumping. I can't fathom putting my life at risk for fun and having something unforseen happen and leaving my innocent boy without a father. I would rather spend my sunny days playing frizbee or teaching my son to ride a bike, or taking him to the pool than leaving him at home and jumping out of a plane. I think of selling my gear all the time, but I decide not to because I always go back. Over the last few years, I have logged more pack jobs than jumps. The desire is gone, but the love and respect for the sport is still there. I still think of myself as a member of the skydiving community and would lend a hand to any fellow jumper (although I have not jumped since Labor Day). Brains, I think it is a part of life. Every year, wether you want to or not, you re-evaluate your life and make changes, and some things fall by the way-side. Skydiving happens to be one that does for many people. You are not alone, brother. I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

Image the 'victim's' position: You just got slapped by Richard Simmons. Now, with a straight face, you have to tell police that Simmons just bitch slapped you. OR You prove your manliness and pound the ever-living shit out of... Richard Simmons... I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

Recently I had to bury my grandmother. It was the first close relative I had to bury, and I had to be a casket bearer too. It was the second hardest day of my life. I was weak, I felt that I could not hold the casket, and I felt that there was nothing I could do for my grandfather (they were married over 65 years). It felt like the world was spinning when I saw her in the hospital, drained of life. It was worse when I saw her in the casket, and even worse when I had to carry her to the graveside. I know what you feel, PM me if you want. My heart is with ya I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

My ex-girlfriend. Once she laid down the ultimatum of skydiving or her, I opted for jumping. Pickup basketball, softball leagues, and a fun little game called Warhammer. I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

1) Ocean's 11 2) Italian Job 3) League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 4) Gone In 60 Seconds 5) Tombstone I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

I don't know if anyone has posted anything about this yet, but I want to say: WTF?!? How could people do this!!! http://www.theiowachannel.com/news/2914009/detail.html I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire