Shawndiver

Gigantor, and another great Japanese B&W, "8th Man". Fireball XL-5, Ultraman. Ah, the classics... _________________

"I don't know what to say. Lectroids? Planet Ten? Nuclear Extortion? A girl named John?" "It looks like one of our thermopods. But is a very bad design." _________________

Predator? An easy one: "End of line." Tron __________________ There is a beautiful woman in my bed and a dead man in my bath." _________________

Damn fun is right!

Easy answer why DUI is so popular these days, money. DUI is an easy, socially accepted way to seperate tens of thousands of dollars out of the persons pocket directly into the state and county coffers in one quick ticket. Law enforcement does not give a rats ass about your safety. A person driving down the highway swerving back and forth in their lane while applying eye makeup on their way to work. Endangering everyone around them. If they are caught, they will receive a reckless driving citation ($150). A 250 pound person is coming back from going out. BAC is .08. May not even feel the effect, and is driving in a normal manner. Pulled over for broken tail light. Cop smells beer, breath test, tens of thousands of dollars later... -DUI Same person above is riding a bicycle in California, runs a stopsign. - DUI. (Exactly the same as if driving) Same person decides they may be close to the limit, climbs into the back seat of the car for a nap, but has car keys in their pocket - DUI Same person decides to walk home - Drunk in public, night in jail, fines. Driving without a license, uninsured, in a smoking vehicle with 4 tires worn down to the cords. - Fixit ticket and citation. (County has determined that vehicle impoundment for traffic stops is too expensive.) Alcohol has proven to be extremely profitable for law enforcement, and it is not politically correct to say otherwise. I do not resent the fact I cannot drive legally drunk, I do not. But I do resent the fact that if I go out for a nice dinner, have two glasses of wine over the course of the evening, get pulled over in a license/DUI checkpoint, even though I am not drunk if there is alcohol on my breath I will spend the next forty minutes questioned, subjected to physical testing, all while hoping that the cop doesnt just give me a DWI just to justify his time when I blow under the legal limit. For my safety? My ass. _________________

Have the cutaway handle bronzed! 500 - Gold 1000 - Platinum _________________

Belize! _________________

At home . I'll post it when I get outta work _________________

I had a closing pin pendant cast in white gold, a blue sapphire tear dropped to the end and a message for her microengraved on the back. She loves that the vast majority of people out there have no idea what it represents.

You can also see if the state offers a "trial by declaration" option like in California. I have sucessfully fought two moving violations without ever having to set foot in a courtroom. Basically its a trial by mail, you write in your version, the cop has to write out his version, a judge reads them and makes a decsion. No physical appearance necessary. The good news is that instead of a day in court with lots of overtime, the cop (oops, revenue generation drone) gets to write out his version on his regular shift. Definitely worth a try if its available and you don't want to hire an attorney. _________________

I have dove in the Channel Islands with thousands of them surrounding the boat being attracted by the lights we put in the water for night dives. Absolutely amazing animals! I was also called out to the Bodega Marine Lab to shoot video of a captured Humbolt Squid several years ago. Up until that point they had not been seen that far north before. This things body was three feet long with hooks on its tentacles, and they were not "sure" how it would react when I went in the tank. All went well though, and I actually got credit for my video on CNN that night!

I saw Corteo here in San Francisco when they came through last December. I see them every time they come to town, and am looking forward to catching their Las Vegas shows. It is outstanding! You will love it! _________________

A beautiful blonde, a beautiful Carribean beach, a drink, a rig, and an Otter. Coming soon in February!

If you want some other options, give me a call. There are a variety of ways that you can fight it that do not involve lawyers and do not require you to even step foot in the courtroom. _________________

Dammit, that damn song is back in my head!!!!!!!! Badger Badger Badger Badger.... make it stop!! Cute dog though...!

Awesome!!

See Sig Line below. _________________

Rode on the steel breeze... _________________

Climbing out over Belize, (desktop)and launching from Sugar Hill in Lakeview, Oregon.(Laptop)

The most amazing thing after an eleven year layoff was that my jumpsuit still fit. Honestly, as many others had said, a little nervousness on the way up, out the door, it was like I never left. The best part after landing was Texas Tom coming up to me afterwards with a big s%#t eating grin on his face saying "DAMN, I could SEE the rust blowing off ya!"

Michele, Better believe we remember! I am more of a dog person than cats, but I remember checking the original thread every couple of hours for Pengy Updates!!

All true. And I know and accept that times have changed. However, the thread asked about the best way to learn to pack parachutes. The old school method gave you insight into not just one method or canopy, but many. This gave better insight to how canopies functioned, and the mechanics of deployment. Many skydivers out there have little to no knowledge of HOW their canopies deploy, let alone knowing what part of the process does what. If they are not happy with their openings, they don't have any clue whether rolling the nose, splitting a tail, or any number of packing options are available, they just have to go to someone else, and basically say, "it no workee, fix pleeze". to me that is the result of an inferior learning method. Packing today no longer seems a priority in skydiving. For many skydivers the deployment of a life saving device shares pretty much the same priority as making sure the tires of their cars are inflated to the proper pressure. Times and values change. Does not mean that it is always for the better. Not pointing fingers, or making personal judgement on individuals, just stating my observations.

T-10's, Paracommanders, Sierras, Cruiselites, Pegasus, Stratostar... Before I had 50 jumps I could pack them all, and I wasn't even cleared to jump a square canopy yet! (100 jump minimum) From the moment you came back to the dz after your 1st jump, you were encouraged (read expected) to start learning to pack. Everyone pitched in, if someone asked a question, you showed them. No formal courses, if someone had proposed a packing course, they would have been pelted with empty beer cans. Everyone I jumped with had this knowledge, packing was a part of skydiving. Some were better than others, but everyone packed their own. When I came back into the sport after a 10 year layoff, I was lucky that a packer took me under her wing and showed me the secrets of pro packing and zero P, but that common knowledge base and its transmission to people new to the sport had disappeared. I personally know jumpers with thousands of skydives, (record holders!) who get sweaty palm syndrome if all the packers are busy and they have to jump their own pack job. So, without getting all "generational" as some people put it, I will take the old school method any time. _________________

Grue, Get one of these: http://www.avtechgroup.com/ I love mine! (I wish...) _________________

Actually, yes I have. And again, it was determined by the attitude. If the person did not swim because they were deathly afraid of water, you had to overcome those phobias first. Once that was done, or if the person just had never gotten around to learning to swim (and there are more of those than you think!) the practical skills came pretty easily because you were working with essentially a clean slate. No old habits to get rid of. Edit to add: I realize the differences between teaching in a controlled pool environment, and hucking someone off a structure, but I believe the basic pretext of attitude vs. skills is a valid one _________________