Hambone

When I was going through AFF, not so long ago, I would get down on myself and get pissed off. I expected to get it first thing. I have always picked things up pretty quickly, and I demand perfection from myself. Well when something would go wrong as you say I would get upset and be angry on the ground. Then one of my friends walked up to me and was like why are you angry. I responded with what i felt like had gone wrong in the air. He looked at me and asked did you have fun? did you land safely?. I ofcourse responded yes I did infact have fun, and yes I did infact land safely. he we like so what are you pissed off about. We will get it right the next time. The point of the story, and the bottom line is that you are doing it for fun, lets be honest, no one started skydiving to get rich, we do it because we enjoy it. If we aren't enjoying it then we shouldn't do it. Oh and you don't suck, Its all a matter of perspective. But remember, there is no such thing as a perfect skydive. that is what is so wonderful about it. BLUE SKIES AND KEEP YOU HEAD UP. HAMBONE. Yeah...You need to grow up. -Skymama

I used a tax return and I saved up my cash then sold some stock to buy gear. I totally agree that you should get gear as soon as you can after AFF it opens many doors. Also you can pay for it by packing. That is what i am about to start doing...Its all good though. What ever it takes to playin the clouds. Yeah...You need to grow up. -Skymama

Andy, Congrats are in order. Right after i graduated AFF one of the guys that works at my DZ told me to do a jump during wich i did nothing...It is one of my favorite jumps to this day. You aren't worried about anything. It allows you to see how much time you really have up there. Its Lots of fun. Just an idea... Blues Ones Yeah...You need to grow up. -Skymama

I am keeping my big car...so that when the prices finally do drop i will have a big car and can take all my friends to the DZ... Yeah...You need to grow up. -Skymama

He's one of those guys that many of us just love to hate. I can only speak for myself but there is no love involved. He is eternally inflamatory. He likes to get people riled up. Next he is going to say that not letting people loot is a violation of their civil rights or some such bullshit. YUCK! Yeah...You need to grow up. -Skymama

Yes i agree they mistook their gun for a flare gun. The thugs that were looting are now shooting at each other? Do you think that it would be ok for the National Guard to fight back...? I think all they can do is fire back at these people. They clearly don't have a real good grip on reality if they think that shooting at the people trying to help them is going to endear them to anyone. Or maybe they like living in water world...who knows but regardless they need to be dealt with! Now it is just self defence. Before you ask how you know who to shoot, it will be anyone pointing a gun at you who is not on your "team" (rescuers) YUCK! Its all out of control, i just hate to see the whole being punished for the actions of a few... Yeah...You need to grow up. -Skymama

Are you really so sure that it will always be obvious if I'm one of them looters, or not? And would you be willing to be the gunman there, or are you content to dump this duty on some kid in the national guard? I am the same age or younger than the kids you speak of in the national guard. If i were in the national guard and was given the order to shoot looters on sight. I would surely question the order, and would then have to ask how do i know who to shoot. But once I figured that out i think that i would be able to do my duty to my country. Futher more i don't think that you would have to shoot people for very long, I feel like after the first 2 or 3 people got killed for looting people would respond with a HOLY SHIT...THEY WEREN'T KIDDING THIS TIME. I could be totally wrong about both my reaction and the reaction of the looters. But the indisputable fact remains that it is sickening to see these people taking advantage of this situation. It is a terrible situation and it saddens me that people feel that they are in the right to steal things that they don't need. One person even said that it is a way that oppressed people get back at society...ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? There was a kid on the news in Walmart holding 2 or 3 pairs of shoes and some shirts, and he was talking about the shoes and how they were this kind of shoe. I honestly can't tell you for sure, but I would guess that he wasn't going to throw his new kicks on his feet and trudge through the street, nor can he eat his new shoes, nor do they provide water. This being said I am not sure how he is in the right, or how that behavior can be defended. People on TV were hiding their faces when the camera came around. That shows that they know it is wrong, but are doing it anyway. And i am not talking about the people that are getting bread and water, but about the people who are stealing new tv's and dvd players and things like that. It just upsets me, but as i have said several times I haven't been in that situation (i hope i never am, I hope none of us are) But it is terrible that people feel that it is a time to go and havea free for all. It is clearly a problem, otherwise the New Orleans SWAT teams wouldn't be roaming the streets with automatice weapons... SOmething to think about. Yeah...You need to grow up. -Skymama

I am not talking about, nor do I think that anyone is talking about carrying your laptop, i think we are focusing more on the idea of punishing (in some form) people who are walking out of a walmart with a cart full of tv's and computers. As for the idea that the reports are wrong...You can no more know that they aren't selling the goods, than we can know they are. It is impossible to know. Yeah...You need to grow up. -Skymama

What we are dealing with here is a Slippery Slope. We all know what we would do. But we aren't in that situation and God Forbid we ever are. I an sickend by the fact that people are pushing buggys full of clothes and carrying TV's from Walmart. It saddens me that people feel that it is acceptable. Mostly because it means that the police are having to be pulled off of what ever search and rescue they are preforming to deal with Hoodlums taking TV's. Before you say it i know that there are even Police involved in this, and that sickens me too. But no one knows for sure what we would do, or how we would react. I can only hope and pray that most of us never have to find out. Its a sad day, and will take quite a while for things to return to normal if they ever do. But stealing for sport is dispicable nomatter the cause. Stealing for survival is accepted and understood. Yeah...You need to grow up. -Skymama

*** It's nice of you to come to the defense of these thugs, though. Somebody's got to do it... I guess. I am complete agreement these people are thugs, they are taking advantage of the situation. It is like saying I need food and water, and i am going to need a new car to carry it all in...Its ridiculous! I heard reports of one guy that stole so many TV's and Computers from walmart that he couldnt' get the doors closed on his van. Is that a survival instinct? Yeah...You need to grow up. -Skymama

I couldn't agree more. I think that taking food and water is one thing, But loading up TV's VCR's DVD Player's and Computer's till your car doors won't close is totally disgusting. If you are hungry and thirsty then you would get water, and food. But taking TV's and Luxury goods don't do you any good. Just cuz their was a hurricane and destruction all around that doesn't give you any right to upgrade your entertainment center. That was my point, not that i didn't think people should survive. I am all for doing what ever they have to to survive. I didn't mean for my statment to be taken that way, and am sorry that it was, it was not my intention to insinuate that people should die instead of take water and perrishable items in order to survive. It is like nothing anyone has ever experienced, these people have lost everything. They are definitly in my thoughts and prayers! Yeah...You need to grow up. -Skymama

I think that shooting them on sight is definitely not out of the question. Though it is a sor t of moral delima. DO you only shoot the people that are taking to ridiculous stuff, like TV's and computers, and dvd players; or do you deal with everyone... Yeah...You need to grow up. -Skymama

Yes I have heard that the Officials have made statements saying that they can and will suspend civil rights if they have too. About looters...I think that it is one thing to steal that makes you a theif. But to loot after a storm when everyone is reeling that is disgusting. I heard on the news that people were looting Wal Mart. They are said to be taking TVs and COmputers....What the hell are they going to do with TV's and Computers in a city that is flooded and growing more so by the moment, has no power and no hope of it for weeks. Do you neet that to survive? I also saw a news report that showed a Cop with a riot shotgun telling the looters to put stuff down. The looters obliged and walked off. I just think that it is disgusting. I understand taking food to eat...but TV's and ComputerS????? Maybe they want to log on to DZ.COM? Yeah...You need to grow up. -Skymama

Hop'N'Pops terrified me to begin with it seemed so low. YUCK! The whole landing thing was hard, as i didn't really understand the dynamics of how to fly a canopy. Fear of the unknown is definitely up there, but it went away when i did 8 jumps in one day to get my A license...I think that it has a lot to do with creating a rythm, it makes you comfortable. Thats my $0.02 Yeah...You need to grow up. -Skymama

I always thought that it would be really fun but didn't have the balls to follow through. Then i met the girl that i am currently dating and she was into it, and talked me into doing a Tandem. I have been hooked ever since. There really is nothing better after a long week of cold calling than to go to the DZ and do some jump. It is super relaxing. I love the Clarity that you get from it. How the air feels so clean its like you are on a different planet! One of my friends describes it as jumping into a picture. You look out the window and see this beautiful scene, and then you get to go play in it. There is nothing like it!!!! Yeah...You need to grow up. -Skymama

Quote I just spoke with a State Farm Insurance agent and they told me that their underwriters would not let them insure skydiving equipment under an all peril policy. They said that it is excluded from coverage due to its high risk nature. They suggested that I contact an independent agent and see if they had an underwriter that was willing to write a high risk all peril policy. Something more high risk than what they were willing to do. So I don't know, if anyone else has any ideas please let me know. Blueskies, Hambone Yeah...You need to grow up. -Skymama

I have a Smart 190 Reserve if he is interested in that? its Pretty much brand new! I will be around sunday probably. Yeah...You need to grow up. -Skymama