algboy

"Icky" sounds like a term I would have used to describe sex when I was 10. Somehow that just didn't come out right, methinkest! “Keep your elbow up!"

Good one, Dave! I guess if I wanted to *pretend* at being generous, I'd bring a case of some kind of India Pale Ale (knowing that most peeps -- besides me -- can't stand the hoppy-ness). Oh, yeah, and a shot of MMark would go down nicely, thankyouverymuch! Someone said: "Life's too short to drink bad beer."

WOW!! Someone sure knows how to fly their body. Well done. “Keep your elbow up!"

I, too, tended to over-analyze the whole process of leaving the plane. The best cure for my "door fear" was when my Eloy coach (pre-A) on the ride up for one of our jumps suggested we hold hands, run to the door and do a spinning front summersault exit out the back of the SkyVan. On the inside I'm thinking "are you out of your freakin' mind?!" On the outside, I must've smiled gamely and said, "OK" or some such lame response. Anyway, we dove out the door, spun and he geeked me in mid-spin! My confidence soared and I was never afraid of the door after that. I realize now (after several jumps with this great coach) that his strategy was to "up the ante" on each jump. Was he appealing to my ego or just distracting me from the actual jump -- who knows?? Anyway, he'd only tell me on the ride up what our dive flow would be -- usually with an extra twist thrown in. He probably had me pegged me right away as an "over-analyzer", so he would never clue me in until we were on the ride up. It must've worked because I'd spend the ride up trying to remember what he wanted us to do and rehearsing it in my mind. Pure genius -- in retrospect! $.03 worth

What about Band kids? You know -- the ones who don't really belong to any of those other categories, but instead are in . . . the BAND! “Keep your elbow up!"

"clevage, sexy smile , strong drinks..... did I mention clevage" Insider trick (nasty-boy-cleavage-lovers). Take a bar stool just opposite the glass wash station. You'll get an eye-full as they run the glasses through the wash/rinse/sanitizer As a former b-tender myself, I say ditto to the slow-things-down-pay-attention-to-the-customer approach as well as the ablity to multi-task well: maintain bar area, re-stock (napkins, matches, clean ashtrays), remember drink/food orders, and HUSTLE (all while appearing competely laidback and having a great time) -- in other words, only in the movies! Oh -- and this a MAJOR pet peeve of mine -- if a "regular" or fairly regular customer always leaves large tips -- don't take him/her for granted. Give a little payback once in a awhile, get off your cell phone, stop talking to your fellow workers and take care of ME! Or I will -- and usually do -- find another place to drink. P.S. The classic "you're-about-to-get-#$@#ed" line in bartending is: "Oh, and I'm a great tipper". “Keep your elbow up!"

"I can't think of any other job where it's got progressivly trickier (Zero P canopies in tight little containers) and the pay scale has stayed the same." How `bout musician? $100/night was typical in the 80's -- still true today

I think I see the problem!! BWAAAAHHHH!!

AV/race gas has a sweet smell.. I love it.. We use it in the boats.. When I used to smell diesel it reminded me of traffic.. now when I’m in traffic smelling diesel.. it reminds me of skydiving.. Then I set the autopilot in my truck and daydream the rest of the way home Right on! The smell of diesel still gets my heart beating a bit faster as it comes in a close second to the true smell of AVgas. Besides the obvious Jet A smell, my student "smell" memories include the bundled-up canopy in my arms (reminded me of a box of crayons for some reason), stale B.O. and cigarette smoke, plus the dreaded high-altitude fart!

"What's not to understand?" I think I do now: some skydivers don't give a shit about other skydivers and if something bad happens to me, and I'm in a bad financial situation, I'm pretty much on my own. DEAL WITH IT! “Keep your elbow up!"

I think it's about taking care of your brothers/sisters and not copping the holier than thou "I'm-more-insured-than-you-so-you-don't deserve-to-skydive" attitude. BTW: someone got contact info on Shayna? I WILL put my money where my mouth is and send her a check. “Keep your elbow up!"

"Hey there, I was driving down the highway the other day without my seatbelt on and somebody crashed into me, totally not even my fault! Their stupid car had problems or something and they couldn't stop fast enough and they rear ended me. Since I'm new to driving, I wasn't wearing my seatbelt, I just forgot. I also don't have insurance, neither does the other driver. Would you mind sending me a PM also? I'd like to see if you're interested in covering the damage to the car or my neck. These hospital bills and mechanic bills are insane!" Profile says you are an "analyst"?? Guess either your "story" is fictional or your degree is. “Keep your elbow up!"

WTF r u talking about Sort of a tradition (especially with non-traditional sports enthusiasts). Yeah, my jump numbers suck, but I started in `76--when jumpers were tighter and the reputation is still out there if you ask around. “Keep your elbow up!"

Right on, Bonnie! What about the "trolls" [it's OK, I'm sort of a troll in my field] who live "underground": in tents/RVs/crashing with friends, pay/receive cash, don't have a computer [yes, I do], and lack insurance coverage? My GOD! Should "we" even be skydiving?? Quick--CALL SOMEONE!! The poll is statistically flawed and insignificant. “Keep your elbow up!"

Well bully for you, Mother Theresa! Hell, I've seen bikers pass the hat for one of their own who goes down uninsured, yet I see this smug "I'm insured--so screw you if you're not" attitude." Lemme guess: do you just happen to work for a company that provides insurance and/or are a person who is relatively "comfortable" financially?? There's always some jar out somewhere for some poor SOB who needs a liver/kidney/[insert organ here]. Should we tell them to F-off because they drank, ate junk food, did drugs? Is it the "circle-the-wagons" syndrome of distancing anyone who becomes a liability to skydiving? Skydivers generally claim to be against rules and regulations, yet I'm hearing the tacit implication that insurance (life, disability, vision, dental, loss-of-income, fire, theft, flood, mudslide . . . .) should be checked along with one's rig at manifest. Swell idea. Skydiving will grow by leaps and bounds--skysurfing anyone?? Conclusion: a skydiver pranged herself bigtime. She's broke/needs help with her medical bills. She's not a crying, lawsuit-happy "Scott Lutz", for Christ's sake! What's wrong with asking the public to VOLUNTARILY help out? Where's the love, man?

And I have all my own teeth “Keep your elbow up!"

"Your statement reminds me of an old saying "Everyone talks .45, practices 9. and carries a .38." "The guy with the 45 will be thinking about reloading as I put 5 more bullets in his ass" Gimme a break!! I talk .45, practice .45 and carry .45. As far as mag capacity: my Kimber BP II carries 10 with one in the chamber--every round is a well-aimed mainstopper. OK-I'm a 200 lb male, but I think the reason for the 9mm push is due to the feminization and lowered standards of the gov't. The .45 has a little kick, but no big deal. A well-aimed .45 will STOP a bad guy--PERIOD! There's a saying: a 9mm is a .45 set on "STUN"! “Keep your elbow up!"

You may have a point!! “Keep your elbow up!"

Just my $.02 from an out-of-currency A-licensee with only 36 jumps . . . but wouldn't the act of flaring be of more value than calculating wing loading? I am a 205-lb.er and have always jumped 260s and 230s--generally at 1500 ft msl Eloy. With even a slight headwind--and a good strong flare--most of my landings are like stepping off a curb.[Yes--I've biffed a few, too]. Am I off base here? I don't see a .88 W/L as the problem. “Keep your elbow up!"

Now THAT's a Christmas, Dude!! “Keep your elbow up!"

LOSERS “Keep your elbow up!"

"Eating more salt and drinking lots of water can help - i.e. just have a bag of crisps before you fly." Your salt advice is a bit "old school". Many times cramps are caused by a lack of potassium or magnesium. I suffer from these often. Potasium/Mag help me every time--especially if you may have had a few brewskies the night before. Before your next tunnel session, try drinking a big glass of OJ or eating a banana. May help tremendously. Or, just throw back a mag/potassium pill with a water chaser. It works!

There's that false dichotomy thing again: Rep or Dem, Pro-Bush or Pro-terrorist, blah-blah How about Independents or Libertarians? Or, Fact vs. Fiction? Truth vs. Lies? Call me a Truth-Facter

Actually I'm dyslexic. My DOG speaks to me and says that SUTOP is full of pork and beans Buy then again . . . my DOG likes to lick his STUN.

What substance is here to debunk? You can't disprove conspiracy theories - that's why they persist. All you need is a reason why, and you can then reframe the events to meet that explanation - in this case, the need to feed the war machine. If you believe that, then you'll believe a wholely unsubstantiated view of 9/11 to go along with it. Occram's razor is the counter explanation. People took over the planes, flew them into buildings. They were on the plane manifest, they were recorded on the flight boxes, they were attacked by the passengers of the 4th plane. Why doe remote controlling seem like a reasonable alternative reality? What does that gain anyone? "People [allegedly] took over the planes, [allegedly] flew them into buildings. They were on the plane manifest [no, really, they were], they were recorded on the flight boxes [trust us], they were attacked by the passengers of the 4th plane [so the story goes]." So . . . I guess it all depends upon WHICH conspiracy theory you wanna buy. Some folks believe the mainstream conspiracy theory that 19 Islamic jihadists screwballs (who drank alcohol and hung out in strip clubs, BTW) and couldn't even fly a Cessna managed to bring down WTCs 1 & 2--and scared WTC 7 so much that it went down too (out of sympathy, no doubt). The fact that no steel high-rise (prior to 9/11) had ever gone down due to fire raises the hmmmmm-factor a bit. The fact that 7 of these 19 screwballs are still alive gives one pause, though. Occam's Razor is a helpful aphorism--not a law. When looked at dispassionately, the mainstream conspiracy theory is full of holes, yet it's defenders fall back on "knowing" a priori that it just HAS to be right, while offering a patronizing snicker to those who raise the obvious questions. You can disprove--or prove--anything--armed with the facts. The final truth stands on its own whether you care to call it "conspiracy theory", "fairy tale", "history", or "evidence". People need to avoid the sloppy thinking of ad hominem attacks and calling those who doubt "Bush-haters", America-haters, anti-semitic--or, God help us--a LIBERAL