WatchYourStep

I give up every Saturday and normally a few nights a week from Nov. until Feb. because I officiate wrestling. The money is good and it lets me build a nice little egg to spend. On a weeknight I can make 150, on a Saturday I can make anywhere from $170-$250 depending on the tourney. "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

That's awesome! "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

Chris- Just like I told J, I'm not saying Mr. Needles does a bad job, then again I'm not going to say he does a good job either. I don't know what he does. If you can answer any of the questions I've asked in my previous posts, excellent. If not thank you for your input. PS: I've got to ask, are you really a hearse and limo salesman because that's pretty cool, and no I'm not joking. "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

Go to a board meeting. ***Instructors paying taxes has nothing to do with this discussion so please spin that in another thread. PS: If somebody is making $100K a year you're getting no sympathy from me, regardless of your job. Even if you are working 80 hour weeks that still is about $24 an hour. Not bad. *** Whose asking for sympathy? You all are bashing him for making a living. There are alot of people who make alot more that do alot less. There seems to be alot of bashing going on over alot of assumptions. Do you have someone in mind that can do his job better cheaper? I'm sure the BOD would be open to suggestions. j Hey hey ease up J. I leave to go to my 2nd job and get back to this. I don't think I slammed Needles in any of my post. If so please point it out so I can at least respond to it. I'm merely asking questions. I don't see why people are getting huffy puffy about it. Please explain. In your response you wrote: "Do you have someone in mind that can do his job better cheaper? I'm sure the BOD would be open to suggestions. " So does the BOD have the authority to relieve Mr. Needles of his duties and assign someone new? Because if they don't talking to the BOD wouldn't do any good would it? I can't say if I know of someone who could do his job better because...well in short I don't know what he does. That's why I'm asking. See I'm new to this whole thing with a little under two years in the sport so I'm just searching for information. Just because things have always been this way or that way doesn't mean it's the right way. "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

Do you have ANY idea the hours he puts in or EVERYTHING he does. How many instructors out there pay taxes - all of them? You think you can do it better and cheaper, then I suggest you send a resume. J No I don't know the hours he put in or what he does, please enlighten me (I'm being serious.) Instructors paying taxes has nothing to do with this discussion so please spin that in another thread. PS: If somebody is making $100K a year you're getting no sympathy from me, regardless of your job. Even if you are working 80 hour weeks that still is about $24 an hour. Not bad. PPS: How is that salary amount decided? Does the BOD decide it? Also does he having any incentives in his plan? You know if membership reaches X you get a bonus, etc. "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

Heck that would be one big kitty, for that amount we should step it up to Vodka or Gin instead of just beer "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

Thanks Nick for that but do you know the answer to this? If revenue was roughly 3.1 million and expenses were roughly 2.9 million. Where is the other $200,000? I realize that an organization is going to have remaining funds available at year end, but where does that money go? Just curious. Figure the return rate on $200,000 over 9 years at the average rate of return between (8-10%) and you'll have a decent size amount. Like I said just curious. "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

Thanks for the responses thus far. Mr. Needles actually returned my phone message from earlier, which is cool because I actually left on Ms. George's machine. I'm bummed that I wasn't able to take the call. In short: The end of the year figures are public and the end of the year figures should be available at the end of Jan. because an audit is coming up. He'll also be putting his usual annual report in Parachutist. He also stated that the upcoming years budget will be voted on soon, but the detailed budget itself is an internal working document for management use only. So I guess I can get a financial statement but not a budget, that's interesting. "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

For instance in 2005 USPA reported that their were 31,276 members. Now that means they belong to the USPA so they pay their yearly dues. I realize that some of these members are life long members so let's take it down to 30,000 members (assuming 1,276 are life long members which may be high.) If these 30,000 pay their renewal fee of $49 (granted some will pay more for instructor renewals, first time members and people who are overseas, but let's keep it easy at $49) 30,000 members X $49 = $1,470,000 a year. That's a lot of change. We need to make sure it's all being accounted for. This doesn't even take into account the fees group members pay. Edited to remove $ in front of 30,000 members and to add X instead of times. "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

I was just seeing if anyone knew here, but I did take your advice already and called. They put me in touch with HR and I was able to leave a voicemail but was assured that I would get a return call after the lunch hour. I'll let you know what I hear. We as jumpers should be wondering where are money is going to. Is it being used in a way that benefits skydivers as a whole or is it going to places/things/people that don't benefit the group? I know that sounds very conspiracy theory, but it's not meant to be. I just want to know where my membership dues are going, that's all. "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

Clicky for you Clicky "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

Well let's see what the BOD members say. (I posted a link to this thread in the BOD forum). Unfunding the USPA Martin would have to start from the top (DZOs) and work down. If my current DZ didn't require USPA membership I would be less likely to get it, but it does, so I get it regardless of my feeling about the USPA. Every dropzone in Kansas requires their jumpers to be USPA members, so us licensed jumpers have to join if we want to jump in Kansas anyways. "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

I'm sorry you had that experience. My experience with Dell was wonderful, but let's not fret over the small stuff. The real question is...where do you go to get drunk?

I was wondering if anyone knows where I can find the following information: -A budget for USPA. I mean we pay membership dues so I think it's reasonable to be able to show us where the money is going. You know how much money is spent on advertising, salaries, web development, education, etc. -Is USPA a not for profit organization? If not why? Thanks "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

Yeah it'll probably only be for a quarter. As a college coach stuff like this drives me nuts. We have different stuff in line to make sure these problems don't happen. For instance: I go to bed early especially when we travel. If the hotel management calls me telling me my athletes are being loud, the whole team must learn from the lesson. Regardless of the time, we all get up, we all get dressed, and we all go for some physical training. I've been fortunate to always have a good group of young adults and they've never made me follow up on this because they regulate themselves. However they know what the rules are and they know what will have to happen if they aren't followed. "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

For doing what more coaches should do, regardless of how big the game is. Clicky "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

I don't really dislike the Vols, but I'm always cheering for Penn State. How can you not cheer for a guy who's 9,000 years old and still convinces kids to come play for him. "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

Dave you make me laugh. Boise State is good and they did cream Oregon State, but Boise State being ranked #1 if OSU loses, well...that's just funny. Of course like they say that's why they play the game. PS: I was so upset that Nevada lost. I can't stand Miami mainly Coker I wanted him to end the season with a loss, but not this time. "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

Yeah OU was on the wrong side of the call earlier in the season, but they still lost to Texas and that cost them their shot. If they wouldn't have lost to Texas I think Stoops would have done a good enough job to get the nod in the polls. The Big XII was very disappointing this bowl season going a big 3-5. Oh well, now if LSU and OSU both win it'll make me happier. "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

Boise played a hell of a game and had a good season, but to say they should be #2 is...well undeserving at best. A top 10 team maybe, but a top 5 no way. They play nobody during the regular season. Once they pick up a few ranked opponents then maybe. The WAC is just a really weak conference. None the less hats off to Boise State for playing a hell of a game. That was amazing. "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

skymama you obviously haven't heard of the great Chazz Reinhold. He once said grief is nature's most powerful aphrodisiac. Chazz is Will Ferrell's character in Wedding Crashers and says picking up women at funerals is a piece of cake "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

Are you just saying that because of the battery incident you had? I've read that the digitals are very reliable. Just checking as I just ordered a neptune. Thanks "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

Thanks Scott. I'm lucky as my home DZ stays open all winter long. Obviously we don't jump as much, plus I can only go out on Sundays due to a side job (officiating high school wrestling) from Nov.-Feb. but I think I still squeezed out 30 jumps or so between Jan and March. Credit cards aren't going to happen. I'm actually just about down to a zero amount owed on my credit cards. The camera or tunnel is a gift to myself for paying off $2200 in debt in December. "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

Chris you need to get in the air my friend. Don't worry about Funks he's got a loud bark but no bite. "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

Are you sure about that Ed? I'm pretty sure I can just bat my eyes at the lady behind the counter and hop right in. I'll be sure to have my friends video. "You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."