funjumper101

The tandem only DZs are usually located in touristy areas. For example, Skydive Maui. A 70.00 ride to 9,000' over Maui might be a worthwhile price to pay for a jump over a scenic DZ. Then again, maybe not. YMMV If you are a USPA member, with a D license, you should be able to walk into any Group Member DZ and skydive. Unless you have been banned by the DZO for cause. I believe that tandem only DZs should not be allowed to be Group Members. They are parasites on the backs of the general USPA membership. If a tandem only DZ wants to operate, they can do so without being a USPA GM. Mike Mullins and Bill Dause run successful DZs that aren't GMs. I am sure that there are others that I don't know about. The fact that the USPA allows tandem only DZs to be Group Members is totally against the letter and spirit of the mission statement. It is flat out WRONG.

I guess that if you count massive voter fraud and ouiright theft of elections, you are correct, shrub was "elected". Read up on any of the facts of the 2000 and 2004 "elections"? Especially the events that took place in Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004? Even though the facts of those events is fully documented and independently verified, Faux News never reported on them, so they must not be true, eh? Try reading some of the international media. BBC is a good one. How do you explain that exit polls showed the Democratic candidates to have won, while the demostrably fraudulent results gave us the unmitigated disaster that is shrubco? You should read up a bit on exit polls and their proven accuracy before you claim that shrub was "elected". Since hannity and o'reilly (those paragons of insightful journalism) don't mention these isssues, they must not be real, eh? Real men admit it when they makes mistakes...

It is possible to be within the law, and be a crook. It has to do with ethics and moral values. Just because something is legal, doesn't mean that it is ethical or moral. If what the story says is true, they are crooks, in my opinion, even if the actions were within the letter of the law. Are you saying that because what they did was legal, it was ethical?

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08?? Wishful thinking, Vinny. Why are you so against highly intelligent, seasoned politicians? Why do you think a pathetic loser like Shrub was a better choice? Shrub's entire life has been all about riding on the coat tails of his family. He got into Yale due to family connections. Ever read what he had to say about the Yalies back in 1994? He didn't like them because they were wicked smart. Given what a dumb fuck he is, I can understand why he feels that way. He got a free pass into the National Guard, then went AWOL because he was a coke fiend and wouldn't pass a piss test. He never faced enemy fire. He was a disaster as an oil man. He was a pathetic governor. His crowning achievement as a governor (education policy) turned out to be completely fictitious, just like No Child Left Behind is. He made millions from the Rangers because he screwed over the taxpayers on the stadium deal. Daddy's pals did great by him. His first and ONLY veto is this one. 75% of the people wanted this bill signed into law. His religious beliefs are seriously twisted. He lied during the speech he gave when he vetoed the bill. And you still think Shrub was a better choice than real professionals. That is truly amazing.

For those folks that are coming from out of the area, the weather in Paso is likely to be really nice at that time of year. however... Paso gets really hot, often as much as 115 in the summer. It is a dry heat, so plan to drink a lot of water. Even in September it can break 100 during the day. It cools off fast when the sun goes down. You should pack some long pants and might want a light jacket later in the evening. Sometimes it can get downright chilly overnight. I have had temps of 110 at my house in the daytime, and temps in the low 50s late that night. Do you like wine? Paso Robles has been written up as the new Napa in Forbes magazine. There are over 150 wineries in the greater Paso Robles area.

Updated list>> Chaoskitty Clownburner CSpenceFLY and as many RoamingDZers as I can find! Cornholio! Feeblemind Fungh Gia Lovelife22 Lauralicious McBeth monkycndo NWFlyer Seabazz1 skybytch Uponone funjumper101 Anyone who needs a tent, sleeping bags, etc, PM me. I have several that I can loan out. First come, first served. Lauralicious and Chaoskitty already have first dibs. I have more tent space than sleeping bags and pads, so anyone that can bring some, speak up. I'll have a coleman stove, a two burner propane cooker, pots/pans, coffee making supplies, etc. Star Farms has a fine 'cue setup, so I won't bring mine unless it is needed.

Because it increases the branding of the USPA. It allows them to state that member dropzones make up x% more of the sport and specifically with tandem only DZs they can state that they govern x% more of that aspect of the sport, which while may be just a "amusement ride", still pulls in significant numbers which can be used to sway FAA or government opinion. I don't see tandem DZs hurting membership anymore than having tandems at your local DZ hurts it. Tandem only DZs are using the fact that they are GM DZs to promote their businesses, while providing the general membership no benefits at all. They get a fair bit of credibility in their negotiations with airport operators, land owners, etc, by being a GM DZ. They don't provide anything to the greater USPA membership in return. I have no problem with tandem only DZs being in business. They just shouldn't be allowed to be USPA Group Member DZs. Being a USPA GM DZ isn't required to have a successful operation. Mike Mullins and Bill Dause run successful DZs that aren't Group Members. I am sure there are others that I don't know about.

You missed the point completely. Why should a tandem only DZ be allowed to be a USPA Group Member DZ when the general USPA membership is deliberately and specifically excluded? If the mission statement is accurate, this should never be allowed. I have no problem with a GM DZ excluding jumpers on a case by case basis for specific reasons. In my opinion, a USPA GM DZ should be required to allow any experienced, licensed USPA member to skydive there. If a DZO doesn't want experienced, licensed USPA members (except staff) to jump there, they can choose to NOT be a GM DZ. The fact that the USPA currently allows this practice is wrong, in my opinion. These DZs are riding on the backs of the greater USPA membership, while providing us with no benefits whatsoever. That is completely against the letter and spirit of the USPA mission statement.

Bump

If you voted "yes", please explain why.

The USPA's mission statement is begin quoted text >>> The United States Parachute Association and its 34,000 member skydivers enjoy and promote safe skydiving through parachuting training, rating, and competition programs. USPA represents parachute jumping from aircraft and helps keep skydivers in the air.

1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can anyone clarify? Why can't I own Canadians? 2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her? 3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15: 19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense. 4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is, my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them? 5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath.Exodus 35:2. clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it? 6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination? 7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle- room here? 8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die? 9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves? 10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14) I know you all have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

I'll be attending the boogie. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help. I live about ten miles from Paso. Anyone who needs a ride from Santa Maria or SLO airport, PM me. I can arrange rides as needed. I have a small tent pup tent and a bigger cabin tent that can made available to fly-in jumpers.

I have heard rumors that someone is trying to open a DZ in Paso Robles. From what little I have heard, the main problem is that the PR airport commission won't let jumpers land on the airport. Land values have skyrocketed in the area, so leasing a landing area is likely to be difficult and/or expensive. Paso Robles has grown into a popular tourist destination. With good marketing, a DZO could do well.

When I was a student I had issues with too much adrenaline and anxiety before my jumps. I did a kind of bastard cross between static line and AFF training as AFF was very new when I started jumping. If your DZ will allow it, find out if you can do "Observer" rides. An observer ride is where you ride the plane up, watch what is going on, then ride the plane back down. Observer rides cost me one experienced jumper jump ticket. For me, this burned off a lot of adrenaline and greatly decreased my anxiety. The decreased adrenaline and anxiety greatly improved my performance on AFF jumps. No more repeats, at all. It might do the same for you. Paying for one jump ticket was a lot cheaper than paying to repeat an AFF jump. YMMV

I always liked the logo for The Parachute Center in Acampo, CA, aka, Dauseneyland. Good old N91E (DC3/C47) has been parked for a few years now. The Twin Beeches are long gone. I am pretty sure that there is still a cessna or two there, but I don't know for sure. I haven't been there for a while. I don't think the logo would be the same if they replaced the DC3 and the Twin Beech with an Otter and a Beech 99. I miss 91E. Dirt diving in the plane on the second pass. Leaving late on a big way and running out the door without having to crouch at all. Sitting in the back of the plane and looking at 40-50 jumpers all stoked to jump. The smoothness of how Stretch flew her, compared to the slipping/skidding when Bill bill did. The 40 minute ride to 13,000 I don't miss. The occassional blown jugs added a bit of spice to the experience. Great times.

I'll take one each EFS and BSBD in medium size and one each in ex-large. I still have an EFS Tshirt in good shape. Now and then I wear it at the DZ and I usually get a few inquiries as to where to get one.

There was an interesting article in Discover magazine recently. The subject was DNA testing and the imperfections of it. The was a vignette about a woman who had different DNA in different parts of her body. The DNA from a cheek swab didn't match up with DNA from her reproductive system. Her kids weren't hers, according to initial DNA tests. Further review was required to establish maternity. This type of mixed DNA is apparently more common than one would think. The source may be "included twin" tissue, IE, a fraternal sibling that ends up incorporated into the fetus. Weird stuff. A friends mother had an included twin as an ovary that turned cancerous. The biopsy of the tumor found bone, tooth tissue, and hair. Quite icky...

A decentralized solar power system makes way more sense to me than nuclear power. Every home that has a decent southern exposure should have solar panels installed. The systems should be connected to the grid. Power companies would be required to purchase the power at wholesale nuclear power rates (or issue the customer credit). Tax incentives would be used to fund the retrofitting of existing homes and the installation on new construction. There is a company out of Los Altos, CA that has produced solar power producing roofing tiles. Other companies are doing similar things. Peak power consumption is during daylight hours. The net effect of tens or hundreds of thousands of small contributions to the grid during peak demand means less power plants are needed to meet the demand. This means that new power plants would not be required. Nuclear, wind, coal, it doesn't matter. We wouldn't need them. A good friend is an MIT graduate that specializes in energy savings and systems. This idea has been around for many years. The technology to make it happen is here now. All that is lacking is political will. Solar cells make electricity whenever there is light. Less light = less electricity Clouds/rain = less light, not none. Nuclear power generates high level waste that will be hideaously expensive to dispose of. If the government didn't pick up the tab for the disposal, nuclear power would be far too expensive.

I tracked down a couple hundred bucks in unclaimed property recently. It was in a bank account I had forgotten about. Another family member has claimed about $2000.00 from a company stock issue from 15 years ago. Free money... she didn't know anything about it. Go to this site - http://www.unclaimed.org/mainframe.asp?VisitorType=owner Pick the state you live in, or used to live in. Go to the state's web page and search for unclaimed property. Different states have different search capability. If you end up tracking down some $$, please contribute some to Jump for the Cause. This site is a free public site. I have nothing to do with it. Feel free to DAGS and you can find out for yourself. I figure that other skydivers can always use extra jumps bucks.

Nice try. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Boat_Veterans_for_Truth

What a shock. Vinny doesn't denounce the swift boat liars for shrub. Why would anyone denounce such paragons of truth and accuracy... Funny how the people who actually served with Kerry, IE, the ones who were on his swift boat, supported him wholeheartedly. The swift boat liars claimed to have "served with" Kerry. In reality, they never did. They may have been in Vietnam at the same time. That doesn't constitute "served with", unless you are a right wing lying sack of shit.

I pulled this from a news site. In spite of the political differences we have, we should all give up a couple of jump tickets worth of cash to help the troops. Begin quoted text >>> There are young men and women bravely serving our country today who need all of our support regardless of your political position. On the front lines, it is hard for our soldiers, sailors and airmen to get even simple things that are available at any supermarket here in the states: pre-paid worldwide phone cards, sunscreen, travel size toiletries, Chapstick, beef jerky, peanut butter, crackers, cards, coffee, antibiotic ointment, etc. — stuff we all take for granted here at home. Here’s a suggestion for your next step after displaying ribbons on the back of your cars: Send contributions to the USO. With a donation of $25, you can sponsor a USO care package and include a personal message of support and encouragement to our brave young men and women in uniform. These care packages, at minimum, include requested items and a message from the donor thanking them for their service and sacrifice. Demonstrate your support with a donation at www.uso cares.org.

You are one of a very small group. Just what exactly would Shrub have to do to make you not like him? Do you really know what the asshole has done to this country? I can't wait for the November elections.