chriswelker

I haven't the foggiest idea. I suspect there will be some contraction across the board.*** Running a business or association and balancing the budget is not GUESS WORK! Q ,do you realize that the next BOD meeting is costing 13.5% of our deficit and ya'll want to raise our rates. That is COW CRAP! USPA is not the Federal GOVT., so stop acting like it. Chris

***What can be on the chopping block? We've already eliminated one full time position at HQ, so there's a savings of $50-75k. There's probably no more significant cuts to be had in payroll without seriously impacting services.*** Q USPA is wasting money right and left and you know it! 2 words for ya, PAY CUT. Hey if they don't like let them go somewhere else better.Have ya'll looked at cutting their Health Insurance and bennies? You might also want to look at postage and printing costs because between that and payroll is where all the money is going according to reports. Stop taking the path of least resistance and work at balancing the budget with no dues or rating fees increase. Q, BTW how much is this next BOD costing the club members this time. USPA should ask for a BAILOUT. Chris

So USPA members, what would you think about your membership dues and rating fees increasing this year? After reading Ed Scott's article in Parachutist you get the feeling that something is about to happen at the next BOD meeting regarding dues and fees. USPA here is a good idea. Try running the club on less than you take in. We are already being over charged for what we are getting with our money. Chris

So is West Tn. Skydiving. WTS is truely 45mins. to 1 hour drive east of Memphis , TN. Mike Mullins owns this DZ. Chris

I hate to say this in a public forum but riggers are the easiest people to hang out to dry, leagaly, in any court case. But then again, if some of us get screwed by the courts, the rest of us will just quit rigging. OR we'll charge enough to cover legal bills. How many riggers purchase Liability Insurance to cover themselves? Do most riggers set up a REAL BUSINESS by estabilishing a L.L.C, INC. or sub"S" corp? By doing this you are able to create a corporate veil to help protect your assets. When was the last time that any rigger lost a court judgement?

I just thought it was kinda chicken poop to settle with sLyride. I think they should have stood their ground.*** No shit! The same stuff that the GA. AG. nailed sr with were the same reasons that they were expelled from the uspa. What a bunch of dusche bags our current bod's are!

there all fun jumps! chris

Tell your wife to give you 300 miles worth of slack on that chain she has you on. Chris

1) Danny, I have sent boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want too.... but felt like I owed it to them. 2) The world needs ditch diggers too.

N/A

1-800-371-USPA Call and ask the USPA.

There is case law on the books that supports the suit. Mommy and Daddy can't sign Junior's life away. Chris

daveramsey.com or 1-888-825-5225(1 pm cdt to 4pm cdt) He can assist you. Chris

Anyone got one in hiding? Please contact me via pm Chris

How much are the jump tickets going to be? Chris

www.zanderins.com They have the best term rates in the country with excellent service. **Hot tip** Jump before the plane crashes if you want the ins. to pay off Chris Welker

Give me a good mailing address and I will send you March and April '08. I will even pay the postage. Chris Welker

Looks like Dr. Lee of Skydive Dallas use to own this one.

What about matching the student to the AFF-I's body build/structure better. I only do the AFF that I know I can be effective on.If there is any doubt whether or not I am going to be able to assist the student in freefall I'll defer to another instructor if possible. For me it is more important for the student to have an excellent skydiving experience than for me to make an instructional jump. Chris AFF-I '08

You have to pay to play and that will cost between 1000 and 10000 depending on what you decide regarding training, gear, (new or used) and coaching.There is old saying in racing; speed costs, how fast do you want to go? Same thing can be said about skydiving; Skydiving costs, how good do you want to be?Skydiving is not a cheap activity and that is what potential participants need to know. You should call Chase Bank and ask them when they are going into the skydiving gear manufacturing business. Have you ever been in the lending business? Do you know anything about risk? This would be a HIGH RISK loan. Who is going to pay the lender the balance of the loan if you bounce? *** Do any companies offer financing? If so, then what companies and on what contracts?*** Chase, Cap. 1, B.A and the list goes on and on.If you have good credit the rate is between 7% and 28% FYI did you know you can EARN $20,000 delivering pizzas in a years time. That would be more than enough to pay for some skydiving lessons and some gear, don't you think? Chris

And Glenn Bangs will be singing "Keep a knockin but you can't come in"

Maybe while you guys and gals are at the bod meeting you could ask the powers at be why it is a good thing for USPA Individual Members for the USPA to charge non-GM DZ's a "fee" for holding a rating course since that "fee" in most cases is passed on to the USPA Individual Member. Chris Welker From the 2001 Winter BOD Meeting minutes 8. The committee discussed USPA Instructional courses held at a NON GM Drop Zones. Group Membership DZs want that practice to stop. We heard this at the DZO conference and in our committee. The Group Members consider this a benefit for their participation Group Membership program. Our committee and the S.O.A. representatives believe the following motion addresses this issue as a compromise where the Group Membership program and the individual member will be best served. The motion is as follows. Motion 33: Passed 15/4/1 (Mr. Rodriguez) “Any non-Group Member Drop Zone desiring to hold a USPA course will pay to USPA a fee equivalent to the category 3 new Group Member fee for each course, not to affect any currently scheduled or already contracted courses.” E. Group Member Committee Chair Jess Rodriguez Members: Gary Cooper Larry Hill Marty Jones Gary Peek Gene Paul Thacker Advisors: Ed Scott (Staff Director), Tim Butcher & Sherry Butcher (S.O.A.)

As a previous member of the BOD, I can share with you HOT TIPS of going to a meeting and what committees to sit in on. Executive Committee You may or may not be able to attend because when "personalities" are discssed non-bod members are asked to leave. The EC deals with most of the REAL decisions of running the USPA. Unfortunatly a regular member doesn't carry a lot of weight with the EC. S&T Committee Big committee with lots of work. When you are on this committee you will be busy right util you leave on Sunday. Very good committee to sit in on and you can have input on some of the discussions.S&T and Comp are usually the last ones to report out since they are both the biggest with the most work. Comp. Well if you are a skydiving competitor you might like this committee. If your not a competitor you will be asking why in the hell is our association spending so much time and money for 3% of it's membership.Timber companies have to work fast to keep the comp committee supplied with enough paper to function. Group Membership committee Good one to see why it isn't a good thing to have a GM program. Membership services committee Good one.Unfortunatly a GM DZO is the chair of this committee. The rest really take care of theselves and are just vanilla. Ask questions while you are there and be sure to introduce yourself to your RD.

I have posted many times on the conflict of interest between the GM program and USPA Individual Membership program. I found on the USPA web site the meeting minutes from Winter 2001 BOD meeting: E. Group Member Committee Chair Jess Rodriguez Members: Gary Cooper Larry Hill Marty Jones Gary Peek Gene Paul Thacker Advisors: Ed Scott (Staff Director), Tim Butcher & Sherry Butcher (S.O.A.) 8. The committee discussed USPA Instructional courses held at a NON GM Drop Zones. Group Membership DZs want that practice to stop. We heard this at the DZO conference and in our committee. The Group Members consider this a benefit for their participation Group Membership program. Our committee and the S.O.A. representatives believe the following motion addresses this issue as a compromise where the Group Membership program and the individual member will be best served. The motion is as follows. Motion 33: Passed 15/4/1 (Mr. Rodriguez) “Any non-Group Member Drop Zone desiring to hold a USPA course will pay to USPA a fee equivalent to the category 3 new Group Member fee for each course, not to affect any currently scheduled or already contracted courses.” If as a regular dues paying member of the USPA think that this is cool or somehow o.k. and can prove to me beyond a reasonable doubt that this is then, I will never mention the issue again.Until then I am going to see this thing thru because wrong is wrong.

That's because Glennduh would run the risk of having someone one the BOD that might not see things HIS WAY. I sure hope Glennduh enjoys what is left of his last term on the USPA BOD.