CyniQ

You guys are hilarious. I intended that post to be at least 40% tongue in cheek. I'm not *really* judging anyone. I like pretty much everybody. But I think we have to acknowledge the fact that a DZ is the only place in this country that a grown-ass man can walk around in a pink and purple patchwork onesy without anyone giving him so much as a second look. and if you don't think that's at least a little bit funny... As far as the older aircraft... I definitely comprehend the practicality of purchasing used equipment. I was just offering a few points to support the OP's statement... which facilitates discussion. See? I had a point... I just can't remember what it was. Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

Videos like this help me understand why my JM's were so much cooler on my SECOND jump... Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

I don't know the answers to the above questions. But being a trendy youngster of [ahem] 31, and brand-spankin' new to the highly enjoyable pastime of falling through the air at 120mph I feel that I have an excellent, non-nostalgiacized (makin' up words again) frame of reference for this particular debate. There are many aspects of this sport that appear dated and therefore may leave outsiders and newcomers with the impression that the sport is "dying". I have a few observations. 1. Pink and Teal NEON madras patterned clothing. 2. Aircraft constructed at least a decade before I was alive. 3. The insistance that any gathering of more than two or three skydivers is called a "boogie". Seriously... we don't still run around saying "gnarly", "groovy", "rad", or "bitchin'"... do we? Well... maybe "rad". That being said... I'll happily show up at my local DZ (as soon as this cloudcover breaks) in green parachute pants, velcro reeboks, and hypercolor tee begging to be added to the next load going up on that beautiful, ancient piece of machinery that can get me to 10.5... and it'll be totally rad. Now... what is it the "old folks" say? Oh yes, "BLUE SKIES!!" Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

I see you must've gotten your BJ after all. Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

Didn't separate him self from the pack?? You mean when he said (as a Republican nominee) that we should exit Iraq immediately? Or was it when he suggested our return to the Gold Standard that he failed to differentiate himself? The reason Ron Paul got no traction is because politics is performance art. Period. You think you care about the "issues", but you don't. If you did, then CNN wouldn't have spent hours this morning talking about what kind of dog the Obama family may get. Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

Well... Duh! No BJ's at your DZ? That explains why you're such a tool. You know, everyone I've met at my local DZ (Skydive Temple), have been polite, fun, interesting folks with an enviable zest for life. Imagine my surprise when I meet you two geniuses here on DZ.com... maybe you guys aren't really skydivers and you actually got lost on your way to your needlepoint/cross-stitch forum. Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

cheaper than $25??? Not to mention free beer! San Marcos is way south for me. I'm sure I'll try it one day. But I heard that they're not as laid back as Skydive Temple. We've had a blast out there this weekend. And if you'll get your ass up here, I won't have to wait any longer for a full load!!!Quote Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

So... We're having a blast with an Otter out at Skydive Temple. Come help us fill loads!!! Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

That is a typical neo-con type statement, all talk, no substance. Got some links to say these type of things didn't happen? Do you suggest American companies and bankers didn't try to reap the benifits of a huge damand for fuel, metal, chemicals, arms..... during the wars? Why wouldn't they? can see into the future can we? Statements like that do not leave the realms of these forums so be careful what you say if you want people to take you seriously, only time will tell. Obama today, who knows in 4 years time, hopefully more movement toward the left as time goes on, as Jimmy hendrix once quoted; I've no interest in whether you can "prove" or I can disprove your conspiracy theory. It's irrelevant. If you sincerely believe that America (or any other nation, really) should bear the guilt for all of her sins and transgressions of days gone by, then I pity you and your narrow-minded ideology. Nations, like people, make their decisions based on whatever information is available at the time. Even if you would assume that your Nation has the best interests of its people and the world at heart… sometimes she’ll end up on the right side of history, and sometimes the wrong side. It is what it is. And if you want to discuss the parties culpable in the Holocaust, you might begin with an indictment of the Catholic church. Again, I would submit that it is not a productive debate. The bottom line is: governments create laws, which erode personal freedoms. That’s what they do. This isn’t a Right or Left issue. The more time Congress spends in session, the more likely they are to screw something up. It’s a pretty simple concept and for the most part, it has proven out. You don’t need a crystal ball to see into the future, we can merely glance into our past. The founders of this great nation had a fairly singular purpose. To establish a system of government that did those things a government should: Protect its citizenry from foreign nations, and establish and maintain a monetary standard, currency. Sure there are a few other useful purposes but… Take a look at the 2nd Amendment. I might suggest that the primary purpose of the right of the citizen to keep and bear arms is to stand as a threat. A threat to a government that would get too oppressive, too expansive, and generally too GOVERNMENTY (it’s a word. I just made it up.) I believe that the people were granted the specific right to bear arms so that they would possess the power, the option to overthrow their own government should it become too oppressive. So that we could kick the freedom-hating bastards out of Washington by force, and reevaluate, rewrite, and reestablish a government of, by, and for the people. Your characterization of me as a “neo-con” couldn’t be further from the truth. I am a conservative. Let me explain to you what that means, I doubt that you know. Have you ever read a shampoo or lotion bottle that instructed you to “apply liberally”? (I’ll bet you use LOTS of lotion.) What did you take that to mean? Liberal, as in A LARGE AMOUNT. Correct? What then would a “conservative” application entail? Hmmm? As a conservative, I favor a smaller, less restrictive government. That means more freedom for me, and for you. Even though I personally oppose abortion, I do NOT approve of any constitutional ban. I think that you should be able to get all the abortions you want. Just because I personally don’t like the idea doesn’t mean that I have to impose my beliefs on you. I’m also in favor of gay marriage. It’s only fair. I favor zero new gun control laws, and I’m BARELY in favor of government subsidized museums. On the other hand… A “neo-con” is a special brand of moron who favors a large government that he believes will support his own narrow-minded ideology. All the while, he claims to be conservative, pro-freedom, pro-America, pro-Life, etc. When, in truth, he’s just a different brand of Liberal. Truly, I mean no offense. You could be a great guy, I don’t know you. I have nothing against you except that you’re wrong and you called me a “neo-con”. Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

Everybody understood him completely. that's why nobody voted for him. You call us "retard" and then tell us to understand him? You must be "enlightened". What did you do, read an Ayn Rand book? Absolutely!! But I like Anthem. I'm not one of those Fountainhead groupies. I probably didn't mean you specifically. I meant "you" in the theoretical sense. Unless of course you don't understand that what Ron Paul stands for is more on the order of TRUE conservatism. In which case... yes... I did mean YOU. Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

Jesus Christ... everybody LOVES a low rent conspiracy theory. Nice try dood. We're not any more united or any better off than we were Monday. We will have a new tool in the White House, just like the old tool. I agree that Obama's election is problematic. For the basic reason that when the party that controls Congress also controls the Presidency, they have far too much power. It just gives them the opportunity to screw up more fabulously. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, right? And Obama and his Pelosi/Reid run Congress will be no different from Bush/Frist. Oh sure... they'll spend money on different stuff. They'll try and pass different laws. But all in all, it'll be the same old same old. They intend to infringe on your freedoms. It's Patriot Act II, same song, different verse. I hope you do like change... cause that's all you're likely to be left with... a bit of CHANGE in your pocket. If you believe differently, you're a dreamer, and I wish you the best of luck. You retards should've at least tried to understand Ron Paul. Or at least listened when he quoted Henry Ford... "It is well that the people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did... there would be revolution by tomorrow morning." Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

Checking my zipper is definitely a good habit to form. I do it every time I leave the restroom... I'll have to try doing it every time I leave the aircraft. The jumpsuit was a DZ loaner. Apparently, they had set it aside to be thrown out due to zipper issues. Somehow, I managed to pick the one jumpsuit considered unfit for duty and singled out for destruction... (of course I did... why wouldn't I?) I don't know why I didn't have a Lev8... Sunday, when I jump, I'm going to flip, barrel roll, 360 to dock (with someone), and track... so I don't feel left out. So you've had 2 solo jumps Mitsu? How'd your's go? What'd you do when you had no specific skills you were required to perform? Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

Nope... unless I can't count. Lev7 was my last jump with an instructor. I've never heard of Lev8. But someone was talking about their "Cat D" on this board, and I've never heard of that either. Can someone explain?? What skills would you be required to perform on your Lev8? I've got my A license proficiency card, and looking at that I'll probably have to jump with a coach on a few of them in order to fulfill all requirements. But it looks like you could knock out several skills on one jump if you were so inclined. ie: "Plan & fly a landing approach pattern that promotes smooth traffic flow & avoids obstacles/Stand up landing/braked approach and landing/within 20 meters of preselected target..." Seems like you could easily perform all of those 4 individual skills on one jump. And that's not even counting the exit/freefall skills you could accomplish on that same jump. That's what I intend to do. Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

Passed my AFF7 today. I like a diving exit far more than a "poised" exit. I'm too tall to crouch under the wing of a C182! I faked out my JM on exit though. I was getting situated in the door with my foot on the landing gear, she thought I was bobbing a "ready, set, go...". I gave her a nod, which I thought was indicating the start of my count, she thought I had already counted and was headed out... She jumped... I didn't... for a second anyway. I caught up to her (or did she catch up to me?) about halfway through my second barrel roll. Then I had a Janet Jackson style wardrobe malfunction after my front loop. My jumpsuit zipper suddenly got acrophobia and dropped, completely opening my suit and causing my shirt to blow up to my chest strap, my stomach became quite cold and I started tucking (dearching) a bit which got me potato-chipping... I was supposed to be tracking after the front loop but I chickened out at 5500 and pulled. I was COLD! Seemed like a lot to be going on at 5500 and I didn't want to start trying to tuck my shirt in and zip back up at that altitude. Fortunately, I had a really good track on my AFF6 so I was allowed to pass anyway. Which means I'm on my way to becoming a real live skydiver!!! It also APPARENTLY means that I owe the DZ a case of beer? Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

I'll show you "out of touch". Now watch me Pop, Lock & Drop it!! Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

Yeah. My instructor wrote "AMUSING attempts at backflips, good recovery, very nice track" in my logbook. "Amusing" she said. they were quite amusing. I saw the video. Tomorrow I'm going to go do my Lev 7. Haven't seen the dive flow yet, but I think it's diving exit, front flips and barrel rolls. That should be fun. Don't drink and dive... Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

Thank you for the welcome. You guys seem to be a little sensitive on the whole politics and religion thing. I figured it was a sore subject considering the sticky in Bonfire. I was really just joking. If I do take up some psuedo-religio-political-firearms-for-Jesus debate, rest assured it'll be with the sole intent of irritating the inhabitants of the Speaker's Corner. Thanks again. I'm looking forward to learning a lot around here. Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

So I did my AFF 6 today. I executed two perfect backloops, and tracked Eastward across the clear blue sky like an eagle. I think they should just hand me my pro card now. Okay... so it didn't go quite that well. But I passed! and... I'm definitely hooked. So I'll be lurking around here for a bit. I'll likely keep my skydiving related opinions to myself until I've got a couple thousand jumps. [You'll have to remind me I said that] But if you'd like to debate politics or religion... I'm your man. Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.