Skydiving

I engage in a very misunderstood sport - I say so because of the images of danger which most people associate with falling from the sky. In the sport you will find a large percentage of participants are in their 30's, 40's, 50's and up. One individual I know personally is 70 years old and has been jumping since 1961 - with over 36,000 skydives logged.

The most common reason people get injured or killed in the sport is not a failure of the parachute to open - it is a sharp turn close to the ground with high wing loading. Wing loading is basically the ratio of total weight to the size of your parachute is square feet. Really big parachutes (like mine) are much safer than little ones.

Most people have a device on their reserve parachute which automatically deploys the reserve parachute if they do not deploy their main at a reasonable altitiude.

From my perspective - skydiving is much safer than many of the other activities I engage in - such as skiing, motorcycling, driving on I-95, etc.

I would never try to convince someone to try it - it is something you must seek out for yourself. All I ask is that people try to understand it more before they criticize it.

Send 'em back

A recent raid has created a 'ghost town' in Georgia.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060915/ap_on_re_us/immigration_aftermath

Now, alot of people are crying 'Oh the humanity!' But I say "It's about damn time!" People compare the immigration law enforcers to Nazi's. According to Ann Coulter, thats the standard liberal accusation thrown at people who are enforcing the law. Personally, I'd rather compare the illegals to criminals - but they are, so why bother?

The plant they worked at ILLEGALLY has a shortage of workers now.
The store they shopped at has lost the business of the ILLEGALS.
A trailer park owner who catered to ILLEGALS has decided to fly an American flag upside down in protest.

Hopefully, Hazleton will win all the lawsuits thrown at it for enforcing the law.

Washington, DC more dangerous than Baghdad

Nation's Capital Declares Crime Emergency
Jul 12 11:26 AM US/Eastern

By BRETT ZONGKERAssociated Press Writer
WASHINGTON
Two groups of tourists were robbed at gunpoint on the National Mall, just hours after the police chief declared a crime emergency in the city in response to a string of violence that included the killing of a British activist.
The activist, Alan Senitt, was attacked in the Georgetown area on Sunday, his throat was slit and police say the attackers attempted to rape his companion. It was the 13th homicide in the city this month. Robberies are up 14 percent, and armed assaults have jumped 18 percent in the past 30 days.
On Wednesday, U.S. Park Police were looking for connections between the latest Mall robberies and three similar incidents in the area in late May. There have been no arrests in any of those cases.
On Tuesday night, two women from Texas were robbed at gunpoint by two men dressed in all black, said U.S. Park Police Sgt. Scott Fear. About 15 minutes later, a family of four from Missouri was robbed by suspects with the same description, he said.
Though no one was injured, Fear said there were similarities to three violent attacks on the National Mall in May. In one case, a 17-year- old woman was sexually assaulted.
"We try to prevent this from happening," Fear said. "We're going to reallocate our resources. We're going to see what improvements we can make."
District of Columbia Police Chief Charles Ramsey declared a crime emergency in the city after Senitt, a volunteer for the potential presidential campaign of former Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner, was killed.
The crime emergency declaration allows commanders more flexibility to adjust officers' schedules and reassign them to high-crime areas.
The tourist-friendly National Mall, which is under the jurisdiction of Park Police rather than D.C. police, is usually considered safe. But the recent crimes against tourists have raised calls for a larger police presence.
Police are asking Mall visitors to "be our eyes and ears," Fear said. "We're going to ask them to be vigilant."

Fighting Illegal Aliens

The more I hear about private citizens taking matters into their own hands, the more hope I have for the future of this country. From the Minutemen on down to the guys destroying the water supplies that some misguided individuals leave out to aid the illegal crossings, people are working to do what congress won't. I am even further heartened by a story close to home, where government (although small) is taking a stand. Lou Barletta, I salute you!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060620/ap_on_re_us/illegal_immigrants_crackdown_4

City to crackdown on illegal immigration

By MICHAEL RUBINKAM, Associated Press Writer Tue Jun 20, 5:10 AM ET

HAZLETON, Pa. - With tensions rising and its police department and municipal budget stretched thin, this small northeastern Pennsylvania city is about to begin what the mayor calls one of the toughest crackdowns on illegal immigrants in the United States.

"Illegal immigrants are destroying the city," said Mayor Lou Barletta, a Republican. "I don't want them here, period."
Last week Barletta introduced, and the City Council tentatively approved, a measure that would revoke the business licenses of companies that employ illegal immigrants; impose $1,000 fines on landlords who rent to illegal immigrants; and make English the city's official language.

also see:
http://www.standardspeaker.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2227&Itemid=2&PHPSESSID=3977de0d618ea31a75862dad9a7f09d2

Or could it be stupid drivers?

Study says millions have 'rage' disorder

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060605/ap_on_sc/road_rage_disease

By LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer Mon Jun 5, 5:00 PM ET
CHICAGO - To you, that angry, horn-blasting tailgater is suffering from road rage. But doctors have another name for it — intermittent explosive disorder — and a new study suggests it is far more common than they realized, affecting up to 16 million Americans.

"People think it's bad behavior and that you just need an attitude adjustment, but what they don't know ... is that there's a biology and cognitive science to this," said Dr. Emil Coccaro, chairman of psychiatry at the University of Chicago's medical school.
Road rage, temper outbursts that involve throwing or breaking objects and even spousal abuse can sometimes be attributed to the disorder, though not everyone who does those things is afflicted.

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Ok, my two cents........

People usually get angry or drive aggressively because of frustration caused by people who either display extreme discourtesy, poor driving skills, stupidity, etc. etc.

Road rage and aggressive driving are not problems - they are symptoms of problems. If anyone wants to solve this problem, they would need to address driver education/training and promote common courtesy on the road.

I heard something on the radio today suggesting that if you are in the left lane and going below the speed limit, you need to get in the right lane. Finally, someone has a good idea - state the obvious for the morons who are clueless.

New York doormen avert strike

Please read:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060421/ts_nm/life_doormen_dc

I never knew that doormen had their own labor union. It's bad enough that "elevator operator" is still a career choice in today's world. Perhaps this is why the cost of living in New York City is so high. People are getting overpaid for obsolete jobs. Maybe this is why I can still see some horse drawn carriages running around up there - the unions managed to preserve all those jobs too. I'll bet the toll booth people union really hate EZPass - maybe thats why I love it that much more?

Doormen currently earn an average of about $37,000 a year, the union said. They also receive tips for special services and as recognition on holidays.

Where can I sign up? Sounds like great pay for easy unskilled labor. I could commute from the Philadelphia suburbs and still make out like a bandit.

In the unlikely event of my death

I just wanted to post a few notes here just in case.

1. I want to be cremated. I believe that as a veteran I can get my ashes thrown off the back of a destroyer into the ocean for free. No burial plots please.

2. I want Marines to do the gun salute and play taps, as my veteran status allows (not Army please)

3. If I'm in a permanent vegatative state - by all means pull the plug.