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Trump only had COVID to deal with for 9 months of his administration, and no Delta variant. People wore masks and observed lockdowns (schools, public events, theme parks). Biden has been in office for 10 months, with Delta, more in-person learning, a lot more travel opportunities -- and fewer deaths during that time. Even with the conspiracy nuts refusing to be vaccinated or protecting their fellow citizens by keeping their germs to themselves, Biden is still doing better than Trump did.

I'm really confused here. At what point did it become better to point the bottom of your spine to the planet than using your hydraulic shock absorbers to land?

Exactly. Just look at how they got behind Roy Moore.

Many Native Americans were not happy with the removal of the maiden, "Mia" Historically, the illustrator portrayed the Native Americans in that area in a positive light. The mountain ranges were used in much of his art - and, the circle around her head was a tribute to her beauty. In the end, it was not some "leftie" who decided to remove her; it was a corporate decision to re-brand all of the LoL products. If memory serves, one of the decision-makers was the son or grandson of the original illustrator. As to your use of, "Squaw." Please feel free to visit Oklahoma some time and address any of the Native American women of some greater than twenty tribes in this area and call them that to their face.

Exactly! That would be straightforward and simple, and would have no bad/unexpected side effects. We should combine that with minting a trillion dollar coin to pay off some of the US debt, and also minting 330 million $1000 coins and mailing them to everyone. It would stimulate the economy, we'd pay our debts, and everyone would be happy!

Maybe most don't know that they care? If USPA disappeared and the FAA stepped to the fill the void, I think most would learn pretty quick.

Got me some Moderna booster today, too. On top of the Pfizer original, I’m figuring I’ll be able to leap tall buildings. Wendy P.

Scott, it's not that people don't care about USPA. It's that they don't care to get involved in the politics or the governance process. That is a distinct difference. For the most part, skydivers just want to skydive and know that USPA is supporting them in real-world ways. Skydivers DO want USPA to handle licensing, ratings programs, safety & training issues, and the infinite number of things that can screw up an otherwise great day of skydiving. They want us to keep the government out of their way, keep the A-holes from taking them out with bulletproof attitudes, and lead the administration of the world's largest (by far) skydiving organization properly. As a regional director I get several calls each week from members with questions or issues that require action on the part of USPA. As president, I see DZO's with airport access problems, airspace use complications, airport tenant conflicts, unreasonable or impossible venue requirements, and a million other things that threaten our sport and our rights. Skydivers also want excellent customer service from USPA and they get it. Call headquarters some time. You will notice that your call is answered by a real live human being, not a voicemail system. That is by design. Ask a member who recently turned in a license or ratings application how long it took to process. Most applications these days are processed within a week, and some within a few days. I've had members routinely report getting applications for licenses, rating, and awards processed within 24 hours of submitting them. Try to get that kind of customer service anywhere else. The list goes on, but you get the point. Most members don't realize what USPA does for our members until they need something. Then they just want their problem solved so they can get back in the air. The truth is there are many reasons members don't vote that have nothing to do with "not caring" about USPA. A lot of members are newbies who wouldn't know who to vote for without performing a lot of research. Some are lifetime members who have no active interest in current affairs. And many (most?) members who don't vote choose to sit out the elections for one very simple reason - they don't see anything significant that needs changed. I used to get irritated at people with apathy toward USPA, but after 6 years of service on the board and a front row seat watching USPA serve members with problems that need our attention, I no longer do. The fact is the average member doesn't know the insane amount of work that goes on behind the scenes, but they DO care that we are there doing the work - even if they don't realize it until they have an issue that needs solved. They also want a nice place to pack and a fridge that keeps their beer cold. We leave those items to the DZO's.

We'll miss you, my Cousin from Boston.

I recently found this scribe, re-read it and smiled. I originally wrote this for blue skies magazine, but since they seem to be history, I'm posting it here. Maybe you will too? A Tale of Two First Jump Courses Even though I’m an old guy who is all too rapidly approaching the opportunity to join the S.O.S. club, I’m happy to say that this level of “maturity” allowed me to do my initial first jump course during an interesting time of student gear transition. I made my initial first jump @ Skydive Perris in May of 81 while I was a Marine. When I tell people this, they naturally assume that I made military jumps. Actually I started jumping as a way to get away from my fellow jarheads at the El Toro air base. For some reason I didn’t really click as a military guy and was considered to have an attitude problem. What better reason to go to the DZ and meet new friends who might be a tad more accepting of me? The classroom part of the FJC occurred in the barracks. A former marine had a tidy business teaching the FJC class to military people. He would come to the base, teach the classroom part, get paid, then see who would show up at the DZ for in-harness training <no refunds for no-shows J>. Gear at the time was an interesting mix of “conventional” and piggyback. While we were on the static line we jumped T10s on our back and some other round thing on our belly. Once we were cleared for freefall we had the opportunity to upgrade to piggyback gear. You haven’t enjoyed a “modern gear upgrade” until you’ve had the chance to jump with both a 32 foot round main and 28 foot round reserve packed into the Kelvinator on your back. A few memorable events of the student training progression include; 1. Climbing out onto the strut of the 182 on my first jump and telling the pilot 10 right, (why did he and the jumpmaster just laugh at me and wag the wing?) 2. Backing up to the tailgate door’s abyss of a Skyvan while trying to see the floor under my belly mount reserve. I clearly remember being afraid of falling out before I was ready. 3. Sitting in the shade on the sidewalk while waiting our turn to climb into the DC-3 and sweating from fear and anxiety. 4. Sitting in the shade on the sidewalk while waiting our turn to climb into the DC-3 and watching a student dangling from the door of the DAC at 2,800 feet. He was twisting in the prop blast with his rig locked closed and firmly attached to the airframe via the static line. The jump master ended up clipping into the line, slid down to the mostly unconscious student, cut the line and initiated reserve deployment. A young Norman Kent got a glorious sequence of photo’s while sticking his head, (and camera), out the port fuselage door. 5. Losing a bit of altitude awareness on my graduation jump and initiating main deployment ~ 1800 feet. I was certain that I had failed, but the jumpmaster came over, slapped me on the back and told me, “congrat’s, you’re a skydiver”. Fast forward a bunch of years. I’d daydreamed about going to a DZ sometime where no one knew me and pretending that I was a newb while taking a FJC. But to more accurately recreate my FJC experience, it had to be a static line FJC. Those were pretty much non-existent in So Cal after the early 90’s so that dream just simmered. One day I was in Portland OR on business and the vendor I was auditing chatted me up about jumping. He was stoked about taking a FJC. I did a bit of research and found a local DZ that allowed static line FJC progression. YES! Jim and I called Skydive Wilburs* (name changed) and made an appointment for the next day. I gave Jim my abbreviated version of the FJC; arch on exit and keep your feet and knees together on landing. What more can you really do as a S/L fist jump student? We found out what else you can do during the 4 ½ classroom portion of the FJC; gear familiarization, airplane boarding, exit technique, good canopy recognition, reserve procedures, flying the pattern, blah blah blah. The instructor did quite a good job and obviously had concern for the students and passion the sport. Two thumbs up. I had no trouble staying engaged in the instruction and had a good time treading the line of appearing apprehensive / engaged / knowing too much during Q&A. During one of the breaks Jim and I walked around the DZ and were chatting about how it seemed they had no clue I was an imposter. We walked into a packing / beer drinking area that had several posters on the wall, including some from the old Django Canopy Company. That put a big smile on my face since my CReW team were flying the canopies in the posters. The people at Wilbur’s were looking at me nearly every day and didn’t know it. They geared us up, (dual square piggyback rigs), a final run through of reserve procedures and walked us to the plane, a Beaver. Yuck, my only previous experience with a Beaver was at the 85 CReW Nationals in Muskogee. That pilot flew barefoot and smoked on the way to altitude. Climbing to 6.5 in a Beaver full of large CReW dogs takes a long time. The Beaver pilot at Skydive Wilbur’s didn’t smoke and wore shoes. That combined with only having 4 people in the plane made the ride to 9.5 pretty sweet while watching the beautiful Oregon countryside. Exit altitude, jump run, I remind Jim to arch and keep knees and feet together while the door swings open. He climbs out on the strut and seems to have a good exit. The jumpmaster pulls in the S/L and gives the command, “climb out on the strut”. I climb onto the strut while smiling at her and saying, “jumping borrowed gear is black death”. She gives me a WTF look and watches my exit. The jump, canopy flight and landing were uneventful as they say in Parachutist. The reception I got upon landing was not. Wilbur, the DZO was pissed. He was sure I was there from the FAA or USPA or CIA or someone just to bust his operation. It took a bit of ‘splaining about how this was my finally realized dream before he cooled off and warmed to the idea. We even shared a few beverages and he invited me back to jump his ParaCommander. The jumpmaster wanted nothing to do with me even after explanations. My friend Jim? Well he forgot a critical part of my FJC instruction, badly tweaked his ankle and never made another jump. I had a great time reliving my FJC and would encourage you to do what it takes to make your dreams come true. Blue Skies, Black Death. Craig Fenstermaker D-8292

Hahneman is irrelevant, I blocked you for the same thing last year. Your arguments are a rats nest of nonsense, what I don't like is your lies and complete distortion of my posts. You have no self awareness. You just don't contribute anything worthwhile.. that isn't a requirement here but you cross the line with your event spam. Go have your party in the woods, we don't want to hear about the model of generator you will use endlessly for months. Ok, don't say you weren't warned..

Especially as it's apparently derived from a northeast tribes word, and not part of the Cherokee, or other southern and western tribes. Wendy P.

To be fair, in his case, his legs are seriously compromised if I remember the thread, and landing on them really isn't a good idea. Sometimes, if one isn't that experienced, that's an indication that skydiving isn't the best choice. Kind of like how when a woman gets pregnant, the doctor will usually tell her to take it down a couple of notches -- if you're only at the second notch, that kind of means "not a good idea." Wendy P.

On Facebook I recently posted some metrics showing the decrease in infection and death rates since the beginning of this year. One of the Trump supporters reacted with a sad face. Yep, for the next few years, Trump supporters are going to be very bummed that we are finally making headway against COVID-19.

Can I get that in a Starbuck's gift card, please.

Perhaps there's something to learn here. If a man isn't willing to wear a face mask, then what are the chances he'd wear a condom. Women can change history. No sex for you! /soup nazi voice.

Probably the very best thing that could be done is to put you in charge of everything. You always seem to have all the answers

Ah yes, but he is a good pedophile since he is against Democrats. For most Republicans it seems that is really the only thing that matters.

Got my third in the parking lot where Rox is Director of Health. Kinda like going to Sonic.

Not too worried about any 'leaping'. I'll be happy to just keep on breathing without oxygen (at ground level, anyway). Or without a ventilator. Not to mention not catching it and passing it on to anyone else.

US Government Corruption in Vietnam and elsewhere..

BH will be on record that he opposes the cancel culture destruction of Randolf the Red Nosed Rain Deer. How dare anyone mess with that beloved classic!

Next up: "The War on Christmas!"

I don't disagree with that. USPA is a needed and important thing for the sport. But just the same, most jumpers would not spend the money to join if they did not have to. I have been on the CSPA BoD. I get it. As a part owner of a DZ I am one of the people explaining all too often why we require jumpers to have a current membership.

I look at the whole internet and I think to myself: "Whose bright idea was it to put every idiot in touch with every other idiot?" -- P.J. O'Rourke

Woke: “Aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice)." ~Merriam-Webster Woke: "past of wake." "Alert to injustice in society, especially racism." ~Oxford. Words are used to communicate. They change over time and take on new meaning as society adopts them into the use of language. To be woke is to be aware. To be woke is to be attentive. To be receptive. To be aware, attentive and receptive are positive traits. Therefore, the title, "Woke is a Joke" is to be un-woke or unaware, inattentive and unreceptive. Personally, I find these traits to be unappealing. Unfortunately. the title "Woke is a Joke" leaves no room for exploration. It can only be defended. It's human nature to defend a hard line proclamation. As we get older, we learn that not everything is so definitive. Even math has a flaw. I know I said that I was done with this, but It's been eating on me that we as a society can't even agree, with all the evidence, that while we may have made a lot of progress in civil rights since 1962, we have much further to go. I also have a hard time understanding veterans who served with just about every race, color, religion or national origin - who by the very nature of being in the military had to rely on those who were "different" to stay alive - would not be at the front of social justice; rather than the rear.

We've removed several posts from this thread. And while we can respect why the discussion took the route it did, please keep this forum tied to preserving the memory of the individual, instead of berating their choices - no matter how bad they may be to your eyes. You're welcome to take Covid/Anti-Vax related topics to the Speakers Corner - but this isn't the place for us to try use someone's life choices as a lesson, or to berate them.

Ok, Biden bragged about how he struck back at terrorists when all he did was murder seven children and three adults including one aid worker who worked with the US. He desperately needed to get ahead of a disastrous news cycle, so he unleashed an AGM-114 and sacrificed a bunch of civilians for political expediency. Thanks Jerry, when I am more precise, it is actually much more damning.

A classic picture.

Zing! I drove cross country in 82, Ohio to So Cal. Stopped in Coolidge, tired, hungry, dirty. Zing fed me, gave me beer, let me use the shower. Good man. Craig

I was there.

Photo from Danny Peters.

The girl and guy on the right side of the picture are Scott Haslam and Jane Marchant. Husband and wife..killed in an airplane crash in August 1992.