Scooter Indicted

Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, resigned Friday after he was indicted by a grand jury investigating the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame. Scooter is charged with two counts of perjury, two counts of making a false statement and one count of obstruction of justice. While these charges do not directly address the charges of who in the Bush Administration leaked the name of Valerie Plame, it does show that the Scooter learned about Plame's classified status from the CIA, State Department, and possibly Cheney. There is still a possibility for indictments involving Cheney and/or Karl Rove.

For those of you out of the loop on the CIA leak case, read this to get caught up. Also, for more information about Plame, I would recommend reading this article written by former CIA agent and Republican Larry Johnson or check out his blog. But I still want to know how someone named Scooter becomes the right hand man to the Vice President of the United States. I picture Scooter the muppet saying, "Boss, we've got a little problem."

Halloween

Everyone have a fun Halloween. Just be wary of those costumes that are a bigger pain in the ass than they are worth it. You know, the Donna Martin mermaid or the new Burger King guy mask that makes you sweat your balls off.

Mile High City

I didn't know this was on the denver ballot.

Harriet Withdraws

The White House stated that Harriet Meiers withdrew her nomination to the Supreme Court because of senators' demands to see internal documents related to her role as counsel to the president. It really came down to a lack of support from both Republican and Democratic Senators, and her withdrawal was ultimately forced by the far right wing of the Republican party. From what I heard and read, Meiers' best qualities were that she was nice, ambitious, and loyal. That doesn't exactly sound like the qualities that you look for in a supreme court justice. Now we just have to hope that Bush doesn't nominate an individual ideologically aligned with Scalia or Thomas. It would be nice if he could replace Sandra Day O'Connor with another Sandra Day O'Connor - a moderate.

CSM going private?

There are rumblings around the Colorado School of Mines campus that the school may become private in the near future. Due to the budget shortfall in Colorado, the school will not receive enough funding and may be forced to become private. Tuition is $7,248 per year for a Colorado Resident. The Non-Resident tuition is $19,830. Thus, if Mines went private, it would cost a Colorado Resident $12,582 more per year to go to CSM. There was also an article in the Denver Post (link dead) that stated CSU's President Larry Penley is considering privatization. If Referenda C & D pass, these institutions will receive the funding necessary to remain public institutions. If not, privatization may be the only option. As a CSM graduate, I can say that it would have been extremely difficult to afford higher tuition. It should remain public to give students from low and average income families the opportunity to get a extremely good education.

Endorsements

The Rocky Mountain News, Colorado Springs Gazette, Denver Post, Boulder Camera, and Pueblo Chieftain all endorse C & D. Thats three conservative, one moderate, and one liberal newspaper for those that are curious. Also, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, Governor Bill Owens, University of Colorado President (and former US Senator) Hank Brown, Colorado Springs City Council, Alamosa City Council, Colorado Bankers Association, CH2M Hill, Colorado Ski Country, Colorado Nurses Association, Colorado State Patrol Family Foundation, Fraternal Order of Police Loge 28, Denver Firefighters Local 208, Colorado Association of Public Employees, Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce, Durango City Council, Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce, and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce are a few of the many who support it.

Here is an interesting article .

Yes on C

On November 1st, Coloradans will have the opportunity to Vote on Referenda C & D. Referendum C allows Colorado to spend the money it collects in taxes above the TABOR limits. Colorado regulations require the state to return excess money collected. This will most likely be around $70 per taxpayer this year (actually, Gov. Owens said on the radio that it would be around $15). During years that Colorado is in a recession (such as the past few years) and the tax receipts are below the limit, Colorado is forced to cut programs. Referendum C will allow Colorado to recover from the recent downturn in the economy. Referendum C asks voters to let the state use the expected TABOR refund to recover from the recent downturn. This will not affect any income-tax refunds expected from paying taxes to the federal or state governments. Only the TABOR refund is effected. Below is information taken from a memorandum written by the Office of State Planning and Budgeting to Governor Bill Owens. It details programs that will likely be cut or slashed if Referendum C does not pass. When reading through these items, think about friends and family members who will be affected if C is not passed. It won't just impact government agencies and those who receive the services, but also private firms that perform work for the government. Many jobs could be lost. I also want to encourage you to tell your friends and family in Colorado about this. Feel free to send them a link to this entry.

Department of Health Care Policy and Financing
Most of its funding is mandatory in the Medicaid program.

Eliminate State Support for the Colorado Indigent Care Program ($12,492,364 GF): This program serves indigent clients throughout Colorado, typically those who arrive at a private hospital with no insurance.
Eliminate Medicare Coinsurance and Deductibles ($5,106,467 GF): This is an optional service for most clients who receive it. The clients are indigent elderly who receive Medicare but cannot afford the co-payments or deductibles. Eliminating this benefit will force these individuals to pay any co-payment or deductible.
Reduce Pharmacy Dispensing Fee ($4,510,024 GF): Pharmacists receive $4 per prescription; this action represents a 50 percent reduction to $2 per prescription. With this reduction some pharmacies may choose to stop serving Medicaid clients.
Eliminate Comprehensive Primary Care Grants ($2,668,034 CF): This line item is currently funded with tobacco settlement dollars. Elimination of these grants would reduce the available funding for health care providers to serve low-income Coloradoans.
Eliminate Prosthetics and Orthotics ($983,554 GF): Elimination of this optional Medicaid benefit will force clients who use a prosthetic to either go without or rely on charity care.

Department of Higher Education
Higher Education’s General Fund is located in three main areas of its budget: financial aid ($77.1 million); the College Opportunity Fund ($498.8 million); and Local Junior District Colleges and the Division of Occupational Education ($21.3 million).

If the Department were to reduce its General Fund budget by 10 percent, it would require a $59.8 million cut. If the reduction were made across the board, this would reduce financial aid funding by $7.7 million, College Opportunity Fund Program funding by $49.9 million, and Local Junior District Colleges and Occupational Education funding by $2.1 million. If the reduction were made exclusively to the College Opportunity Stipend program, this would represent a $494 decrease to the stipend for those students attending public institutions. Total tuition and fee revenue would have to increase by 6.6 percent on average across all higher education institutions to compensate for this reduction.

If the Department were to reduce its budget by 20 percent, it would require a $119.6 million cut. If the reduction were made across the board, this would reduce financial aid funding by $15.4 million, College Opportunity Fund Program funding by $99.8 million, and Local Junior District Colleges and Occupational Education funding by $4.2 million. If the reduction were made exclusively to the College Opportunity Stipend program, this would represent a $988 decrease to the stipend for those students attending public institutions. Total tuition and fee revenue would have to increase by 13.2 percent on average across all higher education institutions to compensate for this reduction.
-We project that resident undergraduate tuition for a four-year degree would increase by at least $988, or $3,952 for a full degree (assuming no tuition increases after next year).
-Under this more likely scenario, it is possible that some rural community colleges or state colleges could close. This is because their operations are subsidized either by larger schools in more populated areas or an extra subsidy from the General Fund.
Eliminate Council on the Arts ($700,000 General Fund): Elimination of this program would end all state funding for the arts in Colorado.

Department of Corrections
The Department of Corrections examined 10 percent and 20 percent reductions in its level of General Fund. The department of Corrections expects 1,000 new inmates next year. In either scenario of cuts, there would be no additional funding for these inmates.
10 Percent Cut – ($53.3 million GF): To reduce its General Fund budget by 10 percent would require the Department to cut $53.3 million. This would require changes to the statutory criteria for housing high-custody inmates. In addition, the State would have to take the drastic step of capping the inmate population and releasing a number of inmates in order to maintain the capped population. Meanwhile, over-crowding of existing facilities would cause safety concerns for employees.
20 Percent Cut – ($106.6 million GF): To reduce its General Fund budget by 20 percent would require the Department to cut $106.6 million and eliminate educational and other programs in addition to the measures above. Since the Department would no longer provide educational programs (primarily for inmates to attain a GED) and would eliminate all drug and alcohol treatment, mental health, and vocational rehabilitation programs, released inmates would be less prepared for success outside of prison.

Department of Human Services
Eliminate County Contingency Payments ($11.1 million GF): These funds are used to assist qualifying counties that cannot meet their 20 percent share of social services costs. Forty-one of the 64 counties qualified for and received an allocation from this program in FY 2004-05, using the entire appropriation. In recent years, counties’ full need has not been reimbursed as this program is not fully funded.
Burial Reimbursements for Aid to the Needy Disabled and Aid to the Blind recipients
($402,985 GF): This program provides a reimbursement for funeral and burial expenses after any assets of the deceased are used. The state pays 80 percent of costs, up to $1,000, while counties pay 20 percent. In FY 2004-05, 750 burial reimbursements were provided.
CIRCLE program ($1.6 million GF and CF): This program provides in-patient mental health services for patients identified with severe psychiatric and chemical dependency disorders. This reduction could drive other costs in the criminal justice system because of longer incarceration rates or re-offences. In FY 2004-05, 121 individual clients were served by this 20-bed program.
State Funding for Senior Services ($3 million GF and CF): These services are provided through the Older Coloradoans Act. Services such as Meals on Wheels, transportation assistance, etc. would be eliminated or reduced. Many of these services allow poor seniors to remain in their private residences. This line item was created to reflect state funding for senior services above and beyond the state match required for Older Americans Act programs. In FY 2004-05, 9,078 Colorado seniors benefited from this program.
Aid to the Needy Disabled State-only Grant Program ($9.6 million GF): This grant provides interim assistance to persons between 18 and 59 with a disability while they are awaiting eligibility determination for Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI). In FY 2004-05, 5,436 citizens in Colorado benefited from this program.

Department of Revenue
Eliminate Motorist Insurance Identification Database ($2,240,461 CF): This system is used by law enforcement, the courts, and county staff to identify uninsured motorists. -Eliminating this database will make it more difficult to identify uninsured drivers and is likely to increase insurance verification times when registering a vehicle.
Eliminate Vehicle Emissions Program ($1,016,204 CF): This program handles the regulation and enforcement of the Air Program run by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The Air Program comes as a result of the Federal Clean Air Act. The Vehicle Emissions Program conducts overt and covert audits to ensure the quality and validity of emissions inspections performed. The division feels that by June 2006 the State will no longer be under the sanctions imposed by the Federal Clean Air Act. However, if the State is still under sanction, there would no longer be any regulation or enforcement associated with the Air Program if the Vehicle Emissions Program is eliminated.
Eliminate Licensing of Horse and Greyhound Racing ($1,824,683 CF): Eliminating this program will result in no oversight of horse or greyhound racing in Colorado.
Eliminate Motor Vehicle Dealer Licensing Board ($1,862,328 CF): This program issues licenses and permits to manufacturers, buyers and salespeople, and provides licensee and consumer education concerning the rules and regulations of the motor vehicle industry. If this program is eliminated there will be minimal oversight and regulation and no licensing of the auto industry in Colorado.

Department of Public Safety
Eliminate Instant Criminal Background Check ($1,453,174 GF and $228,295 CF): This program serves as the State’s point of contact for firearms dealers to review and clear private purchases of firearms to ensure that prohibited individuals and felons do not acquire firearms.
Eliminate Office for Victims Programs ($1,328,254 CF): This office administers three federal grant programs with the overall intent of helping victims of crime recover emotionally, physically and financially. The State’s cash match comes from the Victim’s Assistance and Law Enforcement Fund, which is composed primarily of criminal fines. The Federal match for FY 2005-06 is $10.4 million.
Eliminate Office of Domestic Violence and Sex Offender Management ($482,438 GF and $163,084 CF): This office administers the Domestic Violence Offender Management Board and the Sex Offender Management Board. The duties of the boards include creating rules, processes and protocols for sex offenders and domestic violence offenders. In addition, the boards create an approved treatment providers’ list.
Eliminate Office of Adult and Juvenile Justice Assistance ($115,027 GF): This office is responsible for administering $2.4 million in federal grants and matches for criminal and juvenile justice programs.

Department of Natural Resources
The Department has indicated that the total cuts would entail permanently closing 11 state parks and seasonally closing 15 parks. Fees could not be raised to offset the reductions, because they count against the TABOR limit as well. Thus, a higher park fee would mean a higher refund in the General Fund. In this case, all state parks would experience some reduction in service levels.

The closed parks include: Crawford, Barr Lake, Lory, Bonny Lake, Roxborough, Harvey Gap, Sweitzer, Mancos, Spinney Mountain, Paonia, and San Luis Lakes.

The seasonal closures (6 to 8 months annually) include: Castlewood, Golden Gate, Jackson, North Sterling, State Forest, Highline Lake, Rifle Gap, Stagecoach, Sylvan, Vega, Yampa River, Eleven Mile, John Martin, Lathrop, and Trinidad.

Department of Public Heath and Environment
Eliminate the Poison Control Hotline ($1.1 million GF): Elimination of this program will require the public to utilize other emergency services when dealing with a potential poisoning, such as calling 911, visiting local emergency rooms, or contacting their family physician.
Eliminate the Hazardous and Toxic Control program in the Air Quality Control Division
($854,451 CF): Elimination of this program would terminate state regulation of chlorofluorocarbon emissions and asbestos removal activities.
Eliminate the Dental Program in the Prevention Services Division ($554,876 GF): Without this program low-income seniors would no longer receive state support for dental care.
Eliminate the Laboratory Certification Program ($515,640 CF): Elimination of this program would require all labs to hire an outside Certification entity. Additionally, local law enforcement would be required to hire a Certification entity capable of testing its Breathalyzer equipment.
Eliminate Office of Suicide Prevention ($275,731 CF): The Office of Suicide Prevention provides coordination for suicide prevention activities statewide. It includes initiatives in three areas: the development and implementation of a statewide public information campaign, including resource and assistance lists for people in crisis; training on the recognition and response to signs of suicide; and local suicide prevention and education service development.

Department of Local Affairs
Eliminate Waste Tire Fund ($3,300,000 CF): This program provides grants to clean up illegally dumped waste tires, to encourage recycling and reuse of waste tires, and to assist local businesses that employ tire recycling and reuse technologies to become economically viable.

In addition, 25 percent of waste tire revenues are set aside to fund Higher Education research grants for recycled waste tire products. Elimination of this program would also eliminate the $1 surcharge on each waste tire turned in to tire dealers.

As mentioned above, any transfer of severance taxes to the general fund would reduce the amount of the grants made to local governments.

Department of Agriculture
Eliminate Pet Care Facility Regulation Program ($451,477 CF): This program conducts inspection and licensing of pet animal care facilities to ensure minimum standards are met for the welfare of animals.
Eliminate Wine Development Fund ($624,014 CF): This program serves as the primary funding source for the promotional efforts and campaigns of the Colorado wine industry. Funding for this program comes from taxes paid by both consumers and producers of Colorado wines.
Eliminate Soil Conservation Grants: ($391,714 GF): This program provides financial assistance to local soil conservation districts.
Eliminate Egg Inspection Program ($182,235 CF): This program licenses and inspects producers selling eggs in Colorado to ensure grade quality. Fees paid by egg producers fund this program. Eliminating this program would end state-regulated egg inspections.
Close the State Insectary ($385,421 GF): The State Insectary, located in Palisade, produces and distributes beneficial insects across the State for pest and weed control assistance. Closing the insectary is likely to negatively impact the State’s noxious weed prevention program, as well as the agricultural industry.

Department of Labor and Employment
The department proposes that the Employment Support Fund be reduced by $10 million. This program helps fund Workforce Development Centers across Colorado.

Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Eliminate Civil Air Patrol ($152,676 GF): Elimination of this program would terminate state support of skilled volunteers for search and rescue of missing persons and downed aircraft.

Department of Regulatory Agencies
The Department provides a number of services that focus on consumer protection. Since the fees count under the TABOR limit, elimination of these programs will lessen the shortfall in the General Fund.
Eliminate Plumbing and Electrical Inspections ($3.5 million CF): The State is statutorily required to perform electrical inspections in all areas of the State in which a local government does not have its own electrical code and inspection program. As of last year, the State performed inspections in 49 out of the 64 counties. Although the State would not longer perform these inspections, the State will continue to license electricians and plumbers.
Eliminate Insurance and Securities Fraud Unit ($592,544 CF): Elimination of this program would reduce funding for work to bolster the criminal prosecution of fraud in the Attorney General's Office.
Eliminate Oversight of Mental Health Providers ($825,115 CF): This would include elimination of the following boards and their oversight responsibilities: Board of Psychologist Examiners; Board of Social Work Examiners; Board of Marriage & Family Therapist Examiners; Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners; State Grievance Board; and the Addiction Counselors Program. The Director of the Division of Registrations regulates the addictions counselor program with the assistance of a four-member advisory committee. Each of the remaining mental health professions is regulated by its own seven-member board of examiners, comprising three mental health professionals and four public members.
Eliminate Oversight of Passenger Tramways ($495,458 CF): This program regulates aerial tramways, surface lifts and tows used for recreational purposes in Colorado. While the focus is on ski-related equipment, the Board also licenses other types of tramways. The Board establishes design, operation, and maintenance standards, reviews requests for variance from the rules, and investigates accidents related to the operation of tramways.

Mugshots

The Josser sent me a link to this page, and I agree with him, Nick Nolte's mugshot is great. Frank Sinatra's is by far the coolest, and the others range from funny to sad to scary.

Staged Teleconference

I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this.

Lost Numbers

4 8 15 16 23 42

So I don't know how many of you out there watch "Lost", but I am an addict. One of the mysteries of the show surrounds the set of numbers listed above. As I am sure you already have noticed, the numbers appear as combinations or by themselves all over the show. For example, they were on Oceanic flight # 815, the sum of the numbers equals 108, there were 48 survivors in the main group, Danielle's distress signal has been looping for 16 years, and on and on. One of the creators of the show mentioned in an interview that 23 was the most important number and cited the writings of Robert Anton Wilson. The number 23 has been considered both a lucky and unlucky number, but is often related to disasters. As a side note, William Burroughs collected incidences of the number 23 and put them in his writings. Robert Anton Wilson cowrote the Illuminatus Trilogy, which gives importance to the number (it is also the numer of the Illuminati). The trilogy also references the Principia Discordia, which believes 23 and 5 (2+3) are sacred numbers. As you notice from the Lost Number, 8+15 = 23. Jack also has a tatoo with the number 5. 2, 3, and 5 are also three of the first five numbers in the of the Fibonacci sequence. The ratio of consecutive Fibonacci numbers equals the golden ratio 1.61803....(you might recall Fibonacci and the golden ratio played a part in The DaVinci Code). Sorry, I really went off a little there. For insights on quite a few other Lost mysteries, check out this blog. It has some good info that points out many of the same connections as I have above and greatly expands upon them. I especially like how mentions the connections with Kircher and notes the Mayan calendar on the Degroot's bookshelves (2012 is the end date for the Mayan calendar).

Chicago Marathon

Over the weekend, we were in Chicago, where my wife ran in her first marathon. She successfully completed it. My buddy Urbs best describes the weekend in this limerick that he wrote;

You watched your wife jog,
while you sat on a log,
as she ran,
you got a tan
Now that's a story for your blog.

I couldn't have said it any better.

Latest Poll Results

Which is cooler?

Whiskey 40% (6)
Ipod Nano 33% (5)
Prius 13% (2)
Monkeys 13% (2)
Target Commercials 0% (0)

15 votes total (thanks multi-voters)

You Can Call Me Ron Mexico

Last April, a woman filed a lawsuit against Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, claiming that he gave her herpes. Among the parties listed in the lawsuit is "Ron Mexico," which the plaintiff's lawyers claim Vick has used as a pseudonym. Since that name was listed as an alias for Vick, a ton of people ordered Vick's No. 7 replica jersey with a personalized "MEXICO" on the back. It didn't take the NFL too long to add "Mexico" to its list of banned names, along with obscenities and others deemed improper for jerseys.

Blame the Immigrants

I received a forwarded email from a friend the other day that pissed me off. Part of the email blamed immigrants for diluting the US identity. What, are we not a mixing pot or tossed salad anymore? Yes, many immigrants who come to the US have strong cultural identities and strong religious belief systems and will never conform to the "US identity". However, many immigrants to this country quickly become flag waving patriots. I regularly hear about foreign born men and women who enter the military to give something to this country in return for the freedoms he or she has received. So much of American culture has been processed, packaged, and trademarked, that our cultural identities have been lost to corporatization, not immigration. We do have holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Independence Day, that are tuly American. But, many of our traditions were gained from other countries, cultures, and religion. Now, I am not trying to say that immigrants are better than US citizens or vice versa. I just don't think that you can put the blame with immigrants. It is an ignorant, unsubstatiated argument.

The email also went off on how we are a Christian nation and that people are afraid to celebrate religion because they are afraid of offending others. It stated that "In God We Trust" is the US motto and that if God offends you, you should move to another country. Actually, the original motto of the United States was secular. "E Pluribus Unum" is Latin for "One from many" or "One from many parts." It refers to the welding of a single federal state from a group of individual political units -- originally colonies and now states. The Great Seal of the United States features an eagle with a heart-shaped shield, holding arrows and an olive branch in its claws. The motto "E Pluribus Unum" appears on a scroll held in its beak. It wasn't until 1864 that Congress passed legislation putting the phrase "In God We Trust" on select coins. Source.

The Bill of Rights starts out with Amendment 1, which begins with "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;" As you can clearly read, the founders of this great country did not intend for a national religion, as stated in the establishment clause. Also, they did not intend for anyone to be persecuted for their religious beliefs, as stated in the free exercise clause. The freedom of religion that we have in this country actually helped me to explore my own spirituality, and without it, I don't feel that I would be where I am now. If a religion was imposed on me, I would push against it and likely reject it.

So next time you receive one of these emails, think about what they are saying before blindly agreeing with it and forwarding it on to others. When it comes right down to it, they are often un-American. BTW, in case you didn't know, my parents are immigrants to this country. My parents vote, go to church, pay taxes, and celebrate Independence Day. I would say that they are better "Americans" than most. But then again, my parents are white, educated, middle class, european immigrants. This email did have some racist undertones.

Skydiving

Here are some photos of my wife skydiving.


Jumping out of the airplane


Start of freefall


"Now I'm freeeee, freefallin'"


We made it!

Free Fallin

On Saturday, my wife and I decided to jump out of an airplane. As a friend said on her blog "can't describe it. just do it." But I will make a stab at it.

We drove up to Mile-Hi Skydiving in Longmont with our friends John, Steph, and Tonia. Steph and John have both been skydiving before, but they wanted to go again. We sat in the hangar for a couple of nervous hours and waited for our turn. Our instructors/tandem partners, recently returned from a jump, then went over some brief instructions. We put on our suits and harnesses, and headed off for the plane. The nervousness didn't truly set in until I was seated in the plane and we were taking off. Tonia, who was seating across from me in the plane, had a look of wide eyed terror on her face. But she still did it. When we hit 8,000 feet above ground level, a green light turned on in the back of the plane cabin. All of a sudden, the solo divers started jumping out of the plane. It was nuts! Did I really just watch someone jump out of the plane?

The airplane kept climbing up to 12,000 feet (17,500 ft asl). My instructor, Travis, connected my harness to his, and made some strap adjustments. You do get pretty close and intimate with your instructor, but when you are putting your life into his or her hands, you really aren't concerned with any of that. When the plane leveled out at 12,000, the green light turned on again. Cherilyn was the first of our group to go. Out the door she went. Did I really just watch my wife jump out of a plane?!? As I was closest to the cockpit, I was the last one out of the plane.

Travis asked, "Do you want to do some somersaults when we jump out?"

I said, "I don't know. Do I?"

"You do." was his reply.

"Cool."

It was totally surreal, standing at the edge of the door, looking down at the earth below. Half of your brain is totally stoked about jumping, while the other half is saying, "Stop, what the f* are you doing!" So, we pushed out of the plane and did what seemed like 5 or 6 somersaults. It was such a sensory overload, the cold air on your face, the wind rushing by your ears, and all you see are earth, sky, earth, sky, earth, sky. Travis then stabilized us and we were in your standard freefall. It was wild. After about a minute and a few spins, he yelled, "Pull." I reached back, grabbed the golf ball, pulled, and out came the chute. When you go from travelling 120 miles per hour during freefall to 10 mph when the chute opens, it actually feels like you are being pulled upwards.

We then coasted down to the ground, making a few big swooping turns here and there. The landing was surprisingly easy. Since I was taller than Travis, we just landed on out butts.

It was an experience that I will never forget. There is truly no way to describe the sheer exhilaration and adrenaline rush. That night, I went to the Great American Beer Fest (something else everyone should experience once in their life). It was fun drinking a bunch of beer with my friends, but I still was thinking about the skydiving the whole time.