obelixtim

Ever thought of becoming an accident investigator?. Your forensic skills are unmatched.... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

If you've heard that a dozen times, don't you think there may be some substance to it?. It actually does happen that way, stupid as it sounds to you. Can you think why that may be?. And no, it isn't a marketing stategy. It a consequence of an unfortunate event. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

It's how we get free beer... Fixed!!!. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Good plan. I'd go along with that. A start has to be made somewhere, and the sooner the better.... Anything is better than a vacuum. As far as foreign countries go, when it comes to skydiving, at least, many of them take their lead from the US, so a US solution would be folowed by many. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Good. A lot of people don't get the mag..... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Here's another. Fatalities often result in an increase in business. There is a reason for that. However, a regular number of fatalities at a single DZ might well kill the business, but maybe they shouldn't be in business anyway, if that is the case.... I'm sure you will come back at me quoting Perris. But that might be one exception.... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

"Demonising" wasn't my term initially, because I don't actually think anyone is "demonising" swooping and HP canopies, the reality is that genie is out of the bottle. "Demonising" seems to me to be a defensive reaction by those who don't want to accept that others can be concerned about what is happening, and have something to say about that. I agree with what you say, about people tending to close their ears if they are harassed. And thats been going on for 20 odd years already and still continues. However, a concerted chorus from a multitude of directions tends to make people realise that there is an issue that really needs to be addressed. Sometimes that has to be long and loud, and sometimes extreme, in order to generate even a small shift in attitudes. Banning things isn't necessary. A change in the mindset is. And a "civil conversation" is sometimes not necessary to be effective. Sometimes they are not even useful. Dictatorships can be way more efficient than democracies, Especially if you want something done. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Back obviously.....most TM's display some symptoms of senility, so he was right at home!!. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Jump numbers and experience, do not, in any instance, provide guaranteed protection against the possibility of death while skydiving. When the reaper wants you, you're gone..... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Back in 1994 I trained 20 WW2 veterans. All former paras, SAS or 101st Airborne. They were easy to train. The youngest was 74, the oldest 81. None had done a jump for 50 years, for many, the Normandy or Market Garden jump was the last that they did. Not a problem, apart from one who was a bit senile, I put him out on a tandem. I found out later that several of them lied on their medical declarations. Lying old buggers.....but nothing less than I'd expect from such a mob....none of them wanted to miss out in front of their mates. Some of them did several jumps that day. Go for it. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

If the conversations turn to bowling, that might be the time to consider what you are doing. Till then, get out the door!!. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Death, while skydiving, whichever poison you choose, make no sense, even if it is always on the cards. This poison is particularly unacceptable though, because an antidote is not difficult to find, but has been way too slow in coming. I see this "comparison" as a part of the problem, in that it seems to legitimise in the minds of some that open canopy deaths are somehow acceptable because people die in other ways. To be frank, it is crap. They seem to be THE obvious common factor in the carnage though. We would be negligent to ignore that fact in the search for a solution. If demonising them causes someone to stop and think a little, then surely thats better than ignoring the problem. The squeals of outrage from the "we have the right to our fun" brigade shows that we are hitting a nerve. Thats gotta be good. I'm sure there is a lot more thought today about the problem than there has been in the past. Which is a good thing, But effective strategies need to be fast tracked. So much hot air, albeit true, and has been repeated ad nauseum with little apparent effect. It doesn't validate anything if the status quo remains. How about if all the safe canopy pilots out there make it their personal mission to do something postive about the problem, by aggressively policing the turkeys, in terms of proferring advice, warnings, criticism and condemnation if necessary, to those in over their heads. Those individuals are not that hard to spot. The message needs to be hammered home relentlessly, on a long term basis, to everyone, gunnywhip and turkey alike.. You said in another post that USPA has to get involved, but IF they ever do (which I doubt), the horse has already long bolted. They need to move their arses now. Mindsets have to change, and that has to start from individuals. No amount of regulation or legislation is going to change anything, unless of course, it comes from an external agency. The problem needs to be attacked on multiple fronts, and there is a lot that can be done. Until there is a willingness and desire to fix things, however, the casualty list is going to grow. It could start with a brains trust sitting down and really thrashing out the problem and coming up with some effective and universal policies. Attacking the messengers solves nothing. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Flaw in that. Quite a lot of people, over the years have bounced as a result of trying to get stable. Generally speaking, it is a bad idea to delay after a cutaway. A spinning mal can also induce a degree of disorientation resulting in a loss of awareness of altitude. Although there ARE situations where RSL's can cause problems, and disciplines (like CRW) where they should not be used. I think the point is, they will, over time save more than they kill. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Not at all. People can skydive and swoop their tits off. And thats fine. As long as self preservation and survival while participating is at the top of their priority list. Doing it safely is possible, as you've stated. Not everyone IS doing it safely, though, and thats the point. As Twardo states, the stack of dead and maimed is getting too big. I think the concern comes mainly from the utter senselessness of dying under a perfectly good canopy. It so happens that hookers and swoopers are featuring prominently in the statistics. Would it be better if we just shut up and went away??. Fatals in the good ol days rarely involved a perfectly functioning main canopy, but if it had, I'm sure the reaction would have been the same, and something would have been done about it quick smart. HP maiming and death has been going on for nigh on 20 years, a concerted effort to reduce it is long overdue.... It doesn't have to be difficult.... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Depends which side of the fan you are standing...Some fans bite. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Its about as dumb as people killing themselves under open canopies, huh!. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Actually, Kevin Trusler was voted the worlds stinkiest skydiver, by the French team at the CRW world champs many years ago. Sharing the same plane on every round, his tactic was to stink so bad it would affect their jumps. And he ate all sorts of rotten shit to that end. And I'm not him. So Skymama is lucky....very lucky. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

n Reply To Thanks, Lisa & Squeak. Ironically, not long after I was "stamped" another instructor took me aside and said I didn't deserve it- -after 25 jumps, why didn't I know how and were to land?Blush ( I was further than usual from the landing area when the canopy opened. I chose to land off when it looked like I wouldn't make it back to the correct area safely. ) But other instructors were okay with my choice. Blush Wow. Sounds like a jackass move. The instructor had two choices there (well, three, the other being to just STFU): 1) be obnoxious and tell you that you don't deserve a license or 2) take the opportunity to debrief your landing choice and turn it into a teaching moment. Sorry that person made a poor choice. Agreed. 100%. "Gethomeitis" has killed and injured quite a few skydivers over the years, and quite a lot of pilots. As long as you land safely, where you land is irrelevant.... Maybe the Jackass will appear in a cartoon sometime soon. You'll come across lots of cartoon material on the DZ if you stick with it. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Well he's figured it out enough to see the reality of whats happening. Have you?. Some people are still blind to that reality. Marisan has done his time in skydiving, and done things you never will. And he still cares enough to raise his voice, because it IS necessary, and others shut their mouths. Will you do that if you survive to retire satisfied?.... Things won't improve, till everyone makes survival their number 1 priority. Which is what it should be. I guess, as in nature, the law of natural selection will eventually weed out those who don't realise that reality. So I guess, in the long term the problem will eventually go away. Job done!!. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Skymama threat was not credible, simply because a 6 month ban is beneath my dignity. I would only accept a ban if it was permanent, like the SC ban Billvon dished out... Hey, I got banned by Sangrio himself years ago.... Skymama is only a lightweight banner!!!. 6 months...pfffffttt!!!. I fart in her direction!!. But she needs all the fans she can get. You and Billy Vance can prolly fix her microwave or pick up her sparkles, and other house keeping stuff.... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

But but but...I'm blind, I can't see pictures, so I didn't see them....and Billvon did ban me!!. Taking advantage of a blind man...sheesh. I don't know how your conscience allows it. Shame on you... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Sounds to me someone got suckered!!. And Billvon banned .me from SC, moons ago, so I had no choice!!. Thats my story and I'm sticking to it. So there!!! My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Life is tough, doncha know....'specially when its so exciting. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

The European Union caters for Europe does it not?. The EU passes all sorts of ridiculous laws.... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Get ready to fork out more for your jumps people, the Greenies are on to us!!!. Fart tax, whatever next???. A new tax is proposed on skydivers (and others) by environmentalists concerned about global warming and greenhouse gasses. Apparently the increase in numbers of people taking up skydiving has meant an increase in the amount of methane released into the atmosphere, A study by an environmental group, The Council for Research into Air Purity, has shown that aviation users, including all commercial and recreational aircraft users produce a significant amount of methane gas when they go up in aeroplanes. Field studies have shown, as humans are taken to altitude in aeroplanes, the decrease in atmospheric pressure results in the release of methane gas as people break wind. World wide, this produces a significant amount of gas as millions of people are transported on aeroplanes around the world each year, and that number is increasing. A spokesman for the group, Mr Paulo Foril, says that they will propose to the European Council, and the US government, as well as Governments around the world a new tax of $5.00 per person who travels on any aircraft, in an attempt to offset the greenhouse gases emitted, by new forest plantings. "We will propose that the tax collected will be bookmarked solely for the establishment of new forests, and not be diverted to general Government coffers", said Mr Foril. "Nature didn't design humans to go up in the air, and this phenomenen didn't exist a century ago. We need to do something about this now, and not wait till its too late". "The emission of bodily gases was brought to our attention by one of our members, who partook of a tandem skydive, and noticed a lot of people aboard the aircraft passing wind as the plane rose to altitude. We know bodily gases are mostly methane, a particularly odious greenhouse gas," he said. The EU in particular, is already hammering air travellers for carbon emissions with green taxes, looks like they are taking the piss here, big time. Best get onto your local politician before it happens people..... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....