riddler

Thanks Lisa - good reading. So my situation is that I usually drive home from the DZ at the end of the day, and there is about 1,000 feet of elevation difference between myself and the DZ. In this case, I should turn off the cypress before I drive home to preserve batteries. OTOH, when I spend the night at the DZ, it's about the same to turn it off vs. let it turn off by itself, so in that situation it doesn't matter.

I had a rigger tell me that Cypress batteries will typically last longer if you do not cycle the cypress off at the end of the day. He said that the energy used for the LED to light up four times is more than the energy used for the Cypress to stay on until it automatically shuts off. Anyone have an expert opinion on that? I would like to do whatever keeps the batteries lasting longer.

Geez you guys - I have to wait behind all of ya? Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Look closely at the video next time - he bumps his head on the way out the door

Have they really, or is this just a common perception? Were the analysis and testing methods for hurricanes and winters the same 30 years ago as they are now? Or could it be that people's perceptions change as they get older - leading to many older people claiming that the weather has changed. Isn't it also possible that other factors, such as a depleted ozone increasing radiation to the earth's surface have had a bigger impact on temperature? I have a lot of doubts, but that may just be my ignorance. The effects of greenhouse gases do effect us, but not in the course of one lieftime - this is something that happens over the course of many generations of people. This biggest impact so far has been glacial melting. It will take several hundred more years to have a significant impact on the envronment. Believe me, the air pollution will kill us all long before the climate changes do. I'm not proposing we do nothing - i just think we have bigger fish to fry, like achieving world peace before we kill ourselves the old-fashioned way. Environmentalism doesn't begin to have an impact until it is done on a global scale, and we won't do this until issues of poverty and peace are solved. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

I've heard this as F^4: Find 'em, follow 'em, fuck 'em, forget 'em Of course, the extra step is probably why I almost never succeed Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

I'm only a 120 jump wonder

Although I consider myself an environmentalist, I often rail against the environmentalist agenda because they use psuedo-science arguments for trying to push agendas that have more to do with how they feel than any real evidence. Most environmentalists I know are against nuclear power because it doesn't "feel" right to them - probably a stigma associated with nuclear weapons. Scientific environmentalists know that nuclear energy is the best possible source of energy for ourselves and our environment. Here are some nuclear energy fun statistics from: http://mikelietz.org/works/oldschool/nuclearpb.shtml 1. The LLE of living in the immediate neighborhood of a nuclear power plant is 0.4 days. This is the equivalent to a smoker having one extra cigarette every 15 years, or raising the speed limit from 55 mph to 55.006 mph (Rhodes 98). In addition, a study by the Union of Concerned Scientists estimated the LLE of a full national nuclear power program of 1.5 days, hardly more than the LLE for eating one tablespoon of peanut butter every day for a year of 1.1 days. 2. Therefore a person is exposed to the same amount of radiation from *accidents* due to the nuclear power industry as he does from his environment every four days. 3. a 1000 Megawatt coal burning plant will cause 35.5 deaths per year ... However, the operation of a 1000-MW nuclear plant will cause only 0.8 deaths in a year: Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

And hopefully we understand that it is a very slow process - on the order of 1 degree over the past 150 years. I plan to raise genius children that will be able to solve these problems when they become more of real problems. Until then, my plan is to migrate south during the winter. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

LOL. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

I respect plenty of people that work at night. Strippers, bartenders, cab drivers - I respect them all - they make my life better Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Someday I will have children and I want to be an example to them. I want to let them know that I am my own best judgement, and not any other group or government agency. I hope that they decide to be the same, but that, of course will be their decision. We are all fallible, but no more so than any other group that makes laws for us. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Plus they make the rigs so darn expensive. If I sold the reserve and cypress from my rig, I would have enough money for 100 jumps! Base jumps, at least Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

The skydiver's version of a bikini wax? No thanks - I don't like the idea of removing the tape and half of my short-n-curlys at the same time. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

I just want to point out that this is a completely skewed statistic: Not even close to reality. People with agendas were saying in the 70s that we only had 10 years of oil left as well. Be on guard when you see anything like this that is loaded with statistics. Double check all facts. A good author will cite sources - check those sources, then check others as well. Remember that many people that publish also have an agenda. Doubt first, and ask questions. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

I've been thinking the same thing myself throughout this thread. All these "buddy-of-mine" posts make me ask "doesn't your buddy do a gear check?" Here's what I do at the beginning of every day of jumping, and many of these are repeated before every jump. Obviously, this won't find every problem, but this, combined with maintaining gear and good sense (e.g. get a repack if you spill Pepsi on it) would probably prevent most issues. 1. Set the cypress. 2. While watching the cypress self-check (battery level, goes to 0), check that reserve pin is straight and goes through the closing loop on the reserve. Check the reserve seal. 3. Carefully tug on the reserve cable at both ends to make sure it slides smoothly through the steel housing. This is make sure that small rocks don't get jammed or the cable isn't kinked. 4. Check the main closing pin - I do the "happy face", but some people prefer the "frown". Once through the main loop, and no bridle wrapped around in a confusing way. Upper bridle stowed away, and lower bridle (between pin and PC) is REALLY tucked away (I spin it and it's velcroed to the container, ever since that premature deployment ) 5. Check BOC - make sure PC isn't bunched up in the spandex, that the bottom and sides are smooth, and no stains. 6. Check the three-ring system, not only the rings, but the yellow cables go through the loop (think "Dropzone") and that the ends go into the inserts. 7. Check that the leg and chest straps are good - I can pull them loose one way, and they don't loosen if I tug on them. Also that the leg straps have no twists. Anything I should add to this? Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

I remember when this story came out - funny. I love the quote from the father that said he always believed that McD food was healthy for his children. On the other had, a few years ago, McD sued a restaurant that was 150 years old in Scotland called "McDonalds" for trademark infringement of their name. Ever since then, I've been hoping they would go down. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

How important is it for you to believe in this? For some people, it is very important to believe. If not, try this. Keep a tiny spiral notebook and pen with you at all times. When you think you know ahead of time that something is going to happen, write it down, followed by whether you were right or wrong (don't do this while driving or running with scissors). If you are right a significant portion of the time, then you are clairvoyant. Enjoy! Play the lottery! I did this myself and found that I was wrong by far most of the time. Then I realized it was my ego that made me want to believe that I had some sort of special power, and that it was my ego that made me forget all the times when I was wrong and remember the times I was right. Or maybe it's only certain people that have this power, and I am not one of them. Damn. I guess I'll just have to remember all the other things I do that make me unique

Steal it. Blame "the man". Donate the $200 to local charity. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Methinks you've been reading them a little much if you can attribute style characteristics. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Since this is the type of thread that could get us in trouble, I ain't askin' for names. I got a repack coming up soon, and I know both get done, so I'm curious about the numbers. Personally, I'm still a beginner, so I pay for mine to get done every four months (cutways notwithstanding). Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

B^2, I both love you and hate you. Do you know how cold it is in Denver right now? I've got the Internet weather report for where I live, my two local dropzones and Eloy. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

10,500 feet - a 12 second, four octave fart, that forces pilot to turn on yellow light. Tandem dog opts to commit suicide and jump out ahead of time. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Geez Bill - statements like this, and you wonder why the helicopters are hovering outside your window Don't make me call them back Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Man your rig looks like mine! I hope we don't ever jump together and mix them up - your 160 would seem a tad faster than my 190. Black container, and Tri is the same colors, but different order. Why do so many tri's seem to have the "sherbert" colors? Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD