freakbrother

I think "Freefly" is a rip-off on "Freakfly" designed to mislead. Just like you can't open a hamburger joint called "McRonalds" and expect to get away with it. So if Olav sues you, I'll counter-sue on your behalf. . . www.freak-brother.com

(Deaths on Everest)/(Successful Everest Summit climbs) = 37% (death rate even higher for female climbers) . . www.freak-brother.com

Umm, some DZ will obviously get the income from the tandems sold by skyride and then would logically be able to afford the facilities we all like (turbines, a/c packing, lots o loads, organizing, etc.) So, an analogy of sorts... You like to shop at store A, it's a sweet little store in your mind. But it just so happens that shop B does a much better job of marketing, whatever, and eventually shop A's business suffers so that it can no longer provide you with the services you require (say you only buy chocolate, but the real money's in selling soda pop and it just so happens that's what your shop really sucks at) Now, being the chocolate lover you are are you going to stop buying all together, or get a fix from shop B? . Stealing and false advertizing do not constitute "a better job of marketing" . . www.freak-brother.com

Like if there really where WMD that could be deployed against US/UK interests in 45 mins? Or that Sadam was involved in 911? Ok, seriously... right about what? Gee.. why don't you read the article. I don't think it mentioned the WMD's the entire world thought he had. But thats probably because the writer didn't say he was right about every detail, just that maybe Bush was right about establishing a Democracy in Iraq. The only reason the "world" thought he had them was that Bush (and Powell) told the world what turned out to be a bunch of lies. . . www.freak-brother.com

I jump at SDC because I like the facilities not because I like the jump ticket prices. I would still jump there if the prices were much higher. Just FYI, I paid full price for all my jump tickets last season. Kris. Great. Now, are YOUR interests served if the DZs you enjoy can't afford the facilities you like because they are DEFRAUDED out of income by the likes of Skyride, which advertizes BOGUS DZs right where SDC and Hinckley are located? . . www.freak-brother.com

If skyride is stealing business from dropzones, those dropzones need to do something about it with their money. They are protecting their business. Kris. And USPA members are protecting the places they go to jump. Do you like jumping at SDC? Like their jump ticket prices? (I know the answer). Skyride has one of its BOGUS dropzones shown right there on its map. Are YOUR interests served if SDC and Hinckley are defrauded out of income? . . www.freak-brother.com

Sitting at a Playstation for hours on end is a useless waste of time. Increasing one's vocabulary is a fabulous thing to do. If kids had to learn the meaning of the words they spell, it would be. Unfortunately that does NOT form part of the typical Spelling Bee. I can still remember how to spell "syzygy" but I'm damned if I can recall what it means. . . www.freak-brother.com

Nice list - I broadly agree. I'd have had 2001 A Space Odyssey, Dr. No, Goldfinger, and the 1951 version of The Ladykillers in there somewhere. Maybe The Life of Brian, too. . . www.freak-brother.com

What about the sticker on my new skydiving helmet that says "Warning, this helmet is not suitable for skydiving"? . . www.freak-brother.com

Well, I don;t know what you were getting at in starting this thread, but statements equivalent to: "People who have been vetted and shown to be law abiding have a lower crime rate than those who haven't" seems a waste of bandwidth to me. . . www.freak-brother.com

You are incorrect about the U.S. having "the highest" murder rate. I'll bite: which "LEADING INDUSTRIAL NATION" has a higher murder rate than the USA? Well if you didn't even know which country it really is, then what business did you have posting that it was America? There are quite a few that are higher than the U.S. The worst is South Africa. Oh well, apparently you define Leading Industrial Nation somewhat differently than I do. I'd expect a "group of 7" nation in that category, but not SA. Didn't you make an error in THIS thread title? . . www.freak-brother.com

Looks like only mega-boogies are likely to bite on that possibility. . . www.freak-brother.com

Right. My point is just that with several variations of a proposal floating around, it is helpful if contributors here identify clearly which particular variant their comments apply to. Otherwise we get to talking at cross purposes which is quite counter-productive. (One of the advantages of Roberts Rules is that only one proposal can be discussed at a time.) . . www.freak-brother.com

Ding ding ding! Correct - it is the culture that causes crime. You are incorrect about the U.S. having "the highest" murder rate. Speaking of consistency: I'm sure those who like to nit-pick about "twisting of facts" will jump in here and defend America now, since you mis-stated that fact... I'll bite: which "LEADING INDUSTRIAL NATION" has a higher murder rate than the USA? . . www.freak-brother.com

Which chart is this? Brian Germain's or Billvon's draft BSR clicky which is quite different. It would be SO helpful if people would specify which particular proposal they are referring to. "God is in the details" (St. Thomas Aquinas). FWIW (not much, I expect), I am firmly against encoding Brian's chart as a BSR, while I like Billvon's proposal based on licenses and canopy training. . . www.freak-brother.com

Either meet (or exceed) expectations, or leave. . . www.freak-brother.com

That is fine. Open discussion has and does make things better. What I disagree with is 1) The attitude that we must prove something to you and if we don't then the proposal has no value and 2) The attitude that some people have that they are self appointed judges of BSR proposals. If you have reservations about the WL BSR, that is OK. But don't just say, I don't think it will work or it is a good idea or necessary, “You must prove to me that it is a good idea.” Take the attitude of my fellow skydivers have an idea, I think I can improve upon that idea, I'll throw out what I think can be improved and how I think it should be improved. I expect you know at least as many, maybe more, BOD members as I do. IMO some of them will need a lot of convincing to pass a new BSR. Answering the questions NOW is clearly frustrating to you, but by the time you get to the BOD you will have heard all the objections. It IS incumbent on you, if you take a proposal to the BOD, to be able to make a clear, strong case as to why this SPECIFIC proposal is (a) needed, (b) will deal with the issues, (c) is not unduly restrictive and that you have made every effort to deal with all contingencies, and (d) has an implementation plan that can work. For my part, I think you can make a good case based on existing accident data, and I think a plan based on license levels is more likely to succeed than one based on jump numbers for several reasons that have been explained in previous threads. I think you need work on the grandfathering aspect of your plan, and the details of the implemention (that I have seen) seem a bit vague (for example how exactly is it to be enforced, what exact canopy skills will be taught and tested for the test out and license progression.) If you really want the best input, make sure that everyone is on the same page with respect to the details since several versions are floating around, and make those details a sticky somewhere so we can refer to them without having to search the forums every time. Work calls, or I'd amplify. . . www.freak-brother.com

I personally think the above, together with the rise of China, will end the US's position as the only superpower before we see another 50 years. The worrying thing is that a lot of people agree with us, the only dispute being how long it's gonna take. In our live times we're gonna see some pretty major shifts in world power. Shifts of such magnitude rarely go completely without incident. China: 40% of all degrees granted are in engineering Europe: 15% of all degrees granted are in engineering USA: 5% of all degrees granted are in engineering. Discuss. . . www.freak-brother.com

I actually do. I've bore witness to many accidents that were never filed with the USPA over my 8 years in the sport. You have 6, I'd assume by now you've been exposed to the same amount of stuff that I have. I'd be extremely surprised if every accident you'd ever heard of or knew about was reported. No, I was actually there. I've also jumped at a number of dz's over the years and EVERY ONE of them didn't always file incident reports for injuries. If you were there and saw them, then they weren't unseen and unreported, were they? You are busting everyone ass because you say there is not data to support it. Then you come up with statements like this. Thats not data, thats just you standing around watching again. Can you give me the dates, times, age, gender, canopy type, experience and cause of death on these "No, I was actually there" incidents you are so proud of. I can give you chapter and verse on 11 fatalities that I did the investigation. I can show you pictures of the scene and see if you can keep your dinner down. And you have the gaul to say there is no data to support this program. Your behavior reminds me of a spoiled brat stomping her feet and yelling "me, me, me". Bill, Derek, and the others that have and are putting so much time and effort into this thing, I wish you luck. It like talking with Moe, Larry and Curly. Sparky You are missing the point of having a discussion on this topic AT ALL. If all taht was wanted was a rubber stamp of Brian Germain's or Billvon's or Hooknswoop's proposals, that should have been stated at the outset. Pictures of your gory investigations won't answer the VALID questions that have been asked about the extent of the problem as it relates to jump numbers and WL. Nor will they address the issue of whether a table like Brians or a license based proposal like Billvon's/Derek's is better. Assuming that you do actually want USPA to do something, it is necessary to take to the BOD the strongest possible proposal, with as much supporting data as you can, with the real risk factors carefully identified and addressed. That can only come about from open discussion, including the input from skeptics. Personally I rather like Billvon's version that links to license level and training. IIRC that came about after long discussions here in summer 2003 and incorporated ideas contributed by several people, including some skeptics. If you can't or won't answer questions raised here, how will you get on with the BOD? Consider this rather like the rehearsal before the real debate. If a BOD member was to ask during the presentation of this proposal "Can you tell us roughly how many sub D license members are currently jumping at WL>1.5", or "Please tell us what fraction of landing fatalities since 2001 have less than 500 jumps and high WL" or "Isn't this primarily a problem of males under the age of 25?", will you respond to them the way you respond to us, that they shouldn't be asking and do they want to see gory pictures? These are the type of questions that occurred to some of us, and I expect they will occur to the BOD too. Your efforts to suppress dissenting views and denounce difficult questions are not helpful. . . www.freak-brother.com

You think you are helping. You are being a pain in the ass. I draw you attention to this post from a year or so back: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=534587#534587 and compare it with Bill's version of the proposed BSR iteration in post #84 of this thread. It appears that Billvon was and still is prepared to listen to others who have issues, and adjust to improve, while you just call names on those who disagree with you. I doubt your tactic will work on the BOD, but good luck. . . www.freak-brother.com

Right now I'm helping you to eliminate the weak spots in your BSR proposal by bringing them to your attention before the BOD does. . . www.freak-brother.com

On the topic of driving: Every shred of data from the NHTSB and the insurance companies shows that driver age and gender are the principal indicators for auto accidents. . . www.freak-brother.com

Maybe you missed when USPA took a stand against mandatory incident reporting or leaked confidential incident information to the prosicution on a case against a DZ. That has ensured that the stastics don't and will not exist. Derek I don't belive any fatalities have been covered up. The data are available. What % of fatalities over the last few years involved inexperienced jumpers under high WL? USPA has data on jump numbers from renewals. What % of

Hard to hide fatalities! Of the 5 jumpers I knew who died in landing accidents, 2 had over 2000 jumps, one had around 1500, another 900 and a WL of 1.2, and one with around 300 jumps was jumping a Sabre loaded at

As you can see, Europe will not be a threat to anybody in the future, or do you mean the World of Marxist Decline? I think Europe has not learned the economic lessons of the past. I suspect it was a comment on certain previous CIA information ("bad intel") that led the US down the primrose path. . . www.freak-brother.com