diverdriver

Tonto, dang it, I always do that. Sorry. It's not that I'm an ignorant American who forgets there is the rest of the world on the world wide web. It's just that, well..... I'm an ignorant American who believes he's the center of the universe. See! It's not so bad as people think.

At least you can still double click the mouse.

Ok, I know everyone is bleary eyed from the weekend of partying and jumping. But I thought I'd take this time to post just a bit of a reminder here in the Bonfire instead of the stuffy "topical" forums. This time of year can be hazardous to skydivers for several reasons. It's nearing the end of the typical northern skydiving season. People have been hard charging all season. They think they are "way" current and may get complacent about safety. It's not intentional. It's the nature of being human. So please, don't anyone take this as a slam. This time of year, operators of jump planes may be getting stretched. They want to keep every plane in the air as much as possible to keep jumpers jumping and the cash flowing in because they know the winter months are coming. It's been a slow(ish) season weather wise and they have aircraft payments to make. Watch for any signs that make you uncomfortable about aircraft ops. Jump pilots may start to become bored with the flying they are doing. Up, down, up, down. Fly bys can get lower, and lower, and more exciting. Don't let a good show turn into a tragedy. Also, jump pilots may not have practiced any emergency procedures since the beginning of the year when they first got checked out or did their latest recurrency training. A good review can go a long way if you just take an afternoon to read the EPs and performance charts again. Read the section on "Fuel" system and review how much "unusable fuel" is considered to be for your type of aircraft. You might be surprised how easy it is to forget limitations of your aircraft as you get comfortable with the plane. Sometimes pilots leave mid season and it's hard to get a new pilot up to speed with the season at full tilt. Watch for anything you don't like. Bring it up to the DZO. They can't be everywhere all the time and see everything. Help them help you. Be safe. Think about being able to jump next year and enjoying it all over again. Chris "less than a year to not being just a tourist" Schindler Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

For those of us who don't know.... what happened to you? Skydiving injury? Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

John, the judges messed up and didn't count a deduction on the Korean's parallel bar routine that would have dropped him out of the medals completely. So, there shouldn't be two golds. I agree with the IOC that the two golds awarded before in Ice Skating was because of malitious intent by the judges. This was just a mistake made by humans. I don't think it's the end of the world. I'm sure the judges feel bad enough. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

To Chris. From Chris. Happy Birthday dude.

Each routine does not start out being a possible 10.0. Each routine may start below that and deductions are taken from there. The problem was that the judges started .1 lower than they should have. That was the mistake. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

You beat me to it. Seems many are forgetting that this guy did not get a deduction when he should have and it would have dropped him OUT OF THE MEDALS COMPLETELY. Hamm should not give up the medal. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

Then you'll be OOOLLLLDDD like us. Want your cane now?

Ok, John, I see your point. Maybe I should have said that THIS 527 group that is way out of line should be banned from further releases but that hasn't happened. And I don't know if anyone can actually sue them. We all know how people walk up to the line of slander/liable and have the intended "cloud" cast on the target person without being in "violation". I guess that's what I'm getting at.

I tried.

So, you want to be a greenie in this forum? You've got relevant experience. Oh dude. No thank you. I no longer spend the amount of time on this forum to do that. I just happen to have time today. I just hate seeing people I respect bicker back and forth and have stopped any real debate. I hope they try and understand the other's view point at some point. Any election seems to be the lesser of two evils. I guess people have to decide which evils are important to them and vote for the other guy. I was venting. It was in hopes that I could wake up a few people. I'll go back to lurking in this forum. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

You ALL are pathetic. No one is listening to anyone. You actually think this is a valuable use of your time? No one is convinced of anything here. Everyone is going back and forth with the "yah and" just repeating what they've typed over and fucking over. I've had to seperate my two step kids for this behaviour and teach them how to listen to each other and grow up. There is ZERO intellectual exchange here. I don't know why I really bothered glancing at the last 10 posts.

And it's just as heartles to say "it's just part of the sport." It does not have to be if it's preventable. And that's the point. I hadn't made my first jump when I knew my first aquaintence die in the sport. I had flown jumpers for two months and was in my FJC the day that happened. I made my first jump a month later and kept jumping after that. We learned from the fatality and moved on. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

So if a woman claims sexual harasment when it really wasn't true then it's "free speech" right? Because the man would have the oportunity to respond and counter. There wouldn't be any snap to judgement at all by the co-workers. No stigma left. It would just all be cleared up, eh? Free Speech comes with responsibility to not lie. However, that concept went out the window long ago. edit: can't spall "speech". Ugh.

So what you are saying is that young men might take some time to learn how to be leaders and good will embasadors? We aren't born that way all the time? Hmmmm.... maybe they just need a chance to make some of those mistakes and learn from it. Lead by example? Go compete and show them how it is to be humble and help out. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

Nope. I've had to work my ass off to get the jumps I have, the training I have and the ratings I have. All they have to do is be there. Sure they're going into the military and live at the academy. Who cares, I went through the Corps of Cadets at A&M, what many consider to be much harder and was going into the Marines (stupid MCL and ACL...fuckers). Basically, I was very unimpressed by the academy cadets I've met over the years and very unimpressed with my tax payer money going to fund their team when I'm having to bust my ass. Its like skydiver welfare. Well, you might go and compete anyway. My team Team Funnel finished ahead of the Golden Knights in 10-way at Nationals 2001. Did we expect to beat anyone? No. But we went and competed anyway. They got free jumps but I didn't think they were a-holes. I rather thought it was nice of them to come up and want to trade team shirts with us just because we got the God Frog award for having the team with the best attitude in competition. The Knights were the ones who passed that award on to us. Why not just ignore what the others are doing and go compete doing what you want to do? Spirit of competition?

Geeeez Dave. May not be a personal attack but don't you think that was a bit harsh?

Which DZ? Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

Wow ya know I knew that guy from somewhere. I could never place him until just now!! He also plays "Edgar Bug" in Men In Black. Did you know that one? Didya, didja?

Gallo's humor. Pilots, skydivers, military, medical staff all have some "sick" humor to deal with the stress. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

Damm, now that's an obscure movie reference. Mr. Mom! LOL *Ding, Ding, Ding!!!* You get the gold star. And what a classic line!

Eh, it was in the papers. Seems they are being sued for failing to give "due care" to taking care of the employees. It's a long shot but thses guys are not going down without a fight. They want was promised to them when the contract was signed. And this isn't just daily/hourly wages. This is their retirement when they CAN'T work anymore. That's a scary thing in my mind. You were promised to be taken care of in retirement and then when you are unable to help yourself it's ripped away from you. I can't think of anything more scary than that. What do you do? When American bought TWA and then effectively furloughed EVERYONE that had worked at TWA there were actually 2 pilot suicides. Man, these execs have to realize these are humans and not robots. I know it was reported that Tilton took a $27,000 pay RAISE over three months at the beginning of the year when supposedly he had taken a pay cut along with everyone else. F'n sheisters. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

Well, recently they were turned down for a guaranteed loan from the ATSB. It's not a handout from the government. It's a loan backing for other people to loan United the money. Now, the government backed pension program (signed up for years ago) will have to take the burden of the pension if United dumps them because the bankruptcy laws allow them to ask the court to do so. This agency is fighting hard along with the union groups (one of which is actually suing the top 3 execs at United because of this) to prevent this. So, we will stay tuned to this debocle. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125

I hope someday to be able to see D.D. left seat in a UAL heavy... Dude! That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. Thanks man. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125