winsor

I have like five ParaCommander-class canopies around. My primary PC is a Lightweight RWPC, D-bagged in a Wonderhog with a 26' steerable conical reserve and a BOC throwout pilot chute. I have a Sierra set up the same way. I have a couple of Mk 1 PCs in Mini System harness/containers, but haven't gotten around to jumping either. I'm a big fan of keeping handles in the same place from jump to jump. I have a UT-15 Russian rig that I can't figure out how to pack. It is in the original Russian harness/container, and quite how the lines should stow and how the sleeve is retained on the canopy is not apparent upon casual inspection. I'll probably wind up setting it up in an American harness/container when I get around to jumping it. The big problem with the Mk 1s and the UT-15 is they are bloody HUGE! The RWPC and Sierra have about half the pack volume of the traditional PCs, and can be fitted to a Wonderhog with no problem. I'm not big on belly-mounted reserves - though I have a quarter-bagged C-9 with 4-line release set up in one - so I haven't jumped the Mini Systems to date. I probably should, but am in no rush. Anyone wishing to jump a ParaCommander need only stop by Tent 3 at the Convention. I have it there every year. Blue skies, Winsor

The only reason it could fail to work is if his faith was not strong. Lions are well known for their devout nature.

Actually, if you look carefully, you'll see an axe inside those bundle of sticks. "The root of the word: fascist, is fasces. This is a symbol composed of a bundle of sticks and an axe. The United States Congress is graced with this symbol." More here http://scifiles.no-ip.com/FASCIST.htm t Thanks, I was looking for something U.S. Government and official that contained the symbol, but couldn't come up with it. I was pretty sure it was around somewhere. The U.S. Government has rather a dog's breakfast of symbology amongst its various official seals, documents and whatnot, so it's not surprising that fasces are in mix. Blue skies, Winsor

And a few years later his son was dead. Must have been bittersweet for Joe Kennedy. Joe had four sons who were groomed at various times for the presidency. Joe Jr. was in an airplane that blew up during WWII, so Jack the Zipper was next in line. Once Jack was assassinated, we got stuck with LBJ, and Bobby was positioned to run. Bobby didn't even get to the nomination before he was shot, which gave us a race between Hube the Cube and Tricky Dick. Teddy was then considered likely for the presidency - as a consolation prize for having his siblings killed or something - until he rolled out of his car to avoid being caught playing "hide the salami" with a cute campaign worker and sent her off to her death. Joseph P. was a truly despicable human being, and I'm not too impressed with his offspring. I only wish Jack lived long enough to be remembered as a singularly mediocre president instead of being deified after death, and have no sympathy at all for the feelings of his father upon his demise. In politics more than elsewhere, the scum rises to the top. Blue skies, Winsor

I have a custom bike I built myself - HD frame and engine - and can pretty much guarantee I spent a lot less on it than you did on yours. In all fairness, I've had it for 17 years so I got in when you could actually get a basket case for cheap. Nevertheless, it's way amusing (and truly uncivilized). Blue skies, Winsor

Simple solution: if you want a Harley, get a Harley...

I just found out that my mother has never seen "A Christmas Story." I have to scare up a copy for her - Jean Shepherd was brilliant. Blue skies, Winsor

Correct definition! I was not very precise in using "Fascism" as a buzzword, what I meant is "the ideology of the fascist regime of the 3rd Reich." FWIW, Mussolini was the author of the concept of Fascism (tm), and the name was applied in generic form to a variety of other similar political systems. IIRC, fascia are the bundles sticks beside the throne that represent the power to punish. Mussolini apparently liked the idea, and thus coined the phrase. The NSDAP, FWIW, laid claim to "socialism" as its basis. Regardless of how they labeled themselves, "a rose by any other name...." Blue skies, Winsor

Spaying strays is considered humane except when applied to the human species. There have been cases where receipt of Welfare has been dependent upon giving up the capacity to reproduce further, and I believe there is at least one class-action suit in the works as a result. The suggestion that receipt of AFDC or other similar funds be contingent upon undergoing reversible sterilization would seem a realistic approach on face value. If, during one's fertile years, the individual has achieved sufficient liquidity to pay for reversal (should they so desire), they are quite capable of further reproduction. This, however, immediately has people concerned about the slippery slope toward a "Final Solution" scenario - perhaps rightly so. The Third Reich gave Eugenics a rather bad name. Given the rather horrific excesses that accompanied their policies, that is hardly surprising. The propensity for people of insufficient means to reproduce is a problem, but I am fearful of anything that claims to be a solution. Having bureaucratic dunderheads making any more life-affecting decisions than they already do is not an option. Blue skies, Winsor

I wouldn't say it can't be done; it just didn't work this time. "Son, you only need to win by one vote. I can't afford a landslide." Joseph P. Kennedy

"I say, what's become of Chumley? Haven't seen him around the club." "I'm afraid he was kicked out for having sex with a sheep." "Oh, really? Ram or a ewe?" "Ewe, of course. Nothing queer about old Chumley!"

If you recognized the character, you would understand. If you don't get the joke, it's a waste trying to explain. Blue skies, Winsor

I have never met anyone who used the sunroof on a military aircraft and recalled the experience fondly. My standard questions are: 1) Where did you regain consciousness? 2) How long were you hospitalized? 3) Have you recovered fully yet? The answers I have received reinforce the idea that punching out is anything but a recreational activity. Blue skies, Winsor

I have the same Omega Speedmaster Professional I've had for the last 25 years (I don't think they make an Amateur model...). The one I'm wearing right now is the one Mike Mullins had in Vietnam. IIRC, he got his at about the same time as did Neal Armstrong for his trip to the moon. Though NASA now issues Timex Iron Man to their astronauts, the Omega is the ONLY watch worn on the moon. Any that aren't engraved with that trivia predate the first moon landing - the one I got from Mike has the original back, and my graduation present has the "first watch worn on the moon" back. The value of an expensive watch is similar to that of an expensive pen. A BIC might actually work better, but I have had the same Mont Blancs for many years and know exactly where they are at all times. The BIC I will "loan" to someone and walk away without a thought, but the overpriced one will not leave my sight. Similarly, I could get watches that do a better job of timekeeping for next to nothing, but they come and go. The overpriced dinosaurs will be around long after I'm gone because their cost warrants keeping them secure and in good repair. I don't want another overpriced watch, since I already have more than I need. Blue skies, Winsor

It is all patent nonsense. Some of the fairy tales are more poisonous than others, but fairy tales they are.

The reserve parachute was a reality before parachuting became a sport as such. Despite the continued use of single parachutes for intentional jumps by barnstormers and paratroopers, the TR Type chest-mounted reserve came into use in 1924. It was only in the post-WWII era that people used surplus equipment to parachute as a sport in any significant numbers. By then the use of a reserve was the norm for intentional jumps. In the early '70s the reserve migrated aft, finding a home atop the main. in the later '70s the ramair reserve became a reality, and by the end of the '80s it was the norm. About the only times a second parachute is not used are for very low altitude, such as combat airborne insertion and BASE, or emergency parachutes, where its duty is that of reserve from the outset - the aircraft serves as the main. Blue skies, Winsor

If you can use non-metallic, pilot flasks may do the trick. Check these out. For some reason the URL doesn't automatically bring them up. Put LEG-122 in the item# field and search. It works just fine for me that way. Three for $7.97 is not bad. Blue skies, Winsor

Rambocritic, eh? How can you possibly criticize Rambo? Without people like Rambo we could not possibly have achieved the resounding victory in Southeast Asia that we did. Or peace with honor or whatever. From the question you ask you might surmise that the whole of the script was cranked out by a 4-F wannabe whose knowledge of the military and parachute operations was and is nonexistent. These people make MILLIONS of dollars. They MUST have the inside scoop on the way things really work. You dare to question HOLLYWOOD? Well, if you're so smart, how come you're not rich? Anyhow, the short form of any analysis of any of the "Rambo" series (with the exception of the book "First Blood" by David Morell, which was okay) is that it is entirely nonsensical. It was written by Sylvester Stallone, who is a dyed in the wool civilian. The James Bond series has a more solid basis in fact than does the Rambo series. Ian Fleming was, indeed, an Admiral in Naval Intelligence, and created his title character as a goof - the exact opposite of what a spy really is. Instead of being sleazy people trying to get peoples nastly little secrets to leverage information, 007 was suave and sophisticated. Many of the devices provided originally by Q wound up in production for the masses, the Nikonos and office pagers being examples. Thus, your treatment of any questionable part of any "Rambo" story line should be simply "this is patently absurd because...." The only Vietnam film with a core of reality is "Full Metal Jacket." Michael Herr spent a year in the bush as a journalist - to include bunkered down at Khe Sanh during the siege - and captured much of the nature of the Marines he so admired in the film directed by Stanley Kubrick. "Platoon" shows the lack of perspective that comes with being a line grunt. Your view of the world is what you see out the back of a deuce and a half, and most would have to do a great deal of research to find out just what the hell they were actually doing. Oliver Stone drew the inaccurate conclusion that his presence on the battlefield provided him with a global comprehension of the conflict, but his film demonstrated convincingly that his understanding was both very local and flawed. When reviewing films about any conflict, do so with a great deal of skepticism. It is a rare piece of film that approaches a balanced and impartial treatment of a conflict, and most are little more than fantasy. Witness the "Rambo" series. Blue skies, Winsor

I was born in Boston, and the only professional sports organization I have ever followed is the Red Sox. The only time I really pay attention is when they have a shot at a pennant at least, and have tried to watch or listen to every World Series game in which they've been. This time I think they have a better shot at it than they did in years past, but only a fool would underestimate the Cardinals. I was in St. Louis a few weeks ago, and the mood could best be described as having reached fever pitch. Those guys are good, they're hungry, and they WANT to win. They are not going to roll over and play dead. Until the last pitch of the last game I will be holding my breath. The Sox have demonstrated that it is distinctly possible to come back from trailing 0-3 to win, so I won't be sure of the winner until it's over. Everyone I know who spent time in Boston in years past and spent the odd afternoon in the bleachers at Fenway is watching the series. So far the show has been nothing short of amazing. Blue skies, Winsor

I have put a number of jumps on a variety of Robo-Z canopies, and do not recall anything unusual about the openings. I'm sure you could pack it one way or another to get it to behave differently, but any pack job that would work with a Sabre will work with a Robo-Z AFAIK. The fact that someone was willing to put over 100 jumps on it is a pretty good indication that it didn't either incapacitate them or put them into CYPRES territory on a regular basis. Hell, I'd jump it. Blue skies, Winsor

Probably that you're not as neurotic as the "norm." I could never figure out the "hard to get" bit. Why would someon not seek someone who DOES trip her trigger? I figure if she's not interested in me, then why the hell should she waste both of our time? No means no, and it's binding. The "don't touch me there! I don't touch MYSELF there" response is a show-stopper. If that's in her repertoire, we aren't compatible. If sex isn't a very high priority, the relationship is doomed. Blue skies, Winsor

And sometimes dumb luck out weighs all three of those. I'd rather be lucky than good....

Since the mission of a sniper is surgical shot placement at extended distances, typically >600 metres, the ideal sniper rifle is one that is supremely accurate and uses a cartridge that is lethal at the intended range. Once those criteria are met, the "best" becomes, to a large extent, a matter of opinion. The 7.62x51mm (.308 Win.) cartridge is one of the most successful benchrest cartridges in existence. It has the advantage of placing a large percentage of the powder charge in the flash pattern of the primer, and thus has very uniform ignition characteristics. Absolutely brilliant bullets are available from a variety of manufacturers of .308" diameter, many of which are tailored specifically for

blowing in the same direction.... Good point. That's one problem with the short form. On a day with 40 knot uppers and 10 knots at opening altitude IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, you have to increase your delay to maintain 1,000 feet of separation at opening altitude. The 90 knots true airspeed of the aircraft, minus the 50 knots difference between the winds at altitude and at opening altitude, gives 40 knots, or 67 feet per second. You now have to wait *15* seconds between each "go!" to get the same 1,000 feet between groups at opening altitude. Note here that reversing the direction of the 10 knot breeze altitude results in 50% more time being necessary to achieve the same separation. Reversal of wind direction with altitude is more common than people often suppose. I will often have a headwind at 2,500 feet, but a significant tailwind at 10,500 feet (or vice-versa). Blue skies, Winsor

Maybe I'm just not comprehending, but I don't think you have explained how to determine what "sufficient time between groups" is. Okay, the Cliff's Notes version is that you want groups far enough apart that they are not LIKELY to infringe upon each other's airspace. Here we're going to ignore the very real factor of groups sliding like a bastard in freefall, people breaking off early and tracking toward the DZ and so forth. If you factor those issues in, you'll want a separate pass per group. As an aside, we are concerned with what is happening in the air - the ground is an issue for spotting. If you look at the ability of a competent skydiver to track, assuming a 3,500 foot breakoff and 2,500 foot opening, you can expect the diameter of the group to approach 1,000 feet. The most important altitude to have full separation is opening altitude. This is where the radius of influence of a given group is at its maximum, and it is generally where the paths of the groups are at their most convergent. However, the most elusive parameter of interest is wind speed at opening altitude, so it is usually easiest to work around it. If it's not available, you can't waste too much time fretting. To start with a calm day calculation, figuring 90 knots true airspeed (150 feet per second) gives you a little over 6 seconds between groups for your 1,000 feet of separation all the way to the ground. On a day with 40 knot uppers and 10 knots at opening altitude, you have to increase your delay to maintain 1,000 feet of separation at opening altitude. The 90 knots true airspeed of the aircraft, minus the 30 knots difference between the winds at altitude and at opening altitude, gives 60 knots, or 100 feet per second. You now have to wait 10 seconds between each "go!" to get the same 1,000 feet between groups at opening altitude. A couple of caveats: 1) Vertical separation is NOT separation. Sometimes parachutes open much higher - or lower - than expected. 2) Sufficient is a judgment call. 1,000 feet between groups decreases the likelihood of one group intruding on the airspace of another, but does not guarantee it. If you have a handle on the variables, you can adjust accordingly. If you're following a 16-way out, you should assume they are going to break high and track like hell; give them PLENTY of time. A series of solos where nobody's tracking at breakoff can work with a couple of seconds between jumpers. Anyhow, the discussion of spotting and separation is sure to crop up on a regular basis, but the physics don't change. Once you understand what's involved, you need only pay attention and use your judgment. Blue skies, Winsor