rhys

Stevo may have an idea of what lies as far as humans can see, but he nor nobody can be sure that is the edge of our universe. Much like Europeans didn't know much about the South Pacific before they explored it. Try to imagine what stevo claims is the edge of the univers as the shores of a country with a great ocean between what lies beyond. We have oceans, we have voids between planets, sloar systems/stars why not 'sections' of our universe. If something was dicovered beyond that void would it be a part of our universe or another universe or something completely different? That comes down to what we humans claim it to be, but our diecisions or discoveries play no part in explaining how everything came to be or what it was the created it. Either there was nothing before everything came to existance or everything alwayes existed in some form or another. It seems scientists believe we can 'potentially' trace our universe to a single point. That is only our universe. We can only comprehend what we know, or observe. What we cannot observe we will never know, and using the scentific method, the unknown dwarfs the known by a staggering seemingly uncalculable figure, Maybe that figure is infinity? "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

Not for our everyday lives but for the origin of the universe it makes all the difference, who is to say on a scale, that our universe is not a part of something much bigger indeed, like an atom or a cell. One can speculate all they like, but the truth is that nobody will ever be sure. One contributing factor can change everything. is impossible to know all the contributing factors. That is why I just let it be. Because we know the liklihood of that is vrey minimal, I'm sure steven hawking could put a figure on it, as we know the nature of buffalo very well, we don;t know the nature of the universe very well at all. and our knowledge is constrained by what we can observe. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

there is a difinative dfference between; Definately is, and probably is. can you tell the difference? "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

You got that all wrong, There is no god - atheism There is probably a creator of some description as we had to come from somehwere/somthing but none of the presented religons add up and it is likely we will not ever be able to fathom the origin of life - agnosticism Well as far as I am aware that is how it works anyway. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

So bacause we cannot see anything,means there is nothing there? who is to say there is not a void for another 13 billion ,light years and then more 'existance' for more light years... These assertions are all from observatios made, there is more unseen than seen, people make mistakes, and we will never know a fraction of everything that exists. ... according the the hypothesis that you are most inclined to beleive. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

Understood, but wild buffalo would probably not tiptoe across the lawn and a heard would probably leave turd or two as evidence. haha We know about reproduction, but we do not know about the outer limits of the universe. Show me one individual that claims to know how large the universe actually is where it's boarders are and what lies beyond? Anyone that made such a claim would have to be lying as our technology is not yet capable of such observatons. Who knows what the future holds. That of this earth and atmosphere can be well understood as we can observe and study it directly, outside of this solar system things become a little less clear. Hypothesies can be presented and somehow acknowledged, but never can one be certain. as too many variables remain unknown. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

that is logic and can be proven, the big bang and the origin of the universe can only be explained by guess work. The origin of the universe and the falling branch are quite different. we can put wood in various forms under a microscope and we can tet the gravity of the earth, we cannot explain the beginning or the end of the universe, we can guess, whe can make assertions but we cannot ever be sure. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

The definition of God is ambiguous. I don't like using the term when explaing my beliefs as the stigma around the word has some sort of human influence which to me is uttery rediculous and selfish. It does encompass anybodies definition as long as they beleive the origin of life comes from that entity. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

That is if the hypothesis that accounts for those 'facts' is actually correct. One can have as many theories as one wants, but one small factor can render them all incorrect. These are just theories and none can be so sure that they are correct as there is nothing that can prove beyond resonable doubt that they are. The processes are explainable, but not necessarily explained. You seem to be confusing theory with fact. Like it used to be fact that the earth was flat... We only know what we know, and there is plenty of unknown that can render these theories useless, but how are we ever to know... Some need to have an explanation, I do not. It only takes one thing to make something that makes sense, not make sense anymore. Especially when we delve into the origins of the universe. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

Wow, what a confusing statement, are you trying to say the known is more comprehensive than the unknown? If think this is the case then you are clearly mistaken. I don;t like to use the word GOD because of the implications, i do not worship any god s an agnostic, I simply respect what is not known. I will repeat my standpoint, athiests are as incorrect as those that worship gods in the eyes of man. Nobody has the information to be so definative. It is impossible for us to know everything and the unknow dwarfs the known by a scale that is incomprehensable. We do not even know much about our own solar system and the history of arth let alone the plethora of other solar systems in out glaxy and beyond. Don't even pretend to believe haman beings and the Earth are the centre of the universe. Our existance is just a 'Blink' compared to the existnce of 'everything'. What I consider the creator of everything is not in the form of human being nor a organic life form, but if the big bag or some other form of process is what created everything, then that would be by definition the god we should respect, there are flaws in every theory as before existance these would have to have been 'something' to create this from, maybe our creator be it anything, has always existed. I am quite content knowing that we will probably never know. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

As an agnostic, I beleive there my be some kind of source of life be it physical or spiritual. With this view, it seems to me anyone that can say there definately is not a source of life, so the speak, is just as wrong as one that says there defintely is. Nobody can be that sure, as it is, (contrary to what many in here think) impossible to know everything. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

JVX79 ZP loaded at 2.4. This is a nice all round canopy for me. I use a para concepts RDS. My next canopy will be either an all sail 72 or 69, havn't decided yet. It was amazing to see the difference betwen the all sail and the zp. I was super current after 2 comps and a training camp on my zp jvx79, then I tried an all sail jvx79 and geeeeeeez what a difference, we checked the lineset, no difference at all. I was skeptical about any difference but there sure is, more dive and more speed and more distance it is quite surreal. I am busy starting new DZ so my swooping comp training is dormant, after our first summer sometime we will build a pond and I will be back into it..... "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

Yes, sometimes, but for the speed event it is not about distance it is abot speed, surprisingly. Accuracy is also not about distance and lots of distance is really really bad in accuracy. In speed events, if a canopy that is loaded at 3.0 gets through the 70m faster but then dies in its ass at 80m then it is still a better tool for that event. Sometimes with a head wind the small canopies have an even better advantage, in tail wind a different story. This is why competators have a quiver of weapons for competition. Once you delve into the discipline it is much more technical than one would think... "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

there that better? "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

I respect the mods positions but we are not here to brown nose mods and they are here to make sure we play by the rules. If a moderator does not see eye to eye with a certain individual, and punishes them more readily than say; someone they do see eye to eye with, then that shows that moderator is not a very good at thier position. Moderation is about being neutral (in respect of punishment) and fortunately it seems the moderators here do a great job of that. It is about the rules, not the percieved expectations of certain individuals. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

It depends what jump you have been doing, for a belly way there should be no reason for an atmo or tracking jump where there are others on thier back. no matter how hard you wave they will not see you. It would have to be a peculiar situation for me to do it. an axample I can think of is a atmo jump, where you find yourself with another on top of you still on their back on the same heading. we usually break off from these jumps at about 4.5k so there would be plenty of time to excecute a barrel roll to determine the true expected heading of the jumpoer above you. For 95% of jumps and jumpers I do not think it is a good idea as heading awareness is first to go. But if you have a kook above you at opening time you want to make sure they are not above you. I tricky question. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

How do you suggest I have broken any rules with that post? "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

I am currently banned form the SC for saying it how it is (from my standpoint), it is difficult to debate religon, politics etc without being honest or telling someone what they are. I was banned for calling someone a bigot, when it is obvious that they are. Saying that they are not receptive to ideas other than thier own; somehow sounds less sincere. If only the bonfire was a real bofire and the speakers corner was a real soap box, then these assholes that hide behind the moderators with thier half truths and bullshit would get the bollocking they deserve. There are too many 'super online good guys' out there bullshitting behind a false masks. I can spot them a mile away but it seems plenty can't! I like to think of the bonfire as the place of hugs and boobies, how does one get banned from the bonfire? "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

100,000 damged homes, only 60,00 were not damaged! Liquifaction is a big problem is some areas, with gas resovoirs floting out of the ground... there have been well over 100 aftershocks some over 5.0 and now there has been an earthquake in the norths island. I sure hope Mt. Ruapehu doesn't go off!!! We have had enough carnage for now. In a third world country with lesser building standards or if this had of happened during the day , the casyualty rate would have been extremely worse. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

Surprisingly almost everybody is, only a couple of serious injuries and one critical but no deaths. There is some quite severe damage, my sister in law was standing in a crack in the ground 2m deep and 2m wide. my mother was in the doorway for 20 minute while it was going on this morning and has counted over 50 aftershocks. The city looks like a war has rolled through. Many old brick buildings collapsed sections street front. balconies collapsed on to the footpath... Being in the early hours of the morning is what saved many lives. We have had a severe plane crash at a DZ just over the hill from me, 9 of our skydivnig buddies have now perished too. This is one of our nations worst earthquakes causing moderate damage to our 2nd largest city and also one of our worst ever aircraft accidents in one day. A very sad day for New Zealand. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

they are worried about the alpine fault which is where I am located, this earthquake will be minor compared the what will happen if the alpine fault lets go, it is well overdue and this may have lossened it up... or not... "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

I'm sure more reports will come in, many people are without power phone and of course internet. the prime minister is flying down now with some key ministers to determine the response. fortunately we have good infrastructure and building codes, many palces would have been flattened by this. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

now they are downgrading to 7.0, seismologists have announced. haiti was 7.0 also i beleive? "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

The first quake was actually 7.4 and the first aftershock was 7.1, more aftershocks expected. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

Thank you for your warm thoughts. there is more information here; http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10671050 There has been a cold snap moving across the country so the temperature s around 0 degrees so those wthout power and with damaged property may have trouble keeping warm. A positive is the extensive strengthening that has been carried out in the city to the old brick buildings had seemed to work very well, without which this would have been a much worse disaster!!! "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix