slotperfect

I don't have downloadable ringtones, so mine is one of the organic choices from the phone software - "Stars and Stripes Forever" (imagine that). It is quite loud with the ringer volume turned all the way up, so I am very conscious about having the phone on vibrate when it's on my body. I was at a graveside burial service last Spring, and parked my convertible (top down) only a short walk from the gravesite. I was quite intentional about triple-checking my phone to make sure I had turned it off, and I left it in the cupholder in the car. As the Preacher was reading the Bible verse, I heard the very familiar - and LOUD - "Stars and Stripes Forever," right next to me. My blood froze as I tried to figure out that could have happened despite all of my precautions. I relaxed when I saw the red-faced lady next to me digging frantically in her purse to shut it off. Arrive Safely John

I have never seen a privately owned Chinook. Talk to diverdriver about how to look them up in the FAA registry. I have a lot of MFF jumps out of them, and one or two military static line jumps. Overall they were excellent jump platforms. Plenty of room for jumpers inside - even with aux tanks installed we put 15 jumpers inside. It has a ramp, is fast to altitude, and can fly at a decent airspeed so you don't get the chimney effect. Also, when someone landed out, it was a quick ride back to the DZ! On the flip side, they are LOUD (wear double ear pro), and some models had an exterior hydraulic fluid vent just forward of the ramp, so it was common to get a face full of hydro fluid when spotting. I haven't jumped one since about 1997 or 1998. Arrive Safely John

This thread is about what to if one goes low on a formation . . . it's not a place for personal gripes. Please keep the thread on topic and - rwieder and brits 17 - take the one-on-one exchanges to PMs. Arrive Safely John

Chest strap until the main lift webs are parallel, then leg straps. Arrive Safely John

2005 Best Thread: "What Can We Do About Skyride." As much work as is was to moderate, it will ultimately make an important contribution our sport. 2005 Best Post: Mike Gruwell's post in Incidents about the Atlanta Tandem Student fatality. That took a huge amount of guts, and I respect him for posting honestly so that we all might learn from the incident. 2005 Favorite Greenie(s): Bill and Tom. Their objectivity and incredible patience (especially with the spin in SC) is an example to me. 2005 Favorite Post Whore: 2005 Funniest Poster: Beezy Shaw. He only posts the funnies every so often, but they are ALWAYS priceless. 2005 DZ.com Hottie of the Year (Male): 2005 DZ.com Hottie of the Year (Female): 2005 Overall BEST Poster: Bill Booth. It takes balls to post the content that he does in our litigious society. He does so because moving the sport forward through increased knowledge and safety is worth the risk. And, his answers are always more than we expected to gain from reading the thread. (Just don't tell him I jump an Odyssey! ) Favorite Boogie of 2005: Not this year.

I would do exactly the same . . . see if they had something else to wear instead. If not, I would invert it and stuff it down their back so it stays out of the way - making a mental note to double check it before I move to the door. Arrive Safely John

Two good threads on the subject: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1019128;search_string=blocking;#1019128 http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1288968;search_string=blocking;#1288968 Arrive Safely John

I could tell you what's in my head, but I would rather you get it straight from the source. Call USAPT Operations at (910) 396-2036. Ask for SFC Karen Morrison or SFC Darrin Grim. Tell them I sent you - both of them are former teamies of mine. I attached the application, downloaded from their website. I have one other comment for you that I have sent via PM. Arrive Safely John

This post has run its course. I culled all of the "this post is boring" posts from the last two pages so whoever comes looking for this thread in the future won't have to wade through them. A note to all - if you are bored with a post, your best bet is to stop posting to it. If you continue to post stuff like "boring" "let it go" or "enough already" you do nothing more than perpetuate the thread by keeping it high on the first page. Those types of posts contribute zero to the thread. Please don't create any more Shayna Richardson spinoff threads unless they have a large amount of value on some aspect of this incident that has not already been discussed ad nauseum in the 12-15 other related threads. Cheers, Arrive Safely John

This is such a good question, I am going to move it to S&T. It will get better attention there and it won't get bumped off the front page as fast. Arrive Safely John

Take the time to read the thread. The info you are looking for is there, and you may end up with more information that will broaden your understanding of this very complex issue. Arrive Safely John

His pet name for her is "Yes Ma'am!" Arrive Safely John

Congratulations, to Mr. and Mrs. Sangiro! God bless your marriage and your life together. Arrive Safely John

Remster . . . Arrive Safely John

Yet another Moderator match! Arrive Safely John

I ran LouDiamond's photo and came up with this one as a 99% match. Arrive Safely John

Mine turned up: Charles Gounod (19th Century French Composer) Tom Cruise (No clue as to why) Steve Fossett (Rich Balloonist) Kevin Costner (My English accent is better) Jose Carreras (I wish I had his vocal power) Alfred Jodl (Nazi Wermacht Commander in WWII) Mark Hamill (Before the wreck) This is very interesting to me. Since I was about 14, three or four times a year I am told (most often by total strangers) that I look exactly like a friend, family member, neighbor, etc. It really happens often. I have even been introduced to a couple of people I was supposed to favor, and correctly so. Airshow performer Sean D. Tucker's right hand man and I were mistaken for one another so often while doing airshows together in my GK days, we just started telling people we were half-brothers. A lady at front desk of a hotel in Cleveland even gave me a message for him once, thinking I was him. If I had to choose two celebrities who look like me, it would be Tom Hanks (as an adult), and Matt Damon (as a young man). I can see myself in both of those faces. I have also been told I look like the guy in "Remember The Titans" who is injured in the car crash. The absolute topper for me though, was when they published the FBI artist's conception of John Doe #2 immediately after the Oklahoma City bombing. This guy looks nearly exactly like me when I'm having a bad day. When I arrived at work the next day, the John Doe #2 picture was posted all over the place with my name at the bottom of it. For those who have met me in person - see for yourself (that pic is attached). Thanks for this, Leroy - it was a lot of fun. Arrive Safely John

A three part answer . . . 1) Free fall drift: a tandem with a drogue out travelling 120 will drift a bit more than a solo skydiver with the same fall rate (Can anyone else chime in on that? John Kallend? Anyone? Anyone?) 2) Intentionally moving the tandem pair with the drogue out is possible, but you don't move very far. 3) RW between tandems in drogue-fall is VERY dangerous. Arrive Safely John

The question that one has to ask here is who is affected by the choice to engage in a high risk activity wihthout health and/or life insurance. If you are single and have nobody in your life that depends on your income for survival, then the choice to jump without insurance seems much less consequential. Those who have families or other people who would be directly affected by a disabling injury should carefully consider the consequences of such an incident. Arrive Safely John

When people choose to take their story to the mainstream media, whatever there motives might be, there are going to be people who share their opposing opinions in public forums as well. As long as those opinions fit the forum rules, and are met with no objection from the owner of this website, then all opinions are welcome - even if you or I don't agree with them. I won't judge her choices, especially since I know very little about the actual facts surrounding the incident. I will however say that to assume that "many here on dropzone.com would have made the same decision" is a bit of a stretch. Arrive Safely John

Shayna - or somebody, since she vowed not to post again - please post the bare bones details of the incident. Many of us have not seen any of the media coverage of which you speak. I have had people tell me they saw it and called it "an amazing story." Other than that I know nothing of the incident. The long explanation will be better supported with the basic facts surrounding what happened, or a link to another thread on this board or others that contains that information. Meanwhile, I edited your post a bit to make it easier to read - it's a long one. Heal quickly . . . Arrive Safely John

Anyone posting content that is inappropriate for the majority of workplaces, such as nudity, should - out of courtesy and respect to others - be marked NSFW in both the subject line and the body of the post. That is the poster's personal responsibility, and it does indeed make common sense. Whether or not "TeenPlanet" is questionable or not is not the issue here - courtesy and respect for others in these forums is. Many people are allowed to use work computers during breaks, lunch hours, etc to access personal content. Many workplaces heavily monitor sites being visited and it is VERY possible for someone to get fired by inadvertently opening a site with inappropriate content. There has been a shocking rise of posts by people who think that anything goes. For everyone: please think before you post. Arrive Safely John

Curioser and curioser . . . Arrive Safely John

Maybe he and KBone car pool back and forth to ATCville every day? Arrive Safely John

It's a mid-life crisis thing (see attachment). Arrive Safely John