rgoper

well, she's definitely patriotic! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

hope you guys find it, and who ever took it deserves a whoopin' texas style! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

my wife is predicting that MAD TV, and Saturday Night Live is going to have a "field day" with this story! too bad Will Farrell is gone from SNL! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

this story, and video is WAY scary. i'm in utter dissbelief. i can't believe the pilot didn't know that a dropzone was perfoming jump activity. i bet the fellow who almost got run down, want's a piece of that pilot's ass by now! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

dang, that's too bad, sorry it happened, hope you heal well, and in a timely manner. lesson learned here? i think andy made it clear, don't gear up while in a hurry, there's always another load to catch. thanks for sharing that andy, i've caught myself pulling that same stunt, i have to force myself to slow down, especially when i first arrive, and see the otter taking off, knowing it's a 15 minute call to the next load! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

i think we have a "green light" for tomorrow, i understand the weather is moving away from us!!??!! i'm "jonesing" i need a fix! somebody get me a doctor! van halen. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

pursue other avenues in the sport you haven't yet. jump out of a helicopter, balloon, casa, etc...look into base jumping, with the proper training of course, try sky surfing, again with proper training. look for ways to "keep it fresh" i'm sure that every one at some point and time feels the way you do from time to time. i know today it's raining, and i'm not getting to jump, so next time i go to the drop zone, i'll probably get a speeding ticket! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

in the past, as well as the present, the people i take advice from i know. so i'm already aware of their abilities, even though i'm not aware of their ratings, number of jumps, etc...so i actually look to different individuals for advice in the area that they, in my mind are very competant at performing. just because i see john doe have a sponsership with a major manufacturer doesn't lend him/her any more credibility with me, until i've seen what they can/cannot do for myself. call me a doubting thomas. i know one individual in particular that in my observation/opinion, with the canopy skills this person posses, can out fly any canopy pilot in existence, and yes, i've been reading all of the stats, and i'm aware of "who's who" in canopy piloting skills. but this particular person has no sponser, etc...but i would bet my hard earned money (not that it will ever be arranged) that this person could fly circles around the best of the best. so having said all of that, what do ratings and championships REALLY mean? --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

sorry, i miss spoke, i should have used the word utilize. excuse the glitch. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

**do you believe in ghosts? angels? demons?** yes to all three. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

JT: i beg to differ. your opinion is your opinion. why should you be "flamed" it is generally this fear that keeps a lot of people "stifled" your opinion, and ideas are just as valid as the next persons. as soon as everyone gets a clear and consice understanding of this principle, the better off we'll all be. i believe what i believe, and if someone wants to believe differently, hey...kewel!

Quade: you know me better than that. i don't care what other's think, you know that. go back and read my edited posts, maybe this will bring more clarity to my logic. as far as the popular stuff goes.......RIGHT. and YES, i am bragging about being a tad sharper than most, is it a crime to be so confident? go ahead, shoot me then! i've faced far more dangerous situations than most men still alive with oilwell fires, equipment, and lives being destroyed all around the place, be afraid? not the kid, confident? of course, if your not....go home, your much safer there. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

**RSL's were designed to save your ass during a low malfunction and cuttaway. That is their primary purpose. Saving people who forget to pull the second handle (or can't find it), is just an added benefit.** i'm in a class above these you speak of. not that something CAN'T happen to me, but if it does, it won't be because i forgot to pull, or couldn't find my handle. if i go in, everything will have been pulled, if i were not sure of this, i wouldn't skydive at all. another reason i posted what i did, it's up to each individual what, if any safety equipment you employ, i knew when i said i dissconnected my RSL, there would be a barrage of people stating it was ignorant, or unwise to do so, that's exactly what happened! i'm not surprised, some of who made statements about it, are the same ones who have bashed the improvazation of RSL's in the past, funny, ain't it? GOTCHA! i forgot to add, that the reason i did not activate my AAD (and all who know me, know i'm pro-AAD) is because we were in a balloon, with a pilot, and a radio i'd NEVER seen before, i was actually sceptical about an accidental discharge of my AAD with a radio system i'd never been around before, i did not know what power/amps/frequency he was on, and didn't have time to research the matter. plus the basket was small, and the heat from the heat sheild was incredibly hot, and i was not sure what effect, if any, this would have on my AAD. so in my mind, since it was my equipment, and my jump, and my life, i took what precautions i thought were necessary, personal decision, you get the drift. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

Clay: it is much to my chagrin, that this is your reply. i'm not defensive, and i'm not afraid, if i were, would i have stated what i did? i just know other's have different outlooks/ideals and that's kewel with me, you? diversity is what makes society interesting. it would be a shame if we were all the same. you served your country in the military, did you serve "your country" and your country alone? or were you serving "god and country?" my son, who will soon be 23 is serving in the military right now, and i know who he's serving, he said so himself. just curious what your experienced voice would lend here. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

Freebird: yes, i believe in a higher power. and i'm NOT afraid of the "flak" i know i'll take for expressing my beliefs. if i was to deny my creator, would he not deny me? i believe in god, and his son, jesus christ, and i believe in the holy spirit, which form a triune god. i also believe with all my heart, that when i pass from this earthly life, my spirit will ascend into heaven, see you there! there is nothing contraversial about my beliefs, nor do i ask that others believe what i do, but i can say, with a lot of confidence that god truly loves each, and every one of us, (even those who do not believe in him) so much in fact that he sent his son to die on the cross at calvary for all of our sins. john 3:16. we must remember, that faith is evidence in a belief of something yet to be seen. please, everyone, before you get all fired up, bear in mind, i'm simply answering freebird's question. good evening. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

**Why not? Why?** jumping out of a balloon at 4500 AGL, the cypress wouldn't have done me any good anyway, and if it would've fired, i would have had a mess, the RSL dissconnection because in the event of a mal at such low altitude, if i had to ct-away, i didn't want a possible entanglement. if ya'll remember in the past, i have stated that on certain dives, i will dissconnect my auxillary safety gear. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

i get one after my gear is on, and i'm waiting to get on the plane. i constantly check my three handles, at least 15 times on the way to the plane. (in sequence) i check my own reserve pin, and i let someone i know and trust, check my main pin before we get on final jump run, i know most everybody i jump with, so i'm comfortable, however, i try to make it a point to ask someone who wears the same kind of container i do, because i know there familiar with it. i wouldn't get a main pin check, but i can't see the "green" in the window, i know my pc's cocked, i do it myself, but it beats the shit out of a pc in tow! i always ask politely to whoever is checking my equipment that they NOT slap the shit out of my container, just 2 taps on it lightly, this did cause me at one time to stop getting pin checks. all better now! p.s. just so ya'll know, i did not turn on my AAD, and i dissconnected my RSL for the balloon jump. safe, or not, what is your opinion? we jumped out at 4500 AGL --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

i could, but i won't verbally "spar" with you. consider this my last word on the matter. again, have a nice evening! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

**You appear to be writing to yourself and at least a couple of those sentances are very difficult to parse.** it appears to me that your attempts at making me look foolish are only uncovering your own foolishness. i've never tried to "parse" anything to my best recollection. this isn't rocket science people, it's differences in opinions. is it a scientific fact that the closer to the center of the earth is hotter? yes, it most certainly is. does the bible refer to hell being in the depths of the earth, yes, it most certainly does. do i believe that a fallen angel fomerly known as michael was cast out of heaven, into the depths of hell for all eternity by god, yes, i do. there, now we can be friends again! is this clear enough for you? remember now, play nice, everybody gets to have their own opinion! this one is mine. have a great evening!

i beg to differ sir. they are not hard to understand as long as one is in full possession of his/her own facilities. again, my opinion, of which i'm afforded under the constitution of which much reference has been made. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

but thanks, what you did for me is clarify my suspicions, and what i believe are your fears. if in fact there is no heaven, and no hell, why would these referenced experiences alert you? why, you've nothing to fear. remember, no heaven, no hell, no god, or higher "being" NO WORRIES! but i stand by my statement of "there will be quite a few enlightned individuals at the final day" --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

**I think everyone is entitled to believe whatever they choose. Just so I am clear on this - you believe it is possible that, towards the center of the earth, there's a physical chamber with a devil in it that god sends bad people to after they die in order to torment them?** i NEVER made this remark either. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

I'm not sure what you mean. Do you mean **that a geologist who believes the earth was formed via natural physical forces, over the course of billions of years, can not believe in god?** i NEVER made that remark. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

i want one, where can i get one? --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

wing load is not so much of a factor here, it's the flight charistics of the semi-elipitical wing of the canopy itself. be prepared for flatter finals, way less "sink" in on landing, and until you see for yourself how the brakes handle, don't try to run it out on landing, you'll just be busting that ass, trust me. never stop flying the canopy while it is in flight, slow it down with your brakes, then milk your flare to your landing spot, and bear in mind, to not try to put you feet down thinking your going to run it out, it's flying faster than you think. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"