Airman1270

...The smoking laws, too, are for the protection of others. I do think that businesses should be able to pay an additional charge and get a smoking license, just as they can pay an additional charge and get a liquor license... _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Sure, there's always some lofty, altruistic jusitification for these laws. The war on tobacco is not about health. There is nothing inherently harmful about occasional exposure to tobacco smoke. It's annoying, that's all. The free market will take care of the matter, as people who don't want to deal with smoking will avoid places where it is permitted. Most restaurant owners, for example, will limit smoking because it's a wise business decision. But they should not have to answer to the courts if they choose not to comply. The suggestion that they pay an extra fee for a license permitting them to do something which has always, until recently, been legal only compunds the ridiculousness of the situation. I've never smoked tobacco, but am tempted to start just to stick it in the faces of the anti-smoking nazis. Again, the people calling for more laws, criminalizing something that used to be okay, are the same people who accuse their political opponents of interfering with their civil liberties. "Freedom" is rapidly being redefined as those few things the government still allows us to do. If you still believe the quaint myth that we are a "free country" try taking a walk on a public beach at night. Cheers, Jon

A few years back I had a strange skydiving dream. (Has anyone had a dream that wasn't "strange" in some way?) A bunch of us were in an Otter traveling cross-country to another DZ. The wierd part was that the inside of the plane was like someone's living room; we were all walking around, sitting in chairs, etc. As we approached the DZ four people opened the door and lauched a four-way piece - without rigs. I saw them calling the exit count and ran toward the door to stop them, but didn't make it in time. I watched them exit and a moment later saw their horrified reactions as they realized they forgot their gear. (Even so, they held a nice, stable four-way.) The actual people were nondescript; I didn't recognize anyone. Please don't do this. By the way, does anyone remember Ivan McGuire's (spelling?) rigless dive on April 3, 1988? I never knew the guy, but saw his video on the news a day or so later. Spooky. Cheers, Jon

Don't let the cold weather keep you down (pun- ha ha ha ha ha ha etc...) Winter weather has its own beauty. I was a student jumper near Albany, NY in the early 1980's, and jumped right on through the winter. I remember one very cold day, with ice & snow on the ground and maybe a dozen jumpers at the DZ. I was the only student, with about 20-ish jumps, going up on a 20-second delay with a T-10 rig. We placed the kerosene heater on a platform to pre-heat the Cessna 206 and chipped ice off the wings prior to the first load. Woo hoo. The biggest problem with winter jumping is arriving at the DZ in the afternoon and having trouble getting a load up because evryone who wants to make a jump has already done so, and is not all that eager to deal with the cold again that day. Dress warmly and have a great time. Cheers, Jon

How do you know what they would do, have you polled them? Do you know who is in control of both houses of Congress and the White House right now? Republicans. Why haven't they rolled back all these "Democratic" intrusions while they still have the opportunity? Why have the Republicans produced an enormous increase in the size of government since 2000? More government = more governance. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Part of the problem is that, While Republicans do have a slight majority in Congress, the place is still dominated by liberals in both parties. There is little passion among some, and full-bore opposition among others, to reducing or eliminating certain programs, departments, etc. Furthermore, anyone who tries to take on this task will be attacked with both barrells by the media, etc., and portrayed as an evil sonofabitch who hates you. It's an uphill struggle. Your question is sort of like rebuking the allied armies on the coast of Normandy on June 10th, asking why they haven't taken Berlin yet. The purpose of this threat was to challenge the description of right-leaning folks as "nazis." I provided a short list of things we were free to do 30 years ago which are illegal today. The higher costs & restrictions imposed on us are predominantly the result of legislation pushed by liberals. If by "nazis" we mean those who restrict our civil liberties, I was hoping someone might provide some examples of how they can no longer do things they used to do due to laws pushed by conservatives. Jon

QuoteQuoteI'm not. My point is: If a blood alcohol Just because a certain alcohol level used to be legal doesn't mean it 'never used to cause problems'... _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Back in the late '70's or so, when Mothers Against Drunk Driving began to organize, they were responding to situations in which people drank way beyond the legal limit and hurt others. At the time the legal blood alcohol level was .10%. MADD's sole purpose was to persuade people to obey the existing law. The .10% limit was reasonable; it allowed people to enjoy those few drinks, in moderation, without posing a threat to public safety. At the same time, they didn't have to worry about being hassled by the cops. One mistake people make is that they expect the law to prevent problems. The law can only establish a standard and define a punishment for violations. It cannot control behavior. As MADD gained political clout, they changed their mission: Rather than attempt to persuade people to obey the law, they claimed the law "wasn't working" and demanded the legal limit be changed. This was nothing more than an emotional respose to tragedies caused by people who violated the existing law. A guy drinks a 12-pack, then runs a red light and kills a kid, something which was illegal 30 years ago; MADD's response was to criminalize the guy who drank three beers in two hours. Meanwhile, the guy who drank three beers is not causing problems and would not even be noticed, except for the use of police roadblocks. Smell the breath, arrest the driver. Even though he'll likely be acquitted, or have the charges later dismissed, he still gets hassled and pays money. This, despite the fact that he didn't do anything wrong and posed no threat to public safety. The easiest way to get locked up in America today is to obey all laws which were in effect 30 years ago. Cheers (hic), Jon DAMM - Drunks Against Mad Mothers

I would likely vote "yes", but reluctantly. The government has a legitimate reason to keep illegal drugs illegal. However, the "war on drugs" is being used as an excuse to expand police powers and intrude on Constitutional rights. In my work I read police reports daily. I have read hundreds of reports in which the incident began with a cop stopping people not because they committed a violation, but because he wanted to "check them out." (Please spare me this crap about "failure to maintain lane" or "severe window tint." The county is not spending $30,000+ a year to maintain a K-9 unit on the interstate because they're concerned about window tint violations.) A grandmother with local tags can commit minor violations without being hassled, but if two men in their 20's are passing through with Pennsylvania tags, they're going to be watched very carefully and stopped & searched if they so much as change lanes without signalling. Furthermore, these searches are being described as "routine." I've noticed that the K-9 guys, who have been specifically trained to ferret out drug violations, do not even think it necessary to explain in their reports what justification they had for conducting a search in the first place. Screw the damn Fourth Amendment. The most offensive police conduct, things which would have been unthinkable just 25 years ago, can be justified by saying they're looking for drugs. It's not just traffickers or dangerous criminals who are being hassled. Cheers, Jon

I looked up Sangrio's profile and clicked on his e-mail address to send a quick note. It didn't go through. Last week I tried this with someone else - the message came back as "undeliverable." What's going on with the e-mail? Or is it just me? Sigh, Jon

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Good point. I was responding to something said here, but you're right. How do I move this thing? Jon

Your vision is selective. Not sure why you're defending drunk drivers either. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I'm not. My point is: If a blood alcohol level of "X" used to be legal and never used to cause any problems, why has it been redefined as a crime? Jon

After the first reserve ride (#14 - couldn't find ripcord, pulled reserve) I went up later that day. I was always just this side of freaked out anyway, so the plane ride was not much more scary than normal. Both my next two cutaways occurred on the first jump of the day, when I had planned to make three. During the cutaways I remember thinking "Damn - now I can't jump any more today and I have to pay for a repack..." For my first malfunction, I knew what I had done wrong (packing error) and learned from it. The other one was spooky - I'd packed the same way for several hundred jumps. This time it just streamered. I still don't know why. The first cutaway (#142) was the one resulting in a hard pull, low reserve opening, and getting kicked off the DZ. After already being kicked off the DZ near my home a few years earlier I was getting discouraged and almost quit. Three months later I went to a new DZ, hoping they wouldn't ask why my reserve was unpacked. I didn't want them to know what had happened on the last dive because I was afraid they wouldn't let me jump there. The ride to altitude, at a new DZ with people I didn't know, and thinking about almost going in on the last dive, was about the scariest I've had. But the canopy ride was the best ever! Cheers, Jon

In another thread, someone made a reference to the "nazis" in the Congress & White House. It has become popular for a segment of society to refer to Republicans/conservatives as "nazis", the implication being that they want to force you to do things you may not want to do. My question: Where is the evidence to back this up? Some people cite the Patriot Act. While I have a problem with some of its provisions, I can't help noticing that the people complaining are the same people who would accuse the president of "not caring" if he had NOT approved any new laws in response to the 9/11 attacks. When I look at the exhaustive list of things we were free to do 30 years ago, but are illegal today, I see a bunch of laws pushed by Democrats/liberals. It's not the "extreme right wing" that has imposed seat belt laws, bicycle helmet laws, HOV lanes, or has redefined "drunk driving" to criminalize people who never used to pose a threat to public safety. It's not the right that drives up the cost of housing by restricting new construction, drives up the cost of fuel by imposing ridiculous restrictions under the guise of "environmental;" concerns, drives up the cost of skydiving by requiring AAD's, and drives up the cost of everything else by imposing high tax rates and coddling the litigation lobby. It's not the right that interferes with private property rights by imposing smoking restrictions on businesses, or interferes with the economy by forcing businesses to pay entry-level employees more than they're worth. Etc., etc. Republicans are not blameless; they are frequently bullied into supporting legislation so as to avoid being smeared as "not caring" about (fill in the blank: "women", "the children", "the environment", "minorities", etc.) However, the fact remains that if Democrats do not want these laws passed they don't get passed. Every time the left gets what they want, we lose more money and more freedom. Meanwhile, the right is portrayed as an enemy of civil liberties! The nazis were known for imposing numerous restrictions on citizens, dealing brutally with dissent, and a secular philosophy based upon a foundation of contempt for the Church. Today's Democratic party has much more in common with these principles than does anyone in high-profile positions within the G.O.P. A conservative cannot offer an opinion, or make a suggestion, without being accused of "forcing" something on us. Meanwhile, the left demands laws making it a crime not to do what they say. The difference between Pat Robertson and Hillary Clinton is that Robertson won't drag you into court just because you choose not to follow his advice. Any thoughts? Cheers, Jon (I hope this is not necessarily "soapbox" material; I was responding to something posted in this thread. Please move it if it does not belong here, thanks.)

Well... Suddenly it seems nobody is all that interested in downsizing! C'mon, where are all these people who get such a rush from swooping to the finish as quickly as possible, with the smallest equipment they can get their hands on? Me? I've been riding my big unit for years, and am in no hurry for it to be over. Of course, since I can't get to the DZ very often I have to do a few practice pulls at home... ...... Cheers, Jon

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Well said, but shouldn't we save the rebuke for people who actually think jumping under the influence is a good idea? I'm waiting to hear from the "there's nothing wrong with it - I do it all the time" crowd. Personally, I've known many jumpers who imbibe after hours, but have rarely/never seen these people do so while flying. If the responses to these posts are any indication, there may not be much to worry about up there as far as drugs are concerned. Man. Jon

About 10 years ago we held an impromptu speed star competition. (I chose the team name "Vomit Under Pressure.") As we approached 3000' I released my grips, but the other guys held on to me. We finally broke at 2000', turned 180, and dumped. Got open at 1000'. On the very next dive we got a bad spot, nearly a mile off the DZ. One guy broke away, pointed to the ground, and pulled high. I dumped above 5000' and rode a streamer, watching in fascination. As I pondered my handles, it began taking air and was inflated by 1800'. Boy am I glad it didn't happen on the previous jump... Years earlier I was fresh off student status and sent my new (very used) main off for a new line set. After it came back I hooked it up & packed it, then drove to Boston to see some friends. On the way home to Long Island I stopped at a DZ in Woodstock, Connecticut for the first time. Filled out the paperwork, went up in the 182, jumped, opened, and looked up at a pilot chute. I flew backwards for my 60th jump, over a place I'd never been, guiding it down toward a field near the runway. (The canopy was fine; there was no reason to chop and risk a reserve malfunction.) Eventually people began asking "What's that guy doing?" After landing I put my helmet on backwards and approached the group. Always hook up your main the right way. Cheers, Jon

Vallerina sparked an interesting discussion regarding drugs at the DZ. The concensus seems to be: It happens, but if you're going to do it keep it discreeet & do it after hours. Concerns included the tandem instructor partying hours before the workday begins, etc. My question - Is this a problem? Have you ever known of an instructor or pilot who imbibes during business hours? Have you ever jumped under the influence of anything? I'll go first. The answer is... almost never. I began jumping during that phase in life in which I was a member in good standing of the Society for the Prevention of Gloucoma, if you get my drift. I always jumped sober. Always. In later years I went through the ususal lifestyle changes and drifted away from that scene, but still made sporadic visits. I have probably described many people who are older than 35. In the mid 1990's I was at the DZ on a very windy day, with high-altitude jumps on the schedule. I made one jump and packed, but the winds were pushing 20 mph and I wasn't going to make any more dives, except for the high load. Manifest was slow and it looked like the high altitude load was not going to fly. Since it appeared we were done for the day, a friend invited me for a walk behind the hangar. We didn't stay long at the safety meeting, but the briefing was effective. We returned to learn that the load had filled and we were on a 20-minute call. Everything seemed fine until around 18,000'. My altimeter read 6000'; I added 6000 + 12,000 to determine the altitude. I'm pleased to report that I got the right answer, but it occurred to me that it shouldn't have taken as long as it did for me to make the computation. I wondered if I was feeling the effects of hypoxia, or maybe HIGHpoxia. The skydive was as routine as any 23,000' dive can be. I opened at 3000' almost directly over the landing area, facing into the wind, riding brakes, descending just about straight down to a tiptoe standup right on target. I've never again jumped after crossing paths with any other type of artificial mood enhancement, and have no plans to do so. How about you? Cheers, Jon

...From my experience "skygod" is used as a derogatory term amongst skydivers, describing those who are perhaps too arrogant and self-serving to mesh well with the majority of the skydiving community... _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Years ago I jumped at a DZ with a clearly-defined line between the alleged "skygods" and the mortals. The best jumpers always jumped with each other, with one real talented guy organizing the dives. Meanwhile, the rest of us novices/intermediates sort of taught each other how to skydive, with less-than-stellar results. (There were exceptions, of course, but many of the other talented jumpers were not available because they were working with students, etc. ) One day the "good" jumpers held a camp, in which we all jumped together and had a ball while improving our skills. More than a year later, over beer, someone made a reference to the camp and one of the "good" jumpers said "Yeah, we should do that again." I asked "Why does it have to be a special event? Why don't you guys mingle with the rest of us on a regular basis?" He sat there in stunned silence. I didn't mean to be a smart-ass. In fact, this guy was no skygod. He was a great guy with a great attitude who came out to the DZ to jump with his friends and do good skydives. Most of these guys were fine people and they had our respect. But the situation had evolved into one in which average jumpers rarely had a chance to jump with this group. For me, the situation came to a head on a January afternoon. There were nine of us manifested on the Queen-Aire, and these guys did an 8-way. I followed them out and got real close, watching their dive from 50'-100' away before tracking out of the area. Before the year was out I found a new DZ. Cheers, Jon

...Nearly everyone can pull with 22 pounds of force, and most people can even deal with the 50+ pounds you can get with the improperly maintained gear we've seen. It's not usually a problem... _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ My second reserve ride almost turned into a crater due to a VERY hard reserve pull. I remember watching the rigger struggle to close the container. There was no test of the pull force; in fact, in a later conversation he simply told me he "didn't pull test" reserves. I got open around 400' after struggling to get the thing out since my chop at 2000'-ish. Got kicked off the DZ. After this incident, I always checked the ripcord prior to the first jump of the day by gently pulling the ball end and verifying that the pins would slide in the loops. My last cutaway was a piece of cake, with an open reserve above 1000'. What's the point in having a steerable reserve if you don't open high enough to steer toward anything? Cheers, Jon

Amen. Most of the kids I've seen at the DZ, including mine, have been wonderful, but once in a while... My youngest (3 at the time) got a compliment a year or so back from a rigger who's not a big fan of kids, but doesn't mind as long as they behave. He was packing; she started to walk across his lines, then stopped and went around the container & on her way. He said "thank you" and continued packing. I've never seen jumpers' kids causing trouble, but then I'm not out there every week. Cheers, Jon

Way to go. Isn't life sweet?! The best $40-ish you'll ever spend. My last mal was in 1997, a streamer. Got the (round) reserve out above 1000' & steered into a small clear spot in a neighbor's backyard. (Yes, I know, if I had a square I'd have landed on target.) After landing, I realized I was still holding my handles. Now just get past the next jump run & exit & all will be well. Cheers, Jon

I used to be one of those people who regarded jury duty as something to avoid. I changed my mind over the years after seeing the quality of verdicts in high-profile cases, and began to understand the strategic use of jury selection to weed out people who are not likely to fall for a lawyer's skillful line of crap. One of the most frustrating things I've noticed is when jurors are interviewed following a highly-publicized case. How often have we heard something to the effect of "I wanted to vote 'X', but felt I had to vote 'Y'..."? You are NEVER to allow yourself to be bullied into a verdict with which you don't agree. There's nothing wrong with a hung jury - it's part of the system. The jury is designed to be a buffer against the extremes of the legislature. If the case in question began with a traffic stop over a seat belt violation, you are well within your rights to acquit on the basis of the fact that, in a free society, it should not be illegal to drive without a seat belt; ergo, the cop had no business stopping the guy in the first place. (Remember those arguments about doing what you want with your own body?) If a law was clearly written to take advantage of public emotions for political purposes, the jury is society's defense against such extremes. Of course, don't let on that you understand this, or you will never get anywhere near the jury box. I decided years ago that, if I get called, I will pass myself off as an apolitical schnook who doesn't pay attention to current events. They don't need to know that I listen to Rush or watch The O'Reilly Factor. And they don't need to know you skydive - it will "red flag" you as someone who believes in the concept of personal responsibility. If the case involved a civil suit in which someone is trying to pull a fast one by blaming someone else for his own negligence, the attorney will strike you in a heartbeat. Bring a book and have a nice time. Good luck. Cheers, Jon

I can die now, I've seen everything... Recently we got my daughter a new hamster. I was saying "hello" and reaching into the cage slowly so I wouldn't startle the little rodent. She was curled up in the corner, and I began stroking her back with my finger (making sure to use my right hand rather than my left so, if she bit be, I could still play guitar.) "Hamsterville" (I didn't pick the name) rolled over with her little feet up in the air and let me rub her belly! I love cats and have seen this many times, but never with a hamster. This has become a regular routine now. Yesterday she even gently nibbled my finger, much as a cat might do. Amazing. (These are the kind of stories I tell on the air when things are slow and I'm waiting for calls. You can catch "Dial and Deal" on the internet: Weekdays, 11:05 - noon Eastern time. wyxcradio.com.) Cheers, Jon

Double entendre: I work in radio and I skydive. In other words, I work on the air and I play in the air. 1270 is the frequency of the AM station I currently work at. Cheers, Jon

...Since you will be spending a lot of time in the saddle, make a list of things you want to do up there... _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Wow the memories... I did my 500th back in July 1996, a typical hot, no-wind Georgia day with big puffy clouds just hanging in the sky. Did a hop 'n' pop from 13,500', watched the airplane fly away as the rest of the load also jumped & deployed, and drank two beers on the way down. Didn't unstow the brakes until 3000'; just hung on a riser once in a while to turn around. After 15 minutes in the saddle my legs were becoming numb, but I pulled off a standup anyway. Woo hoo. Cheers, Jon

Ladies - It's not the size & shape, etc. It's the way you react when we give you some attention... None for Jon