mr2mk1g

Why body sizes? Don't all rigs have their actual harnes size written on them? Why the hell can't the seller just look at the data panel and write down what it says there!? Is it really that hard. Buyers can then simply go straight to the manufacturers website and see the exact fitment if they don't already know what they're looking for. Simple and quick for all.

Anyone know if you need any specialist tools or knowledge to switch lenses on underwater cameras? Or are they just like an ordinary SLR in that the lenses can be swapped relatively easily? Specific model I'm talking about if it matters is a Nikonos 5. Don't bother researching it for me, just wondered if anyone knows off the top of their head. Cheers all.

Mainly becuase millions of soldiers got stuck on great big ships for a month at the end of the war where the sneazed on each other as they were shipped all over the world. When they got home their families got ill too. Because the soldiers came from all over the world, the virus got sent all over the world when they were sent home - thus we got a pandemic instead of an epidemic.

I believe the appropriate phrase is something like: "wanton disregard for human life." Beyond that it's out of my jurisdiction and I'm not qualified to help.

where?

There was this one chick in a local night club - the Steam Rock.... man that was pretty low....

There's a post on here somewhere by either THE guy who did the sizing on the orriginal safire or someone who worked at the company at the time. In that post the reasoning is explaned... but I can't find it and haven't been able to for a while now. I think it's in the swooping or canopy control section... For what it's worth, they've changed their sizing on the safireII so that a 170 sabre = a 169 safire (ok so within a foot). I look forward to either someone finding the post or reiterating it's content.

So you think God does make them? Even though your religion tells you that he only made 3 specific people and has no hand in the rest? What other things do you disagree with your religion on? Do you think Jesus was a woman even though Bible tells you otherwise? Why is it OK to ignore one thing your religious text tells you and believe the opposite is the truth, and not ok to ignore another element… such as having wheat in your wafer? Point is, if some things are nice and flexible so we can each have our own views/beliefs/interpretations of them, then why is Catholic dogma so restrictive as to deny this young girl Communion? If such a big thing as who actually creates life on this planet is open to such interpretation, why are the ingredients of a simple wafer so important?

Except to say that God doesn't. I'll not answer for him... but my answer would be that such things are usually the result of a genetic mutation. You want to assign that mutation to the Devil, God, a manifestation of free will or just 'shit-happens' that's up to you. But AD pointed out that standard Christian doctorine rules out God's influence, I guess you'll have to wait an see if he want's to say what he thinks causes the mutation, if he even holds with that explanation at all. As for being homosexual... we'll I've no idea... I'm not even aware if the jury's back on whether or not you're "born" homosexual.

Actually AD adressed that all the way back in his first post in this thread. According to Christian doctorine God didn't make her - her parent's did as their parents before them did, and before them, and before them, right back to Adam and Eve, who were the onle people (aside from JC) where were directly made by God. Want a more complete answer - go read AD's second post in the thread.

Cos people want a teeny tiny container so that they look uber cool. It's as simple as that and it's as stupid as it sounds.

hehehe - I was about to start arguing with you that NO, FMJ really was based on "The Spirit of the Bayonet" when the website I was to point you to reminded me that "The Short Timers" is split into 3 short stories... the first of which is "The Spirit of the Bayonet"... so we're both right! (From Amazon's review of "The Short Timers")

What surprises me most is that people are making a decision about fact based on political affiliation. Surely whether or not he earned those medals is a question of fact divorced from politics? Yes you may like the guy or like his competitor, but at the end of the day he either earned the medals or he did not and that question has nothing to do with who is running in what election 30odd years later. It’s just amazing that there is such a marked split down party lines. It means people are deciding a question of fact, not on the facts or on a consideration of the evidence, but based on which party Kerry belongs to… that’s just odd, because his political affiliation has nothing to do with whether or not he won those medals…

So do I.... Edited to reply to mike:

Seriously? And if the medics say she's gonna die... God's gonna keep her safe right? What if she does die... is that because God wanted her dead? Well that's sorted then... all I gotta do is go to church and take communion, then I won't need a parachute on my next jump - I'll put my fears aside and demonstrate my faith in him. God will take care of me and I'll land fine unharmed... right?

BB guns. I've yet to see someone who doesn't STFU and back up when hit by a few hundred in VERY quick sucsession. Only risk is the eyes. (to clarify I'm talking about electric guns that fire 6mm plastic balls at a rate of arround 300 rpm. Each one hit's hard enough to leave a small bruise through all but the thickest of clothing). I have no idea if scientific studdies would back my observations, but I reckon it's worth a whirl - at least for the research to be done. PS - I'm not volunteering to help out with the research.

That's because the first half of the film is from a book called "The Spirit of the Bayonet". It's a good book, and you oughta get it out if you like the film. Goes into even more detail about basic. There's one scene (in the book) where a private takes out his bayonet on parade and slashes his wrists. The SM bawls him out for messing up his parade ground and because he didn't give him permission to bleed. Said suicidal private then has to mop up his own blood while the SM gives him and the rest of the company a lecture on how you're supposed to commit suicide if you really mean it. Dunno where the second half of the film's from - but it's not from that book. Anyone know if there's any truth in the tail that the cast was lined up on set and told that an SM was going to come in and shout at them and they were to play along. The SM (Ron Ermey) was then simply let lose on them and much of the final cut was ad-lib stuff straight out of his military exp. anyone? (edit - actually he was a Gunnery Sargent not a Sargent Major).

They're good no doubt. They offer a "Sorry Ronny" meal which has a burger twice the size of a big mac, fries and a coke all for the same price as a big mac meal. For 50p (or £1 I forget) you get to upgrade to a pint of beer instead of the soft drink.

I'm unclear as to how much you were flying around in half brakes... but that's a manoeuvre designed to slow your decent and keep you up as long as possible. If you were using half breaks at all, that's only going to prolong your decent.

Yup - and that's no exaggeration. Prices vary a bit, but £200's a good mid point. Cheapest I've ever found was mates rates @ about £150. You're looking at £250+ if you book through one of those "Experience" companies. http://www.giftexperience.com/flying_skydiving/tandem-skydiving.html

Riggers I've spoken to say it's no more technically difficult than any other. It is a little different to most, but not more difficult. If some riggers have difficulty with it because it's slightly different to what they're used to then that's down to them.

Agreed. Whatever happened to "Thou shalt not have false idols"... ? Organised religion sometimes crosses that boundary between bing a facilitator of worship and the being only way you are allowed to worship.

Most likely need a check out dive. Your answer will vary depending on which DZ you go to.

I thought the hot topic seemed to be who was the bigger liar... (ok, guess the two are linked). Just my observation from away over the seas.

First off, quit listening to the Yanks that post here. They're (mostly) giving you advice based on their exp in the US. Things are very different over here and that will produce big differences in what may be best to do. At 16 you can jump - but will need parental consent. Static line is far far more popular here than it is in the states. Here people say AFF is for pussies. That said, the majority of new graduates by far are from AFF. Of those many if not most did so overseas. Not many people are able to stick Static line progression by comparison... it takes way longer and only works out cheaper by a few hundred pounds. UK prices are really really high. EG, common AFF price is about £1300. For that money, my club will take you to the US for two weeks and put you through AFF over there. You'll get 2 weeks holiday in Florida or California or somewhere as well as your license, all for the same as just your license in the UK. Another popular destination is Spain, or for some the south of France. That brings me on to clubs - go join a uni skydiving club. If you can't wait till your at uni (if you're gonna go) then go joing one anyway. I think almost all would welcome you regardless. Uni skydiving clubs are the BEST waay for someone arround your age to get into the sport. http://www.bpa.org.uk/dropzone/dzone.htm That's a map of UK drop zones. My first instinct where you are would be Chatteris... but it depends on where in Suffolk you are. There are plenty of good DZ's. Go check out their prices. You could also try contacting the BCPA. http://www.bcpa.org.uk/ They're a national organisation set up to help students into skydiving. They're used to dealing with this exact enquiry. They also organise anual trips to the states for progression and training. Static line or AFF? Up to you and what money you have. Static line is great if you have less ready cash and just want to pootle allong and actually work for your license. If you have a bunch of cash ready, you can slap it down and have your license in a week or two through AFF. Don't bother with a tandem. If you want to try it out go for a first jump course (AFF or static line). If you like it you wont have wasted £200+ on a jump which doesn't count for shit. Static line FJC should cost arround £150ish depending on extras and an AFF FJC is somthing like £350. If you continue that's not wasted money. If you don't - well you know know a load more than the average person about skydiving... unlike a tandem passenger who will know less than nothing. On the other hand, if you are really just looking for a once in a liftime exp and have no wish to take it up as a hobby, but simply wish experiancing the joy of freefall (perfectly admirable) a tandem is perfect for you.