skybytch

Guess they miscalculated the required fuse length.

That's easy. Don't finish your flare. You want to go faster... are you adding speed on your approaches on the canopy you are flying? If not, there's no good reason for you to downsize at this point; there's still plenty of speed and performance left in the 150 that you haven't even begun to explore.

That's not sour grapes, that's how it is. Granted I'm happy that the bad calls were in the Sharks favor last night, but damn, some consistency in the officiating from minute to minute (much less game to game) would be nice.

Dude... sssshhhh..... Even I know that the first game in the series doesn't mean shit. Go Sharks!

The mail order minister being a skydiver was kind of assumed. It'd be real hard to get married in freefall if s/he wasn't.

A mail order minister, a couple friends, a couple more friends with cameras, an airplane, a landing area.

This is going to be fun.

Are you stretching before you jump? And hydrating while you're jumping?

Jimmy and Chris had a bbq at their hangars this weekend. Good food, good people, great weather. Some folks brought some cool toys, too. Check 'em out

The problem with that is that it removes the safety net for old people. Social Security is a retirement plan that you or I can't fuck up. The government can, does and will continue to fuck it up, yes, but I can't - because I can't get to and spend the money that is supposedly going to be mine again someday. How many people out there have raided their retirement funds for one reason or another? How many have lost big chunks of their retirement money that was invested in stocks and/or real estate in the past few years? The first case is the person's own fault, but the second is beyond their control. And that's the problem with not having Social Security there as a safety net - someone who did everything right could still end up depending on their kids for their can of cat food for dinner. Instead of dumping the whole thing, we could stop giving huge breaks to those who make the big bucks. There is a certain income level above which you don't have to pay additional SS taxes - ie someone who makes $1 million a year pays the same dollar amount in SS tax as someone who makes $10 million. We could also open the borders. If there aren't enough people paying into the system, doesn't it make sense to bring in immigrants who generally have more kids than do second, third, fourth, etc generation citizens? More immigrants having more kids would mean more people paying into the system.

How will you activate something that is inside your jumpsuit?

I haven't jumped AT Lost Prairie the last two years. Last year I didn't even take my rig. Not jumping allows for way more time for lake loads and breakfast beers. Show up. You know you want to. You know you'll have fun. Even if you don't jump.

Sometimes things don't go as planned. Just because you plan to land on the beach doesn't mean you won't end up landing in the ocean.

Yeah, fucking Anderson is a wall. But the rest of the Av's came to play too, despite the way they were dominated in the 3rd game (well, until Boyle's "shot" in OT...). Playoff hockey is hard on the nerves!!

Boyle just paid his debt - first goal in the game at about a minute in.

Protest against big government all you'd like. But expect to be considered hypocritical if you are loudly against "government run health care" while enjoying the benefits of Medicare and if you are loudly for "free markets" and "no government regulation" while enjoying the benefits of government regulations that protect your rights as an employee and keep corporations from raising ridiculously the prices you have to pay for your basic needs (think Enron and California). I put what I thought was an interesting look at this on my blog. I'd paste it here but it's pretty long.

What's so funny about that? The guy I was dating when I started jumping quit after a few years. I'm still at it 20 years later.

Wingloading is the exit weight of the jumper (body weight plus all gear) with respect to the square footage of the canopy. It is expressed as a ratio - ie 1.0:1 - but most jumpers refer only to the first numbers - ie 1.0. If you are 200 out the door (exit weight) and you are jumping a 200 sq ft canopy, your wingloading is 1.0. 200 out the door under a 170, wingloading is 1.17. 200 out the door under a 210, wingloading is .95. Generally, smaller numbers ("lighter" wingloadings) equal slower and "safer". Most people would recommend that new jumpers stay close to 1.0 for their first canopies (main and reserve). You can figure that you are about 225 out the door. Seven and nine cells fly a bit differently. Nine cells tend to have a flatter glide than seven cells. Wingloading and canopy shape are far more important than the number of cells when it comes to first canopies. Research is a great idea, but don't buy ANY part of your rig until you've completed your student training. Talk to your instructors, local riggers and gear dealers about canopy choices, and be sure to run any possibilities by them before you buy.

Good for you. So far, all my suits (from a variety of manufacturers) have been the same - on time, good fit (and the one that wasn't was fixed fast and free) and excellent customer service. I've also seen a bunch of suits from a variety of manufacturers that, for a variety of reasons, weren't on time, weren't exactly "right" and/or didn't fit. So my opinion, based solely on my experiences in the sport and industry, is if someone really wants a new suit (or canopy, or container, or any other custom item) for a particular event, it's a real good idea to order it so it is due to arrive at least a month before the event. Just in case.

+1. Jumpsuits are the biggest pain in the ass (and one of the smallest profit margins) for gear dealers. Having spent a few years selling gear and having cut jumpsuits and run a jumpsuit production line for a year, I wouldn't buy a jumpsuit from any company that I can't reasonably get to in person to be measured and to be able to handle any problems/issues face to face. Especially one with a bunch of custom appliques and/or embroidery. And regardless of who you order it from, expect and plan for problems. Ordering a custom item and needing it to arrive on the estimated delivery date so you can take it to an event is just asking for it to not arrive on time, or not fit, or be the wrong colors or...

Most dz's won't give refunds for tandem gift certificates. That's usually made very clear on the certificate or on a sign or both. Sell it if she isn't going to use it. The $25 you'll lose isn't worth an ulcer.

#2 or #3 will sell quickly when you're tired of looking like everybody else.

Proof that ultralight backpacking is the norm? Thanks for letting me living vicariously through your journal and pics. So jealous!!!

He should be pissed, just like the fans are. Fucking stupid Boyle, the puck is supposed to go in the OTHER net.

The Avs owe him big time. 50 saves in 60 minutes, holy crap! He can miss the next one. Thx for the link!