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Michele, when you no longer experience fear while jumping out of a plane, it is then that you should consider quitting. No one should approach this sport with the idea that it is "safe". Fear will keep you alive! FallRate

Good weather from England!? What do you mean by good? Grey skies, fog, cold rain? That's why the beer is so damn good. Sunat activities in England have to start at 10:00 am. If you're going to spend that much time drinking, might as well be good beer. By the way, can I place an order for some Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter?

I think I just wet myself while laughing!!! FallRate

Dude! What kind was it!? I have to know so that I can figure out how long I'll be wearing black.

Not to be an asshole...it may true that there were no incidents of injury while skydiving in New Zealand during this study (highly doubtful), but if there were less than one million hours of skydiving activity (which is the case) then the result is inherently flawed. Statistics serve us by reducing known data into easily identifiable figures; anything more and it becomes an excercise in propaganda. To translate the skydiving activity into millions of hours, you must project (predict) a number of incidences per million hours of activity based on the known number of incidences in proportion to the time that these activites took place, which in this case is less than one-million hours (guaranteed). By doing this the researcher can lead us to believe that in one million hours of skydiving (in New Zealand) no injuries would occur. This may be statistically valid, but it is patently false. No record of one-million real hours of skydiving activity anywhere will produce a record that is free of injuries. To simplify this...imagine basing the safety record of skydiving on one skydive. If the jumper completes the skydive with no injuries then it could be inferred that skydiving is safe (without risk), because if taken as a statistical base, it could be inferred that in one hour...or a thousand hours...or a million hours of skydiving, zero injuries will occur. Or go the other way and picture in your mind the worst-case scenario of a first-time jumper losing his or her life. This could be used, as it sometimes is, to demostrate that skydiving is a "crazy" sport, enjoyed only by those who have a death wish. At worst these statistics could be taken to mean that there is no risk of injury while skydiving. This is not the case. Skydiving is dangerous. Again, skydiving IS dangerous. That does not mean that injuries are inevitable and that we must resign ourselves to the idea that people will get hurt or die. It simply means that we must recognize that there are serious risks and dangers inherent to our sport and do our best to avoid injury. Maybe I'm just grumpy, but I hate the idea that anyone is getting out of the plane with the idea that they will rely "on the odds" for a successful skydive. FallRate I should probably point out that I'm not in any way taking issue with you Skymick, just a late-night response to the study you referenced. I should also point out that if anyone notices any logical or grammatical errors in my post, please go to hell...it's late...I'm tired.

Nice bike Hixx. I was "lucky" and got the '97 model just before the complete redesign. I am quite a bit too big for the R-1. But the 1000R fits perfectly, and after 23,000 miles I love her more now than when we first met. I have the black/silver model, and have been wondering when, or if, they would put those colors on the R1...the result is quite nice. I have a buddy who might be on his third R1 by now...he totalled the first two! Idiot. FallRate

I can't hear the word "Mormon" without thinking about the movie "Orgazmo". Classic American Cinema!!!

I must live in the last freakin' place in this country where DSL or cable is not available. Life is cruel!!! FallRate

According to Ms. Manners, you are supposed to throw the bridal shower, coordinate the rehearsal dinner, get really drunk at the reception and nail the best man in the nearest storage closet.

Actually, I can see Bill saying something more along the lines of "Go ahead and do 'er...She's a great piece of ass!" FallRate Yes, I know, and I am ashamed.

I need this guy's job. What exactly does an air-traffic controller do at an aiport with no tower, no radar and no radio? Other than call the fire department a couple of times a week, there wouldn't be much in the way of job responsibility. FallRate

Any chance you can convince your brother to call-off the wedding? FallRate

Great! Now we have to worry about being struck by lightning, in freefall, on a perfectly clear day. "It was him God, it was HIM...I had nothing to do with it." FallRate

Nice one, Scott!!! FallRate

My goals (not listed in order of importance)... 1) Skydive on my 80th birthday, and my 90th if I live that long. 2) Skydive on Sunday, without a hangover. 3) Kiss-Pass, with a girl! 4) Drop a load of Dog Shit overtop the Wayne County Courthouse during the Richmond Boogie. 5) Piss out the Otter overtop the Wayne County Courthouse during the Richmond Boogie. 6) Burn the Wayne County Courthouse to the ground. (Not really a skydiving activity, but if I invite some skydivers we can use it as a bonfire.) 7) Bust 200 on a Pro-Track...belly to earth!!! 8) Actually meet Jessica, if we go back to San Marcos next year. Hopefully we will, really nice place. 9) Read every page of Parachutist for one year and see nothing on the subject of fatalities, because there were none. 10) Marry a woman who says: "Go ahead and dirt-dive honey, I'll pack your chute!" 11) Convince Anheiser-Busch that all Skydivers should be eligible for profit-sharing. That's all I can think of right now. FallRate

Dear God Skreamer, do you guys have mine-fields near your DZ!? I can't imagine being grounded for landing out. FallRate

I feel your pain Brother...I feel it! FallRate

Not to be an asshole, but while tracking people need to also be sure that they are not tracking under someone else. Then there is the possibility of directly into someone else. To be safe you have to check everywhere; you have to clear your airspace. FallRate

I hope you're not thinking of becoming a cop someday either. FallRate

I must be doing it wrong. Most of the whuffos I talk to about the sport would prefer that I shut the hell up and pretty much think I'm a thrill-seeking dork. Can't really argue with the dork part. FallRate

I would also be very interested in your posting the original letter and the edited version. It could be quite informative. FallRate

This makes me wonder...Clay, do you have a good job and where do you work? How do I go about submitting an application? FallRate

Speaking of seasons and happiness...it is still freakin' snowing here in North Dakota! Shit!!! FallRate

Screw it...move in anyway!!! FallRate

Bill, "teaching to fish" is a metaphor in this case. Read as "taught the necessary skills to survive", I would imagine it is what you mean by "free training". And if these people do refuse free training, perhaps they should be left on their own to suffer the consequences, as you believe. However, the original parable illustrates the valid point that these people are not left to suffer the consequences of their own decisions and actions in our society; no one in an unfortunate situation is seen to be at fault. (That, of course, would be much too "black and white". And who in the world would want to be thought capable of formulating a reasonable opinion, and then--Dear God, NO!!!--taking a firm position based on that opinion? ) So while the first parable seems extreme, it does illustrate a valid point of view. As for the second parable I will concur with you: it represented an extreme and invalid point of view. Just kidding. Actually, I took your original post to be a direct attempt at a rebuttal to the ideas presented in the first. But from what you have said, it appears your post was not a partisan response to criticism of a position you hold (which would have been an irrational response), but simply an entirely seperate parable focusing on the stupidity of the "other" guys. By the way, you gave me a great idea for a signature line! FallRate "You have a firm belief? You must have overlooked something!"