freeflybella

Right ON, brother! I wash, but don't wear make-up. I burn champa but hate patchouli. I work in advertising but not on certain accounts. I make alot of money - and spend it. I can't stand the dead or phish but I have a vegan diet and do yoga. I tend to agree mostly with buddhist philosphy but I cuss like a truck driver (and have exhibited signs of road rage). Hippie? Freak? Hippie freak? Sure. Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

Is this the point? Then I get it. Is this the point? You're right. I don't. I'll stand down. I know no one here (obelixtim) means harm to another. Discussion and awareness are important. Suicide has hit home recently and I guess I'm feeling sensitive. It's just so sorrowful. Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

So where is the discussion about his behaviour before the jump? Just like hugs and condolences should be kept out of this forum, shouldn't speculation as to the deceased's thought processes and intentions (other than the obvious)? Additionally, what malfunction or mistake occurred to discuss in skydiving 'incidents'? In my opinion, no skydiving incident occurred. Everything happened as planned on that jump. I agree totally about one thing - let's take good care of our friends. Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

No. It's not. Skydiving is not anything that is common to all. It is unique for each individual. Human. Not sport. I'll agree with you that discussion on this subject will happen due to the fact that 'skydiving' is the thing we have in common on this board. But, in choosing a skydive as his final exit from the world - you can't be sure he was saying anything at all. The only thing you can be sure of is that he saw no other way out of what ever it was that he was feeling. If you or I had any idea of what was he was really thinking or feeling, I suspect we wouldn't be here to 'discuss' the plight. I don't mean to be harsh - and certainly don't mean to single anyone out. But to profess we 'know' when we really don't, is such a common, and perhaps, human thing to do. Without making any judgement on whether or not this is a skydiving incident, this is much more to do with a human condition than it is to do with a skydiving 'malfunction'. To make it about the sport , to me, is to devalue the life that was intentionally taken. Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

I agree. Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

They are happy the future will be brighter. I sincerely doubt they would have objected to a non-violent solution to (or even prevention of) their situation. If they had had a non-violent solution, would they be out in the streets demanding that american soldiers be there? Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

It's the method for many of us. As quoted from the other blog: "Whatever their quiet wish to be rid of Saddam Hussein, their experience of American arms has not been pleasant." (The Economist) and "The West won the world not by superiority it its ideas or values or religion but rather by its superiority in applying organized violence. Westerners often forget this fact, non-westerners never do." (Samuel Huntington) Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

Yes, I get your point. You're saying be careful. I'm saying be sensitive. In some wierd way - we could be saying the same thing. So, based on his stated intention from the original post, our mutually agreed upon answer to Deuce would be... No.

You're right. I generalized. But, as a future wife, I hope that if someone finds me fascinating - he'll tell me. If I don't know him very well, I will take it with a grain of salt. If I know him to be a flirt or have less than admirable intentions, I'll let it go. But if I know him as a friend, he'll make my day!

So you would condemn any situation that has the possibility of going 'wrong'? And if you're busy assessing everything for it's potential to go wrong, how do you have any fun? And don't you like to hear when you're appreciated by your friends? And wouldn't it feel great to have someone you just met tell you they found you fascinating? Or sweet. Or thoughtful. Why so guarded? edited: cuz damn I ask alot of questions!

Here, let me help. I think a huge side effect of technology/modern life is that it is rendering human contact obsolete. We don't talk to strangers (face to face), we don't know our neighbors, we can exist in little bubbles and think we're social because we have news from around the world on our TVs and computers - we have chat rooms. If human contact were more valued and appreciated - not just within our little circles but across the board, finding other people fascinating would be so much less suspicious - and far more common.

Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

I think a point to be made here might be that this has nothing to do with you. Your entire previous post shows that his actions have made you think about the act of suicide and it's consequences and I think that's appropriate. A bit of introspection is called for and healthy in these situations. But somehow you've managed to turn all of your thoughts on the subject into judgments of someone you don't know who was obviously in alot of pain. Perhaps your anger is understandable - it's hurts all of us (as humans) to know that someone is in so much pain that they don't see any other way out. Maybe it scares us - wondering if we could ever feel that kind of hopelessness. Either way, the results of suicide are regrettable enough without adding blame and anger. Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

America doesn't want Americans to travel. We want to keep our disposable income in-house. Do we have 'around the world' tickets? Is travel to students as widely promoted as it is in Europe or Oz? I have friends from Oz who say they will purchase the 'cheap' fares out of the US to say, London and then purchase tickets from there for the rest of their trip because travelling 'out' of the US is so expensive. Also, we're told other countries hate us. Most of us who have traveled abroad have not had that experience. Rudeness and arrogance aren't appreciated no matter what country you're from but those are exceptions. Travelling to other parts of the US is NOT at all like travelling to another country. And travelling to Switzerland or Denmark and staying in a Holiday Inn is not like travelling abroad. "OOh, the McDonald's in Rome sells beer!" Not at all the same as experiencing another country/culture. Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

Was only making a bit of light humor (at your expense). Something I do, very occasionaly, rarely sometimes, hardly ever.

Also remember that these comps are for fun and but also are for learning and practice during a competition environment. Not to show who's the better pilot.

Just know you're in good company when it comes to making mistakes. I'd bet everyone on this board has a story - and many of them start with "I had 70 jumps" or "I had 350 jumps"... Mine was around 70 jumps and included lending my visual alti to my jump partner, my ditter battery dying (and me not checking) and big-time loss of altitude awareness. Needless to say, I've since developed a keen sense of timing and altitude! It's good to have your friends check on you. And it's OK to obsess over your chest-strap since that's where your wake-up call originated, but let that round out your overall attention to your gear from now on.

I agree here. Not only does it sound like you need to pay more attention to your 'checks' - but also to your 'gearing up'. Your gear is the only chance you have of survival once out the door. Keep it meticulously maintained and put it on right. Glad you're OK. Glad you're shook up. Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

How 'bout Spider? (Small, fuzzy, skittish and full of claws and teeth!) Or maybe try this. Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

"we heard a little pinging..." Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

Here.

Holy shit. What a concept. Just to add: Stop trusting that everyone has your best interest at heart and knows what you want. Take care of yourselves. Ourselves. Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

Actually... Judging by his Pro-Tec - I'll bet he's got on a chest mount! Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

Agreed.

I'm pretty 'hippy' myself and I'll proudly wear one! It's the best anti-bush ad I've ever seen! Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi