mirage62

Yep. Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

I’m hesitant to post this, mainly I’m not sure if it really has any value but after reflection I going to share for what it is worth. I have +3,300 jumps, have been jumping +17 years, currently I jump a 165 Pilot, I land far from the crowds and can’t recall the last time I spun my canopy 360. Basically I would define myself as a very careful skydiver. A month ago I really screwed up. I was open in the saddle around 2,800 feet, pop my brakes and found that I had a tension knot on my left raiser. I attempted to untie it but ultimately was unsuccessful. I decided to land it because I could control it, it was square and I could flair it, the wind was blowing pretty good to. I was also confidant that I would be just fine because I had done it before. I wasn’t worried about the cost of a repack or finding my gear. I elected to fly to the student area to have more room, which I did. The long and short of the story is that my raiser was slipping through my gloved hand. It would slip a little and I would tighten my grip a little and pull down a bit more. I didn’t really realize I was doing this, by the time I was down to about 20 feet my arm was WAY down the raiser and I didn’t have the leverage to pull down any further and didn’t have the height to release and re-grip. The result was the canopy started a slow but accelerating turn. I wish I could report that a great PLF saved the day….. but truthfully my not being broke up was just dumb luck. If the canopy had gone just a bit more I would have landed on the asphalt. I think this a nothing more than my experience working against me. I had done this before, I hadn’t really thought out what could go wrong. In my earlier days I would have cut it away immediately. Btw, plenty of us know people that have landed with a tension knot, I’m not saying you can’t that is your call, I’m not writing this to debate what someone should do – for me I should have cut the fucker away…. I’d been jumping again in a hour. So don’t let your experience work against you! Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

So not trying to start anything here....but does that mean that Egland AND France aren't major players? I mean you got Germany.... isn't that the big three? Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

I'm not just Ca. bashing, I know a LOT of people that love it there - but I also know a bunch now that hate it and can't wait to get out. Seems that it's a case of the people that make a good living like it - but the lower income not on walfare folks don't. The following were just facts I found....I figured that Ca. would kill Texas on graduation rates but was wrong. Ca. has a high school graduation rate of 78.2% and Texas is 78.9% according to the 2009-2010 U.S. Dept of Education. Perhaps Ca. high school degree is just a lot better than Texas, I really don't know. Bloomberg Business reported: Every now and then, one state governor or another will head to California to pitch businesses on leaving the Golden State. Canada’s immigration chief has been trying his luck, too. The coaxing usually provokes some pundits to bash the state’s high taxes and others to reassure middle-class Californians that employers aren’t planning on jumping ship before the state drifts off into the Pacific Ocean. Much of the angst about California’s economy has been about jobs and whether employers are picking up stakes and heading for Texas. Bureau of Labor Statistics data compiled by Bloomberg News and published this week don’t answer the jobs question, but they do indicate that California is losing ground in a related category: the number of business establishments. There were 1.3 million businesses in California at the end of 2012, 5.2 percent fewer than in the previous year (that’s about 73,000 fewer). To put that in perspective, Massachusetts lost 5,200 businesses, the second-highest amount, and Kansas had 3.1 percent fewer businesses in 2012 than in 2011, the second-highest loss rate. Nebraska added businesses at 11.9 percent, the fastest rate. Because BLS releases the data on a lag, the end of 2012 is the latest date for which numbers are available What gives? “It’s more likely the disappearance of a number of businesses than it is businesses leaving California,” says Kevin Klowden, an economist at the Milken Institute’s California Center. The state was hard hit by the Great Recession, Klowden continues, and businesses may still be shuttering in a hangover from tougher economic times. It could also be the case of an improving job market luring entrepreneurs of necessity away from their businesses, a trend that’s shown up in national data on new business starts. In other words, it’s not exactly clear why California’s businesses are disappearing. Florida, another state hard hit by the bursting of the real estate bubble, and the state with the second most businesses, added new businesses at the nation’s seventh-fastest rate. Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

Bill, really? Where's your love for the poor? Truthfully. It will create MORE pollution because these countries won't have people - like you - to protest and watch over the process and demand it be made cleaner. You really are a cold hearted business person deep inside. Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

LOL , so let me get this straight. We ship the jobs to a third world country - so we lose the jobs - then their standard if living goes up and then they start worrying about clean air so they clean it up?? Why don't we just keep it here and the jobs? Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

Sure as long as you don't live in a third world country that will now produce it. Oh yeah, they won't have the restrictions we have, or oversight so most likely they will make even more polution....luckly it will STAY in their country Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

Amazon...... is it really an answer to say "Bush did worse" I mean all you have to do is search back and the Bush supportors did what you are doing....I ashamed to say I probably did. When do we break the chain? I realize that many people here are (I believe) in "charactor" they troll and fish....on the right and the left. Truth is Obama sucks monkey balls....and so did Bush. Anyone that believes otherwise is crazy. The country is being sold down the river by the far right and far left - and "we the people" allowed it by becoming single issue voters with no room to compromise, listening to 30 second commercial and the press. Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

No shit, Quade. Which btw Obama could have been taking a dump the entire time. Your an intelligent person - you know that every moment of the Presidents' Day is tracked. Can't you just get off your one sided view just for a moment and wonder WHY the WH hasn't released where he was?? We all know that if it was Bush you'd ask, and when you didn't get an answer - at all - you'd go ape shit. I know this is a waste of time but why do you just believe so hard?? Both "sides" suck, why pass on one side. Treat them the same Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

So??? And as you say "I know I'm going to regret this"" So what that he was at the WH. IF this was Bush you be screaming the same questions - but it's Obama so you just "believe" he was doing something great. It's a legit question, where was he during the attack? What was he doing? You'd want these questions answered if it was any Republican. "At home" doesn't cut it. Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

huuummmm pretty sure Bill and Hillary were SURE she would be the prez about 7 years ago..... Just a thought Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

John your one and only warning. Cut it out. (I'm playing fake mod for the day....but the feeling of power, as false as it is.....well it feels good. But then again I'm easy to entertain) Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

Bill your one and only warning. Cut it out. Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

Hell Quade YOUR opinion are entirely biase and you post them.......... Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

We haven't had to worry about the ACA until now. I think the insurance companies are blood sucking pigs, that should have been much more heavily regulated. I believe the above on Rep and Dem presidents. Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

Currently the company pays 100% of the cost of health insurance. The truth of the matter is my company can be a good example of WHY we need something like the ACA. We are forced every couple of years to change insurance companies to try and find a company we can afford. We've raise our dedutable to a point that we really have insurance for major accident/illness. We have four people who have had serious health issues. We are looking at the idea of giving the net of the current insurance cost to all employees (gross there pay up to cover taxes, S.S. ect) The problem is that is won't cover the total expense for some and will over cover (younger) Trying to come up with a fair way to do this is harder than you'd think. Regardless of what some here suggest, this is a very open company and the network that some have found does NOT fit what they would want. I am not an ACA hater I just am upset that the facts vrs what we were sold are not jiving up. Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

ROTFLOL chief you haven't had an original idea on this board. You jumped in here basically saying that I was lying, or that had forced a conclusion. I'm calling BS on that,oh and your right I'm glad you don't know me but many on here do. ACA is a start to fixing a problem but it is flawed, you've even said as much in this thread. It has help some people, but as of now -TODAY-it is a negative for my small company AND EVEN if it wades up your panties in a ball, that's my employees feelings. The fact that for some odd reason you elected to not believe me and post snarky comments....well "chief" that doesn't change shit. Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

Hey DanG I don't really give a rats ass what you are colored. We have paid 100% for employee insurance since around 1975 and personally for a company of 28 I'm damn proud of that. As a company we have discussed it, but I will make the final decision. And for what's it worth, the ones that are having the biggest problem are the ones with a previous problem YES they can't be turn down but their rates are a higher A LOT HIGHER than others. So you make your smart ass comments, and you blindly support Obama care - but it has fucking problems and it needs work. Piss ant comments like that are why this country can't get shit done FHB Edit to add - I asked them to discuss AFTER they had research it all. Btw the average tenure is +15 years, these people are more family than someone like you could possibly understand. Making a profit is important, taking care of the people that have taken care if you is MORE important BUT you have to stay in business to do any if that. Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

I have offered to give everyone in the company the same amount of money we have been paying for health insurance. We pay 100% I asked all to go to healthcare.gov and review the plans that they can get. Interestingly - every young person thinks this is a great idea. The middle age don't like it but would do it, the four older people with poor health HATE it. THEN people started looking at the plan area.....now they all hate it. Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

Nope, we'll not my experience. While they both have their+ or - they really seemed pretty close. Example you can go to a P3 camp and do a good job and move forward. In WT you'd jump w someone who could move you forward - your "who you knew" but you had to perform. The advantage of P3 is it is scheduled and you can apply, w WT you had to find a way to get in front of someone. BOTH systems would and DID move people forward who weren't as good as some. People don't like to admit this but organizers faced with picking people w pick people they know over people who may actually may be better if they know know one better. Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

Yeah, well try flying a gass hog like my 182! Good luck next week in Az!! Be safe. Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

Here's an example. At the Fitz boogie (St. Paddies day boogie the greatest small boogie in the world......!!!!) Boogie registration $40, jumps $25 x 5 = $100 plus registration = $140.00 / jumps (5) = $33 per jump for POPs record jumps. Not to bad...... Then hotel $65.00 (one night) food beer $40, packing for lazy people $35, gas to drive fairly close $100. Total $240.00. Real cost $76 a jump. I don't even want to think what the 222 cost me..... But boy did I have fun.

In no way am I suggesting that organizers or dz for that matter not make a return. I think that the sequential small records will be much easier to plan, and make money with - and frankly more fun. I will say that big ways have gotten a lot more expensive through the years. That won't change. Plane capt get paid a lot of the times - I don't know that they did back in "the day". Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

Not sure what the P3 is now. Their camps are the gold standard of big way training. Room, board, airline from the east coast it's not cheap. OTOH on the 222 way was a young lady that had done several local state records, POPs, jump with Roger a couple times.... but never a formal "camp" and she did great. The camp format has been a good thing to bring up and comers to big ways but stating an often heard comment, it's a little hard for people that have several hundred +100 way size jumps, world records AND are current the idea that they need to come to a camp to be "seen" Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

I heard a lot of that to....mostly people just "retiring" from mega big ways. But if you figure a high of 40% (and I think thats high) you'd still have 133 well qualified people who want to keep doing them Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little