pajarito

Absolutely!

zzzzzzzzzzz...zzz.zzz...cough..cough...what?.... I'm awake....what's up?

So, if I'm one of those eco-terrorists and I decide to start a "Skydivers against SUV's" group and we go around blowing up peoples Hummers, the government is going look more closely at and put more restrictive control on skydiving as a sport because I've given the sport a bad name?

It used to be that skydiving was a relative unknown and was comprised of a very small sub-culture of society. Now, it's a whole lot bigger and more visible. It used to be that we didn't give a rat's arss what anybody thought of us. I think the core still feels that way. If somebody starts a "Skydivers in support of bashing Bush" campaign, it won't affect me even a little bit.

I don't know...I just can't see that happening. I say if someone wants to start a "Skydivers for P.E.T.A" or "Skydivers for Aligator Wrestling" organization, they should be able to. I don't think it will affect the rest of us in the slightest. This is S.T.U.P.I.D!

Roger that... Flat-line--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My wife thinks I'm an ass sometimes. I think a lot of people in here do too. I fully support someone's decision to be an ass.

I agree.

I hope it was a female, otherwise that would be wrong Oh but Phillykev, you've argued very strongly in favor of alternative lifestyles. Why would it be wrong? I should be able to marry that ass if I wanted to.

Nice! I disagree but that was a good one.

We just always kept him in front so he wouldn't shoot anybody. Kind of looks like he had a thing for that donkey. I actually rode that donkey down the hill to that villiage in the background. I had to spank that ass a few times on the way.

That's one of my favorites. That guy was on a PSYOP team co-located with us at my team's safehouse in Afghanistan. He was a real goofball but we liked him.

This......is a jackass!

Not speaking of a coverup. That would be even worse. That's why I said we'd have to wait for the facts to come out. I'm more referring to simply the mishandling of classified documentation by our "leaders." It's a wonder anything remains secret.

It really depends on what you're trying to accomplish with the dive. If they're progressing in the sport or if they're just making one skydive to show their drunk friends at a party their picture on the wall. If they want to learn, I involve them as much as possible. They have to make their intentions clear to me, though. If they don't, I assume they're just wanting to be a passenger and I control the parachute from 1000ft to the ground. Before then, however, I usually let them participate as much as they wish.

I've done it with a person in the same condition and approximate age. She's my mother-in-law, though, and I was sure I wouldn't be sued. Otherwise, it would be a concern. I'd have to talk to her and get a feel for her condition personally. Given her past experience, though, I think she’s got a good idea of how to judge her own capabilities. I’d most likely jump with her.

[rant] I always pack my own. I think people are getting way too damn lazy to not. I guess its ok sometimes. Maybe when you get old and your back hurts or something. I also know people who aren't very good at packing themselves who also pay people to pack for them. I'm talking about people fairly new to the sport. That mentality also crosses over into their drive to improve themselves in other aspects of the sport. How do you ever get better if you're not self-sufficient and rely on everybody else to carry you? I have kids. It's kind of like buying them slip on shoes that don't need to be tied and they never learn to tie their own. [/rant] In reference to the incident, I've fixed those kinds of mistakes in the plane. Some may not agree with that. It's just something I do. Most of the time, it's not that it wasn't cocked; it's just that it snaked back in a bit where the marker didn't show. That's not uncommon. I made my mark a bit longer for that very reason. Otherwise, just get somebody to hold the pin and gently pull the bridle. It may bunch up a little and look ugly but it will work. I guess, though, technically speaking and if I was the packer, the pack job wasn’t satisfactory for the jumper and, therefore, I wouldn’t expect to be paid. It’s not exactly right if the marked portion of the kill line isn’t showing even if it could be easily fixed and the jumper is too inexperienced or just a dumbass for not knowing. That’s just the way it goes. Gotta be fair. But I say Jump Damnit!!!

Bin Laden isn't the "end all, be all" of Al-Qaida. It would be great to get him as he is the spiritual figurehead and symbol, however, the organization has to be taken down. That's where you earn your money. If Bin Laden was killed today, Al-Qaida would continue. It would still be a threat and would still have to be dealt with.

or it is...Conveeeeeenient! Maybe....I don't know. We'll wait till the facts from the investigation come out. Mine wasn't meant to be a partisan comment, really. I was just thinking about how bad that would be if it was true. Whatever your political affiliation, if someone did that, he/she should be punished harshly, IMO.

If true, that is...Baaaaaaaaad! This should be very interesting.

"Because God commands us to" is a simple answer given in reference to this question as well as many others but it doesn't always hold much water with the thinking person. However, that answer, in reference to God, is really much more complicated than most think. I thought this article was very interesting regarding eithics and morality. Ethical Relativism

I'd plan the jump better the next time but you've got to pull when you've got to. Below 2000ft, whoever's above me better watch out!

With a D, I can take it to 2000ft. However, I typically pull at 2,500ft. Some days, I pull at 3,000ft. I just don't see the point in pushing it. I like the time and altitude. It likes me too. We're friends.

I got the 4-stack and Double Falcon award early on when I was new. I haven't sent in for one in 15 years. I send USPA enough money for instructor, tandem, and PRO renewal. S@%#'s gettin' expensive!!!

I was stupid and didn't log for a number of years. I've probably got at least 400 or so not logged. I don't count those as official, though. Moral of the story if you're new: Be diligent and log your jumps or else you'll regret it later.