Unstable

I agree. "Look, Ron, please get your velcro replaced on your rig - " always get the answer "Okay, next repack cycle..." =========Shaun ==========

Mr Gruwell, I believe the serious answer time was over.... =) =========Shaun ==========

Good thread- it went downhill really fast tho!!! =========Shaun ==========

Point taken. I agree 100% that his father is very muc to blame and needs to be accountable for his actions. But regardless, he still learned those bad habbits and he still pulled the trigger. Yes, his father taught him, but the point is the boy is still dangerous, very much so. What are you going to do, put that kid in a foster home while his dad goes to jail? He needs to be locked up until he is safe to return to society. Not to punish the child, but obviously to protect those around him. =========Shaun ==========

See, that's where you're wrong. My manufacturer said that only Zippers are freefly friendly, so I always wear a zipper when I jump. Buttons pop off and kill you.. =========Shaun ==========

While I agree locking them up and throwing away the key isn't appropriate for a child who may not understand the consequences of his or her actions, I disagree with a few other points. Many times the motives of charging a kid as an adult are not to lock him up or give him the chair. This kid shot a pregnant woman at point blank wiht a 20 gauge. Until this kid gets special psychiatric attention, what do you do with him? Send him to Juvie? Foster Care? This kid is dangerous, and charging him as an adult is a way to keep him and other safe until the courts can find a good alternative for how to deal with him. =========Shaun ==========

OH, while I'm at it can I add my definition? FFF ==Cypres, Vigil, or my Favorite, Argus, and maybe Astra... =) =========Shaun ==========

Damn it Lee. Okay. So here's my punchline. Saturday We were sitting around the DZ office talking about gear. What gear I am loyal to is irrelevant because I'm not wanting to get into 'which container is better' argument. A jumper made the comment "Oh, you'd better not buy xxx brand, because it's not very freefly friendly and you should consider what you want to do in this sport..." Now, I thought the comment was a bit silly, so I started a discussion. Come to find, that after 30 minutes or so of going nowhere, 7 people involved had 7 totally different definitions of what Freefly Friendly meant. The issues of the rig are irrelevant. I just realized that the term has been thrown around by manufacturers so loosely that it really has no meaning? Would I go as far as RiggerLee -no - but I would go as far as to say that MOST Skydivers are throwing around a term that really has no meaning IMHO. It seemed that every jumper has some criteria for FFF that for some kooky reason, only THEIR rigs meet and thus everyone else is going to kill themselves. Who knows? Maybe I'm getting caught up on the little stuff - but I just didn't understand.. =========Shaun ==========

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I'd buy that. Cool! I don't think I've seen velco on rigs for a while.... old V2's and old Racers.... On a Side note didn't the first Mirages Have velcro or am I making that up? that's not the point I'm going for, but It just got me thinking.... =========Shaun ==========

Good one! Anybody else agree or disagree? What does it mean? =========Shaun ==========

....What does it mean to be 'Freefly Friendly?'. E.g. "Man, I'm going to buy xxx rig because it's Freefly Friendly" or "I would Recommend a more Freefly Friendly Rig.." I'm going somewhere with this. IN YOUR OWN WORDS what does that term mean? =========Shaun ==========

Sleep. Coincidently Lent falls in the busiest time during the semester so it all works out pretty well... =========Shaun ==========

I concur with SuperFletch. Mt Vernon MO is one of my favorite Dropzones - it has a wonderful 'mom & pop' feel and are very welcome to new folks. Some of my best memories are from that DZ. Enjoy. =========Shaun ==========

I rented the Documentary Expelled Done by Ben Stein. REALLY interesting. It's a documentary about the intellectual battle between Evolution and Intelligent Design (NOT Creationism). Although Stein is obviously bias as a believer of I.D., he's main thesis isn't whether one is right or wrong, but the emotion between the camps is such that even debate or intellectual discussion between the groups is cut off. =========Shaun ==========

We're on a small Kansas rural Airport with 4 hangers. Every Saturday the old men that run it sit in their chairs and watch us jump. We are the old entity at that airport buying fuel or paying rent really. They tell stories about flying in the good ol days and drink coffee from a gas station. I think we entertain them... =========Shaun ==========

Yeah man I'm a new rigger (about 2 1/2 years) too and I had to learn a few tricks for Racers. They arn't rocket surgery. I use 4x T-bodkins and 2 old cypres loops from recently repacked rigs to thread the AAD cutters. Pointer #1: Get the DVD from Nancy. She's a sweetheart and will help you when you need it. Pointer #2: Just like any rig, make sure to leave ROOM for the pop top to go. Leave a little pocket when you fold the ears and put the canopy in the bag. keep the little hole alive and well by occasionally massaging . Pointer #2: Don't use your muscles. If you're fighting it, you're doing it wrong and JUST LIKE ON ANY RIG OUT THERE, you can damage it or make it unsafe. Happy Rigging!! =========Shaun ==========

Hell, do you still have the silver Cessna? Pm me if you are looking to lease it.... =========Shaun ==========

Don't. Right now is the budget crunch the country is in, I have no bloody idea why congress thinks it's a good idea to impair a huge american industry as well as somehow find the $$ to 'protect' and additional 4,300 airports. Man, congress never ceases to surprise me. = ( =========Shaun ==========

Okay Gang, I'm not asking this as a troll, or to raise bad memories, but a simple answer hopefully with an explanation.. I know that this topic brings blood to a boil for some folks, but let's not get into that... Is Paul E.'s DZ, the Kansas City Skydiving Center, going to be open this season in Kansas City? I know the webpage is down, but is he going to try to fire up a little Cessna DZ? How is he doing? Is there any interest in opening it up? Does he have any support right now? =========Shaun ==========

[soap box] It takes little effort to pack a racer correctly. It takes little know-how. IMHO they are infinity easier to pack the reserve than a Wings or G4. I'm always a bit worried about riggers that complain about packing the reserve - it's either they don't want to take the time to learn something other than what they are used to (that's a concern) or they don't want to learn something new (also a concern). [/soap box] Man, they should put these racer threads in SC. =========Shaun ==========

I consider myself a good republican, but this is just going to be too funny...... =========Shaun ==========

WTF does congress care if every American get's a cold metal rod shoved up their ass? As we already discussed in another forum, don't they get private or airforce planes to fly on anyways!?!? =========Shaun ==========

I spent 2 years at Cessna - they paid/are paying for a good part of my education. Cessna has a LOT going for it. People buy Cessna Jets because on many levels, they are the most affordable in terms of fuel efficiency and the Citation Service Centers are Everywhere! I'm 100% in favor of High level execs taking them - it's economics really - why pay the top guys Millions to waste time in airport terminals? But now Obama put a cap at $500,000/yr for FAILING execs, a salary like that does not justify a 10 million dollar ride. Do you guys know how much it costs to integrate an X-box into a corporate jet? Handcut waterford Crystal bourbon flask? Oak trim and a full marble snack table? I'm all for corporate jets, but I can say from experience that a good # of these orders contain extremely high dollar luxuries which could be looked at.... =========Shaun ==========

For the most part the TSA is enjoying the benefits of paranoia induced by terrorism and an inflating budget. I'm not an expert on the TSA, and I'm sure most of you aren't either, but who is responsible for maintaining the checks and balances with them? If they decided that anal probes were the only thing to keep Americans safe and all airline passengers had to wear shock collars/bracelets, who monitors this shit? =========Shaun ==========