yoink

Says Toronto's crack-head mayor... This guy is the new Charlie Sheen. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24858250

Because they provide motivation to train for something achievable. I might well never get on a WR attempt, but if I put the time, effort and money in, maybe I could get on a a State one... That gives me a goal to improve myself. It also provides an avenue to bring cash into DZs and towns from out-of-town jumpers, and gives an excuse for a party.

If you get a record it can be broken the next jump or the next day, and if you think that effort and expense entitles your boyfriend to a certain period of grace then you're living in a fantasy world. There's NO excuse for flying like that and putting 33 of your supposed mates at risk. None.

You always hear more from dissenters. Fact of the internet... They can put whatever they want into their magazine. You can choose not to read it... it's inelegant or crude perhaps, but you're making a big deal out of nothing IMO.

Why's it disgraceful? I don't see it? They ran an opinion piece and are getting some backlash from 50% of the population. The other 50% probably like it. Risky? Sure... but disgraceful?

WHY did he torch the record? I still don't understand.

Well, that's one way to make yourself a pariah I guess..

But I gave you an exceptionally GOOD reason not to give it at all... Just because you could, doesn't mean you should. And you'll have to come up with something other than 'maybe there's some reason we haven't though of' to trump my 'lets not kill everyone on the aircraft' card. Edit: If you're descending with the aircraft due to weather, just tell the pilot that you've got an AAD on and they can alter their descent to accommodate. edit edit... chuck beat me to it.

Chances are that if the control button was accessible, at some point someone would accidentally alter the setting in the plane by leaning on something, or would think they can turn it on / reset it in flight and would be in a whole world of hurt.... I would much, much, much rather have it inaccessible and set it right n the ground. Something that can potentially release a reserve PC is NOT something I want people messing with in a plane.

I'm a small sample (i.e. I'm one person ) but I did an AFF 1 jump and was so overwhelmed. I did remain altitude aware and pulled at the proper time, but it kind of spooked me. Went and did an hour of tunnel (knowing that I am a slow learner of things physical), and my AFF Cat B jump was a thing of beauty. I think the tunnel definitely helped with a lot of "where is my body" awareness and learning control, which allowed me to concentrate on other aspects of the skydives. I'm glad it helped, and if you know you're a slow learner, maybe in your case it was necessary. However, an hour of tunnel time is a LOT. It's the equivalent of 50 to 60 jumps in air-time. Personally, I think you might have gotten more out of your progression by saving a large portion of that tunnel time until a little later - when you're ready to start working on your solos or FS skills, for example. That said - if it worked for you, I'm happy.

I don't mean that Instructors will unnecessarily pass students, but AFF seems to have become about time for the students. They're the ones asking 'How FAST can I get my A-license?' - and since the A is predicated mostly on in-air skills, then answer is 'pretty damn fast'. The pressure they put on themselves to complete it in the fastest time possible is only increased by the idea that tunnel time aids this - 'well, if it means I can do it faster, why wouldn't I?' and it does... I'm not denying that. It makes them better in the air, sooner. I'm just not convinced that 'sooner' or 'faster' makes them a better, safer or more rounded skydiver though. They simply haven't had TIME to watch lots of other people landing and see the mistakes that others make. They don't have TIME to ask questions about people they see door jamming, or how manifesting and load organizing works... they don't need to know stuff like this for an A license, but its good information to have when they get off student status, because then they're on their own. Don't get me wrong. I think that tunnel time is great. I think after completing the AFF qualification jumps is the PERFECT time for a little and will really help ongoing progression. I just think eventually there has to be a limit of how much progressing 'faster' can help a student.

The biggest problem I have with AFF is that it hurries people though the introduction to skydiving. Simply making the series of AFF jumps does not a skydiver make, in my book. Some things you ONLY get from time spent in a plane, or on a dropzone. Awareness in those areas is part of being a 'skydiver'. The technical in air skills are only a bit of it. With the introduction of tunnel time into a training programme, I can't help thinking that we're speeding the process up even more. Soon it won't be acceptable to 'fail' a level, even though those can be seriously good learning experiences.

Your instructors passed you. You don't need tunnel time... It can help as a training tool, but it's far from a necessity. Save your money for jumps. Relax, listen to your instructors and smile. You don't need to be excellent at it immediately. Chill.

The sad thing is the the cretins in office only see it as a Republican vs Democrat thing... 'We're both losing, but we're losing less than them! Fuck yeah!'.. ...when the real message is that the people they're representing are almost equally disgusted with the lot of them. Seriously - if there was a vote tomorrow to remove the entire senate and congress, I'd put yes on it. Wake the fuckers up.

Hey VSG, I got diagnosed with hypothyroidism earlier this year too. I'm just starting to feel that I'm starting to work out the medication 6 months on. I've not tried Armour I'm afraid, but am on a combination of Synthroid and Cytomel. Those seem to be working for me. The best advice I can give is to make sure that you get a second set of labs after the first 6 weeks and maybe another 6 weeks after that. Comparing those numbers to the originals will at least tell you whether the meds are having any effect at all - even if they're not the right strength. Personally, I had to work out that not only did the generic version of the T4 not work for me, but also that I still don't make T3 either, so have to take a supplement for that as well... regular labs really helped nail that down. The wierd thing about it is that it's really nebulous. Some doctors treat you until your free T3 and T4 numbers look right and say that's your dose, (regardless if you're feeling better or not!) while others use the labs as a guideline and treat the symptoms. To work out the correct dose it's a simple as 'take this strength for a couple of weeks and see if you feel better. If not, we'll up the dose'... simple, but it takes time for the drugs to kick in - about a week in my case. When it does though, you definitely notice an improvement. The tiredness reduced dramatically for me, even when the dosage wasn't right. The focus and concentration have taken longer to dial in. There's a really good booklet available here: http://www.thyroid.org/wp-content/uploads/patients/brochures/Hypothyroidism_web_booklet.pdf Keep your chin up. It gets better. I had a lot of questions 6 months ago - I had trouble with something so simple being so complicated at the same time and the medical lackadaisical attitude towards it bugged me. I wanted a timeline and a process. When will I see results. What do we do if a, or b? I think I've got some of that figured out now - let me know if you need any help. I'll do my best.

I'm going to make sure my TI is an atheist and and has a gps with him. I fly Tandem PG ..... and would not have taken off!! pussy.

A few years ago a load of the local youth - 16 and up! - were doing this in my parents village and were getting quite nasty too. I prepared some of the Flying saucers for them one halloween... For our American chums those are sugar paper discs with sherbert in the middle. http://www.britishsweets.com.au/Flying-Saucers-20-Pack The only difference is that I took them all apart and replaced the sherbert with baking soda and a little cayenne pepper. Admittedly, I had to hose the vomit off the drive the next morning, but watching these guys walk away frothing at the mouth like rabid dogs after stuffing their faces was totally worth it. They've never come back for some reason.

yeah. Because you only get that in the military - nowhere else in life... You know the difference between you and the special forces guys you seem to idolize? They don't try to brag about serving or suggest it makes them better or different to other people... Their quiet professionalism is one of the things that gets a huge amount of respect. Your attitude is a joke. 'Look at me! Look at me! I was in the military!'. So what? That doesn't make you better or your opinions worth more or less than anyone else. Get off your high horse.

but you have no idea WHAT data. In order to do a credit check, for example, it would send a SS number, name and address (I would assume). This then gets crosschecked with Experian and the credit score sent back - it's a Lookup function. You, however maintain that Experian are using the healthcare system as a vehicle to BUILD their information database. Taking that request from healthcare.gov, storing information that they didn't previously have and then are selling it on. Show us the source for that information - it shouldn't be hard. Unless it's entirely supposition on your part... and even if it's true, the selling of the information is STILL nothing to do with Obamacare. Unless you want to lump in every other credit reporting function with them, you know, all the other people who DO provide information to the credit agencies.

Where is your source for this? Even if it's true, then NO, I'm obviously not OK with it. But my complaint would be with Experian. It would be THEM selling the info. But as I've already shown, credit agencies don't collect information from health insurance providers. Googling it shows that a florida TV station misreported the facts and has since said "“After receiving numerous emails about the story, Local 6 contacted Packham on Wednesday, and she said her statement was incorrect, adding that users do not need their credit scores to apply for the Affordable Care Act,” the station wrote. “Local 6 is investigating how the person in charge of providing information about the Affordable Care Act could make such an error.”" and even after that, it's a credit check. they're not providing information - it's Experian who would be providing the information TO healthcare.gov. Those pesky facts. Always getting in the way of a good storm in a teacup, eh?

Bet he "probably" has. Not sure they know who they're talking to. Hint Lyra - there's a clue in his name.... and his D-number. Almost as funny as the guy telling Kirk Verner that his advice on how to take grips was wrong... http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3409993

I'm still not seeing where you rationally link this to Obamacare. The way it works: Lots of sources provide information to the credit reporting agencies. Banks, Car financing, store card applications, credit cards - anywhere that might be interested to see if you're trustworthy... Maybe Obamacare does, maybe it doesn't. I'd be interested to see your proof. I suspect not as this article explains: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/mythbusting-credit-check-obamacare-140008957.html Experian sold its data to a third party which used it for criminal purposes. Nothing to do with Obamacare.... If you're going to go crazy about systems providing data to the credit agencies, go and complain to your bank manager or your mortgage lender.

1) Nowhere in that article does it ONCE mention Obamacare. 2) Applying for any private health insurance requires that you provide the same details as you would for Obamacare. In fact, they ask for MORE. 3) There are places which ask for details that could be used for identity theft FAR MORE readily than the Obamacare website... try signing up for 'Christian Mingle', the online dating service. It wants your address, social security number and your bank details - which website do you think is more likely to try and keep the data safe?? Banks, Auto financing, renting a house, even trying to get your credit report ALL require you to give out your social security number. 4) The credit agencies are their own worst enemies when it comes to identity theft - I'm dealing with them for exactly that at the moment and they're asking stuff like 'please go to Postal Annex and FAX your Social security to this number'... and have then given me the WRONG number... Nevermind that it's asking a 3rd party to scan and store your information. You're getting almost as far out as Ron on some of these, Turtle. Not everything in the world is linked to Obama or the ACA...

Why would you stay in a hotel and NOT lock the door?

You're all insane. You couldn't pay me enough tp be part of that formation!! Cracking job from everyone. Nice one!