jfields

Kevin, You might like "Perdido Street Station" by China Mieville. Fantastic use of language. Check the reviews on Amazon.

Wendy, I think part of the difference in our opinions is your thousands of jumps versus my 78. It has been a long time since you have had as little experience as I have now. I haven't ever had a reserve ride. I do practice my emergency procedures, so I hope I won't brain-lock. While I *believe* I will pull silver when the time comes, I don't *know* for a fact. You wanted me to let you know if I came up with a way a Cypres lowers my risk on a hop and pop other than in case of brain-lock. Isn't that enough of a reason for a newbie like me, at least until I *know* I'll pull silver? Thanks for keeping the conversation civil, as they seem to often deteriorate when discusing Cypres.

Sunshine, be honest. Can you really concentrate when you are at the laundromat sitting on the machine doing your laundry? It is like a skyvan that takes quarters!

Exactly. I mean, if Clay can get a rating, I expect one the next time I buy some CrackerJacks.

Wendy, People who depend on a Cypres no matter what and have never jumped without one may need to do some re-evaluating. I agree with that. I won't jump without one *as long as it lowers my probable risk*. Which for me has been 100% of the time, so far. Although I haven't done CRW, my (minimal) understanding leads me to think that having a Cypres active on a CRW jump would have more potential risk than reward. If I were to do CRW, I'd turn it off. You bring up a perfectly valid example of when it isn't suitable. When people get so dependent on it and get the mindset of "Cypres=Safe", it is a bad thing. As long as people continue evaluating the pros and cons in a rational, educated way, the choice should be up to each person. Your Cypres-Insurance analogy is good. Each person decides what they need. I don't think I'll die skydiving, but I did go out and buy a term life policy that specifically includes skydiving. I pay a premium for it, but I'm thinking of my family and the unlikely (but non-zero) chance that I die in a jump-related incident.

Clay, Think of all the boobies you would miss if you burned in early. "Buy a Cypres - See More Boobies"

Finally, someone who appreciates fine literature! But you forgot The Lorax!

I won't argue that a Cypres can sometimes complicate or cause problems, but I'm not sure what you are looking at here. If you are looking at Cypres' not being able to save people hooking or making inadvertent low turns, then you're right. But for high-speed mals with mains, getting a reserve out might just save your life. By the time you hit activation altitude, you should have already taken care of things yourself. But some people don't. Some of them are still around, due to having a Cypres. If you look at the risk/reward for having one, I think it comes out positive. It is a matter of statistics and likelihoods. If it saves lives more often than it contributes to fatalities, it makes sense to me to have one. There are also cases of car airbags killing people. But the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of one saving a life (or reducing injury) on deployment. I agree with you that there are other things people can do to improve their odds. Many of them are cheaper. But it isn't necessarily an either/or scenario. If you look at the effect of safety devices/procedures/training in a cumulative way, adding one more is usually a good thing.

I don't know about the jump numbers, but maybe they are counting in sheep years or something.

I won't jump without a Cypres, although I did 30 jumps on rounds without one. But I was single and in the Army then. Now, I jump with a Cypres. It is part of my "deal" with my wife. She isn't that comfortable with my skydiving, so every additional safety device (Cypres, RSL, audible alti.) I use, she gets some small extra level of acceptance. So I jump with the safety equipment. There is relatively little down side, and for me, the benefits still outweigh the drawbacks anyway. That said, if I was single, I would be willing to jump without one (still would on certain jumps), but I'd still prefer to have one.

Okay, I'm a secure enough man to admit that my Lego shop at home catalog just arrived. One of the new themes is "Island Xtreme Stunts". Barf! I say that because the activities included are: Windsurfing Bungee Jumping Hang Gliding Skateboarding Wakeboarding ATV Riding The only way those are extreme is if I make my Lego shark eat the watersports people and run my Lego remote control car over the rest of them. Where are the Skydivers, damnit? C'mon, I've had my Lego minifigures skydiving from my Sopwith Camel for awhile now....

Thanks! Want me to teach you about friction and surface tension?

Skymama, The difference is the density of the air. At the higher altitudes she plans to jump from, the air is much, much thinner. And it is the air resistance that sets what terminal velocity is for any given object. The closer to the ground something is, the higher the density of the air, and the more the resistance. We would basically just keep accelerating if we didn't reach an equilibrium between the effect of gravity and the resistance of the air. That is why "terminal velocity" is different for flat, sit and head-down. Flat flying has more wind resistance than sit, which has more than head down. So the equilibrium points are different for each of them. This is sort of simplified. Does it make sense?

I don't think the guy will be getting any oral either. Man, what a drag for both of them. No religion will tell me what I can and can't do in bed... unless I move to somewhere the religion condones polygamy. Ladies, do you know that polyandry and accepted practice in some parts of Nepal... oh... wait... women can get that any time they want.

Snookums, pookieloveybear, pookiepie... WHATEVER! All of you get a room! I don't even care if it is the same one.

We still aren't sure about the sheep thing, but he really does have man boobies.

Another rare occasion where Clay and I agree.

You are working way hard at overcoming that cheesy picture.

Hey dumbass, see second meaning. Main Entry: on·ly Pronunciation: 'On-lE Function: adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Old English AnlIc, from An one -- more at ONE Date: before 12th century 1 : unquestionably the best : PEERLESS 2 : alone in its class or kind : SOLE

How big is the door, and do you give a cut on jumprun?

I also like reading about catastrophic adventures and near-death experiences, so maybe I'll just stick to a book.

Judy, Yeah, I know the general gist of it, but was looking for more info and description. The whole thing is so freakish that I want to know more.

If you get to "Pookieloveybear", get a room.

Yes, it could. That would definitely leave you with a dangling participle.

Jessica, a 1-900 number would probably earn you a lot of jump tix right about now. Muenkel is rarin' to go.