jfields

To day trade successfully, you have to: 1) know a lot 2) work really hard at it 3) be really smart (or damned lucky) 4) be able to trade money you don't need to live on Even with those attributes, most people would find it far easier and more profitable just to get a regular job. You could invest the salary from your regular job in the S&P index, and make more money and have more free time. Successful long-term daytraders are about as common as mothers that are virgins.

To some degree, probably so, Kevin. Depends on the person. Like wingloading, it varies by attitude. I am one of the people trying to hurry to get my D. I'm also realistic that it is just a piece of paper. It doesn't make me a better skydiver. The reasons I'm trying to get it before the deadline are flexibility and future convenience. If I go too long without jumping now (due to crummy weather), I become uncurrent and have to find a coach or instructor to jump with, which can be difficult or costly. If I get uncurrent, I know that I am, and I act accordingly. I watch my malfunction video, spend some time in a harness and review safety. My first few jumps are solos or very simple small-way dives to get back into the swing of things. That would be my plan, requirement or not. It is what I consider common sense. Seeing that I'm going to do these things anyway, it would be better for me to have the flexibility of doing it my cautious and thorough (but less expensive) way. Is a $200 "Level 4 recurrency jump" any better than a self-imposed safety refresher and a couple good safety-oriented 2-ways with a D-licensed jumper friend? If I get my D now, that leaves me with open options. Some DZs may require a D license for beach jumps or things like that. While I don't qualify now, if I maintain my currency and improve my skills between say, jumps 200 and 400, I may want to do them at 400 jumps, rather than waiting until 500. I want the D as a piece of paper for the future, to keep my options open. When I am manifesting or looking for jumps to get in on, I don't think about it, and I certainly don't see it as a justification to do things beyond my skills. But I'm sure some people are rushing for the D for just those things. The realignment of licenses is a good move. After awhile, people will never notice the difference.

Interesting debate.... In some ways I fall into the target group, in other ways, not so much. At 17 jumps (2 years ago), I bought a used Sabre 190. I weigh about 200 lbs, so my exit weight is ~220 or so. That puts my wingloading at 1.15:1 to 1.2:1. By some of the rules discussed, I'd basically have to have a C license to fly that canopy (or various other routes). When I bought that canopy, I knew it was a touch small. The guidelines you've been discussing would have had me buy a 230. That wouldn't have been the end of the world, but not my preference either. I considered my options and went ahead with the 190 purchase, knowing that I would fly gingerly for awhile, and be on it long enough to get comfortable and consistent with one canopy. At 17 jumps, I knew what kind of jumper I was. 100 jumps later, I'm still flying the same canopy. Another 100 jumps from now, I plan to still be on that Sabre 190. There will be plenty for me to learn without having to downsize. Where I said I knew what kind of jumper I was, that isn't "hotshot". I was very conservative when I first got my canopy. I generally still am. I do clear & pull jumps so I can play and learn safely. While some of my peers (jump #-wise) are trying to learn hook turns, I'm still working on consistent accuracy and doing student-style 3-leg patterns. It isn't because I'm dumb or slow, but because I'm cautious and want to master things before moving on to more difficult ones. There isn't any really good canopy training with an established schedule where I live. I can't just go to the local canopy school and get it. I'm actually signed up for some next week, but that is because I'm making my first (beer) trip out to Perris Valley. I've been hunting for quality training for awhile. Lots of people can fly, but most of them can't accurately assess another person's flight and have the teaching ability to get the relevent points across. If you are talking about "professional" canopy training, there don't seem to be too many places to do it. Some of the pro swoopers have schools, like Evolution in Perris. It is available in Deland, or with somebody like Chuck at Raeford. To help the vast body of us that haven't (yet) had a quality canopy control course, the availability has to get better. You can't legislate judgement or common sense. If I was kind of person to be really reckless under canopy, I could get myself in trouble under a 210 or 230. I'm not, and I decided to "grow into" my canopy gradually, rather than start on a path of downsizing from something much larger. DZOs and S&TAs can get to know jumpers enough that they could give waivers to the ones they thought had their act together, either by being cautious or by having really good canopy skills (or both). But jumpers that migrate from DZ to DZ might find that relationship hard to forge. Finances also play a part in the gear selection decision. I found used containers sized for bigger (230) canopies harder to find, and supposedly harder to resell without too much of a beating. Same with mains. Since most experienced jumpers don't fly canopies that big, the aftermarket arena makes it harder for newbies to pick up gear like that. All that said, I wouldn't have minded too much if I'd been forced into a bigger canopy. I understand that generalizations for the safety of the average novice jumper would save lives. But the mindset of the "experienced" jumpers also has to change. Where do incoming jumpers pickup the "downsizing is cool" attitude? They get it from people that teach them, and that they talk to around the DZ. When the folks with hundreds or thousands of jumps are breaking themselves partially due to poor canopy size selection, it send very mixed messages. The first is that small canopies are cool, otherwise people who supposedly know a lot wouldn't fly them. Second, it shows that there is no well-thought guideline for them to follow. I think the guidelines you are looking at are in the right direction. There just needs to be a wider shift in mindset to make it really work. Regulation won't make starting jumpers safer if all the jumpers they emulate are winking and nudging them in the other direction. When the Canopy Nazis start outnumbering the fast-downsizing advocates, newbies will start getting the right advice. The right advice, coupled with BSRs suggesting light wingloading and easy availability of canopy training will all combine to make things safer.

Holy crap, that was well-taken. No sweat, Vinny. We all do it now and then. Like I said, I did agree with most of what you said.

Vinny, I agree with a lot of your post. I just have to pick on one factor. It seems you are saying that prejudice is bad, unless it is against liberals. That is all.

Nope. He'll end up trapped in the forbidden forest by powerful magic and used as McGonagal's boytoy.

1) What color are they? 2) Are they yours? 3) If they aren't yours, whose are they? 4) Are they evenly distributed among all the bottles? 5) Did you include them in the beer's name, like "Short & Curly's Red Ale"?

Just to clarify, before the story gets told... Was it screaming or squeeling?

They are indestructible, unless conjugated as verbs, in which case they are incredibly fragile.

I'll stick with Folding. You can run SETI. Who knows, maybe the little green aliens have the cure to cancer or something and would be happy to share. Maybe they'd eat your head and use your femur for a toothpick. Whatever.

Well, at least it isn't a Microsoft product.

The Three Pillars of Zen http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0385260938/002-2750189-2704851?vi=glance The Marx-Engels Reader http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/039309040X/qid=1056390051/sr=2-3/ref=sr_2_3/002-2750189-2704851

"It's good to be the king!" - Mel Brooks, History of the World

You forgot to specify the company postwhoring policy.

C. Fowler, "The Tao of Sheep" W. Walls, "Blind Man's Spot - A Spiritual Journey" W. Grobler, "Hot Fork Ethics"

My tennis shoes are now brown forever, despite a run through the washing machine. I hope my jumpsuit fares better when I wash it. I did. Everyone was very nice and I enjoyed visiting. Will do!

Doh! I have 4 beers bottled, 1 fermenting, 2 meads fermenting, plus ingredients for 4 more batches of beer. This Friday, I'm leaving for San Diego (5 days at Perris. Nyah, nyah!) When I get back, you'll just have to take me up on my invite to have dinner and beer at my house. I offered, but we never got it scheduled. The beer is waiting for you.

Depends on what you do with it. Same thing applies to jumper cables.

Yeah, way to throw the cold water of realism in my face. Thanks. I agree though. It is a tool, like others.

I'd say she should talk to Clay, but I think it is too late.

Lummy, you are clearly having context issues. I was referring to the Bytch. Don't worry, I'm not trying to disrupt your relationship with Bill.

Whatever. The good stuff comes from England and the States. You ain't got squat. We don't even need your for maple syrup. That is why we have Maine and Vermont.

I dunno. I don't check the site very often. I kind of participate like a Ronco Rotisserie. "Set it & Forget it!"

I picked up 7 dual 650mhz SCSI RAID rackmounts for $100 each. You got to love it when biotech .bombs go bust and have as-is firesales.