MikeJD
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Everything posted by MikeJD
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Not a quote, but an instructor at my club used to have a nice routine that he'd take his passenger through on the ground 'in case both parachutes fail'. This involved them stretching both hands out to their sides at shoulder height, then bringing them down to their sides. He'd get them to repeat this, going faster and faster until they got the joke.
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I think the really interesting question around this is to what extent there are privacy 'rights' and 'wrongs' - I mean, over and above what the law says - as opposed to just currently accepted norms. Seems to me that since so many (typically younger) people have embraced social networking and are putting their whole lives online, gradually standards will change until those of us who still like to retain some privacy will be seen as odd, even suspect. And I guess when everything is known about everyone, people will be comfortable with it because it's what they're used to - for better or worse. We're just at that awkward transitional stage right now!
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You sure? Then why are there so many people shambling along the street tapping away at their phones and bumping into people going the other way? It's not like your typical Hollywood zombie has much to say anyway. Nokia could make their predictive dictionary zombie-friendly just by adding 'Uuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrgh'.
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Yay, Shah! You really are back to your old self.
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Hence the 'bodyline' controversy.
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The best way to ensure instant pregnancy is to risk unprotected sex just once because you're out of condoms!
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Nice. I'd bet a lot of money that wasn't actually submitted as an exam answer - that's just the kind of colour people like to add before sending these things out into the world - but it's still cute and funny.
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Q: Is this Eight Ball app lacking in polish? A: Absolutely!
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But the circumstances, not least the distances involved, are surely very different. I don't see much correlation between the requirements of a soldier fighting a battle and someone having to defend himself against a mugger.
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What topic will our favorite troll rant about today?
MikeJD replied to ryoder's topic in The Bonfire
He didn't used to be such a troll - he was once just a somewhat outspoken, politically incorrect and actually quite amusing guy. I blame certain people here for feeding him. You've created a MONSTER!!! -
Har-de-har. It's not like you guys aren't still way behind the French. At least, that is, according to the French. Maybe this map could double as an indicator of truthfulness across Europe.
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Whaaat?!! I demand a recount! Re-measurement! Something!
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Do what John and Valinda did.. teach em to pack And until s/he's old enough to learn? Handy packing weight! Congratulations, Ashli. And Mr Ashli.
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Shah? Don't you know you're only allowed one account?
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It'd be inconsistent if I judged the likelihood of threat from an assailant to equal that of my main parachute malfunctioning - or indeed if I judged the outcome of pulling a gun as predictable as the outcome of pulling a reserve handle. Clearly I don't. Surely the balance of risk vs reward, or risk vs inconvenience, is what counts here. We all play that game, all the time. Your judgement differs from mine, and that's fine. No, but I probably should, and thanks for the prompt - I'll get hold of one soon. I'm far more likely to need an extinguisher than a handgun!
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Perhaps your definition of 'vanishingly small' differs from mine, John. I've had to use that reserve parachute twice now. Without it I'd be dead or very severely injured, and most skydivers could say the same if they've been jumping for long enough. But I've been walking around pretty much unmolested for 40-odd years now, and never carried a firearm. How many times have you used your reserve? How many times have you saved yourself by pulling out your gun?
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Could say the same thing about a personal lightning conductor, but I wouldn't want to lug one around.
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Not so far! I guess it's just a completely different mindset. Yes, the law says that I can't carry a gun. If it didn't, would I carry one? Well, I might be inclined to because of the thought that so many other people would be packing, but I doubt it. I think the chances of me finding myself in a situation where a gun would help me more than it would help the other guy are vanishingly small. Which means that I don't have to choose one, pay for it, be trained in its use, carry it, worry about someone else getting hold of it, figure out what to do with it when I took off my jacket, etc. etc. I'm not saying you're wrong to carry a weapon - that's your prerogative and your constitutional right. It's just that, personally speaking, I don't 'get it' - and I think to a large extent it's a cultural thing, so I probably never will.
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No more surprising to me than how many civilians seem to suffer from pre-traumatic stress disorder! I don't have strong feelings about US gun laws, and in any case they're none of my business. But what does strike me is how much less complicated things are when you don't feel the need to carry one!
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Low pull + CYPRES fire + near miss with tree.
MikeJD replied to labrys's topic in Safety and Training
In the league table of skydiving mistakes, those are pretty minor - you've already done the crucial stuff, and everything else is about saving yourself money and inconvenience! Even once you've completed your drills, it's more important that you get control of your reserve canopy than that you keep hold of your handles. It is a reflection of experience though - I too lost my cutaway cable on my first reserve ride, and kept hold of everything on my second. -
I use mine when there's something I really don't want to be able to get out of my pocket again. Or when I feel like playing the contortionist. I guess I should just put smaller things in there.
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You should also ask yourself honestly whether you have the skills to guarantee a safe dock on your dad's tandem - regardless of whether your DZO says yes. Don't underestimate how 'different' it is from your experience to date. The fall rate may be radically outside your comfort zone in either direction, and there's the big, scary, intimidating drogue to deal with. I can completely understand why you'd want to do it - it's a fantastic buzz to jump with a friend or family member - but the last thing you want to do is spoil his jump (or worse), and remember that he will have a blast regardless.
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Mickey D - that's me. Thought for a horrible moment you'd hacked my webcam. Don't you mean Maccy D's?
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And not just the general public. I think the (possibly uncomfortable) truth is that although at a personal level we don't like to see people get hurt in skydiving or BASE, many/ most jumpers enjoy their sport's notoriety to some degree.
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I, too, am confused Of course you are, it's an aarco post. There's a reason his profile lists one of his occupations as 'special speaking'.