peregrinerose

We just came back from seeing it. It was so-so, wish I'd seen Golden Compass instead. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

My husband's first rig cost us $2000. He jumped it for 3 years, about 400 jumps. We sold it for $1600. $400/400 jumps = $1/jump. Better numbers than yours I bought my first rig for $1800. Put 300 jumps on it before getting a new canopy then another 300 on the container/reserve/cypres. I still own that rig, and keep it so there's a spare in our house should either my husband or I need it in a pinch to turn loads. I only bought my first new gear recently. If someone is hurting for money, there's no reason to go buy new when there are plenty of good used rigs out there. A new jumper doesn't need top of the line. There's nothing wrong with an older dolphin or racer container, both work well and are easy to pick up inexpensively used until finances allow for custom gear and education in the sport allows for better decision making on what to buy. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Let us know when you'll be there, my husband and I are there most weekends (except when the weather is crap ) and we'd be happy to introduce you to all the fun jumpers. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Good words Jennifer. And I'd take it a step further... for those so inclined, find someone you know that doesn't have a great holiday season and help them out. Invite them over or go to their home, get them a gift that is useful, not some crappy shit that gets thrown away later. There's a family I know, the grandmother runs register at the local convenience store. Her husband has dementia, she just lost his pension, he's in a nursing home, her son is a total loser so she's raising his two kids (age 4 and 6). She's a hell of a woman. To top it all off, she has an ankle injury and can barely walk right now. Next week, I'll be handing her a card with a $100 gift card for the local food store in it. It's the only Christmas present I'm giving this year (I'm not Christian), but know it will let her have the Norman Rockwell Christmas she deserves. I don't want pats on the back... I want someone else to read this, and think of a waitress, a cashier, a vet tech, someone in their life that may not have a lot, and do the same thing. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

DSE, any time you need a place to crash in PA, you're welcome at our place... feel better now?

If you only have 14 jumps, you haven't had much exposure to jumpers yet, but inviting strangers to stay at our homes is much more the rule than the exception. Every time I've posted on here that I was going somewhere, I've had offers of places to stay, generally from people I've never met. Every year for the local rigging course, we let someone crash at our house for free since we're right up the street from the loft... so far, 2 people that I've never talked to before they walked through the door stayed with us for more than a week. Several others have stayed here for other reasons and shorter times too. Hell, I even drove more than 2 hours each way to pick up a sewing machine for a rigger, just because he needed someone local to the ebay auction to pick it up and I was one of the closest he found on here. I never met him before he came to pick up the machine from my house several weeks later. We're a fairly open and generally giving bunch. You'll see that in time

In general, I think infants are ugly little creatures, but damn, yours is cute. Especially that second picture

But you have how many hundreds of skydives behind you... you aren't a student who may flare too high or too low/ not at all and then take that entire impact on their spine. One of my students had 2 spinal compression fractures from doing just that. He'd have been fine if he PLF'd. I see no problem with experienced jumpers butt sliding. I have a huge problem with teaching students to do so though. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Kyle, I attached the picture of you realizing that you didn't scope out the landing area nearly well enough..... You can tell just how stupid you were Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I freaking LOVE having the 'problem' of hanging out with him at least weekly

Debating religion on here is usually a waste of time, but we all do it anyway From a political stance, it's not a waste of time if it buys a few lawmakers a few votes, and that's probably why they do it, to kiss a little ass. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

What would be the advantage of using this rather than doing tandem progression to AFF or IAD? Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I saw this on ebay.... not interested in buying it, just curious as to how this kind of system has been used. http://cgi.ebay.com/Strong-Student-Rig-with-Drogue-Free-Fall-system_W0QQitemZ140189417940QQihZ004QQcategoryZ106980QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I wasn't doubting that they were working hard or that they make a great product (they do) or that there's anything wrong with the wait time (there isn't). I just don't think a long wait time on a new container makes a used container inherently more valuable. People generally don't buy used because they don't want to wait on new... they buy used because they are new jumpers, don't know what they want yet, just looking for a backup rig, need to save a few bucks, etc. People buy new because they want their colors, a container built to fit them, the bells/whistles of their choice, etc. These are two different demographics of buyers, so the wait time on a new rig is irrelavant to the used gear buyer (generally speaking, I'm sure there are exceptions). Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Here's my list, I approximated jump numbers. Nav 240, 220 - Jumps 1-25 (0.75 WL) Sabre1 170 - Jumps 26-175 (.97 WL) Spectre 150 - Jumps 176-600 (1.1 WL) Sabre2 135 - Jumps 600-present (about 640) (1.25 WL) I did a handful of demos on Sabre2 150, Pilot 132, and Jedei 170... maybe 10 jumps total for all 3. I'm still learning my Sabre2, since I don't have many jumps on her yet, no plans to change or downsize at any point. I don't think I'll ever go smaller than the 135, it's a good size for me and I have no interest in swooping. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Slow service makes a rig more valuable? That doesn't make any sense! I'm not criticizing the wait on a rig, I just got my new Javelin after a 4 month wait, I just don't think that wait time means it's worth more. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

You have a lot of good points. The only thing that you are missing is that 99.9999999999% of kids are going to see the movie/book as a good fantasy movie/book, not a religious commentary. Kids just don't think that way, like you said, they don't have the critical thinking skills to see a movie as a metaphor for anything, only a good story. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Ok, I was curious, so did some digging. http://www.philip-pullman.com/about_the_author.asp Is the author's blurb about who he is, why he writes, his philosophy, etc. Someone here quoted him as saying that his goal is to talk kids out of Christianity... not true... what he said was actually in an interview. The interviewer asked him what C.S. Lewis would say of Pullman's writing. Pullman replied that CS would say that he is trying to get kids away from Christianity. The quote was taken completely out of context. Here's a discussion between him an an archbishop of England, I found interesting http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2004/03/17/bodark17.xml And, he's not even a true athiest http://www.surefish.co.uk/culture/features/pullman_interview.htm The man is a writer, not really big on labels. He sounds more agnostic than athiest to me, and aqually quite humble in realizing just how little he knows of the world and possibility of God. I read some of his commentaries on the Narnia series and found them quite thought provoking. He stated in several of them that it's not the Christian themes that he had a problem with, but the lack of Christian values (primarily love) that was expressed. His comparisons between Lyra (Golden Compass) and Susan in Narnia was interesting too. I hadn't read either book with some of the things he pointed out in mind, makes me want to go re-read both and see some of these perspectives that I missed. http://www.crlamppost.org/darkside.htm I actually had a blast entertaining myself at work between patients reading some of his commentaries and interviews. He's an extremely intelligent man, good writer, and although I disagree with him on some things, overall, he made me think. And isn't that a good thing? Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I wasn't sure if it was a pun or crappy spelling. Given the lack of grammar in the rest of the post, I went with spelling Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

You know Washington was a slave owner right? Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

That's because we're myspace friends, and that's like deep, or something Don't worry, I've never discussed theology with kids uninvited by the parent and I've never tried to convince anyone to believe (or not believe) anything. People need to follow their guts, what feels right to them, when it comes to philosophy and theology. Since we're all different, I don't see any problem with taking different paths to being the best people we can be. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

I can understand Jaye not wanting to line the guy's pockets, but I don't understand not using it as an opportunity to talk with and educate a child. If one of your kids wants to read the book, have you considered getting it from the library (thus you have given no money to the author), let them read it, and be open to any discussion that results? I am not Christian, do not believe in a Christian God, but I do respect other belief systems, and fully intend on encouraging my children to explore Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and other belief systems for themselves. I would rather they talk with me about it, ask their questions, be open with my own beliefs and those of others than to be brainwashed into only one way of thinking (my own). My mindset isn't too far different than Pullman's, so I'm guessing that Jaye and Mamajumps wouldn't let me anywhere near their kids... which is too bad, I'm a good person, live a very giving and generous life. Most who know me consider me a good role model. Edited to add chances are any kid who reads the book will read it in the same light as Narnia... a good fantasy novel and nothing more. I read both Narnia and Golden Compass as a kid, loved them both. With the girl protagonist, I like GC a little better, but to my kid mind, I never saw the religious overtones.,. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Mine was Boreallus, the spider daemon Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

Hehehehehe... I found that lesson out the hard way the first time I jumped at Mile Hi. I got a great briefing by the staff regarding outs, hazards, landing patterns, etc. They just never mentioned the 8 billion prairie dog holes in the area!

Looks to me like someone found Skypapa's pet BillyVance Is bestial necrophilia a crime? Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda