SBS

you seem to be pretty level headed, and your responses are always well thought out, and articulated very nicely. -------------- Um...put down the crackpipe while you type... ;) -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

gotta love the look on that old guy's face next to her. :) -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

Try running this Square One form through your human resources department. :) -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness... Official Sexual Harrassment Reporting Form.doc

we do know this. ----------- Actually, we don't know that. That is exactly what we are reasoning to, and again, in an agruement, you cannot interject your conclusion into the arguement itsself. Your presumption is that Christianity is correct, which may or may not be true. If it is correct, then it is good in nature. If it is not, though, then we don't know what it is. We cannot, then, assume that it is good, and then build our reasoning to that end...you must reason through the religion and come to the conclusion that it is right/good or not, not the other way around. -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

You are also mistaken about salvation being a "self serving sin." Is it a sin to choose to live, rather than to die? If that is the case, perhaps skydiving is inherently sinful since we have to choose the 'self-serving' purpose of pulling every jump. ------------- Eternal life and life on Earth are two completely different concepts. You are confusing the two as a result of depending upon language for your interpretation, which in nature, limits the human understanding. ----------------- If you have a problem with that then just reject Christianity. ------------------- I am not rejecting CHRISTIANITY in the slightest, just modern interpretations. I believe that it has truth to it, but that the truth is hidden in the pages, not printed in bold letters and plain english. The bible itsself says in Jesus' own words, that everything is written unclearly and in parables so that one may not understand, but have to look to God for the answers. ---------------------- However, don't equate salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ with merely being good. ------------------ And what else is there? Follow this: If God sent Jesus purely for recognition and to be praised, and it is only through that praise that we may get to heaven, that is self serving on his part. We strive to be more God like in Christianity, correct? But doing something purely for praise is bad, right? So either that is true and we are wrong in our interpretation of what is right, God is not omnibenevolent, or we are off base in saying that praising him will get us to heaven. --------------------- This is a philosophical argument for the incoherence of salvation based on a contradiction from the notion that acceptance of Christ is inherently selfish which would then be a sin. ------------------------ I say again...If you accept Christ and are good to others for the sole purpose of going to heaven, then you are doing it all for a self serving purpose which is sinful in nature. 2 men walk down the road with their girlfriends and both see a bum. One of them says to themselves, "hey, if I give this guy a couple of bucks (say $10), it'll look good to my girlfriend and maybe I can get some." The second says to himself, "This poor guy, he's probably hungry. Maybe if I give him $5 it would help him out." Example A is accepting Christ to get to heaven. Example B is living through the love of Christ and making that transition in your life. They are two completely different concepts and to limit yourself by saying "it's all about acceptance of Christ" is flawed. ----------------------- This does not jive with your original statement about breaking it down to "being good", because even if you are right then a Christian is inherently *SINFUL* by the very argument you give and therefore can't be good so your argument is also incoherent. --------------------- This does not argue against what I am saying. Your arguement is saying that if I am right, then Christians are sinful, and we know that that's not true, so I must be wrong. We don't know that Christians aren't sinful in nature. The whole point of this discussion is to basically establish that, so using your own conclusion in the arguement itsself does not work. ----------------------- About the "oh, I'll just repent and it'll all be ok". thing: Do you really think that if someone believes in Jesus for their salvation and chooses to submit to the will of God that they would say that? I venture that they were not really saved. Again, don't confuse results with the object itself. -------------------- Again, I am not confused. There are those who would look at statements such as the one you made and assume that since they say the words "I accept Christ" that they are saved. I say again, IT IS NOT ALL ABOUT ACCEPTING CHRIST. The whole idea of this acceptance is based on salvation, and scaring people with images of eternal burning. It is a catalyst for a change, not the change itsself. To be clear: I am not (AM NOT) saying that Christianity itsself is wrong. I believe that there is truth to it. I don't believe, though, that modern Christians are completely correct in their interpretations of it. I think that by focusing too much on the religion, the relationship with God or whatever is out there is missed more times than not. I return to CS Lewis, who also said that it's not all about acceptance of Christ...he, being a widely accepted spokesperson for Christianity, said that he believed that there was something more that could be acheived through different means, meaning that some Christians, he believed, would go to heaven, as well as some Buddhists, Taoists, Hindu, etc. Acceptance of Christ is a superficial interpretation and way of explaining something that is much deeper. -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

I would have to agree with breaking it down to "being good". It is not the acceptance of Christ alone that is going to save someone. If that were true, then one would not have to continue repenting for their sins after the initial acceptance. Christianity is not a "get out of jail free" card. If you screw up, you can be forgiven, but you can't go out and kill people thinking, "oh, I'll just repent and it'll all be ok". Further, if you accept Christ soley for the purpose of gaining entrance into heaven, it turns the acceptance itsself into a self serving purpose, which is sinful in nature. So, now one has to as forgiveness for accepting Christ, and unless he or she is now doing that because they really want to be good, then he or she needs to ask forgiveness for that, because that is sinful too. As long as salvation is the goal, it will always be contradictory and sinful in nature, and since the acceptance of Christ is centered around salvation, I would venture to say that it IS NOT all about the acceptance of Christ. -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

Disorganized "faith" will do the trick too. -------------- It is only with the introduction of the orgainized, though, that the "disorganized", as you call it, is an issue. If everyone can live and let live, no problem. That is not possible, though, when you have religions who preach that they know the one and only true secret to whatever is out there and everyone else is wrong. If religion had not been introduced, there would be no Athiests either, only Agnostics. I wonder, then, if they would kill eachother for their beliefs when nobody knew what they believed. -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

I would proposition every hot girl I saw... :) (then i would go to the dz and watch from under canopy) _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

Really seems that the Native Americans weren't that far off in their respect of the spirits in all aspects of the world. --------------- HA! My speculation of an Indian's response to that... [cut and paste] Really seems that the [jceman isn't] that far off in [his] respect of the spirits in all aspects of the world. [/end cut and paste]. We may know, but we don't [can't] know that we know, and to operate otherwise brings out the worst in us. -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

Are there any virgins on this Forum who want me to sacrifice them? ------------ Viking, I think you're being paged... :) he he he -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

Correction... organized religion is one of the greatest causes of suffering in the world (but also sometimes a tool for good). ------------- When you really examine the definitions, religion IS organization. It's like the role of politics in life. Politics is everywhere...it's an individual's method of acheiving social goals, whether that be simple friendships, jobs, or government. It's the knowing of the people to whom one relates and using that to acheive within the given demographic. Religion is the politics of spirituality. Just like focusing on one party or another (politics) rather than the entire picture of government, people pull their eyes away from spirituality to focus on this manmade political agenda that we call religion. I read a book called Mere Christianity by CS Lewis because it was recommended to me by MANY Chritians saying, "if you want to understand, you have to read this book. Lewis really explains it great." I got through the book and wanted to take it back to the people who had recommended it, and ask if they had actually read it themselves. It actually says inside those pages, those that Christians told me I HAD TO READ, that he believes that spirituality will be what determines eternal fate, meaning regardless of your political party, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc., it is the spirituality that will carry you after this life. I thought that made a lot of sense. -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

Media, go away and find some news, DON'T MAKE the news. ------------ *polite golf clap from the gallery* :) -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

I don't want to alienate my parents who are otherwise very supportive and drive a splinter into a good bond that means something to me. --------------- I totally respect that position. I was the same way with my mom. People sometimes look at me funny when I say that I asked permission to jump, but I didn't really feel like there was any other choice. I knew that she would be reasonable about it, and that we could talk it out. That is just the relationship that we have. She HATED it the first week...she couldn't sleep all weekend. To make it worse, a tandem died the day before my first jump and it was all over the news. I talked her into coming out the next weekend and she thought it was the greatest thing she had ever seen. Now she's done 3 tandems over the past 4 years and will continue to do one once in a while (her first, I couldn't jump with her, her second, I did her video, and this last time I was the tandem master). Some people can do things without telling their loved ones, but I will never be able to understand it...to me, they will always be a part of what I do. I think being able to share this has been one of the greatest gifts for us both. Next is to get my grandma out there...she's been fighting it forever, but she's breaking down. We got her brother in law and sister in law to do it last time they were here, and her sister says she's doing it next time...we are all casting our votes that sibling rivalry will get her up there. :) I'm babbling...I just love my family. :) -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

I doubt it, atleast not from our old friends from last year. If they're like any other tango organization, they'll wait until we've settled back down into a "normal" routine to hit us again. -------------- I agree. They have accomplished their goal of sending us into turmoil and paranoia...I think they'll play on that a little more before they do anything else. -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

I thought this was pretty interesting...I was talking to my history professor last night trading predictions on what will happen in the next 10, 20, 30 years here in the United States and in the world, politically, religiously, etc. What do you think? Any major predictions? -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

The reason I said that is that in my experience seeing the top canopy swoopers, I do not see them jumping triples very often. That may be a regional thing, but I have not seen very many. The advantages that I have heard of are just like you mentioned, the feel, but I have yet to hear any tangible evidence that the performance is really any better. As far as the toggle pressure, that is going to depend on how you are flaring. If you are flaring straight down, then it won't change it at all. If you are flaring to the outside, then it will seem lighter, I think because you are able to involve more of your arm...at the same time, though, you have to take into account the amount of flare you are getting for given input. Yeah, the push out is lighter, but you also have to pull down more in order to get the same response from the canopy. It's really a lot of personal preference, but I still don't see the draw after jumping and studying them. -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

Once you have left the airplane, you ain't going to call a go around, so why look at the ground? There are many times when eye contact is not what is needed (specific instances already given), but I can't ever think of a situation where you would want to look at the ground...it IS getting closer. :) -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

and more thank likely one VERY freaked out passenger flailing all over the place. I couldn't definitely see that being a disaster in the making in my opinion --------------- For me a student freaking out is going to be the least of my concerns when I am trying to save both of our lives from a plane hurtling towards the ground from 3,000 feet. If I can get more than one hooked up, great, if that is the best that is all I can get at that point, though, that will have to do, c'est la vie...we'll deal with it when we are both ALIVE under a canopy. For that matter, if all I can get is one, I would rather take my chances with a malfunction that I would staying in a plane that will certainly kill us both. It will be far easier to hook up one of the student's attachment points in case of the need to exit low than it will be to detach the student in case of emergency on the ground, a crash, etc. If they are hooked up, you may just be talking about someone being trapped in a burning plane. As far as "learning an out of sequence deployment", stripping the drogue releases is the proper procedure in an emergency situation on the strongs. That is something to be kept in mind for those situations alone...not something that you do from time to time just to practice. There are always going to be situations where the correct procedure would be considered "wrong" under normal circumstances. I have a friend who was in a canopy collision at 750 feet or so...had she not pulled her reserve before her cutaway, she may not be here today. As far as the main and reserve being the same, they are not packed the same, and do not open the same. Yes, they are supposed to open a little softer than sport reserves, but they are still subject to TSO's that limit how long they can take to open. They will open faster. Tandems are fun, but they are scary shit. -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

Jumping out of a plane is not a natural thing. ----------------- The ride to altitude is not natural...the jump is as natural as it gets... :) -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

I'm against animal cruelty. -------- It's not really cruelty so much...if it really doesn't like it and starts spitting, you stop...no harm done. _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

Jessica, We've never met, yet you know me so well... :) _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

I am so not commenting... :) _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

So come out to Perris and tell me the impatient chicken joke.... pppllllleeeeeeeese. :) _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

well then call Square One and tell me the chicken joke... pppllleeeeeeeessse? :) _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

Canopies are designed within certain parameters...where the guide rings are are one of those parameters. the cascades are made such that they come together perfectly in order for the brake lines to come down to the guide rings on the risers. By taking your hands out and flaring on the outside, you are actually flaring the canopy in a different way than it was designed. I have had a couple of people recommend triples to me because I tend to push out when flaring, instead of coming straight down...if I were to get triples, though, I would lose flare power, because even though I would be pushing out, I would not be pulling down on the tail of the canopy. I've jumped triples, but see no advantage to them at all. As far as people swearing by them, there may be some people who like them...look, though, at the competitors that are the most familiar with high performance canopy flight...don't see many, if any, triple risers. I could be completely off base, but those are the main reasons that I don't jump triples. -S _____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...