Tonto

Yup. Don't quit. It'll kill ya. t It's the year of the Pig.

I got myself a trip to the DZ.com boogie, a new Mirage G3 to match my Mirage G4, 2 new PD 126 Reserves, a new Neptune, a trip to Perris for tunnel time and a BMI course. I'm sure I can find a few smaller little gifts along the way! t It's the year of the Pig.

Skydiving happens in more places than just the US. Where I jump, there is no minimum age for Tandem - and AFF/Sl age is 16. t It's the year of the Pig.

Great descrip. Above all else - beware the shadow.. t It's the year of the Pig.

17 Reserve uses in 4500 jumps and 20 years. One (partial) reserve malfunction. t It's the year of the Pig.

I've only used a Collins lanyard on RWS Tandem systems. I don't use a rig equiped with an RSL, but if I did - I'd want a Collins on it. Judging by your profile you weigh in at about 230 with gear, right? So you're no lightweight. Are you using mini risers? There are both positive and negative aspects to an RSL. I think the pros far outweigh the cons particularly on lower wingloadings or high workload to experience situations. Not sure about patents - but RWS has the patent on the 3 ring release and the throw0out pilot chute - and plenty of people are using those... t It's the year of the Pig.

Watching... with interest... t It's the year of the Pig.

You like her, don't you? I think you should buy her a house. Or, you could date her. Then marry her, stop skydiving and buy her a house. Or you could leave now, with your soul intact, your dreams alive and a future in the sky still possible. What do we teach our students about hazards that could hurt us, cripple us, end our skydiving forever? "Look away, steer away." t It's the year of the Pig.

Is she a whuffo? You had a good time with a whuffo? Wow. This must be serious. t It's the year of the Pig.

What does this mean? (Remember I'm from "outside" the US.) t It's the year of the Pig.

52 days. That's what you beat me by. Here in South Africa, my 1st 50 jumps were on rounds, C9's and T-10's, and students were only on squares in the late 1980's. Congratulations! t It's the year of the Pig.

Ahh. How times have changed. Northern Rhodesia is now Zambia. Southern Rhodesia is now Zimbabwe. Tanganika is now Tanzania. We now hunt wild boar (Bush pig) with a Swiss Army knife as the spear was considered "unsporting." If you weigh over 60kg (132 lbs) you're only allowed to use the little blade for the same reasons.

I sold my house to skydive. I had nearly 1000 dives at the time though. This sport chews up and spits out a lot of newbies. I'd be sure you like what you do before you do what you're thinking. t It's the year of the Pig.

In the past twenty years, I've learned. 1. Don't talk to whuffo's about skydiving. 2. When surrounded, pretend to be a whuffo. 3. Never tell your boss you skydive 4. Never date a whuffo 5. Never marry a whuffo t It's the year of the Pig.

I'd like to. Do you have one? t It's the year of the Pig.

He's studying for his finals. Gotta be thinking "What if I'm right? Nothing." "What if I'm wrong? Mmm." t It's the year of the Pig.

Really? Were you there? t It's the year of the Pig.

I have tried it - and in 400 dives, it hasn't budged an inch. I have no articulation on my harness. If I squat and physically try and tug it towards my knee I can do it - but that hasn't happened in freefall. The bungy thing may prevent a single legstrap from moving, but with legs fairly close together on a biggish fitting rig - it only ensures they both move. It's a solution which doesn't work to a problem that shouldn't exist. Part of the problem is fit - part articulation - part stainless steel. t It's the year of the Pig.

Ahh. Well then. I can see why she's not as famous as Girlfalldown then! t It's the year of the Pig.

I don't subscribe to that logic anymore since a properly tightened legstrap on my properly-fitting rig slipped Do you have stainless steel hardware? t It's the year of the Pig.

Sorry! (That's what I get for not reading the whole thread before replying.) It would work though. It worked so well the last time. I mean - it was a pretty permanent exit, right? Until Rambo went back to get all the people they left behind out... t It's the year of the Pig.

Of course there's a plan. The US doesn't commit troops without an exit strategy. Maybe it's flying everyone out in helicopters and then bulldozing them off the carriers to make room for the others coming in. Oh. Sorry. That was Vietnam. t It's the year of the Pig.

Who's Ann Coulter? I know who Girlfalldown is. t It's the year of the Pig.

Ummm. What's "Cock blocking?" It sounds painful. t It's the year of the Pig.

I find it disturbing that you quote James A Mitchener - a writer of fiction - for the 1st 300 years of your historical overview. Was this from "The Covenent?" Ridiculous for you. This is culture milleniums old for the majority of our country - and our voters. That's what happens in a democracy. The people shall govern. So the status quo is maintained. In the Apartheid years there was "Job Reservation" Now there is "Afirmative Action" Why does that upset you so? People who are good at what they do will rise to the top. It's always been the case. At least now we hear about corruption, nepotism etc, thanks to our free press - something we never had under decades of "State of emergency" conditions. I think it's fine. I see the same thing in India, China, Japan and even the UK where people are accepting that the past has much to offer. It doesn't mean that "western" medicine is wrong. There are homeopaths in every modern civilisation. You're not forced to go to a traditional healer. My medical aid has a savings facility that I can use for cosmetic dentistry, psycology, physiotherapy or a traditional healer if I so choose. The country is not "seeing its ass." The fact that you think it is points directly to your prejudice. We are in the longest phase of sustained ecconomic growth since the 2nd world war. Our ecconomy is growing at 5.9% per annum. Our currency improved more against the dollar in 2003 than ANY OTHER CURRENCY. Sure - middle class people may not have it as good as when four out of five people waited on them hand and foot - but South Africans - all of us - are better off than we were before democracy. And long may it be so. I'm a business systems manager, not an educator. I'm happy to leave the education of my children up to proffesionals, not paranoid, ignorant, racist parents panicing about their paranoid future. And that's there to destroy "ecconomic apartheid" where "private" (read "white") schools get to choose who to accept as students. Really? Show me where. Not all of us. You perhaps. When 20% of the country enjoys an artificially high standard of living for 100's of years - at the expense of 80% of the country - and you need to make things equal - the high side is going to slip. What's important is that the 80% are now allowed to study in English - an international language - and are allowed to study mathematics, science, biology etc and dream of a career worth having - rather than a future as miners or domestic servants. This is a 10 year old democracy. I think we're doing better than many, many countries considering our youth. South African degrees meant what? "Back in the day?" The days of rioting, of death, of conscription, of detention without trial, of secret police making people "disapear?" You miss all that - and tell me your opinion on what a degree means? There is little objectivity in your point of view. It can be summed up as "Whites were kings and this was ok nomatter what. Now blacks are free and they're doing what they want to do with their country and I don't like it. I'll give everyone my point of view. At least I know that BOSS (the Bureau of State Security) isn't going to come knocking on my door. And if you've been watching the news you'll see he's also been taking bribes WRT the arms deal. Do you remember Connie Mulder and the "Information Scandal" that caused the resignation of Prime Minister B J Vorster? Or Watergate? Nothing new about corruption in politics. Then stop behaving like such a coconut and support the country of your birth as it goes through change. After all - change is life's only certainty. We should embrace it, not lament the loss of the good old days like those fat old men in Safari suits with an Aluminium comb in their sock, a 3 litre Ford, a 2 litre Coke and a 1 litre Brandy at their side. t It's the year of the Pig.