BIGUN

Well, Igor - You've done a great job with this app. Impressive that you thought to get USPA's approval for digital signing. It's great to see the world moving away from the old written jump logs. I have no clue on how many jumps I failed to log over the years. I do have questions (for my own curiosity) 1. Will a jumper be able to add notes to the jump (others on the dive, type of dive, record jump, personal notes. etc.) 2. When the skydiver breaks the phone - is all the info stored somewhere in the cloud by you? Or does it use the jumpers cloud (OneDrive, GDrive, DropBox, etc.) Bottom line: If we drop it and the phone is destroyed - how do we get the data back?

Joe, Admittedly, I liked what you said above. My s/o provides health insurance. That makes the total labor burden at 31% over the minimum wage. Without drifting too far out of topic. I think one major thing the Dems are overlooking that would help with a social healthcare program is if the Government fixed the VA Health system and then used that as a model to point to before creating a litany of other MediocreCare for all programs. I suggested this to Obama when they first started talking about healthcare for all. [back On Topic] But, even then; would we be swapping the costs of health insurance to a social medicine tax as a factor of labor burden which would still hurt small businesses with a mandated minimum wage? Keith

C'mon, Bill. Nice try. That's what was just passed. It doesn't work outside the east and west coast.

My bad. You're right. Hope you're doing well.

California Passed $15 An Hour Two Years Ago. How's it working? https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckdevore/2018/08/06/california-passed-15-an-hour-two-years-ago-hows-it-working/#24d183324fa4

Step 1; Get licensed, Step 2: buy your reserve first; Step 3; buy the rest of your gear around your reserve.

Well, more importantly than skydiving - There came a point where we stopped getting more altitude when boobs were flashed at the pilot. What happened on the DZ, stayed on the DZ. IDK - one day all the nakedness just vanished. I blame GoPros for the decline in skydiving.

14 CFR § 91.151 - Fuel requirements for flight in VFR conditions (b) ....to fly after that for at least 20 minutes.

This conversation is not that different than the Harley forums. Since retiring a few years ago; I've had the ability to ride across the US - roughly 35 - 40K miles per year. Been riding Harleys since 1980. Bought my first for $1,800.00 and thought that would financially break this then young soldier. Would pay off and buy a new one every 2-3 years. Am on my 12th Harley. Bought the then new 2015 HD Road Glide "Rushmore Project" 103" CI engine for $22K and that was a stretch. Then in 2017; I bought the new HD Milwaukee 8 107" and added some performance upgrades (Air flow, Cam, exhaust, etc.) for 26K (with Performance Upgrade). With 40K miles on it at the beginning of this year - started looking at the new & improved 2019 CVO's. Starting at $43,000.00 I told the sales guy that Harley had lost their minds. This may be my last new off the showroom floor Harley. I'll put a new high performance engine in it before I spend 40k plus on a Harley.

Precisely along the lines of which I speak. I get that people are angry about those big three making billions while their employees can't afford to buy a bicycle. However, most small businesses don't work on that model. I think the main difference is that most small businesses have to live & work in their communities. They see how their wages affect people. The community verbalizes their work and pay scales thru social media. Employees can be a great sales tool for any organization within the community. I/We are not opposed to a minimum wage increase, but 107% is going to be a big pill to swallow for most small businesses and there should be a concern about job loss and the effect on 1.3 million lives and their families. Personally, shame on everyone that, 1) there needs to be a federally mandated minimum, and 2) that we knee-jerk ourselves into this situation every ten years of having to pass a blanket X dollars/hour every so often. I think if we slow down in this hostile political environment and move with some purpose - we might find that a one-time increase tied to some index (i.e., CPI+ x% for minimum wage increases each year) would lead to a more long-term solution.

It's not always cheap-ass employers. It's also cheap-ass customers not wanting to pay more for quality goods & services.

Agreed on all points.

Let me start out by saying that I'm a bit on the fence about this one and have been reading a lot on both sides of the coin. Plus, having owned a couple of small businesses myself and with the S/O currently owning one have some concerns about the raise. Some have commented about the length of my posts, but given that this needs more application analysis than breadth of discussion - well, it'll be a bit long. IMO; what may work at Amazon; does not work in all of America. Most of America's economy runs on small businesses. As of today - the s/o has eight employees all making roughly $10.00/hr. These are not jobs that require even a HS education. WIthin the community and the area; these are good first foot on the rung starting jobs, supplemental retirement income, or those with special needs. On the left hand; we have the position of; no adjustment to the minimum wage since 2009. There needs to be an increase because companies are not giving raises. As those on the minimum wage scale continue to make just that - their pay doesn't keep pace with the rate of inflation (even on the low end). On the right hand; 107% is a bit much (even over a five-year incremental increase). The only thing the left is doing is, "vote-buying." The only thing that's going to happen is the creation of an inflationary cycle as every business seeks to pass that cost on to the consumer. Micro-Level Overview: While some will think that the corporations would absorb that cost out of the kindness of their hearts - it's unrealistic to think that everything revolves around an incremental budget with a need to spend down to zero each year; rather than a zero-based budget and the need to keep an 8-12% EBIT. In the case of the small business with gross revenues in the $500,000 range that has a high cost of goods sold - the next minimum wage may seem great for east & west coast economies; but not for rural America. Eight employees receiving the first year's one dollar incremental increase will directly affect that small business' EBIT by ~$17,000 in direct costs plus labor burden (about $4k on top) for a total of $21K in added cost the first year. Over the course of the full five years; that small business that is at full income capacity at the 500K/annum gross revenue level is going to see an added total cost of ~$85,000 in 2025. The only way to make a profit with that kind of impact is going to be to: 1) direct pass on to the consumer (raising prices for goods & services), or 2) reduction of goods and services to the consumer, or 3) reduce labor costs, or 4) a combination of all three. From a overall political standpoint: There are those on both sides that say; MIT's Living Wage Calculator should be used and those on both sides that say; that won't work. The CBO sounds like its saying the increase is a zero-sum proposition that would lift 1.3 million out of poverty while losing 1.3 million jobs. And those that say any increase over 10% harms minorities more so than anyone else. What I don't hear anyone saying is - we don't need a minimum wage increase at all. Sounds like we're mostly arguing over the amount. Meanwhile, congress has passed the measure and IMO; without sufficient investigation as to the economic impact. And, from our level - $15 is going to be a difficult exercise for this small business to absorb without looking at reducing hours, jobs or good & services while attempting to increase prices. I'm still in the reading phase, so if you have information to pass along; please include a source citation.

Good enough. I haven't had much success with the search function of late. You know, this is the second time I've heard of someone going after someone on here (a fellow skydiver no less) with the intent of causing financial harm or duress due to a different political position. It's one of the reasons I will no longer respond to the someone who went after TK - TK and I can be on the opposite side of things - but the thought of going outside SC and maliciously targeting someone for their views goes against any form of decency. That to me; is just a disgusting manner of person. No sense of honor or integrity. </rant>

Duly Noted. Felt the need to come back and acknowledge this.

You hit a really significant hot button for me. I was in IT when cybersecurity was called data integrity and worked in the database field. Specifically from DB to Web (like, Cold Fusion) It didn't take a Welleian sense of foresight to realize the future of privacy. Other than dz.com; I have no social media footprint (never have; never will) I thought about MeWe awhile back - but just kept thinking about how FB had changed their settings in order to monetize everything. And now you can login to everything using your FB ID. For others on here and those I speak with F2F about digital security: Use a VPN (Ghost or Norton) - although I haven't trusted Norton as much over the years, since they learned how to bloat the shit out of everything)) Use DuckDuckGo - as your search engine. (Type a search into Gargle and then one into duckduckgo and see the different resultset - no agenda there. Like selling you on those that are paying Gargle to sell them to you. (Gargle incognito isn't) Use Signal - for your messaging. Use Tutanota.com - for your email. Encrypt your phone. If an app says they need access to your contacts or files. etc. Ask yourself why they need that access. Why it's a free app and there's your answer. Turn off the location feature on your phone - Google created an algorithm (Are you ready for this) that allows them to monitor your online shopping with your location to see what you shopped for online and where you actually bought. BING! Tell us about the restaurant X; write a review. Kinda unnerving that if you walk by someplace - you're being "watched" And, if that's not scary enough for you - type your name into fastpeoplesearch.com and you will not only be concerned about your cybersecurity, but you and your family's personal physical security. For your reading entertainment on this subject; the following page and its hyperlinks are helpful. https://clark.com/technology/how-to-reduce-or-delete-your-digital-footprint/ And, what did happen to phillykev?

OK, Jerry. That made me laugh. Thanks.

Sorry for the delay. I had to fact check it and you're right. It was Emerald Robinson. And, you're also right that sometimes it gets hard to defend some one or thing when they're stepping on their dicks. I'm scratching my head wondering what in the fuck was she thinking. The other day, I was angry at the liberals. In the last five minutes; I got angry at the conservatives.

I don't think there's anyone on here that doesn't know the definition. But, you seem to sidestep that he was baited by a member of the media, paused and thought about it for second before answering - yet no one seems to care about how the discussion arose.

Let's stop and pause. I know you hate Trump, but that is completely out of context. It's not like it was spontaneous combustion in a rant. He was baited by a member of the media to say it. He said it and then said he didn't know anything about it. Let's review the actual moment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKkDv0cFma4

OK. Thanks. This is probably a lot better conversation to have in person. Lot easier on the fingers too. Please don't think that I don't get where people are coming from - I do.

In the original post, you were quoting from someone else's article, but now you're saying it's your words? I'm sorry. I'm a bit lost. Help me understand where I was quoting someone else and then gave the appearance of it being my words. Perhaps it was a different time frame. But, there have always been groups of individuals that distinguish themselves by their ethnolinguistic uniqueness. Sharing a common self-identity. We see it among ethnic groups today. Calling themselves by their racial slur. People cringe. With inside a very close group; it was (or perhaps is) common to call each other using a (now) ethnic slur. Even in the military in the 70's; there were still race riots - unless someone was on your team, gun, section etc. And, it depended on the way something was said. Black guys called me Honkie, Whitey, even Swine (which was then a fight word). But, if he was on your team or gun or section - If he said "You FUCKING swine, Motherfucker!!!" You fought. However, if you did something that was under the officers radar that benefitted said section - he would give a little gaze of admiration and quietly sneer, "You fucking swine" and you'd say, "I know, right" and you'd both smile or even laugh.

First, let me say that I read a post of yours where you said, "I'm not getting any feedback or replies or.. I wouldn't have come across this post if I hadn't seen a "New Unread" on this thread just before logging out. It depends on a person's notification settings. Something I learned was to highlight even a little bit of their post and select "Quote Selection," so it pings them directly. In this thread and the other - I've tried to present some historical, cultural, and rhetorical background, but folks are just angry. We've all grown up. We've all learned a lot. We've all called someone on the carpet. Who we were, what we did, is not who we are today. Little would most on here believe that I wrote numerous articles on cross-cultural communication - as it was called then (much less write the entire program for a university's three hour course for that program). To me; it's no different than being around someone who says a cuss word in front of children. We all understand that it may be historical or out of context or unknowing that children are around - but in each case, if it's our kid; we're going to call them on it and ask them to stop.

What we wore - it was. Now if someone outside our group called Charlie a Kike; we'd beat their ass. I understand that you don't get it.

Not angry at all. Hope you're not either.