NWFlyer

Bored with your current workout? Here's one good reason why change is sometimes bad. Ow. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Sounds like it worked. http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/showbiz/2008/04/11/west.uk.rick.rolling.itn "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

I don't want to derail this into a "weight loss strategies" thread because that could take this thread way too far off onto a tangent (please feel free to PM me if you want to talk more, though), but reading this really concerned me. Please also take some time during your down time to look into more sustainable ways to manage your weight. As someone who shares your struggles with weight (loss and gain) I can tell you right now that if that's your weight loss strategy, you're going to continue to struggle if that's how you take it off. I'm working right now with a doctor and a nutritionist (both of whom specialize in exercise, food issues, and nutrition) and I think that (after 37 years) I've found a sustainable approach. I'd encourage you to look into something similar. Crash dieting just so you can get under the weight limit is only going to mean that you're going to be gaining weight again. The sky's gonna be there for a good long time, and I'm glad you took Jim's advice to heart. One more thing that I've heard (and told a couple of folks myself even though I'm still pretty much a newbie, too .... "just because your license says you can, doesn't mean you have to." Same goes for those special opportunity jumps - the vast majority of them will come around again, and for those that require a higher level of skill, it might make sense to wait. I still haven't done a night jump because I don't feel ready - I know my canopy skills can still use some work. I've been eligible to do one for well over two years. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Well, maybe not all of us were already skydiving when it came out, Andy. But we have heard of it. Give us some credit for basic cultural literacy. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

September 29, 2004 Then: 33, still a student skydiver, only had about 7 or 8 jumps, had only been to one DZ. Didn't think I'd even post on DZ.com (hah!). Single, homeowner, living in Seattle. Working at a job I liked but didn't love. Thought Bonfire was weird and didn't make a damn bit of sense - every time I poked my head in here it seemed to be a bunch of random threads and inside jokes and people I didn't know. Now: 37, C licensed skydiver, around 350 jumps, have jumped at 22 or 23 DZs. That whole not posting thing, well, we can see how that turned out. In a happy relationship, still own the same home in Seattle. Just got laid off from a job I loved. Think Bonfire is weird and doesn't make a damn bit of sense - every time I poke my head in here it seems to be a bunch of random threads and inside jokes and people I don't know. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

It's a list, and the videos are embedded in the list, which has descriptions underneath. The videos don't automatically launch, though. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Both on the list.

I think all the redhead fetishists need to watch #45. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Here's a couple recent threads on the Seattle-area DZs. Lots of friendly folks up here who will take good care of you (just as long as you don't show up during Lost Prairie, then the local DZs will be ghost towns...) http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3164728 http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3175456 "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

This could keep you busy for the entire weekend... there's definitely some classics in here: http://www.ifc.com/film/film-news/50-greatest-comedy-sketches-of.php "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

I dunno, being that was his/her first post, I'd have to say troll! I was thinking the meds probably ran out. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

I wouldn't want to downsize if I felt this way because it would limit my ability to skydive. Winds can and do change between the time you manifest, the time you get on the plane, and the time you land. I'd rather have a canopy I'm comfortable with in all wind conditions. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

What I love about that photo is you and the baby have the same look on your face. Did the photographer just wave a stuffed animal at you? "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

And all this time I just assumed it was the roofies. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

For you, or me, or other adults in good mental health with good support systems ... no, but the number of abandoned babies a year indicates there's at least a few women/girls out there for whom it's a difficult process. I agree that it's sad that we need these kind of safe haven laws and programs, but glad that they're there so that the babies have a chance for a safe life when the mother panics. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Perfect timing - the 13th is an Excel camp with Mel. Try really hard - you can't NOT have fun. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

GREETINGS PROFESSOR FALKEN HELLO JOSHUA "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Do you feel like the level of accountability was appropriate? I think the original poster was curious (and I'm curious myself)... would the FAA have responded differently in a case such as this if the rigger admitted similar information (allowing the trainee to do the pack job, not supervising or verifying the quality of the pack job before signing off on it)? Fair enough, and it's probably a good reminder that we can all stand to learn more about our gear. But we're not all going to become riggers; this thread is a nice reminder that maybe we can be a bit more thoughtful in how we choose the people that do that "black magic. Maybe I'll bump the thread I started a while back on evaluating a rigger - it sparked some good discussion on how to make that choice and might be good for newer jumpers who haven't really thought that through. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Do yourself a favor and do not bother with Next. Awful, awful, awful. I'm working on The World Without Us. Fascinating read. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

JP, I'm having trouble understanding where you're coming from on this one. You seem to be blaming the jumper for this one. I think your advice about having a trusted rigger by 100 jumps is valid advice, and what you said about having someone other than the manufacturer do the initial assembly as a final "quality control" step is also a great idea. But other than using a different rigger, what could this guy have done differently here? What type of personal responsibility are you suggesting he take? Unpack it himself and check the rigger's work? I guess I'm a little lost at where you're going with this. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

I hear these guys are the rage among the preteen set. Should fit the bill. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

If you're willing to pay the cost to drive/fly for water training, perhaps you'd get by cheaper by organizing water training locally. All you need is a ragged out canopy/harness (which one of the local DZs may have already), a body of water, and a willing S&TA. Shouldn't be too hard to find all three, and I can't imagine the cost would be more than the travel, especially if you can get a few local jumpers to split the cost. The only things that should cost any money are the time for the instructor and probably rental fees for a pool (since I imagine any local lakes are going to still be too cold this time of year). "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

I'm a young rigger, so please excuse this comment if I need to brush up on my FAR's, but although a rigger can supervise and help a younin' along, signing off on his packjob for a trainee, isn't that a no-no? At least that's what the local dpre's teach... Well, this was in Germany so I've no idea what the regulations are there. My comment was on the fact that he admitted to not even supervising the work (at least that's what I think the original poster meant - there might be a bit of a language barrier). I mean look at the photos. Don't you think even the most casual of supervision would have caught those errors? "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

What makes me most uncomfortable about this story (at least the way it has been related by the jumper) is that the rigger in question seems to admit that he did not supervise or check the work of the trainee... and yet he signed off on it. Mistakes do happen; but something like this I don't think would have happened had the rigger been providing proper supervision of his trainee. That, to me, is grounds for more serious punishment, not the mistake itself. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke