NWFlyer

Good list - the value of life insurance will depend partly on whether you have dependents, of course. I pay for a relatively small life insurance policy because I don't have dependents, so the insurance will just go to my next of kin and can be used to clean up whatever mess I leave behind (but won't need to support anyone going forward). Short-term and long-term disability needs may vary depending on what other resources you have to tap into to support yourself in the event that you can no longer work to support yourself. For me, short-term disability comes automatically with my benefit package, and I choose to contribute for the max available long-term disability (60% of salary) because I don't want to have to completely gut my short- and long-term savings / retirement accounts to keep myself afloat. "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

Actually, I feel like it's the exact opposite - people who are advocating being prepared are very well aware that "it could happen to me" and are advocating making choices that reflect that they acknowledge that reality. Ultimately, of course, it's up to each of us to decide if/when we want to donate to a fellow jumper in need; I don't think anyone's advocating that people not donate if they want to donate.

The tone of your questions (especially #1) implies that UPT owes you something. Fact is that the current lead time hasn't deterred at least some set of customers, perhaps a large enough set of customers that it allows UPT to meet its business goals. UPT can run its business any way it chooses, and they don't owe you (or me, or anyone) an explanation of that decision. Some potential customers may decide that they don't want to wait 40 weeks for a UPT product and will take their business elsewhere. You chose to do business with UPT knowing that the lead time was 40 weeks (and if you didn't know that before you wrote that check, well, shame on you, since that's not exactly difficult information to come by). UPT has the right (one could say they "deserve" it) to decide if they wish to increase production capacity with the goal of decreasing lead time. Or not. "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 only they knew how many people are not their customers because of the wait time.. Seriously man,,i'm with you on this! 40 weeks is ridiculous..a lamborghini can be custom built in 6 months (and the lamborghini probably has 10000 more moving parts than a container) I won a certificate last year for a discount on a Vector. I ultimately decided against buying because I couldn't justify spending money on a new container when I already have one that's nearly brand-new and a backup that's used but still in excellent shape. However, the lead time was also a consideration, especially when I realized that I could get pregnant and create human life in less time than they'd deliver me a rig. "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

Of course, here's the original green landscaping approach: http://www.rentagoat.com/Site/home/home.html "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 Vanity Fair. I have low expectations for their scientific credibility. It reads like most VF articles - gossipy and drama-filled. Which is what makes it 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

It's been nice knowing you, quade. "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 the prices of mains will keep climbing up - we will see more and more DIY Probably not... most skydivers are far too lazy for that! Me, personally, I value my time too highly to even consider a DIY project - of course, I'm just not interested enough to geek out on it like some folks do. I give Quagmarian lots of credit for spending the time to do this, and it sounds like he's enjoyed the process as much as anything - but I'd be willing to bet that if he added raw material cost and total time spent to get it safely airworthy (which it sounds like it might not be yet) that buying almost any canopy from any manufacturer, even brand new, will turn out to be a better deal. "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

Sad thing is, this is actually a pretty great article on the Red Bull Stratos project, with more behind-the-scenes details than I've seen in any other accounts so far... and it's buried under an odd headline (though true, the stat is referenced in the article). "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

An alternate view (and I don't know the rigger in question so have no idea) is that the $40 rigger is like the "free oil change" auto shop. Sure, it's free, till we find all these other things that need to be done to your car for us to do the oil change. "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 your yard's relatively small and relatively flat, it's probably a great choice. I tried to use one on the crazy jungle I had in a rental house in Seattle, and it was a disaster. But for a small, flat lawn it would be great (and green!). "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

Oooh, tough call between the Blue Hole (2010, hop & pop because of clouds so it was a solo), or my 1000th in late December of last year (4-way with Airspeed). Memorable in very different ways but both made me realize just how fortunate I am to be part of this great sport. (Been jumping 8 1/2 years, just over 1000 jumps). "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

95% of my travel is on Southwest, for both business and personal trips. About the only time I fly another carrier is international trips, or if it'll get me a nonstop cross-country or to Hawaii. The times I do fly another carrier (United or Alaska, usually) I'm stunned that it takes them at least twice as long to turn a 737 (or aircraft of similar size) as it does Southwest. People piss and moan about Southwest's "cattle call" but it hasn't been like that in years. And they routinely turn planes far faster than every other carrier. (Possibly still too slow, but it's the best I've seen). "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

http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2013/04/21/177949605/a-wet-towel-in-space-is-not-like-a-wet-towel-on-earth Science! "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

...any more. He was born with a B license. That begs the question... can we come up with a skydiving version of the old adage "born on third base and thinks he hit a triple" ? "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

Same post, new user name? Interesting... So what was the agreement going in? Both sides have a stake in having a fair agreement; if a rigger's halfway through an I&R (which typically has a fixed price assuming there are no repairs needed), he or she has invested time and effort, and there's a cost to stopping that work mid-stream to try to get hold of the owner. They want to be protected for the time they've already invested. Owner also wants to be able to approve repairs, that also seems fair. Which is why there should be an agreement going in. Owner could say "Call me for any repair no matter the cost" but should also understand that may lead to a higher cost and/or having to pay for the rigger's time already spent if the owner chooses to say "no" to the repairs. Owner might say "Anything up to $100 is fine, please call me for anything more expensive." Owner may say "You're the expert, do what you think needs to be done no matter what the cost." It's all about what you agree to. If there was no agreement, well ... you find yourself where you seem to be today. "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 sent an email back in reply, but got an automated reply saying I had to use his website to contact him (as I did initially when sending my letter.) Asshole.) Doesn't make me hopeful that letter writing is worth the time. Sounds like Chambliss' office (or some automated tool they're using) is looking for keywords and giving you a standard response. Since the model USPA letter referenced "jobs" you got the unemployment letter. "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

Oh, so now I hate my cats because I switched to "under" so they couldn't pull the whole roll off? "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'd say the difference is in intent (and of course we don't yet know the intent of the marathon bombers). The dictionary definition of terrorism (to which the dictionary definition of terrorist refers) is actually pretty good (bolding is mine), and I think allows you to apply the label "terrorist" to a number of different types of individuals/organizations using a variety of tactics. "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

http://www.theonion.com/articles/study-majority-of-americans-not-informed-enough-to,32124/ "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

Yes! Most of my flights are pretty short (1-2 hours) so I can deal w/a window for that, but for anything longer, I like to stay very hydrated (thus I also need to use the lav) and also just like to get up and move the legs a bit. I'd rather not be "that guy" who asks my seatmates to get up constantly, so the aisle does the trick. "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

You can't deal with a minor disruption in the thread? You definitely need this course, then! "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

Traveling alone with no checked luggage: closer to the front, with aisle preferred, but will take window seat if there's no aisles close up. Traveling alone with checked luggage, I might be more likely to go for an exit row seat to get more leg room (also more likely to do this on a long flight even without checked luggage). Traveling with my SO - we mostly fly Southwest, which is all 737s with the same seating config and open seating. There's an exit row that only has an aisle and middle seat, with no window seat, and if I can grab that pair I usually will, because then we don't have to deal with anyone else. "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

Yes, why would you possibly need those at a major event with thousands of participants and spectators? Large crowds never generate any waste. "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

Skydive Elsinore posted this on their FB page today. You guys are an inspiration to this POP. "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