Emma

A new website has been launched allowing fans to dress Kylie Minogue. Outfits range from her gold hotpants to the mechanic's overalls she wore as Charlene in Neighbours. Fans can even send in their own wardrobe suggestions. The 'dress Kylie' site can be found at www.princessofpop.co.uk. HOW COOL IS THAT? E

The point I am struggling with is that they told me verbally that they would look at the items this way. Why would they? Because they were trying to sell me a more expensive policy than the HB equipment policy I already had? No doubt. I don't think you're looking at the same policy. My certificate says: '(iii)£500 in respect of any one article, pair or set of articles of Activity Equipment.' The ambiguity lies in defining a 'set' of articles. Anyway, the moral is, don't just have a chat with your insurer on the phone and assume what's discussed will be reflected in your insurance document. I guess insurance salespeople are only interpreting the documents themselves. That's exactly it. Read the fine print and don't assume a specialist skydiving policy will view your equipment as 'personal effects'.

'Us blokes'? Stretches the definition somewhat, I reckon. Remember, in order to qualify as male, you need a penis. Oh god, now look what you went and made me do. Lock the goddam thread before it goes crrrrrrazy!

Whatever - all I am saying is that when I asked them, they said that individual items were covered up to £500 (main, reserve, container), and now it transpires that they will not view each individual article as separate. I've used them for almost 2 years, incidentally. They invited me to 'upgrade' to the Multi-trip from equipment insurance so I do have a vague idea of how insurance works. And citing the cost seems a little silly to me, when I can insure my whole house for about the same amount. Is it unreasonable to think that they could cover my kit (indemnity, not new-for-old - therefore totalling about £2,500) for that amount? Good for you. 'Primarily' is right. It's the kit cover (indemnity - not new for old) that's in question, obviously. I would imagine that it IS when you have to claim, like this person did, that you discover any 'misunderstandings'. I am just saying check your policy and make sure there isn't room for misunderstanding. It's not just *me* who feels they were led to believe each item was covered separately. We are talking a shortfall of £1,000 so I think it is relevant.

I recommend checking your policy and ringing them up because the wording is (purposely?) ambiguous. If you have Multitrip, in contradiction to what they may tell you verbally - your kit is covered for bugger all. Oh yes, and they reduce your personal accident cover for any accidents that occur while skydiving. Yeh, that makes sense. You will basically need to take two separate policies, NOT, as they lead you to believe, one to cover all. They told me it was as good as indemnity insurance on my current kit and this is not the case. The particluar lady in question has been royally f*cked if you ask me, so I suggest a whipround at Hinton this weekend. Adios

Gus - I think it was the multi-trip insurance. The point is Will, they said you were covered for up to £500 per item (ie main = £500, container, = £500, reserve = £500, alti = £100) etc, to a max of £1,500, so you think that at least if your rig got stolen you could claim £1,500 for the three itmes that make it up. I think it's bullshit anyway.

I've just been informed that a friend of mine who had a rather nasty hang-up recently and lost all her skydiving gear in the African sea has had a major problem recuperating her losses from her *specialist* skydiving insurance company. Harrison Beaumont have told her that her policy COVERS VIRTUALLY F**K ALL OF HER SKYDIVING GEAR. That is, she is insured up to £500 for ALL HER GEAR. This is ALL they are giving her back, despite what she had been told on the phone when she took out the policy. In light of this another friend of mine also then contacted them today, as he was concerned about his policy too, and was told the same thing. Now call me old-fashioned, but these are specialist skydiving insurance policies....and a typical rig is at least over £1000 total, let alone alti, helmet, jumpsuit etc.. Anyway - advice is, please check your policy if you use this company and if in doubt phone them to confirm - if possible get that confirmation in writing. My bf has just phoned them only to be told both his and my Worldwide cover policies (£117.50 each per annum!) are good for a maximum of £500 for skydiving gear. Bloody useless. This is a direct contradiction to what they told me when I took out the policies, that is, they told me I could claim up to £500 per item, ie. £500 for my main, £500 for the reserve, £500 for the container, etc. So actually, if I spud in to the sea and lose all my kit, I can claim a maximum of £500. To cover my kit too, I need ANOTHER policy! The Worldwide policy only covers you for medical expenses..Oh, and 'Personal Belongings', which excludes skydiving gear. Duhhhhh. I think this is bloody disgusting. Just spread the word to anyone you know who has a policy. Cheers, Emma

Thanks Phil, I'll have a Becks and a packet of ready salted. Latergater, it's FRIDAY!!!! HAHAAAAAAAAA!

Oh for fuxsake, stop making Hinton sound so sordid! It's a lovely place, full of happy, shiny people and beautiful flowers and pwetty cwouds fwoating on the skwy.....Grrrr. Ever since those twins cast their shadow of perversion across our tender lawns and corrupted the innocent skybunnies who call Hinton home....Pah.

Mr Poxon. I think we may have had the pleasure at the AGM. But then again, I was pissed, and I suspect you would have been too.... So maybe it was someone else. Anyway. I look forward to welcoming you to the weird bosom of Hinton. I don't have a Birdman suit but I have a nice RW suit with a great pair of booties and new inside leg grips, so I'm sure something cool and EXTREME will transpire. Adios

Dude....have you heard of the annual Hinton award for 'Spot of the year'? I reckon you might have that one sewn up.... Btw...DID YOU BUY THE BEERS OR WHAT???? Bring cash up with you this weekend, I feel thirsty....

Fuckssake guys, CHILL!

Yeh, well I'm a skychick (in a broad sense), and the same thing happened to me when my boyfriend (we'll call him Skybloke) jumped my rig.... So, Skybloke had a mal (packed by a packer, not me, thankfully), cut it away, deployed the reserve successfully... The difference was Skybloke got caught in turbulence rolling over trees and ended up with a shattered ankle, 2 plates, 7 pins and 6 months +++ of being a bit fucked up in the leg department. Who gives a shit about the canopy? Someone takes a mal for you, buy them a beer and be glad it wasn't you who had to deal with it! (The bastard could have paid for the reserve repack though!...although....he was off his head on morphine when I got it repacked so I guess he gets let off...Bloody men) The moral of the story: 'not all Skychicks are the same...and neither are all responses to, or outcomes from, malfunctions' Moral 2: 'Don't lend your stuff to blokes anyway cos they always break it or lose it' (I thought this was obvious?)

Hmmm. Not exactly selling this to you guys very well, am I? I think there may be lots of beer and cleavage?

Beach party at Hinton on saturday night. I'm not sure if boobie display is obligatory, but I for one am expecting to see lots of nice men in Speedos....Mmmmmmm.....White British legs covered in goose bumps...Can hardly wait.......Skreamer? 3fLiEr?

Bloody hell... Is it me or....does the guy on their homepage (http://www.funinbc.com/skydive/naked.htm) look scarily like Tim Carter? The filthy bastard, he gets everywhere doesn't he?

You know, I got offered £600 by Cosmopolitan Magazine to have sex in freefall. Only in October, last year. I started negotiating at £5,000 but they didn't go for it. I think it was Skreamer who said he'd have a wank for £300 but they didn't go for that, either..... Anyway, I turned them down...What would my Nan say? And it was -26 at altitude which kind of clinched it...and the cold isn't *kind* to gentlemen at the best of times..... Anyway, watch out for the exciting issue when two *lucky* skydivers report on this wacky 'sexperiment'. Unbelievalbly naff if you ask me, hope they got paid the £600.....

Yes..funny, that....I think you may have a point on that one. What a sad bastard.

Hey Jo....not wanting to rub yer face in it..... But yeah...2 fourways with the option to do even more hop-n pops (declined due to having passed out on DZ floor from too much excitement - aint used to this skydiving thang any more, it's been a while y'know...) And now, finally made it to altitude and EXIT after...3 weeks or whatever...I am in AGONY from using muscles that have atrophied as a winter-whuffo these last few weekends! I am walking like an 80 year old woman....It's not very cool, I must say! So - Jo - are you getting your arse down the DZ this weekend? Allegedly there is a beach party on Saturday night (scary thought, 3fLiEr in a sarong and bikini....mmm)

Put sugar on the runway. For some reason this appeases the weather gods and all should be well therafter.....

No, I don't think that IS a good idea....slagging off DZs online because of what you've heard/ believe etc. is never a good idea, even if it's true....

But at least when E150 wants to dress up in rig and undies in private...it's her own rig...and she knows how to use it...

The trouble with the word 'Paki' is that it's often applied to Indians, Tamils, other Asians and even Africans by stoopid, ignorant National Front-esque yobs in various parts of the UK. It shouldn't be any more inherently offensive than the word 'Brit' or 'Aussi'...but somehow...it is....

Freak. You need some altitude man.

I guess it's a bit different from handing some spare change to a beggar or working in an old folks home....Good job the theme hadn't been 'VAGINAS'... Or not, depending on your perspective...