Zennie

I've also heard the Sabre2 be referred to as a "light elliptical". Don't take marketing-speak as gospel, you should know better than that. I can't tell you how many times marketing has said our software does XY & Z with features AB & C and when we get wind of it we blow a gasket. And of course then we have to cover for marketing's screw-up (or lies, take your pick). Anyway, I think the source of your confusion is that there's a difference between "elliptical" in the geometric sense and "elliptical" in the context of describing parachute design. Think of it in terms of "squares". What we call "square" canopies aren't true geometric squares... they're rectangles. If you had an aspect ratio of 1:1 the flight characteristics would be... um.... interesting. Nevertheless, everyone, even the parachute manufacturers call them "square" canopies. And how about "rounds"? They're a little closer to the mark, but some aren't truly round in the geometric sense either. Actually, I guess I think of a round as a half-sphere, really, and that isn't even always the case. Same deal with ellipticals. As Andy described, a true geometric ellipse is a non-circular, non-edged planar shape which is symmetric across both axes along the entire length of both axes. An ellipse in parachute-speak is what others have said... pretty much anything that isn't a "square" or a "round". They aren't true geometric ellipses, but to describe they're shape as more akin to an ellipse than a rectangle would probably be accurate. Anymore when I hear elliptical I think more in terms of its performance characteristics than it's shape (other than maybe aspect ratio). A "light elliptical" or "slightly tapered" canopy means performance will be a little more docile. An "elliptical" is more mid-end and "highly elliptical" or "extreme" canopies are on the high-performance end of things. Clear as mud? - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Hey Dave, looks like we got Kris hooked on 'em as well! MMMmmmmmmmmm..... Cayenne Pepper Tortilla....... - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Yep. We were both wrong... [Fuck] is a very old word, recorded in English since the 15th century (few acronyms predate the 20th century), with cognates in other Germanic languages. The Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang (Random House, 1994, ISBN 0-394-54427-7) cites Middle Dutch fokken = "to thrust, copulate with"; Norwegian dialect fukka = "to copulate"; and Swedish dialect focka = "to strike, push, copulate" and fock = "penis". Although German ficken may enter the picture somehow, it is problematic in having e-grade, or umlaut, where all the others have o-grade or zero-grade of the vowel. AHD1, following Pokorny, derived "feud", "fey", "fickle", "foe", and "fuck" from an Indo-European root peig2 = "hostile"; but AHD2 and AHD3 have dropped this connection for "fuck" and give no pre-Germanic etymon for it. Eric Partridge, in the 7th edition of Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English (Macmillan, 1970), said that "fuck" "almost certainly" comes from the Indo-European root *peuk- = "to prick" (which is the source of the English words "compunction", "expunge", "impugn", "poignant", "point", "pounce", "pugilist", "punctuate", "puncture", "pungent", and "pygmy"). Robert Claiborne, in The Roots of English: A Reader's Handbook of Word Origin (Times, 1989) agrees that this is "probably" the etymon. Problems with such theories include a distribution that suggests a North-Sea Germanic areal form rather than an inherited one; the murkiness of the phonetic relations; and the fact that no alleged cognate outside Germanic has sexual connotations. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

I don't even want to know how you got that. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

I thought it was a punishment... For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Quack. Nope. No echo. (very obscure joke) - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

My name is Ted Biggs and I..... What was the question again? DAMN this ADD! - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Eh. Gimme a Viper. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

I wasn't saying anything remotely related to that. I was responding to the original question of why guys blow off women. But I agree with you that women, taken as a group, talk about feelings way more than guys taken as a group. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Funny. I was wondering the same thing about women. I don't think it's a male/female thing. I think it's more a personality thing. Off the top of my head, these seem to be the big factors that influence why a person can't seem to commit to someone long term: 1. The novelty wears off and they have to go on to something new. They can't stay in one place for any extended period of time. 2. They can't commit because they're afraid of being hurt. So they bail at the first sign of having strong feelings for someone. 3. Somewhat related to the first, once a person starts seeing the person's faults, they bail because it conflicts with their idealized view of the person and/or they don't want to deal with the person's faults. It's easier to just go find something else with less hassles (at least initially). Those seem to be the biggies. I'm actually kind of afraid that I'm susceptible to the second one, given what has happened recently. My guess is time and the right person will take care of that though. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

If you do it intentionally, it's a carve. If you do it unintentionally, it's an orbit. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

I'm a software developer & sysad for a company that produces Oxygen, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Argon, etc. for industrial and medical use. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Well, for starters I've put about 400 jumps on one and it has yet to show much sign of wear. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Absolutely. My big problem with the current tort system is that people can file a lawsuit for anything and it has to be heard. There are no pre-screens for a lawsuit. You just walk into the courthouse and file it. Bing! You now have a lawsuit. That means the defendant has to go hire an attorney who charges by the hour (usualy $250/hr or more) to come in and defend it or get it thrown out. And even with a frivilous lawsuit that will take up several hours of an attorney's time. I mean lots. Plaintiffs attorneys, on the other hand, don't charge by the hour. They charge on contingency. In other words, you lose you pay nothing (other than court costs, discovery expenses, etc.). You win the attorney gets a cut. What's wrong with this picture? A person wanting to sue has nothing to lose and everything to gain. The defendant loses either way. There are plenty of plaintiffs attorneys out there willing to file a marginal cases because they know most defendants will pay to make them go away because it will be cheaper to settle than to defend... even if they are in the right. That's why I call it legalized extortion. Because that's what it is. But you are right, everyone has a right to their day in court and I wouldn't advocate taking that away. So how do you fix it? A couple ways... 1. Loser pays the other parties' attorney's fees. 2. Cap unliquidated damages like emotional distress, pain & suffering, loss of consortium, etc. Do those two things and you'll see frivilous lawsuits practically disappear. That means insurance premiums and product costs will also go down. And in my mind that's a good thing. YMMV. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Yeah Andy is right. Waivers don't cover gross neglicence or intentional misconduct. Actually, as the law synapses start firing in the brain again (man it's been a while), in many states you can't even contract away simple negligence. However, the fact that you sign a waiver in eight gazillion places which has 80 point type that says YOU CAN GET INJURED OR DIE on practically every page does make a pretty good case for assumption of risk (as if the fact that you're jumping out of an airplane itself isn't obvious enough.. or in this case hanging around helicopter tail rotors). - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

IAAL (OK retired, but still a lawyer). You're half right. You can sign away your family's right to sue on your behalf. That is, for injuries to you on behalf of your estate. But that doesn't completely cover it. You cannot sign away anybody else's right to sue on their own behalf. So the family can sue for their emotional trauma, loss of consortium, etc. etc. I'm not saying it's right, I'm just clarifying the legal effect of a waiver (or even a will). - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

That's a really good idea Michelle. Did your lawyer help you draft it? Could you maybe PM me the text? I might do something similar. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Right on Bryan. It's amazing how many people start falling over themselves trying to cash in on tragedy. I call it the "legal lotto". Really it's just legalized extortion. Not like I have any strong feelings on the subject or anything. What's worse is what you've mentioned... the fallout from the expense of having to defend yourself in a lawsuit... whether it's legit or not. People get run out of business or just don't bother to do those types of things. Why would they want to set themselves up to be sued? I better stop now before I go on an extended rant about personal responsibility and our litigious society. In any event, I've made it abundantly clear to my family and friends that I do not want them to sue anyone if I die skydiving. I'm doing what I love and feel incredibly privileged to be able do it. The people who run the dropzones and manufacture the equipment make that possible and I am grateful for it. If there is a heaven and anyone sues becaue I die skydiving, they're going to have one pissed off mofo waiting for them at the pearly gates to smack them upside the head. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Congrats Christina! Life is too short, you gotta follow your instincts. If your job makes you miserable going on a "leave of absence" isn't a bad idea. If nothing else it will give you time to reflect on what you want out of life and how you want to get there. So good luck! Hope you find what you're looking for. Then again, maybe it will find you. Me, I like my job & it gives me money for jump tix. So I am staying put. Still cutting away the spouse though. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Right on! - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

I might have some spare change laying around. Now you can, that's for sure. Sweet. Always wanted to be one of those. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Yeah I think I ought to have enough. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

I've heard them singing that silly little song more times than I can count and I still don't know what the heck they're singing. But then again, maybe that's because we're too busy causing trouble at the front of the plane. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Huh. Shit. I dunno. But it ain't easy I'm here to tell ya'. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

Heh. And I thought your attitude was bad on Sunday. Things to do when you no longer care.... - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon