Trae

2 world wars and constant culling by backstabbing usurpers has thinned us out a bit ....but we're still out here . Slow down...take your time... test the water ...ask questions...& find out what you want ..not what others will take.

Imagine if the roles were reversed. 10 girls for every guy..that's what these sweet young things have access to. They fight amongst each other sometimes too so its not all bad. whuffo girls are just so cool

That keys in with the idea that we're trapped here for a reason. I like the one about us having a chance (if we've evolved enough singularly or collectively) to actually get off this planet in a spiritual not physical sense. These outer places become accessible on a regular cosmic basis but if we're all still fighting down here few of us have the eyes or ears to access such "truth" Vibrational differences stop us from having any damaging effect on their worlds. Most earth bound dense-wits refuse to believe that there is anything close out there. Always looking for little carbon-copies of themselves. if we found intelligent life in the universe we probably wouldn't recognise it for what it is. The "this is total shit worlders'...create their own reality everymoment. Me.... I like dreaming with the cosmic cowboys who view this planet as one tiny little smog ball. and those girls on Saturn really know how to kiss.

in reply to 'I hate disagreeing with people.....but.... ' Me too.. ..you gotta be ready for whatever comes your way & ride it right till the end. Little choice really once committed I've got a couple of crushed vertebrae (not a skydiving injury) and so I may be a bit more sensitive on this issue. Cheers

$$$ Money $$$ I'd put a'K' back in and go climb that tree.

Nice to hear an experienced voice from out of this child-like wilderness. Perhaps you've met the type that packs in freefall. One or two ex-somalia realities would move through those little boys at the ranch like a dose of salts. Fun ??? you aint seen nothin' yet.....da da

in reply to: " I can sort lines easy...it's getting it into the D-Bag that really irks the crap outta me. What do I do?' You could try F111 over ZP . After struggling with new ZP going back to F111 is a breeze. Also getting a bag that's not tuned down to the last molecule (ie using a bag that's just a tiny bit oversize instead of undersize ) can help enormously. Hand exercises (squeeze ball) to strenthen your hands could also help. If you have smallish hands this is a problem you may have to live with or develop your own special tactics. perhaps some-one with small hands knows a few tricks (jokes aside) Invent a walk through auto -packer .You'll be a millionaire if you do.

inreply to :'Let's say someone hurts you or someone close to you very badly.....do you let it go or do you get even? ' There's an old asian proverb that goes a bit like "he who does nothing but waits on the bank of the river will eventually see his enemy's body float by." in our modern reality this can be translated as "don't worry ..if YOU don't do anything THEY will end up picking the wrong victim..." There is nothing more satisfying (as regards revenge) than being that wrong victim. We're still legally allowed to defend ourselves ...so far. Be ready ,be game and you get to watch karma work through your hands.

in reply to: "There ends up with nothing left." 'and the meek shall inherit the earth" Trouble is there aint no meek left to do this.

in reply to "You'll die as you live in the flash of the blade, In a corner forgot by no one, You lived for the touch for the feel of the steel, One man and his honor. " .... broken glass works better....ask the Incans 'as ye sow so shall ye reap'

I was lucky enough to see a Russian space vehichle re-entry a few years back. I momentarily thought it was a planet killing meteorite that punched through the edge of the atmosphere and back out into space. It was the most awesome thing yet. It lit the sky and surrounds like a light coming down a tunnel and then went burnin' past like a blow torch in reverse. The thought that there were two little Ivans inside still amazes me. Life without space exploration.......BORING.

Hey dare , dat yo larfin at me brudder

in reply to 'What do you mean about the "gods" comment? I'm not worried about looking "cool." I'm just trying to get my passenger back down, safe and sound. " Good on you for your priorities re passenger safety. I just don't remember 'Sliding along on your arse" ever sounding or looking like good landing practise...perhaps it does to the whuffos. Most TM's I've seen relying on this technique have broken or damaged their tail-bone or left a trail of damaged passengers in their wake. Admittedly some TM's and passengers do appear to have iron arses. If only mildly butt stunned the passengers often don't feel it till after the adrenaline wears off. Say you were taking an elderly but fit passenger for a tandem. Would you slide them along on their arse on purpose? PLF's are tried and proven to be the safest way to absorb landing loads..even if you don't get the landing perfectly right . A PLF can be done easily with even a heavy passenger if you are ready for it . And I know this from experience (heaviest I had was 130kg + he lied about his weight and passed out on the step......PLFed this guy uninjured.) With butt slides there is no backup plan. A bit too hard a landing or a slight bump or twig on the ground and it's going up your arse. Any excess landing shocks go straight up the spine. The spine can only take so much compression before it suffers crush injuries to the vertebrae. Also your passengers butt tends to touch down first so you don't get to feel the full load. With a PLF you (the pilot) can ensure that it's your feet that touch the ground first thereby retaining control throughout the landing phase. Butt landings may impress the whuffos-- especially on wet grass-- but long term bum-landing and your eventually gonna get a nasty reminder about the basics. re the god comment ...look up self explanatory

The $$ V's public payback issue is a bit complicated.. Human life on this planet without NASA or the Russo's space program would enter another dark age. 16.2 billion.......pocket change... for what it does for human consciousness. Ice-cream costs us more than 16.2 billion --factoring in obesity and health issues there's no competition. Does skydiving do anything for the average taxpayer? Yeah right. If NASA can work out how to power the rockets with unpolluting fuels (H2 +O2 +heat=H20+ ? ) produced from solar power and water this planet could really get to take -off....cleanly. Pick me for that load past the sky.

Perfect landing, You yanks are a bit amazing. ...Jesus is only the son not da daddy

Best wishes with the shuttle crew. There's a lot at stake this time ....there's an Aussie on board. May the god of safe landings watch over them.

Here's little Johhny waiting for the rest of his mates to turn up........can't wait.

in reply to. "veter if you hate skydiving and skydivers so much do everyone a favor and quit. Or at least quit posting and do the rest of us a favor. " Don't include me in your 'rest of us' head trip. If this person really speaks for more than itself we're all in serious trouble. Yo Veter , beats me why all those tandem masters think sliding in is a good tactic. Unless they have balloons for butts there's not much room for error. Whatever happened to the PLF ? Don't tandem masters think it applies to them? Not 'cool' enough probably... or do they usually let the punter take the hit . I've seen it done and I've done it myself (Tandem PLFin' that is) ...works every time .Looks a bit awkward but it works...injury free. problemo... A lot of tandem masters would have trouble hitting a mattress no matter how big you made it. The gods look different when you stand amongst them rather than bowing down before them.

Inreply to .....'The basic idea is to drill them from day one that the proper response to things going south while close to the ground is to flare first. From that position they are set up to do a braked turn, and if time doesn't allow such a turn, at least they'll be travelling slower when they hit whatever it is that has spooked them.' Nice idea to teach them the slo mo..sounds good..certainly better than staying at full speed However .... Braked turns are usually done from mid-brakes not after 'flaring' .This tactic if transferred to a HP canopy could end up giving a line-twisting slapper..especially close to the ground. Just a bit concerned here that you're teaching people that flaring is a cure all for 'heading south'. Half brakes with PLF is better than flaring too high and crunching in from a stall. Of course we usually flare to land however once committed to a full 'flare' you aint got much else left . If your student canopies are set up to stall(?) they could be in trouble here. If misjudged 'whilst south' your students may end up high with nothing left except a stalled drop. a fine line perhaps .....??

in reply to......How do you pass the time ... Sit up the front with a cruisy pilot and have a fly ...ah've racked up a few hours that way . After the freefallers are gone those turbines really climb out. Two miles then you get to chase the plane.....

Good day to you Veter, ..the talent scouts are watching ..... can you do lasoo tricks?....& what are you like with bull whips? When you take over your own DZ let us know. sounds like it'll be the funnest , safest , most real place around. Line em up... knock em down

Anyone got any more kero...my TV just ran dry.

Cheers Walt ...check your mail. I can do without the amateur psych-analysis floating around this one.

Motorcycles, BASE & SirMack did ,it wasn't me ...honest.