Iceburner

First, thanks for all the responses. I did do a large amount of research beforehand, as i only have 1 set of eyes and really dont want to screw them up. As far as lasik, lasek, and PRK, i will be talking more to my doc in the coming weeks (my pre-op meeting is in about a week). I'm trying to tie in this recovery time to that of my knee surgery which will be coming up as well....so if it is going to be a couple months, no biggie. I think from what i've read and am hearing, PRK might be the way to go. Again, i'll talk to the doc, but thanks a lot for all the responses!

Obviously this will depend on the doctor and the healing, but how long were you all out of skydiving after lasik?? Reason i'm asking is i was just out of it for a LONG time due to deployment, finally got back in the sky, and am thinking about moving my lasik procedure just for jumping...but, if it's only a month or so, then it's all good. I've determined to wear glasses and then just take them off for pictures, was what i was planning, but yea, figured i'd ask and see what everyone else had to say....heaven forbid i listen to doctors afterall, skydivers know everything right??

So i did a search for lasik to see what you all had to say about the procedure and time it takes before you can jump again, but i had another question involving lasik and contacts. As i have been told, you are not supposed to wear soft contacts for at least 2 weeks before the surgery, and i dug a bit and found out it has something to do with the contacts affecting the shape/size of the cornea or something like that (as you can tell, i am NOT an eye doctor)...I'm supposed to have the pre-op in about 3 weeks....my wedding is next week...and i really dont want to be wearing glasses for the wedding....so for the medical professionals that jump, would it affect my eyes to wear the contacts for 1 day? I was thinking about not wearing contacts or glasses, but yea....just wondering how much a day or less with contacts would affect the eyes.

the navy's budget was drastically cut last year...dont have the exact numbers, but i can look them up....but from the top of my head i remember it being cut to approx what they spent in 1 month to maintain their ships (if that's confusing, their budget for the year went down to what they had previously spent in a month). Having just gotten off of a deployment where we unfortunatly had to ride these ships...they need more money to repair them...i'm surprised they still float

i will admit that being a crim major in college something about physics caught my attention (had to take 2 semesters of it for a scholarship)...and i ended up taking 7 semesters of it. quantum physics always blew my mind...i love it. There are some other crazy experiments out there if you search hard enough for them or get the "geek" magazines. Cant wait to hear more about this one! (yes, i am that much of a nerd)

It's not scientific or statistically significant to take 1 non-random sample and draw a conclusion to the whole system. Furthermore, your IRA may have sold stock and bought bonds, which is likely; bonds soared as the market crashed. Management/mismanagement of 1 IRA account means absolutley zip to the argument of economy. Do I need to post the GDP #'s, the NBER saying the Great Recession started in late 2007, the 3.4% unemployment rose from Feb 08 to Feb 09 per the BLS, or the market crash from a high of 14K+ to a low of 6500 in about 2 years as it freefell before and during Obama's inauguration? Do I? Are you going to argue that GWB's economy was stellar or even acceptable? Please make the argument or ask me to make the counter-argument. I doubt you'll do either, you'll just go on telling us about your IRA and acct as tho the economy spins around it. Yes the economy did tank under bush...he happened to be the president when the housing bubble burst. What caused the economy to tank (beginning with fannie mae) was largely due to pressures put on them to give out the loans at subprime rates...by the clinton admin (if you really want me to link it I will when I get home). The economy would have recovered even without obamas policies/spending...and there are new studies being done to see if the spending he did actually slowed the recovery....but it doesn't matter, you will praise obama no matter what and I will continue to criticise him. I used my ira not as a statistic suggesting anything, simply as a personal example of how I didn't have it that badunder bush and this last year I have lost money. If my spelling sucks its because I'm on the phone

if people are doing so well in the obama year, and so bad during the bush year, why did my IRA grow 700+ bucks in the last 2 years of bush, and drop 350 in the 1 year of obama?? I'm not a genius, but i'd say i was doing better under bush...although, investments tend to do better through time....guess i gotta stick it out tilll the great O is done.

figuring i'd chime in here...being on govt health care already (military) i'd let you know my experience so far....have been waiting on a knee surgery since 2007, which resulted in further tearing of miniscus, a torn petella, and barely able to walk. They are great for the minor things, but when it's a bit more serious, it just seems to take longer and longer. I'm not too certain that anyone really likes the govt health insurance that we get...although i guess it's "free" so who are we to complain? I guess i just took it for granted that many military members took the private insurance of thier spouses because the govt system that we had was pretty fucked. Now, a lot of people will be on the govt system that IMO wasn't that great to start with. I know that my insurance is not exactly like what the plan offered, but seriously, what has the govt run that people seriously liked? so go ahead dems, label me an uninformed republican and prais Obama --Edit to add...do you buy car insurance for an oil change? Nor do you buy health insurance for regular check ups. Yea they are more expensive, but you pay higher rates for more serious injuries. I have yet to know a hospital that wont treat a patient for something serious, whether they have the $ to afford it or not...

Hey everyone, just wanted some advice from people who have been away from skydiving for a long time and got back into it. I was deployed for just shy of a year (was supposed to be 7 months, then the EQ in Haiti extended it), so it's been about that long since i have jumped Anyways, i checked my gear tonight and it looks good...going to take it to a rigger this weekend and have them inspect it/repack the reserve, etc. But for jumping (i own a saber 2, 120...which is just shy of 2:1) would you all recommend me buying another canopy/rig with a larger main or just spend the little extra for the first few weeks/months and rent a bigger main? i know i'm not ready to jump what i own, but as far as expenses i was looking for some personal advice on buying or renting a rig, as well as problems people faced, or things that can help me get back to where i was quicker (looking into tunnel time, but i'm not too worried about freefall, more concerned with improving canopy work so i can get back to my 120)....and then renew my ratings (coach, video, get affi/tm) also, i'm going to break 1000 jumps soon, any ideas on a simple yet fun jump for my 1000th? I'm not going to go too crazy with it, as i've been around long enough to know that that is an accident waiting to happen.

the official answer is "Southwest Asia"...i will let you take a guess as to where that is... And i'm really thinking about making one big ass road trip to collect on all of these free skydives...and you never know, i might find a place i like better than orange (hard to believe) to move to after i get out.

Thanks for all the well wishes...and i might have to swing by fitzgerald to see ya all. As far as my home dz, it's Skydive Orange in VA, but i also jump a lot at Raeford here in NC because it's closer. As for the Patriot Gaurd Rider, i would like to say thanks to you all...your support for the services has been amazing, and it meant a lot seeing you all at one of my good friend and roomates funeral.

So, most of you all dont know me, but for those of you who do...i just got back from deployment, and hope to see you all at the dz's in the near future!

i like the Rebel XTI...stock lens works great until you get enough jumps and experience to upgrade...although i have had zero complaints with just using the stock lens. Make sure you have a stable mount, and a decent shutter release.

So, dont know if this is the right spot or not....BUT: on my last video jump of the day i had a slammer canopy opening, causing my risers/lines to wrap around my still camera and part of the box on my video...and then proceed to go into a fairly steep dive/spiral (jumping a saber 2 120). I was about to cutaway and thought, Sh!t, it's wrapped on my video gear, and about 2 seconds before i chopped the helmet and the main i was able to get the 2 lines off the still lens (i have a rebel XTI and the stock lens), then proceeded to work my head out of the risers, and barely kick out of the line twists. I was about 500 ft above my hard deck for chopping. Just hoping this will make a 100 jump wonder think twice before putting a camera (no matter how small...admittedly though my setup isn't all that small) onto their helmets. a LOT can go wrong FAST. i was lucky to realize it was wrapped on my head, and extremely lucky to get it unwrapped in time enough to kick out of the line twists. Practice emergency procedures, as i had my hand on the helmet cut-away before i even thought of trying to unsnag the lines. Luck helped, but i would have had no problem chopping all my gear away if it would have been a problem for another 3-4 seconds. Then, i would have had an insurance claim to deal with

from facebook none-the-less: Dear XXXXXXX (my name), I am Barrister Kris Dc Ugo, a solicitor at law, personal attorney to Engr J.B.XXXXX, a national Of your country,who used to work as a contractor in Lome Togo. Here in after shall be referred to as my client. On the 30th of April 2006, my client, were involved in a car accident along Kpalime express Road. All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost there lives. Since then I have made several enquiries here to locate any of my clients extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts,I decided to search through with his name which motivated me to contact you, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in repartrating the fund valued at US$20.5 million left behind by my client before it gets confisicated or declared unserviceable by the Security Finance Firm(bank) where this huge amount were deposited. The said Security Finance Company has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have his account confisicated within the next twenty one official working days Since I have been unsuccesfull in locating the relatives for over 1years and 6 months now, I seek the consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased since you have the same last names, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you. Therefore, on receipt of your positive response, we shall then discuss the sharing ratio and modalities for transfer. I have all necessary information and legal documents needed to back you up for claim. All I require from you is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction goes through and for more details. PLS AND PLS KINDLY SEND YOUR RESPONSE TO MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS; krisdcugoesq.esqtg@hotmail.com Marrital status................. Age................................. Phone number.. ................ Fax number....................... Best regards. Mr. Kris Dc Ugo.Esq seriously....i mean, comeon

my thoughts exactly...this will proly spur more pirates to simply surrender to the US...i mean, life in a prison here has got to be better than life "free" over there. Sure not everyone has it bad, but lets face it, when he gets a life sentence, he'll be getting a roof over his head, and 3 meals a day for the rest of his life, paid for by you and me...poor kid

you got served

she stuck with me, and we are married

I'm in the USMC, and my chain of command doesn't care...however i did show them some videos of my jumps, explain what skydiving really is (not the media version), and explain that i had an AAD and what that does, just to give them a warm n fuzzy. Also, i've been told that you should always wear full fingered gloves, and a helmet just as if you were riding a motorcycle that way if something were to happen at least you can say you were wearing all appropriate safety gear...as little as gloves and a helmet would do if you hook it in, but yea... just my 2 cents

my deployments are the safety net for my bank accounts. Even when i was working regularly for a DZ i was lucky to break even...and it's paid the most of any DZ i worked at!

Okay, i know it takes some very devoted people and a lot of work on their behalf, but what has happened to the contests for gear, jumps, etc? It is one thing that i really enjoyed, and i enjoyed watching others' submissions (speaking towards the video contest that was held) and learning some new ideas as far as editing goes. If i'm just out of the loop due to my deployment preparation and missing the contests, that's fine, just thought it'd be nice to get another one going, even though i wont be able to participate in it if it is anytime before next year.

i got it tonight as well...it's now 0231, and i have to be up in 3 hours....not the least bit tired, and i only slept till 0900 this morning....o well, i did manage to write deployment orders for my platoon (64 Marines) and finish up a teaching application so i can teach classes to said Marines while on said deployment, and finished my finances, played a video game, did my taxes, etc. i figure i might as well get as much done as possible so i can survive being a zombie tomorrow...or later today...however you look at it

one thing i've noticed is that the mass media coverage these shootings have gotten resembles the mass media coverage the school shootings got years back. I believe if the shootings got a little less hype then less nut cases would think "hey, that's a good idea!" When the school shootings got little more than a mention in the national media, they dropped in "popularity" and haven't happened as frequently. Not a solution by any means, but less national coverage may make it less frequent.

had a 3way with my gf and a gymnast (female). can't say it was stupid, but it was fun

can someone pm me how to do the rubber band setup...i've seen it before, was told how to do it, but i forgot