damion75

Dude! You think that's bad?! Back in 2000, I was about to leave my Regiment, and I had convinced this gorgeous girl to come to my leaving dinner as my date. She seemed pretty keen, got time off work, spent ages getting a really nice dress... Anyway, the dinner was on the Friday, and on Monday afternoon I got a call from the Adjutant, who told me that I had 90 minutes to pack, get vaccinated and get my weapon and I was off to Sierra Leone that night! (this was when the Paras went in to get the British civilians out) I had to call this girl and cry off.... - to this day I am sure that she thought I didnt want her to come or something but anyway by the time I came back a month later she was seeing someone else... Still - we live and learn! Frank. *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

Interestingly enough, in a military situation this is not the case. UK Rules of Engagement (ROE) do not permit the use of lethal force in the defence of property, only personnel (military or otherwise) and only where the target presents an 'immediate threat to life', while US ROE do permit soldiers to shoot to kill in defence of property as well - even if no personnel are involved... I know that this is not the same issue as we are discussing but I thought it was interesting anyway. *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

And just to prove a point... I believe the phrase was 'Cheese eating surrender monkey' if we are being strictly correct! After all, when was the last time a Frenchman bled for his country? Thats what the foreign legion are for! *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

I agree! And as a Brit I am therefore automatically allowed to be as rude to Frenchmen as I like - Its part of my cultural heritage! *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

Something reall wierd affecting dreams? Larium - the anti malarial pills... they are wierd. Some other things may do this too but unlike the usual 'this is a dream' vague feeling (pinch yourself to wake up), I found (as did lots of my buddies in the Kenyan bush) that when you are on Larium - your dreams are real - even with feeling. This can be a good or a bad thing!!!! One dream I was being mauled by a lion which had got into my tent, and I could feel the claws and teeth, but I couldn't wake up because I didnt know it was a dream... but another time I was flying - no rig, no plane just flying through the MOST beautiful place. They have stopped issuing Larium now in the British Army because of possible psychological effects - I dont know whether I was lucky or not to be one of those who experienced that!! *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

No they didnt. The water and electricity plants havent worked since 1996 because the entire Iraqi national economy was being spent on (conventional) weapons and maintaining the largest standing army in the Middle East. Get your facts right before you start spouting off! What would I know - I'm only helping to rebuild this place... *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

Hi Cath, For what it's worth, I started skydiving to cure a fear of heights! Aversion therapy?! Well it didnt exactly work - I am still 'uncomfortable' on ladders, high walls etc but with 200 jumps done I am completely hooked on skydiving! It is just that getting out, you are sooo high that it is not real, and by the time you are low enough for it to be real you are in a completely (!) controlled descent under canopy and feel really secure. Maybe thats just me?! Do it! You know you want to!! Frank. *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

Listening to all sorts right now - lot of Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit and there are plenty of their tracks which I reckon would work, but how about: WASP - Rebel in the FDG That rocks! *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

When I did AFF, it was after pretty much every jump - they all involve some sort of first... Of course that could just be because we're british and like our beer...!!! I have just started that book - so I guess you would say it is worth continuing then?! *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

Yep! Take plenty of cash for all the beer you will need to buy afterwards! And enjoy it... *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

Dude, that's what operational tours are for! Try six months without anywhere to spend any money, no access to alcohol, no DZ, very few women to chat up and nowhere to take them to dinner... you can see how that sorts all your cash flow problems! Baghdad - the holiday of a lifetime... *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

Goverment Health Warning: Mixing Camembert and ZP canopies can seriously damage your health. Not to mention your sense of smell... *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

British Army - Artillery. 10 years and counting... Best bit? Half price jumps at the APA DZ! Oh yes! (also various trips across the world in the name of Queen and Country) Currently in Baghdad. No DZ here! *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

All good advice! I had easy access to cheap rentals so I had about 100 jumps before I bought my own, but I wish I had done it sooner!! It is so much better. So go for it, but I would wait until you have graduated AFF as you have enough to think about before that! Welcome... *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

Thanks - I noticed that one advertised but I was more tempted by the Airspeed exit and blocks CDROM - seems a little pricey but worth it I guess! Just have to work myself up to stupming up 70 bucks!! *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

ALARMS off everywhere!!! A gluebag in the FS serious skydivers forum! Waaa Waaaaa Waaaa Hmmm - hybrids... I guess I'm going to have to leave you hanging...! *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

Now THAT idea, I like! That's got legs... Cheers for all the advice and links guys, email address inbound R. *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

Hi Sal! AFF Rocks! Try and make sure that you get some video of it so that you can totally laugh at yourself in a hundred jumps time. Great memories! *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

I wasn't sure about that one - whether the formation has to look exactly like the one on the dive pool diagram (which is what I assumed) or if I could just have the basics the same which is what I think you are describing above... its a lot easier your way! *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

Its relatively (!) simple to create - I was just messing around on powerpoint! As soon as I found out that you can rotate anything you draw freely... well there it was. As to the moves, I was trying to find the easiest moves, AND set up to repeat the circuit but always happy with advice - that will give me something to do today re-ordering those! Max of 5 randoms - is that a competition standard? How do they design those dives anyway, since I am just using my imagination here!! I hadn't posted the other dives because they are even easier but.... *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

Not a lot of stuff seems to get posted in this forum! Anyhoo... Those of you who check the 'new people' bit on the forums will have seen that I am stuck in Baghdad for six months with nothing but a computer to keep me linked up with the skydiving world... but then I realised that this was the perfect time to start planning some jumps for when I get back - I don't know about everyone else but me and the guys normally only start thinking about what to do for the next jump when we have packed after the last one! So with a lot of time on my hands I have stuck them on powerpoint - I have attached a couple in case anyone is interested! Bear in mind that they are pretty basic as we are a novice team! So enjoy, (if anyone is listening!!) and if you do jump them, left me know how they went heh?! Blue ones! Frank *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

Commonwealth of Independent States - use to be the Soviet Union until it broke up... actually has a lot less countries involved than the USSR but still headed up by Russia... *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

Ok - here goes. (putting on some flameproof clothing!) I'll start by saying that I like the US - its like the UK, just needs a couple of thousand years of culture and we'll be there! But I couldnt let the post above ride! Sorry Jeffrey. QuoteThe only time I was ever out of the U.S. was when I went to England for a semester as a senior in college. Yes, I had a good time, but the English way of life is not for me. I remember thinking that everything was sort of like back home in America, but not quite as good. Please!! saying that our cars and roads are not as good!! Try looking round the US at which cars are seen as desirable... Jaguars, Aston Martins, Range Rovers? or Fords and Chryslers? and thats not even mentioning the BMWs and European stuff... As for dissing our amenities - perhaps its because we like doing somethings for ourselves, cooking proper food instead of microwaing etc... maybe this explains why we are not the most obese nation on Earth... just a thought! For me, what I think makes America the indisputable best country in the world is no other country takes freedom and rights so seriously and tries as hard to guarantee them. Yes, we have had problems. Yes, at our inception we did have slavery. Yes, we took a long time to guarantee blacks equal rights. But there is no other country with a Constitution anything close to ours, guaranteeing SO much freedom to the people. This from a guy living in one of the most racist nations that exist... Cover it up with all the politically correct stuff you like, truth is you guys still care about colour... hmmm - ceased to be an issue in most of Europe some time ago! You are right about the cameras everywhere, but so what? the only people who should be worried about it are the criminals... although our criminal justice system is pretty pump right now - needs fixing. Freedom? As long as it is your own... does the policy of Isolationism mean anything to you? Most of the world would be under the Nazi heel today if it weren't the UK - not the US! You guys were about 2 years late to save the world!! Anyway, I think that the idea of a greates nation is flawed. Everyone likes their own because it is a comfort zone, but hey, get out of there and you never know what you might find!! Peace! Frank. *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

I am shocked by the number of people who would sit and wait for the end!!!! And these are sydivers?? How are you doing Arthur? *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.