livendive

I think that when cops break the law, they should be charged just like any other member of the public would be for a similar crime, plus there should be a criminal charge for violating the public trust that carries a non-trivial punishment. This guy had already been involved in two shootings, killing one and wounding another. This on top of those makes for a fairly colorful, if short, career. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

who said anything about getting elected? the left wants to ram shit down our throughts and are using fear to do it. Hello Patriot Act, warrantless wiretapping, and war in Iraq. Both parties are guilty on this front, but I'd say the Republicans are even worse about it. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Assuming you meant "human", my question is, "Why?" Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Can't say I'd blame him since you're posting while he's in ya. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

At Blockbuster I can pick the movie I want to watch tonight. I couldn't do that with Netflix. Also, our local Blockbuster is in the parking of the grocery store we go to every night when we decide what we want for dinner. Mood-based decisions that don't require prior planning FTW. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Put an ad in the local paper advertising a yard sale at their house starting at 7 AM on a Saturday. Go to a porn shop and get a bunch of subscription cards from some particularly nasty mags, sign them up with the "bill me later" option. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Of course I think they should be legal, but that's mostly because I believe my nation was founded on the notion of individual liberty, not for the promulgation of religious dogma. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

What are you talking about? I rent from Blockbuster regularly, and almost always return the movies late, but never see any late fees. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I bolded a potential third lesson. Just out of curiousity, how much experience do you have with first freefall students (S/L or IAD progression)? The arch is certainly important and should by no means be disregarded, but the real key to a successful clear and pull is, well, clearing and pulling. Body position on exit that is similar to a first jump student isn't terribly uncommon (although the reserve pull is), and while improving it is important, it shouldn't disrupt the normal order of priorities. I take my students a little higher for the first C&P, and assess them favorably if, after kicking for a second, they regain their senses and take an extra second or two (not five+) to arch before pulling. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I'm not much of a fan of wool clothing in general, and I think ass wool would be exponentially worse, regardless of size. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

It's more free than some, less free than others, and varies by issue. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I'd like to give up work and stress, but I think the former would lead to the latter. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I went with this approach (using iTunes instead of my iPod). Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Depression doesn't necessarily originate in a shitty life. It's more a matter of perception than a state of affairs. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I thought the film tried too hard to foster sympathy for Jr. In my opinion, he doesn't deserve it. I heard on the drive to work this morning that he's hitting the public speaking tour. Could there be a less likely job for him? This would seem to disprove the Peter Principle. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I think it's very, VERY likely that there are extraterrestrial life forms. The universe is so incredibly big that is seems highly improbably we'd be the only planet on which life formed. By the same token, I think it's quite unlikely that a God or some Gods exist in any sense espoused by major religions. It's possible that the Christian God exists and there are no aliens, but both possibilities seem incredibly improbable to me. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

It was full of pork, not earmarks. Many consider the distinction unimportant, but it makes the statement true, or as as true as any propaganda coming from the White House for the past several residents. It's a stimulus package. Whether or not it was needed is debatable, but once it was decided to move forward with one, the entire thing is pork. It's an injection of public funds into the economy. Choices of how to do that include simply giving people money, e.g. W's tax breaks and his checks last year, or buying something from the people. Personally, I'd prefer we actually get something for our investment, even if overpriced, so I find the latter approach less (but still) objectionable. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I'm sure it differs from person to person, but my opinion is that at such a low-point, the fact that people care is no comfort at all. In fact it's kind of the opposite. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I thought he was pretty good, but the massive amount of attention was due to his death rather than his performance. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I didn't say any of the stuff you mentioned. I simply stated that I think they should treat these like any other deposits/debits. If they don't charge these fees to people who are free to take their business elsewhere, they also shouldn't charge these fees to people who are stuck with them by virtue of a state contract. If these fees are necessary to cover overhead expenses, all customers, employed or not, should pay them. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

For me, the A-license check dive is an opportunity for the student to demonstrate they've pulled it all together. I typically do it at the end of their coach jumps and ground instruction with the hope that upon debrief, I'll be stamping their A-card. My approach takes into account that on their next jump, the student will be able to go to an unfamiliar dropzone, hook up with an unknown A-license holder, and make a jump with them. I basically go into a roleplaying mode, in which I act like a novice "trained somewhere else", and I expect my graduate to plan and execute an entire skydive from spot planning to gear-up to post-dive. He/she will be manifesting us, spotting our 2-way without assistance (I don't even look until we're in freefall, and we usually start with a less then stellar spot based on my directions to the pilot), dirt diving, finding a problem with my chest strap, folded under cutaway, tucked BOC handle, etc, explaining the pattern to me, giving the count, making the jump. If we land a little off, so be it (if we're over somewhere dangerous, the student knows my early wave-off and track means "open high"). If the freefall is less than perfect, I don't care (provided safety parameters are maintained). Basically, the jumper demonstrates to me that he/she is proficient enough to plan and safely execute a typical A-license holder's diveflow. "Rite of passage"? I suppose. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

The current penalties seem particularly in appropriate for handling 16 and 17 yos, and there is the general problem of desparity if the kid commits a crime a week before or after his 18th birthday. The quandary, if how far back can you go? I think it's much easier to argue that a 16yo should be treated as an adult than it is with a sub teenager. Though in this one, there's little doubt that the 11yo knew what he was doing, that it was wrong. It's only a question of what standard can you hold him to. So add something to juvenile penalties that allows for alternate sentencing, e.g. x/8's of minimum adult punishment, where x is equal to 17 minus the child's age. So a 10 year old could potentially get 1/8th of an adults penalty and a 17 year old could get as much as 7/8ths. Also, I suspect it's a very rare 11 year old that fully appreciates the gravity of his/her actions. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I disagree with charging children as adults in any situation. If one doesn't think the penalties available in juvenile court are sufficient to fit the more despicable crimes, they should change those penalties. Defining one thing as a juvenile, another thing as an adult, and then allowing prosecutors to disregard those definitions strikes me as incredibly poor form. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

As long as those banks charge everyone the same fees, I'm ok with it. If they only charge the unemployment benefit cards, I think it stinks. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Oddly enough, the media did NOT report on discussions in hundreds of thousands of other high school classes. It's a cover-up dammit! Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)