RhondaLea

That seems odd to me. Is there data to back that up? Yes. Somewhere. I just sent an email off to USPA to request the current fatality statistics for tandem, AFF and sport jumps. When I get an answer, I'll let you know. rl Edited to add: I used the appropriate address from their website. It bounced. I'm going to send it to Chris Needels instead. Data: Total tandem student fatalities 1999-present: 5 Total AFF student fatalities 19999-present: 10 Estimated total number of tandem jumps 1999-2005: 1,907,416 Estimated total of AFF jumps 1999-2005: 193,641 Estimated total of all jumps in the US 1999-2005: 17,623,550 Of the AFF student fatalities 2 of the 10 were AFF Level I jumps. There are no compiled numbers prior to 1999, although there's an awful lot of data on rec.skydiving for someone who wants to take the time to do the work. The tandem fatality rate was much higher prior to 1999, which is where I came up with my incorrect (for the present day) conclusion. In the past six years, tandem is definitely safer than AFF. Thanks to Jim Crouch for the numbers. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I'm still stumped over how that would be possible. It's because this story was written before "left" was invented. http://www.snopes.com/college/homework/writing.asp Sorry. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I've got three for you: life in prison. Please don't tell others what I think. I never once said no one should ever be punished. I said, repeatedly, no one should be KILLED by the state. You jumped to the rest of your assumptions, but don't try to pawn that off on me. People who are willing to allow the state to kill for them are the wimps. Why don't you get a job as an executioner if you are so in favor of the death penalty. Stand there and take the life with your own two hands instead of getting someone else to do the dirty work for you. Yet you're willing to allow the mistaken killing to continue. That disgusts me. How would you like it if your daughter was accused of something worse and got the death penalty? You really have a problem constructing analogies, don't you? rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I realize you were replying to an equally outrageous statement, Apparently not, or you wouldn't have then run with it as if it were a genuine point of view. As for the rest of your comments: I've got one word for you: recidivism. By the way. I have a 21-year old daughter. She spent five months in the county jail as part of the plea bargain for three felonies (that she didn't actually commit--but she took the plea because she didn't trust the criminal justice system, and she didn't want to risk a minimum 7.5 year prison term). She has been rehabilitated, and she will bear the scars of it for the rest of her life. Apart from that, I have worked in the legal system, including several criminal practices, for 20 years. Please don't tell me what I think. I really do know what I think, and some of it does conflict, because my empathy is at war with my logical thought. I'm don't think I was preaching anything. ReBirth, on the other hand, only once mentioned locking people up. The rest of the time, it sounded like an argument for anarchy. I don't like the idea of anarchy. And I think that the idea that we can lock people up and come back later to fix it if we discover a mistake was made is bullshit. Believe me, it can't be fixed. It's just a sop to the conscience of a wimp. Stop bitching about the death penalty and find some way to fix the legal system so that innocent people are not subject to punishment. Finally, I am well aware of the problems with the death penalty, but if they can be solved, I do absolutely believe that some people are better dead. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I only show. I do not tell. I'm just going to throw him into deep pool somewhere. The suckers (that's a kind of fish, Remi) will love all that bait he has stuffed in hims pocketses. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

From my links collection: Centurion Ministries The Innocence Project Wrongfully Convicted Which leads us to several thorny philosophical issues complete with analogies about fat men in caves. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Okay, woman. I'm dying of curiosity. Where's the transcript? rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

That's the problem. He hasn't been clear about that at all. I went back and read his posts again, and I still don't see it. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

What you just wrote looks like word salad to me. I have no idea what you're trying to say. However: You punish the rapist by allowing the rapist to be gang-raped, not his sister. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I'll be lying in wait for him. Anyone want to start a pool? Hint: the smart money is on me. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

"Legality" is not my moral compass. I was criticizing your analogy, which is to say, it is a crummy analogy. If it doesn't work my way, it doesn't work your way either. I simply replaced one punishment with another--it's no more right for you to lock me in a box than it is to kill me, but if I commit a crime, it is okay for the state to follow the law and do either one that applies to my case. If you don't understand the purpose of analogy, don't use analogy. There are a lot of laws with which I don't agree. I am aware that if I do not obey them, I may be punished if I'm caught. If I choose not to obey those laws, I have accepted the consequences. I answered the thing about life in prison in my post to Sudsy. You haven't been advocating that at all; you've been pretty much silent on it because you've been too busy trying to redefine the language to make your point. The only objection I can see to capital punishment is the fear of putting an innocent person to death. I've said that before in this thread. In this case, there was no question of guilt and he knew what the consequences would be if he got caught. He chose to risk death, and he lost. I don't see any reason why he--or anyone else who makes the same choice--should get a free pass. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

From where did you get that impression? Gee whilickers!

You're getting waxed, Jeff. No one said you had a choice. If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Is that code for something? On rec.skydiving, I played a dominatrix, i.e., Mistress Rhonda Lea, moderator of alt.sex.skydiving.bondage (which was supposed to be a made-up ng, but isn't). In real life, I prefer to be tied up. Happy now? rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

That was always the persona. But what I like and need is an ingrained part of my personality. Nothing has changed. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

The difference is that the legislature, elected by the people (that would be you and me, unless you fail to vote), has not empowered you to kill me in the event I continue posting. If, however, you can persuade someone to pass a law that says, "If Rhonda Lea shall post, so shall she die." then I guess you can kill me without fear of reprisal, or at least, legal reprisal. Further, if you want to kill me and you're willing to take the consequences of breaking the law of the land, then this would be a good time of year to do it. Nice weather, and the local cops are busy persecuting pilots, so you might even get away uncaught. Take it down a notch, and make it "if you don't stop posting, I'm going to lock you away in a room somewhere." That's just as illegal for you to do, but it's what we do to criminals as a matter of course. When you substitute that analogy, it almost sounds like you're advocating anarchy--commit a crime and go free. I don't want to live in your world. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

A razor? Not a chance. Wax. Lots and lots of hot wax. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Have you not read any of my posts? No one should EVER be authorized to kill someone else in a premeditated manner, no matter what. EVER. Yes, we need to protect society from dangerous individuals, life in prison does that. That's why I use the term premeditated....if you are defending your own life from an imminent threat, then it is ok. But when someone is already locked away in a cell, no danger to others, what possible reason is there to kill them? It's NOT anymore of a deterrent than life in prison and it's never reversible if a mistake is made. Just wanted to be perfectly clear. My position is this: if you knowingly commit a capital crime, it is premediated, but delayed, suicide. End of story. You, on the other hand, are putting responsibility where it does not belong--on the state for punishing an infraction against society, not on the criminal for committing same. Don't want to die? Don't commit the crime. How hard is that? Really? And on the other hand, I do agree with you about the problem of putting the innocent to death. We don't need an end to the death penalty, but we do need a better criminal process. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Uh... If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I don't buy that either. Plenty of nations have dealt with guerilla and foreign wars that didn't and don't have death penalties. So? No death penalty for any crime? rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

"Ev'rybody loves somebody sometime, ev'rybody falls in love somehow...." ...of course, at the time old Dino was singing that song, no one was falling in love with one-liners on an internet message board. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I'm savin' all my peaches for you, baby. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I can't believe you just sent me on a lesbian cruise. He has a deathwish, I think. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

This is what guys don't understand. The Peter Meter must have been invented by a woman who does give blowjobs. A guy who is too long is a pain in the cervix. I never thought that girth would be a problem until a guy I barely knew sent me a "self-portrait." (Long story-don't ask.) Even without an erection, he looked like he was walking around with an organic Bud can between his legs. All I could think was, "get that thing away from me." I have actually met the perfect all-purpose penis, but my mind was on other things, not on taking measurements. Maybe next time. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Yo! Andrea! Given that this is all your fault, can I hide out at your place for awhile? rl Edited to add: Considering the second post in the thread, maybe we both need a place to hide out? Feel like heading for Hawaii? I could use a vacation. If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb