antonija

You'd think this couldn't happen, right? That at least instructor for tandem instructors would have enough sense to say that hop-n-poper to F off and get some full alti jumps before becoming TI? Well the only thing written is the number of jumps. And I do know a guy who had about 1000 jumps (its twice as much as 500 but bear with me) but he was an accuracy jumper. So that 1k hop-n-pops and TI license. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

Not according to PD website :\ I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

Then I guess you are very lucky :p Nice one! I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

Is there a vector which takes both 170 reserve (PD reserve preferred) and 170 main with option to downsize to 150? The _only_ V3 I found on UPTs sizing chart that can take 170 (full) and 150 (standard) is V348, but the reserve size in that one is 160 (PD R) (standard fit; nothing in "full" category). Other sizes either take bigger reserve but are made for 190-170 main or they are too small. Is my only hope to wait for optimum reserve 176 or can UPT come up with a container that will match my request? (And I do believe it is a simple request: container for 170 main and reserve with ability to go one size smaller on main) Rant Interestingly enough is the number of sizes (4) that can fit 130-150 main with all flavors of reserves. I feel a bit left out by having only one 150-170 rig with small(ish) reserve. /Rant I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

Last time I ordered something from US I got hit with: - 20% customs fee on value of product + shipping charges (I argued for about 30min why shipping charges should not be included but it didn't help) - VAT (20%) on value of (product + shipping charges) with added customs fee. So for each 100USD worth of item I receive I have to pay 44USD worth of taxes and fees. I'm smuggling all my stuff from US and that's why I'll but more stuff at once so my airplane ticket will be much less than total tax+fees I'd pay if I had it sent to me. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

I'm currently more worried about custom charges and tax after the package reaches Europe. But I should be buying some gear in US in a short while and having N3 in stores would be great. If it still isn't available by then I'll email Jen and hope she can get one for me. She's been very helpful so far. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

I still think he bought neptune 2 not N3... When I was in Perris earlier this year they had exactly one neptune 2 in stock and I bought that one so I'm guessing they keep their stock low. Although it would be really nice to see N3 in a store window and be able to buy it right there. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

Are you saying that square1 in Perris has them in stock while OP _just_got_his_ and he preordered it as soon as it was anounced? I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

I went into tunnel when I had 30-something jumps and I wanted to improve my belly flying and try some sitflying. While it is very convenient to have a coach right next to you correcting your every mistake, it's also very annoying to have walls so close to you and I spent most of my time trying not to hit the walls (or coaches). So when I decide to go for headdown I will definitely go for coaching jumps first (I find it easier to keep track of altitude than walls all around me) and after I become stable (more or less :p) I'll go back to tunnel to get the details right. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

Isn't "speed" kinda pointless in raw data? It's calculated from time/altitude in the first place... I'll check paralog when I get back home. I'm pretty sure that table view of data must be somewhere, I just never bothered looking for it. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

Your computer has bars that show what a mathematical model predicts to be your blood nitrogen saturation. Model developed on the data from diving tables. Depending on an individual those bars can show lower saturation than in reality (thus putting you at risk of doing more diving), but since they are overcompensated for the difference between young solders and below average civilian most of us should be safe if diving computer says so. Or like they say in skydiving: know your gear :) I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

This subject is so not well researched that it's quite rude for people to tell you you're an idiot for doing it. However since you did ask about consequences _after_ doing it... you're an idiot. That was my attempt at a joke. Now for some facts: Diving tables (and resulting diving calculators and computers) were devised from data US Army (or some other shoot-the-bad-guy organisation) released on scuba test they conducted on soldiers. So this data was relevant to young men in their peak physical condition with no known diseases or disabilities that could impair their diving. The experiment was to see at what depth/time combo soldiers would get bends. This data was then recompiled with additional safety factors to compensate for different age, sex, fitness level, smokers, injuries, etc. Result is the recreational dive planner (dive tables). This should give you some idea of how the numbers in those tables relate to you (obviously no one will tell you it's OK to go over the accepted limits but then again no one will claim that those numbers are absolute limits for every person on this planet). Second thing you need to know is just what exactly bends is and why it occurs. The nitrogen bubbles, clogged artery, stroke, etc. is all fine and dandy, but no gas will escape from liquid instantly and every process in nature has it's own speeds and factors influencing said speeds. I don't know much about how fast nitrogen will escape from human blood at body temperature and different pressure differences, but I know it's not instant. So you do have some "buffer" time before you get bends (and again no one is saying that pushing this time is a good idea). To recap: It's a stupid thing to push accepted limits if you have no knowledge of why those limits are set at specific numbers and what can you expect from pushing them. EDIT: It's called statistics, not luck I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

Get a GPS logger (good one) and start jumping different sized canopies and different models. You'd probably want at least 5-6 jumps per canopy to get good statistics and you also need a very accurate method of measuring wind speed and direction at different heights. After that it's just a couple of excel functions (or your favourite statistical software) and you have your answer!! I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

Paypal hold info on sellers credit card, his address, etc. while WU does not. If buyer does get screwed over WU there is nothing you can do. Money is gone and you have no way of tracing it (perfect for "seller", innit?). With Paypal seller will still get the money before (s)he send the items, but buyer will also get a chance to track him(her) down if it turned to be a scam. Also law enforcement do appreciate if you give them the address or ID numbers and not just say "WU payment". I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

I never blamed NATO for the situation in Balkans... It was and still is the idea of nationalism that led to the war. All I said was that they didn't do their job like people expected them to. But then again who are we to judge if NATO did it's job or not? Well... we are the one paying taxes so the NATO men and women have salaries, we're the one that buy their gear and we're the one they actually work for. Unfortunately they are guided by politicians _we_ voted for. A simple event of a soldier being in position where he/she has to decide whether to kill a man or not. It is unacceptable to say that you killed some one because you were ordered to (if that was the case than Mansons "pupils" should be left free to fulfill their orders and only the man himself hung by the balls). Much like you do. And your neighbors, and everyone else on this planet. You cannot exclude some one from this basic human right, can you? I don't like (or condone) acts of terrorism any more than you do. I dislike many more form of non-social behavior but I also strongly believe in basic human rights. Instead of going after them with itchy trigger finger you're _only_ legal option is to report them to proper authorities (unless it's a self defense scenario in which case you may use force within limits). Morally you should also take care that their rights are not violated any more than you'd like yours to be (even if we're talking about the worst child-molesting women-raping bomb-making intolerant scum you can think of). It one of those things we all really really hate but at the same time we'd hate it even more if some one did it to us especially if we were innocent of the crime (and a lot of imprisoned people in Guantanamo are innocent of terrorism). Or! You'd stil be in that hell, you family would abandon you (after all you are a big bad terrorist), your friends would all move and change their phone numbers, you wouldn't be even allowed to enter most countries, every time you'd show up in a place requiring ID you'd get full cavity search just because you never know, getting a job would be next to impossible, .... unless you really are a terrorist and don't plan to live to see friends, family, job and other stuff anyway you'd be pretty fucked. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

I do appreciate their efforts to prevent many murders and other horrible things. Unfortunately they weren't very successful doing it and we have many infamous areas of former Yugoslavia known only by war atrocities (with NATO peace forces present and unable to do anything). I agree it was politicians that made the decision to send missiles flying over there and it was also politicians that send troops there. But you have to agree it is the soldier on the ground that holds the rifle and fires it, no matter who told him to do so. It is their decision to be made and each and every one of them should stand behind their decisions (like I and most other other people do) and also take the heat when shit hits the fan. In the society we live in that is the only fair option to choose from. You might not like that but then you'd be quite annoyed if some one sent you to an island in the middle of nowhere and lock you in a cage without telling you why you are held there and not allow you to have any legal (or other) representation. Torture and humiliation is optional but it seems to be quite regular occurrence so there's one more thing to not look forward to. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

History is written by winners most of the time... and dropping A-bomb on a city was written to not be criminal act. Latest analysis of the event I know of described it as horrendous evil act that prevented even more people dying if US was to invade Japan from the sea. However they never claimed that this fact makes it allright (even if there is no law that would make them guilty). I was thinking about the nazi marches they have in germany each year. I was kinda hoping that it only happens there because we don't get many news reports of nazis having public meetings in other countries. My bad. Just what exactly is the difference between saying "I'm going to kill you you bloody Jew" or saying "all Jews should be exterminated and we'll do our best to make it happen" to some one who is Jewish? Why would the first quote be illegal and second one legal? P.S.: I can understand that a court made a decision that says they have right to make such public claims but then again it's our personal responsibility to make sure we don't fuck others any more than we'd like them to fuck us. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

The point of my paragraph was the involvement of US in majority of modern day conflicts (conflicts following WW2) and I still believe this is way off topic and I choose to skip it. Not trying to be smartass or anything but if you do know the answers would you be willing to share them with me? I also understand this is very personal subject so you might not be willing to share that over public forums with people you've never met. Well formulated and logical response. Similiar to your points which brought the withering reply? I was kinda hoping that if some one decides to join the army he/she should also realize that this decisions brings high probability that that person is going to be ordered to kill other men. I expect them to think this decision prior to being to looking down the barrel of the gun with their finger on the trigger. Furthermore I demand (yes, I said demand) that they take _individual_responsibility_ for any acts that may result from their decision to join the army. This would include all answers and reasons and opinions and every other moral dilemma that this question poses. My father was an officer in Yugoslavian army (he quit before being sent to Croatia/Bosnia). Because it's the army that invades the countries, it the army men that march with weapons in peoples' backyards it's the army that tells them to abandon their homes and run for their lives. Its the decision that army makes whether I like it or not. And I don't like it and I'm doing my best to change that (which is just debating with people but you gotta start somewhere). That might be the best solution. However everyone has a right to a fair trial even if the whole world wants to shoot them. That is the whole point of having courts and law enforcements. If you disagree with that do your best to get rid of police and courts and see where takes you... I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

No, you said that Manhattan project led to deaths of thousands of people and blamed scientists for that. The correct to put it would be that Manhattan projects' goal was to determine if a nuclear device can be built in reality and they proved it can. They than handed it over to other people who used it (in name of freedom, nationalism and patriotism) to murder innocent civilians. One could argue that they are guilty of the crime by simply being involved, but the law disagree with you; gun manufacturers are not prosecuted for crimes committed with their product so this should apply to everyone (being equal and all). I know. It worries me ever so much. No, they aren't. However they did find some holes in the regulations to have public marches or something like that... Actually they don't. Freedom of speech does not equal threatening another human being or abuse them or deny them their basic human rights in any way. Free speech is not the same type of "free" as free beer. But if you really feel that US constitution guarantees the right to threaten and endanger anyone's life and well-being... than I got every right to say some very nasty words about you, describe nasty ways of causing you discomfort (all public ofcourse) and I would be protected by constitution. I sure hope that is not the case simply because I'd hate it if some one had done that to me so I'll do my best not to do it to the others. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

No, they were conducted to see _if_ the scientists git it right. Besides they were designed to be conducted away from general population and people got hurt conducting those tests because they weren't careful enough. Now please don't try to convince me that religious murders are the same ball because they don't. They are not on the same field, and not in the same league. They are not even the same fuckin' sport as Joules would put it. Besides I do believe every non-religious fella in here will agree that blaming people today for crimes done by their ancestors is silly. But I also hope you agree that propagating same issues that started those murders in the first place is very very wrong. Just like Nazis are not allowed to do public get-togethers. EDIT: And I was not comparing Christians to Nazis, I was pointing out that propagating an idea which turned out to be disastrous in our history (many times) is wrong. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

But the knowledge that Newtonian physics is just an approximation of real word is common and easy to find. And you probably can't find an engineer that will argue otherwise. Also nuclear weapons weren't built to please the gods of science or to prove to someone that scientists got it right. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

Most likely one is that church registers were written by people and also include mistakes (intentional and non-intentional). I know my family tree is missrepresented in church registry because someone biological parents were in the proper social class so someone else is written in there. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

Why does the gender even matter? Besides she wasn't CO AFAIK, but some lower in the chain. Not that it matters tho: Why no "real" punishment for these crimes? I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

So you are saying that even though you can spot those errors you can not explain them or correct them? Also religious text are full of contradictions. Not few errors, but full of them. The mere idea of god itself is contradictory one as he can not exist in christian (and other Judaism derivatives') form. The all- (mighty, present, knowing, etc.) can not exist. Ever. That is unless someone can prove that the logic rules we use today are wrong. All we need is one example of logic being wrong and it will fall. One example of any scientific theory and it falls. Loads of examples of religions being wrong and they still hold their ground and try to defend their position no matter how ridiculous it is. P.S.: I never said bible is completely useless... it's just as useless as green eggs and ham or any other fictional book out there. Nothing special about it, just a book. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

But I'm pretty sure you are able to explain each and every error by yourself (without any help from supernatural forces). You can write down correct form and nobody in this world will be able to prove to you that you are wrong. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne