ShayneH

I will agree with nearly everything you said, Dave. It's just a little aggravating to not only see an idea get shot down before testing stages, but to receive such heavy opposition for no other reason than 'people dying is bad for the sport.' A reason which is contradictory to the very nature of skydiving. As for agreeing with 'nearly everything,' I still must stick to my original point -- regardless of how dangerous, and tested or not, people should be able to do as they please in pursuit of happiness, as long as that pursuit doesn't jeopardize others. And I do think you can explain the dangers to them. A tandem student already has an exaggerated notion of the danger. When an experienced instructor then tells them they are going to add an exceeding amount of danger on top of risk that already exists, plus the unknown variable that stems from not testing it, I think they'll get the point. I guess it's really more of a freedom issue than something limited to skydiving. I just get annoyed when person A tells person B that they can't do something that has no repercussions on person A, or person C - Z for that matter.

I don't doubt that you saw what you saw, but the altitudes there have to be wrong. If you are still turning an 810 @ 60 feet you are dead. I can confirm his story. The jumper was Nick Batsch, who was borrowing a rig from another jumper. He did indeed execute an 810. He was not, however, still in a turn when the cypress fired. He was probably 60-80ft off the ground when the reserve came off his back, and probably 30ft when the canopy reached full inflation.

Seriously? They're whuffos jumping out of an airplane that think a parachute wont even open if not properly packed right. If anything, they exaggerate the dangers in their own mind. This is about as hypocritical to your own point as it gets. Do you think that these guys listened to people gripe and tell them how dangerous it is? Or do you think that they did it anyways out of love of the sport and a vision of making it safer? *Flash forward to today* Point is, every discipline (including the original sport itself) has come under scrutiny from people who oppose it for whatever reason. But without those who find passion in pursuing these new challenges and thankfully not being discouraged by the negative people out there, this sport wouldn't have evolved to become what it is today -- both safer and a broader range of disciplines.

Hi folks, I guess my question to everyone is: why does the risk matter to you? As long as they are both fully aware of the risks, and they are not jeopardizing the safety of anyone else, let them do as they wish. People all around the world intentionally put their lives in danger for excitement/entertainment/fun. Regardless of their motives, as long as it doesn't effect you, who are you to step up and tell them they can't have fun? Hell, I bet when sport parachuting first came out, there were average citizens and FAA folks alike who jumped out of their seats yelling "Blasphemy!" But again, who are they to say we can't put a parachute on and endanger our lives for a little excitement? I suppose that's why we live in a free country. The ONLY reason I can fathom for not allowing such a stunt would be the preservation of dropzones in a sue-happy country. I am honestly sicked by the mindset of people looking to either make a point or a quick buck by suing others. But that's another topic...

Hi folks, I'm looking to invest in a good jumpsuit. I've asked around the DZ and got a million different answers. So now it's your guys' turn. What brand of jumpsuit do you believe to be the best? Categories that I have been weighing are: Durability, art/design, and price. If you could, please also let me know your opinion and how you came to the opinion (are you a dealer for the suits, fun jumper that borrowed or bought one, etc...) Thanks! -SH

I have all of the above described feelings, and I don't believe in god. Existentialism is a wonderful thing. I encourage anyone with 2 minutes to watch this clip from the movie Waking Life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGoGFU9tB8g

No it doesn't... Are you also being sarcastic about this one?

I live in Colorado, spitting distance from the Rocky Mountains/Continental Divide. There's two real dropzones in the state, both in proximity to each other and nestled along the foothills. Due to our geographic location, weather can change in literally 30 seconds. We've literally had tandem instructors exit with 0 ground winds, and by the time they are under canopy, 50mph+ micro bursts are coming out of nowhere. Because of the rapid weather changes, both dropzones occasionally call the load back after it has taken off. And neither one charges jumpers. But that's just here I guess...

Lol, good point. And speaking of, none of you religious advocates have touched my earlier question of why your god is the true one, and why other religions are false.

Because Christianity impedes scientific advancement. I'm sure that even you'll admit to that. Separation of Church and State is only the beginning of what society needs to break free from the constraints of religious oppression. Honestly, I don't give a damn that you or the next man believes in God. In fact, in a previous post, I already admitted that it has benefits for its followers. However, I do give a shit when your beliefs get forced down my throat in schools, work places, and inhibits my freedoms, as well as those pushing technological advances and sociological reforms.

Mmm... I think that people's notions of atheism isn't completely accurate. Just because an atheist does not believe in a deity does not mean that he/she has no metaphysical beliefs... For example, your view on the metaphysical workings of the universe are through a theological standpoint. You believe that an omnipotent being is responsible for creation, all that is, and afterlife. I on the other hand hold a more scientific view, seeing the universe as a vast mosaic of energy. In response to maadmax, I guess my spiritual/psychological needs are met through the exploration of quantum mechanics, consciousness, and the relation of the two. And my moral compass is guided by a sort-of karma/energy system belief that I hold. Anywho, if anyone has the chance, I recommend watching a movie called What The Bleed Do We Know? Down The Rabbit Hole. It's a bit cheesy and uses a bit of bs pseudoscience, but the overall jist is pretty intriguing. It focuses on quantum mechanics. And a movie regarding consciousness that I would HIGHLY recommend is Waking Life. The plot line intertwines consciousness and lucid dreaming, but does an excellent job touching on both.

Lol... or better yet, who's to argue and say Tom Cruise is wrong and that we were all brought here by an intergalactic alien named Xenu?

I have a question for you religious folk. Let's suppose that the universe is truly governed by an omnipotent, altruistic deity. Why do you believe that your god is the god? What's to say that the millions of people that follow [insert religion here] are following a false religion and yours is the true one? Surely the universe can't be governed by Jesus, Muhammad, Krisna, Zues, etc... (Unless, of course, there's a secret cosmic league of super-friends!) And what's to say that heaven & hell away departed souls? Why not reincarnation? Or attainment of Jina? I guess my question is why are you right about your god and everyone else is wrong about theirs? Especially since there are religions dating way further back than Christianity.

http://tiny.cc/mzo2y

I haven't really wanted to physically hit someone, but there have been instances where I wanted to take a mixture of horseradish/mayonnaise/other nasty things, mix them up, and seat it under the slider in that individual's packjob...

Atheists have nothing to offer?? Don't you mean religious folk have nothing to offer (ie tangible empirical scientific evidence, not theory)? When I was younger, my mother told me to stop picking my nose, or the booger monster would come take me away. When I would misbehave, she told me that Santa wouldn't bring me presents if I was bad. If I didn't clean my room, the Easter bunny wouldn't bring me eggs to find. Starting to catch my drift? Sounds pretty familiar, huh? If you don't worship this intangible being and tithe 15% of your life earnings to the church, you're going to hell. Hmmm.... So with absolutely no evidence to back up this all-mighty being, you still claim his existence. Do you say the same for Santa and the Easter bunny?

...oh yea, and http://shaunphilly.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/christianity.jpg

Hi, I read the first few posts, then skipped to the last page. So if I reiterate something already said, I'm sorry. With that said... While I am an atheist, I believe that religion stands for a purpose. People are afraid of the unknown. It's a fact. And back in the time where science didn't exist, folks were struggling to find an explanation as to why lightning illuminated the sky, why the sun came and went, why rivers flooded, etc... With the invention of an omnipotent, intangible being, they could explain all these occurrences and have some hope of controlling the occurrences in their favor by worshiping and contributing to the God(s). However, today, with empirical scientific evidence filling the void of the unknown, religion still stands for a few good reasons. It brings communities together, especially in hard times. It provides a metaphorical crutch for the sick and hopeless to lean on. It provides a glorious outlook of sunshine and reunion with lost loved ones in the afterlife. With the good, comes the bad though. Over the years, intelligent folks found that people were easily manipulated with fear of eternal damnation. "If you don't tithe 50% of your income and obey all these rules, you're going to hell, blah blah blah." And when an individual finds himself facing eternal damnation, he's likely to do whatever the 'priest' says. Then there's all the bloodshed that religion has caused. Holy wars over who's god is better, what god really exists, car bombings and plane hijackings to send a message to the infidels, etc etc. Pointless bloodshed. Without religion, wars and violence wouldn't run so rampant. My biggest problem with religion, though, is how the Church has hampered scientific advancement for centuries. Take for example Copernicus, the great astronomer, who was sentenced to house arrest for life for publishing a pamphlet that stated the universe heliocentric, not geocentric as previously believed by the church. Or more recently, how James Dobson and Pat Robertson fabricated tons of religious bullshit about the evils associated with stem cell research, a viable new biomedical area that presents countless possibilities for treating and curing diseases. I'm a science nerd at heart, and I absolutely HATE the 'believe what we say or go to hell' philosophy of religion. It astonishes me how naive people can be. (Hate to break it to you creationists, but the world wasn't created 3,000 years ago, and we are the product of evolution) Anywho, with all that said, religion, like anything, has it's ups and downs. Now, I'll leave you with a quote that I live by: “Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.” ~ Marcus Aurelius

Voice controlled TVs. That way, I won't spend the 30 minutes looking for the remote that I would have spent watching a show :(

Assuming that you are smoking pot straight from a pipe, yes. But smoking it via a vaporizer is WAY healthier than ciggys.

Who says that everyone is using drugs as a method to cope with problems? Sure, a chunk of regular drug users are, but there are copious other reasons that lead to self indulgence. Don't suppose anyone has ever heard of nootropics? It is basically a class of drug, both synthetic and natural, that is purported to enhance cognitive processes. Some writers/artists/etc claim that pot allows them to view the world in a different way, providing them with inspiration. And seeings as how marijuana does chemically change your brain for the duration of the high, it doesn't seem like that farfetched of a claim. Also, take Kary Mullis, a biochemist and Nobel laureate, for example. While high on LSD, something clicked in his brain that gave him the idea that lead to the invention of the polymerase chain reaction technique. The technique allows for the amplification of DNA, which makes possible disease diagnosis/treatment, genetic fingerprinting, cloning, you name it.... In fact, if you look at most of the major technological & artistic advances we have made in the last two decades, you'll see that the pioneers behind them were products of the 60s drug culture. Steve Jobs & Steve Wozniak w/ personal computers, Stuart Bran & the internet, works of literature by authors such as Hunter Thompson, Ken Kesey, amazing music such as the beatles, doors, Jimmy Hendrix.... the list just keeps going on and on.... you get the idea. Anywho, moral of the story is that there are many reasons people use drugs. It is their body to make the decision. And if the government would stop being repressive, they could step in and regulate the drugs, allowing for rules & regulations to make drug use safe, as well as collecting mass amounts of taxes off said drugs. It's really a win win situation.

2 deaths in the last two days :(

I was expecting this to be a "I spy myself in the TM's glasses" thread... You see me in angle 1, and angle 2 is my shot of the tandem and person taking the shot of me....

I live in Boulder, Colorado. Thank you to the rest of you folks for the advice. I'm especially keen on natural alternatives (infact, im surprised that I haven't heard of arnica already), so I'll definately give the arnica a try. My next question -- which is probably a dumb one -- is should I tip? If so, how much?

I did immediately following my initial hard opening (so hard it blew cells on a factory new ZP canopy). After telling me what I already knew, they sent me home with painkillers and a $2,300 ER visit bill. Don't get me wrong, getting some nice painkillers once in awhile isn't a bad gig. But on the same token, that's my problem with our system of healthcare. They give you all the medicine you need to cover up the problem, but not much help to directly fix the problem. And for a much higher price.