Zenister

it is for some christians, and it certainly is for those who claim the Bible to be "the One True Way" and invalidate all others because of it... you might not be part of that group, but some christians will argue that means you really are not a christian at all...... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

wrong. I'm saying there is more to the universe than physical reality. Quite a few agnostics, and others who do not believe in a personal God, do suspect that there is "Something Else", ie, some type of spirituality to the universe. That there is something more to existence than just atoms bumping into each other. It may just be a spiritual force, chi, some force attributed to the spirit of nature, or whatever. And that this force or energy is non-physical (ie, not gravity, electro-magnetic, whatever, but spiritual in nature) but that IS the point of science.. medieval philosophers and pre-scientists could not measure or observe activity at the atomic level.. they defined realty by what the could observe... when in fact there was (and is still) more to be discovered.. Science will one day be able to accurately observe and describe a great deal of what is now termed 'super-natural' phenomenon.. we may very well have to come up with new scientific terms to 'define' what religion pretends is its own exclusive purview aka "spirituality" the primary difference between science and religion is that one is flexible enough to account for new observations and understanding about reality and so adapts to describe it, while the other stubbornly holds on to it’s asserted 'Truth' no matter how ridiculous it becomes in the face of progress... and for the record, i do believe in God.. always have, i simply doubt the assertions of primitive cultures and their attempts to put God into their little box.... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

wow! and i completely agree on something.. looks about for the 4 horsemen ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

several.. "Bullet" Bob is the most active that comes to mind.. and that guy can and does fly rings around nearly everyone, even at a dropzone like Eloy (it's the gloves )... quiet, unassuming and one of the coolest people to jump with around... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

Recommendations and guidelines included in the SIM? Increasing the focus on CC training as part of the existing licensing process? Better, more developed canopy control courses and certified instructors to encourage continuing education? Absolutely. restrictions to tell licensed adult skydivers what, when and how they may fly? Never. ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

i've done balloon jumps from as little as 4k all the way up to 7k.. 3000 is certainly 'do able' even with a skydiving rig (paying attention to your packing will make it less scary) but i wouldnt recommend it as a first balloon jump.. the first 1000 feet will take alot longer than your used to, and the 'ground rush' will be much more intense than your used to as well... at 100 jumps that might be a bit overwhelming.. but ymmv if its a range of 3000-5000, see if you can get out last as you will gain 'extra' altitude that way ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

nice strawman... (why does that happen so often in this debate?) Self Determination is not Anarchy.. Anarchy would allow me to do whatever i wished to you with no consequence other than what you might do to me... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

First of all, when you're asking for evidence, remember that trying to make science do the job of religion is just as stupid as the reverse. to answer your question: If God didn't exist outside of time, it wouldn't be God, in my view. The physical universe is made up matter, energy, space and time. There can be no time without matter and energy, because time is measured only be changes in the state & position of matter and energy. Therefore according to my religious beliefs in God as the creator, God would have to exist independently of time just as God exists independently of matter & energy. ...... interesting... i wonder if you realize that anyone can use the exact same 'logic' you have to explain why Thor (for example) really 'exists' and is the cause of lightning and thunder?? but that aside... 'God' even as you define it, cannot, could not 'exist' apart from 'energy' Everything must be made up of energy, all action requires energy or potential energy. Creation would be impossible without energy. The absence of energy is nothing, non-existence. By the 'definition' you have provided, God is nothing and therefore does not exist.. of course by placing everything 'outside' the physical universe you are simply buying the 'cop out' i.e. "my definition doesnt work in reality, so it must take place outside of reality..." we should all live in fear of the "coming of the big white handkerchief as well apparently... science has and will continue to supplant religion... as long as religion clings to primitive 'science' to explain its assertions... i'd love to hear how you tie your above belief to christianity as 'the one true religion' ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

Probably not. It was a bunch of separate texts; a library, basically. The contents of the library were analyzed by a group of men (people, but women just didn't do that kind of thing in those days),.... you have to much of a rational, modern perspective wendy this allows you to veiw the bible for what it really is 'a book', 'a library', a collection of tales... aka literature.. but for its writers, editors and followers living in a world where religion was simply THE center point, such a veiw would have been impossible.... the bible literally was THE source and justification for nearly everything in their lives... "Q: Why do we do this? A: God tells us to right here..." that is a great definition.. but what Christians will/have/do scream bloody murder about is recognizing that it is no way the only, authoritiative 'reflection' and that EVERY religion has the same sort of text that reveal just as much about humanity and its interaction with the divine... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

i've had that conversation with several women.... most get frightened when i show them the 'key' ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

Were these people? No, they were MPs, assigned to an MP unit, assigned to guard the prisoners... actually 'they' claim they were in fact ordered to "increase pressure on the prisoners, to make them easier to interrogate"... as such they are part of the interrogation process... were they actually ordered too? or were they simply 'having fun'? no one outside will ever know... but to refuse to admit the possibility, to deny that such things can and do go on (even in our military) or to pretend that such activities are not part of interrogation, is to put ones head in the sand and ignore reality.... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

So you are saying do nothing. Youa re OK with people jumping canopies they aren't ready for and pounding in? do nothing? not at all... do many things. Develop, promote, continue to refine and improve the teaching methods and information that is 'freely' available to all..... OK with? call me cold hearted if you wish but yes, i am..... after all it is their life they risk, not mine... and far more people will see them, and seek more information to improve themselves..some of whom might recognize they are in fact "in over their head" and so change their fate... one of the unrecognized/unrecorded numbers is how many people DO fly canopies successfully now, both with and without instruction and mandatory restrictions simply because they dont make the spectacular 'splash' that the stubborn failures and the highly trained 'errors' do... i'll easily wager it is magnitudes higher than the handful of incidents each year... no one makes you skydive... no one can save you from yourself but you.... if you cant be bothered to get all the information available to you on your own..... well... take up bowling.. or at least get video so someone else might learn from your mistake... impose (by mandate) my personally acceptable risk level on others? never. i once did ALOT of freeclimbing.. the risk was part of why i did it. the black and white choices ("do or do not" to borrow a phrase in vogue atm) gave it real meaning, no half measures, no maybes..... no one should EVER take those kinds of choices away from any individual.. even if their decisions kill them... to do so would make life less valuable, less meaningful for everyone, even those who are unaware of the freedom they have lost... i would never force you to live inside my 'box'. i expect you to extend me the same courtesy.....even if it (and it very well may) kills me one day..... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

you dont.. you simply hope that they will serve as an example to others.. if you are offered water in the desert and turn it down, your fate is in your own hands... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

no. i'm stating that people often work FAR outside their designated job fields. Information comes from many sources, and that pressure is exerted at multiple levels... in the common sense of the term ANYONE who questions a prisoner about anything is an 'interrogator'.. no matter what their actual training or title.. stating 'an interrogator would never do this' is an indefensible statement when applied to reality... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

i'll have to quote one of my favorite people... "why the fuck do you think i'm on birth control???" ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

and you will likely get ALOT more support by emphasizing the Training aspects vs the Restrictions you wish to impose... will it save/prevent everyone and everything? of course not... nothing ever will, but it will go alot farther to changing the culture and encourage the diffusion of actual information simply because it is available, advertised and encouraged... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

you are confusing doctrine with reality..... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

What evil are you talking about? Pick one: Starvation. Disease. Natural disaster. War. Tyranny. starvation, disease, and natural disaster are hardly 'evil' and we as a country only interfere in War and Tyranny when it is in our best interest to do so... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

non sequitur... money was not the requirement it is today to political affluence... GWB is simply mediocre in nearly everything he does, and appeals to the lowest common denominator... and THAT is how you get elected in modern politics...by fooling the most people most of the time…actual ability has little to do with anything in politics, it's simply a popularity / name recognition contest… ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

see here is the problem... 'they' were! the bible as it exists today, was written, edited and designed to show the faithful EVERYTHING they needed to know. The fact that many of the 'facts' as presented are not just 'myths' but bad mythos and blatently ridiculous beliefs with culturally unacceptable underpinnings in the light of modern science has forced the 'faithful' to rewrite history in order to avoid looking like fool clinging to bronze age mythology in the face of scientific facts... in order to really adapt Christians need to re edit their holy book... it could use it, and it wont be the first (or even the fifth) time, but they would have to admit that the continual assertion that it is the "indisputable word of God" is simply wrong and that there might be more to "Truth" than is written inside..... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

sounds like what they used to teach a Benning... i agree, not enough time is spent on PLF training in any modern FJC i've observed... i've talked to students who had only heard the term... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

skydive... really.. since i started i can put up with nearly anything, everything... if something is bothering me i just mentally 'leave it in the door' its not much different than many other relaxation techniques but the method is soooooo much more effective... Sex can work pretty well too ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

yea i mean who would actually bet on the midgets in the first place?? ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

and your evidence to support this bit of mythos comes from???? ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

nope... as long as its not MY flag i dont give a rats ass... in fact your ability to burn one if you wish is an indication of the strength of our culture in comparison to others...anyone who would assault you over it simply lacks faith in our fundamental rights as americans i wont cheer, but i wont stop you if it's your flag... of course i WILL laugh if this happens... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.