TomAiello

Say it isn't so. You're missing the big party the next weekend? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Did you just call RobiBird weak????? Man I just spit up on the screen! Me too. Hecker, I'm sure you didn't mean that. Have you jumped with Robi? 'Cause he sure as hell ain't "weak." -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

In BASE it does not matter if it is the good one or the bad one, it's the one that has the bigger fun in jumping off stuff. I don't think that's true. Having fun is very important--in BASE and in life. But there are more important things. If your idea of fun is hurting other people, you can't excuse that conduct by saying "but I was having fun doing it." The fact that doing something is fun does not excuse conduct that impacts others negatively--no matter how much fun it may be. A long time ago Adam Filipino said something that's stuck with me. He said "we play a high stakes game called BASE jumping--we are also involved in being human beings." Do not confuse one for the other, and do not make the mistake of thinking that the first one is more important than the second. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I notice that you first registered on Sep 25, 2006 at 6:31 AM. That's what, a week ago? If you don't like this place, why did you do that? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Yep. Your doctor said pretty much the same thing ours did. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

There is already an unmoderated forum on another web site, that is locked (only bona fide BASE jumpers who've met someone who can vouch for them are given passwords) so that our family bickering can't get picked up by the press. I think it serves a valuable function. If I were running a complete web site with BASE forums, I'd want to include such a forum, which has several good uses (allows people to have turf wars, which isn't that big a deal, but also allows us to dissect accidents without fear of getting quoted by the press, and lets people speak more freely without fear the press will pick them up out of context). But heck, it should be easy enough to set up a locked, unmoderated forum anywhere you want. I remember a rumor that one existed that had been spun off a discussion here a while back, but that was just a rumor...wasn't it? edit to add: I doubt you're going to see an unmoderated forum on Dropzone.com. This community is much larger than just us, and although sometimes an unmoderated forum could be called for in our (BASE) community, it doesn't fit into the Dropzone.com community model at all. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Like so many things, it depends. It mostly depends on exactly how deep the brake settings are. If they are too deep, the canopy will stall straight down and not respond at all. It can also depend on the make of the canopy, the presence of bottom skin inlets, and (depending on which of the below you are asking) on the wind. It also depends on what you mean by "quickly." Are you asking: 1) Will a deeper brake setting increase the amount of time it takes for the canopy to complete a turn of 90 degrees? (my opinion is yes) or; 2) Will a deeper brake setting increase the amount of forward (toward the object) distance a canopy travels before completing a turn of 90 degrees? (my opinion is no, in fact the opposite) or; 3) Will a deeper brake setting increase the amount of altitude a canopy consumes before completing a turn of 90 degrees? (my opinion is yes) -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

That actually happened on BLiNC several times. The moderators here sometimes disagree, and we have lively discussions down in that forum that I see second from the bottom (just above the recycle bin) when I look at the main forums page. There's nothing wrong with that. It's just that those arguments are settled in that forum, not in this one. You pretty much have to have a strong central authority who's willing to step in and tell the moderators how it's going to be. Fortunately, we have that here. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this is Sangiro's website, not mine. That "no damn democracy" goes for everyone here, no matter what color print their name appears in. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I'm assuming it was Jay Stokes. I believe he's a member of their team. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

A desire to ask questions and expand the knowledge base (pun intended) one works from is not necessarily a sign of limited experience. It's foolish to assume that you know all, regardless of your level of previous experience. In other words, if it were his 10th, or even 100th B, I'd applaud his willingness to discuss and learn things, and his desire to seek advice from many sources. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Actually, I have banned the IP for cornishe before. I haven't permanently banned either of them. Mostly, that's because the temporary bans have done the job of getting them to post in a more civil fashion. Permanent bans are reserved for people who (a) don't seem to get it repeatedly, or (b) declare openly their intention to break forum rules simply because they exist, or (c) have their username disabled (which is something I can't do, so you'd have to talk to Sangiro about those). -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

You seem to be confused about the role of a moderator on these forums. A moderator is not expected to (a) not participate in discussions, or (b) not have opinions, or (c) not express opinions. Even moderators are allowed to hold and express (yes, even on these forums) opinions. It would be impossible to find someone without opinions, or with no interest in expressing them, who would still be willing to put forth the significant volunteer time necessary to moderate. The only way to do that would be to pay them, and that (aside from being economically unlikely) would open a whole different set of problems, because if you were being paid to moderate the forum, the simplest solution would be to simply ban everyone at the drop of a hat. While that might make your job easier, it wouldn't exactly facilitate discussion. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

My experience has been that a quick release of the brakes can surge the canopy (and jumper) down (and possibly into the ground). I think that a better technique is to pop the brakes all the way down (so that your toggles hold the same tension as the brake setting did), and then gradually let them back up, to keep the wing level. This way, you can flare from part brakes whenever you get to the ground. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

In my opinion: The definition of a proper deep brake setting is: a) One that gives the canopy minimum forward speed on opening; while also: b) Allowing the canopy in set brakes to respond to riser input. If your canopy is stalling when you give riser input, then in my opinion you don't have a proper deep brake setting. A setting that yields a stall on riser input is too deep. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Ah, yes. You are correct. My mistake, but I'm still wondering where the LZ was, and if it was on NPS land, what they had to do to get a permit. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

You may find it amusing that two of the people I've banned the most often are Cornishe and Treejumps (both of whom I hang out with more than weekly). I'm curious if you think that those two "share my opinions"? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

It is my understanding that all of Ellis Island is NPS property. I suppose a barge or something could have been the landing area, though. I'm trying to find out. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Well, I considered removing the post, but then realized that would be a serious mis-use of the near omnipotent powers that Sangiro has delegated to me. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Anyone besides me notice that the October 2006 Parachutist cover photo is a group of civilian skydivers who've apparently managed to get an Aerial Delivery permit from the NPS to land on Ellis Island (part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument)? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Ah, found it. I had searched here and found an address @fastrax.org that wasn't working, because apparently it's actually supposed to be @teamfastrax.org. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Does anyone here have contact info for the guys on the cover of this months parachutist? I'm specifically interested in contacting whoever organized that demo. Thanks for any help. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

It's in their configurator. You have to create an account to login and pick the options for a car, and then it shows you all the available things. I think they are pushing the GM engine because of their marketing agreement with GM. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The Atom is available with either the Honda or the GM Ecotec powerplant. The full list of available engine options is: The USA web site is here. Super cool cars. If I had an extra 40 grand, I'd buy one. The company that made the Mini that was tested in Car and Driver is apparently no longer fulfilling orders (lots of people bitching about not being able to get any response from them over on the Mini discussion boards). -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I emailed the producer, and they said that the DVD ought to be available around October 15th. I'm on the pre-order list, so I'll post back to this thread once I've had a chance to watch it. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Big Congratulations to Donk and Cali, on their new addition, Anthony DiCola IV, born September 30th, 2006, at 4:58pm, weighing 8 lbs, 2 oz. The next generation of BASE jumpers continues to grow...