TomAiello

Welcome to the forums! You might want to have a look at this. I'm happy to help answer questions, as you progress. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I was born in 1972. Damn, Rick sure is ooold. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Essentially because the apex slumps to the side when the PC is trying to inflate. More weight causes more slump. I have video and stills of this happening, but I don't really have a good scientific explanation other than that parachute deployments, even very small ones, are massively chaotic events, and random stuff just happens. I've certainly observed it happening, but as to a good explanation? I think it's going to take a supercomputer and a turbulence laboratory. I used mine down to about 220 without incident. To be safe? I'd probably get a new one without the cap, and only use the older one on stowed jumps. But I don't think it's a huge deal. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I was going to ask this very question. Despite their skill does this kind of attitude make you keep your distance from these individuals? It depends. In some cases, yes. But usually not. In fact, it often makes me more eager to jump with them, in an effort to provide some firsthand accounts to the contrary. There are people who I just shake my head and walk away from. But having been one of them, I tend to feel a certain amount of duty to stay and care. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

By and large, I formed it by hanging out with BASE jumpers, jumping with them and observing. There are plenty of BASE jumpers who think they are immortal. Their first major accident usually cures them, and if that doesn't the first time they are on site for a fatality quite often will. In general, I think that younger (in the BASE sense, but also in the age sense) BASE jumpers are more likely to fall victim to this mentality. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The Native American cultures do have significant influence on modern US culture. This is especially true in some areas (like the Southwest), but less true in some other areas (where early segregation and deportation minimized cultural crossover). So, does that make "Talladega" part of NASCAR culture, or part of Native American culture? Both, I'd say. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Anyone know if they'll have V-1 demos there? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

In complete seriousness, I applaud the wisdom of your decision. Too many people are out chucking themselves off of things, thinking "I can't possibly get hurt." -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I say that all the time. Only without the skydiving part. That moment of "what the hell am I doing here?" is one of the integral parts of my BASE experience. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I think so. But it's not like the USA had a "cultural identity" to begin with. We're a hodgepodge of the cultural identities of the various groups of immigrants who've come here over the last couple hundred years. Personally, I like the result. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Sounds like fun. As far as I know, the record here is 17 in one day. Want to take a shot at the title? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The major difference is probably in PC inflation, and then it is most noticeable on zero airspeed (throw and go) deployments. With good PC toss technique, there should be no noticeable difference. With poor technique, it could go either way. If you toss the light one too soft, it might not hit bridle stretch as soon, because the heavier one has more carrying force. That ought to be a non-issue for most everyone, though. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be a straight "heavier is slower" relationship. It's more like "heavier is more random," combined with "weight on the apex increases random hesitations." The heavy PC may actually inflate just as fast as the lighter one on occasion. But the variation between it's fastest and slowest inflation is going to be much greater. My personal experience (jumping, not testing) was that a weight on the apex of the PC appears to occasionally create random hesitations, expecially at zero airspeed. On an old (not the current Asylum design) CR 46" with a heavy cap, I got noticeable hesitations about 1 jump in 20. I haven't actually tested this in any controlled circumstances, but I have seen plenty of video to support this theory. From my measurements, the difference in drag is negligible. The only thing that I could see reducing drag is a very oversized vent. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

When you are banned from one forum for Trolling, moving it to a different forum is not the correct course of action. I've banned you from Speaker's Corner for 14 days. I'd strongly recommend you desist. Re-posting things that have lead to your banning in multiple forums is likely to lead to the disabling of your username. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Yes, but it's more common for it to be a local (city or county) ordinance, so it may vary within some states, depending on locality. I used to live in Athens, Georgia, which had an open container law (that's the US shorthand for these things) that included an exemption for University of Georgia home football game days. No drinking on the street in Athens--except on game day, when you're welcome (actually encouraged, almost to the point of required) to do so. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I'm betting he packed every one himself, too. And he probably only had the one rig. But have you seen his pack jobs? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Back in the day... When I was a bit younger, significantly more fit, and noticeably more eager, I once made 4 jumps in a well known valley in just under 24 hours. I spent about 18 hours hiking on that jaunt, though. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

There are some interesting unforseen consequences of that issue. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Do you know if it's possible to specify some number of songs, then have it autofill the rest with a random sampling? So I could always have my 5 favorites on there, but have the rest be random (or something like that)? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Small scale co-generation is economically feasible, on a personal level, though. I know, because I did a fair bit of research and some number crunching on replacing my roof with solar tiles. My net decision was that when it comes time to replace the roof anyway, I'll put generating tiles on the sunnier half of the roof. I expect it to be worth the extra cost (surprisingly little, actually) in materials within 5 years. Obviously, that's going to vary a lot depending on where you live (how sunny it is, what the cost of electricity is, etc), but in some places it's certainly feasible. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Apple now has a battery replacement program, because that was the biggest gripe. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I've had two iPods. I love it. Let us know if you get a shuffle. I'm considering it as well. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I currently have a notification for classified ads including the word "BASE". The false positive rate is around 50%. I think I'd end up reading a lot of unrelated posts. My best warning system so far has been other people PMing me. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I had read that as identifying a different building (one that had a fire in it), not the building he lives in. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Honestly, the way that you (and some others) were slammed was the thing that most aroused my concern. Unfortunately, I've just set myself up to have to patrol yet another forum. I'm going to try to take out specific site references, but leave the thread intact, as I think it's valuable reading for skydivers who may not get into this forum, and hence don't have any understanding of BASE culture. I've appreciated the way that folks haven't let it degenerate into yelling at the skydivers. Many thanks to all for that.

I will link it. It's here. I encourage anyone who cares to join that discussion (it's pegged to the top of the Bonfire anyway) and voice their opinion. Once it moves off the first page of the Bonfire (sometime this evening, I'd guess), it's probably better to just let it fade away. In answer to your question, I voted "yes" and I do BASE jump. The truth is that there are other issues (DZ.com community building, for example) that play into that kind of thing. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com