TomAiello

Keep drinking and posting! How many times will you do your first? And on the work thing, don't sweat it. If your feeling the same way most do about jumping at that stage, you won't be long for that job... "Call in dead--it works every time." -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Dude. You didn't want to go there... Lowest aircraft exit: 400 feet. Lowest (static line) exit: 116 feet. Lowest freefall parachute deployment exit: 150 feet Lowest initiation of deployment: approximately 85 feet Lowest initiation of deployment at terminal velocity: approximately 250 feet It's all about packing appropriately for your intended altitude. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

To add to the list... 1997: California voters decide, by referendum, to end racial discrimination in state action. The ACLU sues immediately to re-instate institutionalized discrimination. Ed Chen, ACLU staff counsel notes “the incoming class at Boalt Hall reminds us what can lie ahead…” Boalt’s incoming class has a majority of Asian students (I wonder what Mr. Chen's alma mater was?). 2000: The ACLU, along with the NAACP, supports racial preferences at the University of Michigan. When asked if their position would impede the access of qualified minorities to education, an NAACP spokesman responds, “if it weren’t for programs like these, there would be colleges in California where the entire student body was Asian.” 2002: The ACLU asks San Francisco State University to censor student speech on campus, calling the presentation of opposing views “ethnic and religious harassment.” The ACLU has turned away from their founders' vision. In 1933 and 1963 they were a good influence. In 1983, I'm not so sure. In 2003, They are definitely playing for the wrong team. The ACLU would support a University that wanted to expel a student who used a school computer to post the word "BOOBIES" in this forum. That, after all, would constitute "sexual harassment" and "inappropriate behavior" and might create a "hostile and intimidating environment" which would interfere with the "substantial educational mission" of the institution. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

See this thread for why I quit the ACLU. The ACLU has lost touch with it's roots, and today would better be called the American Civil Rights Union, or the American General Purpose Left Wing Political Action Committee. For real defense of civil liberties, I would turn to the Institute for Justice, and leave the ACLU in the past, where they belong. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

About the same as your likelihood of getting hurt climbing. Which means, it depends...Are you soloing? Do you climb ice? Are you a mountaineer? If you stick with plastic (student gear), you're probably pretty safe. Most people are willing to take their risk level up to trad leads (ZP ellipticals), and the injury rate there is not too bad. Some people try soloing 8c in the rain (super-loaded cross-braces, BASE jumping). Even then, some of the folks doing the 8c solos are really so good that a little rain doesn't bother them. But some people try to jump straight out of the gym, and get on a hard solo--they get hurt quite often. I guess what I'm saying is that it's just like climbing--your chance of getting hurt depends on your personal style, and how hard you push your personal limits. How hard are you climbing? I've broken my leg three times (the first time running out 45' [15m] above my last piece on an "easy" slab, the last two BASE jumping) and I still do ok leading fairly easy-ish (say 5.10, I'm not sure what that is on that crazy letter scale that only English people understand) trad climbs. It hasn't really effected my aid or ice climbing at all, just the free (sport, trad, gym) stuff. If you're climbing hard on the comp circuit or something, I'd worry about it. But if climbing is just recreational, you should be able to come back from an injury and still do ok. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I heard a rumor that Ricky Paul and Johnny 9 Lives were going to order suits. Have you asked them about it? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I saw this thread a half hour ago, and I'm still laughing... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

What do you think of the .357 SIG? I've always been a fan, but it's not a very popular caliber. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Oooh. Where do you live? Can I come and play, too? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Please stick to the topics in the topical forums. The topic of this forum is BASE, not Death. Thanks. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I don't have trouble with that at all. The USPA is a bit nicer now, but historically, their attitude toward BASE has been far from accepting. Last I heard, the BPA was even worse. Don't even get me started on Finland... I have been to several DZ's that openly discriminate against BASE jumpers. It's just a fact of life. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

This is a major problem for BASE jumpers in some places. For example, I know of one national parachuting authority that will revoke skydiving licenses if the holders participate in legal BASE jumps in foreign countries. After I took up BASE, I spent less time (and money) at my home DZ. Shortly thereafter, the DZO decided that I was not a positive addition to his DZ, and asked me to leave. While this was unfortunate, it is his DZ, and he is free to make decisions about who can jump there for any reason, including their off-DZ activities (he once threw a four way team off his DZ for drinking beer out of glass bottles). I guess this is just a case of having to make a decision about what is important to you--this particular DZ, or BASE. I picked BASE, and this incident was pretty much the end of my skydiving career. Now, a few years later, I am thinking of picking up skydiving again, at a different (and more BASE friendly) DZ. My advice is to move to the next DZ, hope they have better attitudes about BASE, and keep jumping. I doubt it's worth putting any more effort into your old DZ. They have made their feelings clear, and you probably won't be able to change them. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Does anyone have any experience/insight/feedback on using yellow cable (i.e. cutaway cable) to close the container? I've seen some European freeflyers using this setup, ostensibly because it makes a premature container opening less likely. I've also seen some Russian BASE rigs that use it (so far, so good, but Russia is one crazy country). Any thoughts? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

In my part of all you have to do is drive out into the countryside and throw things on the ground... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Try the G21--I love mine. Nothing quite like 13 rounds of .45 to slow 'em down. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I once picked up a hitchhiker in Bishop, then had him drop me off on the trail to El Cap and meet me on the Valley floor that night. I think it's probably a better story when he tells it ("I was hitchhiking to the Valley, and this BASE jumper picked me up...") -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Is it possible to send one PM to multiple users? I've just cut and pasted a PM, and sent it to three separate folks. Then I did the same with another PM for two other people. If it's not possible, could it be made so? Or, if it is, can someone enlighten dumb ole me on how it's done? Thanks. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Does anyone know how to send a single PM to multiple recipients? I'll post this to "Suggestions and Feedback" too, but I thought I'd ask here and see if anyone knew how to do it. I'm going to feel pretty stupid in about two minutes, when someone says "duh, you just..." -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Jean is very difficult to contact, even for those who are her friends. I believe that Rick Harrison can access a fair bit of the original BASE footage, although my understanding is that much of it is degraded to the point where it is unsalvageable. If you are interested in getting in touch with Rick, PM or email me for his email address. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Acupuncture ROCKS! After a serious back injury a few years ago (think 18 hours of neurosurgery and replacement of a vertebrae), I suffer from chronic back pain. Just about the only thing that helps it is acupuncture. Chiropractic is a joke, physical therapy is mildly useful, narcotics are very short term, but acupuncture is great. Did they use the electrified needles on you? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Yeah, but I bet he'll too busy coaching to muck about with a flailing fat guy like me. Anyone else? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Does anyone know where there is a decent rigger in the San Luis Obispo, California, area? I'm here for a few weeks, and need to get some work (patching and sewing, not just packing) done. Does the DZ in Lompoc have anyone? Or am I going to have to wait until I go somewhere else? Anybody know? Thanks, -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Have a look at "Free Speech for Me, but Not for Thee" by Nat Hentoff. Interesting reading... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I would think the ACLU would be all over that for free. It would be an opportunity to draw a finer line (via a high court ruling) in the debate on 1st amendment interpretation. The facts of the case actually involved a student hanging a Confederate flag in the window of her dormitory room. In this case, the University was supported by the California chapter of the ACLU. In order to gain legal support, the student was forced to seek help from the Arizona chapter of the ACLU. Whoever thought the ACLU always supported free speech never asked them to support (gasp!) controversial speech. When this case went down (on the UC Davis campus, while I was a student there), I tore up my ACLU membership. I guess they finally found their Skokie for me. The point when the political correctness of the local ACLU members overrode their commitment to free expression was the point at which I parted company with them. In the end, the student was re-instated. By that time (two years of court battles later), she was nearly done with her degree at the University of Arizona. She never returned to the University of California. As I recall, the case never even made it to the appellate level, and was largely decided on procedural tactics (and the court-weariness of the University of California Office of the President). Don't even get me started on Smith v. Regents... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I encountered this situation when I was in college. I called the ACLU, and they informed me that any event (i.e. the President's appearance, in your case) has a right to control the content of it's entire event. In other words, "your right to swing your sign ends where my political rally begins." I'm not saying I agree--just that the ACLU would support the President in this case. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com