nigel99

Just to clarify I wouldn't call myself a skydiver with a tandem jump under my belt but I do see how someone could honestly see themselves as one. 99% of the people on the planet haven't jumped in their own small way they are "special". Where I jumped it was generally accepted that first freefall was your graduation to skydiver - before that you were a "dope on a rope" Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Firstly I wasn't there. But my take on it is that many people are extremely proud of the 1 tandem that they have done and don't really see a distinction. In a similar vein many people here don't see you as a skydiver if you are still on student status. The account of it could also be genuine mistakes (15 seconds SOUNDS like 50 seconds - he could have misheard the instructor debrief). Especially in that if he was exaggerating or lying I would expect 2 minutes of falling. 120Mph is 200km/h another mistake or exaggeration. I reckon that most people inflate their stories regarding their conquests in life I would let it be. I know how you feel though, It is amazing how many people are involved with some of the standards committees that I am in UNTIL you mention you are involved - their role usually shrinks about 90%. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

You stated that he used the chest mount reserve. You mentioned that fact it is illogical is what makes it so clever and likely to throw people off (my paraphrase). With all due respect if you know so little about jumping, the hardware or how to mount this on that then you don't know enough to verify if the trainer was one of the best riggers in the business or just full of shit. You should probably tread carefully what you say with regards to the alleged jumping equipment. Put simply a chest mount reserve (the one with the X) has "clasps" that are intended to snap onto a body worn harness that has D rings in the appropriate places. The sport rig that was provided did not have the required D-rings to allow attachment. This leaves a situation where you say he jumped using a parachute but you don't mention how he attached it to himself. This as you can imagine is critical for survival - and I personally think an explanation would be required for your story to have any credibility. At this point I see your claim in the same league as saying that he jumped without a parachute and did a plane to plane transfer (which has been done before - just not at night, from a jet by a whuffo). Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

http://www.astronomy-pictures.net/telescopes/1966-VIETNAM-WAR-Military-PARACHUTE-24ft-CHEST-RESERVE_120631348414.html Look at this picture it is a belly reserve. So unless Cooper was superman and could lift a few tons (literally) there is NO WAY that a person could jump out holding onto a reserve and keep holding. Look up Mr Bill on dz.com it is a type of jump where 1 jumper holds onto another during deployment. If your claim is going to stand up to any scrutiny you need a plausible explanation of how he secured a belly reserve WITHOUT a harness. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

My vote goes to http://www.braums.com/ in the US. Otherwise it goes to a little place in Nice (France) http://www.fenocchio.fr/eng_qui.html Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Can't speak regarding ASC but I would strongly recommend the farm. The farm is definitely not a tandem factory. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Our Centos Server is our retired Windows Server. The Centos Server is still faster than the Windows 2003 Server despite having 1/4 of the specs (512MB ram versus 4GB, older slower processor etc etc). Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

I have used Suse in the past was ok. Used Knoppix because when a Windows machine fails or you need to surf porn and make sure you don't leave a trail the best way is to boot off CD-ROM Currently running Centos in a work environment. I don't really "like" any flavour of Linux. We use Linux because it is much easier to configure than Windows for the weird Server stuff that we do, and you have more access to the inner workings when you need them. The only other positive I have seen is that no distro of Linux that I have ever come across has been as resource hungry and slow as Windows. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Thanks that is interesting. From your link though I think the 0.056 radians = 3.20856365 degrees which I would have thought was perceptible. I guess the curvature seen from an airline is probably enhanced by a "fish-eye" effect due to the planes windows distorting the view. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=763 European Space Agency has a project related to this. It is really cool until 6-12 months ago I didn't realise how much variation there is. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Very impressive however while viewing I came across this video of Divot flying http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vH2yKfDq5Q&feature=related Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Okay... When skydiving near trees, always have a helmet, gloves and a credit card! Just get the dz to keep a chainsaw handy And don't forget the rumour that gloves caused all this in the first place! Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

that is amazing. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

5 million feet? Inches Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

In the UK recently there was discussion about fire crews rescuing cats from trees. They interviewed the local fire department who said that actually if it was not busy it provided an excellent "real world" training environment. As someone who has always been puzzled by the "waste" of firemen rescuing cats that really made alot of sense to me and changed my views. I don't think I have ever disagreed with your views before - so as it is a first here's . You can't selectively bill people because money is tight. I see your argument about recreation but then it should be city policy regarding ALL recreation - so the kid riding around the block on his bicycle for fun should also be billed. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~karthik/pics/2003-10-2-Miami/1-FlightToMiami/web/html/start.html Attached photo is 55 to 60 000 foot. Far more interesting though is the leading edge of the sexiest commercial airliner to ever fly

I am convinced that I can see it when I fly commercially so 30-36k. However I have flown at 55-60 000 feet and it is definitely visible then. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Haven't got a clue on whether you are a pack-rat or not (unfortunately many of your gender are). If you do tend to keep stuff then being brutal about trashing things and keeping what you own to a minimum can work wonders. Most of my relatives are pack-rats and struggle to keep their homes clean, my wife is brutal - to the point where the kids have to be careful to put their stuff away - cause if it is left lying around for more than 2 days it gets put in the trash. Stay out of debt as much as you can - it sucks big time. For the easy life move in with a guy who will pay your expenses - word is Shah is available Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Sure mine was a joke as well except 5 was mean't to read. 5) How much can you get me if I injure my wife? I didn't even think about the thugs angle - I was trying to figure out how a lawyer got business from indoor shootings. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

1) You are a lawyer not a doctor 2) From your statement you "might" be an ambulance chaser 3) I have a pellet gun 4) I am poor 5) I much can you get me if I injure my wife? *Serious note. I assume from your comment injuries are fairly common and not a good idea. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Man, I HATE it when that happens. Others may want to ask the question of you but I know how crow tastes. Go easy on the member of your staff. Illustrate what went wrong and how to avoid it next time. But remember that it wasn't that staff members fault the client saw that particular side of you. Send the client a bottle of wine. (I wouldn't recommend Fat Bastard in this case.) That member of staff is no more (from before this incident) I like the fat bastard idea Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Shah - ignore the comment. On a side note and as your subject line is so fitting. I just made a fucking massive booboo. Argument all day with a client regarding a problem - eventually I found the root and didn't pull any punches regarding their incompetence in the matter. Only to notice at the end of the discussion that it was one of my staff that had made the cock-up. Luckily the client was understanding but not great way to end the day. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Are you shooting indoors as you mentioned in your original post? By indoors I take it you mean at home? I must admit that I hadn't thought of shooting indoors but on rainy days it might be fun. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Snap and yes car crashes are a better description. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

So can you ban yourself? Or is that an admission that after all you are actually Coopers Ghost Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.