chuckakers

Any DZ that focuses on safety during the day and partying at night. Can you say Skydive USA? Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

The fact is that woman was a nutjob. The fact is she rented a gun and did what she did. The fact is that she was going to do what she was going to do whether she rented a gun, bought a gun on the black market, stole a gun, bought or borrowed a gun from someone that wasn't aware of her mental instability, or committed her act of violence without a gun at all. Yes, facts can be annoying things. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Nutjobs will simply buy a gun on the black market. Why do you refuse to accept that fact? Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

How do figure that? Having a licensing requirement wouldn't stop her or anyone else from getting a gun. Criminals and whack-jobs could care less about legal requirements. They'll just work around them through theft or the black market. That doesn't mean that making things harder for them isn't a reasonable goal. Enforcing existing laws might not make it impossible for criminals to get guns--but it'd still be a good start. Maybe I'm confused. I thought you were talking about a licensing requirement other than whatever is in affect now. If that's the case, you aren't talking about enforcing existing laws, you are talking about making new ones. Either way, creating/enforcing licensing laws existing or otherwise will do nothing to make getting a gun illegally any harder. You can license all the law abiding citizens you want and register all the guns on the planet and there will still be gun theft and the black market. Creating a paper trail to the guns rightful owner or making people jump through hoops to own one legally will do nothing to stop or reduce that. Doing something for the sake of not doing anything isn't helpful, especially if it's the government doing it. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

How do figure that? Having a licensing requirement wouldn't stop her or anyone else from getting a gun. Criminals and whack-jobs could care less about legal requirements. They'll just work around them through theft or the black market. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Streamline bureaucracy. Eliminate waiting periods. Reduce firearms in the hands of criminals. Reduce improper useage of firearms. Increase gun safety (and education). Reduce state restrictions on licensed owners (for example, allow someone with the federal license to own full capacity mags, even if they live in California). My question was aimed at Quade, but since you replied... 1. I doubt anything the government does will streamline anything. Same with waiting periods. 2. How will licensing reduce the number of criminals with guns? If criminals want guns, they buy them on the black market or steal them, neither of which will be better controlled by forcing law abiding citizens to be licensed. 3. I agree that a better educated gun owner is a safer gun owner, and licensing processes do include gun safety education. However, the intentional misuse of a gun - as in the case of the gun range mom - won't be any better served by it. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Seems these folks are community "do-anizers". The only thing community organizers do is rally people to be victims. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

What exactly do you think such licensing will accomplish? Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

The only thing worse than the bow itself was the blatantly lame explanation. The white house says Mr. Obama was "bending" because he was grasping the King's hand with both of his hands and the King is shorter than him. One small problem - the video clearly shows Mr. Obama bowing while grasping the King's hand with only one hand, then standing back up and grasping the King's hand with a second hand. Couldn't they at least make their bullshit somewhat believable? Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Twitter is very useful in certain situations. I work in the traffic reporting business and we "follow" the Texas Department of Tansportation on twitter. Every time there is construction scheduled or a major problem on a TxDot managed roadway, they "tweet" it, and we get it when we sign into our twitter page. It's nice because we don't have to rely on being on a mail list. We just go to our twitter homepage and all the latest updates from them (and other traffic data sources) are there waiting for us. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

TI Lance is always worth a good shot - and chuckle - now and then. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Statesmanship like bowing to the King of Saudi Arabia? Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I would contact Sandy Reid at Rigging Innovations. The problem you describe sounds like it wouldn't be exclusive to RI products, but since it happened on an RI rig I would call Sandy. He may have some insight, and I'm sure he would want to know about it. Scary stuff for sure, and not something that should happen under any circumstances. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Anything from Rigging Innovations gets a big nod here. All the U.S. made rigs are quality, but I have never seen better service and support than that provided by Sandy and Brenda Reid at RI. They are passionate about the rig business and it shows. Specifically the Voodoo is terrific for all disciplines. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

This brings up another point - I won't pay for any gear with a debit card. Although I think rules have changed, it used to be that with credit card fraud, you were only liable for up to $50...but with a DEBIT card, you were just out the cash. I believe that's changed now...but as the OP has found, it sucks trying to chase around different companies to see where the buck stops. Kinda like when your printer isn't working, and HP tells you to talk to Microsoft, who tells you to talk to Dell...etc. I prefer to just make the chain shorter by using a credit card, knowing that Visa or Amex has an incentive to make things right (because otherwise, they'll be the ones eating the cost of the fraud, minus $50). I've been using a debit card since they invented them. I was concerned about buyer protection when I got it and confirmed with the bank that all the protections that apply to a credit card also apply to a debit card. On more than one occasion I have had to deny charges on it and no one ever even mentioned my being liable for any of the charges. That may have just been my bank, but I've heard of others with the same experience. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I know what you mean. I traded a Monarch for it after a lightly loaded girl busted her leg on it. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I never jumped the Nova, but one of my friends that did said he loved it, it was the best canopy in the world, until the landing when the lines went slack at 15' and he broke both heels. The trick was to load the shit out of 'em. You probably remember that the Nova was the first canopy to have a minimum wing loading requirement. Mine flew like a rocket at my loading, but never hinted at a stability issue, even in choppy wind. Maybe I got a good one. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I didn't imply that it does. And I had a Nova too. Fun canopy with a bad rep. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Is it better than my old Nova? Got a thousand or so on that one...after it was grounded. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

"Hey, how'd I get stuck on this electric pole? And how did this thread end up in the History and Trivia section?" Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Here's some more blah blah: why did you buy a stiletto in the first place with so little jumps plus a username that implies you want to learn how to swoop? A stiletto is not a good canopy for either. Easy there Dragon. Some folks had to swoop Stilettos - it was the hottest canopy around back when we rode horses to the DZ. I even stooped so low as to swoop an Excalibur a thousand or so times. By the way, blah, blah, blah-blah-blah. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

There ya go, getting in the liberals way with those pesky facts. I get the feeling this will be a very quiet thread. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

That's one of the best scenes in all of skydiving movies. Who was the photographer he almost took out on his way to the tail? Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

That's not what happened. Oh that's right. He said he wasn't guilty. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Of course that makes everything okay now... Stevens said the whole time that he would be found not guilty. Guess he was right. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX