Skydiving without health insurance....

[kallend 2,106]

Quote

Living ABOVE your means? Thats stupid.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that this year's federal deficit will reach a record $477 billion, the largest deficit in U.S. history. CBO estimates that over the next 10 years, deficits are expected to add $2.4 trillion to the public debt, which will increase to $6.4 trillion. There is NO DATE PROJECTED for the budget to return to balance.

STUPID is dead right.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Zenister 0]

Quote

STUPID is dead right.

queue repetitive arguments about which parties fault this is....

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[Ron 10]

Quote

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that this year's federal deficit will reach a record $477 billion, the largest deficit in U.S. history. CBO estimates that over the next 10 years, deficits are expected to add $2.4 trillion to the public debt, which will increase to $6.4 trillion. There is NO DATE PROJECTED for the budget to return to balance.

STUPID is dead right.

Here you go spinning everything to Bush Bash again...Its almost entertaining to see you try and spin anything.

Try...Puppies.

I guess it would be stupid to go to school on loans then huh?

Stupid to buy a house if you can't pay cash huh?

Stpid to buy a plane if you can't write a check for it...

Wow you must be loaded.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[soilman 0]

skydivegirl writes

Quote

find it interesting that everyone assumes that saving money = not having any fun/life experiences.

All you have to do is take a tiny bit of your paycheck, throw it in the bank, and forget about it. You can live your life the same way as you always have. It's really not that big of a big deal.... I don't even miss it.

Whether you can do that depends upon how big your paycheck is, and how big your unavoidable (food, clothing and shelter) expense are. In some parts of, for example. the United States, such as the part I live in, a large segment of the population simply is not able to find housing that they can really afford, given the size of their paychecks. I'm talking about people who work full time. Many single people where I live simply can't earn more than about $16,000 per year, before taxes, and can't find a studio apartment for less than $1000 a month -- if they can find a studio apartment at all. There are more people out looking for such apartments, than there are such apartments. This means they have no money for food and clothing, much less for savings.

One way to get around this is to take cash advances on a credit card and use it to pay your rent. If you are clever and keep good records you can do this for a few years before the shit hits the fan and you have to declare bankruptcy and then you won't be able to get credit any more.

____________________________________
Animal husbandry may not be necessary. We can maintain soil quality, for plant husbandry, with green manures and cover crops.

[Ron 10]

Quote

Whether you can do that depends upon how big your paycheck is, and how big your unavoidable (food, clothing and shelter) expense are

Food: Eat Ramen, Macarroni and Cheeze and hot dogs...

Clothing: Good Will, Walmart....

Shelter....Move

Quote

In some parts of, for example. the United States, such as the part I live in, a large segment of the population simply is not able to find housing that they can really afford, given the size of their paychecks. I'm talking about people who work full time. Many single people where I live simply can't earn more than about $16,000 per year, before taxes, and can't find a studio apartment for less than $1000 a month -- if they can find a studio apartment at all

Move....The company I work for is ALWAYS hiring in NY city....I asked why and found out that it costs more to live there than you can make. So MOVE.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[kallend 2,106]

Quote

Quote

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that this year's federal deficit will reach a record $477 billion, the largest deficit in U.S. history. CBO estimates that over the next 10 years, deficits are expected to add $2.4 trillion to the public debt, which will increase to $6.4 trillion. There is NO DATE PROJECTED for the budget to return to balance.

STUPID is dead right.

Here you go spinning everything to Bush Bash again...Its almost entertaining to see you try and spin anything.

Try...Puppies.

I guess it would be stupid to go to school on loans then huh?

Stupid to buy a house if you can't pay cash huh?

Stpid to buy a plane if you can't write a check for it...

Wow you must be loaded.

The difference, Ron, is There is NO DATE PROJECTED for the federal budget to return to balance. . That is living beyond your means.

In every case you mentioned an agreed plan for repayment exists.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[kelpdiver 2]

Quote

yeah, but i refuse to make an insurance company rich before me. invest in your own investments, build your own wealth, instead of paying for some high rise building that your insurance company is having you pay for!

Since I've went back to working on contract, I've used a high deductable ($1000) PPO plan from Blue Cross. I'm in CA, but while I was in my 20s this was $58/mo, now in the 30s it is 82 and then 88/mo.

It's a very small price to pay when you consider what a single ambulance ride to the ER would cost. In my short time at the DZs, I've seen enough incidents to see the value.

You may be able to self insure, but most of the jumpers out there are not, and it's financially reckless for them to continue jumping without even that form of base medical.

Disability would be nice too, but frankly if the company doesn't provide it, it's pretty steep to buy on your own.

[kallend 2,106]

Quote

Quote

STUPID is dead right.

queue repetitive arguments about which parties fault this is....

I didn't mention Bush or the Republicans at all. Ron made that inference. Thanks, Ron.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[DrewEckhardt 0]

Quote

In some parts of, for example. the United States, such as the part I live in, a large segment of the population simply is not able to find housing that they can really afford, given the size of their paychecks.

Many single people where I live simply can't earn more than about $16,000 per year, before taxes, and can't find a studio apartment for less than $1000 a month -- if they can find a studio apartment at all.

Some people are unwilling to accept living in housing they can afford which may be less than their own apartment. When I was supporting myself on $10 an hour in an expensive town I survived by renting rooms in larger dwellings for less than half what I'd have spent on my own. A pair of room-mates got by for even less by sharing a single room.

[billvon 3,070]

>I'm talking about people who work full time. Many single people where I
> live simply can't earn more than about $16,000 per year, before taxes,
>and can't find a studio apartment for less than $1000 a month -

And if three people share it, it becomes $333 a month. No problem at all. People in San Diego do it all the time. Want a nicer/bigger place with no roommates? Get a better job, or move.

[soilman 0]

billvon writes:

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And if three people share it, it becomes $333 a month. No problem at all. People in San Diego do it all the time.

Sharing a house or apartment by more than 2 unrelated people is illegal here.

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Want a nicer/bigger place with no roommates? Get a better job, or move.

Easier said than done. If all your income goes every for basic food clothing and shelter every month -- you have no money to move. Without connections in other places, it is very difficult to determine what places have a combination of high employment of unskilled labor, and lower housing costs. You could easily move to an area you think has better housing -- and find out you can't find work washing dishes there. Getting a higher paying job, where you are, or somewhere else, is not always possible. If you are working 60 hours per week just to have enough money for the basics, it may not be possible to get more education, even if you can find grant money to pay for it. You just may not have time. Especially if you are not in perfect health and medical expertise is that you cannot work more than 60 hours per week without making yourself sicker. I'm not saying these things are impossible. I'm just saying that saying they are "no problem at all" is not true.

yes many people here do break the law, rent a 2-room apartment (a bedroom and a kitchen-livingroom) and share it among 6 people. But this usually means poor housing at relatiely high rent. Why? Because if the tenants complain to the town about the house having poor heat or broken stove or whatever, instead of the town citing the landlord for a violation and demanding he fix it, they cite the landlord for renting to more than 2 unrelated people, and demand he evict them.

By the way, as well as being a dental materials buyer and materials researcher, I have a part time job (self employed) as a rental and building maintenance agent for a landlord. I have seen first hand how finding a 2-room apartment is not easy for people to find. I interviewed 30 prospects from 1 little classified ad. We had our pick of tenants. About 5 of the applicants were living in homeless shelters when they answered the ad -- and I'd bet they still are.

I also have a 2000 square foot vegetable garden which helps me be able to spend substantially less of my income, on food. And I still am having troulbe putting any money in savings. I tend to be chronically behind on my phone bill and my cable internet bill (I don't have cable tv, just internet, which I need for work). My phone bill is only $25 per month. Can I do without cable TV? Yes. No problem. But if I sprain my ankle and have to pay someone to do building and grounds maintenance for a month or 2, that I now do myself -- I may have to worry about not having food.

I won't be making another jump until I get more hours per week buying dental materials. Which I won't be able to get until I've worked for a few more months or years at the number of hours I'm working now and have scored enough experience to apply at more dental groups for higher pay or more hours.

Hey -- but I am damn fortunate. I'm not hurting for food clothing or shelter just now, and won't be unless something unexpecte comes up. I just had to evict a working single woman with a school age child who couldn't pay her rent. Her car broke down. She spent her rent money on getting repaired since there was no bus service to the place where she worked. She is now back in the battered women's shelter (she got someone to batter her so she could get in -- because it is nicer than the homeless shelter).

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Animal husbandry may not be necessary. We can maintain soil quality, for plant husbandry, with green manures and cover crops.

[billvon 3,070]

>Sharing a house or apartment by more than 2 unrelated people is illegal here.

OK. so two people. $500/month.

>If all your income goes every for basic food clothing and shelter every
> month -- you have no money to move.

1. Quit your job.
2. Pack your stuff in your car.
3. Drive away.

I hear this all the time. "But I can't move/get a new job/get an education!" And usually I don't buy it. I have a friend with one hand who was on the women's basketball and volleyball teams in college. I have another friend who has bone cancer, whose husband died, and who has been raising her kids on her own while continuing to jump. Yet another who has some very serious medical problems while going through a medical residency and raising a kid. They don't spend their time talking about what they can't do, they just do it.

People generally set their own limitations. And if they want to set them, no problem. Stay in one place, don't move, don't get an education, whatever. But to complain that "it's impossible!" ignores the fact that people much worse off than they are do it without complaint.

>I won't be making another jump until I get more hours per week buying
> dental materials. Which I won't be able to get until I've worked for a few
> more months or years at the number of hours I'm working now and have
> scored enough experience to apply at more dental groups for higher pay
> or more hours.

Sounds like you're willing to do what it takes to get ahead. Good for you! In the US, there's almost no limit to how far you can go if you want to really work at it, and it sounds like you _are_ working at it.

[soilman 0]

billyon writes

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Quit your job.
2. Pack your stuff in your car.
3. Drive away.

Even if I had a car, I would not know where to go where I could get another job that pays even 1/2 as much as the one I have now. I won't get another job like I have now until i have many months more experience.

Yes to get to work each day I walk 1 hour each way and spend 1.25 hours on (2) busses, each way. To get somewhere that takes 25 minutes by car or motorcycle. No problem as I am in excellent physical health. Tho I was disabled for 34 years and was not able to work full time until last year when treatment eventually became available for 2 physical disabilities that I had and were not properly treated for 34 years.

Quote

Sounds like you're willing to do what it takes to get ahead. Good for you! In the US, there's almost no limit to how far you can go if you want to really work at it, and it sounds like you _are_ working at it.

This is not always true. It has been true for me only since last August when I finally got the surgery I needed. But for other people it is not true.

Before then I simply would not have been able to walk 2 hours a day to and from the busstops, and I would not have been able to do a computer job that required 2 hands at the keyboard. From 1969 to 1999, I simply was not able to stay awake all day without severe pain. Only in 1999 did i finally find a neurologist who was able to help me function almost normally. Thanks to the internet by the way. And cultural changes within the medical profession as to how my condition may be treated. And 30 years of searching for effective treatment until I finally found it.

by the way the batterred woman who likes battered women's shelters better than homeless shelters, gets battered by picking up some poor unfortunate dumb guy off the street. Sleeping with him a few times. Letting him move in. Then harrassing him intentionally until he loses control and socks her. I couldn't help but overhear how she does it. The walls in the building are thin.

She tried to lure me into her web, I guess simply because i lived nearby and was convenient. If I were in my 20's, maybe even my 30's, I probably would have been lured in right in, taken the bait, the moment she she lifted her shirt and showed me her belly-button ring.

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Animal husbandry may not be necessary. We can maintain soil quality, for plant husbandry, with green manures and cover crops.

[soilman 0]

By the way, I agree that there are people who could get ahead, but are simply too lazy. And that there are quite a lot of them. They are limited only by their own lazyness. But I am convinced that there are also people who also are limited by things that are outside their ability to control. And that these situation are not exactly rare either. And that social service agencies neglect to do simple inexpensive things that could help these people, just because they are too burocratic and unimaginative, to do so.

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Animal husbandry may not be necessary. We can maintain soil quality, for plant husbandry, with green manures and cover crops.

[rickjump1 0]

But I am convinced that there are also people who also are limited by things that are outside their ability to control. And that these situation are not exactly rare either....

I understand that some people are limited by things outside their control. It might be physical or family problems. On the other hand, I have found technical and non- technical work for capable people in the offshore oil industry. Only a handful took the opportunity. The rest were not willing to make the sacrifice of being away from home. One man was poverty level, but now cooks for a major drilling company. Work is available, but it takes sacrifice. I see foreigners taking some good paying jobs. Some of them are here probably illegally.

Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

[soilman 0]

rickjump, ya think I'd make a good offshore oil rig worker?

I'm in pretty good shape for my age. My cholesterol levels indicate lower than average chance of getting heart diseas. My blood pressue is right smack dab in the range of normalcy. I attribute this to a good diet low in animal fats and lots and lots of really fresh fruits and vegetables from my own garden, for the last 8 years or so. As well as high quality frozen fruits and vegetables from my garden -- not the dried out refrozen ancient stuff they have in the supermarket frozen food case.

However I need to visit my neurologist in Manhatten once a month. Nothing serious. Just some superficial nerve damage to my face. Hurts unless its treated. I have to make another gastroenterologist appointment in a week or 2 to recheck my stomach and duodenum with an endoscope to see if my ulcers are getting better. I probably ought to see a hematologist becuase I have borderline anemia but test for occult blood in stool were negative and my diet includes plenty of iron and vitamin b12. I should get to my urologist too, to periodically check my prostate once every 3 months and make sure the presumed prostate cancer is progressing slowly and doesn't need treatment. And my primary care physician recommended that at my age I ought to have cardiac stress tests by a cardiologist just to be on the safe side. Same thing with a colonoscopy. Plus I have to visit my psychologist once every 2 weeks for counseling regarding coping with chronic atypical facial pain -- not exactly lifethreating -- but the doctor treating the pain with drugs wants to make sure I am relying on non-drug coping methods as much as possible and only using the drugs when necessary. My teeth -- I am going to need a complete overhaul to open my bite up, add height to all my molars, also, a consult with a tmj specialist before they decide on how far to open my bite. Fortunately the dental group I work for is going to redo my bite, so I won't have to make any extra trips for getting it done. I gotta spend only an hour in the dentist chair every week or 2. Most of all of these appointments -- i get there and back with public transportation.

Will I be able to get adequate medical care if I live offshore for weeks at a time? How long does one stay, anyway? Can I get back home every few days for these doctor visits?

Let's see, prostate cancer is pretty normal for any male over 50. So i'm not worried about the nodules on my prostate. But an eye should be kept on my prostate. Well, a finger.

Think I can do some physical labor? I am 5 feet 11 inches tall and weigh 142-143 pounds. I was 140 when I graduated from high school. I am not going to be doing any heavy labor for more than a couple hours a day. Jeez, I just lifted my air conditioner out of my window, all by myself, to take it apart and lube a jammed motor shaft. I think I am going to have to take a hot bath now and wait till tomorrow night to put it back in! Lifting 60 pounds -- yea, I can probably do it once every other a day, no problem. Lift one 60 pound item one day. Sore the next day.

Oh yea, I have chronic dire-rear from the Nexium I take for my stomach and duodenal ulcers. No biggie. I just need a few more 10-minute breaks than the average employee. No-one will mind, will they?

My parents and grandparents didn't seem anywhere near as healthy as i am, at my age. I think I'm healthier 'cause I've had a better diet and done no drinking or smoking for 35 years now. Heart disease, diabetes, gout, fast-growing cancer -- I have none of these things that they had.

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Animal husbandry may not be necessary. We can maintain soil quality, for plant husbandry, with green manures and cover crops.

[rickjump1 0]

Soilman, In no way was I trying to infer that people with physical limitations don't know how to make sacrifices. Yes, you would have to be in physical shape to work offshore. They require physicals. Some of these guys work 7 days on and 7 days off. Some do 14 and 14 or 21 and 21 so you probably would not get to see a doctor for a few days although they have a medic onboard. Most of the guys offshore do put on the weight because of the type and amount served (they have ice cream machines too). Some of the larger rigs or drill ship have international crews so there is variety in the meals. Friday is seafood day in the Gulf of Mexico (too much is fried). I fly helicopters offshore out to these cool places. Most of the old guys like me are in an age group of people who are fighting to keep their medicals. Several have had heart problems. One guy had prostrate cancer, and one guy is fighting diabetes. All of these guys came back to fly with the exception of one,and he's waiting on the FAA. Most of us served in Vietnam and most will be retiring within a few years of each other (some have died in accidents along the way). I just turned 60, 5'5'' weigh 130 can't keep it on, maybe a tapeworm. Should I get an application from one of the rigs for you? I think you would work out just fine.

Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

[soilman 0]

Quote

Should I get an application from one of the rigs for you? I think you would work out just fine.

a week on a week off, 14 days on 14 days off. yea I can do that. Shouldn't be a problem. Honestly, I probably would be appalled by the food since I'm a vegan. and honestly, mostly out of curiosity -- application for what kind of work? And how much does it pay. In case the dental materials job doesn't work out.

I should probably try, for about the third time, to look this up myself, with Google, but -- do you know if I can get a pilot's license of one sort or another if I take (legally prescribed) pain meds?

I'd like to go to dental technology school and learn to make crown and inlays, but the nearest school is way too far away. However there are several flight schools readily accessible. Actually one is in walking distance

____________________________________
Animal husbandry may not be necessary. We can maintain soil quality, for plant husbandry, with green manures and cover crops.

[captain1 0]

It is a good post that is worthy of the "Safety and Training" forum in my opinion. Actually, the post could fit in a few of the other forums in my opinion. I had a bad accident back in March that put me in a wheel chair for two months and rehab for another month. Medical bills are astronomical!!! I am still recovering and have already made a few jumps but I will never be the same again and will have to undergo another surgery in the future. Fortunately, I had insurance at the time. ENOUGH SAID.

[rickjump1 0]

. and honestly, mostly out of curiosity -- application for what kind of work? And how much does it pay. In case the dental materials job doesn't work out.

A good example of a company is Global Santa Fe. Lots of different jobs. http://www.gsdrill.com/employ/framer/introfr.htm/ Most of the people get an 80 hour week including overtime working 12hrs on 12hrs off. You must pass a thorough physical and drug test to get hired.
Concerning the pilot license... On one of the other threads they were talking about a "sports" license which only required a drivers license? If you have no limitations on your DL apparently you can fly. Check out one of the FAA websites for pain meds. Got to go.

Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

[Ron 10]

Quote

I didn't mention Bush or the Republicans at all. Ron made that inference. Thanks, Ron.

Hey Stud....Peep this post by you. that was the start.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1188132#1188132

I am really sad you didn't somehow make the transition from Puppies to Bush Bashing....I had some crazy ideas how you would manage to do it.

Heres one I had:

John: Puppies are children.
Bush 41 had children.
Jeb is one of them.
Jeb gave the election to his Brother W.
W destroyed the world.

But I am sure you could do better...Hell you have a PhD.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[kallend 2,106]

Quote

Quote

I didn't mention Bush or the Republicans at all. Ron made that inference. Thanks, Ron.

Hey Stud....Peep this post by you. that was the start.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1188132#1188132

No mention of Bush or Republicans in that post. You're hallucinating. You inferred it from the context (irresponsible fiscal management). Thanks again.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Ron 10]

Quote

No mention of Bush or Republicans in that post. You're hallucinating. You inferred it from the context (irresponsible fiscal management). Thanks again.

Could it be cause you have you used that SAME argument to "Bush Bash" about 20 times now?

If anything its conditioned response...Just like when you turn everything to a "Bush Bash"?

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[kallend 2,106]

Quote

Quote

No mention of Bush or Republicans in that post. You're hallucinating. You inferred it from the context (irresponsible fiscal management). Thanks again.

Could it be cause you have you used that SAME argument to "Bush Bash" about 20 times now?

If anything its conditioned response...Just like when you turn everything to a "Bush Bash"?

Sometimes you just have to say things 20 times before it finally sinks in.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Zenister 0]

Quote

Quote

Quote

No mention of Bush or Republicans in that post. You're hallucinating. You inferred it from the context (irresponsible fiscal management). Thanks again.

Could it be cause you have you used that SAME argument to "Bush Bash" about 20 times now?

If anything its conditioned response...Just like when you turn everything to a "Bush Bash"?

Sometimes you just have to say things 20 times before it finally sinks in.

oh god dont tell him that, he already seems to think repetition equals evidence....

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.