tbrown

That's just it - it's a story. Invented by monks in whatever early century to help explain how to live good lives to their local 'believers'.

What he said. I've never seen anyone fly like that, especially the part where he slid the length of the runway sideways, with the nose pointed up about sixty degrees. The guy's like a bumblebee, aerodynamically, we can't figure how he does it ! Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Oh I'm sorry, I'm in the wrong forum. I thought this was "Bowling for CONCUBINES".... Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

You should do it, even if it means running up the plastique. It is a business investment, and a deductible business expense. What else are you going to do with your money, throw it out an open airplane door ??? Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

An embarrasing topic. As I'm fond of pointing out, I've returned to the sport after a 22 year layoff, which in the early years I think might just have saved my life. I was a bit of an "a-hole" in the early days.... First chop was when some suspension lines hung up at the cascade point on the fwd right side. I actually had all seven cells and as clearly as I can remember was controllable. But I chopped because I didn't want the situation to suddenly deteriorate below 500 ft. Second chop was due to a hung up brake release. I'd packed my canopy soaking wet (I'm not joking). It opened just fine, but I'm guessing the right brake line was too swollen from the water to release. It was a very gusty day and I dicked around with it down to 1200 ft before cutting away. Third time was a streamer. I was using a new D-bag for the first time and the bag was heavily damaged in the opening, so I think it might've been afactor, though I'm not sure how. Anyway, I didn't waste any time once I saw that the canopy was simply not going to inflate. I was under my reserve above 1500' on that one. I'm a different, older and wiser person this second time around and hope to join the ranks of those who go 3000 or more between chops. They work, but are no fun until you bullshit about them later. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

A collective crock of shit. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

The French Wine Industry Council has come out against their government's latest anti drinking and driving campaign. In France you apparently are not legal to drive if you're over 0.05%, compared to our more recent 0.08% laws in many American states. Wine sales in French restaurants are off by about 15% and the guvamint is actively telling the Frenchies that they're better off having nothing to drink at all if they're out for a night on the town. The wine industry is saying that this is irresponsible and repressive, and that a responible person should be able to have 2-3 drinks with their dinner and not have to worry. Two interesting statistics are that the French have the highest rate of alcohol related car crashes in Europe (but have also reduced that figure by 20% in the last year), and some American statistics that suggest where alcohol is a factor, it's in a concentration of 0.10% or more. I'm feeling like I take the wine industry's side, but think this is a good topic to open for some opinions. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Interesting. I've had a regular vasectomy for eleven years now, and with two teenagers I feel no incentive to want more kids, so I never think about a reversal. This looks like a nice option. On the lighter side, they remind me of slinks. Maybe this is something your rigger can do while you're having your reserve repacked, or sending your Cypres off on it's its 4 year service... Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

It's a documented fact that stress can make you physically ill. About eleven years ago we were a.) having our first house built, b.) trying to nail down the mortgage for it, c.) Boeing was threatening to lay me off (assholes), and d.) my brother was dying of cancer. While eating breakfast, my back went out so completely that I couldn't stand up for 3 days. Not even a shot of Demerol would help. Stress hurts and you will reach a point where your bod says, "I'm taking a week off". Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Go for it. I've made only one BASE jump (El Cap 8/10/80, #159 I think...). I don't plan on ever making another one, but still have VIVID dreams about the one. It's not my cup of tea, but if it's yours.....enjoy and God bless ! Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Is your wife's name Louise ? I'd like to say, "GEEZ LOUISE !!". Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

You sound like a good person who could do without either one of those two. Go out and catch a good film... Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

I've worked in Quality Control for 16 years and have no patience for mistakes like this. Somebody wasn't paying attention, though they seem to have remembered how to bank your check alright. Personally, I like your "as is" rig better. Maybe what you like about it is the way those two reserve flaps don't glare at you in bright blue all the time. My eyes got tired of the picture in about 5 deconds. Your blacker rig is much easier on the eye. But you do have the absolute right to hold their feet to the fire and should do it if you're not happy with it. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

I weigh 215, with a 240'ish exit weight. I find that Spectre canopies have lovely openings, I just make sure to throw it out a little higher as they take a while to open. I don't do anything special with the packjob, like folding the nose or doing anything fancy with the slider. It doesn't need it. It's a NICE opening canopy, lands nice too, even in no winds, where I only have to run a quick step or two at most. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

It happens. It isn't as perfect as the storybooks, and of course lasting love takes time and blah, blah, blah. But it definitely happens. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Go with more malt. 6 lbs is gonna make some weak stuff, but thats up to you. Definitely go with 8 lbs of malt and keep in the pound of honey. My Xmas Ales were grain mashes, but I always made them killer strong, it was cold outside and I wanted my brews to make people want to sing. As for spicing, you probably already know this, but don't add the spices until just the last few minutes - the way you'd add aromatic hops. Otherwise you could bitter the thing all to hell. I used to use cinammon stick, a little bit of shredded ginger root (go EASY on that), and grated Tangerine peels. The Tangerine peels were lovely, they're quite a bit zippier than oranges. One year I made my ale so strong it almost killed the yeast (alcohol poisoning) and I had problems getting it to carbonate. So if you go really strong, consider a wine yeast, but 8 lbs of malt and a lb of honey should be OK. Oh, and send me a bottle. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Neil Young's "Harvest Moon". Oh and Neil Young's "Mirror Ball" (recorded with pearl Jam, even though the lawyers wouldn't let the liner notes say so...). Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Huntington Beach is "Surf City", if you don't mind looking at about a half dozen offshore oil wells. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

This one is funny on so many levels. The old halcyon days of youth thing...

I'm doing a lot of renting and demo-ing, as I've just returned to the sport after many years and want to check out several kinds of canopies before I (can afford to) buy a rig. I'm bigger and heavier than you, with an exit weight of 245, so I started out with 230 Spectres. Docile or not, they're still hotter than anything we had 23 years ago, I promise you !! Once I got my landings down, I've sized down to the 210 Spectre and have been trying out a 210 Sabre2 and really want to try the Pilot as well. Not sure if I like the seven or nine cell better yet. When I get good with those, I'll probably try a 190 sometime next year, but for my size and age I don't see going any smaller. Ditto for the elliptical swoopwings, I'll leave those for the young hippies to fool with. I'm happy just to be back in freefall, but I do like a sporty ride down to a soft landing. Demo all you want before you make up your mind. Buying's like getting married, when you wake up in the morning, it's all yours, like it or not... Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Not sure exactly what a "sit suit" is, but if you mean a suit with wings, I've still got my 1979 Silly Suit. In the days of the "wing wars" we used to believe that more wing meant more control surface, meant more control Relative workers wore some hugely wingy suits. Of course by 1980 the trend went the other way and has stayed there for good reasons (smaller suits mean faster fall rate, means cleaner response and less tendency to float apart, et.). We never had any serious problems with PC deployment though. I used a throwaway and a friend of mine with even larger wings used a pull-out. We opened just fine. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Would have to be El Capitan, 8:30 am Aug 10, 1980. Had a permit. Got up early and ran back into the woods searching for a jumper who never made it into camp the night before (the fool was drinking beers on the hike up). Found him sleeping in his canopy. Got him up, got him to pack and made him run so we could both meet the 8:30 deadline. Oh my God, what a jump that was.... Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Skydiving's still legal. Skydiving doesn't destroy your mind or body (provided you open every time...). You don't need to smoke to skydive. I don't know anyone who's had to resort to burglary, mugging, or prostitution to keep jumping. The cops have never lured me into a "hey buddy, wanna jump ?" sting. Finally, Nancy Reagan never said, "Just say no to skydiving". Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

Cypress: A city in California... or a type of tree... take your pick And Cyprus, the island in the Mediterranean that the Greeks and Turks are forever fighting over. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

The proper way to breeak in a new canopy is to fuck in it (that is the first jump is NOT from an airplane...). Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !