nbblood

The check will be for much more than what the agreed price will be. They will give you some crap excuse about they didn't know what shipping would be and they need to ship other stuff and they're having their shipper pick this up, blah, blah, blah, whatever they can tell you to bait you. They don't give a crap about whatever you're selling. They want you to wire you the difference of the amount of the check and the selling price via Western Union. That's what they're after, that cold, hard cash that comes Western Union. Every thing else is just a ploy to get you to send that. If you do send them gear it probably just ends up in the trash somewhere. They just want the cash. If you deposit the check it would likely have your account on the back for endorsement, but it's a fraudulent check. How's he going to get it back? It's not like it's an overdrawn check on a legit account. He's not providing a return address where he can actually be found. No, he's simply after the cash from Western Union, nothing else. They're very easy to spot. Don't even reply to them when you get the notice through classifieds that they've contacted you. They don't have your email until you reply. Just don't do it. Forward the email to abuse@dropzone.com and let them ban them. They do a terrific job of keeping up with the scammers as they surface. The classifieds are not anywhere near as bad as they could be without that service. Look for users that just created an account, use an address outside the U.S. (UK has been popular lately, Africa is a clear tipoff), user has probably never logged in, has no posts on the forums, and usually always asks what your "final price" is. They probably won't refer to your item specifically, rather refer to it as "the item" or they may copy and paste exactly the header of your listing. They won't ask you questions that you would expect somebody knowledgeable of the gear to know. They may say they want it for son/daughter, etc.,etc. Bottom line is they're easy to spot. Just don't respond. Report them to get them out of here. When in doubt, report. If it's a legit user, he/she will respond to dz.com and clear the scam report. That has NEVER happened to one I've reported (at least that I know of). Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

With your own statement of what you're kind of looking at out of a canopy and how you fly, I'd definitely recommend a Pilot. IMO, they are VERY similar to a Stiletto and would be a great transition from the Pilot to the Stiletto. You mentioned harness turns. When you get an aggressive eliptical canopy, it will be MUCH more responsive to input from the harness. You can pile yourself into the ground on a Stiletto with a harness turn if you're not careful. Anyway, back to the pilot. To me it flies very similar to a Stiletto, but has even better openings....and I love the way Stilettos open, so even better than that. They are toggle responsive, much more so than a Sabre1 or 2. They have a short recovery arc similar to the stiletto. It is a slightly tapered or "semi-elliptical" canopy (without getting into the discussion of what term means what), in other words, it's not as radically tapered or elliptical as the Stiletto. They have become VERY popular for good reason and are easy to find in all sizes and easy to sell in all sizes. They are not only popular for less experienced jumpers, there are many jumpers with 1000s of jumps that LOVE their Pilots...again, for good reason. The downside is that they will cost a little more than the canopies you mentioned. But that too has an upside, you'll get more out of it if/when you sell it too. Again, talk to your instructors. But my vote is now for the Pilot based on what you said you want from your canopy and the way you fly. I think that's quite a few Pilot votes........ Edit: There are currently 4 Pilot 132s and 2 Pilot 140s listed on the classifieds. Some of them are in complete rigs so you'd have to ask the seller if they'd sell just the main....or maybe you want the rig, I don't know. Anyway, they're out there. Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

That's fine. If that's your policy, that's your policy. My contention all along is that the factory discount tickets are rarely worth anything at all. I wouldn't advise anybody to pay $10 for the typical 30% off base price ones you see everywhere. That was my original point. I definitely would recommend (in most cases) that an individual throw that certificate in the trash and go see a dealer. They'll probably spend less in the process anyway. Most of the certificates I've seen merely get you back to roughly what you'd pay a dealer anyway. So why not support your local dealer? I certainly would. I have trashed two such certificates myself. I have more scruples than to try and screw somebody for $300 or $200 or whatever for something that's not going to do them any good. They're rarely a good deal at all. Of course I still don't understand why UPT would object to transferring the coupon. But that's fine. If I ever win one, I'll be glad to just put it in the trash.....or have a ceremonial burning....or use it for target practice....or something else, who knows? Edit: By the way, by "voiding" a coupon, you're essentially opening a potentially locked in customer to the open field of all the other manufacturers. In other words, guy is looking for a rig, has a couple manufacturers in mind, comes across a buddy that has a coupon that seems like a good deal, coupon gets voided, guy decides he likes manufacturer X better anyway. A rig you could have sold just went out the window. Was that considered in your "non-transferrable" policy? Just seems like really poor business sense to me. And this to avoid somebody else making a few bucks on the transfer? If you're supporting the gear dealers by this policy, that's honorable. If you're taking a hit and realizing it to support the dealers, I applaud you. If this is solely a business decision, I recommend a new look at the sales department. Again, I'm not a fan of the certificates anyway. But I find this interesting that UPT would take such a stand. Sounds to me like you may have lost potential customers in the past over it. But whatever......Great rigs by the way! Especially the Sigmas! But across the board, great rigs! Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

So is a condition of the certificate that the owner can never sell the rig they obtain? Seems like that's essentially what's happening by transferring the certificate. Just passing the certificate instead of the rig. If that is the condition, and it was even remotely enforceable (which it's not), then the certificate isn't worth the paper it's printed on in my opinion. Here's a coupon that will get you back to a dealer's price, but you can never sell the rig......um, no thanks. Sounds to me like that really hasn't been thought through with any common sense applied. Then again, it's just my opinion. Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

Besides the fact that they're all old, they're all very different. I have experience on all three. My answer is it depends on what you're looking for out of your canopy. I had a Jedei 136. Every opening an adventure! For some reason during sub terminal openings it slammed me every time. I had a pocket slider on it and Brian Germaine did a reline with longer "swoop" lineset on it. It was a good canopy. It does have a longer recovery arc. It is also airlocked so it is a rigid wing in flight and it doesn't want to collapse on the ground which can be a pain on windy days. You can pick one up cheap if you can find one but they're difficult to sell if you ever want to. By the way, the Samarai is what developed from the Jedei and they are very similar in characteristics, but the Smarai is more modern and has some of the "bugs" worked out. The Stiletto is still one of the great canopies out there if it suits the performance characteristics you're looking for. It has a very short recovery arc. It is very toggle responsive, i.e., turns fast. That sometimes leads to inexperienced jumpers piling themselves into the ground if you "reach" with a toggle on landing. It is great for getting back from long spots and I love the way they open although they can be sporty sometimes too. The Sabre I was a good canopy for it's time, but I just think it's time has run out. I would recommend a Sabre2 or a Spectre if that's the route you're going. Finally, talk to your instructors. They know better than anybody here how you fly and land and can make a recommendation. I am certainly not doing that. I am merely giving you my perceptions on these canopies. Somebody else will have to steer you in the right direction. Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

Personally, I think that's a great idea. I think Wendy's idea is fantastic. Sometimes people hold onto questions because they are embarrassed to ask. That would be a way to get them out there. But you're right. Sometimes they don't know what they don't know. I think a combination would be a great idea. You might see developing trends or get ideas as a class like this develops. Be open to addressing concerns as they arise. Hope it works out well for you! Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

Just got word that some gear was stolen from a Pelican case in transit from Houston International to Sao Paulo, Brazil. The gear belongs to Tom Jenkins, Skydive Spaceland jumper, captain of SPX8, World Team Member, and known big-way jumper/organizer. Many of us here know Tom. Here is a list and description of the stolen gear: Aerodyne Smart 150 Ser# 12616,Aerodyne Icon 14 Ser # 12567, Vigil Ser # 21785, Aerodyne Pilot 132 w/ World Team Logo ser# 12522, 2 Jumpsuits Bev (Black w/Teal grippers) and (Red with White Grippers, Honda Commercial suit), I anolog alti 2, 1 Pro Dytter, ! Black Phantom X helmet. An alert is posted on Aerodyne's Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Aerodyne-Research-LLC/287559164745?sk=wall I've attached a pic of Tom in the rig so you can see what it looks like. Let's keep an eye out for this gear. It will probably turn up in the small circle of skydiving somewhere. Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

I'd say, yes that's fine. No problem selling the coupon assuming there is not a "non-transferrable" clause. I think most of the manufacturers coupons are for whoever holds them, so no problem. BUT....if I was a buyer I would very carefully do the math and see if it was worth $300 or whatever they were asking. All of the manufacturers coupons for containers (at least the ones I've seen) refer to manufacturers retail price. This price is well inflated over the retail price you could get by going through a gear dealer. So saving 30% may only get you back to the price you would've got through a dealer anyway. And if you paid $200 to get the coupon, you paid $200 more than you would have just going through a dealer. This is a hypothetical situation. Ok 50% may be a good deal. Is that 50% off base price? 50% off options? 50% off both? Bottom line, get a quote from a dealer for what you plan on ordering. Check the price from the manufacturer and and account for the coupon. See how much you'll save. That will tell you if the coupon is worth the price. Then consider the convenience of not having to go through that process. Also consider your local gear dealer is probably trying to make a living in his/her business. Is saving $50 worth bypassing your gear dealer? $100? $500? Make the decision you are comfortable with. Bottom line: MOST manufacturers coupons aren't the great deals they seem to be on the surface. Rarely are they worth paying $300 for IMO. 50% sounds attractive though. Do the math. Don't take it for face value. Account for other factors. Of course, my opinion and a buck will get you a cup of coffee somewhere. Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

I disagree that escrow is the ONLY way. It is a very good way, that provides reasonable security, but it's not the ONLY way. Keep in mind a seller has no way of holding a rigger accountable for such a transaction. It may make him/her feel better about it, but if there was a problem, the rigger wouldn't be held accountable. If you think so, think again. I've done business with several people that gave me good reliable references that I could confirm. I'm not just talking their buddy they jump with (although that may work if it's somebody I know well). I mean reputable, key word reputable, references. I've done business with sending gear or money before receiving. I will most certainly do my homework before doing that though. There are also some sellers on the classifieds that I wouldn't bat an eye about doing business with. Off the top of my head, GravityGirl, PhreeZone, Diablopilot, and Chutingstar are all either pretty regular on the classifieds or reputable gear dealers or both that I would gladly do business with. I wouldn't worry about sending money to them and hoping they'd deliver. I'm very confident in their reputations. If a prospective buyer asks me for references, I would gladly provide them. I mean reputable references. I've never had a problem on the classifieds. But there is a level of homework, i.e., phone calls/emails to the RIGHT people to check out references that goes a long way. I have refused to sell things to some people for various reasons. The flat out scammers are easy to spot and stay away from. If I'm sending international, I simply will not settle for an escrow arrangement. There is too much time and money in shipping costs for such an arrangement. I can provide you references or the buyer can decide they don't want to take the risk. But I'm simply not sending international for an escrow arrangement. I have sold A LOT of gear overseas and never had a problem. There is always risk, but if you do your homework, you can find out about a seller or buyer pretty easily. This is a small sport that does pretty good (not perfect) in self-policing. But, if there's something that doesn't seem right, there's probably a reason for that. Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

Re: Psychics Aren't those the college girls majoring in psychology? Oh ...I get it!

If the "psychics" were actually psychics, wouldn't they have called the police before a crime occurred, thereby preventing it from occurring in the first place? I mean why aren't the phones ringing off the hook with psychics telling the police about serious crimes about to occur? It could kind of be like that Tom Cruise movie, Minority Report. We could arrest perpetrators for their intent of committing crime. I contend they're not psychics, they're psychos. But I think that was your point anyway. The bottom line is that we have become a society very susceptible to ridiculous scams and schemes such as "psychics". People actually pay them money every day to predict the future and expect them to be accurate. They actually have repeat customers. Then again, look at all the infomercials full of crap merchandise and get-rich-quick schemes that people are spending their money on every day too. People are avoiding good ole hard work to try and find the somebody-will-give-it-to-me-for-nothing solution for anything. Oh dear, it seems I've drifted into another thread topic now [/rant] Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

Will it kill you? Most likely not if it's in airworthy condition. But IMO, a 1993 Vector II is not worth paying the shipping for unless you want it for a museum. You'll not likely ever get anything back for it. I realize you're looking for inexpensive options, but remember for anything you keep for only a year or two, you'll likely get your investment back for it....IF....you invest wisely in the first place. These are not wise investments and not likely to show you any return down the road. How did you determine you needed a 20 inch MLW? I'm curious because that's quite long. Here's an example of how to determine (roughly) what size MLW would be appropriate. (borrowed from a post from Skybytch by the way) Keep in mind there are other factors such as lateral and leg strap length to consider as well. Also keep in mind, it doesn't have to be perfect, but it should be in the ball park to be safe and comfortable. The others' suggestions are good. Get with your instructors/riggers. Have them help you find appropriate gear within your budget. It's worth waiting/saving to get gear that is more current and has potential for some sort of return when you're done with it though. These don't. I agree that the Talon is WAY overpriced. So is the Vector II if they're asking for anything for it. Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

Here's a tip: Don't post the same topic in multiple forums. It's called cross-posting and is against the forum rules and makes it difficult to follow a particular topic..... Ok, I say that mostly tongue in cheek. Not trying to be a forum Nazi. Just pointing that out for use in the future, not trying to be a dickhead. Anyway, I made my comments in the other thread. Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

First, I think Dave has some good thoughts. I'll give you another perspective. I'd say, know your instructor. When I worked as an AFF instructor, I was a full-time Army officer that wasn't working at the DZ full time. I wasn't trying to make a living doing it and I wasn't hurting for money. For me, I would have much rather had an AFF student put any tip money they had designated to me toward their upcoming gear purchase costs or future AFF jumps or toward tipping a full-time instructor. I actually felt guilty about taking tips from AFF students. That said, I did take them, and this is why. Unlike me, there were instructors at the DZ that were trying to make a living. They very much appreciated the tips. If I refused tips, it set a precedent that may cost them tips. So I was sort of in a conundrum. Don't get me wrong, I very much appreciated being tipped, but I really didn't need it. Now tandems I gladly accepted tips. They may or may not be back. 97% or more didn't need to put their money toward gear, etc., etc. And the same precedent for other instructors applied. The bottom line is know your instructor. If he/she is living at the DZ and trying to make a living skydiving, please take care of them more than the weekend Army Lieutenant Colonel that just really enjoys working with skydiving students. This, of course, is merely my perspective, certainly not any hard and fast rule.

Now this, I can agree with. Ultimately it is Walgreens' store and they can decide what is appropriate in their own store. The question now, in this particular case, is if an actual policy existed that governed the behavior they deem acceptable or whether they are deciding after the fact. I haven't seen any decisive proof one way or the other. I'm not saying a policy did or did not exist. I'm saying it's unclear. At the same time, if it were my store, I would want to send the message that I am taking efforts to protect the store and the customers and that the potential for robbers to be facing armed protection very much exists. Interestingly enough, here's a related story. I'm thinking Mark's Pharmacy wanted to portray the same message. Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

What exactly are you saying he violated? Your opinion of what he should have done? I wonder what the policy of Walgreens is on what an employee is to do during a robbery? I have a funny feeling that no where does it state to pull out a gun and start shooting. It looks like they do have a policy. http://theh-p.com/articles/2011/05/19/local_news/4823861.txt This source at least cites a Walgreens official. But it is quite vague on what exactly this employee violated. So vague, in fact, that it doesn't say. It merely talks about their reaction to robbery training and that their policies address that. It doesn't say how it addresses that and what this employee violated. Perhaps we'll learn more. In the meantime, Walgreens can hang signs out on their stores that say, "If you decide to rob us, we'll give you whatever you want." edit: Oh, and by the way, this source doesn't mention anything about a policy on firearms......nothing. It merely stongly advises against confrontation. Advising against and prohibiting are not the same. Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

Ok, the source of this quote is "The Redheaded Pharmacist", an online blog which doesn't state how he obtained this claim, whether it was from an interview with a Walgreens official or merely his own speculation on why Walgreens fired him. Just to be clear on how reliable this quote is, it is most likely speculation. At the same time, the former employee is stating he is unaware that any such policy exists and his lawyer is researching a possible wrongful termination lawsuit. I'm guessing, and yes this is my speculation, that the lawyer is looking to find out if such a policy actually exists. But again, the quote you provided is hardly a reliable source in determining whether there actually was such a policy. I've tried looking for online copies of Walgreen's policies without much luck.....yet. Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

why just JR? IMO - seems we should ALL be upset with Walgreen's unless they had an employee policy to keep guns off their property Oh, it's not just JR, we just all know how passionately he takes these issues. There are plenty of us that think the same. There are plenty that will argue the other side too. I just mentioned JR because he, perhaps more than any other, is likely to weigh in on this issue. I can bet I'll agree with what he has to say too. Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

The pharmacist knew the rules when he was hired, What kind of nation would we be if an employee does not need to follow the rules of his employer? Chaos I tell you, pure and simple. Walgreens is not stupid, if the pharmacist had been killed or wounded, or customers killed or wounded. there would be a huge lawsuit. He should have done what 99% of police and level headed people say: Don't be a hero and just give them what they want. No where in the constitution doses it say a well regulated pharmacy shall have the right to ...... To which "rules" are you referring? Did you read this:? What exactly are you saying he violated? Your opinion of what he should have done? Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

Ok, so burglars attempt to heist a Walgreens. Pharmacist uses his legally carried concealed weapon to thwart their efforts. No customers or employees are hurt. Robbery averted. Potentially saves the pharmacy thousands. Walgreens fires him. This thread has JohnRich's name all over it. Discuss. Personally, I'd give the man a medal and a raise. Here is the story. Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

That is correct. They adopt teachings outside of the essential teachings of Christianity which puts them into the category of a non-Christian cult. What?? You, sir, don't know what you're talking about. Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

Motorcycle helmets are rated and approved according to quality. Some are worthy, some are not. I probably wouldn't risk racing around with just a protec, although a protec is probably good for a rail or a concrete corner at low speed when you trip over your laces.... Skydiving helmets have two distinct avenues that other helmets may lack - noise reduction, and they tend to much more low-profile than other helmets. Which raises the question - how do you know the helmet you're buying will actually resist substantial impact? Such a slim helmet may not protect much - look at how thick a motorcycle helmet is. How much testing goes into these skydiving helmets, and how do we know the results? (Climbing ropes & draws for instance, goes through a huge number of tests that reveal a lot of usable info to the consumer to make valuable life saving decisions.) A fundamental problem with the helmet market in general is that there is a severe lack of information to the consumer for anything other than fit & comfort. It's not like people post reviews out there saying, this saved me from 100mph impact 5 times! Who knows what the helmet is really capable of? One thing is probably true - getting in an accident with one is better than getting in an accident without one - after that, it's probably just fit & preference that differentiates. Ok, so now you want thorough research and development, yet you want a less expensive helmet. Unless you know anybody doing this type of R/D for free, you'll be talking about sub-$600 helmets in no time. While you're working out your business model, keep in mind the other points that have already been made, i.e., limited market, cost/time to produce, competitors, gaining a share of the market, etc. Also keep in mind that the vast majority of the market consumers are pretty much satisfied with what they've got, also keep in mind your design should include accommodation for audible altimeters and account for current fashion trends (yeah, if you don't think that's important, think again.) Don't forget to keep the overall weight very low, or sell neck braces with them, whichever you prefer. After you figure out your design, production, and R/D costs and figure in your overhead for the equipment, facility, and staff for production and forecast how many units you may sell, please let us know how this sub-$200 skydiving helmet project works out. Let us know what your expected profit margin might be. If you're looking for investors, I'm not interested. Good luck! Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

I'm gonna go out and max out all my credit cards! Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

didn't work. well, maybe enough to get another season, but it's pathetic that he thinks being the host of this is actually a big deal. You're right, it didn't work. Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

He was never intending on running. It was a brilliant marketing scheme that he used to get ratings. He's also left the door open enough to play it again in four years.....if Apprentice is still going. His scheme got him invited to events to get jabbed at by the POTUS though. Not bad. The country could sure use a shrewd businessman these days though. What happened to Steve Forbes?.....lol Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.