grue

It's time to get a different job, actually. I don't have money worries in the sense of "paying my bills", I'm just… well, not happy with what I can do. All around me my friends are taking vacations, buying homes, doing 50 jumps a month and getting to really enjoy life. I'm not gonna pretend it doesn't make me really jealous. cavete terrae.

Be careful what you wish for. it's difficult to imagine things becoming worse because of a substantial enhancement to my finances. cavete terrae.

A Tax on the stupid the stupid and/or desperate. I'm definitely the latter, and starting to feel the former. cavete terrae.

Are you sure their's are better? Sure? No. Reasonably confident? Yes. cavete terrae.

Must be rough. cavete terrae.

swoop cavete terrae.

can't win if I don't play, won't win if I do play. I'd have better odds of winning a boxing match with Mike Tyson, yet here I am throwing away money. It's kinda fun to think about "What I'd do with the money", but in the end I could do that without buying the stupid ticket, too. At least you still have both ears. I'd give one up for the right price. cavete terrae.

can't win if I don't play, won't win if I do play. I'd have better odds of winning a boxing match with Mike Tyson, yet here I am throwing away money. It's kinda fun to think about "What I'd do with the money", but in the end I could do that without buying the stupid ticket, too. If you get rich.. would you hate yourself???? Already do cavete terrae.

rarely cavete terrae.

can't win if I don't play, won't win if I do play. I'd have better odds of winning a boxing match with Mike Tyson, yet here I am throwing away money. It's kinda fun to think about "What I'd do with the money", but in the end I could do that without buying the stupid ticket, too. cavete terrae.

I don't hate them, but I won't pretend that I'm not exceptionally jealous of them. Every time I see someone younger than me driving a nice car to his nice house (or a young jumper with brand new gear buying infinite jump tickets and infinite tunnel time), I die a little inside. I firmly believe that every single problem in my life could be fixed if my bank balance wasn't pathetic. cavete terrae.

always cavete terrae.

I bought a lottery ticket cavete terrae.

children cavete terrae.

That would be, uh, everyone who votes. cavete terrae.

If you want to be a coward, fine, but don't take choices away from other people, because that's the mark of a total shitlord. There are plenty of reasons to jump without an AAD, and just because you're too unimaginative to think of any doesn't make them any less valid. What the fuck is wrong with you, man? You can choose not to use an aad or rsl or a skyhook for all I care, I really don't care if you kill yourself because you are "uncovardly". I am not taking any choices away from anyone, and I am not saying there should be any mandatory pieces of equipment imposed on you. I simply stated my opinion on aad's and skyhooks, and the fact that my German friend probably would be alive had she used at least an rsl. Grow the fuck up. How else can I possibly interpret "I believe they should be reqired. ", which is what you said? That is PRECISELY what you said in your first post, and the complete opposite of this post wherein you are saying you aren't taking choices away from anyone, or making equipment mandatory. Yes, she probably would have lived if she'd used an RSL* but she made the choice not to jump with one and now she's become yet another fatality that could have been avoided with a different decision tree. However, it was in the end HER decision to make, and not ours. * RSLs aren't isn't what this thread is about, and most of my objections to mandatory AADs do not apply to RSLs. HOWEVER, I see no reason to mandate RSL usage, either. cavete terrae.

Taking away options from someone else because you think the choice is too risky is the mark of a coward. That's my opinion, and I'll stand by it. Nobody is telling him he can't jump without an AAD, yet he wants everyone to think like him? Fuck that, this is why society is becoming full of beige cardigan-wearing bubble-wrapped nannytards. I don't have any interest in jumping a 2-digit Velo, but I'm not trying to tell other people they can't. Why? Because that person already had parents, and likely doesn't need or want another. cavete terrae.

They're effectively mandatory here in Australia, and it shits me to tears. It drives up the cost of jumping dramatically, and any used AAD is sold instantly at almost any price below retail for a new unit. Frankly if they weren't grounded here, I'd have bought an Argus and never turned it on just to satisfy the requirement, but alas the nanny mentality won't allow that. Xenu forbid adults might make decisions about their own life. cavete terrae.

Even if I had that feature, I wouldn't bother. I don't pull until around 2.5 usually so I don't want to risk a 2-out, and since I don't have an dumbass overstuffed rig with a dumbass snivelly reserve, I'm happy with it firing at the normal height if I'm unconscious or injured. cavete terrae.

If you want to jump with an AAD, fine, but don't take choices away from other people, because that's the mark of a total shitlord and coward. There are plenty of reasons to jump without an AAD, and just because you're too unimaginative to think of any doesn't make them any less valid. edit: Reworded for clarity. I don't think someone is a coward for jumping with an AAD, I think someone is a coward for telling other people how to manage their risk. cavete terrae.

I prefer cloth... The only reason we use disposable currently is because my mom refuses to let a dirty diaper near her washer (and, honestly, the build up of fabric softener in the washer would destroy the dipes). Cloth diapers have come a long way since the 50s Segue! How many of you use cloth napkins, exclusively? I don't have a washer/dryer, thus, paper towels. cavete terrae.

That is up to you and the job you do as a parent. Books are wonderful things the farther you are from land and the more important they become. I can not stress enough... the importance of a well stocked ships library with not only practical books but a variety of titles with which to inspire a young mind. Oh I can barely handle minutes with a child nearby, I just don't like 'em Even when they're being quiet and non-evil, I can just sense the latent annoyance waiting to come out cavete terrae.

I don't know what's worse, the idea of being caught on a boat for weeks on end with no food, or being on a boat for weeks on end with children… cavete terrae.

:6:1 First dock on a tandem cavete terrae.

…and in the end, the only person making that choice is the jumper. These three guys made the choice to exit and fly that line, and they paid for that choice with their lives. It sucks, but there's no point in foisting blame on anyone else. As for sponsors? Well, plenty of people have normal jobs and jump when they can on their budget. These guys had that option, too. cavete terrae.