kallend 1,920 #1 October 17, 2012 Interesting open letter from Jay Stokes to a police chief: newsminer.com/view/full_story/20515907/article-Skydiving-is-safe?instance=home_opinion_letters_to_editor... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougH 270 #2 October 17, 2012 Seems like Jay is really sticking our necks out, for us, on that one, but for what? Who cares if some chief of police in Bumfuck Alaska wrote some poorly worded sentence about risk taking that happened to contain a reference to skydiving. The chief of police may be a dumb ass, but what does he owe to skydiving. And more importantly, what could his comment possibly have done to skydiving??!! I would have just ignored it, Jay "doth protest too much, methinks.""The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #3 October 17, 2012 Quote Seems like Jay is really sticking our necks out, for us, on that one, but for what? Who cares if some chief of police in Bumfuck Alaska wrote some poorly worded sentence about risk taking that happened to contain a reference to skydiving. The chief of police may be a dumb ass, but what does he owe to skydiving. And more importantly, what could his comment possibly have done to skydiving??!! I would have just ignored it, Jay "doth protest too much, methinks." Well at least there in no DZ near thereIts not quite like going to the Mardi Gras Boogie at Goldcoast in MS.... and having to run the gauntlet of small town cops stopping every car leaving Trent Lott Airport that evening as I was trying to get back to my hotel in town. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr2mk1g 10 #4 October 17, 2012 Oh dear. Someone needs to read things more fully before they respond. Cop Said: "Risk-taking behaviors of any sort — gambling, skydiving, careless driving or committing crimes — need a place and opportunity to happen." JS said: "To assume that skydivers are a bunch of risk-taking daredevils with a death wish and an inherent inclination toward dangerous and illegal activities is..." Sorry J. That's not what he said. That's not even close to what he said. He said "risk-taking activities... need a place and opportunity to happen". He's right. In our case - it's called a DZ and jump run. And not even the most morose of individuals would try and claim skydiving is not a "risk-taking" activity - no matter how "safe" we consider it, it ain't as "safe" as sitting on your ass watching the clouds go by. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jackwallace 3 #5 October 17, 2012 What do you mean skydivers aren't criminals. They'll steal your slot, your beer and your girl. Not to mention the horrible things they'll do with your sheep.U only make 2 jumps: the first one for some weird reason and the last one that you lived through. The rest are just filler. scr 316 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CSpenceFLY 1 #6 October 17, 2012 He was doing good till he threw lawyers into the list he was trying to defend. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #7 October 17, 2012 Quote Not to mention the horrible things they'll do with your sheep. Hey you can't prove any of that....you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obelixtim 150 #8 October 17, 2012 QuoteOh dear. Someone needs to read things more fully before they respond. Cop Said: "Risk-taking behaviors of any sort — gambling, skydiving, careless driving or committing crimes — need a place and opportunity to happen." JS said: "To assume that skydivers are a bunch of risk-taking daredevils with a death wish and an inherent inclination toward dangerous and illegal activities is..." Sorry J. That's not what he said. That's not even close to what he said. He said "risk-taking activities... need a place and opportunity to happen". He's right. In our case - it's called a DZ and jump run. And not even the most morose of individuals would try and claim skydiving is not a "risk-taking" activity - no matter how "safe" we consider it, it ain't as "safe" as sitting on your ass watching the clouds go by. The police chief has prolly studied a bit of psychology, which clearly puts skydivers into the psychopathic personality type, along with other risk takers. Jails are full of this type.....My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grimmie 181 #9 October 17, 2012 What? No skydiver has ever been to jail! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obelixtim 150 #10 October 18, 2012 Quote What? No skydiver has ever been to jail! Skydivers are innocent!!!!.My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 137 #11 October 18, 2012 Quote Quote What? No skydiver has ever been to jail! Skydivers are innocent!!!!. Skydiving is not a crime... It is making love with the Gods. Now if you are a skydiver, a surfer AND a former President of the USA scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,234 #12 October 18, 2012 Quote The police chief has prolly studied a bit of psychology, which clearly puts skydivers into the psychopathic personality type, along with other risk takers. Jails are full of this type..... It's not our fault; it's the mutated D4Dr gene. I think society would want to keep us at a dropzone on weekend, perhaps even contribute some government funding to lower the cost of jump tickets, maintain the planes so the DZO's are more profitable and assign Department of Labor job classification codes for the packers, instructors, and other DZ support staff. That way, if their wages fall below poverty they would qualify for food stamps. No More Ramen Noodles!!!Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obelixtim 150 #13 October 18, 2012 QuoteQuote The police chief has prolly studied a bit of psychology, which clearly puts skydivers into the psychopathic personality type, along with other risk takers. Jails are full of this type..... It's not our fault; it's the mutated D4Dr gene. I think society would want to keep us at a dropzone on weekend, perhaps even contribute some government funding to lower the cost of jump tickets, maintain the planes so the DZO's are more profitable and assign Department of Labor job classification codes for the packers, instructors, and other DZ support staff. That way, if their wages fall below poverty they would qualify for food stamps. No More Ramen Noodles!!! I like the cut of your jib.......My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,234 #14 October 18, 2012 Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #15 October 18, 2012 No More Ramen Noodles!!! Quote Short sighted poor economic planning on your part sir...IF skydivers were to stop eating Ramen Noodles there would be a mass lay-off in that industry, the people at the factories who still HAD jobs would undoubtedly be forced into an economic situation that would all but demand they eat...Ramen Noodles. Think of the Children!! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 3 #16 October 18, 2012 Quote No More Ramen Noodles!!! Setting the bar a bit high man... let's just be cool and take this one step at a time."I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,234 #17 October 18, 2012 Oh PUHLEESE... You ever been any place on the planet where you could NOT get friggin Ramen Noodles?!??!?! We're just one itty bitty segment of society as a whole and as such are entitled to ensure a certain standard of living for us and OUR children. You'd think society would/could absorb some of the costs of only 34,000 people that are afflicted with and victims of the D4Dr gene. It'd be a lot less than prison!! I'm offering the Chief; financial, social and moral opportunities to ensure the crime rate goes and stays down, the criminal element remains located to a confined area for the betterment of society and makes sure that we are in compliance with the food pyramid!! Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sacex250 0 #18 October 19, 2012 Quote Quote Skydivers are innocent!!!!. Skydiving is not a crime... It is making love with the Gods. Now if you are a skydiver, a surfer AND a former President of the USA Don't you mean Ex-President?It's all been said before, no sense repeating it here. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #19 October 19, 2012 Quote Oh dear. Someone needs to read things more fully before they respond. Cop Said: "Risk-taking behaviors of any sort — gambling, skydiving, careless driving or committing crimes — need a place and opportunity to happen." JS said: "To assume that skydivers are a bunch of risk-taking daredevils with a death wish and an inherent inclination toward dangerous and illegal activities is..." Sorry J. That's not what he said. That's not even close to what he said. He said "risk-taking activities... need a place and opportunity to happen". He's right. In our case - it's called a DZ and jump run. And not even the most morose of individuals would try and claim skydiving is not a "risk-taking" activity - no matter how "safe" we consider it, it ain't as "safe" as sitting on your ass watching the clouds go by. Now, if he said BASEJUMPERS are criminals we would have no argument. Since, MOST basejumpers start as skydivers he would be correct that skydiving is a GATEWAY drug. Then, he could have petitioned the fed to add skydiving to the war on drugs. To worsen our case, alot of drugs come into this country under the guise of a skydiving operation.(using the DZ A/C to import) With recent events of the strato jump the chief could have claimed that we were attempting to establish an interplanetary drug cartel. He can enact the patriot act to make Jay give up our names and they could hunt us all down like the gusapto. GOOD GOING, JAY. I'm going to take up underwater basket weaving.Where's my aluminum helmet?My photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr2mk1g 10 #20 October 19, 2012 Where's John Rich when you need him? He could organise a campaign to make sure we don't have to register ourselves so that when The Man comes knocking on USPA's door, they won't know who we all are. They can have my rig when they pry it off my cold dead shoulders. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,495 #21 October 19, 2012 Quote Where's John Rich when you need him? He could organise a campaign to make sure we don't have to register ourselves so that when The Man comes knocking on USPA's door, they won't know who we all are. They can have my rig when they pry it off my cold dead shoulders. First one to the crater gets the good stuff?"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fossg 0 #22 October 19, 2012 QuoteWhat do you mean skydivers aren't criminals. They'll steal your slot, your beer and your girl. Not to mention the horrible things they'll do with your sheep. Jeez I visit the petting zoo ONE time and I'm branded for life Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obelixtim 150 #23 October 19, 2012 QuoteQuote Not to mention the horrible things they'll do with your sheep. Hey you can't prove any of that.... 'Fess up!!. Her name was Baaabara wasn't it?....My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 623 #24 October 21, 2012 Perhaps Jaye could lighten up a little. I am backing the Police Chief on this issue. However, the Police Chief should be reminded that the difference between cops and criminals is razor-thin, because they are drawn from the same psychological sector of society. The true measure of a society is how its young men measure themselves. In poor societies, young men measure themselves by violence: bar-room brawling, drunken driving, genocide, looting, mugging, pillaging, rapping, rioting, theft, trespassing, vandalism, warfare, etc. ... and if they don't have access to those physical tests, they resort to psychologically testing themselves with hardcore recreational drunks: alcohol, cocaine, heroin, etc. OTOH - in wealthy societies - young men measure themselves in organized sports: baseball, biking, boating, cricket, dancing, fishing, flying, football, hunting, marathon running, martial arts, mountaineering, music, parcours, skydiving, tennis, warfare, etc. Perhaps Jaye's perspective was skewed by all his years as a member of the largest and most violent gang on the planet: the United States Army. I credit all my years - as a skydiving instructor - as channeling young mens' testosterone-poisoning into non-destructive ways to test themselves. Master Corporal (retired) Rob Warner CD, BA, long-time skydiving instructor, etc. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
