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There's so much wrong with this post. Herd immunity via exposure can only be suggested by someone who doesn't understand how viruses work, or doesn't care about the cost of getting there or the risk in doing so. Let's forget for a second that some people have been infected twice (proving that exposure doesn't guarantee immunity), the bit you have to remember is that EVERY time a virus replicates in a cell there's a chance for a mutation to occur. In very rare cases those mutations become the dominant form if it helps the virus survive or spread. So yeah, it's small odds of happening, but small odds multiplied by an entire population increase the risk significantly. A mutation that invalidates the current vaccine or immune system-based immunity would be disastrous and would effectively set us back to the start of the pandemic. There is a very real risk of this. And for the record - a mask DOES protect you. It might not be 100% effective, but it absolutely adds protection. As do distancing and shutdowns. Brent, please - stop spreading misinformation like this. This isn't one of those things you can just have your own opinion on and pretend it's just as valid as actual facts and math.

Personally I find it weird that DZs let people get into the coaching jumps before they’ve done their hop and pop. It’s a safety thing so that you’re comfortable making an emergency exit if required so, if it was me, I’d get that done straight away. It’s something people feel uncomfortable with but it’s the easiest thing to do and I think it helps with confidence. Then, as a heavier jumper, my issue has always been 360s in place or other manoeuvres where I lose visual contact, while keeping my fall rate consistent and not sinking out so I’d try and work on that. Link up with your coach and then 360 and try to come out on the same level every time. Try things you don’t learn well in AFF like side slides, fast fall, slow fall, etc. Get your coach to fall slower and move up to him/her. Vice versa with your coach falling quicker. Try unlinked dive exits where you present to the relative wind and transition straight into position to chase your coach down the hill, getting to him/her as quickly as possible while still staying in control. Also tracking effectively is essential to ensuring good separation when you jump with others and this can take time to get right. Ensure you’re tracking perpendicular to the jump run so you’re not getting into other people’s space and concentrate on making yourself a nice efficient wing so de-arched rather than arched in the track, move into it smoothly, pick a reference on the ground so you track straight and get a good 5 second track as efficiently as possible.

It comes down to this: You have the opportunity to design and jump a harness and container with a reserve, AAD & Main of your choosing. Why wouldn’t you choose reserve components that have optimal fit? My opinion is you should decide on an appropriate sized reserve and then consider which reserve of that size you want to buy based on price you are willing to pay. THEN, match the reserve container size with an optimal fit for that reserve, not the other way around. Then, decide on a main based on your desired flight characteristics. THEN choose a WL based on your desired flight performance and piloting skills. THEN choose the container based on those components.

Listen up Trump supporters! We really have to get a few things straight here. Trump lost the election. COVID-19 is real and it is a big problem. California fires were not started by secret Jewish space lasers. School shootings are not a hoax. Alternative facts are lies, not facts. Global warming is actually real. The Capital riot was due to Trump supporters listening to Trump, not secret Soros-funded Antifa false flag actors. Vaccines work. So do masks and distancing. Science does actually work, and it isn't based on the popularity of a Facebook meme. Hillary Clinton is not actually a cannibal vampire pedophile murderer who lives under a pizza place in Washington, DC. We checked and that's actually not true. Y'all had some crazy and fun ideas, but this shit is starting to not be funny any more. Too many people are dead.

Ain't you F'n cheery this afternoon. Please leave my fantasies alone, thank you.

Everyone's parents are different. But I would not take my mother to the DZ when it was honoring someone who died skydiving. That just reminds them that you could die skydiving. For that matter, I'm not sure that showing them how much care everyone takes would help either, because they already have tangible evidence that despite all that care, you still almost died. But I don't think it could hurt to talk to them about what they're worried about, and try to really listen and understand. Because, the thing is, they're right. Skydiving is dangerous. You could die, or get seriously injured from it. Some former jumpers are quadriplegics now. That's just the reality. I don't think it helps your case to minimize this -- it makes them think that you are willfully ignoring the risks. Remember, though you are now an adult, in their minds, it wasn't so long ago that they had to physically stop you from touching the hot stove because you just didn't understand why you couldn't. It's hard for parents to transition into the space where their judgment regarding their kids' well-being is not superior to the kids' own judgment. Instead, perhaps explain to them what you love about the sport, and why you love it enough that you are willing to take these risks. Additionally (if you haven't already), explain what went wrong on your jump, and what you're doing to minimize the risk of it happening again. They may never approve, but perhaps through communication you both can at least get a better measure of understanding of the other. And, if you take them to a DZ, I'd do it on a regular day, not during a boogie, not during a competition, and definitely not during an ashdive or celebration of life (unless the jumper died of something unrelated to skydiving). My $0.02.

Trump to Defend Self After Receiving Law Degree from Trump University

Excellent suggestions. Also, get a discussion of what your basic fall rate is, and begin practicing skills that will help you fall with a group; either stretching it to faster or slower. Much of this is reactions while transitioning between points if you’re heavy, and not being floaty in your slot if you’re not. But self-awareness helps. I agree that there’s no reason to put off the hop and pop. And use the time to relax in free fall some, and keep the enjoyment of each jump. Wendy P.

Living in one of the best managed places in the world for Covid we have just had our first case in 10 months. We are immediately back into full lockdown for 5 days. For all the complaints, we have been affected very little. The economy is booming it is next to impossible to get a rental property as the less than 1% vacancy rate and house prices set to rise by up to 15% this year. Our local government and community is a model of how this should be managed. I just hope that because we had gone back to “normal” life that we don’t have an outbreak.

Thank you for that point of view. I agree that if I really want to "get good" I need to spend some time in the tunnel...now how to convince the wife to up my allowance haha J/K

David - One thing that you might try : Take your folks out on a day that you aren't jumping (which is all the time right now). Show them how much care is taken with everything. Maybe have them sit in on a tandem training class, watch some rigs being packed, talk to the fun jumpers, that sort of thing. Let them see how the whole process works without any of the distraction worrying about you. Many fears are based on ignorance and preconceived notions. Maybe if they can see that it really isn't a bunch of reckless yahoos, they might have a bit less fear of it. That was one of the things that really impressed my mom. When she was first coming up to hang out while I packed the left over student gear, when she came out to watch the other guys jump, and finally came when I was jumping. She saw the way we carefully packed, how we planned out each jump, how the tandem students were treated, even the professionalism with which the pilots approached the whole process She said several times that the care and thoroughness she could clearly see made her feel a lot more comfortable about the whole thing.

From my own experience as a big flyer, I would add one more thing: I would not overdo it with the "slowing down". The problem is, that if you get used to constantly flying near the minimum fall rate you are capable of, you will develop a style that you will later have to unlearn, because it is not the most efficient and flexible style of flying, especially if you get into more competitive formation skydiving, such as 4-way or 8-way. Now, some of that may be unavoidable, and there will probably be multiple times, when you have to unlearn some things and update your flying style. Nevertheless I think it's best if you mostly try to fly somewhere near the middle of your range and, if anything, try to increase your range in BOTH directions--which, as others have pointed out, is best achieved in a tunnel: For example, if you are currently most comfortable flying at 74% speed in the tunnel, but can fly between 72% and 76%: Don't just try to get to 64%. Instead try to increase your range to be able to fly between 68% and 80%, etc. That way, when you DO fly with really slow fallers, you can match them, but you'll be aware that you are flying on the low end of your speed--rather than just unconsciously adopting an extra-slow flying style. Ultimately, in teams, the slower fallers will wear weights. The only way the faster fallers should probably adjust to the slower ones is by loosing weight! ...but for beginners, wearing weights is not a good idea, because of canopy loading--so don't ask them to do it...yet! Suits will definitely help. A little bit of extra fabric between the upper arms and body can greatly help. I got my first RW suit, by talking to Bev from BEV Suits, and 400 jumps later it still works great. tony suits is a bit more expensive and takes much longer to get, but everyone says they are absolutely excellent. Anyway, just wanted to add that.

When the national Republican party thinks it's acceptable to play such a sick joke on the citizens they represent, you really do have to wonder what it is they actually stand for.

Gee, it's almost as if making medical decisions based on politics, wasn't such a good idea after all. Oklahoma trying to return its $2m stockpile of hydroxychloroquine

He’s said there are things you can’t do by executive order that should run through the legislature. That doesn’t mean you can’t use executive orders to do things you can do by executive order. How many EOs had he signed that simply undo Trump’s EOs, for example? No one with any integrity would argue that a person who disagrees with overuse of EOs should not also be able to do that.

A ) That has no relation to the claim you made, or the claim Bill made that you said was wrong. B ) You think the pressing issues facing families that can afford neither gas nor milk are how to get their kids to football practice and jiujitsu? Ok Marie Brentoinette.

Even if we had unlimited health care resources it would still be exceptionally stupid to ignore precautions before we can get a good number folks vaccinated. Herd immunity through lax prevention measures and actual infections is a good way to play mutation bingo. We have been pretty lucky that the variants that have come about have only been more infectious without much additional increase virulence, though I am hearing that the UK strain may be more virulent but I haven't looked beyond the sound bite. Every new infection is a potential chance for the virus to mutate into something much more more deadly Play stupid games win stupid prizes. Would really suck to have it mutate into something that starts killing significantly more people, and it isn't out of the realm of possibilities.

My personal plan is to delay my inevitable exposure to the virus until after I am vaccinated. I’m guessing those who bluster about “Hurd” immunity are mostly doing the same.

Except for the people who’ve had it twice. Delaying the inevitable is a very, very good thing. If you try and develop herd immunity through letting everyone become infected then huge numbers of people die and you risk overwhelming the medical infrastructure so even more people will die. If you suppress the spread until you achieve an effective vaccine rollout then far fewer people die. Again I’ll point out that you called the left bloodthirsty when 1 person died, yet you are advocating for the deaths of hundreds of thousands.

The R party nominated Trump. Twice. Seriously and not as a joke. The D party nominated Biden. The nation chose from the two of them. How it could be as close as it was is really beyond me.

There are still plenty of a$$holes who refuse to wear masks or keep a distance, because it infringes on their supposed rights.

My wife (MD) does her first stint as a volunteer vaccinator this evening, in a clinic that serves a predominantly low income clientele.

You meet the hot girl of your dreams, your income goes up, you look better, and you become way smarter. (Either that or you have to drive to the minimart and buy beer; I can't remember which it is at the moment.)