DrDom

oh, and PRK can be used in patients that do not have a deep enough anteriour chamber for the flap to be made. almost forgot that. LASIK requires a lot more pre-surgery testing... You are not the contents of your wallet.

I called two of my ophthalmology colleagues to clarify 1: LASIK and PRK have similar costs and LASIK is still currently more expensive by about $500 at most places 2: The "sports risk" is actually not true. BOTH surgeons said that once they have healed the amount of impact necessary to break open the flap would (in a healthy eye) have displaced the lens and also required emergency surgery. I asked about skydiving and they said that they did not have direct experience but said they would simply require a slightly longer recovery time since the high wind forces could be harsh on the flap for the first 2 months. Otherwise, the only concern with either would be dry eyes in that environment. The military uses PRK because it is simpler, easier, and cheaper. Complication rates are comparable. With LASIK you have the flap issue, with PRK you have a scored cornea which is much more easily infected. Plus the pain. You are not the contents of your wallet.

oh yeah, I had not considered the financial benefits of being a tandem master. Well that kind of makes sense now. I would hope nobody would falsify that but I see there is always possibility for it. I'm not sure a digital logbook would be any more secure than a paper one though... You are not the contents of your wallet.

About a year and a half ago now I lost 2 of my life companions (cats) that were with me for 10 years. One developed a brain tumour and although we tried to have it removed and considered options, he was just getting worse and we had to allow him to leave live while he was still not in too much distress. After that our other cat simply stopped eating and 2 weeks later we were back in the same situation. We elected to do both of ours in our home (some vets will do this) with us holding them as they passed out of this life. It was the hardest thing I've ever done, but it was the right thing to do. After the vet left, a few days later they presented us with a small box containing their ashes with a plaster mold of their pawprint. I cried for so long and couldn't imagine why I would keep it around. But instead I made a small space on my dresser where I put a picture of them and their ashes. Sometimes I talk to them when I need a confidant (I used to talk to them all the time when I needed to open up and humans wouldn't be able to provide the unending listening I needed), and sometimes I just remove the dust and remember all the great times. I asked my vet "how do we know it is our pet" and they said the crematorium they use only does one pet at a time. Some out there do place several at a time and divide the ashes, so you may need to ask how they do it but it is usually disclosed. I can't speak to cost, I just went in a couple weeks later and gave them a card and told them I didn't want the receipt. It was not much money though. I know this must be incredibly hard for you. Although some people won't understand, anyone who has ever had a pet they loved realize that its like losing a child, sibling, parent. They are our family. You're doing the right thing though. I was always told "I'd know" when the right time was, and it is true. Its the last and kindest thing you can do for your furry loved one. You are not the contents of your wallet.

I can't believe I never heard of the XJ220 before! When I think british sports car I just default to Lotus and always think Jag is for old fogeys who want a comfortable car with a massive engine and poor gas mileage. I forget they make sports cars. You are not the contents of your wallet.

http://tronixstuff.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/clockdisplaysmall.jpg that totally rained on my parade. Damn you digital era!!! You are not the contents of your wallet.

I only did 10 minutes tunnel time before my AFF but I'm sure it made a huge difference to my stability on exit and in free-fall. I never had an unstable exit during AFF, I had to do the backflips to demonstrate instability and recovery. Since the cost of the tunnel time was similar to the cost of redoing a level, I definitely think it was money well spent

You would have needed reading glasses anyway. We all do. You would have needed bifocals had you not had lasik. The lasik guys do offer the option to adjust one eye so that you have near vision with one eye and distance vision with the other. I don't particularly like that idea. I like being able to see in stereo. EXACTLY! LASIK does nothing for reading glasses or the need for them. presbyopia is the term for why we need reading glasses. Its because our eye loses the ability to focus on "near field" objects. Most of the theories feel that it is in relation to a stiffening (loss of elasticity and deformability) of the lend. This is why they say "the older I get the longer my arms need to be to read a menu". LASIK on the other hand is to treat myopia, hypermetropia, and astigmatism light focusing is the issue in these last 3: Myopia (light focuses in front of the retina), hypermetropia or hyperopia is where it focuses too far behind the retina, and astigmatism is... well lets say its very complex but has to do with a defect in the curve of only one part of the eye leading to blurring only in part of the visual field. So basically LASIK does nothing to the lens, only the cornea; so it can only correct corneal problems. The lens... well... that's still a much bigger problem to fix. You are not the contents of your wallet.

Letting people take home a log book is also fraudable if you think about it. Unless we all go to stamps anyone can write your number down and flub your signature. You think people are really doing handwriting analysis? We have to go a little on the honor system because any device you can manipulate or otherwise access in secret can be gamed. But the big question is WHY? I don't understand why someone would want to fluff their books. If the ratings and licenses mean anything it seems it would be an honor to accomplish that on one's own merit. If its bragging rights... who are you bragging to, other jumpers? Does anyone care if you have 500 or 10,000? Maybe I'm not culturally engrossed enough yet but.... seems like a self regulating industry with no real benefit to fluff the books. You can have 1000 jumps and be a pro or 5000 and not be. Hell, I have a LOT of fight hours and I'm no commercial pilot ;) You are not the contents of your wallet.

Yes the trail throttle oversteer is a problem, Ferrari has a throttle-on-oversteer problem just like Lotus (used to have an Elise) but is far more manageable since you're usually straight line accelerating. What about the Carrera GT? You are not the contents of your wallet.

OK, so before my doctoring days I used to throw raves and work in nightclubs as a DJ. Back then you had press-pills of ecstasy (MDMA) and capsules. I "knew" a few illicit pharmaceutical sales reps and basically what they would do is if a bad batch of pills went around (say, really weak, mixed with DXM, MDA, or other drugs like amphetamines / ephedrine) they would have a hard time moving them because "Oh the 'yellow TT's are weak" would come up. (pills were branded by colour and usually an emblem, though there were always knockoffs and bad batches). So, to still move garbage product they used to crush the pills back to powder, add something to make it have an effect (I've seen caffeine, sedatives, DXM from cough syrup, ketamine, ephedrine, amphetamine, and dozens others including offshoot drugs MDA, 5-MeO-DiPT "foxy", MDEA, etc). Ok, still following? So now they take the powder and put it in capsules and would sell it as "molly" which some genius came up with saying it was "molecular MDMA" meaning "pure". Molly was easier to market. Kind of like calling 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine "ecstasy" for short. Over time, the dance music community wasn't content with the "touchy feely" sensation from the 80's and 90's, they wanted something more akin to amphetamines and/or more hallucinogenic. Getting "messed up" was more important than the old community of people who did a little MDMA to enhance the experience. It became the culture to be "that guy" who was so messed up he nearly died; compared to doing everything possible to NOT be "that guy" which is what I saw in the 90's. Anyhow, over time MDMA got on the DEA radar and the purity went from close to 100% in the 80's and 90's to highly adultered as we pushed through the 2000's. There are still batches of "good" pills but many MANY more batches of junk pills. But because of supply and demand its easy to see people cutting drugs to get more money out of people. Dealers are not exactly "ethical" types. Check out the websute: http://www.ecstasydata.org and you can see everything from pills containing nothing but ecstasy to pills with junk like: Methylphenidate AMT Methiopropamine Caffeine Phenethylamine right? Seems legit. Anyhow, also realize that I've known many a dealer in the past to submit ONE pure MDMA pill that they had to make the "brand" look good and then the rest are garbage. Dealers got smart to these sites. Anyhow, we are all getting old, but these drugs have left the rave and hit the mainstream... and its a scary world. You are not the contents of your wallet.

wait wait wait... the current 911 is a beauty and fast to boot. The only downfall in my mind is the rear engine which I think a mid engine is more appropriate for a supercar. But I always sneak a peek at the local Porsche place since its attached to the Audi shop that does my inspections and just think the style is pretty timeless You are not the contents of your wallet.

So you bought a Jaguar XJ220? Looks a bit like my 360... I didn't know Jaguar had something that sexy. I do love the porsches, but as an Italian I felt compelled to buy something from the homeland

I didn't jump bc of weather but it was diagnosed as an avulsion fracture so you were dead on. It is not too bad but still really stiff. I am just resting it until spring. That amount of time should really help. my wife likes to remind me that "even a broken clock is correct twice a day". Spring should be enough time if youre otherwise healthy. You are not the contents of your wallet.

an "avulsion fracture" just means that the tendon that inserts on the bone "rips off" the piece of bone. Its very common in these kinds of injuries and does very well typically. Just takes slightly longer than a regular sprain/strain since the bone needs to heal. You are not the contents of your wallet.

Beer WILL make you a lot of friends. I can't wait to be able to sign someone else's logbook. I have not been to the point of having to get mine signed (still AFF) but it seems like a good way to make friends. You are not the contents of your wallet.

Well you certainly do have an issue there... wow... I have to say that its fairly interesting that you feel "nothing". I felt anticipation, anxiety, fear, and then once in freefall I think it was a mix of sensory overload followed by "what now". Just as I got bored with my 2 instructor jumps they had me exit solo with the instructor after me. Jump 4 was awesome because it was new. Jumps 5 and 6 were a Cessna jump (previously an otter) and the "new" was amazing again! [note: yes i'm one of those freaks who likes jumping a Cessna]. Jump 6 was my "backflip" which again: new and awesome. I hope that you can find something a little new each jump but more than one of my friends has said that they "don't feel it". One of my best friends now has a D license and just told me the story of the early years when he made one jump and "didn't get it". Now he is at the DZ 4 days a week and ground launches the rest for canopy fun. Maybe you'll find it and maybe you won't. But its dangerous and expensive and if you don't love it its NOT worth it. I'm super technical so I love all the gear, the packing, the technical flight. Being under canopy was a dream. But not all people feel the same. Nobody will ever disrespect you for having tried and not enjoyed it... most people won't even try it! You are not the contents of your wallet.

LASIK has come a long way. The "flap" they make with LASIK has a lot of benefits including less pain than PRK. Risks are very low if you don't go to some discount center pumping out 10/day. Go to a boutique that relies on customer reviews. Those docs will do 2-3 per day max and make sure they are never rushed. I'm a physician and my wife a nurse, and she had 20/100 vision; we opted on LASIK after I talked to about 10 of my optomitry and ophthalmology colleagues about it. I advise LASIK if your eye can tolerate it (has to do with the depth of anteriour chamber) , PRK if you can not, implanted contacts are an option but... I have to admit not many eye specialists are on board since the advent of LASIK. Information provided free, and you get what you paid for. Mileage may vary. You are not the contents of your wallet.

I bought beer ;) I avoided the roasting though.. but with my extra "winter weight" I'd be well marbled if you trim the fat off of me. You are not the contents of your wallet.

My GP has full sleeves - some REALLY nice work. I didn't know that until I saw him at the gym once. I mentioned art like that was too nice to 'hide'. ~ He said thanks but nobody over 40 seems to think so... he covers in the office so as not to offend. Told him I'm a bit over 40 and us old farts know better than most - ain't the paint that wins the race, it's what's UNDER the hood! In our field it is VERY hard to be "different" because everyone wants a Marcus Welby kind of doc. You are not the contents of your wallet.

*** Someone smashed a window and went through it. Stole the pop CDs; left the Manilow CDs (barbarians); quote] animals. FYI leaving a gun in a car (or anywhere not secured in a safe) is never a good idea; if you need to I recommend some sort of secured container at least cable locked to something sturdy. Otherwise you just armed another criminal. I've gotten to the point when I leave my car anywhere questionable I take the face off the stereo and leave the empty glove box open. Nothing to steal, no real reason to break in. You are not the contents of your wallet.

I understand all of that, that's probably why I have to pay $42 for 182 in 25 minutes to 10.000ft.. but how come Lodi can offer $100 tandem ticket against 2-3 times more in rest of U.S.? Seriously? Probably some of the same reasons that Planet Fitness can charge $10/month whereas my local gym charges $50/month. Its VOLUME. Lodi does a LOT of tandems. They do a LOT of tandems and thus keep their costs down. I would assume that some of that money comes from paying the instructors less as well. You guys are correct that the money is coming from somewhere else. As for the dental analogy, its perfect! What if the dentist was giving up some cash, and the hygenist, and there was no office staff; and on top of that built their model of practice on high-volume rapid-turnover dentistry? You may get the same care for CERTAIN problems, but no bells and whistles and the dentist is able to provide a service cheaper while making less per visist but evening out with volume. Lodi probably snatches a lot of business that would have otherwise jumped elsewhere. Admittedly its nice they offer tandems for $100, some people can't afford much more and the experience changes lives. You are not the contents of your wallet.

If youre a student you can add someone pointing at you ("pull" signal) or someone dumping you because you became altitude unaware :) You are not the contents of your wallet.

I have never seen anyone hyperventilate in their sleep. Just saying. Well played indeed. But the adrenaline and cortisol keep me awake. Its fight or flight the whole way up. I just could not imagine sleeping on the way up, seems like such a high stress environment. You are not the contents of your wallet.

When I applied for residency I had piercings in my eyebrow and lip. Most places were appalled. A doctor with piercings? crazy. One place said I looked "edgy" and they liked it. I went to residency there and my face is still up on the wall of that Brooklyn hospital... piercings and all. Would probably have had them the whole time if I didn't need to have them out for surgery (on me, not me performing). I could not be bothered with putting them in, or getting any more tattoos. I used to even coordinate my ties with my jewelry. My boss at the time said it was good to have someone who did not fit the "doctor" picture. Made us look more hip and diverse as a population. I probably could have gone too far though... You are not the contents of your wallet.