NickDG

A giant! Rest in peace Ted . . . NickD

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/topvideos/2011/10/13/pkg-couple-has-sex-while-skydiving.kget NickD

http://www.break.com/index/girls_getting_a_bikini_wax.html NickD

Originally the four lines were only color coded and pilots (after bailout or ejection) were taught to actually cut the four lines with a knife. But once under an open canopy the majority of pilots thought, "I ain't cutting nothing!" The mechanical "four line release" was in answer to that issue. NickD

Richie Stein, BASE 74, had over a hundred B.A.S.E. jumps before he made his first skydive in the late 1980s, and it was sort of a faker at DZ Xray. He was schooled on how to walk up to manifest, along with two other experienced skydivers for a garden variety three-way. (Look nervous and keep touching your handles, LOL.) In the door it became de-facto AFF and he did fine except under canopy at 3000-feet he wondered why he'd pulled so high . . . (I only a little to do with it.) NickD

We preached for years about the differences between BASE and skydiving (to keep folks safe) and it's nice to see people echoing that up-board. However, whenever a non-jumper asks me how many jumps I have I tell them but then always feel the urge to mention my B.A.S.E. jumps too. So I know, either from a plane or from an object, at least in my subconscious mind, a parachute jump is a parachute jump. That being said we had an old saying, "Don't B.A.S.E. jump at the DZ and don't skydive off the Flatiron building." So using your B.A.S.E. jumps to get signed off for a pro rating, even though I sort of agree with what your saying, isn't done, yet. Maybe someday. But when they send you up for your pro-rating accuracy jumps there's nothing that says you can't smile and make it look easy . . . NickD

Charleston, wv is where most fly into. Rent a car or stand around looking needy. So many jumpers come through there you'll get ride. NickD Be careful when buying your ticket. I've known two people that ended up in Charleston, North Carolina, LOL!

>>Well, they do have one, for Veterans that are service connected disabled. I have one.

Great! It's been some months now and the new transmission is holding up okay. NickD

I'm here. All's well! NickD

>>My personal thanks and gratitude to all veterans here for your service to our country!

9ina's new transmission is here! Yippie! I opened it up to check everything and it looks good! NickD

My favorite was after landing out by the Rock House in Perris after a 40-way with a bad spot. I stuck my thumb out and an ancient pickup truck stopped and the driver, a grizzled old timer in coveralls, waved me into the cab. We drove about a mile in silence until he finally said, "Skydiver, eh?" "Yes, sir," I answered. Figuring now I'd have to answer all the standard whuffo questions. But after another mile or so all he said was, "You're not too good at it, are you?" NickD

Good news! I e-mailed Ultima yesterday (the manufacturer of 9ina's transmission) and this morning I got a call from the head cheese himself. He told me, yes they did have a problem with bad pawl springs and he's sending me out a brand new upgraded version transmission. These newer ones have a better gear set and a much stronger pawl spring. It good to see great customer service! 9ina will be happy! NickD

1st major problem with 9ina! (Ya know, how woman are, LOL.) So I'm riding down the 210 Freeway and minding my own business and it's one of those great SoCal nights where you can smell the oranges and the honeysuckle, like you're breathing flowers, and everyone is smiling at me, and all of sudden BANG! Something lets go in 9ina's transmission! I angled my way over three lanes not being able to shift up or down. The pawl spring (a known issue in the transmission I have) finally let go. So tonight I'm tearing it apart, but at least I'm not sitting on my couch watching the Oscars!! I'm hoping they just send me a new one, and they've upgraded the spring on the newer ones, so I'll be golden! Lock up your wimmins . . . NickD :)

Kev, find another DZ, you got robbed! Floating Otter exits are less than optimum for early AFF dives (1-3.) Door exits (where you drag it out onto the hill) are much easier and successful (for you!) The Mainside JM should have let go of you much sooner. A rodeo like that is totally 1980s AFF! Both JMs riding through your deployment is what gave you the dead slow bag lift. If I was scoring this, like I did for twenty years of being an AFF evaluator, I'd give Reserve Side a 2 (for releasing at the right time) and then staying with the dive (he lost a point for the ride through, though) But Mainside get's a big fat frigging zero! I won't even mention the chance you might have panic pulled and wrapped your bridle around Mainside's GoPro that was hanging out there like a big Matzo Ball! Is this the end result of the new AFF certification program? NickD

http://www.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=stream1&hpt=T2 More info on the last Space Shuttle Flight . . . http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts133/110131rollout/ NickD

Probably, in his world, she was a terrorist! NickD

For those not aware, in most States (California included) assaulting an EMT or paramedic incurs a higher penalty (along the same lines as assaulting a police officer) than your garden variety assault. NickD

Slippery slope? Will printing by hand be next? One good electronic pulse (atomic, solar, cosmic, whatever) that renders computers useless and we'll have a nation of illiterates . . . (Note to self: Start buying up old typewriters and make millions!) NickD

Some of the EMS guys here in Los Angeles where stab vests, and yeah, some down in the hood wear bullet proof vests too. It blows chunks as we show up to help and this crap happens. I had a female 5150 sucker punch me right in the jaw once and she broke out one of my teeth. I finally got my service to stop making us wear badges so meth heads and gangbangers wouldn't so easily mistake us for cops in dark alleys . . . NickD :)

Packing was included in my FJC too. If you couldn't pack for your first jump, you didn't make your first jump! NickD

It has a lot to do with how your forward controls and foot pegs are setup. I don't particularly like the ones I have now and will eventually swap them out for something else. You also had floorboards (that helps) and what looks like a 2-inch belt. Mine's 3-inches so it and the pulley sticks out there a bit further . . . NickD

>>Although I have noticed skyrider is missing....

>>Double Indemnity