pirana

Evolution does not make mistakes. It has no will, and therefore no goals, and can therefore make no mistakes. There is no end goal, or even checkpoints, where evolution is assessed as having gone the "right" direction or made the "right" choices. However it ends up, and every genetic combination that is produced along the way, is devoid of concious decision. Humans want so badly for everything to mean something, and so anthropomorphize even down to the level of genetic mutation. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

It occurs to me that searching for meaning is a human invention, and has nothing to do with survival or reproduction. Horseshoe crabs, porcupines, and fruitflies seem to have adapted just fine, reproduce sucessfully, and appear to be in no danger of dying off. I don't see any connections between attaching meaning to existence and successful survival of a species. If we do ever succeed at making our planet uninhabitable for humans, it will probably be in large part because we have attached superfluous meaning too way too many things. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Efficiency, stated as you have, is too vague. In other words, quantify how efficient a species needs to be with their resources in order to survive. Perfectly efficient, just kinda efficient, anything better than totally inefficient? The only thing a species needs to survive is a niche that allows them to leave offspring. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Just take grips that best assimilate where you'd be if the next point was a round. Soon enough there will be people pointing and nodding; maybe even frantically waving. Then all you gotta do is follow directions. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Canopies themselves are not lethal; slamming oneself into the ground or colliding with someone else can be lethal - under any canopy. The lethal canopies thread is titled in a very misleading manner. The data is pretty meaningless unless we know how many jumps have been made under each canopy. It should be titled something like "Canopies most commonly being flown at the time somebody fucked up." BTW - do you think by capitalizing lethal canopies you have somehow made your claim more valid? We could do the same for autos. Which ones are most commonly involved in accidents and/or fatal accidents? Let's identify them, classify them, establish a DL rating system, etc. Pretty silly. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I couldn't find that in the SIM. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Interesting observation that you've never witnessed a night jump made just for the fun of it. So have you witnessed a small handful, or lots of them? When I started (1995) night jumps were a pretty regular thing. It was mostly sport jumpers doing it for kicks and giggles; with newer jumpers joining in small numbers. For some reason that has changed and most of the time they are arranged just for the purposes of getting the D license, with maybe a few sport jumpers getting on the load. Strange. For the record, I love them, and do feel it is a reasonable requirement to attain the expert or master level - whatever people want to call it. It's not a change in discipline (such as wingsuiting), just a change in environment (low light level) - and one that is encountered often enough to be prepared. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

" . . . and only jazz musicians were smoking marijuana." " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots. Do you trust anonymous online advice more than that from your in-person instructors? If so, find different instructors. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Looks like the mattress might be salvageable. Seriously though, what a drag - my sympathies go out to the person. Good advice on unplugging stuff. Had a can opener go up in flames in the middle of the night many years ago. Luckily the dog woke me up and we only lost half the kitchen. The fireman advised unplugging things not in use, mainly stuff like all the small kitchen appliances. He said they are built like shit and a major cause of fires. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Did the exact same thing exactly one month ago today. Lsson learned: When it is choppy, the bottom number is as important as the top number. Gusts were only to 21, but some of the lulls were all the way down to 4. Was just about to flare height, and the 20mph breeze just completely went away. Immediately hit the toggles, but it was too late. As you say, dropped the last 8 to 10 feet like a sack of potatoes. My worst landing ever, and my 1st significant injury skydiving in 1600 jumps. Fucked myself over and missed the best month of the deason for sport jumping. Not much you can do once you are there. However, when I get back in the saddle next spring, though my hard limit will still be 28; I'll also take the difference between the big and little numbers in mind. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

That is too difficult a link for the huddled masses to figure out. Much easier to collect unemployment, outfit their lives from China (Walmart), and bitch about how the Dems/Repubs (take your pick) did this to them. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

If it's absolutely wrong, why do you make an exception for rape or incest? Because the line between sacrilege and acceptance is drawn in different places by different people. So you are on the money, his absolute isn't quite so absolute. Kind of like people who say life is sacred, but are OK with abortion, war, and capital punishment. What starts out looking like moral high ground turns out to be just another personal desire - situational ethics at it's best. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

So then, is everyone who is ever given second-hand info on accusations of abuse, obliged, under penalty of losing their job, to scream it to everyone in the criminal justice system? Making sure your boss and your bosses boss, and their bosses are aware is not enough? Again with the hyperbole. Until we know exactly what was seen and by whom, exactly what was done about it and by whom - most everything is a rush to judgement. My guess is that firing Joe was seen by the board as a way of looking good to the throngs that wanted immediate action even in the possible absence of facts. BTW, as a boss I was involved twice in sexual harrassment allegations (not against me, but between employees). In the one case I followed up some time after reporting and was told it was under investigation and I would be consulted further if needed. It was also made clear no information would be shared on the results. Should I have went to the AG's office, my congressman, and the police at that point? " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

So where does the truth come from? Who you gonna trust? Corporations? Government? Maybe educational institutions are the best bet - they certainly would seem to be the least likely to intentionally harm others for their own gain (as institutions). Tough call on the media. Yeah they are as despicable as politicians these days, but the populace plays their role well, lapping up the pablum. Everyone is capable of turning off the TV, ignoring the flamers, voting for the good of the whole - but they don't. Their is not only a group conciousness in this country that is strolling towards ignorance - there is a hardening core that embraces it. As long as that continues - and part of it is the victim mentality (the media made me think that way, the media made me do it, I'm powerless to the suggestions of the media), the media will keep shoveling the worthless pablum and outright bullshit. At the end of the day, each individual makes their choice. On the other hand, no individual raindrop feels responsible for the flood. Such is our current condition. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

We are about 3 years of after-tax-income in debt. IOW, every working citizen would need to donate 100% of their paycheck to reducing the debt, for a full 3 years, before we get to even. I know, even is not the goal, but just to make the point. We are about $18 trillion in debt, and are nowhere near balancing the budget (adding about $2 trillion to the debt annually), with a GDP of about $15 trillion. This is a staggering inbalance. It is going to take major concessions from all angles - more taxes, less spending, personal sacrifice up and down the ladder. Any angle ignored (or considered untouchable) will mean more is needed from another. The only thing holding up our demise right now is that no one other state is all that powerful . . . yet. That won't last much longer though, and when other nations start seeing other currencies as more valuable than dollars - the real implosion will begin. Reducing taxes and certain specific regulations (sorry for not being that specific earlier) certainly were factors, but yes, not the lone causes. There may be more overall regulation today (I don't know), but it is seriously lacking in certain business areas (banking/finance?). " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I am leaning to him for now - mostly because of his apparent honesty. If we were more desparate (that is if at least the simple majority of citizens realized everyone else is either incompetent or afraid to speak the truth and we were truly on the verge of collapse), more people would probably pay attention. Perhaps when unemployment hits 20%, when rationing kicks in for the middle class while people with capital keep getting richer, or another dolt of a President starts another war everyone will wake thew fuck up. I think things are going to get much worse before they get better, because in an ironic twist, nobody is going to go for real change until the implosion is well under way. Only then will they realize their favorite talking head was full of shit all along. Let's hope it is not too late. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Not sure if we need less taxes and regulation - but we definitely need to do those things differently. At least for now, any recovery is going to require more tax revenue - so maybe something temporary. Anybody that thinks we will get out of this without at least a temporary increase in tax revenues does not understand the depth of the hole we are in. Don't forget that reduction of taxes and regulation are 2 of the factors that led to this mess. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

They got addicted to the personal benefits they received from a healthy economy and lost sight of the good of the whole. Basically, they got richer (as everyone did) during the good times, but got greedy and refused to retool as the world economy changed. Rather than act for the good of the whole (even if it was an unitneded consequence to begin with), they took actions to ensure their stream of wealth remain unchecked and have allowed all of the adjustments necessary under a globalized economy to fall on the shoulders of the middle and lower classes. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

You are seriously out of touch with the average US citizen's criteria for giving their vote. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Very on the money. The huddled masses are really into glamour, celebrity, sound bites, looking good, angry shouting, their 15 seconds of fame, and so on. Short term is everything - long term is a concept quickly vanishing from society. Whilst recovering from a minor injury I recently spent a week on the couch. I always wondered what was on those 300 channels. What I found was a very interesting insight (I think) into our social fabric. By far, the most common form of entertainment is what I call Combat TV. They take 2 or more people, give them something to do (cook, fix up a house, travel, play a game, swap houses, tell their life story, go fishing, drive a truck, etc.), make sure to plant the seeds for disagreement, then stand back and film the arguements and fights. REALLY! This is what tops the list of ways more citizens entertain themselves than any other? Don't tell me it is "just TV." It's the number one activity for the average US citizen after sleeping and working. It is a mirror that most stare at constantly, but never manage to see themselves. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Surprised at the rush to judgement on Paterno; and even more surprised by the hyperbolic editorials. From what I've read, which is all anybody but the eyewitnesses have to go on, Paterno was not a witness to or present to any abuse. He was told by a 3rd party, and reported it up the chain of command. Haven't seen anything yet on whether or not he ever followed up with his boss, or confronted the abuser directly. There are a lot of possible scenarios in which Joe would be out of the loop regardelss of action being taken (or not) on the abuser. Yet still we see sensationalist editorials using words like aided, abetted, ignored, looked the other way. It appears from the currently available info those are false accusations. IMO, the people that ought to be held up for the most intense questioning (other than the actual abuser) are the eyewitness and the topmost official that decided not to take action to remove the abuser. Though again, we don't know the details. Did the eyewitness say something on the spot (like "What the fuck is the matter with you?"). Did he intervene, or at least intrude? It'll be interesting to hear details on exactly what transpired from the time the abuse took place to the present - if such details are ever made public. Until then, at least IMO, it is premature to hold anybody other than the abuser and the uppermost level of leadership that let it lay (if that is what they did) as responsible. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

The situation will not be "resolve" in a mere 8 years from the last election - regardless of who is/was in charge. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Aren't they still breaking the rules set by the manufacturer? Are those manufacturer's rules really enforceable if the person in the instructor position chooses to ignore them? " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I'd qualify that statement. When they are mature adults it changes. What is currently considered majority age is more an accident of history than anything. Not to stray too far off topic, but young "adults" are still developing that ability thru their late teens and well into their 20's. Turning 18 doesn't increase their wisdom one iota - but it does give them access to increased dangers. IIRC, statistics show newly minted legal adults are the worst decision makers out there - other than people with diseases like Alzheimer's and the like - yet that is the age when they are turned loose. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley