blewaway5

I build .50cal rounds for the government. Truman Sparks for President

I'm not trying to stir shit, honestly. That's one that was passed to me from the gentleman who claims it happened to him. More than one person backs him up claiming to be witnesses. Anyway, just thought I'd share it. Truman Sparks for President

Gotta cast my vote, too. By far the best thread on here. Ok down to business. This isn't my scariest moment but a good friend claims it's one of his. I'll tell it just like he does, best as I can remember. "Me and a buddy had been jumping one morning when the weather turned shitty and started storming. we'd been drinking Jack most of the morning anyway but by that evening we'd moved on to bigger and better things, not the least of which was a couple nice big healthy hits of acid. "Not too long after taking that the sun was going down as the weather cleared up beautifully. It was gonna be a perfect summer night, and my buddy decided we should get a night jump in just for the hell of it. "He had a red strobe for his helmet and light for his alti and i had nothing but my rig, so the plan was for me to follow him out, or more precisely follow that strobe out, and when it slowed down real quick fast in a hurry then it would be time to open. "With our fool-proof dive plan in place we bribed the pilot and off we went. The acid was really coming on as we got to jump run, and it was really a pretty unique trip. anyway, out goes my buddy while I'm checking out the crescent moon, oops, follow a couple seconds later, playing catch up. "I looked around, spotted his red strobe, and couldn't believe the separation! That bastard was hauling ass! I started tracking as hard as I could trying to close the distance. I stayed like that the whole damn jump, right up to the time I saw the antenna that the red strobe I was tracking to was on. Very short canopy ride, very LLLLLLOOOOOOOONNNNNGGGG walk back." Truman Sparks for President

My favorite was having some random guy bragging about jumping, saying he was so good that after his first jump (which was naturally an unassisted freefall with someone watching him) he was given a snowboard and encouraged to skysurf. After the locals witnessed this he was instantly made an instructor. Of course this same gentleman also claims to have been thrown off his motorcycle going 135mph and surviving only because he managed to grab a light pole and "hang on while I spun around and around losing all that speed." Truman Sparks for President

In 1959, Lt. Col. William Rankin was flying at 47,000 feet when he had to eject from his F8U jet over Norfolk, Virginia due to an engine failure. He parachuted into the middle of a severe thunderstorm that carried him over 65 miles to Rich Square, North Carolina. The trip took over 40 minutes, during which all sorts of bad shit happened to him. Ineteresting story, ought to read it if you never have. Truman Sparks for President

That's the bottom line for sure. Case in point, I work on machines that were built in 1942. Gotta love the government's budget. Truman Sparks for President

Something else to consider here...I deal with this for a living building ammo for uncle sam, by the way. From everything I've learned there's a reason 5.56 is used. They actually wanted a round that didn't have a bunch of range and too terribly much penetration due to the changing nature of war, you know, urban combat, risk of friendly fire casualties after penetration, fun stuff like that. Another strike against a change any time soon is the issue of cost. It costs a boatload to make over a billion rounds/year, and it would cost even more to re-tool to make a different round. Anyway, that's my two cents. Truman Sparks for President

gotta go see Dom!

I'm a metal. Truman Sparks for President

just my two pennies here, but get into a good student program and actually spend time there with the locals. You'd be amazed how much the regulars can probably help you out with gear when the time comes. Truman Sparks for President

Yeah, not to beat a dead horse or anything but VIDEO!! You'll be amazed when you see your limbs doing things you never felt them doing. Truman Sparks for President

One I used to always joke about playing at my wedding back when I just knew no woman would ever settle me down........AC/DC, Highway to Hell. Truman Sparks for President

I agree, that's good news. I drive a diesel pick-up and have been interested in bio-diesel for a while now but not enough so to make it myself like some people do. I've done some research on it and from what I've read one of the bigger drawbacks is that it congeals at a lot higher temp than regular diesel. Not sure I've got a point, just thinking about those balmy Minnesota winters. Truman Sparks for President

Ahem...Stephen Baldwin...an even greater actor Truman Sparks for President

Some one correct me if I'm wrong but I think the video you're referring to is Joe Jenning's The Good Stuff. The gentleman jumping "chuteless" is actually, if you look real close, wearing a harness under his clothes with a snap link to hook himself to different points on the harness. Fun little experiment, have a friend drive progressively faster down a nice straight road and see how long you can hang a pilot chute out the window before you have to let go of it. I bet the straight road won't need to be too long Point to all this...no way a person could hang on to a rig that is opening. Just my 2 shiny pennies Truman Sparks for President