Will_Evo

I don't understand how the suffering I mentioned is supposed? I have been to the middle east, I have seen the people who live without running water, reliable power grids etc.. for no reason other than they are living in a religious war zone. Those countries are where civilization began, and unfortunately where it stopped. Yes religion does good, they help the poor, feed the hungry, help the homeless, but I think it is more disturbing that people think we need religion to contain those traits. Why do you need religion to feel sympathy, or pain, or any other emotion? Are you saying that I am not capable of compassion? Why put up with the bad for something religion is not exclusive to? Yes I talked about 9/11 because it was the result of religious extremism, but you seem to think I am only concerned with Christianity. No matter what the pope denounces, an extremest muslim does not care. Also what does it matter what a man made religious leader says? Where in the bible does it talk about a pope? The pope can say whatever he wants about his religion, but it doesn't change the fact that in his bible, his god condones things like slavery, murder, death by stoning, death by fire etc. Religion is not a good thing, history proves that fact time and time again. it doesn't matter what good comes out of religion, because that good is not exclusive to religion. People can feed the hungry, help the homeless etc... without religion, to think otherwise is just another problem with the reason behind religious people's train of thought. Another example is Stem cell research. The research nearly guarantee's cures or medical advances in many different life changing illness, it has the promise to bring to millions of people, a better more healthy enjoyable life. But Christians(although not the only ones, but the vast majority) would call that research immoral. They claim that using a 5 day old embryo(which by the way contains 70-100 cells, less than that of a fly's eye) is immoral, but somehow are able to completely shut out the millions of people who would benefit. Doesn't that seem backwards to you? Like taking a 180 degree turn in the opposite direction of progress? It's this train of thought I find disturbing and dangerous among religious followers, and a reason I don't sit quietly. -Evo -Evo Zoo Crew

I am with everyone else, I don't think you feel the booties because you havn't really used them yet. I am still learning how to use booties correctly, but wouldn't do an RW jump without them. You say you aren't into RW, but how many group jumps have you actually done at 25 jumps? Give it a while till you do some 2-8 ways to decide that you don't like RW. Really you shouldn't have any group jump experience being at 25 jumps, so I dont know how you came to that conclusion. :-P -Evo Zoo Crew

wow. good luck with that. I will fess up..that did not come out right whats so ever....def not what I intended. My bad 100% What I meant, is more along the lines of you don't let religious beliefs go unchecked, or not contended. I noticed my mistake as soon as I clicked post. Thanks for calling me out, seriously -Evo Edit: Just to be clear I am not being sarcastic, I really do appreciate being called out on that, quite the hypocritical thing to say, espeically in a conversation like this. Thanks. Zoo Crew

The reson you don't let people believe what they want to be believe is because their beliefs, are dangerous. Some examples of things that religion causes and promotes. 9/11-caused by religion The near halt to stem cell research-caused by a religious president The terrible living conditions in middle eastern countries- Caused by religious extremeism The failure of our government-As of now, it is statisically impossible for any person to become president that is not a christian. In fact it more likely that someone would vote for a homosexual, and perosn in their 3rd marriage, or someone over 75 yrs of age before they would vote for an atheist. The future of nuclear weapons-Imagine if the same people who conducted 9/11, had a nuke instead of planes? The list can go on and on...these are the reasons religion cannot go unchecked. "Religion is dangerous because it allows human beings who dont have all the answers to think that they do. Most people who think that its wonderful when someone says im willing lord Ill do whatever you want me to do...except since there are no gods actually talking to us that void is filled in by people with their own corruptions and limitations, and agendas"-Bill Maher -Evo Zoo Crew

You cant say its logic or illogical, its completely relative, what you can say, is what about this part of what you believe, and question it, it takes zero input from an atheists stand point. -Evo Zoo Crew

I wish Atheists would speak out, I wish atheists would do something besides sit back and let religion rule the world. Religion and its core ideas literally make me sick to the stomach. Religion is absolutely detrimental to society, but without information and anyone challenging it, religion will remain a disgusting stain in human history. Here is a quote from an article I wrote not to long ago. "Religion is fundamentally the single greatest failure in humanity, in its complexity, we have allowed ourselves to forget reason on an outrageous scale with little to no question of its validity. Furthermore, because of this blind faith, humans have created the single greatest motive for murder, and justified it" Anyways, to what you said, atheists do not need a book, a scare factor, or recruiting, we just need to promote doubt in the certainty that religious followers have. The rest will play itself out. Will Evo Zoo Crew

I have to disagree with a point you made, "killing is killing". Yes, a death is a death, but the motives behind them can be completely different. Using your logic in this case, you should be opposed to even legitimate death on the battlefield, because after all "killing is killing". using your logic, war should and wouldn't happen at all.(not saying I want it to, but it does) Like in my example in my last post, an accidental death is just that, and is not the same as a legitimate target taken down in battle. Whether you wish to believe it or not, and regardless of the motive behind the war, a soldier is doing his job. The accidental death is not a "wrong decision" it was not a decision at all. I feel you would be better suited to this argument if you have ever been exposed to combat. I hate to use this saying, but it literally is "kill or be killed" in combat sometimes. As unfortunate as it is, if a bullet strays from target, goes through a wall and hits a civilian you did not know was there, it is not your fault, its an accepted risk this country and a soldier takes on when conducting war. Like I said before, the only way to avoid this situation is to not go to war in the first place. -Will Evo Zoo Crew

Nasty topic you guys have going on here, but just as any situation is not discussed nothing with be learned. I am with everyone that is saying there is a clear and definitive difference between collateral death, and targeted death. A soldier should not be personally held responsible for something he could not have prevented. Their(my) job is sadly prone to unexpected realities, including the accidental death of civilians, the very nature of the job, although not always leading to it, is prone to accidental death, it is simply just a part of the job. You can prepare, train, and plan as much as you want, but when bullets start flying by your head, and you shoot back missing by inches and hitting a civilian in the building behind the target...that's just something you cannot prevent...unless of course you prevent the conflict in the first place, but that's another topic. **Edit to add** Much like skydiving, you can plan, prepare, train etc..but things go wrong, people are hurt and killed in this sport, we all know this, and we all continue to jump. Its an associated risk we have come to accept. Of course there are different measures we can take to prevent injury or death, but when a double mal happens, it happens, and there is not much you can do about it. of course preventing the situation all together, is to not jump. Preventing all together accidental death in war, is to not go to war. Targeted death should be punished, knowingly killing an innocent in war is wrong. Now of course we have a big problem with our current situation because soldiers are targeting civilians, acting, and only later finding out they were not a threat after all. THAT is where the line is very blurred, and requires alot of time and research to get to an educated answer. Anyways My 2 cents. Zoo Crew

The jump will be pretty much the same. Your visibility should not be limited at all. Put it on, and look as far left and right as you can..Im wiling to bet you won't see the helmet at all. The jump will be a little quieter, and that is about it. Enjoy it. :) Zoo Crew

LMAO Zoo Crew

My cutaway was a packing error and it has been fixed, the second mal was just bad luck really. Toggle came lose on opening and knotted up before coming completely undone and caused line twists. No Bueno. -Evo Zoo Crew

Look at USPA's site, I forget where but they have a statistic for the number of injuries to the number of jumps done each year. Also, the amount of oh shit moments really just depends. I have 64 jumps, and had a cut away at 30, then at 60 I had a low speed mal, had to land with my rear risers. It just all depends. Some people have thousands of jumps and have never cut away. Be safe, check your gear every jump, have a good plan, and have fun! -Evo Zoo Crew

Durban Zoo Crew

Went from Bonehead Guner to Z1 and don't know why I even bought the Guner. Love the full face, can't beat it. -Evo Zoo Crew

Congrats! Dont forget about your B! It will sneak up on you! Get those accuracies and have fun!...Oh and the beer you owe your DZ Zoo Crew

He never listed the gear for sale, just said he needed help getting the chute back in the container. Anyway, its the skydiving fan page posted directly on the pages wall. -Evo Zoo Crew

No I understand, but there is not much else I could do but be honest with him. I had already asked in a discrete manner for the serial numbers so I could find out a price for him etc...but he wasn't budging. I tried man, he could be lying, could not be, but I dont know, and really have no other means of finding out. Anyways, heres the only other info I have about the gear. "103b tear drop 1 pin container system" -Evo Zoo Crew

Hey man, I have personally been to both San Marcos and Temple, and IMO would recommend Temple for your AFF course. I did my AFF there and was completely satisfied with the classes, instruction and dives. I feel like its a better option for AFF simply because it is a smaller DZ, and they pay a ton of attention to their students. Whatever you choose, both DZ's are great, I just prefer Temple, especially when recommending new students. Now go Jump! -Evo Zoo Crew

Here are the last two messages, the first from me, the second from him. ME- "Ok listen, I don't know you, I don't know your intentions, but I have to be perfectly honest, from the way you are talking about this rig, it sounds like you, or someone you know stole it. I asked for serial numbers because I wanna check it against stolen gear articles I know of. If you truly got this rig for free from a friend, I would ask you to please let me have the serial numbers so I can check. A skydivers gear is very personal, and sometimes fitted to that person specifically, and having it stolen, is devastating. At least try and find a serial number for the container and let me check that. It may be stolen gear, and you dont know it, which is fine, but I am asking you to do the right thing, and at least give me a chance to cross check this before you go selling someone elses stuff." HIM- "yeah i know that's why u wanted the serials as i did not see how u would be able to see what parachute it would be from the serials and im not going to open it all up for that as i know 100% that it is not stolen but the way i come across does make it seem like it is stolen and i can understand why u doing it i would do the same but to be honest about 2 years ago my friend and his dad died in a car accident , 1 year on was helping his brother clean out loft of all his brothers and dads things and there was a sky diving helmet jump suit and parachute that used to belong to his dad and he was going to throw it all out so i asked if i could have it may seem abit cold hearted of me but if hes going to throw it out anyways then why not when i can make some money by selling it instead of the garbage men to have it would be such a waste" Could be legit, could not be. Zoo Crew

Well the guy is from South Africa. From the sound of it, he is in the states right now and is taking the rig with him back to South Africa where he plans on selling it. He wouldn't give me any serial numbers, just said he wasn't to worried about getting full price for it, just wants some cash. Man that sucks. -Evo Zoo Crew

Oh sweet, only a matter of time now -Evo Zoo Crew

I will see what I can do...yea man that sucks, I hate getting anything stolen form me let alone my rig, id be devastated. Will Evo Zoo Crew

Hey all, I was on facebook the other day and saw a guy post on the skydiving fan page. He had said that his parachute has popped open and this spring and pilot chute were out and he wanted tips on how to pack it back. I told him what it was(his reserve), who had to repack it, etc...but then he said this. "thanks for the post man i managed to pack it back last night wow it was really hard to do it but its back in the bag and looks the same as i got it i am not looking to skydive with it i got it from a mate and im trying to sell it and the person i sell it to i will let them know that i have opened the reserve and that they must get it checked before they jump cause i have not packed it back 100% as it should be cause there are these wires in there that open your chute automaticly if somthing goes wrong like you pass out and and i have not connected those wires as i dont know where to put em lol but anyways i have never been skydiving and im not going to be skydiving with this parachute for when i do go just have it from a friend do you know how much i can sell somthing like this or where to sell it ?" Sounds extremely fishy to me. Why would this guy have a rig, not know anything about it, and then want to sell it. Anyways, I am going to try and friend this guy on facebook so I can get his location and things. What do you guys think, this guy have stolen gear he is trying to get rid of? Will Evo Zoo Crew

Hell yea, I would be gone in a second! Take me 10000 years from now. I always tell people how angry I am that I only get to spend 80 or so years on Earth, I wanna see what crazy new things we come up with!! man I wish it was possible! -Evo Zoo Crew

haha that is so awesome! Zoo Crew