Samurai136

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Posts posted by Samurai136

  2. Here's a trauma surgeon's POV

    http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/motorcycle/motosafety.html

    Quote

    Motorcycle fatalities represent approximately five percent of all highway fatalities each year, yet motorcycles represent just two percent of all registered vehicles in the United States. One of the main reasons motorcyclists are killed in crashes is because the motorcycle itself provides virtually no protection in a crash. For example, approximately 80 percent of reported motor- cycle crashes result in injury or death; a comparable figure for automobiles is about 20 percent.



    http://www.msf-usa.org/

    Once you get the motorcycle, consider taking up BASE, Bungie jumping, Back-country skiing, free-climbing, and tow-in big wave surfing...;)
    "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
    Ken

  3. Quote

    Just cuz Wisconsin has been mentioned recently, I thought I would include this link from US News. Per the 2007 survey (but ranked in 2004?), the number one school in Speech and Language Pathology was tied between Iowa and Wisconsin.

    Think about it. Good solid school. Fun town. Diverse environment. Many dropzones in just a short drive. Cows. Seasons. ummmm.... Cheese. (any interest in hunting? First day of deer season is almost a holiday....) IceFishing. Skating (you already said you like skating.... lots of indoor and outdoor rinks)



    That sounds almost exactly like Iowa city except with out the Badgers and cheeseheads.:P Cost of living is probably cheaper in Iowa City- Coralville. I live in Coralville, 4 miles from Speech Pathology college. Bus service is great. There are tons of apts available in Coralville. I pay $550 for a large 2-bedroom (includes water and 1 car garage) and I'm about 2000' away from an indoor ice rink, 10-screen movie theater, Shopping mall, miles of groomed bike trails, and a health food grocery store.;)


    Quote

    UI's Speech Pathology and Audiology ranked number one in the communications sciences and disorders category. The Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index, partly financed by the State University of New York at Stony Brook and produced by Academic Analytics, a for-profit company, rates faculty members' scholarly output at nearly 7,300 doctoral programs around the country. It examines the number of book and journal articles published by each program's faculty, as well as journal citations, awards, honors, and grants received. The Chronicle of Higher Education ranked the universities and identified the top 10 programs in 104 disciplines in its January 12 issue.


    "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
    Ken

  4. Quote

    What are the closest dropzones next to Madison, Iowa City and Boulder, and what are they like? Got many freeflyers? Is there tons of drama? Are there opportunities for my boyfriend to work as a rigger, tandem instructor and videographer?



    Skydive Iowa is the closest DZ to Iowa City (45 minute drive). It's a business so there are no club politics or drama, just show up and jump. C182 & C206 (usually have an Otter weekend the beginning and end of the season.) It's a private airport, we have bonfires every weekend, plenty of camping space and private rooms available.

    There is about an even mix of freeflyers and RW's. Plenty of work/ opportunity available for your boyfriend.

    Here's a link to the Iowa City Web Site http://www.icgov.org/aboutic.htm
    Have a look at the Coralville website. Iowa City- U of Iowa & Coralville are basically one city.
    http://www.coralville.org/
    "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
    Ken

  5. Iowa City is a good college town. Madison ranks better but I think the winters are colder there.;)

    Boulder isn't even in the top 100.:P

    Iowa City is an hour drive from a good Cessna DZ and about 2.5 hours from Skydive Chicago. It doesn't have all the attractions that a major city has but it's centrally located. Chicago is 4hrs away; Twin Cities are a 5hr drive.

    If you're focused on Grad School; Iowa City doesn't have much to distract you from your studies.;) Unless you get sucked into the Bar Scene.:)
    "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
    Ken

  14. Quote

    :D:D:D

    I had one that would GO to the bos and say, "Have you seen Andy this morning?"

    Fortunately, my boss was one to have fun with it and would often reply, "Why yes! He's here. He's been looking for YOU."

    What the dummy never understood was that I had been friends with the boss for over 20 years...WAY before we started at the company.
    :D:D



    I have a few characters at work that will ask, "Where's Jon?"

    My response, "... well, it's 10 minutes into the shift. Jon already has all his reports printed and is out in the warehouse working.:| "
    "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
    Ken

  15. Quote

    Firefly was a great TV show, one of the very very few. Everybody stop what you're doing, go someplace that's open all night and sells DVDs, buy the box set for about $20, and watch all the episodes tonight and tomorrow. You'll thank me.

    Serenity was a pretty good movie, too. Probably the best ever movie based on a canceled TV show.




    Already Done. Firefly rocks!

    I prefer Adult Swim, National Geographic, or The Weather Channel for late night viewing.

    The WC always puts me to sleep... :)
    "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
    Ken

  17. Quote

    2. If a RSL has been previously removed is it legal for a rigger to repack the reserve with out the RSL in place?

    Yes, as long as the removal of the RSL components has been noted on the packing data card by a MASTER rigger.



    This is the worst answer I've heard from a manufacturer.:|

    How many people at gear check-in (boogie/ new DZ) know all the master rigger's names, signatures and seals?;) How many riggers have legible signatures?

    Every gear check-in will require internet access to verify the rigger's certification (senior/ master) via the FAA database which can only be verified by a name search.


    Someone tell me I'm wrong.
    :P


    Edit: True or false? Absence of an RSL lanyard does not make the rig unsafe or un-airworthy.
    "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
    Ken

  18. Sorry to hear you lost power.[:/]

    Here are a few more pic's once the storm switched over to snow.

    About 3 am the Apt managment plowed everything out. By 9am all the ice had melted off that tree.
    "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
    Ken

  20. Ugh. It's switched over to snow. Local weather station:

    Quote

    A Blizzard Warning has been issued for northeast and east-central Iowa. Rain and freezing rain will gradually switch over to snow overnight with accumulations over 8 inches possible. This combined with winds over 45 mph will make for near-zero visibilities. Be sure to check the latest road conditions below. Traveled is not advised in much of Iowa.



    Time for some Sparkling Lemonlime Yerba Mate.:)
    "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
    Ken

  23. Quote

    I'm in Illinois. We are having rain, ice, and other crap. As it hits my house it freezes. The big maple tree in my front yard is losing chunks of branches weighted down by the ice. There is little to no traffic on the street in front of my house, which is usually very busy. I'm figuring today isn't good for much exept drinking and posting on dz.com, until the tree in my front yard takes out my power or cable lines. So, Captain and coke, or wine? I'm not up for skating over to the store to pick up some other choices.



    I'm about an hour west of you. Took some photos of a few trees I can see thru the front window of my apt. Haven't had any power outages, yet....

    :)
    "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
    Ken

  25. Quote

    PZone... thanks for posting that.

    I agree with you that Sunpath's statement... "permanent removal of this part is
    highly discouraged and NOT recommended."... coming from the mfgr should carry a lot of weight, but it doesn't specifically state that permanent removal of the RSL from a Jav or Odyessy is something illegal that voids the TSO, SHALL NOT be done, etc.

    My suspision is that if one were to talk to someone from Sunpath, that's what they would say, but they don't want to write it down.

    Also, another good point is if they're DO update their manuals, what they should also do is clearly state which previous manuals and rigs (by DOM and s/n) the update supercedes... but they probably won't do that. >:(




    The parts list in the Sunpath manual makes no mention of an RSL.:)
    The RSL assembly instructions/ user orientation are supplemental. If you follow the packing instructions the rig will be sealed, dated, tools counted and put away before you find the first page that mentions the RSL. ;)

    I hope Sunpath updates their manual with precise specific language on this topic.
    "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
    Ken