Basejumper.com - archive

http://www.basejumper.org/.../viewtopic.php?t=709

rather than just linking I thought I would post the thread I made on the UK board:

Jimmy Halliday has released a 17 year old UK non skydiver back to our country who has a "bullet proof" attitude to BASE...

I only post this as my name has been used as a "reference" as I "know" the person because he used to hang around my local DZ. He recently tried to buy gear from someone I know. He has also spoken to another BASEr that I know and he was slightly worried about what he was hearing from this newbie. He seems a little bit too keen and over confident after his introduction to the sport in the USA.

I have spoken to someone (he is a CCI and long term skydiver and parachute test jumper) connected to this person that hopefully will ensure that he learns to skydive first and also speaks to other jumpers before progressing this new found love of his.

If you are selling gear and get an enquiry from someone named Joe, I would ask that you question that enquiry...

I dont want to be controlling, I dont want to stop people making their own choices.... but this I feel I need to step in and say this situation requires it to stop a crater happening.

Edit to add: Jimmy, if you do have an issue in me posting this then please please PM me as I have a few issues in what you have done returning this "child" back onto my home soil and then have him use me as a reference in trying to buy gear is insulting. I actually do know this person and I for one feel that getting him jumped and sending him back to the UK with his new found love is disrespectful to all the jumpers here and disrespectful to BASE jumping in general.

Is Jimmy responsible for the "child" using you as a reference?
And why was the "child" let loose with Jimmy in the first place?
You should call the "child's" mom and complain to her,
or maybe give your own mum a call.
You always seem so salty.

Hey now...
If this "child" becomes half as good a BASE jumper as the "lunar year challanged" girl jimmy dated before he married her once she wasn't legally a "lunar challenged" (see child sub.) anymore you should have no worries...
as long as he's not presently dating "said child's" sitser....
this is in no way a "personal attack" on mr holiday just a refreshing look at assment of the facts....

Against my better judgement, I am going to bite on this.

If you are talking about Joel, you must not know him as well as I got to know him while he worked his ass off all Winter long. He came to the U.S. specifiacally because a) he could afford to learn to jump here as our static line course is five hundred US which must be somewhere around 300 quid. Furthermore he is a big boy and maybe the UK doesn't have student gear to support his size?

Anyway he worked harder than any American "child" I've ever met, Bill Dause (the boss) put him through the ringer (anyone who has ever been here knows what that means), and he not only survived the Lodi ordeal, but flourished here. He lost about 25lbs packing tandems for five bucks a pop, and soked up more knowledge than the originator of this post learned any three month period ever.

I am not going to say whether I ever took Joel BASE jumping because that is between he and I. But if I did, he had enough experience to do the jump where I would have took him.

Whether he has enough BASE experience or skydiving experience to buy a rig, and then go to Norway this summer after doing the requisite amount of skydives at a DZ in the UK or maybe even coming back here to Crank out a couple hundred skydives in June and July, and then taking the First BASE course in Lysebotn, who knows????

He's not a child, he's totally heads up, and I look forward to seeing him again.


MAC, your post makes no sense to me. It seems like you have something to say which you couldn't quite get accross.

I mean the title of the post is "thank you Jimmy Halliday" Am I supposed to take that as an ironical statement or are you sincerely thanking me for being as cool as you wish you could be?

I was reading your mail thinking: "well, he's kind of got a point and there is more to the story, etc...."
Until I read:




I almost fell off my chair with laughter; that just blew up your whole point for me

I think jimmy's point is pretty valid, actually.

well you're probably cooler than I am. I really wish I was that cool.

Did he sleep with this one too?

Jimmy, Thanks for your response. Your response actually does not agree in facts with the PM I got from Clair, but hell thats not an issue with me.

I agree with you in some ways, but I also disagree with you. OK Joe is switched on and you made a judgement with that and I respect and dont question your choices with that. BUT, he has returned to my local area, looking to buy a rig, speaking to people he does not know I know, and has also looked at a local 80ft water tower telling my friends "I am gonna jump that", so forgive me if I feel your judgement of him being switched on and ok to BASE jump is 100% wrong....

I have spoken to several people who know him (people who are 30+ years in the sport and have grown up with him as he has spent time on DZs since he was 2 yr old) and his speak and approach is scaring them.... so I will stand by my post.... he is not as switched as you think.....

He is now in my country and actually in my local area, so no matter what your view of him is, I have my own veiw..... and I will stand up and be proud of what I am doing....

Michael

PS) I dont ever want to be as cool as you.....

Sorry if I only post on things that actually get my emotions running high....... Sorry if that makes me a bad person and slightly salty, at least I post and stick my head out on issues that mean something to me and I will put my hand up to....

Fuck sitting on the fence.... I am willing kick down the side of the fence I feel needs kicking down.... Sorry if that makes you feel I am a little bit of a C U Next Tuesday.... but I only say and do what I am sure will enable me to sleep well........

Um...how is Joe(l)'s personality and actions Jimmy's fault? Jimmy doesn't control anyone. There are a lot of very well trained jumpers that have done a lot of pretty crappy things...many that we even respect now.

>>No jokes about or references to pedophilia. None.

~J

 

hey big mac,
One of the advantages of being raised around DZs is that you accumulate vast amounts of knowlege and experience, and there are tons of examples of world class athletes raised under such conditions.

The disadvantage is that the older generation will almaost always look at you as that two year old "kid."

I'm not surprised that Joel is scarring other jumpers who have 30+ years in the sport. They've got to be in their 50s and 60s. It's there role to be scared for him. That's their part of the formula.

Joel's part of the formula is to be the young, overly excited kid who has grown up around DZs and is now ready to start participating in whole thing.

Big Macs part of the formula is to be the local, active jumper in the hieght of his BASE jumping who's best interests lie in keeping himself and others in his area alive, while preserving the jumpability of the local objects.

My part of the formul is to be the guy that has no problem with the rate or way in which the sport is growing and therefore against the better judgement of others, help facilitate certain people making some jumps.

However, I never told Joel to drop your name, I never even knew you were in the UK. In fact I tell people to never drop any names, period. Especially not mine.

But whatever, we're all just playing the parts we have chosen.

But my question to Big Mac is this: Now that Joel is skydiving in your area and wanting to get into BASE jumping, are you going to help him out or just be a complete dick?

So Mac, if Joel just got laid for the first time and was pointing his unit at every 98.6 degree female and pestering them, would you go take the piss out of the person who had sex with him? The most productive path seem's actively taking him on as the young man who needs counciling and try to make a positive from a negative. I know Joel to be a reasonable dude, treat him like one, ok?

Joel's side of the story is remarkably absent in this thread.

I gotta hand it to him, he barely started his BASE career and people already talk about him. Why does nobody ever talk about me?

I found your post quite intelligent until I got to this part. For your information I have extended an invite to meet up. As I said I am not trying to control, and as you say, I am just concerned that I have this is my local area.

I want to play!!!

Can I BASE jump to?