brettski74 0 #26 November 11, 2006 I'm not Bill, but you need to keep in mind that when communicating in writing, you do not have the advantage of tone of voice to temper the way in which your words will be received. Email and electronic communications have exacerbated this problem somewhat, because many people can type faster than they write, with less effort required and can send the message off in an instant, without the time to perhaps cool of and think about how to phrase things to be less confrontational. Words like grossly and blatantly tend to imply that the author and editor should have known better and that they were therefore negligent in publishing the story. Whether this is valid or not, many people will find such an implication insulting. When speaking, people rarely use such words without some degree of raised voice or inflection indicating indicating anger, annoyance or similar emotions. When people read such things in writing, they will tend to interpret them similarly. You may want to consider that in the future. The statement about her not deploying her main may be in conflict with many other sources, so it is definitely wrong - maybe even blatanly so in some people's opinion - but I think the way that was worded is more likely to make people defensive than it is to inform them about our sport. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanuckInUSA 0 #27 November 11, 2006 Quotewhen it clearly stated that the just didn't open her main. Te report is wrong. This is why this thread exists and why some people are angry. I was there, she deployed her main and then cut it away. It was her reserve that malfunctioned. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UDSkyJunkie 0 #28 November 11, 2006 QuoteWords like grossly and blatantly tend to imply that the author and editor should have known better and that they were therefore negligent in publishing the story. Whether this is valid or not, many people will find such an implication insulting. When speaking, people rarely use such words without some degree of raised voice or inflection indicating indicating anger, annoyance or similar emotions. When people read such things in writing, they will tend to interpret them similarly. Agreed. Anyone who claims otherwise is blatantly not paying attention to human nature, and grossly overestimating the other person's ability to read your mind. Sorry, I couldn't resist On a more serious note, I think responding to the media writer who creates an inaccurate story is the worst possible thing we, as jumpers, can do. This is because the writer is NOT going to help us out, even if we are polite, and the vast majority won't bother to get their facts strait in the future either (or cover another skydiving story in the future anyway). These articles need to be sent to USPA, who will know the proper way to react, and the correct FAA people to discuss the issue with to ensure that the FAA has their facts strait before they go off and create legislation to "prevent such incidents in the future"."Some people follow their dreams, others hunt them down and beat them mercilessly into submission." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brettski74 0 #29 November 11, 2006 QuoteAgreed. Anyone who claims otherwise is blatantly not paying attention to human nature, and grossly overestimating the other person's ability to read your mind.[Wink] Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #30 November 11, 2006 QuoteI have had the misfortune of having had personal experience with the editor of that site. He formerly ran a hardcopy aviation rag. Rather than elaborate, I will point you to the websites about him authored by two others who have also had encounters with him: http://www.wanttaja.com/zguide.htm http://www.ousterhout.net/zoom.html Edited to add: You can also pull up Usenet articles about him by searching the group rec.aviation.homebuilt for any article with a string of Z's in the Subject line. (e.g "ZZZ"). That is their way of flagging a thread so people only interested in homebuilt aircraft can filter it out. Anybody go THROUGH that stuff?!?! H O ~ L Y COW! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,595 #31 November 11, 2006 QuoteAnybody go THROUGH that stuff?!?! H O ~ L Y COW! Well I did start reading it, but I didn't finish because I was afraid of getting sued!Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrabGrass 0 #32 November 11, 2006 QuoteQuoteAnybody go THROUGH that stuff?!?! H O ~ L Y COW! Well I did start reading it, but I didn't finish because I was afraid of getting sued! *** Or SHOT! ~ "Pack Fast, Pull Low... and Date Your Riggers WIFE!" ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,590 #33 November 11, 2006 Quote Anybody go THROUGH that stuff?!?! H O ~ L Y COW! Somebody ain't pedaling with both feet! Yes, unfortunately I have. My name even appears on one of those pages, but doesn't elaborate on the incident. My "crime" was that in 1991 I put a posting in rec.aviation asking for information about him, at the request of a friend. Now remember that back in those days, the only people on the net were engineers at a few high-tech companies, and college faculty and students. I was a student. Well, someone at a school who was a friend of the crackpot saw the posting and told him. My first clue was when I tried to login to my school computer account and I got the cryptic message: "Your account is frozen. Contact XXXX XXXXXX". So I called the Mr XXXXXX, (a director of the school computer network), and got a very scared person on the other end of the phone who had just spent the evening being bombarded by phone calls with threats of criminal charges and civil suits. He had also had phone calls from the local PD who had also been contacted by the crackpot wanting to file charges against anyone and everyone connected with the school. He told me the PD wanted to talk to me. Next I called the PD and ask if they want to see me. They most certainly did, and scheduled an appt for me to come in the next afternoon. Now I was really worried so I went to see my friend. He was annoyingly calm about the whole thing, but I suppose compared to what he saw in 'Nam, this just wasn't that big of a deal. He promised first thing in the morning he would trot over to the PD and share his files with them. You see, he had a growing file on the crackpot which already included impersonating a doctor, and having his pilots license pulled for being mentally unfit to pilot an aircraft. So I went back to my dorm to get some sleep, (yeah right). Then came the calls from Mr Crackpot himself. If you have never dealt with a person like this, you will really be caught off-guard. Just because a person is irrational, doesn't mean they are dumb. I would bet this guy has an IQ well above average. He is extremely articulate and intimidating, and you get no clue he is a nutcase. Of course I was also treated to the threats of criminal charges and civil suits. Next day after my friend had shared his file with the PD, they called to cancel my appt. They no longer had any interest in wasting further time on the matter. Next stop was to a director of the computer networks to get my accounts unfrozen. (Not the same guy I had spoken to the night before.). He explained that the Internet was so new that legal issues like this were uncharted territory, so they had acted somewhat rash just to be on the safe side. His parting words were: "You didn't do anything wrong, but please don't do it again." I got a few more calls from Mr Crackpot, then they dwindled off. [Move ahead two years.] I have graduated, moved to another state, and taken a new job. Out of the blue I start getting calls from Mr Nutcase and home and at work. Seems he is looking to sue my friend (which he actually does), and he wants my cooperation. If I cooperate I won't be named in the suit. Well, I don't cooperate. His last call to me is left on my answering machine, with lots of threats. A few years later, when he sued the R.A.H.-15, I generated an audio file of that tape and gave it to the attorney who was assisting them."There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,590 #34 November 11, 2006 QuoteQuoteQuoteAnybody go THROUGH that stuff?!?! H O ~ L Y COW! Well I did start reading it, but I didn't finish because I was afraid of getting sued! *** Or SHOT! If you are afraid of getting shot, you didn't read it carefully enough. The guy has never done, (or even attempted), physical harm. He relies on intimidation with threats of criminal charges and/or civil suits. He has attempted both, but since they were always groundless, they never succeeded. However the attempts have cost innocent people time and money. What really amazes me is that no one has done physical harm to him."There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrabGrass 0 #35 November 11, 2006 QuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteAnybody go THROUGH that stuff?!?! H O ~ L Y COW! Well I did start reading it, but I didn't finish because I was afraid of getting sued! *** Or SHOT! If you are afraid of getting shot, you didn't read it carefully enough. The guy has never done, (or even attempted), physical harm. He relies on intimidation with threats of criminal charges and/or civil suits. He has attempted both, but since they were always groundless, they never succeeded. However the attempts have cost innocent people time and money. What really amazes me is that no one has done physical harm to him. The Lakeland Police seemed to have a concern that is reflected in their report. "never done physical harm" ...YET! With an unstable personality, like someone claiming to be a Doctor, nothing is impossible! ~ "Pack Fast, Pull Low... and Date Your Riggers WIFE!" ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zing 2 #36 November 12, 2006 Anybody go THROUGH that stuff?!?! H O ~ L Y COW! I met this guy once about five years ago. Then started to hear about his "history." Whew!Zing Lurks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
packerboy 3 #37 November 12, 2006 This is the guy who wrote the article that started this thread? -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #38 November 12, 2006 no ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
packerboy 3 #39 November 13, 2006 Is he American Twardo? Or Canadian? I think we all know the answer.... -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlindBrick 0 #40 November 13, 2006 I thought the really funny part was that the judge hearing the FAA case, counted his attempt to BASE the WTC as one of the reasons to consider him mentally unfit. -Blind"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,590 #41 November 13, 2006 QuoteI thought the really funny part was that the judge hearing the FAA case, counted his attempt to BASE the WTC as one of the reasons to consider him mentally unfit. -Blind He claims to be an experienced skydiver, but no one has ever seen any evidence he has ever made a jump. In all probability, he went through the motions of attempting a BASE jump, just for the publicity. He also claims to be type-rated in more a/c that any one person would have the time to learn. And he claims to have flown aerobatics at airshows, and there is no record of that ever happening. In summary, he is a legend in his own mind. I believe if he had ever made an effort to be an honest aviation reporter, he would have been very successful. But instead, he has chosen to be a con artist who cheats people at every opportunity, and his egomania has resulted in preposterous tall tales about his supposed accomplishments. Then when people object to being cheated and lied to, he reacts by trying to use the legal system against them. He is his own worst enemy."There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
