MeyerLouie

Oh thank you.

From what I've been reading and hearing, you have no credibility when it comes to talking about facts and evidence. I actually looked at the evidence, you know, the bills themselves. I've actually been to Tena's Bar, I've actually examined the site. Actual physical evidence -- try it sometime.

In order for a theory to be plausible, it has to fit the evidence. The milk-can-floating-bobber theory does not fit the evidence. The planted-at-Tena's-Bar theory does not fit the evidence. At least Tosaw's and Mr. H's theories give some explanation to the condition of the bills at Tena's Bar.

'Non-natural means' -- what the heck does that mean? A whole lot of not much. The bills arriving at Tena's Bar a substantial amount of time before they were discovered does not necessarily cause the bills to become pitted, frayed, and oval in appearance. How can bills get so frayed just sitting there? Brian Ingram and I sat and studied the bill he auctioned at the symposium (what a prize, 377!). All that wear and tear on that bill -- could that have occurred just from just sitting on a beach? For me, not likely. The bill looked like it had done some serious rolling and tumbling on the bottom of a river, for an extended period of time. The hijacker burying the bills at Tena's Bar shortly after the hijacking, in my opinion, could not have caused the bills to become so pitted and frayed. Is it possible the bills stayed together all along, in the bank bag, and tumbled on the bottom of the river for miles, then by some unnatural occurrences (like a dredging, a propeller, and/or a flood), got ripped from the money bag, at the last minute, and dumped on the beach, at Tena's Bar? The money not fanning or bleeding, with the rubber band still intact, could possibly mean the bills never really did separate from one another -- for most of the time. Getting at the truth of what really happened at Tena's Bar is such a major piece of this case. It may very well be the key to solving the case. I agree with 377, it's so hard coming up with an explanation of what really happened at Tena's Bar. DB, if you're still out there, throw us a bone.

This explains maybe why the bills stayed intact, but it doesn't explain why the bills endd up so tattered, pitted, worn, and frayed - the bills took on a pitted, frayed, oval-shape pattern. This tells me the bills did some hard traveling downstream -- and for an extended period of time. A paper bag will hardly hold the bills intact for any length of time. Also, I'm wondering how the bills could get so tattered and worn in BobKnoss' floating bobber milk carton? MeyerLouie

I've been away for a few days... maybe I missed it, but did you post Sluggo's website info? I'd like to check it out. Thanks. MeyerLouie

Georger is correct -- from my experience, you have to be flexible when putting together, and delivering, the agenda for a symposium. There are always surprises. You have to be flexible, keep your cool, go with Plan B, and just roll with the flow. When Mr. Himmelsbach didn't make it to the Portland Symposium because of health reasons, Geoffrey Gray had to adjust and adapt. It appears he did so admirably.

As noted earlier, I was on I-5 and in the Columbia River Gorge (between Portland and Biggs Junction) that fateful night. When I got back to Newberg, the DBC case was the big news, and I've been following the case ever since. I worked for the IBM Corporation -- I used to organize seminars and symposiums for executives from some of our key mainframe accounts. Nowadays, I'm a college math professor, so anything (like symposiums) that increases knowledge and enhances awareness, in my opinion, can only help. I'm learning new stuff about the case all the time -- and this forum has played a big part in that behalf. I'll stay tuned -- thanks all. MeyerLouie

I like your idea of a summer Auburn symposium, RobertMBlevins. At the first annual Portland Symposium, I was amazed at the volume of knowledge, concentrated information, and expertise that lived in one room. As I see it, getting together more often can't hurt. Thanks RobertMBlevines for your willingness to take on such a formidable task. I've organized a few symposiums and seminars over the years -- believe me, putting on any kind of significant seminar is tons and tons of work. If I can help you out, let me know.

It might be good to hear some fresh ideas from someone with your vast credentials. I'd like to hear some your thoughts and ideas about the case.

Gotcha wolfriverjoe, I'll tone it down.

Are you kidding me, Robert99? I simply state my case, my information on one particular issue and I get these disrespectful, retaliatory responses from someone I don't even know. I have a right to my opinion -- whether you think so or not. It's called freedom of speech, and I believe I've signed up on a forum that respects that right. So, bite me!

So when I hear howling winds and see sheets of rain coming down, I'm not qualified to make the assessment that it's probably a storm. I'm not a pilot. Bite me.

I'll bet there aren't too many common, ordinary folks who could answer all those technical questions correctly. I know I can't. But I don't need a meteorologist to tell me when I'm in a rain or wind storm either. I can make that diagnosis on my own. What can I say -- I was there. I may get a bit melodramatic, as BobKnoss so astutely noted, but I try to be truthful in my observations. I may not be a weather expert, but I know a storm when I see one.

So, BobKnoss, you folks back in Minnesota don't get the kind of weather that makes you risk your life to drive in it? I may have been a bit melodramatic, but that's all I was saying.

It does. I was there. I, and several others, did not imagine things. Moreover, we've got Mr. Himmelsbach, on page 41 of NORJAK, confirming what we already know about the absolutely rotten weather that night. I am not willing to call the one man who has probably investigated the DBC case more than anyone else a liar. I respect him too much.

On November 24, 1971 I finished classes in Newberg, Oregon, at George Fox College, and a carload of us headed out to eastern washington for Thanksgiving break. I figure we left around 4 pm. We left Newberg, proceeded up 99, then to I-5 to Portland. Then we cut over to 84 and proceeded east to the 97 turnoff at Biggs Junction (which goes to Goldendale). We took our time, we made a few stops. The Columbia Gorge for me was the stretch on 84 between Portland and Biggs junction, south side of the Columbia River. The weather started out ominous and just got progressively worse. The only time I can remember the weather letting up was when we were well into eastern washington, north on 97, well out of the Gorge. By the time we got to The Dalles, we were afraid for our lives because of the fierce wind and rain and poor visibility. I figure we didn't reach Biggs till around 7:30 pm. We had to slow down to almost a crawl because of the wind. If you've been on that stretch of road in bad weather, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Also, on page 41 of Norjak, Mr. Himmelsbach said "The weather was absolutely rotten." I see the time reference closest to that comment was around 8 pm. That comment, and corroborating comments of several others, make it crystal clear that the weather that night was anything but normal. The lady at the symposium told me, in a private conversation, that she and her husband were on I-5, going north out of Portland, early evening, around 6:30 pm. She said the weather was "horrible" the whole way to Seattle.

Remember the nice, elderly lady at the symposium who talked about driving north on I-5 on November 24, 1971? She said the weather was terribly windy and rainy. I spoke up too at the symposium and said I had been on I-5 and the Columbia Gorge that night -- it was one of the worst weather nights, in terms of rain and wind, I have experienced in the Gorge, before or since. A respected journalist told me that the owner of the Ariel Tavern described the weather that night as "horrible." I have to agree with Jerry, eyewitness testimony is hard to beat.

I remember Tom Kaye at the symposium showing how easy it would be to make a tee-pee shaped shelter from the parachute material on the ground. Maybe DBC took the bogus chute on purpose -- part of it to serve as a temporary shelter and part of it to serve as an extra layer of clothing -- for more warmth and protection.

I've walked across the I-5 interstate bridge too in the early 70s, I'll vouch for that.

I was in the Columbia River gorge the night of November 24,1971. It was one of the rainiest, windiest nights I'd ever experienced, before or since. If Cooper jumped anywhere near the Columbia Gorge (does 12 miles north of Portland, on V23 qualify?), isn't it possible that the wind could have carried him east -- a lot east, like into the Washougal? Just wondering.....

I have been reading the posts here for a couple of days and I keep hearing about Marla Cooper as being Hot, a Hot Chick, a Hot Babe, a Real Knockout. I'm sorry boys and girls, I saw her at the symposium, up close -- a couple of times, and I don't think she's all that hot. What, we just don't get out much? In fact, she gets this wild-eyed, scary look when she gets excited about whatever she's talking about. I'm not seeing it, Hot is not the word I'd use to describe her. Media Mogul, yes. She has definitely cast her spell over the media, I wouldn't underestimate her for even a second.