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What surprises me is that there hasn’t been much coverage of how Trump’s hotel was taken by the courts due to tax fraud. The timing of Trump’s statements seems to be more about personal grievances at being held accountable than any altruistic concern for Americans

You're a fucking loon.

About 35 years ago I was a new skydiver, jumping at a tiny DZ on Long Island and dreaming about moving somewhere new. I spent some of my free time at work posting on rec.skydiving - a Usenet group that catered to skydivers. It was a different time back then. To be able to get to Usenet at all means you needed a modem and a computer, both pricey purchases, and you needed to be able to get them to work together, which meant you needed some tech experience. As a result, not many people were on Usenet - just me and a few other tech nerds. And there was hardly any spam! Slowly over the years more people figured it out and started joining. I remember TooyT, Barry Brumitt (wrote the first skydiving FAQ!) Lance Kirwin, Kevin O'Connell, Dave Appel and Jerry Sobieski. I also met Amy on there, which changed the course of my life in a big way. I moved to California in '94 both to escape a bad relationship and to skydive. And of course because I found a great company - Qualcomm - in San Diego. By that point Usenet was becoming a cesspool of Viagra ads and foreign bride offers, and filters had not gotten good enough yet to remove all that, so browsing it was painful. So when Willem announced he was starting DZ.com I felt a big sense of relief. He got in touch with me to see if I wanted to moderate S+T and Incidents, which I said yes to. We started with a complement of about a dozen moderators, some of which I got to know really well. I spent a day in San Diego with Andrea watching whales swim by the gliderport, and I spent a few days with Chuck and Katie at Raeford jumping. Derek once built me a tersh just because I was talking about how I needed one (thanks again Derek) and Remi, Karen and I would meet up whenever we were out at Eloy. Seven of us once got together at Eloy and did the now-infamous moderator jump, angled carefully so no one could see Willem's face on camera. I think Eric and Scott were on that one as well. I also met a bunch of other people from DZ.com in real life - Lisa, Keely, Gary, Winsor - and saw them at Perris and at boogies all the time. It grew my circle of friends from Socal jumpers to jumpers all over the US. And even the world; I met some people from the Irish Parachute Club and made a trip out there to jump with them. I recall a lot of drinking. Over time as moderators changed I took on moderation of a few more forums, but to me the S+T and Incidents forum were always the important ones. I got some sort of award - a "skydivers hall of fame" or something from Parachutist for running that, and got on a few podcasts talking about safety and incidents. One of my proudest moments during that time was reading an incident by a newer jumper flying a too-small canopy. He had read one of my many diatribes on "LEARN FLAT TURNS!" and had tried them once or twice. Then one day he found himself flying downwind by accident, and he tried to turn into the wind at 50 feet. He tried that flat turn he had heard about, but there was something off about it (he explained) because he landed hard, tore his jumpsuit and sprained his ankle. The fact that he was complaining about a sprained ankle after a turn at 50 feet under a heavily loaded canopy made me think that maybe this forum was actually doing some good. I learned a lot, too, mainly from the forums I wasn't moderating - forums like General and Gear and Rigging. Based on what I learned about wingsuiting here, for example, I bought a small wingsuit, taught myself how to fly it, started moving up in wingsuit sizes - then met Jari and became one of the first Birdman wingsuit instructors in the US. And over the years we lost people here too, of course. In some ways this place served as a memorial; you could go back and read what Shannon or Taz had posted while they were still alive, and remember them that way. Over the years traffic has started to fall off as people find more social-media options for skydiving, which is a natural evolution. I'm sorry that it will be disappearing sooner rather than later, but nothing lasts forever. It will be interesting to see what happens to the database; all these incident reports and threads on canopy flight have a lot of value (IMO) and I hope we can save some of it. Thanks to everyone who participated on this site over the decades it has been running, and thanks especially to all the moderators who I've worked with - Wendy, Lisa, Andrea, Chuck, Eric, Remi, Meso and all the others. And of course thanks to Willem for doing all the work to set up and maintain this site. See you out there.

I thought I could get through to the end without adding to my ignore list. I was wrong.

GUYS FOUR MILES NORTH: There's a crazy ol white man down there. Don't go four miles south.

When I was a little kid, my great aunt Gert would drag me to tent revival prayer meetings. This is in the late 1960s. Think Marjoe Gortner. The preachers were carnival barkers. Speak in tongues and pass that offering tray! It was scary as hell and at 8-9 years old I could tell it was all BS. Small, big…the grift is always in.

It's really just a demographic population density rebuttal. Everything is more concentrated in cities, more cars, more accidents, more everything.

Well I kinda think that’s what the entire thread has been about, but maybe I’ve missed something.

Again? When was that lying piece of shit EVER right? He can't. It doesn't exist. All the 'facts' reported by the FBI, or the "Main Stream Media" are lies (because he doesn't like them). Yet he won't (or can't) provide any actual data to back up his claims.

The actual issue becomes…. To which country do you deport US born citizens? Why would those countries accept people who are citizens of another country? the fall of birth right citizenship is not going to happen because it is unenforceable at any level just another trump lie and failed campaign promise that he can blame on the deep state

Generally, my opinion is that

Ah — equal protection. Frankly, I hate that. Laws should be laws, and discretion shouldn’t only apply to people just like you. Situational, not personal Wendy P.

Hey Bill! That visit to San Diego is the only time I've ever visited the city, so you still get props for being the best tour guide in San Diego that I've ever had! And I'm trying to remember...was that Karl Strauss Brewing that you took me to? Moderating these forums were sometimes the biggest headache, but also the best fun that I've ever had. I'll never get over people looking for "skymama" at a dropzone or boogie, I hope you all weren't disappointed when you met the real Andrea who is a little boring and reserved in real life. I'll always be grateful to Sangiro for believing in me that I'd make a good Moderator, I hope I didn't disappoint. And, I can't leave out meeting Normiss on this site. Talk about a life changing experience via this website, we'll soon celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary!

Seems like another MAGA idiot has turned up, incapable of stringing his thoughts together into a coherent post.

I live in a big city, Chicago (south side). There is almost no crime in my neighborhood. No-one steals packages from my porch even if left out overnight. My wife and I happily walk the streets at night. If I leave my gardening tools out overnight they are still there in the morning. Go 4 miles north and it's a different story. What's the obvious difference? Poverty rate.

I saw my sister, her husband, and my neices, well, and Col. EH Taylor. Mom and Her hubby were there. My wife and I and the nieces boyfriends. Played the saran wrap game (Ball of prizes wrapped up in saran wrap where you have to disassemble while wearing oven mits. Timed by doubles on the dice.)

The only church I really felt like a part of had about 40 people. They got together to worship and discuss with each other, in a way that they thought would be welcoming. It wasn't everyone's cup of tea, but it served our community. Until the minister had an affair with a parishioner... 40 members just isn't enough to sustain that. Big isn't always better, but neither is small. Wendy P.

Move on. And, consider that maybe putting two and two together doesn't always mean the answer is four, because it's not really just two and two -- we interpret facts and turn them into stories that make sense to us. It's on us to get enough facts to figure out the difference between our comfortable story and what actually happened. Wendy P.

I think he's talking about the supposed victim, not the fact of the fire (which is truly horrific). Current speculation is that she was homeless, but information hasn't been released because family hasn't been notified, and that's probably because of a combination of the condition of the body and lack of ID. Lack of ID, along with the fact that she was apparently wearing multiple layers of clothing (witnesses), indicates that she might have been homeless. And no one deserves to be set on fire. Wendy P.

I went to my brother's, and celebrated with his family, along with that of my other brother (staying with us) -- son, daughter-in-law, her parents (all from India), along with his daughter and ex-wife, and the ex-wife's boyfriend. One big happy family; we had homedade Swedish sausage, a vegetarian alternative assembled in cornhusks, Brazilian homily pudding, Indian and Swedish sweets, and a lot of family fun and conversation. It was the Indian parents' first time ever seeing snow. Wendy P.

Hi airdvr, That is what they do. Did you expect something else? Many yrs ago, I watched a tv bio of Billy Graham: A former employer said he was the best vacuum cleaner salesman he ever saw. Jerry Baumchen

I agree this way is not working and i’m so tired of hearing about more killings everyday. I was a school resource officer the day after the Parkland FL massacre. One of my Marine buddies son was in Stoneman Douglas Highschool during the shooting it was an absolute nightmare. I wish you well also my friend i love a spirited discussion. I’m planning my next jump. After my first jump i had to have quadruple bypass surgery and my chest is almost healed up enough to jump again.

Nobody is hideous here. Its just people working a very complicated problem with incomplete evidence. Its no wonder different people come out with different conclusions. That is expected! This has already come to be one of the very best discussions, ever to occur in any DB Cooper forum - ever. I hope you are all aware of that. Happy holidays to all and congratulations!

You sound like someone with whom to converse, break bread and have a beer. All of my postings haven't been about gun control bills, but about gun responsibility. This way is not working. As a nation we can and should do better. I wish you well.

Have you considered seeing a therapist?

I mean, would that not be hideous behavior if you had indeed been legitimately threatening me? I didn't call you hideous dude.

The data is extracted from the CDC. I am an (R), but tend to do more than listen to or quote main stream media or use x.com as a scholastic source.

There you go with FACTS again.

Actually it does. It has accurately predicted so many things about science, medicine, biology, astronomy, human history, and human nature. It predicted you and what you just said to Ron. Good luck with your extended vacation at the lake.

If your argument is to fight a government turned tyrannical you’re off your meds to think an AR15 is going to protect you from an Apache, F22 or F35 and the multitude of other weapons available to the military. It’s amusing to see the fuss about Australia and guns. I’ll admit I don’t like some of the latest laws in my state which is the strictest, but we can still own guns, there are 5 locked in my son’s bedroom down the hall. I don’t think you’re open to facts, but having untrained or poorly trained people out and about with firearms is a recipe for disaster. Telling me that a few hours training is enough without currency and practice is enough to be safe in a high stakes situation , is like expecting an AFT student to land a sub 100 cross brace canopy.

Of course he's lying. Lies are all those folks have.

I joined in 2006 when I started skydiving. This place has been a terrific place to acquire knowledge. I probably spent hours every day refreshing bonfire and reading threads in gear and, for better or worse, speakers corner. In 2018 I became a father and skydiving slowly started fading into the background for me. So did my presence on this forum. My wife and I are now “semi” retired, meaning we kept on to our gear but I haven’t jumped in 3 years. And it was like 5 jumps per year before that. I plan to return to jumping and it will he a shame to lose all this knowledge on this site. It truly is a treasure. But such is life. And as this is my last post, I wanted to thank the moderators and all those wonderful people for their contributions to safety and knowledge in our sport. And also wanted to give a big f u to all the trumpers in here. So long! See you in the other side.

Well, they can under the NFA. So, if we agree the NFA is necessary for those weapons, why not an "NFA" for other weapons? That is the battle cry, but was not the original premise. First, it wasn't until recently the 20th century that someone tied the the 2A to the "goverment that turned tyrannical." and told people that Jefferson said it. What Jefferson was speaking about was the Public School Act. " . . . perverted it into tyranny; and it is believed that the most effectual means of preventing this would be, to illuminate, as far as practicable, the minds of the people at large . . ." https://www.monticello.org/research-education/thomas-jefferson-encyclopedia/bill-more-general-diffusion-knowledge/ EDIT: Found it. https://www.cnn.com/2013/01/11/opinion/jefferson-fake-gun-quotation/index.html

I must admit I had originally misread the title of the other threat and thought it was a feel good thread! Being holiday season and time with friends and family, hopefully everyone can appreciate the people in their lives that they love and care for. It’s been a good year, got to tick over to 50. Went back to the US for the first time in years and got to fly in a helicopter for the first time and jump out of it. Even more touching was that someone I didn’t know put in an enormous amount of effort to make that happen after a mix up with aircraft. Not being a Christian I prefer celebrating the Solstice with the kids and we had an amazing day. It has the bonus of never causing conflict with my ex and so today I have the gift of peace and quiet and the home alone for a couple of days! Love my son and his girlfriend, but having them out the house for a couple of days is a good holiday :)

1 Cor 2:1-5,14 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. IYKYK MERRY CHRISTMAS

Agree, he pulled, he survived with possibly some injury. Cooper got non-steerable emergency back bailout rigs, probably did not expect that. If you bring your own you can guarantee a freefall rig. Unlikely Cooper used an NB6.. (based on Cossey) There were trackers at the time, not GPS but radio beepers. They ping on an emergency frequency for 24-36 hours. If he pulled at 2000 ft his drift would be less than a mile. Since the FP map has 1 mile error then Cooper would have landed very close to the FP.... It was not Ted Braden. He was the badass of badasses, Cooper wasn't. Ted has dimples, less hair, crooked mouth and a very winkled forehead. Cooper's presence and demeanour does not fit Braden. Cooper was unmemorable. Agree, Cooper had many miltary jumps.. not Braden level but more than a few.. Cunningham's FP timing is incorrect. Ignore it. Sketch B is the closest likeness.. no question. Cooper jumped between the Lewis R and Battleground. Plane pitched at 8:09, that was Cooper reaching the bottom of the stairs. Oscillations increased violently culminating in a pressure bump, That is within minutes of the reported oscillations. 8:11-8:15 at most.. The case is solved, just nobody can put a suspect on the plane. YES, either bomb was real or if fake made by somebody who knew explosives. Money was not planted. No way.. Nobody buries cash in that environment and close proximately to the River, high water line. Many better places and ways to cache it if Cooper wanted to. No, the Government doesn't need to get money from hijacking planes. The CIA has lots of ways to make money. Elsinore ghost, Cameron was embellishing a person he met... walked it back, it is in the 302's. Cooper asked for notes and matchbook because of the writing on them.. not prints. Cooper did care about leaving prints. Weirdly, I heard females prefer violent true crime.. Cooper was a strategist.. Barb was NOT Clara... Letters are too short for stylometry,, random noise. If Clara was legit then the initial contact with Gunther was legit, at least a real person, hoaxer or Cooper. It is just really strange that a hoaxer(s) would disappear for ten years make contact and not ask for money. Skip was not Cooper, his massive forehead creases eliminate him. No way...

Hi base, You should get out more. I have been to countries where both sexes use the same restroom; and the same stalls; not at the same time. At first I was taken aback. Then I realized it was Go With the Flow or hold it. I adjusted just fine; and, so will you if you ever are in that situation. Jerry Baumchen