US Hawks Hang Gliding Association

You got something that you want to say to me then you do it here in your basement, Bob.

Hello Nobody,

Tad has been uncharacteristically fair to me in his recent coverage of the Torrey situation. I have thanked him privately and publicly.

A byproduct of that discussion was the topic of your "confinement" to the "Free Speech Zone" on the US Hawks forum. Here's a quote from Tad:

Also...

You've got a heavily restricted "Nobody" on your forum who you know was the same "Nobody" from Kite Strings. At 2012/12/20 05:59:56 UTC upon his request I switched "Nobody" to "Steve Davy". And on The Davis Show "Ridgerodent" publicly identified himself as "Steve Davy" - USHGA 88875. And even he's publicly in your corner on this one on one or two other forums.

Since I cannot post to any portion of Tad's site, I chose to reply to him via email:

Hello Tad,

I won't reinstate Nobody's ability to post to the general forum without a phone conversation. He remains free to post in the "Free Speech Zone" as I've said before.

I have posted a link to your web site with a warning that I do not recommend it for anyone under 18 ... which I do not.

I'm sure those aren't the answers you want, so please feel free to go back to your regular name calling if you like. That's what I expect even though I would advise a more friendly position. I have said many times that we share many similar goals, but I believe that for you, any deviation from exactly what you want is grounds for warfare. That's where we've been, and that's where I expect we'll stay until we're both in the ground.

Thanks again for doing what is right.

Sincerely,
Bob Kuczewski

I followed that with a message to the registered email address of "Nobody" and a CC to Tad:

Hello Steve (cc Tad),

I've been having a conversation with Tad regarding your reinstatement to the general US Hawks forum.

As you may remember, I took the position that people should not be allowed to attack others on our forum without people knowing who they actually are ... in real life. That's why I restricted your posting to the "Free Speech Zone" on our forum.

I've seen too many forums where "puppet" users are created to make it appear that there are lots of people with a particular view, when the reality was that they were just a bunch of aliases for one person. In fact, I was personally told this by someone doing that exact thing on the hanggliding.org forum. I am hoping to do something better on the US Hawks forum.

So I've arrived at my own policy to avoid that situation. My policy is that I want to have a reasonable certainty of the identity of each person who is engaging in any significant personal attacks against others. I currently do that with at least one phone call (possibly more). It's not a perfect system, but I think it's better than what we see on most of the other national forums. I stand behind giving people a public voice, but only if they're willing to stand behind it as well.

I welcome the chance to discuss this with you, and you are welcome to call me any time at 858-204-7499.

Thanks for signing up with the US Hawks.

Sincerely,
Bob Kuczewski

But then I went back and read just one of Nobody's recent posts directed at Bill Cummings:

         "You've got s*** for brains, Bill. Rot in Hell pigf*****."
                         - Nobody, February 22, 2014

There's no possible way that a statement like that can be construed to be helpful to the sport of hang gliding or to the advancement of discussions here on the US Hawks. So I wrote a second message to Steve and Tad:

Steve and Tad,

Let me apologize that my memory appears to be failing me.

I generally like to think that most people are reasonable and rational individuals who really want to come to resolutions about issues.

But when I looked up "Nobody"s recent posts, I found this:

         "You've got s*** for brains, Bill. Rot in Hell pigf*****."
                         - Nobody, February 22, 2014

It's hard for me to imagine the kind of human being who would write something like that on a public forum to someone as experienced and thoughtful as Bill Cummings.

So while my offer to reinstate "Nobody" based on a telephone discussion stands, I have to say that it will be a long conversation (maybe many conversations) and may not conclude with a restoration of posting rights.

As it stands (and evidenced above), Nobody remains free to post in the "Free Speech Zone" even to this day. Despite Tad's complaints, that's far more of a voice than Tad has given to myself on his forum. So Tad, if you want to argue for Nobody to post MORE on our forum, then maybe you should FIRST allow me and others the same posting rights on your forum that he ALREADY HAS on ours.

Sincerely,
Bob Kuczewski

So that's where we stand. Nobody (Steve?) already has far more rights to post on this forum than Tad has given to myself and many others on his forum. Indeed, the fact that Nobody was able to create this topic ("Basement Bob") just minutes ago (check the dates) is pretty clear proof that we are far more tolerant of free speech here on the US Hawks than Tad is on his forum. I find it hard for him to be complaining.

Steve and Tad, I appreciate that you have stood up for fairness in the Torrey matter. I have similarly defended Tad in the past and I plan to do so in the future for both of you if I see that you are being treated unfairly. I doubt we'll get to a better arrangement than that, so let's please leave it at that.

Tad has always been fair to you, Bob. You're just too twisted to realize that.

Tad,
I also want to thank you for your position of support for Bob K. in his struggle with the leadership of the Torrey Pines Glider Port.

I also approve of you quoting me as being in support of most all your work as it applies to towing.

I see you as being 99.9% correct in every aspect of towing safety,

The only disagreement I see between us is weaklink strength.

I will go to my grave thinking that I am correct and that you are wrong.

I thank you for printing your beliefs. Mine are out their too.
Most of the pilots are adults and have the capacity to read what each of us say and make their own informed decision.

Here is my chance to preach at you Tad and I have the feeling that you will read this since you obviously crave attention.
Your message would be would so much more digestible if what you typed did not include attacks on people calling them idiots and murderers (even if it’s true).
Doing so automatically puts up a wall of resistance to what you have to offer.
Allow me to be your writing coach here.
You have so much knowledge about towing and it is obvious that you are so much more intelligent than I am. Do something about getting banned everywhere and get the word out. You are truly an Encyclopedia about towing.
Thanks again for your understanding about Bob K’s situation.
Consider me a friend Tad, Bill C.

Very nicely said Bill. Your words to Steve reflect the kind of organization that I've been hoping the US Hawks would become. With the addition of more clubs and more members - especially those like yourself - I think we might be getting there.

Steve, please take me up on that phone call. That's a sincere offer.

Steve,
I actually thought that “Nobody” was another AKA for Tad.
All my previous posts were put up with that understanding.
I’m really sorry that I pissed you off with one of my post comments to a Youtube video.
I really do not wish to have your hang gliding input unavailable to myself.
Let me make a clarification here. My propensity for engaging with pigs
is somewhat lower than your stated expectations.
At my age (65) and due to my prescription medication that has effected my levels of testosterone I have found it extremely difficult to feel any excitement over the girls on the Victoria Secrete commercials let alone any farm yard animals.
Please, let us start over.
I do apologize for having angered you. Bill C.

Hi Bill,

I don't think you could have been any nicer or friendlier to "Nobody". You even added a considerable amount of self-deprecating humor for his benefit.

Here's your reward from Tad's forum (aka "kitestrings"):

Re: The Bob Show
PostPosted by Steve Davy » 2014/11/20 05:32:16 UTC

Bill,

You watched that video, saw bisfal bisto crash after having his weak link break, then advised that he not increase the strength of his weak link.

What kind of a sick person would offer that advice? Do you enjoy watching folks crash? What the f**k is wrong with you, Bill?

I'll say it again, rot in Hell pigf**ker!

                From: http://www.kitestrings.org/topic33-320.html#p7036

If there was ever proof that you just can't be nice to some people ... this is it.

All one needs to do is count the seconds between the weaklink break and the crash landing to be able to determine that is was pilot error not the weaklink that caused the crash. Anyone that comes away with a different understanding isn’t looking at the same video that I was watching.

Below I posted in its entirety the full post that I made 9 months ago.
Some may not know that you can click on the last line of Youtube comment to see more lines of text.

“Nobody,”(his post.) seems to think that a stronger weaklink will make up for this pilots unpolished approach and landing technique.

To take “Nobody’s” logic another step would be to say that the tug pilot should pay for the guy’s broken down tube. If he hadn’t towed him up his down tube would never have been broken. The bad landing should not be blamed on the tug pilot or the weaklink.

The weaklink broke at 7.5 seconds. The bad landing happened at 28 seconds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNCrD6Cnc48
Bill Cummings
9 months ago

Search Youtube for the video below for another trick to save your bacon when landing on either grass, class 5 gravel, or pea gravel. There are landing areas like those listed where a flare isn’t needed at all.
NO FLARE LANDING, HANG GLIDING

Your right hand hit the flying wire from the tail to the right down tube.
Just like your parachute handle look then grab the down tube earlier than you did.

Next your left hand missed the left down tube twice. Look and grab earlier than you did. Your left hand was at or slightly above your flight deck on the left down tube. No way are you high enough on the down tubes for a flare. Play it back again and see that your elbows are almost locked straight already. With your hands that wide, that low, on the down tubes you will only get the bar forward maybe two more inches.

You have to try for at least midway up the down tubes for a flare. Does you harness fight you getting vertical? If so make some changes.

Bigger wheels helps.

Pull on more speed for final.

Level out with knees slightly bent with toes almost dragging.

Bleed off the speed by holding you’re your same height above the grass by letting the control frame pull your hands forward.

When the control frame stops pulling your hands forward that is trim speed.

Once you have trim speed give it one more second then flare by pushing forward and up.

Notice too that the tug was back and forth between your down tubes. That is mild PIO. (Really Designed Induced Oscillation.) If you didn’t have a vertical stabilizer on the tail already putting one on will help with the mild PIO.
Don’t increase the strength of your weak-link. (Don’t--Don’t!)

What was the strength of bisfal bisto's weak link in that video, Bill?