[Bob Kuczewski]

Really appreciate the invite, Bob.

Hi Tad,

Welcome to the US Hawks!! We're glad to have you here.

I think a lot of us over here despise a lot of the same people for really excellent reasons and hopefully we can mount something of an effective insurgency.

Seeing a few friends on the list and I thank several for past and current support. Really happy to see Scott here - had really wanted to stay in touch but had lost all avenues of contact.

The practice of banning people from national forums has been destructive to hang gliding, and it has isolated some of the most passionate and potentially productive members of the flying community. It's by an unfortunate twist of fate that the two main national forums have ended up being run by people with such thin skins that they reach for the "ban button" whenever they can't win an argument. I'm hoping the US Hawks can remedy that by being a place where ALL voices can be heard.

We don't have too much to offer at this time, but the one thing we can offer is free speech. We allow everyone to speak. Our only requirement is that any attacks have to come from people who are willing to give their real identity. I respect anyone who's willing to stand publicly behind what they write, and I have very little respect for people who take pot shots under anonymous identities. From what I've seen you've always stood behind your words. I value that very highly.

So welcome again Tad!!

Bob Kuczewski

[TadEareckson]

Marc Fink - 2007/11/13

I do agree that there are useful sides to these discussions--but I can also see that people grow tired of the implied engineering superiority over in-the-field year's of experience.

Just like our good friend Warren in the OzReport you start out with some good premises but then your combative and condescending delivery understandably ticks alot of people off--thereby subverting the effectiveness of the very message you're trying to deliver.

Tad - 2007/11/13

Marc,

I don't follow the Oz Report as regularly as I should. I don't know who Warren is. Can you save me a search and point me in an illustrative direction?

Years of in-the-field experience doing what? Do years of experience as a beltway commuter, cab driver, or NASCAR champion qualify one to design, build, and certify a brake, air bag, or suspension system? Do you really want Maverick designing the hydraulic systems for the F-14? (By the way, when a certain Ridgely tug pilot wanted a better brake system a couple of years ago he asked you-know-who to punch out a copy of one of my designs.)

Jim Rooney - 2007/12/13

I bring up the Oz Forum cuz I seriously believe you fear peer review.

It's easy to rant and rave here on this group because most here are very civil and there's no moderation. Not so over at Oz. There are also very highly qualified individuals lurking there. I honestly think you're afraid.
But of course you'll have an excuse for not going there.

Marc - 2007/12/14

Dammit Jim--if Tad goes over there he's likely to do a mind-meld with Warren and then it's all over--the world will be doomed to a massive Google-weak-link matrix-conspiracy pilot carnage meltdown with mankind's only salvation through our Lord Ron Paul.

PLEEEEASE stop it!

Tad - 2007/12/15

Jim,

Yeah, I'm terrified of peer review. That's why I've spent the past couple of months learning everything I could about suspension, incidents and accidents related to it, developing and defining solutions, modifying my equipment, publicizing recommendations, and addressing every scrap of feedback that's come my way - even though it's an issue that has zero bearing on my own safety.

Wassamatta? Not enough quality talent in this forum to evaluate the proposals? Is the average literacy level better elsewhere? (Gawd, I hope so.) Aren't you sufficiently qualified?

No, I'm not in the least afraid of peer review. The problem is that the crap to peer review ratio seems to be at least ten to one regardless of the forum within which one involves oneself. And if the Land of Oz has fifty times the participation of this local scene I'm gonna have to deal with fifty times the manure. So, ya see my position?

[Bob Kuczewski]

Marc Fink - 2007/11/13

I do agree that there are useful sides to these discussions--but I can also see that people grow tired of the implied engineering superiority over in-the-field year's of experience.

Just like our good friend Warren in the OzReport you start out with some good premises but then your combative and condescending delivery understandably ticks alot of people off--thereby subverting the effectiveness of the very message you're trying to deliver.

Hi Tad,

I agree with Marc that you do tend to be combative and condescending. It does grate on people. But I disagree with Marc on an important point. He seems to view your negative qualities as justification for why your ideas are not being accepted. I don't accept that. You may be all the things he says, but if you're right, then it's up to us (the pilot community) to look past the messenger and try to see the message. If the message is good, then that's how it should be judged ... regardless of the messenger.

Having said all that, it sure would help your message if you were more polite, tactful, and even brief in the delivery of your message!!

This topic is about saying "Hello" to everyone, and I think that's been done. I'd be happy to discuss your previous post further with you if you'd like to start a new topic, but let's leave this one for people signing in and saying "Howdy" to the group.

Thanks, and again ... Welcome to the US Hawks!!!

Bob Kuczewski

[JoeF]

Hello old and coming-to-be US Hawks! If you are from out of state or nation and want to vacate at a point midway of some great hang gliding sites: Santa Barbara, Sylmar, Crestline, Dockweiler, Torrey, etc., and want a special memory experience by living in THE home of five founders of USHGA and Self-Soar Association and Low & Slow and Hang Glider Magazine while perhaps taking lessons at the sites or enjoying the sites and Venice, Ocean Park, and Santa Monica: HERE..

[flysafe]

Hi .. i'm a new member ... like this forum and the discussion ..

[Bob Kuczewski]

Hello flysafe,

Thanks for signing up.

We're still experiencing our early growing pains, so I apologize for the high amount of "political" content and the low amount of "flying" content.

The good news is that you're in on the "ground floor" while we build the organization. So you'll have much more influence on us while we've got less than 100 members than when we have over 2000.

I'm still relatively new to running a forum, so suggestions are always welcome. For example, through some of my conversations with Darth Vader (Al), I just recently added embedded YouTube videos. Just last night I created a new subforum dedicated to video posts. That's how it works here as we grow.

So if you have any suggestions, please post them, or send me a PM, or send me email (bobkuczewski@gmail.com) or if all else fails, just give me a call (858-204-7499). We're all about communication, and I'm always happy to hear from you.

So again, welcome to the US Hawks Hang Gliding Association!!!

Bob Kuczewski

[SamKellner]

Hi .. i'm a new member ... like this forum and the discusion ..

Welcome flysafe,

[TadEareckson]

If the "Nobody" currently listed as US Hawks' newest member is the same Nobody (Steve) who, at Kite Strings on 2011/08/04, wrote:

Bob, you're full of shitt. Go learn how to launch with a tight hang strap !

I can vouch for him and recommend that his:

!! Warning !! The identity of the person who made this post is currently unknown and questionable.

sticker be removed and replaced with at least three Contributor stars. (Especially if he's also Ridgerodent on The Davis Show.)

[Bob Kuczewski]

If the "Nobody" currently listed as US Hawks' newest member is the same Nobody (Steve) who, at Kite Strings ...

I can vouch for him ...

I'd prefer if he asked me himself or at least provided a phone number. Thanks.

[Bill Cummings]

Bob,
When I hit send, (PM) is it supposed to stay in the out box for a while then move to the sent box later?