PM with OP

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Bob Kuczewski
Posts: 660
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:39 am
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PM with OP

Post by Bob Kuczewski »

Moderator: I am not sure where this topic belongs, but with the forum being so dead, I figured I'd post it here. If the moderator wishes to move it, please feel free and delete this first paragraph. If the moderator decides to leave this topic here, then please delete this paragraph as well. Thanks.


I happened to check my Personal Messages on this forum, and I noticed some of my old messages with "OP". For some reason, they seem to be incomplete, but I'd like to share what I have for posterity. I hope OP doesn't mind.

I think I had written to OP (or a moderator?) about posting pictures on the forum. I can't remember if the forum didn't support pictures or if it limited the size or format at that time. OP was suggesting that I use "imgur" for posting pictures, and I think I was asking why they couldn't be supported in the forum (at least that's my deduction). Anyway, here's the PM that I got from OP in 2011:
Re: imgur

Sent: Mon May 30, 2011 7:38 pm
From: OP
Recipient: Bob Kuczewski
Imgur is so easy for simple picture sharing.

I guess you do have a point for posterity. The pictures will go away after a while.

If it is a simple and silly picture. Just post it with a picture viewer.

If you feel it is an important picture that needs to be saved for the future, Use a method like personal web space, or a flicker site where you login in.
I must have responded, but I can't seem to find it. OP replied with this (although it's odd that the date is 2013 ... two years later):
Re: imgur

Sent: Fri Mar 01, 2013 1:49 pm
From: OP
Recipient: Bob Kuczewski
Yea, the PHPBB that we use requires a .jpg or similar.

You could use imgur.com. Provide me with your pics and i can host them for you.
I think you operate ushawks.org. Just host them on your site a different way. throw them in the html directory with a regular file name on them.

A story about you:

Sarah, a biomedical intern that was recently converted to full time at work told me a story. She was walking through the UCSD campus when she met people doing hang gliding tandems. Basically you gave them either free or subsidized tandem flights at lake elsinore. That is super cool of you. I just started flying when that recall thing happened. I don't know anything about the politics of the situation. But that story as told above earns you high marks by me.
It was a nice coincidence that OP knew Sarah. As OP recounted, I had set up the 65 square foot "Little Hawk" glider (donated to me by Dino and modified by me with lots of help from John Heiney and Mitch McAleer) and was running with it on a small grassy slope near the center of the UCSD campus (in front of the famous library). I was trying to interest students in starting a UCSD hang gliding club that might be able to preserve Bill Bennett's training hill which was on UCSD property just east of the Gliderport itself. Sarah and several other students had a good time running with Little Hawk, so I arranged for Dave Beardslee to take some of the students on tandem flights at Elsinore (Dave had been banned from flying tandem at Torrey which would have been much more convenient!). I did pay Dave for the flights since he's given his life to the sport - and forsaken any practical income for the love of flying.

I must have written back to OP about the coincidence of him knowing Sarah and I must have sent him some photos (probably through the forum), but I can't find the outgoing messages. OP responded:
Re: imgur

Sent: Fri Mar 08, 2013 9:41 pm
From: OP
Recipient: Bob Kuczewski

I see Sarah Cleabx everyday. Yea, she's gigantic. Probably 5'11. She is my cubicle neighbor at work. She's the only one I can have a conversation with above a cubical wall without walking around. She's pretty cool person, engineer, rock climbs, hikes, and plays serious volleyball. I'll show her those photos.

Wow, you have done a lot of awesome outreach. Bring that glider to Dockwhiler and run it off the 30 foot dune.

I don't know anything about the politics of hang gliding. I don't know of any person doing anything like what you just sent me. Seems like they write an article in the USHPA about this. Some how you are a vilin to them? I don't understand. Anyway you are awesome keep it up.

If I'm down your way, I've never flown torrey, I'll give you a call.
That was back in 2013. A couple years later (2014) I had testified as an expert witness regarding a young woman who was injured during paragliding training at Torrey. By the spring of 2015 I had been expelled by USHPA with a broadcast list of my "crimes against humanity" sent to every USHPA member. OP had begun joining forces with the gang coming after me with pitchforks. I don't recall what prompted this message, but it is one that I sent to OP:
Phone Call?

Sent: Sun Dec 27, 2015 10:14 pm
From: Bob Kuczewski
Recipient: OP
Hello OP,

Forums are notorious for escalating conflicts. Unfortunately, they're also one of the best ways to spread ideas among a large group. It's a double edged sword.

Maybe we would never see eye to eye anyway, but trading posts on a forum certainly doesn't help.

If you'd ever like to have a serious discussion about the RRG or other issues in flying, I'd welcome your call any time. My phone number is 858-204-7499. Please feel free to call at your convenience if you like, or please send me your number and I can pick up the cost of the call.

Either way, thanks for doing what you think best ... whether I agree or not.

Bob
Things escalated on the forum anyway, and at some point OP used his clever wit to falsely quote me and make a joke of it. By then I had been expelled, spent time in jail for asserting my rights to be in a public park, and was facing a 7 year lawsuit. I didn't need any false quotes from me, so I sternly asked OP to remove the post.

Please remove libelous post immediately.

Sent: Mon Dec 28, 2015 8:02 pm
From: Bob Kuczewski
Recipient: OP
OP,

Your last post is libel since I did not say what you posted.

You may have intended it to be funny, and I'll take it in that spirit. But anyone searching the internet and finding that quote could use it in ways that are harmful to me both personally and professionally.

I am therefore asking you to remove it immediately.

Thanks in advance,
Bob Kuczewski
To OP's credit, I do believe that he honored my request.

In the past (before the "information" age) people would often discover handwritten letters written long ago that would help us put history into perspective. I'm not sure if that's been improved or worsened with our modern technology. Only time will tell.

Thanks for the exchange OP. I hope you got your wings.

Bob
Last edited by Bob Kuczewski on Wed Oct 12, 2022 5:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Join a National Hang Gliding Organization: US Hawks at ushawks.org
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Every human at every point in history has an opportunity to choose courage over cowardice. Look around and you'll find that opportunity in your own time.
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Bob Kuczewski
Posts: 660
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Re: PM with OP

Post by Bob Kuczewski »

P.S. I did a quick search of the U.S. Hawks web site and found this picture of Sarah (below). It's one of many from several visits to UCSD with Little Hawk over the years. You can find more pictures from that day (and other UCSD visits) at these links:

https://ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=83
https://ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=193
https://ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=197
https://ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=888
https://ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1147
https://ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1326
https://ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1373


Here's the picture:
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Join a National Hang Gliding Organization: US Hawks at ushawks.org
View my rating at: USHGRS
Every human at every point in history has an opportunity to choose courage over cowardice. Look around and you'll find that opportunity in your own time.
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