http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=25302
Interview with Davis Straub, OzReport founder
Kostya Marchenko - 2012/02/20 21:11:34 UTC
We recently published an interview with Davis Straub where he talks about his early days, how he started hang gliding, about Oz Report and other things.
Read it here:
http://aviacamp.com/
2012/02/20 21:34:35 UTC - Sink This! -- Brian Horgan
2012/02/20 22:06:47 UTC - Sink This! -- fly,surf,&ski
Brian Horgan - 2012/02/20 21:39:13 UTC
i personally dont care about davis stub and his huge ego.The guy has the character of a jelly fish and he does not know what the word humility means.
Well, it seems we have at least one area of general agreement. That may well be the extent of it however...
How about starting a string on SG,who has done more to connect the hg community by starting this site than mr ego has ever done.
Yeah, Jack sure has created a nice, homogenous, inbred little community. However, in aviation that's NEVER a good thing.
2012/02/20 22:06:24 UTC - 3 thumbs up - fly,surf,&ski
2012/02/20 23:48:09 UTC - 3 thumbs up - Marco Weber
Allen Sparks - 2012/02/20 21:44:47 UTC
fascinating ...
to round it out, you should also do an interview with
hang gliding safety activist Tad Eareckson
http://www.kitestrings.org/topic2.html
I don't think of myself as a hang gliding safety activist. More of an instructor and common sense advocate.
Kostya Marchenko - 2012/02/20 21:49:15 UTC
This was second in series of interviews and there definitely will be more.
I'll try to interview both SG and Tad Eareckson if they would have spare time.
- Please don't ever use my name in the same sentence with that motherfucker ever again.
- Don't interview me. Nothing about me is terribly important or relevant. Just check my math and if you get the same numbers then please get behind them and do some editorializing on Davis.
Also I'm looking for suggestions who else to interview and you can post your suggestions in this thread.
Doug Hildreth. But, sadly, he ain't around no more. (And he's probably rolling in his grave in response to the state of this sport.)
My aim is to try to interview more notable people from both PG and HG world as it's always nice to know people better.
Yeah. Until you get to know them better anyway.
fly,surf,&ski - 2012/02/20 22:07:45 UTC
Torrey Pines
i personally dont care about davis...
Very well put
NMERider - 2012/02/20 23:27:48 UTC
to round it out, you should also do an interview...
Hey Davis Link Boy, how's tricks?
Jack Axaopoulos - 2012/02/20 23:54:13 UTC
The attacks on Davis are uncalled for. Please refrain.
The attacks on Davis don't begin to scratch the surface. Please get things properly in gear.
As for me, im no one special worth being interviewed, and dont like the attention.
Neither would I if I were a lying, cowardly, back stabbing, scum sucking bottom dweller.
If anyone should be interviewed, its the interesting people and characters on this site that make it interesting.
Yeah, it's "interesting" alright. I'll bet there are a lot of next of kin of hang gliding people who wish that this sport and the Jack and Davis Show people who participate in and control it were a lot less interesting.
Paul Hurless - 2012/02/21 01:58:42 UTC
Reno
to round it out...
Good idea, if by activist you mean "arrogant asshole".
I'll take it over being a stupid, useless, spineless asshole anytime, Paul.
2012/02/21 03:19:44 UTC - Sink This! -- Kostya Marchenko
2012/02/24 05:26:47 UTC - 3 thumbs up - Mike Bomstad
Newton - 2012/02/21 02:27:57 UTC
Look in a mirror Paul.
Yech!
2012/02/21 03:19:34 UTC - Sink This! -- Kostya Marchenko
2012/02/24 06:07:24 UTC - Sink This! -- Mike Bomstad
Paul Hurless - 2012/02/21 02:53:48 UTC
Wow, that's awesome. Did you take a long time to think that up? So, what grade are you in?
Who cares? Anything over about third or fourth is out of your depth anyway.
2012/02/21 03:19:11 UTC - Sink This! -- Kostya Marchenko
Kostya Marchenko - 2012/02/21 03:32:11 UTC
Can we keep behaving as responsible adults please.
Not after all the responsible adults - and, if any, responsible ten year old kids - have been systematically eliminated from the Jack and Davis Shows gene pools.
Behaving like an adult means not offending each other but rather explaining your point of view and supplementing it with arguments.
- What? Are people over the age of seventeen supposed to have some kind of monopoly on that approach?
- Just how much research have you done in those two forums?
- You want that kind of environment then PLEASE come over here. That's EXACTLY the kind I want - and the establishment of this forum seems to have been the only way to attain it.
I think no one can deny that Davis is a notable person in hang gliding world...
I'll give you that. And nobody can deny that Bernie Madoff was a notable person in the financial world.
...some people like him...
Fuck them and the horses they rode in on.
...some don't.
Anybody with any shreds of decency who's been paying attention.
What I wanted to do by doing an interview with him is to give everyone additional perspective on his personality.
Brian did it so much more effectively with so much more efficient use of bandwidth.
To keep this thread valuable and useful let's stay within certain boundaries:
- If you have a suggestion whom to interview next - please post it as a reply, preferably with short note why do you think so.
- If you have an opinion - please post it supplementing with arguments to explain why do you think so.
Thanks
Yeah. Like that approach is gonna work on a mainstream hang gliding forum.
Dan Johnson (theayeinthesky) - 2012/02/21 03:49:37 UTC
San Andreas, California
Fair enough, I did learn about Davis's connection to Gowen through his Dad.
Me being a B17 freak, that's pretty cool. But let's face it, a lot of great pilots are arrogant assholes, the really great ones (I'll name some if you want) aren't.
I'll second that. The really great pilots are the ones who understand that being a really great pilot really isn't that much to write home about.
I would join OZ, except the rules seem narcissistic on his part.
Get real. It should be pretty obvious that there are no rules whatsoever and Davis just does whatever the fuck he feels like as long as he thinks it's in his personal best interest.
Jack is a paragon of free speech.
Yeah?
It can get out of hand, but otherwise it ain't free.
Seriously, interview Spark.
Why? What the hell has he ever done that hundreds of other people have done better first?
Paul Hurless - 2012/02/21 03:50:21 UTC
I don't believe it's necessary for me to supplement my reference to Tad as an arrogant asshole with any arguments seeing as how he pretty much made them all on his own and now he's no longer here on the .org.
Hey Dan... What was that you were just saying about Jack being a paragon of free speech?
What else would you call someone who offered numerous abusive attacks on anyone who dared to disagree with his views?
An arrogant asshole - obviously. But if he were an arrogant asshole who happened to be right about a few things, I'd be paying close attention. And I've never heard you make anything of a case that he wasn't. And I note that you're not making anything of an effort to do so now.
2012/02/21 13:11:20 UTC - 3 thumbs up - Sam Kellner
mrcc - 2012/02/21 04:18:44 UTC
Auckland
We all enjoy a common interest, there is no need to get personal.
I'm afraid there really really IS.
But we should all be respectful of our fellow pilots.
No freakin' way. It's absolutely essential that respect be earned and deserved. Giving it away on the ASSUMPTION that it is is a really great way to get yourself and fellow pilots killed. And the default assumption, I'm afraid, must be that it ISN'T. And it usually doesn't take long for a confirmation.
In respect for Noman 3, I do enjoy most of your comments ???!!!!
Great. I hold the opposite perspective.
Newton - 2012/02/21 04:32:30 UTC
What else would you call someone who offered numerous abusive attacks on anyone who dared to disagree with his views?
Responsible
2012/02/21 05:11:40 UTC - Sink This! -- Paul Hurless
Dan Johnson - 2012/02/21 05:10:07 UTC
For making this statement: "I'm also not in favor of everybody who gets into this sport getting back out alive." WTF?
Newton - 2012/02/21 06:08:45 UTC
Try READING more and asking less.
Dan Johnson - 2012/02/21 06:19:29 UTC
I read the WHOLE web page, before I posted.
Wow. The WHOLE web page. Over fourteen hundred posts - many very extensive - and you read a WHOLE page before your attention span was maxed out and you passed judgment.
Now, why don't you explain it to me, since having the name of a Genius, I might learn something.
There's no way in hell you're ever gonna learn anything from a genius. Stick with your fellow Jack Show morons so you don't push your comfort level too much.
I don't know Tad. I've heard his name many times.
- Yeah, when I hear somebody's name many times in reference to hang gliding controversies I tend to check him out myself instead of asking someone else for an explanation. But I DO understand how taxing reading a whole page must've been for you.
- And hey... You don't hafta like me personally or agree with a lot of what I have to say - but that's not a reason to discount EVERYTHING I have to say. Goes for anybody else too. Even scum like Rooney, Jack, and Davis.
Apparently, he does well in getting himself booted from forums.
- Thank you. I always know I'm saying the right things whenever I get booted off a forum. And I regret and apologize for the punches I pulled to extend my stays on some of them - particularly the Jack and Davis Shows.
- Did you check out my history on The Jack Show?
Jack, is a paragon of free speech. It can get out of hand, but otherwise it ain't free.
- Any comment on the manner in which I got myself booted from his forum?
The quote I posted might explain his outlook, and why nobody wants to hear it?
- Have you looked at my hit counters?
- Is the assumption that people get locked down, booted, censored, shut down, arrested, executed, mowed down in the street because no one wants to hear them a good one?
Newton - 2012/02/21 06:57:46 UTC
Keep reading and thinking.
If this guy were capable of reading and/or thinking you wouldn't need to be advising him on what to do at this point.
Dan Johnson - 2012/02/21 07:04:31 UTC
OK, Newton! Who the fuck are you to presume to tell me what to do?
Yes, Dan. Perish the thought that anybody should advise you to read and think and thus catastrophically disrupt your state of equilibrium.
Go back to the basement where you belong.
Yeah, we sure don't need people like Newton exercising his free speech principles to interfere with our free speech.
Your on my pending ignore list
You tell him, Dan! If he says anything else you just use your little Jack Show button to eliminate any possibility of you hearing anything more he has to say.
if you have nothing to say but sociopathic fixations with failure to hook in instances, you need to see a specialist in these sort of mental disorders right away!
Yeah, real sociopath. Trying to get people to think about whether or not they're connected to their gliders right before running off the ramp so they can meet their little girls in the LZ instead of leaving them screaming in horror at launch. People like that have no business whatsoever freely associating with decent hang glider pilots - or pretty much anybody else for that matter.
Edit - 2012/02/21 11:27:11 UTC
All appologies for this, just trying to earn some thumbs down, so I have something to aspire to.
And you think that that kind of behavior stands any chance of earning you thumbs down from the Jack Show crowd?
2012/02/21 22:57:42 UTC - Sink This! -- Brent Benoist
Newton - 2012/02/21 07:27:38 UTC
Thanks Sky.
Dan Johnson - 2012/02/21 07:48:48 UTC
Your Welcome! Sorry, I went overboard, but I still ask WTF?
Keep reading and thinking.
Actually, this quote is worth posting on my desk.
Yeah, just post it on your desk. That way you don't hafta actually do any and other people will be left with the impression that you actually ARE.
Christopher LeFay - 2012/02/21 10:03:50 UTC
I would join OZ, except the rules seem narcissistic on his part.
Such as what rule, exactly? Actually, forget the question - independent of what ever nit you may pick, I've never, ever been censored by Davis - directly, or through threats - even when championing opposite sides of contentious issues.
Yeah, Christopher.
- As long as you never say or do anything of much substance in this sport you can get along great with just about anybody.
- And as long as YOU'VE never, ever been censored by Davis - directly, or through threats - even when championing opposite sides of contentious issues, why should you give a rat's ass when you see him doing that shit to other people all the time?
Another case where experience is no substitute for imagination.
I've had the experience - lotsa times. Fuck you.
Dan Johnson - 2012/02/21 10:22:50 UTC
Hey Chris,
I'll have to take sometime to find it. Be back in a flash, if I don't get caught up looking at all the hot babe pics over there.
- Anybody ever ask any of the hot babes in this sport how they feel about all the hot babe pics over there?
- Anybody ever ask ANYBODY in this sport how they feel about getting a dose of light porn every time they wanna check on something going on in the sport?
Yeah, there are lotsa very attractive photos of very attractive babes that get my attention when I go over there. But that's not the place for them.
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10
Welcome to, and policies of, the Oz Report discussion group
This seems to be the thing that bugs me.
For the new pilots who come here in your blazing ignorance (and your burning desire for a hint of acceptance), I say, humility is a fine cloak for your obsessive egos. Lurk, listen, read (past issues - using the search function in the Oz Report itself and the other (non Google) search function in the forum), and, if you must, ask questions, without explaining to us first how you know everything already.
Sounds like "STFU, and listen to me because I'm mister know it all."
My, you ARE perceptive, aren't you?
An HG pilot recently told me that a lot of the "core" people in HG are So full of themselves. This is sadly true.
Just "a lot"? Name one who isn't.
I have been told that I don't listen by people who don't want to have a conversation, just assert their alleged superiority over me.
Even after you've mentally exhausted yourself by reading a WHOLE web page?! That's OUTRAGEOUS!!!
Thing is I am not a completely inexperienced Flyer...
So what?
I don't have a massive ego, but I will tune out people who think they're all that.
- You'll tune people out after you've mentally exhausted yourself by reading a WHOLE web page and before even listening to what they have to say.
- Just because a core person in hang gliding is full of himself and asserts his alleged superiority over you doesn't mean you can't learn anything valuable from him.
- And it can be - and almost always is - WAY more valuable to listen to a core person in hang gliding who's full of himself and asserting his alleged superiority over you and figure out why he's totally full of shit.
I can admitt my brain farts, why can't certain other people?
Who gives a rat's ass? Nothing's stopping you from identifying other people's brain farts and publicizing them. But if you start identifying the brain farts of people like Jack, Davis, Bob, and Sam you're not gonna be finding them all to be the paragons of free speech you might believe them to be.
Really didn't appreciate some of he stuff Davis has said over here i.e.. criticism of the King Meet, political stuff, etc.
But you're totally cool with him on hang checks, Aussie Methodism, Davis Links, and bent pin releases, right?
Worst part of OZ forum is, I am expected to write cogently?
If you can't think cogently - and you can't - you're never gonna be able to write cogently. But that's OK - 'cause if you could you wouldn't be able to post on The Jack Show for very long.
Spontaneity is more fun...
In the short term - no doubt whatsoever.
...and you KNOW how wrapped around the axel I get with physics.
Yeah. You undoubtedly made the right decision in limiting your reading in Kite Strings to the extent you did.
Dennis Cavagnaro (HGXC) - 2012/02/21 15:30:59 UTC
My love affair with hang Gliding began over 38 years ago. There are many things I enjoy but a few that for me are pretty sad.
One of them is the way we treat people who contribute to the sport. Now I think some of you realize our sport is a financial nightmare. It is extremely inconvenient to coexist with most normal lifestyles and life demands. Think of what it take in committment and desire to stay active for 20-30+ years!
Now I have had my share of disagreements with Davis over the twenty years we have known each other. Some laced with anger. But for the last twenty years this guy has through his writing and efforts given this sport more then most of us combined.
Bullshit. He's an evil, self serving asshole who's been instrumental in keeping the sport retarded and dangerous and he's got a lot of blood on his hands.
To deny that, to marginalize that is a disservice to the sport and ourselves.
Crucify me.
He started the report in 96/97? No facebook then, slow computers, web in its early times. He has basically lived the life of the roving reporter giving us homebodies a viewpoint of HGing around the world.
Yeah. *A* viewpoint. And nothing we didn't have before.
He f ing still competes in his mid sixties and as a guy not too far behind that gets my respect right there.
- Not at present. He ripped up his shoulder landing in a narrow dry riverbed with large rocks strewn all over the place - I mean an airstrip.
- Big fuckin' deal.
But he has a personalty, a point of view, he is a character.
His personality is as Brian described it, who gives a rat's ass about his point of view, and he has no character.
It seems the guys who stick with HGing for the long run and give back at least as much as they take all can be described in these same terms. Funny how that is.
Show me how hang gliding would've been worse off if one of his unhooked launches had happened at Henson at the 1988 Nationals.
I am trying to have a shorter memory of the things that my fellow pilots do that piss me off and a longer memory of what they leave on the table for others.
This isn't just a question of pissing people off. This is a matter of suppressing technology and procedures which would've prevented serious injuries, cripplings, and deaths and forcing everybody up on Davis Links which are the primary causes of crashes in aerotowing.
Stay Thirsty,
Dennis
Dan Johnson - 2012/02/21 15:43:17 UTC
Well said.
Get fucked.
Tormod Helgesen - 2012/02/21 16:16:24 UTC
Oslo
Once I commented on something errenious Davis wrote, He subsequently edited his post without commenting on his changes, made me look like an ass. Stayed (mostly) away from threads where he's active since.
And I've had stuff chopped up, sabotaged, and deleted.
Andrew Stakhov - 2012/02/21 16:42:16 UTC
Toronto
Can you all stop whining? It's like childish seriously. Grow a pair...
Those are very serious charges and issues - asshole.
This thread seriously got off track...
Good. Most of the better ones tend to.
Davis Straub - 2012/02/21 16:57:15 UTC
Thanks, Dennis. You're a mensch.
You didn't even dispute Tormod's charges. And you call Dennis a mensch?
My dictionary defines a mensch as "a person of integrity and honor". What the fuck could a scumbag such as yourself ever possibly understand about integrity and honor?
Jim Gaar - 2012/02/21 21:20:27 UTC
No Tad - No Newton
Not anybody with an IQ much over the mid double digits.