Holy smoke... 87 hours without power, another 24 before Comcast comes back
online, and there's just a *few* new postings on RAH since my last visit.

Didn't read much closely, but let me chime in a bit on a couple of things.

Let me address some of the stuff that came up as I scanned the postings.

1. "Govern yourself accordingly": I saw a comment that Zoom had learned this
phrase from one of his recent court cases. Not true...This has been one of the
Zoomer's perennials; one he's used for decades. It was used AT him by the
Federal judge in his first lawsuit against Sun-N-Fun:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE COURT (i.e. The Honorable Richard A. Lazzara, Unites States District Judge):
Excuse me, excuse me, he asks the questions --

THE WITNESS (i.e., James R. Campbell): I do know Mr. Jones.

THE COURT: Excuse me, I'm not through yet.

THE WITNESS: Oh, I apologize.

THE COURT: He asks the questions, you give an answer. Do not editorialize, do
not characterize.

THE WITNESS: Oops. It's my job. Sorry, sir.

THE COURT: You know, Mr. Campbell, maybe it hasn't dawned on you, but you're in
a Federal Courtroom now.

THE WITNESS: Yes, sir, I understand that.

THE COURT: Okay, and you're going to conduct yourself accordingly.

THE WITNESS: Yes, sir.

THE COURT: All right?

THE WITNESS: Okay.

THE COURT: I don't want anymore flippant remarks like that.

---Transcript, Case# 99-799-Civ-T-26C, 8 April 1999
----------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Zoom's holding a license/medical. As others posted, the FAA pulled his
medical in the early '80s. Zoom did get it back, in about 1984. It was listed
in the FAA pilot database in the late '90s. At one point the FAA gave pilots
the option of not having their data included in the public release of the
databases. Zoom was not listed in the next release.

The aircraft registration database still shows an amateur-built aircraft
registered to the Zoomer.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Zoom's discharge from the Air Force: I happen to believe that Zoom's
military service ended with an honorable discharge.

Why? 'Cause the Zoomer says so.

Fear not... t'was Helena, Montana that froze over last night, not the infernal
regions. I've got a perfectly rational explanation why I believe Campbell in
this case: Because it was the only POSITIVE thing he could say about himself at
the time.

To understand the circumstances, let's step back to that courtroom in New York
City twenty-seven years ago. Jim Campbell is being questioned, under oath,
about his military service:
-------------------------------------------------------------
Q. And where were you stationed?
A. First in San Antonio, Texas, for basic training. Upon completion of basic
training, to the Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado.
Q. And you were only in the service for approximately six or eight months?
A. There was a period of time before that -- it was called "inactive." That was
from October of '74, early in my senior year of high school with the United
States Army National Guard, 3rd/104 Armed CAB, that was at the time -- they've
since been reassigned. I made a switch from Army to Air Force in June of that
year. I didn't go until November. I was trying rather hard, and in -fact even
succeeded in getting a nomination to one of the service academies, which was the
reason for the period of time with the military. That attempt was unsuccessful
Q. And Mr. Campbell, you were terminated from the armed services. What was the
reason for that?
A. It was an honorable discharge.

--- NTSB SE-4661
--------------------------------------------------------------
Note the classic evasion: "Why were you terminated?" Zoom doesn't answer the
*why*, he just says he received a discharge... after just eight months of
service. If he'd been RIF'd...why not say so? Obviously, what brought about
the discharge is not something Zoom wanted to talk about.

I was suspicious about the claim to an honorable discharge, too...until I asked
a buddy who has been an Army company commander.

The upshot is that an honorable discharge is the *easiest* way to get rid of
someone you don't want. Endless paperwork on any of the others, and the danger
that the person will come back with a lawyer and sue. If you've got someone you
DON'T want, the quickest solution is to give them an honorable discharge. Every
other type involves yards of paperwork, in comparison.

In any case, I don't think even Zoom would have dared to lie, in that situation.
It was very likely that the government's attorney had obtained a copy of his
discharge paperwork, as part of the investigation.

4. Someone commented about Zoom seeming to be worse right now. If so, there's a
very good reason for it...one I recall mentioning to a fellow RAH-15'er a couple
of months back. Told ya so. :-)

Ron Wanttaja