Five Bullets 11.29.24
Bears, Parachutes, Guitars & more.
Good Morning and Happy Friday.
It’s a beautiful cool and sunny morning here in New York City. I hope you enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday. I’m spending some much-needed down time with family. I’m grateful for everyone who has read, liked, shared, and commented on this newsletter over the past year. I couldn’t do it without you!
Next week begins the last month of 2024 so with approximately six weeks until the end of the year, I’m thinking about completing unfinished projects, reading books I’ve already started, and generally wrapping things up in hopeful anticipation of exciting projects and opportunities in the new year.
This week’s bullets:
Animals: Lake Tahoe’s Bear Boom. Conflicts between bears and people in Lake Tahoe have increased due to wildfires, a post-pandemic housing boom, and plenty of trash. Most black bears do not post a direct threat to humans and are easily scared away, but this June, a 71-year old woman was mauled to death by a black bear inside her home, the first case in California’s history. Paige Williams reports on the variety of methods Tahoe residents have used to keep bears away though wildlife advocates maintain that the best way to avoid conflict is by educating people.
Crime: Secret Parachute May Have Finally Solved D.B. Cooper’s Identity. New details have emerged regarding the possible identity of D.B. Cooper, the unknown skyjacker who parachuted out of a 1971 flight after demanding $200,000. The case was still unsolved when the FBI closed their file in 2016. The children of Richard McCoy II, who was convicted of a similar skyjacking in 1972, turned over a modified parachute to authorities which they believe was used by their father in the 1971 case.
Environment: Remember those mysterious blobs that were washing up on Canadian shores? A researcher says he’s solved the mystery: a mix of synthetic rubber and polyvinyl acetate, a kind of glue used in the shipping industry though the exact source is still unknown. The white blobs pose a threat to the environment, polluting waterways with synthetic material that wildlife could mistake for food.
Music: U.S. Border Agents Seize $18 Million Of Fake Gibson Guitars. In one of the largest counterfeit instrument busts, U.S. Customs announced they seized nearly 3,000 fake Gibson guitars but information including where the instruments came from and who made them has yet to be released. Gibson guitars are made in the United States and the knock-offs would have raised the eyebrow of experienced guitarists and musicians.
NYC: Continuing with the animal and environmental theme in today’s newsletter, a whale was spotted in the East River near the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges earlier this week. Whales, dolphins and other marine life in New York harbor aren’t uncommon but boat traffic in the East River makes sightings rare. The Coast Guard’s unsure if the whale was a humpback or a North Atlantic right whale.
That’s all for this week. I really enjoy getting this weekly list together. It gives me a reason to explore my interests, learn more, and share it with you.
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We watched The Dig last week--beautiful! Thanks so much for the recommendation!