History Stuff

D.B. Cooper: The Mystery Man Who Vanished into Thin Air

In 1971, a man using the alias D.B. Cooper pulled off one of the most daring heists in U.S. history, leaving behind nothing but questions that still baffle investigators to this day.

On the afternoon of November 24, Cooper boarded a Northwest Orient Airlines flight from Portland to Seattle. He was an unassuming man in his mid-40s, wearing a business suit, sunglasses, and carrying a black attaché case. But after takeoff, things took a wild turn—he handed a note to a flight attendant claiming he had a bomb. Cooper demanded $200,000 in cash, four parachutes, and a fuel refill in Seattle.

The authorities scrambled to meet his demands, and when the plane landed in Seattle, they delivered the ransom money and parachutes. In exchange, Cooper allowed the 36 passengers to disembark, but he kept several crew members on board. The plane took off again, headed toward Mexico City at Cooper's command, with its crew unaware that Cooper had a different plan in mind.

At some point during the flight, somewhere over the dense forests of the Pacific Northwest, Cooper opened the plane's rear staircase and parachuted into the night—taking the money with him. And just like that, he vanished.

Despite an extensive search of the area and a massive FBI investigation, no one ever found Cooper, his parachute, or most of the ransom money. A few scattered bills were discovered years later near the Columbia River, but they only deepened the mystery.

Was D.B. Cooper a skilled parachutist who survived the jump and lived the rest of his life in anonymity, or did he perish in the wilderness, his remains never to be found? We still don’t know. The FBI officially closed the case in 2016, making D.B. Cooper’s disappearance one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in American history.

So, why has D.B. Cooper become a legend? It’s not just about the audacity of his crime; it’s the way he vanished without a trace. In a world that seems to catch every criminal eventually, Cooper beat the system, leaving us to wonder forever.

Retro Cool

The Apple online store (1997)

Dude of the Week

Gu Yupeng

Ever just have those days where you don’t want to get out of bed? This week’s Dude of the Week, Gu Yupeng, had the same feeling - but actually did something about it. 

Gu Yupeng, a Chinese inventor, combined a passion for cars and the ultimate desire for comfort to create a drivable bed. Imagine hitting the snooze button and cruising down the street without ever leaving your cozy spot. Yupeng’s bed-car is powered by a joystick and fully functional, blending fun and practicality. While it might sound like a lazy dream come true, this motorized mattress could also prove useful in disaster zones or emergencies, offering mobility where traditional vehicles might struggle. We call it an ATM; an All-Terrain Mattress.

Yupeng’s fascination with cars started in childhood, and this invention reflects years of experimentation and dedication to both comfort and engineering. While some might see it as quirky, we believe it’s a testament to how inventive minds can bring even the wildest dreams to life. The vehicle can reach speeds sufficient for urban driving, and its design includes key safety features, making it more than just a gimmick.

Beyond its charm, the bed-car poses intriguing possibilities. Its ability to function in various environments could make it useful in specialized settings like disaster recovery or even large campuses. By transforming a piece of everyday furniture into a functional vehicle, Yupeng challenges the limits of practicality and fun, giving us a peek into a world where comfort isn’t sacrificed for mobility.

Watch his ATM live in action 👇

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Frames

The Holdovers (2023) 

• Director: Alexander Payne

• Cinematography: Eigil Bryld

This movie has a killer soundtrack (a lot of Christmas songs)