The Original Fly Girls

I grew up in a family where both parents were aviators, so it is no surprise that I was hooked on aviation as a child.  My mother was an ATA aviator during World War II; my father an US Army Air Corp pilot.

Women pilots of the British Air Transport Auxiliary had nearly the same privileges and status as their male colleagues.  Unfortunately, their sisters  in the American Women's Air Force Service Pilots  (WASP) were denied those same privileges. The women of the ATA were praised for their contribution to the war effort while the WASP were disbanded and sent home to make way for men who wanted their jobs.

The WASP contribution to the war was publicly ignored until 1976, when the USAF made the mistake of 'welcoming the first women ever to be allowed to fly' into their ranks. 

Can you say OOPS?

Courtesy of Texas Woman's University

WASP (from left) Frances Green, Margaret Kirchner, Ann Waldner and Blanche Osborn leave their B-17, called Pistol Packin' Mama, during ferry training at Lockbourne Army Air Force base in Ohio. They're carrying their parachutes.

Tomorrow, finally ... sixty five years later, the WASP's will be officially recognised for their service, and the survivors will gather to be presented with one of this countries highest awards... the Congressional Gold Medal.

As one who was able to fly for her country because of your service to yours, I salute you.


Note: Clicking on the title of this blog entry will take to you NPR.ORG and more on The Original Fly Girls

The Google Settlement - A Day at the Races, A night at the Opera

The Google Settlement debate continues:

Google Settlement Gets Day In Court: "Before he began his remarks, Authors Guild attorney Michael Boni, being f..."

One Lump or Two

I've been following some of the "Tea-Party" antics, and quit frankly there's nothing new here.

Throughout history, people have fallen for the same lines, the same rhetoric, only delivered in different forms by unscrupulous or misguided (intentionally and otherwise) leaders who play on societies fears.

And people fall for it. They suck it up like a dry sponge, and they do it because most citizens want to believe (in an act of what can only be called blind-faith) that their government is doing what is best for them.

They do this because they do not want to get involved in the necessary debate.

They do this because they do not want to be responsible.

Want to make someone's blood boil? Want to make them want to get up and fight for something?

Wave the flag in their face and tell them who’s to blame for their lot in life.

... the Jews, the blacks, the communists, the gays, the young, the elderly...

Lie to them! Tell them they must do this or support that

… for the betterment of society.

In the absence (enforced by threats of persecution by misuse of, or blatant disregard for, the law) of open public debate and opposition, people who crave leadership and direction will believe what they're told... or sold.

... And because society seems bent on refusing to learn from the past, like the man who drinks the sand in the mirage because he is so thirsty, he does so because he doesn't know any better.