PANDER AND RUN

I am not a big Peter Beinart fan, but he absolutely nails this one.

Privately, some Democrats, while admitting that they haven't exactly been taking the high road, say they have no choice, that in a competition with Karl Rove, nice guys finish last. But even politically, that's probably wrong. The Democratic Party's single biggest foreign policy liability is not that Americans think Democrats are soft. It is that Americans think Democrats stand for nothing, that they have no principles beyond political expedience. And given the party's behavior over the past several months, it is not hard to understand why.

Read the whole thing.

USER FEES A REAL THREAT TO GA

$30 for a flight service station "consultation," plus an additional $5.31 for each forecast product used. That's GA reality in the United Kingdom.

$1.50 per minute for an FSS briefing in Germany. $1,000 for a private pilot knowledge test in the Netherlands.

In Austria, $31 to fly an ILS approach, and $70 to land after the approach. "In my situation, it's actually cheaper to fly the whole family by airline to the United States, rent an aircraft for about 30 hours, and have a nice two-week vacation (including hotel and rental car costs) than flying the same amount of hours in Europe," wrote an Austrian pilot to AOPA President Boyer.

In New Zealand, the wife of a pilot tells of how her husband complained about the expense of getting a briefing and filing a flight plan. He was killed in a weather-related accident. He'd skipped the briefing and hadn't filed.

Read the whole thing, and make sure your Congressman and Senators here from you this election year.

LITTLE AILERON

Took a short flight with Little Aileron tonight. He was not impressed with the C150. Might help if you take the sun shade out of the windshield little man!

BJORN LOMBORG: SETTING PRIORITIES

The Wall Street Journal had an excellent article today by Kimberley Strassel on Bjorn Lomborg. Mr. Lomborg is the Danish political scientist who wrote "The Skeptical Environmentalist." Mr. Lomborg argues persuasively that policy makers need to prioritize in addressing world problems based on cost effectiveness. This would, of course, require policy makers to act rationally! I don't hold much hope out that this will happen any time soon, but Mr. Lomborg's argument makes alot of sense.

Interestingly, when economists (from all political stripes) were asked to prioritize issues based on cost effectiveness, global warming dropped to the bottom of the list! Based on Lomborg's argument, Al Gore is in fact acting quite irrationally. Yes, I know - it is hard to believe that anyone would suggest that the inventor of the Internet is irrational.

BERMUDA HIGH SOARING

I flew to Bermuda High Soaring today while the family was away - about an hour and ten minute flight in the C150. Sorry for the old and not so good picture. My wife had the digital camera, so I didn't get any pictures today.

For those of you who have never taken a glider ride, you really should if you ever have the opportunity. Every fixed wing pilot would benefit from a little glider training. Most tricycle gear pilots really have limited skills when it comes to proper use of rudder. A few flights in a glider will really help the tricycle gear pilot gain a valuable appreciation for stick and rudder coordination - not to mention it is just plain (pun intended) fun!!

The transition from Private Pilot airplane to Private Pilot glider can be completed in three or four days for as little as $1,500. If you are ever in South Carolina, stop by and see Frank and Jayne at Bermuda High Soaring.

FLYING INTO MANNING, SC

PROJECT PILOT

This is an interesting new program from AOPA designed to increase the number of student pilots. If you are a current pilot and wish to mentor a new student pilot, or if you are a current student pilot or are interested in becoming a pilot, then go here to get started.

Fly Safe!