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| Hello everyone! |
Last month, I wrote a long winded saga about getting my plane wet. I had written about how wild stories were being bantered about the imagined causes of the incident and the non existent injuries. When our local news magazine mentioned information that they had gleaned from the local papers, I wrote the editor (who is a friendly acquaintance) taking exception to the 'facts' being reported and pointing out that the only truth in the story was that the plane had been recovered. Every other 'fact' was indeed, wrong. The Thousand Island Life magazine is published monthly and has a wide range of fascinating stories about the islands, the people and the various 'happenings' in our local area.
There is a widespread feeling that the media in general plays fast and loose with the facts, are lazy in fact checking, and jump to their own conclusions. Then they wonder why they are as welcomed as a mosquito in Rio. Even if completely untrue, there is also a widespread feeling that private pilots and small airplanes are inherently 'dangerous', and my experience fit their narrative perfectly. Great stuff for the local papers on a slow news day. Still, I was dumbfounded by the editor's reaction.
She immediately asked if I could write a story not only explaining what had actually happened, but printing the entire blog entry - photos and all- including my email to her sharing my feeling that I had been somewhat torpedoed by the reporting. We send our monthly newsletter to our family and a handful of friends, but the magazine has a reach of well over 5,000 readers in the immediate local area and have the ability to get a lot of tongues wagging or put the kibosh on people telling tales out of school.
She immediately asked if I could write a story not only explaining what had actually happened, but printing the entire blog entry - photos and all- including my email to her sharing my feeling that I had been somewhat torpedoed by the reporting. We send our monthly newsletter to our family and a handful of friends, but the magazine has a reach of well over 5,000 readers in the immediate local area and have the ability to get a lot of tongues wagging or put the kibosh on people telling tales out of school.
I have heard of the occasional rare retraction but this was a genuine expression of regret over how they had relied on information from the local press, and wanting to not only make things right but getting a new story out of it too. If you are curious about the TIL magazine retraction and the subsequent article, it can be found HERE.
Just because a boy doesn't currently have an airplane to play with, doesn't mean there are no fun and games to be had. We had our club's annual fly-in at our private airstrip and I got certified as an experienced (but uninsured) toilet paper bomber. A friend and I climbed to 1000 feet in his plane and I 'carpet bombed' the BBQ in progress below. Watching toilet paper rolls unravel into 75 foot long streamers silently landing all over the participants who were shaking their fists at us is what boys currently without an airplane do for fun.
Just because a boy doesn't currently have an airplane to play with, doesn't mean there are no fun and games to be had. We had our club's annual fly-in at our private airstrip and I got certified as an experienced (but uninsured) toilet paper bomber. A friend and I climbed to 1000 feet in his plane and I 'carpet bombed' the BBQ in progress below. Watching toilet paper rolls unravel into 75 foot long streamers silently landing all over the participants who were shaking their fists at us is what boys currently without an airplane do for fun.
A friend is gone
On a sadder note, we lost a dear friend to cancer this month. Barb, of Wayne and Barb fame, are island friends who we have known pretty much since our arrival here. We docked at the same marina for some time, traveled with us in Europe and have been a big part of our summer lives. They have helped with untold projects that needed another hand or more importantly, a knowledgeable hand. She was a real treasure, and our lives were all the richer for having known her. We miss her already.
These kinds of events have a way of coming in two's and it was the case here. We were notified that Janice's uncle passed this month also, so we we flew to Nebraska for a few days to attend the services and be with the family.
Next month: California or bust!
These kinds of events have a way of coming in two's and it was the case here. We were notified that Janice's uncle passed this month also, so we we flew to Nebraska for a few days to attend the services and be with the family.
Next month: California or bust!
