On making it difficult for everyone else

"Wayne Paul" wrote in message
...

A few years ago an elderly pilot, whose ability to fly far exceeds mine,
determined it was time to give up the sport. He had just completed an
outstanding flight from Sun Valley, Idaho. During the after flight
debriefing (you know, beer and "there I was, scratching the Bolders") he
stated he wanted his memories of flying to be the great flight he and just
finished and put his Mini-Nimbus on the market.

Though we miss him when we fly, we all adminre his wisdom and judgement.

Wayne
HP-14 "6F"
http://www.soaridaho.com/

My father-in -law (now deceased alas) was driving cars well into his
eighties. He was a very keen driver - he had learned on a Model T when he
was doing his BS at Carnegie Mellon in the 20s. We used to lunch together
from time to time and yarn (both of us were engineers with loads of
stories). Normally I drove us to the lunch spot, but on this particular day
he said he would drive. We had our usual jolly lunch and as I paid the bill
he passed his car keys across the table to me and said ' The car's yours
now; I'm not driving any more'. A very sensible decision by a man for whom I
had enormous respect. I would hope that all pilots would be able to face
facts as he did. There is no shame in flying with a safety pilot. When my
time comes (soon) I will accept this gracefully.

Alistair Wright

Alistair,

A pedantic correction - your father-in-law wasn't getting his BS in
the 20s from Carnegie Mellon, he was getting it from Carnegie
Institute of Technology. My class (1970) was the last to graduate from
CIT, before they defiled a proud name solely because of naked greed.

-John

He was a very keen driver - he had learned on a Model T when he
was doing his BS at Carnegie Mellon in the 20s.

"jcarlyle" wrote in message
oups.com...
Alistair,

A pedantic correction - your father-in-law wasn't getting his BS in
the 20s from Carnegie Mellon, he was getting it from Carnegie
Institute of Technology. My class (1970) was the last to graduate from
CIT, before they defiled a proud name solely because of naked greed.

-John

He was a very keen driver - he had learned on a Model T when he
was doing his BS at Carnegie Mellon in the 20s.

Hi John,

I was aware of the difference, I just didn't think anyone would remember. I
am looking at Fred's Degree scroll as I write, and of course it is from CIT.
You are not the only one to suffer this kind of thing. I graduated from the
Royal Technical College Glasgow in 1954, an institution with dozens of
famous alumni. It is now greatly altered and it has become the University of
Strathclyde. They issued all us alumni with new degree parchments as well!
I've kept my old RTC one though! At least C-M retains the Carnegie
connection in the name. Fred attended a 50 year re-union of CIT graduates
from his year in 1982.

It wasn't pedantic in the least. You have every right to feel annoyed when
people forget inportant things.

Alistair Wright
Melrose
Scotland.

Hi, Alistair,

I may have had the honor of meeting your father-in-law! Up until 1985
I faithfully attended the yearly Spring Carnivals at Carnegie. Mostly
I was supporting my fraternity's winning buggy teams, but I also went
to the actitivies that were held to honor the older alums and made
small talk with some of them. Small world...

I apologize for being sensitive - a nephew had said just the day
before "don't you mean Carnegie-Mellon" when I told him that I
graduated from Carnegie Tech. His remark, combined with your innocent
message, triggered anew my resentment that the old name has been
mostly forgotten due to the trustees desire to increase the endowment.
My feelings aren't helped by the Mellon family's politics, which
weren't laudable back at the height of the Vietnam era and which have
no doubt played a part in the mid-east adventure we're now in.

Anyway, I see that you understand all too well, being a victim
yourself. I hope your beloved RTC was discarded for better reasons
than cash. Take care, and fly safe.

John Carlyle
Yardley, PA

Hi John,

I was aware of the difference, I just didn't think anyone would remember. I
am looking at Fred's Degree scroll as I write, and of course it is from CIT.
You are not the only one to suffer this kind of thing. I graduated from the
Royal Technical College Glasgow in 1954, an institution with dozens of
famous alumni. It is now greatly altered and it has become the University of
Strathclyde. They issued all us alumni with new degree parchments as well!
I've kept my old RTC one though! At least C-M retains the Carnegie
connection in the name. Fred attended a 50 year re-union of CIT graduates
from his year in 1982.

It wasn't pedantic in the least. You have every right to feel annoyed when
people forget inportant things.

Alistair Wright
Melrose
Scotland.