"I don’t know what his browser history looks like, but that’s not something most of us get off on"--I'm not sure that IS a joke. Some of the stuff people shoehorn into "prurient interests" does suggest a seriously unhealthy view of what turns them on.
Since today's topic isn't directly about the recent election travesty, I guess it's OK to comment -- because, on the subject of women's places in history, I'd like to add a story that maybe shouldn't be lost...
During wartime, United Airlines lost so many of its (all male) pilots to military service that it couldn't spare any of tge remaing male pilots to train much-needed new pilots, so it allowed a woman pilot to train virtually all of its many in-coming (male) pilots. War ended, CEO tried to get that woman a well-deserved union seniority number so she could fly the line as a regular United pilot. Union refused. It was decades until, in 1978, the courts forced air carriers to hire women. There are several other aviation stories of what women were allowed to do in the "old days" -- but only in various temporary, desperate situations ended. Then the women were unceremoniously dumped.
A small but relevant tale: not until I received my first pilot license did my mom tell me she used to fly, herself, in open-cockpit "barnstorming" planes. But not for pay. Her first husband, however, had been a "real" pilot. (And died in an airplane crash.)
Moral of stories: in aviation, at least, there were moments in history when women were allowed some interesting, challenging jobs, but only temporarily, for the convenience of men. Also, there were a few women -- most notably, Amelia Earhart -- who were allowed to be novelties -- perhaps because they made a lot of money for male-owned newspaper barons and other businessmen?
But in aviation, at least, when even a small number of women began to become a genuine and apparently permanent, ongoing, growing threat to prestigious, high-paying "male only" jobs, we were no longer "cute," "novel," or handy, easily discarded solutions. At that point, things turned ugly in earnest.
In the 46 years since 1978 when I was hired as one of the first women line pilots allowed an ALPA seniority number, permitted to fly for a major air carrier, the mysogynists have, albeit very slowly, lost. Women pilots appear to have become permanent, airline and military cockpit fixtures.
Bush took our pensions, slashed pay in half, and the job lost its luster, but now, with mass, government-forced retirements, a severe pilot shortage has restored and improved the higher pay levels -- and a much greater percentage of newhire pilots are women.
Same dynamic in corporate boardrooms and medical schools. Women are no longer cute novelties or temporary fill-ins.
And so, almost inevitably, it's time for male power brokers to attempt to intervene with their 2025 sledgehammers, to beat us back.
The big question: will their new effort be just a final, dying gasp of the powerbroker "old white guys," or will they succeed? Not by themselves, surely. Will they succeed because there are enough brainwashed women voting to help them?
Weren't all early productions of Shakespeare's plays actually drag shows?
On another but related topic, I wish someone would do a deep dive into the development, marketing, prescribing, and use of Viagra and its cousins. A few courageous elected women occasionally question the legality and insurance/Medicare/Medicaid payment for sexual enhancement drugs for men at a time that birth control and abortion for women are being eliminated. There are so many layers of hypocrisy here and I'd like to read about the history, reasoning, and ethics of, say, offering free Viagra to unmarried men.
My current life’s obligations give me little time to read everything you recommend, so as usual I really appreciate your CliffsNotes version of important topics. I find this one quite interesting, and especially appreciate knowing the freedoms women had in the 19th century and the real reasons behind the original anti-abortion movement. I’ve always known that the current movement isn’t really about the sanctity of life. I’m hopeful that the outrage over Dobbs and the younger generation’s excitement over the Harris campaign will put Project 2025 in the dumpster for this go-around. Obviously history tends to repeat itself, but maybe the generation in the next century will be more enlightened.
Based on the obvious motives of the Project 2025 people, who are, unfortunately, smarter and more dangerous than MAGA v1.0, I'd guess that some of their "views" about abortion still have a lot to do with white people becoming a minority in the US by 2050. Considering how they don't really care about babies AFTER they're born via forced birth, I think their constant fear that the new majorities will treat them like they treat minorities now, drives them to this attempt to control women's reproductive rights. I don't, and never have, bought the "sanctity of life" bullshit they put out in public. If they cared, there would be ample resources for single mothers and the children they were forced to carry to term, and there aren't. Once again, as usual and typically, more lies.
Wish the MSM would call out the hypocrisy of the pro-life insanity. It smacks you in the face with every Republican act and not just after the chump descended into town
Perhaps the real stain on history is me or people like me, a white male brought up catholic. Maybe we should be outlawed. It seems everytime my mind is opened to a historical travesty of justice there is a white guy behind it. Down with white males, we are the root problem. As long as we fear irrelevance, the inability to dominate we shall be the problem. Of course this does not explain Clarence Thomas or the likes of Mark Robinson of the NC governors race but, hell in every statical analysis there are always outliers.
Old Man, you are not part of the problem but part of the solution. Your comments are insightful and respectful and I always appreciate reading what you have to say. White may be the color of their skin but inside they are seething with fear and it shows in their actions and words. I believe one of the root causes is the way society treats boys vs. girls when they are children. That’s what needs to change (and I think it is changing).
Gail, thank you. It is wrong to lump everyone into the white man bubble, Joe 46 certainly arrests to that being wrong. The mindset of Project 2025 must be defeated, a blue wave on November 5 is the best answer, 🤞for enough votes to keep the Oval and get Congress blue. Then we may see the greatest idea ever really shine, not just for blue voters but for We the People, each and everyone of us.
Oh Man, with delicious wit and enough humility for others like you…are there any others….you have won a free ‘get out of prison pass’ from me; and I’m betting other women as well, who read your wonderful comment.
I’m not ok. You’re not ok. Let’s write a law. Billerle.com
Looking forward to the podcast with Jessica Cale, Greg. I predict it's a good 'un! Also, plan to be energized by tonight's Five/8 😎
Nice stereoscope pic. (cross your eyes, merge the two pics = 3D)
“The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.”
- Charles de Gaulle
And cats
"I don’t know what his browser history looks like, but that’s not something most of us get off on"--I'm not sure that IS a joke. Some of the stuff people shoehorn into "prurient interests" does suggest a seriously unhealthy view of what turns them on.
Since today's topic isn't directly about the recent election travesty, I guess it's OK to comment -- because, on the subject of women's places in history, I'd like to add a story that maybe shouldn't be lost...
During wartime, United Airlines lost so many of its (all male) pilots to military service that it couldn't spare any of tge remaing male pilots to train much-needed new pilots, so it allowed a woman pilot to train virtually all of its many in-coming (male) pilots. War ended, CEO tried to get that woman a well-deserved union seniority number so she could fly the line as a regular United pilot. Union refused. It was decades until, in 1978, the courts forced air carriers to hire women. There are several other aviation stories of what women were allowed to do in the "old days" -- but only in various temporary, desperate situations ended. Then the women were unceremoniously dumped.
A small but relevant tale: not until I received my first pilot license did my mom tell me she used to fly, herself, in open-cockpit "barnstorming" planes. But not for pay. Her first husband, however, had been a "real" pilot. (And died in an airplane crash.)
Moral of stories: in aviation, at least, there were moments in history when women were allowed some interesting, challenging jobs, but only temporarily, for the convenience of men. Also, there were a few women -- most notably, Amelia Earhart -- who were allowed to be novelties -- perhaps because they made a lot of money for male-owned newspaper barons and other businessmen?
But in aviation, at least, when even a small number of women began to become a genuine and apparently permanent, ongoing, growing threat to prestigious, high-paying "male only" jobs, we were no longer "cute," "novel," or handy, easily discarded solutions. At that point, things turned ugly in earnest.
In the 46 years since 1978 when I was hired as one of the first women line pilots allowed an ALPA seniority number, permitted to fly for a major air carrier, the mysogynists have, albeit very slowly, lost. Women pilots appear to have become permanent, airline and military cockpit fixtures.
Bush took our pensions, slashed pay in half, and the job lost its luster, but now, with mass, government-forced retirements, a severe pilot shortage has restored and improved the higher pay levels -- and a much greater percentage of newhire pilots are women.
Same dynamic in corporate boardrooms and medical schools. Women are no longer cute novelties or temporary fill-ins.
And so, almost inevitably, it's time for male power brokers to attempt to intervene with their 2025 sledgehammers, to beat us back.
The big question: will their new effort be just a final, dying gasp of the powerbroker "old white guys," or will they succeed? Not by themselves, surely. Will they succeed because there are enough brainwashed women voting to help them?
PS, Thanks, Greg, for the reply to my previous. You have a great talent for saying just the right things. I'd miss that too much.
Weren't all early productions of Shakespeare's plays actually drag shows?
On another but related topic, I wish someone would do a deep dive into the development, marketing, prescribing, and use of Viagra and its cousins. A few courageous elected women occasionally question the legality and insurance/Medicare/Medicaid payment for sexual enhancement drugs for men at a time that birth control and abortion for women are being eliminated. There are so many layers of hypocrisy here and I'd like to read about the history, reasoning, and ethics of, say, offering free Viagra to unmarried men.
Boy, I stay pissed about this. What entitlement the powers-that-be-men expect and will not tolerate sharing.
The military spends 87 million dollars a year on Viagra.
My current life’s obligations give me little time to read everything you recommend, so as usual I really appreciate your CliffsNotes version of important topics. I find this one quite interesting, and especially appreciate knowing the freedoms women had in the 19th century and the real reasons behind the original anti-abortion movement. I’ve always known that the current movement isn’t really about the sanctity of life. I’m hopeful that the outrage over Dobbs and the younger generation’s excitement over the Harris campaign will put Project 2025 in the dumpster for this go-around. Obviously history tends to repeat itself, but maybe the generation in the next century will be more enlightened.
Based on the obvious motives of the Project 2025 people, who are, unfortunately, smarter and more dangerous than MAGA v1.0, I'd guess that some of their "views" about abortion still have a lot to do with white people becoming a minority in the US by 2050. Considering how they don't really care about babies AFTER they're born via forced birth, I think their constant fear that the new majorities will treat them like they treat minorities now, drives them to this attempt to control women's reproductive rights. I don't, and never have, bought the "sanctity of life" bullshit they put out in public. If they cared, there would be ample resources for single mothers and the children they were forced to carry to term, and there aren't. Once again, as usual and typically, more lies.
Wish the MSM would call out the hypocrisy of the pro-life insanity. It smacks you in the face with every Republican act and not just after the chump descended into town
Perhaps the real stain on history is me or people like me, a white male brought up catholic. Maybe we should be outlawed. It seems everytime my mind is opened to a historical travesty of justice there is a white guy behind it. Down with white males, we are the root problem. As long as we fear irrelevance, the inability to dominate we shall be the problem. Of course this does not explain Clarence Thomas or the likes of Mark Robinson of the NC governors race but, hell in every statical analysis there are always outliers.
Time to let a woman rule!
There are wonderful men out there. I was lucky to marry one and knew more. It’s the left end of the bell curve…for too many
Old Man, you are not part of the problem but part of the solution. Your comments are insightful and respectful and I always appreciate reading what you have to say. White may be the color of their skin but inside they are seething with fear and it shows in their actions and words. I believe one of the root causes is the way society treats boys vs. girls when they are children. That’s what needs to change (and I think it is changing).
Gail, thank you. It is wrong to lump everyone into the white man bubble, Joe 46 certainly arrests to that being wrong. The mindset of Project 2025 must be defeated, a blue wave on November 5 is the best answer, 🤞for enough votes to keep the Oval and get Congress blue. Then we may see the greatest idea ever really shine, not just for blue voters but for We the People, each and everyone of us.
Oh Man, with delicious wit and enough humility for others like you…are there any others….you have won a free ‘get out of prison pass’ from me; and I’m betting other women as well, who read your wonderful comment.
TGIF🎉🎉🎉What a week in America! #KamalaHarris2024