[BipePilot]

The CIA recently investigated this claim..."Richard Pearse, a New Zealand Farmer, beat them to it by about one year."...and found it all to be a good natured fictional story based on actions by Mrs. Pearse who wanted to elevate her husbands standing in their social group. It didn't work, however, as Mr. Pearse was caught cheating at their weekly Canasta game and both were expelled from this charted group. A Mr. George Sewell, a close neighbor, kept a journal which was passed down through the family and upon investigating his entries supports the CIA's findings. Now, there!! This should put an end to this bickering.

[DieHard the Hunter]

> and found it all to be a good natured fictional story based on actions by Mrs. Pearse who wanted to elevate her husbands standing in their social group.

(grin!) about as accurate as any of the CIA's recent works of "intelligence" -- you see, Mr Richard Pearse was a batchelor.

Let's face it: the Wright Bros were, at best, the third to fly a manned, powered aeroplane. Pearse beat them by at least a year -- an untrained farmer from an obscure farming community in an obscure corner of the British Empire.

The Wrights did a good job, and theirs was a brilliant third-place finish, granted. Well-done. But Third Place can never become First Place, no matter how much people moan about it, nor for how long...

Bronze Medal goes to... The Wright Brothers!