So the headline from yesterdays Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reads: "Blue Angels soar, thrill and recruit" The article goes on to say, "....It's those words and derivatives such as "I want to be a pilot" or "I'm joining the Navy" that bring the Blue Angels to cities such as Milwaukee.

"We look at the recruiting value," said Lt. Shaun Swartz, the Blues' No. 8 pilot who co-narrated Saturday's event. "This is a large venue. Milwaukee's a large market. There's good potential here."

Pierce said he hopes to have the Air Force's Thunderbirds perform next year and then bring back the Blue Angels in 2007.

The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department estimated the lakefront crowd to be about 150,000. That didn't include people lining the bluffs and shores outside the main event area."

This was all taking place in the 90+ degree heat - and as I drove over the bridge to my office or tried to work in the studio, with the constant drone of these dive-bombing planes looking like they were coming right at this crowd of 150,000, I couldn't help but feel that there was a HUGE disconnect happening.

We are so well trained to compartmentalize. And how many of my tax dollars went towards this little testosterone driven display of power?

Blue Angel Photo/Jeffrey Phelps