Well the Iola Vintage Military Show has come and gone and yes it was a great show this year. The crowds looked as good as ever to me so the high gas prices didn't keep people away. As usual I met a lot of old friends and interesting veterans who freely shared their historical memories. Our stressed economy has not hit the military collecting hobby as hard as expected and the high prices can still put a long time collector like me into sticker shock. I did over hear some dealers talking about a tighter market and slower sales but as of yet I am still having no trouble selling stuff on eBay and eCrater so maybe their prices are just too high.  From an exhibiters point of view it is very gratifying year after year to watch so many people stop and actually take the time to read the text of my exhibits. As a long time medal collector I am sorry to say that I couldn't find anything to add to my collection. Prices were not the problem here; there simply was nothing that I saw that I needed or wanted. I couldn’t even find a Marine Corps Good Conduct miniature medal to replace the one my father-in-law lost from his group. On a related topic I see that the local sheriffs deputies are not wearing metal badges any more. All the badges I saw were thin cloth patch like badges that are sewn or stenciled on their shirts. The USO style show by Chicago's Honey Bears on Saturday evening, was great even though the sound level was so high that one couldn't understand most of the words in the songs. One bit of news gleaned from the show was that an old American WWII glider was found in Northern Michigan and is being restored in Wausau Wisconsin. I'll keep you posted as they are planning a dedication event when the restoration is completed.