2008 NTSB Aircraft accident/Incident Accounting

Hi Readers: Having been in and out of the hospital these past few weeks, I've fallen a little behind in the 2008 Accident/Incident reporting and accounting. Since the month of May has passed and June is well on it's way, I've decided to account for the two months together, making the important comparisons and discussing the safety of flight trends.
Meanwhile, I hope you are aware of the current changes taking place in the Aviation Industry in an effort to keep our economics balanced and stable. The Airlines, in addition to the mergers and agreements within themselves, are cutting back on flights and routes, pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, etc. to reduce operational costs, such as the high cost of fuel; and the sting of passing the fuel costs to the ticket-buyer is having a reverse effect on travel demand. And the airline services are getting worse and worse. Travelers are looking toward train and bus transportation - (actually we need both in addition, not as an alternate).
The GA User Fee is rearing its ugly head again, after having been reported as settled; the demand for production of new jets and other airplanes is apparently beginning to "sag" in the middle; and all the employee cutbacks are beginning to add to the other problems - all economics. The FAA Controller problems, shortages and training, are still with us - in spite of much study and review (by whom?).
It appears to me that the present Administration does not understand, or is not willing to understand, or study the current problems taking place in the Aviation Industry. And Congress keeps itself busy with it's political nitpicking, most of the time preventing a reasonable vote on the issues it considers, and the aviation problems seem to be at the bottom of the list. What's more, the aviation problems seemto be divided between so many committees - the aviation Industry, knit from pilot to airplanes to airspace to airports, etc., must be considered within itself, en total, to get the fair picture.
Who is actually oversiteing the aviation problems - the problems that go together, the solution of which provides our prime mode of transportation. Yes, you and I, and I've said many times that we must start looking at the total aviation picture, with the long-term view in mind.
Enough for this time. Keep reading, and thanks! Robert Shaw.