ACHTUNG BIGGLES!
From Lord Truth 11th April 2006
Brief Notes....
Mike Turner!...Now theres a name that surely conjures up memories.....
'Mike Turner walked across the quad a frown on his normally cheery face.Dark clouds were piling up over Red House.That meant rain tomorrow and a sticky wicket..With Jenkins with a sprained ankle it looked certain that Mike would have to open the second elevens batting against St Dithers on Saturday....'
The DCM kicked open the never locked door of the mess hut.A bright shaft of Basra sunlight illuminated the interior where half a dozen pilots lounged in shabby armchairs reading out of date London newspapers.
'I know you chaps have had a busy week but the fact is the CGS was driving back fromNarjah from a bridge party with his lady wife last night when some of the brown boys took a pot at him.Hes hopping mad.Anyone like to do a little wog bashing?
Before he had finished speaking Mike Turner had flung his copy of Cricketers weekly to the ground and was on his feet his clear blue eyes flashing and full of mischief
Im in Sir ! Good job I just had my DH 12 re-pistoned ,I'm bursting to try her out!
The DCM replaced his pipe ,Good fellow Mike ! We can always count on you to do some British flag waving!
Well ,would you believe it dear old Mike is back in the news and hes still in the flying business!-Well not exactly because now hes Chairman of the bizarrely named BAESystems ,the company that has a twenty percent stake in Airbus .
However, far from waving the Union Jack, he's just firmly rammed it up Britains arse...
Last week Mike announced that BAE were going to sell their Airbus stake and finally bring down the curtain on Britains aerospace industry...
The reason given is that BAE wants to concentrate on acquiring US defence contractors, as its in defence -and the US in particular, that the real money lies and according to Mike ,that is where BAEs future lies .Apparently BAE may get 3.5 billion pounds for its Airbus stake which will be acquired by EADS the French German Spanish consortium who own the rest of Airbus.
Now I am not the worlds greatest expert on the US defence industry but I do know that 3.5 million will you get you only a packet of peanuts or at most a clapped out string of rusty gas stations in the US...furthermore as informed readers know the US government has just blocked the transfer of certain restricted technical information to BAE for 'security' reasons. Furthermore it is a given fact that British acquisitions in the states seldom if ever succeed.
As Airbus is about to finally burst triumphantly on the worlds stage with its A380 it would seem the most weird and stupid thing to do particularly at this time.
This decision has generally been welcomed by Britains own self destructive foreign operated press using the usual jokey patronising phrases -'must not be sentimental -etcetc.The actual reality is that this decision is appalling and disgusting but any suggestion of keeping a sense of national pride alive in Britain is doomed to fail...and with Gordon Brown criticising protectionist sentiment in Europe there is no hope there.
The statements that the 13000 British jobs( where the wings are made ) are in no danger maybe true for the moment, but I remember a curious moment when the EADS consortium was formed five years ago ,when the German and French heads at the televised ceremony actually said, laughing and excited-Now WE can decide where the wings will be made!. The future is not bright.
Incidentally ,does anyone know what Mr Turners REAL name is?
Brief Notes....
Mike Turner!...Now theres a name that surely conjures up memories.....
'Mike Turner walked across the quad a frown on his normally cheery face.Dark clouds were piling up over Red House.That meant rain tomorrow and a sticky wicket..With Jenkins with a sprained ankle it looked certain that Mike would have to open the second elevens batting against St Dithers on Saturday....'
The DCM kicked open the never locked door of the mess hut.A bright shaft of Basra sunlight illuminated the interior where half a dozen pilots lounged in shabby armchairs reading out of date London newspapers.
'I know you chaps have had a busy week but the fact is the CGS was driving back fromNarjah from a bridge party with his lady wife last night when some of the brown boys took a pot at him.Hes hopping mad.Anyone like to do a little wog bashing?
Before he had finished speaking Mike Turner had flung his copy of Cricketers weekly to the ground and was on his feet his clear blue eyes flashing and full of mischief
Im in Sir ! Good job I just had my DH 12 re-pistoned ,I'm bursting to try her out!
The DCM replaced his pipe ,Good fellow Mike ! We can always count on you to do some British flag waving!
Well ,would you believe it dear old Mike is back in the news and hes still in the flying business!-Well not exactly because now hes Chairman of the bizarrely named BAESystems ,the company that has a twenty percent stake in Airbus .
However, far from waving the Union Jack, he's just firmly rammed it up Britains arse...
Last week Mike announced that BAE were going to sell their Airbus stake and finally bring down the curtain on Britains aerospace industry...
The reason given is that BAE wants to concentrate on acquiring US defence contractors, as its in defence -and the US in particular, that the real money lies and according to Mike ,that is where BAEs future lies .Apparently BAE may get 3.5 billion pounds for its Airbus stake which will be acquired by EADS the French German Spanish consortium who own the rest of Airbus.
Now I am not the worlds greatest expert on the US defence industry but I do know that 3.5 million will you get you only a packet of peanuts or at most a clapped out string of rusty gas stations in the US...furthermore as informed readers know the US government has just blocked the transfer of certain restricted technical information to BAE for 'security' reasons. Furthermore it is a given fact that British acquisitions in the states seldom if ever succeed.
As Airbus is about to finally burst triumphantly on the worlds stage with its A380 it would seem the most weird and stupid thing to do particularly at this time.
This decision has generally been welcomed by Britains own self destructive foreign operated press using the usual jokey patronising phrases -'must not be sentimental -etcetc.The actual reality is that this decision is appalling and disgusting but any suggestion of keeping a sense of national pride alive in Britain is doomed to fail...and with Gordon Brown criticising protectionist sentiment in Europe there is no hope there.
The statements that the 13000 British jobs( where the wings are made ) are in no danger maybe true for the moment, but I remember a curious moment when the EADS consortium was formed five years ago ,when the German and French heads at the televised ceremony actually said, laughing and excited-Now WE can decide where the wings will be made!. The future is not bright.
Incidentally ,does anyone know what Mr Turners REAL name is?
posted by Lord Truth at 1:12 pm
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