Here again...

Thanks to the upgrade fairy (you know who you are!) for the wave of the magic wand. Flew in Business Class on a cram packed 747. More pleasant than it could have been in World Trav+.

Met up with many LJers and assorted Seattle fen who are not represented here. Had a good chat where we set the world to rights, we just need people to listen to us eh?

This morning has mostly been spent fire fighting. *sigh*

I've a company meeting to host tonight. A presentation to prepare for Taiwan and apparently a meal at Claim Jumper to look forward to. Where the food comes in Extra Large, Extra Extra Large and You Must Be Fecking Joking.

A Rose By Any Other...

I'm rather surprised that Airbus are calling this aircraft an A350. 

Boeing plays down Airbus A350 remake - MarketWatch

The A350 has been through 3 major design changes now, at least this one sounds more like what the customers want.  Airbus and Boeing are jostling for position and it's hardly a surprise that Boeing will play this down.  They are riding high at the moment with the 787 and the woes that Airbus have with the A380.  However, all is not rosy in the garden for the big boys of Seattle.

There are rumours abounding that EADS have played a very dirty game of pool over announcing that there are problems with the A380.  The effect of the share price was dreaful.  However, there is another way to look it.  From the point of view of BAe Systems who are trying to get out of EADS, the cost for them to be bought out is at rock bottom.  That's a pretty serious conincidence.  Likewise, the problems that the A380 is having are pretty common for a new aircraft type.  Once cleared up, I think we'll see orders picking up.  EADS are making some very heavy hints about deals in China where they need more capacity on internal flights.  Elsewhere the new T5 at Heathrow, the BA terminal has a number of A380 enabled gates.  This could be to allow other One World partners to use T5, or it could be BA headging their bets on their 747-400s.

There are other reasons to buy into AIrbus, not least their standard spares and cockpit solutions.

Finally, the 787 is still some way off from delivering.  There's plenty of time for the inevitable delays to hit them, which will drive more customers to Airbus. 

The fact we only have 2 serious global plane makers is a problem, but it is good to see a little competition being maintained.

It's Still a Sin Dummy...

So, my nephew (on M's side of the family) has got his girlfriend pregnant. He's 18. M has just had a long chat with him - they're planning to move their wedding to co-incide with us being in RSA in October, his biggest concern is if they are having a catholic wedding.

I don't know if this is an accident or not, however, the probability that it is, even with the most rudimentary birth control is quite low, which suggests that as a good catholic lad, he didn't use any. After all, it is a sin.

It's an argument I heard a lot growing up in an Irish catholic household and community. Of course, the problem that people who use this argument tend to forget is that sex outside of marriage is also a sin; a mortal one at that.

So, personally, I quite quickly worked out that I may as well be hung for a pig as a sheep and all that.

I feel most sorry for his mum and dad who were just on the verge of getting rid of both of their kids. Now they're going to be stuck helping out a frankly very naive young father and helping him through the next few years or even decades. What terrifies me is that by the time he is my age, he'll have a kid older than he is now...

Apparently when M was chatting to him he was saying that he wanted a simple life and wasn't interested in money - well, unfortunately kids don't necessarily see things that simply.