I have some questions on this news report from the BBC today,

Is the "regional balance of power" somtething to do with the F18 fleet?
Why has the US embargo'd these fine boats and isn't $25m a little expensive.

Perhaps they should consider the stealth from the UK instead, I understand it is better value for money, maybe it has something to do with exchange rates?

I think they are referring to F16 fighter jets and not the boats.

Surely you dont want stealth technology exported from the UK to Pakistan


(Grob: I am sure you are joking about this, as am I.)

This is an interesting thread

Grob makes a joke
Robi seems to take him seriously
Rolf continues the joke, but then spoils it all by hesitating and checking that Grob is joking.
It just shows that even though we have been communicating for some time now, we really know very little about each other

Well I did have a sarcast remark in there, but I edited it out because I did not know how the fellow would react.

So I totally avoided it. If it is indeed a joke,

if it was not a joke

LMAO

Yes, it's the limitations of this media. The small nuiances and intonations we use while talking are lost in writing. That's why I value face to face or even communication over the telephone network more and more (and I work in the IT sector).

Forums - even with the inclusion of smileys - are not the place for subtleties etc. So many signals are picked up visually and aurally in communication that I think I read somewhere that the printed word can only contribute a couple of percent to the information we take in during conversation.

With Voice Over Internet now becoming commonplace and the free service from Skype, why aren't we utilising that technology amongst the F16 sailors? All we'd need to do is send out some PMs'to make sure that people have our Skype addresses and we could actually talk to each other Apparently we can even set up conference calls.

On the other hand, we might be better off remaining in ignorance

I'll get me coat then......

(last comment for UK readers)

How do I contact the general?
Have a slightly bent F16 he could have for a little over $10 million..

Pommie humour in any medium is perfectly easy to understand and appreciate for aussies and kiwis. Yanks, for whatever reason, have evolved a different mentality which makes humor, other than their inane sitcom/slapstick variety, difficult to comprehend.

[And don't mention the war!]

I aint a yank just in case

Just found another quote from CNN

"Total cost for a fleet of 21 stealths is expected to be $44 billion".

I think I will stick to my Hobie16

Gareth

Guess I better include one of these just to clear

For the uninitiated I beleieve that is a line from Morcambe and Wise, two British comedians.

I have just finished reading the hillarious "The book what I wrote" an autobiography of Eddie Braben the writer of most of thier material. To give you a flavour of his humour the first page lists

Also by the same author
Gone with the wind
Pride and prejudice
Treasure Island
The Beano Annual
Rogets Thesaurus
Shakespears Hamlet
How to Cook Delia Smith

I work alot with Texans and find there humour similar to ours.

All the best

Gareth

http://london.pm.org/pipermail/london.pm/Week-of-Mon-20041115/029927.html

Dermot! -

I'll get me coat then

You guys crack me up! (In the States, that means "make me laugh") But I've been a big fan of Brittish humor since I first saw the Python boys about 30+ years ago. There is a big Python cult following here still!

The US has become so "politicaly correct" that we even have to watch what we say to each other, lest it be misconstrued as some sort of insult to someones sex, race or religion. Too bad, it used to be a pretty fun place to live and work, but with all the lawsuits over work place harrassment, etc, everyone has to go to "sensitivity training" or be fired, or sued, or jailed!

Grob, I used to lay over in Brighton quite a bit, 1996-2000. We stayed at the Thistle and the Metropole, right across the street from a bunch of cats and dinghys on the beach. Is your H16 out there? I used to walk down to Hove and rent a Pico (or something like that) for an afternoon sail.

Now they have us staying up in Crowley, which for me isn't nearly as nice, but I plan to take the train to Brighton next time I'm there, have a few pints at the Fiddler's Elbow and the Firk N' Forth...the place that has the big pipe organ over the bar, I think it used to be a church?

Anyway, I really appreciate the humor (I got it the first time) and please don't feel like you can't post sarcasim here, most of us "Yanks" on this board still have a sense of humor, or we wouldn't be racing cats in the first place!!

I love the Aussie humor too, I used to see alot of the Quantas aircrews in Tokyo, we stayed at the same hotel. You could always count on a good time if you hung out with them, but even their women will drink us Yanks under the table! (in the States, that means don't get in a drinking contest with them!)


Here's my short list of places I'm going to move to, after Walmart takes over the USA...Ireland (back to my roots, and Dermot's club!), England (Brighton, of course!), Austrailia, New Zealand, and if I can ever learn a new language, I'd gladly live in Holland... All I can say there is "Heineken" so Wouter, get ready!

Now, for some Yank Humor, I'm going to try to add a link to one of our funnier sites, but I don't know if it will work outside the states, and you must have high speed internet to view it, and be sure to scroll down to see the video. Warning: NOT politicaly correct! So Sue ME!

http://www.big-boys.com/articles/presidential.html

I think we need the Stealth Technology to Stay with the F-16 Fleet, so as to better sneak up on the F-18's without them being aware.

Hey Cary, check out the first day results from the Area D qualifier. Jenifer and Seth on a Tai Pan 4.9 are finishing ahead of some F18's....boat for boat! I don't know what the wind was, it's way up north, in Pensacola. I've sailed them both, the Nacra F18 and the Blade F16, I would rather own a Blade. It's lighter, you can race it solo and with the right crew it's not at all slower than the F18's. I think if you put a heavy F18 crew on the F16, it may be slower, it is two feet shorter after all. But when I sailed the Blade with Matt, we were about 345lbs. and in 18-23kts. it felt good, not slow at all. (my 185+ his 160? = 345)

I wish I could have been on board last weekend for Hiram's Haul, when it was gusting to 30+. Both Matt and Chuck had their wives on board and both of the ladies are petite, so I think they could have used a fat-butt like me out on the wire!

Pictures of Hirams are also on:

http://www.1design.net the forum has Hiram's pictures/story and the Area D results posted.

Yep You can't miss her, and you need a sense of humour to sail her, she's called "Pink Panther", She has a pink tramp and pink sails, I bought her that her that way.

And for those who know Brighton I think that I should point out that I am married with three children.

Glad you like the Pythons, My Grandfathers brother was in Jabberwocky (Harry H Corbett).

Next time you are down this way drop us a line if you want a sail. It'll save you hiring a Pico


All the best

Gareth

P.S. its the "Font and Firkin" but your on the right track

Timbo (for getting his 185Lbs into a PICO!!! )

Hey, next time Tim, if you don't fancy a vision in pink, get TWO Picos and lash 'em together!