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GON, it wasn't a KLM plane, it was a Malaysia Airlines flight, MH17. And your mates name is actually spelled Gerry. It was a very sad event, made worse by the lack of acknowledgement or responsibility for downing the aircraft, on the Russians part. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-15/victorian-mh17-victims-formally-identified/5672970 Why didn't you go back to fitting and turning at Hawker-DeHavilland after you did your NS? It was obligatory for businesses to hold job positions open for their employees doing National Service. QUOTE: "Under the National Service Act 1964, employers were legally obligated to hold positions open for employees who were called up for compulsory military duty. Key Details of the Mandate: Reinstatement Obligation: Employers had to restore servicemen to their previous positions (or an equivalent role) as soon as practicable upon their completion of full-time service. Terms and Conditions: The returned employee was entitled to the same salary, status, and seniority they would have achieved if they had not been conscripted. Eligibility Rules: To qualify, the employee typically needed to have been employed by the business for a set period prior to their call-up."

Of course - Granville Tech. I might mention that a fellow apprentice, who was an avid scuba diver, eventually went to live in Marracoota on the south coast. He more or less started the abalone business down there, which grew tremendously and paid good money, everyone got in on it. He met a woman and got married there, had three offspring. I can mention his name because he and his wife were passengers on that fatal plane brought down by the Russians, so the story goes. Jerry Menke. R.I.P. We worked together for a little while in H/Dehavilland's laboratory as apprentices. We travelled home on the train together. I think he was of Dutch descent hence flying in a KLM plane. You remember that don't you? the plane that was brought down by a rocket. Very sad story.

The western hope in admitting China to WTO was that it would become more democratic. That didn't work. Globalism has failed. The reason China did so well is they bent the WTO trade rules when it suited them and have large subsidies from the government. Now they are weaponising that success.

All western nations outsourcing their manufacturing to the "third world" and hollowing out their manufacturing capabilities and therefore being vulnerable to supply chain issues and other governments that weaponise trade. It's our fault too. We like cheap goods. But globalism has failed.

Well Trump doesn't grab ME at all and never has. I agree 100% with his Neice Mary, about his condition and suitability for the POTUS role. There was a TV show called "That's MY Bush". A satire which ran for a (short) while . I think I saw about 3 Episodes. Incredibly funny. BTW I think Bush is Fanny-hair. I've lived a very sheltered Life so feel free to correct me If I'm wrong. Nev

I don't see it that way. Nobody has any real idea how this New guy from Birmingham will perform.. The type of Media people HEAPING on him would make ME think Starmer HAS to be OK or why would they want rid of him? . He earned his Knighthood, He did not JUST inherit it like most useless clots do.. Britain is changing leaders far too often for it's own good. With the Tories it was mind bending and look where they are. Nev

Not a huge surprise. As soon as Burnham won his electorate it was a foregone conclusion.

Just announced on the news - Starmer has announced he is stepping down and planning the handover.

I saw a woman protesting something Dubya had done, holding a sign saying "Bush is another word for 'c**t' ". Wonder what that makes the meaning of "Trump"?

It gets hot there often. It's common to take a break in the heat of the day then come back later to work and eat about 2200. Nev

They have an economy Managed by the State which exists in a free trade World.. (in theory) which cannot cope with China's success and efficiency. No Place in history has been transformed so completely to lift wealth and facilities and with a large Population as well. It would still be Likely the way the West has treated them has NOT been forgotten and why would it? Nev

With temperatures like that I bet there wasn't much civility in Seville.

I wonder how much the Chinese Government holds as investments in Taiwanese companies nad others worldwide. In the 21st Century, the Chinese are not teh zealous devotees of Maoist Communism. They like a little bit of this, and a little bit of that and are prepared to let time heal any wounds.

Bugger No Planes to watch. Did you go to a Tech College ? Nev

I bet the Barber kept the front door open and the fan on. Winds from the Sahara make a lot of Spain HOT . Nev

He's a loose Cannon that bloke. According to him we are at Armageddon. Like Ronnie Raygun's "WE are in the Last days". Religious fruit loops worry me the Most. Baby Bush said" God Speaks through My lips". Born again reformed Drug addict. with barely adequate brain cells to tell the time of day. Nev.

Longest for me... And this week is expected to shatter warmest day in June records in the UK. Apparently in Seville in Spain, it hit 48 yesterday or the day before

Except for Hegseth.

Good. The sooner he blows a fuse the better. A visibly insane Trump is probably the only thing that would get the politically lethargic US voters to kick him and the Republicans out. I don't think even the useless lackeys he's surrounded himself with would follow his orders if he told them to nuke Germany or something.

He won't handle that well ,and therein lies the bigger problem. How'd you like to be living in IRAN.? about 90 million people do. Nev

No, Hawker DeHavillands at Lidcombe.

48 thousand were conscripted, 15 thousand went Vietnam. I knew a bloke who wasn't conscripted, just joined voluntarily and then volunteered to go and fight there. Unfortunately, he was involved in a friendly fire incident where one guy was too far out in front and was mistaken for an enemy combatant ... my mate shot him, sadly. I guess it was hushed up, but I got it from the horses mouth when he was back here at home. For brave acts he performed at other times, one in particular, he received bravery medals from every Western nation involved there ... all but Australia, he went on to tell me. He was not just a little peeved about that.

Hawker-DeHav's at Bankstown? I taught at Liverpool HS and flew out of Bankstown and pitted race cars at Warwick farm and have had electroless Nickel Plating done at DeHavillands. We may have Passed like Ships in the Night .Nev

Just as well. I was already crazy enough with anger from being unable to work in my trade, they wouldn't let me. I went from being a fitter & turner working in a large Engineering factory (Hawker DeHavilland), to being a lowly driver in the idiot Army, as it was then. My trade meant everything to me.