Good Show 007 - Daniel Craig visits the troops at Camp Bastion in Helmand Province, Afghanistan

Glad to see 007 was able to make a stop out to visit the troops over at Camp Bastion.  I was stationed there ( at next door Camp Leatherneck) and getting there is half the fun.  Working side by side with the UK Troops/Aussies/ Kiwis (New Zealanders) was always a great experience.

Bravo Zulu to Daniel Craig for bringing the new movie " Skyfall " out to the troops in Afghanistan.

Good Show 007.

James Bond Star Daniel Craig In Afghanistan

Hundreds of UK soldiers, airmen and sailors get a surprise treat as they are waiting to see the latest 007 film Skyfall

Troops at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan were taken by surprise when 007 star Daniel Craig dropped in on their base.

 The actor met 800 soldiers, airmen and sailors just before they watched the new Bond film, Skyfall.

 During his tour of the camp, Craig witnessed some of the training given to troops before they are sent to forward operating bases.

 He also got the chance to fire some of the machine guns they use and took the wheel of the Foxhound vehicle in which he was shown around.

 Warrant Officer Rob Ingham said: "We get quite a lot of visitors here, but having James Bond was special. He seemed to be pretty comfortable in the driving seat!"

 Craig later visited the world-class Bastion Role 3 Hospital, which is acknowledged to be a centre of excellence for trauma medicine.

Private Scott Craggs, 23, from Newcastle, a combat medical technician serving with 3 Medical Regiment, said: "It was really good morale for everyone - it's a decent thing for him to take time to come out and visit everyone here."

 The star's final stop was a practical demonstration of counter improvised explosive device searching techniques where he was given a chance to use detectors to search for buried training devices.

 Warrant Officer Paul Ward, a Squadron Sergeant Major, said: "It was good to see Daniel Craig here in Bastion. Our training is critical to keeping Afghans and our own soldiers safe."

 RAF Sergeant Dave Hammond, who was one of those lucky to get a ticket for the film, said: "It was like a return to the old James Bonds. There was a bit of humour and some spectacular effects.

 "It was great to be able to see the film here - and to have James Bond himself to introduce it was brilliant!"

 Private Shane Awbery, 23, from Doncaster, a communications specialist, said: "It was great for morale and the atmosphere in the tent when we were watching the film was buzzing.

 "The film was really good, too - and I liked it that he answered our questions."

Spitfires found buried and in pristine condition after being lost for almost 70 years

Car enthusiasts are always on the hunt for the best " Barn Find" - a classic car that was put in an old barn somewhere and forgotten. Then found and restored to original condition.

This story tops any barn find as they are going to have up to 20 Supermarine Spitfires right out of the crates they were shipped in and likely in pristine condition as they were preserved in the grease that coated all the parts since they left the factory 70 years ago....unbelievable.



Buried treasure in Burma: Squadron of lost WWII Spitfires to be exhumed
Published April 19, 2012

FoxNews.com
It's buried PILOT treasure!

Like a treasure chest stuffed with priceless booty, as many as 20 World War II-era Spitfire planes are perfectly preserved, buried in crates beneath Burma -- and after 67 years underground, they're set to be uncovered.

The planes were shipped in standard fashion in 1945 from their manufacturer in England to the Far East country: waxed, wrapped in greased paper and tarred to protect against the elements. They were then buried in the crates they were shipped in, rather than let them fall into enemy hands, said David Cundall, an aviation enthusiast who has spent 15 years and about $200,000 in his efforts to reveal the lost planes.

The 62-year-old man -- a British farmer by trade -- realized the fate of the aircraft thanks to an offhand comment a group of American veterans made to a friend, he told the Sydney Morning Herald.


'We've done some pretty silly things in our time, but the silliest was burying Spitfires.'
- David Cundall, aviation enthusiast


''They told Jim: 'We've done some pretty silly things in our time, but the silliest was burying Spitfires.' And when Jim got back from the U.S., he told me,'" Cundall said.

The location of the planes, which remains a closely kept secret, was confirmed during a recent trip to the Far East country, he said.

''We sent a borehole down and used a camera to look at the crates. They seemed to be in good condition," Cundall told the Herald.

The Spitfire Mark XIV planes are rare for more than one reason: They used Rolls Royce Griffon engines rather than the Merlins used in earlier models to achieve tremendous speeds. Griffon-powered planes could reach 440 mph thanks to the hefty, 2,050-horsepower engines.

When production of the planes ultimately ended in 1947, 20,334 Spitfires of all versions had been produced, but just 2,053 of them were Griffon-powered versions, according to Encyclopaedia Britannica.

The planes were deemed surplus and were buried in Aug., 1945 -- potentially along with another eight later in the year. At that time, propeller planes were falling out of fashion in favor of newer jet-engine designs -- Cundall said Spitfires "were 10 a penny." British military officials decided burying them was cheaper and more practical than bringing them home.

International sanctions prevent military material from leaving the country, but a recent visit by British Prime Minister David Cameron may enable the safe exhumation and return of the planes to England.

Only about 35 Spitfires are currently flying.

Jack the Springer Spaniel saves lives in Afghanistan

When you think of dogs in a war zone, a "Springer Spaniel" would likely not be the first breed that comes to mind but here is proof that the breed can do the job even in the rough terrain of Afghanistan.

Good Show Jack.

Jack the springer spaniel, the bomb-sniffer dog who's saved his master's life... again and again
By David Wilkes - UK Mail
7th December 2011

Amid the myriad dangers of the Afghan conflict, Jack the springer spaniel is so much more than just a man’s best friend.

Thanks to his skill at sniffing out bombs, he has saved his handler Private Andrew Duff’s life ‘more times’ than the soldier ‘cares to think about’.

Jack is one of a number of the Army’s specially trained Arms and Explosives Search dogs, scouring the deadly paths of Helmand Province for improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by the Taliban. He has prevented countless servicemen and civilians being killed or maimed.

Blissfully unaware of the danger he faces, six-year-old Jack has been keenly working with Private Duff, 31, for 18 months, proving himself an essential asset with at least nine confirmed ‘finds’.

Now his feats have made him the cover star of this week’s edition of Country Life, out today, where he is featured in a new series about Britain’s ‘top dogs’.

Not for nothing does Private Duff, of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, describe himself and Jack as ‘inseparable’.

‘Once, we were searching a compound in North Helmand that we had patrolled past many times previously. Jack told me that he’d found something, right under where I was about to step,’ he said. ‘To this day I am certain that he saved my life and those around me. I trust him implicitly.

Jack underwent 15 weeks of intensive training in Britain, involving sessions on fitness and obedience and tests with distractions such as smoke and heat, before being flown out to Afghanistan, where he spent another three weeks learning how to locate IEDs.

A dog indicates a ‘find’ by sitting. The training is based on rewards, with dogs receiving a treat – often a play with a tennis ball or a cuddle – every time they sniff out an explosive device.

Private Duff said: ‘Jack’s appetite for searching is immeasurable. Whenever he’s out of his kennel, he’s working, whether I’ve asked him to or not. He loves it.’

The extraordinary bond between military dogs and their masters was tragically highlighted earlier this year when Theo, a 22-month-old springer spaniel cross, suffered a seizure and passed away shortly after his handler, Lance Corporal Liam Tasker, 26, was killed in a firefight with the Taliban in Helmand.

The dog, which had broken the record for successful finds with his master, was said to have died of a broken heart.

The Lads from Top Gear Take 10 Downing Street

Well, not exactly "take" 10 Downing Street....they used the residence of the British Prime Minister as a backdrop for filming a Top Gear Challenge. Jeremy Clarkson and British Prime Minister David Cameron are friends and it was all done to highlight British Goods via a road trip to India for the Top Gear Boffins.

The US version of Top Gear was dreadful and the presenters they had could not replicate the chemistry that goes on between Clarkson, Hammond and May.

Can't wait until this episode shows up on BBC America. They are Brilliant.

Don't mind us Prime Minister: Jeremy Clarkson and crew films Top Gear's Christmas special... outside Number 10
By Amy Oliver UK Mail
29th November 2011

Those worried that Jeremy Clarkson has designs on Number 10 and a new career in politics shouldn't panic.

The 51-year-old presenter was only outside the Prime Minister's residence today to shoot scenes for the Top Gear Christmas special.
He was joined by fellow presenters James May, 48, and Richard Hammond, 41.

All were tight-lipped about the reason for their visit and a BBC spokesman refused to confirm or deny whether David Cameron is likely to star in the 90-minute show. They had to stop filming when Mr Cameron emerged from Number 10 to go to hear George Osborne's Autumn Statement.

Clarkson is a friend of the Prime Minister and the pair exchanged a few words before Mr Cameron was driven away.

They had to stop a second time because of a news helicopter hoping to film Mr Cameron's journey, that was hovering overhead.

The Top Gear trio journey to India this year in yet another epic adventure that sees them try to fix Britain's economy through trade promotion.

The show's producer Andy Wilman, today explained on the Top Gear blog that the team were trying to assist Mr Cameron, who a few months ago, said Britain must become a favoured trading partner of India.

'Top Gear, we thought, could help solve this problem with a trade mission, flying the flag for UKPLC,' Wilman wrote.

'Our plan was to drive across India, drumming up interest in British goods, advertising the peerless standards of British skills, British nous, British Britishness.

'We would make the Indians think: “No, we shall not buy mayonnaise from Belgium, but Angel Delight and Kendal Mint Cake from the British."'The three men were given a rather handsome budget of £7,000 each to purchase a car that would not only get them from one end of India to the other, but also represent dear old Blighty.

Clarkson chose a 1995 Celebration edition Jaguar XJS 4.0 litre, while Hammond purchased a classic Mini Cooper.Meanwhile May decided he wanted a Rolls-Royce, but had to make do with a 1976 Rolls-Royce Shadow.

They started in Mumbai before driving North through Delhi and into the Himalayas.

Whether all three motors made it to 14,000 feet is unknown.
'You'll just have to tune in to find out,' the BBC spokesman said.

All three presenters say they are recognised in countries around the world, but Hammond insists they never set out to make such a popular show.

Speaking to the Huffington Post he said: 'All we set out to do ten years ago was make the best car show we possibly could. The minute we start trying to contrive it to be something else, I'm sure it will stop working.'

And of the unique chemistry between the threesome he added: 'It's never changed. From day one, if Jeremy crashes into something, I will laugh, and I expect him to in return. You couldn't fake it, people would soon suss us out.

Pink Floyd's pigs fly again

I have been a rock n' roll fan for many years and one of my favorite groups has always been Pink Floyd. They have always been on the cutting edge and made some awesome albums.

I worked security detail back when Pink Floyd toured in the 1990's and got to see their show twice in one weekend at the old Foxboro Stadium....quite a sight with the laser show and sound effects. The first show was on a foggy night which made things spooky and the 2nd show was on a crystal clear night...the lasers went up into the sky and were spectacular....The music was awesome and even saw the Police detail getting into the show....

Sad to see that like most of us, they are all getting a little "long in the tooth" but the music endures as it is "brilliant" as the Brits would say.

Shine on you crazy diamond.


Pigs do fly! Iconic porker floats above Battersea power station again to celebrate 35 years of Pink Floyd album
By Daily Mail Reporter
26th September 2011

Pink Floyd's iconic flying pig has made a comeback - 35 years after it caused chaos by escaping into the skies over London.

A new 30-foot, helium-filled balloon floated high above Battersea Power Station to mark the reissue of the band's 14 studio albums.

But unlike its famous predecessor, this pig remained firmly tethered to the ground.

The original balloon, Algie - designed by band founder Roger Waters - broke free from its moorings during a photo shoot for the cover of the hit album Animals in 1976.

Plans had been made to fly Algie over Battersea on the first day of the three-day shoot, with a marksman ready to blast it out of the sky if things went wrong, but the pig was not launched.

On the second day, organisers had forgotten to book the marksman - and Algie made its bid for freedom. A strong gust of wind snapped the tether and the pig shot skywards, drifting off south over London.

The pig disappeared from sight within five minutes and was soon spotted by startled airline pilots at 30,000 feet.

Flights to and from Heathrow Airport were cancelled as Algie flew through the path of passenger aircraft. The balloon headed out towards the coast before crash-landing at a farm in Kent that night.

The pig was recovered and repaired so the photo-shoot could resume. but by the time he was brought back to Battersea, the cloudless, blue sky was deemed too 'boring'. So what Floyd fans eventually got was a composite picture.

Record bosses had to commission a new version of Algie for today's shoot. The original - which had been kept in a workshop in Halesworth, Suffolk - was found to be leaky.
The new pig was created by inflatables specialist Air Artists, which has worked with members of the band for many years. It needed 12 gas canisters to fill it and, this time, was tied firmly to the ground.

A Pink Floyd spokeswoman said: 'Sadly, two weeks prior to the event, the original neoprene-glued pig was officially declared not airworthy and a brand new high-frequency welded PVC replica Pink Floyd pig has been made for the occasion.'

The band's 14 albums have been remastered and are now available on CD.

There will also be new versions of Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here and The Wall. Fans can expect them within weeks.

The album Animals was inspired by Orwell's book Animal Farm, in which humans are characterised as pigs, sheep and dogs.

After its release in 1977 it became a massive hit, reaching Number Two in the UK album charts and Number Three in America's Billboard charts. It has since gone platinum four times.

Inflatable pigs were one of the staple props of Pink Floyd's live shows. The first was a sow, but a very obviously male pig appeared in the 1980s.

Next time use a manila folder Minister....

This shows that Politicians acting stupidly is not an American phenomenon....It appears that it is just as prevalent on both sides of the pond.

Next time, don't be such an idjit and use a opaque envelope or a manila folder....unless you WANT TO tell the whole world what you're planning.....

Minister's blunder with memo outside No.10 reveals UK Government 'welcomes' Afghan president stepping down By Ian Drury
UK MAIL - 31st August 2011

Gaffe: Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell leaves Number 10 without covering up his confidential briefing notes

A Cabinet minister risked a diplomatic row yesterday by accidentally revealing a secret Government memo welcoming the departure of Afghanistan's president.
Andrew Mitchell was photographed clutching a confidential briefing paper saying Hamid Karzai's decision to step down would improve the country's prospects 'very significantly'.

In a humiliating blunder the International Development Secretary inadvertently displayed the file, marked 'Protect – Policy', as he left a meeting at No 10.
His gaffe threatens to heighten tensions between Britain and the Afghan government. The relationship is rocky because of Mr Karzai's repeated failure to do more to stamp out corruption in his regime.

The memo, held in a see-through folder, also revealed concerns of Afghanistan being 'destabilised' if the international community continued to suspend aid money.
Mr Mitchell was snapped leaving Downing Street following a meeting of the National Security Council in which ministers discussed the war against the Taliban.

The timing of the slip-up is especially sensitive because it comes as Britain prepares to start pulling many of its 9,000 combat troops out of Afghanistan.

The briefing papers commented on Mr Karzai's plan to step down when his second term ends in 2014 – the same year Nato hands over security responsibilities to the Afghan government.

Mr Karzai was controversially re-elected in 2009 following an election marred by allegations of fraud and vote-rigging.

He has now been forced to say he would abide by the country's constitution and not seek a third term amid claims he was plotting a rule change so he could remain in power or anoint a relative.

He has infuriated the West and is unpopular among fellow Afghans. He has also been criticised for giving power to family and tribal members.

Mr Mitchell's secret papers said Karzai's decision improved Afghanistan's political prospects 'very significantly', adding: 'We should welcome Karzai's announcement in private and in public.'

A Government spokesman said the papers were of a routine nature and had no 'significant sensitivity'

Brits find 15mph speed limit on AFGHN bases a little "limiting"

There are certain things you have to adjust to when you spend a significant amount of time out here in Afghanistan.

It is dusty - HEAT, like the kind they are complaining about back home but for months instead of days/weeks - Food at the chow halls is "meh" - living in cramped qtrs. - basic bathrooms and shower facilities -

And the one overriding rule if you are driving anywhere on base - The 15 mph speed limit. In an effort to not lose anyone to needless accidents, the speed limit is set at 15 mph on all ISAF bases. This is exceedingly slow, especially if you need to get from point A to point B on base and you are running late. I got pulled over once on KAF because I was tooling along on the perimeter road at the ungodly rate of 40 mph. The MP who pulled me over was fairly understanding when I told him I was late for a flight and needed to get back out to the Whiskey Ramp. He gently suggested that I take it slower as there was a rather hefty fine for speeding.

Well it seems our allies the Brits have had to deal with this issue also....Must be from watching all those episodes of TOP GEAR that has got the chaps ready to get behind the wheel and yell, " More POWER !!!"


Speed guns new threat to troops in Afghanistan as top brass fine drivers for breaking 15mph limit
By UK Mail On Sunday Reporter
24th July 2011

Military police are using speed guns to catch soldiers staging ‘wacky races’ in armoured vehicles at Britain’s main base in Afghanistan.

The crackdown follows a series of accidents at Camp Bastion after soldiers raced against each other in combat trucks worth tens of millions of pounds.

Squaddies caught taking part in races have been fined £50 – a day’s pay – and received a ticking off from commanders. The speed limit inside the base is 15 miles per hour.

Vehicles at the huge desert garrison, where 10,000 UK troops are based, include the powerful, four-ton Jackal armoured car, which can reach up to 80 mph.

There are also various 20-ton armoured personnel carriers,
24-ton Warrior armoured vehicles, and hundreds of civilian off-road 4x4s.
Commanders argue that safety is paramount and the speed guns are necessary to avoid accidents.

But many frontline troops are unhappy over the crackdown, saying ‘politically correct’ officers have already ordered checks on uniforms and hair length.
One soldier said: ‘If it wasn’t so serious it would be funny, but these guys are taking their jobs too seriously. We already have the “style police”, who have nothing better to do than check our uniforms are pressed.

‘Then we have the “haircut police” telling everyone to get a haircut. It is bonkers when there is a war going on.’

A senior RAF officer said: ‘If it saves one life then I think it will have been worth it.’

An MoD spokesman said: ‘We take road safety as seriously on operations as we do in the UK.

Class Act - Prince William & Kate salute our servicemen & women

The British are our best allies regardless of the crap you hear from the White House. President Obama has a personal grudge against England as he feels they mistreated his Grandfather in Kenya but true Patriots know that the Brits are our steadfast partners in keeping the West safe. They have serious internal issues (as do we) and our shared sacrifices & mutual support are part of the "Special Relationship" that we have shared for decades.

The Heir-To-The-Throne and his Bride came to the US and demonstrate class and all that makes us proud to call them our friends. Brilliant....Good Show.


We salute you: William and Kate wrap up their U.S. tour by paying tribute to brave Americans who serve in the military
By Rebecca English - UK Daily Mail
11th July 2011

The royal couple's last event saw them attend a jobs fair at Sony Pictures Studio staged by Service Nation: Mission Serve.

The body is an umbrella organisation set up by the US government which brings together different service charities to support the re-integration of servicemen and women into civvy street.

The royal couple arrived in a motorcade with an escort of 17 officers from the Californian Highway Patrol - affectionately known as Chips - who had British flags fixed to the back of their large bikes.

The couple were greeted by Sir Howard Stringer chairman and chief executive of Sony Corporation and then led inside a building for a 25 minute-long private meeting with the senior staff from Service Nation: Mission Serve.

In Sound Stage 15, a huge 42,000 square foot open-plan building, dozens of business recruitment stands for the former US servicemen and women were set up.

Sets from iconic movies were built in the huge area from the yellow brick road from the Wizard of Oz to elements of the latest Spiderman movie and Sir Paul McCartney has used it as a rehearsal space.

The royal couple were cheered by the ex-servicemen and women and their partners who were attending the fair when they arrived, and the couple did a short walkabout.

The royal said: 'This is the last event on our tour of North America, but to my mind, it is one of the most important.

'This is because it is about men and women who - of their own free will - choose to put their life on the line for their country.'

He added: "Service Nation Mission Serve, and all the companies and employers taking part today, are providing opportunities which mean something very immediate and personal to us.

'Catherine and I both have friends back in Britain who could benefit from a brilliant initiative like this.'

William made the audience laugh by taking a swipe at his brother Prince Harry: 'I am delighted, therefore, that our Foundation – and in that I include my low-flying Apache very average brother – is a partner in today’s event.'

The royal went on to tell the audience 'how grateful we are to have been welcomed so warmly in the Golden State and the City of Angels. Thank you so much.'

The couple then filled boxes given to youngsters whose parents have been deployed to Afghanistan.

William and Kate were first shown a teddy bear called Cuzzie who was dressed in a scarf, goggles, jacket that was one of the main items.

The royal couple stood next to each other and filled the package with a journal for the children to jot down their feelings,
dogtags, so they can be just like mum or dad, a DVD that takes them through the issues around deployment, and postcards to send to the frontline.

When william picked up the popular American toy - Uno playing card - he said: 'I haven't seen these in ages, I used to play this a lot,' then put it in the box.

The couple then left to catch their scheduled flight back to the UK.

The British Military ensure that their K-9 Warriors are well kept in Afghanistan

In the photo above, British Army soldier Lcpl Marianne Hay from the Royal Army Veterinary Corp, crouches next to her explosives dog Leanna on Aug. 3, 2008 in Maywand District in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.


The Brits are our best Allies, here in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

Seems like they take pretty good care of their K-9 warriors also. They need to, as they are based out of Camp Bastion, deep in the heart of Helmand province. Presently, the temps there will approach 120-125 degrees in the shade on any given Summer day. That is dangerous conditions for our K-9 warriors. Glad to see they ensure that the 4-legged soldiers get good accomadations.

Good Show. All our best to our British Allies and their K-9 Warriors. Brilliant.


Life for a British military dog in Afghanistan

By Best Defense Chief Canine Correspondent
Rebecca Frankel - Foreignpolicy.com

As President Obama made his announcement this week about the troop drawdown this week, allied forces in Afghanistan are on the topic table again. European allies responded positively to the president's announcement. U.K. prime minister David Cameron, who announced his own plan for British troop withdrawals in May, was quick to applaud Obama, adding:

We will keep UK force levels in Afghanistan under constant review. I have already said there will be no UK troops in combat roles in Afghanistan by 2015 and, where conditions on the ground allow, it is right that we bring troops home sooner."

Britain has approximately 10,000 troops on the ground in Afghanistan -- the second highest number after the United States. Working alongside Cornish soldiers on the frontlines out of Camp Bastion -- Britain's largest military base in the country -- are a troop of 70 military dogs. So what's life like for a British military dog in Afghanistan? Actually, not too shabby.

The accomodations for these war dogs are extensive. Each dog has his or her own kennel quarters -- a small square building with both an indoor and outdoor component. The indoor quarters are air conditioned and each kennel has its own self-sustaining power source.

While on patrol, each handler is outfitted with a special canine first aid kit. For the detection and patrol dogs in Afghanistan, heat is always the handlers' and veterinary medics' biggest concern. There's also only one pool on base -- and it's just for the dogs.

But the canines aren't the only ones happy with these arrangements:

Private Daniel Gregory, from Bodmin, helps look after the dogs at Camp Bastion [says]: " It's the love of the dogs, working outside everyday. It's a good job, a really good job."

GOODWOOD celebrates 50 years of Britain’s most iconic sportcar, the Jaguar E-Type

One things I can avow is that I am all about all things automotive, especially classic and vintage cars....I LOVE to watch movies from the past simply to see the cars that are in the background in movies like Bullitt or Blue Hawaii...the cars you see the normal people driving in the background are all the ones we want now...

I have always liked the Jag e-type as it is an iconic car from the 60s....the design and style of this beauty inspired the design of man other car that followed.

I became aware of the Goodwood Festival of Speed and their annual Goodwood Revival after seeing some info about it on Cable....it is a totally British gathering with people coming for a weekend of Vintage Racing, Cars, Warbirds and all things British....I would like to attend one year and get to spend a weekend taking in the sights and sounds of this unique festival of speed....Brilliant !!!


GOODWOOD LAUNCHES ITS 2011 MOTOR SPORT SEASON
http://www.goodwood.co.uk/

Festival of Speed and Revival founder Lord March was joined by a host of famous faces at Goodwood House on Thursday 17 March to announce exciting plans for the 2011 Goodwood motor sport season.

Lord March ran though the highlights of what to look forward to at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed (1-3 July), Moving Motor Show (30 June) and Revival (16-18 September), supported by a host of motor sport stars, including Formula One drivers Mika Hakkinen, Jochen Mass, Desiré Wilson and Bruno Senna, motorcycle competitors Guy Martin, James Haydon and Paul Smart, rally stars Andreas Mikkleson, Jimmy McRae and Russell Brooks, and circuit racer legends Paul Radisich, Richard Attwood and Anthony Reid. In addition, golfer Sir Nick Faldo, TV chef James Martin, comedian Ross Noble and model Yasmin le Bon with her daughter Amber on hand.

The theme for the 2011 Festival of Speed is ‘Racing Revolutions – Quantum leaps that shaped motor sport,’ and the essence of this theme was much in evidence at the Goodwood launch, from the 1909 ‘Blitzen Benz’ with an influential aerodynamic design to help it become the fastest car in the world with record of 228.1 km/h in 1911, to the 1981 McLaren-Honda MP4/1 that pioneering the use of carbon fibre materials in F1 racing. The Festival theme will run right through many of this year’s Festival attractions, with racing innovations evident throughout, including developments to engine, aerodynamics, chassis construction, and much more.

The Festival remains the World’s only motor sport event outside of the Formula One championship to attract the current F1 teams and drivers, and Lord March declared that he is confident that Goodwood will feature a record nine of the current 2011 teams this year, including the reigning F1 World Championship team Red Bull, along with a number of the season’s top drivers.

Other forms of modern motor sport will also be represented at Goodwood with many of the current WRC and IRC rally teams in action on the Forest Rally Stage, with the new WRC Mini Countryman making its British debut at the launch. Skoda marks 110 years of motor sport involvement this year and is the new partner for the popular Forest Rally Stage, with Works driver Andreas Mikkelsen very much in evidence. Expect to see wild American rally star Ken Block in action in the 2011 Ford Fiesta WRC at the Festival too. Many of the works World Superbike teams are also expected at the Festival, plus a number of leading riders, including British stars James Toseland, Leon Haslam and Jonathan Rea.

Jaguar Cars will celebrate two important anniversaries at the Festival, with a striking automotive ‘sculpture’ in front of Goodwood House to celebrate 50 years of Britain’s most iconic sportcar, the E-Type, as well as the 60th anniversary since Jaguar first won at the gruelling Le Mans 24 Hours race. A significant 1961 E-type was present at the Goodwood launch with model Yasmin le Bon and daughter Amber taking a keen interest in the car, along with the most powerful production Jaguar ever made, the new XKR-S which made its UK debut.

The Centenary of the famous Indy 500 is being marked by Goodwood with the biggest celebration of this great race outside of America. To date over 30 cars have been confirmed, all of which played a significant role at the Brickyard, including nine outright winning chassis, to be driven by drivers with a dozen wins between them. Many of the cars will be appearing at the Festival for the first time. The cars will all be displayed together, creating a mini Gasoline Alley within the F1 Paddock, with much of the unique pageantry of the Indy 500 being recreated at the Festival. A line-up of Indy 500 cars were present at Goodwood, including the 1914 Sunbeam ‘Indianapolis’, 1951 Steven-Offy ‘Jim Robbins Special’ and 1966 Lola-Ford T90 ‘Bowes Seal’.

Lord March announced that young persons’ attractions at the Festival will be reinvigorated with the Goodwood Action Sports (GAS) live action sports arena, featuring five different types of extreme two-wheeled sport, all performing on an integrated series of jumps and ramps. GAS will be supported by SEAT, with its own Club SEAT interactive area and young driver experience. The emphasis of GAS will be on world class athletes in various extreme two-wheeled disciplines. As well as watching the experts, there will be an opportunity for Festival visitors to try each sport for themselves in the activities field. The Junior FoS for younger Goodwood visitors will remain as a popular attraction as well.

The Goodwood Moving Motor Show will also be held again as a significant addition to the annual Festival of Speed, and will take place on Thursday 30 June 2011, supported by Auto Trader. New cars buyers will be able to enjoy an exclusive motor show preview day, where they will not only be able to see the very latest new car models on display, but in some cases also climb aboard and experience the vehicles first-hand, strictly at the invitation of the participating vehicle manufacturers. At least 23 car manufacturers have already confirmed their attendance at the 2011 Moving Motor Show.

Highlights at the 2011 Goodwood Revival (16-18 September) will set to include a Jaguar E-type-only race to mark 50 years of this important sportscar, plus a tribute to Juan Fangio, 100 years after his birth, and a daily track parade of British-built Ford vehicles to honour the century of Ford in Britain. The 75th anniversary of the Supermarine Spitfire will also be celebrated, with the greatest gathering of these evocative aircraft at Goodwood since the its active duty day as a Battle of Britain RAF Air Base in World War II.

British Press label Obama as " THE WEAKEST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY"

The British Press pretty much calls it like it is....Now if FOX NEWS had published this story, it would be seen as partisan and racist....The Brits don't really have a stake in the game and this view falls under the standard of the "3rd disinterested observer's point-of-view" which is usually the most accurate.

The hosts of TOP GEAR are always asking the following question when they see something going horribly wrong and it would seem to be appropriate regarding the feckless "empty suit" sitting in the White House;

" HOW HARD CAN IT BE ????"


BARACK OBAMA: THE WEAKEST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY?
President Barack Obama's supporters believed that he had the vision to transform America
Friday March 18,2011
By Anna Pukas

INEFFECTUAL, invisible, unable to honour pledges and now blamed for letting Gaddafi off the hook. Why Obama’s gone from ‘Yes we can’ to ‘Er, maybe we shouldn’t’...

Let us cast our minds back to those remarkable days in November 2008 when the son of a Kenyan goatherd was elected to the White House. It was a bright new dawn.....

Obama’s campaign slogan was mesmerisingly simple and brimming with self-belief: “Yes we can.” His presidency, however, is turning out to be more about “no we won’t.” Even more worryingly, it seems to be very much about: “Maybe we can… do what, exactly?“ The world feels like a dangerous place when leaders are seen to lack certitude but the only thing President Obama seems decisive about is his indecision. What should the US do about Libya? What should the US do about the Middle East in general? What about the country’s crippling debts? What is the US going to do about Afghanistan, about Iran?

What is President Obama doing about anything? The most alarming answer – your guess is as good as mine – is also, frankly, the most accurate one. What the President is not doing is being clear, resolute and pro-active, which is surely a big part of his job description. This is what he has to say about the popular uprising in Libya: “Gaddafi must go.” At least, that was his position on March 3.

Since then, other countries – most notably Britain and France – have been calling for some kind of intervention. Even the Arab League, a notoriously conservative organisation, has declared support for sanctions. But from the White House has come only the blah-blah of bland statements filled with meaningless expressions
and vague phrases. Of decisive action and leadership – even of clearly defined opinion – there is precious little sign.

What is the Obama administration’s position on the protests in the Gulf island state of Bahrain, which the authorities there are savagely suppressing with the help of troops shipped in from Saudi Arabia? What is the White House view on the alarming prospect of the unrest spreading to Saudi Arabia itself? Who knows? Certainly not the American people, nor the leaders of nations which would consider themselves allies of America.

The President has not really shared his views, which leads us to conclude that he either doesn’t know or chooses, for reasons best known to himself, not to say. The result is that a very real opportunity to remove an unpredictable despot from power may well have been lost. Who knows when or if such an opportunity will come along again?

Every day for almost the last two months our television screens, radio broadcasts and the pages of our newspapers have been filled with the pictures, sounds and words of the most tumultuous events any of us can remember in the Arab world. The outcome of these events, once the dust has settled, could literally change the world. Yet Obama seems content to sit this one out. He has barely engaged in the debate. Such ostrich-like behaviour is not untypical of the 49-year-old President who burst through America’s colour barrier to become the first African-American to occupy the White House.

Two days after taking office in January 2009, he pledged to close down the prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, which has become notorious for holding detainees for years without trial. Obama promised to lose the prison within 12 months and to abolish the practice of military trials of terrorism suspects. It was an important promise. America’s reputation had been severely tarnished by revelations about the conditions at Guantanamo, by reports of waterboarding and extraordinary rendition (transporting prisoners to a third country for torture) and by the appalling treatment of detainees in Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

Closing Guantanamo was a redemptive gesture. Two years on, not only is the prison still in use but its future is as assured as ever. Ten days ago, the President signed an executive order reinstating the military commissions at the island prison. Human rights organisations were outraged. “With the stroke of a pen, President Obama extinguished any lingering hope that his administration would return the United States to the rule of law,” said Amnesty International while Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, declared the President’s action to be “unlawful, unwise and un-American.”

White House spokesmen insisted the President was still committed to closing Guantanamo, which currently has 172 detainees in custody. It was Congress, they said, that had refused to sanction the transfer of the prisoners to the US mainland for trial, leaving no option but to keep the prison open in Cuba. Very little has been achieved in the quest to secure peace in the Middle East. Under Obama, US foreign policy is founded on extreme caution. At first this cool-headedness was a welcome change from the naked aggression of George W Bush and his henchmen Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld.

It is also true that the President is constantly stymied by a hostile, Republican-ruled Congress. But Obama’s apparent reluctance to engage with momentous events is starting to look like more than aloofness. Some tempering of America’s role as the world’s No1 busybody may be no bad thing but under Obama the US appears to be heading towards isolationism. He is hardly doing much better at home. Economically, the US is in big trouble but the national debt is not shrinking.

Ditto the country’s ecological health; the American love affair with the car and oil remains undiminished despite any alleged commitment. But the White House appears to shy away from any tough action. The energy with which Obama entered the White House seems to have all gone in the push to bring in health care reform, which many Americans didn’t want (or still don’t realise they want).

All of which means that it is starting to look as if Obama and the Democratic Party have but one aim in mind for the rest of this presidential term: to get elected for a second. That means not doing anything that might upset any number of special interest or niche groups, which in effect means not doing very much at all. So, not too many harsh but necessary measures to tackle the financial deficit; no clear direction on where America goes with Afghanistan, even though the war there is going nowhere except from bad to worse.

The Obama government can’t even give clear direction on whether the American people are in danger of exposure to nuclear fallout from Japan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami. The US Surgeon General Regina Benjamin advised San Francisco residents to stock up on radiation antidotes, prompting a run on potassium iodide pills, while the President said experts had assured him that any harmful radiation would have receded long before reaching the Western shores of the US.

Yes we can was a noble and powerful mantra which secured for Barack Obama the leadership of the free world. Those than can, do. It is time he started doing

Wootton Bassett given the 'Royal' prefix in honour of ceremonies for UK War Heroes - "We are not doing this for any plaudits, honours or awards."

Many of our military traditions stem from what we adopted from the British military as we became a nation over 235 years ago.....

101 years since the village of Tunbridge Wells got the nod from Edward VII, Wootton Bassett has been given the 'Royal' prefix in honour of its moving ceremonies remembering Britain's war dead.

The Queen granted the honour personally, marking the announcement that troops killed abroad will no longer be taken back to RAF Lyneham, just outside of the Wiltshire town.

Since 2007, over 150 repatriations from Afghanistan have arrived in Lyneham, with each one commemorated by the Wootton townsfolk.

Steve Bucknell, the town's mayor, said back then: "We are not doing this for any plaudits, honours or awards. We don't want anything to take the attention away from the guys who have paid the ultimate price."

I salute the good people of Royal Wootton Bassett and wish we would do something similar here as I feel that we should also honor our brave men & women when they are returned home after paying the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

To our Allies in Britain I say, Good Show.


Wootton Bassett granted 'Royal' title to honour parades

Wootton Bassett is to be the first town in more than 100 years granted the title ''Royal'' in recognition of its parades for fallen soldiers, David Cameron has announced.

12:15PM GMT 16 Mar 2011 - UK Telegraph

The Prime Minister confirmed that troop repatriations would no longer happen via the Wiltshire town from September due to the closure of a nearby RAF base.

But he said the Queen had agreed to the tribute as ''an enduring symbol of the nation's admiration and our gratitude to the people of that town''.

''Their deeply moving and dignified demonstrations of respect and mourning have shown the deep bond between the public and our Armed Forces,'' Mr Cameron told the Commons.

The Prime Minister made the announcement after making his regular tribute at the start of question time to the most recent military casualty in Afghanistan.

"The town will become Royal Wootton Bassett later this year in a move I believe will be welcomed right across our country."

In a written ministerial statement, Defence Secretary Liam Fox confirmed that repatriation ceremonies for those killed in operational theatres will move from RAF Lyneham to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

"I would like to thank RAF Lyneham for their excellent work in supporting the important task of repatriation ceremonies," Dr Fox said.

"I am certain that RAF Brize Norton will maintain the standard of solemnity, dignity and respect to our service personnel killed on operations as shown by the personnel at RAF Lyneham.

"I would also like to record publicly my thanks to the people of Wootton Bassett who have chosen to pay their respects in a unique and special way.

Female British Apache pilot in Afghanistan, " I've killed more people than ...Jack The Ripper and any other serial killer ...all put together"

Equality of the sexes is the norm for the British Military....Read an excerpt from Dressed To Kill, by Charlotte Madison...a British Apache AH-64 Helicopter Pilot.

Her POV on the battle from the front seat of an awesome machine.

I feel that the fairer sex are capable and up to the job but may like many others, gain a new appreciation and understanding of the emotional toll being underfire extracts from each of us who have lived through the experience of combat.

I’ve killed more than Harold Shipman, Jack The Ripper and Myra Hindley put together Adapted by BEN JACKSON

CHARLOTTE MADISON, 26, beat the odds to be chosen as the first female pilot of a British Apache attack helicopter for the Army Air Corps.

Here, in the serialisation of her book, Dressed To Kill, she tells how she is thrown headfirst into battle after being posted to Afghanistan.

" I'M searching woods near an area dubbed RPG Alley for attackers who have hit one of our helicopters causing two casualties.

It's two weeks into my first tour to Afghanistan and I'm flying near Now Zad.

On the radio I'm listening to a fellow pilot and trying to keep up with all the grids he's sending. For every one there are more than 30 button pushes.

RPG Alley is one of the Taliban's favourite firing points. They set up RPGs - rocket propelled grenades - to land inside the British area then melt away.

I flick between my two screens. The first is better for picking up movement but the second can see through the foliage and trace the heat signatures of people, The radio crackles with our call sign. "Ugly Five One, this is Five Zero, we've got movers!"

I see four figures darting in and out of trees. It is confirmed they are Taliban, and probably the ones firing rockets at our soldiers 30 minutes ago.

I aim. Each time the trigger is pulled four rockets, each spraying 80 six-inch tungsten darts which punch holes in everything they touch, will fly towards the target.

Approaching the target at over 100mph I say into the radio: "Five One firing."

I watch with satisfaction as the rockets hammer the woods.

All eyes search for movement. We see none.

"That was your first real engagement, wasn't it?" my co-pilot "Fog" says. "How do you feel?" On a professional level, I'm happy. I didn't crumble under the pressure of the real thing. "Felt fine," I say.

Unease

As we shut down the engines and walk away back at base a creeping sense of uncertainty starts to bubble through me. I feel slightly nauseous as I look around and see the guys on the ground working.

Everything is just going on as normal but I have this creeping sense of unease about what we're really here for.

Now I am a killer. My heart is hammering. This is my job. I push the feelings away but it's hard.

The Boss comes over. "Good work, Charlie." His smile is honest. "Thanks, Boss."

Charlotte had three tours of duty in Afghanistan over 12 months. In one she was involved in a critical mission to rescue a wounded soldier, Mathew Ford. She continues her story...

He was believed to be lying injured after a ground attack on a compound called Jugroom Fort, in Helmand. One of our top pilots, "Face", has a bold plan to fly in and get him, strap the injured man to the Apache and fly out.

Our Apache is to provide covering fire. But as we go in suddenly Face is really shouting. He must be in a bad way. "I'm a sitting duck, I'm a sitting duck." Face's voice penetrates my skull.

I fire two missiles at point-blank range into the room at the fort where muzzle flashes are spitting. They stop and we reset just as Face says: "They're firing again. I can't get them with my gun." One enemy RPG. That's all it would take.

I struggle to get the missiles off at such close quarters. "Get some f***ing fire down!" my colleague, Darwin, is shouting from the back seat. I'm wildly squeezing the trigger.

After sending another missile through the roof of the building, our final one slams into a window and the firing stops.

We fly underneath the blanket of smog - the scene looks like a macabre cartoon of a war zone, rubble, smoke, tracer, tiny bodies and plumes of angry fire.

What a mess. Only our rockets left now. We set up for a run just to the east of where the two rescue Apaches are still sitting on the ground. I long to look but can't spare the concentration. We fire half our rockets, then repeat the manoeuvre to the north. They come out shooting in pairs, with their ar*es on fire.

Suddenly an enemy RPG shoots past my window. "What the f***? F***, help, f***."

My head spins and I realise we are barely higher than the trees. I can look through the windows of the nearby buildings.

I send the final flechette rockets into the distance. Face's flight lifts off in a huge cloud of dust and grit. As soon as they're away, Darwin pulls max power and climbs away to 2,000ft.

"We're Winchester," I tell him, with a huge exhalation of pent-up breath. It means we're out of ammo. (The saying is from the First World War when biplane pilots had nothing left to fire and reached for their Winchester repeater rifles.) No one had yet gone Winchester in an Apache.

"Hello Five Two, this is Five Three pulling up, Winchester," I tell my flight commander, Nick. "Blimey. Not bad for a six-minute sortie," he replies.

Back on the ground we find out Mathew Ford didn't make it. The knowledge sits heavily with me. It just seems so unfair.

A week later I walk into the squadron rest tent and the TV is on. A few people are crowded around watching. It is a documentary about the lives of some of the Marines out here.

It takes me a while to realise that the lively, funny, healthy-looking man on the screen is the one who died in an instant, before my eyes, behind a dusty outhouse. It is like a punch in the stomach. I long to reach into the TV screen and pull out his smiling, brave, handsome face.

Nausea rushes through me and I want to scratch at my skin. I feel horribly unsteady on my feet.

Horrified

I have to get fresh air. Resting my head in my hands, I tell myself to hold it together.

Something has been playing on my mind, too. Some of the boys keep a "kill count". I don't, but I have an idea of the scale of what I've done. "You know," I say slowly, wanting to gauge her reaction, "I've killed more people than Harold Shipman, Myra Hindley, Jack The Ripper and any other serial killer you can name all put together. If that's not f***ed up, I don't know what is."

I want to see if she looks horrified.

She looks me straight in the eye. "I think of our job as being like an airborne hitman. You get a scrap of paper with a grid on it and get told to kill whoever's there. It's kind of cool. And we're on the side of good." .

"I guess we just have to do what we're trained to do, and do it as well as we can," Jo says reassuringly.

I feel as if I've sorted out the mess in my brain a little. If Jo doesn't think I'm nuts, or a bad person, then there's a good chance that, tomorrow, I won't either. "

Dressed To Kill, by Charlotte Madison is published on March 18, £14.99. To buy it from the Sun bookshop for £13.49 visit thesunbookshop.co.uk

Good Show - Two British snipers were responsible for killing 75 Taliban fighters in just 40 days...Brilliant!

The Brits are doing their part out there in Helmand Province, Afghanistan

The Lads are racking up some serious numbers taking out the Taliban, making each shot count.

Good Show - Brilliant!


Dead Men Risen: The snipers' story

Operating from a remote patrol base in Helmand, two British snipers were responsible for killing 75 Taliban fighters in just 40 days. In one remarkable feat of marksmanship, two insurgents were dispatched with a single bullet.

By Toby Harnden 13 Mar 2011 UK Telegraph

The arrival at the newly-established Patrol Base Shamal Storrai (Pashto for “North Star”) in late August 2009 of Serjeant Tom Potter and Rifleman Mark Osmond marked the start of an astonishing episode in the history of British Army sniping.

Within 40 days, the two marksmen from 4 Rifles, part of the Welsh Guards Battle group, had achieved 75 confirmed kills with 31 attributed to Potter and 44 to Osmond. Each kill was chalked up as a little stick man on the beam above the firing position in their camouflaged sangar beside the base gate – a stick man with no head denoting a target eliminated with a shot to the skull.

Osmond, 25, was an engaging, fast-talking enthusiast, eager to display his encyclopedic knowledge of every specification and capability of his equipment. He had stubbornly remained a rifleman because he feared that being promoted might lead to his being taken away from sniping, a job he loved and lived for. Potter, 30, was more laid back, projecting a calm professionalism and quiet confidence in the value of what he did.

Potter had notched up seven confirmed kills in Bara in 2007 and 2008 while Osmond’s total was 23. Both were members of the Green Jackets team that won the 2006 British Army Sniper Championships.

On one occasion they killed eight Taliban in two hours, ‘I wasn’t comfortable with it at first,’ said Osmond, ‘you start wondering is it really necessary?’ But the reaction of the locals soon persuaded him. ‘We had people coming up to us afterwards, not scared to talk to us. They felt they were being protected’.

The snipers used suppressors, reducing the sound of the muzzle blast. Although a ballistic crack could be heard, it was almost impossible to work out where the shot was coming from. With the bullet travelling at three times the speed of sound, a victim was unlikely to hear anything before he died.

Walkie-talkie messages revealed that the Taliban thought they were being hit from helicopters. The longest-range shot taken was when Potter killed an insurgent at 1,430 metres away. But the most celebrated shot of their tour was by Osmond at a range of just 196 metres.

On September 12th, a known Taliban commander appeared on the back of a motorcycle with a passenger riding pillion. There was a British patrol in the village of Gorup-e Shesh Kalay and under the rules of engagement, the walkie-talkie the Taliban pair were carrying was designated a hostile act. As they drove off, Osmond fired warning shots with his pistol and then picked up his L96, the same weapon – serial number 0166 – he had used in Iraq and on the butt of which he had written, ‘I love u 0166’.

Taking deliberate aim, he fired a single shot. The bike tumbled and both men fell onto the road and lay there motionless. When the British patrol returned, they checked the men and confirmed they were both dead, with large holes through their heads.

The 7.62 mm bullet Osmond had fired had passed through the heads of both men. He had achieved the rare feat of ‘one shot, two kills’ known in the sniping business as ‘a Quigley’. The term comes from the 1990 film Quigley Down Under in which the hero, played by Tom Selleck, uses an old Sharps rifle to devastating effect.

Potter and Osmond’s working day would begin around 7 am and end a dozen or so hours later at last light. Up to about 900 metres, they would aim at an insurgent’s head, beyond that at the chest.

Often, Potter would take one side of a compound and Osmond the other. Any insurgent moving from one side to the other was liable to be shot by the second sniper if the first had not already got him. Each used the scopes on the rifles to spot for the other man, identifying targets with nicknames to do with their appearance.

A fighter wearing light blue was dubbed ‘the Virgin Mary’ and one clad in what looked like sackcloth was referred to as ‘Hesco man’, after the colour of the base’s Hesco barriers. Both the Virgin Mary and Hesco man were killed.

Others were given a nickname because of their activities, like Hashish man, a Taliban who doubled up as a drug dealer. Occasionally, insurgents got posthumous monikers. If one target presented himself, both snipers aimed at him simultaneously in a coordinated shoot.

“Everybody you hit they drop in a different way,’ says Potter. ‘We did a co-ord shoot on to the one bloke and he just looked like he just fell through a trap door. So we called him Trapdoor Man.”

Major Mark Gidlow-Jackson, their company commander, describes Potter and Osmond as the “epitome of the thinking riflemen” that his regiment sought to produce. “They know the consequences of what they’re doing and they are very measured men. They are both highly dedicated to the art of sniping. They’re both quiet, softly spoken, utterly charming, two of the nicest men in the company, if the most dangerous.”

Serjeant Potter and Rifleman Osmond are identified by pseudonyms for security reasons

Dead Men Risen, published by Quercus Publishing at £18.99 RRP, is available from Telegraph Books at £14.99 + £1.25 p&p. Call 0844 871 1515 or visit books.telegraph.co.uk

'Zeal Does Not Rest' - HMS Ark Royal is decommissioned with overwhelming appreciation for her service

A sad day for the British Navy.....The crew of the Ark Royal have our thanks and respects for the good service and defense of freedom. The British Navy will hopefully rebuild and once again stand shoulder to shoulder with the US Navy in keeping the seas free.

Best of British: Tears flow as Ark Royal's last 150 sailors say an emotional farewell
By UK Daily Mail Reporter
11th March 2011

Tearful crowds have gathered for an emotional farewell to the HMS Ark Royal as the doomed Royal Navy's flagship was decommissioned.

The last remaining 150 sailors serving on board Britain's most famous warship watched as her white ensign was lowered for the final time.

Principal guest First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope inspected a guard comprising 30 of the ship's company at the aircraft carrier's home port of Portsmouth, Hants.

The Royal Marines Band played ceremonial music during the hour long service conducted by the ship's chaplain and attended by more than 900 family and former commanding officers.

The 689ft long ship was controversially decommissioned three years early due to government cuts.

Captain Jerry Kyd, the last Commanding Officer of HMS Ark Royal, who now commands sister ship HMS Illustrious, said: 'Ark Royal is the best of British and represents everything great about our country.

'She has served all over the world in tough battles and paying farewell to her is a very emotional occasion.

'I'm very proud to have served as her last captain and will cherish her fantastic spirit.

'Ark Royal has played a very important role throughout her history and has had considerable success in delivering carrier strike.

'My very first job after finishing my initial officer training 25 years ago at Dartmouth was in the then brand new HMS Ark Royal.

'It is therefore a great honour for me to have been her last captain.

'I am only too aware that this famous ship and her iconic name mean a great deal to many people.

'Although Ark Royal will be decommissioned, the new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers are vastly more capable and will provide the Royal Navy with an exciting future.'

Ark's operations have included playing a pivotal part in the NATO campaign during the Bosnia conflict and, in early 2003, leading the UK's naval forces during Op Telic - the invasion of Iraq, with a fleet of helicopters embarked.

Last November The Queen visited the ship in Portsmouth as part of Ark Royal's 25th anniversary celebrations.

She clocked up 621,551 nautical miles during her career and made her final entry to Portsmouth on December 3 last year.

One of the final crew members of the Ark Royal was wren Shannon Brown, 20, from Hull, in east Yorks, who took part in the ceremony.

She said: 'I have to admit I had a lump in my throat during the ceremony and at times it was hard to hold it together.

'My time aboard has been fantastic and eventful, I've been here nearly three years and made a lot of friends.

'The Ark Royal is our most famous warship and I will always be proud to say I was part of her final crew.' The ship, which is the fifth to bear the name Ark Royal, was launched in 1981 on the River Tyne by the Queen Mother and commissioned in 1985.

She had intervened in the naming of the ship, requesting she be called Ark Royal following a public outcry over the planned name of HMS Indomitable.

The name Ark Royal has played an important role in the history of the Royal Navy since the first ship earned her battle stripes against the Spanish Armada under Lord Howard in 1588.

The third Ark Royal played an integral part in the Second World War, helping to track down the German battleship Bismarck before herself being torpedoed by a German U-boat and sinking.

The current ship, which can reach a speed of more than 30 knots, received its battle honours on Iraq's Fao peninsula during the 2003 military campaign to overthrow Saddam Hussein.

The ship has the motto 'Zeal Does Not Rest' and can carry 22 aircraft.
Its future remains unclear. It may be sold, used for spare parts or turned into a museum.

The decision to scrap the ship leaves the UK without the ability to launch fast jets from a British aircraft carrier until the Queen Elizabeth class of aircraft carrier comes into service at the end of the decade.

The first Ark Royal was to be called Ark, which became Ark Raleigh, following the convention at the time where the ship bore the name of its owner - Sir Walter Raleigh.

In order to reduce his debts to Queen Elizabeth I he sold the ship to her in 1587 for 5,000 pounds and it then became known as Ark Royal.

Brits deal with Free Speech issue like here in USA - Offensive Muslim Extremists act out in a similar manner to Westboro Baptist idiots....

The Tyranny of the Minority is in full effect both here & abroad. We have the thick skulled idiots of the Westboro Baptist Church spewing their filth at soldier's funerals, and the Brits have Muslim extremists degrading a Remembrance Day Memorial by burning poppies to offend those in attendance.

The significant difference is the Westboro Baptists aren't looking to institute a religious law into our society. The fools over in England are trying to institute Sharia law as they want to control all of England....The idiot involved in the case in England says so directly, " We want Sharia law in this country"

This is the type of threat that needs to be addressed head on....I find this type of protest offensive but it is the price we pay for Freedom of Speech. I am not thrilled with this perversion of the law but understand why it has to be allowed.

On the other hand, the " Tyranny of the Minority" is something that can be and should be stamped out. This stupid fool who mocks the War Dead and preaches overthrow of the British Government should be expelled back to his native country. His actions are defiant and his mocking of the authority should be handled with a charge of contempt of the courts...His attitude will only incite others to act out and while protest is allowed by free speech, inciting violence and civil unrest is not.

The English people need to rise up against these fools and show that they are behind their soldiers and against the vile filth that this idiot puts forward. He'll get his just punishment one day along with the stupid fools from the Westboro Baptist Church. These people are the dregs of society...bottom feeding scumbags and will always be regarded as such.


£50 insult to Britain's war dead: Veteran's fury as poppy burner enjoying a life on benefits gets paltry fine and mocks soldiers
By Emily Andrews - UK Mail

Last updated at 7:56 AM on 8th March 2011

Despite saying he would pay more for a parking fine, Choudhury said he would not pay up

As a British citizen, Emdadur Choudhury enjoys benefits including a free council flat and almost £800 a month state handouts.

Yesterday he laughed at justice as he was handed a paltry £50 fine for setting light to poppies on Remembrance Day and yelling ‘British soldiers burn in hell’.

After hearing his penalty, which outraged war veterans, the 26-year-old father of two declared: ‘I don’t have any respect for British soldiers, and if they lose a limb or two in Afghanistan then they deserve it. You expect me to feel sorry for them? Of course I don’t.’

Emdadur Choudhury, who didn't bother to attend the hearing yesterday, claimed the charge levelled against him was 'ridiculous'

Choudhury, from Bethnal Green, East London, was found guilty of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour by District Judge Howard Riddle, following a one-day trial last month.

The maximum fine possible was £1,000, plus legal costs, and Judge Riddle said he had no doubt Choudhury had set out to shock and offend. Yet he fined him only £50, plus a £15 victim surcharge.

Although Choudhury sneered that he would have been fined more than £50 for a parking offence, he is refusing to pay. However the bill will be picked up by his ‘good friend’ Anjem Choudary, the notorious firebrand preacher.

Choudhury could also have been charged under Section 31 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, which is racially or religiously aggravated public order offence. This offence also carries a maximum sentence of six months, but the level of fine can reach £2,500.

The defendant could also have faced charges of an incitement or racial hatred under the Public Order Act.

This offence relates to deliberately provoking hatred of a racial group. Among the offences listed as arrestable are making inflammatory public speeches and inciting inflammatory rumours about an individual or an ethnic group.

Choudhury, whose parents are Bangladeshi immigrants who came to Britain for a better life, was a leading member of a demonstration by the so-called Muslims Against Crusaders on November 11
.
During the two-minute silence he was caught on camera unfurling several large plastic poppies and dousing them in petrol before setting them alight.

The protesters, who had gathered near the Royal Albert Hall close to the finish of a charity walk to commemorate service personnel, also repeatedly yelled ‘Burn British soldiers, burn in hell’.

Choudhury and his co-accused Mohammed Haque, 30, who was cleared of the same charge for lack of evidence, could not even be bothered to attend Belmarsh Magistrates’ Court for the verdict.

The court heard that Choudhury works part time as a satellite engineer and earns £480 a month. He also receives a monthly total of £792 in state benefits, comprising £240 working tax credit; £432 child tax credit and £120 a month child benefit.

Judge Riddle said: ‘Shocking and offending people is sometimes a necessary part of effective protest. Here, an obvious consequence of this process was to show disrespect for dead soldiers.

‘The two-minute chanting, when others were observing a silence, followed by a burning of the symbol of remembrance, was a calculated and deliberate insult to the dead and those who mourn or remember them. If the memory of dead soldiers is publicly insulted at a time and place where there is likely to be gathered people who have expressly attended to honour those soldiers, then the threat to public order is obvious.

‘Here it is hard to imagine that a public order disturbance was not intended.’

Choudary was caught on camera unfurling several large plastic poppies on the ground before burning them at the end of the two-minute silence to honour the war dead

Later, in a park near his home, a defiant Choudhury said: ‘The poppy disgusts me – it’s not to do with World War One or World War Two veterans, it’s all about raising money for soldiers injured in the wars now.

‘I’m not being disrespectful for burning it, I’m being honourable. It’s all about shock and awe, to get these soldiers out of Muslim lands.’

Asked if he would do it again, he replied laughing: ‘You’ll have to find out next time, won’t you? The only reason I even got a fine is cos it’s politically motivated. I would have got a bigger fine for a parking ticket than this.

District Judge Howard Riddle made the decision to impose the fine on Choudhury, something that left Shaun Rusling and fellow veterans 'disgusted'

‘It’s my freedom of speech and I’m exercising that. I’m being persecuted for it. This fine, I will wear it as a badge on my shoulder. I did it for Allah. I did it to raise awareness that these so-called soldiers are the criminals. They are the ones who should be tried for war crimes.’

Sinisterly he promised that he had ‘2,000 youths who will follow me and do whatever I tell them – you don’t want another Afghanistan here do you? We want Sharia law in this country, and Inshallah [God willing] we will get it’.

Shaun Rusling, of the National Gulf War Veterans and Families Association, said: ‘I think the British people would be disgusted with the sentence handed out.

Remembrance Day is very special for those in the Armed Forces, when we remember those who have lost their lives for freedom and fighting for their country.

Mohammad Haque (left) and Emdadur Choudhury (right) pictured yesterday. Choudhury was convicted of a public order offence after he burned a poppy on Armistice Day and fined £50. Fellow defendant Haque was found not guilty of the same offence

‘It is a personal insult to all of them. I am personally insulted, any veteran would be personally insulted by them burning a poppy. I don’t think it is an acceptable sentence at all.’

A spokesman for the Royal British Legion said: ‘The poppy is the symbol of sacrifice and valour. It offers everyone an opportunity to reflect on the human cost of conflicts past and present.

‘The two-minute silence is a time for such reflection, and not for political protests or public disorder. We are confident that this is understood and supported by most people.

SO WHY WAS HE JUST CHARGED WITH A PUBLIC ORDER OFFENCE?

Emdadur Choudhury was charged with an offence under Section 5 of Public Order Act 1986. Under the act, a person is guilty of an offence if they use either, threatening abusive or insulting words, disorderly behaviour, or display any writing, sign or visible representation that he threatening or insulting.

The maximum sentence for this offence is six months, while the highest fine imposable by a court is £1,000. The judge could also have imposed a community sentence such as unpaid work. However because the defendant is understood to have no prior criminal convictions, the judge would not have considered a custodial sentence.

New Three Wheeled Morgan Flier built by the British revives the days of open cockpit motoring

As previously stated, I am a bit of a "gearhead" and also a fan of all things British, so when you put them together in the correct venue, it is a huge " win-win"....Take a look at this little beauty.....I could definitely get into one of these hotties for a spin down the road....Brilliant, just Brilliant.




Chocks away! The three-wheeled Morgan flier that zips along at 115mph
By Ray Massey
UK Mail - 5th March 2011

It is the car that could have persuaded those magnificent men in their flying machines to take up motoring instead.

Inspired by classic planes of old, this Morgan 3-Wheeler – from the last truly British-owned car company – took off at the Geneva Motor Show yesterday.
Scroll down for video

On the road, the trike resembles a First World War Sopwith Camel fighter plane only shorn of its wings and propeller

Its brand of British eccentricity stole the show from the multinational supercars and hi-tech electric and hybrid vehicles on display.

The little trike harks back to the first car Morgan ever built in 1909.

That three-wheeler stayed in production for decades until the last rolled out of the company’s factory in Malvern, Worcestershire in 1951.

The new version is powered by a 1.9 litre engine which allows it to accelerate from rest to 60mph in 4.5 seconds.

Yet it still manages a frugal 50 miles to the gallon and has a range of 400 miles on just one tank of petrol.

At £30,000, it is hardly a budget drive. But already more than 300 enthusiasts have put down £7,000 deposits.

On the road, the trike resembles a First World War Sopwith Camel fighter plane only shorn of its wings and propeller.

Keeping up the aerial theme, owners can customise their Morgan 3-Wheeler with stick-on graphics including combat bullet holes, RAF roundels or a shark’s nose and teeth.
Customised clothing and goggles are planned.

Officially the vehicle is not classed as a car but as a motor trike which means the owner pays a mere £17 a year road tax.

Designer Matthew Humphries said: ‘This is a completely new vehicle for the 21st century. But it harks back to the vintage three-wheeler which started this company.

'It does take its cues from classic aeroplanes. But it has modern aeronautical touches too.
‘The start button is actually the bomb-release button on the new Eurofighter,’ Mr Humphries said.

‘We tracked down the company that makes them and bought a batch to put on to the dashboard.’

United in life and death: Bomb-sniffing UK Army dog and his master will be repatriated together at Wootton Bassett

My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am. ~Author Unknown

I feel British Lance Corporal Liam Tasker didn't have to worry about that as his beloved companion Theo thought the world of him....They were a team and I salute them both for their bravery, courage and commitment to their shared mission....God Bless them both.


United in life and death: Bomb-sniffing Army dog and his master will be repatriated together at Wootton Bassett
By Daily Mail Reporter
4th March 2011

Bravely they faced the enemy side-by-side and tragically they both died at war.

Now man and dog have one final journey to make - and they will make it as a team.

Lance Corporal Liam Tasker, who was killed in a firefight with the Taliban, and his devoted Army search dog Theo, who died soon after, are to be repatriated together next week.

Tragic loss: Liam Tasker was on patrol with his dog Theo at the time of the attack in Nahr-e-Saraj, Afghanistan. Theo died shortly after his master, earlier this week
The pair, hailed for their tireless work saving countless British soldiers in Afghanistan, are expected to be flown back to Britain on Thursday, the Ministry of Defence said.

As has become tradition, they will be driven through the Wiltshire town of Wootton Bassett, where hundreds come to pay their respects as flag-draped coffins are brought from RAF Lyneham nearby.

The cortege will then continue to Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital.
L/Cpl Tasker, 26, this week became the 358th British serviceman to die in the ten-year conflict. Theo, a springer spaniel cross, suffered a seizure very soon after.
He was only 22-months-old.

Only last month, L/Cpl Tasker described his joy at the close bond he had developed with the dog.

‘I love my job and working together with Theo. He has a great character and never tires,’ he said in an interview on the Ministry of Defence website.

‘He can’t wait to get out and do his job and will stop at nothing.’

Theo and L/Cpl Tasker, an Arms and Explosives Search dog handler of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, 1st Military Working Dog Regiment, were part of the Theatre Military Working Dogs Support Unit based at Camp Bastion.

The pair had uncovered 14 home-made bombs and hoards of weapons in just five months – a record for a dog and his handler in the conflict.

On Tuesday they took part in a mission in the Nahr-e Saraj district in Helmand, a hotbed of the insurgency.

Theo’s task was to be the ‘front man’, sniffing out any hidden IEDs, weapons and bomb-making equipment.

But a firefight broke out with the Taliban and L/Cpl Tasker was shot dead.
After his body was flown back to Camp Bastion, his beloved Theo is thought to have died of a broken heart.

The soldier, from Kirkcaldy, Fife, leaves behind mother Jane Duffy, father Ian Tasker, brother Ian, sisters Laura and Nicola and girlfriend Leah Walters.
Dog handler: Lance Corporal Tasker was a member of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps.

He and Theo will be repatriated to Britain together, next week

In a statement, his family said: ‘There are three words that best describe Liam: larger than life. He lit up every room he walked into with his cheeky smile.
‘He died a hero doing a job he was immensely passionate about. We are so proud of him and everything he’s achieved. Words can’t describe how sorely he will be missed.’
Miss Walters added: ‘LT never met anyone without touching their lives in some way. I am the proudest girlfriend there could ever be and there will be an LT-sized hole in my life forever. Sleep well, my darling, my soulmate, my best friend.’

Lieutenant Colonel David Thorpe, commanding officer 1st Military Working Dog Regiment, also paid tribute to L/Cpl Tasker, saying: ‘He genuinely loved the dogs he worked with and was always able to get the best out of them.

‘Epitomising the hard-working, determined and ambitious nature of our very best soldiers, he wanted to go to Afghanistan. He wanted to ply his trade in the harshest of environments, to be outside of his comfort zone and he wanted to be successful. He was.

‘The work he did in his five months in Afghanistan saved countless lives, of that I have no doubt.’

L/Cpl Tasker joined the Army in 2001 as a vehicle mechanic in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. But his passion for animals led to a transfer to the Royal Army Veterinary Corps in 2007.

He only learned about the dog unit when a friend showed him videos of them in action. He spent 15 weeks on a handlers’ course with Theo, where they learned to work as a team and developed their bond.

Once in Afghanistan, Theo was so successful at detecting explosives that his tour of duty was due to be extended by a month.
Major Caroline Emmett, Officer Commanding 104 Military Working Dog Squadron, said: ‘L/Cpl Tasker was one of the best people I have ever known. Kind, with a good heart, he always put others before himself. He and his dog Theo were made for each other.’

Defence Secretary Liam Fox said he was ‘deeply saddened’ by the news.
‘It is clear that L/Cpl Tasker was a dedicated and highly capable soldier whose skills in handling dogs were second to none,’ he said.

‘He and his dog Theo had saved many lives and we will be eternally grateful for this