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Google Founders Buy Fighter Jet
Ponca City, We love you writes "The NY Times reports that H211 LLC, a company controlled by Google's top executives, including billionaire founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, appears to have added to its fleet a Dornier Alpha Jet, a light jet attack and advanced trainer aircraft manufactured by Dornier of Germany and Dassault-Breguet of France. The 1982 Alpha-Jet seats two and was originally used by European air forces, but is now being sold relatively cheaply to civilians. The jet has landing rights at Moffett Field, the NASA-operated airfield that is a stone's throw from the Google campus. It is not clear who exactly flies the fighter jet, although Google chief executive Eric Schmidt is an avid pilot. If the top Googlers indeed own the fighter jet, they would be following in the footsteps of Oracle chief executive Larry Ellison, who has owned several aircraft, including fighter jets."
When fighter jets, tanks, etc. are sold to civilians, most of the fun stuff is ripped out.
This is basically the rich fuck's version of buying a sports car when you're 50 to stroke your ego.
Most likely they purchased it through a privately held company because companies have lessened license restrictions for purchasing any class of weapon (ie, if you want to own an RPG legally, just start a corporation and you can buy whatever you want). I'm not sure if licensure is necessary for military aircraft (even decommissioned) but who knows, maybe that's the reason? Plus if they'd bought it through google maybe they'd be concerned about a shareholder backlash? These are just guesses btw, but its what I would surmise.
Zimbabwe has had the same leader since the first post-independence election in 1980. Not sure how that supports your point.
Even some actors are into that.
I have to say that there's something fitting about Worf in a fighter jet
Warning: Opinions known to be heavily biased.
The Collings Foundation owns an actual jet fighter, an F-4D Phantom II from the Vietnam War. They had to get all kinds of waivers from the Feds to be able to own and operate it. This is for display at airshows.
Hail Eris, full of mischief...
E pluribus sanguinem
who says the 2 are mutually exclusive. I would bet the google top execs contribute more to charity than this douche bag.
Science, of course! H211 LLC uses many of its jets for NASA-sponsored experiments, since they operate primarily out of Moffett field, a NASA-controlled airstrip that's conveniently located right next to Google's Mountain View HQ. The jet was acquired to carry scientific instruments that could not be rigged up to Boeing 757/767 and Gulfstream jets the company already operates, some of which were used to monitor the re-entry of the ESA's Jules Verne satellite.
But I suspect is has to do with a large stack of paper with pictures of presidents on them. You'd be amazed out how well such things work when the stack is large enough. The key is to make sure that your get them into the right hands. Elected officials are particularly partial to them, and hold a great deal of sway over what is and what isn't allowed.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
That's a fact. And when he was alive, he lived an unostentatious life, as have many entrepreneurs.
---- Teach Peace. It's Cheaper Than War.
Jag-bombs are huge, dunno where you've been. Bar supply stores make little plastic cups specifically for that drink.
http://barsupplies.com/bomb-shotz-jager-bomb-shots-p-761.html
Purchasing through an LLC isn't that big of a deal. It just gives an easier way to split ownership, liability, maintenance, etc.
Bob Lutz has owned two Czech built L-39's. One was damaged in a landing accident and donated to the Yankee Air Museum. It was destroyed by fire in 2004. His current L-39 is in Marine corps livery. I don't believe he's ever owned a Mig, though the original L-39 was in Czech colors.
Jack Roush currently owns two P-51's. "Gentleman Jim" a P-51D that is for lack of a better term, his 'daily driver.' He flies this aircraft to some of the Nascar races, when he's got time. His 2nd P-51 is a gorgeous, freshly restored B model "Old Crow." At one point he had three mustangs, the other being another D Model P-51 semi-incorrectly painted as "Old Crow", formerly "Rascal." This has since been sold to the founder of Scotts lawn care. Roush also owns a T-6, and several other non-military jets.
These are all housed at, or are frequent visitors to, Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti / Belleville, MI. In addition, there are a Mig-17, Mig-21, and Alpha Jet (in luftwaffe markings), and a Stinson L-2 that are based out of Willow Run, where we house our B-25, B-17, and C-47.
Suffice to say, being the admin for Yankee Air Museum (check the homepage) affords the opportunity to see some pretty interesting day-to-day air traffic.
There are some people that if they don't know, you can't tell 'em.
The construction and maintenance of a fighter jet is one of the more labour intensive things you can buy. So I look at this as a large transfer of money from the rich guys to working people.
Our little company has done engineering work for the Canadian Forces Alpha Jets but mostly we convert super expensive large business jets. We charge a lot.
Flying toys are one of the worlds best wealth re-distributors. Small numbers of ridiculously wealthy middle eastern princes and other "principles" keep our team of engineers and techies employed, not to mention a whole raft of suppliers. And then you have to include all the people who work for airframe OEMs.
After they buy something from us they are quite a bit less wealthy than they were before.
Equine Mammals Are Considerably Smaller
Austria, which like Switzerland, is a neutral country and has mandatory military service.
upon the advice of my lawyer, i have no sig at this time
Wouldn't work. What ever governments replaced the ones wiped out would become corrupt in a few, short years. Just look at Zimbabwe if you need an example.
Zimbabwe has had the same leader since the first post-independence election in 1980. Not sure how that supports your point.
Um, because said leader went from freedom fighter to corrupt entrenched establishment in a few, short years. Doesn't seem hard to understand... maybe you should ask Joshua Nkomo how he feels about it.
They let NASA use their planes for research.
Advertising budget, yes. Personal expenditures, no. They are forbidden by the campaign laws that John McCain pushed through Congress. Clothing qualifies as personal expenditures. It appears that the RNC bought them so these purchases are exempt from those rules. However, given the state of the economy and the campaign's attempt to portray her as a "hockey mom", the amount of the purchases appear to be unwise.
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
I'm in the UK. Jagermeister's still mainly a German liqueur rather than a lifestyle choice, although you can see the odd emo kid with a Jagermeister sticker on his Macbook these days - you know, smashing the system.
Don't think JM and RB is that big in the UK, which - as I'm sure you're aware - is the world's capital of drinking. Pints.