I was quite looking forward to the spectacle of a Kangaroo skin hat being consumed in its entirety, WWW's bet being cordially accepted by Alex W earlier:
Tell you what, though. I will take WWW's carefully defined bet of a month ago. He said:
'I promise Wannabes on pain of eating my Kangaroo skin hat with salt and pepper that in 2009 several significant EU airlines will go bust. By several I mean >10 and by significant I mean having more than >30 jets.'
Imagine my delight to be greeted this morning by the e mail response from WWW:
Wee Weasley Welshman has just replied to a thread you have subscribed to entitled - Growing Evidence That The Upturn Is Upon Us - in the Professional Pilot Training (includes ground studies) forum of PPRuNe Forums.... Here is the message that has just been posted:
***************
I stand by my hat. All views are equal and welcome. This is a debate not a sermon.. 10 airlines * 30 jets = £100 to the fund no problem.
Www from my iPhone
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I had a slight worry that WWW may have valued his hat at somewhat greater than £100 and hoped he could switch the bet to being £100 instead of the gourmet meal on his part, but worse, the post doesn't seem to be visible to the wider audience. I do hope a diligent (worried?!) moderator hasn't chosen to censor it for whatever reason, and that WWW isn't wriggling out of what appeared to be a genuine gentleman's bet between two honourable folk.
I had 0001 on 01 January 2010 down in my diary as a hat eating gourmet-fest which had all the makings of being completely unmissable - indeed, probably worthy of TV coverage for that wider audience. I do hope we're not going to be disappointed!
Of course, on the other hand, WWW might be right, and at least 10 major airline will go bust, in which case I'm sure someone of Alex's excellent reputation and character would ensure that his £100 winged its way to the appropriate fund without quibble, hesitation, deviation (or repetition).
I'm sure however that most PPRuNers would not wish for such disappointment (the loss of jobs that is!) and that the hat eating spectacle will go ahead as per the very clear bet between WWW and Alex W, witnessed by all on this thread.
I just hope that enough of us save the contents of the thread - wouldn't it be dreadful if it were somehow accidentally deleted with no other record other than the ones we have kept to cover such unfortunate circumstances.