Editorial comments are based on Reuters News posted here Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:27pm EDT

Choice Quotes from the article:

"Revenue from parts and maintenance for engines and other big, expensive machinery is one of the bright spots for General Electric Co (GE.N), the vast conglomerate that generates the bulk of its sales and profits from industrial businesses."

"A prolonged recession could cut demand for maintenance services, as fewer people fly, for example, but GE points to a $121 billion services backlog."

"The annoying thing about jet engines is that if they don't work planes tend to fall right out of the sky."

"Whenever I fly, I'd like to believe they're not going to skimp on the maintenance, so to a large degree you can rest well with that piece," said Morningstar analyst Daniel Holland.

Now I am a GE Shareholder so I want them to return to health as soon and as much as possible. If you recall GE was in the Reliability Services business for the past years but recently discontinued (reduced staff by 89) to focus on the more narrow, but more lucrative Bently Nevada products/services.

This article points to spares sales - as a financial bright spot for GE - and excuse me fellow GE shareholders - but doesn't that mean the other companies I own shares in (Duke Energy for example) are the buyers of these spares? Is the value removed to Duke the equivalent of the value these spare sales bring to GE? Should I sell Duke stock now and buy GE as a result?

I know I am stating this in a dramatic fashion but I wonder how these spares sales are derived? Is it based on failure modes and patterns, time or periodicity, emergency response or simply to comply with warranty or as part of a services contract?

Am I going to get in trouble for talking about this?

Help...There is a dark color sedan following me.