Roland

£40

Quote '..........I think this is another interesting point, I like others have quoted some performances, and Terry and Roland believe most birds can do 500. Now I don't agree and I'll tell you why put simply waht does the average small team man breed a year 30 the majority of ordinary back garden fanciers wil breed between 30/50 for racing. Tell me out of those 30/50 how many get past 300 mile, and how many manage to get to 500. How many birds do you send to sprint races 10, 20? How many make it to 500 2/3, statistically it shows that not many birdss fly 500. I believe what Albear says has bearing of course. Now, as Albear and most will remember and state, is that back 30 - 40 years, and definitely before, a back garden loft house 10 pairs. A big 'Mob flyer then lol' flew 24 and these went nigh every race and these fanciers did the whole programme. The latecomers were mostly there next morning on the loft, at least during the week. Few strays compared to today of course. This was when there were 140.000 flyers. Yes the 34000 fanciers send more birds today, fill more churches and though they somehow afford to keep, can't afford to lose their birds. It was via the Fanciers being gullible and easily led that the Railways became defunct as a means of racing. These that promised ‘Training and racing by Road was better and they WOULD train the club birds etc. etc. Yes they did for a season or so … till the ‘Lads’ could put them on the trains etc. Then it was ‘Pie in the Sky’ and they quickly forgot. These same 'Leaders' exploited then as now the masses to further and bolster their own coffers. They wanted 'so called Sprinters and middle distance races in order to race 2 - 3 times a week and make money. The grass routes were conned into think 'Mid Week' races were a better way or tossing - a Darn site dearer too! So the 'Systems were changed, altered to suit so called sprint birds. And gradually distances races took a back seat. Now further and further, even if all strains, regardless of distance intend are hatched so to speak from genuine Distance birds…. Or birds that have done it! I will openly admit that until recently I only ever had and flew 'Cast Offs' and others 'Culls'. Yes simply because I couldn't - like so many today - I was raising kids and a family (or two lol). Yet I was able to have 'Homers' from all race points and was there on hard and distance races, having the odd swallow or two.. If I could have afforded proper feeding and training etc. who knows I may have excelled, or ruin the system of 'Content and Fully Natural' flying completely. Was is it that many don't send to the distance and try? :-/ Well one is the adage excuse of not wanting to hang around in the evening or be up early next day syndrome. The other is they bought so-called 'Sprinters' that 'WON'T do the distance. Well they won't if not sent and that's for sure. Also why do the 'Location' boys have so called middle distance strains :-/ So they can steal a march on these contrived 'Mid Day' releases where they are held up at the channel so they can pop over first thing and time in whereas some are doing on tired wings, cold and damp after the water and fly another 2 - 300 miles :-/ then have the cheek to say they 'Flew the Distance' Races. Louth etc. flying against the inland lads, the Welsh cracks etc. and claiming the ‘Distance’ prizes! A joke, but that is another reason whilst the 'Distance’ races lost their applause and interest. Then they spread the Sections to bolster thei’ own coffers. Hopefully we will be flying club races sent again by the NRCC. Perhaps a few more will join again Certainly won't to fly against the East coast club elite and that's for sure. Just a good section merit would do wonders. Just a little more of a leveller of sections perhaps? It certainly wouldn’t go amiss. Indeed the whole cahoots of sections want altering and corridor against or with the Winds Points. I.e. Westerly! But that’s another topic. But as for the birds today, well they are certainly ALL capable of 500 milers; I believe that 500 miles is really in real terms at the end of 'Middle Distance'!

' ............... Therefore the last bid taken at 20:59 will win the bird. Provided it is the HIGHEST bid lol ;D ;D

Well Terry, and I, are in total agreement regards the 500 milers. Also similar to his 'Met up and went away....' I also stronly believe that that is the second reason they don't return.... No don't get lost, just don't want the system or your loft any more. I believe the most important part to instill in any bird, right off is a love of their loft, a 'Contentment' - a wanting to be there. Without contentment, fitness / condition and certainly motivation can't be a part of the make up and mind set. This of course has to be in a certain ratio to the physical side to obtain Healthy and motivated birds. 1st being the biggest downer, and unfortunately istoo rife, in my oppinion, 'Incest Breeding'! Too much and too many not having the foggiest idea of what and why, let alone how. Hence the adding to the feral population.

That's one of the beauties of being short sighted I guess Albear lol. ;D Mind many on the pop have gone to bed with some cracking looking birds ... Golly how they change over night ;D ;D

Of course, any bird on the proper system shoiuld home in decent time, Those lost means you have lost nowt, and saved on feed. One of the great Scots said he was aa make the number up man. Then set the trail ablaze. Asked what was dirrent and he'd reply. Hotel gave them a brush and asked them to work a little. Sent them up the road a few in the winter. Those reported I made a present of.... Only thoise that wanted to be in the loft was there to breed with. Gosh any body would think that the birds in the wild don't moult. Further they seem to forget that nature provides them with a lot more energy etc. in these times. Like the lady in labour, ouzes and gushes with energy.... Ok many waste that on 'Work' etc. ;D ;D

I take it Alan doesn't fancy our Paula Tadcliffe then ;D ;D ;D Or perhaps don't rate her as a marathon runner. When did you see a beautiful marathon winner, with silky hair, perfect body confrimation, perfect legs????? :-/ :-/ Certainly has silky hair, has obviously the legs, and her body must be right I guess.... ;D ;D

Tony Sibsons', one of our unheralded great boxer father was a good flyer. Don't think Tony has the bug though ....

I've often put same ones up ... that came from Canada, so is still doing the rounds lol

:-/There was a man who worked for the Post Office whose job was to process all the mail that had illegible addresses. One day, a letter came addressed in a shaky handwriting to God with no actual address. He thought he should open it to see what it was about. The letter read: Dear God, I am an 83 year old widow, living on a very small pension. Yesterday someone stole my purse. It had $100 in it, which was all the money I had until my next pension payment. Next Sunday is Christmas, and I had invited two of my friends over for dinner. Without that money, I have nothing to buy food with, have no family to turn to, and you are my only hope. Can you please help me? Sincerely, Edna The postal worker was touched. He showed the letter to all the other workers. Each one dug into his or her wallet and came up with a few dollars. By the time he made the rounds, he had collected $96, which they put into an envelope and sent to the woman. The rest of the day, all the workers felt a warm glow thinking of Edna and the dinner she would be able to share with her friends. Christmas came and went. A few days later, another letter came from the same old lady to God. All the workers gathered around while the letter was opened. It read: Dear God, How can I ever thank you enough for what you did for me? Because of your gift of love, I was able to fix a glorious dinner for my friends. We had a very nice day and I told my friends of your wonderful gift. By the way, there was $4 missing. I think it might have been those clowns at the post office. Sincerely, Edna

I had to forward these - Have a good laugh! The following questions were set in last year's GCSE examination in Swindon, Wiltshire (U.K.) These are genuine answers (from 16 year olds) Q. Name the four seasons A. Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar Q. Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink A. Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists Q. How is dew formed A. The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire Q. What causes the tides in the oceans A. The tides are a fight between the earth and the moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins the fight Q. What guarantees may a mortgage company insist on A. If you are buying a house they will insist that you are well endowed Q. In a democratic society, how important are elections A. Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election Q. What are steroids A. Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs (Shoot yourself now , there is little hope) Q. What happens to your body as you age A. When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental Q. What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty A. He says goodbye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery (So true) Q Name a major disease associated with cigarettes A. Premature death Q. What is artificial insemination A. When the farmer does it to the bull instead of the cow Q. How can you delay milk turning sour A. Keep it in the cow (Simple, but brilliant) Q. How are the main 20 parts of the body categorised (e.g. The abdomen) A. The body is consisted into 3 parts - the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels: A, E, I, O and U (What the *!!*???) Q.. What is the fibula? A. A small lie Q. What does 'varicose' mean? A. Nearby Q. What is the most common form of birth control A. Most people prevent contraception by wearing a condominium (That would work) Q. Give the meaning of the term 'Caesarean section' A. The caesarean section is a district in Rome Q. What is a seizure? A. A Roman Emperor. (Julius Seizure, I came, I saw, I had a fit) Q. What is a terminal illness A. When you are sick at the airport. (Irrefutable) Q. Give an example of a fungus. What is a characteristic feature? A. Mushrooms. They always grow in damp places and they look like umbrellas Q. Use the word 'judicious' in a sentence to show you understand its meaning A. Hands that judicious can be soft as your face. (OMG) Q. What does the word 'benign' mean? A. Benign is what you will be after you be eight Q. What is a turbine? A. Something an Arab or Shreik wears on his head

And when held, the pigeons Wing knuckle is closer to the pigeon than yours. Like rowing a boat. the wider your arms the less effective.

So sad yet again. These are the horrid headlines and reasons whilst the Brits are viewed so poorly abroad, indeed with waryness. Regardless of what ones personal beliefs regards wars, the onnus is an unwritten law that augers we show respect, not only to thoses that gave their' lifes, but also for those alive and are missing, even mourning loved ones, whom in small small, personal way, gain just a mite of solace the blief that their lives, injuries etc. weren't in vain. I feel for those that care, because it smacks in their face that efforts were futile, and puts a blight on the price loved ones paid. Of course fortunately 99.9999% of the population know, and feel different.

Well I went and visited a great chap and great gentleman yesterday. Yes I ad the good fortune of meeting Fetchlives. Time was short - as I took the better half shopping at the Bull Ring Birmingham first and was late getting there. I was impressed with both the birds, how kept for they were certainly Ace 1, and also with Lee himself. So time permitting, and being allowed to, I will definitely go again and visit him and his fine family. So thanks Lee for your hospitality, for I did enjoyed our conversation, your set up and my short – yes too short stay.

A good days outing there then Bakes. Good to see not having to look over the shoulder lol. Yep I did like the ole shinbang. Stingers, wet and damp. Tired out with throbbing of nettles lol. But yes I'd do it all again I guess. Just seems the end product of satisfaction and Cash, people appreciation etc. is missing. Mind Time you ole Gypsy man will not stay' as the poet so corectly wrote.

Frank Bruno's Fight record: Date Opponent Result Venue 17.03.1982 Lupe Guerra (Mexico) w.ko.1 Royal Albert Hall 30.03.1982 Harvey Steichen (USA) w.rsf.2 Wembley Arena 20.04.1982 Tom Stevenson (USA) w.ko.1 Royal Albert Hall 04.05.1982 Ron Gibbs (USA) w.rsf.4 Wembley Arena 01.06.1982 Tony Moore (GB) w.rsf.2 Royal Albert Hall 14.09.1982 George Scott (GB) w.rsf.1 Wembley Arena 23.10.1982 Ali Lukusa (Zaire) w.ko.2 West Berlin 09.11.1982 Rudi Gauwe (Belgium) w.ko.2 Royal Albert Hall 23.11.1982 George Batzbach (W.Ger.) w.ret.1 Wembley Arena 07.12.1982 Gilberto Acuna (Puerto Rico) w.rsf.1 Royal Albert Hall 18.01.1983 Stewart Lithgo (GB) w.ret.4 Royal Albert Hall 08.02.1983 Peter Mulendwa (Uganda) w.ko.3 Royal Albert Hall 01.03.1983 Winston Allen (GB) w.rsf.2 Royal Albert Hall 05.04.1983 Eddie Nielson (GB) w.rsf.3 Royal Albert Hall 03.05.1983 Scott Ledoux (USA) w.rsf.3 Wembley Arena 31.05.1983 Barry Funches (USA) w.rsf.5 Royal Albert Hall 09.07.1983 Mike Jameson (USA) w.ko.2 Chicago 27.09.1983 Bill Sharkey (USA) w.ko.1 Wembley Arena 11.10.1983 Floyd Cummings (USA) w.rsf.7 Royal Albert Hall 06.12.1983 Walter Santemore (USA) w.ko.4 Royal Albert Hall 13.03.1984 Juan Figueroa (Argentina) w.ko.1 Wembley Arena 13.05.1984 Jim "Bonecrusher" Smith (USA) l.ko.1 Wembley Arena 25.09.1984 Ken Lakusta (Canada)Commonwealth Championship eliminator w.ko.2 Wembley Arena 06.11.1984 Jeff Jordan (USA) w.rsf.3 Royal Albert Hall 27.11.1984 Phil Brown (USA) w.pts.10 Wembley Arena 26.03.1985 Lucien Rodriguez (France) w.rsf.1 Wembley Arena 01.10.1985 Anders Eklund (Sweden) European Heavyweight Championship w.ko.4 Wembley Arena 04.12.1985 Larry Frazier (USA) w.ko.2 Royal Albert Hall 04.03.1986 Gerry Coetzee (South Africa) WBA Heavyweight Ch. Final Elim. w.ko.1 Wembley Arena 19.07.1986 Tim Witherspoon (USA) WBA Heavyweight Ch.Challenge l.rsf.11 Wembley Stadium 24.03.1987 James Tillis (USA) w.rsf.5 Wembley Arena 27.06.1987 Chuck Gardner (USA) w.ko.1 Cannes 30.08.1987 Reggie Gross (USA) w.rsf.8 Marbella 24.10.1987 Joe Bugner (Australia) w.rsf.8 Totenham 25.02.1989 Mike Tyson (USA) WBC Heavyweight Ch.Challenge l.rsf.5 Las Vegas 20.11.1991 John Emmen (Holland) w.ko.1 Royal Albert Hall 22.04.1992 Jose Ribalta (Cuba) w.ko.2 Wembley Arena 17.10.1992 Pierre Coetzer (South Africa) w.rsf.8 Wembley Arena 24.04.1993 Carl Williams (USA) w.rsf.10 NEC Birmingham 01.10.1993 Lennox Lewis (GB/Canada) WBC Heavyweight Ch.Challenge l.rsf.7 Cardiff 16.03.1994 Jesse Ferguson (USA) w.rsf.1 Birmingham 18.02.1995 Rodolfo Marin (Puerto Rico) w.rsf.1 Shepton Mallett 13.05.1995 Mike Evans (USA) w.ko.2 Glasgow 03.09.1995 Oliver McCall (USA) WBC Heavyweight Championship w.pts.12 Wembley Stadium 16.03.1995 Mike Tyson (USA) WBC Heavyweight Championship l.rsf.3 Las Vegas 22 fights against names never heard of! Then fights a BoneCrusher Smith having, who in twilight years, having his final swan song at the end of a long harduos and disquinshed career takes some easy money. Kay O's Bruno in the first. Joe Bugner at 38 sat on the ropes for a minute and half letting him him him. Couldn't hurt him so he places both arms against Joe's Head and throws him to the floor... Daking so embarrassed like most used it as an excuse to stop it lol. Etc. etc.

Well Strapper, I rate Lewis the 4th best of all time. Jackson / Ali / Listen. Lewis, all to big for Joe lois and Marciano of course. Then Holmes and Foreman come not far behind. Bruno was a sad joke as far as I'm and most are concerned. But he won a title and made money. Would put him in the British top ten. One great was your own Tommy Farr whos was top 4 I believe here. Bugner - who also holds the record as the oldest to win the world Heavywieght crown, Harvey, London.... I believe the great Joe Erskin would have boxed Bruno's ears off. Dick Richardson would have flattened him before five.

Any way we diverse, a cracking looking pair there to be sold.

Yep, and it's the 'sport' that is for you Tim. Indeed the cartridges cost a lot more than what you can get for a brace eh! Was buying in at 50p a brace at one time, 7 years back. - or given them of course. Went to the locals in the market town I lived and offered nigh everyone a brace. Most that said that they'd like a brace wanted me to pluck and draw! :-/ :-/ Wouldn't do that as well, so two took a couple of braces and placed in freezer to Skin later. Never had that problem with any Bird / game etc. in the 'Ole day's' where we'd have eels etc. too. A bucket and a pair of shorts and plimsoles - no socks and wait for the floods. Eels in shallow water were just scooped up. Never did it as no one liked eels - Jellied eels of course were a different case -. Remember a couple of times dad had a couple given him. Was in our Bath both times for over a week as he daren't touch them - indeed was a Londoner and had no idea anyway and thought he'd make 'Jellied eels' lol. But how to culled, clean and prepare he had no idea lol ;D ;D Never heard / thought of a door and the nail, and flour eh! Got the poachers from next door to back them back lol. Now thaey were good and lived off the land. Hedgehogs :-/ just loverly sweet pork etc. etc. And Clay cooked was great. use to go 'Hop Picking' with the Gypsy's in the 50's at 5 and 7 Oaks near Tunbrigde in Kent. Now they were great holidays.

I flew y/b’s 469 miles. Very hard races, rain none stop. No day birds, I got one sencod day, one third day which were the first in Northants ands one Xmas day .... Had it been a day earlier needn't have got that rook for Xmas dinner ;D ;D Fellow in Ireland gets yearling INTO Ireland, which is a feat in itself, of 660 mile. Jackson yearlings to did just over the 1000 miles. In Canada they are flying y/b's over 400 miles back to back, that’s 2 – 3 weeks on the trot! Yes we USED to do a lot of distance regularly flew here. But the 'Sprint Boys' could get two races week and make money - depending on location to make money - and conned most here to try and do the same. Soon it was 'Want- nod nod wink wink - my birds home before breakfast and go shopping, not hang around for a late day or early morning' and the lemons followed suit to fill their coffers. Now it is hard to get decent distance flyers. Many won't send birds over the 350 miles - 450 miles tops - and then sparingly. So most don't know if they have birds capable or not, and eagerly spout 'Mine won't do that'- Like they said about Bussearts, Jansenns etc. Jansenn did excelled at the distance when he bothered to send one season taking all before him. Funnily, if one cares to look into any strain, yes-even sprinters, they undoubtedly come from Distance stock. Indeed some renown fanciers said 'All distances have to come from 'Distance Stock'!

Interestingly Rabbits were classed as vermin, and as such couldn't be protected by law, so you couldn't be prosecuted for 'Poaching'! However they brought into law a word for them called 'Colny' (Wrong spelling now lol) and then the courts fined / punished you for 'Being in prosuit of Colny.

You know, dogs and guns aren't needn't in the least to poach Rabbits / Pheasants / ducks etc. Indeed any thing like a lamp / dog / gun etc. is a hindrance and gives away chances of being seen or located. In the 50's, like now - and not using a long net, 2 -3 hundred rabbits (Knew over 400 once but that was with two Gill ferrets and a unsociable buck0) with just flans. At 1/8d (8p nearly) for two, between 12 was a lot of money. That what the government laid down as the most you could charge for rabbits. Same and even easier with the population of Rabbits today. Looped on pole or a trench with raisins for birds. (Yes some used a little alcohol but then a trench dug. Was a time with the wide bush when we trampled the outskirts and just filled in the holes with feet till rabbits were centralised. Coat off and scraped away the earth and 12 – 18inches hole down we’d reached in a take out a rabbit putting the coat I the hole. Coat out, rabbit out, coat back in. Would lay the Flans, as many as we had – used to make own, though I haven’t done for many a year and forget a little now lol, but we covered the holes along the railway lines. Go back just after dark and take the rabbits out that were caught leaving. Then replace. Around dusk we’d retrieve any rabbits caught going back in and take away the flans. 8 gutted rabbits to a pole over and upon your shoulder were a heavy weight. So had to refrain from taking too many and leaving traces, because we didn’t go back for a while to that stretch. A 4/5 inch trench wide and 8inch deep (Deeper at the ends) with raisins in them meant the pheasants would pop in to eat, but – like all birds pigeons included – they had to open wings to hop up and out. Of course they didn’t have any room to do so. Would wait patiently till you got there. Remember when Keeper about one could lay flat and not be seen. But if he had a dog, most likely that could sniff you out, though of course not intentionally, so even then you just laid still. Ah the good old days eh. Now that is more professional. Line the rivers etc. for ducks with bread. Now for deer of course many cross such as the Irish Wolf hounds with Pit Bull Terriers, for both speed and strength of jaw bringing them down. Never went for deer, but again the walks got to be known and upon the tree one would fire a bolt from the crossbow just inside the left shoulder downwards for the heart. Sadly this - though of course very effective with a good bolt, many were badly injured, and sometime they got caught looking up to sniff the air, and the bolt would hit the nostils - even going into them, or damage and leave in pain. So I personally thing that that is rightly outlawed. Some use the gun exactly the same, but of course this could be heard, where as the crossbow isn't which has to be better for the poacher.

Symbolically they state you must do enough to TAKE the fight :-/ Hayes apparently didnae. However as the 'Value for money Russian' never tried to do enough to keep it then Tough. Glad of course Hayes the title. Suppose he'll offer Harrison the first shot at it :-/ But of course Hayes did have a big powerful expierence man in fron of him. Said tight to prodict.... and this so - called fight would never have been prodicted. Still a Brit has the title and that is good. The fight will soon be forgotten done and dusted, and Hayes has another big pay day or two eh! Remember Andy Smith answering Bugners critics with 'If Joe take more punches, get hurt a lot yet still wins does he get paid more' :-/ Of course not.

With you 100% there Strapper. Was interesting to see Hilary Benn has a research team etc. has plowed 20 million in that - cost of cattle compensation £24 million. Seems also that the Bovine Tb Badger is different vacines and also .... well it's there all all to read if interested.

Agree Strapper. Trouble is culling is cheaper than funding vacination and then the time consumed etc. This is why there have never been so many badgers lying on side of roads as if 'Road Kill' :-/ Of course they are outed via a hoe and culled then placed there. Further trouble is that it seems only the Farmers / Farm workers them selves that believe badgers have TB. I believe Strapper I'd also be right in you believe this to be the case. Yet Dafra etc. haven't found this to be so ... Unless I am out of touch again. http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/atoz/tb/abouttb/badgers.htm Says thre it is in one breathe transferred as so, but then ... :-/