the last engineer

send them shopping, isnt that what they do best?? just dont buy too much in local currency, you cant take it out and its worthless elsewhere i think Canadian is 1 to 1 cuban covertable is 25 to 1 Martin.

ran a pipe when i was driving out of Avonmouth and Felixstowe years back, an old Briar and three nuns (as above) loved it as it slowed the players #6 intake, trouble was i cleaned the thing to much and the bowl fell in my lap one day whilst driving the M25 North side, tractor trailer all over the road while i fanned the jewels and burnt the seat, back to the #6's it was safer,,,, ish

great place and People, take a little time by the Harbour wall, sit and relax with people from all over, sit talk relax and enjoy life, i love the place mate. also take a look at the American Embassy,,,,,, behind all the black flags that is, quite a funny story really, of course our southern friends dont see it that way. get a tour of the whole city, every bar does the best Mojito in the city,,,, they do Ernist Hemmingways digs, cigar and rum shops in the back streets, Republican square, the Market place, Tropicano..... you cannot get bored. Martin.

oh my, ya'all done hurt my feelins son

come on,,, dont tell me you havent lost anything in your life,,, we all make a few mistakes along lides highways, i'll bet no one even helped him look for them. did anyone ever ask him what happened ?? mm no i thought not,,,, to quick to condem i fear, poor lad, i bet he was beside himself with worry. what if the little kiddies found them in the streets, heaven forbid.... these southern boys are OK guys, very Christian and God fearing, i know they would never knowingly do this on purpose, shame on you Mmartin.

thats a shame, they prtrayed a well balanced and highly Moraled family, very impressed with the Father figure and his obvious care and love for the Daughter. a god fearing man, good principles and work ethics, good viewing show, very technical and informative, a loss to good TV over here, a sad day indeed. Martin.

Winston Churchill Margret Thatcher Richard Branson Joanna Lumley, something about that woman thats class Isambard K Brunel as a Bristolian why wouldn't I? Chuck Norris an icon

Timps, trust me when i say this,,,,, more than a few times did the gun almost become a one way boomerang..... talk about frustrating the hell out of me,, having shot the hell out of Browning's and Berreta's it was a huge difference, length weight triggers new and stiffer, POI , i patterend the thing to bits trying to repeat the hit ratio on a known target, the more i tried the harder it seemed to get, and again, i kept going back to the old machine and getting things back in order, kept breaking my own rule,,, still, i cant blame the gun,its never the Indian, always the arrow right just like those old slippers that fit so well, everyone has a favorite and never like to change, anyone who has read any of my posts will know i am not a one trick pony, have guns will shoot em, this one had me for a while, Perseverance is the key.. Martin. a little delay in posting, my apologies

understood Gordon, see your point, i have had the good fortune to shoot many top guns over the years in competitions here, K80's, Perazzi, Kolar and Miroku to mention a few, all are high priced i feel, the materials and machining put in are higher graded, the tolerances met are to higher standards, the finish and fits are better than the more common guns (not a slagging comment), that goes without saying really, though all are great platforms to shoot i did find the Perazzi the chunkier, unfortunately all had Beavertail forends, i prefer the Schnabel end on all my guns, as is my K80 a slim girl she is , i still pick up old faithful my Ultra XS and blast a few thou through as in yesterday, beautiful day, minus 4c targets flying and dying, still no snow here,,,,,,,, YET !!!!!!! have a pic of the K80, will have to throw it up. Martin.

glad someone hit that one, im sure Gordon has a reason for his dislike of the K80, but i cant see it for its reliability, it is one of the best constructed guns out there in my humble Engineering opinion, many others fall into the same catagory, you are sure to find a lemon in any companies portfolio, but i think they would be few and very far between with Krieghoff. had mine for a while now, K80 pro sporter all the bells and whistles, yes it is an expensive toy, but a very nice one too. it has taken me around 5k in rounds to actualy marry into the gun, it is so easy to put it down when things go wrong and pick up old faithful, dont quit, it shoots so very different from many others, heavier front end, swings a lot smoother, great recoil absorbtion in the ADJ stock, all round a superb firearm. having quite a few for competition it had taken me a season to get comfortable and bring scores back where i liked to see them, as in all new things, it takes time and patience, anyone who has bought one should not be disapointed in its performance. this coming from a stalwart Browning owner too. just my opinion. Martin.

a sad but more common tale Nick, nothing seems to be made there anymore. i recall the company i did my Apprenticeship with, Jackson Electrics, made a huge number redundant, i coined a phrase of having a redun-dance at the social club that period, became all to popular a dance over the years i fear. Shefield Steel was the pride of place on many tables, any old China with the China nowadays. martin.

are there none made in Shefield anymore ? what is the world coming too?? http://www.j-a-henckels.com/en-US Henckels make a good variety of blades, reasonably priced in my opinion. Martin.

before the replies come in saying i saw this in the US/UK/UKRAINE,,, you probably did, i just thought it would be good to see it here this time of year, spare a thought if you can. Lest we forget at this time of year................... A Different Christmas Poem The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight. My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, My daughter beside me, angelic in rest. Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a winter delight. The sparkling lights in the tree I believe, Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve. My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep. In perfect contentment, or so it would seem, So slumbered I, perhaps I started to dream. The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near, But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear. Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow. My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear, And I crept to the door just to see who was near. Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night, A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight. A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old, Perhaps a Trooper, huddled here in the cold. Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled, Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child. "What are you doing?" I asked without fear, "Come in this moment, it's freezing out here! Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve, You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!" For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift, Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts. To the window that danced with a warm fire's light Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right, I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night." "It's my duty to stand at the front of the line, That separates you from the darkest of times. No one had to ask or beg or implore me, I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me. My Gramps died in Europe on a day in December," Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers." I've not seen my own son in more than a while, But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile. Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag, The red and the white ... A Canadian flag. I can live through the cold and the being alone, Away from my family, my house and my home. I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet, I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat. I can carry the weight of killing another, Or lay down my life with my sister and brother. Who stand at the front against any and all, To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall." "So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright, Your family is waiting and I'll be all right." "But isn't there something I can do, at the least, "Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast? It seems all too little for all that you've done, For being away from your wife and your son." Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret, "Just tell us you love us, and never forget. To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone, To stand your own watch, no matter how long. For when we come home, either standing or dead, To know you remember we fought and we bled. Is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

glad to hear you got the better deal Buddy, too often we hear the guy is being cut off at the nuts with an overspending ex partner garnishing his life away, lost a few good guys here through it, finacialy unable to work due to excess monies owed,,,,, end of the day, not only does it get dark, but the kiddies do suffer, put them first regardless, have a good Christmas and new year. Martin.

well, it all about choices and taste i guess, personally i cant stand the Bloody French but it wont stop me drinking the vino......the good ones anyway,,,, though the Americans have their number in the White,,,,,,

never quite got the hang of pouring room temp beer down my throat,,,,, a refined pallet for the cool lingering tatse of Stella Artois, perfection in a glass,,,, now dark spiced Rum,,, Oban single malt,,,,, and Vino from many lands,,, and a nice glass of Port,,,,, nothing wrong with my tastes my friend.... Martin.

ice ice Baby,,,,, nothing like a cold pint and freezing conditions, inside or out, makes a man outta you.......... me i cant stand the beer stuff,,,, Stella only on that front,,,,, a nice Malbec from the Argies,,, or a shot or seven of Oban. having said that Smokehead is a good tipple too...... the Americans dont like Canadian beer too much,,, they fall over to quick,,, a little stronger than the dishwater served sout,,,,,, that'll pickle a few.. Martin.

my Glasgow born Wife has much of hers done dating back to the Irish side and a couple of unsavory characters, never had much luck on the sites, which would you reccomend to use for the best results Dr Scholl? Martin.

now the other thing about Brit Pubs is the service,,,,,, or lack thereof. very frustrating for a "North American" " Canadian" coming to Britain and sitting down at a table waiting to get a beer,,,,,,, NO BEER CHICKS :o :o Unfortunately you get very spolit here, all bars have good looking gals running around at your whim getting you as much Ale/vino/spirit as you require to become Horizontal. Hence the term "Vino Colapso" pourmorefor......... run a Tab, clear at the end of the night, add 15% loverly juberly now enter the British Pub scene, not too sure how the tab thing would work, the guys i know back home would run it as high as poss and head for the hills do get miffed at the lack of service though, Wetherspoons especialy in my old town of Staple Hill,, seems they need minders running the bar when it gets busy, the staff cant handle things without help of local muscle,,, complete Muppets as i recall seeing, will take a look next week when i pop in for a spritzer or two Martin.

laughed at that one that is something i do not miss about ol Blighty, the stinky ****house, big ol trough splashing your boots, or buddy next to you lathering your pant leg,,,,,, keep it mate.. Martin.

got me i thought it was Still Working My Butt Off........ how little i know Martin.,

as one for the Devils Advocate on smoking in Bars, i was a smoker and hated it, over here we dropped smoking the summer of 03 in bars and restaurants, outcry there was, fuming loads of rioters,,,,,,, not really a bunch of whining,,,,, a number of foot voters,, bar takings dropped for at least a month or two, the nhigher numbers were posted across the board, personaly i find it a much better enviroment, cleaner, less smell, and i can see buddy across the bar rather than cut a hole in the air....... but thats just little ol me,, a hapy clean bar goer Martin.