Microkhan by Brendan I. Koerner

Entries Tagged as 'pigeons'

Edible Pigeons and the Misuse of Technology

April 7th, 2011 · 3 Comments

One of my favorite Ponzi schemes of recent vintage was Pigeon King International, which convinced thousands of cash-strapped farmers to raise so-called “rats of the sky” in backyard pens. The scam’s mastermind, Arlan Galbraith, claimed that poultry-loving North Americans were on the verge of falling in love with roasted squab, and that farmers who bred […]

Share

[Read more →]

Tags:·······

Juiced

November 10th, 2010 · Comments Off on Juiced

It’s no secret that the world of thoroughbred racing now mimics the very worst aspects of professional cycling, with so many contests determined by pharmaceutical aids. Less well-known is the impact that performance-enhancing drugs have had on other animal-centric sports, where doping has become commonplace despite the relatively meager financial rewards on offer. Pigeon racing, […]

Share

[Read more →]

Tags:·····

Pigeon Protectionism

July 2nd, 2009 · 1 Comment

If a Massachusetts pigeon breeder gets his way, out-of-state squabs could soon be aves non grata on the state’s film and TV sets. Bill Desmarais has coaxed the Massachusetts House of Representatives into considering H816 (PDF), more colloquially known as “An act relative to pigeons in motion pictures.” The bill’s text reads in full: Be […]

Share

[Read more →]

Tags:······

Top-Notch Pigeon Tech

April 28th, 2009 · 2 Comments

With legit cash available on the pigeon-racing circuit, there’s huge demand for gadgets that can ensure fair play. And that’s where Germany’s Unikon comes in, offering the very best in tracking rings, loft antennas, and clocks capable of simultaneously timing 250 birds. A video review of Unikon’s latest clock, the Champ, is available here, via […]

Share

[Read more →]

Tags:···

Daytona for Squabs

April 27th, 2009 · 1 Comment

The winner of the 2009 Mercedes Classic will not, in fact, walk away with a shiny new car. But there are genuine riches at stake in this competition, to be held in the pigeon-racing mecca that is central Oklahoma. By Microkhan’s count, in fact, a sweep of all events could bring a pigeon owner $109,500—more […]

Share

[Read more →]

Tags:···

Legendary Rats with Wings

February 23rd, 2009 · 2 Comments

The handsome squab pictured at right is none other than Burma Queen, a charter member of the Army Pigeons Hall of Fame (PDF). Back in 1944, this brave pigeon helped save an entire battalion of Allied troops, by racing 320 miles with a key SOS message. She was only five months old at the time—not […]

Share

[Read more →]

Tags:···