Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619

A great man. I've read all of his writings, except some of the later Narnia novels, and most things several times over the years. He was writing 70 years ago of many of the very things that have come to bedevil us in our contemporary society. He has had a huge influence on behalf of Christianity in the English-speaking world for 80+ years now. Every time you read him, your faith is strengthened once again.

My sons are middle-aged; we did a lot of bird hunting when they were growing up. I have 12 grandkids, 5 boys amongst them. My senior son-in-law raised his 2 boys and his 3 girls to learn how to shoot. Mostly at the range, some bird hunting. Now amongst others I have a grandson who just turned 14. His dad, my youngest son, as I said was raised a shotgunner but in the activities of life has done little shooting in recent years. So he and my daughter-in-law are enthusiastic that I should introduce him to shooting; marksmanship in general. Especially now with schools closed for 'in-person', we'd like to make it part of a 'curriculum'. Unlike maybe when I was younger, at 72 I'd like to make it organized, rather than ad hoc, so to speak. I went looking for a bolt-action .22 to start him on; I want a smallbore, and a traditional action. My research led me to the CZ 457. I bought the Lux model; it's a beautiful, accurate rifle. I already love this rifle. I'm going to introduce him on it (I ain't saying I'm giving it to him...). This 14-year-old is already 6' 3", a tall and rangy guy. He's a real athlete, to boot. What I'm looking for is a good printed firearms/shooting 'primer', so to speak. A booklet or pamphlet that is real good for firearms handling and safety. This will be the 'book work'; obviously, it has to be concise and interesting enough to engage a (mature) kid of 14. I was casual in early years. Now I'd like to be more methodical. Also interesting, which is really needed with the school situation. Any ideas and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

The old ones are best!

The stories some of these men could tell! When I met Sir Archie, then a knight, an extra equerry to the Queen, and the former Captain of the Queen's Flight (the branch of the RAF that was responsible for the air transport of the Royal family), he frankly told me that the custom in Britain for many years was that it was bad form to talk about 'one's war'. This was both because of Brit reticence, as well as the fact that everybody had suffered greatly, and so, there was little point. He said it was easier to talk freely to a Yank 'gatecrasher', like me; but, as was true in the States also, men became more willing to talk as the decades went by. He was shot down twice behind enemy lines, and evaded capture twice, one of very few men who were known to have done so. The first time was over northern France, during 'Circus', when he baled out, was picked up by the Resistance, and was among the first taken down the 'Pat Line' to Marseilles. From there, they ultimately walked over the Pyrenees into Spain, where by established protocol they were arrested, and expelled to Gibraltar, and thus home. After that, he could not fly over France, because possible capture and torture could lead to reveal of the Resistance escape lines. He was shot down a second time during Torch, in North Africa, and exfiltrated through German lines to the British army. War stirs the pot. He began the War as an unemployed railroad staffer. He ended his life as a personal friend of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, after having served as Captain of the Queen's Flight for 14 years, and having overseen the flight training of Prince Charles, among other things. So many great men. So hard to see them all go off the stage...

I'd of course read about bismuth as a lead substitute, but never looked it up, which I just did. It should continue to pass muster in California, because the Wiki article points out that while it is radioactive, the decay is very slow-- the half-life of the isotope is a billion times longer than the estimated age of the universe; thus it is considered stable!

Urbanization seems inevitably to bring ever more liberal politics along with it. Think of Denver, Dallas etc as good examples in once-conservative states. California used to reliably produce Republican politicians along with Democrats; yet it always had many big urban centers. There are a lot of theories about it. My state, Washington, has had liberal politics for a long time. It had for decades heavyweight Democrat senators. Yet it has had very good gun laws for a long time, too: shall issue for concealed pistol permits, no restrictions on numbers and types of gun purchases, no unusual transport and handling requirements, open carry; on and on. But we used to also have a viable Republican party, with the occasional GOP gov (tho' not for 35 years), GOP legislature now and again, Republican attorney general. GOP senators. But they've been fading away, and any balance is being lost. So now we have 'safe storage' state laws, and a special training requirement and 10-day wait for 'semi-automatic assault weapons', which are defined as all semi-autos, such as a Ruger 10/22 etc. These have come through the initiative process, funded by cyber-billionaires. These are to be more feared by far than the legislature. Lots of worries for the future.

Apparently there is just one surviving pilot now of the Battle of Britain: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/last-surviving-battle-britain-pilot-22297770 Just a very few years ago when I last checked, there were still a couple of hundred alive; all very aged of course. It's hard to contemplate that it won't be so long before all WWII vets are gone. A kid who lied about his age and got into the Navy in the last months of the War at 17, which is about as young as you could have been to be a WWII vet, would now be 92 if still alive. All the more reason to remember these things.

And Tony Curtis was married to Janet Leigh. All is one.

Right. Regia Aeronautica. He said the CR-42 was slow, but could turn very tightly. He had been in the RAF reserve before the War, and so at 23 or so was older than many of the other pilots. They would go up during the day to fight, then in the evening would take the train into London and visit the steam baths and bars on Jermyn St. Then back up into the air the next day.

Amen. My grandfather was in the Royal Air Force-- in the First war; he flew as an artillery spotter. He was born and raised in Vancouver, BC. I had the good fortune to enter into a correspondence with, and then meet for several hours in 2002, Air Commodore Sir Archie Winskill KCVO DFC*, a WWII Spitfire ace who fought in the latter part of the B of B. He shot down two Italian C-42s during the Battle. A little-know chapter of the air War-- the Italians believed their German compatriots that they were winning the Battle, and they wanted to be 'in at the kill'. So they sent their best biplanes. In fact, the C-42 was relatively formidable, as were several of the advanced pre-WWII biplanes. One of them shot out the canopy of Sir Archie's Spitfire. He died at 88 in 2005. There are very few of the Few left now.

Starring Janet Leigh. Just so happened to see her in The Naked Spur just last night.....

So run for public office. My wife served 30 years in local public (unpaid) office. She won 5 consecutive elections. I ran twice for local office, and mercifully lost both times, but I threw my hat into the ring in my time. I give money; I show up for testimony before councils and committees. We are a self-governing republic. Our local councils, boards, and our legislatures used to be filled with lawyers, insurance agents, owners of car dealerships, real estate agents, small businessmen and tradesmen of all kinds. Main-streeters. Now they have checked out, don't run, and just complain incessantly. Frankly, I am so tired of the futile complaints of people who 'deplore' the state of politics. The middle classes of productive people had better get back into the game and act. Bury your talents in the ground because you are 'afraid'....You'll pay for it now and hereafter. At least this person ran for office. How many ineffectual complainers didn't?

I recognize the country still, but I don't recognize Cheshire County, N.H. anymore.

I read the book originally in Analog SF magazine, where it was serialized as Dune World. Dune took the SF world by storm, and for many years, perhaps decades, it was the leading single SF novel ever in sales. It has probably been surpassed by now by Game of Thrones or some such, but I don't know. Frank Herbert lived in Tacoma for some years, and there is a great waterfront park here named after him, just finished a couple of years ago. Herbert was close friends with fellow SF authors Jack Vance and Poul Anderson, and for years they together owned a houseboat on the Sacramento Delta. I never met Herbert or Anderson, but I had the pleasure and honor of meeting Jack Vance a couple of times. He died a few years back at 96. I heard stories about Frank Herbert and Anderson from Jack and his wife Norma. The Lynch movie had several good points but was overall disappointing. I never saw the TV version; it got decidedly mixed reviews. I am glad it's getting another go. Haven't read the novel in decades but probably should pick it up again.

Trailer for the new Dune: