HASTING'S FOURTH LAW
August 2005 - As the mess continues in the Land of Canaan, we observe that a lot of that trouble could be avoided by simple observance of Hastings' fourth law, which reads: "Never throw rocks at people with guns."

LONG SHOTS
November 2005 - With the rifle, it is not how far away the shot was but how close you were able to get. I have been shooting seriously since my late teens, and I have taken just six long shots that I remember. (By "long" I mean shots 300 meters or over.) I do not mean to set myself up as an example, but I need to point out that if one is forced to take a long shot, he owes himself an explanation.

MACHISMO
January 2006 - In our current emasculate culture, valorous behavior is somehow regarded as inappropriate. The Spanish term machismo is, for example, often regarded as insulting rather than complimentary. This is by no means as intended. To be macho, in the classic sense, is to be manly rather than boastful. False modesty is no particular virtue. When you earn both ears and the tail in the bull ring, you are fully entitled to take a bow.

HEROISM
MAY 2006 - We talk a lot about heroes and heroism today. In doing so we denigrate the term. Heroism, properly speaking, is rare. Everybody I knew in World War II fought because he wanted to, but, of course, combat duty does not necessarily involve death. That it involves the chance of death in the line of duty is perhaps commendable, but it is not heroic. The phrase "above and beyond the call of duty" is indefinable since anything that you can do is what you should do. Lord Nelson defined the heroic death at Trafalgar. He was convinced--correctly--that his wound was mortal. As he lay there on the deck, his repeated words were, "Thank God I have done my duty!" He fought because it was his duty to fight, and he died doing his duty. This is heroism.

THE MEDIA
July 2006 - We now have two different sources of information regarding the current international scene. First there is that furnished by the media, and the second is that given to us by returning combat veterans from the Middle Eastern front. The media seem to insist that we are doing it wrong, especially that the current administration is doing it wrong. The men back from the war zone insist that we are doing the best possible job and that while the battle is not yet over, the situation is well in hand. I prefer to put my faith in the word I get from the troops. I know those people better than I do the journalists.

RULE 3
September 2006 - If nothing else, we professors of the modern technique seem to have gotten across Rule 3. The photos we see back from the contact areas all seem to demonstrate the straight trigger finger outside the trigger guard prior to the moment of truth. This is a good thing, and if we are responsible for it, we will accept appropriate pats on the back.