StreetCowboy Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 12 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said: As always, your comments are a breath of fresh air. Just please recall the sad end of Barry Lyndon. Even the happiest stories end. If we are lucky, we can pass on to greener pastures leaving those behind us with a smile on their lips, like the general who said “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this dist…” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GammaGlobulin Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 1 hour ago, StreetCowboy said: Even the happiest stories end. If we are lucky, we can pass on to greener pastures leaving those behind us with a smile on their lips, like the general who said “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this dist…” Speaking of generals, and General Patton: In the film, Patton, George C. Scott spoke of the "Golden BB". The 'Golden BB Theory' is one that I still subscribe to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GammaGlobulin Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GammaGlobulin Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 1 hour ago, StreetCowboy said: Even the happiest stories end. If we are lucky, we can pass on to greener pastures leaving those behind us with a smile on their lips, like the general who said “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this dist…” The Whitworth rifle was considered to be the very best rifle of its time in terms of accuracy, when compared to other British, French, American rifles, or those produced elsewhere. The Whitworth rifle weighed 9 lb (4.1 kg). Other long-range rifles of the period tended to have much larger and heavier barrels, which made them too heavy for standard infantry use. When being used by sharpshooters, Whitworth rifles were usually rested against a tree or log to increase their accuracy. Some sharpshooters carried their own forked rests for the rifle, so that a suitable rest was always available. John Sedgwick was shot and killed with a Whitworth rifle. These rifles are rather fun to shoot. In 1860, the British National Rifle Association held its first annual meeting at Wimbledon. Queen Victoria fired the first shot from a Whitworth rifle on a machine rest at 400 yards (370 m), and struck the bull's-eye 1 to 1+1⁄4 inches (25–32 mm) from its center. Muzzle loaders with caps are lots of fun, but can also be deadly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreetCowboy Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 7 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said: The Whitworth rifle was considered to be the very best rifle of its time in terms of accuracy, when compared to other British, French, American rifles, or those produced elsewhere. The Whitworth rifle weighed 9 lb (4.1 kg). Other long-range rifles of the period tended to have much larger and heavier barrels, which made them too heavy for standard infantry use. When being used by sharpshooters, Whitworth rifles were usually rested against a tree or log to increase their accuracy. Some sharpshooters carried their own forked rests for the rifle, so that a suitable rest was always available. John Sedgwick was shot and killed with a Whitworth rifle. These rifles are rather fun to shoot. In 1860, the British National Rifle Association held its first annual meeting at Wimbledon. Queen Victoria fired the first shot from a Whitworth rifle on a machine rest at 400 yards (370 m), and struck the bull's-eye 1 to 1+1⁄4 inches (25–32 mm) from its center. Muzzle loaders with caps are lots of fun, but can also be deadly. If you need a fork 'n' rest you should man up and go to the gym more 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreetCowboy Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 36 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said: Speaking of generals, and General Patton: In the film, Patton, George C. Scott spoke of the "Golden BB". The 'Golden BB Theory' is one that I still subscribe to. Yossarian did not subscribe to that theory. And he is the most successful bomber of whom I have heard, despite his fictionality. SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GammaGlobulin Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 10 minutes ago, StreetCowboy said: If you need a fork 'n' rest you should man up and go to the gym more Interestingly, the muzzle velocity of these blackpowder rifles is quite low. After the bang, then you can actually hear the sound of the slug hitting the target at 200 yards. I once had a similar muzzleloader rifle. While attending classes at Penn, my car was stolen in Philly with the muzzle loader in the trunk/boot of the car. When I reported the theft of the car and rifle to the Philly police in 1972, the cops at the police station remarked: If we hear of a liquor store robbery using a muzzleloader, then it must be yours. Very few gun-related crimes, in 1972, in Philly, involved the use of blackpowder rifles. They were more concerned about the 357 magnum revolver, also in the boot. Philly police, in those days, had a delicious sense of humor about life. Very laid back. Philly was amazing, then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GammaGlobulin Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 36 minutes ago, StreetCowboy said: Yossarian did not subscribe to that theory. And he is the most successful bomber of whom I have heard, despite his fictionality. SC Yossarian was allergic to flak. Unfortunately, Catch-22 can only be read once when one is young. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaibeachlovers Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 2 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said: Yossarian was allergic to flak. Unfortunately, Catch-22 can only be read once when one is young. Never read the book, but saw the movie when young. Perhaps I should watch it again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GammaGlobulin Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said: Never read the book, but saw the movie when young. Perhaps I should watch it again. No. Please just read the books. No need to watch the movie, actually. First read Dostoevsky. Then, read Heller. Enjoy. Please note, however, that one should read both, for the very first time, when one is no older than age 13. Both authors should be read while one is just reaching puberty. This is my best advice to all young people. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GammaGlobulin Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 (edited) It's a fact that most important books should be read between the ages of 11 and 13, when one's juices are fully flowing. Books like Moll Flanders can only be savored, fully, while one's juices are oozing and dripping. Even now, after so many decades, anytime somebody mentions Moll Flanders, I drip for the thought of her, in the fields, among the sheep. When I was growing up, halfway through puberty, books like these were my porn. I had no television, no access to Hustler. Just me and Moll Flanders, and so many others. I would not have had it any other way. These days, it's impossible to read any good books, for the very first time. The last good book I read was that written by Philip Roth, "Nemesis". Nothing like long and complex, and beautifully written paragraphs. Hard to find a Roth, these days. Hard to find another Beethoven, these days, too. I was spoiled by Moll Flanders when I was young and innocent. I long for the innocence of the days of Robinson Crusoe, living together with Friday, when nobody snickered. Edited December 7, 2022 by GammaGlobulin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GammaGlobulin Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 (edited) Concerning why I loved Moll Flanders when I was young and innocent as she: "Moll's mother is a convict in Newgate Prison in London who is given a reprieve by "pleading her belly," a reference to the custom of postponing the executions of pregnant criminals. Her mother is eventually transported to Colonial United States, and Moll Flanders (not her birth name, she emphasises, taking care not to reveal it) is raised from the age of three until adolescence by a kindly foster mother. Thereafter she gets attached to a household as a servant where she is loved by both sons, the elder of whom convinces her to "act like they were married" in bed. Unwilling to marry her, he persuades her to marry his younger brother. After five years of marriage, she then is widowed, leaves her children in the care of in-laws, and begins honing the skill of passing herself off as a fortuned widow to attract a man who will marry her and provide her with security." I have always felt great empathy for Moll Flanders. Edited December 7, 2022 by GammaGlobulin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaibeachlovers Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 3 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said: No. Please just read the books. No need to watch the movie, actually. First read Dostoevsky. Then, read Heller. Enjoy. Please note, however, that one should read both, for the very first time, when one is no older than age 13. Both authors should be read while one is just reaching puberty. This is my best advice to all young people. 55555555555555555555 At 13 I was reading Alan Quartermain and Sanders books. An age that never existed but should have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzaa09 Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 Ain't the modern controlling and dependent age wonderful...... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaibeachlovers Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 16 hours ago, zzaa09 said: Ain't the modern controlling and dependent age wonderful...... Ain't it amazing how easily people are seduced into becoming slaves to the machine..................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzaa09 Posted December 8, 2022 Share Posted December 8, 2022 On 12/6/2022 at 11:50 AM, thaibeachlovers said: Never read the book, but saw the movie when young. Perhaps I should watch it again. You might get a different sense or perspective if reading the book alone without the accompanying film......as most recomposed filming arts/screenplays never do literary justice. Though, giving kudos to where it might be deserved - the oddly shaped and rather esoteric take on Heller's minor opus by way of film was spot on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photoguy21 Posted December 8, 2022 Share Posted December 8, 2022 On 11/27/2022 at 4:41 AM, thaibeachlovers said: I've mentioned it before on this forum, but imagine being able to travel without leaving home? No need to fly to Thailand to see the temples any more- just pop on the virtual reality headset and it's like being there. Perhaps the boffins of the future can also give the happy ending experience without the chance of contracting some nasty. Not the same in VR, you dont get the scams in it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaibeachlovers Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 On 12/8/2022 at 8:41 PM, zzaa09 said: You might get a different sense or perspective if reading the book alone without the accompanying film......as most recomposed filming arts/screenplays never do literary justice. True. The Game of Thrones books are far better than the tv series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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