Father's Day 2008

This is the first Father’s Day this Editor has spent without a father to share it with. My dad passed last August. That’s made me ponder the meaning of this day, and how important it is to share time with your father when you can. Life is short.

So, use your time wisely. Turn off this computer, and go be with your father today. Do something with him that makes him smile. Maybe go to a ball game, or go to the range together. If he lives far from you, give him a call and let him know how important he is to your life. Remind him of the old adage: “Good fathers make good sons”.

Some Thoughts on Fatherhood –

MY Father…
He was there when I didn’t understand, he was there when I was wrong, he was there when I cried, he was there when I lied. For some reason my dad was always there, when I needed him the most. His love was never ending. And now that he’s gone there is an emptiness in my world, but not in my heart. — Michael Jordan

My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, “You’re tearing up the grass”! “We’re not raising grass,” Dad would reply, “We’re raising boys”. — Harmon Killebrew.

When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years. — Mark Twain

Photo courtesy Free-Holiday-Ideas.com

Fuel Tops $5.00 per Gallon in California

“Holy ****, you’ve got to be kidding me…”, was this editor’s reaction when confronted with the $5.09 per gallon price of regular gasoline in California today. Gas prices in the Golden State have climbed from $4.29 to over $5.00 per gallon in the last two weeks — and fuel costs are expected to continue to rise throughout the summer.

Gas Prices Impact Shooting Matches
At many West Coast gun clubs, match attendance is down in recent months, primarily as a results of high gas prices. Now more than ever, it makes sense to car-pool with one or two other shooters when going to a match. Sharing with just one other shooter cuts your gas outlay in half.

Downsizing Your Wheels — Cost/Benefit Analysis
Most of the shooters we know drive trucks to the range — big, gaz-guzzling trucks. With the price of gas topping $5.00, it may be time to consider a shift to a more economical vehicle–at least for daily commuting and longer drives. Below is a chart showing the annual cost of gasoline, based on different fuel economy ratings (MPG). If you drive 15,000 miles a year, a 30-MPG vehicle will save you $2857.00 annually compared to a 14-MPG vehicle. Compound that savings for three or four years, and you’ve recouped much of the cost of a used econobox.