September 2021 – Page 6 – Splendid Isolation

Officer Class

September 20, 2021 Kim du Toit Military

To Americans, who unlike the Brits are self-consciously class-indifferent, this piece might be a load of old nonsense, but here we are:

When your job involves abseiling out of helicopters, kicking down doors and taking out the bad guys, you might be forgiven for thinking that it doesn’t really matter what school you went to.
But the SAS is getting worried that not enough posh officers are applying to command its high-stakes operations.
The elite regiment has typically been led by former public schoolboys whose privileged education is said to instil the leadership skills and poise required.
‘The typical SAS officer is confident, relaxed, bright and unflappable,’ said one of the regiment’s warrant officers. ‘Many of the most successful officers have been to the top public schools, but recently we have seen a number of guys coming forward who just don’t cut it. It’s a shame, but they are just not posh enough. The bottom line is that the officers shouldn’t be speaking like soldiers. We don’t want officers who are shouters or know-it-alls.’
…

Former officers of the SAS include General Mark Carleton-Smith, the head of the Army, and Major Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, a former Private Secretary to Princes William and Harry, who one source described as ‘the archetypal SAS officer’. Both were educated at Eton, while other recent commanding officers attended Winchester and Harrow.

Over There, the term “officer and a gentleman” used to be something of a redundancy — one could only become an officer if one was of the privileged class — but it seems like it has been somewhat undermined, and not to everyone’s liking, either. Imagine taking orders from this guy…

Round about now, Mr. Free Market (who was an officer in the Paras under the old regime) is chuckling into his whisky.

Monday Funnies

September 20, 2021 Kim du Toit Funny Stuff

Monday…? Already?

As it is, I feel like this:

And in the “Blast from the Past” department, the Widow Ocasek, then:

…and now:

Now finish that shower and get on with it.

Next Year In Goodwood

September 19, 2021 Kim du Toit Beauty, Drive Time

…not Jerusalem (with apologies to Tribe Readers).

If there is one motoring event I want to attend — yeah, even more than the F1 GP at Spa Francorchamps — it is the Goodwood Revival weekend event, which took place last weekend. For those who are not familiar with the festivities, it is an annual event wherein respect is paid to times gone by in the automotive world, and it could also be called a long, large costume party, as people are encouraged to wear clothes from a bygone era. I even have clothing picked out for the occasion.

Before we look at the cars, though, let’s look at a sample of attendees from this year’s event:

And my absolute favorite outfit, for all the best reasons:

But enough of the finery; let’s get on with the real stuff, starting with the grid girls:

And they’re off!

Finally: it’s not all about cars, you know…

This is #1 on Ye Olde Buckette Lyst.

Next year, I promise.

My First Time

September 18, 2021 Kim du Toit The Gun Thing

From Reader Preussenotto in an email:

“I don’t know if you’ve asked this before or its been some time, but I’d be curious to know.
“What was the first “real” gun you ever bought with your own money (long-arm or handgun)? Not a .22 (because those should be household appliances, like a toaster) and not one you inherited from Grandpa or Dad, but one you plunked down your own hard-earned for?”

I think my first gun purchase was a Llama Mod IXA in 9mm:

…and I say “think” because I can’t remember whether I bought it first, or the Israeli K98k beforehand:

As I recall, the purchases were made within a month or so of each other, so it doesn’t really matter.

The Llama only lasted about a year before being traded for a Colt 1917 revolver in .45 Colt / .45 ACP (with moonclips and a shortened barrel):

…which in turn was traded for a Colt Combat Commander a year or two later.

That was my last handgun before The Great Wetback Episode of 1986, at which time I sold the Colt and gave the Izzy Mauser to a friend.

So… what was your first gun, purchased as prescribed by Reader Preussenotto above?

Today’s Earworm

September 17, 2021 Kim du Toit Music

Twisting in Texas…

News Roundup

September 17, 2021 Kim du Toit Bad News

All the news that’s fit to whatever.

…the poor things should probably ask advice from elderly family members who survived the Blitz. OMG they didn’t even have cell phones and online gaming back then.

…next, they’ll be banning breathing on odd-numbered dates. To save the planet.

…bet they got that name from random Scrabble tiles.

…I hate to break it to you all, but Kim Kardashian IS a Dementor.

…as long as they move them all back to California or New York, we’re good.

…which is probably because Democrats fear just about everything. Anyway, that being the case, a whole bunch of Afghan “refugees” should be relocated into Democrat-majority neighborhoods.

And speaking of Democrat neighborhoods:

…California lawmakers having fixed all their state’s serious problems.

From the Heart Of Stone Dept:

…in an immediate statement to the New York Times, Hillary Clinton called it the worst case of mass suicide ever, and added that she and all her staff had alibis.