This is the beginning of a series of columns; or, perhaps more accurately, the preface to a series of columns that will, in effect, become the Guns and Shooting Online editorial page. There will be no set topics and these columns will not even necessarily have a central theme; some may have and some may not. Basically, THE COLUMN is just your faithful editor's chance to sound off on a variety of gun and shooting related topics. Consider it a shotgun approach to journalism.

For those who have asked, here is a brief personal bio. I have been involved in the recreational use of firearms since being selected to join my high school rifle team in my freshman year, over 40 years ago. I have sold guns and accessories at the retail level. I qualified "Expert" with both rifle and pistol while in the United States Air Force and was invited to try out for the USAF national shooting team. (An offer I had to regretfully decline due to the press of other affairs.) I have completed the NRA Home Firearm Safety course and I was the instructor for a guns and shooting seminar offered by my local community college. I am an Endowment NRA member (USA) and a complimentary member of the National Firearms Association (Canada). I have been writing about guns and shooting since my college days and I founded Guns and Shooting Online in 1997.

Throughout my life, whenever I have become interested in a subject, my interest has driven me to research that topic, probably to excess. For whatever reason, I have always been driven to know more about stuff that I find interesting, and I love to read. As a "gun nut" and recreational shooter for most of my life, I have naturally done a lot of research and accumulated a fair amount of practical experience in many aspects of the shooting sports.

I also discovered at an early age that I enjoyed writing. I have written poetry as well as fiction and non-fiction prose. It was my inclination to do research, coupled with my love of writing, that was primarily responsible for getting me through college. (Certainly it was not my attendance record, as I was forever cutting classes to go shooting, to party, or simply because I was reading something interesting!)

Later in life I found that I had some small talent as a teacher, no doubt thanks to my mother whose profession was teaching. Rather to my surprise, I discovered that sharing information was fun.

Ultimately those interests and character traits came together and, after the birth of the Internet made such projects possible, Guns and Shooting Online was born. Guns and Shooting Online started as sort of a hobby after I had retired myself from retail management, professional photography and teaching, but has evolved into a business and a full time job. Fortunately, it's a job that I love doing!