Written by Fred Patten and published on the LASFS Rex Rotary, May 13, 1965. Intended for Apa L, Thirtieth Distribution, LASFS Meeting no. 1448, May 13, 1965. Address: 1825 Greenfield Avenue, Los Angeles, California, 90025. Phone: GRanite 3-6321.

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I should have guessed that DAGGER's counterforce would've been called CLOAK. Actually, I think that Command for Law & Order, All Kinds, is a better name than a lot of those now in existence. The United Network Command for Law and Enforcement, for example. "Law and Enforcement"? What kind of grammatical sense is that supposed to make? If I'm not mistaken, "enforcement" is usually a modified now; you speak of the enforcement of law, or law and it's enforcement -- not law and enforcement. Well, it's a minor quibble, but it still makes the phrase sound unnatural. Fortunately, it doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the show any.

On the subject of initialese again, the new comic-book feature "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." has finally appeared, identifying that organization as Supreme Headquarters International Espionage Law-enforcement Division. I think Stan Lee cheated a little with that "Law-enforcement" bit, but it still sounds better to me than "Law and Enforcement". The first episode of this feature is in the current issue of STRANGE TALES, and it will probably continue there indefinitely as Stan has apparently decided in the past few months that unending serials do more to keep the readers' money coming in than do complete-in-one-issue stories. And who do you M.M.M.S. marchers think the Green Goblin really is?

"Ian Fleming may be dead, but the 007-James Bond cult goes on and on. It is, in fact, right in the middle of a merchandising boom. While NAL [Signet paperbacks] readies the last Fleming novel about Bond, a number of companies have acquired licenses for such items as a line of 007 toiletries for men, board, and card games [Bruce?]. pajamas, shirts and sweaters -- all emblazoned with the 007 insignia. Among other Bond-inspired items on the market are "a toy attaché case concealing toys -- rifle, revolver and booby-trapped decoding machine," continental trench coats with hidden pockets for concealed weapons, "exploding" code books, fountain pens and cigarette lighters, secret buzzing door locks, model-kit Aston Martins, passport cases, etc. A major soft drink company is negotiating to bottle James Bond mixers. A distiller is reported considering an 007 whiskey. Before the year is out there may be no fewer than 200 James Bond products on sale -- apart from the Fleming books." (PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, April 5, 1965) And that's just James Bond -- it doesn't count all of the imitations such as Napoleon (U.N.C.L.E.) Solo and all of the merchandising items each of them are creating. (Anybody want to bet that there won't be a "Nick Fury - S.H.I.E.L.D." T-shirt by the end of the year?)

I understand that Fleming's last book, The Man With the Golden Gun, starts off with James Bond, brainwashed by the Soviets, attempting to assassinate his own superior, M. No matter how many imitations there are, I'm afraid that nobody will ever quite recreate the audacious dash that Ian Fleming initiated with his series of thrillers. A pity.

-- BEING COMMENTS ON THE PREVIOUS DISTRIBUTION

Fred Hollander -- I don't see "My Favorite Martian", having better things to do with my time than watch situation comedies with laugh tracks. Having moved away from a television set, in fact, I'm not watching any television these days except for "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.", and I wouldn't be able to see that if I didn't go over to my parents' for dinner regularly on Monday evenings.

Bruce Pelz - Your Imperial Russian Eagle doesn't look much like the McCoy other than in having two heads, but it justified its existence in giving you an excuse for one of the best puns I've read or heard in a long time. ## I seem to recall that there've been lagomorphic super-heroes besides Atomic Rabbit, Hoppy the Marvel Bunny, and Wonder Wabbit ...er, Wonder Rabbit; but I can't place any of 'em just offhand. I agree that the rabbit just doesn't make it as a symbol of Idealism or Romance. Peacefulness & Innocence, maybe, but not Idealism; I find it difficult to imagine a rabbit with an intense look as though denoting devotion to a Cause. Speaking of the innocent little bunnies, did you see that article in TIME a few years back about some scientist who was studying the social life of rabbits and discovered that they're in reality Neurotic As Hell? ## Why, no, I hadn't really considered requiring 100 copies of all Apa L zines for the Meetings surrounding the WesterCon, though now that you bring it up... ## I tend to agree with your theory about using labels in argumentation. Not just in arguments, either; I find that I tend to classify ideas/things/people when I first encounter them into categories under a given label, depending on which of their characteristics happens to most impress me. Often this snap classification turns out to be almost wholly erroneous, and I have been quite surprised on a second, deeper examination to find that the idea/thing/etc. doesn't fit my preconceived notions as to what it is like after all. And this is assuming that I wasn't Turned Off by my first labeling and that I did take the trouble to encounter it again -- something I haven't always done. Let's see more development of your Theories of Argumentation.

John Trimble -- Congratulations on you and Bĵo joining your local Friends of the Library group. Short of becoming a librarian, that's about as close as you'll come to what seems to be the Chosen Profession. ## I think you're greatly underestimating the number of Bĵo's comic book that you'll be able to sell. Even if it is ultra-ingroup, it contains enough obvious humor to be of interest to outsiders, not to mention that the Comics Fans (and there'll hopefully be some of these around the WesterCon) will buy anything that has a costumed superhero in it. You should be able to get at least 25¢ for the number of pages you've got so far, and I'll be surprised if you don't sell at least 15 copies the first day of the convention. Put Bĵo back to work on drawing the next episode. ## Of course I deny I'm really Tom Gilbert! Since when do I need a pen name just to justify my right hand margins?

Len Bailes -- If you're good enough to be accepted by UCLA, you shouldn't have much trouble getting a scholarship of some sort. The Univ. of Calif. is of late tightening up its admittance standards for all out-of-state applicants, so just to get your application accepted is a feather in your cap. I hope you make it; maybe you can start the Westwood Science Fiction Society ("the other WSFS") that I never did get off the ground. And you'll sure find it a lot easier getting your Apa L zine in than mailing it across the country every week. ## Van Arnam did get an incomplete copy of the Easter Distribution, only missing Bill Glass' zine, I believe. That's why most of the screaming is only at an academic level (so far). The last couple of LASFS meetings have had such a small attendance that we've had enough complete Distributions to send copies to Ted White and others who didn't contribute that week. Unfortunately, when we do have a large meeting, it's usually because of the attendance of guests or old members who don't come too often any more -- and it's for these people that we want to have copies of Apa L to entice them back more often, leaving few (if any) for the non-attendees who also have not contributed to that Meeting's Distribution.