Seubold Camp Out '09

Ruger GP100 .357 Mag
Remington 870 12ga
Remington Nylon 66 .22
Ammo .357/.38- 200 rounds
Ammo 12ga- 105 rounds
Ammo .22- 500 rounds

Hearing protection
Eye protection
Orange hat/vest
Flashlight, uberbright
Flashlight, general purpose
Lantern, propane
Matches, strike anywhere
Stove, propane
Sleeping Bag
Tarp, blue
Rope, utility
box, insulated sanitary
Pants, cold weather
Coat, cold weather
Hat, Kones Korner
Boots, Summer tan
Shirt, flannel
Pants, men's standard issue
Knife, Swiss Army
Pot, coffee scalding
Pan, non-stick
Utinsils, various
Tobacco, loose
Tobacco, rolled natural wrapper
Pipe, briar
Tamper, pipe
Cutter, cigar
Soup, French onion
Steak, sirloin 2lbs
Potatoes, russet
Carrots, vegetable
Sundry seasonings
Cup, coffee
Plate, blue enamel

A camping trip is about so much more than the stuff you take. It is about the folks you go with. Josh and Jon Seubold are two of the greatest guys I know. That they've been kind enough to open their secret proving grounds up for what has become an annual camp-out/arms expo is well enough. That they are from one of the greatest, most generous families that I've ever been associated with is an entire other matter. I'm lucky. I married into their clan.
I'll have a camp report in one week.

A Face in the Crowd

Sometimes I just like to watch a movie because I like an actor who is in it. That was the case with this one. I have always liked Andy Griffith. I also like films directed by Elia Kazan. Well, I perused Netflix the other day and found A Face in the Crowd, relatively recently converted to DVD, and ordered it. Tonight I finally got to sit down and watch it.
The first thing I noticed is that this is not Andy Taylor. This is a professional method actor, who, for us young folks, we only know as a genteel and smooth southern father figure. He is neither of those in this movie. Yet, it was not his character nor his characterization that caught my attention in this film. It was it's themes; power and influence and the error of populism.
To be sure, there are some wickedly awesome quotes in this movie, and support work by Walter Mathau that was par excellance. These quotes, which undoubtedly must have been true when the movie was made in 1957, ring even more true in 2007. Here are a few:

"Politics have entered a brand new stage, the television stage. Instead of a long-winded public debated, the people want capsule slogans; "Time for a change.", "The mess in Washington." More bang for a buck. Punch lines and glamour. Yes, Mr. Purvis, even glamour." (Gen. Haynesworth)
"General, my papers have supported [Senator] Fuller from the first day he ran for public office. He is not a grandstander, a backslapper, or a baby kisser." (Purvis- newspaper man)
"That's exactly what he's got to become." (Gen. Haynesworth)

and

"My study of history has convinced me that every strong, healthy society, from the Egyptians on, the mass had to be guided with a strong hand by a responsible elite." (Gen. Haynesworth)

and

"You know what the public's like? A cage of full of guinea pigs. Good night, you stupid idiots! Good night, you miserable slobs! They're a lot of trained seals. I toss 'em a dead fish, and they'll flap their flippers." (Lonesome Rhodes- Andy Griffith)

Griffith rises to popularity from abject nothingness. A bum, albeit one who can play the guitar, is discovered in the county lock-up. His brief exposure- one where his opinion carries more weight than his singing- propels him to local celebrity and from there to regional fame and from there to the national stage. He is given money, fame, and influence. We know that these things combine to build the facade of power. His word is gold. Sponsors cash in on his blessing of their products, but also a presidential candidate as well. Rhodes advises Sen. Fuller on his image, all the while working on his own. Fuller pulls up in his ratings. Rhodes gets promised a cabinet post. The question for examination is is Rhodes a tool of the establishment and how do we define his power and influence?
Kazan presents Populism for what it really is; a political system based on the lowest common denominator. Rhodes, as he stated in the third quote, knows that his "constituency" is largely an ignorant and lazy group- one that seeks for entitlement in any way it can and specifically on the coat-tails of pandering politicians. If they can just reach this core group of "[r]ednecks, hillbillies, hausfraus, shut-ins, [and] pea-pickers" the election will belong to the corrupting and kniving Sen. Fuller. The people need an elitist thinker who can call the shots for them because they are too stupid to think for themselves. Sound familiar...
There is much more to say about this film, but I shall not do that at this point.
What do you need to do?
I'm glad you asked. Go find this movie. Buy it, rent it, borrow it, just watch it. While I would not classify it as noir, it does contain noir characteristics. Method actors rock. Elia Kazan rocks hard.

The Black Flag

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One of my favorite persons in all of history, let alone American history, is Thomas Jonathan Jackson, the orphan who through divine providence was lead from the Shenandoah Valley to the halls of West Point. From there he proved himself with boldness and valiant deeds upon the soil of Mexico and against the Indians and elements of the the deep south. His fame, though, came from his boldness in the War of Northern Aggression, also known as the American Civil War. Here, on the soil of his native Virginia, he lead his foot cavalry on campaign after campaign, ambitiously pursuing the accursed Yankee invader of our “homes and hearths”. If his legacy and, in way of criticism of Confederate leadership, war strategy were to be summed up, it would be with the Black Flag. No mercy, no quarter, no parlance with the enemy until he indeed knows the depths of your resolve, the ferverence with which you hold to your cause.

This battle plan he learned not only at West Point, but from the Bible itself. When God gave orders for all the enemy, even their cattle, to be slain and the leader did as was he was supposed too, Israel was victorious, prosperous, and blessed. They also never had to worry about trouble from that group of people again.

General Jackson was not of sufficient esteem early enough in the war for his Biblical strategy to be given serious thought. He proved himself the faithful servant and performed the orders given to him with diligence. Thus, we have the legacy of an upright man, who in spite of his expertise in matters of war, was a very loving and tender man. He, like the patriarchs of old, prayed with his eyes open, and listened to the still small voice of God.

What we can learn from Jackson, from the Word of God, is that our enemy is as dead set against us as the usurper of the north was against the due process of law and the free republic whom he swore to serve. If we show our chief adversary mercy, let the battle be taken to us, surely we shall perish. I didn't say go to hell, I said perish. We can lead our lives by strong and courageous faith in the Word of God, or we can sit back in the comfort of our “life saving stations” and forget what the purpose of the life saving station was in the first place. Gentlemen, give not your enemy quarter, for you shall you receive none. We fly the Black flag in front of all our regiments, divisions, battalions, and platoons. Those who have not learned to wield the sword can still die upon them if we do fail. We cannot fail!

Holiday Entertainment

If I had to pick three (Why three you ask? I don't know! It just sounded good at the time.) Holy day productions to symbolize the truth, the significance, and the realities of the Christmas season it would be Peanuts' Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown, It's a Wonderful Life, and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

The Charlie Brown Special is a cultural relic. Today, it would not be made. Period. It is in no way politically correct. It offends at least half of the world. Jesus did, too. Linus gave his peers not only the humbling correct reason for the season, he gave them the Gospel itself: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” The gift of God to man was the lifting off of the burden of the Law, something that could never save us in the first place, and replacing it with the intimate fellowship of God once more dwelling within the heart of man- the war was over, the gulf of separation evacuated. Peace was made to come and dwell with us. God let us know that He was and is pleased with man. Now, some people like to make man an exclusive group. The curious thing is that it means man-kind. All man. Thank you, Mr. Schultz, for writing into your cartoon, an art-form that no adult takes seriously, the Gospel.

The second film, It's a Wonderful Life, is just a great Christ's mass movie. Jimmy Stewart's character is heroic and full of promise. On several occasions he saves people's lives, yet at a crucial moment it is he that needs saving. He is in jeopardy, his family will pay the price of his business's failure, and, in desperation considers suicide as the way to redeem his family of their troubles. It was not his life that was needed for ransom (Jesus did that for him already). The protagonist, who knew what it was to save somebody, now needed saving himself. It was folly to for him to think that such a pitiful thing as his own life would be sufficient to do the job. His angel prevented a redundant crucifixion. It is indeed a wonderful life when we realize the full measure Christ's gift to man.

Some folks might look at this list and shake their heads at the inclusion of the Lampoon. Well, like it or not, the film shows us what commercialism does to one of Christendom's most sacred days. Clark wants to give his family the best he has. He also has relatives from H. E. double hockey-sticks. How do we deal with the less than desirable? What do we do when we are faced with great disappointment? What is really important to remember at this time? Clark and his family deal with these questions with something less than grace. But what is important is that he does realize that materialism is not the point of Christmas- even if he does it in his own hilarious way.

We have made these films a holiday tradition at our house (well, the kids don't get to watch Eddie in his leisure suit with something hanging down his leg just yet...) We laugh, we cry, we reflect on what really makes our journey in life so much more meaningful than the nihilistic world we live in would have it.

A cold, dreary first day of the week.

I can't help it. I am an unapologetic early riser. This does not set well with 1/4th of my household. 1/2 of the household is totally indifferent to my getting up at the butt-crack of dawn. What really makes the 1/4th mad is that I do this on vacation too. I've been know to grab my camera and take off on foot for a 3 or 4 mile hike before anyone is out of bed. Well, usually the kids are starting to wake up by the time I get back. The 1/4th gets annoyed by my romp through the woods, but all is forgiven when I make biscuits and gravy. I guess that deep down inside I have a dislike for wasting daylight. The photographer in me knows that the only scenic pics worth keeping are taken in the golden hours of the day. When I was a kid, I usually had something to do by 7 o'clock- like go cut firewood, mow grass, watch cartoons. You know good kid stuff. What can I say. I don't want to sleep my life away.