There is nothing quite so narcissistic as making a mix CD - DZ

As I’ve gotten older I find myself leaning more and more to the left when it comes to most things political. It is an odd position to be in considering how utterly conservative I’ve been in the past. I look forward to the yearly ritual of reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Heck, I was listening to Rush Limbaugh when I was in eighth grade. I discovered him all by my lonesome while messing around with an AM radio one summer morning. And I still like him. I think that he, above all others, articulates the layman’s conservative philosophy best. I enjoy Michael Savage and G. Gordon Liddy’s shows for their grittiness and wit. Incidentally, I like Al Franken for the same reason. Sean Hannity showed his true colors when he visited my alma mater a few years back and doesn’t get a second of my listening time.
Alas, I have spent too many hours these long years studying history and I have slowly turned away from conservative philosophy. I haven’t turned my back on it, but there are things I shall never believe in again.
So, there it is. Shocked? Will you never read this little blog again? Are some of you gearing up to disown me? I didn’t think so.
I am not a true liberal by any definition. I won’t vote strictly along party lines. I must confess that this state, from the original theocracy to the current Republican monopoly, has had lousy government. I chalk that up to a political party that has never had any real challenge and therefore no real accountability. So in Utah, I vote anything but Republican. Some say I am a sinner.
The problem is that there are only two real options on the ballot and I don’t totally agree with either. I hate gun control, I love the environment and think we have a responsibility to it, I detest corporate welfare and think it is the end of the free market, I like small business, I think that copyright law is outdated and the RIAA is a sanctioned mafia, I am weary of middle class shrinkage, I think that eminent domain and the recent supreme court travesty is horrid, I could care less about the supposed "character" of our leaders (history backs me up on this one), I think the National Guard and the Reserves are depended upon far too much to enforce INTERNATIONAL policy, I like Ted Nugent and Megadeth and Rage Against the Machine, I think that Dick Cheney should be allowed to speak at the BYU and that people have a right to protest his politics, blah, blah, blah, etc., etc., and finally etc.
I will vote as an individual because I am an individual.

So, Richard Dutcher is leaving. I can’t say I am wholly surprised. Art and Mormon culture seem almost incompatible. I wish him well. I have loved every movie he’s made. I especially think that States of Grace was packed full of meaning. In fact, it was one of the better movies of the year.
He really is the Godfather of the Mormon film genre. I found his movies to be a breath of fresh air in a culture that has gone stale. I await Fallen and think that he is alone in uncharted territory with the subject matter of the movie.
In the meantime, I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we all just do our best to be Christian and not make any misguided or zealous judgement calls. Why don’t we smile and genuinely mean it when we happen upon circumstances like these or when dealing with someone not of our faith or who has left our faith. You know, live by example. We should pay attention to the old adage that we should never miss an opportunity to keep our mouths shut. There are far too many cowards who share the Mormon religion and have a lot of nasty, mean things to say about Dutcher. They seem to be overly concerned with being good Mormons and end up being lousy Christians (thanks DZ!).

As Mormons we can be better.

Be nice, be happy, love much.

.......it is better to tell an R-rated truth than a G-rated lie.
Richard Dutcher

Now that I am not eating, breathing, and crapping school. I’ve tried to reignite some old hobbies. The first which is playing the guitar. I’ve got a cool looking strat knockoff that my Pop built me many moons ago. I just love this thing. He built it with just a humbucker and a volume knob. I think he did this because of my love of Edward Van Halen’s famed brown tone and the single humbucker, one volume pot Frankenstrat that he played. He even strung it with the same guage strings that Van Halen used. It has been an awesome axe.
As far as tone, the guitar has the twang that is heard by most strats (I can hear all of the Les Paul players snicker). However, I am from the early 90's, late 80's school of playing and I like a sound that has a lot of treble and bass, with just a little mids. So, a Strat style sound through a Mesa Boogie style rectifier is right up my alley. Besides, with amp modeling technology these days, I can achieve the tone of my deepest desires with almost any axe.
The old girl needs a little fixing. When I am strumming or picking, if I strike the volume knob the guitar will go silent until I smack the volume knob again. Also, sometimes when I flex the tremolo, I’ll hit the volume knob causing the same problem. I think I am going to replace and move the volume pot. At the very least, I’ll be replacing it. I also really, really need to give her a bath. I may or may not install a Floyd Rose tremolo system on this. I swore those off a long time ago, but I just love their capabilities too much to give up on them. Mark my words, one day one of my electric axes will have a Floyd Rose or the like.
Sorry, no pictures yet, my digital camera has been a blessing, but at the same time, it is a finicky old dog.
Incidentally, you can buy a copy of Van Halen’s original axe from Fender, its only $25,000!!

Sorry to hear of Kurt Vonnegut's passing. He couldn't have lived long enough or cranked out enough writing to satisfy me.

I cannot convey the real sadness I felt upon learning of Jeff Cooper’s death. Every month I awaited Cooper’s Commentaries. I even used his writing as a tool to help me with my schooling. I would read a little Cooper before writing a paper. I loved how he referred to himself as "we." It was so aristocratic, but not snobbish for the sake of snobbery. How I would hope that a little of his wonderful prose would rub off.

Cooper was a harvester of excellence. I found his words inspiring. He was so much more than the father of modern pistol fighting. His writing hearkened me back to a time of simple chivalry and order that probably never existed on a huge scale, but ought to have. Cooper also was a philosopher of the highest caliber. Anyone who read his work for any period of time could see that the point was rarely about guns.

Fair winds and following seas Marine.

If you'd like to read some of Jeff Cooper's works they can be found here:

http://dvc.org.uk/jeff/