Rhythm Caliphate 714

I saw this pic on LGF and just had to add the text to it. It looks like he's part of the Rhythm Nation dancers, excuse me, Rhythm Caliphate dancers. If you don't get the significance of the title of this post, I suggest you read up on the matter. Let the fatwas pour in!

I think I got a thing for Adrienne Young. That is a godly woman. Her music advocates a return to an agrarian order based upon republican principles and the practice of the "art of virtue." The song "Art of Virtue" is like a manifesto for restoration. Some (you know who you are) may be interested to know she advocates sustainable agriculture and that she maintains her own garden (she is also involved with the Food Routes Network, a group that connects consumers with local farmers who are willing to sell direct). Adrienne's definitely hotter than Abigail Washburn, but she doesn't have that Firefly-esque flow that Abigail has going on. Abigail's voice is prettier, though, and her sound is, despite its Asian feel, more traditional. Neither of them can match Alison Krauss, of course, but who really can? Her voice is like whoah.

Bluegrass women wanna make me lose my mind.

(At some point I'll have to wax romantic about the women of country and bluegrass on here.)

I'll shut up now.

King's Shilling

Not a terrible day for a reenactment, just a damn cold one.

After arriving and locking up my bike* I meandered through the camps a while to get a good look at the opposing forces. The rebel camp didn't really appeal to me. They seemed disorganized and boring. We're taught all our lives to revere these guys for winning our independence, but I just find their modern day counterparts to be uninspiring. A giddy throng of huddling, wind-chapped bodies gathered about pathetic campfires. I was quickly drawn to the British encampment by the sound of "The British Grenadiers" being played on fife and drum. Now here was something a guy could get into. Something a guy could believe in. The British had substance - and they still do.

I had found the rebels gathered about their campfires, acting the part of noisome jacobins. The British on the other hand were readying themselves, practicing their fife and drum, and acting the very model of military efficiency. Well, not totally. A great many of the British (and rebels) were rather surly. On a great table within the British encampment was arrayed a sort of all-you-can-eat banquet. But on the whole, the picture within the British camp was much more appealing.

The reenactment itself took forever to begin. It was preceded by a 15 minute artillery duel; while technically accurate, it was also technically boring. When cannons fire, things blow up. They could have at least rigged some pre-set charges to throw some dirt up in the air. There each line stood, not 100 yards from each other, firing their 3 pounders to no effect. Then the British began their advance; the NC militia opened fire. I saw a total of one guy fall down from this opening volley. People in the audience around me started to comment on the lack of casualties. One kid was obviously upset: "Why is nobody dying?!" A man behind me commented to his friend: "Well, weapons were so inaccurate back then, everybody knew it would be decided by close combat." Sadly, the lack of casualties in this case was down to the fact that no one wanted to get their uniform too dirty. It was by no means a realistic impression. Around 170 were killed outright at the battle; another 500 were wounded, dozens of whom died in the days following the engagement. But in all fairness to the reenactors, for it to be accurate, nearly everyone on the field would have to fall down and play dead. To make matters worse, the "battlefield" is bisected by a paved road and powerlines. Below you can see the road quite clearly:


It was just too polite. The movements were more kin to passacaglia than Von Steuben. At no point did I get the feeling that Cornwallis had finally caught up with this colonial Vercingetorix; that the British troops, frustrated by weeks of marching and not getting the chance to face their foe, were finally able to vent their anger at an elusive opponent; that the rebels, hounded at every turn by an implacable foe, were now girding themselves for a contest they half relished and half feared - a contest which would either crown with glory the name Greene or secure forever British power within the colonies. Instead, it looked like they were playing croquet.

Towards the end, the British line was momentarily routed by a well-placed and surprisingly devastating musket volley. As the British fell back, a great cheer arose from the crowd (there were a couple thousand people there). For a moment it seemed they were rewriting history - I honestly thought that the British were going to flee in terror. But the Brits rallied and everything worked as it should have. I was just worried that the people there would come away from the battle thinking that the Revolutionary War was a mostly polite affair in which surly men milled about, firing at each other but never making their mark.

Alas, there was no Banastre Tarleton. I caught up with the only unit portraying Tarleton's Legion at the reenactment and spoke to them about why no one portrays Tarleton. Sure enough, it seems that Tarleton has been thoroughly Nazified, especially by one of my least favorite films "The Patriot." As an aside, I would like to note that Tarleton did some pretty nasty things. He allegedly "hanged a woman pregnant by an American adversary under a sign reading, ‘You will not bear any more rebels.'" I haven't seen any definitive evidence that he ordered such an abomination to be carried out, but nevertheless Tarleton was raw. One of the fellows I spoke with, the leader of Cpt. Stewart's Company of Tarleton's Legion, is Anthony Scotti, the author of a book on Tarleton. Scotti takes a revisionist view of Tarleton, taking the dominant view of Tarleton as "Bloody Ban" to task. I'm not sure where I fall in this debate, but I certainly don't think Tarleton was on par with Nazis. (nor do I think he was a nice guy, either. I probably would have thought he was a sonofabitch had I known him).

Light Horse Harry was not present either. He also has a few military skeletons in his closet and it has nothing to do with his relationship with Washington. While Tarleton's sins serve the interests of nationalism, Lee's are swept under the rug or explained away. Pyle's Massacre, for instance, is depicted as a tragic mistake that led to the butchering of 93 loyalists. While it is impossible to tell from the surviving sources what Lee's intent was, it is clear that Lee failed to reign in his men when things got out of hand. I grew up in the vicinity of Pyle's Massacre (only everyone around there called it the neutered "Pyle's Defeat.") and was fascinated with it from an early age. Alamance County loves to tout the Battle of Alamance as the birthplace of the American Revolution (which is hogwash), but they tuck Pyle's Massacre away next to a gravel road and some trailer homes. Sweep it under the rug...

I enjoyed the reenactment and talking with the reenactors. It could have been better, but not only was this an off year (last year was the 225th anniversary, which I hear was much larger), but the "battlefield" left a lot to be desired. Someone really needs to do something about that paved road running right through the middle of the field and perhaps divert those powerlines. For all the goofyness of some of the reenactors, I must say that I envy them. I love dressing up in costumes, camping out, pretending I'm someone else, and shooting guns. And most of all I love history. So many things I enjoy come together in reenacting. Tarleton's Legion tried to recruit me, but the cost of the equipment is rather pricey for me at this point (muskets cost between $500 and $1000). Perhaps once I get out of school you'll see me acting a fool at Guilford Courthouse.

*This is not my bike, but B's bike. It might as well be mine at this point.

Now I know why they called him "Light Horse"

I'll be attending the reenactment of Guilford Courthouse tomorrow. They no longer have the reenactment in the GCH National Military Park, but at Price Park, which is about 2 miles away. Luckily for me, this is a short bike ride from where I live. I'll ride my bike up there and bring the camera along. Hopefully the weather will behave, but the grass will undoubtedly be inundated from the last day of rain. It's actually rather fitting, for in the aftermath of the battle of GCH the British camp was inundated with a downpour in the night. Dozens of the British wounded died in that cold, wet miserable night - not unlike the weather we've experienced here in the last couple of days.

I know some reenactors relish the chance to get down and dirty, but most are such utter farbs that they would rather keep their uniforms looking like they're on parade than on campaign. Reenactors need to keep in mind the privations of marching through the wilderness of the Carolinas during the winter of 1781. It goes without saying that none of them should be corpulent, living as they would have been, off a light diet on the march. Furthermore, their "uniforms" most be homespun in character. This goes for both the rebs Americans and the British. They should be ad-hoc little conglomerations of whatever bits of cloth they could find here and there. In places the components of a typical Continental or British uniform should be visible, but these elements must be suitably marked by wear and tear. I'll be on the lookout tomorrow, judging the reenactors' size, uniforms, and overall demeanor (I will not tolerate surliness in a reenactor).

As part of the research I'm conducting for my 709 course, I came across this Wikipedia article on General Henry Lee. Look under "Military Career." Read the first sentence. I have saved it here for posterity:


I had no idea that Henry Lee and Washington were such freaks. Yet another reason why people should never use Wikipedia. I don't want to give the impression that I use Wikipedia as a serious source for my work - I don't. I employ it as a means to get some general information on topics I know little about, but I never rely upon it. It's just a jumping off point for further investigation.

Lee was at Guilford Courthouse; he commanded a unit of cavalry there. Tomorrow I'll be on the lookout for him and Tarleton. I especially would like to see Tarleton; that dude was a badass. But if the photos I've seen from last years' reenactment are any indication, no horses will be employed. Last year there were horseless dragoons, which is a pitiable thing. Whether or not they employed coconuts to simulate the sound of galloping hooves I am wholly ignorant, but it would be rather droll if they did.

Star Wars On Trial

A friend of mine (I believe it may have been Sweet.) once said that "it always comes back to Star Wars." By "it" he meant conversation. No matter what the discussion or topic, my friends and I will always be brought back in roundabout ways to Star Wars. I suppose it's a testament to the resonating power of the series, arguably the most important mythical tale of the 20th century. But in my mind few things illustrate the rapid decay of American culture better than episodes One, Two, and Three of the SW sextology (I would like to totally divorce the original trilogy from my criticism, but I realize this is becoming increasingly impossible as Lucas continues to "update" the original series in sundry, objectionable ways).

The other day I picked up a book called "Star Wars On Trial." After reading the back of the book and skimming through the index I thought it might be an interesting read. After all, I do despise George Lucas for what he did to Star Wars - and I thought this might be a complete accounting of all of the crimes he committed against the movies in the name of profit (and it was only 4 bucks, so what the hell?). I began reading it and discovered to my disgust (I can't say surprise, because I thought it might come to this) that the whole undertaking quickly devolved into bashing the Bush administration and the Iraq war. How many times must I read the lame comparison between the Galactic Republic collapsing and the supposed suppression of civil rights and institution of "imperial rule" under the Bush admin? No intelligent person who knows anything about history makes this point. Ever. Especially not if he/she is not prepared to acknowledge that Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin Roosevelt did far more in the way of restricting civil liberties and expanding the powers of the office of the presidency than George W. Bush ever did.

Are the stormtroopers (ahem, excuse me, clown clone troopers) knocking at your door right now? No? Then STFU.

But it's the cases themselves (that of the prosecution and the defense) that strike me as particularly pathetic. David Brin, the chief prosecutor, can't make up his mind as to what he dislikes most about Star Wars. His arguments are the equivalent of a volley of stormtrooper delivered blaster fire. In one chapter he simultaneously criticizes the SW universe for being too aristocratic - dominated by a class of Jedi "demigods" (a term he's quite fond of) - and accusing the original trilogy of fostering disrespect for authority amongst youth. While extolling egalitarianism and the abolition of all hierarchy, he simultaneously criticizes Lucas for participating in an onerous pop-cultural "propaganda campaign" which teaches suspicion of authority. Either we will have hierarchy or we won't, David. You can't have egalitarianism and magically have everything fit together in an orderly fashion.

Matthew Woodring Stover, one of Lucas's stooges and the writer for the defense, is even worse. While Brin is at least likable, Stover engages in constant snide ad hominem attacks. His attempts to seem intelligent are even more unbearable. At one point he waxes scholarly on John Campbell's "Masks of God," expressing his skepticism of Campbell's conclusions regarding the use of pig symbolism in "The Odyssey." Two sentences later he refers to Aristotle as "the most easily refutable philosopher in history" and adds "...with the possible exception of Samuel Johnson." Such pretensions strike me as the height of absurdity.

Needless to say, the conclusion of the book is not satisfying. Some of the discussion, particularly that of other writers for both the prosecution and defense, is interesting. The best section of the book, which charges SW is not "good" Science Fiction and that it is pushing "good" Sci-Fi off the shelves is worth reading. All in all, I can't say it has restored any of my faith in Star Wars, SW fandom, or Geekdom in general.

Howling

While waiting for the bus a thoroughly "connected" college-age techie guy with bionic cell phone earpiece and ridiculously tiny cell phone/mp3 player sat down next to me. He was talking on the phone to what seemed to be his mom. This is what I overheard and hastily (and discreetly) recorded in my notebook:

Are you going to get rid of my stuff? Where am I going to put my Star Wars collection at? And my Legos?! I know you're anti-clutter. There's no room on the shelf there! I don't want to lose my Legos, though!

Do people not realize how absurd they are? Do folks who talk on bionic earpiece cell phone dealies not have any shame? The price of being "wired" (or whatever lame ass expression they use these days) is surrendering your dignity. The consequence of materialistic society such as ours is the death of all dignity.

......

C. brought this to my attention. It's the theme to the Howling II, which is an awful horror flick about werewolves from 1985. The theme is so hilariously bad that I felt it was worth posting here. This "song" sounds like it was composed on a cheap Casio keyboard and recorded on a handheld tape recorder in some guy's basement. The "singing" is incredibly slurred, so here are the "lyrics" as I hear them:

In the pale male(?) light of the moon
I got a hunger that's a motion(?)
A hunger that I can't control
I'm alone now in my room again
On the prowl now in your dreams again

HOWLING
HOWL, HOWL, HOWL
Since the world began!

Hah!
Pink flamingo, pink flamingo! FASHION!(??)
Some things never change
Some things just stay the same
Waiting
And the forest looks so free again
And I'll worship at your feet again

HOWLING
HOWL, HOWL, HOWL
Since the world began!
HOWL, HOWL, HOWLING
Since the world began!
Hah!

HOWLING
HOWL, HOWL, HOWL
Ever the since the world began, HOWLING!
etc.

Youth culture killed my dog

Good news. My name is still in the hat for assistantships next year. The head of the graduate program emailed me: "No, relax dude, you're still in."

........

WFMY recently did a story on drinking at my alma mater, Elon University. A lot of students are reacting negatively, claiming that it misrepresents Elon. While I have to admit that I'm not pleased with the fact that these individuals' faces and names were revealed, it does not by any means misrepresent Elon University. Not only did I go to school at Elon, but I grew up in the town of Elon, so I know something about the people and how the school has changed and operated in the past 13 or 14 years. I also feel like being from the community gives me a more critical position from which to examine Elon - not only was I on the inside of Elon, but lived the life of one who was on the outside. Despite the growth of the school and the "progress" Elon has been making, I think it has changed for the worse in the past few years.

The video is a lot like COPS and I know the Elon police just loved it. They seldom get to do much of anything cool or exciting, so this story must have made their year. The students featured, a guy named Logan (18) and fellow named Kevin (22), both look like typical Elon students. Logan got off easy, although he is underage and clearly got into a fight with someone (near the building where my mom works!). The presence of the camera is embarrassing even for me; I have trouble with the news media broadcasting such private imagery. I know this is in a public place and when you are in the street you can be video taped by anyone, but do the faces need to be shown? Kevin is rendered all the more embarrassing because he is attired in a grass skirt and Lei. He saunters out into the street and proudly proclaims that he is on television. Again, the imagery is embarrassing, but hardly a misrepresentation (as a side note, Kevin was up for Homecoming King last year).

This sort of thing has been going on in Elon for years and years, long before the current batch of undergrads started at Elon. Even before I entered Elon, while I was in high school, Elon parties were famous for their debauchery. Those among us who were more adventurous would go to Elon parties and report back astounding tales of drunkeness. Even though I rarely participated in any Elon parties as an undergrad, I was constantly reminded of them. I cannot count the number of times I ran into binge drinking, beer pong, pyramids of empty liquor botttles, and floors covered in a veritable carpet of beer cans. How many times did I hear students proclaim that they were still drunk from the night before while sitting next to me in class?

The problem is this: We live in a culture which exalts youth and experimentation. Partying and drinking are celebrated in popular culture to a great extent. Any time a student pins an "Animal House" poster to his or her wall, they are reinforcing the dominant view of youth vis-a-vis partying and drinking. This conception of youth has been largely manufactured by tastemakers and foisted upon the public through mass media. Furthermore, youth culture is utterly bankrupt. It has nothing at its center save for materialism and narcissism. Seen in this way, rampant alcoholism is not merely an expression of wanting to "cut loose" or the consequence of the lack of adult supervision, but an expression of nihilism. Given that this problem is cultural and not the result of the lack of adult supervision or proper education (Elon students are warned about the dangers of alcohol in their Wellness courses), there is no easy answer. For this to change, society must change how it views youth culture.