Matchstick Marvels

Gladbrook, Iowa can out-Match any Midwestern town

The casual passerby would never guess that this little Iowa city (of 941 residents) is home to Patrick Acton's Matchstick Marvels museum.  Acton's works can be found in Ripley's Believe it or Not museums on 4 continents, and have been featured in various magazines and tv shows.  

A few weeks ago I studied a roadmap of Iowa and noticed the museum only 30 miles from my  own home!  How can a person live so close to something so interesting for over 10 years and know nothing about it?   

"Blink and you miss it!"  is certainly the case with the Matchstick Museum.  Situated beside the theater and city hall, it blends modestly with the quiet town.

We payed the very reasonable admission fee (it's 5 dollars per adult, 3 dollars for a child between 5 and 12, and free for children under 5), and the 13 foot long USS Iowa replica quickly caught our eye.

It's built to scale, 1/70 of the original ship.  In 1998, it took Acton 800 hours and 137,000 matchsticks to build.  The turrets are rotatable (other matchstick replicas such as the space shuttle also have moving parts).  Still in awe, we glanced around us. 

 "You're in luck," the very helpful volunteer receptionist Kathy Herink told us, "this is the first time Mr. Acton has ever been here since I've worked here."  Sure enough, Patrick Acton himself was there, answered our questions, and gave us a personal tour!  He signed a brochure for me to add to my autograph collection, and consented to having several pictures taken with us!  What a wonderful surprise and blessing!

Patrick Acton and I in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral replica.

The Notre Dame Cathedral is Acton's most intricate and detailed work.  It was built with 298,000 matches, 2000 toothpicks, and more than 10 gallons of glue.  

Oh, the beauty of matchsticks and toothpicks!

All this, and yet Mr. Acton claims that patience is not one of his traits.  "One of the most common things people say to me is 'You must have a lot of patience!'" Acton says, "but I don't; just ask my wife, she'll tell you."

The Capitol (with the space shuttle Challenger and Notre Dame in the background)

This replica of the United States Capitol is built to scale at 1/65 of the original structure.  It is amazingly detailed; one of my favorite parts of this chef-d'oeuvre is the interior lighting.  The Capitol is double-walled which makes it possible for lighting to be used on the inside which will show through the windows, but not through the walls.  The effect was discovered by accident when Mr. Acton once left a light he was working with in the building.   The receptionist, Kathy, kindly turned out the ceiling lights for us to see the effect at its best.

The Cutty Sark is another of my favorites.  Even the sails and figurehead are made of matchsticks.  

Patrick Acton says he loves architecture, but believe it or not, there are no instruction booklets for matchstick architecture.  He was entirely self taught.  His technique of sheet-building allows him to glue thousands of matchsticks together on a base of Plexi-glass to make matchstick boards.  

He says animals and people are hardest to replicate because of their curves.  In 1985, his daughter begged him to create a replica of Pinocchio.  He finally complied, and in the process he learned how to bend  matchsticks with needle-nosed pliers to create curves.  After that, he could create any shape.   

Patrick Acton with the Space shuttle Challenger

American Bald Eagle (15,000 matchsticks)

Besides the masterpieces mentioned above,  you can see replicas of an Apache AH-64 helicopter (complete with pilot and passenger/co-pilot), Terrace Hill (The Iowa governor's mansion), the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier, the Wright Brother's flyer, a Parrot Rifle and Limber, a SR-71 Blackbird, Conestoga Wagon, Brontosaurus Dinosaur,  P-51 Mustang Fighter Plane, and Acton's 2nd creation--a barn and windmill.

The World Trade Center Memorial, pictured in the first photo, is Patrick Acton's most recent project.  It was completed in March of this year, and will be shipped from Gladbrook to a Ripley's Believe it or Not museum (most likely either in New York City or Florida) on July 1st.  It was constructed with 468,000 matchsticks and over 17 gallons of glue, and towers above our heads, reaching through the ceiling of the museum. 

I would definitely recommend to my fellow Iowans to visit the museum while this great work is still in Gladbrook--it's much less expensive and more quiet than (and can certainly out-match) the long trip to New York City!

P51-Mustang Fighter Plane

Credits: Many thanks to Charity of With Charity for the photography!  Thanks also to S.F.C. and D.T. for photos.

The Place to Volunteer

Are you looking for a place to volunteer?  Look no farther than a nursing home called Oakview in Conrad, Iowa.

Recently renovated and across the street from the high school, they have a friendly staff (and friendly residents), and this year they outdid themselves with their volunteer appreciation dinner held in the nearby town of Beaman.

There was a very nice crowd of mostly senior citizens, and the spacious room was decorated with beautiful quilts adorning the walls.  We signed up for the drawing for pots of petunias, and my dad and I put our names in the hat to be called up as contestants for Family Feud, the game of the evening.

I asked if there was anything I could do to help and ended up helping place salads at each table.  

The meal was catered by Smoking G's BBQ Catering Service from Marshalltown, Iowa and was scrumptious! (I'd recommend them to anyone looking for a casual catered meal.)  After the salad, we were served BBQ chicken (I don't know where they found such big chicken pieces; they were big enough to be turkeys), corn, and a huge baked potato with a tasty roll.  

The chicken was incredibly tender, and we had our choice of either regular barbeque sauce or raspberry sauce to enhance the flavor.

The raspberry sauce was "hot" or, shall I say, spicy, but the delicate taste of berries won me over.  The caterer was very service-oriented and constantly checked the tables to make sure everyone enjoyed their meal.  The serving sizes were definitely meant for lumberjacks (no one would go home hungry!), but as I'm not exactly a lumberjack (I've tried using a chainsaw once if that counts, but that's all), I could only eat half the meal.  To our delight, the caterers had thought of this, and we were supplied with doggy-bags for leftovers.

To me, dessert is usually the best part of a meal (my sister and I have taken to calling ourselves dessertatarians).  And the Oakview staff was sure not to disappoint us.  I don't know where they ordered the cheesecake from, but believe me, it was heavenly!  If only I could make cheesecake so delicious...

Then it was time for Family Feud.  My name was drawn for the Hatfield family while Papa was a McCoy.  A question was asked, for example, "We asked 40 people to list something they had now that they didn't have when they were 14."  There were buzzers at the first table and a representative from each team faced each other.  The first one to hit the buzzer could answer the question.  There was more than one right answer, but some of the right answers were worth more than others.  The team with the most points won.  The Hatfields got a head start, but the McCoys caught up in the end and emerged victorious.  (Next year we'll have to resume our vendetta...)

An added treat for me was winning one of the pots of beautiful petunias in the drawings...and yes, they're still alive in spite of my not-so-green thumb!

Are you looking for a place to volunteer?   You will find that it is a blessing to bless others.  Ecclesiastes 11:1 says, "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days." Folks have created the saying, "Cast thy bread upon the waters: it will come back sandwiches.  This time it came back as scrumptious BBQ'd chicken!

Thank you to all the folks at Oakview who made this a wonderful evening for us!

Town Hall Meeting with Senator Grassley (2013)

It was snowing as I bundled into my coat, grabbed a notebook and pen, and bit into a slice of bread.  Papa and I climbed into our car and were greeted by slippery, muddy gravel roads guarded by ditches faintly reminiscent of the grand canyon--or at least the Valley of the Shadow of Death in Pilgrim's Progress. We finally reached the blacktop, which though slushy, was not nearly as slippery.

We arrived at the Eldora city hall with a few minutes to spare.  When Senator Grassley arrived, there were about 6 people.  We were warmly greeted, and in the last few minutes a stream of people poured in; including late-comers, there were over 30 people.  

Senator Grassley opened the question and answer session.

The first remarks came from a man who thanked the senator for voting against the Manchin-Toomey Amendment (Firearms Bill).  

His concern was illegal immigration.  His daughter-in-law immigrated to the country legally--though the process was difficult--and he wanted illegal immigrants to be deported.  The senator replied that he also had a daughter-in-law who immigrated to the United States from Korea, and he believed the border should be protected.

Someone asked why Senator Grassley voted against the Firearms Bill.  Senator Grassley explained it was because he didn't like the idea of gun registration because registration often leads to confiscation. There were questions about background checks and about information in the databases.  Grassley explained they were looking for balance between security (ensuring guns don't get into the wrong hands) and privacy.  The senator was adamant on protecting Second Amendment rights.

The next topic was road infrastructure.  Our road conditions, it was stated, rate from C to F.  The city of Eldora needs funds to help their roads, and they cannot get all the money they need.  Senator Grassley replied that infrastructure would most likely not come up until the next highway bill.  For a funding increase, there would have to be a consensus on increasing the gas tax.  As a result of the 2010 election, earmarks are "out."  Before then, the senator stated, he could have submitted the request to the appropriations committee, but now the money goes to the states to appropriate.

A Meals-on-Wheels delivery man was next.  He heard that funds for the program would be cut because of the sequester, and he didn't like that. 

 Then there was a man who was concerned about voter fraud.

Next, someone asked why the debt is so high.  He said he balanced his own budget and thought the government should do the same.  Senator Grassley told the man he advocated the Balanced Budget Amendment.  

The next speaker remarked that he liked how Grassley is always on time, and suggested the senator should give a seminar on timeliness to other politicians.  There was laughter across the room; most politicians are late.  Then, admitting he wasn't sure it was safe to say this so far from the door, he related that when a NBA player announced his homosexuality, President Obama called to congratulate him.  This could be expected from Democrats, but now Republicans are starting to embrace homosexuality, with former Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan most recently advocating the "right" of homosexuals to adopt children.  Why are Republicans moving left now, and if they continue, how should conservatives vote?  I could hear an "Amen" and general agreement throughout the small group.  The senator responded with a caution to those who took the stand against homosexuality to be careful to love everyone, and said people with these beliefs may be forced to form a third party if the Republicans continue in this direction.

Another man stated that he recently read an editorial saying that an official in the armed forces has said evangelical Christians in the armed forces could be dishonorably discharged.  He asked the senator to read the editorial and check its veracity.  He also asked why there seems to be no toleration for Christians.  His daughter is homosexual, he said.  But if he says anything against that lifestyle, he is criticized as a homophobe, etc.  "Why is the government trying to zip our mouths shut?" he asked.  Senator Grassley said he has heard many anecdotes about intolerance against Christians, and sometimes there seems to be more intolerance against Christianity than against other religions.  He said that in accordance with the Constitution, Congress shouldn't make any laws establishing religion, but he also noted that it seems Christians often don't stand up enough for what they believe.

The next member of the audience to speak was an elderly man who wished to comment on religion in this country.  He said he was in the Navy in 1945.  On Sunday mornings, he said, everyone went to church. When it was mealtime, everyone ate.  He remembered one time when he didn't feel like eating.  He was found in the barracks and ordered to go eat or go to the sickbay.  He went to the sickbay.  Just like everyone had to eat meals, everyone had to go to church.  After the story, the man asked about the changes to Medicare with Obamacare.

Then there was someone wanting more money from the government for small towns and small businesses.

Healthcare was the next topic.  A lady who works at a clinic told how the new mandatory electronic records are expensive.  She said that insurance premiums are skyrocketing, especially for independent people who buy their own insurance.  Deductibles are often so high that people don't want to go to the doctor even if they have insurance.  The senator explained how all insurance plans will have to fit into Obamacare.

My notes

A teacher spoke next.  He said he was planning to bring his students, but school was cancelled because of the storm.  He said that the most common sentiment his students expressed was frustration because Congress is often in deadlock and the two sides have trouble compromising.  The senator offered to Skype with the class later, and said the solution to this would be a "long answer."  Congress represents the people, he explained, and the grassroots are very polarized.  Years ago, he said, 80% of the people got their news from the 3 major networks.  Now only 20% do.  The rest of the people listen to extreme conservative talk shows or extreme liberal talk shows, Fox or MSNBC, or the internet, so they are very divided on their opinions.  Congress reflects this.

There was more discussion about immigration.  Senator Grassley held up an 844 page book; it was the senate bill about immigration that he had to read that week.  He also said there were 23 more pages of amendments which added another zero to the cost, raising the price from an hundred million to a billion.  He again emphasized the need to secure the border.  A member of the audience said the border should have been secured a long time ago, and how would the border be judged as secure?  The senator replied that if 90% of those who tried to cross the border turned back or were apprehended, it would be considered secure. There was discussion on drones and fences.  Someone commented that we are all descendants of immigrants if our ancestors hadn’t crossed the Bering Strait; the legal immigration process was much too hard now and should be easier.

A chance was given for the press to ask questions.  Laura Smith of the Times Citizen asked the senator to comment on the situation with North Korea.  Senator Grassley said what we needed to know was if the young dictator was trying to act tough to impress his military leaders or if he really wanted to start a war.  North Korea's  nuclear capability is improving, he said.  "What precautions should the government take?" Ms. Smith asked.  The senator responded that precautions had already been taken by sending reinforcements to that area.  

Senator Grassley had to leave for meetings in other towns.  He shook hands with various supporters and made his way for the door.  We left, driving through treacherous roads toward home.  

It was interesting to listen to my neighbors' concerns and Senator Grassley's responses.  The problems today are quite troubling. 

 I left with the impression that Grassley firmly supports the second amendment and a balanced budget and even if I don't agree with him on everything, he genuinely wants to represent his constituents--and does a good job at it.  

I Will See God

In Job 19:25-27, Job says, "I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another..."

Job suffered greatly.  He lost his fortune; he lost his children; he lost his health.  Yet he had this hope, "I will see God!"  James 5:11 says, "Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy."  God rescued Job from his troubles and gave him twice as much as he previously had.

Things may not always go well for you in this life, but remember this, you will see God.  Live so that on the day you see Him, your heart will fill with joy.  Live so that He will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."  

In Romans 8:18, Paul says, "I reckon the the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."  Everything may not seem to go well; someday we may die, but we have a hope that is steadfast and sure: our Rock of Ages, Jesus Christ.  Nothing on this earth can  be compared with His gift of eternal life.  Nothing on earth can separate us from His love.

My prayer for today is, "Lord Jesus, give us the strength to trust you fully and completely.  Give us the joy of your Holy Spirit, and help us to have the faith to know that someday we will see you in your glory."

I know I will see God.  The world may be hopeless and confused, but I will see Jesus and everything will be all right.

My Lamp

"Thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.  For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall."  --2 Samuel 22:29-30

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."  --Psalm 119:105

In Isaiah 42:16, God promises, "I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known:  I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight.  These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them."  

2 Corinthians 4:4 tells us that "the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."  Before I was saved, I was spiritually blind.  [But] "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

God wants to take our confusion, our fears, and the darkness of death that surrounds us, and fill our hearts with his glorious light, peace, and joy.  He is the good shepherd.  He wants to lead us in straight paths.  We must read His word, the Bible, the roadmap to life.  He is the light of the world.

Truth is often obfuscated in our time, but He is the way, the truth and the life.  Christ is omniscient and omnipotent.  And Jesus promised, "whosoever followeth after me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life."

Let us pray as the psalmist prayed, "O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles."  (Psalm 43:2)  

Jesus Christ is our Lamp and our Hope in a dark world.

What I Learned From Westerns: Gun Control

Movies, shows, and books are created with a purpose.  The screenwriter/author wants to get a point across, and while you may be watching/reading just for entertainment, the screenwriter is trying to give you a message--perhaps good, perhaps bad.

One recurring message I've noticed in old Westerns is about the dangers of gun control.

The Rifleman: The Anvil Chorus
     This show demonstrates that although gun control may be first instituted with good intentions, people with bad intentions can quickly use the situation for their own good.

"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes...Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."  --Cesare Beccaria (Crimes and Punishment)

Wanted Dead or Alive: The Tyrant

"One of the ordinary modes, by which tyrants accomplish their purposes without resistance, is, by disarming the people, and making it an offense to keep arms."  --Joseph Story, 1840

"To disarm the people... was the best and most effectual way to enslave them."  --George Mason

"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined."  --Patrick Henry

 In most towns in the old Westerns where gun control was enforced, it was enforced because a gang was in power and they were afraid an armed populace would take away their power: see also Black Saddle: Client Travers and (Part 2)

Throughout history when wicked men who want to enslave the populace and enjoy complete power are in authority, they do institute gun control.  For example, Nazi Germany under Hitler instituted the 1938 German Weapons Act.  

I could go on about the importance of the Second Amendment and man's inherent right to self-defence, but this post is mainly for the benefit of those who already acknowledge these rights.  As we approach another anniversary of the "Shot heard Round the World" fired at Lexington green in resistance to the British attempt to confiscate arms from Americans, I thought it was great to see a few shows from back in the good old days when propaganda went the other way.

In closing, enjoy this Glock commercial.  With an armed populace, criminals don't appear to stand much of a chance.

"Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom."-- John F. Kennedy

Wilbur and Orville Wright

"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible," Lord Kelvin, President of the Royal Society announced in 1895.  Charles Duell, Commissioner for the US Office of Patents, stated in 1899, "Everything that can be invented has been invented."  Perhaps he had forgotten that in the first century A.D. Julius Frontinus had said the same thing: "Inventions reached their limit long ago, and I see no hope for further development."

Even Wilbur Wright in 1908 admitted, "I confess that in 1901, I said to my brother Orville that man would not fly for fifty years...Ever since, I have distrusted myself and avoided all predictions.".

Wilbur Wright was born 146 years ago today--on April 16, 1867--in Indiana.  Orville was born in 1871.  Neither received high school diplomas: Wilbur did not get his after 4 years of high school because of a sudden move, and Orville dropped out of school after his junior year to start a printing business in 1889.  He and Wilbur had designed and built their own printing press.  They started a weekly newspaper called The West Side News in Dayton, Ohio.  Orville was listed as the publisher and Wilbur as the editor.  In 1890 the paper became a daily, The Evening Item, but this lasted for only 4 months, and the Wrights shifted their focus toward commercial printing.

In 1892, they opened a bicycle repair and sales shop, and in 1896 they began manufacturing their own brand of bicycles. They used their earnings from these endeavors to fund their interest in flight.  They paid close attention to the research of Otto Lilienthal of Germany, who experimented with gliders until his death in a glider crash in August of 1896.  They read and studied all they could about the experiments of other inventors in the aeronautical field.  The death of another inventor, Percy Pilcher, in a hang-gliding crash reinforced their views that a reliable method of pilot control was the key to success.

In 1900, the brothers journeyed to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina to begin their experiments.  Their first experiments focused on the glider.  They made wind-tunnel tests with over 200 types of wings, and gradually worked to improve glider design.  They also discovered the true purpose of a movable vertical rudder, and developed three-axis control with wing-warping for roll (lateral motion), forward elevation for pitch (up and down) and rear rudder for yaw (side to side).

In 1903, the powered Wright Flyer 1 was built with spruce, muslin for wing coverings, wooden propellers, and a gasoline engine developed in their bicycle shop.  The propeller drive chains were supplied by a manufacturer of heavy-duty automobile chain-drives.  The Flyer had a 40.3 foot wingspan and weighed 605 pounds; it's engine was 12 horsepower  and weighed 180 pounds.  In all, the Flyer cost less than a thousand dollars (in contrast with the more than $50,000 the U.S. Government gave to Samuel Langley to develop his unsuccessful man-carrying powered flight machine the "Great Aerodrome.")

The brothers suffered from delays because of broken propellers, the engine stalling, and various difficulties.  Finally, on December 17th, Orville made the first controlled, powered, and sustained heavier-than-air human flight of 120 feet in 12 seconds.  Two more flights were made the same day of 175 feet (Wilbur) and 300 feet (Orville) at about 10 feet above the ground.  In the last flight of the day, Wilbur covered 852 feet in about 59 seconds before the plane hit the ground with minor damage.  However, later in the day it was whipped severely by the wind, damaged, and never flew again.  Five men witnessed the flights, but the flights did not generate public excitement.  The Dayton Journal at first even refused to publish the story.  

In 1904, they built the second Wright Flyer and continued their experiments at an airfield they set up at Huffman Prairie, a cow pasture about 8 miles from Dayton.  The Wright brothers began withdrawing from their bicycle business to focus all the efforts on the improvement of their invention.   They built the third Flyer in 1905 with important design changes which improved stability and control and soon were able to make long flights ranging from 11 to 24 miles.

Since few people had seen their early flights, there was widespread skepticism.

In 1908 Wilbur flew demonstration flights in France and Orville in Washington D.C.  Flyers had been modified to include a passenger seat, so they were able to take a passenger with them.  They catapulted to world-wide fame overnight due to French enthusiasm, and former doubters issued apologies and praised their invention.  On September 9th, Orville made the first hour long flight.  However, on September 17th, Orville and his passenger Thomas Selfridge crashed.  Selfridge was killed, becoming the first airplane crash fatality,  and Orville was badly hurt, suffering a broken leg, 4 broken ribs, and 3 fractures in his hip.  Stunned by the accident, Wilbur redoubled his efforts in France and set new records for altitude and duration.  In 1909, Orville and their sister Katherine joined him in France and they became the three most famous people in the world for a time.  The kings of Spain, Italy, and England came to watch Wilbur fly.  When they returned to the U.S., they were invited to the White House and President Taft presented them with awards.  They sold an airplane to the U.S. Signal Corps for $30,000.  Wilbur flew in New York City's Hudson-Fulton Celebrations, circling the Statue of Liberty, making a 33 minute flight up and down the Hudson River, and solidly establishing the brothers' fame in the U.S.

However, the rest of the brothers' lives did not come without problems, they fought patent struggles and lawsuits, and their preoccupation with legal issues stifled their work on new designs.  

The Wright Company was incorporated in November of 1909.  The brothers sold their patents to the company for $100,000 and also received a third of the shares plus a royalty on every airplane sold.  The Wright Company flew the first commercial air cargo on November 7, 1910: 2 bolts of dress silk.  

Wilbur died of typhoid fever at the age of 45.  His father Milton wrote of Wilbur: "A short life, full of consequences.  An unfailing intellect, imperturbable temper, great self-reliance and as great modesty, seeing the right clearly, pursuing it steadfastly, he lived and died." 

Orville lived until January 30, 1948, when he died of an heart attack.

In 1965, the brothers were inducted into the Hall of Fame for Great Americans.

The Wright brothers are a great example of ingenuity.  They were not afraid to attempt the impossible.