This could be an act of inspiration, or desperation. I can’t decide which.
Beechy Proposes Lake Spill Prevention Act of 2010
Minnesota’s 9th district congressman, Loomis Beechly, representing all the water surface area in the state, today introduced the Northern Lake Spill Prevention Act, designed to limit deep water oil drilling in Minnesota lakes.
“We’ve seen what has happened in the Gulf of Mexico,” said the strangely obscure congressman, clutching a wheezing, lightly oiled walleye to his chest at the podium of a press conference in the shallow water just four feet from the shore of 7th Crow Wing Lake near Park Rapids. “I am determined that will never happen here.”
He hastily added that the fish had not been involved in an actual drilling accident, but had been discovered thrashing around in a holding pond behind a SpeeDee Oil Change outlet in the parking lot of a strip mall in Blaine. “But this poor fish illustrates exactly the kind of environmental catastrophe we’re trying to avoid.”
Beechly’s legislation would change rules governing the Federal Boat Ramp Support and Maintenance Program (FBRSM) to impose weight restrictions that would prevent the loading of mammoth oil rigs into lake waters nationwide, including Minnesota.
“This act leverages the federal government’s vital boat ramp subsidy to prevent the oil companies from filling our waters with floating derricks,” said Derrick Buoys, a policy analyst for the congressman.
Opponents of the new law pointed out that there is no evidence to suggest that oil reserves are hidden underneath the lakes of Minnesota, or that companies have any interest in drilling there.
“This pointless law is designed to trick constituents into thinking that the congressman is doing something valuable in response to the oil spill in the Gulf,” said Frank Dunmire, co-founder of “Beach Beechly Now!”, a grass-roots political action group. “He’s wasting everyone’s time. There’s nothing we can do to plug that leak more quickly. This is an embarrassing distraction.”
“Sounds like somebody’s already climbed into the pocket of Big Oil,” said Beechly.
The congressman assured animal activists that the walleye he displayed “to make a point” at the press conference would be thoroughly cleaned with lemon juice and would be “treated with garlic and cilantro to get it back to a state of utter perfection.”
Is every calamity really an opportunity in disguise?
Trail Baboon 
On Saturday at 6am?
Really?
Not so sure how I would feel about that SpeeDee Oil Change marinade, no matter how much garlic was involved. Still, nice to know Congressman Beechly is so forward thinking as to imagine the possibilities.
Hard to see the opportunity in the Gulf catastrophe (except maybe as it slows the rush to more drilling), but yes, I do fall into the silver lining camp and think once the shock and dismay passes, better things are allowed to occur.
I’ll be checking in later to see what tim has been alluding to (yes, put me on the list).
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Morning…. not even sleeping in ONE day, Dale? I can never sleep once the sun starts to come up and the birds start their racket.
Like Catherine, I tend to be a silver-lining person as well (except the last couple of days). And I do think that every calamity is an opportunity, but not in the sense that if a calamity happens you can piggy-back on it to make yourself look better (Sorry, Beechly.) Every calamity is an opportunity because every moment is an opportunity.
Good golly…. that seems a little philosophical and heady for this early on a Saturday morning.
I promised the dogs a nice walk this morning… I’ll check in later. Everybody have a great day!
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This is a much easier piece of technology, especially for the old and poorly-sighted.
As for the irritatingly upbeat Saturday a.m. question, I am aware of two personal empirical tests of this hypothesis which have just begun. So, we will see, will see. 1) I am not allowed to take any pain-killers for the next three weeks, and 2) if that isn’t bad enough, I am spending five days in Branson in two weeks. Only a correct statistical analysis of resulting data will be published.
Going on a wet bike ride, If I get lost I may run into sherrilee and her dogs.
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It takes a strong and forward looking person to turn calamities into opportunities. There’s a heck of a lot of work, creativity, imagination and persistence involved. And, the support of friends and family is critical, too. We all know that the raw ingredients are present, especially the creativity, imagination, hard work — I’m going to end up repeating the whole list because that’s who you are, Dale. It’s clear that the support of family is there (kudos to Nancy and Gus) and the support of friends is certainly present, too. We’re all pulling for you and can’t wait to see how opportunities evolve — just selfishly hoping they still can include us, too.
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Being one of the constantly-distracted (I find I now reach for my mobile device on waking) and easily-suggestible members of the morning radio audience (also a former Sustaining Member of MPR), I woke this morning still feeling bereft and a little sorry for myself — though I must admit in part because it is Saturday yet I could not stay asleep past 7.
Then I come here to find that Dale has not missed a beat with morning writing and Trail Baboon is already formatted for easy reading on a mobile device!
So while it is horrible to read about the Gulf and see the suffering of the walleye/pelicans, I am hopeful for some thoughtful moves in the general forward direction — once the stages of grief pass (still cannot bring myself to listen to RH right now).
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Greetings! What a delightful way to start Sat morning! Just wanted to check blogs for any late responses from yesterday, and lo and behold — Dale is at it again! And apparently so has tim — he’s been replying to a lot of blog entries and taking down names of disgruntled MPR members to capitalize Dale’s new venture. Dale and Gus — keep an eye on him because he might start your company before you have a chance to breathe! Go tim! With Connelly’s permission, of course … If my secretarial and planning skills can be of use to you, please include me!
Anyway, I have to work at 9am, so I best be getting ready. See you all later!
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Yes – great opportunities can follow great calamities. Doors that were closed before fly open and restrictions that defined one’s life are often lifted. Friends and family help by offering encouragement and support (encouragement is heart-to-heart help, and support is shoulder-to-shoulder help) I think I see lots of hearts and shoulders appearing on this blog, Dale. If my Mom were here, she’d be making you toast – her version of encouragement and support.
I too hope you will be creatively involved in local theater, music, writing and what ever else you chose, soon. But maybe you should wait until the room stops spinning and you’ve finished eating your toast.
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and i’d give Dale a big bowl of cheerios!
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Sometimes the cilantro and garlic serve to distract from both the calamity and the possibility that the solution is not as lovely as life before the calamity. Sometimes the glass really is half empty after the calamity. Unfortunately, like Congressman Beechly folks are too willing to encourage us to accept the lesser glass without fussing.
These days Loomis is looking like a full glass to me-I live in Minnesota’s Sixth Congressional District.
Have a great weekend! We used to call ourselves Heartlanders. Are we now baboons???
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I think 6:30 Is sleeping late for Dale.
I believe that God makes all things work for the good, although I never understand why rotten things have to happen. It probably sounds dumb, but for me, at least, sometimes just plain old blind faith is enough.
I wonder if some uppity up at MPR is jealous of all of Dale’s talent. Someone somewhere decided to drench poor old Radio Heartlad with some pretty toxic crap. Such idiots.
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Back from dog walking… didn’t get too wet. Even stopped at the vet for a morning weight (big dog is on vet-suggested diet)… whoo hoo, down a pound!
Beth-Ann… I actually thought about what we should call ourselves and I don’t think I can handle Baboons. Mayby Dale’s Trailers. Of course, that makes me think of a big trailer park with Dale in plaid and suspenders! Or we could be stubborn and continue to call ourselves Heartlanders…. as it’s our “cultural heritage”. Not like anybody else will be using the name.
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Clyde – I’ve lit a cyber-candle for you on Light A Candle. I’ll be keeping you in my thoughts during your three-week, painkiller-free journey. And, of course, during your two-week jaunt in Branson! Why Branson for 2 whole weeks?
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What a nice surprise to find a new post on a Saturday morning! Dale, you are a wonder. And if you were to charge a small subscription fee to help pay for this little venture, I would add to the kitty (is that what tim was alluding to?). I think both you, and Congressman Beechly not only have a “glass half full” attitude, but even if it’s empty, you would just figure out how to , fill it up.
Having had some first hand experience at turning calamity (of a slightly smaller magnitude) into opportunity, it is quite possible to turn this sow’s ear into a silk purse (am I mixing my metaphors? is that allowed on Saturday mornings?). I met some swell new friends while I was in between jobs last winter/spring – and also found a swell new job. I had been at the previous employer merely 9 years, pale in comparison to 34, but it provided a grand opportunity to sit back and ask myself what I really wanted to do next. Although there were days when it felt more like calamity than opportunity, there were as many days that felt full of opportunity. After years of turning stage set calamities and mishaps into new design opportunities (e.g., discovering a shortage of paint at 2 am, something breaks the week before show opening and doesn’t have an easy fix, etc.) , it all seemed a matter of scaling up.
Happy weekend Babooners! (I’m happy to be a baboon. If they are as content as the orangutans at Como, it’s all good.)
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Thinking further…if this is Trail Baboon, and we are all hikers on that trail, could we be Baboon Scouts (or just Scouts?). There would be great opportunity for earning badges and such…(and certainly there must be a badge for bravery for going to Branson without pain meds, Clyde).
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Sherrilee–verily, thank you.
As for Branson, you misread. I am there for five days in two weeks. Five days in Branson fully free of pain-killers, hmmm . . .
I used to work in several school districts near Branson so we have been there about 12 times. It’s really not all that bad. We had much fun. Went to a show here and there, but did a lot of bird walks, drove to Pea Ridge Battlefield, etc. If you do it right, it is a cheap vacation. My daughter and her husband have time-share and they are vacationing there, five days of which we will spend with them. It will be a blast with the four of them.
Well, I will chime in too on the real calamity here (about which I am writing a poem from a different perspective) . I sent in a complaint to the address on the bottom of Valerie’s missive. I stated I was upset and was going to wait 2 weeks to see about my sustaining membership, saying I would withdraw it only to make a statement since $ is the language of that side of MPR. And that the young daring very successful MPR (And the Klingon, but I did not mention him) had turned into a rich old fuddy-duddy. I got back the answer you all got, an auto-answer, which I understand since I run a website that sometimes has to answer that way. But the message was curt at best and then at the bottom, I am sure you all saw, they asked for $. Now I was very angry, so I sent a second message protesting the rash indifference of doing so on an auto-email site that would deal with member complaints. They never answered my first email. But the second got an answer of apology and that my message would be forwarded to higher powers (betting that means shredder), and here you go now–they would be glad to halt my sustaining membership if I wished.
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Not knowing what to find when I typed in daleconnelly.com, my heart lept just a bit and I let out an involuntary ‘Ha!’ when I landed here to find all this activity so quickly after yesterday’s downer. Trail Baboon is perfect for any one of us who’ve followed Radio Heartland. I know that opportunity is always near for all of us and I expect that those coming soon for you, Dale, will continue to build on the talents you’ve already shown. Upward and onward!
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Baboons-have to think about that one-
Clyde, sending positive waves your way.
Why Branson? I wonder if any of the old Silver Dollar City of my childhood remains-I remember that as my first encounter with things like glass-blowing and other old crafts-began my lifelong love of craft and skill and avoidance of the “modern”. Ironic how the internet has made learning about some of those crafts more accessible than ever.
I worry about my son’s future musical education. I feel like they just fired the librarian and locked up the books and now a computer (with a skilled and benevolent programmer, but even so) is going to tell me what I want to read.
We are going to the Children’s Festival this afternoon to see my son’s teacher dance with machetes. Mrs. Grau in Coon Rapids, IA never did that.
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Maybe the post was automatically posted at 6 AM, and Dale is sound asleep, I hope so. Tim, I am weary of doing anything until we hear from Dale and see what he feels. He deserves to have the final say in this before we take any actions.
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I would be glad to make some kind of Baboon membership donation, too. I wish we had a real Minnesota Public r adio instead of this slick corporation.
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Their vision statement REALLY gets to me, “We will be the most relevant, innovative and insightful media company in America.” This sounds like more Wal Mart then public anything! They axed Weekend America, In The Loop, and the rest. This is exactly why I never became a member, because the airwaves should be kept open for all. Why do they have state of the art studios, yet give us 2 or more pledge drives a year? Why do they ax an EXTREMELY popular morning show, send it to HD radio, where people wont get a signal if they arn’t in the right place, and over the internet. As a poster commented yesterday over on Trial Balloon, they never even promoted it much at the State Fair. They had a great show called Hows the Family? , which was about family issues, and MPR didn’t have the patience for that either. It only lasted two or three episodes. It talked about how to bring the family together and parenting strategies. Very well done yet MPR axed it, of course
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Aaron – I remember right after The Morning Show left the air, the Classical Service announcers would reference — plus there were promo ads — saying that we have an ALL CLASSICAL service now. No more Greg Brown or Ann Reed, etc. Just all us classical music lovers without those goofy skits or weird music. TMS was a bit of a thorn in their side, I think — elitist pr*cks. And I do enjoy classical music immensely, but I also love a wide variety of interesting music, too.
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Catherine–Silver Dollar City is huge, so big you cannot get there much of the time. So, thus, I have never been there. Why Branson? My daughter and husband have never been, want to see it, get time share they have paid for with membership. They/we are staying on a lake a ways out with lots of kid stuff on-site. 5 and 7 year old are about the perfect age for this.
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Isn’t this being able to reply to the post you are replying to thing kind of handy? Thanks for the update-sounds like we maybe would rather see Yellowstone though. Sounds like you have a good trip with good company planned.
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I went to Silver Dollar City with my grandparents and brother years back. My grandparents moved to Arkansas from Minnesota, and my brother and I were visiting for a week with them. They took us to Branson and we went to Silver Dollar City. I remember having a wonderful time 🙂 Since then, we’ve seen a few shows there as well. One that I loved was Harry Chapin. His songs were witty and funny, and so was he! It was great! Have a wonderful time there Clyde and good luck with the painkiller-less weeks!
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Sure, any change can potentially lead to new opportunities. I was told I was no longer on the sub teacher list during this school year and it has given me time to try to get some of the things done that I haven’t had time to do. Of course, it would be better to not have the disasters, or maybe they are needed at times to bring about change. There is a book, called the Shock Doctrine that tells how disasters have been used by politicans, I think we know which ones, to impose repressive policies. However, there is no reason some good can’t be generated out of disaster.
It is wonderful that so many people are already responding to the Trial Baboon, even on a Saturday morning.
I hope you all have a good weekend.
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Holy Cow, I mean Goat – who thought you’d all be here this morning?? Gotta go now, but I’ll read the rest later…
I kinda like Babooners, Anna.
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I worked in the Minnesota Legislature for about half a year. It was interesting. In that time I learned that most stereotypes about politicians are just hooey. But I had to notice that one stereotype was undeniably accurate. When something good happened, the legislators I knew were determined to get close to the event and associate themselves with something positive, even though they had nothing to do with it. If something bad happened, they would run for the hills, avoiding any association with the undesirable event, even if they were partly responsible for it. The stronger the emotion for or against something, the more desperately the legislators tried to embrace or disavow that thing.
It’s gonna be a while before we hear the chant of “Drill, Baby, Drill!”
Have a great weekend, Heartlanders (which is what you are to me until there is consensus on a different name).
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Hey Steve — how did you get your picture to show?
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This is just a test….. I think I figured the picture thing out…
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Good morning (afternoon, almost) everyone.
Thanks for coming to visit on a Saturday. I’m crawling out from under the pile of stuff that just fell on me and I’m grateful to see all my friends are here, working their usual magic. (Yes, Steve, how DID you get your picture to appear?)
Yesterday was a blur. Many, many kudos to Mike Pengra for handling his very difficult role so well, providing necessary support and shepherding me through a rough spot with nary a hiccup. He was by my side throughout – for the broadcast, the Midday show, an in-office ambush from the news department complete with gifts and donuts (they made me cry), and an out-of-office soiree at a St. Paul watering hole that ended the whole dizzy day. Whew!
Getting fired should be so much fun for everybody. I know a lot of people have been through it lately and if you’re a newly out of work person reading this, I salute you. I hope you got the same kind of support I have enjoyed. In fact, I’m embarrassed by all the accolades. Please, somebody say something mean, just for balance!
Working with Jim Ed on Friday was a highlight. We’re playing golf on Monday morning – I’ve got time! In that sense, my calamity (unemployment) has turned into an opportunity (golf) that will doubtless lead to another calamity (still golf).
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Hope the rain clears off for that golf game-Tell Jim Ed that on Friday, I was our of the room when I hear “MOM! BART THE BEAR IS TALKING!!!!!!!!!!!” and we thank him very kindly for the time and risk involved in coming to the big city.
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Dale, you were very fortunate to have such a nice send-off for your unfortunate separation. The few times I’ve been laid off, it’s usually hush-hush, take your stuff, please leave and don’t talk to co-workers. Being laid off from Pillsbury was the nicest. There was time for a good-bye party, excellent severance package, 2-day seminar to deal with separation, brush up resume and network to find new job.
You were obviously well-loved and respected by your co-workers.
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Speaking of pix on here, have you all looked at bar in blackhoof’s pix (click on her name). I knew there was visual art talent in the group, which slowly comes out.
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Dale! Is this all you’ve got to do; play on the computer all day? Don’t make me limit your time like I have to limit my kids…
— there, mean enough for you?
When I sold the milk cows I felt like I had all the time in the world. It is great! But eventually, you find things to fill your time; different things; not necessarily better or worse just other ‘stuff’.
And there are times you’ll be able to look back and say ‘Oh yeah; if I was still in the radio job I wouldn’t have been able to _________.’ So that’s cool… for me the kids were still young enough I get to do a lot more things with them that I would have missed milking cows.
Enjoy your new time!
Ben
…without a picture….
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Clyde, thanks for the info about Barb’s pictures which are found in yesterday’s blog comments by clicking as you indicated.
Very good pictures, Barb.
Dale, I thought the visit from Jim Ed was great and so was the selection of requested tunes. Good luck with the golfing.
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“my” Steve does the photos; i do the goats; Blackhoof twp. does the beautiful scenery; we are very lucky.
so nice to see you all here on a saturday. can’t believe it. i just checked in wanting to re-read from yesterday.
happy weekend
have a fun golf day, Dale!!
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About that picture . . . I was going to say that isn’t me. I look much more like George Clooney than that. But, hell, my mug is around in several places, so I can’t disown it. And the sad truth is that I don’t know how I got the picture to show.
My guess is that this blog software is linked to other blog sites, and I have filed a photo with them. I use this photo on the dPreview (that’s a digital camera review site) “Olympus Talk Forum.”
How about it, shelikins? Is your mug shot filed with another blog site somewhere?
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time is interesting; when i retired 6 yrs ago i thought i’d have lots of it and turns out i have less “free” time than i’ve had since college
i don’t want to be a baboon but heartland belongs to bill kling so it feels like it needs to be some other name (kinda like “dale’s trailers” actually)
dale is an incredibly creative guy, with lots of support, i think he’ll do just fine
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Ditto – been semi retired for a while now. I can’t find time for the same things I couldn’t find time for when I was working.
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Normally while working in the kitchen, I’ll punch up Radio Heartland on the MPR app on my iPhone. This morning I considered deleting the app in conjunction with the impending change in membership. I elected to shelf the negative impulses and pursue positive outlook and found this blog! Thanks Dale!
It was great to hear both of you and Jim Ed yesterday! What a bittersweet day.
Perhaps I need to do some digging in these two blogs, but I’ve come across a number of references to efforts Tim and others are pursuing. Is there a site that has a FAQ and/or possible next steps? I emailed Tim yesterday (using the address he provided in the Trial Balloon blog) but haven’t received a response yet. (I’ve checked both boxes below the “Post Comment” button, so I will now receive email updates.)
Thanks everyone!
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tim is sometimes taken away from us, he has a business to run for one thing. He’ll be back, in lower case letters.
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Ever been lost, looking for an address for a party, in the dark of night, in the rain and thunder? And then you find the house, walk in the door, and all of your friends are there! That’s what this feels like…
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Yea! Seems like the gang is all showing up! How nice on such a gloomy day and after a difficult yesterday! Good weekend, all!
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Hi, Mike. Very nice image!!
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You’re He-re! whoo hoo!
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Oh how wonderful to see Mike’s entry! Nice to see, er, read you here. Very nice job yesterday and it sounds like you helped make Dale’s day not quite so terrible, as days of getting fired go.
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Great analogy, mike. So glad you’re here.
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Mike,
Glad you’ve joined us. It feels much more complete now.
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hey mike, welcome.
nice to have you here with us. its like old home week. hope it stays like a second home. did anyone tell you where the fridge is yet. i’d like a cold one too.
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Mike,
Welcome to the party in the new house! Pull up a chair and watch out for the goats and the baboons!
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Nice place ya got here. Where’s the fridge?
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And the recycling bin for the empties? Or do the goats take care of those?
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I’ve been working in the shop all afternoon but getting the comments by email on my phone. (BlackBerry so can’t / couldn’t steam RH ) hi Mike!
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how do you do that?
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Tim,
How’d I do what? Get the emails on the phone? Check the boxes at the bottom of the page here…
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…and meant to say Thanks for being here everybody!
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Mike,
We’re all new here…Look around for appliances, musicians, bagpipes, and other treasures. Let us know what you find.
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Mike, it’s good to see you here and I thank you for the great support you gave Dale on Friday and on all the shows. Good luck on keeping Jasper going.
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Hey great to see this! Reminds me of the children’s song “Merrily we roll along…” I’m not much good a witty discourse, but I’ll lurk and laugh.
Glad to find the stream and am looking for Dale’s first performance art piece about town.
Dale you are not unemployed, you are now a full time artist!
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Just got home from watching the machete dancing teacher (worth getting soaked for, I assure you) to find my very own letter from Valerie, telling me I can send Dale a message at radioheartland@mpr.org and trust they will send it to him (which I am sure they would-no sarcasm intended).
Figured I’d just stop by the ranger station of the Trail Baboon and leave something on my own.
Had the truly odd idea that if we listen to Radio Heartland from 7-9am, M-F, we could make up our own commentary of what the theme or link is-like requests in reverse-
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catherine. i love it
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Wow, you’re right, Catherine. What a hoot! If I knew y’all were listening too, we’d have almost everything we need. Dale, wanta play?
It’s such a joy to see everyone here today. Kind of exhausted from looking through old photos and needed a lift. Here it is!
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Excuse me B in R, that might be a little insensitive. If I were Dale, that might be the last thing I’d want to do on Monday morning.
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I would really like to see machete dancing — that sounds amazing! The perfect combination of my dance background and my fascination with martial arts weapons. My 15-yr old son (newly black belt) helps teach the weapons classes at our dojo, but I haven’t devoted any real study time to weapons other than the beginner forms.
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It was really cool. Each guy has 2 machetes and they hit them together for percussion and also swipe them along the ground as the women in very full skirts dance over them.
The group is Los Alegres Bailadores and they do dances from various states in Mexico. I tried to find pictures of what I saw on their website, but no such luck.
We really must make better friends with our camera.
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hey all. i like the idea of finding a way to put together a daleconnelly.com subscription service and i am serious about setting it up but i have nothing from dale to let me know what he feels about it. if we have a go it will be fun. if not we have to let dale captain this ship. right captain billy?
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ARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!
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Welcome aboard, Captain. Good to hear your voice!
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I’m thinkin’ Cap’n Billy and th’ boys have probably got some pretty good ideas of their own on how to be gettin’ their hands on some booty.
This here technology is loaded with possibilities and the cap’n has a good imagination-or maybe he and the crew are just havin’ a good time swillin’ some grog for bit from that fridge Mike is lookin’ for.
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Dale and all, it is so uncanny that the topic today is about calamity. A few years ago I had the privilege of meeting Tiribio Chajil, an amazing Mayan man who directs the reforestation program in San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala, one of the very cool projects in the village supported by the San Lucas Mission (too many details to go into here, but if any of you ever want to learn more, just let me know – it’s amazing down there). I’ve made the trip to San Lucas in 2004, 2008 and 2009, and continue to be inspired and educated by Tiribio.
Due to Tropical Storm Agatha last week, Guatemala (especially the Mayan villages two or more hours from Guatemala City) experienced tremendous mudslides and flooding, resulting in loss of life and many homes and villages destroyed.
I sent an e-mail (because my Spanish is still not fluent, I used Google Translate – very cool) to Tiribio to find out if he and his family were ok. Today, as I’m reading replies to Dale’s question, I receive a response from Tiribio, whose philosophy is that three things are important: his God, his family, and the land. I cried when I read the translated e-mail (probably not entirely accurate in English):
Hola Cinthia,
Thank God we’re fine, my house is 50 meters from where it came from a landslide, and
with my family need to leave my house, because the mountain was
sending a lot of mud and stone at the time of the storm.
Gracias for your prayers from Minnesota, We are very good, even with fear that
the rain is starting here in Guatemala, but pray to God that
we are in the hands of the. Greetings to all and thanks for the support that you send from espritual by there, may God bless you too and that everything they do they leave
excellent and as God wants.Greetings from San Lucas Toliman,Toribio Chajil
Enough said.
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Cool story, Cynthia – kinda puts things in perspective…
Are you the Cynthia I met last December at the Neal and Leandra concert?
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Yes! I loved that show and especially meeting all of you. I really thing we need to have a summer gathering at a park. I know Neal and Leandra would come.
Nice to hear from you. And thanks for reading my entry. My heart is breaking for Central America since they are so quickly forgotten and suffer terrible consequences of other countries’ economic and labor policies.
🙂
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ok heartlanders (for steve) baboonists or babooners or scouts(for anna)
i have gotten ahead of myself. dale has in no way authorized or encouraged me to get this started and now he has asked me to stop. for now , all this fundraising stuff.
dale is STRONGLY OPPOSED to starting a fundraiser at this time and we (i) need to respect his wishes.
if you want to send me your name and contact information for future consideration i will put together a list. i can be reached at:timjones2020@gmail.com
in the meantime lets be thankful that dale is here in this capacity today. i love the new blog and the fact that so many of us are here. i am truely looking forward to the new discussions and continuing smiles tears and goats we will all continue to experience thanks to dales quick insight and action in starting up daleconnelly.com
aaron. i do like the pitchforks and torches. lets keep it as a fallback after the venting has passed.
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Tim,
Thanks for your enthusiasm and willingness to step up. My guess is that it’s premature. Dale is still employed at MPR even if he is off air and graciously supporting his employer. We need to wait this out and lend him support later.
In the meantime, it’s delightful to discover how many want to see him back in some way for all to appreciate.
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i think you are hitting the nail on the head on all counts.
nice icon by the way
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This Saturday evening reading is great…and I share Congressman Beechley’s concern for Minnesota lakes…in the late 70s they were drilling for uranium next door to my back 40…not funny. I’ll write my congress people to support him.
Meanwhile…you all bring tears to my eyes…this is so speacial.
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fight the gold in nothern minnesota. i have a favorite spot in the beartooth mountains in montana that is being destroyed by mining for gold today. the damage done is irreversable but the bp mentality runs strong. they are talking about creating jobs in the northen part of minnesota and forgetting about the ecosystem
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Yep, didn’t expect a Saturday post, so to speak.
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Does anyone have a link to the story in Star Tribune that Gary Eichten referenced in his interview w/Dale on Friday? Apparently, it said Dale was an “icon.” I found a short article in Strib about MPR letting him go, but nothing about him being an icon in Twin Cities. Anyone, …. anyone?
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I saw the short article in Fridays paper and I think the “Icon” reference was in the headline. ….maybe… I don’t remember off hand…
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It was a short bit in a roundup of entertainment info in the Variety section. Here’s a link to what was in the roundup column (with the addition of the letter that was sent out): MPR Cancels Dale Connelly. The printed version referred to him as an icon, as I recall, in the header for this.
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Thanks, Anna. Yes, I found that article. As you and Aaron mentioned, I guess the “icon” thing was just in the print edition which I missed.
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Hey, if people are going to talk on evenings and weekends, I have a shot at being more than a lurker! Glad to see so many of the crowd here, including Mike.
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Run with it, Connie! Lurkers converted to serial bloggers are always welcome — the more the merrier. Dale’s RH Saturday show is usually on at this time, so I usually check in about now anyway … but then I’ve been on and off the blog (and on again) before and after a full day of work already. Sort of like what Mike Pengra said — only it’s an all-hours hospitality suite.
Have a conversation, grab a brewski from your fridge, put on some tea, kick out the bagpipers when they give you a headache and put your feet up. Let the good times roll!
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maybe thats going to be the blessing to the blog. a few of us used to check in after hours to see what was said. now with the music gone the conversation is truly conversation not looking for a response from dale.
looking forward to your presence connie
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calamity is the occasion for creating opportunity. you can wallow in sorrow or get motivated. sometimes it takes a what if scenario to get off the contented road of familiarity.
if bp helps beachly get this through it would be worthwhile lesson learned the hard way. if misfortune creates an environment to put together a long range fix then you look back and understand that sometimes it requires a good whack up side the head to get the ball rolling
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Wow, I go to a wedding–not a fun place for me to be–and you people talk your heads off.
I do want to explain that despite my disgust, and their invitation for me to leave, I have not dropped my membership at MPR. A few reasons: 1) I signed on in early Feb and took a gift (CDs of last Morning Show), which to me amounts to a one-year pledge. We will have to see where my life is next Feb. 2) I will still listen some to MPR, for which I need to pay, although I have not been emotionally willing to do so since the Calamity, as Dale correctly puts it. 3) I would like to send a message, but as my father would say, it would be like piddling in Lake Superior. There is a divided loyalty issue here. There is Mike as well as Dale. I have been in this sort of issue before; it strikes very close to home for me when I went from #2 in one non-profit to # bottom in the one we merged into about 20 months ago. (Has been rough times for several of us here I see in the last many months.) Been thinking about it over the last 24 hours or so, which raised lots of poorly-healed wounds for me, a very close friend and partner who saw $$ and not me. Anyway, trying to be true to myself and not react to those who are not loyal, I will stay. That’s a lot of agony for $120 isn’t it?
Don’t know what will happen tomorrow, with Dale posting or not and all, but I am off to Donna-land for the day. Joyous Sabbath, all, and a Sabbath may it be.
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Clyde, you’re not alone. My sustaining donation is still standing (tenuously) as I do still enjoy listening to RH and the classical music — and Mike Pengra is still there working hard to keep this kind of service going. I totally honor and understand those who have cancelled their membership. On Trial Balloon, I saw a Leadership Circle person say they would not renew either — so altogether, I’d say MPR felt a significant pinch in their budget from the dozens who decided to cancel. Not huge, but significant.
It probably won’t change Dale’s employment status, but it certainly makes a statement.
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Hi Dale & Folks
Just tuned in to the TB blog and got a jolt–holy buckets. Thanks for giving us a place to collect our thoughts, Dale.
Come on up to Ada for some tea & sympathy.
xox
Sheila
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So, how do we KNOW there isn’t oil in Lake Phalen (or wherever)??? This could be important legislation!
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