History-making music group for UMM - morris mn

History-making music group for UMM - morris mn
The UMM men's chorus opened the Minnesota Day program at the 1962 Seattle World's Fair (Century 21 Exposition).

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Movie "The Blob" (1958) transcends cheap sci-fi

"Cleopatra" was a monumental Hollywood disaster, mainly because of how expensive it was to make. "The Three Stooges Meet Hercules" was a marked success financially, largely because of how inexpensive it was. "The Blob" is a fascinating movie because it was not intended as a movie with long-lasting impact. The budget for this 1958 movie was set at $120,000. It ended up costing even less, about $110,000.
You might remember there was a wave of "cheap teen movies" coming out at that time. They were tailored for the drive-in market. We here in Morris MN had a drive-in located where the Hosanna church is now. The content of many of those movies was troubling. Such fare reflected badly on our culture.
Perhaps the minds behind "The Blob" were surreptitiously intending for their work to land at a classier level. The movie was decent and civilized, showing believable people in respectable roles. The basic sci-fi premise, when considered by itself, suggested "cheap." But "The Blob" became an endearing movie for generations. It started out as part of a double feature package, partnered with a movie that was clearly at the bottom tier, with the title "I Married a Monster From Outer Space."
The merits of "The Blob" were noted in short order. It was quickly moved up to feature film status. I think Roger Ebert would have liked it. He felt movies should be judged by whether they accomplish what they set out to accomplish. Ebert gained renown as the film critic representing the common folk.
Movie audiences did in fact like "The Blob." Movie critics were an effete class at that time. Perhaps sensing the movie's niche in the market, they were not very generous. One said the movie "talks itself to death." The characters are indeed well-developed. It's so much more than an alien monster wreaking havoc.
It would have been easy to make the movie based on the sheer terror element, and the movie would have come and gone. Instead we see an interesting assortment of characters who in fact have considerable dialogue, but I consider that a plus.
We see "The Blob" on cable movie channels today. People my age all seem to remember it. I decided to ponder this and make a conclusion. I concluded that "The Blob" renders small town America in such a genuine way. It conveys the peacefulness and predictability of life in your typical American small town of the mid-20th Century. Everything is very ordered. People are mutually supportive. We see the police in an endearing way. The top-ranking officer interacts with the teenagers in a caring way, going beyond the mere authority of his role. He knows the kids and their parents. Today, officers just make the rounds and coldly issue citations. "The Blob" was way before the "broken windows" philosophy. The police use discretion. Their job was simply to maintain order. They were embedded with the town's social fabric.
 
An empathetic policeman
A very significant scene in "The Blob" is where the Steve McQueen character, a teen (despite McQueen being 27 years old), tries to convince the top cop that the monster story is real, not a silly prank or ruse. McQueen implores the man. There's a pause, and then we appreciate the wisdom of that cop who does not seek to diss the young man despite the apparent ridiculousness. The officer says he believes McQueen, at a time the tension is increasing dramatically.
The juxtaposition of teens and adults is important in the movie. They clearly belong in separate classes, yet we realize all are brethren in the charming small town framework. We appreciate the sense of distress when something horrifying happens in the still of night in such a serene place. Small towns in the 1950s projected a Norman Rockwell air. Not yet had the challenge of adjusting to ethnic diversity presented itself. Yes, the population had a homogeneous nature, perhaps the kind of world that Donald Trump would want to restore.
Norman Rockwell presented an idyllic view of America that invited a fair share of criticism. Everything was so ordered, instilling self-assurance in all, yet there was an inability to adjust to circumstances that disrupted that norm. An alien monster arriving on a meteor would be quite the example of disruption. Is there Cold War symbolism? Maybe, but that didn't jump out at me. These were the "Ike" Eisenhower years when rock 'n' roll music emerged as a threat in the eyes of many older folks, comparable to a space monster!
The teens in the movie are immature but they are not reckless. We easily see them making the transition to adulthood in an orderly fashion. Again, they are believable. A movie with sustained popularity must have believable characters.
 
Terror at the movie theater!
Another significant scene, really the signature scene of the movie, has young people streaming out of the movie theater, horrified with the realization that the monster is upon them.
"The Blob" is remembered as Steve McQueen's debuting role. He did not foresee big things for this movie. He got only $3000 for his efforts. He turned down an offer for a smaller up-front sum with ten percent of the profits. He needed money immediately and did not think the movie would be boffo. He was under pressure for his basic living expenses! "The Blob" ended up grossing $4 million.
Burt Bacharach co-wrote the title song which became a hit. It was a tongue-in-cheek song.
The New York times reviewer was not impressed with the special effects. Interesting. Pondering this, I realize that the effects were awfully basic, not multi-layered: the monster is just a mass of, well - Jello would be a way to describe. I'm reminded of the Mad Magazine satire of "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea." At the end, when the heroes have disposed of a blob-like menace under water, a character says "Boy, I'll never eat another bowl of Jello." Rimshot.
You know, our popular culture can affect eating habits. We've had a generation that has felt some aversion to fried eggs. That's because of the PSA about "this is your brain on drugs." Thank you Nancy Reagan, I think.
A prime trait of successful sci-fi film is to encourage the viewers to extrapolate from what's on the screen into your imagination. "The Blob" does this beautifully. The monster slides around in the night with no sophistication, just with its menacing presence. It grows bigger as it consumes more humans. The violence is not real explicit. Again, we can tap our imagination. This is not a sensational movie with blood etc. We know what's going on without gratuitous scenes, thus the movie maintains a sense of class, so contrary to the template that it appears to have been designed for. A drive-in movie! "The Blob" so clearly transcended that.
McQueen's significant other in the movie is played by Aneta Corsaut, who would go on to be "Helen Crump" on the Andy Griffith Show. McQueen plays "Steve" whose task is to warn the townspeople on what should be a sleepy night in a small town.
 
Boy with a retro toy
We see a boy, the brother of the Corsaut character, try to threaten the monster with a cap gun. Cap guns were a toy staple for boys of the boomer generation. Today no parent would allow a child to run around with a facsimile gun as a toy. That 12-year-old in Cleveland got killed by police when he did this. All it takes is someone calling 9-1-1.
We must salute 1958's "The Blob" for its true sci-fi quality on such a modest budget. It was in league with "The Three Stooges Meet Hercules," to be sure. On the other end of the spectrum: "Cleopatra."
Shooting of "The Blob" took a speedy three weeks. Barton Sloane was the "monster maker" who overcame his very limited budget. He was ingenious.
The cinematic moral of "The Blob" story is this: Respect your audience and tell a story that comes across as authentic. Your characters should be interesting and genuine. "The Blob" realizes these ideals, and is thus in the pantheon of movies that stay in our consciousness.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Carrington sisters lead MACA cross country in WCC

It's great to see Maddie Carrington in top health again. I know she's had some injury issues. But wait, there are two Carringtons excelling in the cross country universe! Let's introduce Meredith who is reaching great heights in cross country too. The fleet Carringtons were standouts in the West Central Conference meet.
Competition was at a golf course with the "Meadowlark" name. That's heartwarming for me because I remember when the meadowlark with its distinctive song was a common bird around Morris. I can't remember the last time I saw (or heard) one. I'd be thrilled to hear one again. The Meadowlark Golf Course is in Melrose. The Tigers made the trip east on I-94 Tuesday.
Maddie Carrington won the WCC race with her time of 20:23.0. Meredith Carrington placed second, clocked at 20:24.0. We had the champion girls team. I remember covering Anna Carrington in the 1980s - her battles with rival Heather Van Norman at the elite level. Laura is looking down from heaven with great approval. I'll have a chance to congratulate Tom at DeToy's Restaurant, maybe even this morning (Thursday). Tom and I are early risers.
Malory Anderson of the Tigers placed seventh with her time of 21:47.0. Madelyn Siegel was No. 11 to the finish chute with her time of 21:58.0. Kylie Raths came through at 22:32.0, good for 15th. Our championship showing was among five teams. Sauk Centre was the runner-up team.
The MACA boys placed third, led by Solomon Johnson who placed sixth with his time of 17:40.0. Noah Stewart was No. 7, timed at 17:44.0. Tate Nelson was the No. 10 performer with his time of 18:04.0. Tyler Reimers was No. 20, timed at 18:49.0, and Connor Koser was No. 26 with his time of 19:35.0.
Melrose
was the champion boys team followed by Montevideo. The top male runner was Kurt TeBeest of Montevideo, timed at 17:10.0.
 
Volleyball: Tigers 3, BOLD 0
The Morris Area Chokio Alberta volleyball team put an exclamation point on their regular season with a sweep win on the road. The 3-0 win came with scores of 25-13, 25-16 and 25-20. It was win No. 21 for coach Kristi Fehr's high-flying squad.
Sweeps have been a habit for the Tigers. Now they'll be tested in post-season play. We've had the pleasure of following a state-recognized unit. Is the best to come? We'll see. We made state last season. Hopes are just as high now.
Click on the link below to view some video highlights of Tiger volleyball. This link is on the MACA volleyball page of Maxpreps. Check out that site from time to time, for all MACA sports.
http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/morris-area-chokio-alberta-tigers-(morris,mn)/volleyball/videos.htm
 
MACA played BOLD at Olivia on Tuesday night. Brooke Gillespie and Jenna Larson each batted two serving aces. Karly Fehr had a set assist total of 35. Larsen and Riley Decker were handy for some setting work too.
Gillespie and Jenna Howden were a 1-2 punch in hitting with 16 and 15 kills, respectively. The Solvie girls had impact in hitting, Ashley with eight kills and Nicole with five. Karly Fehr contributed two kills. Ashley Solvie executed two ace blocks and Howden had one.
Decker was very busy in digs as is her habit, chalking up 15 in this win. Gillespie dug up the ball 13 times. Bailey Marty had eight digs followed by Larsen and Fehr with six each. Howden performed five digs.
BOLD's Taylor Sagedahl had one serving ace. Makayla Snow had ten assists for the host team. In hitting it was Makenna Steffel with nine kills. Steffel had seven ace blocks. Sagedahl and Elsa Skeie each had eleven digs.
 
Football: Tigers 51, Montevideo 0
At the top of page B2 in the Thursday Willmar newspaper is the banner headline: "Vikings' Bradford returns to Philadelphia." Who cares? The media keep feeding this beast called big-time football. It has to end sometime. TV ratings are way down for NFL football. We must pray this trend continues. This sport is an abomination from a health standpoint.
I don't know how many fans turned out for the high school game played at our lavish Big Cat Stadium Wednesday. I would hope people are turning away from football. But, a winning team is hard to resist for supporting. So I suppose our fandom was buoyed indeed. America is all about winners. Winning justifies anything.
The Wednesday game was what members of my generation used to call "the MEA week game." The teachers unions would gather in the Twin Cities and plot ways to screw local school districts, I guess. Meanwhile our sports teams would play mid-week games as a means of accommodating the teachers.
It was a boring game Wednesday. Yes, we scored lots of points. But there was no suspense. I would be there to take photos but I have to go digital. All my old very expensive equipment is basically worthless now.
The Tigers wrapped up the regular season with a record of 7-1, the only loss coming at the hands of BOLD. Will the Tigers be the "bold" team in the post-season? We'll see. Monte has had a sub-.500 season.
I'm wondering if a disparity is developing among high school teams, with the "rich" having their artificial turf fields, and the "poor" being those communities that have the old-fashioned humble grass facilities and basic bleachers. Frankly I have always enjoyed the latter. People have more freedom to move around. Games at our old Coombe Field were great for having people in their little social clusters, with many fans barely paying attention to the game. Remember the "senior couches?"
The Tigers steamrolled the Thunder Hawks Wednesday. We led 25-0 at the end of the first quarter. Yawn. Jacob Zosel scored the first touchdown on a 65-yard run. Jared Rohloff caught a 22-yard pass from Toby Sayles for TD No. 2.
Zosel had a three-yard scamper for our third score. Eli Grove kicked the point-after. Sayles brought a wave of cheers with his 70-yard run that pushed us up further on the scoreboard. Sayles passed 69 yards to Camden Arndt for another score, as the rout grew. Sayles was on the money again for a 43-yard scoring hookup that had Arndt on the receiving end.
The Willmar paper reported that "Diego" scored our next touchdown, but I'm quite certain that's a first name. Why not use the last name? I did a check and I can report that the last name is "Arreguin." So, Diego Arreguin scored a TD on a run from the two. Was the Willmar paper confused because this is an ethic name? Joel Ruiz scored our last touchdown of the night: a 36-yard run for six. Zach Hughes kicked the point-after. The final score: 51-0.
The stats show Zosel with another monster night: 171 rushing yards on 21 carries. Sayles surpassed 100 yards on his mere seven carries. Our passing game leaped forward considerably from past performances. Sayles was super with his four-for-five numbers and 152 yards, no interceptions. Our top receiver was Camden Arndt: 112 yards on just two catches!
On the defensive side, Brenden Goulet had two interceptions. Fumble recoveries were turned in by Mitch Dufault and Diego Arreguin. Ryan Dietz sacked the quarterback twice.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota -bwilly73@yahoo.com

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Tigers' winning run ends at BOLD (Olivia)

The photo shows Del Sarlette (left) and the late Tom Hesse in their longstanding tradition of wearing their MHS letter jackets for Homecoming. Tom has left us for those grand football bleachers in the sky, where surely the orange and black colors are resplendent!
 
MACA football is having one of those seasons that begins to grip the whole town. I sensed this Friday evening as game-time approached for the MACA vs. BOLD game. I wasn't at the game but I was at a public place early in the evening. Talk centered on the Tigers. Could they stay undefeated?
MACA had some mighty fine weapons in building its undefeated status. One worry, though, was a passing game that seemed minimal much of the time. It's quite the contrast with the Tiger team that made Prep Bowl many years ago. Looking back at that Tiger team, I'm surprised we could have lost to anyone. We lost to Breckenridge in Prep Bowl. We had a vaunted passing attack.
This year's Tigers have a trademark of running the ball relentlessly and quite effectively. But on Friday, we couldn't put the tools together to beat BOLD. This widely-anticipated clash of unbeatens ended with the host BOLD Warriors having the advantage. The score was 29-21.
Once again we hoped to rely to a large extent on Jacob Zosel. Zosel is the prolific ballcarrier who churns out yards. He has a reputation recognized statewide. But on Friday his effectiveness was somewhat blunted. Zosel scored a touchdown but his rushing yardage was just over 100, impressive for most players but not what the Tigers needed in this big test.
The standout ballcarrier on the night was BOLD's Austin Einerson. Austin nearly reached 200 yards with his ballcarrying efforts. He reached the end zone twice.
Zosel did give the Tigers the early lead at 7-0. The West Central Tribune described this game as "smash-mouth." I'm not sure that kind of language is palatable anymore regarding football, given how the game has become controversial because of its violence and danger to health. Let's retire the "smash-mouth" expression. Nobody should want to "smash" anyone. We see where former Viking Stu Voigt is using the brain damage excuse in connection to the legal troubles that have befallen him. The legal system has to wonder: Can any former pro football player, or even someone who played college football at a high level, present as an excuse his cognitive impairment?
The MACA passing game was more vibrant Friday than usual. So that's an encouraging sign: a more diversified offense. Quarterback Toby Sayles passed for 101 yards. But he only completed four of 13 attempts and had one picked off. He connected with Dylan Gillespie for a 41-yard touchdown pass. He also completed a 14-yard TD pass to Camden Arndt.
The Willmar paper continues referring to us as "Morris/CA." It was in huge headline type Saturday. Officially we go by "Morris Area Chokio Alberta," and the MACA initials are on the basketball warm-up shirts and also on billboards congratulating the Tigers. It would be nice to see some consensus on this. My own opinion is that we should push for going back to the old "Morris High School." Everyone knows we take in students from a wide radius, as all population center schools do. Anyway. . .
The First quarter ended with MACA up 7-0. Zosel's scoring run was from 25 yards out. But BOLD scored the next three touchdowns. Gavin Vosika carried the ball in from the nine. Vosika hauled in a 27-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Sagedahl. Einerson got busy for a seven-yard scoring run.
The Tigers answered to score two touchdowns. Gillespie caught that big 41-yard pass from Sayles. And Arndt made his nifty 14-yard scoring catch that also had Sayles throwing. BOLD tacked on three points with a field goal. And Einerson concluded the night's scoring with a two-yard run.
Zosel gained his 106 rushing yards in 23 carries. Sayles charged forward for 43 rushing yards on seven carries. And Ryan Dietz clutched the football to gain 15 yards. Gillespie caught two passes for 67 yards. Arndt and Zosel had the other pass catches. Sayles punted the ball three times. Chase Metzger and Sayles each intercepted a pass.
BOLD had a marked advantage in rushing yards over the Tigers, 308 to 165. Einerson and Vosika were a 1-2 punch in ballcarrying for the victor. BOLD had just three pass completions in nine attempts. Catching those passes were Einerson, Vosika and Hayden Tersteeg. Einerson intercepted a pass and Vosika recovered a fumble.
The Tigers now have a "short week" and will play in a game that fans once referred to as the "MEA week game." So it's on Wednesday. The foe: Montevideo. The Tigers and Thunder Hawks will clash at our grand Big Cat Stadium. The post-season will follow.
- Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Dan Rassier and the anatomy of a railroading

Dan Rassier, superb trumpet player
The subject of Jacob Wetterling faded pretty quickly after we got the incredible news of the case's resolution. The initial headlines were sensational. Yes, despite all the talk about the fading print media, we still depend on the Star Tribune.
I would guess most people are like me, having spent years rather convinced that this case would never be satisfactorily resolved, with a known offender identified. 
Yes, things have quieted down. But I do feel some very interesting books - and maybe a movie? - will appear. A movie? The idea, in my mind, would be to feel inspired by the new media and its potential to open doors in a longstanding investigation. The hero in effect would be Joy Baker. Baker had to fight past law enforcement people who were rigid in having rejected her theory. Alone she might not have moved the mountains that needed to be moved. The power of her blog was considerable. But a new ally was needed. And, that new ally came from the old media, not newspapers but television. John Walsh became intrigued by the blog and the new direction it suggested in the investigation. 
The Wetterling investigation has been described as "massive and flailing." Because of this, the professionals in law enforcement, I'm quite sure, were feeling exasperation. The last thing you'd want to be, in an investigation like this, was a "person of interest." And this brings us to the very sad case of Daniel Rassier. My blood boils as I learn that law enforcement isn't even letting go of the guy, not even with the case resolved. Law enforcement appears perfectly content letting this man be "collateral damage," and doesn't give a rip about the normal human instinct of caring for his welfare.
Law enforcement is showing its worst instincts in this episode vs. Rassier. Law enforcement is made up of human beings with the normal human failings. They should at least examine themselves and realize there are times they ought to pull back. We all need some humility at times. Maybe behind closed doors, people like John Sanner have been told to adjust their attitude since the immediate aftermath of the Wetterling resolution. Sanner is Stearns County sheriff. I never thought he came off well in the Walsh TV special on CNN. 
John Sanner, sheriff
John Walsh added his considerable muscle to what Baker was doing on the localized level. You would think law enforcement would just be interested in determining the facts. These people have political impulses, though, the impulses to want to protect themselves, to not be embarrassed or humiliated, or to be in a position to lose their job. Law enforcement made a horrible decision to focus on Rassier.
And now, even more tragically, Sanner cannot let go of the negative fixation on Rassier, who did absolutely nothing to bring the horrible glare of this investigation on himself.
A photo that included Sanner was on the front page of the September 24-25 (weekend) edition of the Willmar newspaper. The Wetterlings stood behind him. I think Sanner looked beleaguered. He can say what he wants, but the investigation was a failure, having covered 27 years before the pieces were put together. Turns out the perp was someone who was suspected from early-on. The perp demanded a lawyer when first confronted. That essentially put an end to any vise that might have closed on him.
Rassier did not immediately seek a lawyer. He was innocent and felt he should just try to answer questions to help the investigation.
 
Violation of a social norm
I have long thought that Rassier's biggest handicap was this: he was an adult living with his parents. Back in 1989, this arrangement was much more stigmatized than today. Because of the college loan debt of today, and a challenging job market, many college grads move back in with parents. I see no prima facie reasons to look down on the arrangement. It is condemned by many for no other reason than a loose sense of social norms. OK, it doesn't seem normal or natural. But today it is a daunting task to be a young adult. Families can stick together with its members in mutually supportive roles.
And most importantly, adult children are by far the best caregivers to aging parents in this age when medical science extends lifespans so far. Professional caregivers are limited by the number of hours they get compensated for. The feel-good volunteer programs where some college-age person shows up for an hour a day are of very limited value. Family members are motivated by love and not monetary compensation.
Our societal attitude may be slowly changing. But in 1989, any mention of an adult living with parents would raise eyebrows. These notions of what's "normal" never reflected rational thought. Society once rejected gays because of less than rational thought. Political correctness has been a good thing. We are less likely to look down on lifestyle choices.
Rassier was always a responsible and productive person. Even if he had not been, he didn't deserve to be thrust into the focus of an investigation that sought to find someone who abducted, molested and killed an 11-year-old boy.
Rassier is one year younger than me. We were students together at St. Cloud State University once. We were slightly acquainted, being together in the trumpet section of the SCSU concert band.
Dan was days from his 34th birthday and home alone on his family's farm when Jacob was abducted from the road at the end of the Rassiers' driveway on the night of October 22, 1989. His life was transformed quickly.
He was detailed in describing his day, more detailed, I'm sure, than I would be in this situation. Heaven help me if I was sat down for such questioning, because I'm just not that observant. I get lost in what I'm doing or what I'm thinking about. I suppose I'd get nailed.
 
It only got worse
Helpful as Rassier appeared to be, we learn that "he couldn't provide details about the time frame during Jacob's abduction." He was now on a slippery slope toward hell, toward losing friends and being stigmatized. A trumpet master, he found his services were not longer desired at weddings etc. His private music lessons virtually dried up.
Let's fast-forward to September of 2016 and Sanner making public comments on the heels of the incredible resolution of the Wetterling case. There is a subhead in the Willmar paper coverage: "Clearing a name." But after reading the sentences underneath, I'm wondering if Rassier wanted to say "thanks, I think."
Sheriff Sanner behaved in a totally irresponsible manner, apparently not realizing the power of his position as sheriff to affect people's reputation. We now know that Rassier is 100 percent innocent. With that knowledge, law enforcement ought to be reluctant to even mention his name, even if a question refers to him. The proper answer by Sanner and others would be: "The wrongdoer has been identified and incarcerated, and there are no other suspects or persons of interest." Period.
Law enforcement has very real egg on its face. The investigation was set back ten years by their decision to conclude that the abductor was on foot, not in a vehicle. Law enforcement was wrong. Getting them to think that or to say that is like trying to get "Fonzie" to say "wrong." Remember?
 
No regrets? Really?
The full force of law enforcement came down on Rassier for a time. What does Sanner say now? He said that "if he had to do it over again, he would have done the same thing based on the way Rassier answered questions, the fact that he was there alone that night and other details included in those search warrants."
Rassier must not have given false information to law enforcement, because that would be a crime.
Couldn't Sanner have expressed some regret? Even if the sheriff doesn't regret what happened to Rassier, couldn't he regret how the investigation took off in such a horribly wrong direction? I have read extensively about the case and have never come across anything that would suggest a direct connection between Rassier and the crime.
Rassier surely felt the wrath of God, as it were, once law enforcement began snarling and putting pressure on him, even pressure to "confess." The whole ordeal is Exhibit 'A' in why defense attorneys are an essential element in our criminal justice system.
Sanner seemed to pooh-pooh bloggers in the John Walsh special. He said "bloggers can speculate," as if he and his fellow interrogators were not themselves on a wild goose chase of speculation, even digging up the Rassiers' property. A judge was skeptical of the basis to approve a search warrant for that, but the green light was given anyway. The investigation was in a fishbowl.
The Internet has evolved as all new systems evolve. There was a time when "blogging" invited some derision. Today we're more realistic and realize that blogging is simply "unattached journalism" (unattached to a company) that happens to use an online platform. There is a meritocracy to it. Without Baker and Walsh, the Wetterling case would never have been solved.
What's left for Rassier? He evidently is going to sue, and I hope he and his lawyers are able to thoroughly document all the bad things done to him.
Ann Reischel, a lifelong resident of St. Joseph Township and the town clerk, said she always knew Rassier couldn't have harmed Jacob, but she knows some people wondered about him. "I just don't think any apology (from law enforcement) is going to be big enough," she said. "The continual interrogation, and asking Dan to admit it - and he kept saying 'No, I didn't do it.' It's got to be frustrating."
Rassier said he thought he was helping and because of the experience, he no longer trusts law enforcement. "It's impossible to fix what they broke," he said.
We must always be vigilant vs. the power of the state and its monopoly law enforcement apparatus. This is what libertarianism is all about. Sometimes we learn this the hard way.
Here's a suggestion: The state legislature should pass a bill calling for the immediate execution of the murderer, even though such a bill would only be symbolic. The courts would obviously strike it down.
I will repeat the suggestion that Rassier be invited to play the National Anthem on his trumpet for a Minnesota Vikings game. I know from firsthand observation that he's a virtuoso. He should delay his retirement in order to make up for lost time. He has much to offer with his talents, and he can still salvage a normal life in his years that remain. He could be an inspiration.
 
I have also written about this subject on my primary website, "I Love Morris." You may click on this link:
 
Addendum: The Wetterling case has always been scary because of the complete mystery it presented. A child just disappears and then anyone can be a suspect. When Rassier's name became public as a "person of interest" - a Scarlet Letter if there ever was one - I considered putting a paragraph in my blog indicating that I was a past acquaintance of Dan's. A Morris friend of mine implored me "don't!" His point was that if I did this, even I might get swept into the whole mess, that "massive, flailing" investigation. There were something like 50,000 leads. What if the following scenario had happened: The perp, wanting to divert any attention from himself, goes to the burial site, retrieves that shirt or jacket that had "Wetterling" on the back, then takes it to the Rassier property in the middle of the night, buries it, and then it turns up in the law enforcement excavation? Can you imagine the headlines the next day? And yet, it would prove nothing. The Wetterling episode of 27 years in Minnesota history is unique and haunting. It seems a miracle we finally got all the facts. So we're relieved and yet not really feeling satisfied at all. I thank the good Lord that Mr. Dan Rassier can again mix in society without that Scarlet Letter assigned him by a desperate law enforcement.
 
- Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Friday, October 7, 2016

MACA volleyball continues its sweeping habit

Tigers 3, Monte 0
The high-flying Tigers gained win No. 15 Thursday night, dominating again in a 3-0 outcome. The opponent was Montevideo, here. We're undefeated in conference! Scores versus the Thunder Hawks were 25-10, 25-11 and 25-12. Indeed, no suspense. Monte is having a sub-.500 season.
Brooke Gillespie and Koral Tolifson each grooved a serving ace. Karly Fehr facilitated the hitting as she always does, on this night producing 28 set assists. Jenna Larsen had two assists and Kirsten Scheldorf had one.
Ashley Solvie and Gillespie were a one-two punch in hitting with eleven and ten kills, respectively. Jenna Howden pounded seven kills at the T-Hawks. Karly Fehr and Nicole Solvie each added four kills to the mix, and Larsen and Bailey Marty each had one. Ashley Solvie executed an ace block. The defensive phase saw Riley Decker get 18 digs. Karly Fehr had 12 digs, Gillespie had eleven and Howden six.
For Montevideo, Sarah Sulflow and Jessica Tustad each had one serving ace. Kamren Saue had ten set assists. Tasted led the hitting with the modest total of six kills, and this T-Hawk also had two ace blocks. Ashley McKee led in digs with eleven followed by Olivia Hagen and Abby Olson each with ten.
 
Tigers 3, ACGC 0
The Tigers came through with their sweep magic again at Falcon country of ACGC. The orange and black looked superb once again in another 3-0 outcome. They turned back the Falcons by scores of 25-18, 25-21 and 25-8. This WCC match was played on October 4 at Grove City. We got our 14th win of the season against two losses.
Riley Decker was overpowering at the service line, batting five aces at the Falcons. Karly Fehr and Koral Tolifson each had one serving ace. Karly's specialty of setting saw her produce 32 assists. Two Tigers had double figures in kills: Brooke Gillespie with eleven and Ashley Solvie with ten. The kill list continues with Nicole Solvie (8), Jenna Larsen (6), Bailey Marty (4) and Karly Fehr (2).
Ashley Solvie went up to perform three ace blocks followed by Gillespie and Nicole Solvie each with one. Decker performed 25 digs to emerge as the standout in that department. Gillespie was busy with digs too, accumulating 20. Karly Fehr had five digs.
Coach Kristi Fehr's Tigers came out of the night with a 10-0 conference record. ACGC is having a struggling season.
 
Tigers 3, Benson 0
The friendly home court was the backdrop for continued volleyball success on September 29. It was another night of 3-0 dominance by the Tigers. We swept this Thursday affair that had Benson as the opponent. Scores were 25-11, 25-18 and 25-10. It was our 13th triumph in this memorable fall.
Karly Fehr was a headliner as she ascended past the 2,000 career mark in set assists. Karly had 27 assists in this win. She worked smoothly in tandem with Brooke Gillespie. Brooke accumulated 15 kills. Nicole Solvie was No. 2 on the kills list with her eight, and Jenna Howden pounded down seven kills. The list continues with Ashley Solvie (4), Karly Fehr (3) and Jenna Larsen (2).
Larsen contributed four set assists. Koral Tolifson supplied thrills in serving with three aces. These four Tigers each had one serving ace: Ashley Solvie, Riley Decker, Cassidy Fehr and Bailey Marty. Ashley Solvie had two ace blocks followed by Gillespie, Howden and Nicole Solvie each with one. In digs it was Decker setting the pace with 15. Karly Fehr came through with ten digs, while Gillespie had nine and Cassidy Fehr had five.
For Benson, Amanda Nissen led in kills with six. Megan Amundson and Sophie Ascheman each had one serving ace. Courtney McNeill was the top set assist producer with eleven. Ascheman executed an ace block. Nicole Berens and Amundson each had eleven digs, while Nissen had ten. (It wouldn't be a Benson sports summary without a "Berens" or "Staton.")
- Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com