Reply from Patrick Gottsch, President, RFD-TV
Pharmacy Consultant
This was published to usegroup alt.music.polkas ON 22 December 2009
A copy was then forwarded to Mr. Gottsch at the urging of the other
usegroup participants
An open letter to Mr. Patrick Gottsch, President and founder, RFD-TV
I became involved in the Big Joe posting situation in November,
primarily because many of my patients/friends/and customers are past
the age of 70, and are not internet savvy. I urge RFD-TV to do all
possible to help the Big Joe Polka Show succeed and thrive, as it is
an asset to them, period. Please, Mr.Gottsch, you possess the
ability to bring joy and pleasure to those who gave birth to us,
nurtured us, cared for us, educated and protected us, those who enjoy
and look forward each Wednesday to seeing Big Joe and his bands and
dancers. I service three area nursing facilities, and at 7PM each
Wednesday each facility becomes alive, if for only one hour. That's
all many of them have to look forward to, as they are largely
forgotten.
The best hope is for resolution, as the two primary complaints that I
hear from seniors today are:
1. Congress is going to cut Medicare and kill me.
and
2. Big Joe might be going off of the air.
It bothers me that people who sacrificed so much for us now have a
questionable future. They have even resorted to nervously joking
about
which brands and flavors of cat and dog foods taste best. The
punchline is often: "well, at least I won't have to worry about
hairballs anymore!".
Mr.Gottsch, it is within your power to rectify some of this.
Don Farmer, R.Ph.
This is the reply received 23 December 2009:
From Mr. Patrick Gottsch, President, RFD-TV
That web site should be shut down for spreading such garbage and
gossip. Anyone that writes me some kind of letter like the one below
obviously knows nothing about me, or the dedication of RFD-TV.
The facts are as follows. RFD-TV has produced, aired, and promoted
polka music for over 22 years now. Each year. Every year. RFD-TV
has done more for entertaining older demographics as proven by all of
the programming that airs on this channel each day, every day. RFD-TV
airs more polka, bluegrass, and traditional country music than all of
the other 200 channels combined, and will continue to do so in the
coming year, and many years thereafter.
We let our actions speak for themselves.
Anyone involved with trying to "scare" older folks with baloney and
untruthful propaganda is not worth wasting time on.
PG
And my reply:
Mr. Gottsch, the information received was taken from statements made
by Mr. Joe Siedlik, a.k.a. "Big Joe". I notice no statement regarding
the return of The Big Joe Polka Show are present in your
communication, leading me to hypothesize that the TBJPS will NOT be
returning to RFD-TV.
I think we effectively have our answer.
RadioEngineer
Simply put, and respond with a yes or no answer please; Will the Big
Joe Polka Show return to RFD-TV upon cessation of the current contract
on December 31st, 2009?
YES or NO
No further elaboration is necessary
micky
Radio Engineer and Pharmacy Consultant are one in the same person.
They (or should I say the same person) are both posting from IP
208.101.141.81. All the messages are stemming from a town close to
Allentown, PA by the name of Alburtis, PA. although they are closer to
Fredericksville. The post itself stems from someone who lives by
State Route 1022/1024 and Delong Road.
You would give your posts more credibility if you would say who you
are... but doubling up on identities while not signing your name isn't
helping you any.
jrodg
Holy false identity, Batman (!?) : FYI,to the best of my knowledge
( and at this point I don't think any of these parties is clinging to
confidentiality: I'm doing my best, but it's hard to keep all the
players straight now in this "polka intrigue drama") : "Radio
Engineer" is Tim Hufnell of H F Engineering Systems of Pa. ( email
grolen...@gmail.com ) ; Pharmacy Consultant is D. Farmer , R.Ph. ,
who supervises pharmacy services for three senior cits' facilities
(further credentials also available); and the tech expert/consultant
the BJ shows used in Buffalo, who is responsible for the show's
present state-of-the-art sound and tech facilities , is Pat Deleon,
communications engineer, whose degrees and professional background
were sent me: I can forward these, too, to anyone interested.
micky
> ( and at this point I don't think any of these parties is clinging to
> confidentiality: I'm doing my best, but it's hard to keep all the
> players straight now in this "polka intrigue drama") : "Radio
> Engineer" is Tim Hufnell of H F Engineering Systems of Pa. ( email
> who supervises pharmacy services for three senior cits' facilities
> (further credentials also available); and the tech expert/consultant
> the BJ shows used in Buffalo, who is responsible for the show's
> present state-of-the-art sound and tech facilities , is Pat Deleon,
> communications engineer, whose degrees and professional background
>
> - Show quoted text -
Then it's the same person doing all the postings for them. They're
all originating from the exact same place.
Pharmacy Consultant
To all,
As I speak, I am Posting from a hotel in Pottstown, PA using the hotel
internet system. I have been here for the last three days, two of
which have been spent attending a purchasing forum in King of Prussia,
PA., and answering cell phone calls from my patients/friends/customers
in Western, PA, who are driving me nuts with this Big Joe stuff.
Personally, I don't have cable or satellite TV, as I have little spare
time, so I really don't have a horse in this race. My postings were a
favor on belhalf of approximately 15 people who reside in Somerset
County, PA.
To Micky, to set the record straight (since you think you are a
detective) check license number RP035073L on the state's license
registry, that should prove that I exist (the D stands for Donald).
I have spent the last ten hours in research of this, and have spoken
to the principals:
If you research previous postings from Radio Engineer, they mostly
originate in Ephrata, PA., on a PTD.net system, his recent positngs
now (since 12/15) appear to originate from Birdsboro, PA. My
initial post was on this forum was two days ago, until that time I had
only conversed by email, with two contacts from Radio Engineer, one
about thirty days ago, and the other yesterday PRIOR TO POSTING
ANYTHING.
After reading these posts, I called Big Joe's office feeling that I
had been duped, and optained the same name for the person as you, but
with more complete and accurate information. Sadly, I might add.
Mr. H****** is terminally ill, and a friend of Joe's for some 7 or 8
years. I called Mr. H****** at 10:00 PM 12/23/09.
He resides at a facility somewhere near Allentown, Pennsylvania, and
has end stage Multipule Sclerosis, Congestive Heart Failure, and Stage
III Metastatic Prostate Cancer. He is now totally bedridden. I
confirmed this with a call to Polka Joe, who has been "feeding"
techincal problems to him to make him feel useful, as he apparently is
credentialed with a 30 year history in broadcasting. Joe had been
keeping him informed of the status of negotiations, and he decided to
take things into his own hands on 12/22.
I spoke to my IT guy last evening, and after a remote scan was
determined that there is actively accessed spyware on this laptop even
though I have a high-end anti viral program. He informs me there was
"packet interruption" to a great degree, and that I apparently now
have 2 MAC addresses, and a program called "autoping" is in place.
Whether or not Mr. H******* was responsible, I don't know. No
sensative files were accessed, although there is time on my Linksys
router profile, and email usage that I cannot account for.
Joe stated that Mr. H***** had been complaining of being "bored and
despondent", as he has (last summer) lost the use of both legs, from
what sounds like demylination. Apparently the cloning of my PC may be
a manifestation of his boredom. Joe also said that he asked Mr.
H******* to help him edit next years shows in order to give him
something to look forward to, knowing full-well that the man can not
walk.
Personally, I think the most Christ-like thing to do would be to
consider the shoes Mr. H****** walks in everyday, and try to walk five
feet in an incapacitated body with a still-active mind. You have to
exercise your mind every day, and phreaking this blog and us was his
exercise at no-ones expense. Try sitting alone in a room for 24 hours
at a time, and see what forms of entertainment you come up with.
I now respect Polka Joe more than ever, as Joe also stated that there
where times when Mr. H****** would speak with him at home for two or
more hours at night. Not many of us would do that, although we
criticize this person with ease.
Has he hurt even one of us?? No.
Has he stated anything incorrectly?? not that I can see.
I do see errors in your research, Micky.
How could a bedridden individual appear in Buffalo when he is
hospitalized in eastern Pennsylvania??
Mr. H*******'s efforts were in no way malicious, inaccurate, or
misleading. Holy Asshole<--Batman!!
I asked about Mr. D**********, and he is a Graphics Engineer whom Big
Joe is negotiating with to do brighten the show's appearance.
Joe's technical staff at Buffalo consisted of a gentleman named Vance
C*********, and contractors from the Buffalo area, that's it.
Epilogue:
Polka Joe tried to make a dying person feel human to some degree.
That person has little quality of life, and we sit here and tear him
apart because he became over zealous, quite Christian of us, eh?
It's Christmas Eve, we should all take Joe's lead and consider those
not as fortunate as most of us.
B.D. Farmer, R.Ph.
micky
: "Radio
> > > Engineer" is Tim Hufnell of H F Engineering Systems of Pa. ( email
> > > grolengin...@gmail.com ) ; Pharmacy Consultant is D. Farmer , R.Ph. ,
Whoever you are, you are still posting from the same place as Radio
Engineer. R.Ph., CGI Graphics specialists, and Emmy winners.....all
of you.
Is polka catalog shutting down too? You won't even be able to
purchase your favorite videos for your clients to watch? Doubtful.
The human thing to do would be to get on the phone and immediately
order a large supply of videos and have them overnighted for all of
your clients.
Have a Merry Christmas
jrodg
As I said before, this whole issue is full of intrigue , strategy
and human drama to a degree I've rarely experienced anywhere else
( Who dares say the polka music business is boring ??)
After reading the above letter I find it exceedingly hard to dispute
Mr. Farmer's professional credentials as a pharmacist, and I'm
inclined to believe his statements re Mr. H, as well. (My own brief
online research on Mr. H indicates that a man with this name , and
this professional background ( radio engineer) is indeed located at a
senior care facility in the area Mr. F. mentions: His photo is given ,
too: You can substantiate this by googling Tim Hufnell,Pa. --about the
fifith entry from the top has an acronym/title like "WARC radio
club" ( I didn't take down the exact title).
Micky, you seem to have a horse in this race, above and beyond just
questioning the identities of Messrs F, H and D : The degree of
concern you show for the futures of countless seniors who are known to
love the BJ show ( and for the polka field's profile as enhanced by
nationwide tv programming) approaches that expressed in Mr. Gottsch's
coarse brush-offs :"Let'em buy a lot of polka videos ---or you buy'em
yourself, Mr. F. " ---This is reminiscent of the most notorious
statement of "not caring" for people's fate known to history; namely
by Marie Antoinette , queen of France, who, when told that her people
had no bread to eat, said "Well, then let them eat cake." Marie
Antoinette will go down in history as one of the cruelest, most
unfeeling , selfish people ever--She was on the wrong side of history
and , frankly, got what she deserved...
I don't know if you just have something against Big Joe himself or
are simply by nature one of those "financially
conservative" ( politico-speak for selfish) people who can't stand it
when those in need are helped by anyone ( A big issue these days
nationally--Fortunately, and appropriately in the Christmas season,
national health care for all is moving gradually forward despite
their feverish resistance to our finally having a fair, decent
society) . In any case, it's obviously selfish and mean-spirited in
the extreme, as well as a reflection of really not giving a darn about
the future of Polka in the major media, to end your argument by just
declaring that all the shut-ins should just buy a bunch of polka
videos themselves, or that pharmacist Don should buy dozens of these
out of his own pocket to solve the problem: In addition to the great
(and for many senior shut-ins, financially prohibitive ) expense
involved here, it is common knowledge that popping in an old video
can't compare in any way with the real experience of tuning in a
regularly scheduled , more up to date program , or the feeling of
watching it together with many others throughout the country. This is
no doubt particularly important for shut-ins .
A major struggle of out times, in fact throughout history, is that
between those who try to help others (particularly those who are
older, weaker and more vulnerable ) and those who could care less what
happens to others and will stoop to any kind of mean brush-off,
prevarication, bullying or character assassination ( Reactions from
this faction here : "Shut down this site!" ---Buy 'em some videos...)
just to prevent anyone else from having some joy , like seeing their
favorite polka show while confined to institutions waiting to die. Mr.
F's credentials look darn good to me and the story he tells ( He's
told me a lot more) is moving indeed. As we know on this site , many
"posters" do withhold their names and physical locations for a wide
range of privacy related issues: Ultimately it's not up to us to pass
judgement on them, any more than it is Mr. Gottsch's right to "shut
down" anyone who asks him a question, or any site where such questions
appear : The important thing here is not the specific identity or
physical location of anyone posting --It's the future of the most
beloved (particularly in the Midwest and West, but it was "moving
east," as well ) polka programming ever , which will inevitably have a
huge impact on the future of the polka field itself ----and , even
much more importantly, the well-being and happiness of countless
thousands of people , many sick and elderly , for whom this
programming is a rare glimpse of sunshine in their troubled
lives. "Just buy some videos," indeed....
micky
> questioning the identities of Messrs F, H and D :
With your CIA background Joe, you're just a little over-zealous in
identifying me.
Sorry, you got it wrong this time.
You're getting rusty.
jrodg
I didn't even try to identify you ( I made no reference to you ID
above, and didn't even try : "Outing" others is your well-known
specialty here, not mine, and I just try to address the issues ( My
CIA years are long past .)
However, since you insist in pursuing this track and gloating in
your secret identity ( like a few of the other anonymous characters
you profess to despise ) , I would mention that others did the (rather
easy , actually) "profile" check on you and told me the result: I
won't "rat you out" directly (It's not my style ^ ) , but the result
did surprise me: For a "polka leader" who professes great concern for
the present and future well-being of the polka field , your lack of
support , and even obstruction of, efforts to save the Big Joe show ,
by far polka music's greatest presence on the US entertainment and
cultural scene , is very disappointing --- and , as an erstwhile
professional caregiver ( I'm sure your past service was very valuable,
probably more so than my own, but sometimes we just lose our focus , I
guess) , I would think you would show greater sensitivity to the
professionally documented needs of elderly shut-ins ( regardless of
whether you doubt the messenger's credentials : It's well known,
particularly in the Midwest, how so many of the elderly love the Big
Joe show) , and lend your voice and support to efforts to help them
and keep this porgramming on the air, rather than merely trying to
undermine these efforts and dismiss all these poor folks' concerns by
saying "Somebody buy'em some videos."
Once again, this exchange reminds me how important it is ,
especially in this hope-filled holiday season, to call upon the "polka
organizations" and all of their leaders who truly have the well-being
of the field , and especially its oldest , most vulnerable fans ( who
are probably the majority of "polka people " at this point ) to do the
bare minimum and urge RFDTV to reduce the pressure on Big Joe and
continue the programming ---and should this fail, of course they
should be prepared to support Big Joe if , at age 75, he actually
summons up the Herculean determination to carry on the program
elsewhere. Again, we're talking about a crucial factor in the future
of this music, as well as the present well-being of the great majority
( countless thousands) of polka fans nationwide . Any organization or
individual calling it/him/herself a polka promoter will truly be
dropping the ball ---and be undeserving of this name --- if they don't
give this issue their best shot.
This isn't a time, or issue , that calls for CIA-style background
investigations of anyone : I stopped doing that kind of work 30+ years
ago, "Micky," and it never was your "MOS" ---What we need now is
sincere expressions of support for Big Joe from everyone ---and
genuine , uncynical, compassionate support for the elderly and
vulnerable among us would be most helpful, too. ----We all make
mistakes --What really counts is what, if anything, we do to correct
them.
micky
> investigations of anyone : I stopped doing that kind of work 30+ years
> ago, "Micky," and it never was your "MOS" ---What we need now is
> sincere expressions of support for Big Joe from everyone ---and
> genuine , uncynical, compassionate support for the elderly and
> vulnerable among us would be most helpful, too. ----We all make
> mistakes --What really counts is what, if anything, we do to correct
> them.
If a CIA background isn't needed, then why must you identify yourself
as a CIA operative?
I merely pointed out that Radio Engineer, Pharmacy, and their list of
glorified credentials were all posting from the same place. With your
caper qualifications, you should have known there's more than one
identity posting from the same place. Now you've gone off into
another realm over it.
If Big Joe hired T.H. to do his production work, he must be steaming
mad by now with this fiasco he's created here on alt.polkas.
Don't you think that if Big Joe needed help, he'd be contacting the
people in polka music that he knows are out there that can make the
difference...........that he talks to regularly????????????????????
Instead, has three of you, Radio Engineer, Pharmacy Consultant, and
yourself. None of you work at RFD, none of you work in the contract
department at either the Big Joe show or at RFD, and none of you have
previous credentials working with or on the Big Joe show to lend
credibility.
While it's understandable that you want to appeal to the greater good
on behalf of the Big Joe viewers, using over-credentialed identities
in other aspects of life to motivate others to join you here just
isn't working.
Mike Surratt
world and peace on earth stuff....
Who gives 2 soggy pierogies about all this?
I don't -- I think all will be answered in 2010 when either the BJ
show returns to the airwaves or doesn't.
Can't we wait until next year before the next "micky" whoever
detective novel comes out?
jrodg
Mike, I'm sure that much of this rancorous discussion, a diversion
from the real issue ( the importance of the show to the polka field as
a whole, and to thousands of people, particularly the infirm and
elderly, who depend on it ) is not worth your "two soggy pierogies."
The issue itself is of great importance, though , for reasons others
and I have done our ( at this point exhausted ) best to point out. The
motivations of one individual , who claims to be a progressive polka
leader, but who persists in attacking this and other efforts to
support important polka causes ( possibly just because they are not
her own project ? ) are unknown to me-- Suffice it to say that you
yourself, as well as I and many others , have had multiple run-ins
with her ( under whatever identity she chooses to use at the given
moment ) in the course of our attempts to support good polka causes.
She is known to many as well-motivated at times , but strangely
querulous and even irrational bordering on paranoid at others . She
does have several major traits in common with Mr. Gottsch of RFDTV;
namely, the need for total control , intolerance to being questioned
by anyone, and an instinctive "attack response" to even politely
phrased inquiries: Thus, Mr. Gottsch's repeated reply ( See his letter
on this thread ) to anyone requesting that the show be continued for
the good of ill seniors ( "Your site should be shut down for spreading
lies and garbage!" ) resembles Micky's famous public reply when asked/
questioned about her org's objectives : " We just told you what we're
doing: We're not taking any questions--You don't have a right to ask
us anything!"
To set the record straight once and for all ( and you're
right ,this thread has outlived its usefulness: I'll try my best not
to answer any of this woman's attacks in the future , and good luck
coping with her yourself) before concluding this and awaiting the
outcome , as you say, I think it is important to bring some truth to
the issue and refute some of the baseless untruths "Micky" keeps
spouting ( If anyone's interested, this can easily be checked out) :
WHY do I and these others speak up on this site and elsewhere for Big
Joe ( How dare we ,right ,Micky ), instead of his other
"contacts" ?) : DUHH, have you no logic or discretion whatsoever:
BECAUSE HE ASKED ME TO ON THE PHONE : Big Joe stressed that, being of
the older generation , he is not tech savvy ( Others operate the
website for him) : He asked me to call him and present his case to
this group. The others took it upon themselves to do the same in their
fields; particularly the pharmacist, who has documented his case very
well: Again, we're dealing with the most poignant of human interest
issues here, as well as with the fate of an important part of the
polka field and the joy and entertainment of thousands. Your lack of
compassion "Just let'em watch videos" says much about how much you
really care for these people's fate and how self-centered your
approach is in general: You "do" videos, so the heck with the rest,
that should be enough for everybody.
Your whole intolerant approach , background checks, questioning the
identity , credentials and reason for existing of everyone involved
reflects an extreme need to dominate and control and a sad type of
paranoia , which is aggravated by other factors which musn't be
discussed here but are well knwn to those who know you ---many of whom
write me, but want to stay out of this because , like Mr. Gottsch, you
are not someone who can be really negotiated with . As for my
mentioning my professional background : well, it's a free country
and , like the others, I'll do so when I want : Service to the country
isn't something we need be embarassed about, and I can certainly draw
on my experience to note that your obsession with delving into and
exposing people's identities ( to thwart efforts to keep the BJPS
going yet!?!?) is something that belongs in the CIA, not on a polka
site .
If further proof is needed that this discussion ( apart from
Micky's nasty obstructionism) serves usual purposes , I would note
that , among the various private messages I received on the subject
( Most are quiet, it's well known here , because they don't want to
risk conflict with a nasty crank; particularly , in the case of
musicians, with one who retains some influence in the polka org.
world ) is one from a bandleader who was actually negotiating with Mr.
Gottsch to do some programming a while back: He reports that Mr. G
solicited a lot of material from him, then required that he change the
recording format ( VHS to DVD) and more , all the while encouraging
him to be patient , that the process would take time : He had to give
up on Gottsch after a year and estimates that he lost $1,000 on the
deal : He asked that I withhold his identity because he feared
retribution from Mr. Gottsch if his name were used (!?!?) --- So I do
feel that this thread serves a very useful purpose, also in revealing
to all those who might get involved the possible perils of dealing
with Mr. Gottsch .
Oh, incidentally, this gentleman, and others, report that Mr. G's
modus operandi is to pay nothing for the programming he is given : The
only profit to be made is from inserting a bit of advertising in the
programs---which Mr.G, as has been reported here, takes out whenever
he chooses,in order to warn or pressure the suppliers of the
programming ; i.e. when they ask him to pay for expenses incurred as
previously agreed.
Many people in the field have known me ( in some cases for 40+
years) --- and others don't. Anyone who knows me presumably knows
that , whatever my faults ( like writing too much , haha) , I do not
lie , ever, and have never screwed anyone , ever , on a business
deal : Unlike "Micky," I never use a false identity to attack others
or for any other purpose : In this particular "Big Joe" issue, as well
as on this site in general, my only objective ( and yes, I sometimes
pursue it paassionately) is to promote and help polka music : For that
cause I'll give and do a lot, including contributing every bit of
knowledge , skill and support I can, if it helps any deserving
individual, band, or cause ----and, yes, especially , the very future
of polka music and our senior citizens, who , as pharmacist Don
correctly writes, have created us, nurtured us and given us everything
they had. I also have a passion for exposing lies , meanness, and
those who wrongly try to control and abuse others--As I mentioned once
before, this is the result , I think, of seeing people tortured and
killed (yess!!!) for objecting to , or trying to escape from the
control of , a (Communist) dictatorial system.
That youthful European experience marked me forever in two ways :
First : My European background led me to love the old-fashioned
(polka ) music ; and second, it led me to join the CIA , etc., to
oppose such totalitarian abuse and, later in life, to still fight
adamantly against those who,sometimes without thinking, seek to
practice thought control , do secret police-like investigations,
slander or brusquely abuse others for even asking questions .
Mr. Gottsch and "Micky" hate to be asked questions--They will try to
"shut you down" for even asking that a nice show be continued if it
doesn't fit into their plans. They're not at all comfortable with the
truth ---but, for better or worse, the motto of that org. I used to
work for ( taken from the Bible, of course ) is "You shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free." I do pursue the truth, and
good causes, with a passion.
Of course nobody needs to read a word of this if they don't want
to : And, as for me, I am , after repeated disappointments and
fiascos, going to do my best to never enter into a dialogue with the
"troll" known as Micky, again : I have gotten along relatively well
with most others who choose not to reveal their identity here , but
this individual is where I have to draw the line.
micky
> Of course nobody needs to read a word of this if they don't want
> to : And, as for me, I am , after repeated disappointments and
> fiascos, going to do my best to never enter into a dialogue with the
> "troll" known as Micky, again : I have gotten along relatively well
> with most others who choose not to reveal their identity here , but
> this individual is where I have to draw the line.
Joe.....for goodness sakes. Your representation of all things Big Joe
are so out of whack, you don't even know what you're talking about
anymore.
Why don't you just go out and do your own TV show and shut up?
jrodg
It is your language and tone that are inappropriate, and your
postings and arguments are full of paranoia , anger and insults and
make no sense at all. This thread, was and remains a simple request to
polka supporters to indicate their support of the nation's biggest and
most popular polka TV show. No one else has registered any problem
with this whatsoever, nor should they; however you chose to attack the
very idea of supporting the program and then questioning the very
existence, as well as the qualifications, of every single person
supporting this request online. When Don the pharmacist , and others,
responded by giving exact data of his professional license, etc. to
prove his legitimacy, you then claimed that he, and all others , were
"over-credentialled" ( a weird idea) to offer such support and that we
should therefore fail. You went on to claim above ( again crazily)
that none of us should be making an appeal for Big Joe because we had
never been his employees (!?! : Why in the world should you need to
have been an employee to ask for the show's renewal? ) -- When it was
pointed out that Mr. H. had been assisting Big Joe for years, you then
declared that he'd done so very badly so Big Joe should be
"furious"with him ( All of this crazy , malicious nonsense appears
above for all to see) . If anyone is "out of whack re Big Joe" it is
clearly you: He did request me, and others, to represent him in these
matters : Again your only response to this is to attack wildly without
giving any facts or reasoning whatsoever; presumably because you are
no longer capable or reasoning. You have no positive suggestion or
support of this good cause to make whatsoever,but , like Mr. Gottsch,
just engage in bullying and trying to trample on the rights of others
( Mr.G says this thread should be "shut down" and you tell me and
others, to "shut up" ).
Actually you are the party who is totally abusive and irrational .
It will be tragic if you don't come to your senses. No one, in their
right mind or otherwise, supports you in this madness , which should
give you pause for thought, but you are oblivious to this. For quite
some time now, you, and you alone, have turned numerous good, worthy
causes and discussions here into nasty brawls by your irrational ,
baseless anger and accusations. I recall that in a recent instance ,
when you were, in the name of "your organization," attacking
everyone on the thread wildly (prompting Mike S. to comment that such
interventions were the reason why he had left the board of the
organization,since only its President should speak for the Org.) , we
asked for John Z to intercede : Mr.Z said not to worry , that he would
talk you you and make sure that you "stopped", which , fortunately, he
succeeded in doing at the time. It shouldn't be necessary to ask Mr.
Z to intercede again and again, though, to stop you from destroying
dialog here ( on matters such as an appeal for people to send an email
in support of polka progamming yet) ---Clearly, whether you intended
this or not, your madness can only have harmed this entire cause. I
would think, and hope, that most people would take the right message
from this and ignore you.
Of course I tried to end all communication with you,since most
would agree that this is a total waste of time ( Do note that others
on the thread disapprove of your remarks as well: Pharmacist Don, who
is normally a well-spoken person and simply concerned for his
patients' well-being, was finally moved to use a vulgar term -- after
his "Holy Batman" remark--- about your charges , while MS spoke with
derision about your "detective" activities.) There is only one way I
can see to possibly make this gruesome discussion productive and,
after some hesitation, I will try it now: We often hesitate ( I know I
have ) to mention a clear and serious problem, ironically, lest we
risk embarrassing others ---but of course, you know no limits in
embarrassing others and the need for help here is so clear and has
been neglected for far too long: I'll try to do this in a sensitive
way, although I'm not a specialist in the field ; still, this is the
only way in which a terrible experience can take a turn for the better
and hopefully produce a good result:
I have never met you personally, but several parties who have
have indicated that you have a serious problem with alcohol. We often
avoid mentioning these things directly , yet we really shouldn't ,
because it is known that this constitutes "enabling", which allows the
problem to rage on and become constantly worse,subjecting everyone
exposed to the alcoholic individual to uncontrollable fits of rage and
abuse while the brain and body of the person affected are being
totally destroyed : The typical symptoms of this problem , of course,
are fits of irrational rage and paranoia, accompanied by a total lack
of reasoning ---and blaming everyone but oneself , in a delusional
way, for every problem, real or imagined.
This tragic problem is known to most people and to most
families : Like most, I've had painful exposure to it, too : My
parents had severe drinking problems when we were young ( As today's
news emphasizes , the military, my dad's profession, has a
particularly high rate of alcoholism,due to the high stress levels) :
My dad was in every war in his lifetime , and my mom was on the "home
front" ,and it was bad: Fortunately, they eventually overcame the
problem -- with professional assistance from the Army, I expect.)
Both my brother and I had what I'd call borderline drinking problems
( We were lucky and never actually arrested, fired or notorious for
drunken rants , as so many are , but were coming close ) until we both
decided to just stop drinking ( thank God) a few years ago. We did,
under the influence of liquor, have quite a few crazy arguments that ,
somehow, never happened again once we gave up the booze : Now we're
all a pretty happy family.
One aunt of mine wasn't so lucky: She was a well-educated ,
charming person in her early years, married the nicest man and had two
beautiful children. Then liquor shut her down---and she spent her
whole life giving angry, drunken rants ( before collapsing in a heap
every time) around her beautiful house ( Her husband was a successful
contractor so she never had to work) : My cousins cringed in shame---
Her husband was the nicest guy -- and our favorite uncle---but he was
a classic "enabler" : He never pressured her to get help ( which has
dried out and saved so many alcohol sufferers, including most that
I've known) , and just made excuses for her, usually just saying that
she was "tired" or nervous : She died of alcohol poisoning in her
early sixties : I knew her for about 40 years and never saw her
sober ,or heard her say anything that wasn't abusive and irrational.
Yes, this is something worth writing and dwelling on, here or
anywhere ---We've mentioned before and can't mention enough,that in
the polka field we love, unfortunately liquor is much too popular and
claims more than it's share of victims, including many of the field's
greatest stars, such as my idol, Lil Wally, Walt S and Gene W, to name
just a few of the greatest ---so this is a crucially relevant topic :
If these words cause even one person to get a grip, seek help or stop
enabling another's problem , this post will end up being more valuable
than most.
The moral of all this is that, whenever things go too far like
this,and the reasons are pretty evident ( and have been explained by
others in the past) , we should resist the temptation to think we are
just in a normal dialogue with a person, and remember what is often
called "the elephant in the room" : the real, major problem that is
"hiding in plain sight" behind someone who is driven , again and
again, to irrational attacks on even those things and issues ( such as
polka programming ) that one loves. Others , and I , were deluded for
a while into taking these attacks personally, and trying to refute
them logically ---in so doing we got sucked into the madness ourselves
for a while : This was possible , I think, because alcohol-related
problems are obvious during most personal contacts, but of course the
physical symptoms aren't apparent on the printed page. Anyway, we're
not dealing with logic here, or with rational attacks: instead we
should be understanding, definitely stop debate with Micky on these
issues, and hope and pray that she will get some help with the "demon"
that is eating away at her: Now that I think of it, I remember being
told that such apparent free-wheeling attacks are actually a cry for
help : I hope and pray that she or someone near her will understand
this cry and listen, and that she can be brought back from the "brink"
so many of us have faced so that she can continue to bless the world
with her good qualities and her genuine desire to help and care for
polka music.
For my part I'm sorry that I didn't understand this problem
earlier, which would have spared us a lot of wasted, self-righteous
"hot air," I think--- but, as many of us "old musicians" have learned
by now, it's "better late than never" : As long as there's life,
there's hope, and it's never to late to clean up our act : May we all
achieve the understanding to concentrate on what unites us, and to
help each other, rather than to waste our limited time here in a "hell
on earth" of bitterness, resentment and paranoia: The prayer says it
best , and we would do well to all take it to heart: Lead us not into
temptation , but deliver us from evil."
micky
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Oh my goodness! You are the biggest bag of wind I've ever seen!
And to think you perpetrated this fraud and you claim to justify it.
jrodg
I did not begin this. It was begun by Pharmacist Don and Mr.
Hufnell . I was asked to call Big Joe , who asked me to please spread
the word on this site and elsewhere. Rather than " a fraud," my
request , and others', was simply for anyone supportive of polka
music, for the sake of the thousands of fans of the series,
particularly senior shut-ins, as described and documented by Don, to
please email RFDTV to ask that the show be continued.
Your response to this, visible to all above, was to attack the
pharmacist and Mr. Hufnell, who Mr. Farmer stated to be a paralyzed
man on his deathbed, implying that they were phonies. When Don replied
by giving his exact professional license number and more details, you
then reponded that he was "over-credentialled" , and that, at the same
time,none of us had a right to raise this issue because we weren't "on
Big Joe's Staff" ( which, like most of your arguments, makes no sense
at all,of course). Following that, you said that Mr. Hufnell might
have been on BJ's staff but had done a terrible job ( of course,
typically, you never explain this charge ,either), so that Joe must be
"furious" with him ( yet another falsehood ).
In all of this, you have not one decent word to say for anyone
involved. Your total "concern" for polka fans, particularly the
elderly, was summed upas as " Let'em buy some videos" , and further
on , your only suggestion for a solution to the BJ issue was "Why
don't you make your own polka program...and shut up ? !?" ( your
quote : The "!?!" emphasis is mine. Of course you use a lot more
ungrammatical, abusive language, but that's a fair summary.
I guess I can't reason with or reform you ---Maybe at this point
no one can -- There is a way to overcome these terrible habits , but
you would have to find the strength, or else be led to it.
In the meantime the important thing , in human terms, and for the
polka field, is that it is really important that the field take note
of ( and no longer ignore and continue "enabling" , tolerating and
even honoring with a position of leadership) this terrible behavior :
The polka field needs conscientious activists , and certainly leaders,
who will speak up for polka fans' needs, promote the music in our
culture , including television of course, defend it , enhance its
image and promote its cause publically, both locally and nationwide.
But ( and , yes, PAC leaders and members, in particular, take note,
since this is first and foremost your problem) , what it does not
need, has never, to my knowledge, had before,and should not tolerate ,
at the risk of doing grave harm to the entire polka field , its
image , credibility, and the well-being of every single "polka
person" , young and old , is a "leader" whose main public activity of
record consists of these maniacal , paranoid mean-spirited attacks on
every single participant in an effort to support polka programming,
It does not need, and cannot afford, a "leader" whose language and
behavior is uncontrolled, abusive , vulgar and repugnant to the
average person, and who would certainly come across as shockingly low
class and a confirmation of the worst stereotypes about polka to many
in the mainstream from whom the field seeks respect. Finally, needless
to say, it is virtually unheard of for a "leader" in this field (or
any field imaginable, actually) to not even give the slightest
indication of concern, either for the precarious situation of a major
polka institution ( the BJ Show) , or , more importantly , for the
plight of the field's elderly , which of course was the focus of this
appeal.
I want to wash my hands of this sordid episode , and hope it is the
last time that a well-meant effort to support a polka program and its
many fans, is dragged through the mud by a mean-spirited person
plagued by demons that she alone should summon the decency and
determination to control. To my knowledge, nothing so gross has
happened to date in the several years I've participated here ---and
I'd be surprised if anything this grotesque happened before either ---
especially at the initiative of a so-called leader.
I will close , though , with this open appeal to the Board of
PAC : If you value your credibility-- After all, who could possibly
trust negotiations on behalf of polkas, awards decisions,
representation of the field and its image in general to someone who
behaves like this? It is absolutely unheard of--- and if you value
your good name, and your organization's ability to achieve respect and
good things for our field , please take immediate steps to remedy
this situation and show that you will require some minimal decency in
your ranks, and particularly your leadership, by publicly distancing
yourself from this disgraceful spectacle and doing your best to make
sure that , after years of such unconscionable madness, it does not
happen again. There is nothing in "Micky's" performance above that
rises even to the level of basic decency, let alone "leadership"
qualities, and any organization that allows someone who regularly
behaves in this way to remain in a position of responsibility forfeits
any claim to respectability and is a disgrace to the entire field.
This behavior is an all-time low. The field deserves, and
needs , much, much better.
PS: Thank you to all those who have expressed support : I understand
your not wanting to "get down in the mud" with this individual, who is
possibly the nastiest of all anonymous posters ever to appear here .
It has sure been no fun for me either . I wish there had been a better
way to deal with this , but I do strongly feel that we can't just fall
in line, "shut up" when ordered, and let someone run rampant over the
entire field like this......This is a dirty job but someone has to do
it.