How times change
Friday, Aug 1, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* OK, here’s something that you wouldn’t have expected out of Jim Oberweis six months ago. From a media advisory…
U.S. Senate candidate Jim Oberweis will rally against violence tonight (Friday, Aug. 1) as part of the “Brothers on the Block” initiative organized by Pastor Corey Brooks of New Beginnings Church. Oberweis was the first major candidate to attend the weekly rallies earlier this summer and has made numerous visits to the South Side during this campaign.
8:30 p.m. — New Beginnings Church, 6620 S. King Drive Chicago.
Brooks has endorsed Oberweis.
* Meanwhile…
U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), along with other Great Lakes senators, are calling for urgent action to stop the spread of Asian Carp and other invasive species.
In a letter sent Thursday to John Goss, the Asian Carp director of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the senators asked for the official’s help “in urging the Chicago Area Waterway System Advisory Committee to make recommendations for short- and medium-term solutions to safeguard the Great Lakes from Asian carp and other invasive species as soon as possible.”
I only mention this because, believe it or not, I’m a co-sponsor of this year’s “Original Redneck Fishing Tournament” - which is something that I never thought I’d ever do…
Rednecks from all over the world travel to the little metropolis of Bath, IL (Pop. 350) for one fun weekend each summer to celebrate…and catch thousands of Asian Carp from the Illinois River. Whether it’s a final summer weekend trip of crazy fun before going back to school, or a inexpensive vacation getaway, this redneck event is becoming a must on summer bucket lists. Held along the banks of the Bath chute of the Illinois river, hundreds of boats compete each day for prizes, bragging rights, and for the sheer fun of catching silver carp out of the air. Thousands more come to sit along the banks of the river, play some family games and soak in the mardi gras atmosphere and smells…that last part isn’t really true, but it must be a good event because people stick around in spite of the smells. Come in costume, or just bring your lawn chairs and a camera, but be prepared for a weekend of Redneck fun!
The concept is to pilot your boat up the Illinois River and catch as many Asian Carp as possible. They mostly just jump right into your boat, but people also use nets to catch even more. Helmets with face guards are recommended. A twenty-pound carp smacking you in the head while you’re going 20 miles an hour can be quite problematic, to say the least…
Teams may want to consider some sort of protection from the flying fish such as helmets (especially if children are participating) and to wear padded life jackets throughout the event…even idling at the start line may get you hit by a fish or two. Another suggestion is to have something in the boat (such as an old garbage can or tote) to store the fish you have caught…they hurt when flopping around on the floor of the boat so a club or something to knock them out is sometimes used as well. Getting them from the riverbank to the drop-off site can be a challenge if you have caught dozens or hundreds of fish…so use the garbage can or tote to haul them to the drop off dumpster.
So, when Oberweis is at a black church, I’ll be co-sponsoring a redneck carp fishing tournament.
Weird, that.
- The Captain - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 11:57 am:
Please get video of fish smacking rednecks in the face, regardless of helmet status. Please.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 12:01 pm:
Okay…what do they do with the carp?
As for Oberweis, he is following Rauner’s lead…actually, doing a better job of breaking left.
Of course, the further down you are in the polls, the more you need to rely on unconventional strategies.
Unfortunately for Chopper Jim, you only get one chance to make a first impression. He needed to stay in his Senate seat and do his penance there. It seems just a bit too contrived now.
- ucster - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 12:03 pm:
A “black church”?
- Black Ivy - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 12:03 pm:
Many may be jaded, but could Oberweis’ interest in Chicago-area violence be genuine? Kudos to Pator Corey Brooks and Oberweis for seeing past partisan politics and focusing on this crtical dilemma. #youthcomefirst For you Rich, #rednecksunite.
- Precinct Captain - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 12:06 pm:
It’s weird, because I expected it the other way around, Rich stumping at churches and Oberweis at a redneck fishing tournament, lol.
- Pat C - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 12:06 pm:
which is something that I never thought I’d ever do…
Perhaps this recently happened to you?
twenty-pound carp smacking you in the head
what do they do with the carp?
Like any carp, they can be eaten. But as a harmful species, just using them as compost is ok too.
http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/wild-chef/2013/03/how-fillet-asian-carp
- PoolGuy - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 12:07 pm:
Rich,
have fun at Carpnado
- wordslinger - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 12:08 pm:
Good on Oberweis.
Who are Kirk and Durbin kidding? The issue has been studied to death. It will just cost a fortune that Congress will never spend to do something about it.
- OneMan - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 12:14 pm:
Perhaps next year we can have a CapFax team where we wear fake beards and name the fish after politicians….
- A guy... - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 12:15 pm:
Let’s all meet in the middle. I’ll bring two loaves.
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 12:16 pm:
The Brooks endorsement carries some real credibility among many people. He is legit, and so is the way Oberweis’ mindset has matured.
== when Oberweis is at a black church, I’ll be co-sponsoring a redneck carp fishing tournament ==
Great things, both of them.
- Archiesmom - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 12:17 pm:
I’m having a severe cognitive dissonance attack.
- Empty Suit - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 12:23 pm:
This, this is how you spent your summer!?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLC1IxPlSeA
- dupage dan - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 12:43 pm:
I talked about the Asian carp issue with a person I know who is an architect. He gave me a copy of a proposal he was involved with that would have re-reversed the flow of the Chicago River and isolated the lake from the watershed with no physical connection. Such an engineering feat would be far more complex and costly than any barrier that has been proposed but this guy was convinced that it was on the drawing board and was certain to move forward.
I tried to impress upon this young idealistic gentleman the political will necessary for something like this to have a chance in h&ll of happening but he wasn’t hearing any of it. He was quite insistent it was a done deal.
Rich, please keep your head on a swivel & don’t forget to duck.
- Bemused - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 12:50 pm:
Rich
While your up in Bath try to look up Mark Clark and his friend Wesley Phelps. You will most likely be treated to a couple of beers and some highly entertaining stories.
- Big Muddy - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 12:51 pm:
Obie would be equally out of his element at either location while you Rich I could see being just fine at both!
- Bring Back Boone's - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 12:54 pm:
It’s like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife.
- illini67 - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 1:00 pm:
I saw a video of a Redneck Fishing Tournament earlier this week ( through a HuffPo link, I think ). Maybe it was not the “original” tournament, but quite interesting. Amazing video. Looks like great fun, yet it points out how serious this problem really is.
Thanks for being involved in highlighting this very non-partisan issue.
- Phenomynous - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 1:41 pm:
It’s my understanding that the carp is recycled into pet food.
- Anonymous - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 1:42 pm:
If we can almost wipe out 60 million Bison in just a few hundred years. Asian Carp should be no problem,
- VanillaMan - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 2:06 pm:
The Milkman shows he has game.
Bravo, Milkman, Bravo.
- wordslinger - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 2:14 pm:
:
–I talked about the Asian carp issue with a person I know who is an architect. He gave me a copy of a proposal he was involved with that would have re-reversed the flow of the Chicago River and isolated the lake from the watershed with no physical connection. –
That’s been proposed by the Army Corp of Engineers. The cost estimate is $18 billion. Pigs will fly before Congress funds the plan for Carp that fly. Durbin and Kirk are just pretending to be looking for answers.
- steve schnorf - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 2:25 pm:
Oberweis, who I was very critical of in some of his earlier versions, continues to grow in my esteem, because unlike so many of us he is showing that he can learn and change. Good for him. He won’t win this election but his approach could be a model for some of our fellow Rs, who when confronted with realities they don’t like simply double down
- Levois - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 2:45 pm:
It’s interesting that Oberweis is attending a event against violence or a Rich puts it visits a Black church. Could this mean Oberweis could get a significant number of votes that would’ve gone to Durbin. Although I’m giving Oberweis credit for the outreach however.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 2:55 pm:
Good on Oberweis.
More like that.
What is the awful shame….shame …is the SSM and the Dopey platform stance.
No reason, and now it makes it seem less genuine, but in reality, this might be the Oberweis that has always been around, without trying to pander to be loved(?)
- Judge Cooked - Friday, Aug 1, 14 @ 3:31 pm:
The Brooks endorsement carries some real credibility among many people. He is legit, and so is the way Oberweis’ mindset has matured.
It seems the most notable thing that Rauner (and his money) has done to the GOP this cycle is at least change a few minds about the ability to win. Not that anymore GOP candidates WILL win, but there’s definitely been a turn in the mindset in the trenches that they COULD/SHOULD win, and so candidates are not able to just sit back with their tea party talking points, getting clobbered 60-40 and feeling good they “held to their principles,” which in the GOP the last few cycles has meant “an excuse for not doing any real work meeting people or doing anything that resembles campaigning to people not sharing a narrow conservative mindset.”
- Judgment Day - Saturday, Aug 2, 14 @ 12:42 am:
The Redneck Fishing Tournament is fun. Been there 2 of the last three years (when it was still small), but last year was large. Way large. There’s teams from all over. Apparently engine noise spooks the carp, and they literally jump straight up out of the water.
Btw, when they talk about protective face wear, they are not kidding. Friend got a broken nose from one of these things launching itself into the air. And a 20+ Lb. Asian carp is not small.
Here’s 2013 video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLC1IxPlSeA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Elegant it’s not. But it’s fun.