Paul's Falls

After Thanksgiving - Before Christmas

2008-11-30T04:01:49Z

Here we go again! The same old routine.
Somehow, this year is shaping up to be a little easier than it has been in the past.

It seems easier now because my kids have all grown up, and they have been merrily sent off on their way to sail the seas of life.
Because of such things, the holidays are a lot easier now for many of us old folks. The obligations of entertaining relatives at family parties has now been shifted to the younger set.

This week's Thanksgiving chores were diminished for us compared with other years. A great Thanksgiving feast organized by my daughter brought all of us together for a great day filled with family fun. What more could be fairer? But wait, there's more!

I actually got the Christmas decorations set up outside this weekend before the big snowfall - unlike some years past. So, bring it on Ol' Man Winter, I'm ready!

A Book Review I

2008-11-20T02:09:17Z

Today I'm turning this page over to a guest blogger: Meg Wickesberg

A few hours ago I finished reading Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. It was to be a vacation-read, if there is such a word...and let me explain that we are on vacation in sweetly lush and beautiful Hawaii, on the "Garden Island" of Kaua'i. In this idyllic setting it was difficult for me to picture the harsh, ruined areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan where this story takes place.

In 1993, Greg Mortenson vowed to help the Pakistani people who had nursed him to health after a failed attempt to climb K-2. His promise to them was to build a school for their children. And he kept that promise, and built many more, against unimaginable odds.

The story of this shy and humble mountaineer's dedication is monumental in impact, Especially in these times of fear of all things Islam, and told against the backdrop of the post- 9/11 paranoia that consumes our nation's military, the message of liberation through education sings as high and great as the geography of the area. You need to read this book, and you can find it at Target subtitled in its paperback form: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time.

Meg

Often Suspected - Now It's Confirmed

2008-11-17T01:40:21Z

The truth is out. I am simply lazy. To wit: I have neglected this blog since before the election.
It is not because I had nothing to say, rather I just could not get up the motivation to sit down and write out my thoughts.

Lazy indeed! Compounding that, I have been on vacation in Hawaii for the last week and, of course I am operating on" Hawaii time." Good friends, balmy temperatures, and a new copy of Explore Kaua'i on the lanai table haven't helped the situation. There are more than enough things to do - if only there were enough time and if I could get up off my duff.

You might ask why I am writing this today. The answer is simple. It is raining cats, dogs, and chickens outside. The forecast says that the rain will get heavier tomorrow and last throughout the next week.

So, dear reader, watch for a new blog or two tomorrow.

Aloha, Paul

The Haircut: A story from the Internet

2008-10-29T22:54:55Z

One day a florist goes to a barber for a haircut. After the cut he asks about his bill and the barber replies, 'I cannot accept money from you.I'm doing community service this week.' The florist is pleased and leaves the shop.

When the barber goes to open his shop the next morning there is a 'thank you' card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door

. Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replies, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.' The cop is happy and leaves the shop.

The next morning when the barber goes to open up there is a 'thank you' card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.

Then, a Congressman comes in for a haircut, and when he goes to pay his bill the barber again replies, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.' The Congressman is very happy and leaves the shop.

The next morning when the barber goes to open up, there are a dozen congressmen lined up waiting for a free haircut. And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between the citizens of our country and the members of our Congress.

Vote carefully this year.

"The Wheels of Justice...

2008-10-23T01:08:13Z

are very slow, but grind exceedingly fine."

That phrase works well if you are a dung beetle. Eat it if you wish, but justice is hard to come by if an election is at hand and if a favorite candidate's actions might cause harm to the party that has the largest local support.

Some days before the primary election this year, it came to my attention that Dan Knodl used my name - as well as several others - in his advertising material. There were about 300 names on his flyer. He listed me and the others as his supporters for the Assembly seat he was seeking. In fact, I and uncounted others were not his supporters. He never asked our permission to use our names. We complained. Once this story came to media attention, Dan released one after another reason for how our names happened to be used without consent. Finally after several lame excuses he admitted that it was his own fault.

That advertising was clearly in violation of rules set up for election ethics by the State of Wisconsin. I and the others made complaints to our District Attorney. I and others were interviewed over the phone by a detective who asked us the reason for our complaint and whether we wished to file charges. Some of us answered that we did.

To this date no charges have been filed. In fact, our Waukesha County DA has washed his case of the whole mess and notes that it should be prosecuted by Washington County.

So, nothing is happening to bring this to a satisfactory conclusion. The election will come and go and the matter will be forgotten. At most Knodl will have his fingers slapped sometime after he has been seated in office and then it will all fade from memory.

I should not be so unhappy. About a year ago I made a complaint to the State Elections Board about campaign finance violations by a former President of the Menomonee Falls Village Board. I never got as much as an acknowledgment from any State employee that they received my questions or cited examples. At least in this recent instance someone took notice and contacted me for more information.

Nevertheless - no action - nothing. This will all pass without notice and life will go on. Your tax dollars at play!

Did you say "equality"?

2008-10-20T22:22:23Z

What a nice Sunday afternoon it was considering that it's mid-October. I decided to get outside and take care of some of my tree leaves before anymore blow over to my next door neighbor. After that I drained most of the garden hoses and stashed them away for the winter. Later, outdoor spigots were drained and I'm feeling pretty good about being ready for winter. Next week I'll start in on the Christmas lights if the weather is good.

While I was doing that, my bride took off and went for a five-mile run which is her usual Sunday fare. Somewhere along the route she needed to stop at Rotary Park's comfort station - an oasis of sorts for those in need.

Surprise! The ladie's room was locked up tight, but the men's room was wide open. What on earth would cause a park employee to do only half his/her job? Now, I'm not going to go down to Village Hall to complain. But for the rest of you, beware! Equal rights don't always happen. And, guys, watch out when you need to go. You can't be sure of who might be in there.

The Debates

2008-10-16T13:02:54Z

Several months ago I wrote that I was so disgusted with the seemingly endless campaigning and debating during the primaries that I would no longer listen to any more campaign messages.

Not exactly true. I could dance around the earlier statement by saying that the statement is no longer "operational". Or perhaps that - "you are taking it out of context".

I did the best I could to keep my promise. But, I backed off and actually listened to the VP and Presidential debates recently. Here is my opinion for what it is worth:

VP Debate: Amusing. I liked Sarah's punch and enthusiasm. I like an energetic person to (verbally) poke a finger in the eye of an opponent. Biden is old school in my opinion. He could use some levity in his campaigning.

Presidential Debate: McCain is dull and way too understating. Kick it up a notch! I had trouble keeping awake during this debate. The same goes for Obama. Yada, yada, yada, -("[smurff .gg.]"as my wife elbows me to stay awake) .

I wish we had picked two better candidates. I'm having trouble deciding. My leanings are Libertarian in philosophy, but they can never get their stuff together to make any difference.

We need a change, but I don't like any of the possibilities.

Something To Remember You By

2008-10-05T17:04:08Z

Dear Charlene:

Sometime after dark on Saturday night you stopped by my home and left a campaign brochure at my front door for me to see.
It contained the usual yada - experience, leadership, education, family and the like. Thank you.

Unfortunately it was dark and you didn't notice that my sidewalk entrance was blocked off. Never mind that; you apparently walked across the grass from my neighbor's house to do your business with me.

The walkway had been blocked off for a good reason. Earlier that morning a construction crew had finished pouring a new concrete slab which was still somewhat soft when you came by.

Just before going to bed I stuck my head out the door to admire my new investment and found your literature. In the morning I repaired the injury as best I could.

I'll be remembering you for quite some time. Thank goodness that you weren't wearing spike heels.

Your potential constituent,
Paul

A Burning Issue

2008-09-30T23:46:16Z

What can divide a community more than loss of or intrusion upon personal freedom?

In the Falls the current issue is centered around who can or cannot burn combustible materials on their property. Each side in the controversy has a valid argument. One side says 'my health and pursuit of happiness is violated due to the smoke' , and the other says ' we enjoy the smell of burning leaves and barbecued meat'.

Each side has reasonable points, and one or the other will win.

As a former member of the Menomonee Falls Fire Department, I have in the past ,stood with the Fire Chief and supported new changes to the fire code. Twenty years ago, an updated sprinkler ordinance was a heavy topic. The high cost of installing sprinklers set off - and irritated a number of business people. Actually, it happened to be money saving for them - sprinkler installation costs were more than offset by savings on insurance premiums. Plus one's whole enterprise could be saved from total destruction. Worry wasted!

In this case of open burning, it seems to me that the proposed new laws are excessive. Moving small outdoor fires from 50 to 100 feet from a building will gain little if any safety for the structure. Existing laws are more than enough to provide that safety if existing rules are followed.

I believe that special considerations must be addressed for those who have medical problems, but that should be handled on an individual basis rather than restricting the rights of the whole community.

Let your village board members know your opinions. They will soon decide how these issues will be resolved. No matter your position, let your voice be heard.

I Have Learned A Couple Of Things

2008-09-24T00:39:00Z

This weekend Meg and I helped one of our sons move his family into a new apartment near the high school. We carried stuff up the stairs, down the stairs, up again, down again. Repeat a couple of hundred times. And that was just at the old apartment. Similar actions also happened at the new place.
I learned a couple of things:

First: While my brain tells me that I am in my early twenties, the rest of me tells me otherwise. No matter which way I move today, some muscle or another is tweaked into the it's attention mode. Attention comes in two ways: soreness or pain. Sometimes both.

Second: Aspirin, Aleve, and similar medications are not as effective for me as they used to be.

Those who know me know that I'm kinda out of shape. I haven't been to any gym for a year or two now. Had I paid more attention to my muscles and aerobic capacity the toll surely would have been less.

So, I'm turning over a new leaf There's a lesson to be learned here. I've got to get into shape pronto.

In a week or two I'm going to sign up with a fitness center.

What More Could Be Fairer?

2008-09-15T03:50:00Z

Yes, I know the grammar is far from acceptable. But, that phrase was used over and over again many years ago by Roundy Coughlin. Roundy - known as The Sage of Mendota was an elderly Madison sports reporter in the 60's. He used that phrase at least once in every broadcast sports report - often if there was a bit of irony associated with the story.

So after 42 years of marriage, Meg and I often use that phrase - often totally out of context in our daily lives.

The rain of the past few days gave us the opportunity to stay home for a change, and to tend to household duties that have been severely neglected during several months of beautiful summer weekends. Housecleaning and organizing the piles of paperwork in my home office were the top two projects. Thank goodness for the rain. My sins of sloppiness are somewhat washed away.

What more could be fairer?

911 - Never Forget

2008-09-11T13:07:00Z

We all bow our heads today in memory of those who lost their lives in that tragety - and later, for our troops unselfishly giving their lives on our behalf.

Dan Knodl's Dirty Tricks

2008-09-08T18:46:00Z

I chuckled at first this morning when the first of many e-mails arrived at my desk. Each one referenced a particular well known member of the community who was "endorsing" the candidacy of Dan Knodl for State Assembly.

The problem is that each of these community leaders is disavowing that endorsement and claiming that no permission was given to Dan for using their name.

I now find that I am one of those supposed endorsers. So, with this blog, I want to let the community know that it is my intention to endorse no candidate in this race. Yes, I have a preference, and because of this breach of ethics, for sure it isn't Dan.

Should he win this election, I intend to pursue the issue with the State Elections Board.

Note: A follow-up
I received a voice mail apology message this afternoon from the Knodl people. The explanation is that it is all a mistake caused by errors by a marketing firm. Thanks for the apology, but somehow this shows me a lack of control.

I'm done with this thread and am not going to publish any other comments on the subject.

Lets start over again after the election.

Tom, Tom the piper's son...

2008-09-06T13:59:47Z

...stole a pig and away he ran.

Shame on some of our citizens. It seems that some people are out to ruin everyone's fun. Stealing pigs meant for people to visit on a scavenger hunt is about as poor citizenship as a malcontent always stirring up issues to divide the peace and quiet of a community.

I recently spoke with a local businessman who could only shake his head in wonderment why somebody would actually stoop so low. He has had to chain his ceramic pig to his property to try to deter thievery. He is not so sure that even that will prevent the theft.

So, the scavenger hunt starts early. All you good citizens, keep your eyes open for the missing artwork and keep an eye on the pigs remaining. The authorities will me most receptive to any reports.

Incredible

2008-08-31T21:00:26Z

The other night on NBC Nightly News, Brian Williams made the observation that following the Republican convention, the time we will have to choose our next President is "incredibly short". Well, perhaps you might look at it that way, but in my opinion the selection process has taken an incredibly long time.

For more than two years already, the process has been going on. Do you remember the endless debates week after week with a string of candidates on a stage all saying the same thing? Do you remember how each state became the most important ever in selecting the winner as their election dates approached?

We have known each parties apparent winers for months now. I don't believe that there are more than a few people who have not made up their minds as to how they are going to vote.

My wife has an idea that adds an interesting twist. She thinks that the process could be shortened and improved if each candidate would announce his or her running mate on the same day that the hat is tossed into the ring. It would indeed separate the wheat from the chaff expeditiously.

Waiting for candidates to announce their choices is like waiting for Bret Favre to make up his mind.

Diabetes Be Damned

2008-08-21T13:02:00Z

It is nearly two years since my doctor notified me that something irregular showed up during my yearly tune-up. Indeed, it was indeed irregular and was something that I was worried about for the past twenty years or so. The dreaded diabetes has shown up once again in my family.

My grandmother, her children, and now I have been stricken. In grandma's case it was fatal. In the 1930's very little was known about the disease and the most appropriate treatment was bed rest. How horribly wrong! My grandmother died suffering from all the known progressions of this malady. My family members tried their best to help, but eventually there was nothing but bedsores and a steady decline.

My father was a bit luckier. Insulin was available. His doctor had earlier told him that he was pre-diabetic. Doc was probably trying to soften the news, but he should have been more forthright. Dad had a full-blown case but didn't believe it. So, he blithely chose to eat anything he wished believing that he was on the right side of the line. Eventually dad developed neuropathy and vision problems common with the disease.

I am unbelievably fortunate. Not only is diabetes more fully understood, but there are inexpensive drugs available for control. Testing technology allows me to check my blood sugar levels at will so that I can be in total control. I follow my doctor's orders, test regularly and eat a healthy diet. So far so good.

Today I strayed. Our family got together last evening and the dessert of choice was s'mores. I had two. Knowing that this was a possibility I cut down on carb consumption at lunch. If my testing results are a bit off kilter tomorrow, I'll adjust food intake even further until I'm on track again. I'm really lucky to be living in this marvelous age. And, if I keep my wits about me, the ravages of diabetes will never strike me the way it did to my ancestors.

Diabetes be damned!

For information about diabetes prevention check out www.diabetes.org

Benchmark

2008-08-14T00:44:44Z

I'm sure it is an ego booster to see the numbers mount up and count the people who are check in to one's blog.
Until this week I have not counted up the hits on my several blog articles.

So, to The Vanguard, I offer this target: 100,000 plus:
I'm not bragging, but you seem to need to know.

And, I'm sure that Karen T, had many more than that while she was sharing her thoughts. I wish that she would come back.

Retirement

2008-08-10T02:42:00Z

Somewhat over a year ago I told my employees that I would be retiring on my birthday in 2009. I owed them that heads-up because I feel that each one of them is part of my extended family. I did not want to dump a goodbye on them only weeks before my exit.

I have been looking forward to abandoning the daily grind for quite some time now. My father stuck it out in the family business well into his eighties and never gave up. He died with his boots on, as the saying goes. I am made of different stuff. I always felt that "when it is time to go, it is time to go".

So a planned transition is going on in full swing right now in my business. I have given my notice - the day is set. All will go as planned.

But...

As the time draws ever closer I'm having second thoughts. This is really hard to do - give up my life's work and pretend that I'm not interested anymore. Nevertheless I'm committed to following through with my plan. I have plenty of hobbies that are not getting proper attention and stacks of magazines and books that are collecting dust.

And so, my brain is pulling me in two different directions. It is very difficult to stick with my announced plans and not look back. Probably I and a few others who are at this juncture in life are the only ones who fully understand the craziness that Bret Favre has leashed on the community. I wish him happy retirement in New York.

Our New Recycling Bins

2008-08-01T16:21:01Z

For the best part of a decade we (my family) dutifully placed our red recycling totes on the curb - filled with stuff that we didn't want that might possibly be used again. Before that, we dutifully loaded that same stuff into our cars and brought it to the rear of Village Hall. There, monthly, there was a set up of several large dumpsters to sort and collect the same recyclables. It was something we felt that was needed to be done. We happily obliged in the spirit of conservation. Our family collected, loaded, drove, emptied, thanked the recycling volunteers, and then then went on our merry way.

Times have changed. Not only do we now get curbside pickup, but in the future, it will take a device that my wife claims is almost the size of our car. I'm guessing that the old red bins held about 15 gallon volume. Our new wheeled totes hold nearly 100 gallons.

I'm happy that the Village has our community recycling costs in mind and chose to switch to an every-other-week collection. But, my gosh, do the new containers have to be 6 or 7 times bigger than before? Mrs. W has noticed that these new containers are verrry heavy. They do not fit into the previous space occupied by the red bins, In fact, they do not fit into the garage at all.

So, from August first I am going to keep a log to find out how long it will take to fill my 96 gallon tote with recyclables. Remind me to give you the date if either of us can remember that far back.

Malcontents

2008-07-25T13:22:53Z

You will read elsewhere that a group of malcontents is now attacking Falls Fest as well as the people who operate it and the things they do with the profits.

Year after year dozens of our neighbors donate their time and effort to put on this four-day event. They volunteer themselves unselfishly for the good of the community. Sadly, their thanks is being accused of crookedness and are held up to ridicule by this small group of people whose main goal is to foment dissension.

I asked Bob Steliga for a list of community projects that Falls Fest sponsored or financially supported. Here is that list:

     Miller Davidson Restoration at Old Falls Village
     Koehler-Zahn House Rehab
     The Ranch
     Defibrillator for Menomonee Falls School District
     Menomonee Falls High School Scholarship Fund
     Menomonee Falls Little League
     Menomonee Falls Symphony Orchestra
     Troops in Iraq
     9-11 Memorial Event
     Zoological Society of Milwaukee County
     Menomonee Falls Fire Department Survive Alive House
     Menomonee Falls Police Department Taser
     Riverside School Playground Equipment
     Shady Lane School Playground Equipment
     Muscular Dystrophy Association
     Hamilton Hight School Booster Club
     New Menomonee Falls Library
     Menomonee Falls Soccer Club
     Old Falls Village - Historical Collection Preservation
     Christmas Decorations for Koehler-Zahn House
     Menomonee Falls High School Cheerleaders
     Menonmonee Falls High School Pom Pon Squad
     25 Picnic Tables for Village Park
     6 Horse Shoe Courts for Village Park
     Tennis Court Fence Improvements for Village Park
     Menomonee Falls Falcons Youth Baseball
     Menomonee Falls Co-ed Hockey Club
     Menomonee Falls Christmas Parade
     Various Other Non-Profit Groups

Isn't it a shame that the complainers don't spend their time for the betterment of our community rather than verbally tearing it apart bit by bit?

I invite anyone in these organizations to make a comment here. I will publish all comments whether good or bad. I have noticed that the malcontents choose not to publish comments contrary to their opinion.