Milwaukee, WI

We’ve had more snow this December than most years, and as though the shoveling, the slippery walks, and the lousy plowing weren’t enough, the Journal Sentinel has reported that 13,281 have been issued in the City thus far for snow-related parking violations.

Further, over 130 vehicles were towed over the weekend.

Each of these tickets and tows generates some revenue for the City. Perhaps some of that money can be spent on better plowing. While the initial hubbub over the City’s lousy plowing has died down, I can say personally that my street in Bay View only received a cursory brush by a plow, and a significant amount of snow and ice still remain.

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Like what you see on About-MilwaukeeWi.com? Check out About-ChicagoIl.com for our neighbors to the South!

I love using Craigslist to find good bargains on furniture and household items. I’ve purchased quite a few nice things from Craigslist including a beautiful Captain’s bed and a gorgeous old Victor Victrola, but items like that are truly hen’s teeth. The vast majority of the ads on Craigslist are downright ridiculous, and although I must give points for creativity on some of them, it is incredible what people will say to make their trash sound like treasure.

Over time I have learned to interpret “Craigslist-ese,” and I think that I have figured out how to weed out the garbage by interpreting what people say in their ads and boiling it down to what they really mean. To that end, I’m making a little “Craigslist to English” dictionary. Feel free to use it as you browse Craigslist!

Vintage - Ah, vintage. Everyone likes something that’s “vintage.” “Vintage” means quality because they didn’t make garbage back in the good ol’ days, right? Perhaps, but that just doesn’t hold true on Craigslist. In the world of Craigslist, “vintage” means “comes in a tacky color that existed primarily in 1962 and could only possibly find a place in some Bay View hipster’s home.”

Unique - Everyone loves unique! We all like to be different and show off our “unique” style, don’t we? Not so fast…on Craigslist “unique” almost always means “a hideous atrocity that should be dismantled immediately so as not to offend the senses of our good citizens.” Avoid “unique” like the plague unless your a turquoise painted end table with red trim is your idea of decor.

Awesome (Or, as it is sometimes spelled, awsome) - Wow, dude, this couch is, like, totally awesome! On Craigslist, “awesome” is only used when referring to a piece of furniture that originally came from Ikea and then spent 4-6 years being laid upon, kicked around, and more likely than not, vomited on, in some frat boy’s dorm room. Think about *that* before you pick up that “awesome sofa” from Craigslist.

Rare. Guys, nothing that was purchased at Pier One can be considered “rare.” It was mass-produced, probably within the last three years in some third-world country, and readily available at a popular retail establishment. That isn’t rare, not by any stretch of the imagination.

No Craigslist ad would be complete, however, without a mysterious photo - a photo taken with the world’s worst camera from an indescribable angle with near- zero lighting.

Want a great example? This ad just about has it all:
Fabulous Vintage 1950s Barkcloth Curtains EAMES.

I swear to you that I located this AFTER I wrote that bit about the use of the word “Vintage.” Apparently these are curtains…I can’t actually tell from the photo. They are, according to the seller, “awesome,” although I may be inclined to disagree. As a bonus, please note the use of the word “vintage” and the address of the seller. The only thing this ad is missing is the high price tag that some Craigslist sellers like to attach to their treasures. You could go home with these Awesome Vintage Fabulous Rare curtains for just $15.00.

Here’s to you, Craigslist sellers. You bring me hours of entertainment. Beautiful, inadvertent entertainment.

Craigslist, eBay, Bargains

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Hey, Nintendo Wii Shoppers - Did you know about the rain check program? Check out this Wii blog for details!

Today Pavel Bernek’s little wrecked sailboat, the Falcon, was removed from Lake Michigan in pieces.

It is really hard to say why the wrecked sailboat along the shore of Lake Michigan has gotten so much attention, but I couldn’t resist driving along Lincoln Memorial Parkway to see it for myself. The sailboat’s visibility certainly had much to do with its popularity - even the most distracted driver can’t help but notice the forlorn little ship bobbing in the cold water. But the ship’s sad story was the real draw - Bernek’s dream of sailing the world was dashed upon Lake Michigan’s rocky shore by the novice sailor. Bernek has since returned to his native Europe, essentially abandoning it and leaving the salvage efforts to others.

The salvage team that has been struggling with the ship’s removal since the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Coast Guard have declined to act finally removed the ship today, in pieces.

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Need some holiday toy shopping ideas? Head over to the Household Tips blog for some inspiration!

With the copious amount of snow falling from the sky here in Milwaukee, it is easy to get the winter blues. Weather.com says that it is supposed to continue snowing and sleeting until 2a.m. Winter weather like we have today is a great time to think happy thoughts…happy thoughts of toasty drinks that are perfect for cold weather.

Hot Buttered Rum

* 1 small slice soft butter
* 1 tsp brown sugar
* optional spices: ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg
* vanilla extract
* 2 oz dark rum
* boiling water

PREPARATION:

1. Place the butter, sugar and spices at the bottom of an Irish coffee glass or mug.
2. Mix well or muddle.
3. Pour in the rum and boiling water.
4. Stir.

Hot Toddy

* 1 oz brandy or blended whiskey
* 1 Tbsp honey
* 1/4 lemon
* 1 cup hot water
* 1 tea bag

PREPARATION:

1. Coat the bottom of a mug or an Irish coffee glass with honey.
2. Add brandy and the juice of the lemon quarter.
3. On the side, heat water in a tea kettle and add the tea bag to make hot tea.

Hot Honey Lemonade

* 2 lemons
* 3 whole cloves
* 2 tablespoons honey, or to taste
* 1 cup boiling water
* 1 cinnamon stick

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Squeeze juice of 1 lemon into a large mug.
2. Slice remaining lemon thinly. Poke cloves into lemon slices and drop slices into mug.
3. Add honey and fill cup with hot water.
4. Stir with cinnamon stick until honey has dissolved. Taste for sweetness and add more honey as needed.

Mulled Apple Cider

* 1 gallon unfiltered apple cider
* 10 whole cloves
* 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed
* 2 strips orange peel, about 2 inches long
* 6 dried allspice berries
* 4 heads star anise
* 1 cinnamon stick
* 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
* Orange twists, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pot, combine apple cider with all other ingredients except orange twists. Stir well.
2. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes before serving.
3. Serve cider in a heatproof mug, garnished with an orange twist.

Note: If you prefer, you may remove the steeping ingredients before serving by straining the cider through a fine mesh strainer.

Rusty Nail

* 1 1/2 oz Scotch
* 3/4 oz Drambuie
* lemon twist for garnish

PREPARATION:

1. Pour the ingredients into an old-fashioned glass with ice cubes.
2. Stir well.
3. Garnish with the lemon twist.

Nothing goes with hot drinks as nicely as some freshly baked cookies. Elementary Chef’s Blog is currently featuring twelve Christmas cookie recipes.

For many, the holidays are a time of reflection and a time to appreciate the good in our lives. It is also a time to think about the less fortunate, and many people do as toy drives abound. People have needs the entire year through, and Milwaukee has countless opportunities for people to give back to their community.

This city is very fortunate to have the Volunteer Center of Milwaukee. The Volunteer Center makes it easy for volunteers to find a volunteer opportunity that suits their schedule and skills.

Volunteers can find opportunities in one of two ways. With a telephone call to the Volunteer Center at 414-273-7887, volunteers can set up an appointment with someone who will assist them in locating a suitable volunteer opportunity. The more web-savvy will prefer the second option of using the search function on the Volunteer Center’s website. The volunteer can enter information about himself including age, time availability, and physical limitations. The search feature allows volunteers, if they choose, to search only for opportunities that help a particular class of people, such as children, immigrants, or older adults. Finally, the search function also allows a search that helps match an opportunity to the volunteer’s own skills. Volunteers can also seek out a particular organization, such as the Hunger Task Force of the Humane Society, and search for opportunities within that organization. The website is updated with enough regularity to ensure that willing volunteers can find something timely.

Anyone who wants to put in some time as a volunteer is sure to find a suitable opportunity through the Volunteer Center.

For those who want to help others this holiday season but are short on time, take a look at Ten Thousand Villages living gifts programs. This global program supplies plants and livestock to farmers in developing nations. The gifts have a price range that will fit every budget, and they are surprisingly specific. For example, a $33.00 gift buys, vaccinates and provides shelter for one goat, while also training farmers on how to raise healthy and productive animals.

Volunteer, Shelter, Hunger

The Wreaths Across America began 15 years ago when Worchester Wreath Company in Maine began a tradition of placing wreaths on the headstones at Arlington National Cemetery. Over the years, Worcester Wreath has donated over 75,000 wreaths which have been placed by volunteers at wreath-laying ceremonies.

This Saturday, December 15, 2007, wreaths will be laid at Wood National Cemetery in Milwaukee at 11:00 a.m. Turnout in the past has been sparse although there was some television coverage of the ceremony last year so perhaps this year there will be a larger showing.

To watch the ceremony, meet at the monument at the VA Cemetery on Walker Road in the cemetery. Take exit 308A south from I-94 west. Then use Zablocki Drive/General Mitchell Blvd heading south. The first street to the right (as you are heading south) is Walker Road and it dead ends at memorial. Parking is only along the roads - no parking lot at this location.

Contact Information:
Milwaukee Composite Squadron 5
Location Leader: Maj. Julie Sorenson
Telephone: (262) 751-0744

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Daily Blog Watch:
On an unrelated note, this is an old post but so useful that I had to share.
Uses for WD-40

We have another awesome criminal in our midst!

Jose Sandoval, 26 of DeForest, Wisconsin is accused of breaking into a store called Naughty Novelties and stealing, among other things, a $270.00 inflatable “love doll.”

Sandoval initially denied being involved in the burglary, but later admitted (in tears, no less) that he was in fact the culprit. He had been caught by the store’s surveillance footage and pulled over by police ten days later.

Humiliation is a wonderful deterrent and excellent punishment. This story has made national news, so we can hope that Mr. Sandoval has learned his lesson.

Felony charges were filed against Sandoval on December 3, 2007. His next court date is December 17, 2007.

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Milwaukee readers: Don’t miss Winnie McCarthy’s ongoing blog on the 12 Days of Chicago. Chicago can be a great place to spend time over the holidays, and this blogger has some great ideas.

It is only December 5, and already all of Milwaukee is sick and tired of snow. Saturday’s snow was messy, the ice that followed was problematic, and this week’s snow is light and fluffy but there’s just so much of it that we are all already overwhelmed. When you top all of this off with some mediocre plowing efforts by the City, it means we’re all hoping for spring already.

But does it mean that common courtesy has to go out the window?

My night consisted of being awoken at 2:00 a.m. by the bar crowd finding out the hard way that their cars were stuck on the street for the night. 4:00 a.m. brought the snowblower across the street (I can understand one or two pass-throughs with the snowblower, but five? Come on…). 6:00 a.m. brought tire spinning from a white pickup that had gotten stuck on the street in front of my house. By 6:45 the pickup had moved off of the street and onto my lawn where it spun its tires while its driver swore loudly. By 7:30 I was out shoveling and watching the pickup make a mess of my lawn. The cursing driver had been joined by two of his equally loud friends.

No one likes all of this snow. No one likes having to dig their cars out. No one likes the parking restrictions. No one likes getting stuck on the way to work. But on the other hand, no one likes their lawn torn up without so much as an apology. No one likes hearing a snowblower for a full hour at four in the morning. No one likes to hear the drunk drivers spinning the tires of their (thankfully) stuck cars after bar closing.

Can’t we have a little courtesy this time of year?

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On a more fun note, check out Rena Sherwood’s cute blog on Christmas Muzak Headaches.

Milwaukee saw its first big snowstorm of the year on Saturday, December 1. Wet snow followed by ice followed by freezing temperatures the following day made the roads treacherous. Six people died in traffic accidents over the weekend, and hundreds more were involved in accidents ranging from fender benders to serious collisions.

Every year the first major snowfall brings a significant number of traffic accidents. Why do we all forget how to drive every single year? Come on, Milwaukee - we know better!

I was on the road throughout Milwaukee all day on Saturday, and I made some observations about the drivers on the road. Some accidents are unavoidable, but following a few simple and intuitive rules could have saved a lot of people a lot of headaches.

Winter Readiness

A big part of being able to handle your car in winter is having a car that is ready to handle winter driving. Automotive Blogger has some great tips for readying your car for winter driving - it isn’t too late to get that done!

Following Distance

Braking on a slippery, snow-covered road is much different from braking on dry pavement. On Saturday I saw drivers driving bumper-to-bumper on some parts of I-94…if anyone in that freak parade had to hit the breaks it would have been a disaster for those who followed. When the roads are slippery, drive with the assumption that the person in front of you is a complete nut who is going to stomp on his brakes at any given moment. That should change your following distance.

Put The Cell Phone Down

Seriously. Don’t we all know better by now? Last week I saw a 17 year old destroy her Saturn on a dry road because she was texting when she should have been driving. If you need to make a call, pull over! Here’s hoping that Wisconsin will get a law on this soon.

We Don’t All Have 4-Wheel Drive

I have a rear-wheel drive sports car that handles terribly in the snow. In fact, if someone up the block from me so much as drops an ice cube on the ground in July, there’s a good chance that my car will fishtail and spin like a top. Yet I am on the road in winter, as are thousands of other people with vehicles like mine. And some of them are talking on their cell phones while drinking a latte and playing with their radios.

The lesson here is just because your lovely SUV has no problem with the roads does not mean that the rest of us are so fortunate. I admit it is really neat how you can quickly and dart from lane to lane with no skidding or sliding, but I bet you will be really bummed when you realize that I my brakes don’t do well enough to react to your your lane changing in a manner that won’t destroy your bumper. Even if your car handles the snow great, not every driver is so fortunate. Proceed accordingly.

Don’t Be Dumb

Really, this is the cardinal rule of driving in any condition. Drive safely, and don’t be dumb. That works on snowy roads, dry roads, wet roads, and anywhere.

In the big scheme of things, it doesn’t matter how fast you get there…it only matters that you come home at the end of the day.