Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Animals and those creepy alien-type things on Stargate:  Today I am pleased to turn over my humble little blog to my favorite wife, My-Sugar-Na!  Please give her your undivided attention. 

After attending a MyCommunityNOW bloggers meeting last night I decided that my husband doesn't talk about West Allis enough in his blog so I am guest blogging.  Here goes.....

West Allis really is a great place to live.  I've lived in many parts of Milwaukee, from Bay View to the NW side of the city.  I even moved down to Racine for a while and then left WI all together for a few years, only to be lured back to Milwaukee.  My family has only lived in West Allis for a few years, but I really like the community.  The residents in my neck of West Allis are friendly enough and tend to keep their houses and yards well-kept.  A bonus, I thought, is that the city trims the tree branches away from the utility lines once a year.  That's a great service and saves me the time and money of having to hire someone to do that chore.

Recently the trees in our neighborhood received their annual trimming.  I didn't think anything of the tree trimming sign in the road (except that is was blocking my drive way and I had to drive up the curb to get into the drive) and I didn't even pay attention to the workers with chain saws or the wood chipper doing its thing.  I was actually glad to see my tax dollars at work.

Then it happened.  The tree in front of our house was really trimmed down; way down.  All the branches were gone; the only thing left was the bare trunk.  I didn't even notice.  My husband told me when he realized that the dog's two tree potty stop was a little brighter than usual.  Maybe the trimmers got carried away and took off too much or we misbehaved in the community and were being punished or maybe the tree was just sick.

Not knowing what was going on and being too lazy to call someone to find out, we just accepted that fact that we now had a bare tree trunk in the front of the house.  At least we would have an interesting landmark to tell people about when giving directions to our house...when you get to the giant stick in the ground, you've found us.

A few days ago I got home from work to find the tree trunk was gone.  Wow, either vandals were at work or we really did something naughty!!!

Yesterday I got home from work to see that the "Digger's Hotline" workers had made a visit to our front yard.  The underground utilities were pointed out with spray paint and little flags.

I asked my husband what he planned to dig for in the front yard - this is the same guy who made us use the broken kitchen faucet for two years because he didn't think he knew how to replace it and then boasted on his blog about practically being a plumber!!!  Needless to say, he's not very mechanically inclined.  The thought of him digging holes in the yard scared me to death.  Come to think of it, if he dug holes in the yard where would he park cars during State Fair????

After a whole lot of reassurances that he was not planning on nor intending to dig anything resembling a hole in the front yard we realized that the tree that was first shaved and then cut down would be completely gone.  The stump was going to be dug up.

Poor tree.... I wonder if we will ever we worthy enough to have another tree in out yard again?   I'm sure this is my husband's fault.  He probably wanted the tree gone to make it easier for State Fair parkers to get in and out of the yard.

First things first - I really, really, REALLY want to throw my comments in about blogging in the 21st Century... about the Buzzy v. Deadspin guy on Costas Now in April... about Ned Yost, Doug Melvin, Jim Powell and others whining about a blogger who said that Nedley was about to get fired... etc.  Clearly, I am on the side of the bloggers, but I wanted to make some bigger picture points.  I just haven't gotten around to it.  I may get there (then again, I may not, what with Cheer Day happening at Casa de James this weekend).  My ten second take is that the internet has made media instantaneous, and that the world had better get used to it.  Some will get paid, I probably won't (Mark, I am still waiting for you to tell me I've been picked up by the Wall Street Journal), but the absolute worst part of internet blogs is the comment section.  Now, I only get about 18 people (up from six a year ago) who read my blog, but if more did, I would have to deal with some horribly stupid comments.  Want an example of the nutjobs I would have to deal with?  Check out the ravings of some depressing soul on this blog entry (you should've seen what I didn't approve!)

But until I get around to blogging about blogging, you will have to settle for what I cobble together below.

Thanks to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, promotions and dumb luck,  I was able to get to three consecutive Brewers games this weekend (bringing my season record to 4-5).  This was the first time I've ever been to three consecutive Brewers home games.  Here are a few comments on the Brewers and the Miller Park experience.  Note that I don't want to come across as too snarky, but if some of these issues can be addressed, I may just move to Miller Park. 

• Why are Rickie Weeks and Mike Cameron at the top of the line-up?  Neither get on base enough to be on the top of the line-up, and I don't think they've ever gotten on base in the same inning.  When it is Braun and Fielder's job to drive them in, it gets kinda difficult when they're not on base.  My preferred line-up would have Corey Hart leading off and Weeks batting second.  It would still require Weeks to take a lot of pitches (which is why Yost is forcing us to watch him lead off).  I would also put Cameron batting eighth (after the catcher).  Cameron is still a great fielder, but he is a black Rob Deer.  Let Cameron hit a homer before the pitcher makes the third out of an inning.
• Why is Bill Hall complaining that he was benched?  He is hitting in the mid-.220s, and his grace period ends at a year and a third (that would be the "I changed positions so I'm not concentrating on my hitting" grace period.)  Granted, too many players (including Messers Weeks and Cameron) are also hitting under .250 (notice that Kendall has slipped into the .250s?) but Hall was the only player with a replacement doing anything in AAA Nashville.  Hall should do his Derrick Turnbow impression - take his $4mil and be happy he signed a big contract at the end of the career year).
• In taking a quick look at Turnbow's stats in Nashville, he has a 10.13 ERA in 8 games, and has issued an astounding 23 walks in 8 innings.  Those 8 innings include TWO STARTS.  This guy'll be a roofing contractor in three years.
• It is amazing that when the Brewers starters go deep into a game, how reliable their bullpen is.  In their last 15 games (ending after tonights 7-1 win against Arizona), the Brewers starting pitching has had 12 good starts.  Their record in those 15 games is 11-4.  The new Derrick/Koko/Gagne, Salomon Torres always seems fresh, the bullpen hasn't blown a lead in three weeks, and the good pitching is keeping the games close for when the Brewers bats finally wake up.  A brilliant, brilliant blogger mentioned that the 2007 Brewers starters were the cause of the lousy bullpen.  That guy should get a contract to write his blog.
• In the three games that I attended (Sat, Sun and Mon), the Star-Spangled Love Song was sung twice, and a trumpet proudly played our National Anthem once.  We've got to continue to try to reverse those numbers.  The Star Spangled Banner is NOT a love song.
• What is up with the Brewers "at bat" tunes?  Do we realize that we've raised an entire generation of now-young-adults that don't acknowledge that what passes for popular music isn't exactly music?  The top seven spots in the order are brutal, with the worst offender being JJ Hardy.  The words to his tune appear to be something like "Finss Manna Hey / Finss Manna Oh".  The best two come from - go figure - the oldest players... Jason Kendall has Dragula from Rob Zombie, and Craig Counsell has "Along the Watchtower" from Jimi Hendrix.
• Remember the olden days, when you'd listen to the postgame show on the radio, and in the background you would hear a "popping" sound?  That was the sound of youngsters finding the waxed paper cups, placing them face down on the pavement, then stomping on them.  While walking around the stadium Sunday before the game started, I found a beer vendor that actually poured a beer into one of those cups.  I swear, I bought a Leinenkugel Summer Shandy just to drink from that cup.
• The Law of Unintended Consequences strikes again.  A byproduct of the Brewers current status as a "hot" thing to do - something cool to do - are the tens of thousands of people in attendance that wouldn't know a beautifully executed hit-and-run from a pommel horse.  I sat in the bleachers on Saturday with a total crowd of over 42,000.  About 74 of the 42,000 acted like they've ever been to a game before.  It was all about drinking, getting the next drink, trying to start the wave, calling their friends in a different part of the ballpark (then standing and waving their beer so their friend can see what lousy seats they have) and acting like a big shot to their significant others when they know that "Ryan Braun is a pretty good player".  As hard as I tried, those type of antics made it hard to actually enjoy the game.  It was very distracting, and I spent more time muttering to My-Sugar-Na than watching the game.
• Conversely, my new favorite time to attend a game in less-than-premium seats is a Monday night.  At the door, we got tickets on the fourth level right at 3rd base in the fourth row.  Average age in our section?  62.  The older men and women alike knew the game, and was a joy to watch a pitchers duel with fans that appreciated it.
• Robb Edwards, the PA guy, is back from his bypass surgery... relegating Gene Mueller to morning guy on WTMJ-AM.  I have never been a fan of Edwards, even when he had Mueller's job 20 years ago.  Gene Mueller did a great job on the PA, and when Edwards retires, I think the job should be handed off to Mueller.
• If the Brewers aren't within 6 games in mid-July, watch how fast they trade Ben Sheets.  Despite what I said above, Sheets is the only bankable starter, and he is a cracked fingernail away from yielding his spot to Zach Jackson.  Sheets current record could net him $15 million a year, and he will want more years than a pitcher should be given (in comparison, the brutally mediocre Jeff Suppan gets just under $11 million a year, and has-ben Eric Gagne gets $10 million a year).  I know the Yankees (and their unlimited payroll) and the Mets are both desparate for starting pitching.  Hell, the Mets are an outpost for former Brewer pitchers this year, having started both Nelson Figueroa and Claudio Vargas.  You think Sheets might be an upgrade?
• Finally, I've been invited to another Brewers game in Wrigley Field, this time on September 17th.  As blogged previously, the Brewers are 4-2 in Chicago this year, and I am 0-2 in games that I've been to at Wrigley this year.  Bet with the trend, folks.

In other words, its another Blogger Clip Show.

First, Mary Ann (from a couple of blogs down) blogged that the Pick-N-Save on 67th & National stopped carrying the official West Allis recycling bags.  She writes...

"I walked to the other end of the store where I usually saw the bags stocked. Nothing there. HHMMM! There was a young man stocking so I asked him. He called "someone" in the office and was told that this Pick and Save would NO LONGER be carrying the West Allis recycling bags and would only be carrying the Roundy's brand. I was furious!"

And in a later paragraph "Shame on the new manager at the Pick and Save on 67th and National!  Your decision to stop carrying the 'official' recycling bags was a bad one. If anyone in this area needs the bags, I'm told that Walgreen's carrys them and a small grocery store on 59th and Lincoln. These are the closest stores in the east end of West Allis that has them. I sure hope that this problem can be resolved as I surely don't want to be chasing from store to store to store for the bags. So, dear readers, we'll see what happens. Maybe I'll have to stop shopping at Pick and Save.

On her blog, I responded with...

Why is it up to Pick-n-Save to carry a product because the city has decided to only allow a particular product for its recycling program?  Answer, Pick-n-Save is a business that has every right to (or not to) carry the items that they choose as a business decision.

Your issue is with the city making you buy one particular bag, not with a private business that is in business to make a profit.  A profit which, by the way, allows it to pay TAXES to the city of West Allis, and thereby limiting the property tax increases.

Actually, I applaud Pick-n-Save for their decision.  Besides the fact that I feel that recycling programs are a WASTE of resources and expend more energy than they save, I also feel that governments should stay out of business.  Maybe if more stores stop carrying the blue bags, then West Allis may be dragged into reviewing their onerous recycling policy.

I have my own issues with Pick-N-Save, but this is not one of them.  Way to go, Pick-N-Save.  I am actually going to thank the manager for choosing to carry any product in which they can make a larger profit margin."

Then last night, I was reading Don Walker's blog on the main JSOnline page.  Walker blogged about the pending move of the USBC from Greendale to Dallas.  Although the USBC board voted to move pending the resolution of land and building issues in Dallas, Walker writes...

"The U.S. Bowling Congress' board of directors will meet Monday night to make a final decision on whether to move its headquarters from Greendale to Arlington, Texas.

The organization, the governing body for bowling with a membership of 2.6 million people, is looking to move to Arlington to partner with the Bowling Proprietors Association of America. The USBC is negotiating to buy land and a building near the BPAA in order to create a "bowling campus" for the two organizations.

Since that plan surfaced, the Milwaukee 7, a group formed to grow, expand and attract business to the region, has made a run at keeping the USBC in town. The Milwaukee 7 has since sent the USBC a detailed proposal, which USBC officials said they would review."

On his blog, I responded with...

It's too late to save them.

About five years ago, the USBC was already looking to get out of Milwaukee when central-Flordia was working on a bowling villiage which was to include a stadium for national tournaments and the headquarters for all of the national bowling groups.  That plan never happened, but the Milwaukee-area did nothing to sweeten the pot to prevent the then-ABC/WIBC from continuing to look around.

Last summer, Channel 12 for sure (and possibly Channel 58) had stories about how the new USBC president, Jeff Boje, had planted a seed about the area taxes being too high and that something had to change to help keep the USBC in the area.

That wasn't a trial baloon, that was a warning.  One that was not heeded by the city, county and state leadership.

Those people that are active in the local bowling community saw this happening months ago.  There is no secret that Boje is a proprietor at heart, and he actively stated that the USBC needs to work more closely with the BPAA.  The Dallas area has been rumored almost the entire time.

A couple of months ago, the USBC Board approved the move to Dallas based on getting the land and building issues lined up.

Lo and behold, here are Johnny-come-lately government groups waving their hands and saying "Hey, what about us?"  Where were these guys five or six years ago when Orlando was wooing them?  Where were they last summer when Boje took over?  Nowhere.  Where was their aggressive plan to have the BPAA move to Milwaukee instead?

All the Milwaukee 7 are doing right now are trying to save face.  When their proposal gets the thumbs-down, and when that beautiful building across from Southridge sits empty, the government bodies and the Milwaukee 7 will say 'We gave them a better proposal and the left anyway.  There was nothing else we could do.'

And I'll know the truth.  I'll know they were a year too late. "

Finally, a couple of months ago, Julie from a few more blogs down from mine, had written a blog about the good job done by the city plows.  A week or so later, she followed that up with this, which unfortunately, was prior to the early-February blizzard...

I'm sure you read the response from Boxster.  I, for one, had no idea that the same guys who collect our trash and recycling are also trying to keep up with the plowing.  That just makes me want to give them an even bigger pat on the back.  I watch my maintenance staff out there shoveling until their arms fall off, changing clothes 3 times a day because they are soaking wet with snow, only having to then carry a new dishwasher up a flight of stairs.  I see the hard work and I see others not noticing the hard work.  The city is pretty big.  Just because they aren't on your street right now, doesn't mean they aren't out there working overtime.  What would happen if they weren't out there all all? 

It's impossible for plowing to be perfect with all the factors out of the guys' control (like parked cars to name just one).  It's not about the job being done perfectly -- it's about respecting the folks out there who are breaking their backs and giving up valuable sleep or time with their families, doing what they can to keep us safe on the roads.          

I struggled with the decision about responding (or not responding) at the time.  The plowers are civil servants, and when they took the job they knew part of the deal was sleepness nights and time away from the families.  That is what they are paid for.  But I didn't respond right away... rather, I first read a comment from "Boxster", who identifies himself as one who moves snow around...

"Wish more people were as understanding as you are about what DPW does for the city. Though most people look at how much money public employees make it is what you mentioned at the end of your blog that is often overlooked. One is the loss of sleep. This winter I have lost about 5 nights of sleep working on snow removal. With the snow we had on Monday I worked 25 hours straight! Sorry, but the workers in the Sanitation Dept. didn't have enough energy to go out and pickup garbage today, that means we will be working Saturday to get caught up. Put even more than the lost sleep is the time away from your family. Can't say I have alot of fond memories playing with my kids in the snow. Was either working or to tired after working long hours.

I see that there is an article about how much money the city spends in overtime. That $865,000 could be spent on more policeman. Well if it wasn't for overtime being worked your street would not be nice and clean when you wake up in the morning to go to work. Or your water working because a crew spent all night repairing a water main break. Funny, those that complain about how much is being spent on overtime are the first ones complaining when their street isn't plowed perfectly or on their timetable."

But I still didn't respond (not that I didn't want to) until a few days after the blizzard.  Our street was almost unpassable at the time, and that particular morning was the time to say something...

"This is a disgrace.  It is now 9:15 AM on Sunday 2-10, and it is -5 outside.  The city had almost 4 full days to take care of this.  Lapham (between 73th & 84th) and Orchard (between 84th and 92nd) has 6" deep tire treads, and ice under that.  Now that the temp has dipped, it is all frozen.

My taxes are too damn high to pay for this lack of service.  News flash to politicians and Boxster... winter in Wisconsin can sometimes be ugly (like this winter).  Get money in the budget for this (and take stupid spending out of the budget) for street cleanup FOR AN ENTIRE WINTER, and don't whine about being too tired to do your jobs.  It wasn't my decision that you drive a plow or garbage truck, so don't tell me to be understanding."

Boxster did reply, so in fairness I will also post that reply...

"It was one of the worst storms I have worked through. Plowing was made difficult because of the moisture content of the snow. It packed down from the traffic early in the storm and then when it really started to snow we could not keep up with it. I spent 12 hours on National Ave. alone.  DPW is not asking for sympathy, just understanding. We are working around the clock.

Don't confuse whining with frustration and outright exhaustion. We are people not machines. I worked 21 hours on that storm. If you have never done it you will never understand how difficult it is. The city has cut back so much through the years to keep your taxes down that this is the result. We don't have shifts of drivers coming in to relieve others. When we have a storm it is all hands on deck. We don't go home till we have attempted to plow every street. We can only do so much with the amount of people we have. If your street is not being plowed tell people to get their cars off it. Plus Mother nature has not been very helpful. We haven't had warm temps to aid in the melting of the ice pack on the roads. Believe me plowing is being done each and every day."

That was a fair enough reply from Boxster, however I need to reiterate that if the city hadn't cut down on the budget in the wrong areas, this mess would have been avoided.  We need more money without raising taxes, how about reading this.  Steve wrote that blog.  Read some of the comments (especially the ones from Stubbornoldman) and tell me we couldn't have made sure there was enough city money available for an entire Wisconsin winter's worth of snow removal.

I've been told that my grill/FD story made the paper this morning - I'll have to buy a paper now...  Unfortunately, my buddy trumped me... It'll be BO vs. Mc in November, I'm sure I'll pull it together and vote for the RIGHT guy...  It's cold outside...  The lunar eclipse was cool...  Watched the remake of Hairspray; very interesting...  Jesse Martin is leaving Law & Order...  Taking my first trip to New York City in May...  Family didn't die of carbon monoxide poisoning overnight...  I love my job...  I should lose weight...  I miss bowling...  I'm worried about the ice dams on my roof all winter...  American Idol is dopey...  I could spend hours looking at this website...  Trying to get over the fact that Milwaukee lost the USBC Masters...  The cost of every metal I purchase for work is skyrocketing right now...  My birthday is on Holy Saturday this year, and (Sponsor's Name Here)'s Official Daughter, Gooey, celebrates her birthday on Easter Sunday... My car needs a good cleaning on the inside...  Planning on going to Wrigley Field on April 2 or 3 to watch the Brewers/Cubs game...  Our office is buying pizza for lunch tomorrow, I get to pick the sausage off...  I felt it was a good set of comments on my Obama post, aren't you glad West Allis can talk to each other without it breaking down into this or this?

Catch ya later when I have something interesting to say. 

You must be kidding.  There is no way I would try to squeeze myself into a Speedo, much less get a photo taken of such an event, much less post it.

So why did you look?

My guess is that you also slow down on the freeway to look at a serious car accident on the other side. 

I also hope that this entry doesn't get a lot of hits.  I would be disappointed if it got more hits than one of my better recent entries.  Or one of my older ones.