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America's Heartland!

3 3 R D E D I T I O N

A P R I L 5 , 2 0 1 5

Don't Miss

Wisconsin

Heaven or

Hell….

McConnell

and the

Climate

Gene

Therapy

Post Racial

America

Job

Hunting in

Japan

Music to

Soothe the

Soul

Lake Mills Online Online

Murder Mystery The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate

Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society by David McGillivray & Walter Zerline Jr.

Performances

Friday, April 10thLight Saturday, April 11th

Friday, April 17th Saturday, April 18th

All Performances begin at 7:30 pm

Sound Haven 412 W. Madison

Lake Mills

Tickets available at Lewis Winery

10th

Annual Lake Mills Arts Festival Now Accepting Applications

Seeking Wisconsin Artists to Participate in July 18th Show

Lake Mills, Wis. — The Lake Mills Main Street Program is now accepting applications for the 10th

Annual Lake Mills Arts Festival, which will take place in Commons Park in downtown Lake Mills,

Wisconsin on Saturday, July 18, 2015, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The 2014 festival featured more

than 60 regional fine artists in all types of media — painting, sculpture, fiber, mixed media, pottery

and jewelry.

"The Lake Mills Arts Festival is fortunate to have many artists from around the state who have attended

our festival for many years,' said Rachel Larrivee, Festival Chair. We hope to continue these

relationships, and add new artists from a variety of mediums as we celebrate 10 years of this great

Festival."

In addition to great local art, the 2015 Lake Mills Arts Festival will feature live music, food and

activities for children and families all day. The event is free and open to the public.

Artist Application Details: Application: Available to download on Lake Mills Arts Festival website, www.lakemillsartsfestival.com

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Here’s a chance to enhance your creativity and have fun while creating an interesting work of art using old or discarded books! The Lake Mills Public Library is pleased to welcome artist and educator, Karen Crosby who has 34 years of experience as an educator, from elementary to university levels. This class, sponsored by the Friends of the Library, will be free to the public. Using a reclaimed book, which will be provided, the instructor will lead participants in creating a sampler, using methods such as collage, painting techniques, stencils, stamps, embossing, lettering, and more. No prior experience is necessary. This two session class will meet on Wednesdays, April 8 and 15 at 6:30 pm. The class is free and open to the public, suitable for adults and teens. Participants can preregister by calling the library at 920-648-2166 or by signing up in person at the library, where examples of altered books are on display. Most supplies will be provided. A supply list of items to bring, if you have them, is available at the library. Please join us for a fun, learning adventure.

WORKSHOP AT L.D. FARGO PUBLIC LIBRARY

‘ALTERED BOOKS’

MAKING SOMETHING NEW FROM SOMETHING OLD

Community School Board Forum

Monday, April 27, 2015 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. Lake Mills High School (Library)

Citizen Advocates for Public Education

You are invited to a Community School Board Forum on Monday, April 27, 2015, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Lake Mills High School LMC. The Forum is being sponsored by Citizen Advocates for Public Education (CAPE) and will provide an opportunity for the public to meet with School Board members. With the district’s strategic planning completed, this is a perfect time for a discussion of our school district’s strengths, challenges, and goals. All School Board members will share a brief summary of their perspectives on the current state of the Lake Mills Area School District. A question/answer time will provide time for the audience to engage with our board members. CAPE continues to support and advocate for quality public education in Lake Mills as evidenced by the quality of our teachers, our facilities, and our programs. By providing forums, such as this, our goal is to partner with the schools and community to foster more transparent and comprehensive public information and feedback.

Please share this invitation with others. We look forward to your participation.

Bird of the Month Sandhill Cranes

A favorite sound of Spring for many is back with force. That 's the trumpeting calls of the Sandhill

Crane. These tall, graceful birds return to Wisconsin at this time and settle down to breeding. We are

fortunate to see them as they breed primarily in Canada. Only a few US locations host breeding

populations, mostly in the west. Wisconsin is among the few in the east.

There are six sub-species. Ours is the Greater, the tallest. In the west we see the Lesser. Others are

endangered, except the Canadian.

One endearing Sandhill habit is dancing. Once seen, it is not forgotten. The birds are energetic, dancing

during migration and courting (see photo).

Sandhills breed in wetlands, fields, and prairies. They forage in grasslands, marshes, prairies and

fields, picking up leftover grain and occasionally raiding crops though the damage is usually minimal.

They are ground nesters, laying one to three eggs. Two nestlings is common, though often only one

escapes predation. If you see a family with two “colts”, you can assume superior, experienced parents.

Sandhills are grey overall. However, they appear brown during breeding season as they paint their

feathers with mud from carefully chosen locations. Watching them paint is a fascinating experience –

sites are not hidden so observing is quite possible.

In Wisconsin Sandhills are easy to see though if a hunting season is put in place that is likely to change.

Even now, migration intensifies when guns begin firing with current autumn hunting.

Brad Webb, Vice-president, Horicon Marsh Bird Club

Eunice Wagner - Retiring from LMO

Many thanks to Eunice Wagner who has been writing the "Wisdom Column" for Lake Mills Online for some time now, but because of her

deteriorating eyesight she can no longer continue. Eunice has been a real trooper doing a great column for us each month while experiencing great

difficulty from her fading vision. She has spent much of her free time in her life dedicated to community service.

Marilyn Lohman will be taking over her position as columnist for the "Wisdom Column". Thanks Marilyn, for stepping up to the plate for us.

Welcome to the Lake Mills Online family.

Rock Lake Improvement Association

RLIA has been promoting the use of native plants in our gardens and on shorelines

for years. This year we’re going beyond talk and making a selection of plants at

greatly reduced prices to the community to create new gardens and add to

everyone’s existing gardens.

Anyone is welcome to get more information or place an order by contacting Lee

Gatzke by Tuesday, March 24th

. You can call Lee at 648-3890 or email him at

leegatzke@hotmail.com. He’ll also help you with pricing.

Only need a couple plants? We’ll be ordering 6 flats (species to be determined) and sell them at

the Lake Mills Farmers’ Market in May. The prices for individual plants will be slightly higher

than the price per plant. Plants will arrive in late April or very early May.

You can check out the website of the company we will order the plants from to find specific

information and photos: http://www.agrecol.com/ We’ll also get some photos up on a Facebook

of some of our existing gardens utilizing native plants.

Want to help promote native plants in our community for beauty, healthy places for butterflies,

birds and other animals, while also helping to improve and protect Rock Lake’s water quality?

We welcome anyone interested in serving on the Native Plants for our Shorelines and Watershed

Committee. Email Lee or Jeanne (jsch802@yahoo.com).

Ann Patchett has created an intriguing and poetic tale based (loosely) on a real hostage taking episode that occurred in Peru in April 1997. *Bel Canto* succeeds in revealing the common humanity that persists behind the oppositional roles and stances shaped by social and political structures. In these times of wars on terrorism and terrorist wars, this story emphasizes that even the most superficially frightening political fanatics ultimately are human beings with personalities, hopes, dreams, and reasons why, and for that reason alone the novel is well worth reading. In terms of style and texture, Patchett has endeavored to compose a work that is lyrical and "magical," and she largely succeeds in creating an ethereal, dreamlike mood throughout. Those possessed of any significant degree of skepticism regarding the actual nature of political struggle, small group social psychology, and human behavior generally will find much about which to be dubious, beginning with the notion that ALL of the guerrillas would be mesmerized by Roxanne Coss' operatic singing. They also will look askance at the romantic interludes portrayed here, including the prospect of romance between a superstar American singer and a staid Japanese businessman. Despite these flaws, this book is a well-crafted and thoughtful work that once started, is hard to put down. Review by Douglas A. Greenbergon

Quote of the month

|___| | | )o( ... and the pen wrote ... \|/ v by Brad Webb

LIFE: What happens to you while you are making other plans.

Book of the Month - Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

Chris Whalen 2013

Lake Mills Chit Chat

The Fargo Public Library's 2015 Used Book Sale To be held Thursday, April l6th from 5 pm to 8 pm,

Friday, April 17th from 9 am to 5 pm Saturday April 18th from 9 am to 1 pm

Held at the Library Annex located at 138 E. Oak Street. Will accept donations of books in good condition on Sat. April 11th from 10 to 1 pm at the Annex

No Reader's Digest Condensed books, and no National Geographic Magazines, Encyclopedias or text books.

Lake Mills Dance Club Spring Dance

First Dance of the Season Saturday April 18th

Maple Bluff Country Club Music by Marcy & the Highlights

Cocktails at 5:30 Dinner at 6:30

and Dancing at 8:00 Reservations by April 6th

Lake Mills Memory Café to Meet at L.D. Fargo Library

Lake Mills Memory Cafe, a social gathering, meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month,

1:00 to 2:30 pm. at the L.D. Fargo Library, 120 E. Madison Street, Lake Mills. Those who

have early to moderate Alzheimer’s and their care partners, as well as those who worry about

memory problems, are invited. This is not a support group. It is an opportunity for social

engagement. Please RSVP to Bonnie Beam-Stratz at 920-728-4088 or Cathey Sloan at 920-

648-8344. The next meeting will be April 22, 2015 at 1:00 pm.

Editorial by Carol Harcarik, Editor, Lake Mills Online

Post Racial America

If you grew up near or around the 60s and 70s, you would be very familiar with the Civil Rights Movement. We needed to rid this nation of segregation in our schools, restrooms, buses, jobs, and living areas; particularly, in the South. Slowly that began to happen. We also gave rights to women and children that they never had before. But today, we are watching a nightmare when we watch the daily news. We are seeing that there still is segregation in most big cities in America. We call it the black section. We usually don't say ghetto, but we could because the black areas of our cities are usually full of violence, poverty and children without adequate parental support. Our police are afraid when they have to make calls in those particular areas of town and the people are afraid of the police and don't see them coming to help. What happened here? It was not suppose to turn out this way when I look back to Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement. Does racism continue to exist in our country to such an extent that we have fraternities singing chants to hang the n……..s from a tree? That happened at the University of Oklahoma's Sigma Delta Epsilon Fraternity House a few months ago. I saw some black football players from Oklahoma in tears when they heard about this chant happening at their school. These same fraternity brothers always shook hands with the players when Oklahoma's football games were over. Now, that seemed very disingenuous to the players. They were deeply hurt and afraid of people they had thought of as friends. We seem to hear every day about another shooting in a black section of another American city or town. The names of the towns and cities are piling up. Now it's Philadelphia. Roughly once a week, 390 times over the past eight years, Philadelphia police officers have opened fire at a suspect. These shootings have involved 454 officers, most of them on patrol. Almost always, the suspects were black. Often the officers were too. Fifty nine suspects were unarmed and officers frequently said they thought the men, and they were almost always men, were reaching for a weapon, but they were actually doing something like holding a cell phone. We need to look very deeply at the use of lethal force inside our major city police departments including information on the race of officers and suspects.

From: " Joe, at the back of the room"™

DNA Science - The Good and the Miraculous

DNA is an inherited code stored in the body’s cells. The DNA consists of four unique chemicals strung together in specific sequences. This sequenced DNA forms genes that are the blueprint for

building bodies. A little more than a decade ago, science mapped the sequence of human DNA. More

than 20,000 genes were identified along with their locations in the gene pool. The great majority of

DNA is the same throughout mankind but the small differences in DNA sequencing make us

individuals.

Our DNA code, in some ways, functions like the digital codes that exist in computers. When a

document is created on a computer, the digital code for the document is stored as a file in the

computer’s memory. With the click of a button a physical document can be printed from the code. But

it is not necessary to read the printed document to determine its contents, since the stored digital file can

be accessed and the contents displayed on a monitor.

Somewhat similar to a computer, a physician treating a patient can conduct traditional examinations of

a patient’s body. Also, the physician can access relevant DNA code from the patient to acquire more

information concerning the treatment. The traditional information and the DNA information will not be

totally the same, but will overlap and complement one another.

The use of DNA information identifying traits specific to a patient has spawned the medical practice of

Personalized Medicine. For example, a physician employing Personalized Medicine techniques will use

the patient’s DNA information to determine the best medicine for the patient and the correct dose to

maximize therapeutic effects while minimizing side effects. DNA knowledge can also help diagnose

diseases at an early stage and in some cases before the disease materializes.

While DNA science is currently making contributions in health care, the most exciting aspect of DNA

science is gene therapy which lies ahead. Just as errors in a document can be corrected by editing its

digital code, genetic errors can be corrected with gene therapy by using DNA editing technology.

Researchers have been working for decades to bring gene therapy to the clinic, but few patients have

received any effective gene therapy treatment. Even though gene therapy has been slow to reach

patients, its future is encouraging. Today, many clinical trials are underway, where researchers are

carefully testing treatments to ensure that any gene therapy brought into the clinic is both safe and

effective.

Scientists worldwide are conducting DNA research and openly sharing their knowledge to push back

the frontiers of DNA science. Over time we can expect gene therapy to become safe and more

commonplace to use but we don’t know when. When cures become available for life threatening

inherited diseases they may at first appear miraculous.

There has been limited gene therapy success for treatment of the following: immune deficiencies,

hereditary blindness, hemophilia, blood disease, fat metabolism disorder, cancer and Parkinson's

disease.

The Eagles’ Hotel California lyrics describe “such a lovely place,” a fantasy of shimmering light, mission bells, and calling voices. “And I was thinking to myself, this could be Heaven or this could be Hell.” And I was thinking that Wisconsin is now described by many as a heaven of economic growth, lower taxes and declining unemployment; or a hell of slashed support for public education, for environmental protection, and a declining middle class. So which is it? Is Wisconsin heaven or hell? Are we on the road to recovery from the Great Recession or stuck in an economic morass that we “can never leave.” There are heavenly signs. Wisconsin has cut taxes and can no longer be described as a tax hell. Both Illinois (now, 9th) and Minnesota (now, 10th) moved past Wisconsin (now, 12th) in state-local tax burden (Wis. Taxpayers Alliance). The dreaded property tax to fund K-12 public schools dropped by almost 1%. The Wisconsin unemployment rate dropped from 8.1 percent to 5 percent. During the past year the growth in Wisconsin personal income has exceeded the national average and that of other Midwestern states. Despite significant cuts to K-12 education, test scores and graduation rates are rising, and college tuition is frozen. Hellish signs also abound. Wisconsin has added private-sector jobs at a lower rate than the national average. While growth in personal income exceeded the national average during the past year, the five year growth average is below the national average and most other Midwestern states. Since 2000 Wisconsin’s middle class is shrinking faster than any other state. Over $1 billion was cut from public education and more cuts are proposed, while funding for private voucher schools increased. The number of educational staff is decreased as is teacher compensation. In higher education a $300 million reduction in state support for the UW system is proposed. In protection of the Wisconsin environment land purchases are frozen, citizen oversight of the Natural Resources board is removed, and a $5.7 million reduction in runoff and pollution remedies is proposed. In truth Wisconsin is neither heaven nor hell. Like every other state, Wisconsin is struggling to recover from the most recent recession and the decades-long decline of manufacturing and manufacturing jobs. Fantasy is either or. Reality is tolerance and compromise. We need prospering Wisconsin business, a healthy Wisconsin environment and excellent Wisconsin education. They are all an essential part of "Livin it up at the Hotel Wisconsin." Mind the Gap!

Mind the Gap! by Jim Shaw

Dr. James Shaw is an educational consultant, author, retired Superintendent of the Racine Unified School District, and professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He served as an educational leader and superintendent of schools for more than thirty years. He is a former Wisconsin Superintendent of the Year and has been recognized by numerous organizations, including the National Education Association, the Saturn Corporation and the University of Wisconsin for leadership and contributions to public education at the state and national level.

"Livin it up at the Hotel Wisconsin"

Mitch McConnell likes coal. (Yes, coal. You know, that fossil fuel with the highest carbon content that is responsible for nearly a quarter of U.S. omissions.) He doesn’t like the Environmental Protection Agency. He calls the EPA’s efforts to reduce soot and carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants a “War on Coal.” He’s been pretty busy lately waging his own war on global efforts to reduce green house gas emissions. Last week saw some pretty amazing progress toward world-wide cooperation on this problem. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)--a treaty the US already ratified in 1992 under Pres. George H.W. Bush---will be held in Paris in December. In preparation, countries around the world have been announcing their pledges for emission reductions. The U.S. and China last fall already agreed to a 28% reduction by 2025, and Pres. Obama confirmed that last week. Mexico, Russia, the European Union, and Switzerland have all announced similar pledges, while China, India, Canada, and Brazil have confirmed that they will announce theirs later this year. This international cooperation is just what opponents to climate action have been asking for. How many times have we heard it said that solo U.S. actions will not be effective and will just hurt our economy? The smart response now would be to work with President Obama and the world to implement the measures needed to meet these goals. Sadly, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) has taken a different path. Last week Senator McConnell told the global community not to trust President Obama’s pledge to reduce emissions because, he says, the U.S. won’t be able to meet its targets, and anyway, the U.S. could have a Republican President pretty soon, so… But that wasn’t all he did last week. The EPA’s Clean Power Plan sets goals for emission reductions at coal-fired power plants, and gives states tremendous flexibility to develop their own customized plans for meeting the goals. States that don’t make their own plans will be giving up their authority to make these decisions and will force the EPA to step in. Senator McConnell wrote a letter to all 50 state Governors urging them to defy the EPA’s rules, and to join in lawsuits to block them, in spite of repeated Supreme Court decisions granting that the EPA has this authority. While Sen. McConnell was busy waging his war on climate solutions, something else happened last week: the Antarctic hit the highest temperature ever recorded there, 63.5 degrees F.

Alyson Schmeisser is Jefferson County Citizens’ Climate Lobby Chapter Lead Sources: “McConnell Is Telling Other Countries Not To Trust Obama’s Climate Plan,” Emily Atkin- Climate progress

Posted April 1, 2015. “The Smart Answer to Mitch McConnell’s EPA Challenge,” Joseph Robertson, citizensclimatelobby .org.

A Busy Week For Mitch McConnell

By Alyson Schmeisser

By Alyson Schmeisser

Wisdom by Eunice Wagner

LakeMillsOnLine – Mike CradlerII

Most of the usual questions for this column did not do justice to Mike Cradler’s love for

Wisconsin and to his dedication to whatever work he was doing at a particular time in his life.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you? - My parents always told me “honesty is the best

policy.” That has worked for me.

What did you want to be when you grew up? I had no vocational goal. It was more important to

me HOW I did something than what I actually did. When I was a senior at Bay View High School

in Milwaukee, my classmates elected me to be the senior representative at graduation ceremonies

meaning I would give one of the commencement speeches. Many of my classmates chose to enter

military service and I chose that also. I joined the Air Force. Following a year’s basic training in

this country, I was ordered to Mildenhall Air Base in England. I met Ann there and we were

married in 1963. We were very pleased that my parents joined us for the wedding.

I was trained as a weather observer. We were pretty accurate with the few tools we had

compared to weather people today. I extended the normal term of service to 66 months, attaining

the rank of Airman First Class which gave us the benefit of the government shipping all our

household goods and car back to Wisconsin.

What came next? In December 1965 the first of our three sons was born. At that time, I had

already tried selling women’s shoes and working a factory job as a riveter for Allen Bradley. I

discovered that the company was working on a machine that would replace 5 riveters. Although

the company was a good one, I decided it was time to move on. I applied for a position as a

driver’s license examiner. I was one of 15 chosen from 3,300 applicants and that’s how my 31-

year career with the DMV began. I remember telling the person interviewing me that I really

loved Wisconsin and I cared deeply for the people living here. That’s why I wanted to live and

work in Wisconsin.

What do you consider your best achievements with the DMV? During my career, I had the

responsibility of evaluating approximately 13,000 drivers. I eventually became the manager of a

state-wide department within the DMV. I was proud to be working with the many dedicated

employees from all over Wisconsin.

What advice would you give young people today? I would tell them. “Try to make a difference.”

Mike Cradler

Quinn and Bernie put on bee veils and prime their smoker to gather honey from their hive in their College Street back yard. A bellows fumigates the bees, dulling their communicating pheromones and masking human scent so that Bernie and Quinn can lift out honey-filled frames. Back in the house, they slick off the beeswax that seals the frames with a hot knife and put them into a centrifuge to spin out the honey. World-wide, says Quinn, bees are in trouble, often due to farmers using genetically modified seeds coated in pesticide-rich nicotine that affects bees’ nervous systems so that they abandon their hives. Yet we all know the world desperately needs bees. Quinn and Bernie came to Lake Mills in 2007 because the city was halfway between their jobs in Milwaukee and Madison. Now, however, the couple are both employed in Madison in the same big eight-floor government building at 101 Webster off the Square. Bernie, who has a science background, a Master of Fine Arts degree, and worked as a resource educator at the Milwaukee Public Museum, is a Forest Health Specialist for the DNR. “I love my job,” she says. “I specialize in terrestrial invasive species: pests, pathogens (spores) and diseases, and travel all over the state for the DNR training loggers and foresters. I’m also,” she adds modestly, “an earthworm specialist.” I am impressed. “Speaking of trees,” I say, chucking their big tabby Tigger under the chin (Butler, their black cat, is less chummy), “what’s been happening to our maples these last years? Every late summer the leaves break out in big black spots. So ugly.” Bernie nods. “That’s vertisillium wilt. I know it’s ugly, but the good news is it doesn’t harm the trees.” Quinn has a law degree from Marquette University and is employed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as the Forestry Attorney and a supervising attorney for six other staff attorneys. His legal work covers a wide range of issues from forest fire prevention to managed forest laws to State Forest issues to monitoring the sustainable harvesting of trees. “We currently have 30,000 Wisconsin residents enrolled in our forest sustainability program--that’s 1.2 million acres. Participants get reduced taxes for their efforts. My job can be challenging, sometimes the sheer volume can be a little much, but that’s what makes it fascinating.” Quinn’s parents have a cabin on Pine River in Waushara County. “We love it, go up there as often as possible, take the cats who are good travelers and love the woods. We’re also both great readers--everything from Balzac to Harry Potter. And we love our garden. We eat out of it all summer." “We knew we had new neighbors the summer your front yard turned from a desert into a blooming garden,” I say. “So glad you joined us!” Margot Peters writes a monthly column for Lake Mills Online, continues to write poetry, and is working on a

childhood memoir. She’s the author of Unquiet Soul: A Biography of Charlotte Brontë and most recently

Summers: A True Love Story and Lorine Niedecker: A Poet’s Life.

Margot Meets………Quinn & Bernie Williams

by Margo Peters

Quinn & Bernie

Job Hunting Season in Japan by International Correspondent Rian Davis

For young Japanese college students, January and February are a time for one last chance for overseas travel before working at a job with few chances for vacation. March in Japan is the time to find a job. Thousands of college students suit up in black suits, and scour the local seminar courses on interviews and job fairs. Most students start their search during their third year at a four year university. They must quit their club activities, which are very important for them, in order to search for a job full time. The process is quite different from the US in a few ways. There are numerous online tests that check for aptitude and prescreen for technical ability in certain fields. The goal of many of the tests is to discover how well a candidate fits in with the overall harmony of the group. Much of the training is done after joining the company, as it is expected that few practical skills will be learned in college. Instead, college is a time to relax and enjoy life before the grind of working life. Resumes are written by hand, as it is important to write the Chinese characters the proper way and make a good impression with handwriting skills. Japanese calligraphy is still a prized talent, and many applications can be judged based on how well they are written, regardless of the content. Connections are extremely important, even more so than grades. Many students try to make friends who will know people inside firms that they can rely on later to help them. Many times during interviews, candidates are asked how well they got along in their club or sports team. Did they make a meaningful contribution to the overall success of the team? Or did they follow along with the rules and not try to charge forward without consideration for others? These are important questions to ask in Japan. If you ask most college students, even in their last years of study, what they want to do during their careers, their answers will often be vague. They are unaware of what they want to do, as they have no idea what is in store for them in the working world. Most have only worked part time jobs, or arubaito, which require few skills. They have been given instructions most of their lives on how to do things, and it is quite hard to find one’s own path, so often times they attend these large job fairs and do their best to land a job that will make their families happy. Often I hear reports that they feel “insignificant” once they join the army of black suited crowds in huge career forums. At my university, many students want to become a flight attendant because they can travel and meet many foreigners. They say it is their dream because it is considered a very respectable job, so if you travel to Japan, you may appreciate that the flight attendants on your plane had to go through quite rigorous screening to get there, as these jobs are in extremely high demand. Mr. Davis resides in Osaka, Japan and is currently an assistant professor at Kansai Gaidai University. He has lived in Japan for six years and South Korea for four years. In his free time he enjoys traveling, reading,

learning languages and learning about new cultures.

If any readers have questions about Japan and Korea, please forward them to llakemillsonline@gmail.com Rian would be happy to answer those questions for you.

“Now I've heard there was a secret chord, that David played, and it pleased the Lord”. These words

begin Leonard Cohen’s well-known song, “Hallelujah”, and they speak of the value that music has

had in our lives for centuries. Music can be used to motivate, elevate emotion, invoke imagery,

provide background noise, soothe us to sleep, and get us moving on the dance floor. There are many

ways music can be used to promote health; however, there are negative ways music can affect us

and sometimes it is difficult to know when that occurs.

In my practice, much of my work revolves around helping people reduce stress and sometimes it is

found that the music to which people listen can be part of the problem. Sometimes music can make

us agitated, angry, upset, and remind us of unpleasant memories. Often people don’t realize how

their music choices can contribute to their stress responses. Music is extremely preferential, meaning

that people’s taste in music is highly personal and has particular meaning for each individual.

However, there are universal elements of music that promote relaxation and stress-reduction, and

that is one aspect of what can be done to promote mental health through the use of music.

Often people come to me with difficulty identifying and expressing emotions, yet they are moved by

music. Try watching a movie on mute and you may see what I mean: music is used to evoke emotion

and it is extremely powerful, especially when coupled with powerful imagery. Music can also be

strongly associated with memory and can be used to help people remember happier times. The

cornerstone of promoting relaxation and stress-reduction is to develop imagery around a “safe

place”. Often, the most effective way that this can be done is through a “safe” song. Sometimes,

music can provoke overwhelming emotions and care must be taken to have to minimize the negative

impact that may occur, and sometimes those negative responses can be “compartmentalized” into the

songs to help manage emotions more effectively.

There are other ways that music can be used to enhance mental health and that is through playing and

directly participating in music activities even if it is a simple drum circle. Oftentimes people are

initially reluctant to try; however, given the opportunity in a safe, nonjudgmental environment,

positive things occur.

Even though scientists have known about the health benefits of music for years, it is a relatively new

concept to use music as a means of promoting mental health. We tend to become “mindless” about

our environments as we go about our daily lives, and it is important to remember that we can create a

more soothing environment by simply changing the playlist.

Venessa Farn LPC-SASD,NCC,CTS is a Music Psychotherapist in private practice in Lake Mills at Resonating Change

She can be reached at (920)988-3372.

Vanessa Farn Music Psychotherapist

Spring and Roosters Using Behavior Modification on a family rooster

I am very lucky to have had chickens that can run freely on my property for the past 7 years. In my first year I discovered I had a rooster in early spring. I had my initial suspicions when Bravano showed a little more pushiness than the other chickens. I knew my suspicions were true when he stretched his small neck out and gave a rendition of a 3 year old’s tricycle horn. I soon realized why people don’t have roosters around unless needed. Bravano has his value. He runs to the hen’s protection instantly when needed. The problem was he appeared to believe that we, the family members, were also a threat to his hens. He would run from behind and gouge us in the back of the legs. I was worried about my youngest son who was only 3 at the time and had started becoming fearful of leaving the house. I noticed that my 7 year old daughter didn’t have this problem with Bravano. She was also the one who spent the most time with the chickens when they were very young and she never attempted to shoo Bravano away with her feet. There is a method coined by Grisha Stewart, a trainer located in Seattle, called Behavior Adjustment Training or BAT. There are many steps to BAT but basically it is teaching a dog a new behavior and then rewarding with the same functional reinforcement as the dog was getting for an unwanted behavior. For example, if a dog barks at strangers on walks; the strangers leave rather quickly. The dog is being rewarded by increasing distance from the people. If we were to teach the dog to perform a different behavior and then reward by moving away from strangers; the dog is getting rewarded by increasing distance from the strangers by using a much less upsetting technique. I decided to use BAT with Bravano. I started with a small amount of counter conditioning in order to lower his reaction to my proximity by simply tossing cracked corn whenever I went near him. What I did next was clicker train him. I clicked and treated Bravano whenever he turned his head away from me. After only a few days he was no longer bothering me at all but rather would run toward me, turn his head and wait patiently for his click. I then had each of my kids repeat the steps. Bravano is now a welcome member of our family. Yesterday, one of my newest ‘chickens’ stretched his neck out and gave a weak attempt at crowing. I’ll be getting my clicker out this weekend!

Pet Training Tips by Lisa Bach - Boomerang Pet Care, Deerfield,WI

The owner and operator of Boomerang Pet Care, Lisa Bach, has more than 22 years experience in the veterinary field working with

a wide array of species as a Certified Veterinary Technician and an Applied Animal Behaviorist. Boomerangpetcare.com

Boomerang Pet Care We'll Keep You Coming Back!

Fashion Trends by Jeanne Manley

Optical Illusion and Fit Artists use Optical Illusion when painting and women use it when we “put ourselves together”.

Some examples would be wearing a V-neck to elongate your face; dangle earrings will do the

same thing. To make your face rounder, wear large round earrings. If you have a short neck stay

away from high necklines, it will make you look like your head is on top of your body with NO

NECK. We are looking at the way it appears, not how it really is.

If you are tall and slim you can wear a wide belt in a contrasting color or with grommets to cut

your height in two. This look does not work with anyone else. If you have a short waist, wear a

belt that is narrow in the color of the top or no belt. Many bracelets or patch pockets will give the

illusion of widening your hips. And, of course, your feet will stand out if you wear shoes in a

completely different color than your garment (red).

To add height, stripes that are vertical or at an angle will work. Also horizontal stripes (narrow)

will work with a solid jacket worn open so you just see a column of the stripes (like a railroad

track.) Buttons all the way down the front also works.

Proportion is also part of this. Long jackets go best with shorter skirts (or pants); you would use

short jackets with longer skirts, and this applies regardless of your height.

Wearing your clothes “too large” when trying to hide figure faults will just make you look sloppy.

Women these days wear just about anything with “jeans”, but the truth is that a casual jacket,

sweater or sweat shirt are the best choice; JUST REMEMBER, YOU ARE AN OPTICAL

ILLUSION WITH LEGS.

Let's talk about fit, have you ever “people watched” at O’Hare Field? If you do, you will observe

some of the worst fitting garments imaginable, some very expensive outfits. A COMMON

MISFIT IS A NECK HOLE WHICH IS TOO BIG. Shoulders should hit at the edge of the

shoulder, if the shoulder seam is half way down your arm, fix it. If the sleeves are too wide for

your size, take them in as that will make the whole garment look too big.

A tunic top with slim pants or leggings will cover numerous figure flaws, just keep it in

proportion to your height. Remember everyone has some figure challenges to work around, so just

be aware what yours are.

Next month we will discuss what is “in” and what is “out” for spring 2015. It must be almost

spring, get ready!

Ask Agatha to unravel the mysteries of the web

An App for choosing Wine called "Hello Vino"!

Need some help picking out a wine for that special occasion? Want to compare wines? Have the

label and want to know more about the vintage? In the store and want advice from a friend about

the wine you have in mind? There’s an app to help you with that. It’s a personal wine assistant.

It’s just one of a number of wine apps you might consider. It runs on both the iPhone and

Android.

Hello Vino is a free app for the beginner to not quite an expert. It makes a fine helper when you

shop for wine.

The app comes with a Wine Label Scanner. Hello Vino can identify millions of wines. You can

take a picture of the wine label, then Hello Vino will tell you all about that wine (ratings, for

example, or best foods to drink with).

Do you ever wish you could remember the wine you had at a friend’s dinner, or one you

purchased before? If you take a picture of any label and add a note it will store your purchases/or

remember the label you photographed (Then you don’t have to take the bottle home!).

Hello Vino works by asking you simple questions, such as what kind of food are you having,

what do you want to spend, etc. and returns a list of possible selections. You pick. And cheers.

Write to Agatha at agathaandcompany@gmail.com if you have questions you would like answered in the

column. Each month a question will be answered. You can also send favorite websites (no sales please) and we

will choose one to be posted for all.

Learning to Listen

to Our Inner Wisdom by Mary Edwards

As I began reviewing the significance of creativity, I was amazed all over again about how much it teaches us to listen more and more about who we are, and our own unique and true self.

Stephen Nachmanovitch’s book Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art, is such a jewel. He describes that the power of writing, music making, drawing and dance can pull us out of our sadness, disappointment, depression, and bafflement. Art, is not to be used as a distraction, but as a means of a way through it. It can be a way of confronting our pain and put it in a new framework.

All the different forms of art are the very medicine that we need, yet they are the very thing our modern minds drop by the wayside. We haven’t fully understood how creativity can help us recover our true self, our own unique voice and also heal the pain of difficult times.

To get into that creative play mode, we need to let go of our fear and simply be open to whatever may come. Meditate, do automatic writing, go for a walk, simply be in the moment and notice what draws your attention.

Julia Cameron has written so many books on how to recover your creative self. The Artist’s Way and Vein of Gold are such amazing books in helping us listen to that inner muse.

Do you have a play space, a magic place in which you can experiment with your consciousness? As suggested in Free Play, one needs to prepare this space….to clear it, rearrange it, take extraneous objects out. In doing this we also clean and clear out our mind. (more on that next time).

We begin to see and appreciate beauty more when we’re experiencing a difficult loss or in a breakdown. It is then that we are forced more into the present moment. Perhaps try drawing a small circle and draw a sketch of something that drew your attention, truly touched you. Or capture an image of something that you enjoyed as a child. Becoming open to creative ideas is very similar to ways we are open to using our intuition to make decisions and to be open to ideas.

“The most potent muse of all is our own inner child.” Stephen Nachmanovitch

The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.

C. G . Jung

Our Junor Columist, Tristan Yannackpoulos, wants to become a journalist when he grows up so he will begin his career by sharing with

us what it's like to be a 12-year old in today's world.

Pantoum for Spring

It’s official, spring has sprung I declare it to be so

Just saying the word Spring, feels warm A distant memory, winter will be

I declare it to be so

Are you paying attention, weather god’s? A distant memory, winter will be

The shovel stored, the bike in its place

Are you paying attention, weather god’s Time for vibrant colors to dominate

The shovel stored, the bike in its place Lapses to be sure, but the corner has been turned

The geese are back, honking as they go

It’s official, Spring has sprung All is well as green shoots, proclaim a new season

Just saying the word Spring, feels warm

A pantoum is a poetic form from Malaysia. The 2nd and 4th lines from each stanza become the 1st and 3rd lines

of the next stanza - except for the last stanza, where the 2nd and 4th are the 1st and 3rd from the first stanza.

WHAT? by Doug Bruss

Legendary Lake Mills

Aztalan by Carol Harcarik, Editor Lake Mills Online

Aztalan is a state park located just a short distance from Legendary Lake Mills. It is the site of an ancient Mississippian culture settlement that flourished during the 10th to 13th centuries. The indigenous people constructed massive earthwork mounds for religious and political purposes. It was first settled around 900 by a Native American culture known as the Middle Mississippian Tradition. Most of the residents lived in circular or rectangular houses. The dwellings were built around a central ceremonial plaza likely used for rituals and public gatherings. The residents had long-distance trading relationships with other settlements, linked by rivers for transportation. For example, items found at the settlement include copper from Michigan's Upper Peninsula, shells, from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and stone from areas around the Midwest. Sometime between the years 1200 and 1300, the Aztalan settlement was abandoned. Archeologists and historians surmise they may have out-grown environmental resources, or encountered more warfare from other cultures, but do not know for sure. The Little Ice Age occurred soon after 1300 and may have contributed to farming difficulties, putting too much stress on the local chiefdoms. Some historians have connected Rock Lake, which is located in Lake Mills, to this Aztalan culture. Legends say that before it was a lake, it was where the Azatalan people buried their dead in pyramids. Then, over centuries, a lake covered the remnants of those pyramids that still remain at the bottom of the lake. There have been many investigations of the lake by scientists, historians, archeologists etc. Frank Joseph and others have written books about their search and discovery missions to validate the legends. Source, "The Lost Pyramids of Rock Lake", by Frank Joseph

Bernieccamm

Lake Mills Online

Editor: Carol Harcarik - Carol has been an investigative reporter for many newspapers and has done newsletters for charitable organizations.

She has written three books, "One-Room Schoolhouses", "Mommies Cry Too", with the Mayo Clinic and

"Restorative Justice Is Changing the World".

The Lake Mills Online Staff Copy Editor:s: Diane Firari and Margaret Pezzi

Photographer: Kerry Denson (Available to all Columnists & Reporters) Cartoonist: Chris Whalen

Bird Columnist: Brad Webb Climate Change Columnist: Alyson Schmeisser

Education Columnist: Jim Shaw Fashion Tips: Jeanne Manley

International Correspondent: Rian Davis Junior Columnist: Tristan Yiannackopoulos

Margot Meets……….: Margot Peters Motivational Columnist: Mary Edwards Music Psychotherapist -Venessa Farn Health Issues: Cecilia Somoniewshi

Operations and Op-ed Columnist: Joe Harcarik Pet Care & Training Columnist: Lisa Bach

Poet: Doug Bruss Technology Columnist: Kim Bethea

Wisdom: Eunice Wagner

All-Volunteer Staff

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Copyright, Hartington Press, LLC, 2015 Carol S. Harcarik is the Editor for Lake Mills Online & Hartington Press.

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