CAUSE AND EFFECT, EFFECT AND CURE

     Yesterday the Times had a powerful op-ed piece written about Victory Day in Russia and what it truly means. It was quite sad in its understanding and presentation of what has gone wrong and has been wrong in Russia. It speaks to a country where history has been rewritten, where the cult of the personality or the dictator is deeply entrenched, where news is presented only on an approved media and only what they wish to be aired. It cries out about the negative future that awaits the country, how the rulers have stolen that which belongs to the people - including their future and their past, along with the present. I ended my reading of this with a soft wow, feeling the depth of the pain of the author.
     Then I began to think and realized that we are not much different here. Granted, Russia is just a tad larger than CVWPB and we have no day - yet - to celebrate our victory over the forces of the dark side here, but we have had the past rewritten or "lost" in the clouds, the cult of the dictator has become entrenched in our home, and the truth is hidden under a barrage of falsehoods, lies, and made up stories and simple obstructionism. We too have developed a system of supposed security that actually provides none of that but does provide and is growing in that aim to watch US! Cameras are installed where they do not belong or are not needed, our entries and exits from the Village are recorded, and there is more talk and probably already installed- of more cameras all about the place, at every WPRF facility, along the roads, anywhere, and there goes our privacy, an expected right here in our private home of CV.
     Neil writes well and powerfully and his piece on the physical issues, the infrastructure issues, of the Village is clear, but here I branch off in emphasis. Yes, we have problems, from a truly pathetic paving job with its incompetent and venial transfers and payments on a just about no contract job, to the lakes which are being polluted by water that we pay for - to add more insult to the injury - to the aging infrastructure. However, all this can and will be fixed with a mighty effort IF, and ONLY if, we change the crew at the top, if we cut them off at the crossroads, so to speak, and get the Village and UCO back on the right path, the proper and sane path.
     Right now, the two devil's imps that are running the show, David Israel and Ed Black, have neither your benefit nor that of the Village in mind when they act. It is all what they wish and that is why things and problems have been allowed to accumulate, almost to an overwhelming degree.
     But we are not at a tipping point from which we may not return. We are still a beautiful and wonderful place to live.With a mighty effort we can rebuild, fix, and improve our home. We can give it what it needs for the future if only we look ahead and behind and see where and how we have gone wrong and prevent it from happening again.
     The physical infrastructure that is aging is no more and no less than what is happening and has happened and will happen to any city, town, village and hamlet. It ages and needs attention. We are no different here and I do not believe that we are helping matters when we put the stress on that problem and only that problem. It is the causative factor that must be addressed and that is the guys at the top, the incompetents who have led us to this point in time, the power hungry dudes who see no further than their own noses and the sycophants who see their little power spots, their fiefdoms, dependent upon those two and the worship of them, or at least the fear of them. We need to show people that they are not to be feared for truly, there is NOTHING they can do - and that is quite evident just looking around the Village. There is nothing they can do or want to do other than indulge their own pipe dreams.
     Hey, David, there are new systems and technology now in the security world - video surveillance software, video analytics, that are being used and tested in some airports. Maybe we should get that for the Village and along with your pipe dream of forcing Village broadband on us, can be integrated into a total 100% spy program on the residents. Then you could stay in your office 24/7, never come out!
      Seriously, the system here has to change. The leadership here has to change. Ability, thinking and independent minds must be brought in to UCO, there must be a closer tie with the associations so that we know where they need help, the VPs must actually do what they are supposed to do, not just go into spasms of joy when they see their name and title in The Rag, this whole incestuous system where there are only cronies and married couples running the system, where no one knows how to run a business yet there they are, running an 8 million dollar business - right into the ground - the twisted elections, etc., etc., etc., - all this and more must be changed. Then, and only then, can we go back to doing what needs to be done. Only then can we truly figure out how to allot our funds in a proper manner so as to improve our Village. Only then will we get rid of the mish mash theory of finance from people who know nought of budgets and honesty and transparency and value for the dollar. Only then can we look forward to Neil then writing another article, waxing rhapsodic over the beauty and strength of our home, but until then, let us stress the causative factor and the curative factor and the other problems will follow along to be resolved. We can remind the residents that these problems are here, but again - cause and effect, effect and cure - that is the way to go.
PS to Gracie. So you can go anywhere in your condo with your laptop. WOW!!!! So can the rest of the world, ditz. No one is against progress, my oh so deep thinker. What we are against and what any real thinking person is against is needless and reckless spending of literally millions of dollars when there is no need for it. Other than inside someone's head, that is.