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ISRAEL, THE PRESIDENT OF UCO, SHOULDN’T BE PRESIDENT OF ANY ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES THE PEOPLE! On Thursday, December 4th at 1:14 P.M., an e-mail was sent to the President of UCO, David Israel, with a copy to other UCO officers and personnel. Israel responded with an e-mail. Both are reproduced below so that you can digest what we’re dealing with in the Village. It is pathetic! “An incident occurred that you and others in authority should be aware of. On Wednesday, December 3rd, while exiting my unit, no. 201, at Oxford 100, water was gushing out of the ground and flooding surrounding areas at the irrigation pump between the Oxford 100 and the Dorchester H buildings. I had noticed yesterday that the area beside the pump was dug up. I called the UCO office; it was late in the morning. Natalie answered and she was most cordial. I told her what was happening and she referred me to the Property Manager, Ted Herle. She rang his phone and he answered about 2 minutes later with “Yeah”. I asked if I had the Property Manager and he said, “Yeah, what?” I gave him my name and address and told him what was going on. He said that he couldn’t hear what I was saying. I slowly and loudly repeated myself and before I was finished telling him again, he said, “You’ll have to come into the UCO office and see me about it.” He then immediately hung up the phone. It was and still is difficult for me to understand what had transpired. I’m reporting something to UCO that needs immediate attention, and it is ignored. I just got back from up north and I’m greeted with attitude and seeming hostility in an emergency situation. Because of other stories that I have heard, I would like to think that this is not the attitude of everybody at UCO. EDWARD ROSS”
Response from David Israel “Hi all, This matter must be immediately referred to Eduardo! Dave”
Can you believe for one moment that this light-minded man is the President of UCO? One could expect such a reply to a serious e-mail from a dense, if not an altogether unsophisticated dope. Israel’s reply is typical of a man who doesn’t give a rat’s ass about the office he holds and its professional responsibilities in serving the people, - - but more of a pathological preoccupation of himself. I cannot fathom why the people of Century Village allow this man to remain the President of UCO. Israel reeks of paranoia and he should go back to pushing the keys of his PC and secretly spying on people rather than serving as President of UCO. I can relate Israel’s asinine statement to a state of emergency wherein a tornado hits the UCO building and the only thing Israel has to offer is “Is my chair damaged?” EDWARD ROSS
WE WON!!!!!!! Thank you delegates and residents of the Village for the resounding and sound defeat of the Wi Fi proposal for the Village. It was an expense of uncertain duration and an open ended multi million dollar price tag and a very unsure state of quality and workability. So pompous videos and put on airs do not work. Appealing to the common sense of our residents does work. Perhaps it is time that the UCO officers realize that they do not have the temperature of their constituents and they must remedy that. Frankly, I would have loved to see a vote of no confidence in this UCO administration. That is how out of touch they are with reality. They need to open up UCO to the rest of the world and stop trying to keep all in their tight hot little hands. David Israel needs to go to school to learn how to run a meeting properly, how to exercise control in a positive manner and not by arbitrarily deciding that something is or is not out of order or by arguing his feeling from the dais. That is verboten! He must learn to share the wealth in terms of appointing people to count ballots for example, not keep it partisan - exactly as was done in the elections.The chair MUST remain neutral and believe you me, this man does not. Onwards and upwards we will go now. We will tackle the other issues that plague us in the Village and watch very carefully that David Israel does not try to raise this again when the Village is quite empty and he has only his zombie delegates, exactly what he did with term limits. Congratulations to all of us !!
There is actually one problem in this Village which leads to all the others. That is the fact that the current administration of UCO does not tell the truth. It tells outright lies, half truths, lies of omission and simply ignores questions when the answers are harmful towards them and their ilk. Then again, when one is paranoid, when one is fixated on retaining presumed powers, then it is hard to recognize and accept the truth even when it rises up and smacks one in the face. One cannot be for term limits, against term limits and then for term limits again. One cannot be for transferring funds and then against it after financial shenanigans and pressure on a treasurer to bollix up budgets. One cannot claim to be a "defender" of liberty and the values of this country and then block arenas for free speech and assembly, for communication. One cannot say that he is for what is best for the Village when he put us into debt for a crappy road job and then wants to play the same game again by transferring all funds into one reserve fund so he can spend and spend, without DA interference. One cannot stand or rather sit there and pontificate how the "DA is the Board of Directors of the Village" and then do everything he and his cronies can do to shortcircuit these same delegates. One cannot use the story of an isolated multi settlement village in the mountains of Italy and their installation of Wi Fi to the situation here in the Village. But, if one insists, then let us take a look at it more closely. That was an isolated village with primitive Internet connection. The installation was done on a wing and a prayer with little financial output and no multi million dollar contract and infrastructure. It was basically done by one guy with a drive and a dream and no one dunned the people of the village for millions of dollars. But let us take a look at another Times story of two days ago where the perils of a Wi Fi system that is open, such as the one that the Great Leader wants to install here is VERY DANGEROUS. The security is poor, financial transactions should not take place on them for all your information is out there and ready for the taking. Smaller systems are better, more secure in this very insecure world of the Ethernet. The people here in the Village are getting poor information, no information and misinformation. THERE IS WI FI IN THE VILLAGE AND IT IS WORKING FINE. Comcast has the fastest and widest bandwidth at present in the USA. You can have an installation of business quality Comcast Wi Fi in your own Association for a mere pittance, without financially crippling yourself or the Village for decades to come. Gracie keeps babbling about how we have none and how this will enhance the selling value. Are you selling up and leaving, Gracie? Oh, what a pleasant thought!. We have Wi Fi, we can install more at a pittance, and we will not burden ourselves with debt. We are not the Federal government with its endless resources. Now NO DEBT will enhance the selling value - maybe even convince you to sell, Gracie Girl. Bye! This is our money, our funds, that are being misused here. This is our Village, our Channel 63 - not that of David Israel. He had no right to use their facilities to make his ridiculous video with its pompous dramatic music and his posturing and he certainly then should have offered an opposition outlet as that is the way it is done here in America. But the problem is that David Israel thinks he is a RULER, the KING of all that he sees. Well, he is not. Just watch the tricks he tries to pull today at the Assembly. Let's see - limiting discussion time and speaker time and then stacking the deck with his flunkies. I mean, who is putting forward the motion but his flunky techie Ron Rosoff, he of the filthy mouth and bug eyes when he shouts at someone and calls them a piece of shit. (Sorry for the language, but that is the exact term and behavior he evidenced and used when he did that to me last year at a committee meeting.) And what did our esteemed Great Leader do - sat there with a grin and bounced up and down in his chair in glee instead of using that damn gavel of his and calling Ron Rosoff out of order. So what else - aha, forbid certain speakers, violate Robert's Rules where the chair of the meeting must remain neutral and of course, the vote that always goes his way since it is impossible to be done correctly or impartially the way he does it. One at least has to count row by row by walking the aisles and at least two people together must count each section and they must be either impartial - ha! or from opposing viewpoints for counting to be fair. People, delegates - do not let this man and his nefarious crew ruin our Camelot. Vote NO NO NO on all motions today. Send this man and his ilk a message. We will not be dictated to, lied to, cheated, or condescended to. You are not king and no one died and appointed you the boss. What you are supposed to be is the servant of the people, their representative and that - you certainly are not.
Who, you might ask, are “THEY” – they are the officers of UCO – all of them! I have just returned from attending the funeral of a resident who gave much of her time to CV. Her husband, was a Vice President of UCO. She was beside him all the time and often spoke at Delegate meetings. She is one of the nicest people I met here. Who, is this person you might ask. Barbara Shapkin is the answer. She and Phil had only the best interests of CV in mind; to the extent of leading the opposition on the issue of developing the golf course. So – why am I even writing this? Because I am appalled that NOT ONE UCO officer took the time, maybe one hour, to attend the graveside service which was held locally. Could they not even find someone to represent UCO? Perhaps a member of the Executive Board or one of the committee chairpersons who aren’t even Executive Board members. What a sad commentary. What have we become that we need to carry grudges over to the grave! For shame!! DOROTHY TETRO
Just returned from the funeral service of Barbara Shapkin, wife of Phil Shapkin, and one of the sweetest women one could ever have the pleasure of knowing. It was amazing to see all those who attended and gave honor to her, one of the highest good deeds one can do in the Jewish religion - paying honor to the one who just died. What was nasty was the fact that not one official from UCO could be bothered to attend this service. Not a one could spare the time. Not a one could honor a deserving person and why? Because they are so busy? Because a meeting has never before been postponed? Or was it because Phil often spoke against David Israel's plans? Whatever the reason - it is no excuse. Shame on you.
Here we go again. This ride is getting truly nauseous, what with the same uphills and downhills, the same turning upside downs keep repeating. Now it is even getting dangerous. Ed Black, a man who is not an elected official of UCO, yet who runs approximately six committees and basically runs David Israel, has often stated that the financial principle of "rob Peter to pay Paul" is a financially sound one and just fine of our Village. Well, it is not. I repeat, it is not! With budget after budget being presented, with Howie O' Brien, the Treasurer, seemingly going every which way that David Israel and Ed Black want him to, we are back to the future again. Once again we have a budget that has no basIs in reality. Once again, we have a budget that does not present the truth but only numbers that make no sense. Once again, we have a budget and a proposal that will take all the monies out of various reserve funds, without explaining that to the delegates, and leave us once again in a no cash situation to pay our bills. We had that once before and do not need it again. One cannot live from the air. Money is needed to pay current and forthcoming bills and money is needed to be put away for future needs. They have got our roads lasting for 30 years. Are they out of their minds - no, only liars and cheats and financial incompetents with egos and minds fastened only on their own needs, their own desires and not the Village's. The only way to defeat this, to send a message that we will not have this is to vote NO NO NO at the assembly. Defeat all of the motions to transfer money, to spend money, to add more money with fees and to discuss a contract with DSL, the same company that was rejected by UCO's OWN expert last time around. Read Dorothy's article and understand the danger we are in. Read the article just before this one, written by Dorothy Tetro who pulled our nuts out of the fire last time. Read it and weep for she is no longer Treasurer and the one we have appears to be selling us down the river. They talk of property values? Well, watch them sink into the sea when we become a bankrupt village. NO NO NO
HERE WE GO AGAIN! OR SO IT SEEMS – SHIFTING MONEY & HIDING THE TRUTH!
Are we on the verge of another Ponzi scheme? It would appear to me to be just that. If I have correctly understood the latest article in the Reporter, “excess” money in UCO Operating (checking) accounts is to be transferred to a reserve fund. So again, borrowing from Peter to pay Paul.
Folks, we were there before when it became necessary to use money from ALL the accounts – operating and reserve – to pay for the roads. And now, in an attempt to make things look just peachy, the powers that be have decided that all that needs to be done is to transfer operating funds to the reserves.
When I took office in March of 2012 the balances in the checking accounts were dangerously low. The auditors made note of this fact in their annual report and recommended TWO months as a minimum balance on hand at the end of each quarter. Bear with me as I attempt to explain this using numbers that may just be more personal.
It’s the first of the month, and your checking account balance is $412. Your basic monthly expenses, that is shelter and utilities, are $1,000. You cannot pay all of your bills until your social security check is deposited. Your check is deposited to your account on the third Wednesday of the month. How will you pay for food, medicine if necessary, and perhaps you would like to be able to spend just a few dollars on a haircut. Not possible until the third Wednesday. Is this the way you would like to live?
So, by transferring what is apparently considered excess money to reserves, that is ostensibly what is being proposed. By the end of this month – December – it seems to me that if this proposal is accepted, there will not be enough money in the bank on the first of January to meet January expenses. Yes, quarterly payments are due that month just as your social security check is due on the third Wednesday.
And, one last point – money in reserves are to be spent for the specific purpose as indicated by the account name. And, as a courtesy if nothing else, the Delegates should be given the opportunity to approve the expenditure.
So folks, please think very very carefully before approving this shuffling of funds. Ponzi scheme or shell game, call it what you will. Your treasurer last time was Ed Black. Who is really responsible for this money-shifting scheme? The cast of characters is practically the same as it was for the road paving fiasco - Israel and Black. Where is O’Brien in this picture? Howard O’Brien, a practicing CPA , should know the importance of maintaining proper ready cash balances.
And I paraphrase - "and once there was a spot..... for happily ever aftering....for one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot."
Last night I saw a performance of Camelot at the Kravis Center. Again, the voices, particularly the males, did not come to Broadway standard, though Guinivere's was wonderful. The music was excellent; I love the songs from Camelot and recommend it if you have the chance. But what is more important is the nostalgia - and the thoughts of today - that this show induced. I remember when I was in sixth grade and I had to represent JFK in primary debates in the classroom, my first experience with politics. I still have all the information sent to me by the campaign office of JFK, schlepped it with me through all my moves. Why? Because, whether we look back with a jaundiced eye or not, the truth is that JFK brought out the best in the young. He stood for idealism, for hope, for the future, for our own version of a modern day round table. We were asked to give of ourselves to and for others, to honor the virtues of justice, charity, caring, honor, etc - all the virtues that Mordred made fun of and all that King Arthur stood for. So for one brief shining moment we had Camelot. and then the world fell apart with the loss of JFK and RFK who had given us one more last brief shining moment of hope for a new Camelot, and then the war in Vietnam tore us apart and we have never returned to the way we were. We bite and snap at each other. One party threatens to block any progress in government and the other party flounders around in a quandary, wondering just what to do. We have another president in a series of presidents, many of whom failed in their responsibility towards us, the residents of the USA, a man who epitomizes the Peter Principle, who has reached beyond his scope and ability. So where is the us in this? Simple. We too once were a Camelot until fighting nearly split the Village and thus UCO was formed to help unite, to help negotiate and life resumed. But unfortunately, many of the virtues necessary in a good leader, in a member of Camelot, were missing in many of the ":leaders" of the Village. Presidents of associations took, even demanded, money from their residents and just yesterday I had a conversation where I heard that one association has to leave money in a laundry room, in a special box just for the president of the association, or else face the consequences. Really. This is medieval and why does it still exist and better yet, why is it allowed to exist? This rot that pervades some areas of the Village comes from the top. Our "top leaders" are disconnected with the daily life of the Village. They are never seen out and about, talking with people, looking around, hearing the issues that most concern them. They are stuffed into their offices, planning away, planning their own monuments to their lives here, their petty "legacies" and is there bad rot here? Oh, yes indeed. I will not name names but there are many who raise the question about who benefits from these sadly, tragically, incompetent contracts that we sign. Who gives us contracts for elevators that are not fixed immediately in a senior community, a contract which subjected residents to humiliating and frightening experiences even though the firemen and EMTs were as wonderful as ever. Why are we continuously playing with budget numbers till they say what David Israel and Ed Black want them to say? Why are we playing around with projects that have no place right now in our Village? Why do we worry about shifting bocce and petanque courts again and again, wasting money as if it were water - and we know that even water is becoming scarce in many areas! Why are we insisting on millions of dollars in debt to be added to our burden when there is no need for it, when the momentum against this is building up. Why is the president of UCO using UCO facilities to make videos, oh so dramatic, to plead for his project, his pet project that will form his "legacy"- a multi million dollar debt and an incompetent system that will remain here long after he is gone. People, where is our Camelot? Where is our shining moment? Where are our virtues of civility, justice and openness? Where is our welcome of other thoughts, knowing that a variety of thinking leads to new and improved ways of life? Where is our Camelot? It is in your hands, that is where it is. Save our future. Vote NO NO NO at Friday's Delegate Assembly. Wi Fi is here in the Village. You can install a financially responsible system in your association or pay a huge and growing increase in order to pay for our own Mordred's system. It will not be only an additional $2 a month. Trust me on that! Or just keep your Wi Fi as is- with it being your own private decision. And remember what is coming next - the sneaky, nasty, dictatorial by laws and Articles of Incorporation that are being done oh so privately by Broomhilda, David Israel, and input by our infamous non elected "official" Ed Black, he of the "let's move funds around to pay for what we want and never mind the legality or the justice or the rightness of it." Oh, and don't forget - the threat to use armed force on those who dare to disagree with the Great Leader. Well, I disagree with you, David Israel. You are too cowardly to debate in open so why not step down from the dais and speak as a resident and stop violating Robert's Rules. Stop being the bully in the schoolyard. Or are you going to try to shut me and all other speakers down in your usual dictatorial manner? Where is Camelot? In our own hands to keep or to lose.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. In this case, I am not sure who is the more insane - we, "the dedicated few or small group" or David Israel and Co. Again and again, this man continues to strive to bring into the Village things that are not good for it, that are unnecessary strains on its budget and financial stability, that are only monuments to his egotism and selfishness, his insane drive to "leave a legacy". Well, since he is no relative of mine, nor a friend of mine, nor even a man to admire, I could care less about his "legacy", particularly as it impacts on me and those about whom I care. What is even worse is that he cannot distinguish between lies and truth, not even in the statements that come straight out of his mouth. For example, he ran on a campaign plank during his first election, on a firm term limits demand. Then, once he was in the presidential seat, suddenly he campaigned insanely for a retraction of term limits so that he could retain his "power". Then, at a recent meeting, he stated that we need to have term limits! Yup, that is what he said. That is one example and here is another. He stated that there was a need to shift the collected Wi Fi funds over to the general reserve funds as there was a definite need for it. Suddenly, there was a shifting around of funds which stinks to high heavens and suddenly, oh, we do not have to do that. Lies, half truths, omissions, etc. The man cannot be trusted with the English language. Now we get a video that begins with dramatic music. Truly! Does the man think he is the president of the country, of the state, of the world!!! He then speaks in a somewhat sideways position, mimicking several important historical personages and makes an appeal to the delegates whom he has already lied to, and states that we need to have the Wi Fi funds and program, so get to the DA this Friday. Gimme a break! I would like to know who made this video and who funded it? If it used UCO funding or Channel 63 funding then there MUST be a public statement to that effect and then an equal opportunity for the opposition to do the same. But never you mind, it will never be spoken of honestly and there will never be an opening for the opposition of which, contrary to Israel's statements, THERE ARE MANY. So - how to vote? NO NO NO!!!!! NO TO TRANSFERRING THE FUNDS NO TO IMPOSING MORE FEES And remember, this will increase your monthly fees and there is a whole lot more coming down that path. NO TO ALLOWING THE FUNDS TO BE MARKED EXPENDABLE. THESE FUNDS ARE NEEDED ELSEWHERE. DESPERATELY. So where are they needed? Just look at the list of needs and reserves in The Reporter. Look, for example at the repaving. We need close to 6 million dollars and we have about $600,000. These roads will need redoing very soon and where are we to get the funds that were wasted, stupidly, criminally stupidly, on the job we are now living with. We need all the money we can find, and stick it in that reserve. Look at the fencing needs, etc. Why are we wasting money on Wi Fi when we already have the capability of it, the reality of it. NO ON OPENNING CONTRACT TALKS WITH DSL EXPRESS, THE SAME COMPANY THAT WE REJECTED LAST TIME FOR INCAPABILITY OF FULFILLING THE CONTRACT, FOR INCOMPETENNCE AS EVIDENCED IN A MOST UNSATISFACTORY JOB IN BOCA CV. FOLLOW THE MONEY, FOLKS. We have Wi Fi via Comcast for the individuals that want it. We have another option in wiring up associations and many have done that already for a great alternative and a great economic choice. We cannot afford a debt of more millions of dollars to be taken on. We do not have the money, we cannot afford to set it aside for this when there are other more pressing needs, we do not need to invest right now in an field that is changing so rapidly that before it is done, it will be outdated, and we do not need to force this funding on people who do not wish Wi Fi in their homes. This is not a common element of the Village according to the by laws and we should be careful of the new by laws as they will attempt to shoe horn this in right under our noses. Delegates, yes, absolutely, come to the assembly. Vote and vote NO NO NO if we are to have a viable Village. We want sellability? We want to command higher value for our apartments? Then do not take on a ridiculous debt and make us a debt ridden Village for then NOBODY will want to live here and people with any sense will bail out. Join those who actually think for themselves, who care about you, the resident, and not about some trumped up personal and selfish "legacy", who wastes our money and who wants to have a police state right here in CV right in the middle of the good old USA. Do not give up your rights. Fight back!!! Speak up at the assembly. You do not have to be a delegate to speak. Do not let the little man who thinks he is the Great Leader frighten you. He can do nothing to you. And if he yells or calls you a name - screw him. So what!! Do not hide behind the others who are willing to put themselves out week after week, month after month, and take the abuse. Speak up. Join in. For all our sakes. Addendum: Please note that some people have stated that they think that $2 is a great price for Wi Fi. Well, it is , but that is not what the $2 is. That is simply a fee to be collected and the REAL COST of the Wi Fi will be announced after it is too late to pull out and we will be facing millions of dollars of debt to be paid for - AGAIN!If you want a truly reasonable Wi Fi in your Association, then go for the OPT OUT program.
Just returned from several wonderful days in NY with the kids and even more blessed computer free days. Every electronic device from phones thru pads, tablets and computers were being used for more important things - like games, etc.! It was great!!! Now from the sublime to the ridiculous. It seems that in my absence, David Israel had several paranoid fits and as such, deserves our pity, but as he inflicts it upon us, he does not earn it. First we have his full blown paranoia when my husband went to visit a friend who lives in Greenbriar and thought it was C and had to return a lost cell phone.. It was actually the next building over. When he went to check the mailboxes, there was the troll who then accused him of following him from UCO to spy on his mail! I kid you not! This man is sick, sick, sick. Gerry was never at UCO, just drove down the road from Wellington to get to Greenbriar and David Israel was at his mailbox. So what!? Should he consult with the paranoid man for his routes around the Village? Or his timing of visits?For G-d's sake, David get a life. Get a doctor. Get over yourself. You are not a computer flunky in the NSA any more and no one cares about your mail except for you. As for your witness, fool, it was a man who used to be in the shul and has since left and asked Gerry if he was still the president. Gerry said yes and that was your "bellow". Sick in the head, some people, suffering from hallucinations and fantasies. If the shoe fits ....... More paranoia. Big Brother from Brave New World, from 1984, from North Korea, from wherever there exists a dictatorship, is now amongst us. First we have him beaming into our homes via HIS blog, telling the world of a "few malcontents" who are ruining his programs and they should be ignored. Hey, Wizard of Oz - should we not ignore the man behind the curtain! Then we hear that his shills, Petey Boy and Her Ninnieness, want to have armed guards, deputies, police at every meeting. Really! Now we are openly to turn into a police state???!!!! Are you total idiots or what? Never mind, I answered the question myself as it is quite rhetorical, is it not? Then we can add to the mix the cameras he is so excited about adding to the Village, wherever he can find a place for one. All we have to do then is just look up somewhere, anywhere, and smile and wave at Big Brother, our Great Leader. The whole thing is sickening. As for you, Your Ninnieness, no one called you an anti Semite, though if the shoe fits, though it should be quite uncomfortable for one to wear, then..... by the way, hate speech is hate speech, not a name or in fact, a statement of fact, unpleasant as it may be. You are a laughing stock of the Village, Gracie Girl, like it or not. Hate speech is based on race, religion, ethnicity, etc. As for the rest - now that is protected speech. What is not protected speech is the threat to do bodily harm which your buddies have threatened several times and there is one of them who must slobber every time he talks, because his venom just pours out of him in each email he sends and not to worry - I HAVE THEM ALL, DATED, TIMES, IP'ED, ETC. Once again, need to have it all explained to you - come, I will do so for free and maybe even over that hot drink. IF THE SHOE FITS - WEAR IT. AND PETEY BOY AND DAVID ISRAEL, PICK ON ME. I AM THE ONE MAKING YOUR LIFE A MISERY. AFRAID OF ME, SO YOU GO AFTER MY HUSBAND? YOU ASSES. HE IS ONE OF THE NICEST PEOPLE AROUND AND YOU DON'T EVEN COME TO HIS TOES IN COMPARISION.
Yesterday was great. After driving for over seven hours, the last group arrived and all the cousins were together, running around, shouting, having fun and it was great just looking and listening. Arguments were quickly pushed aside, hugs exchanged and on the play and the noise went on. Dinner was great; dessert even better and there was the great marshmallow shootout at the home corral. Wonder if that would work well in the DA - get rid of the tension and ill will in a fun way and eating a few would be a fringe benefit! Today so far has taught me that my grandchildren have learned the meaning of Black Friday and the importance of supporting the economy! Thinking of taking out a loan and the day has hardly begun! Oh well, payment in kind in the form of hugs and kisses and a few tickling sessions work well, very well indeed. This is the meaning of the day. Look around and cherish your family. Call them, Skype them, if you are far away. Listen to the grandchildren; listen to them as they talk of the events in their lives. They love their grandparents because they approve of everything they do. A perfect world. Too bad times like this do not last forever and real life intervenes with its too often times of nastiness and power struggles. If we had a bit more altruism and less selfishness and self enhancement we would be better off. I, for one, have always said that I am ready to work with one and all, if they have the interests of the residents at heart and are willing to go down the right path, never mind the past misdeeds. Apologies for threatening bodily harm work wonders, but the silence is deafening. So the question for the future is the following: will the delegates look toward the future, with fresh and clear thinking? Will the UCO administration make a turn to the right? Will an apology be forthcoming or will there have to be criminal charges - I hate that thought. Rapprochement is the way to go but I am not optimistic. Too bad after such a wonderful day and the rest of the weekend to follow.
".......was charged under a federal law that makes it a crime to use a form of interstate communication (like the Internet) to threaten to injure another person.......
A jury convicted ----------, and he spent more than three years in prison."
Gee, I wonder what I would do for humor if not for Gracie's inane and repetitive comments on a daily basis? I wonder what I would do to keep my ego in check if not for the comments from that nasty soul who delights in calling me anti - Semitic names, calls me a staggering drunk, a liar and thief, various expletives, etc., etc., and so on. I guess I should thank that moron for keeping me on the steady path of humility, huh? What I really should thank these idiots for is the impetus to keep up my research and find that yes, there is indeed a federal law against threatening people with physical harm via the Internet. Oh, yes, a FEDERAL law and they do not fool around. There is also a federal law against hate speech so now I have a dilemma. Do I go ahead with my legal possibilities and press charges on these fools who threatened to blow me up, to hang me and who use hate speech as if it were going out of style? Or do I give them yet another chance and see if they tone down their vitriol or maybe, could it be possible, even apologize? Nah! They will never do that any more than they will publically proclaim who they are, but never you mind - I have that covered too. So, do I take Option A and truly induce a real split in this Village, a split where people will be forced to confront their real inner truths and the truths of some of whom they have picked as their leaders and supporters or do I go with Option B and allow them the grace to shut the hell up at the very minimum. You see, the choice is really up to them. I have patience. I have time, G-d willing. Let them stew in their filth and uncertainty. You see, big mouths are usually cowards and do not like their inner personae to come out in public for like the picture of Dorian Gray, it is truly an ugly portrayal of their souls. Right now I will give them time. I will take the route of the song from My Fair Lady - "just you wait----------, just you wait....! Have a nice day, y'all. Enjoy your turkey tomorrow or perhaps it just might taste like crow. Whatever.
First I will make a disclaimer. My personal opinions on the decisions are just that and are probably misinformed as I did not sit through the hearings or read all the stories so any decision or opinion is just that - incomplete and not worthy of publication. I do believe with every fiber in my soul that our system of justice and fair play is perverted by media which publishes biased pieces, skips or creates "evidence" and then apologizes in a buried section somewhere that does not really matter nor change what people will say they read and "know" and the only people who really know the truth or truths are the victim(s), perpetrator(s) and the jury which will see all evidence allowed to be presented on both sides, hear the arguments and then deliberate. What I do strenuously protest here is just that - the protests. No, not the ones that are orderly, that are dignified, and that eventually make more of an impact than the noisy and disorderly ones, the rampant rioting and rampaging through the streets, the arson and the looting. What do these actions have to do with the case in point? I believe that people who could care less about justice are the ones doing the rioting. They are using it as an excuse to go wild, to do holiday shopping cheaply and on the down low and I believe that whatever the verdict, there would have been this group that would have rioted anyway, claiming the charge was too minor or some other reason. We cannot have justice that is governed by fear of violence in the streets or else there will be no justice for anyone, only power and the truth in reality of might makes right. Through the 60's and 70's it was the protest that spoke loudly but with calm, with dignity, with appropriate expressions of anger, that finally broke through. The riots of burning, of arson and riots gained nothing except for damage in one's own neighborhood and the loss of livelihood for members of one's own community. Again, the verdict here is not the point of this posting, only the violence that erupted - AND THAT WAS NOT SPONTANEOUS. This violence had been planned for, had been prepped for and we then had a self fulfilling prophecy. We must move away from this behavior and into more sane methods of protests and even perhaps learn to accept verdicts that do not go our way and then protest them through the system. Remember - Al Capone went to prison for taxes, not criminal activity - but to prison he went. There are many ways to gain one's wishes and all through the system and by changing the system, but not through violence.
So just came back from two wonderful days in Orlando with grandson #1 who flew in from California and picked up the Reporter on my way up. Bob, I generally enjoy your drawings very much, the talent and the wit, but this one was over the edge. Santa is bringing his bag of toys to CV and you put two things in that bag that have no place being there. The first one is the sheet scripted "By Laws". Well, Bob, that is not a gift to the Village but rather a gift to David Israel and henchmen for the By Laws, as they see them, are there to enhance and enlarge their power and control and limit even more the say that the residents have over their own lives. So, no, Bob, this is not a gift for the Village, but rather a damaging blow should they go through. The second lie is the Wi Fi symbol that you have snuck in there. Maybe David Israel likes that gift, but once again, it is not a gift that is desired unanimously by the residents and in fact, there are many who do not wish it at all to be installed. They either have their own or do not want Wi Fi and do not want to be obligated to pay a ridiculous amount of money for it. Another multi million dollar bill on top of the $5 million dollar plus bill that we paid - AND FOR NOTHING - as we will have to do the roads all over again - this is just beyond the realm of acceptability. So, my friend Bob, and I do call you that, this is a drawing in error. There are many other things good old Santa could bring to the Village - like proper UCO administrators, delegates who actually think for themselves, freedom of speech and assembly, a budget that is actually clear and does not shift from day to day, honesty and transparency and the list goes on. The latest is the attempt to push through the blended rate which was never voted on or for, just the stretching of the budget, not an increased payment. Another fast one over the delegates, huh?! There is something very unhealthy and unappetizing in the Village. So many of the residents are wonderful and caring people, friendly, interested in the goings on and yet we have a dead system of government, a lack of transparency, a lack of process and procedure, for that would lead to the downfall of David Israel and Ed Black, along with Broomhilda - two non elected people who have an enormous say in this Village. And yet, and yet, David Israel colludes and/or orders Eva Rachesky to do as he wants and wishes, people are shut out and shut up and some creepy people sit high on the hog. This cannot continue. Tell that to Santa and tell him to exchange his goodies for the ones we truly need.
There are people in this village who have a hard time understanding things. For example, because one might not wish to have Wi Fi in one's home, or wishes to have private Wi Fi the way it is right now, then these idiots spout how antiquated the thinking, how we are so not a Village for the poor and should we ban cars - Now that is not a bad idea sometimes! What in the world does one thing have to do with the other? The answer is - NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING and that is the way it goes with them. What is coming along next is the topic of our Constitution - our Articles and then the Amendments - our bylaws. From what we can tell - and it is difficult as our NSA man and his Broomhilda, Marilyn Gorodetzer, are holding this tight to themselves - is that all will be done that can be done to strengthen UCO versus the Associations and in detail, more to strengthen the President of UCO. Why is this? UCO was founded to help the Associations and right now it has turned into a power source for certain people who need it for their self esteem, for their own aggrandizement, and they truly wish to turn this place into a dictatorship with the residents having no say at all in the Village. They have already co-opted WPRF and Eva Rachesky so why not the rest of us? What is more, they wish to have this voted on as an all or nothing. Take it or leave it. No line item veto of clauses and proposed changes. Really - remember, America, freedom of choice, of speech, of assembly? Just heard Trini Lopez singing If I Had a Hammer - you know, the hammer of justice? Would that the damn hammer that is always banging in the DA were connected to that instead of the opposite as it shuts down all opposition speakers. Look around and realize that the window of opportunity of speaking freely in this Village is quickly disappearing, and all the while the little brainless biddies are there booing away, booing away their own freedoms, booing so as to please their lord and master, David Israel and for what? I shudder at the pictures that come to mind! What else is here? Oh, yes. Let us go back to the Security contract. Remember that it was specifically asked several times if the pay of the guards would remain the same and the rumors of pay cuts were false. Over and over again they refused to answer with a yes or no and simply obfuscated and now we find out that pay is going from $13+ an hour to $9. People, we are the same people that stood at the barricades, that fought the government, that fought the Dem Convention in 1968, the same people that took over Dean's offices all over the country, that went Freedom Riding and here we are now afraid to stand up to these liars? We are the same people who worked for wages, who belonged to unions and here we are allowing someone to run right over us and lower salaries! How we have fallen. How we have forgotten our ideals. Horizon watching can be beautiful or frightening. It can bring thoughts to one's mind, creative and constructive thoughts or it can bring the filth to one's mind and the gall to spit it out in foul and libelous language, attacking on a personal basis rather than on a positional basis. People, choose carefully. Choose to run in the upcoming election. Choose to support those who want positive change, who want our situation to improve, who will watch over our money and our physical plant. People, watch that horizon.
