THE WORLD TODAY

     Well, as far as I am concerned, we might as well include a picture of Obama next to that of Chamberlin in the museum of stupidest moves ever by a politician. Sometimes, in the blind frenzy of a leader to find his "legacy' or signature deed during term of office, that leader signs off on a dangerous deal. Just as Chamberlin's famous treaty with Hitler did nothing but allow Hitler to surge ahead and gain more advantage and take over countries and did NOT prevent WWII, so, too, will this nuclear deal with Iran prove to be a dangerous one for the world, never mind just the Middle East.
     The policy of sanctions against a rogue nation was working. It could not spend its money freely, arms deals were embargoed and while Iran stuck its nose in everywhere in the Middle East, it was not fully powered but now, after a few years, there will be nothing to stop it. Previous attempts to monitor it through inspections proved futile; extremist planning for ten years ahead is nothing new for them as they have patience to wait and plan and have done so before.
     This is the same Iran that continues to hold Americans of Irani ancestry in prison or imprisoned inside the country, their "trials" are a sham and mimic the trials at the heights of Communist Russia and will this treaty free these prisoners? Who knows- no details forthcoming. This is the same Iran that still rails against the USA and Israel, the same Iran that danced in the streets yesterday because they knew they had gotten the better of us.
     Now the USA has to send letters and diplomats to allies in the Middle East, and I mean Arab allies who were rightfully afraid of a nuclear Iran, and explain the unexplainable to them, assure them of safety even as only a day or so ago a high ranking US armed forces person warned against a major clause of this deal. I do not have to repeat the terms as they are listed in every paper, but suffice it to say that this treaty will now separate the children from the grown ups, the morally brave from the weak or the wrongfully motivated by thoughts of power if one goes along with Obama. (Hmmm, sound familiar? Just substitute a few names.) World safety vs. political ambition. Wonder how that will work out for us?
     When desperation drives someone it is not a good situation, whatever the desperation is - be it for fame, for legacy,  or fear of armed conflict. I do not see that any of our so called treaties and decisions have kept us out of war what with members of our armed forces still dying over there, more forces being brought in under the illusionary terms of "advisers" and that whole area is in worse situations than it was before we invaded on false information.
     But my biggest question is the world here in the good old USA. Why do we still have people without clean water, without free access to it and not in  Africa, but here, in small mountain communities, in the Southwest, in communities where ancient pipes and conduits are breaking down. Why do we have thousands and thousands of children going to bed hungry, or their parents having to decide which of them skips the meals that day in order to provide food for the children? And no, it is not a racial or ethnic issue. Check the hills and hollers of Appalachia where people are still living as in two centuries ago. Even check in the middle class enclaves where people were laid off, no money coming in and the poverty and the need kept hidden behind a curtain of silence and shame.
     And why, because we are still thought of by the world as the great fixer upper of world messes and all we get in return are curses and threats, more demands on more of our resources. Perhaps it is time to spend more time in think tanks looking at our domestic situation and for real and practical ways to help, maintain a steady hand on the till of the ship of the world without making huge deals with unknown consequences and unenforceable contractual terms and get back to a policy of reality, of clear vision as to our main goals, our true friends, and the needs of our population and citizenry.
     And by the way, lest you think I have forgotten our own smaller world here in CV, I have not. While we have no need of nuclear treaties here, we do have need of new people with fresh vision, people who are driven by reality and true needs, not whims and desires. If only......is played by children. WE can....We must....is recognized by adults. Fervor driven by a person or people who are blinded by their own monomania has proven to be dangerous throughout the history of the world. Let us make sure we get rid of it here.

IS ANYONE OUT THERE?

     I know that people are reading from the stats that I receive, but I sometimes wonder about the readership here in the Village and the States as I do not know where these people are located, physically. Are they reading to do something about the situation or do they read because they enjoy the writing or are they reading from the opposing camp in order to know what we are thinking and in what mudhole we are catching them splashing about or are people reading because they actually hope to partake in the reform of our Village. And by the way, there is a Reformist Party of CV established so we are all serious about reform here and will not go away, no matter how many times they wish it so! Sorry, guys. You lose! As far as all the readers from all over the globe - I am just amazed - and flattered. Thank you, all my readers - domestic and foreign.
     Sometimes I wonder if the majority of the Villagers actually care about things or are just concerned with their daily swim and tennis game and a better parking place when they go to shows and movies. Oh, yes, they will join in the shouting when horror stories arise, such as Sheffield O and poor Petey Boy is apopletic because he cannot make that go away, cannot make believe that it never happened and is not still a mess. Now he just gives praise unto the Lord for the wonderful actions of David Israel and UCO. HUH???? I bet he would see the Emperor's new clothes rather than the splendor of his nudity as he foolishly marched thru his kingdom!
     How many people read the CV Messenger? Here we have a good measure as we know that emails are opened, papers are left in and out of the Village, including many popular stores and restaurants, on doorknobs(ooohhh, the doorknob thief gang is still there maybe), and even mailed out to snowbirds. We know the comments and questions we get and we see the desperation of Vestal as she struggles for readership, even as her staff of writers shrinks, as the newsworthy articles decrease in number and the bias of the paper just drips from its corners. Oh, but just look at all the pretty ads!!!
     How many question why the Snorkel Club receives the use of the Somerset pool EVERY holiday? How did that happen?
How many people understand that if we do not go to shows their number will decrease even more than they already have and there will go one of the biggest perks of living here? How many people actually plan to step up to the plate and run for office so that the harmful ones, the do nothing ones who never show up will all be replaced and we will finally have a responsive UCO, a proactive UCO, a UCO with process and procedure, with a good eye towards the future in a sensible and financially organized manner, with a president who does not threaten people or use his ability to appoint or ban a volunteer as nastily as do the beheaders of ISIS.
     Many people asked me then and now how I could have withstood the battery that David Israel aimed at me when I ran for president, out of the blue and how he focused his venom on me as I ran for Exec. Bd. The answer is, I know from whence it comes and I recognize hate speech and desperation when I see it. I know he is afraid of me. He then pulls out all the big guns, spends tons of money with possible tainted sources of money, performs poorly at the Candidates Forum and then wins - and the questions about the election procedures are never answered, the originals never examined, but, we all know that UCO and David Israel et al have taken on some of our suggestions, have had to respond to questions we have raised, have been forced into action even as they stutter as to why they allowed the situation to develop, spin in their chairs as they try to explain lapses in judgment, still have secret meetings and keep those videos off their purported blog, and then have to eat humble pie when they must very publicly acknowledge their disasters as they have to do with the roads, what with the constant and costly patching, the suddenly acknowledged need for a crew of engineers to come in and evaluate - and if they would have done this properly from the beginning we would not be out $5 million wasted dollars and another $30 million to accumulate - and the very public announcement that we will need that road quite sooner by years and years as it crumbles under our feet.
     Will people stand up again to the lies and wheeling and dealing from David Israel and the quick talk from Ed as they try to pull the broadband over our eyes or will people remember how we already have said NO to Wi fi for the entire Village and just remember the costly debacle in Boca. It behooves us to wait as every day one can read about the changes and if we do anything now, we will be committing ourselves to loads of money and a backwards system. Why do that? So those two can have their little whims satisfied? On our backs?
     Who will stand up for term limits reinstated as it always was. Unlimited terms lead to outdated, outmoded, paranoid and rude officers, people who think they have a right to remain in office in perpetuity. I think not! And how about a treasurer that answers questions and can explain just where our money is going and what is the REAL AMOUNT of the increase for next year - and it is going to be huge what with the roads and their planned broadband. And how are we going to know what is being held truly in reserve as we have that sophisticated ED Black system in place, the one of mish mash all in one account, truly an exceptional idea for hiding financial chicanery.
     Is anyone out there? If so, when you are here or when you return - come in to the DA and stand up for what is right. Demand answers. Demand freedom of the press. Remove Joy Vestal. Put the Greggs back in to Channel 63 with freedom to run it properly. Demand term limits. Demand that David Israel be thrown out and his Ed with him - and he will just have to do with remembered days of yore when Petey Boy praised him to the skies for directing traffic - his job as Security Chair and then ignore anyone else who was there. And speaking of traffic, this system is ridiculous as now we are having two lines waiting to get in as the guards do not lower the bars after they allow in a car in the non barcode lane and when a resident asks for it to be done, we get a "Calm down, relax!"  Truly? This is what we are paying for? This security contract sucks the big one! How about that Ed? David? Taken up counting lessons yet?
      Is anyone out there? Read. Hear. Think.
Act. Enlist in the battle. Screw your courage to the sticking point. Let your blood boil. Help fix things. Run for office. Vote the right way. Demand answers. Demand process and procedure. Demand action. Demand the truth. Demand honesty and transparency and as they say, "GIVE 'EM HELL!!!"

THE QUESTION TO ANSWER IS WHY?

     We have gone through much of the wrongs that have been perpetrated upon us here in the Village and no, sorry, Petey Boy and Ed, directing traffic for an hour or so does not make one a hero. Nice thing to do, but no amount of heavy print will take away all the harm that has been done through these men, one by his deeds and plans and the other by his constant beating the drum for these misdeeds, and in nasty words as well.
     But in any case, we still remain with why, why have these deeds been done? Why have these plans been made and more planned for the future? What is the bottom line here for David Israel and Ed Black and associated minions and, in fact, why do these minions support men who have gone dangerously off course, much to our detriment.
      Well, I did not major in psychology during my undergraduate, graduate and post graduate years, but took enough courses and lived a life where psychology played a large role at work. The main reason in these people, for the most part, is personal benefit, that cui bono that I wrote about in my previous posting. How do they benefit?
     There are always several motives. One is money. We know that past presidents of UCO - not all- have benefitted thus but in this situation we can only posit, we cannot prove at this point, just wonder.
     Another motive and the one that is ringing for  most people here is that of power. Yes, pathetic, I know, power in CV seems to drive these people, to be a middling and big toad in a small pond. Sad, but true. David Israel and Ed Black sit there and plot and plan, ignoring the needs and wishes of the residents and why - because they can and doesn't that feel good to them. Perhaps they never had any power in their prior life so here is a chance to make up for it. Just musing here, folks.
     Joy Vestal is so giddy at the thought of two posts that she does neither well, and, in fact, has driven the proud Reporter into becoming the Rag and has fallen to the ranks of those who beg the readers to actually read the paper. And why is that? Because there is now another paper that has cut into readership, popular with those many people who want the truth, the unbiased truth, and who are sick and tired of subsidizing a CV Pennysaver! Power is fleeting, Joy and what you have done to yourself and your honor needs much introspective thought on your part.
     Bob Marshall? Who the hell knows at this point. He was a terrible president and got us into much trouble and now can work with only one thought at a time, so let's just pass on to the next - Barbara Cornish. Well.... She LOVES power and resigned last time when it appeared that she would not be able to remain in office for life- how dare we have term limits! and now is a proponent of no term limits backed up by fallacious reasoning and her own plans for her term in office. Very, very much into power and its use and also has fallen down on the job as to reaching out to her quadrant people.
     Still holding on Fausto. He likes being in a position of power, be it the Italian - American Club or UCO, but he does appear to have taken part in some active work for the Village, but also has not reached out to his quadrant and has not solicited opinions from the residents., What will be - we need to wait and see. As for Phyllis and Pat - they never have anything to say. But they love being up there at the dais and at the conference table.
     Now for the committee chairs and the various little fiefdoms that David Israel has set up for them and their payback - a vote, a vote for him on crucial issues and why? So they can keep their little ducal roles and have some power, some title after their name. Sad, very sad.It demeans the good they do.
     What happens when UCO is non responsive and concentrated on maintenance of power rather than attention to the Village and service to the people? What we have now is what happens. We get a Sheffield O and an Easthampton association. We get the preponderance of renters and of undesirable insertion of homeless and people who simply cannot afford to live here. We get beggars at the doors - residents placed here who do not have the money to keep themselves in food. Well, folks, this is not a Welfare Village, but a CV. We can take care of our own, but cannot do so for the rest of the world nor was meant to do so. Make no mistake about it. I am all for helping those of our residents who have outlived their money, their children even, and have nowhere to turn other than to government programs that we can bring to them, much of that done already by Phyllis Richland, but I DO NOT believe that we can afford to or should take in the rest of the people out there who need help. We are a residential community, not a social welfare community and trying to be otherwise, to let other people turn us into that, or worse, a source of money as an investment, as Kelly and others, right, Ed, have done by purchasing multiple apartments, is ruining us.
     The equivalent of UCO in Boca CV bought into the DSL program and had a disaster, a huge money loss as it was awful and had to be stopped. I spoke with residents from there over the weekend and heard from others who had visited there and found the anger still to be high and yet, if we, the opposition, had not raised awareness of this disaster, this Wi Fi awaiting us, David Israel, Ed Black et al would have pushed through our own debacle of millions of dollars, on top of the $5 million loss over the roads and the huge cost awaiting us for the correction of those roads. Now they want to push through again, calling it Broadband. Well, people, Shakespeare said it already - "A rose by any other name......" 
     So why? For themselves and their own needs and certainly not for ours. Kent security contract? What a disaster and what playing around when the vote went against them. This was David's and Ed's baby - wonder what went on there in all their talks? Who knows - ah, the Shadow, right, but he is not a resident here.
      This is what happens when term limits are removed. People feel they are now dictator or petty little power person for life as long as they give their votes. If not, under the bus you go, along with some very good people, the latest being Howie Silver and you, all of you out there who have kept mum, afraid for yourselves, remember, your day will come too and there will be no one to speak up for you other than us, so think, think carefully, evaluate the important things in life such as personal integrity, honor, courage, doing the right thing and think again! Act again!
     Step up to run for office. Become the president of UCO, a VP, an officer who does something and hears the people , who advise them in their hour of need, not send them packing without any advice, leaving them out there as they did to Nancy Salmi until we raised the roof on them and they had to act or by another association president who also was thrown under the bus when he asked for help, was promised help by UCO and the insurance committee
and the insurance company and then was ignored, summons not answered and now he is in a suit for his life. Once again, thank you, UCO and there is another suit against you waiting in the wings. Then David Israel can whine again - but why, because of your actions and lack of actions. Please do not join nor remain in his "crimes" against CV. Do the right thing.

CUI BONO - WHO BENEFITS

     The question of who benefits is the answer or way to find the answer in many crimes. It is a tool of law enforcement and indeed in many areas when something smells, is off balance or just plain wrong. So ask that same question of all the actions being taken here in the Village and you will come up with the same name or two.
     Who benefits from all these firings of good and hard working people? Who benefits from these sneaky plans and plots to bring in another crazy form of Wi Fi - especially now after we have read of the hacking into the government files with close to 22 million people compromised! Who benefits from these lousy contracts that we have taken on, from the roads to security to the proposed sign that hopefully will go nowhere, to anything else one can think of.
     And who, my friends, benefits when nasty and scurrilous, racial and religious anti Semitic remarks are made on Gary's blog? Who - the same person I have banned from my blog exactly because of these kind of remarks. Even the sign in name is meant to cause hurt as it is done in a nasty satirical tone. Sorry, Gary, but he has moved to you and I suggest you ban him too or take his remarks off.
     In 1951 a French surgeon wrote this: "Every surgeon carries within himself a small cemetery, where from time to time he goes to pray - a place of bitterness and regret, where he must look for an explanation for his failures."
     True, but it can apply to any and all positions of responsibility that one has in life. The present UCO leaders have need to do this same thing for they certainly have much to atone for, to repent of, and to make amends for. Their failures, be they on purpose or accidental, a result of cui bono or simple incompetence, have wreaked havoc on thousands, literally thousands , of people here in the Village. This is Act III folks, time to look back and take stock and if repairs need to be done - time to do them and if one finds that it is long past time for oneself, long past one's sell and use by date, then one must go and at least try to do it with head high rather than be thrown out and remembered with nasty tone and nasty statements.
     Cui bono indeed and to that we must add another term from doctors' oaths that can also be applied to any other field or responsibility and that is "First, do no harm."  I believe that the current UCO administration, elected and non elected need to take this to heart and get themselves gone. The harm they have done is enormous already and they are planning millions more dollars worth of harm. As David Israel does so often - "We thank you for your service and you are fired!" and many times not even that - just "You are fired!" (Must have megalomaniac issues like Trump).
     Question all these things that they have done. Raise the issues in the DA and never mind David Israel trying to shut you down. Take a page out of Gorodetzer's book and stand up and shout point of order! Let these miscreants know that they cannot think they are gods and can do anything they want, continue to hurt people, without being called to account.

HAKARAT HATOV GRATITUDE FOR THE GOOD THAT WAS DONE

      One of the major principles of Judaism is Hakarat Hatov - gratitude and appreciation for the good that a person or group has done for one. It is the basis of good relationships and appreciation for the effort that another puts in for others.
     That principle should be recognized in every area of life and in every religion and philosophy. It is a simple human and humane idea. In this case, here in the Village, we in the Village owe Howie Silver a huge Hakarat Hatov. He has worked selflessly for us, through good health and bad, in various areas. He has been an officer of UCO and on the Executive Board, an official photographer for The Rag even before it became such and singularly talented in making even photo -shy people look good (and I know that for a fact!) He has worked selflessly in other areas and organizations, all in the name of helping people. He has even become an impassioned defender of the Village and when it needed help or something was done wrong, Howie spoke up - as in the awful floods in the parking areas of many associations after the oh so wonderful paving job.
     He is a man supported by his wife in all his endeavors and asked for nothing in return. In addition, he is just such a sweet man that one wonders how someone could be mean and unfair towards him.
     Yet such is the case here. Howie knows what is right and what is wrong and spoke up. In doing so, he has angered His Holiness, David Israel , who could not answer his questions and/or would not answer for fear of incriminating himself. He spoke up at The Rag meetings when he saw something wrong even as he worked so hard to maintain its journalistic integrity which is long gone.
       So what has he received in return? A thank you? A plaque? A well done handshake? A card? A bouquet of flowers? A lollipop? NO!!! What he has received is a kick in the pants when Joy Vestal, David Israel's puppet editor of The Rag, called him in, like a little boy to the principals' office and fired him. So much for Hakarat Hatov. So much for gratitude and appreciation. So much for Joy Vestal's purported independence and if you believe that, I have a bridge and  a tunnel to sell you.
      All of you who have accepted your little fiefdoms and petty positions of power and think you have it made in the shade - think again. If this can be done to Howie it can be done to you as well. Just disagree once too many times with David and Ed and out you go, under the bus. and do not think it will not happen - it has, many times before already. Think of your loyalty to Howie and stand by him. Think of your loyalty to the residents of the Village, which is where your loyalties should be and not for David, and think about your souls and your own self worth. Do the right thing!
     Is it not time to get rid of these nasty do nothings except bad deeds people? The time is now. No, the time was months ago. Recall. Cash them in. Get them out. They are do nothings that help our associations fall into disrepair and bad situations and all that we are hearing now are excuses as to why the VPs sat on their collective asses and did nothing. NOTHING!!!!! It is so easy to make a phone call, send an email, reach out and touch someone. What else do they have to do? Why else are these positions there. They have failed in fulfilling their responsibilities and need to go NOW!!!!

BULLETIN BULLETIN BULLETIN

HOWIE SILVER FIRED FROM THE RAG FOR DARING TO DISOBEY AND QUESTION DAVID ISRAEL.
JOY VESTAL OBEYS HER BOSS LIKE A GOOD MANCHURINA CANDIDATE AND FIRES HOWIE FOR THAT "OFFENSE".

sTAY TUNED LATER IN THE DAY FOR A POSTING ABOUT THIS ON THIS BLOG. IN THE MEANWHILE READ ABOUT AND LISTEN TO A REAL HERO, ONE WHO PUTS PEOPLE LIKE JOY AND DAVID TO SHAME.

JUST SCROLL DOWN A BIT AND YOU WILL SEE HER PICTURE AND VIDEO.

A WOMAN OF HONOR A HERO FOR ALL Message from Rachelle Sprecher Fraenkel

This is a message from Rachelle Sprecher Fraenkel. This is the mother of Naftali Fraenkel who was brutally killed along with two other boys a year ago.
     This is a woman before whom I stand in awe, with respect and honor. She was tested by Fate, by the hand of G-d, without understanding why, and grew into this test and became a woman for the world to emulate, to honor. She has survived the most horrific test a parent can survive - the loss of a child, suddenly, and with awful violence - and has come out of the other side as Daniel did in the den of the lions. She, too, has survived the furnace of G-d.
     Listen to what she has to say. I hope the picture remains, but if not, just hear her voice. It is in perfect English so no worry about understanding it, only in wondering how special she is.
     May we all never know such sorrows. May Rachel Fraenkel only know happiness from now on and may we all pray for peace. May the haters who kill children, who scream and burn flags and make threats undergo their own tests, whatever they may be, and come out purified and better people for it.
     Hear it and wonder. Hear it and weep. Hear it and you too will stand in awe before this woman.

RESPONSE TO THE FOOL - Sorry folks had to answer.

Gracie, you are blocked from this blog because all you do is repeat nonsense and lies and do personal attacks. And by the way you have not appeared in any of my postings for quite some time so what the hell is your problem? Do you miss the attention? Tell you what, next DA I will sit next to you. How's that?When I criticize our UCO people it is backed by fact and truth and if Sheffield O is not a problem , gee, wonder why Irwin Levy came to talk about it? Hmmmmm.
It is neither personal nor with meanness  that I write, only the truth and if you disagree, then say so in a mature manner, if at all possible. I  would allow that, but not your drivel.
Would you really want me to have your email bombarded by my students? Stop being a moron and stop putting yourself in danger of slander as that statement is manifestly and patently false and easily proved. I could have my attorney take a look and see where to go from here. Would you really like that? I doubt it. Why not criticize my ideas, my statements with fact based statements if you can. You cannot and that is why you blather on in a venomous manner and are backed up by that nasty critter, Petey Boy who NEVER has the honesty or the guts or another portion of his anatomy to get up there and speak in public. Nope, he snipes from the side, no facts, no figures, no rebuttals, just nasty stuff.
If this is where you like to hang out and what you like to do - then @%#&**$@ AND INTERPRET THAT ANYWHICH WAY YOU WANT.
As the great writers stated, "Get thee gone."

KEYSTONE KOPS CV STYLE

     You can't make this up if you tried. Even now, the whole story is shrouded by fog and secrecy and the idiotic and frenetic manner in which this whole thing was done and please note that NO VIDEO of this meeting or its after meetings or phone calls or Skype or whatever ever went up on his blog. It is just so representative of the administration of UCO and its workings and should push any and all over the line and we should all be shouting for their removal.
     So what kind of games are they playing here? Eyewitness testimony from a reliable source tells of the meeting of the Security Committee wherein the dissatisfaction with the Kent company was discussed, this after much complaint and discussion amongst other people, including this very blog and the CV Messenger and Gary's blog, the usual manner in which to find out the truth in the Village. It was decided by a vote to notify them that they had 60 days to clean up their mess or else the next step towards dissolution of contract would be taken. The vote was a majority vote with a plurality of one. Needless to say, David Israel and Ed Black along with our "impartial" Joy Vestal were not happy campers at all. Tsk tsk.
     Suddenly, we began hearing rumors of phone calls and even Skype sessions of meetings and plots and plans and lo and behold, suddenly Ed Black says he counted wrong and the motion was defeated. Really? I knew he could not count well when UCO funds were used inaccurately but even a vote with small numbers? Tutoring required?
     Here's a question - why was the video of the meeting never posted, nor the minutes, not that they are of real value for accuracy, but still. And now we hear that the meeting was not videoed at all!!! Interesting again. Why, if Skype was involved afterwards and a meeting held by Skype, then why are we being told that we cannot get votes or agreements for signatures by Skype? Same difference, ya know.
     But wait - there's more! (Aahhh, have not used that line in a while). What is the more? Suddenly there was another whatever, mix, mess, of phone, and secret meetings, which violate the Sunshine Law, (oh ye who "boast" about how it is so closely followed and obeyed here - think again!) Well, what do you know - suddenly the vote was reversed again and the company will get its notice - or go to the delegates - or whatever else is bruited about.
     Stay tuned for the latest changes as this apparently is a second by second changing situation. Keystone Kops indeed!!
     How do we ever trust an administration run by apparent incompetents who cannot even organize themselves into any kind of group to discuss what happened and what to do as a result? How do we trust a group that obviously refuses to follow the dictates of its committees, even their own handpicked ones who finally have the courage to stand up to David and Ed? How do we ever trust them to do anything and again, why no video unless they knew there would be issues..
     People, we cannot trust this UCO. The Kent contract and their performance is horrocious. I followed their Rover yesterday for a bit and that thing does not go off the main road. It is like the cops who coop on duty. They are not performing their tasks properly. Remember, last time I looked, most of us live OFF the main roads and are entitled to security checks as well. Their other deficiencies are well known so what are we playing around for? What is the underlying truth? David Israel, I challenge you to come out in public and open yourself up to the questions of the residents and no shouting to shut a person's mic or in any way censor the questions or lie in the answers. I do not even know if it is possible for you to do this, but try.
     In any case, people, they gotta go. NOW! Any body remember Sheffield O and now an Easthampton association and there are rumors of others. What the hell are they doing over there in UCO? Why are they not having OPEN meetings where all are invited to talk and ask and DEMAND help, hand holding and proactive decisions. Irwin Levy can help, yes, but it is our mess, thank you, UCO, and Mark Levy seems nowhere around, content to give the old man his shot, I guess. Where is WPRF and what exactly was and is their role in this? Only the shadow knows since all we hear from that direction is dead silence. Interesting.
     Term limits. Better and clean government. Better CV. A UCO that actually cares and is honest and transparent. A UCO with process and procedure. VPs that do something! Anything! The time has come.

AND THE LIES JUST KEEP ROLLING ALONG....

     You know, every person in this world has told a lie or two or three....and that is normal, but these lies have to stop at one point, particularly when one grows up and understands that the truth always will out sooner or later and telling lies to try to delay or hide the truth is basically only a delaying tactic. Obviously, we have people in UCO who have never grown up or never morally solidified and they just keep those lies a'comin'. Sad, but unfortunately true and the ones who suffer from these lies are us, the people of CV. What is totally unfortunate is that these lies, these liars, have people who follow them, who will follow them down the road to perdition and why? That needs a shrink to give a definitive answer. Suffice it to say that these followers also have a defect in their moral makeups.
     So what are these lies that just keep coming our way? Let us take the elephant in the room - the roads. Many of us living here now were not here when the whole issue began, but all one has to do is take a walk, look down at the surface of the roads as you walk, as you stroll along the perimeter, as you find us the Land of a Thousand Lakes after a thunderstorm, as you see failing drains, etc.
     Frankly, these roads look worse than they did before we "did" them and why? Aha!! Here come the lies. Because our "esteemed" leaders, in the forms of David Israel, Ed Black, and Bob Marshall, signed away our money, our comforts, our rights to judge a contract on the truths rather than the lies told about it, who did not know that money was illegally transferred, that our contract was really not, our project unsupervised and what was worse, we allowed this whole farce to continue even when it was seen to be a disaster and why? Because those three wanted it that way. Why? You answer that to your own satisfaction. But if you want a real definitive and detailed discussion, please go to Gary's blog and read the Scandals.
     We have been shouting from the rooftops about this road disaster and have been called liars ourselves yet look what we now have. Little by little they have come to admit that the roads suck! That the perimeter walkway is broken up by "roots" - really - should that not have been taken care of at the time? And we are doing "emergency" repairs. uh huh!
     Then we are told that suddenly the lifetime is not 30 years, but 15, and then 10, and then 8 1/2 and now O'Brien says he doesn't know. We are told we need to get 15 million, no twenty million, no thrity million dollars to fix this mess and guess where that comes from, my friends - your pocket and next year is shaping up to be an expensive year for us and why - because of their lies.
     So the accused liars are now the truth tellers and let us see what else. Aha! The security contract. What a lie that was and who was in it - oh, dear, there are David Israel and Ed Black - again! ad infinitum ad nauseum. When the Kent company was put on notice this past meeting, Israel's reaction was "Ludicrous!" Why? What does he have in it that he says this? What is the truth here besides the fact that this company is truly and seriously lacking in its performance, in its contractual promises? Again, you ask and answer for yourselves. I claim to have no answers.
     What else? Oh, there is no censorship in the Village. Really? Writers are banned from The Rag by Joy Vestal, Editor and VP. How's that for incestuous relations. Channel 63 became a bulletin board and a portrayer of old, free movies and why - because evidently my face needed to be banned from the channel in a book club discussion and the Greggs, principled people, resigned. Meetings? Uh Uh. Tsk,tsk. No politics we are told. Our "parents" at UCO and WPRF have decided that we seniors are too delicate for serious talk and should just run along and play pickleball and swim and go to shows. No thinking here, folks!

     And then we have the complaints that are finally surfacing. For years now I have been saying that our VPs are useless, like teats on a boar. They do nothing but sit there self satisfied, eat and drink and chat and make no effort to do their jobs. Here is a statement from a reader on David's private blog and his answer?-

As always, I listened to the Executive meeting posted by UCO. This time my questions have nothing to do with e subject of the meeting, although they are important. Today, as I listened, I realized that I had never met the UCO VP who presumably is the representative of my association on the UCO Executive Committee. I am an officer of that association, so it seemed strange that he had never been to an association meeting (at least in past three years) and I wondered why he was qualified to represent ourselves and two other associations. Then, I began to wonder about the VP who presumably represented the issues of Sheffield O. Who exactly do the VP's represent? Are they voted on by their associations only or are they general VP at elections although representing only a small group?

July 7, 2015 at 4:15 PM

 David Israel said...

Hi Jangor802,

All Officers of UCO are elected by the Delegates comprising the Delegate Assembly.

The Vice Presidents are assigned a quadrant of the Village for administrative purposes, to act as a focal point person to assist the unit owners resident in that quadrant.

Dave Israel

He gives no answer to this woman's plaint. Where is her VP - but he is actually not thinking so much, fixated on our entry system, lightning and the like and the other VPs, well, Joy is too busy with her Rag, Fausto is dong other stuff and the residents and the associations are too small to bother with evidently and Barbara Cornish - who the hell knows! For years I have called for them to be more proactive, more advisory, more hands on with the associations, to reach out, to help but nope! Too busy and so we have Sheffield O and so we have Easthampton and so we have other associations that are all or mostly renters and so we have neglect and deterioration and a core of rot that needs to be weeded out.
     But the lies just keep rolling along, no matter that they are uncovered as lies, no matter that David Israel does not answer this woman's issues with the VPs of UCO, that lies about the attempts to subvert our votes and sneak in Wi Fi again!!!!! and other costly projects, unnecessary ones such as a ridiculous sign for Okeechobee instead of focusing on our true needs, even the little ones - like who authorized these new brown benches that are low and absorb the heat to a dangerous burning level. Do we need to wait for the first tragedy and lawsuit?
     What we need is fresh air, fresh people, a clean and transparent UCO that responds to the people of the Village and their needs, that tells the truth.
Get these people in UCO gone! Term limits! Now!!!!!

AGAIN? DOES THIS MAN NOT HEAR?

NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

      The print does not get any larger on my computer, but I am beginning to think that this man only hears if it is imprinted on his forehead! How many times do we have to vote no on Wi Fi, whatever name he calls it, for it is all Wi Fi in various forms. We voted against funding for it.  The committee was to have been disbanded and yet .....here we go again.
     Every month this man and the usual suspects gather together to plot and plan, to conspire to get their own way and just look who the members in attendance were last meeting - David Israel, Joy Vestal, Ruth Dreiss, Ed Black, Ken Graff, Bob Marshall, Anitra Kraus - a renter so what the hell is she doing as a member anyway!!! See, all the usual suspects.
      And what do they discuss? Wi Fi, Broadband, all in one package - one point of entry and control, unsafe emanations from the equipment, poles being erected along the walkway - as if we do not have enough problems on the walkways already. The concern that the walking path and other residential perimeter areas would not be covered was discussed, and the answer was to install a pole. Sure, let's just add poles, all the better for our residents to smack their heads and break them wide open! 
     No contract, but every month and only G-d and David Israel and Ed Black know how often they talk during the days of the month in between. CSI and no, not the TV show, but a company and who knows anything about them? What have they done before this? What is their record? Who empowered David Israel et al to talk seriously with them as if the contract was a done deal? NO ONE, THAT IS WHO!!!
     And what are we talking about? A system that would enter through one point

A) Proposes a 10 -gigabyte line in a single pipe from a company such as HotWire. No out-of-pocket expenses with a 5-year contract;

So we are to be involved with company after company - CSI, Comcast, Hotwire and how many more? Don't forget the pole company!And a five year contract? Things change so much in a day in this world so why are we inking a five year contract? Cui Bono - who benefits? It ain't us, my friends!

. Demand assigned multiple access was discussed for those residents who are peak users.
     "DAMA is a technology used to assign a channel to clients that don't need to use it constantly. DAMA systems assign communication channel based on request."
   By the way, this system was used mainly by the government, the military so guess we know where that comes from and oh, by the way, remember reading how much, how many of our government's systems, our military's systems were hacked? And are you sure we want this for ourselves? Truly, think. 
     What this means, folks, is that when a channel is not being used, it is returned to the pool, but what happens at peak time when all channels are being used - rotate on our thumbs while waiting? This is a system for allocating use of bandwidth among multiple users based on demand. And what if the demand is way more than planned for? And how do I know that someone cannot get in there and cut off my access? It has been done before and can be done again, whether it is a country closing access or David Israel closing access to our cloud to naughty people.
     And what about David Israel's statement that "Broadband" combines Cable, An income producing Web Site and Wi-Fi into a comprehensive Communications package."
     What if we do NOT want this package. What if we already have a package that we like or with another company or simply do not wish to buy in to a program where there is just too much danger of one person gaining control? What if that one person is a known cyberbully already? I am not up for this and quite personally, do not have any interest in someone telling me what I can and cannot do, what I can and cannot have, and then charge me $20 a month for that. What if I already live in an association that is giving me my Wi Fi connection for around $5 a month?There is too much risk of sneak entry, of threats to our security and besides - WE ALREADY SAID NO!!!
    And where will the money for this come from. More added fees. On top of the fees that are already being planned for next year with at least $10 alone for road reserve and with our mish mash system of one account, who can guarantee that this money will be spent where it is supposed to go? NO ONE, AGAIN!!!
     We cannot take this UCO's words as true in any way, shape, manner or form. There is nothing wrong with our roads, shout that to the heavens as they did and now, we are suddenly calling in an engineering firm to check them out to see how little time we have and how much it will cost.  And who is this firm? What is their record? Nobody knows - perhaps the Shadow does.We are doing emergency repairs to the walkways, the same ones that will need poles so that one can walk with a computer so one can walk off the road and we can make more use of PBSO and EMT services! We can subscribe to a system where we are being told that oh, the emanations will be just like a cellphone so no problem. Really! do you walk around with a cellphone strapped to your head 24/7/365 and add your neighbor's emanations to that as well!
     We have grave issues with the fabric of our Village - the physical infrastructure and the people component. Kelly is still there. Other money hungry grubbers are still there. Our sources tell us that there is a similar situation in an Easthampton condo association, and our media channels are closed off to a huge portion of the residents and now David Israel is talking of a website for money and ahem, who will control that? Oh, of course, silly me - YOU, David Israel, AGAIN!!
     People, wake up. Smell the coffee or your drink of choice but do smell it and the smell of sulfur might be there as well. There are devilish plans afoot for us if we do not step up and say no more. Term limits - YES! New UCO officers - YES! Out with the sneaky self centered who see only what their desires tell them and who spend our money needlessly, thinking that we have deep pockets. Time for them to go NOW  NOW  NOW.

PROGRESS - OR NOT!

     So time to take stock of our world today and how far we have come (?) in our daily lives and in the life of the world. But when I do that, it somehow seems that we are living in a perverted world based on that old movie Back to the Future. I then ask the question - are we meant to live and relive every stupid move that humanity has ever done or will we ever be permitted to move forward without having to look back over our shoulders to see what is still chasing us down, wanting to push us back into some dark corner which we thought to have cleared up already,
     Let's take a look at the question of civil rights, those rights that are 'inalienable' or so we have been taught. FDR spoke of the freedom from certain fears and well, that does not seem to have succeeded yet. Why, in a world which seemed to have everything, do we suddenly find ourselves on the cusp of a huge crisis for mankind. Remember the statement, "It's only water, and water is free". Uh huh, well watch that go down the tubes, halfway down already.
     Droughts, floods, the huge areas of the globe that have no access to clean water, the disaster zones where farming and life saving crops cannot be grown because the farmers are killed if they dare go out into the fields, or there aren't any farmers at all because they are all refugees. The USA where we are told that eggs will be quite expensive and chicken cheap and then dear, fruits and vegetables will cost due to the fact that California has limited waters to share with the farmers and does anybody hear Mad Max calling?
     Times when we thought rights would be expanded to the citizens of the world appear to be dimming. The Arab Spring? And what was that again? We appear to be deep into winter. The cry of "Winter is coming" from GOT appears to be so apropro here. Putin is back to the old Russian groove of dictatorship. It does not matter whether the dictator is a Tsar, a Communist dictator slaughtering millions, consigning other millions to icy camps in Siberia, or simply a run of the mill dictator with personality issues such as Putin.
     Tunisia, the only Arab Moslem country which seemed to be succeeding as a democracy has suffered two major terrorist attacks and now has declared a month of heightened security and suspended the right of free speech. Hmmmm. ISIS or ISIL, take your choice of name - as by any, it is a murderous backwards thinking bumped up terrorist group which will eventually burn itself out like a crazy virus, but in the meanwhile is busy setting up a 7th century Caliphate and destroying all that remains from ancient times - that is when they are not selling these remains off!
     Hatred of others, the different, has resurged all over the world. Anti Semitism is now at terrifying levels again, so much so that we even asked the PBSO to make some extra runs past our synagogue over the weekend, which they did - thank you. BDS, an attempt to delegitimize Israel, to demonize it, has grown, become PC. Will camps return as well? A neo Nazi rally in London states that it is time to deal with the weeds that are Jews, come to their rally and it will be a gas - with a picture of a nozzle spewing a mist. I, for one, am frightened. Not so much for me, but for my children and especially my grandchildren. I look at pictures of families, of groups, of schools, camps, etc. and wonder if I am seeing the past once again, where only several years later these same groups were worse than decimated - they were eradicated.
     And, of course, we have half the world once again trying to stuff the other half back into a room where they need remain, beshrouded, ignored unless it is time for sex, denied all rights that any human deserves, used and abused as a tactic of war and told they have no rights to control their own destiny, not even their own bodies and certainly not of their little daughters who are sold like cattle.
     And the rest of the world in miniature follows along, corrupt, unable to fight this off, rife with petty dictators, and the growing denial of civil rights grows apace.
    We humans are so very capable at pulling the wool over our own eyes, be it in the macro or micro world. Lanny Howe and Petey Boy blather on how David Israel is so wonderful that he should write articles and even give a huge lecture in the Clubhouse so others can hear him and admire him. BARF!!!! Cathy (whoever that is) says, oh, yes, he has made errors but so what, he has given so many hours of his time to UCO. Cathy, would you accept a doctor who flunked every test in med school but was passed along because he had put hours into study and then went to hospitals which also passed him along to avoid increased death rates and then he comes to you for a surgery that needs doing and then you take him, because he has put so many hours into his medical study and work years????? You would not, so why should we take an incompetent, petty dictator who keeps getting us into trouble and only wants to spend our money on useless things while the Village crumbles around us? C'mon - think about it.
     Ooofff! Think I need to go look at pictures of my grandchildren and skip the paper today what with Greece melting, the markets aboil, the weather just nuts and as Shakespeare often portrayed as a recurrent theme in his plays - the world of Nature and the world of Man reflect each other. So read the worlds, people, and let us do what we can to fix things up, even a bit at a time, but at least do something.

BEGGING IN THE STREETS?

     At the DA on Friday, Avis Blank spoke about people in or near her association going door to door begging for food and/or money. Yes, right here in the Village. You know, when the issue of the homeless in Sheffield O and I am sure elsewhere in the Village, arose, I wrote, half seriously, about what was next - assigning spots on the four corners intersection for the begging? Mass produced I am hungry signs?
     Well, the begging is here and what does that mean and what to do? First of all, understand that this bodes no good for the security and welfare of the Village. To be clear, I am not a Grinch. Gerry and I regularly bring food over to a food pantry, give charity and belong to a synagogue which very quietly takes care of those in need in the congregation and even outside of it. And I am sure that there are many people in the Village who do related work; in fact, I have spoken with quite a number, so we are not without heart here in the Village. In fact, the very best VP we ever had in CV, Phyllis Richland, was heavily involved in finding ways and means, governmental and private help for those who lived in the Village yet suddenly found themselves in need. Marcia Z. informed us about the large remotes - thank you. There is help to be found.
     That was all fine, as these people were owners, residents of the Village who due to economy, due to improved medical knowledge, have found themselves outliving their money and trying to get along on a pittance of Social Security. So we help. But, and that is a big but - it is not a good idea to become known as a full service welfare community for incoming homeless who are given an apartment to rent and who have nothing left over. They have no business renting here and the subsidy they get should be and would be better spent if the rent were lower and there were funds remaining for food and other necessities of life.
     San Francisco, for various reasons, became known as a city friendly to street people, homeless, whether by choice or need. Now they are overwhelmed and do not know what to do. They cannot allow the situation to continue, but the steps to take are far from clear.
     CV has already been publicized now as a place where homeless are granted new life in the form of an apartment. Are we now to become an east coast version of San Francisco and kill ourselves with the struggle to feed, clothe, pay utilities, offer mental and physical health needs, and the list is endless. There are other people, other places, governmental and private, even organizations to which many CV people belong. But, that but again - not here!
     Quite bluntly, many of the people who bought and who live here, especially those all year rounders, bought here to live in a bubble that they could afford. With limited funds this place looked and was great. Affordable units, great amenities, wonderful people (for the most part!), vetted buyers, a safe home and neighborhood so that one could leave a door open, a package in a car, and walk home alone at nite after visiting with a friend. Now, not so much, is it? We begin to think, to worry and quite frankly, that is not why I bought here.
     I, and many others, know our responsibilities as human beings, but also know that in order to do for others, first we must do for ourselves and take care of ourselves. It is not just a simple cure all of a couple of cans a week.That is why we worked so hard, why we struggled to give our kids the best education, be it for professional work, white or blue collar, and why we planned for a future that included a good and safe third act.
     Due to the sloppiness of UCO, or laziness, or blind denial, or veniality or whatever it was, along with the greed of investors and believe you me, that includes many people who live here! we are now in a situation that requires immediate intervention and not a go slow, let's see attitude. Yes, Irwin Levy is becoming active, helping out with a lawyer, but we got ourselves into this mess and need to become more proactive in fixing it. WPRF obviously did not do much for us, especially as they have known for a while and perhaps that means they need to investigate and perhaps make some heads roll, or perhaps it means that we need to part ways with WPRF in the next contract and that is another whole story where again, we are allowing UCO to leave us unprotected, in a state of unreadiness for post Millennium years, but there is nothing wrong in going ahead with plans for a rally by Kelly's development. Why should he be allowed to live in peace when we do not?
    In the meanwhile, wake up!!!! Get active in your association. Get new bylaws written to keep your building safe. Get rid of the crooked officers. Become an officer yourself and do not leave it to others. Speak up at the assemblies. Ask hard questions. Demand answers. Together we can fix this. It has not yet reached the tipping point. And the first step is to get a better UCO, new and fresh blood, people who dare to deny David Israel and Ed Black their every wish. Term limits, folks, term limits, and lots of hard work.

HATE TO SAY IT - BUT I WILL....TOLD YOU SO!!!

     If one checks back on my postings, one will see how often I have brought up the fact that UCO is not doing its due diligence in its responsibilities. It shirks what it should be doing and perseverates on its own wishes, never mind the needs of the residents.
     Yet they continue to speak out of both sides of their mouths. UCO does not have any responsibility towards the associations whose responsibility it is to check their buyers, but when the whole dirty business of Kelly was exposed, suddenly it became their business - they were shamed before the world and had to act. Too little too late as they are still not doing what they must. They MUST be there to hold the hands where necessary. Telling someone and being there for and with them are two different things and my question of what did the President know and when was not answered. Guess they are too busy going through telephone numbers!
     But today's mess continued into the Security committee meeting. I have written both on the blog and in the CV Messenger about the awful Kent security contract, how lousy and full of holes it is, how Ed Black rammed it down our throats without time for review and no questions allowed, no answers given and major details just left out, just like that.
     Time elapses and follow us into the meeting of this afternoon. Evidently Barbara Cornish reads my blogs and columns for the CV Messenger for she complained about many of the same things I did. Where is the second rover? Nowhere!!! I wrote about the constant movement of the guards in something given a name Cross Training, which in English means that no guard becomes an expert in one area, but is a jack of all and a master of none and guess who suffers as a result? US!! You got it in one. Security either drags at the gates or they wave through anyone with some breath and a warm body and oh, perhaps a library card or Blue Cross or Red Cross but no ID. And then we wonder how these illegitimate renters from Sheffield O are getting in? Really?
     I asked where their hurricane plan is but wait, what is the hurry? We still have a few more months of the season to go! And now they want to re-negotiate the contract if we are going to demand the second Rover - which is in the contract in the first place! So much for Ed Black's wonderful contract that supposedly we got on the cheap. Sounds just like the crappy contract he and David Israel pushed on through for the roads and how did that work out for us?
     Today a vote was taken to give Kent 60 day notice to come up to snuff or out they go, of course after voting. David Israel was quite unhappy that this vote was passed. How dare the people go against him? After all, he put them in their chairs. Just wait and watch and see these people begin to disappear or have their computers cut off or whatever petty little mannerisms he will employ. Barbara, watch out for the tart and whore words will be right there once again.
     Finally, a word about today's assembly and the behavior there. I am sure David Israel took his happy pills for he was grinning like a Cheshire cat before the meeting but began to look a bit draggy when he decided to shut Ed Grossman down. Why? No clue? Ed had the right to finish his question session with Irwin Levy. And then he erupted like Vesuvius. Oh well.
     He then behaved until even he had enough of  Gorodetzer. I was sitting behind her and the woman needs help. She was muttering the whole meeting through if she wasn't yelling out loud, and the mutterings were in such a nasty tone it was not pleasant to hear.
     Then of course, after Ed spoke again, with some advice that worked for him, just as some other people spoke at that segment of the DA, Jackie Karlin got up and made a personal attack on ED G. Nasty, nasty and when I called a point of order to call her out of order and David both saw and heard me, he just looked away. Not to worry, as I called Jackie on it after the assembly which she did not like at all. Finally, the only people who mumbled and grumbled were David's shills who did not like the question I asked about knowledge of the facts and I simply had to turn around and stare like a principal at naughty children and they shut themselves down. Time to grow up people. Time to understand the principle of freedom of speech, whether you like it or not. Even one of the camera men spoke to me about that behavior.
    Oy, people, we have a long way to go, but read and watch as our predictions unfortunately come true, are taken up too little too late by UCO who continues on its self destructive path of poor due diligence and contracts that cost us dearly in many ways.
Term limits, folks, term limits, and NOW.

THEY CANNOT BE THAT BLIND, SO WHAT IS THE TRUTH?

     Just read a posting by Bob Rivera and a typically inane comment by Lanny Howe. Since there is no criticism allowed on that "holy" blog site, I will have to answer here.
Dear Lord above, how can they repeat the same old tired statements that actually prove the opposite and think they are making sense. I am shocked at Bob and resigned to Lanny.
     Excuse me, but exactly just who was it that manipulated the vote and the delegates? Who was it that violated that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" that you quote? Well, let us check.
     Aha! There were always term limits in CV and UCO until someone was too grasping of power and could not relinquish his office as the law demanded. So he had a vote taken three times! until it was during the dead time off season and basically the majority of the delegates still here were rousted out of their nests and voted as their master designated and thus - voila! suddenly what was not broke was broke! Zombie delegates had obeyed their master and suddenly all was well in the twisted world of David Israel. Term limits were destroyed and the end of days was upon us. So, Bob, who tampered and who did not?
     You then go on to list a whole bunch of things going wrong in the Village and somehow seem to avoid the obvious elephant in the room - all this took place, developed, along with other major issues during the dictatorial terms of David Israel. The lakes going sour, the homeless and investors, the lack of contact and advice from UCO to the associations, the lack of contact by the VPs of UCO with their quadrant, busy, busy eating and hydrating on the Village's dime and in cementing their office holding, disintegrating infrastructure,  the deterioration of a paper into a rag,the crappiest road job ever - should we call the Book of Records on that? All this and more for the bargain price and privilege of David Israel and Ed Black, in tandem, along with their teams of yoked oxen, who geed and gawed at request and now have gone one even better. They simply do not show up at their assigned committees, so now meetings are simple rubber stamps of His Holiness's desires and we, the residents, are royally shafted and expected to be grateful for this and for the chance to name him Dictator for Life and Ed Black as Vizier for Life.
     Well, guess again. We are not taking this any more. We demand answers and hope that Irwin Levy has some. We want the chair to answer questions and not break down into his usual fits and screeches, threats and bizarre statements. No fake rulings, no cutting people off, no limiting of number of speakers - just a simple meeting where truth will finally prevail. Seems simple but I am not optimistic.
     I know that sometimes the apathy kicks in and despair at ever getting back and forward to what was and what should be grows, but it can be done, it is being done and despite all attempts to block us, there is hope.
     Read the growing CV Messenger. Read the blogs. Read properly into the responses of the Israel crew, driven to respond to our accusations and presentation of the truth in all these matters. Their rag is filled with attempts to hide the truth, to cover over our accusations. Their blog is silent, unable to answer until someone finally tries to and then they only trip over their own words.
     Bob, you say that we have presented no answers. Read again and again and again and again. Our suggestions are there, have been there and all that happens due to the undemocratic and limited people allowed into UCO, we have all attempts stymied, nitpicked and ignored. We have the sad responsibility of bringing crisis after crisis to the fore and then suddenly UCO wakes up. How many times did I alone ask why UCO did not help these associations? How many times did poor oppressed Nancy Salmi come for help and get shown the door? How many times did Eva ignore what was presented to her and let the associations go rot in hell? How much did Mark Levy know? How much was David Israel involved and do not say that , "Oh, he gave the donation back." Really! And why was that? Donations are returned ONLY when one knows that there is something really and truly rank about the giver of that check. So David, any which way you look - there you are, right in the very heart of the stink and the mud. Think about it , Bob. I have more faith in your brain power and logical thinking than you have presented here. And you yourself have asked and questioned many, many times why I am not allowed to volunteer, why I, and many others are banned from UCO, even as the volunteers dwindle and UCO is a sad and hollow representation of what it is supposed to be. As for Lanny - there is no hope there so I am not wasting my breath. He will fall down all by himself.
     One of Israel's favorite plaints is to moan and grown the falsehood about how much these suits are costing the Village - actually nothing, but a lie stands there, spewing its rank odors into the air. What he does not say and what is not bruited about is that the fight to save the Village is costing the individuals of the opposition mucho bucks, money that does not come easily to us, and yet we continue to spend because our home - your home - is at risk and because it is the right thing to do. I, myself, have my own lawyer and have paid to establish and incorporate a group called The Reformist Party of Century Village, costs paid for by me and supporters and will continue the fight. We are in contact with Tallahassee and will continue to bedevil and gnaw at the ugliness that has invaded our Village, all allowed by David Israel and crew.
      Think, Bob, think. And the rest of you guys as well. Think, question, demand answers, open your minds and save our homes.

By the way, off topic, but startling and signaling the end of an era and scores of memories of watching with my then little ones, Maria of Sesame Street, after 44 years, is leaving. Can you believe that!!!

CVMessenger Vol 10

This the latest edition of the CVMessenger Vol #10 click here

FRIDAY'S DELEGATE ASSEMBLY AND FROM THERE - WHENCE?

     On Friday, Irwin Levy, the originator of the vision of Century Village, will speak at the DA. He will talk about Sheffield O and the miserable situation there but hopefully he will also discuss the steps taken to alleviate and prevent future takeovers.
     One thing that I, and many others, would like to hear is the timeline. As Howard Baker said at the Watergate hearings, "What did the President know and when did he know it?" That, I think is the essential question to be asked and answered. I do not expect Mr. Levy to be involved in the minutiae of daily life and happenings in CV; however, I do expect that the president of UCO, OUR organization, would have been more alert and more reactive and proactive to this situation.
     In addition, there are such heavy gray areas here, some very foggy areas where the exact relationship between Kelly and the officers of UCO is unclear and leads to speculation, true or false, but it must be explained and the truth outed. It behooves us, the residents, delegates and other people at the assembly to listen carefully, respectfully, to Mr. Levy and then ask questions, ask for clarification. Let him hear our concern, our loss of faith in our officers and any altruistic motives they might ever have held. Let him hear our voiced concern that this situation is being replicated in other associations and UCO has allowed this to happen by either active or inactive quasi approval, or G-d forbid, active participation in the planning and execution of this activity.
     The questions must be asked quietly but firmly, with honest quests for the truth, but not with antagonism towards Mr. Levy and those addressed towards the chair must also be voiced in an even tone. The truth presents itself. The inactivity, the lack of cooperation with the associations, the ignoring for YEARS of desperate residents who came to UCO for help, who were turned away, the denial of any responsibility to advise and help with pathetic excuses - UCO has failed in its very duties and responsibilities towards the associations.
     As far as the chair goes, I am sure he will take a happy pill or two to insure his remaining stable and non screechy, precluding his pathetic calls for 911 and the PBSO. He will hopefully realize that he cannot smack that gavel and shout "out of order" in front of his guest speaker. So perhaps there will be a much more open forum. We can hope, though I am not optimistic, as my trust in UCO is simply not there. The past is prelude to the present and we must try to avoid letting it foretell the future without change.
     Come, attend, listen, question, think, evaluate. That is our duty on Friday. Saturday is the Fourth. Let us celebrate our freedoms of speech and assembly at this DA as we have been prevented from doing so at prior ones and in the Village "official" media. But do it right and as adults. Step up to the plate and do not let Israel stack the decks with lines of his minions saying thank you over and over again, especially to him for his "hard work".
     The main question here and not to be forgotten is why this was allowed to continue for so long and why UCO and its officers refused to help, shirking their responsibilities and suddenly now, only after persistent voices brought it to the attention of the world and UCO HAD to act, did they shamefacedly begin. But note - the by laws suggestions had been made long before this, drawn up by Jean Dowling who had consulted an attorney on her own dime, by a group of people who refuse to give up. So get up there and ask the questions, saying thank you and please where appropriate, but also questioning, always asking.

EXPLORING THE SEMANTICS OF UCO

      Curious, is it not, that The Rag, AKA the Reporter to some, can be both an official and unofficial newspaper. When one questions the sense of hiring an ad person for over $12,000 a year, we are told that this "paper" is independent from and of UCO. Curious, is it not, when we are told in an article in that same fish wrapper that it is the "official" paper of UCO and the Village.
     Even more curious is the ratio of pages of ads to pages or articles of news, information and alright, I will even include the recipes! The first thing that Joy Vestal ever mentions when reporting on her paper - but never a biased paper as she says she has never been influenced by anyone - uh-huh! - is the number of ads that they have secured. It seems that the raison d'etre of the paper or rather, rag, has become the garnering of ads, as opposed to true works of journalism. In fact, it has become a gathering of recycled articles, copied articles, late and old news,  already exposed and written about months and weeks before by the blogs and The CV Messenger and urgent information for associations that again, had already been disseminated by the above fore-mentioned avenues of the media.  And do not forget the ode to David Israel prefacing his so unnecessary article on the gathering of metadata. Roads vs. metadata and NSA. Pools and lake problems vs. metadata and the NSA? Huge increase next year of fees vs. NSA and metadata. Deterioration of our infrastructure vs. metadata/NSA? Financial issues vs. NSA issues? Get the picture?
     It is also replete with often inaccurate or not quite true information. For example, Pat Sealander asks for volunteers - again - this time for the front desk at UCO. Uh huh - Pat, just give me a call and we will set up mutually agreeable hours for me to volunteer. People, do not hold your breath on this one!
     This lack of verification, lack of drive for the truth, for originality, for accuracy, also finds its way to UCO ads. Right now I am quivering with excitement, agog at the thought of "road stripping". What could that mean? Does it mean that the trees and hedges, the very swales, will be treated to a burlesque show of the roads undressing? And what does that mean? Does it mean that we will finally be doing the roadwork the proper way, stripping it down to bedrock, milling, etc.? Somehow I doubt that!
     So what else could it be? Aha!!! This will be an event, possibly a new fad that UCO has dug up, wherein people gather, like in a flash mob, to strip on the road. I assume that David Israel will be sure to be there and call for 911 so make sure Al or another security guard is there to hear his high pitched call for PBSO. Somehow the idea of this event does not take off in the mind, so what else could it be?
     Aha! It is a simple and ignorant spelling error and one that should have been caught way before it reached public airing. Once again I offer free tutoring to these "proofreaders' at UCO who obviously have never learned the clues and hints and rules of doubled letters and the various sounds, long and short, of the vowels and how the doubling of letters, consonants, is a great big red sign as to proper pronunciation and meaning. So....the question here is, if one cannot get the spelling correct so that we do not have to wonder at the meaning of an announcement, what else does this portend? Does it mean that this is the same carelessness with which we read and draw up contracts? With which we read and misread contracts, much to our detriment and that would certainly explain things around here!!
     So, after we finally get the stripes on the road in proper shape, perhaps we can then turn to the pools - again. After spending approximately a quarter of a million dollars on the residents' pool at the Clubhouse, there are problems at the pool, some of which are quite off-putting. First, check the chairs at the pools there and ask yourself why they are so filthy and no, this is a nature problem and a lack of cleaning as the birds poop and we have nowhere to sit! Why are these chairs not wiped down on a daily basis? And why were there so many bugs IN the pool, so much so that they were actually clumped on the floor of the pool and in the water. Too much for there to have been a proper cleaning. Perhaps there are seasons where cleaning has to be more often. Finally, what is with the new pavers or tiles or whatever they are called. They are just TOO hot to walk on, actually causing people yesterday to cry out in pain and remember, one is not supposed to leave their shoes by the pool sides so what should they do - wear the shoes and then chuck them back to their seats and then when they get out have someone chuck them back? It is absurd, just the image of it!
    I am not sure which is funnier - the image of flying shoes or the road stripping event! People, we have got to make and have and enforce sensible rules and when planning things we must plan properly, think ahead to possible issues that might arise and plan for those, better even if we avoid them!
     Welcome to Chelm, the legendary city of Jewish folktales where the residents are just too  foolish to ever think things out. The only thing is, folks, that city was not real but our CV is and we bleed money and suffer consequences from foolish deeds and lack of forethought and simple proper proofreading! Ahhh, the joys of life at CV, a full service community which even provides the humor necessary for good health.