OH DAAAVID, OVER HEEERE!

     The man continues to amaze me. Every time I think he has reached the nadir of his life BOOM! he descends to an even deeper depth of nastiness, lies and stupidity. Ya' gotta admire it sometimes, that one man can contain so much crap within one small mind.
     So I guess the thought of scary big guys with guns breaking down doors at 4 AM was not strong enough to scare people away so now we have today's bag of tricks. Using poor, pathetic, Her Ninniness, whose wits are far beyond scattered, David Israel now tries to intimate that this blog and Gary's blog are tainted, insecure, and who knows what will happen if one goes on them. Hey, who knows, there might be people over in the trailer park with huge antennae who will listen in till you log on, hack you, download David's favorite threat - porn - and then before you know it, here come the guys with guns. This is beyond stupid. This is plain sick, and majorly PARANOID. But then again, this is nothing new either as we already know that David Israel is paranoid.
     So let's see what else this paranoid schizophrenic has to say. OK. It seems that I am officially termed THE malcontent. Really, I am honored. To be in the company of famous historical figures who also were malcontents! Let's see.... Abraham, Moses, Jeremiah the prophet, Jesus, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Paine, Clara Barton, Florence Nightingale, - shall I go on? You see, poor deluded David Israel, malcontents are those people who have the courage and honesty to see society as it is and ask how can we improve it, how can we get rid of the garbage that is polluting it, how to make it right again - so yes, go ahead and call me malcontent. Shall I type a list of the names that one can call those backward thinking troglodytes who hamper the progress of society and are out only for themselves? Shall you join their company - Attila the Hun, Stalin, Mao, Osama bin Laden, Ahminadjead, David Duke, slaveowners throughout history and the entire world, Jimmy Walker, the robber barons of American history, and crooked politicans and figures from all times!!!!
     As far as the title of my blog - it is From the Other Side- Esther's blog - and in that, I am honest. It is MY blog and it does not masquerade as one that is the official Village blog. Remember - Mark Levy gave you a cease and desist on that, but you continue the lie and think that no one notices? You think that one does not notice that those who oppose you are blocked, always told "you cannot log on"? But all this demands truth and I believe that you appear to be allergic to the truth, congenitally incapable of uttering one word of it.
     Nor do you openly state what you want. Nope, you go to scatterbrains, like Elaine or Her Ninniness or use your little dudes that hang about like DonHoHO or Lanny or Petey Boy and try to outflank . It will be a poor day that you will ever get to do that with me. If you really want to go that way, then it is quid pro quo and you KNOW that you do not frighten me. I have already laughed in your face and beaten you in a face to face forum. So please, man up, answer or pose questions that have validity and do it yourself, not thru an emissary. Do the people of the Village a service (I know that is difficult for you), but try, really do try, to be honest and answer the tough questions that are posed to you and stop with fairy tales and ogres that you conjure up to scare the kiddies. The only kiddies here are your sycophants. The rest of us are grown ups. Come, join us.
     As far as risk taking and repugnant comments, I am going to post a comment from another blog that really says it all. Who has the repugnant first class prize? Who has exposed us to hacking more and more in the name of progress? Who is becoming Big Brother with his cameras? If the shoe fits - wear it. Better yet, throw it out and try a new pair, one that will take you down the right path - the path of the malcontents! Try it; you might actually find it refreshing.

    

CaroleOctober 18, 2014 at 10:37 AM

"Hmmm......................I also use Avast, and so do most of my students. Nobody else (I've checked this out with a goodly number of friends) is getting that message from Avast when logging into this blog, nor Esther's blog. Dave's answer is ridiculous, but it was an opportunity that Grace opened for him to spew more crap from his foaming mouth. He talks about this blog being repugnant, etc. Can someone please explain to me what his blog is if his description of this blog doesn't perfectly fit his own blog? I've read some of the most vile name calling, and other disgusting crap on his blog than I ever read on this blog. I should know, too, because I was the subject for a very long time, and still am occasionally, of his foul mouth and obnoxious lies. What a stupid, contradictory response from a stupid, vile, man. He ought to spend more time worrying about securing this village than he does trying to figure out how to hurt this village. He's done a good job of opening us up to a lot of insecurity instead. Cell phone usage, Vendini, online cameras and the now defunct moveable transponders are a good example of how we've lost security in this village. He'll be leaving a legacy alright when he is no longer the president of UCO, but it won't be the kind he expects nor wants. And...........there will come a time when he is no longer the president. Of that, I'm sure. "

 

 

Later today I will post some more, about election reform, with questions about the budget figures we have been given , you know, the one where one category of UCO funding has been increased more than $300 per month, close to $8 per month per unit - and where the hell is that money going? But more on that later.

    

MORE ON VOTING/ELECTION REFORM

     Now we have the issue of the voting that takes place at the assemblies at the beginning of every month. It is an outmoded, almost valueless system at this point. Many delegates do not bother showing up, many associations do not even appoint delegates, many delegates violate the trust in them and vote as THEY wish, rather than as representatives of their association and its wishes, and of those who do show up, half do not have a clue as to what is going on. At crucial election times they are pulled from their crypts or wherever they are hiding and told how to vote. This is a bad, really bad, situation.
     What is right and fair is that the system change to a one unit one vote system with multiple owners limited to one vote so as to prevent what we now have - blocs of voters that skew the results. One unit one vote. Simple in thought and now to implement.
     The options are many. Do we have a system of once a month assemblies continue but one must attend to vote or do we have a system where issues must be publicized with good lead time - to be decided - and then voters can then be there or send in ballots in a well controlled system, have a bar code system, a Scantron system as one person suggested - not bad for those present, actually, a buzzer system or whatever. There are countless paths to explore and thus a truly impartial, bi partisan group must be set up, not one person, or two and not Ed Black!
     A system of contact and voting must be set up for emergency purposes or permission granted VERY CAREFULLY for action by officers to be approved shortly - or not - in which case action would be stopped and ALL major contracts would have to be explained and discussed, no more of this hide, hide, hide and sneak it through. No more ignoring of the residents as the powers that be decide on their own, for themselves, what they want to do and how they wish to spend OUR funds.
     But even before we do any of this, the first immediate action that must be taken is the counting of votes in the DA .
It is a disaster and rife with corruption, miscounts, "errors" and anything else you can think of. Partisan counters are used, there is no set and sure way to count the votes and the system is not just silly, it is dangerous and outmoded. First up - reform here. Again, it must be a bi partisan effort, not a Gorodetzer/Black/Israel decision.
     There is much to do, many details to work out, but it can be done if we set out to do it with a strong will and much hard work. There might be some extra cost in it, but when one thinks of the money that will be saved as we refuse to allow partisan spending, foolish and private project spending, harmful contract spending, - we will eventually be way ahead of the game.
     Speak up. Let your feelings be known. Become a board member, run in the upcoming election, be a delegate - but do something!

OUR ELECTION REFORM IN THE VILLAGE

    This is a topic long ago brought up by all thinking people and now, finally, David Israel, and thus his crew, have decided to sign on to it as well. That is all fine and good as reform is desperately needed and we must join the modern world in our process and procedure of balloting, counting, etc.
      There are two types of voting going on here and both need reform - ASAP!!! Of course, the big one appears to be the process every year when new officers and executive board members are voted into office. It is actually critical that reform take place here BUT the key component here is to set up impartiality, not to reinforce partisanship.
     The first step is to change the committee in charge. Actually, what committee. There is one person - Gorodetzer, who rules the roost here and for far too long. She is extremely partisan and abrasive to anyone who does not agree with her. So, either she step down or at least a counteracting co chairman be appointed so that the process becomes that much more neutral. This is not rocket science, folks. Every transaction and step in WPB elections MUST be accompanied by members of two different parties. It is elementary, although it apparently eludes the understanding of certain people here in the Village.
     The next step is to make sure that the two sides are represented in EVERY aspect of the elections, from being on the committee, to setting up, to balloting, to transport, to tallying, etc. At present this does not take place. I repeat, this does not take place. There were no representatives of other opinions, other than David Israel's, that is, on the previous election committee, until a whole lot of yelling went on and then a token one or two were included. In the meanwhile, there were no witnesses in the balloting room so who the hell knows what went on there; there were no witnesses when Ed Black, yes, Ed Black, that oh so neutral person, carried the ballots to the counting room - ALONE!!! Fair play at that point makes one shudder as it never came into play!
     Even the original voting was screwed up. People were allowed to vote pre 8 AM and why - because they were alternates who voted for David Israel, contrary to the way the delegates would have voted as instructed by their Board and residents. There were many incidents caught and uncaught that took place, thus tainting the election.
     When the votes were tallied, ED Black, yes, there he is again, this unelected official who shows up everywhere, told the counters not to bother tallying as "THEY" would do it. Really! Who is "they"?Something smells to the high heavens here.
     Yes, reform is desperately needed, as is transparency with the results, so that ANYONE can see the original papers. When denied, one has to wonder what the hell they are hiding. So NO, Gorodetzer, I will not "shut my face" as you so kindly and sweetly told me at election time when I confronted you - with witnesses - to what was going on. Your sweet dulcet tones still ring in my head.
     The best way to reform is to get outside supervision, at best, the SOE with Susan Bucher. That would require a different month for the voting but can be done. If not the SOE, someone else neutral and not SEACREST, which has too many close ties here. It can be done, it must be done and NOW.
    Stay tuned for the second phase of reform in our voting process here, but right now must get ready for full day class at the SOE for my work as Clerk in the elections. See, I know what a proper election process is supposed to look like. David Israel's crew - few and far between on election day here in the Village. Small wonder.
     Of course the main issue in the reform process is to change the entire voting system, eliminating the delegate system and instituting a one unit one vote system, but that is for another posting and will take a bit longer to explain and install. In the meanwhile there are many things and steps we can do and take to improve the situation.

WI FI MEETING

     I believe that yesterday's meeting in Classroom C at the Clubhouse, sponsored by the Messenger's Club, and concerning mainly the issues presented by the Wi Fi proposal and the choices, was one of the best, if not THE best meeting I have attended in the Village in a long time. People came to listen, to ask questions, and to get information. They sat quietly through various presentations and question and answer sessions, heard the Comcast representative and received handouts of information relevant to the matter. There was no booing, no hissing, no nasty comments from the audience, no shouting out, a patient waiting for the mike to reach them, and everyone seemed to be on best behavior mode. The couple that left early missed a lot, to their detriment and they should try to find out what it is that they did miss.
     It boils down to a simple choice. Looking at the problem dispassionately is the way to go. There are three options on the table. Option one is to simply leave the situation status quo. Whoever has Wi Fi in the building, has it and who does not want or need it - doesn't and that is the end of the story. They simply OPT OUT from the Village proposal and they remain as they are.
     The second option is to go with the active OPT OUT program, which is to contact Comcast and the number was given, have them come and tell you what is needed, sign a two or three year contract, and then call any number of people within the Village who have done this already, have installed it and are very pleased and very quickly the association is wired up. The cost varies, but is moderate and the monthly carrying charge reasonable, less than certain payments now. Those who have done this are very pleased and spoke up at the meeting and offered aid and advise.
     The benefit here is economic and time. The cost is quite acceptable, the results are quite pleasing to those who have gone this route and the timing is spectacular. One association, from board meeting to complete installation took ONE WEEK!!!! You simply cannot beat that timing.
     The third option is the Village wide proposal. It is costly, over a million dollars and the cost can actually be much more than that. It is time consuming and can well take several years to install and complete even once a contractor is settled on. The issue of a proper contractor, a competent one, is rife with uncertainty. Some are incapable of such a large job. Others are simply incompetent or tainted by other issues. The infrastructure required is quite complex and open to storm damage should G-d forbid, we get one of those strong ones. Where to put some other infrastructure is another issue. Who will maintain, own, modernize all this - who knows? What happens when the whole setup is outdated and that happens very quickly in this tech world, - again, who knows.
     The active OPT OUT option with Comcast is open and detailed for all to see. The OPT OUT option to stay status quo is self explanatory. Both are economically feasible and acceptable. The Village wide is frightfully costly with no ceiling in sight and no details forthcoming, no transparency. As I stated at the meeting - it is not important who proposes what, only that we look at it dispassionately and with financial common sense. Yellow journalism and scare tactics which border on the prejudiced and have obscene moral implications have no business in the matter and neither do misinformative statements. Neither does imagining an evil cabal and conspiracy change the issues.
     The decision is up to the associations and to make sure that their delegates know what they want, whatever it is, and make sure they vote as the association wants and not as the delegate wants. It is as simple as that and the Village can then get on with other business such as finding the money to cover the shortfall in as gentle a manner as possible, planning and prioritizing for the future needs of the Village, taking care of the infrastructure we now have in place in the Village and the list goes on. This Wi Fi issue has consumed too much time and energy and for no good reason. Truth, transparency, dispassionate evaluation and time to MOVE ON!
    

GUEST ARTICLE BY STEW RICHLAND A REAL TREAT PART I MUST READ

Fool me once shame on you

Fool me twice – you  must be the President!

 

During the 1920’s, politicians promised Americans a “chicken in every pot.” Some generously said that we would also have a “car in every garage. FDR told us that the, “Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself” This statement took on a religious tone for good reason since the nation was in the throes of a great depression that would last until 1939. In his 1932 inaugural address, FDR stated, “I am prepared under my constitutional duty to recommend the measures that a stricken nation in the midst of a stricken world may require. These measures, or such other measures as the Congress may build out of its experience and wisdom, I shall seek, within my constitutional authority, to bring to speedy adoption.”  Note that  FDR implied  that the president will work closely with Congress and within the guide lines of the Constitution to resolve our nations problems. In the 1930s we were promised protection against financial disaster with creation of the Social Security system. What a great Ponzi scheme.  At the time the Social Security program was enacted there were 600 people paying into the system to one recipient

Today the ration is about 6 to 1. We were also told that the system would have a “locked box.”

meaning that the funds would only be used for payouts to members and nothing else. Again we were fooled. 

Candidates campaigning for federal office or the Presidency in a democratic state require many resources, concrete promises and catchy campaign slogans to convince the population at large to vote for them. Prior to use of  television, candidates resorted to the radio, movies, newspapers and face-to-face methods to get their message to the voters. We are now in the age of television and social networking and a whole new dynamic is now in play. Using the reach of mass media, each political party bombards their audiences with announcements carrying election slogans, their plans for what they aim to do, and the reforms they are going to introduce.

Are these political slogans effective?  History shows that they are. Political campaigning is pretty much advertising to gain more voters.  At the end of the day,  a good political campaign slogan can help one political party gain the edge over their opponent by helping them connect with the audiences needs and by appearing more creditable. Hopefully this translates into more votes.

Slogans are like straphangers, it provides the potential voter something to hang their hat on. Slogans must have an impact or its purpose is lost. Slogans must be optimistic and create hope amongst the people.

Campaign slogans are promises like babies: easy to make, hard to deliver.   FDR gave us, “Happy Days are Here Again,” yet the depression lasted 8 more years and was only ended when the United States began to gear up our economy to aid our allies against the Axis powers. Some interesting slogans that were very effective but said little were: Pour it on ’em, Harry! – 1948 and “I like Ike.” (short enough to fit on a campaign button) and the candidates were elected.  One of the best slogans was Ronald Reagan’s “Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago?”  Not only did this slogan get him elected but it  has been used again and again by politicians of both political parties. Jimmy Carter’s slogan was, “Not Just Peanuts!”  However, with Carter we just got the shells. Clinton used a great slogan. “It's the Economy, Stupid!” This resonated with the electorate and he won two terms.

In 2008 candidate Obama surrounded himself with outstanding social media experts.  He was able to win the grass roots voters to his side with using a one word slogan, “Change” which resonated with his core supporters.  Hillary Clinton’s camp adopted the slogan, “The strength and experience to bring real change.”   It had little appeal. Clinton’s campaign vastly underestimated Obama’s appeal and failed to win the nomination.  In Obama’s second run for the White House in 2012 he used the slogan, “Forward.”  Basically in order for a slogan to be successful it must be two sided. It has to say something positive about your brand and something negative about your opponent. Romney’s slogan, “Believe in America,” says something nice about America but what does it say about his opponent?  An opponent that does not believe in America?  Highly unlikely. What then does Obama believe in? Jobs!  He could not claim any progress in this area, so he asked the voters to support him for a second term.  “Forward” suggests that the Republicans want to go back to their failed policies, Obama wants more time to finish the job.  Great slogan because it cuts both ways.  John McCain also fell into the slogan trap. One slogan, “Straight Talker,” had little impact.  With the Republicans in power he could not use “change” since this would go against the base of his party.   It also implied that he could do a better job than President Bush.

Romney could have selected a slogan such as, “Lets run the country like a business.!” This would have dramatized a major difference between the candidates.

So Obama becomes our nation’s leader.  A man who worked as a professor at Harvard, was a community organizer and a United States Senator who flip-flopped his support on many issues.

GUEST ARTICLE BY STEW RICHLAND, A REAL TREAT PART II

So what does this tell us?  Politicians that have not run a business or at the very least were Governors, are at best at a disadvantage in managing the affairs of the nation. In the past year, Amtrak lost $1.3 billion. The Postal Service lost $5.1 billion. Freddie Mac lost $5.3 billion. Fannie Mae lost $16.9 billion. The two Federal mortgage companies (Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae) together have lost $257.7 billion in the past five years. In the past year, Amtrak lost $1.3 billion.  When a private company begins to lose money, they fix it or shut down.  When a government agency begins to lose money, they just keep on going. Who pays for this incompetence? We the tax payers, of course. I ask you, “Is this any way to run the government?”

Tragically, there is so much more.  Obama care.  Remember the statement, “You can keep your doctor or health plan?”  Ouch.  Six years of incompetence, from the failed web-sites to the managers.  The most powerful agency that the government has, the IRS, is the most corrupt.  Does any thinking rational person really believe that Lois Lerner’s computer or Blackberry’s data was lost by accident.  If you believe this, then I have a bridge in Brooklyn, to sell you.

Another area of incompetence is the Veterans Affairs Administration.  There is no fix in place, just change the leadership, put more money into the program, make nice. Done!

Another scandal is our immigration policy.  The underlying rational of Obama’s policy is to allow as many illegal aliens into the our nation.  Why? To win electoral support for the Democratic party and gin up his left-wing support.  For those who feel inclined to go along with this disastrous policy because of some humanitarian sympathy for the children, you are sadly misguided.  First, these children are bringing in diseases that are undetected and have already impacted our citizens.  Secondly, there is the matter of educating these young people.  As a teacher for over 50 years, I have first hand experience in this area.  In my current assignment, I have over 30 students in each of my classes.  I have a minimum of 5 non-English speaking students who just sit and stare and understand nothing about the content of the course of study.  The resources to assist these children are stretched so thin and the money for support programs are unavailable, and will result in a failed educational system and of course the teachers will be blamed.

One little aside here.  Look at all those applicants who are waiting in line to become Americans legally, our policy has kicked them to the side of the road.

  The Constitution states that that the  President has sole jurisdiction for  foreign affairs.  The New York Sunday newspapers have as their headlines, “ISIS coming to the U.S.”?  When the president was questioned  about this threat at a recent press conference,  he stated that, “there is no plan!”  There is no plan to deal with Russian expansionism in the Ukraine.     The world needs America now; it needs its wealth creation to combat the evils of ISIS, Russia and China and we are not getting it under the Obama administration. Why is it that we must prove to the world that we are all nincompoops. As ― Emmuska Orczy, The Scarlet Pimpernel  clearly advises  her readers, “It does seem simple, doesn't it?' she said, with a final bitter attempt at flippancy, 'when you want to kill a chicken...you take hold of it...then you wring its neck...it's only the chicken who does not find it quite so simple”  What it takes is determination and effort on the part of the President.  Again I find that the Scarlet Pimpernel says it better than I ever could:

 

        The Scarlet Pimpernel Quotes

        “They seek him here, they seek him there
          Those newsies seek him everywhere
          Is he in heaven or is he in hell? or OUT ON THE GOLF COURSE OR FUND RAISING?
          That dammed elusive Pimpernel”  OBAMA

The president is clueless, spineless, useless: But he does know golf, and basketball!

 

In 1944 General George Patton addressing his troops before engaging the Nazis said the following:

 

    No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. You won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.

   Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Americans play to win all the time. That's why Americans have never lost and will never lose a war. The very thought of losing is hateful to Americans

   Sure, we all want to go home. We want to get this war over with. But you can't win a war lying down. The quickest way to get it over with is to get the bastards who started it.

 

We have the best military in the world.  We must protect America at all costs.  This president is not doing the job.  Lets hope that the election of 2016 will bring to the White House a person who understands what must be done and does it! 

To my readers, you can tell that I do not approve of our President!   This November Americans will be going to the ballot box to elect a whole new House of Representatives.  According to the Constitution we will also be required to cast our vote for one third of the Senate.  Don’t let America down!

 

Below is a 10 question quiz on political campaigns.  Enjoy.  The correct choices will be found somewhere in the UCO reporter.

Can you pick who said it? For bragging rights, also give the year.

1. "The time is now for strong leadership." A) Barack Obama B) Ronald Reagan C) Gerald Ford

2. "Vote like your whole world depended on it!" A) Richard Nixon B) George H.W. Bush C) Harry S. Truman

3. "I say it's time that we start moving again." A) Lyndon Johnson B) Ulysses Grant C) John Kennedy

4. "It all comes down to moral values, what you believe in, what you sacrifice for, and what you stand for." A) Thomas Jefferson B) Bob Dole C) Jimmy Carter

5. "Vote Democrat, the party for you, not just the few." A) Lyndon Johnson B) Adlai Stevenson C) Bill Clinton

6. "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?" A) Ronald Reagan B) Al Gore C) John McCain

7. "I'm opposed to the death penalty I'm sure plenty of you know that." A) Geraldine Ferraro B) Michael Dukakis C) Walter Mondale

8. "You know education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well, and if you don't, you get stuck in Iraq." A) Barrack Obama B) Joe Biden C) John Kerry

9. "Vote yourself a farm." A) Sarah Palin B) Abraham Lincoln C) George Washington

10. "The Strength and Experience to Bring Real Change." A) John McCain B) Hillary Clinton C) Dwight D. Eisenhower

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers

1. B) Ronald Reagan, in 1980, against incumbent president Jimmy Carter.

2. A) Richard Nixon, in 1968, when he ran against Hubert Humphrey.

3. C) John Kennedy, in 1960, during his opening statement against his opponent Vice President Richard Nixon.

4. B) Bob Dole, 1996, in the election against incumbent president Bill Clinton.

5. B) Adlai Stevenson, 1956, campaign slogan against incumbent president Dwight D. Eisenhower.

6. A) Ronald Reagan, in one of the 1980 debates against incumbent President Jimmy Carter.

7. B) Michael Dukakis, 1988, in the debates against Vice President Bush.

8. C) John Kerry, 2006, speaking to students at Pasadena City College.

9. B) Abraham Lincoln, in 1860, refers to the Republican Party promise supporting a law granting free homesteads to settlers of western lands.

10. B) Hillary Clinton, 2008, it was her U.S. presidential campaign slogan.

 

 

WOW!!!!!!

      Wow!!! Having been offline for three days, I just checked the blogs and am amazed at the enormous amount of material and issues that have been addressed. What amazes me even more is that - scary thought - I agree with some of what David Israel and his buddies have put on his blog. It is nothing that I have not said before, but the fact that they actually agree and are voicing the same thoughts is amazing. I wonder what they will say when they find this out!!!
     For a long time, even during my campaign, I have been pushing for one unit one vote. It will take a lot of organization, but is not an insurmountable project and along with that I have proposed ad infinitum that SOE supervise the elections we hold here in the Village. I have also protested against the manner in which we count the votes here, be it the election or even at the assemblies. Standing up and waving little pieces of paper in disorganized groups is ridiculous. Having partisan people counting the votes is even more ridiculous and then add to that the amount of people who get too tired to either stand or keep their hand up in the air until the counting actually starts!
     How long have people also been asking and questioning why we do not have a more modern system of counting votes, casting votes? If little restaurants can afford a buzzer system then why can't we? Certainly less costly than installing Village wide Wi Fi!!
     But the issue here is not just to raise the question but to get the delegates off their keisters and actually do something about it. As far as David Israel saying something - there is a hell of a long way between his statements and his actions to implement. Only a short while ago IN PUBLIC he stated that we needed to transfer Wi Fi accumulated funds to the general reserve and now, not only has he not pushed that, but he has totally reneged and gone the way of insisting that we even add more Wi Fi cost to the budget. And speaking of the budget, I have never seen a more confused submission with at least three budgets floating around, with figures not sure and no one knowing exactly just how much more we will be paying. Could be and actually looks like a hell of a lot if we do not settle this Wi Fi issue before it kills us all.
     Now let us go to the question of the voters, the owners of the units. Someone actually dares to raise the issue questioning their intelligence and suggesting that the delegates know more????!!!! I am amazed. A good proportion of the present delegates have not a clue as to what is flying and just vote as their neighbors to the right and left tell them or as David Israel has instructed or ordered. It is the unit owner who knows more than many of these delegates, many of whom do not even bother to show up and thus do not represent the fellow unit owners in their association. As far as residential regulations, not sure if one can do that. If one is an owner, one is an owner. Period and thus enabled to vote - with one vote no matter how many units are owned by that person. That will discourage cheating and encourage honesty and fair play. And along that line, elections need to be OPEN, with campaigning allowed in all areas of the Village, in all WPRF areas, in the Clubhouse, etc. David Israel or indeed, any president, is NOT the dictator of the Village, we do not have Russian type elections here, nor does the head of WPRF here work for the president. He/she works for US, THE ENTIRE VILLAGE and therefore should make no partisan decisions.
     The big question raised is about hiring outside management. That is expensive and one must really inquire as to cost. It must be a serious, detailed and well researched process with ALL segments of the population represented. It must also be realized that  there still must be a board from the Village population as liaison with the management company as we do not cede authority over our Village just as we do not give Seacrest or Gallagher's or whomever we use the power and right to run our associations. Good idea, but needs work.
     Finally we come to our Wi Fi issue. Without rehashing it here, there is a better idea - go to the meeting tomorrow in the Clubhouse at 3 PM, after the movie and hear what is going on.

MORE INFO ON XFINITY WIFI

     Let's talk a bit more about accessing the system and the security. In order to get on, one must have an xfinity email and password, a subscriber, thus it is not open to every Tom, Dick, and Harry! The wireless Gateway broadcasts an additional xfinitywifi network signal which is completely separate from the secure home Wi Fi network.
    Let's talk about guests, not an xfinity wi fi customer. There is a limited free trial  but only at select hotspot locations. Visitors are allowed only two 60 minute sessions per month and there must be at least 24 hours between sessions. That makes it difficult for hackers to break in on a consistent business like manner if they are really out to get someone or make a profit , etc.
     The access  pass is not available in all locations and are of limited duration.

     Let's talk security, so we do not have to worry about men with guns breaking down our doors at 2 AM. They use 128 bit encryption, the standard for business and bank secure lines. They also recommend, as most of us know and have in place if we are serious users of the net, to use a firewall and an anti virus program, to turn off file sharing when using it in specific locations, and keep that anti virus program up to date as well as doing regular system scans - all of which we and others do now.
     So - the bottom line, whatever system you use, with proper precautions, will work just fine. The true issue here is not men with guns or nasty people from trailer homes, but the question of the program and better or other options. Do we, can we even afford to, spend multi millions on a village wide Wi Fi without even knowing if it will work, without knowing how much infrastructure will have to built and put in place, with a company that we rejected last time and that does not have a good track record in this, with questions remaining as to who will own and maintain the infrastructure, who will modernize it and how often in a very quick moving techie world and on and on. Or do we OPT OUT and go with Comcast or someone else you find, or does an association choose to OPT OUT of the Village plan and simply maintain status quo - those who want Wi Fi, have it and those who do not want it do not and do not pay for it. Fair indeed. do we not have the freedom to choose on our own? That is an emphatic YES!!!!
     Do not let people scare and terrify you with yellow journalism and half truths and outright lies along with nasty statements. There are enough people in this Village who have already wired up, are very happy, and will be glad to advise you. Threats not included. Scare tactics not included. Bigoted statements mot included. For that, you must go to a different address.

RUMOR MONGERER BIGOTED REMARKS AND PANIC INDUCING TERRORIST

     If you cannot figure out exactly to whom I am referring, then try to guess as the posting goes on. The other day, Elaine "nonsense" Brown placed a link on her blog to an article in a computer magazine. As a Language Arts person, I can tell you that it was written with great obfuscation and in direct contrast to the author's purported use of facts. Each time he wrote something meant to scare the reader, he then wrote, but of course I have nothing to back this up, no study, no facts - so he now joins the long list of hot air techie specialists.
     Of course, somebody else put it on his blog - as if Elaine does not listen to him anyway, and then proceeds to cut and paste and insinuate his own bigoted scare tactics. Let's see what he writes.
1.Outsiders will know you are connected and therefore they will attack your system from "across the street from the trailer park". What a bigot! Yes, are there some unsavory people who live in trailer parks - yes, but are there unsavory people who live in McMansions or whoa! even within the Village - yes, so what the hell are you trying to do - raise feelings of hatred and fear, all to get your desire! I happen to know two nice people who live across the street and they would no more try to hack you then you would ---no never mind that, since , well, never mind! Read between the line, readers and those who know what flies in UCO. And first you say this system will be weak and not even reach all units in a building and now it is strong enough to reach all the way across the street and down more blocks as well! Get your stories straight!
2.People can interact with ANY system and if we had Village wide then they would know we are all on one system and what a boon for an evil dastardly hacker. Hmmmmm. Have you ever heard of robot computers, slaved computers - well, guess what, they are not on the Wi Fied buildings! And remember, there is always someone smarter than the best program. Speak to the banks, to big companies and stores.
3.You are so concerned about publicizing people's addresses that YOU PUBLISH IT ON YOUR BLOG WHICH YOU BOAST IS WORLD WIDE! truly, TRY TO EXPLAIN THAT! By the way, we just tried getting on from one of the addresses you named and sitting in front of it we could, but it does give you a warning that it is unsecured - so, unless you are a fool, you do not do banking or any financial items on there anyway. Those on the system can set up their own security.We have a secure setup and still we do not bank on line.
4.Are you a terrorist, trying to raise terror in the hearts and minds of peace loving folks here in the Village.?You conjure up images of people with guns breaking down one's door in the middle of the night! Please, go look at what you wrote and then delete it. And what if someone slaved one's computer - and that can be done quite easily by those inclined to do that? Stop trying to blame everything on the OPT OUT program, especially things that will 99% never happen. Shame on you.

5 and 6 and 7. All fall into the same categories of nonsense, exaggeration, scare tactics and are things that can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone with a computer or any smart device. For that matter, why not tell everyone to go back to rotary dial and try to carry one around in their pockets because these phones can be hacked, and stolen - ooh, by scary men, so don't go anywhere, stay in your homes and become shut ins - hey, just like our esteemed leader who shuts himself into the UCO building - even early on a Sunday morning! What are you doing there - hacking? Searching? For what? Oh, and by the way, if you detest Comcast so much - YOU were the head of the committee who signed us up - so why did you? And for such a long contract. Are they the best in service? No. But they are not the worst either. But go read The Haggler in the Sunday NY Times and read how many companies are even worse. So there goes that pathetic argument.

     So people, please do not fall into and for the scare tactics of a person who is out for his own project, his own desire, at a phenomenal multi million dollar cost and who knows how long to install and get running properly project. Go to the Messenger Club meeting on Sunday October 12 and hear from people who installed it on their own or from buildings who OPTED OUT but are remaining status quo because that is what the building wanted.

     If I sound a bit agitated, I am, because this is what I hate the most - trying to scare people who are not techie and get frightened by those who know something about tech stuff. I also hate bigoted remarks, innuendoes, assumption that other people are just plain dumb and one can put anything over on them. It indicates a misanthropic personality (one who hates other people or who has a deep contempt for them.) If the shoe fits - wear it.

NEVER SAY NEVER - THE WORLD AND THE VILLAGE

     So this morning I made sure to get up in time to see the blood moon. I even have a website ready to show it in case it is too cloudy to see in our sky. And, of course, as I wait, I skim thru the various news sites and wonder how much more the world can take. We have Ebola and that is frightening enough. Preparing for a trip to NY makes me take preventive steps for the airplane rather than just my book to read on the plane. Then we have that scary Enterovirus 68 that is dangerous for the kids. Last, but not least, we have the zillion big and little wars and conflicts raging around the world along with terrorists singing their siren songs to the mentally needy of the world.
     Sometimes I think it is time to look for the man sitting on the white donkey being led into Jerusalem by a man with a long beard! Others seem to feel the same way, what with all the apocalyptic movies, TV shows and books that are being shown and written.
     And then there is our lovely situation here in the Village. Just walking around and talking with people, there is an obvious sense of despair, loss of hope, and even apathy. "What can we do?" people ask. "He has this machine that rolls over everyone and no one can get a word or foot in edgewise." They are talking about our UCO administration and its administrators who have taken over UCO as their personal tool of despotism. One has to be a member of the David Israel party in order to function within. The  remnants are few and far between and besieged and abused daily - unless they are bought off with a post or little ad hoc group or committee.
     Yet there is hope. The assembly on Friday did not totally roll over and play dead for David on the vote of turning the Wi Fi funds over to the general reserve. The vote was close and I believe with a proper tabulating system the vote might have even been closer or even gone the other way. This result sent a shock wave thru our esteemed Leader and the shock was visible in his tone and actions, looking at a paper and uh uhing in so many words,  as he tried to take in the fact that yes, people can think for themselves, even his captive assembly delegates. Kudos to those delegates who thought for themselves.
     I am in the middle of reading the final book in Ken Follett's latest trilogy,  and I came across a relevant statement made many years ago by a man of courage during a time of great stress and challenge.
      "With this faith we will be able to hew, out of this mountain of despair, a stone of hope......With this faith we will be able to work together.....to struggle together.....to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day."

    Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke about civil rights for his people, the very rights they were guaranteed by our Constitution as Americans.  We here find this statement applicable as we, too, are fighting for our rights to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom to campaign and partake in the government of our Village, the freedom from fear and intimidation. Remember his words and have hope and faith and join in the struggle to revitalize the Village and set it upright again on a solid financial basis and with a transparent administration that has the best interests of the residents at heart and actually solicits their opinions and participation without exception.
     Sometimes I find it hard to believe that here, in Florida, one of the 50 states of the Union, we are being denied our civil rights - BUT - Never say never. Never say never. Put aside the despair and apathy and together we can make it right. We can all dream together and make that dream come true. Never say never.

PLATFORM, PROGRAM PART II - MEDIA AND FORUMS

     This is a continuation of yesterday's posting re platform and program for the Village. Again, I stress that these are nothing more and nothing less than what I have been saying all along, even before I ran for office last election and continuing till today and into the future.

11. MEDIA IN THE VILLAGE - The media in CV today is not run on an impartial basis and this must be changed. Channel 63 is controlled by Ed Black, a notorious individual, non elected and a huge partisan/controller of David Israel. As such, there is NOTHING that goes on Channel 63 that might be construed as antithetical to any David Israel plan or sponsored by an individual that they do not like. The same situation is to be found in The Reporter, also a purported CV outlet, yet running on a one sided partisan basis, openly stated as such by the editor. Finally, there is a blog, a private blog, run by David Israel masquerading as the public blog of CV.
    All these facets of media MUST be changed - new officers, new editors and a new blogmaster for a new blog with the blog serving as a means of communication for ALL CV and not as a "yellow rag" of a new form of journalism. As such, the new blog would have a new name negotiated with Mark Levy and acceptable to attorneys and to CV and UCO and run by a neutral person.

12. THE CLUBHOUSE AND POOLS- These arenas controlled by WPRF have been off limit to any serious issues referring to the Village as ordered by David Israel and Eva Rachesky. THEY MUST BE OPENED TO ALL AS A PUBLIC ARENA LEASED BY ALL CV RESIDENTS. As I understand it, a meeting with Mark Levy the other week has insured that political issues can be raised in WPRF pool areas through 11 AM and that the Clubhouse is to be open to ALL. This is the way it should be. Let us hope this is followed through and maintained , certainly through the next election. It should be this way all the time with no question as to censorship or partisanship.

13. ELECTION REFORM - The election process here must be reformed. It is open to ugly accusations and acts of improper handling, of collusion and is a prime example of the lack of responsibility, honesty and transparency that is at present to be found in UCO. NO UCO should have this cloud over it. The only way to ensure this is to reform the process from start to finish, orchestrated by a committee of individuals who represent all factions of CV and not just one person and henchmen as is the present situation. Whether the date is changed so as to allow Susan Bucher and her office to supervise using SOE machines, or the process by which people are allowed to vote and how the ballots are collected, transferred and counted, or the personnel involved, or the transparency and readiness to openly share all papers in  their original format - all these and more need to be addressed. Without this reform, we are a banana republic of developments, a world ruled by tinpot despots.

14. RELATIONSHIP WITH WPRF - At present, there is an unhealthy and partisan relationship with WPRF and an unequal division of decision making power. UCO should have primary authority in these matters and all "improvements" in the Village must be approved by them after a thorough vetting of the idea, the need and the proposal. Our needs are not necessarily the wishes of UCO  individuals and WPRF and it is OUR funds that are being expended. WPRF funds are OUR funds and as such, we need a bigger sayso in their expenditure. In addition, the WPRF head here in the Village, no matter who it might be, must be educated to the fact that he/she works for the residents as a whole as represented through UCO and NOT for the president of UCO.

Whoever runs for office in the upcoming election and in the next presidential election here in CV MUST be strong and determined to fix our home, to do what must be done. Is anyone out there ready to help take up the slack, pick up on the responsibility, strong and honest enough to face up to the attacks and nastiness in order to make our home a better place, run openly and honestly, prudently and in a democratic manner? The Search Committee will soon be having its first meeting for the new election, I believe next week. Step up, step out and stand for something. Support those with the courage to do so.

A PROGRAM? A PLATFORM? WHAT AND WHY?

    Many people have approached me over the past few weeks asking about my platform and program. Really, that confounded me as I believe only those who run for office have a "platform" and unless those gray cells have really done me dirty, I have not announced for office. However, when asked, I reply that is the same things that I have been espousing all along and here is what that is:

1.TRANSPARENCY - Any person that I will support must agree with the principle and the actions of transparency in government. That means that NOTHING will be done in secret - not contracts, not meetings, not proposal discussions,etc.

2. PROCEDURE - all actions and behaviors within UCO must have a set procedure to follow. That procedure must be documented and ALWAYS be followed, unless there is an emergency requiring a shortcut and even in that case, there must be a procedure, open to all, transparent and honest.

3. PROCESS - The set procedure leads inevitably to a process, a tried and true, honest and open manner of conducting the business of UCO and the Village. If there is no process, there is no truth and honesty, no transparency, and there can be no faith in UCO from the residents.

4. PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT - The administration of UCO must follow the tried and true principles of management. We are an $8 million dollar budgeted business and thus must follow the proper management. There are no shortcuts, no cutting corners. A business is a business and that part of UCO must follow business principles.

5. FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND STABILITY - This follows naturally after the management principles. A business does not run on wishes and dreams without reality there behind it. One can hope for something, plan for a dream, but first make sure that stability and fiscal health is maintained. This requires prioritizing, careful planning and very strict guidelines on how and why money is expended, always knowing that the funds we expend belong to the residents of the Village and not to UCO whims and personal or private whims and projects.

6. DEMOCRACY - OPEN AND TRUE - This administration, while a business in one sense, is also an example, or should be an example, of democracy in action and can do so even as principles of business and management are followed. That means that all elements of the Village are not only asked to be part of UCO, but must follow that with actions, not just words. Chairs and committee members are to be chosen by interest and consensus, not by adherence to the President of UCO and his/her whims and desires.

7. ELECTIONS AND THEIR RESULTS -  Elections, their process and campaign and the counting of ballots, be they from the general election or at the delegate assembly, MUST be open, transparent and singularly honest and true. The present system is rife with built in gray and black areas and results are and can be manipulated for desired results. The Village arenas must be opened to all, with forums available, with WPRF realizing that they are not a dictator's ally, but rather must work for the Village as a whole and allow for the maintenance of all the freedoms guaranteed to and for ALL Americans.

8.PROMPT ATTENTION TO LEGAL NEEDS OF THE VILLAGE - We need to be prepared in many areas, be it a "simple" contract, to negotiating with the Levy's and WPRF, to writing new by laws. These procedures and activities MUST be open and must be handled by competent, superior attorneys of these fields, not by shills or incompetents. We must be proactive in our timing, something we are definitely not doing at present.

9. BUDGET - The whole process must be streamlined, thoroughly vetted, perhaps even forensically, and by a NEW CPA. It must be explained in terms that the layman understands. The numbers must be clear and there must be more town halls on this topic as there must be more for other topics of UCO as well.

10. OWNERS,RENTERS AND VOLUNTEERS - Owners have priority in the Village. That is the way it should be and the way it was set up. People voted in by the owners are to run UCO, not appointed non elected officials whose motives can be questionable and who seem to have loyalty not to the residents but to the one who appointed them. All volunteers are welcome, but renters have their place and that is nowhere near any personal information of the residents and heading no committees, wielding power and influence, doing jobs that ONLY owners are to do.

There is more to add, more to state and the exact delineation of what a new administration in UCO should, no, nay, MUST do when voted into office - hopefully by a new system of one unit one vote, but be that as it may, there is much to be done and booing people with whom you disagree when they speak at assemblies is not quite grown up behavior. Open up your minds, listen to what people are saying, open your eyes and see the travesty that we now have and then, only then, can we rebuild the right way, the positive way, and have a better future for all of us.

IS THIS DEMOCRACY IN ACTION?

DAVID ISRAEL USES PEOPLE FOR HIS OWN BENEFIT AND PEOPLE LOVE IT BECAUSE HE PROMISES THEM UCO POSITIONS . . . WHO SUFFERS? . . . ALL THE REST OF US!!
President John F. Kennedy once said - - “Ask not what your country can do for you . . . Ask what you can do for your country.”
In Century Village, the statement differs a bit, - - it is “Ask not what David B. Israel can do for you . . . Ask what you can do for David B. Israel.”
Mr. Israel is a backroom politician.  He knows how to be devious, and he is very skillful in knowing how to shuffle people around and use them for his own personal benefit.
Let’s break this down a bit.  It Mr. Israel knows how he can benefit from a person’s voluntary services to CV, he will very secretly get that person to agree to Mr. Israel’s philosophy, his standards and his methods and means of doing things.  That person will even vote for whatever Mr. Israel wants, even it if violates morality, ethics and the UCO By-Laws.
That person may then be appointed to a Committee, or even be made the Chairperson of a Committee, or given some other job that person really wants to have so long as that person remains loyal to Mr. Israel.
And, people just don’t care . . . so long as they are satisfied with the position given to them, they don’t think “Century Village” - - they think like very selfish people - - only what is good for them. 
The Backroom Politician is extremely well versed by NSA.  He knows how to manipulate these appointed people so that nobody does even the slightest thing to oppose Mr. Israel, else they are gone, and he will find another CV resident – or even a renter – with an egotistical attitude.
Look, for instance, at the Editor of the UCO Reporter, who will lose her job at the blink of an eye should she deviate even the slightest from her master’s wishes.  Or, look at the Advisory Committee Chairperson whose entirely personality changed in order to favor Mr. Israel’s wishes, else she was gone.  And, he appointed her.
Take a look at the Chair of the Bid Committee, a person appointed by Israel, even though she was openly embarrassed by Mr. Israel at a public meeting.  But she
has a desire to control everybody, and so Mr. Israel takes her aboard after throwing her over, so long as she follows every single thing that Mr. Israel puts to her.  She looks at him the wrong way and she’s gone. 
Then, of course, there is the Backroom Phantom, the button pusher for Mr. Israel, who is appointed as Chairman, Overseer, Advisor and Member of several UCO committees.  This man, in fact, runs UCO.  This is the only person Mr. Israel cannot get rid of.  Why, because if everything immoral, illegal, unethical and improper was brought out by him, Mr. Israel would be taken down and probably prosecuted.
In fact, you cannot even offer professional services to serve on a Committee unless you are scrutinized by Mr. Israel and he finds out WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR HIM, even if it is your vote.  If you’ve ever, even once, said that Mr. Israel was exaggerating a bit on a particular matter, or you suggested that there are alternatives to what he was saying, -- he would NEVER consider you for a UCO position, -- even to shop for UCO coffee and cookies, -- that is the job of the Lightning Man, Bob Marshall.
Well, let’s have a look at the Security Committee Chairperson appointed by Mr. Israel.  The 2013 budget for this committee is in excess of $1,250,000.  This is like putting Al Capone in charge of Wells-Fargo Bank.
Then, of course, Mr. Israel permits one of his closes Backroom Crooks to deal directly with WPRF and evidence on the surface shows that that person’s motivations are for personal gain, not for CV in any way.  All very, very secret, of course.  NSA stuff.
This saga of who can be part of the UCO organization so long as they conform precisely to Mr. Israel’s directives, whether such directives violate UCO By-Laws or not, goes on and on and on.
Will the method of living a life of continuous suspicion and constant government corruption continue?  I will take an educated guess and say “Yes.”  Why? – because it is not -- What David B. Israel as UCO President can for you, but rather, it is what you can do for David B . Israel.
EDUARDO

A LOOK INTO THE CRYSTAL BALL

          What is ahead for us in the near future? What will we need to be prepared for and for what should we make contingency plans. It is the normal planning that any responsible person does, be it a homeowner, a unit owner or a renter. One must prepare as best one can for the future - near and not so near.
          One of the best ways to prepare is to pay oneself first. Always take something from your paycheck and stow it away. Granted, today there is practically speaking no interest to speak of, but at least the money can be put away. Every Jewish woman inhaled that knowledge from birth and it is the rare one who does not have a "knippel" someplace, in some drawer or hideaway for those emergencies or special times.
     So let us take a look at our Village and what we will need as a Village and as unit owners. For one, we need to have a better watch over the care and spending of our hard earned and non replenishing funds. As our buildings and infrastructure age, we all will be hit with something, be it a replacement A/C, new cabinets, plumbing and electric repairs and improvements, new flooring, and at large - new roadways and walkways, better water and lake management, improved pool care, entertainment costs and on and on. These are not free folks, and no one gives it to us for cheap because we are such cute little old folks. So process and procedure MUST be followed and maintained or else we are doomed.
     So soon after the roadway job, and it truly was a "job", we are looking at the same accumulations of sand and pebbles, of widening cracks, of ever larger "ponds", of walkways that grow ever more hazardous and the wherewithal to fix all this is nowhere to be found even as the cost continues to rise. We spent money we DID NOT HAVE in a most foolish/and or criminal manner and we are reaping the consequences now and will continue to do so in the future.
     We have crumbling infrastructure elsewhere in the Village, be it sports courts, pools, bridges, fences, etc. and how do we fix all this? What we do is prioritize - what must come first, what is emergency, what is most penny wise and dollar wise, who are the best vendors and then squeeze them but good to get the most value, the most bang for our bucks. We are the elephant in the room as far as size and needs go and so he who gets a contract with us is lucky. Let us make sure that we are lucky too and do not have to rerepair pools every three years!
     We need to install or institute a step by step process, a procedure as to how to move forward in awarding contracts, even in finding the vendors. Oh, I know, we are supposed to have one, but you could fool me. It is more honored in the breach than in the following. How often must we hear Barbara Cornish, Bid Committee Chair, remind people how contracts MUST come before the committee? And how many times is she ignored.
     Why can we not get a clear answer as to exactly what the figures in the budget are? At one meeting the treasurer gave three figures for the same line and said he is not sure, must check or wait for the accountant. Not good. At the assembly we got the same runaround, this time having to do with the money in the Wi Fi exploratory reserve. And what will the new UCO fees be should this not be transferred to the general reserve and its lovely $1.3+ million dollar shortfall?
     Our crystal ball shows our fees rising. We are already at over $10 (see a prior blog) and that does not take into account the increase in fees for the association. You know, the insurance fees, the property maintenance costs, the repairs and capital improvements, etc.
    And what about what we do not really know? Now we have many in the Village waiting with anxiety as to whether they will have to change their lanai windows. They ask why, as they found these windows there when they bought, or they did it years ago when it was allowed. Are they now to be told - fix or else? Is that old couple in their 90's now to find out that they have to renovate from their dwindling funds and miniscule social security, spend $5,000 - $8,000 that they simply do not have and/or afford?
     So the crystal ball looks ahead, sees in the future many expenses, be it a roof installation that has gone sour to the tune of a quarter of a million dollars, to a fence that never gets installed, to repairs of infrastructure, to the expense of hiring top notch attorneys who will fight for a fair and equitable new agreement when the Millennium one is up and on and on. It poses the questions as to why we are planning to spend more money, money that WE DO NOT HAVE on another multi million dollar project even with the million dollar shortfall and the other million dollar projects that will be arising? Where, it asks, is it written that all MUST have Wi Fi, that it is a common or shared element, that one can be forced to pay into that fund like it, want it or not! Especially when there are other options, no matter what name you call them.
     The crystal ball reminds us that a dollar can be spent only once. It reminds us that we are not the Federal Government and we cannot run in the red, cannot sell Treasury Bonds to raise money, cannot ask Congress to raise the national debt - or even ask the assembly to do so! The crystal ball reminds us that prudent financial planning is the way to go. Spend what we must, do not indulge whims and fancies, particularly of the individual over the benefits or harm to the many. Plan for the future. Save for the future. Just exactly what is the 40 Year Lookback going to entail and what will it cost us? There are so many unknowns so why must we push the envelope.
     Those of you who keep screaming property values - have you bought only to sell, to speculate or have you bought to live, to make this the best place for retirement and living? Have you looked past your own nose to see the needs of the Village residents or do you even care about them? The crystal ball asks these questions, points out the needs, the dangers of the future. Heed it well.

THE TRUE ISSUES AT HAND

       There will probably be a vote today on changing the budget year to begin later on so as to allow snowbirds to vote on it. That will probably work out ok, as long as we are reassured - and sure- that changing it at present will not affect or increase our present $1.3 million dollar shortfall. If that is so, then fine. But we really need to be sure. However, the real issue is the budget itself.
     What do we make of our budget? At present, it is drawn up in almost secret conditions and when sheets are handed out and questions asked, we get, well, I am really not sure of the figure, or well we can shift this or that - and that is not sound finances. One does not buy a house unless one is sure that the mortgage, taxes, utilities are affordable within their income revenue and that there will be a sufficient cushion for emergencies. But I believe we are being asked to ignore that sound financial planning and vote for a budget that will just about kill us, take us further down the road to financial perdition.
     We already have a shortfall. That is a major fact and twist it any which way you want - it is there. We need to make it up somehow over a reasonable amount of time even as we plan to raise more money for appropriate cushions of reserve and to somehow plan for financing of the paving job that will be on us sooner than later. Three years after we do a project here in the Village, it seems that we redo it again. Just take a look at the residents' pool at the Clubhouse. And just look at the roads and the perimeter walkway. We have got to stop this wasteful spending, poor choice of vendors and contractors and make sure we do our proper homework, due diligence, before we sign on the dotted line. That includes appropriately knowledgeable attorneys, performance bonds, properly signed contracts and properly worded contracts, not one page and signed on a blank page!
     One of the major issues that is representative of this foolish and dangerous financial let's just spend as we wish, is the issue of Village wide Wi Fi. For one, we do not need it. That is right - we do not need it. Those who want Wi Fi already have it or if they refuse to pay for their units to have it, can go to the WPRF pools and the Clubhouse - which many do. Many also piggyback on the Wi Fi of others. There are also many people in the Village who do not have Wi Fi and do not want Wi Fi for whatever reason and they and their desires must be respected too. They do not wish to pay for any additional costs and for some it is a question of needing those dollars for food and maintenance.
     Despite David Israel's lieing words, no one is anti Wi Fi. All these people - and there are many - just look at the OPT  OUT movement that has been rolling thru the Village - HAVE Wi Fi - yes, Your Ninnieness -  have Wi Fi - and use it BUT see the foolishness of Village wide being installed now. In addition to that written above, WE DO NOT HAVE THE FINANCIAL WHEREWITHAL AT PRESENT to do so. We also cannot afford to add another $2 to the UCO fees in addition to the other money already added on as well as the additional raise of WPRF fees and the association fees. It turns out to be quite a hefty increase (see yesterday's post) and nobody, yes, nobody, really knows how many millions will need to be spent for a Village program - nor if it will even work properly!
     The contract proposals are secret, known only to the holy few and the proposed contractor is the same DSL that we had to turn away from last time, but are we smart? No! We go right back to them. Something stinks here, and reeks to the high heavens. I do not know about the rest of you, but my income is limited and has its demands and I am not interested in being placed on the hook for a million dollar plus fiasco and who knows how high it will go and for what inferior program. There are so many questions about this whole program that I need another posting to cover them.
     What I am saying, advocating here, is care on voting for budget year change and then vote NO NO NO for an additional Wi Fi fee and the whole roll out. Go for OPT OUT and stay status quo or wire up your building. Vote YES on transferring the current amassed Wi Fi exploratory funds over to the general funds for the shortfall.Vote YES YES YES for return of term limits. Vote for a financially stable Village. Property values do not rise if there is a faulty and inferior Wi Fi'ed Village and a Village that is saddled with debts. Think about it. Open your minds and think freely and clearly. This nonsense of making up names for a group of people, as if there were an organized group, and insisting that there is only a small group of people who have common sense needs to stop. There are many and even if there were one, just one, that would still be a voice calling out in the wilderness and one must heed that voice.
    See you at the assembly.

To all those who observe Yom Kippur, I wish you all an easy fast, prayers that will be heard up above, and a happy, healthy, prosperous and most of all, peaceful year to come.

THE POWER OF THE PEN

     I was trying to figure out what makes David Israel and crew tick as they refuse to consider other options put forth by people not of their clique and I came up with several reasons. There is a sense of having power in one's hands, power over money, power over the path of the lives of people. If that is why they are in UCO, it is a sad day for us.
     There is a worse reason and that would be for nefarious purposes, with power having more tangible results. I truly hesitate to accuse someone of this, though I must say that there are one or two people in this UCO administration about whom this suspicion might be applicable. Now that is not only sad, but downright scary.
     There are those who like to be a hanger on, like the little fish that swim alongside the shark, nibbling away, getting nourishment from that predator, feeling safe, for who would take on a shark! Few indeed.
     I am even willing to concede that perhaps there are even those who actually think they are doing right by the Village and that, I believe, is even more sad, for while we burn, they fiddle away, singing a tune all the while about how much they have done and will do for the Village. They walk through life with blinders, never seeing or hearing anything but their own little minds.
     And that brings us to the last reason and for that I will use a quote I came across early this morning as I was reading on line. It was said by an EU official and think how applicable it is here. "Stupidity is something you can only partly save people from."
     Now here in this category we will find people such as Your Ninniness who keeps writing the same plaint - "but what have you done for the Village. Do Something." Well, great, because that is what I say or write in almost every posting, but the problem here, Your Ninniness, is that your Lord and Master blocks any and all entry into UCO. Why don't you take that up with him?
     So I do what I can do and a great part of that is to write, a time honored American tradition, journalism, pointing out how life can be changed for the better here, how new leadership is required for us to move forward, how care is needed as we propose spending our money and how we MUST MUST MUST plan better for the future. Now it would be nice if the journalistic segment of the Village would be available except, whoops! go ask Joy Vestal what she is so afraid of, why she has violated the paper's own policy, why she spreads rumors accusing me of using a ghostwriter - now that cracks me up every time! Go, Your Ninniness and ask your questions and prove that EU guy wrong, erroneous in his thinking - and bother me no longer!
     I will close with one question about a topic that needs to be addressed and that is about the insurance policies we have at UCO. Once all four of the CVs were linked together with a maximum payout. For example, let us say there was a million dollar cap on personal injury liability in all four Villages. Now if three claimed damages and used it up and suddenly we had a need - guess what - we were _____out of luck! That practice was lessened and we had policies in our name only and now, suddenly, we are veering in that direction again, with all three of the CVs linked together. Now just who, exactly, is benefitting from this. HINT - it ain't us.  More to follow soon.

EXCUSE ME?!!!!

              
 "718 makes Wi-Fi a common expense and therefore the opt-outs are meaningless."

    I kid you not. This is taken directly from the minutes of the Wi Fi meeting at which some sage (not) person stated this. Wrong, wrong, wrong. In no way, shape, manner or form is Wi Fi part of the shared or common expenses and therefore there is no reason and no way to say that all condo associations are bound by it. It has nothing to do with buses or any other shared expenses including cable. Because both come thru wires does not mean that they are "twins" or even related. Thus, OPT OUT is perfectly legitimate and allowed. Might as well say that opting out of the insurance was also not allowed as we all need to have insurance and yet, and yet, well, there ya' go - opting out was and is allowed and there are now dozens of associations who have opted out of the UCO recommended insurance. Makes one think how much UCO is trusted, doesn't it.
     Now we come to the new math of UCO. An inflated figure of $1000 is given as the cost of wiring up a building. Well, that figure is not a universal figure at all, but for the sake of argument let us allow it to figure in the equation. Assuming every association in the Village wired up - that would be $309,000. Even in new math, that figure is just about $700,000 less than the million dollar figure - and more - that David Israel and cronies are pushing. For a man who got incensed over a bill of $5400 for shared expenses with Boca CV, well, these numbers are a tad bigger, don't you think!!! Now go back to the true figures and the total cost is even less with so many coming in under that $1,000 figure. It also leaves out the fact that there are many associations that want no part of wiring up either and the residents have voted to leave it status quo, opting out of his proposal and the individual wiring up. One can no more force these people to partake in a Village wide Wi Fi than one can enforce a Comcast only Village. People have Directv, Universe, etc. Shall we then be forced to use only one ISP - AOL, Microsoft, Google, etc?
     You all remember the old, but true adage - watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves? Well, it is quite appropriate here. Count the pennies, count the difference in cost, count the choices one actually has and you will see that the dollars that the Village wide proposal represent is a wasteful and even dangerous proposal for the financial health of our home.
     What is "funny" is the statement of oh, perhaps a performance bond be required. Really? Gee, I wish someone had remembered that when he signed the road contract!! We would not be in this shortfall mess in the first place, then, would we!!!
     Now let's look at some other figures. WE have a $1.3 million dollar shortfall. It is there. A proposal - made out loud by David Israel at a public meeting - after much pushing - recommended the transfer of the current amassed and yet to be collected $2 Wi Fi exploratory fees and money be transferred over to the general reserves and ameliorate some of the shortfall. Yes, that is the way to go. Now, Mr. David Israel has gone back on that and wants it kept in Wi Fi and indeed be changed from an exploratory fund to a DEFINITE Wi Fi proposal. The shortfall? What shortfall was that again? The Emperor's new clothes have returned once more to the Village.
     So - UCO right now - if the fund is transferred - is saying we will need a $3.09 increase in fees. Add the $2 if it is transferred but David Israel and crew push thru a continued additional Wi Fi fee - $5.09. Now let us add to that the figure of $4.94 that WPRF is requiring for its needs and we are now at an increase of monthly fees of $10.03 and that is before your association comes up with their needs and before the whole truth of the mammoth expense needs of the proposed Wi Fi really comes out. And don't forget the needs of the funds we must amass again to repair the roads and perimeter. So here we are, with a huge increase so, okay, we will just tell people to cut out two dinners a month, what the hey, we all could stand to lose a few pounds or perhaps, do not buy the two gallons of milk, or treat yourself to that Carvel, or buy the shirt you really need to replace a worn out one or we can go on and on. Pennies, folks, pennies add up to lots of dollars - and they all come out of YOUR pockets, yours and mine - ours.
     Finally, a little note to dear Gracie Girl, my not so amazing Grace. You win. I will not keep those pet names for you. Your consistent inane comments have forced me to reconsider and I have found a better pet name - Your Ninniness or Her Ninniness, whatever works. Hope you like it. Want to get that coffee yet and talk like a grownup? Your choice. Always has been.