So today is my B-Day. Last nite as I watched my beautiful and bubbly granddaughter walk down her graduation aisle I began to muse about what makes life worthwhile at this point in time. It is not the new item of clothing that I really do not need but just wanted, or a raise in salary (thank G-d that is over), or coming out of a board meeting intact and still sane - and on top!
No, it is not all that. It is the hugs and kisses from my awesome grandchildren, their innocent belief that all they have to do is ask and I will make it come true, watching my three children make their way thru life, their family and friends and being so proud of them.
It is the laughter shared with friends, the sharing of their happy or, G-d forbid, sad times, their comments on books and our sharing of titles to read, or even just poking fun at our husbands!
It is hearing from my students, still my babies too, seeing how they have grown up, raised families of their own and knowing that I had a role, however small, in their lives, hopefully for the positive. It is hearing from them as I have today, wishing "Happy Birthday to my favorite teacher of all time!"
And most of all, it is sharing the time with Gerry, even just walking around with no purpose, just enjoying the moment and still holding hands after all this time. It is knowing that before I can get the words out of my mouth he is already addressing the issue, knowing what I was going to say.
So how do we transfer this knowledge to the younger generation, helping them to understand what is truly important in life, what is of eternal value and what is only a temporary fix, nice, but fleeting? How do we share the feeling of glee, going to the movies at 2 in the afternoon, giggling like kids, when it still feels as if you are playing hooky, should be working at this hour. How? I really do not know the answer and can only hope that our examples set the pace for our kids and they learn from our mistakes.
Okay, so here I must admit something. I still get a fair share of enjoyment from trying to make things right, from tilting at windmills. This, I learned from my parents, the writing gene from my Pop, and I so do enjoy going after those who are in the wrong, wearing a suit of armor, okay, perhaps a bit tarnished, but still white and shining, and still trying to do the right thing in life.
On age tells me that all in all I am satisfied with my life, past and present, feel a sense of achievement, of happiness, of satisfaction and what is more, I know that I have more to give, more to say and will, G-d willing, do so with vigor, with wisdom, and with, (sorry, I must confess), a bit of glee as I take off after the black hats. Ooooh, a techie term of the times! Gee, my older grandsons would be so proud of me, their cool grandmother.
Happiness is what makes the world go round, happiness that arises from doing the right thing, from family and friends. It is from being able to ignore the aches and pains, take in the glee when one realizes that the day has no doctors in it - vacation day, YAY!!!! It is knowing that you have made new friends, brought old friends even closer, and still have the time and enjoyment to read books, to enjoy shows, to find the good stuff on the zillion channels now on TV, to make use of the Internet in all its positive aspects even as you have empathy for the family and friends who have suffered hacking of accounts.
On age means enjoying life as we know it NOW and not wishing for the days of old. It is knowing that what we have now is what we are meant to have for this is the third act and we cannot undo acts one and two, only improve on act three and do so with gusto, vim and vigor and a savoring of life.
So, on thinking about this and knowing that the turn of the calendar page has made me a year older, I am happy, satisfied, accepting of certain things and knowing what I should not accept and try to change. It is accepting a purpose in life, picking up that lance and going a tilting, and sorry, for having that bit of glee and a bit of giggle when you know it just hit the spot.
I love being me - okay, will have to change a bit of me before my next year's 50th high school reunion - but that is minor. Life, thank you, G-d, is good, and I pray that it remains so. Age? Ain't so bad.
PS - I thank my many well wishes both here and on Facebook. It is good to know you are there.
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Monday, June 8, 2015
FOLLOW THE LEADER . . .
When we were kids we used to play “Follow the Leader”. It is obvious to me that some of “us” are still kids. You might ask – “Why do you say that?” The answer is relatively simple.
The present issue of the “Messenger” newsletter calls to everyone’s attention the need to file the proper documentation in order for your association to retain its’ 55+ status. Along with this is a form to be completed and advising that help is available by phone if needed.
Within a short period of time – less than 24 hours later – a similar reminder appears on the blog that is commonly referred to as “David’s Blog”. Along with the complete list of associations there appears on this blog the form to be completed.
Enter into the fray Ruth Dreiss who reminds everyone that she had pointed this out some time ago in the form of an article printed in the UCO Reporter/Rag.
So – our “leader” – David Israel, President of UCO, comes in third and last. Folks, what we need is a LEADER not a FOLLOWER. The next election will be upon us before we realize it. It’s time for a change.
Dorothy Tetro
BABY FOOD
Are we to believe that what we heard at the DA is the truth of the matter? I certainly hope not. And the way David Israel was giggling at the end as he adjourned was simply another example of his deterioration and his glee as he thinks he did it yet again, pulled another one over on the residents.
First we had the Treasurer's report where he clearly states that he has no idea about the reserves, their allocations, whatever. Of course he does not. How could he when it is all in that one huge mish mash account instead of being placed in designated fund accounts. That is how one is to know what one has and what one needs. That is called intelligent budget and financial knowledge and planning, evidently not a priority of the current UCO administration or perhaps it is, just so that they can claim ignorance - but then again, we already know they are ignorant. They are ignorant of even basic process and procedure and have led us down the road to possible bankruptcy and deterioration of our physical plant.
What was needed was to question him in minute detail and include David Israel , Bob Marshal and Ed Black in those questionings, but people are tired or simply dozing, so they let it go - not a good idea. Of course, we had Gracie Girl get up, the laughingstock of the Village, who then repeated her already oft repeated refrain of how the delegates voted, she was there and knows and knows why they voted that way and we got what we deserve! Of course, no mention of misused and transferred funds, poor contract - if it can be called that, sleight of hand with words so delegates who are only used to looking for the cheapest bid when they fix their homes thought that aha, here is the lowest bid, let's go for it. One has to explain and do it properly. It is all in the presentation and here we were screwed royal by our esteemed "leader".
Then we have this nonsense again about the ghostly doorknob thieves gang that evidently have nothing better to do other than to go around the Village with timepiece and paper or tablet or whatever and note what time people pick up their doorknob hangings, do this over a long period of time, and then make decisions about robbery, even though this has never happened except in the poor bedimmed mind of Phyllis S. and adherents.
This is all a tempest in a teapot as the real answer is to allow the CV Messenger to be placed within the holy walls of the Clubhouse, the same as all other legit publications. Why does the Condo News have that right and not this newsletter published by residents of the Village. Anyone remember back to history class and the trial of Peter Zenger wherein the principle of freedom of the press was established - and this was before the Revolution! Why the Jewish Journal? It is because these papers are of interest to the residents and thus allowed as a service. Well, this newsletter is also of interest and published by the residents so the only reason to block it is within the minds of the colluders, Eva and David Israel. Their motivations? Answer that for yourselves.
Refer back to my prior posting about echoes and once again you will see the echo in the senior housing issue. Jean Dowling had mentioned this long before David Israel did and he only did this because he was shamed into it, another dereliction of duty as the broadband was totally filling his mind to the exclusion of all else. And as far as him getting to know specific codes that relate to my association - the hell NO!!! There is no need for that other than for him to gain more info, the easier to research people and then threaten them. If an association needs help, then help, offer it openly, but do not go sneaking around and enter via the back door, giving someone who sits in the backroom of a building more grist for his mill.
Finally, what is this thing on his blog now about "seizing the global power of the Internet"? Guess what? It is already here and has been here in CV as long or as early as you have had your Internet connection. There is no magic, no seizing of anything. Use whatever you wish to use from the world of the Internet and one does not need to build a whole expensive installation of anything else, Wi Fi, broadband or whatever one calls it for his purpose. Just choose your provider, your desired level of connection and speed and get on with it. It is here, no seizure necessary - unless you are planning to seize doorknob items! (Sorry, could not pass that one up.)
People, we must look carefully, think carefully, analyze carefully, whatever comes out of their mouths or is printed in The Rag. There are nefarious purposes behind much of what they say and do. Think and think again before acting on what they say. And Fausto, I am disappointed in you when you made that statement about the party room. There are many clubs that use it - the Italian, the Latino, the African - American, True Sisters, etc. but NOT the Messenger Club. That is the point. And you know that.
We are being fed baby food, pap, from UCO all in the name of trying to put one and one and one over on us, again and again and yet again. Please demand to be fed properly. We are grownups and need to demand that we be treated as such,with respect and dignity. Demand this. Demand answers. If we do not, the situation will only get worse until it is beyond repair.
First we had the Treasurer's report where he clearly states that he has no idea about the reserves, their allocations, whatever. Of course he does not. How could he when it is all in that one huge mish mash account instead of being placed in designated fund accounts. That is how one is to know what one has and what one needs. That is called intelligent budget and financial knowledge and planning, evidently not a priority of the current UCO administration or perhaps it is, just so that they can claim ignorance - but then again, we already know they are ignorant. They are ignorant of even basic process and procedure and have led us down the road to possible bankruptcy and deterioration of our physical plant.
What was needed was to question him in minute detail and include David Israel , Bob Marshal and Ed Black in those questionings, but people are tired or simply dozing, so they let it go - not a good idea. Of course, we had Gracie Girl get up, the laughingstock of the Village, who then repeated her already oft repeated refrain of how the delegates voted, she was there and knows and knows why they voted that way and we got what we deserve! Of course, no mention of misused and transferred funds, poor contract - if it can be called that, sleight of hand with words so delegates who are only used to looking for the cheapest bid when they fix their homes thought that aha, here is the lowest bid, let's go for it. One has to explain and do it properly. It is all in the presentation and here we were screwed royal by our esteemed "leader".
Then we have this nonsense again about the ghostly doorknob thieves gang that evidently have nothing better to do other than to go around the Village with timepiece and paper or tablet or whatever and note what time people pick up their doorknob hangings, do this over a long period of time, and then make decisions about robbery, even though this has never happened except in the poor bedimmed mind of Phyllis S. and adherents.
This is all a tempest in a teapot as the real answer is to allow the CV Messenger to be placed within the holy walls of the Clubhouse, the same as all other legit publications. Why does the Condo News have that right and not this newsletter published by residents of the Village. Anyone remember back to history class and the trial of Peter Zenger wherein the principle of freedom of the press was established - and this was before the Revolution! Why the Jewish Journal? It is because these papers are of interest to the residents and thus allowed as a service. Well, this newsletter is also of interest and published by the residents so the only reason to block it is within the minds of the colluders, Eva and David Israel. Their motivations? Answer that for yourselves.
Refer back to my prior posting about echoes and once again you will see the echo in the senior housing issue. Jean Dowling had mentioned this long before David Israel did and he only did this because he was shamed into it, another dereliction of duty as the broadband was totally filling his mind to the exclusion of all else. And as far as him getting to know specific codes that relate to my association - the hell NO!!! There is no need for that other than for him to gain more info, the easier to research people and then threaten them. If an association needs help, then help, offer it openly, but do not go sneaking around and enter via the back door, giving someone who sits in the backroom of a building more grist for his mill.
Finally, what is this thing on his blog now about "seizing the global power of the Internet"? Guess what? It is already here and has been here in CV as long or as early as you have had your Internet connection. There is no magic, no seizing of anything. Use whatever you wish to use from the world of the Internet and one does not need to build a whole expensive installation of anything else, Wi Fi, broadband or whatever one calls it for his purpose. Just choose your provider, your desired level of connection and speed and get on with it. It is here, no seizure necessary - unless you are planning to seize doorknob items! (Sorry, could not pass that one up.)
People, we must look carefully, think carefully, analyze carefully, whatever comes out of their mouths or is printed in The Rag. There are nefarious purposes behind much of what they say and do. Think and think again before acting on what they say. And Fausto, I am disappointed in you when you made that statement about the party room. There are many clubs that use it - the Italian, the Latino, the African - American, True Sisters, etc. but NOT the Messenger Club. That is the point. And you know that.
We are being fed baby food, pap, from UCO all in the name of trying to put one and one and one over on us, again and again and yet again. Please demand to be fed properly. We are grownups and need to demand that we be treated as such,with respect and dignity. Demand this. Demand answers. If we do not, the situation will only get worse until it is beyond repair.
Sunday, June 7, 2015
TICK TICK TICK....WHAT MAKES PEOPLE TICK?
So back to Death's Head Chess Club, by John Donoghue and its philosophical contents. It delves into the depths of human behavior and motivations, excuses and rationalizations. It explores survivors guilt and makes the reader truly question what makes us human and if being human automatically involves adding the "e" to make it humane. It asks a question in the beginning of the book if there were any "good" Germans and evidently by the end of the book questions were raised as to the answer. I know what my opinion is of the Germans who went along with their false god, Hitler, but it is for the reader to decide for him/her self. It will make for a good book club discussion.
Of course, when I picked up the next book to read, a procedural mystery, I thought, I found myself reading an excellent book, Blood Ties, by Nicholas Guild, and found myself reading another book with thought provoking content. Yes, there was a serial killer, but that was not really the point. But read it for yourself and judge.
What I found to be a continuation of the prior book's thoughts and questions was a discussion between two characters, concerned with the motivations of mankind, and one stated, "we just want it , and then we build a belief structure to justify wanting it." In other words, we do not look at situations clearly, but for the most part through selfishly tinted glasses. Sometimes the results can be great, as with the reformers of society who helped eliminate child labor, push for livable wages, safe working conditions, social nets to catch those who need catching and on and on. And sometimes the results are bad - selfish capitalism, Fascism, extremism of religion or any belief.
What we must do is discern the difference and make our choices knowingly and carefully, be it in the outside world or the one where we live. And we must accept the responsibility of those decisions and their inevitable results.
The new rules about money and political donations were a major series of steps back into the corruptible and corrupted past. Money always plays a great big role in the political world and we have allowed it to revive itself to a much greater degree and evidently we have done the same here. Our elections here are now running based along money and not on truth.
Donald Kelly, the man who is ripping apart the Village, donated a sizeable wad to the campaign of David Israel. This donation was accepted KNOWING who and what this man wanted and was doing to our home. Ask yourself now what he gained for this donation. Did he gain the continued silence, the tacit affirmation and acceptance of his deeds and plans? Did he receive the okay to continue and expand? One can only think and judge for oneself, using the history of this man here and what he has "misaccomplished", shall we say.
David Israel needed to remain in office because he, too, had a wanting, his own desires, and thus had to build a belief structure to allow for its reality. Thus we began to get limitations here in the Village of free speech, of freedom of the press, of assembly. Debates were denied, banned, in favor of fancy tri colored pamphlets that Kelly's money helped pay for, directly or indirectly does not matter, only the end results. Lies were fabricated about all sorts of things, such as the roads and paving, the state of our infrastructure, the correct financial proceedings and organization of our funds. Fundamental procedures were ignored, violated and soon the residents had no idea of where their money went or exactly how it was spent.
Only now is the entire filthy truth coming out, being uncovered from the muck and mud in which it was buried. The constant defensive cries of "no fair, no fighting, you are telling lies, etc." are now being proven false and used as stall tactics. Truth will out. Kelly's motivations and contributions to David, his plans for the future and the questions of how closely are they intertwined, the profligate wasting of our funds, the allowing of the infrastructure to deteriorate in order to better pursue and have funds for a needless Wi Fi system to be put in place with an already proven incompetent company in a poorly situated location for this system and now the attempt to foist broadband on us during a time of almost hourly changes in that world so we are behind even before we proceed, the ignoring of the decrepit fence along Haverhill so as to better spend the necessary funds on a sign that we do not need, and a lack of control and reality checks with WPRF as to what can and must be spent. Now we are in a time of great financial stress.We must adhere to an austerity budget, tell Eva what can and needs to be done and what cannot. We must build our own belief structure and attain what will be best for us and finally put aside this petty dictator who has imperiled us all. No rants from their shills, no denials will stand up anymore. The opposition movement is growing, the newsletter has hard hitting articles that expose the truth and truly informs the residents of information of the village, a job The Rag has deserted.
Folks, look around. Think of the lies and actions that have brought us to this point. Think who has benefitted from all this. Have the associations been helped? No, only blamed and yes, they do have a great share of the blame, but UCO MUST reach out to them and stop saying, "Oh, we have no legal power." No one is asking for that - just advice, help, holding hands, understanding that some associations have many elderly elderly and are in need of great hand holding. Force the officers of UCO to do their jobs and if they refuse, or cannot, then throw them out - NOW! Force the Executive Board members to show up, to work on committees, and if not, throw them out too. Let us get a functioning administration going, whatever it takes. Let us search out the talent we have in the Village and instead of trashing it - use it, and let us insist that term limits are a great necessity here and non elected "officials" must be very limited in fingers in pies status and in power.
There is much to do to rebuild our dream, our vision of reality, our belief structure. Let us get to it.
Of course, when I picked up the next book to read, a procedural mystery, I thought, I found myself reading an excellent book, Blood Ties, by Nicholas Guild, and found myself reading another book with thought provoking content. Yes, there was a serial killer, but that was not really the point. But read it for yourself and judge.
What I found to be a continuation of the prior book's thoughts and questions was a discussion between two characters, concerned with the motivations of mankind, and one stated, "we just want it , and then we build a belief structure to justify wanting it." In other words, we do not look at situations clearly, but for the most part through selfishly tinted glasses. Sometimes the results can be great, as with the reformers of society who helped eliminate child labor, push for livable wages, safe working conditions, social nets to catch those who need catching and on and on. And sometimes the results are bad - selfish capitalism, Fascism, extremism of religion or any belief.
What we must do is discern the difference and make our choices knowingly and carefully, be it in the outside world or the one where we live. And we must accept the responsibility of those decisions and their inevitable results.
The new rules about money and political donations were a major series of steps back into the corruptible and corrupted past. Money always plays a great big role in the political world and we have allowed it to revive itself to a much greater degree and evidently we have done the same here. Our elections here are now running based along money and not on truth.
Donald Kelly, the man who is ripping apart the Village, donated a sizeable wad to the campaign of David Israel. This donation was accepted KNOWING who and what this man wanted and was doing to our home. Ask yourself now what he gained for this donation. Did he gain the continued silence, the tacit affirmation and acceptance of his deeds and plans? Did he receive the okay to continue and expand? One can only think and judge for oneself, using the history of this man here and what he has "misaccomplished", shall we say.
David Israel needed to remain in office because he, too, had a wanting, his own desires, and thus had to build a belief structure to allow for its reality. Thus we began to get limitations here in the Village of free speech, of freedom of the press, of assembly. Debates were denied, banned, in favor of fancy tri colored pamphlets that Kelly's money helped pay for, directly or indirectly does not matter, only the end results. Lies were fabricated about all sorts of things, such as the roads and paving, the state of our infrastructure, the correct financial proceedings and organization of our funds. Fundamental procedures were ignored, violated and soon the residents had no idea of where their money went or exactly how it was spent.
Only now is the entire filthy truth coming out, being uncovered from the muck and mud in which it was buried. The constant defensive cries of "no fair, no fighting, you are telling lies, etc." are now being proven false and used as stall tactics. Truth will out. Kelly's motivations and contributions to David, his plans for the future and the questions of how closely are they intertwined, the profligate wasting of our funds, the allowing of the infrastructure to deteriorate in order to better pursue and have funds for a needless Wi Fi system to be put in place with an already proven incompetent company in a poorly situated location for this system and now the attempt to foist broadband on us during a time of almost hourly changes in that world so we are behind even before we proceed, the ignoring of the decrepit fence along Haverhill so as to better spend the necessary funds on a sign that we do not need, and a lack of control and reality checks with WPRF as to what can and must be spent. Now we are in a time of great financial stress.We must adhere to an austerity budget, tell Eva what can and needs to be done and what cannot. We must build our own belief structure and attain what will be best for us and finally put aside this petty dictator who has imperiled us all. No rants from their shills, no denials will stand up anymore. The opposition movement is growing, the newsletter has hard hitting articles that expose the truth and truly informs the residents of information of the village, a job The Rag has deserted.
Folks, look around. Think of the lies and actions that have brought us to this point. Think who has benefitted from all this. Have the associations been helped? No, only blamed and yes, they do have a great share of the blame, but UCO MUST reach out to them and stop saying, "Oh, we have no legal power." No one is asking for that - just advice, help, holding hands, understanding that some associations have many elderly elderly and are in need of great hand holding. Force the officers of UCO to do their jobs and if they refuse, or cannot, then throw them out - NOW! Force the Executive Board members to show up, to work on committees, and if not, throw them out too. Let us get a functioning administration going, whatever it takes. Let us search out the talent we have in the Village and instead of trashing it - use it, and let us insist that term limits are a great necessity here and non elected "officials" must be very limited in fingers in pies status and in power.
There is much to do to rebuild our dream, our vision of reality, our belief structure. Let us get to it.
Friday, June 5, 2015
DO YOU HEAR THE ECHO?
First let me state that the UCO administration at present is a disgrace. The attendance by the elected officials who have stated that they will take their responsibilities seriously, who have sworn an oath to do so - where are they? Attendance at meetings is at a low so why did they run if they were not interested in fulfilling their job requisites? Simple - to keep out any and all opposition to their lord and master. Not a good situation, folks, and one reason why the meetings are all very short - there is no discussion, no opposition heard, the officers never have anything to say and on and on. I would like to know why they have nothing to say when there are serious situations in the Village. Why are they all just sitting on their thumbs and rotating? Just about the only one I see doing anything is Fausto and he is to be commended for that.
Anyway, to echoes. For years the plaintive cry of the opposition re the roads and drainage went unheard, a lonely cry. For years the fence on the Haverhill side was decried, but to no avail. For years the irrigation system had warnings spoken. For several years now we have been speaking about the waters in our Village and their dire condition. All to no avail. We were ignored or insulted, maligned, made fun of - and that was ok as we knew we had right on our side. We wished it were not so, as that meant that our beloved Village would not get better soon, but it seems that fancy pool decks and obscure games which needed expensive courts came first. Wi Fi attempts beat out safety and security and security itself became a joke.
BUT - wait a minute. Here is that echo. Yesterday, at the executive board meeting, O'Brien once again stated that the roads have a real short life, though here he added on a year and a half to make it ten years, and that there was going to be an engineer hired to evaluate and advise. Whoa!!!!! Did I not just say that was what was needed in a posting of mine? Again, let it be done, let them take credit - but get it done right. If we are going to hire an incompetent shill in the pocket of David Israel and Ed Black, then what use. Let the credentials be publicized and let us approve or not.
Eva has admitted that the water in the lakes is truly problematic but now we need to get a solution, and not one that leads to another problem causing the situation to deteriorate even further. And no, we cannot depend on the vegetation to hold up the fence at Haverhill! But at least they are paying attention. That is a step forward, though a tiny little baby step, but one nevertheless.
Again, if process and procedure were in play many of our problems would not have occurred. They would have been taken care of by preventive, proactive measures, but evidently these are ideas that are foreign to our current UCO officers. Joy needs permission from David or Ed to speak or write, Myron needs Joy to give him permission, Phyllis is mum save about doorknob thieve and the true issues of threats to our safety are ignored with excuses of "we cannot do anything, only advise." Then advise!!!
Remember that quaint instrument where people would input numbers and then have a conversation - yes, the phone. Well, use it. Have these lazy do nothing VPs call their association presidents and have a serious face to face. Ask about their issues and brainstorm ideas to help. Tell them in person that they need to renew their 55+ info with the proper government people or else what will happen when lovely people such as Kelly find out that they have lapsed and come a roarin' in to insert under 55, children, criminals, etc. Do Something!!! Stop making excuses.
Since my ideas have been picked up quite a number of times, let me assure you that I will come in the back door of UCO and talk with you and will not let on to a soul! But dangnabbit it, do something! Now! Before it is too late.
If you prefer to work by echo, fine. If you wish to make believe that your brains are functioning, fine - as long as we fix ourselves. Echoes are good - go yodel in the Swiss Alps and enjoy the echo and then come back and try to work well with the echo system here.
It should be noted that Jean Dowling has been working on this senior housing issue for quite some time, ringing the warning bell, even printing out a huge set or packet of information on this issue as well as others - and done it on her dime. Why? Because UCO will not work with her because they cannot afford to give anyone credit, only to take for themselves. She wrote an excellent article for The Rag but was denied input and acceptance as Joy did not get the go ahead from her master. Jean had this pinned down straight from the get go and our "esteemed" leader, or should I say FOLLOWER at this point, has not one original thought left in his head so he trolls the blogs to find out where he needs to go next. Fie on you, Mr. Israel. Time to go, your time has passed, your brain has signaled a need to rest, for quite some time already, so again, I repeat what I said in another posting - GO!
Anyway, to echoes. For years the plaintive cry of the opposition re the roads and drainage went unheard, a lonely cry. For years the fence on the Haverhill side was decried, but to no avail. For years the irrigation system had warnings spoken. For several years now we have been speaking about the waters in our Village and their dire condition. All to no avail. We were ignored or insulted, maligned, made fun of - and that was ok as we knew we had right on our side. We wished it were not so, as that meant that our beloved Village would not get better soon, but it seems that fancy pool decks and obscure games which needed expensive courts came first. Wi Fi attempts beat out safety and security and security itself became a joke.
BUT - wait a minute. Here is that echo. Yesterday, at the executive board meeting, O'Brien once again stated that the roads have a real short life, though here he added on a year and a half to make it ten years, and that there was going to be an engineer hired to evaluate and advise. Whoa!!!!! Did I not just say that was what was needed in a posting of mine? Again, let it be done, let them take credit - but get it done right. If we are going to hire an incompetent shill in the pocket of David Israel and Ed Black, then what use. Let the credentials be publicized and let us approve or not.
Eva has admitted that the water in the lakes is truly problematic but now we need to get a solution, and not one that leads to another problem causing the situation to deteriorate even further. And no, we cannot depend on the vegetation to hold up the fence at Haverhill! But at least they are paying attention. That is a step forward, though a tiny little baby step, but one nevertheless.
Again, if process and procedure were in play many of our problems would not have occurred. They would have been taken care of by preventive, proactive measures, but evidently these are ideas that are foreign to our current UCO officers. Joy needs permission from David or Ed to speak or write, Myron needs Joy to give him permission, Phyllis is mum save about doorknob thieve and the true issues of threats to our safety are ignored with excuses of "we cannot do anything, only advise." Then advise!!!
Remember that quaint instrument where people would input numbers and then have a conversation - yes, the phone. Well, use it. Have these lazy do nothing VPs call their association presidents and have a serious face to face. Ask about their issues and brainstorm ideas to help. Tell them in person that they need to renew their 55+ info with the proper government people or else what will happen when lovely people such as Kelly find out that they have lapsed and come a roarin' in to insert under 55, children, criminals, etc. Do Something!!! Stop making excuses.
Since my ideas have been picked up quite a number of times, let me assure you that I will come in the back door of UCO and talk with you and will not let on to a soul! But dangnabbit it, do something! Now! Before it is too late.
If you prefer to work by echo, fine. If you wish to make believe that your brains are functioning, fine - as long as we fix ourselves. Echoes are good - go yodel in the Swiss Alps and enjoy the echo and then come back and try to work well with the echo system here.
It should be noted that Jean Dowling has been working on this senior housing issue for quite some time, ringing the warning bell, even printing out a huge set or packet of information on this issue as well as others - and done it on her dime. Why? Because UCO will not work with her because they cannot afford to give anyone credit, only to take for themselves. She wrote an excellent article for The Rag but was denied input and acceptance as Joy did not get the go ahead from her master. Jean had this pinned down straight from the get go and our "esteemed" leader, or should I say FOLLOWER at this point, has not one original thought left in his head so he trolls the blogs to find out where he needs to go next. Fie on you, Mr. Israel. Time to go, your time has passed, your brain has signaled a need to rest, for quite some time already, so again, I repeat what I said in another posting - GO!
Thursday, June 4, 2015
KNOWLEDGE OF ONESELF
Am reading a fascinating book right now, Death's Head Chess Club, by John Donoghue. I could say it is about a chess tournament, but then which one - in 1962 or in Auschwitz? I could say it is about a unique friendship, the quality of mercy, forgiveness, good and evil, man's nature, responsibility and on and on but one must read this for oneself. It is a book that causes the reader to put the book down and think, to get angry, or shake a head. It forces us to think of ourselves and our own part in allowing evil to take us over.
But evil and self responsibility for one's own actions do not rest solely in a book or in a chat session. It is real and comes in many flavors. But the worst about evil is when it coopts one and we do not even recognize it as such. And then of course we refuse to listen to others or do anything about it and our part in it.
Evil is not restricted to the horrible side effects of war. It can be found anywhere, large and small, in both its inception and conception and its results.
Evil was found in the blockbusting that went on in neighborhoods all over NY and I daresay America, be it the Irish and Italian in their times, or the Jews or the African Americans. Someone stood to make money from nasty human frailties and did not care about the harm it caused others, about the lives ripped apart because of their deeds.
Well, folks, we have that situation here. Most of us bought here because we wanted a piece of quiet, of peace, of safety and affordability. We liked the location and the appearance of the Village. Of course, we all know that a cover, a surface appearance is often different from what lay beneath, but we were willing to take a chance, trusting to others to do the job right.
Well, we misplaced our trust and it was betrayed again and again, from a president who took money and goods every month to a president who threatened severe consequences if one did not sign an agreement to one who sees only from within his eyes and needs and never via others.
Even, shall we say, if this president had started out with good intentions, the result now is a plant whose infrastructure is deteriorating and cannot be properly addressed because there is no money, because there were financial shenanigans to support his own wishes and needs and the sad fact is that this behavior continues to this present day, this very minute.
To cap it all, we now have perhaps the straw that breaks the camel's back - the insertion of homeless people into units here in the Village in that very same Sheffield O by that nasty villain Kelley or Kelly, not sure of spelling. Have they been checked and vetted and allowed or not due to prior crimes or deficits? I highly doubt that. Why are they here? Because Kelly is a greedy man trying to reap profits off of our backs, ruin our Village and do not think this has never been tried before. This is the new form of block busting and we are the recipients of this loveliness!
And why has this happened? Because of a president of UCO and his henchmen who were paying more attention to their own needs, to their own wishes and ignored the needs of the Village, of struggling associations and then these associations fell prey to the nasty and the greedy, to those who cared nothing for our future here, only for what they saw in the mirror.
So they lied and lied and lied yet again. They denied what was there for all to see and the saddest thing is that so many of the delegates believed and so many were just apathetic. But people began to wake up, spurred on by a small group of maligned people, people who did care for the Village and thank G-d people in the Village are beginning to listen, to participate, to make their voices heard.
Where is evil? What is evil? How do we stop it? Must we stop it? I cannot answer the first two questions in a strictly definitive manner, only know that I recognize it right here in the Village and yes, we must step up to the plate on this because if one does not - one then becomes part of the evil. Think of what could have been stopped if the German people had thrown up fists against Hitler and not saluted him and shouted in delirium at his dreams for his country, his evil plans for those that were not German as he defined it. Think of what could have been avoided if the world had stepped in to shut down the slaughter in Rwanda and the list is almost infinite.
We truly have very little control over the world out there, but certainly we have a greater degree in here and we must demand more. Evil is as evil does and we must stop it in its tracks. Evil here is the ruination of our lives in our last quarter, exactly when we need peace and harmony, goodness and justice. Join in the fight. No broadband. Fiscal planning and responsibility. Infrastructure that works. Lakes that are clear. Votes that are legitimate. Respect given to residents and their needs. Process and procedure. Term limits. Clear routines on how to get rid of trash in UCO, of incompetence and worse. Join us before we are lost.
Please read Olga's comment for more information.
But evil and self responsibility for one's own actions do not rest solely in a book or in a chat session. It is real and comes in many flavors. But the worst about evil is when it coopts one and we do not even recognize it as such. And then of course we refuse to listen to others or do anything about it and our part in it.
Evil is not restricted to the horrible side effects of war. It can be found anywhere, large and small, in both its inception and conception and its results.
Evil was found in the blockbusting that went on in neighborhoods all over NY and I daresay America, be it the Irish and Italian in their times, or the Jews or the African Americans. Someone stood to make money from nasty human frailties and did not care about the harm it caused others, about the lives ripped apart because of their deeds.
Well, folks, we have that situation here. Most of us bought here because we wanted a piece of quiet, of peace, of safety and affordability. We liked the location and the appearance of the Village. Of course, we all know that a cover, a surface appearance is often different from what lay beneath, but we were willing to take a chance, trusting to others to do the job right.
Well, we misplaced our trust and it was betrayed again and again, from a president who took money and goods every month to a president who threatened severe consequences if one did not sign an agreement to one who sees only from within his eyes and needs and never via others.
Even, shall we say, if this president had started out with good intentions, the result now is a plant whose infrastructure is deteriorating and cannot be properly addressed because there is no money, because there were financial shenanigans to support his own wishes and needs and the sad fact is that this behavior continues to this present day, this very minute.
To cap it all, we now have perhaps the straw that breaks the camel's back - the insertion of homeless people into units here in the Village in that very same Sheffield O by that nasty villain Kelley or Kelly, not sure of spelling. Have they been checked and vetted and allowed or not due to prior crimes or deficits? I highly doubt that. Why are they here? Because Kelly is a greedy man trying to reap profits off of our backs, ruin our Village and do not think this has never been tried before. This is the new form of block busting and we are the recipients of this loveliness!
And why has this happened? Because of a president of UCO and his henchmen who were paying more attention to their own needs, to their own wishes and ignored the needs of the Village, of struggling associations and then these associations fell prey to the nasty and the greedy, to those who cared nothing for our future here, only for what they saw in the mirror.
So they lied and lied and lied yet again. They denied what was there for all to see and the saddest thing is that so many of the delegates believed and so many were just apathetic. But people began to wake up, spurred on by a small group of maligned people, people who did care for the Village and thank G-d people in the Village are beginning to listen, to participate, to make their voices heard.
Where is evil? What is evil? How do we stop it? Must we stop it? I cannot answer the first two questions in a strictly definitive manner, only know that I recognize it right here in the Village and yes, we must step up to the plate on this because if one does not - one then becomes part of the evil. Think of what could have been stopped if the German people had thrown up fists against Hitler and not saluted him and shouted in delirium at his dreams for his country, his evil plans for those that were not German as he defined it. Think of what could have been avoided if the world had stepped in to shut down the slaughter in Rwanda and the list is almost infinite.
We truly have very little control over the world out there, but certainly we have a greater degree in here and we must demand more. Evil is as evil does and we must stop it in its tracks. Evil here is the ruination of our lives in our last quarter, exactly when we need peace and harmony, goodness and justice. Join in the fight. No broadband. Fiscal planning and responsibility. Infrastructure that works. Lakes that are clear. Votes that are legitimate. Respect given to residents and their needs. Process and procedure. Term limits. Clear routines on how to get rid of trash in UCO, of incompetence and worse. Join us before we are lost.
Please read Olga's comment for more information.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
THE BIG PICTURE
David Burnham, an early American urban planner and architect said, "Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood."
And that is the situation here in the Village. We cannot fix things piecemeal anymore. There are too many issues and they begin to entangle themselves on each other. We need to look at the big picture and make the big plans.The true needs of the Village are simple.
We need to rid ourselves of incompetents and incompetence and worse.
We need to change our system of elections and responsibility chain of command.
We need to institute proper process and procedure and this will protect us from running into problems we did not but should have anticipated.
We need to institute think tanks of various people in the Village based on their knowledge from prior life experience rather than have people who know nothing decide solely on their own wishes and uninformed choices and whims.
We need to get our finances in order with prioritization, with straight thinking, with an austerity budget, with a strong discussion with WPRF and Eva as to what we NEED as opposed to what she WANTS.
We need to look into the possibility of a management firm but FIRST must have a good grasp on our expenses here in terms of outlay to employees, to WPRF, to hired companies and then know what we have to go seeking in terms of a firm.
We must NOT jump without looking for that is how we got into this mess in the first place, by following those who jumped headlong, run by their own temper tantrums and desires more fitting for a two year old than for a responsible adult.
We need to set rules carefully so as to avoid the strings of the Village being held by one, two, or a few people, especially non elected ones, a situation we now have.
Even should we have a management firm, there will have to be a supervisory or advisory board and the components of the board must be chosen carefully, with a method to remove for cause that is actually doable and fast, not what we have now. Incompetents and people who have deteriorated cannot be allowed to remain in office.
Obviously this is only a sketch of possibilities and priorities and there must be a thorough consultation with proper advisors and the first topic must be that which is now hanging over David Israel's neck and deservedly so - the roads and their debacle of a paving job and how we are to pay for the fixing of this whole mess.
David, you need to read, or reread, Samuel Taylor Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and heed these lines.
"Ah! well a-day! what evil looks
Had I from old and young!
Instead of the cross, the Albatross
About my neck was hung."
You have many possibilities for an albatross, but luckily we have managed to stop some, such as the Wi Fi and we will do the same with the broadband, the sign and other non necessities, particularly in this time of financial crisis. BUT, the roads are there and will do you in. They are your albatross, a well earned and deserved one.
We need you to go and take Ed Black and your henchmen with you. GO!
And that is the situation here in the Village. We cannot fix things piecemeal anymore. There are too many issues and they begin to entangle themselves on each other. We need to look at the big picture and make the big plans.The true needs of the Village are simple.
We need to rid ourselves of incompetents and incompetence and worse.
We need to change our system of elections and responsibility chain of command.
We need to institute proper process and procedure and this will protect us from running into problems we did not but should have anticipated.
We need to institute think tanks of various people in the Village based on their knowledge from prior life experience rather than have people who know nothing decide solely on their own wishes and uninformed choices and whims.
We need to get our finances in order with prioritization, with straight thinking, with an austerity budget, with a strong discussion with WPRF and Eva as to what we NEED as opposed to what she WANTS.
We need to look into the possibility of a management firm but FIRST must have a good grasp on our expenses here in terms of outlay to employees, to WPRF, to hired companies and then know what we have to go seeking in terms of a firm.
We must NOT jump without looking for that is how we got into this mess in the first place, by following those who jumped headlong, run by their own temper tantrums and desires more fitting for a two year old than for a responsible adult.
We need to set rules carefully so as to avoid the strings of the Village being held by one, two, or a few people, especially non elected ones, a situation we now have.
Even should we have a management firm, there will have to be a supervisory or advisory board and the components of the board must be chosen carefully, with a method to remove for cause that is actually doable and fast, not what we have now. Incompetents and people who have deteriorated cannot be allowed to remain in office.
Obviously this is only a sketch of possibilities and priorities and there must be a thorough consultation with proper advisors and the first topic must be that which is now hanging over David Israel's neck and deservedly so - the roads and their debacle of a paving job and how we are to pay for the fixing of this whole mess.
David, you need to read, or reread, Samuel Taylor Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and heed these lines.
"Ah! well a-day! what evil looks
Had I from old and young!
Instead of the cross, the Albatross
About my neck was hung."
You have many possibilities for an albatross, but luckily we have managed to stop some, such as the Wi Fi and we will do the same with the broadband, the sign and other non necessities, particularly in this time of financial crisis. BUT, the roads are there and will do you in. They are your albatross, a well earned and deserved one.
We need you to go and take Ed Black and your henchmen with you. GO!
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
CURIOUS AND CURIOUSER
Thinking about this whole mess that we now have I wondered how we ever got here in the first place and the answer comes down to the fact that the current UCO administration and the previous one simply lied and lied and lied yet again. I cannot believe that they were so naïve as to not see the truth but just denied it in the way that foolish people do in the vain hope that no one will notice their hand in the cookie jar. No, this was done on purpose.
The first complaints about the poor job that was being done on the roads began the very first minute the job began. The drainage and the swale areas, which should have been done first - were not. Period.
Next we had the paving, such as it was. The material was sub standard, the technique used was substandard, the machines were the wrong ones, especially in the second phase after we were "blackmailed" into paying up more money, and the roads were uneven, unbalanced and ill suited to the torrential rains we get here in Florida and instead we became the southern version of 1,000 lakes. The paint for the striping was laid on almost immediately, before the material on the roads dried and thus sank into the dampness and faded almost immediately. Two months after the striping we looked as if we needed a striping job. The road itself, uneven and poorly done, almost immediately began to break down, crumble into pebbles and sand and soon enough we had what we had before the supposed new job.
A punch list was supposedly amassed, a long, long, one but basically nothing was done and the administration, in the form particularly of David Israel and his head honcho, Ed Black, the non elected "official" maintained that we were all dumb, malcontents, know nothings and on and on. His paranoia grew and as it grew so did his desperate attempts to shut down any protest and to ridicule those who opposed him. When a suit was attempted, too many of the residents bought into David Israel's lies and now we have the sad results and the horrific consequences to come, ranging from roads that are in desperate conditions in many areas and a financial bill that will break all our backs.
From screeching that the road will last thirty years, to downgrading to 20 years and then 15, we began to see the truth coming out no matter how much they tried to hide it. The cost of replacement and repair increased exponentially as the years shortened. Now suddenly we are down to 8 1/2 years and the financial cost is just too heavy to even contemplate. And yet we must.
Howie O' Brien suddenly woke up at the meeting the other day, - don't know why, nor where he suddenly got his "published" information - but at least he woke up and is warning us all about the truth, too late, but at last. Now he is warning us about Eva coming in with her wish list for the Village and how much more that will cost us. I agree with him that we need to attend the meeting and shut down these extravagant projects and wish lists and David Israel, that includes your broadband project. Quite frankly we are going to be very lucky if we get through this mess financially intact. I have serious doubts, but we sure need to face reality and try and that means an austerity budget and no pie in the sky projects and wastes of money. No more courts that sink into the ground or break via cracks in the foundation. No more quarter of a million dollars on a pool no matter how pretty it looks. We simply cannot afford that at this point.
First and foremost we need to have a meeting at which we force David Israel to answer for his sins. He needs to resign or be impeached, and he and Ed Black need to be banned from UCO unless they are coming in as residents with questions. We need to hold emergency Town Halls in order to explain to the residents the harsh truth and the harsh ways in which we will have to overcome this. We need an advisor to help us avoid bankruptcy and how to arrange for a phased repaving that will keep us going without breaking the banks of all the residents. And we need to get working on the post Millennium Agreement era, what we will change - for our benefit and the hard truth that Mark Levy et al needs to hear - that we cannot subsidize the expenses of others and while all are entitled to profits, it must be fair and not on the broken backs of a captive audience.
People, we have no choice. We must act. We must demand answers. NOW. Attend the meetings. I will not be here most of the month due to happy family business, but I will be there in spirit and via my friends. Before this place turns into a ghost town by default, let us act. I love it here and have no wish to leave. We are not at the point of no return and if we tighten the purse strings, spend only what must, and work on ways to fix this mess, we will survive and recover. But first - get rid of those who have brought us to this place in time. And jerk, infant, and you know who you are, sending me disgusting potty comments not even worthy of a sharp seven year old, will not stop me nor will it gain you any attention or success. Just crawl back into your hole along with other denizens of your ilk. Do us all a favor.
The first complaints about the poor job that was being done on the roads began the very first minute the job began. The drainage and the swale areas, which should have been done first - were not. Period.
Next we had the paving, such as it was. The material was sub standard, the technique used was substandard, the machines were the wrong ones, especially in the second phase after we were "blackmailed" into paying up more money, and the roads were uneven, unbalanced and ill suited to the torrential rains we get here in Florida and instead we became the southern version of 1,000 lakes. The paint for the striping was laid on almost immediately, before the material on the roads dried and thus sank into the dampness and faded almost immediately. Two months after the striping we looked as if we needed a striping job. The road itself, uneven and poorly done, almost immediately began to break down, crumble into pebbles and sand and soon enough we had what we had before the supposed new job.
A punch list was supposedly amassed, a long, long, one but basically nothing was done and the administration, in the form particularly of David Israel and his head honcho, Ed Black, the non elected "official" maintained that we were all dumb, malcontents, know nothings and on and on. His paranoia grew and as it grew so did his desperate attempts to shut down any protest and to ridicule those who opposed him. When a suit was attempted, too many of the residents bought into David Israel's lies and now we have the sad results and the horrific consequences to come, ranging from roads that are in desperate conditions in many areas and a financial bill that will break all our backs.
From screeching that the road will last thirty years, to downgrading to 20 years and then 15, we began to see the truth coming out no matter how much they tried to hide it. The cost of replacement and repair increased exponentially as the years shortened. Now suddenly we are down to 8 1/2 years and the financial cost is just too heavy to even contemplate. And yet we must.
Howie O' Brien suddenly woke up at the meeting the other day, - don't know why, nor where he suddenly got his "published" information - but at least he woke up and is warning us all about the truth, too late, but at last. Now he is warning us about Eva coming in with her wish list for the Village and how much more that will cost us. I agree with him that we need to attend the meeting and shut down these extravagant projects and wish lists and David Israel, that includes your broadband project. Quite frankly we are going to be very lucky if we get through this mess financially intact. I have serious doubts, but we sure need to face reality and try and that means an austerity budget and no pie in the sky projects and wastes of money. No more courts that sink into the ground or break via cracks in the foundation. No more quarter of a million dollars on a pool no matter how pretty it looks. We simply cannot afford that at this point.
First and foremost we need to have a meeting at which we force David Israel to answer for his sins. He needs to resign or be impeached, and he and Ed Black need to be banned from UCO unless they are coming in as residents with questions. We need to hold emergency Town Halls in order to explain to the residents the harsh truth and the harsh ways in which we will have to overcome this. We need an advisor to help us avoid bankruptcy and how to arrange for a phased repaving that will keep us going without breaking the banks of all the residents. And we need to get working on the post Millennium Agreement era, what we will change - for our benefit and the hard truth that Mark Levy et al needs to hear - that we cannot subsidize the expenses of others and while all are entitled to profits, it must be fair and not on the broken backs of a captive audience.
People, we have no choice. We must act. We must demand answers. NOW. Attend the meetings. I will not be here most of the month due to happy family business, but I will be there in spirit and via my friends. Before this place turns into a ghost town by default, let us act. I love it here and have no wish to leave. We are not at the point of no return and if we tighten the purse strings, spend only what must, and work on ways to fix this mess, we will survive and recover. But first - get rid of those who have brought us to this place in time. And jerk, infant, and you know who you are, sending me disgusting potty comments not even worthy of a sharp seven year old, will not stop me nor will it gain you any attention or success. Just crawl back into your hole along with other denizens of your ilk. Do us all a favor.
Monday, June 1, 2015
WINTER IS COMING! SO HOW TO PREPARE?
Before you wonder what I am talking about, for those of you who are not Game of Thrones fans, Winter is a bad time that has been threatening Westeros for over four seasons and thru many books. It has arrived with an epic battle on last night's show. The question now is will Westeros, at least the good people, survive the Winter? Have they made enough preparation or can they come from behind.
Well, Winter is now upon us here in the Village and no, we have not made preparations and have instead walked right into it with shorts and flip flops. There is no putting aside the knowledge that we are close to a truly desperate situation. If we are to continue functioning as a relevant and at least moderately prosperous looking place, then we must keep up with external appearances and a huge portion of that are the roads, the byways of the Village, its drainage and swales that keep it from looking like a new swamp or series of lakes and ponds after every rain.
Well, that has been well screwed up and we have been well screwed over. We allowed ignorant, selfish, unwilling to learn or heed warning people to make agreements for us, to have control over our funds and have walked blindly with them into a morass of troubles. The easy fix is over, too late. What needs to be done now is get rid of these people, insist they go, recall every single one of them, toss Ed Black out of UCO as he has no business there with his finger in every pie telling his good old buddy, David Israel, how to run things, all the while ruining us even more.
People here cannot afford another $30 a month fees in addition to whatever else will be needed to pay for long neglected items that are coming to the fore now. There are people who are in a worse situation, financially, than I am, for sure, but at this point such an increase would be cutting heavy into my discretionary funds, painful cuts, and ones I did not expect to have to undergo. Nor did I ever think that I would have to consider work!!!!! again, even if only a distant thought. What about those who do not have discretionary funds? What about those who will walk away, even as prices have begun to rise on units?
What about those who simply cannot afford it at all? Do we throw them out and tell them "Tough!"
What we need right now is to institute a new UCO, get it in place and then get down to business. A Village plebiscite as to what form of administration the unit owners would prefer is needed. There needs to be a serious investigation into our options and not include any of the current officers of UCO nor of their major functionaries. Actually, I am not sure about Fausto as he seems to be serious about working for the Village. Time will tell.We need to have smart financial people, business people, people people - all to evaluate our options. Do we need a simple change of new officers and engage an adviser to help us get out of this financial hole we are in or will be? Just as counselors help individuals do this, so can the right ones help us do this here.
Or do we need a heavy duty restructuring, new bylaws and rules, new organizing of the Village, condensing associations into more sensible larger groupings? Whatever is done must be done out of the purview of Gorodetzer and Israel and crew and who the hell knows what they have already brewed up in their witches' cauldron. Their knowledge is paltry and their motives questionable. It is time we all stepped up and out and do what is right for us and the Village.
Or do we need a management company as some have been pushing. I am a bit leery of the Cornishes (mainly Frank I believe) involvement, but if there is information for them to give us, names to start with and we have a sizeable group to explore this - and again, no current officers or henchmen involved with few exceptions, perhaps we will come to a decision on that.
What I do know now is that we must face up to Winter and do something. People must wake up, get their jackets on and gear up for the big battle. We must wake up to the nearing expiration of the Millennium Agreement and prepare and meanwhile nothing is being done for it and please, do not even mention Tennyson! We must cut the greed of the other side. Why do we provide Mark Levy and his wife private cars? Are they too poor to buy their own? This is only one example. There are so many ways that we are royally worked over in this agreement and so many ways that it must change. Let us prepare for change in so many ways in our Village and let us force Winter back into its cave. Please, people, before it is too late. Winter is coming - or is already here.
Well, Winter is now upon us here in the Village and no, we have not made preparations and have instead walked right into it with shorts and flip flops. There is no putting aside the knowledge that we are close to a truly desperate situation. If we are to continue functioning as a relevant and at least moderately prosperous looking place, then we must keep up with external appearances and a huge portion of that are the roads, the byways of the Village, its drainage and swales that keep it from looking like a new swamp or series of lakes and ponds after every rain.
Well, that has been well screwed up and we have been well screwed over. We allowed ignorant, selfish, unwilling to learn or heed warning people to make agreements for us, to have control over our funds and have walked blindly with them into a morass of troubles. The easy fix is over, too late. What needs to be done now is get rid of these people, insist they go, recall every single one of them, toss Ed Black out of UCO as he has no business there with his finger in every pie telling his good old buddy, David Israel, how to run things, all the while ruining us even more.
People here cannot afford another $30 a month fees in addition to whatever else will be needed to pay for long neglected items that are coming to the fore now. There are people who are in a worse situation, financially, than I am, for sure, but at this point such an increase would be cutting heavy into my discretionary funds, painful cuts, and ones I did not expect to have to undergo. Nor did I ever think that I would have to consider work!!!!! again, even if only a distant thought. What about those who do not have discretionary funds? What about those who will walk away, even as prices have begun to rise on units?
What about those who simply cannot afford it at all? Do we throw them out and tell them "Tough!"
What we need right now is to institute a new UCO, get it in place and then get down to business. A Village plebiscite as to what form of administration the unit owners would prefer is needed. There needs to be a serious investigation into our options and not include any of the current officers of UCO nor of their major functionaries. Actually, I am not sure about Fausto as he seems to be serious about working for the Village. Time will tell.We need to have smart financial people, business people, people people - all to evaluate our options. Do we need a simple change of new officers and engage an adviser to help us get out of this financial hole we are in or will be? Just as counselors help individuals do this, so can the right ones help us do this here.
Or do we need a heavy duty restructuring, new bylaws and rules, new organizing of the Village, condensing associations into more sensible larger groupings? Whatever is done must be done out of the purview of Gorodetzer and Israel and crew and who the hell knows what they have already brewed up in their witches' cauldron. Their knowledge is paltry and their motives questionable. It is time we all stepped up and out and do what is right for us and the Village.
Or do we need a management company as some have been pushing. I am a bit leery of the Cornishes (mainly Frank I believe) involvement, but if there is information for them to give us, names to start with and we have a sizeable group to explore this - and again, no current officers or henchmen involved with few exceptions, perhaps we will come to a decision on that.
What I do know now is that we must face up to Winter and do something. People must wake up, get their jackets on and gear up for the big battle. We must wake up to the nearing expiration of the Millennium Agreement and prepare and meanwhile nothing is being done for it and please, do not even mention Tennyson! We must cut the greed of the other side. Why do we provide Mark Levy and his wife private cars? Are they too poor to buy their own? This is only one example. There are so many ways that we are royally worked over in this agreement and so many ways that it must change. Let us prepare for change in so many ways in our Village and let us force Winter back into its cave. Please, people, before it is too late. Winter is coming - or is already here.
Sunday, May 31, 2015
OOOHHH!!!! RUNNING SCARED, ARE THEY? HOO-RAH!
Finally had time to sit down and "read" what there is to read in The Rag. Took about ten minutes. What interested me the most were the articles written by Barbara Cornish and Joy Vestal as their "vice presidential" official comments.
Both of them took off after the opposition, you know the people who have insisted on truth in advertising, in truth and transparency in all dealings and activities of UCO, who have asked hard questions and who now are vindicated by the facts of the road paving job.
For years we have been saying, shouting unto the heavens, that the job was pure garbage, that we were robbed of over five million dollars and the robbery was chaired by the three caballeros - David Israel, Ed Black and Bob Marshall. They shifted money without delegate approval, "signed" a contract of less than one page and did not even sign on the same page! They did not hire a project supervisor and the list goes on. Go to Gary's blog and read in Scandals for the details of this travesty of justice. It is a thorough study of it.
For years we have been saying we need to get money for repairs and been told no, you are wrong, only looking to cause trouble. There are years of life to go. Now we see that in one of their own meetings there is a life expectancy of perhaps 8 and a half years and the 2 million a year is insufficient for the purpose of repaving. So now who is standing with their thumbs up you know where - but the rest of us are going to have to pay the bill.
But Cornish and Vestal have nothing else to talk about, nothing about their quadrants. Only about term limits which Cornish now opposes, now that she is in the administration after being on the outs for quite some time - and do not forget that she resigned before, when she was not happy.
Vestal only has the time to rant about "doorknob protectors". Gimme a break! Gee, the other morning we were out very early and our paper was hanging on the doorknob for several hours. Wonder how many sneak thieves alerted to this?!
These two articles were ridiculous and indicative of a lack of proper work ethic by our officers. Bob Marshall, now that lightning has finally struck, or so he says, now only has the ability to rant about decals and AMR. I believe we have all gotten the message. On to something new, Bob, Please. Nausea is rising fast!
Our current UCO administration is ill, deathly so. Their protective walls are cracking and the sounds of that can be heard all over and thru the Village - and even in the world as yes, David Israel, you are not the only one with international readership, so shut up with that boast already. Who cares. The only concern we should all have is how do we fix our Village and NOT about protecting oneself from charges of incompetence and even stupidity - or worse.
"We may know with certainty that nothing belongs to us except our vices and sins. " So said Francis of Assisi and so I say to the members of UCO. Let us try to help you eliminate those sins and vices of omission and commission and let us all work for the benefit and betterment of the Village. I know that might be a difficult stretch for most of you, but try - if only to make sure that the memories of you, your "legacy" are not overwhelmingly composed of the sins you have committed against the Village during your administration. Think about it. We are here, waiting - and acting.
Both of them took off after the opposition, you know the people who have insisted on truth in advertising, in truth and transparency in all dealings and activities of UCO, who have asked hard questions and who now are vindicated by the facts of the road paving job.
For years we have been saying, shouting unto the heavens, that the job was pure garbage, that we were robbed of over five million dollars and the robbery was chaired by the three caballeros - David Israel, Ed Black and Bob Marshall. They shifted money without delegate approval, "signed" a contract of less than one page and did not even sign on the same page! They did not hire a project supervisor and the list goes on. Go to Gary's blog and read in Scandals for the details of this travesty of justice. It is a thorough study of it.
For years we have been saying we need to get money for repairs and been told no, you are wrong, only looking to cause trouble. There are years of life to go. Now we see that in one of their own meetings there is a life expectancy of perhaps 8 and a half years and the 2 million a year is insufficient for the purpose of repaving. So now who is standing with their thumbs up you know where - but the rest of us are going to have to pay the bill.
But Cornish and Vestal have nothing else to talk about, nothing about their quadrants. Only about term limits which Cornish now opposes, now that she is in the administration after being on the outs for quite some time - and do not forget that she resigned before, when she was not happy.
Vestal only has the time to rant about "doorknob protectors". Gimme a break! Gee, the other morning we were out very early and our paper was hanging on the doorknob for several hours. Wonder how many sneak thieves alerted to this?!
These two articles were ridiculous and indicative of a lack of proper work ethic by our officers. Bob Marshall, now that lightning has finally struck, or so he says, now only has the ability to rant about decals and AMR. I believe we have all gotten the message. On to something new, Bob, Please. Nausea is rising fast!
Our current UCO administration is ill, deathly so. Their protective walls are cracking and the sounds of that can be heard all over and thru the Village - and even in the world as yes, David Israel, you are not the only one with international readership, so shut up with that boast already. Who cares. The only concern we should all have is how do we fix our Village and NOT about protecting oneself from charges of incompetence and even stupidity - or worse.
"We may know with certainty that nothing belongs to us except our vices and sins. " So said Francis of Assisi and so I say to the members of UCO. Let us try to help you eliminate those sins and vices of omission and commission and let us all work for the benefit and betterment of the Village. I know that might be a difficult stretch for most of you, but try - if only to make sure that the memories of you, your "legacy" are not overwhelmingly composed of the sins you have committed against the Village during your administration. Think about it. We are here, waiting - and acting.
Friday, May 29, 2015
WHAT DO WE DO NOW?
What we do now is proceed using process and procedure and move both quickly and slowly in order to make sure that we are doing it right.
1. As it goes via good old Brooklynese - "Trow dem bums oudda here!" Out with the current administration who has brought us to this unacceptable and dangerous situation. I do not care how - impeachment, resignation, but they must go and at the very least....
2. Term limits must be reinstated.
3. There must be a very clear review of the whole road situation, engaging an engineer that is chosen not via their choice but via other recommendations as they are not to be trusted. All along they have brazenly lied about the situation and now here it is, blowing up in our collective face.
4.After we receive the report we must solicit bids and not from M&M Paving either. We must use the report with all the deficiencies outlined in order to craft a contract, a real contract, a legit contract of many pages and signed properly with full knowledge. All of this demands a proper RFP of course.
5. We must look into the situation if we, UCO, has the right to sue M&M and even attaching David Israel et al to the suit as complicit in its defects and signed with knowledge aforethought, whatever legal terms are to be used.
6. We need to draw up a cut to the bone budget after listing our priorities. We need to keep our infrastructure up to date and in good condition. We must keep our fences in proper condition and not dependent upon vegetation to hold it up! We must clean our waterways without one step leading to another bad consequence. This is a pathetic game of catchup which we will always lose! We must figure the best way to get the money we need in the time we have and possibly break the paving into segments with worst going first and taking care of the drainage before anything.
7. No whims or ridiculous or costly projects will be done over the next few years. Signage can wait, snacks can wait, fancy carpets and flooring can wait, furniture must be practical in duration and cost and we can go on and on.
But do it we must. We have been warning about this for years already. We have been shouting about the lies they roll out of their mouths, of the forked tongues they use to speak. Now perhaps you will listen and we will forbid ourselves from saying, "We told you so!" But let us begin and by the way, Howie, what is this "published information" and just where has it been hiding or been hidden? In the vegetation perhaps?
1. As it goes via good old Brooklynese - "Trow dem bums oudda here!" Out with the current administration who has brought us to this unacceptable and dangerous situation. I do not care how - impeachment, resignation, but they must go and at the very least....
2. Term limits must be reinstated.
3. There must be a very clear review of the whole road situation, engaging an engineer that is chosen not via their choice but via other recommendations as they are not to be trusted. All along they have brazenly lied about the situation and now here it is, blowing up in our collective face.
4.After we receive the report we must solicit bids and not from M&M Paving either. We must use the report with all the deficiencies outlined in order to craft a contract, a real contract, a legit contract of many pages and signed properly with full knowledge. All of this demands a proper RFP of course.
5. We must look into the situation if we, UCO, has the right to sue M&M and even attaching David Israel et al to the suit as complicit in its defects and signed with knowledge aforethought, whatever legal terms are to be used.
6. We need to draw up a cut to the bone budget after listing our priorities. We need to keep our infrastructure up to date and in good condition. We must keep our fences in proper condition and not dependent upon vegetation to hold it up! We must clean our waterways without one step leading to another bad consequence. This is a pathetic game of catchup which we will always lose! We must figure the best way to get the money we need in the time we have and possibly break the paving into segments with worst going first and taking care of the drainage before anything.
7. No whims or ridiculous or costly projects will be done over the next few years. Signage can wait, snacks can wait, fancy carpets and flooring can wait, furniture must be practical in duration and cost and we can go on and on.
But do it we must. We have been warning about this for years already. We have been shouting about the lies they roll out of their mouths, of the forked tongues they use to speak. Now perhaps you will listen and we will forbid ourselves from saying, "We told you so!" But let us begin and by the way, Howie, what is this "published information" and just where has it been hiding or been hidden? In the vegetation perhaps?
FEELING THE HEAT
It seems as if the heat is being felt in the "kitchen" of UCO. They do not like being called out for their faults, for their incompetencies, but if the shoe fits, then..... We all know the end of that saying.
I am given to understand that someone over there at The Rag is quite upset with the new name and the accusations against this paper. They make sure to tell the people that there is "plenty to read" by stating that on the front page. Sure there is, if you like ads, recipes, restaurant reviews, a book review, an article about the 50's, Lanny Howe's chess experience with a grandson, etc., etc. Sure, some people would like these articles and there is nothing inherently wrong about having them included. HOWEVER, where is the information that is supposed to be transmitted to the residents? Where are the writers, not just the same names again and again? Where is the spirited presentation of all sides of an issue that would allow the readers to decide for themselves what they believe and where they stand?
Inside UCO I guess maybe they can't stay in the kitchen for the heat. I advocated, yesterday, and many times before, that David Israel and Ed Black need to go. And they need to take along with them the rest of the "volunteers" who are out for themselves rather than for serving the needs of the residents. There are volunteers who are trying, who have given much of their time and they are to be praised, but there are also volunteers who have been royally shafted, tossed out into the proverbial cold without so much as a thank you. Where are the Greggs? Where is Neil Moore? Where are so many former officers? On the outs, that is where.
I will not name the good people who are still involved as to do so would only result in their being tossed out posthaste, but there is also a lot of trash, people who just want their little fiefdoms and who have sold their souls for it. If people feel the heat of this accusation then perhaps their inner souls are trying to tell them something. Perhaps they need to stop and think and evaluate. Right now Petey Boy and Gracie are whining because they feel that too many "enfeebled" (his choice of word) CV residents are reading my articles. Well, tough. That is called freedom of the press, free speech, civil rights and I could go on. If you are so concerned about it, then write something sensible. Try to refute me but in sensible statements, not whines, nor rants, nor plain old name calling and threats.
But their own little world continues and they are apparently oblivious to the realities of a changing world and the lack of sense in their statements is amazing. I am constantly being told that I do not know nor understand nor have various Ethernet capabilities. That is interesting as I have broadband, a plethora of devices, streaming possibilities, the best Comcast connection available and I use them, else how the hell would I be writing every day?!
But, a big but, or however, is right there, like the proverbial elephant in the living room. The world of cable, broadband, media is in such turmoil now along with a confused series of levels of governments that no one really knows what will be. One company is swallowing another, broadband delivery is STILL dependent on delivery by cable connections, so what the hell are we doing contemplating new contracts now. We need to sit tight. Broadband is here, and quite healthy, within the Village. Anything you want, from Hulu and Netflix or any other streaming site, is here, so what the hell is all the plotting about? Another selfish and thoughtless way in which to spend our money, money that will have to be raised thru increased fees, along with the $2 million a year for the roads and all the rest of the ridiculous financial assininity that is going on?
Let's fix our fences. Let's get a security system that works right and just does not take more and more pictures. Let us polish up the areas of the Village which look scruffy, especially along the grassy areas around the perimeter road. Pay attention to the trees that need trimming or are broken. Where are these volunteers whose responsibility is to go around the Village and check on these things? Their job is not to sit pretty and chat and drink water and eat snacks provided by the generosity of themselves to themselves. Nor is it to sit or stand in the lobby area of UCO and chat. Get things done, and done properly or get out. And by the way, the bus stop by Andover, across from Wellington E needs to be properly fixed. Throwing a bunch of rocks down in the gaping hole does not a fix make. It needs filling up with paving material. Do we need to have someone get seriously hurt before we take care of this? This has been brought to the attention of UCO for months, even years, already.
Getting too hot for you in the kitchen of UCO, in the kitchen of The Rag? Then get out of it. Cool off with a swim in the pool. Take a cold drink of ice water and chew on the ice. Or whatever, but stop messing up our Village for your own ego satisfaction.
And speaking of ego satisfaction and its cost to us, now they have admitted that their crap paving job which they have defended the past few years since its destructive appearance in our Village, is a piece of garbage and will last only perhaps another eight and a half years - maybe! - and thus the money for it will need to be increased putting many residents here in major financial straits. And you, Gracie, shut up with your stupid comments about how people need to afford living here. They could and would into the future if we did not have creeps and incompetents and egoists such as David Israel, Ed Black and Bob Marshall who got us here in the first place. Damn them to hell for getting us in this mess, denying their guilt and role in this and now they have to admit the truth. And cut the crap about how the delegates voted it. They did not manipulate the money. Your buddies did! You should all hang your heads in shame and cough up some money of your own to repay the Village for damages that you and yours cost us.
I am given to understand that someone over there at The Rag is quite upset with the new name and the accusations against this paper. They make sure to tell the people that there is "plenty to read" by stating that on the front page. Sure there is, if you like ads, recipes, restaurant reviews, a book review, an article about the 50's, Lanny Howe's chess experience with a grandson, etc., etc. Sure, some people would like these articles and there is nothing inherently wrong about having them included. HOWEVER, where is the information that is supposed to be transmitted to the residents? Where are the writers, not just the same names again and again? Where is the spirited presentation of all sides of an issue that would allow the readers to decide for themselves what they believe and where they stand?
Inside UCO I guess maybe they can't stay in the kitchen for the heat. I advocated, yesterday, and many times before, that David Israel and Ed Black need to go. And they need to take along with them the rest of the "volunteers" who are out for themselves rather than for serving the needs of the residents. There are volunteers who are trying, who have given much of their time and they are to be praised, but there are also volunteers who have been royally shafted, tossed out into the proverbial cold without so much as a thank you. Where are the Greggs? Where is Neil Moore? Where are so many former officers? On the outs, that is where.
I will not name the good people who are still involved as to do so would only result in their being tossed out posthaste, but there is also a lot of trash, people who just want their little fiefdoms and who have sold their souls for it. If people feel the heat of this accusation then perhaps their inner souls are trying to tell them something. Perhaps they need to stop and think and evaluate. Right now Petey Boy and Gracie are whining because they feel that too many "enfeebled" (his choice of word) CV residents are reading my articles. Well, tough. That is called freedom of the press, free speech, civil rights and I could go on. If you are so concerned about it, then write something sensible. Try to refute me but in sensible statements, not whines, nor rants, nor plain old name calling and threats.
But their own little world continues and they are apparently oblivious to the realities of a changing world and the lack of sense in their statements is amazing. I am constantly being told that I do not know nor understand nor have various Ethernet capabilities. That is interesting as I have broadband, a plethora of devices, streaming possibilities, the best Comcast connection available and I use them, else how the hell would I be writing every day?!
But, a big but, or however, is right there, like the proverbial elephant in the living room. The world of cable, broadband, media is in such turmoil now along with a confused series of levels of governments that no one really knows what will be. One company is swallowing another, broadband delivery is STILL dependent on delivery by cable connections, so what the hell are we doing contemplating new contracts now. We need to sit tight. Broadband is here, and quite healthy, within the Village. Anything you want, from Hulu and Netflix or any other streaming site, is here, so what the hell is all the plotting about? Another selfish and thoughtless way in which to spend our money, money that will have to be raised thru increased fees, along with the $2 million a year for the roads and all the rest of the ridiculous financial assininity that is going on?
Let's fix our fences. Let's get a security system that works right and just does not take more and more pictures. Let us polish up the areas of the Village which look scruffy, especially along the grassy areas around the perimeter road. Pay attention to the trees that need trimming or are broken. Where are these volunteers whose responsibility is to go around the Village and check on these things? Their job is not to sit pretty and chat and drink water and eat snacks provided by the generosity of themselves to themselves. Nor is it to sit or stand in the lobby area of UCO and chat. Get things done, and done properly or get out. And by the way, the bus stop by Andover, across from Wellington E needs to be properly fixed. Throwing a bunch of rocks down in the gaping hole does not a fix make. It needs filling up with paving material. Do we need to have someone get seriously hurt before we take care of this? This has been brought to the attention of UCO for months, even years, already.
Getting too hot for you in the kitchen of UCO, in the kitchen of The Rag? Then get out of it. Cool off with a swim in the pool. Take a cold drink of ice water and chew on the ice. Or whatever, but stop messing up our Village for your own ego satisfaction.
And speaking of ego satisfaction and its cost to us, now they have admitted that their crap paving job which they have defended the past few years since its destructive appearance in our Village, is a piece of garbage and will last only perhaps another eight and a half years - maybe! - and thus the money for it will need to be increased putting many residents here in major financial straits. And you, Gracie, shut up with your stupid comments about how people need to afford living here. They could and would into the future if we did not have creeps and incompetents and egoists such as David Israel, Ed Black and Bob Marshall who got us here in the first place. Damn them to hell for getting us in this mess, denying their guilt and role in this and now they have to admit the truth. And cut the crap about how the delegates voted it. They did not manipulate the money. Your buddies did! You should all hang your heads in shame and cough up some money of your own to repay the Village for damages that you and yours cost us.
Thursday, May 28, 2015
LIFE TODAY
Yesterday we saw Fury Road, the Mad Max movie. I must confess here that I loved the original ones, though I will not go see any Mel Gibson movies now, and I liked this one. Violent? Yes, but that is the vision of the post apocalyptic world of the future, the one where all of mankind's errors come home to roost and life is a desert - not a jungle, for there is no water to be freely had - sounds familiar from the drought in California and other west coast states - and people are crude, survival a desert in which only hate and mayhem serve any survival purpose. To have "human" and humane notions will only get one in trouble.
Now transfer this mess to the world of today. Think of the brutality of Boko Haram, of ISIS, the Taliban, of even our soldiers sent back time and again to such a hostile environment that they have no choice but to be affected. Even the choice of surrender or capture is not a choice for there appear to be no holds barred by the enemy.
So what do we do? Well, as the ending quotation flashed on the screen, wherein it was stated that man is constantly roaming the earth seeking our better selves, I thought of the meeting we had come from prior to the movie. It was a security meeting with PBSO, Homeland Security and the Palm Beach Jewish community with various organizations and synagogues and schools attending. This was a meeting which urged one how to prepare, to be proactive, rather than reactive after a terrible event, be it from nature or man made.
We heard several speakers, asked questions, received advice, and many made plans to proceed further on this road.
Such is the world today. Just looking at the pictures of the Houston disastrous flood and thanking G-d that my son and family had moved to another city, brought to mind the hurricane season fast approaching. It just takes one. So our synagogue will proceed along this path but I wonder why our Village has not done so.
I long ago, at a meeting, suggested disaster preparation and David Israel ran with it under his name. Fine, as long as the deed was done, but it seems that the committee never got off to a real start, so here we are without plans. What would happen should a truly bad or evil minded person get in the Village? How would we alert people, make sure they get to safety? What if the bad guy were here already, gun or guns in hand and again, how to alert all? Yes, we have some hurricane plans, but what if there were a massive flooding situation and people could not get to the Clubhouse parking lot for help and supplies? What if the roads were closed and the people trapped inside their homes? What then?
This is the kind of thing that needs committed volunteers, many of them, yet we have none, or are rather prevented from having any by the ridiculous and harmful policies of the current UCO administration. Pat Sealander begs for volunteers. Phyllis S. needs volunteers for Investigations. Joy Vestal, of The Rag, begs for volunteers and then turns them away or does not get any takers for all know what happens to volunteers now in UCO.
This is the kind of action that needs process and procedure, a practice which does not exist in UCO at present. Their only process is to push their own selfish ideas even as every day shows how deluded they are. Today there is a plan being put forward that would help poorer people to attain broadband. Surely that would affect many people here so again, why do we not sit down and shut up with these ridiculous and expensive and unnecessary plans about broadband and wait till everything shakes out. THERE IS ALREADY BROADBAND IN THE VILLAGE!! All that this new plan would do is get us into another Boca CV situation wherein they just had to cancel their Wi Fi agreement with DSL as, to put it bluntly, it was not working and not worth all the funds expended. At least we here in CVWPB fought it, fought David Israel, Ed Black and henchmen, and won, thank the Lord!
There are far more immediate and necessary projects that must move forward here in the Village. Let us get on with those and let us get on with the first step - term limit reinstatement and throwing out the trash in UCO. For our sake! For the sake of the survival of the Village. Before they kill it all. Before they take us all the way down to bankruptcy. Before all the vegetation holding up the fences collapse! (Love that line they delivered in the paper about the vegetation and the fence.)
Reading The Messenger newsletter is great, And, oh, by the way, we were not home most of the day when Seacrest left two items in our door. When we came home the house had been just fine but maybe we had just missed the huge horde of people evidently roaming the Village looking for doors with notes and planning robberies?! Maybe they had already gone to Greenbriar! Or to the paper. Reading is fine. Attending the meetings is fine - informative and fun. Amazing that they organized a Memorial Day program while UCO, as usual, sat on their thumbs. BUT - what is truly needed are votes, votes, and more votes. Get rid of your deadwood delegates and get those with a thinking brain, who understand that UCO must be changed, cleansed, and what is not needed is any more time with the current administration. What is needed is ACTION.
Now transfer this mess to the world of today. Think of the brutality of Boko Haram, of ISIS, the Taliban, of even our soldiers sent back time and again to such a hostile environment that they have no choice but to be affected. Even the choice of surrender or capture is not a choice for there appear to be no holds barred by the enemy.
So what do we do? Well, as the ending quotation flashed on the screen, wherein it was stated that man is constantly roaming the earth seeking our better selves, I thought of the meeting we had come from prior to the movie. It was a security meeting with PBSO, Homeland Security and the Palm Beach Jewish community with various organizations and synagogues and schools attending. This was a meeting which urged one how to prepare, to be proactive, rather than reactive after a terrible event, be it from nature or man made.
We heard several speakers, asked questions, received advice, and many made plans to proceed further on this road.
Such is the world today. Just looking at the pictures of the Houston disastrous flood and thanking G-d that my son and family had moved to another city, brought to mind the hurricane season fast approaching. It just takes one. So our synagogue will proceed along this path but I wonder why our Village has not done so.
I long ago, at a meeting, suggested disaster preparation and David Israel ran with it under his name. Fine, as long as the deed was done, but it seems that the committee never got off to a real start, so here we are without plans. What would happen should a truly bad or evil minded person get in the Village? How would we alert people, make sure they get to safety? What if the bad guy were here already, gun or guns in hand and again, how to alert all? Yes, we have some hurricane plans, but what if there were a massive flooding situation and people could not get to the Clubhouse parking lot for help and supplies? What if the roads were closed and the people trapped inside their homes? What then?
This is the kind of thing that needs committed volunteers, many of them, yet we have none, or are rather prevented from having any by the ridiculous and harmful policies of the current UCO administration. Pat Sealander begs for volunteers. Phyllis S. needs volunteers for Investigations. Joy Vestal, of The Rag, begs for volunteers and then turns them away or does not get any takers for all know what happens to volunteers now in UCO.
This is the kind of action that needs process and procedure, a practice which does not exist in UCO at present. Their only process is to push their own selfish ideas even as every day shows how deluded they are. Today there is a plan being put forward that would help poorer people to attain broadband. Surely that would affect many people here so again, why do we not sit down and shut up with these ridiculous and expensive and unnecessary plans about broadband and wait till everything shakes out. THERE IS ALREADY BROADBAND IN THE VILLAGE!! All that this new plan would do is get us into another Boca CV situation wherein they just had to cancel their Wi Fi agreement with DSL as, to put it bluntly, it was not working and not worth all the funds expended. At least we here in CVWPB fought it, fought David Israel, Ed Black and henchmen, and won, thank the Lord!
There are far more immediate and necessary projects that must move forward here in the Village. Let us get on with those and let us get on with the first step - term limit reinstatement and throwing out the trash in UCO. For our sake! For the sake of the survival of the Village. Before they kill it all. Before they take us all the way down to bankruptcy. Before all the vegetation holding up the fences collapse! (Love that line they delivered in the paper about the vegetation and the fence.)
Reading The Messenger newsletter is great, And, oh, by the way, we were not home most of the day when Seacrest left two items in our door. When we came home the house had been just fine but maybe we had just missed the huge horde of people evidently roaming the Village looking for doors with notes and planning robberies?! Maybe they had already gone to Greenbriar! Or to the paper. Reading is fine. Attending the meetings is fine - informative and fun. Amazing that they organized a Memorial Day program while UCO, as usual, sat on their thumbs. BUT - what is truly needed are votes, votes, and more votes. Get rid of your deadwood delegates and get those with a thinking brain, who understand that UCO must be changed, cleansed, and what is not needed is any more time with the current administration. What is needed is ACTION.
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
IT IS ALL IN THE WORDS, ISN'T IT?
People's words give them away. They might like to pretend that they are other than what they truly are, but out of the mouths.... or out of the keyboard, shall we say..... I do not pretend to be other than what I am, an outspoken person who will take up the cudgels of the words to fight for what I think is right despite attempts to shut me up or intimidate me. As Popeye always said, " I yam what I yam."
So I like to read other people's words and see if I agree or disagree and this past long weekend allowed me to do so at great length. There were two immensely important and worthwhile op-eds in the Times from which I will quote and then there was a book, but first the op-eds.
In "Rule by Velvet Fist" the two authors might have paid a visit to our Village. "....a new brand of authoritarian government has evolved....the "soft" dictators concentrate power, stifling opposition and eliminating checks and balances...." (underlining is all mine).
.....they ... threaten to reshape the world order in their image, replacing principles of freedom and law with cynicism and corruption."
Now simply move those phrases from the macrocosmic world to the microcosmic world of CV and the dictatorship within perpetrated upon us by David Israel and Ed Black, significantly two people who have subverted the process of law that would have forbidden one from running and that would have thus avoided the rule of a man NOT ELECTED nor approved of by the electorate to be in positions that determine the paths of their lives - and to their detriment.
"This new autocrat uses propaganda, censorship and other information based tricks to inflate their ratings and to convince citizens of their superiority...."
Does this all not sound familiar? It is the blueprint of the almost three terms of growing dictatorship of the Israel administration. Censorship of paper, censorship of media channels, censorship and banning from public places - all there and growing - gives me a chill as there are other more terrible people who used these techniques too. Think about all this and think about all the garbage that these men and their henchmen have thrust upon us over the past few years and increasingly so now that they might possibly be thrown out or banned from office.
Now let us tackle one of their huge projects that they are so obsessed with getting in place as their "legacy", G-d help us! Paul Krugman, a well respected Times writer, posted an article called "The Big Meh", a "technical" term meaning a big so what. In this article he writes of the illusion that some have over the importance and life changing effects of the Internet and all that goes along with it. He disputes this and asks, "What if technology isn't all that?" Yes, it is good in that it allows a reaching out, a connection to others, a broadening of horizons, access to research - But, and a big BUT, it also allows for a connection - a nefarious one at that and isn't it timely that today the IRS announces a breach of their system, never mind all the stores, social media sites, companies, banks, health related sites, etc. that have been breached. Do not forget, either, the individuals who have been hacked, their identities stolen, down to the kids whose SSN's have been ripped off and when these kids get older just watch what happens when they apply for credit. It has happened over and over again.
You see, there are two sides to any coin and we must remember to look at both sides before making a terrible and costly decision, costly and so unnecessary if only we had thought ahead. Krugman says we need to scale back the hype and really understand what this all means and entails and if all this hype and pie in the sky is really new or a replay in version 2. He states that "Don't I understand that everything is different now? Well, I understand why people like to say that. But that doesn't make it true.
Finally, I read a truly frightening book called Future Crimes by Marc Goodman. It relates the possible complications and crimes arising from careless installation of this brave new world, what has been done already and where we are vulnerable and how this will continue into the future. The hacking, especially of large networks, the toehold that is all that is needed, the statement that he quotes from a former Senator, "Technology......is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand and it stabs you in the back with the other."
Now my most unfavorite people will send me emails that I am a Luddite, that I do not understand, that I am nasty for saying this and er....Fred....er Ed will send me another email, as he did yesterday telling me to drop dead and take Olga with me. I could care less, just despise their irrational and out of place nastiness, but all their screams and shouts and denials does not make their statements true nor mine false.
Read this book in small bites as it provides much to think about. Let us indeed use fast connections, get on line with the latest streaming and improve our entertainment capabilities and even our business connections, but let us all remember that there are nasty people out there who are a lot quicker than us to see the evil potential and see all the sacrificial lambs out there. Use, but use it wisely and remember - what if it is all just a big meh?
Turn down David Israel's roundabout path to his Wi Fi again with his broadband initiative or rather sneak attack. Decide for YOURSELF what it is that YOU want and not for others to decide for you, not for others to take YOUR money and spend it on their whims and wishes and that goes for everything. Stand up and demand your rights. Stand up and demand an accounting. Stand up and demand explanations and do not accept answers that state that , oh, no, the fence is not falling down - it is held up by the vegetation! Excuse me? Is that an answer? Is that the security we want and need or is it better that we use money to fix our fences rather than spend $100,000 on a stupid sign and landscaping or a system of broadband which is both unnecessary and wasteful? It is up to us - up to you. Make sure YOU are not a big meh.
So I like to read other people's words and see if I agree or disagree and this past long weekend allowed me to do so at great length. There were two immensely important and worthwhile op-eds in the Times from which I will quote and then there was a book, but first the op-eds.
In "Rule by Velvet Fist" the two authors might have paid a visit to our Village. "....a new brand of authoritarian government has evolved....the "soft" dictators concentrate power, stifling opposition and eliminating checks and balances...." (underlining is all mine).
.....they ... threaten to reshape the world order in their image, replacing principles of freedom and law with cynicism and corruption."
Now simply move those phrases from the macrocosmic world to the microcosmic world of CV and the dictatorship within perpetrated upon us by David Israel and Ed Black, significantly two people who have subverted the process of law that would have forbidden one from running and that would have thus avoided the rule of a man NOT ELECTED nor approved of by the electorate to be in positions that determine the paths of their lives - and to their detriment.
"This new autocrat uses propaganda, censorship and other information based tricks to inflate their ratings and to convince citizens of their superiority...."
Does this all not sound familiar? It is the blueprint of the almost three terms of growing dictatorship of the Israel administration. Censorship of paper, censorship of media channels, censorship and banning from public places - all there and growing - gives me a chill as there are other more terrible people who used these techniques too. Think about all this and think about all the garbage that these men and their henchmen have thrust upon us over the past few years and increasingly so now that they might possibly be thrown out or banned from office.
Now let us tackle one of their huge projects that they are so obsessed with getting in place as their "legacy", G-d help us! Paul Krugman, a well respected Times writer, posted an article called "The Big Meh", a "technical" term meaning a big so what. In this article he writes of the illusion that some have over the importance and life changing effects of the Internet and all that goes along with it. He disputes this and asks, "What if technology isn't all that?" Yes, it is good in that it allows a reaching out, a connection to others, a broadening of horizons, access to research - But, and a big BUT, it also allows for a connection - a nefarious one at that and isn't it timely that today the IRS announces a breach of their system, never mind all the stores, social media sites, companies, banks, health related sites, etc. that have been breached. Do not forget, either, the individuals who have been hacked, their identities stolen, down to the kids whose SSN's have been ripped off and when these kids get older just watch what happens when they apply for credit. It has happened over and over again.
You see, there are two sides to any coin and we must remember to look at both sides before making a terrible and costly decision, costly and so unnecessary if only we had thought ahead. Krugman says we need to scale back the hype and really understand what this all means and entails and if all this hype and pie in the sky is really new or a replay in version 2. He states that "Don't I understand that everything is different now? Well, I understand why people like to say that. But that doesn't make it true.
Finally, I read a truly frightening book called Future Crimes by Marc Goodman. It relates the possible complications and crimes arising from careless installation of this brave new world, what has been done already and where we are vulnerable and how this will continue into the future. The hacking, especially of large networks, the toehold that is all that is needed, the statement that he quotes from a former Senator, "Technology......is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand and it stabs you in the back with the other."
Now my most unfavorite people will send me emails that I am a Luddite, that I do not understand, that I am nasty for saying this and er....Fred....er Ed will send me another email, as he did yesterday telling me to drop dead and take Olga with me. I could care less, just despise their irrational and out of place nastiness, but all their screams and shouts and denials does not make their statements true nor mine false.
Read this book in small bites as it provides much to think about. Let us indeed use fast connections, get on line with the latest streaming and improve our entertainment capabilities and even our business connections, but let us all remember that there are nasty people out there who are a lot quicker than us to see the evil potential and see all the sacrificial lambs out there. Use, but use it wisely and remember - what if it is all just a big meh?
Turn down David Israel's roundabout path to his Wi Fi again with his broadband initiative or rather sneak attack. Decide for YOURSELF what it is that YOU want and not for others to decide for you, not for others to take YOUR money and spend it on their whims and wishes and that goes for everything. Stand up and demand your rights. Stand up and demand an accounting. Stand up and demand explanations and do not accept answers that state that , oh, no, the fence is not falling down - it is held up by the vegetation! Excuse me? Is that an answer? Is that the security we want and need or is it better that we use money to fix our fences rather than spend $100,000 on a stupid sign and landscaping or a system of broadband which is both unnecessary and wasteful? It is up to us - up to you. Make sure YOU are not a big meh.
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
SAY IT AIN'T SO! SAY IT AIN'T SO!!
"The UCO Reporter promises to continue its long held beliefs that this publication will print articles to inform our residents of the important issues concerning our Village. We promise to seek the truth and to print both sides of an issue, to open dialogue to inform our readers, not to create controversy. We promise to listen to your concerns and to treat all our residents with courtesy and respect. Your opinion is valuable to us and will be considered in our decision for publication."
Unfortunately, when we look at the paragraph above, we must sadly conclude that oh, yes, it is so, so sadly so, a breaking of the trust, a misbegotten imitation of what a newspaper is supposed to be, a total twisting and betrayal of the stated mission of The Reporter, henceforth referred to herein as The Rag.
While having another posting in mind, those thoughts quickly gave way to these upon opening my computer last nite and checking my various websites. This has got to be THE worst issue of the paper ever! Oh, correct, not if one compares it to the local Pennysaver or a local throwaway that is concerned more with the advertisements and filler items so that they can make some money and support themselves. Even that is suspect here as last year they were forgiven the $24,000 owed to UCO - and this year, to add insult to injury, they have now taken it upon themselves to PAY a person to handle ads - always the ads - for a minimum of half that $24,000 and it could be more. Funny, I had always thought this to be a VOLUNTEER paper!
Anyhow, let us take a look at their mission statement. "....articles to inform the residents of important issues concerning our Village." Uh huh, Lie #1. What is so all fired necessary and of importance to the Village about restaurant reviews, so much so that now we are treated to at least two an issue. Truly, will we now also be forced to abide by these reviews, since it seems that all that they print is what we are to believe. And by the way, who pays for the meals used as review basis? It had better not be UCO funds!
".....We promise to seek the truth and to print both sides of an issue, to open dialogue to inform our readers, not to create controversy.
Lie #2. When was the last time that both sides of a crucial, a critical issue was printed? When was the last time that a resident who opposed the views of the dictator of the back office, the man behind the curtain, was ever allowed to post and write about the contrasting/opposing viewpoint? The "not to create controversy" has been twisted to mean no opposition, no denial of anything that David Israel says or backs, or the words of Ed Black. Those writers who wish to contribute are told right to their faces - or to their backs - that NEVER will they be allowed to send in an article or have a letter to the editor accepted.
"....We promise to listen to your concerns and to treat all our residents with courtesy and respect. Your opinion is valuable to us ."
That is blatant Lie #3. There is no courtesy towards the opposition. There is even no courtesy to their own volunteers as they throw them out, under the bus, consign them to the depths of whatever they deem hell, should they displease them or the master one iota. The paper is now written by the same people, writing multiple, bland, boring, useless articles. This issue is a prime example of The Rag as it is now, with barely anything of interest or news. Our opinion valuable??? Yes, to us, but not to them.
So what appears to be the key topic of this latest issue of The Rag? The loud and nasty crusade against the only publication in the Village that is telling the truth. The only publication, aside from two blogs, that puts forth the truth, that puts forth a newsletter chock full of important topics written about by residents of the Village without censorship. It is a newsletter that has grown in leaps and bounds both in number of pages and also tremendously in its readership figures.
Joy Vestal, a VP AND the editor of The Rag - how's that for conflict of interest - is apoplectic about The Messenger. Tough, Joy. Deal with it. People are tired, so tired, of the pap you publish now, the pathetic stories of Lanny's family - who gives a crap, by the way, especially as we are not even getting the both sides of this "warm" family dynamic! If Lanny wishes to write about his family constantly and think all are on the seat's edge for the next installment, then here's an idea. Go write this on your own blog as I do! Otherwise, keep it to yourself, month after month.
It appears as if the second most important topic here is the advertising factor. Just count the pages of it. True Pennysaver numbers. It provides a background to the whining and lies of Vestal and even Cornish, as she too takes off over the fact that there is another publication here in the Village, a publication that is open to all, wanted by many, and part of our right to freedom of speech. Remember that one, Barbara? We just had Memorial Day where we were to remember those who fought to maintain those rights and here you go whining about their implementation here in the Village. I am truly disappointed, Barbara, about that and the many absences that you have already racked up in the short time since elections were held, about your selling out.
Truth? Concern about the residents? Courtesy? Truth? Truth? Truth? Both sides? Information, relevant information?
That is not what we are getting here. Time for a total change, a total ousting of the entire UCO slate, of the entire Rag slate and put in, elect in, new people who understand the responsibilities they then would take on and the honesty and dedication necessary to doing this. There is a strong push on to return term limits to our administration as they were since the beginning of UCO. I wonder if that is even enough. At this point, vote for the term limits, but maybe we also need to add impeachment to the mix?
Meanwhile, be alert for that gang of sneaky people who are climbing the stairs of the buildings looking for the issues that are hanging on doors. They are making their big plans to then rob the units. But then again, how many issues of the Advocate are left on doors throughout the year - and there are several doors that fit that description in my building alone! So we remove them if we know they are gone, and if not, we wait a couple of days and then remove them. Before the sneaky gang of checkers comes along, I guess, because thank G-d we have not had any problems with this nefariously motivated gang of invisible robbers!
Stop whining already. If you had done your jobs properly, held true to your own publication's words, then there would not be an issue here. BUT, BUT, you and your related fascists refuse to look in the mirror and see how what you are all now doing is so contrary to American standards, rights, and expectations, that you are all beyond the pale. Crawl back over the line but hurry up, time is a fleetin'.
Unfortunately, when we look at the paragraph above, we must sadly conclude that oh, yes, it is so, so sadly so, a breaking of the trust, a misbegotten imitation of what a newspaper is supposed to be, a total twisting and betrayal of the stated mission of The Reporter, henceforth referred to herein as The Rag.
While having another posting in mind, those thoughts quickly gave way to these upon opening my computer last nite and checking my various websites. This has got to be THE worst issue of the paper ever! Oh, correct, not if one compares it to the local Pennysaver or a local throwaway that is concerned more with the advertisements and filler items so that they can make some money and support themselves. Even that is suspect here as last year they were forgiven the $24,000 owed to UCO - and this year, to add insult to injury, they have now taken it upon themselves to PAY a person to handle ads - always the ads - for a minimum of half that $24,000 and it could be more. Funny, I had always thought this to be a VOLUNTEER paper!
Anyhow, let us take a look at their mission statement. "....articles to inform the residents of important issues concerning our Village." Uh huh, Lie #1. What is so all fired necessary and of importance to the Village about restaurant reviews, so much so that now we are treated to at least two an issue. Truly, will we now also be forced to abide by these reviews, since it seems that all that they print is what we are to believe. And by the way, who pays for the meals used as review basis? It had better not be UCO funds!
".....We promise to seek the truth and to print both sides of an issue, to open dialogue to inform our readers, not to create controversy.
Lie #2. When was the last time that both sides of a crucial, a critical issue was printed? When was the last time that a resident who opposed the views of the dictator of the back office, the man behind the curtain, was ever allowed to post and write about the contrasting/opposing viewpoint? The "not to create controversy" has been twisted to mean no opposition, no denial of anything that David Israel says or backs, or the words of Ed Black. Those writers who wish to contribute are told right to their faces - or to their backs - that NEVER will they be allowed to send in an article or have a letter to the editor accepted.
"....We promise to listen to your concerns and to treat all our residents with courtesy and respect. Your opinion is valuable to us ."
That is blatant Lie #3. There is no courtesy towards the opposition. There is even no courtesy to their own volunteers as they throw them out, under the bus, consign them to the depths of whatever they deem hell, should they displease them or the master one iota. The paper is now written by the same people, writing multiple, bland, boring, useless articles. This issue is a prime example of The Rag as it is now, with barely anything of interest or news. Our opinion valuable??? Yes, to us, but not to them.
So what appears to be the key topic of this latest issue of The Rag? The loud and nasty crusade against the only publication in the Village that is telling the truth. The only publication, aside from two blogs, that puts forth the truth, that puts forth a newsletter chock full of important topics written about by residents of the Village without censorship. It is a newsletter that has grown in leaps and bounds both in number of pages and also tremendously in its readership figures.
Joy Vestal, a VP AND the editor of The Rag - how's that for conflict of interest - is apoplectic about The Messenger. Tough, Joy. Deal with it. People are tired, so tired, of the pap you publish now, the pathetic stories of Lanny's family - who gives a crap, by the way, especially as we are not even getting the both sides of this "warm" family dynamic! If Lanny wishes to write about his family constantly and think all are on the seat's edge for the next installment, then here's an idea. Go write this on your own blog as I do! Otherwise, keep it to yourself, month after month.
It appears as if the second most important topic here is the advertising factor. Just count the pages of it. True Pennysaver numbers. It provides a background to the whining and lies of Vestal and even Cornish, as she too takes off over the fact that there is another publication here in the Village, a publication that is open to all, wanted by many, and part of our right to freedom of speech. Remember that one, Barbara? We just had Memorial Day where we were to remember those who fought to maintain those rights and here you go whining about their implementation here in the Village. I am truly disappointed, Barbara, about that and the many absences that you have already racked up in the short time since elections were held, about your selling out.
Truth? Concern about the residents? Courtesy? Truth? Truth? Truth? Both sides? Information, relevant information?
That is not what we are getting here. Time for a total change, a total ousting of the entire UCO slate, of the entire Rag slate and put in, elect in, new people who understand the responsibilities they then would take on and the honesty and dedication necessary to doing this. There is a strong push on to return term limits to our administration as they were since the beginning of UCO. I wonder if that is even enough. At this point, vote for the term limits, but maybe we also need to add impeachment to the mix?
Meanwhile, be alert for that gang of sneaky people who are climbing the stairs of the buildings looking for the issues that are hanging on doors. They are making their big plans to then rob the units. But then again, how many issues of the Advocate are left on doors throughout the year - and there are several doors that fit that description in my building alone! So we remove them if we know they are gone, and if not, we wait a couple of days and then remove them. Before the sneaky gang of checkers comes along, I guess, because thank G-d we have not had any problems with this nefariously motivated gang of invisible robbers!
Stop whining already. If you had done your jobs properly, held true to your own publication's words, then there would not be an issue here. BUT, BUT, you and your related fascists refuse to look in the mirror and see how what you are all now doing is so contrary to American standards, rights, and expectations, that you are all beyond the pale. Crawl back over the line but hurry up, time is a fleetin'.
Friday, May 22, 2015
THE NEXT THREE DAYS
For the next three days I will be away from the computer due to a holiday. I will return either late Monday nite or Tuesday during the say. in the meanwhile, take the time to catch up on some of the postings you have missed and have a good Memorial Day, attend the ceremony held at Golf's Edge sponsored by The Messenger Club. For those who celebrate the holiday of Shavuot, a happy holiday, a good Yomtov.See ya all in a few days.
IT'S A SMALL WORLD, AIN'T IT?
One of the recurring themes of Shakespeare is that of the world of man and the world of Nature and how they are reflected in and by each other. Well, look at the world of nature today, and then at our world, that of man, and I daresay that this motif is still true, quite valid. That is one of the things that makes Shakespeare timeless.
Our world is in disarray. Desperate people send a frantic message from Palmyra that they are through and another city falls to the barbaric ISIS and more of the world's ancient cultural remnants go down the tube along with the people who will be slaughtered and oppressed. Literally thousands upon thousands of illegal migrants are desperate enough to ship out in prisonlike conditions, trying to reach a land where they can be free or safe or able to earn a living out of the deep poverty of their homeland. Thousands die or are rescued and then left to rot in refugee camps in dire straits.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in Syria.
Women, who are supposedly in one of the best situations they have ever been in, supposedly allowed to flourish, to enter professions, to be citizens with full rights - well, excuse me while I finish my coughing and choking spell. Just look at the world. Women in fundamentalist worlds, be they Moslem, Christian or Jewish or any other, are being enshrouded more and more in drab, anonymous clothing, not allowed to drive or move freely, many kept inside with no permission or right to education, to free thoughts and actions, to see a doctor if it is male, to earn a living. They are subjected to rape as a tool of war, a tactical strategy, purposely impregnated. And this is not just in the Third World, mind you.
We have a graduate in Columbia who continued to drag the mattress which represents the horrifically pathetic manner in which her sexual assault case was handled, or rather not!. We have the increasing rape of women on campus, increased sexual assault and still it is swept under the rug, especially if the offender is an athlete who helps fill the coffers of the school. We have the sexual assault still going on not only in our armed forces per se, but even in our military academies where the elite, the brightest applicants are being educated, and yet, this barbaric behavior continues among those who are to be leaders of the future. And what else? Aha! Yes! Let us return to the years and decades of back alley abortions where desperate girls and women are killed by butchers and why? Because they are allowed no control over their own bodies. Prejudice continues rampant, anti Semitism grows in leaps and bounds and while I am no fan of Obama, what happened when he opened on Twitter is shameful and worse.
We have the Cold War going again with Russia. We have two of their denied troops captured in Ukraine, wounded, and going on trial for terrorism and Russia denies the facts at hand. We have Russia salivating, looking at Latvia, again, planning as to how to break it into teeny sections and rule it again, anything to rebuild their hegemony and shatter the ring of NATO. We have China threatening, cyber attacking, buying our debts, Iran telling US how they will comply or not with a possible nuclear treaty and the answer to the fears, the righteous fears of other nations in the area is to promise them more arms, tanks, missiles? Should we also provide more body bags? More nuclear suits? Perhaps build bomb shelters as of old or maybe give them more desks to cower under as we used to do in the fifties as part of nuclear drills. Truly would have helped, right?
And in Nature what do we have. We have droughts wherein we are now being warned will lead to shortages in the nation's fruits and vegetables to a large degree. The avian flu has led to a shortage of chickens and eggs. Soon we will be told that due to the shortage of eggs there will be a shortage of flu vaccine for they are grown in the medium of eggs and then what will we have, a return to those years when we stood on line for hours at Publix trying to get the shots? We have floods and monster storms and tornadoes. We have destructive earthquakes and thousands die, never mind the property damage. Think G-d is trying to tell us something?
And why is the world a small one? Easy. A disaster in one part of the world, a nasty attitude and way of thinking in one part of the world transfers itself to another. Terrorists and brainwashed or coerced people are sent from elsewhere to kill and maim, or even recruited right here, so there is no hiding from the world and its woes.
Nor do we stand isolated from the world here in the Village. The cynical political attitudes of the politicians are here as well, the selfishness, the could care less attitude towards the electorate, the huge wasting of funds and the ignoring of the rules set forth to protect the electorate, the residents of the Village. How about this one? Not too long ago we were able to read in one of DI's postings that "they" were considering bids for the restriping of the perimeter roads. There appeared to be two bids. Did these bids ever come to fruition? Were they passed on to the bid committee and discussed, on to the other committees and then the DA where it would be further discussed and voted upon? Nope! And yet, look at the restriping near the gate. Ah, ahem, process and procedure? Nope, and we are screwed again.
The examples are many and this posting long enough already. But there is much food for thought here. In the meanwhile, remember what this Monday stands for. It does not stand for sales, or the opening of the beach and summer season in the North or anywhere else, nor does it stand for the rule of clothing and it is now officially ok to wear white!. We forget that people laid down their lives, shed blood, lost loved ones, all to keep us safe, to protect our homes and rights. We should not give up those rights in the name of peace, in the name of oh, who cares and leave me alone. Pick up a paper today - a real one and the newsletter The Messenger. Read about what is right and wrong in our world, large and small. Chew on it and then chew on it again and think about what is at risk and what needs to be done.
Our world is in disarray. Desperate people send a frantic message from Palmyra that they are through and another city falls to the barbaric ISIS and more of the world's ancient cultural remnants go down the tube along with the people who will be slaughtered and oppressed. Literally thousands upon thousands of illegal migrants are desperate enough to ship out in prisonlike conditions, trying to reach a land where they can be free or safe or able to earn a living out of the deep poverty of their homeland. Thousands die or are rescued and then left to rot in refugee camps in dire straits.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in Syria.
Women, who are supposedly in one of the best situations they have ever been in, supposedly allowed to flourish, to enter professions, to be citizens with full rights - well, excuse me while I finish my coughing and choking spell. Just look at the world. Women in fundamentalist worlds, be they Moslem, Christian or Jewish or any other, are being enshrouded more and more in drab, anonymous clothing, not allowed to drive or move freely, many kept inside with no permission or right to education, to free thoughts and actions, to see a doctor if it is male, to earn a living. They are subjected to rape as a tool of war, a tactical strategy, purposely impregnated. And this is not just in the Third World, mind you.
We have a graduate in Columbia who continued to drag the mattress which represents the horrifically pathetic manner in which her sexual assault case was handled, or rather not!. We have the increasing rape of women on campus, increased sexual assault and still it is swept under the rug, especially if the offender is an athlete who helps fill the coffers of the school. We have the sexual assault still going on not only in our armed forces per se, but even in our military academies where the elite, the brightest applicants are being educated, and yet, this barbaric behavior continues among those who are to be leaders of the future. And what else? Aha! Yes! Let us return to the years and decades of back alley abortions where desperate girls and women are killed by butchers and why? Because they are allowed no control over their own bodies. Prejudice continues rampant, anti Semitism grows in leaps and bounds and while I am no fan of Obama, what happened when he opened on Twitter is shameful and worse.
We have the Cold War going again with Russia. We have two of their denied troops captured in Ukraine, wounded, and going on trial for terrorism and Russia denies the facts at hand. We have Russia salivating, looking at Latvia, again, planning as to how to break it into teeny sections and rule it again, anything to rebuild their hegemony and shatter the ring of NATO. We have China threatening, cyber attacking, buying our debts, Iran telling US how they will comply or not with a possible nuclear treaty and the answer to the fears, the righteous fears of other nations in the area is to promise them more arms, tanks, missiles? Should we also provide more body bags? More nuclear suits? Perhaps build bomb shelters as of old or maybe give them more desks to cower under as we used to do in the fifties as part of nuclear drills. Truly would have helped, right?
And in Nature what do we have. We have droughts wherein we are now being warned will lead to shortages in the nation's fruits and vegetables to a large degree. The avian flu has led to a shortage of chickens and eggs. Soon we will be told that due to the shortage of eggs there will be a shortage of flu vaccine for they are grown in the medium of eggs and then what will we have, a return to those years when we stood on line for hours at Publix trying to get the shots? We have floods and monster storms and tornadoes. We have destructive earthquakes and thousands die, never mind the property damage. Think G-d is trying to tell us something?
And why is the world a small one? Easy. A disaster in one part of the world, a nasty attitude and way of thinking in one part of the world transfers itself to another. Terrorists and brainwashed or coerced people are sent from elsewhere to kill and maim, or even recruited right here, so there is no hiding from the world and its woes.
Nor do we stand isolated from the world here in the Village. The cynical political attitudes of the politicians are here as well, the selfishness, the could care less attitude towards the electorate, the huge wasting of funds and the ignoring of the rules set forth to protect the electorate, the residents of the Village. How about this one? Not too long ago we were able to read in one of DI's postings that "they" were considering bids for the restriping of the perimeter roads. There appeared to be two bids. Did these bids ever come to fruition? Were they passed on to the bid committee and discussed, on to the other committees and then the DA where it would be further discussed and voted upon? Nope! And yet, look at the restriping near the gate. Ah, ahem, process and procedure? Nope, and we are screwed again.
The examples are many and this posting long enough already. But there is much food for thought here. In the meanwhile, remember what this Monday stands for. It does not stand for sales, or the opening of the beach and summer season in the North or anywhere else, nor does it stand for the rule of clothing and it is now officially ok to wear white!. We forget that people laid down their lives, shed blood, lost loved ones, all to keep us safe, to protect our homes and rights. We should not give up those rights in the name of peace, in the name of oh, who cares and leave me alone. Pick up a paper today - a real one and the newsletter The Messenger. Read about what is right and wrong in our world, large and small. Chew on it and then chew on it again and think about what is at risk and what needs to be done.
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