TIME TO LIVE

     For too long the good people of this earth have backed down and away from controversy and trouble, always looking for a way out. For too long people have said, "Oh, leave ------ alone. It is not our business." Well the time has come for these good people to realize and accept the fact that it is our business and if we avoid that fact then we are doomed.
     Let us start with the smaller world of the Village. For want of one delegate coming to vote, David Israel won his first election by one vote. For want of people to agree that one candidate should oppose him, the vote was split and as a minority candidate was sworn into office again.. For want of any known candidate having the courage to step up to the plate, an unknown candidate - me - ran the last election under greatly strained circumstances, with all media and arenas of publicity blocked - and for want of delegates willing to stand up to him, lest they lose their chairs and rooms and slots, etc we now had him for a third unprecedented term as he rammed undoing term limits through. For want of people standing up to him now we will put the final kibosh on our dream of a home - unless people stand up and step forward.
     I am happy to report that the campaign for Phyllis Richland for president of UCO is building up steam. At meetings all over the Village buttons are flying off the table, people are demanding bumper stickers and wanting to donate to the cause. Phyllis, a woman of ethics and values, refuses donations in order to avoid any possible statement of selling out for money, promising for money. She is a true independent candidate, knowledgeable, caring, open and honest and willing to hear from all, be they for or agin. Courage, my friends, courage and we will win and put a man out to badly needed pasture.
     Then we have the larger world out there. As a New Yorker, one cannot ever lose that tie and I keep up with the news from there. Today it has been stated the DeBlasio is not doing so well in the polls and you know what and why? He is another wimp, another woose who has found his way into politics and now is a prime example of the Peter principle wherein men find themselves climbing a ladder until they find themselves incompetent in their newest position. These men are weak, weak in heart, weak in determination, weak in the strength that it takes to govern such an entity as New York City. I do not care how many pictures of his kids are shown as family life is not what I, we, are concerned about. It is NYC life that we are concerned about and the city is slipping, way back and quickly too.
     And speaking of wimps and wooses, people who cannot take or make a stand, we have Obama. After the slaughter in Paris he still could not get his mouth wrapped around the words Islamic extremism or Islamic terror. He could not put a name to what was obvious and why? Only he and G-d knows. But the consequences are severe, for no one has respect for him in the international community and leaders of other countries who would take their lead from him are stymied, puzzled and disappointed. So much for the USA. So much for the President of the USA being the most powerful man in the West. Obama has ceded that position and unfortunately there is no one to take up the slack.
     Now that the slaughter has escalated, France is vowing to step up their war, calling it a war, for it is exactly that. Would that the world understood that, for the extremists, the murderers, the dregs of humanity understand that and the longer we hesitate, the longer we think that talk will do it - the stronger they get. Obama called them the JV of "militants" (hate that word) and considered them pretty much finished - and then we have Paris and their videos and threats to hit all over - Russia, the USA and of course they are always promising to wipe Israel off the map.
     And now we have strange allies once again. Putin has ordered his ship to cooperate with the French. He has offered a hand to the USA. And Kerry? He is still off pushing his boss's agenda - talk and talk and talk. Perhaps he needs to reread history and meet Chamberlain and other politicians of the time who gave away Czechoslovakia, the Sudetenland, made concessions, allowed Jews to be harassed and killed and denied knowing anything  about it though newspapers reported on it, and finally, when Poland was invaded realized that we had to stand up to bullying, that of the Nazis or any Fascist indeed.
     Here in the Village or out there in the world, when one is weak, and when the dictator, the ruler, has nought of any truth or honesty or decency about them, these same dictators resort to bullying and intimidation. Take a look around and see if I am wrong, for I and a great many wiser and smarter people than I believe this as well and have shown it to be true. This is no brilliant new discovery but one of truth and the aura of history behind it.
     And so we can hide - for a while - but the truth will find us. We can hide - for a while - but the terror will come home to us, no longer in foreign far away places. There are no longer any far away places and we need to internalize that truth quickly and deeply. We need to learn that safety demands sacrifices and perhaps one ought to ask our soldiers what they wish to do in this situation. Do they wish to be let loose on these animals, along side, finally, the armies of the world or do they wish to remain on leashes as "advisers" with very limited ROE or rules of engagement.
     I hate war. I hate people who bring us to that point. I hate their philosophy which believes that all those who differ from them are less and unworthy of life unless it be as slaves. I hate people who lie and refuse to see the truth staring them in the face. I, too, and most other people, wish only for peace and to be allowed to live a life with their families in that peace and struggle with normal things, but with that it must be remembered and noted that nothing is for free on this earth and if we do not defend that life we wish to live - it will be taken from us - be it here or in the larger world.
     Dennis Prager, a nationally known speaker, radio personality and pundit and incidentally a classmate of mine, when speaking of Israel made a statement that is true for the rest of the world as well. 
       "But to the extent there is any danger – well, we all have to decide how we want to live our lives in the few years we are granted. When it comes to fighting for good and against evil, we can either play it safe or we can we do good. Very rarely can we do both."
     Of courage, my friends, of courage.

HATE

     Hate. The very sound of the word is harsh and hurtful. It is said with an explosive expelling of breath and one can wonder how deep does the hate go or the hurt go. Those who hate must deal with a wounded soul, a soul with a black hole, a sinkhole which grows larger and larger. People think that hate will go away if ignored. It doesn't. It only grows more, takes on more power and bolder steps until we have the explosion of it, sometimes figuratively and at other times literally.
     Albert Einstein said, "The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." For how long has the world and the nations of it stood by and done nothing, or worse, even attacked the victims as causing their own troubles. It was America's fault that 9/11 happened - or so we are told. In a university right here in the USA we are told that any remembrance of 9/11 may not take place on campus as it might offend people of color. Why? Because some of those who committed this horrendous act of terrorism are of darker skin? Well, some are not so what difference does this make? None, yet this ignorance and ignorant behavior continues, much to our detriment.
     For so long the world has stood by and watched the violence and terrorism taking place in Israel and indeed all over the world but as much of it was directed against Jews, the world once again stood still and silent. The Argentinian bombing, the torture of Ilan Halimi, the school shootings, the attacks here at Jewish centers, along with those careless and silly Israelis who so thoughtlessly fell onto the knives of the innocent Palestinians, those who so foolishly tried to protect their families - all their fault - or so the world behaved.
     I saw a sign on the Net yesterday which read this way: Paris 11/13    New York 9/11   Israel 24/7. How true, so sadly true. And why? Why? Because of hate, baseless, nasty, faulty and falsely based hate, incitement and lies and the hate goes on and now, well, now it has enveloped the world.
     And what does the world do in the midst of this hatred, these explosions? Why they label tomatoes and dates rather than labeling terrorists and the truth. They repeat old canards of prejudice and as for here in the USA, the campuses of the universities, the very places where new ideas, bold attempts to try them, to be exposed to the world, to listen to speakers who visit the campuses, here in these very bastions of learning or as they once were, as Alan Dershowitz stated the other day, "The fog of Fascism has descended upon them."
     No more are kids willing to hear and listen and think and weigh and measure. Now they want to have their ideas validated by the excising of all other ideas. There is a sudden spurt in emphasis on only certain groups and others are left alone or ignored as unimportant or perhaps worthy of being hated. So Black Lives Matter. Yes, they do, but so do the lives of women, of children, of Jews, of LGBTQ, of Native Americans, of disabled, of immigrants and the list can go on ad infinitum but unfortunately not on the campuses. What grows on the campuses today are voices of hate, even self hatred. What we have is a modern day version of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion as suddenly those nasty Zionists are controlling all.
     Right in the midst of New York City, one of the most "Jewish" cities of the world outside of Israel, we have self hating Jews, stupid young Jews who should know better, those belonging to JSP - Jewish Students for Palestine - shouting and screaming at Hunter, at CUNY, that  "Zionist"  administrators are keeping the cost of tuition high. Huh? What are they blathering on about? This is where hate takes us. This is where I have a serious talk with my kids about the future and my fears and I find out to my horror that my kids, my sweet children who all work in professions where the goal is to help people, these kids are worried too, they who usually tell me I am too pessimistic. Well, now they say perhaps I am realistic. I hate to hear that. It was very hard to hear that.

     I could go on and on for unfortunately examples of hate driven action are not rare. The very Internet alone here is a curse for it allows the dispersal of hate, awful statements and pictures, publicity and propaganda, to flourish and the threats of cyber attacks are not to be ignored either.

     So what to do? Who the hell knows. But we can speak out against hate. We can demand that our representatives in the state capitals and in Washington fight against hate, pass the right laws and stop this nonsensical partisan warfare that is making us weak. America needs to be a leader of the world again, to take a bold stance, a determined stance and not one that is wishy - washy and comes with pursed lips as if that would solve the issue. We need to tell our children at college to grow up and stop trying to muzzle free speech and thought. Stop being afraid of civil rights for when one is - that leads to that fog of Fascism that Dershowitz referred to.

     Right now I am in my own fog of despair, anger, and yes, hate. I admit it. I hate people who say that the word of G-d is driving them to atrocities. I hate those who think that murdering and maiming is the path of G-d. And yes, I hate those who hate me. Is that wrong? Perhaps, and it does not feel good, but I am human but how much better a world it would be if we did not have to worry about others killing us and instead worked together to build a better world, not the world of labelling fruit but labelling hate and those who purvey it, a world where violence was alien and looked upon with disgust, a world where a head of state did not voice anti Semitic remarks, a world where children can grow and explore. Do I recall that from my childhood? Yes, I believe I do and while I was living in the world of a child, today's children are exposed to it all. How sad for us.

WEEP, WEEP UNTO THE HEAVENS

     I could cry. I could weep until my eyes run dry. I could scream unto the Heavens, "Lord, what fools these mortals be." I could rend my clothes, tearing them to shreds as we mourn the dead and yet, the soul shattering frustration will still be there, unassuaged, horrified by the dual standards, the lack of understanding, the wonder, the horrified wonder at the blindness of man and what they willingly will not see. And no, while the comparison is right there, I will not talk of that wee little man, David Israel, for he is so unimportant in this world issue that I cannot waste time with him today.
     So once again France was attacked, this time on an even larger scale than in January. Could this attack have been avoided? Maybe yes, maybe no, but certainly this attack on Friday should have been foreseen, if not in the details then in the knowledge that it was going to happen. As one Homeland official stated in a meeting held with representatives of Jewish institutions in southern Florida, particularly extending from Boca to Palm Beach Gardens area, "It is not a question of if, but when."
     Yet it will happen and again and who knows where - perhaps France or perhaps Russia as ISIS is threatening or perhaps Israel or perhaps Sweden and wouldn't that be ironic, or perhaps right here in the good old USA for there are so many soft targets for these cowardly and dastardly creatures to choose from. And why? Simple. Because even after Friday, even after the attritional bleeding of Israeli families and innocents, even after the bombings in Beirut which have been pretty much ignored by the media as have those in Israel - up to 35 at present in this latest "sahkin intifada" (knife intifada), even after this and more, even after the killers shouted the usual "Allahu Akbar", even after all that and their glee at this, at the handing out of candies in Gaza when murders are made known, even after all this - the world blathers on and nothing gets done in a practical manner.
     Yes, France bombed Syria after Hollande vowed to be merciless. Huh? And no one said it needs to be a "measured" response, to be calm about it, and perhaps extend a hand to the enemy in hopes of talking the issue to death?No one spoke of being proportional in the response? And of course, we mustn't forget that oh so wise - not! - Swedish Foreign Minister who indeed has discovered the underlying reason for this horrendous slaughter in France and indeed all over the world. What, you might ask? Why the agony of the Palestinians of course and thus the damning guilt of Israel and the Jews. What, you could not figure that out by yourself? Tsk, tsk.

     The fact that ISIS is quite clear in their desire to establish a Caliphate, that this has gone on since the seventh century and that they are indeed making strong headway as they defeat and destroy country after country, scaring the population to death with their horrific behavior when in control but no, The Foreign Minister says,

    "To counteract the radicalization we must go back to the situation such as the one in the Middle East in which not at the least the Palestinians sees that there is no future; we must either accept a desperate situation or resort to violence."

– Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström in response to the terrorist attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015

     There you have it. The Jews have done it again. Those pesky gnats of humanity that seem to be invincible to the ravages of time and humanity, those nasty Zionists that refuse to recognize the "truth" as the rest of the world sees it, that they have no right to their own country amongst the nations of the world. If anyone out there remembers the Broadway musical To Live Another Summer, To Pass another Winter, then you will understand and see how nothing ever changes.

     And so where is the world when a father and son are laid to eternal rest even as their sister and daughter was to have been getting married? Where are they when she wails and asks where her father is, he who was to walk with her at her wedding and instead she is sitting shiva. Who is to bewail the loss of an 18 year old sweet boy for after all, there are 6 million more Jews there in Israel and if that number does not give you the chills then you are truly dead of heart and soul.

     And our esteemed president, Obama, what does he have to say? Well, he still cannot get his mind and mouth wrapped around the term "Islamic terrorism" for after all, they themselves  say, just call it terrorism, not jihad, not Islamic. Oh, sure, sorry to offend you guys. How careless of me! So Obama again spouts meaningless jargon about how sad it is but the big stick - not there. Let's talk more he recommends. Ecclesiastes states that there is a time and place for everything on this earth and this is the time for war, for fighting back, for girding our loins, for sticking courage to the breaking point, for the understanding that yes, sometimes one has to stand one's ground despite a terrible possible cost for if not, the cost will be even greater.

     Lord knows I am not  a fan of Putin and have much to disagree with him, and am not a fan of dictators - and don't we all know that already - but he puts his money where his mouth is and knows that these ISIS people have to go. Do we have issues with Putin's allies in this? Of course, but then again did we not ally ourselves with Russia, Communist Russia in WWII because we had to and when the war was over did we not turn around and ally ourselves with former Nazis against our once and former ally, Russia. The USA knows realpolitik but we have lost our way in recent times. We need a knowledgeable and strong president, a true leader, but that discussion is for another day.

     Today we mourn. But today I beg the world to mourn not only the victims of France, but the victims in Beirut and the victims in Israel, for they too bleed and hurt, they too mourn their dead, fear the strike that comes out of the blue, and indeed, mourn all the dead and wounded and the future ones for there will be more. We have been promised such and it could fall from the sky as the Russian airliner did or strike from the ground or from the woman standing beside you looking so harmless or even that teenager seemingly idling around as teens do. But do not just rend your clothes and pour ashes on your head. Insist that action be taken. Insist that the world look upon all victims equally and stop making excuses or trying to find reasons for this slaughter and for G-d's sake, stop trying to blame it all on the Israeli - Palestinian dispute.

     Ribbono shel olam, (Lord of the world) hear our prayers, hear our cries and come to save us once more, all Your creatures and creations for we are lost, wandering in a forest of despair. We need You now and despite being unworthy, please remember that You are a Lord of mercy and compassion as well as anger. Put aside that anger and feel the mercy that we need so desperately. Please, Lord.

WHO'S IN CHARGE?

     In light of the horrendous attacks on Friday in Paris and the attacks in recent days which are now being linked, it behooves us to talk of or about the question as to who is running the show, who is really in charge and this question and all that it implies is "askable" in many a situation, large or small, wherever the issues of power and control are raised or of concern.
     When one is small, very quickly one makes observations and then makes decisions which point the decision maker in a specific direction. Many people, particularly those in a more powerless situation, yearn after power and control, having it their way and will go to no end gaining their life's desire.
     In searching for attainment of this desire they make a deal with the devil. They sell their proverbial souls for the opportunity to take control, to exercise power. Those who have had no power over things in their lives are the ones who greatly yearn for it, chase it and should a second chance appear, it is jumped upon as a lion stalks and jumps its prey. Those with smaller lives, albeit even if they were good ones, but were without control over others and indeed were heavily controlled by others above them who had power over them, are the ones who are the greatest violators of precepts of humanity, of kindness, of morality. Hitler was a small man and then seized his power. Mussolini too was a small man desperately seeking a road to increase his power and control and make it permanent and should we examine many, if not most, of those who use violence, societal destruction, oppression and denial of rights - we will find their small lives and their desperate clawing at making that life bigger for them regardless of those over whom they trample.
     It is interesting that when we examine those animals of ISIS or any other terrorist of today's world, we often find that the dregs of humanity have been pulled off the street, out of jail, out of schools where they are lost and then they are either used by others or somehow make their way up a gruesome ladder using the bodies and blood of others to boost them. The original recruiters are those of the same ilk who have now found a place for themselves, a world where they have power and control ceded or granted to them by the devil's representatives on earth - the leaders of ISIS, of Hamas, of Hezbollah, of Islamic Jihad and the list goes on. People who hand out candy when the news of slaughter is heard. People who will continuously state that Islam is a religion of peace, these people are not true Moslems but does anyone out there unite against them amongst their own brethren? No, for it is the lonely voice that is heard, the lonely voice crying in the dark, hunted by his/her own.
     And people, lest you think that we are immune - we are not. Last nite I attended a performance where the last song was a patriotic one, appropriate to the day certainly, called "Proud to be an American". " And I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me."
     I can sing those words with pride. I can sing them knowing where my heart is and so can most people who were in that theater last nite. However, we have our own local violators of life here in the Village and while in no way do they compare to those who would blow up the world, petty as these people are, they are our own who seek power and control. In their doing so, the little person claws his way up, manufactures a past wherein he was oh so very important and tells lies so often that they become truths in the minds of those who seek reflected glory so to speak, reflected power and control and in so doing do not realize how much of their souls have been sold and violated, how little real control over their lives they actually have. And they cede their rights to sing that song and any other patriotic song for they have violated those who gave their all for us to be free, to be able to exercise our rights in a democratic society. They have gone to the Dark Side, for even those fictional representations of evil, Evil with a capital E, are simply portraits of issues in the real world and instead they have adopted the precepts of repressional and oppressional political theories - those of fascism, of any extremist government that would deny its citizens the rights guaranteed to them by their Constitution and simply by right of being human.
     I mention no names. The names are clear - out there in the world and in here in our little world. Though we differ in degree and thank G-d have used no physical violence, the mental and verbal violence, the actualities of denial of rights - these are here and in plentiful supply. People, we need to react. We need to fight back wherever this philosophy is espoused. We need to "take back the night" and that demands determination and soul searching with deep and insightful and even incisive introspection. It will demand hard work but work that will give control and power back to you, back where it belongs and be it here or out there, we will put down those who wish to hurt us, to harm us and even kill us all in the name of power and control. Sad, very sad.
     Even as the blood continues to flow, literally and figuratively, we continue to mourn and to be even more determined that no more will we stand in silence as fathers and sons are shot, as family members are stabbed, as people are blown up and no more can we be selective as to whom we mourn. We are citizens of the world and there is no more of a degree of separation between any one country and another on this small planet and there are very few degrees of separation between individuals. Step up to the plate. Speak up and support those whose ideas are humane and righteous and are not simply grabs for control and power. Truly, think about it.

WHAT A DAY!!!

     Being worn out from all the travel, the packing, the unpacking, the laundry, the catch up that needs to be done when one returns home - we decided we needed an easy day so no appointments were scheduled and other than one or two errands we planned for a walk, the libraries and some nice pleasant reading time. HA! Famous last words. Instead I came bumping up against the brave new world as we decided - or Gerry decided - that it was a good day to upgrade my phone and get rid of it since it was constantly doing weird things all on its own. Reluctantly I went along though I really wanted to get back to my book. Oh well, so much for that!
     So off we trotted to the new Sprint that opened in the former Jiffy Lube right near Einstein's Bagels. It was the Grand Opening and they had reps galore, most of them store managers in their own rights. Of course, we walked in thru the back door right off the parking lot - which was supposed to be locked - and thus missed the shouted greeting "Welcome to Sprint!" and knocked their carefully ordered agent lineup askew. However, it did work out well for Hezekiah was amazing, really knows his stuff and was able to deal with me who admittedly is not at my best when dealing with new electronic devices.
     So, there I am with a plethora of choices and somehow ended up with an IPhone 6splus, basically the size of a small computer! So now I hold up a computer to my ear to talk on the phone and have a clip on my pants that leans me off to the side (just exaggerating a tad) but it is larger than what I had before, an Iphone5. Aahh, progress indeed. But now I do have larger icons, lettering, bold type and it is easier to read. I still do not know what most of these icons are for, but never mind that for I will take a class this time around at the Apple store. I am determined, though again, full disclosure, I am waxing sentimental over my first nice little handy flip phone.
     So, and here is a warning to all those who espouse this one Wi-Fi for the Village. Be careful of what one wishes for or wants to foist upon the Village. Imagine how many more devices we would be using and draining of the connection. No thank you - will keep what I now have and which works quite well, thank you.This is a store which must have a strong wireless component and the ceiling was rife with devices but with umpteen phones on display and all on, with the multiple devices that all the reps had and all those that the customers brought in, whoa! was that wireless slow. After spending a lifetime in the store going thru many devices and many decisions - and by the way getting nice cold liquid refreshment and okay, some chocolate, I was ready to find that proverbial gun and shoot myself. This is not my natural habitat. It was so slow, that rather than waiting any more, we took it all home, uploaded some stuff there and even connected my new Fitbit - ha, forgot to write of that didn't I?
     After some lunch we went back and checked on some more Fitbit information - still am working on that - and someone needs to clue in the manufacturers that their closure device is somewhat difficult. I lie - it is VERY difficult and now have to add twenty minutes to a daily routine trying to get it closed after a shower! Hopefully it will get easier with time.
     So now, for all my time and effort - and do not forget the new addition to the Sutofsky debt - I will have official proof of how much more I need to be walking, to be climbing stairs, that I do not sleep well and the list goes on. Tell me again just why I bought this? By this time it was late afternoon and we were zonked but good. Finally got to my book but dozed off on it. Good intentions nevertheless.
     And this is after the day before when we gave in to pleadings from grandchildren who had worked so hard this year in school, in eighth grade and freshmen year and off we went to buy Hoverboards. Warning: these are for kids and young, agile, flexible crazy young people, not for aging, stiff, arthritic, unbalanced seniors! And not to forget the addition to the debt again and whoa! are these things heavy and it was a true comedy seeing us, in particular, me - trying to lift those things and carry them and thank G-d for the nice young man who worked the kiosk who carried them for us to the car and put them in the trunk.
     Think the safest thing to do today is nothing! Get my massage, perhaps a meeting, and then relax - and oops,  Shabbat dinner with friends. And so much for an early bedtime. Life is good, huh! Thank G-d on that.

DOES IT REALLY MATTER?

      "While nothing is easier than to denounce the evildoer; nothing is more difficult than to understand him."  Fyodor Dostoevsky

     Fortunately or unfortunately, I have yet to figure it out, my kids as they were growing up and now my grandchildren, ask and have asked why it is that people do mean and bad things. Why, they have asked, cannot people be nice, be kind? Proud I am that they do not understand evil, but worried I am that they need to be toughened up, enlightened as to the real nature of some people and ideas here on earth.

     In a question asked through the millenniums, people want to know is there truly evil as such in the world and if so, why? I ask, does it really matter as to why, for is it not enough to know and accept that there is evil in this world, it exists, within the world at large and within our smaller worlds.

     Evil can be as epic as the deeds of a Stalin or a Hitler and as limited as the deeds of a serial killer. It can be planned out as in the deliberate ethnic cleansing of ethnic sects that one has developed a hate for or as sudden and shocking as the deaths of little children in a school hallway and classrooms. But does it matter that we understand the whys and wherefores of such deeds or can we simply accept it as such, as deeds accomplished and it is far more important to deal with the consequences of said deeds, the eddies around them than it is to psychobabble the reasons, if they can be called that, behind the deed?

     I believe that sometimes there are no reasons behind evil deeds, only the actions are there and the hate and the violence, the nasty motivations are often far deeper than we can understand and it does not matter. All the excuses in the world that oh, they are poor so they kill; they are uneducated, so they kill - nonsense!! For how many of the revolutionaries, of the terrorists in the world have come and are still coming from the worlds of the educated, the middle and upper class? Many, many of them. We look for excuses, waste time on them and forget to deal with the ripples around them and on how to make sure we limit these evil doers and their deeds as much as possible. We need to make sure the punishment fits the crime and yes, sometimes we too need to be harsh to make sure that people understand the consequences of deeds and perhaps that will cause them to think again, hesitate, and delay or permanently hold off in a case of self preservation.

     Again, does it matter why a 12 year old will kill or does it matter only that his victim is dead or maimed, a life interrupted by the evil deed of another? Does it matter why one wants to become a dictator, oppressing others, removing their rights or does it just matter that it is so and we must fight against it? Does it matter why some sick people are so beyond all sense of humanity that they think that killing within a school or movie theater or mall, etc., is fine or do we just harden our buildings and security and forestall these attempts, control the epidemic of gun violence by controlling the disbursal of said guns and assault weapons? In other words, is it the practical or the theoretical that counts? I plump for the practical. The consequences are there, readily seen and are far more important to deal with, to prevent than trying to understand a sick and evil person for evil is often, most often, impenetrable to reason and understanding so why waste time on that, time better spent on other things and actions?

     Better that we are trained to recognize evil in all its facets and phases. Better that we learn how to prepare and prevent, how to heal and help afterwards and better that we learn to recognize it in all its disguises, large and small. And better that we learn and understand that no one is immune from evil, from its dark lures, its harm and its consequences. There is a new miniseries coming on Amazon Prime that is a good example of what could be and how no one, no country or community, is immune for it can happen here - and anywhere - and if you have the opportunity of watching it, beginning November 20, then do so. Remember, it can be binged and watched on other days as well.

     So Stalin was evil - is Putin? So the Shabab is evil - and ISIS? So Quadaffi was evil - are the militants now ripping the country apart evil? Tammany Hall was evil - but they helped many of the small people with a hand where needed - does that excuse their evil and power grabs? Politicians who are crooked and break trust are evil and what about the politicians who do the same thing in smaller communities? Are they equally as evil?

     A closing thought to bring it closer to home. Stew wrote a touching and meaningful article on Veteran's Day and on the other hand David Israel put on a video and picture or two taken from some outside source. In addition, he put on one of the complaints in the Kelly suit - 42. Kelly's conduct and behavior in sending a letter to the Affected Unit Owners that

informed them that they would be forced to sell their homes to him at the Palm Beach County

Appraisers value goes beyond all bounds of decency, and is odious and utterly intolerable in a

civilized community.

 Now change a couple of words - Israel's conduct....letter to throw aside volunteers.... forced off committees or banned....goes beyond all bounds of decency, and is odious and utterly intolerable in a civilized - and American - community.

    See, evil is found all over, and by denying it exists, by putting on a false face, using the term of honor to cover one's own dastardly deeds, for us to ignore the smaller face and footsteps of evil here in our own community, be it in the open or behind closed doors - is a slap in the face to all those who fought for these rights, for their honor, and for our own sakes as well.

     Does it matter the why? I think not. Only the ripples of the evil.

WHAT IN THE WORLD......

     Just pick up a paper or go to any news site on the web and you can have the reaction of the title of today's posting: what in the world is going on! I cannot remember such a confused and dark time as this, not for a long time. Perhaps when I was a kid and we were hiding underneath desks to be "safe" from nuclear attacks (as if!), but I really was less concerned about the world then than I was about getting to be an expert in several "turning over" games and Russian Ten. (Remember those games? Ahhh, the innocent times).
     In today's world I have no innocent out, just a bewilderment at how quickly things have turned real bad. And perhaps the moods of the world, the attitudes of the world can be and indeed are reflected within the "waters" of CVWPB, and that is scary enough, but when looking at the whole picture, it is truly frightening. Our values are skewed, we seem to be fighting old battles and there seems to be no end to the road as one looks down its path.
     So in today's world we seem to still be fighting racism. Black Lives Matter, protest marches and forced resignations on campuses, shootings and so what? All this will never change people, only life will. All Lives Matter would be the better title for a group. The lives of women matter as they still face violence on campus and on the streets. There are still the snickers of "Well, she asked for it" and universities are still favoring the he man of the football team over the words of a violated young lady. The swastikas are being painted all over the campuses and BDS is masquerading as a political statement when it really is a hate movement and the world makes it politically okay to indulge in anti Semitism again and the beatings of Jews continues, 70 years after Hitler and his supporters - and there were many - tried to wipe us off the face of this earth. Hatred based on sexual orientation and body imagery is just flourishing and once again we have bigots and haters quoting the Bible and G-d to support their nauseating stands. And teeny little countries are becoming even teenier as they fight amongst themselves for smaller and smaller pieces of independent countries as we no longer try to live together and emphasize similarities, but instead stress our differences.
     Will it ever end? Why does it continue? And you ask why I love these apocalyptic shows? Not really for the sights and sounds of people eating each other or killing each other. I generally look away at those or from those, but instead for the fascination of seeing versions of how the world and society reinvents itself. How do we cope with a society gone broken and shattered into pieces? How do we rebuild a society and its values - or can we? Is it even possible and are the zombies of the shows really replications of real life people who are eating us up with their twisted values and demands, with their skewed demands?
     And so the world now fights over the territories of the Poles as the ice melts and as we flood the world's shores, we fight over mineral rights. Shall the future students of the world learn another period of exploration in their history classes? Or shall there be no classes for we will have broken the world?
     Will there be anyone left in the African countries that are turning into deserts, as their people starve - and the pictures of starving and bone thin stunned children are truly heartbreaking - but the power struggle in those countries goes on as children are made into soldiers, girls are made into sex slaves and at present in the Sudan alone there have been millions killed - yes, millions - and millions others displaced. One country alone and this can be multiplied in many other countries - be it Syria, Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq and the list goes on. And this cannot be resolved by transferring the populations of these countries en masse into other countries of the world. It is an impossibility in so many ways that we need to truly look to solving the core issues, the roots and not the symptoms.
     But we never will if we allow demagogues and dictators, haters and liars, power seekers and cowards to run the world. How do we do this? G-d, if I knew how I would be out there shouting the answer to the Heavens, but I do not have the answers, only the questions, but that is a place to start - asking questions and demanding answers from the purported rulers and leaders of the world, demanding that they all come together as WORLD leaders rather than as partisan bullies. Will this ever happen - in the world and in smaller places suffering under similar though smaller proportions? Only G-d knows and as for the rest of us - just keep on truckin' and perhaps our efforts will be rewarded and at the very least we know that we have done our best, our share in Tikkun Olam - in the fixing of the world.

SAME OLD SAME OLD

     Good morning, Century Village. I'm back and so thankful about that too. I had a great visit with a delicious young man who is turning into an adult to be proud of. His parents have done a great job. It is a pleasure to see one's grandson so respected and liked by his colleagues as he wends his way thru the Disney world, working towards a degree that will help him gain his dream job - a full time gig with Disney in the social media world.
     But for those of us who live in in our little would be paradise, be thankful for it is winter out there! When temps in California hit the 40's, that is cold! One gets a few hours of warmth and one day we were able to go on water rides without freezing - and guess who got drenched! - but jackets and sweatshirts were needed to watch the evening shows and even in the morning. Here? Nice!
     It was especially grand smiling and saying hi to strangers, talking with them as if we were lifelong friends for here in the world of magic all was pleasant, gentle and caring. No one pushed. No one ran to be first. People were polite in the parking lots and allowed other cars to go. What happened on the freeways is another story but in Disney? Nice.
     Then the world intervenes and sticks its nasty nose into the fairytale world which so enchants people. I find out that Michelle Bachman, she who actually thought she should be president of the USA, thinks that it is about time for Jews to mass convert to Christianity. Again? Is this the Inquisition in Christian format rather than Catholic? Are Jews once more going to be held responsible for no coming of a Messiah because they have not converted? This woman and those who support her scare the dickens out of me. Friends like this we do not need. Why is it that people think that others need conversion to their way of approaching G-d? Why can we not leave well enough alone and then perhaps we would not have these crazy religious extremists blowing up people and things, ramming into them and sending out 12 and 13 years old kids to go kill people as they did again on Tuesday in Israel. This is sick, people, truly sick.
     I think all politicians need to undergo a course on watching the tongue before speaking in public. They need to learn how to break away from dangerous support, poor thinking, illogic and pure hatred and dangerous nonsense. It is too bad they do not - and do not think that our "leader" here is exempt. Stuck in his NSA days and idolizing? McCarthy, or so it seems, David Israel keeps falling back onto outmoded and antique words which have no place anymore in our world. Agitprop? Really? Is he now calling us communists? I think that is funny, truly funny. Would he care to point out where I or any of us have indicated that affiliation? After all, when I state that the man has fascistic leanings I back it up with proof in statements and behavior so fair play, yes? So silly. Truly, David.
     And so the world stumbles on. On the anniversary of the Kristallnacht we still speak volumes of hate, volumes of violence, with no apparent lessons learned. We decide that talk is not good enough so we must force ourselves on others, demanding that they give in whether it is right or not. So two people from the University of Missouri have resigned and what will that gain? Will that gain more adherents to fair play? Will the demands of the football team also include the violence against Jewish kids on campuses throughout our country, so much so that the kippot and the Jewish stars are hidden?
     And yes, I know one can say that we are the same, demanding the resignation, or at least the stepping down - finally - of one David Israel and a new administration be put in place. So what is the difference? We are doing it without violence, without threats to the existential life of our Village and under great handicaps while those students out there are free to demonstrate and demand in the open. Aaahhh, democracy in action. Wonder how that would feel to have it back again here in the Village? Is that agitprop, Mr. Israel? I think not.
     Oooohhhh, Disney is looking tempting again. Hey, perhaps we should organize a conference there for our people and they might learn civility and honesty and caring all over again. Just sayin', just thinkin'! Same old same old and here we are again but I, for one, am keeping the shine and gleam of Disney as long as I can.

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE

    The truth is out there and the search for it engaged Scully and Mulder and all he rest of the TV and movie heroes for years. Even the guys and gals on the island in Lost were searching for the truth and the problem is that the search gets so complicated that when it is found, no one understands it at all, so complex has it become. And that really is the truth about the truth, that it is difficult at times to comprehend but we must keep on striving to find it, to live by it and work with it.
     So what is the truth in the world of today. Frankly, I am stumped. We have officials, elected representatives in localities, at the state level and federal as well, yet it seems that the rights and interests of the little people are being ignored. We have returned to a time of extremes when the interests of special classes are rated as more worthy than those of others. The fatcats rule the roost again, the extremists who give themselves strange names trying to sound patriotic, like the Tea Party or the Freedom Caucus are really despots in the making and in disguise - not very good disguises at that - and make deep use of rhetoric and circular logic when asked to explain their views and reasons for voting as they do. That is the reason why Stew wants explanations for votes, so that the people can see and understand the reasoning of these elected officials here in the Village and then the voters can decide if they really still want them elected or appointed as their reps. Those who vote because their master has told them to are the ones who fight giving reasons for what can they say? The truth? That their master has so instructed them or that they vote in fear of losing their validation in life, their little job for UCO? Shameful indeed.
     What we can see is that this hiding of the truth, this coverup, takes place in the larger world out there and motivations are hard to understand. Perhaps David Israel once upon a time actually had good motives, good reasons, honest intentions, but the "power" has gone to his head and he is no longer trustworthy. This is no different than the lack of trust in leaders in Asia, in Africa, who used democracy and free votes to get into  office and then when their terms were up, they cancelled term limits - sound familiar? - and made themselves ruler for life. David to a T!
     Now David is using another excuse to remain in office. Quite frankly, I believe that if he could cancel voting and declare for life he would do that, but now he is relegated to simply claiming that HE IS THE ONLY ONE CAPABLE OF BEING PRESIDENT - FOREVER! Well, I and many others vehemently disagree and there are many places out there for allegedly mentally ill self declared kings but no room at the inn here in the Village for that.
     Are we misunderstanding the truth of his motivations? Could be? Doubt it. But look at Putin. Is this a man who is only out to self aggrandize or is he thinking of his country and just taking advantage of the opportunities it affords him. Is he the only leader in the world truly brave enough to say enough of these Moslem extremists and go after them, come hell or high water, or is he trying to expand his country's reach - or both? Should he be condemned for one and praised for the other? Yet on he forges, giving the finger to the world.
     Perhaps we need strong rulers for the one in office now has become a doormat to the world, wishy-washy in decisions and thus leading us nowhere in his years in office. Do we need dictators here in the USA? No, definitely not, nor do we need them here in CV, but we do need officials with backbone AND honesty AND altruistic motivation.  Where oh where are we going to find that - be it in the federal elections for President or here in CV? I am not optimistic about either situation for too many people are too fixed in their beliefs, too rigid, and too blind to look past their noses. And too selfish as well.
     Yesterday we saw a Native American production dealing with folklore, old traditions or ways and their meanings and one message came through loud and clear. That message was that the things we give to others, with generosity and open heart, with no venial motivation behind it, those are our legacy for they are given with a clear and true love, to be shared with others and not for power or praise.
     Perhaps we need to share that message with a whole lot of other people, beginning with one David Israel, Ed Black, Jackie Karlin, Joy Vestal, etc., etc., etc. Food for thought.
     On the way out the door to LAX for flights home. Not looking forward to the long legs of flight and the layovers. Air travel has become complex and annoying. But the visits are worth it.

ZOMBIE SOCIETY

     "CHRWAAAA" and the sound, the threatening wail of it, echoes thru the Village.  People stop and look fearfully at each other, wondering, terrified, and then suddenly a voice calls out. "Watch out, for it is the zombies of the Village, come to eat more of our rights and there he is, the leader of them all, David Israel along with his chief aide, Ed Black, and his newly appointed Chief of Nastiness, Jackie Carlin."
     From whence do they come we all wonder? How do we rid ourselves of them? Well, they come from the long lack of attention paid to the goings on at UCO, the ever increasing lessening of the rights of the residents as the zombies chew through them all. It is the behavior of said zombies as they chew/vote according to the bidding of the zombie master. The worst are those who never show up unless unearthed by David Israel from their dead associations to vote on specific days and issues. "Chomp, chomp," and here goes another rule of polite and civilized society and there stand the two of them - David Israel and Jackie Carlin, with big grins on their faces as they relish the taste of blood, the pain of the bites that are inflicted upon the innocent and struggling civilians of the Village.
     How do we rid ourselves of this plague, you might ask? Well, make sure you are active on your board, make sure your voice is heard, and make sure that the delegates that are elected or appointed are fair and just, voting as the association wishes and not as the delegate wishes, violating the trust of the office. And yes, it is very difficult when we have so many defunct boards that are open for raiding by the David Israel crew, but that only means that we have to try harder. David and Goliath, only here the David is the enemy and the Goliath the one fighting for justice, a prime example of how these people turn and twist all to their benefit!
     There are rules for a civil and polite society. That means that literally, no fingers are pointed or else that finger could be in danger and with all these zombies roaming around who knows what could happen!! There are rules in place for allowing people to express thoughts without the chair of the meeting violating the rules of his/her office and butting in, being nasty, and then sitting there with a troll like grin as he watches the eruption that he has caused.
     People that cannot abide by the rules of society need to be deemed outside of it and thus unable to run for any kind of participation within it. Personally, I believe that David Israel needs to have a complete health workup. No, not physical, for I could care less nor does it matter less how he is physically. It is his mental status that concerns me. His alleged  symptoms - paranoia, his megalomaniacal traits, his suspicions and weird assertions, his tantrums and constant anger - all signs of a dementia of one type or another and that needs to be checked as we certainly do not need an unstable person as the head of UCO!!!
      Yet thru the Village we hear "Chrwaaaaaaa" as the zombies are still on the march. They, like their leaders, have no respect for others, are demeaning in their behavior, rude in their actions, and recognize no one other than their own. They rampage thru, tearing posters off boards, drowning out opponents with their verbal assaults and sounds, and in fact are deeply troubling and embarrassing to the rest of us here in the Village.
     Time for us to get them gone. Time for their leader to be gone. Time for new, time for process, time for civility, for kindness, for humanity, for justice and fair play - for democracy and sanity - before they waste all our money as well as what remains of our lives and homes. Time to go. We do not need the traditional means of fighting zombies - a wound thru the brain - and in any case we do not advocate bloodshed. All that is needed is to be strong, be aware, make one's voice heard, stop giving in to ridiculous fear and intimidation, shout the man down, if necessary and come out to the DA and vote, vote, vote.
     Gee, David, hope this alleviates your allergic reaction to any kind of serious explications of your behavior and that of your sycophants. Hope this alleviates your constant fear of the "pedantic" which is otherwise known as explaining the idea to those who need the extra explanations. Or, it is known as not looking down at people, but indeed is the very opposite, as we believe that YOU look down at them and believe them to be stupid, unable to govern themselves AND SO YOU HAVE STATED AT MEETINGS, INCLUDING ONE JUST THE OTHER DAY. You are the one who wanted the vote to stop by the Executive Board. You are the one who is stacking the deck with multiple votes by the same people and you are the one who wants to eliminate the Bid committee, thus giving the people no say at all in how money is spent - their money. And even with the bid committee, it is stacked with the same people so right now it might be redundant but once we kick you out it will have a purpose. Fess up, my not such a friend, fess up. Confession is good for the soul. Try it. And then, get thee gone and take your zombies with you.

WHAT IS LUST?

     On Gary's blog there is a posting which accuses David Israel or interprets David Israel as one who has a lust for power. Lust is a powerful emotion which drives the thoughts and actions of the person who is filled with lust. But lust can be positive or negative  and depends on its object, that which is lusted for.
     We have the famous "lust for life" that enveloped Van Gogh, the driving need to create, to push the envelope in the world of art and painting. It is the lust, the need to get that need out, a need, that most true artists have, be it to write, to compose, to create poetry, or dance movements or new institutions in society that will raise that society to new heights, help better it and the people within. That lust is good, positive and leads to goals and accomplishments that will help society.
     There is personal lust as well. That  could be a lust for one's partner in life, or for the good things in life that can enrich one's soul or one's environment. It is the lust to better society, such as the driving actions of Clara Barton, Florence Nightingale, Jane Addams, Thomas Paine, Peter Zenger and other big and small people throughout history. The object of their lust was good, was creative, positive, so their lust was approved - at least by history, if not by the time they lived in.
     There is also the negative lust and its negative objectives. A lust for riches and wealth, to own objects d'art for oneself, hidden away, a lust to own people body and soul, and a lust for power. These people are small people who will in time be crushed by the weight of their lust and by the power of history.
     So what we have here in the Village is a case of the negative side of lust, for a lust for power, for control, is never good unless there is a need for control such as in a dangerous situation, but this is not the case here. David Israel apparently, admittedly, spent his working years in situations where either orders had to be obeyed or the work ethic meant one had to snoop, to pry, to go where one was not wanted. Obviously all countries have intelligence services and there have been spies since time immemorial - just check the Bible on that- but it appears that our services have gone overboard, forgetting their original purpose and just gathering info for its own sake, lost their way.
     In retirement, evidently this lust for power ethic overtook David Israel and he gathered around him a coterie of souls who also had lost their way or been fooled by him. He began to gather the reins of power in his hands, his hot little hands, and slowly, slowly, began to close the doorways and windows of democracy as practiced in the USA. He took as his role models all the dictators of society that can be found today and in history, forgetting that the end of most dictators is a nasty one. Now while we will not advocate hanging him upside down as was done to Mussolini, he needs to be aware of the growing anger at and about him, even with members of his coterie falling off. No dictator comes to a good end, no dictator with a lust for power leaves behind a positive and constructive legacy, but does leave behind a bad taste and a map of how not to do things.
     Lust for power. A negative lust. A harmful lust. One that must be aborted, stopped in its tracks and the harm already done to the Village subjected to reconstruction and repair. Power must be shared to be truly powerful, to be creative, to be worthwhile. It is the power of a society that works for mankind and the lust for power of the individual that brings it down. We here in the Village have to know that there is nothing to be frightened of from and by this man. So what if one is not a chair? So what if ones loses his little fiefdom. The next president of UCO will share, will delegate, will include all with positive ideas for the Village and not those who think only of themselves. It is never too late to use that lust for power for the positive and transform it into a lust for the betterment of society. You will even feel better about your own self.
     So now that I have discussed this idea of lust and its various forms and uses, did I sound pedantic enough for you, David. That appears to be the best that you can come up with, sadly so.     But it seems to be what you need, a careful explication of motivations of behavior, good or bad for evidently it never was internalized by you. Perhaps it was that your instructors were not pedantic, teaching and explaining, enough and you were left behind. Sad, but evidently true, much to the detriment of the Village. Perhaps if you were to politely approach Stew he might have the patience to instruct you in history and its values that left you behind. Couldn't hurt. And he is a great teacher, not a spy, but a teacher, one who builds society and its future, something apparently alien to you.
    

MAGIC

     It is still magic. It blows my mind to think that no matter how many times I visit Disney or which Disney, the magic is in the air. Last night was amazing. Disneyland in California is celebrating its 60th year and went over the top in their parades and fireworks. Imagine blocks and blocks of people all jammed together, no fighting, only laughter, even the little ones not crying, just strangers talking with each other, all waiting for it to start. Disney employees were playing games with the bystanders and grown people were wearing the stupidest hats ever and we waited. I cannot begin to detail the amazing parade, the lights, the huge figures, the dancing, the music, the sideshow on the buildings of Main Street, the volume of the sounds of the fireworks and all stood there with wide eyes, big people, little people. There were no jaded souls here, just the amazement, the wonder at the magic of it all.
     We were all children again, with the wonder of the world, with the amazement and innocence, the hope, the delight in magic and music. Awesome!!!
     I will tell you that the magic did not unfortunately extend to my feet as I hobbled back to the hotel after a day of walking, standing, more walking and more standing but I do not regret it one bit. What I do regret is that we cannot bring more people here to imbibe of the very air, of the friendly people, of the laughter. No one cared who was an immigrant, legal or not. No one cared that two young men walked by quietly, holding hands. No one cared when a racially mixed couple would walk by and no one cared when a young woman wearing pants and a head scarf walked by. All were there to have fun and why, oh why, can we not bottle this stuff and even force people to drink from it.
     And then this morning I opened David's ever nasty blog and there it was again, that snide behavior, that snarky comment, and one can see the same nasty smirk on his face that he has when he provokes disorder in meetings, when he sits back and enjoys his dirty work. I should have bought the shirt I saw and given it to him - the shirt which stated The Dark Side for that is where I fully believe him to be - and of his own free choice.
     So of course fatuous Lanny takes Stew to task. Really? Is this the same Lanny that is full of hot air, whose words signify nothing other than his doglike following of David and then we have the one that some prescient person calls the Village Idiot, Petey Boy Cruise, he who never shows up with all equipment, brave enough to stand up at a DA and state his dumb and nasty comments. So much for being a man.
     And finally we have David himself, The First Cousin of Darth Vader, replete with all his evil values and lack of moral ethics, the same David who exhibits paranoia and megalomania in equal doses, who embraces alleged fascistic values, but shhh, not allowed to say that for he imagines that 200 million people wait every day, anxiously, just to read of his latest deeds. He rips into Stew as a teacher, calling him pedantic, his favorite word to use when he has nothing else to say, the  very same word he used over and over again when referring to me. I am honored to be a member of the teaching profession, an educator, and proud of being compared to Stew and you, Cruise, when you have nothing to say that is of any value, just shut up. People will not then realize who you are and will not laugh aloud at you.
     As far as discussions, I am sure the people of the Ukraine would have like to discuss the invasion of their country, not that it would have mattered to Putin. I am sure that the Jews beaten up in France  and Israel or even here in the USA, or stabbed, run over, hacked to death with an axe and a machete, or the children mourning their elderly parents killed by a marauding Arab youths encouraged to violence by their elders - but there was no discussion offered. And I am sure that the people of the Village would love to discuss our present situation and the way out of it - but that discussion is not offered, so enough with your half true statements that mislead and insult people, enough with your poor people skills, enough with you and yours.
     As my little grandson says, "I have a gwate idea! Let's go to Disney." So why not, David. Go to Disney or even just crawl out of your spidery hole and web that you weave, go to a Clubhouse show, mix with normal people who laugh, who care about others and not just themselves and who knows -maybe the magic will hit you and you will cross to the light, the true Force. We can only hope - but we will also fight and dissent and meet and write and even outwait you if need be. We will carry on with the great American tradition of working for a better world, a better place while you, oh, I don't know, maybe the NSA will take you back. Call them. Soon.

THE TENSES OF TIME

     "The past is not over, it is not even the past." Or try this one. "The past is prologue to the future". Or the famous quote about the necessity of learning the lessons of history or else we are doomed to repeat the same errors. While not in exact words, perhaps, the meaning is clear. The past is not always the best thing to depend on and to use it as a role model or as an excuse to keep the same old same old, is a bad move indeed.
     A character in a novel states, "...the past is so hard to shift. It comes with us like a chaperone, standing between us and the newness of the present - the new chance."
     David Israel et al would have you denied this newness, this new chance to improve upon our situation, be it here or in the world. He lives in a world of darkness wherein secrets, threats and intimidation, plots and cabals rule. He lives in a world where an attorney on a leash is quoted, yet his opponents are castigated for going to attorneys and excuse me! What was that? Who goes to attorneys, ones that we never see, never see a printed opinion, just hearsay. Yes, David, I could see you living in the culture of the NSA but that is not where you live now. Nor are you our self appointed chaperone, thank you very much! You are in CVWPB and there are 14 to 15 thousand people who are affected by your daily nefarious deeds. You speak of the past, of your supposed past experience which is "so" valuable to us, yet badmouth others of the past history of CV so where is your so called historical perspective then? Why  badmouth an administration under George Lowenstein when we had a nice balanced budget and were able to put away substantial monies towards the paving - which you then pissed away in one of your stupid moments. SO which past and perspective should we remember?
    We had the "best" contract ever and then had to get rid of Kent security and then the whole truth about their reputation and troubles came  out and then we have another "best" contract with Platinum and lo and behold, the complaints grow and grow and I saw a dangerous one myself when a visitor was allowed in thru the resident gate, no sticker, no discussion, no walking over - just open the bar and in he went. Security? I think not.
     Your paranoia is obvious to everyone and while there is a definite progressive attitude now towards mental illness, it is not a good quality for a leader to have nor to see it expressed in a meeting where the so called leader yells suddenly at a gentleman sitting there and accusing him of saying something. Speaking of school - are we to be punished by you for saying what is in your imagination only, teacher always right, or are we to have a  sane UCO administrator. Are we to have a person who works with others or a megalomaniacal one who thinks he is king, leader for life, appointed by his own version of G-d - himself - and we all have to live in his world of congratulatory verbal selfies, he and his chief cohort, Ed Black, and every once in a while hearing from low intelligent creatures such as Petey Boy who think they are oh so clever as the world laughs at them or inane apologists who make no sense and who then back away when their foolishness is shown and their feet are well entrenched in their mouths.
     We here in the Village want process and procedure.
     We want transparency and fair play.
     We want cooperation rather than intimidation.
     We want inclusion.
     We want open books and no making numbers jump through hoops.
     We want committees kept honest and valuable, rather than someone, gee, I wonder who, trying to raise the spending limit for the president and for UCO up till 25,000 dollars.
     We want a leader who does not throw tantrums, but rather one who knows how to listen, how to admit an error and move on and not take disagreements personally.
     We want common sense.
     We want free and open access to all media outlets in the Village and an open campaign.
     We want David Israel and Ed Black gone and Phyllis Richland is.
     We want deadwood out and fresh air and new plantings in.
     We want common courtesy as the rule of the Village and we want a UCO which reaches out to the associations rather than enabling their failure and I am till wondering who gets the benefit of that? Could it  be multiple unit owners? Hmmm, I know there are quite a few in UCO.
     We want a UCO where things and issues are not ignored or swept under the rug but are brought out in the open and handled properly.
     We want to discuss plans for post Millennium.
     We want more brass when we deal with WPRF and we want to see the possibilities of even buying the Clubhouse and pools and getting WPRF gone, or at least tamed.

     "Sooner or later, we all sit down to a banquet of consequences."

    Are your ready for that dinner, David Israel? Are your henchmen and tame sheep ready?

YOU HAD TO BE THERE TO BELIEVE IT!!!

     What a travesty! What a sad joke. What an insult to intelligence. What a show of disrespect wherein egotistical mania was evidenced and people spoke so disrespectfully that they should have been expelled from the meeting.
     Where was this? At the Executive Board meeting on November 2, 2015. There was a by law amendment proposed, to reinstate term limits for President and VPs in UCO and to limit office and positions to one at a time. Well, that was it! David Israel ranted on and on, basically daring people to defy his orders and his statements. What did he say? Basically that no new people should ever be allowed in for they know nothing and can do nothing and certainly never understand his system that he installed in UCO. Really? What an ego! What gall! What disrespect to the intelligence of the "new" people and for G-d's sake, was he never new or does he think he is the eternal know it all. Well, I have news for you, David Israel. You have insulted enough people other than your usual coterie of die hard fools who follow you right into the mouth of the monster.
     In the middle of his rant, he calls out to Jerry Karpf demanding to know what he just said, Well, first of all, Jerry had said NOTHING AT ALL. This was just David's paranoia manifesting itself. It also was his dictator's fears that anyone who was not with him should never be free to speak and every word they did speak must be about him. It is truly pathetic.
     When Stew Richland stood up to ask that people explain their reasoning behind their votes, as he spoke with passion and frustration, WOW did the place explode with the nasty voice, words and finger pointing of Jackie Karlin who perhaps needs some "happy" pills. How dare she speak as she did to Stew, a man of dignity and knowledge. How dare she point and stab a finger at him shouting that she was elected. So what, so was he and people have a hell of a lot more respect for him than for her, she who cannot think for herself and needs permission from David Israel to do anything. And then, of course, our petty little dictator then opens his nasty mouth and tells Stew he is soon going to be sent to the principal, demeaning and debasing Stew's 54 years of distinguished service in an honorable profession! Shall we then talk of the questions re NSA and its deeds here in the country and elsewhere? Should we question and demand that he answer questions about the real work he did in the NSA, if indeed he did work there? As what? As a GS-10- or GS-12? A glorified clerk. C'mon, David, insults can go either way. There you were, back in the schoolyard bully mode once again.
     You stated that you were offended that I had called you a fascist. Well, if the shoe fits...... What else do you call a person who is trying to set himself up for life in his current position as president? What else do you call a person who leans on his opposition, speaks nastily and disrespectfully to them, refuses them their rights, the free use of facilities that their money pays for, of free access to the Village paper, now a dismal rag and pennysaver piece of garbage that goes mainly to fill recycle containers.

     What else do we say when you allow a person such as Jackie Karlin to rant like that? Perhaps she needs a stay in a country similar to here where the ruler does not allow freedom and democracy and there are people who oppose this and they are called PROTESTERS, hey, just as we do here. What a coincidence! NOT! What do we say when all the facets and character traits of a fascistic dictator are present in the behavior, actions, words and thoughts of a person? Why we call it like it is.

    Perhaps David Israel needs to make some phone calls to some African dictators who believe they are also president for life, who deny elections or certainly free elections, or call Putin, the new Tsar of Russia and proposed ruler of Crimea, Georgia, and all the Stans that used to be SSRs and don't forget his eyeing the Baltic Republics. Dictatorship is dictatorship, be it in a country or the petty actions of one in a Village such as ours. We can call this grouping the World Alliance of Dictators of the Fascist Persuasion. Works for me.

     David, what will you do when you are dead? You cannot possibly be as egotistical and megalomaniac enough to think that you will never die and even if so, will rule from the grave, so what? Are you planning on naming a successor? An appointed Crown Prince? A line of succession? Just exactly where do you end off with your crazy and paranoid thinking? Where do you stop your disrespectful behavior towards your constituents? You are their servant and not the other way around. Perhaps you missed your calling and should have gone into politics at large and used your nefarious talents and thoughts there in that world? But here? Here you are not appreciated or valued other than by your sycophants.

     Today's meeting was a travesty,  a disrespectful farce of a democratic meeting, typical of how you conduct business here. Shame on you and shame on all of us that we allow this to continue. Everyday all of us are insulted by him, told we know nothing, can do nothing, are too dumb to understand his system, need him to wipe our rear ends for he knows all. Well, David, here is a line I got from my friend the other day.

    No one is perfect for everyone's ass has a crack in it. You are not perfect nor the be all and end all and one day, one day, people will realize what you have done, see through your facade and of what worth is your legacy, your supposed legacy then? Diddleysquat!! And by the way, buy a few shirts so you don't wear the same one every day. Remember, the whole world is watching - or at least 200 million of them - so you say.

HERE AND THERE

     Nice morning - no burning unaddressed issues to be written about, the world seems to have hung on for another day, miraculously and in this unit preparations are drawing to a close for a week's trip to California and the mouse house there as we visit our Disney grandson. What was funny was when I was checking the weather trying to decide upon what to pack and saw weather for a few days of sunny and high of 71 and I said to myself, "Nice, a tad cool." Uh oh! Have we really changed that much?
     Here is a question left over from yesterday and the reading of David's pathetic tooting of his own horn in the RAG. You mention how you are so proud of your blog read all over the world - well, does that include the 200 million that you claim are reading my postings or should we investigate and come up with the details? Or perhaps I should go ballistic as you do at the thought of people reading your lies about me and other people in the Village? How about you grow up and realize that the almost complete amount of people in that 200 million could care less about what you or I or most people write. In fact, I still wonder why so many people from other countries read mine! Of course they are welcome, assuredly so, but still, it just blows my mind.
     How about this - you take down your tone and actions, your attempts to shut all who oppose you down and try to cooperate with all? It is a lesson to be learned from childhood on, the importance of cooperation, of sharing, of proper human and humane behavior but perhaps you never really assimilated these lessons as with no kids why watch Sesame Street? Your loss, I guess.
     How's about this idea? Why not come to the book club meeting in December, first Tuesday of the month or January if you wish and join in the discussion of the chosen book. For December it is Finding Jake. Show people that you have a human and thinking side. Difficult, but possible, don't ya' think?
     You see there are many joint projects that can be had here in the Village and why not come out of your hidey hole there and actually join in the activities and amenities of the Village. Never see you at any of the shows, or sitting around the pool, or walking the perimeter or in the Clubhouse library or on the courts, etc. You know what happens to rulers who hide themselves away from the subservient population, don't you? If not, just check into history and perhaps Stew can give you a lesson on the rise and fall of dictatorships. Couldn't hurt.
     Here's another question. Gee, all these softball pitches this morning. Anyway. Here is a list as best as I could figure out what with the crazy seating and the lack of roll call voting on the nominations committee. The members are:
     David Israel                      Bob Marshall
     Joy Vestal                         Fausto Fabbro
     John Hess                          Barbara Cornish
     Howie O' Brien                Anita Buchanan (chair)
     Ruth Dreiss                      Ron Massa
     Al Mcloughlin                 David Saxon
    Joyce Reiss
  
Gee, here we go again. Total conflict of interest and if there is any reason why a by law need be changed, here is one. The officers simply cannot be on every committee or else let us be honest and admit that the whole structure of UCO as presently constituted is a joke, a huge, cruel joke. It is the Emperor's new clothes - not really there in any sense. Democracy? Not so much!
     So anyway, here we have all the officers - again - and just look at the rest of the names. The only one that is not really familiar, especially to newer folks is Al, but everyone else - on other committees, just retreads all over again. Even should Anita try to run a fair committee we all know it is impossible for a fair one would have representation of all factors in the Village as would the Candidates Forum group and yet we all know that NO ONE will stand up to David Israel and say , "Screw you! I will appoint whomever I wish and be fair about it." No one will do that because their brass is noticeably short when we weigh it.
     Oh well, I am going to go out and enjoy the day and even show up at the Executive Board meeting though the whole thing is an exercise in futility as presently constituted, but may as well. Perhaps we will have a miracle or two. Maybe. There is always hope. And in the meanwhile, while we wait for that miracle or two, let us all support and reach out to new candidates as they appear if they oppose the present structure and behavior. For sure, Phyllis Richland is the way to go for President. New Day. New Thoughts.
Process and procedure. Fair play. Inclusion. Lovely ideas, are they not.
     You know, I always wonder what these overseas readers are thinking as they read of our struggle here for democracy, especially when we go around preaching and spouting for democracy all over the world, when we bigfoot everything, but allow smaller footprints of dictatorship right here in our own country, Constitution and all. Just wonderin', just sayin'.
    

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

     Shakespeare tells us that "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" and Juliet questions as to "wherefore art thou Romeo?" Gertrude Stein says that a rose is a rose is a rose. So is a name important or not? The Ethics of Our Fathers says that there are three crowns a person can aspire to or achieve. Of the three crowns it clearly states that the crown of a good name, a good reputation is THE most important one that a person can achieve. So does a name matter? I believe so.
     Benedict Arnold had a name as a superb general for the Americans yet that was not enough as he wanted a name known in high society and for that he sold his soul to the devil, became a turncoat and now his name is anathema to any patriot and a synonym for a traitor.
    When we were children we were told not to call names, to watch the language and sometimes we listened and other times..... My name is Esther - or Esty - or Ess - or Esterke - or Mrs. Sutofsky - or Mrs. S. - or Esther Devora and that was when I knew I was in trouble - Ima -Mother! - Tata (grandmother) so does each name signify something different? I believe so for all people have separate compartments in their lives. What am I called in the byways of the Israel camp? Brrrr - I shudder to think and yet who gives a damn. For their names are not the names of truth or fair play or anything that even smacks of righteous behavior.
     I firmly believe that we make our own name by our behavior, by what we espouse, stand for, fight for, believe in. That name goes on after we have passed on. Friends will talk of us. Family will remember and pass on stories about us just as we do about those who have gone before us. They will hopefully speak of us with love and humor, even with some frustration if they must! People we influenced will speak of us - yet family is the key and if one does not have family then one often strives overhard to leave something behind and often fails by trying too hard or in the wrong way.
     That which is left behind is a "legacy". Observe the struggles of Obama to leave one behind and how abysmally he has failed other than in leaving us three wars where we had two before and from  which he was supposed to get us gone and yes, his Obamacare, while not perfect, has helped many people I know to have that affordable care so perhaps that is enough for him. And here, at home, we also have another wanna be trying to leave a legacy and it seems that it will be a legacy of broken by laws, abysmal social behavior, lack of people skills, incipient paranoia and megalomania, future bankruptcy and poor infrastructure, fascistic tendencies or should we just call them dictatorial impulses or perhaps Tsarlike tendencies a la Putin, the new Tsar of Russia. Or perhaps we should say it might even have veered over into alleged white crime areas as the laws which govern us here in the Village have been broken and abused as befits his needs and wants. There are definite character issues here.
     Make no mistake about it - I could care less about what he says about me. He tells people that I have no part in UCO and why - because he does not like me. Great way to administer UCO. My ego is strong enough, my life fulfilling enough, my past life prior to coming here an eminently satisfactory one which still pays off in shall we say "legacy"? I do not need the official trappings to be sure of who I am or what I am worth, unlike that person.
     I have spoken to numerous chairs of committees, and to ordinary people involved in UCO, people have approached me and to a one they all admit they are frightened of this man. They admit they have not the courage to stand up to him, have me on their committee for fear lest they lose it. Ahh, the frailties of human ego and human pettiness. So yes, while Article X of our by laws, the very same ones we have been using all along, section B clause 3 states that an empty seat on the Executive Board be filled by the next in line, David nearly choked when he had to name me and has been desperate to get me the hell off. When he tried to float the balloon of immediate departure I simply reminded him of the consequences so he backed off and now is going at it this way. He even suborned Ruth Dreiss, a woman who should know better, but who evidently does not, to mention this new rule that all appointed people are off as of March and she did so with a smug smirk and a tongue hanging out her mouth as she looked at him with a triumphant face as if to say "see, I did it - for you".
    So, David, you have embarrassed two strong names, two proud names - David and Israel - what is your legacy? Garbage, that will dissolve very quickly upon the end of your days on this earth, so enjoy while you can and please ignore the choking laughter of people as they read your self praise article, your unfair use of the paper to toot your horn while the other candidate is barred from the same action. You state that amongst your so wonderful achievements you instituted a better accounting system at your association. Perhaps - but you sure as shootin' did not do that for UCO and in fact, did the very opposite. You brag that YOU made the technological step forward about the expansion joints?! Gimme a break! What else did you invent? The stent perhaps? You claim to have established a free and independent blog site and newspaper? Excuse me while I get some water to help control my choking! What independent blog? What emails to people - only your little pets. What independent newspaper. Oh, are you talking about the Rag, you know, the one which does not present both sides of an issue, has maybe six people to write for it, disrespects people, and has half the paper full of ads - about 34 in this issue out of 64 pages. A wonderful Pennysaver, is it not, but an independent newspaper? I think not. No, I know not.
 I believe Shelley said it all in his poem Ozymandias.
        
             'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
                   Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'
                  Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
                  Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
                 The lone and level sands stretch far away."

   This is what you have left behind and I only hope that the dust you have strewn about and caused to fly about will be able to be remedied after you have gone.

     "I am woman, hear me roar." Yes, David, I will roar and so will many of us, a growing mass of people. And Phyllis will be there roaring as well. Time to go and contemplate your navel, dear boy. That will be your legacy.