'Nigerian-Style' Puppy Scam

Supposed puppy is good price, but then there are thousands $ for quarantine charges, vaccination charges ..

http://denver.cbslocal.com/2014/01/20/doggie-deception-thieves-target-dog-lovers/  

Stop Robocalls if you have VOIP

Click on http://www.nomorobo.com/

This free service stops robocalls after one ring, (ring would still disturb your nap I guess!).

I have landline so cannot use this and will have to put up with current 4 blank calls per day. I hate being disturbed.

Aggravation techniques are no good for me, the calls I get are mostly silent! http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20140114,0,1753169.column#axzz2r2Vl24oy 

Really mean prank http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7OgWcwgB50

Outsourcing the Association Board

Lanny got me thinking about dysfunctional Associations.

What if these orphan associations had a 'special' designation and :

The Management Company (MC) was told to be more proactive in maintenance and landscaping and suggest improvements.

MC does monthly inspections.

MC enables tasks recommended by insurance risk assessment and UCO maintenance.

MC reads UCO Reporter for alerts

MC adopts care of private items like patio and furniture, flag and pole

MC manager runs budget and election meeting, keeps minutes

Association uses MC budget

Association uses UCO recommended insurance

Association hires law firm and makes them the Association agent, also has them update the bylaws

Association has rental laundry equipment and service

Association has preferred list of contractors and single pest control company (not the inside every month type)

Real estate - UCO could provide short list of steps for realtor to take burden from association, some realtors already have it down

Exceptions:

Association would need people to watch out for abuse

Signing up with 55+ Florida Commission on Human Relations still requires President letter (not MC)

Who keeps the set of emergency condo keys?

Perhaps if the Board's job was made easier more residents would step up their responsibility.

The above would add costs but less than a Court appointed Receiver.

Do any dysfunctional associations have an area committee that might help?

No doubt some associations have an MC that does almost everything, many DO NOT.

Utility Customers Target of Scam

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is warning consumers to be aware of a new twist on a multi-state scam targeting utility customers through email. Both Florida Power and Light (FPL) and other utility customers have reported receiving phony utility bills through email. If you receive an email with a bill that looks different from your normal bill, is from a different utility company, or asks for personal information like your Social Security or credit card numbers, delete the email immediately and do not click on any links as they may contain malicious spam.

Consumers are advised to authenticate any bill by verifying the account number on the email with your actual account number. Be suspicious of emails that claim a past due balance and threats of interruption of service. Contact the utility provider directly if you're unsure of any notices received.

For additional information, contact the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at www.800helpfla.com or by calling 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) within Florida, 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832) en Español or (850) 410-3800 from outside of Florida.

SEARCH/NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE

The next UCO Delegates meeting will be February 7th giving those interested in serving on the board time to be nominated. That nomination is made by a delegate and seconded by another delegate. The person being nominated must be in the Clubhouse in attendance. You will be asked questions about serving on the Board. Your bio must be sent to me immediately. It will then be forwarded to the REPORTER and an acknowledgment sent to you.

My address for those bios is the same as it has always been.

rgwlbf@gmail.com.

Do not neglect to have your picture taken by either Ken or Howie after the meeting. You may also call me with any questions at

712 0259.

Do not hesitate. This is your last chance to be on the UCO slate for 2014.

My computer will take a long nap starting Sunday

February 9th for about three weeks.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!!!!!

Comedy for Dave

Priceless:

VOTING, NOT VOTING AND BULLETING

When I became old enough to vote, I thought the responsible thing to do was vote the maximum—that is, vote for the maximum number of open positions for candidates and vote on every issue. I guess I thought that because of the drumbeat to VOTE. Of course, if one can know all the candidates and have an educated opinion on all the issues, then this is the responsible thing to do.

Practically speaking, very few of us can manage this. Later I realized that voting “the max” wasn’t being responsible, for I was guessing far too much, and if guessing wrong, I could be doing harm rather than good. Better to let those do the voting who knew the candidates I didn’t and had studied the issues with which I was not familiar. So I began to vote only for those candidates I felt I knew enough about and liked, and on those issues I felt I knew enough about. Of course if there were only two candidates for one slot, and one I knew to be a very bad choice, I might vote for the other provided he or she didn’t come as poorly recommended. Issues, as they were worded, often required considerable untangling. I think they do better about this now.

Then someone told me about bulleting and that made sense. If, for example, there were three candidates for two VP positions, and I wanted to be SURE candidate A got in, I could be hurting his (or her) cause if I voted for candidates A and B—even if B was a decent enough candidate. Why? Because, let us say, at the final tally (before my vote) A had 7 votes, B had 8 votes, and C had 10 votes, then after my vote for A and B, the two winners would be B (9) and C (10), and my man would lose. On the other hand, if I had “bulleted” A, C would have still won, and it would have forced a tie between A and B. If TWO of us had bulleted A, then A and C would have won.

The point I learned is that you do the responsible thing: vote, not vote or bullet.

I wish I could say I have always been happy with how those things and people I have voted for have turned out. As I’ve told my kids, that hasn’t always been the case––but I keep trying.  

One free Ham Classic sandwich

Join the rewards club at Honey Baked

http://freebiefindingmom.com/honeybaked-ham-free-ham-classic-sandwich-purchase-necessary/   or

http://www.greateats.com/offer/honeybaked-free-classic? this one sometimes confused!

One free Ham Classic sandwich at participating locations.

Our store on Okeechobee tells me they are participating > > I'm outa here

Consumer Reports flushable wipes,swish, shhh!

Companies like Cottonelle and Charmin heavily advertise their flushable wipes. They sound so convenient. But plumbers make a lot of house calls that involve clogged toilets, backed up sewer lines, and flooded basements. Often the culprit is flushable wipes.

Consumer Reports checked out four flushable wipes from Cottonelle, Charmin, Scott and Equate. They all say they’re flushable and make claims like “sewer and septic safe” and “breaks up after flushing.”

In Consumer Reports’ standard tests, toilet paper breaks down quickly. But when testers ran the same test with the flushable wipes they didn’t break down at all.

Consumer Reports gave up after 10 minutes. Testers even ran them for 10 minutes in a mixer, the wipes still didn’t break apart.

Consumer Reports did find that after soaking overnight, two of the products did break down, Cottonelle and Scotts. But even after 12 hours, the ones from Charmin and Equate still stayed in one piece.

Consumer Reports advice, if you use these products don’t flush them down the toilet.

5K Walk/Run

anybody know what time it is?

No, I am not singing that old Chicago tune...I need to what time is the 5k run?

New Toy for Lake Century

Panther WaterCar - full screen is nice

Coin Counting

Anybody know a local bank that has coin counting. For those who collect their own laundry quarters (we are getting tired of counting / rolling the coins.) If you have Axon or McGray, any comments on profit margin etc. (we are also getting tired of carrying heavy coin load).  Do some in CV have credit card type payment method? Thx

No Coco Frio?

Our CV coconut palms have recovered from severe cutting a few years ago. There is a fine crop of nuts growing around the perimeter road. But I do not think we can enjoy them this year, they used to be barely within reach, now the palms are 10-15' taller. <sigh>

Coconut Woman

Add on 1/25, see Part 1 blog:

DO NOT EAT THE COCONUTS NOR DRINK THE COCONUT WATER

Hi all,

Our Coconut palms have been treated with pesticide to combat spiraling whitefly. The EPA labeling is unambiguous and is presented as follows:

I have attached the label for Mallet T&O for reference.  On page 12 of the label it has the following statement:

 

“DO NOT harvest or consume fruits or nuts from trees that have been treated within 1 year of application.”

Bathroom Radiant Heaters

What is burning in CV's bathrooms, probably the 250 watt infra-red heating bulbs. I unscrewed mine (when cold) and found 10 years of fluff and dust, cleaned the bulbs and cavity-fans with various duster brushes. No more burning smell now just heat.

Do Your Newcomer Neighbors Know - - today

Resident Show - time to buy tickets

Weekly Joke - or Not

Former Mizner Trail Golf Course News

Commissioners Delayed Voting - Augh!

After eight long years of failed attempts to develop the 130-acre site, commissioners were scheduled to vote on the latest proposal on Jan. 9, the Sun-Sentinel reported. The proposal includes 288 residences on the former fairways and greens in the Boca Del Mar neighborhood.

At the developer’s request, Palm Beach County commissioners delayed voting on the proposed redevelopment of the former Mizner Trail golf course near Boca Raton until March.

The county’s zoning manager had recommended the plan be rejected. 

..best owners can't live in peace..

"Greed and power hunger are major contributors to permanent fights and litigation in HOAs. One extreme example is the "POINCIANA VILLAGE NINE ASSOCIATION, INC." in Kissimmee.

Despite the fact that sitting board members are trying their best to improve this community, a few owners want to grab the power and pursue their own private agendas -- to the detriment of the other owners. One owner files one lawsuit after the other, and once one of his lawsuits is defeated -- or moot -- he quickly files another one. Another owner with a private agenda is one of these "good" *..* who feels that a prayer -- or two -- make up for lying, cheating and trampling on the good names of their neighbors. Funny enough, he hasn't paid his dues to the master association for years! This community is a great example that even the best owners can't live in peace if a few "scumbags" live in their neighborhood!"

Real morality tale from CCFJ.

Simple facts. Look them up

     I tried to break this down to a level that a third grader could read. So,

Once again, let us review for the sake of Olga and her incompetent friends that do not know how to read.... look at the property detail.... you will see the address that they own...what is the sale date? oh, is it listed as APRIL 2013? Why yes it is... Let's now look at the Owners... it says Mills Tetro Dorothy and Ross Edwardo J... and what is the mailing address? oh look, it is 5298 Tiffany Anne Cir... Why that's not a Century Village address, is it? why no boys and girls, it is not a Century Village address.

     Now boys and girls, if you go on the website and click on the little magnifying glass symbol on the Sales Information section, you will open up a whole new box that will show you how eddie had bought the property a long time ago, and if you click on Nov 2012, you will see that he added Dorothy to his deed. Now click on the Dec 2012 and you will see that Eddie took Dorothy off his deed. So from December 2012 until he put her BACK on in April 2013, Dorothy DID NOT OWN ANY PROPERTY in Century Village. Four months! So she did not qualify to be an officer. Period. Also during the same time, she was living in Cypress Lakes, voted in Cypress Lakes and it is her official mailing address. SHE DOES NOT QUALIFY TO BE AN OFFICER NOR TO RUN FOR ANY OFFICE IN UCO. Being an owner alone does not qualify a person for office. You have to be domiciled in the village, not in Cypress Lakes.  If she wants to run for office, I suggest she do it in Cypress Lakes WHERE SHE LIVES.

     Now, for the grown ups: What started out as a clear violation of UCO bylaws, has been made out to be a personal vendetta by Tetro and her supporters. It did not start out that way, but that is what they wanted everyone to believe in order to gain sympathy. They have attacked me, they attack my dog, and anyone I am associated with. 

     I would like to hear answers, direct answers, honest answers to the questions asked of Tetro Mills. 

during  December 11, 2012 to March 31, 2013, (that is 111 days, or 3 months and 21 days) what property did you own in Century Village? None. other than the Cypress Hills property. And prior to that, how long before you were added to Eddie's property, did you not own in the village? You bought the Cypress Lakes property in November of 2011...

SAILBOAT CERTIFICATION ON A COLD AND WINDY DAY

Joining the Sailing Club is one of the best bargains in the Village and a lot of fun for those who participate. Soon there will be an article in the UCO Reporter about getting certified to sail. Ron Helms, commodore (translate: president) of the Sailing Club, had volunteered to demonstrate on Tuesday, January 7, how to right a capsized sailboat out on the lake, get back in, and swim a lap in the pool without using the ladder––the two requirements for certification. Well, yesterday was January 7. It turned out to be a windy day and the coldest day of the season so far. The question was: Would Ron show up under these arctic conditions, and would he go through with the demonstration, which Ken Graff was at the dock to film? Ron did without missing a beat and WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE.

So, congratulations of the day to Ron Helms on a job well done!

11 Health Habits That Will Help You Live to 100

Click  http://health.usnews.com/health-news/living-well-usn/slideshows/in-pictures-11-health-habits-that-will-help-you-live-to-100  

No need to be entirely vegan or vegetarian.

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

Lock your car.

Walking by day stay out of the road.

Walking at night ditto and use a flash light.

Remove your association dead bushes/trees.

Walk dogs only on your permitted association property.

Thank UCO volunteers.

Stay away from foul-mouthed, abusive, toxic people.

Check age of your water heater (should be less than 12 yrs)

Respect your Bylaws and UCO Bylaws.

Sign up for Dave's communications 'IFI'

Live, laugh, love, and learn

Feel free to add on - -  

Do You Have IFI ?

Do you get all the notices and minutes of meetings from UCO President Dave Israel, IFI (Information Forward Initiative)?  Just send him your email to be on his list of over 800 resident emails. Although this service is often mentioned I do not know if all Bloggers have taken advantage of this.

Thru IFI - I get notices to post on our bulletin board. I get minutes of committee meetings which is great because I cannot attend all meetings.

Send a request, subject line IFI, to ucopresident@gmail.com 

*And most important - it is the front line of accurate info against spreaders of ridiculous and malicious misinformation.