Editors note: I goofed the first time around on the coding of these pixs. That is what made the web page out of shape. You can help in the future by telling me when you see a mistake. Thanks to Jim Dodds for catching the error... Sorry, this is a learn as you go operation. :)

We wore the green..

ron thomas


25 people signed up for the St. Patrick's Day festivities... 35 showed up for dinner and 2 dinners were sent home... Despite that there was plenty for everyone not to mention the green beer (a personal favorite of mine).

If you weren't there and have been thinking about joining in park activities you missed a good time but fret not because the Easter Potluck Brunch is coming up on Saturday the 26th...


A lot of folks showed up to help today at high noon and the dinner was set up in nothing flat as well as a re-arranging of the storage room.


Hope you found a 4 leaf clover we did.

Left click a picture to enlarge it. Use your browser's back arrow to come back.

A Volunteer Opportunity for a person that can use a computer...

Ron Thomas


We have clout and if we stand together as a group we can help one another in a variety of things. But this one is being championed now... We need a web page where folks can come and rate their experiences with contractors and local bussiness'. Such a site would guide folks to the business' that provide good services and steer us away from those that don't. I know the Better Business Bureau does that but it is to large and impersonal for a small community like ours. Because we do get older and are less able to do the things we used to we more and more have to turn to Services to get our things done. After seeing RuthAnn's experiences and seeing what Jim Dodds had to say I think it would be a great idea to have a place where you could go and read about how a work group performed in our community.


Our website is an ideal place for such an extension. We would create the site and take care of the technical aspect of it but another person here in the park would keep it upto date, categorized and organized. This is a job that a person with a computer could do. If you are disabled but want to help the park in some way and your neighbors this could be for you.

Residents fight park-sale law

from the stateman journal

Manufactured-home park owner says he won't evict anyone

CRYSTAL BOLNER
Statesman Journal

March 5, 2005

For-sale signs are posted on 16 homes in the Iris Village manufactured-home park, a 28-lot housing park off O'Neill Road.

The residents in the park are upset about a law that allows manufactured-home parks to be subdivided and individual lots sold.

Though residents are given first choice to purchase the individual lots, loopholes in the law could allow park owners to force residents off the property if they choose not to buy.

Donna Burleigh and her husband, Stephen, faced that choice four months ago when they received a letter from the owner of the park saying the park had been subdivided, and they had 60 days to decide whether they were going to buy or move.

The note said: "Please be advised that if you elect not to purchase your lot, we will be selling it to another buyer who will probably locate a new manufactured home on the lot. The sale of your lot to a third party who is interested in locating another manufactured home on the lot will result in your having to remove your home from the lot. We do not intend to own any lots in Iris Village in the future, so we recommend that you purchase your lot if at all possible."

Burleigh, then the assistant manager of the park, said that was when she began talking to her neighbors.

"It was scary," Burleigh said. "Where do I move this home? It doesn't have wheels underneath it, and I don't have the money to move it if I wanted to."

Manufactured home parks in Oregon are one of the victims of rising property values across the state, said Chuck Carpenter, executive director of the Manufactured Housing Communities of Oregon, a group that represents park owners.

Carpenter said that vacancy rates are an ongoing problem in many parks, and owners are facing the choice: either subdivide the parks and sell off lots or shut down the park and redevelop the property for other uses.

The law, passed by the Legislature in 2001, allows residents to purchase properties in the park, giving tenants a way to stay when the park might otherwise close, Carpenter said.

"For some manufactured (home park) owners in Oregon, the land has become extremely valuable, the rent simply doesn't cover that value anymore," he said.

The owners are required by law to offer the current renters of the property the chance to purchase the lots.

If purchased, the parks are treated as if they were a planned unit development, with a homeowners association taking on management of roads and utilities.

"By the time you figure the tax advantages of them owning their own land, they come out ahead," Carpenter said.

Not all residents in manufactured home parks see it that way.

In the case of Iris Village, the manufactured home park wasn't built to all the normal subdivision requirements, such as street width, sidewalk setbacks and sewer and water specifications.

So when owner Brian Fitterer of Newport Beach, Calif., tried to get residents to purchase their properties, some were leery of purchasing properties with utility systems that, once bought, would be their responsibility to maintain.

Sharon Forsell, 60, a teacher, who lives in Iris Village, told state Rep. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer, and Sen. Charles Starr, R-Hillsboro, in a town hall meeting last week that she worried if she purchased her lot and anything happened to the water and sewer systems on her property, she could not afford to fix them.

"Why can't the law require the owner of the park to bring everything up to code before he's allowed to sell it to someone else? I'm on a fixed income. I can't afford to get stuck with this problem," Forsell told Thatcher.

After hearing that residents were organizing against purchasing lots in Iris Village, Fitterer sent a letter to representatives of the Manufactured Home Owners of Oregon saying that he would not require residents of Iris Village to move and that he never intended to require them to move.

Interviewed by phone, Fitterer, who owns 25 manufactured home parks in Oregon and several others in California, Washington and Nevada, said that he was happy to keep the property if people don't want to buy.

"If they want to keep renting, that's fine," Fitterer said. "Obviously, some of these people flunked elementary algebra if they don't see the benefit of owning the land under their homes. Manufactured homes depreciate. The land's the valuable thing, not the home."

To avoid problems in the future between manufactured home park owners and tenants of the parks that are subdivided, the two lobbying groups working with the manufactured home industry in Oregon said this week that they plan to begin working later this year to revise the current law to close loopholes such as those encountered by residents of Iris Village.

They likely will introduce a bill in the next Legislative session, both groups said.

The current law was revised once already in 2003 to forbid park owners from building stick homes in manufactured home parks.

cbolner@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 589-6967

An email from Jim Dodds faults local computer repair service...

An email from Jim Dodds...

As I am finishing up scanning "yet another" Longviewhills residents's computer that was returned "REPAIRED" by a local two initial computer sales and repair businees that I will not name, here is what I found.

SPYWARE/MALICIOUS PROGRAMS/BROWSER HIJACKS/AD-WARE

28 - Registery Key Values
11 - Registery Values
13 - Malicious Files
2 - Malicious Programs
1 - Transponder Parasite
8 - AdWare Programs
2 - Malicious ToolBars
5 - Internet Explorer Plugin Worms
6 - Browser Hijack Files

This is the 7th machine I have "re-repaired", that was just returned from this not named two initial computer company. I did not ask this customer what she paid this company but I would guess it was anywhere from $45.00 to $80.00. She might as well have tossed that money out the car window. Some of these Registery Key Values do have to be manually deleted, which even "very" experienced techs tread in fear when editing the Windows Registery Files, so I may understand why this local company might not have been willing to attempt the repair but, they "were" willing to bill the person for substandard or bogus work performed. Always ask your computer tech if they are Microsoft and Symantec Certified. If they are not, don't hire them. On a scale of 1 to 10 I rate their repair at -20. I would even place it in the catagory of a formal complaint to the Better Business Bureau.

Jim Dodds

Hello..a program that shares pictures fast for free!

ron thomas

A few posts ago I tried to stimulate interest in a program called Picasa. We were discouraged because there did not seem to be any takers. Well yesterday I found there is at least one. So, I wanted to tell any others out there about a second program that goes hand in hand with Picasa. It is called HELLO.

The below quote is from the home page of Hello and describes what it does

"Hello is a new way to look at pictures with friends and family.
When you use Hello, you get to see your photographs together with your friends online. You don’t have to wait for huge email attachments to download or upload your pictures to a public website. Just point at a picture and you can tell the person who sent it exactly what you think. With just one click, you can get the original high-quality, full-sized file to print.

Hello is easy to get going (as long as you have someone to share with). You’ll be talking about pictures in just minutes."

So we will be adding this free program to our list of downloads on the left side of the page. You will find a link there that will take you to Hello's Home page.

More on our St. Patrick's Day potluck...

ron thomas

We are going to need help at the clubhouse this Wednesday setting up for the party and with preping and cooking the food. This is an excellent way to meet the folks that serve our community on a regular basis. We would like to meet you. Come and play with us as we ready the clubhouse to usher in St. Patrick's Day.

From the article on Evolve the park....

ron thomas


Here is the second and third points in the form of a question about what would happen if we change the way the Social Club does business. Please remember that this is a discussion and not an attack it reflects only my opinion.

• Who will fund those park activities like coffee, popcorn, equipment upkeep, etc.?
• Will the Social Club exist to fund clubs or will each club fund their selves?
  

Well, this would be an operating point the Social Club itself would take up. In the past fund raisers and raffles have restocked the treasury well enough. We would expect that the Social Club would do as it always has and find the money in that way.
The direction the Social Club would take with earned money would be new and different. It would be dedicated to keeping up the activities that are shared by the clubs and to helping the clubs grow interest in the park.

Maybe the clubs would give a portion of their treasuries to subsidize the Social Club.
It might work as if the Social Club was our Federal Entertainment Government and the clubs as the States that it helps. Maybe not. How it would work would have to be worked out by an elected group of residents who would figure that out, we should think.

ST. PATRICK'S DAY POTLUCK...

RON THOMAS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16 @ 5PM Social hour... 6pm dinner.

Come to the Irish potluck this Wednesday Social Club is providing Corned beef, Cabbage and Potatoes.

As the potluck part you bring appetizers, desserts, and your other St Patrick Day dishes.

Remember to wear green, bring your own plates and eating utensils. Bring your own refreshments

Carol Stanley

According to Joann Corson, a close friend of Carol's there will be no memorial. Carol will be cremated.

Jim Jubb's home at509 NE 60th St. Click on each picture to enlarge them.

A new siding job in the park. Jim Jubb's home is the first home to be covered by plastic siding in our community. Previously this had not be allowed by management. Jim said that the entire job including the garage cost about $7000. The material is warranteed for the life of the home. Jim also said it will withstand winds of 130mph. It never needs painting and only needs to be washed off when dirty. Jim said the siding was put on with galvanized nails. The soffets can be seen in the above view and are now plastic also and the outside trim is anodized aluminum with a plastic covering pre-formed to fit.

He showed me a sample of it and it has a backing of foam which I presume is for insulation.

Still we would recommend that you check with the park manager before signing up with a contractor to do the job as you might conflict with park rules. Just a short time ago our neighbor across the street tried to do the same thing and was shut down by management. One of those folks suffered a heart attack and died shortly after that confrontation and his wife has sold and moved on.

ALWAYS CHECK WITH MANAGEMENT BEFORE STARTING ON A HOME IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

The new home construction on Evergreen..

ron thomas


Click on the above photos to enlarge. The lot around the new home is being backfilled with gravel ... just a guess would say preparation for a new garage is underway.

In the below article where folks expressed their opinions...

ron thomas

I promised to bring all the points back so we could look at them and have a more drilled down look at each point. So we could all decide if there is a good way to improve the point or let it stand as is.

That being said it is not the purpose here to create feelings of guilt. Nor, do we wish to challenge anybodies right to be an American and choose to do or think whatever they wish. Nor is one person's opinion to be taken as the way things must be said or done.It would be healthy if folks would not consider what is written here as a personal attack. If you really are upset about what you read let me invite you to sign on to this website as a team writer where you can write articles (called posts).This site is meant to be a forum, park news, and a fun entertainment place. It is continually evolving (changing) based on what is learned. The underlying rules for this place are follows:

• Follow The Golden Rule.
• No political discussions of the Republican vs the Democrat type.
• No religious protelitizing.

Now we would like to take the first bulleted point from the Evolve The Social Club article and look at it. Of course, since I am the only one writting.... What you read will be my OPINION which may not be the way you choose to view the subject... So make a comment and let's see what we can find out.

Here is point number 1 from the article:

The park will experience a social breakup, disintegrating into small splinter groups and limit socializing.

In MY OPINION:

The actual Social Club is made up of about 30 people who attend meetings and about 2/3 of that amount that help with Club Activities on a regular basis. What is the bussiness of the club? Historically it looks like whatever group is in charge is responsible for the care and feeding of about 30 to 80 people depending on whether the feeding is free or not. The closer to free food we go the more eaters we can expect.

Would a social break up then equate to... If people won't volunteer to cook and serve food then the Social Club will break up.

Now if the Social Club's bussiness were to grow clubs and not feed people. What would that do toward dividing the park?

Clubs would grow and people interested in their activities would join. they would eventually need money to operate and they would most likely have fund raisers which could be dinners and breakfasts. It is likely they would have a member base to carry that out. So the result is the same as far as dinners and breakfast go but the chore is spread around in a more equitable way.

Let me site a current example.... The group that plays pool at the clubhouse feels it needs to re-felt the pool tables, an expensive proposition. They think it's not right for the Social Club to be asked to foot the bill because they have a small group. Dick Bellingham, who is one of their members suggested that they paint a home this summer to help raise the funds necessary to do the job. In this instance if the club were short after their fund raiser the Social Club would help. Now that is an example of what will happen if clubs are supported and helped to grow.

If the Social Club got out of the food service business and went into helping clubs that serve the interests of park residents. More folks would be served. Already the clubs that exist in the park provide more activity for more than double the residents that the Social Club does. I say put the money where that interest lies and encourage growth in clubs by becoming sponsors of the clubs.

Long time former resident Carol Stanley...

Passed away March 9th. After a 2month hospital stay and 3 surgeries.

McKinley Services....

ron thomas


When you have a good experience with a contractor ... You ought to tell everybody about it. This is a fella that goes under your home and fixes level problems. In addition to that he found a water leak and fixed it. He came out with several recomendations. From instructions about air vents.. when to close them and when not to. Drainage ideas. And excellent suggetsions about what to do about your water heater to keep it from damaging your subfloor should it leak. These were all things I didn't know about with these modular homes since we had never had one before this experience.

My personal rating on a scale of one to five stars..... 5 stars. Price was $125.

Siding...

ron thomas


A few months ago one of the folks in the neighborhood had a new type of siding installed on their home. One that previously had not been allowed. Evidently this is a better product and the owner spoke to Brian Fitterer (one of the park owners) to get permission to install it.

We would like to know more about this product and if it is a better solution for the problems that affect home owners. Is anyone up on what this stuff is? If you are a reader and had it done could you share your experience with us?

If you would rather not write in the comments please email me at:
teckron@hotmail.com

and I will write about it here.

Evolving the Social Club, a vision....

Ron Thomas


There are loosely knit groups that come together to use the club house and provide entertainment for park residents. I think these groups would funtion better if they were clubs and I think that the Social Club would be the ideal body to support such groups and to have them take the lead in making park activities.

For instance, who knows more about cards? The Social Club or the Pinochle group? Let's just say the pinochle group became the card club. They have a weekly game that entertains 20 to 40 people and is open to all right now. In fact they probably entertain the most people in the park. Shouldn't they receive a large monetary support from the Social Club for doing a good job? What would they do if they were encouraged to grow their love of cards? Would they start having Texas Hold'em Tounaments? Maybe bridge would take a foothold.. Who knows what opportunities to increase park activities are being neglected?

For instance what if the Bingo group became a club? They already provide entertainment for about 14 people every two weeks but when the jackpots were around $50, 45 or so would come per night. If the Social Club granted them an extra stipend to increase jackpot size or provide refreshments what might happen? If that pot was $100 how many would come? What could be charged for cards? Even if the club was not capable of completely supporting itself 45+ people being entertained 2 times a month... I would call that a Social Club victory.

People like to eat... Why isn't there a diners club? Some people like to set up and cook meals at the club house but with a diners club local restraunts could be approached asking for discounts for club members who would visit their establishments on a regular basis. Using club power this group would garner savings.

There is a fisherman's club recently formed if the Social Club did something to help that group grow its membership what would happen? Maybe an all park fish fry.

There is a poker group.. What if the Social Club had a clear idea of how to help them and did... Would that increase the number of park people having fun?

Now imagine the Social Club providing seed money to folks wanting to form a new club like a computer club, coin club, stamp club, rockhounds, golf, gardening,wiffle ball, croquet, backgammon, checkers. chess, horseshoes, shuffleboard, sewing, quilting, bird watching.

In this manner the Social Club does not find itself locked into the outfit billed to provide dinners and breakfasts, and decorations but becomes the driving force behind helping all Social Activities park wide while the clubs support themselves for their own interests with members and their own money eventually. Meanwhile the Social Club gives them a start and later they maintain the social club perhaps with a member from each club on the board.

This approach is not meant to divide the park but provide more interests for the greater number of people thereby increasing more participation by more people.

This is a uniting idea, not a dividing idea.

What if the Social club lined up entertainment for the park instead of trying to do it? Paid for it. Should they get the local High School band, acapella chior, artists and donate to them for entertainment here at the park. What the hey! How about the band leading a parade up and down our streets?

That is my vision of the Social Club.... a body that helps our clubs organize events for the community. Clubs have the manpower to attain goals of interest to their members. The Social Club assists with money and advice. Eventually, the members of the clubs supply a member to the board of the Social Club and the clubs then run the Social Club.

Now I haven't asked anybody to feel bad. I don't mean you can't choose to do just what you want and when you want to do it. I'm not attacking your right to be an American. To those that feel that way I would say this article is not written for nor about you. This is simply an idea for changing the way the Social Club works... A different view of how it could work. I bear malice toward no one nor do I think my way is necessarily the only or right way. This is an idea I had and that's it. I would like comments exploring the why it may work or not. I would like to see your ideas added to this. I'm not to crazy about statements like, "I don't think this will work." with no explanation of why you think that.

One thing I would like to say is that I.... Me, personally will never grow tired of thanking and appreciating the many people who have helped the Social Club and its projects. I will never weary of holding them in the highest esteem. I will toot their horn every chance I have even if folks are tired of hearing it.

EVOLVING....

ron thomas

For those involved in or have read but not commented on the below article on Evolving the Social Club. I want to point out we are trying out something new... As commenting on the idea happens we pick up the negative features that folks are finding wrong with the idea and put them at the bottom of the article so you can easily see what folks think. This means the article may change several times a day. So even if you don't care to say anything you might want to take a look at the bulleted concerns at the bottom of that article to keep up with the discussion.

FIREFOX has a new security upgrade for users of this cool new browser...

from an email by jim dodds

In an email Jim Dodds wanted you Firefox users know that there is a new security update that is available for you to download. All you have to do is visit the below link and simply download the current version of Firefox which has the new fix. After it is done you will find a new icon on your desktop that says Firefox setup. Click it and follow the instructions... Problems give me a call.

Firefox

What's happening on the hill?

not so good pictures by ron thomas.. who would like a photagrapher to join the web page...hint

This is a new thing going on in the neighborhood. These are two views of the same new home put on Evergreen. The Newsletter says $130,000 is the asking price. Click on the photos to make them larger and then use your browser's back arrow to return to this page.

See a Visitor From Outter Space....

ron thomas

Accrding to the NASA web site we can expect to view the International Space Station in our sky... Check out this site for date and times (table is for Portland but should work here).

International Space Station

Evolve the Social Club...

ron thomas
EDITORS NOTE:
This article is provoking lively discussion which we feel is a good thing. As concerns over whether it is do-able or not come to the surface in the COMMENTS we will be putting them at the bottom of this article for you to consider. If you have any ideas how a negative concern can be fixed please put it in the COMMENTS.



The Social Club was created for the entertainment and enjoyment of all park residents.


Not All park residents care to be included in the entertainment and enjoyment of Social Club sponsored activities.

Some residents like to be involved if they do not have to do anything but come to an activity.

The same people volunteer to serve and help the Social Club attain its goals again and again until they are burnt out and then they quit, often bitterly, and take up volunteering into other activities outside the community that are more rewarding to the soul.

When the key volunteers quit and move on to other outside park organizations they leave a vacuum and no trained replacements. Many times those that followed our leaders leave with them and increase the vacuum even further.

New leaders with really no idea of the mechanics and politics of the park are sucked in by the vacuum of the trained leaders leaving.

New leaders may try to follow new ideas to improve the community. If they have the personality they may even attract new idealistic people to try and make the park into Nirvana. Everyone is filled with enthusiasm. New things are tried.. Some work. Some don't.

Eventually, the new leaders become the old leaders and those that work with them become a group of friends often referred to as a clique. Those that lead somehow reach a point of saturation where no one else comes forward to help. As time goes on more and more tasks are put on the members of this group because there are no more volunteers to do anything. This wearies everybody and leads to the eventual demise of the group in general as they leave the service of the Social Club for more rewarding outside park involvement.


And so it goes, cycle after cycle.
Recruitment after recruitment.

If you can see a train wreck coming do you sit and watch it or do you get out of the way?

Maybe we should stop the train and re-route it?

Here is an idea I had while Jacky was chasing me around the house with a broom.....

The Social Club exists with a treasury, leaders, and an agenda that calls for the entire park to be involved and have fun. I think the Social Club should be restructured. They should be the executive branch that controls the treasury that doles money out to individual clubs in the park. They should not be in charge of making park activities. Individual park clubs with their own special interests should be doing that.

A park club would be in charge of their own interests. They would decide what they want to do and attract interested members to do it. If they can't do that... Then ...No more club... Simple as that. Membership in all clubs must be open to any park resident. Each club would decide what it wants to do and how to do it. Each club would receive financing from the Social Club treasury as well as have its own money raising capability, such as dues, pay for events etc.

This could be a cure for what ails the park. Why?

• People would join those things that interest them.
• They would most likely have to support their club with money or time and would therefore not be seen as taking advantage of other members. In other words members would have a vested interest in their club and its advancement.
• People not interested in participating in a club but would like to attend a club sponsored event would pay what that club feels is a fair price for the efforts of its club members.
• Volunteers for a club would have far less responsibilities and demands put upon their time than the all encompassing Social Club now has.

This solution is good for our community. It provides a means for all to participate in what interests them and it provides for those that are interested but don't care to participate in a club (they pay as they go for what they want). It removes much of the burden of caring for the entire park from the Social Club. It also provides for those totally not interested in anything the park does as they will not be asked for anything.

Our reader's respond with these concerns about this article:

• The park will experience a social breakup, disintegrating into small splinter groups and limit socializing.
• Who will fund those park activities like coffee, popcorn, equipment upkeep, etc.?
• Will the Social Club exist to fund clubs or will each club fund their selves?
• A lack of interest is pervasive in the park and despite many attempts to overcome it. Nothing seems to work.
• This will further divide the park.
  
• Belonging to the community in general should not be based on whether a person chooses to be involved with the Social Club. If a person chooses not to particpate in activities they should not be made to feel guilty for that choice.
• Americans can choose what they want to do.
• Some folks are weary of hearing about what the volunteers at the Social Club do. They feel this makes them feel gulity and is unfair because they choose not to participate.
• How the Social Club disburses its money does not matter... to clubs or to the Social Club in general.
• Some would like clarification on what the Social Club was orignally formed for. What was it's purpose then?
  

At a later date we will discuss each concern by itself in a separate article and try to find a solution for it. Help for this might come from those of you who have lived in other retirement communities and have seen how they deal with these problems...Please join our forum we are eager to hear solutions.

• A side note. Do you see how we can add on to an article days after it has been written? This is what a member of the blog writing team has access to at any time. If you make a mistake you can just go back and correct it or add to an article if you get a thought ... at any time. This is the advantage of belonging to those that write on this page. Like the idea? email me .
  

So you like to watch the birds?

ron thomas

Well what we have is some nifty ideas on bird feeders and treats for your feathered friends from the Audubon Website.

Click here Audubon Society

Jack Scherer wanted this article posted...

Jack Scherer put this in my mailbox at the clubhouse and would like to point it out to you. I have seen it a couple of times before and somewhere in the archives it probably still exists... Nevertheless, it makes everyone think about telephone security. Here it is then....

I received a telephone call last evening from an individual identifying himself as an AT&T service technician who was conducting a test on telephone lines. He stated that to complete the test I should touch nine (9), zero (0), the pound sign (#), and then hang up. Luckily, I was suspicious and refused. Upon contacting the telephone company, I was informed that by pushing 90#, you give the requesting indiviual full access to your telephone line, which enables to place long distance calls billed to your home phone number. I was further informed that this scam has been originating from many local jails/prisons. I have also verified this information uf UCB Telecom, Pacific Bell, MCI, Bell Atlantic and GTE. Please beware. DO NOT press 90# for ANYONE> The GTE Security Department requestred that I share this information with everyone I know. Please pass this on to everyoner you know......

NEW POLITICAL WEBSITE BEING BUILT BY JIM DODDS..

In an email Jim Dodds speaks of a new site he is building for political discussion. Thanks Jim we will all look forward to seeing your new site and those that want to participate can follow the below link.

am in the process of creating " A World Of Weasels" website.

A frank, no holds barred political bashing website.

It has a corkboard to post commentary too.

If you would like to write an article or add an entire web page email me and I will set it up.
You may write or post anything you want.

Visit:

http://www.weasels.4mg.com

Jim

THE POWER OF THE FLOCK

Having just read an article in my Jan./Feb. 2005 Saturday Evening Post, I hope
you are interested in our Canadian Geese that settle on our lake here in the
LVH park at various times during the year. They are so graceful and other
than the "calling cards" they leave on the pathway and lawn, I love watching
them when they visit. The following is only the factual information from this
article by Reverend Ervin G. Roorda. I hope I'm not breaking any copyright
rules in sending this on.

Fact One: As each goose flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the birds that
follow. And by flying in a V formation. the whole flock adds 71 percent greater
flying range and is able to fly 75 percent faster than if each bird flew alone.

Fact Two: Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag
and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take
advantage of the lifting power of the other birds immediately in front of it.

Fact Three: When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into the formation
and another goose flies into the point position.

Fact Four: The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front
to keep up their speed.

Fact Five: When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot, two other geese always
drop out of formation and follow it down to help or protect it. They stay with it
either until it dies or is able to fly again. Then they launch out with another
formation and catch up with the flock.

Hummmm, I wonder whoever figured this all out. The complete article is very
interesting, and you can locate the magazine in the clubhouse just as soon as
I finish with it!

<==== March Newsletter is posted. Use the link on the left.

YOU GUYS NEED TO....

RON THOMAS


Make sure you know that the Okie Breakfast has changed to April 2nd. Somehow the newsletter called for it to happen this weekend. Don't know how that was decided. It takes a lot of time to reschedule events. You can't just say well we will have it next week. Doesn't work that way. FYI There is a private party at the clubhouse this Saturday. There are new posters describing upcoming events at the clubhouse so be sure and check the bulletin board.


Even if you signed up for the Okie Breakfast you will have to do it again. It is a new event with a new date and we really need to know how many are coming because the food is expensive and will be bought according to how many sign up. $3.50 per person... Season pass holders free.

We're sorry this event was cancelled but there wasn't a person working on it that didn't have the flu or was operated on. Not really the ideal condition for food handlers.

Another error reported that I would put the emergency red light system in a person's yard for $7.00. Sorry that just can't be done. It is about 7 times that much just for parts these days. However, our volunteers will put your house number on your post light and give the post a coat of flat black paint for $7.00. All proceeds go to the Social Club.

OUR HOME

Cities that visited our website yesterday...

ron thomas

Jim Dodds gave us a feature that accumulates statistics on our website. One of the most interesting for me is the folks who have looked in on us from all over the world... If you are traveling see if we caught you looking by seeing if we got your city... If you are a relative or friend drop a comment if we spotted you....or if you recognize a city that a friend may be looking let us know in the comments.


Here are the cities that looked yesterday:

YUMA AZ, CORVALIS OR, FOSTER CITY CA, MANASSAS VA, EUGENE OR, MOUNTAIN VIEW CA, PORT TOWNSEND WA, WALDPOR OR, PETERSBERG VA, MEDFORD OR, KANSAS CITY MO, MOBILE AL, ATLANTA GA, LOUISVILLE KY, SALEM OR,DULLES VA, MICHIGAN, SPOKANE WA, ST LOUIS MO, LANHAM MD, NAPLES FLA, MARINA DEL REY CA, SINGAPORE, FINLAND

PRETTY NEAT HUH?

Here is a link sent in by Jim Dodds...

jim dodds

Jim has found a link that he wants to share with you. It deals with ways to help our troops overseas... to give them support. He is hoping you will take time out for a look....

anysoldier.com

What Club...

ron thomas


Well we have the Fishermen's club. The Ladies' Coffee. The Social Club. Why aren't there more clubs? Perhaps a Computer Club? How about a Photograpy Club? There is a Pinochle Club and a Bingo club and even a Pool Player's Club.

Should there be a Craftsmen's Club for those with a special interest in tools and projects? Where is our Shuffleboard Club. How come there is not a walking or hiking club? How about a touring club? Where are the Texas Holdem club players?

Should we have a group that attends townhall meetings in Newport? Where are the volunteers for the Police department? Is there a religious study group that should be meeting at the clubhouse?

Should we be exploring more ways to help our troops... Is there a club for that? Where are the noon time Checker Players? We could use a Chess Club too. How come we don't have a Horseshoe tournament? Do those that play Golf think about teaching new comers to the sport how to play?


Where are the funny dressed dog shows? Don't forget the electric cart races. How come our musicians don't have a club? Where did the folks that have motorhomes hold their annual trek to this year. Where are the gardeners meeting this week. Don't forget the artists and the quilters.. We know they are just itching to teach new members about their craft.


This place could be so much more...... When you are having fun you live longer... When a newcomer wants to buy here they like to see what we do for fun. Let's make it attractive... Well? Got ideas where to start?

Five views of the same picture using some of the hundreds of choices available in Picasa

Download Picasa for free ... use the link on the left side of the page.


make the photo larger by clicking on it... to return here again... use your web browsers back arrow.

ori

Patrol

Thoughts on folks away from home...

ron thomas
Have you noticed that we have a link on the left for a form that can be filled out to notify your Neighborhood Watch Captian that you are out of town? What if we had a group of people willing to do an occasional walk around of these folks homes while they are away? They could look for problems and we could notify the owners if there is a problem. Really wouldn't be to much of an imposition on those that walk the community on a regular basis.... They could just give a home a once over by walking around it and filing a computer report or phoning a report to a co-ordinator who would contact the home owner if necessary.

Walkers Wanted to inspect homes for away homeowners. Co-ordinator wanted to keep track of reports and notify homeowners if there is a problem.

Plea for Newsletter help

Look... You all like the Newsletter.. Right?

ron thomas


That's right I knew you would say "yes". Whenever the community has to be notified of something the first thing off everybody's lips is, "We'll put an announcement in the Newsletter." Here is what you are really saying... "We will tell the volunteers on the Newsletter to compose, and print the notice and then get it out to the community on time." Then we just forget about it and it is done.


What wheels are set in motion from that request? A volunteer takes time out to compose the request on his computer and then must arrange it to fit the newsletter format (Jim and Marilynn McCrea). Currently, another volunteer collects the money from advertisers (Jim and Jean Hart) and brings their ads to our editor who physically cuts and pastes them onto sheets of paper. Then on deadline day the completely arranged newsletter is copied and sent to our professional printer (John Forsloff) with the ads. The Newsletter is printed at a greatly reduced cost to the residents of this park thanks to a ... Volunteer (John Forsloff). Once the newsletter is published the Newsletter editor (Jim McCrea) has to see that they are delivered to your mailbox at the clubhouse. Then (he/she) have to rearrange the Newsletter into a format that can be published on our website copy of the newsletter for all those folks that are absent from the park and then do that.


Jim McCrea, Jim Hart and John Forsloff need help with these volunteer jobs. I think we can agree that they are already dedicating a lot of time for for the folks of the park. Who has not seen them helping to setup at a function or selling raffle tickets? Have you seen Jim taking time to interview residents about things of interest for the newsletter? Have you seen Jean Hart sending out cards of encouragement for the Sunshine committee for those of us that are ill or conducting the ladies coffee meetings? Probably not... We have come to expect that someone else with a lot of time on their hands will do all these things for us...They have nothing else to do and must be bored... After all we are very busy doing our thing in retirement....Right?


So when Jim McCrea called today to ask if I would take on making the ads for the newsletter because he doesn't know how to do it and has to actually use scissors and glue to cut and paste now. ... I felt inclined to help but in order to do the cut and paste operation with a computer a scanner is necessary. Mine is broken and can't be fixed. I told him no, I could not but I would appeal to the community.


What about it? A lot of you have a scanner. Say you have one and don't know how to use it? So you aren't going to volunteer to help do this job? Hey! I have a deal for you! I will come to your home and give you personal instuction on how to use it and cut and paste the ads for the Newsletter...


This community will grow closer every time a person steps forward and says , "I can do that". Every time a person takes a small piece of the load for the community it helps those that carry the greater burden. Come on.. Let's give our Newsletter volunteers a hand... You can do it.. Do I see some hands raising out there?

Books, Books, Books

BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS

 

Today I went to the archives to learn when I had sent in my first

book report.  It was 12-18-04!  How time does fly.  Ron followed

with a book report but no others have taken the time to share

a book report with us.  I know that there are many, many readers

here in the park by the books that are returned for the library

committee (consisting of two) to reshelf them.  Since 12-18-04

I have read several books but none worth writing about.  Most

were the "quick read" mysteries while waiting for sleep to take

over at night.  However, a friend loaned me the second book

that I have read by author, Dan Brown....'Deception Point'.  It

was a great read, very, very detailed but was difficult to lay it

down and do any chores.  Most times the chores just had to wait

until I arrived at a stopping point.  Dan Brown writes short chapters

and the following chapter is about something or someone else.  It

makes for good reading!  I highly recommend it.  Check the lVH

library to see if there is a copy there.  The first book I read of Dan

Brown was "Angels and Demons".  Excellent.  I have a card file of

books I have read since 1993 and rate them 1-5.  Angels and

Demons received a 4, but my rating of "Deception Point"  will

be a 5.  Rain is hopefully arriving the end of the coming week.

Check out a book, read it and tell us about it.

 

Cleda Hampton

TEST

WAITING FOR PUBLISH
--
Ron Thomas

Where "R" the Writers ? Send in the Writers...

ron thomas

Since we had our problem with spammers putting advertisements on the webpage we've had NO articles written by anybody but me. This of course leads to a boring and stilted web site with only one writer.It also leads to me running out of ideas as to what should be here on the page.

We had to take measures to remove those that had access to the website to publish posts (articles) in order to isolate where the SPAM ATTACK was coming from. At present there are NO folks signed on to publish articles. All that were had to be deleted to get rid of the Spam Virus that was causing the problem.


I would like to tell you a little bit about how this website works. There is the position of ADMINISTRATOR... This is typically the owner of the site. This person can alter the way the the page looks and what it can do by use of a code called HTML (hyper text machine language). This person can write and publish articles using a special word processor called an HTML EDITOR. This EDITOR allows one to put in colors, bolding, and different sizes of type face and also provides a means to which the writer can install any HTML coding that they may want. But it is in its most basic essence just a typewriter with a few extra bangles tacked on. If you use it... You only use those features that you know how to use. The ADMINISTRATOR also can edit and delete any article published on the site.

TEAM MEMBERS of the webpage are those that sign up to write on a regular basis on our website. They are given access to the HTML EDITOR to write and edit their own articles (called POSTS) but cannot do anything to other folks POSTS. They can come back and correct (EDIT)errors in their writing.

Everybody else can write on the page (MAKE A POST) by simply sending an email to the SPECIAL E-MAIL PUBLISHING ADDRESS. When something you write is sent to this address it is posted , usually within minutes, after you send it. This is done automatically. We DO NOT publish this address here on the website because this leads to SPAMMERS acquiring the means to send their junk to the website. Still, after a time the SPAMMERS inevitably find the address and we have to change it and then notify everybody to get it again.

This then is a capsule of how this page works. We would like you to participate. You can find the SPECIAL EMAIL ADDRESS posted on the bulletin board at the clubhouse or you can email me CLICK HERE and I will send it to you. Anybody that reads our website can get this address. That includes our children, grandchildren and other interested folks. Those who would like to gain the degree of access to the website of a TEAM MEMBER should also send an email to me and we will get you set up.

Finally, you should know the rules of this website. They have evolved to these rules of the road:


* The GOLDEN RULE is in force at all times. Do unto your neighbors as you would have them do unto you.

* Articles prostelitizing religion not allowed. We will create a site for those wishing to do so in the community as soon as a person willing to be responsible for it volunteers. Of course we will teach them how to use it too.

* Political discussions or articles not allowed. As soon as Jim McCrea gets back from vacation he has agreed to host such a site and we will build it for him linking it to our website.



That about sums up the website. I hope to see more participation. When even the comments fall off it is hard to see if we are going in the right-write direction.

classic cars

This one is for you Frank Mazzeo and all you other classic car buffs

ron thomas


Have a taste for the big machines of bygone years? Here you can find pictures and statistics of the classics ... Check out their pictures link ...

CLICK HERE

crossword puzzles

Crossword Puzzles anyone?

ron thomas


We will be trying out some new links here for your enjoyment. If you like something comment on it and we will link it to the web page for easy access. Here is one that provides different size Crossword puzzles. Follow their instructions on selecting a puzzle and you will have it right there on your screen where you can copy it with your printer... hours of fun. The solution to each puzzle is a link in the top right corner of the puzzle... Enjoy.

CROSSWORDS CLICK HERE

BEFORE PICASA IS APPLIED (THIS CAN BE VIEWED IN THIS SIZE ONLY and in the dark)



AFTER APPLYING PICASA (THIS CAN BE ENLARGED BY CLICKING ON THE PICTURE)


DOWNLOAD PICASA FOR FREE FROM THE LINK ON THE LEFT....

New Items For Sale on the Electronic Bulletin Board!!

fritterer

fyi....

Jean Hart called and said there was a story on TV channel 8 about a modular home park being sold to its renters by one of the people that owns this park, Brian Fitterer. Research on the net revealed this story from the Keizer newspaper. We've put here for your information.CLICK HERE FOR THE STORY

Residents meet, fear property loss

Published: February 11, 2005

By ERIC A. HOWALD of the Keizertimes



Last month, the owner of a Keizer manufactured home park used a relatively recent Oregon law to try to force park residents to buy the land on which their homes sit or have it sold from underneath them.

On Monday, residents of another Keizer park owned by the same man gathered to discuss how they could prevent that from happening to their homes.

Residents of Briarwood Estates, off Chemawa Road North, met to discuss their options if the park owner, Brian Fitterer of Newport Beach, Calif., decides to convert the park into a subdivision and sell lots individually.

Contacted by phone this week, Fitterer said that he has no plans to convert the park right now.
In November, Fitterer notified residents of his other local park, Iris Village in North Keizer, that they would either need to purchase their lots or risk having the land placed on the open market.
Fitterer is allowed to sell lots individually once a park has been converted into a subdivision because of a bill passed by the Oregon Legislature in 2003.

He contends that by allowing the residents to purchase the land on which their home sits residents will build greater equity in their property.

"For some reason, it hasn't been explained well to the residents at Iris Village, but many of the ones I have talked to personally have decided to purchase their lots. Right now there is a lot of miscommunication which we're trying to sort out," Fitterer said.

However, according to Pat Schwoch, executive director of Manufactured Home Owners of Oregon Inc., Fitterer is abusing a law intended for different use.

Schwoch has been an activist for the rights of manufactured home owners for more than six years, and MHOO was an active participant when the legislation was drafted.
"We wanted park owners to be able to sell lots to fill empty spaces with stick-built homes, but we never intended for it to be used as a tool to remove people from the property they are renting," said Schwoch.

Schwoch attended the meeting of Briarwood Estates residents Monday because of her role as an activist, and because she's encountered Fitterer before.
"He owns several parks in Oregon, and he's the poster boy for the reason why our organization exists," said Schwoch.

Swoch's organization is investigating the situation at Iris Village and hopes to draft legislation to prevent the tactic at other parks in the future.
Advocates for the residents of Iris Village say the tenants should have been notified in writing that their park was being converted to a subdivision. Instead, survey crews inspecting the park's qualifications for conversion to a subdivision were the ones to inform most of the residents.

"That was the first time we heard anything about it," said Donna Burleigh, a former assistant manager at Iris Village.

Residents were told that they would have until Jan. 29 to either purchase their property or risk it being sold. Since the story mhttp://www.keizertimes.com/admin/images/addstory.gifade headlines two weeks ago, the deadline has been extended to March 1.

Fitterer said the window was extended to allow residents the right of first refusal, which began Jan1.

Two vacant lots have already been placed on the market and a few residents have secured financing to buy their lots, but many are opting to move.

Even if residents can secure financing, loan approval can entail a host of expenses including the condition that the home be placed on a foundation prior to or after the approval.

Since conversion to a subdivision has not yet begun at Briarwood Estates, the residents still have options. They can appeal to the city to disallow conversion or they could opt to form a non-profit corporation and purchase it themselves - a solution that has worked in both California and Oregon.

"At least know we know what's coming and we can act to prevent it," said Schwoch.