IBM To Sell Out To China

IBM plans to exit PC business

International Business Machines Corp. has put its personal computing business up for sale in a deal that could be worth as much as $2 billion. Lenovo Group Ltd., China's top PC manufacturer, and at least one other company are said to be in talks with IBM. In its first disclosure that a deal may be imminent, Lenovo said it was in acquisition talks with a major technology company, without identifying the firm. The move to dispose of its PC business, which IBM started two and a half decades ago, is part of a long-standing effort by IBM to reduce its exposure to the market. It already relies on contract manufacturing partners, including a joint venture with China's Great Wall Technology, to produce all of its PCs. The deal would propel Lenovo from eighth place among PC manufacturers to the No. 3 position, combining its own 2.2 percent share with the 5.5 percent held by IBM. IBM's PC business employs roughly 10,000 people, including about 2,300 in the United States -- mostly product designers, marketers and sales specialists -- and some 7,700 overseas, a company spokesman said.

The latter includes more than 4,000 manufacturing workers in China employed by IBM's joint venture with Great Wall Technology in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. Most IBM ThinkPads are built through this joint venture.

Well I guess that would mean all 10,000 jobs are lost to China !!
First WalMArt now IBM
Merry Christmas
To The Already 7,700 lost jobs.

Email IBM Click Here

Blog Has No Borders

From France to Canada this blog is spanning the world. If you don't think "Life On The Hill" finds interested people from around the globe visiting us, ask Ron or myself....

If you have a thought or poem...
Blog it.

Your favorite dinner dish or dessert...
Blog it.

Start writing a book and Blog it.

Put your photos here for share with the world...

Blog it...

House To House Search

Trying To Imagine Urban Warfare

I watch and read the news everyday on the fighting in Fallujah, not realizing the true extent of what our troops are up against until I ran across this ariel map of Fallujah taken last November. Dialup users beware this is a 12Mb file but very well worth a close look at the true meaning of house to house search. After seeing this map indeed a few extra prayers will be said tonight for our troops stationed there.

Click Here To View The Map

Mouse Lesson 1

Mouse Lesson No. 1

Cute Picture ??

Not if it just suddenly appears on your computer !!

New worm out click here to read about Mugly.

Firewall Safety

Firewall Safety

Off to the right I posted a new article, Understanding Your Firewall, a firewall is a piece of hardware or software that stops would-be idiots from hijacking your computer, special note for cable and satallite users,the DNS range is more widely know than for dialup accounts. I have Charter Cable so I expect a few more idiots to scan for open ports over a dialup account as cable companies use a specific DNS range (DNS=your computer's address and location). Windows XP has a built-in firewall so make sure it is turned on. Other operating systems need to have a firewall added in. If you don't think you need a firewall and that nobody is interested in you, think again, these jerks scan entire ranges of DNS's looking for an open door. I posted the article and am doing so here to let you know how important it is. To show my point I was going to add my BlackIce (Firewall software) log here but realized it is three pages long just for the last 24 hours. A total of 186 idiots out there just scanning the internet for somebody to have the door open. Just when you thought email was the only way to get hacked...those 186 idiots may have found your door open !

If you need help turning on your firewall or need one, give me a buzz.

Ha Ha Internet

Technical Cyber Security Alert TA04-336A

THIS IS THE ONE JIM

Cyber Security Bulletin SB04-336

Cyber Security Bulletin SB04-336
Microsoft Internet Explorer 'Save Picture As' Image Download Spoofing

System effected
Microsoft
Internet Explorer 6.0 with Windows XP SP2

A vulnerability exists which can be exploited by malicious people to trick users into downloading malicious files. The vulnerability is caused due to Internet Explorer using the file extension from the URL's filename when saving images with the 'Save Picture As' command and also strips the last file extension if multiple file extensions exist. This can be exploited by a malicious web site to cause a valid image with malicious, embedded script code to be saved with an arbitrary file extension.

Workaround: Disable the 'Hide extension for known file types' option and add the proper extension to the file name in the File name box when saving.

A Proof of Concept exploit has been published.

Secunia Advisory ID, SA13317, November 26, 2004

Perchlorate

Perchlorate

The government has found traces of a rocket fuel chemical in organic milk in Maryland, green leaf lettuce grown in Arizona and bottled spring water from Texas and California.

What's not clear is the significance of the data, collected by the Food and Drug Administration through August 19.

Sufficient amounts of perchlorate can affect the thyroid, potentially causing delayed development and other problems.

Full story....

Federal agencies have been trying since the early 1990s to determine what level of perchlorate is safe.

You would think in 14 years they would know...

Exploratory Data on Perchlorate in Food - FDA Website

Most Looked Up Word

A four-letter term that came to symbolize the difference between old and new media during this year's presidential campaign tops U.S. dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster's list of the 10 words of the year.

Merriam-Webster Inc. said on Tuesday that blog, defined as "a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments and often hyperlinks," was one of the most looked-up words on its Internet sites this year.

Full Story Here...

Little beknownst, I am also an earthquake buff. So here's a link to a "VERY" cool software that just happens to also be "FREE" from the USGS.
Slope Performance During an Earthquake

Java Programs for using Newmark’s method and simplified decoupled analysis to model slope performance during earthquakes

Randall W. Jibson and Matthew W. Jibson

Request a copy of this FREE program on CD-ROM from the author
(Please include the mailing address you want it sent to!)

P.S. Mailed to you free too....

I love the USGS !!!

Mini-Putt

Mini-Putt

Can anybody beat a par 39?

The Box

Thinking Outside The Box

Thinking Outside the Box means thinking beyond the parameters of human consciousness and experience - to see beyond the norm - to be a visionary - to activate your DNA. We exist inside the box - the physical plane - but we soon evolve our conscious awareness back to its source of creation - outside the box.



Imagine your experience in third dimension as a puzzle box.
The spheres, rods, grids, holding it in place.
When you think outside the box, the box goes away.
[Note; 3x3=9=closures, endings]

Physical reality is the Tree of Life.
Tree=wood
Geometric shapes - Platonic Solids -
create physical forms that keeps you inside the box.
When you awaken - you move your consciousness 'outside the box'.

Pinocchio was a wooden puppet who became a physical boy.
He was guided by the 'Blue Fairy' (Blue=blueprint of our reality)
In many meditations I have seen humanity as puppets on strings.
To prove himself, he entered the water
(collective unconscious - creation)
and saved his creator, Geppetto.

Are you trapped inside the box?
Can you think 'outside of the box'?
It means leaving behind frustration, anger, stress, and fear.
Can you be creative?
Can you manifest in a reality of infinite possibilities?

Relax. Close your eyes.
See yourself 'in the box'.
Now visualize yourself
or remote view yourself moving
'outside of the box'.

What do you see?

If reality is a 'box'
created by electromagnetic energy grids
how does one use the hidden key to unlock the door
to become free of the pull of the grid of emotions and
able to think 'out of the box' and into higher awareness?

Metaphors: The Ark of the Covenant
is a box which holds a source of creational light energy
that works as a generator or battery in our reality.
Creation takes place outside of the box.
How does one move 'out of the box' to find the true
source of the power or light that forms our reality? The box is also a vessel. Your physical form is often referred to as a vessel at the heart of which is your soul spark of light. When you move your consciousness 'out of the box'
you move out of your physical form.

We also have Jack in the BoX
who is the Clown, Trickster, Joker
who is linked to the elements of surprise
music, geometry and The Game of 3D.
When you think 'out of the box'
you can think beyond his Game.


The Sepher Yetsira (Sefer Yetzirah): Cube of Space

Does the box have many layers and dimensions?
Is(?) Humanity evolving out of the box and into the light of creation.

POW/MIA INTERNET BLACKOUT DAY

POW/MIA INTERNET BLACKOUT DAY

Back in August I made an early commitment to shut down the following sites for 24 hours, for the people who visit one or more of these sites I will from time to time be reminding you of this commitment I made and that these's sites will be closed:

http://millenniumgroup.4mg.com
http://virusnews.4mg.com
http://newport.4mg.com
http://oregon.4mg.com
http://pow-mia.4mg.com

To View The Page That Will Display Click Here


There will be NO redirect on these sites,
THEY WILL BE CLOSED.
Only the above banner will load.
All other sites will be open.
Thank You

Poem.gif

Easily Made With GIF Constructor (classes anyone?)

Grinch

Couple points Grinchly finger at neighbors

MONTE SERENO, California (AP) -- For six years, Alan and Bonnie Aerts transformed their Silicon Valley home into a Christmas wonderland, complete with surfing Santa, jumbo candy canes and a carol-singing chorus of mannequins.

Visitors loved it.

Last year, after NBC's "Weekend Today" featured the $150,000 display of custom-designed props, more than 1,500 cars prowled the Aertses' cul-de-sac in this upscale San Jose suburb each night.

This year, though, the merry menagerie stayed indoors. Instead, on the manicured lawn outside the couple's Tudor mansion stands a single tiding: a 10-foot-tall Grinch with green fuzz, rotting teeth, and beet-red eyeballs.

The Aertses erected the smirking giant to protest the couple across the street -- 16-year residents Le and Susan Nguyen, who initiated complaints to city officials that the display was turning the quiet neighborhood into a Disneyesque nightmare.

Alan Aerts, who makes sure the Grinch's spindly finger points directly to the Nguyens' house, says the complaints killed the exhibit. They also violated the Christmas spirit, he said.

"When I grew up, people decorated everything -- it was wonderful to be a kid," said the 48-year-old soft drink distributor and philanthropist. "If you can't even put up a display these days, what kind of people have we become?"

The Nguyens say that even after the Aertses hired a security guard to help direct traffic, the commotion kept them from having friends over for their own lower-key celebrations.

"We wake up to Christmas for about 45 days of the year," said Le Nguyen, 55. "You ever seen the movie 'Groundhog Day?' It's just like that."

The exhibition's death knell came last year, when the Nguyens collected 90 signatures of protest from residents, and the city council voted to require a permit for any exhibit lasting longer than three days.

Mayor Erin Garner voted against it, saying he thought the Aertses provided a community service.

"It will be a crying shame if (Alan) doesn't put his holiday lights up this year," he told the San Jose Mercury News.

After studying the application process, the Aertses decided the usual display wasn't worth the hassle.

So Alan Aerts, a 6-foot-5 amateur body builder, commissioned the $2,500 motorized Grinch statue, which waves its arms and emits steam as a raspy tenor belts out, "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch."

Susan Nguyen, 52, is unmoved.

"It was oppressive," she said. "Maybe not if you just spent 10 minutes admiring it from your car, but if you lived next door, it was definitely oppressive."

Ahhhh, the true meaning of Christmas displayed by these folks.......

trivia from a twisted mind

Nigerian Loan Scams - 419 Scam

Nigerian Loan Scams - 419 Scam Information

Nigerian, or "419", scams are one of the most common types of fraudulent email currently hitting inboxes. The scam messages can also arrive via fax or letter. The messages generally claim that your help is needed to access a large sum of money, usually many millions of dollars. In fact, this money does not exist. The messages are an opening gambit designed to draw potential victims deeper into the scam. Those who initiate a dialogue with the scammers by replying to the scam messages will eventually be asked for advance fees supposedly required to allow the deal to proceed. They may also become the victims of identity theft.

For More Information, click on the Internet and Phone Scams Icon on the left toolbar of this page.

Holiday Travel

Are you traveling tomorrow ?
Have friends and/or family coming in ?

Weather Links Click On Them

National Interstate Road Conditions

F.A.A. Air Traffic Control System Command Center (Airport Conditions)

Interactive National Severe Weather Map

Happy Holidays

Thanksgiving Post Day 2

THANKSGIVING DINNER
ETIQUETTE TIPS

After tasting the turkey never ask,"Is this Cosco?"

There is an old saying that fish and visitors stink after 3 days. We at Comedyzine also have a saying. Never tell any of your fellow guests that they smell like fish.

If the turkey is too dry, it is okay to spit on your turkey however refrain from spitting on your neighbor's turkey.

Do not blow your nose on the tablecloth. You may use the tablecloth as a napkin by tucking it into your pants. It is important to remove the tablecloth from your pants when leaving the table.

Keys, purses and briefcases should be kept off the dinner table at all times. Same goes for cats, ant farms, used hyperdermic needles, anything furry and moving and missing digits from deceased family members.

Refrain from speaking with your mouth full. If you must speak, spit your food out on the carpet and then say whatever is on your mind.

Remember to keep your elbows off the table and to sit up straight. If you have doubts about where your hands belong then just put them in your lap.

If you find a hair in your soup, eat around it. Same goes for a toupee.

If you have a food particle trapped in your teeth, do not pick at it with your fork. You could put a hole in your cheek. The unsightly hole and the huge amount of blood loss will not only be embarrassing, it will also make it more difficult to enjoy your meal. Also a knife works better.

Feel free to smoke at the dinner table. If you need an ashtray just use the glass of the person sitting next to you. Preferably when he/she is looking the other way.

If you need to take medication while at the table, no explanations are necessary. However if you require a blood transfusion during dinner, it is appropriate to let the host/hostess know beforehand.

Always pass the food to your right. Even if there is no one on your right and in doing so you would be dropping food on the floor. Remember, etiquette first.

It is impolite to salt your food before tasting it. It is also considered impolite to regurgitate your food after tasting it.

Never juggle your cutlery.

If you happen to pass gas at the table, always blame the dog. If they have no dog then blame the person next to you. Never blame the goldfish.

Only AFTER dinner is it appropriate for you to do your 'pull the tablecloth without disturbing any of the dishes' trick. Remember even if the trick fails, a broken dish is one less dish to wash.

It is rude to salt and pepper your food before tasting it. It is really rude to salt and pepper the food of the person next to you, unless of course you tasted it first.

Never ask the hostess for ketchup.

Refrain from the ventriloquist act yelling "ouch" as if it came from the turkey as it is carved.

Don't use the chainsaw to carve the turkey.

Thanksgiving Post Day 1

HOW THANKSGIVING DAY HAS CHANGED IN MODERN TIMES

The pilgrims started Thanksgiving Day by breaking thanksgiving bread with the Indians. Today many Americans enjoy Thanksgiving Day gambling in Indian Casinos losing all their bread.

President Truman started the tradition of the President of the United States pardoning the White House turkey as a gesture of goodwill. Starting with President Clinton after he pardons the turkey, Republicans call for the Attorney General to appoint an independent counsel to investigate why he pardoned the turkey.

When Thanksgivings Day began it was a time when people shared their food with Indians. Today we pay disrespect to Indians by naming football teams such as the Redskins after their ethnicity and watching Cowboys.

Originally the Pilgrims had thanksgiving as a day of prayer. Today American still consider it a day of prayer as they pray for their favorite football team to win.

Thanksgiving started as the season to give thanks for our union with our families. Today we give thanks not just for our families but for our stepfather's families and our stepmother's families. We celebrate our dysfunctional families as a truly American phenomenon.




Click Here To See The Village Turkeys


Ckick Here To See The Mice Praying

Donate Your Computer Idle Time

Donate Your Computer Idle Time

Does your computer run idle during the day?
Do you let your computer run all the time?

If you answered yes to either question, I have a proposal for you...

A number of years back Berkeley started a program call SETI@Home, SETI@home is a scientific experiment that uses Internet-connected computers in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). You download their free software and while your computer just sits idle it downloads and analyzes radio telescope data looking for communications from a far away civilization. I have ran it for a long time now and it uses almost zero computer resources. By utilizing millions of home computers it helps solve the problem of sorting through mountains of data. A very worthy project considering the stories you could tell if "your" computer found that telltale signal.

Which brings me to point out a new launch project structured after the SETI@Home efforts called;

World Community Grid - A very worthy project to get involved with...
Based on the same structure you download their software and while your computer is idle it analyzes their mountains of data.

-Human Proteome Folding Project-

World Community Grid is focusing on a project key to advancing our knowledge of human disease. By identifying the proteins that make up the Human Proteome, scientists can build the understanding needed for novel and effective treatments for diseases like cancer, HIV/AIDS, SARS, and malaria. Here again using millions of home PC's to sort through all that data.

Very worthy projects that you can help out with by donating your computer downtime, to learn more about either of these two projects just left click on the blue highlighted words in this message.

Your Great Great Grandchildren reading their text book in school that's says "thier" Great Great Grandparents Computer found the cure !!!

W32.Sober.I@mm

W32.Sober.I@mm


A new mass-mailing worm has been discovered today, opening rate Level 3.

More info click here

Please update your virus definitions ASAP.

Dog & Leopard

The Dog and The Leopard
========================

A wealthy man decided to go on a safari in Africa. He took his
faithful pet dog along for company. One day the dog starts
chasing butterflies and before long he discovers that he is
lost. So, wandering about he notices a leopard heading rapidly
in his direction with the obvious intention of having lunch.

The dog thinks, "Boy, I'm in deep doo doo now."

Then he noticed some bones on the ground close by, and
immediately settles down to chew on the bones with his back to
the approaching cat.

Just as the leopard is about to leap, the dog exclaims loudly,
"Man, that was one delicious leopard. I wonder if there are any
more around here?" Hearing this the leopard halts his attack in
mid stride, as a look of terror comes over him, and slinks away
into the trees.

"Whew," says the leopard, "That was close.
That dog nearly had me."

Meanwhile, a monkey who had been watching the whole scene from a
nearby tree, figures he can put this knowledge to good use and
trade it for protection from the leopard.

So, off he goes. But the dog saw him heading after the leopard
with great speed, and figured that something must be up. The
monkey soon catches up with the leopard, spills the beans and
strikes a deal for himself with the leopard.

The leopard is furious at being made a fool of and says,
"Here monkey, hop on my back and see what's going to happen to
that conniving canine."

Now the dog sees the leopard coming with the monkey on his back,
and thinks, "What am I going to do now?"

But instead of running, the dog sits down with his back to his
attackers pretending he hasn't seen them yet.

Just when they get close enough to hear, the dog says,

"Where's that monkey. I just can never trust him.
I sent him off half an hour ago to bring me another leopard,
and he's still not back!!"

Credit Card Scam

Please read this information on a current VISA & MasterCard Telephone
Credit Card Scam. By understanding how the scam works, you'll
Be better prepared to protect yourself. Thanks to Dr. Pat Cloney
for passing this on. These con artists get more creative every day.

My husband was called on Wednesday from "VISA", and I was called on
Thursday from "MasterCard". The scam works like this:

Person calling says, "this is , and I'm calling from the
Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge number is
12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase
pattern, and I'm calling to verify. This would be on your VISA
card which was issued by bank. Did you purchase an
Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a marketing
company based in Arizona?"

When you say "No", the caller continues with, "Then we will
be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have
been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just
under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before
your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your
address), is that correct?"

You say "yes". The caller continues... "I will be starting a
Fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should
call the 1-800 number listed on the back of your card (1-800-VISA)
and ask for Security. You will need to refer to this Control #"
The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. "Do you need me to
read it again?"

Here's the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works. The caller then says,
"he needs to verify you are in possession of your card".

He'll ask you to "turn your card over and look for some numbers.
There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are your card number, the next 3
are the 'Security Numbers' that verify you are in possession of the
card. These are the numbers you use to make Internet purchases
to prove you have the card. Read me the 3 numbers". After you
tell the caller the 3 numbers, he'll say ,"That is correct. I just
needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that
you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?"
After you say No, the caller then Thanks you and states, "Don't
hesitate to call back if you do", and hangs up.

You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the
card number. But after we were called on Wednesday, we called
back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The REAL
VISA Security Department told us it was a scam and in the last 15
minutes a new purchase of $497.99 was charge on on our card.

Long story made short, we made a real fraud report and closed
the VISA card, and they are reissuing us a new number. What the
scammers wants is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card.
Don't give it to them. Instead, tell them you'll call VISA or Master
card direct. The real VISA told us that they will never ask for
anything on the card as they already know the information since
they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN
Number, you think you're receiving a credit. However, by the time
you get your statement, you'll see charges for purchases you didn't
make, and by then it's almost to late and/or harder to actually file
a fraud report.

What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from
a "Jason Richardson of MasterCard" with a word-for-word repeat of the
VISA scam. This time I didn't let him finish. I hung up!

We filed a police report, as instructed by VISA. The police said they
are taking several of these reports daily! They also urged us to tell
everybody we know that this scam is happening.

Please pass this on to all your friends. By informing each other, we
protect each other. Thank-You.

Mydoom

Latest Mydoom Virus May Signal Dreaded 'Zero Day' Attack

Reprinted From: Computerworld NOV 15, 2004

The latest version of the Mydoom virus suggests to security experts that a much-anticipated "zero day" attack may have already arrived.


"Zero day" refers to an exploit, either a worm or a virus, that arrives on the heels of, or even before, the public announcement of a vulnerability in a computer system. This week's version of Mydoom appeared only two days after a security flaw in Windows Internet Explorer was made public by two hackers, according to reports.


What's different about this version of the virus is that instead of attaching itself to an e-mail as an executable program, it appears instead as a Web link within the text of an e-mail message. Clicking on the link will direct a person's browser to another Web site that will exploit an IFrames vulnerability in Internet Explorer and thereby infect that person's machine.


"Up until today, every worm that came out had a fix and that fix was out there for some time," said Stuart McClure, president and chief technology officer of Foundstone Strategic Security in Mission Viejo, Calif.


McClure suggests that it will be only a short time before a worm or virus appears exploiting an unknown vulnerability with no mechanism to fix it. The time difference between when security vulnerabilities become known and exploits are created to take advantage of those flaws has been shrinking for some time. Two years ago, that time difference was somewhere between four and six weeks.


"For the first six months of this year, [that difference] was about 5.8 business days, and in this most recent case, it was just two days," said Alfred Huger, senior director of engineering at Symantec Corp. in Calgary, Alberta. "The problem is that it is extremely difficult for a vendor to put out a patch in that short of a time."


Carol Terentiak, security strategy and response manager at Microsoft Canada Co. in Mississauga, Ontario, said this version of Mydoom suggests that virus and worm writers are becoming more sophisticated and going beyond merely tweaking existing virus code. They are doing more sophisticated work by first prying apart and looking for problems in the systems they may want to compromise, she said.


There was some suggestion that the release of the virus was timed to disrupt Microsoft's monthly security bulletin. Each month, Microsoft releases a security bulletin that provides customers with information about security issues, exploits and fixes that are available. The timing of this Mydoom variant indicated to some that its author may have hoped to trip up the bulletin by showing it to be inadequate in providing up-to-date security information and fixes to Microsoft customers.


Terentiak said Microsoft users who have installed Service Pack 2 for Windows XP are already at a reduced risk of having problems with this virus. Service Pack 2 comes with built-in protections against the kinds of exploits that Mydoom tries to perpetrate. Still, Microsoft is working on a separate patch for the vulnerability in Internet Explorer.


Terentiak advised people who are concerned to check online at either www.microsoft.com/security or www.microsoft.com/protect for more information.

Hyperlinks

Ron has graciously asked me to help on the website, thank you Ron, I think...LOL

When I find the extra time all the links to other sites here on the Blog will open in a separate new window, so if you are reading an article and want to check out the link, you will not navigate away from the Blog. No more Back Button...Back Button...Back Button, to return to the Blog.

If the other people with access want to help out the htlm is simple;

after your
a href="where-ever.com"

add in: target="new"

example

a href="where-ever.com " target="new"

Also if anybody wants their own website but is intimidated at the concept of writing one I have a wonderfully simple yet powerful WebPage Designer Software

With 1 hour of instruction you'll have your professional looking site online.
Now what's it cost you ask?

Well I do love Snickers candy bars...

P.S. The Blue Highlighted Words in the posts here are usually what we call a hyperlink, meaning that when you click on there it will take you somewhere else
So if you post here try not to confuse people and post in blue unless it is a link.

trivia from a twisted mind...

Frauds - Spam

Frauds and Spam Email
or Charges on your phone and Credit Card Bills

There are tons of fraud and spam mail floating around, most is a harmless pain in the butt but(pun), some can rob you of you life savings AND your credit rating. A good website to check people out at is www.bbb.org, the Better Business Boys. Do an internet search on the company...if they are up to no good, they will show up on the internet. Post your findings on the blog, search engines find these posts and can alert people all over to those nasty guys. If you need help tracking the originator of unwanted or fraudulent email do the following things

Right Click on the Inbox Message and choose Properties
Choose the Details Tab
Choose the Message Source Tab

Copy ALL the information there and paste it to an email and click here to send it to me, in around 65% of the cases I can track it back, spammers do have their tricks to hide also...

and REMEMBER - "Real Companies" Already Have Your Personal Info
Theives need "you" to provide it to them....

Gasoline Prices

Speaking of gas prices, out of high school I worked on a drilling rig. Now even at that time it cost AMOCO a cool mil a day to have our rig on site, and say an average of 30 days start to finish. Now days most oil comes from abroad so I am sure labor is a little cheaper, but then it has to be piped to a loading facility and then tankered to America, I have no idea what "That" costs, then it has to be unloaded...Piped to a refinery for them to do their part...piped again to distribution points all over the country and trucked to your local gas station. Now even "I" realize that everybody has to make their own 25 cents profit so say at $2.45 - $2.65 per gallon.

So are you ready for the "BIG" question ???

Really Ready ??

How deep do you have to drill for milk that it's $3 - $4 per gallon ???

Maybe by the next post I will have figured out where the National "Bread" Reserves are buried.....Must be deep at $2.00 a loaf.

Trivia from an twisted mind....

Hoax

i.e. Computer Virus Alert

I thank Bette Owens for being alert, it is "ALWAYS WISE" to never open or pass on emails from people you don't know. There are even trojans and worms that execute themselves even if you never open the email, that is why I recommend to always keep your virus information up to date. However, left click here, this perticular virus is one of hundreds of hoaxes floating around the internet. My mother once emailed me about an email she received from my sister telling the computer owner to search for a file and if found on their computer to delete that file as it was a virus, well, thousands of people just deleted this file only to find that Windoz would not operate again as that file was a main bootup for the Windoz Operating system. Victims of of a sick hoax. For more information on Virus' and computer vulnerabilities please visit this page on my website by left clicking here.There is a button labled HOAXES and will take you to a Symantec site dedicated to this subject. Not to push you onto my site but "ALL" the lastest virus and vulnerability information is posted there in real time, 24/7. So visit it daily and for complete marine and aviation weather plus other travel information in real time visit her sister site http://oregon.4mg.com.

THANK YOU AGAIN BETTE....it is always wise to be cautious.

Posted by Kathy Smith:

A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner. The people were in and out of the cold. The little boy was so cold that he wasn't trying to sell many papers. He walked up to a policeman and said, "Mister, you wouldn't happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you? You see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down the alley and it's awful cold in there for tonight. Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay." The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "you go down the street to that big white house and you knock on the door. When they come out the door you just say John 3:16, and they will let you in." So he did. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered. He looked up and said, "John 3:16." The lady said, "Come on in and sat in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went off. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16. I don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm.

Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry?" He said, "Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food," The lady took him in the kitchen she sat him down in a split bottom rocker in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went off. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16. I don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm. The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until he couldn't eat any more. Then he thought to himself: John 3:16...Boy, I sure don't understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full.

She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself: John 3:16... I sure don't understand it, but it sure makes a dirty clean. You know, I've not had a bath, a real bath, in my whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out.

The lady came in and got him. She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights. As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself: John 3:16. I don't understand it but it sure makes a tired boy rested.

The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible. She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face. "Do you understand John 3:16?" she asked gently. He replied, "No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it," She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus. Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to Jesus. He sat there and thought: John 3:16 I don't understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe.

You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either, how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I don't understand the agony of the Father and every angel in heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die. I don't understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the end. I don't understand it, but it sure does make life worth living.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Doctors Without Borders

The humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders announced Thursday it is stopping its activities in Iraq because of "escalating violence" which endangers staff and other aid workers. The group has been present in Iraq for nearly two years, since December 2002. During the Iraq war, the group said, the "warring parties have repeatedly shown their disrespect for independent humanitarian assistance."

Privacy Protection

I was getting my mail on Saturday and got to talking with Cleda Hampton and Ann Hankins about all the junk mail we get. We starting sharing information about privacy protection and shredding anything with your name on it, we all learned something from each other. Cleda suggested I post what we learned on the LVH Web Page so other people can be more watchful. We need to make it as hard as possible for people to steal our identity:

SHRED THE FOLLOWING:
· Anything with your name and address appearing.
· Pay special attention to the bar code under your name on envelopes. You would be surprised what information that contains and a bar code reader cost less than $100.
· Catalogs – don’t just pull off the back page where you name appears, but look on the order form, you will see your name and address also listed.
· All applications for credit cards: again lots of information imbedded in the bar code.
· Bank and credit card statements
· Cancelled checks

Spyware and You

Reading the morning news at cnn.com, another great article on Spyware. You can view the article at this link: http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/internet/11/01/tangled.in.spyware.one.ap/index.html

Although unlike some of the repair people interviewed for this article the Percentage of my calls has not reached the porportion that theirs has, a majority of the calls I get eventually boil down to spyware. I recommend that you have at least two spyware (adware) detection and removal softwares installed on your computer. Run these programs faithfully at least once a week. Through the year is does add up to consume your valuable time but, as vendors get cleverer or should I say greedier the home and business computer owner is put at more and more at risk. On my website in the "Links and Free Stuff" area I have two of the better Spyware removal softwares listed, Ad-Aware 6 and Spybot Search & Destroy, these are both free programs, just remember before you run the software, as with anti-virus, always update the definitions. Also browse around the page as there is a niffty Pop-Up stopper there along with some free Firewall softwares amongst other stuff. Even some links to other Free software sites. But remember, at these other sites some of the free stuff "they" offer may contain spyware. Always check what you installing, use manual install instead of automatic if you feel comfortable doing so, even so, using manual does not gaurentee the program will do what you tell it to do, as an example I installed Yahoo Instant Messenger just the other day as I needed it for a one time use. I told it three times not to install Yahoo mail but, in the end, there it was. Another ten minutes to un-installed the stuff I did not want. Maybe next post I'll talk about ToolBars...those things from hell. Any questions you have feel free to post here as others may have the same question or email me at mailto:fx1@(remove)bulleri.net , or a quick call at 265-3429. Note; take out the remove part in the email, this is put there as there are those wonderful people that run software scanning the internet harvesting email address so they can spam us.

Just A Thought - Re: Break In

Terrorist regularly use the internet to pass on their threats and views... Crime Organizations frequently ply their trade through the internet....

This "Blog" reaches millions across the globe......kinda` an inside view of "Life On The Hill".

I did not know *********was on vacation...until I saw it here on the blog. His name is available freely here. There are phone books...... there are local criminals, "that can read phone books". Criminals DO OWN computers...

PLEASE.........DO NOT Advertise You Are Not At Home Here.

Well, it's just a thought...

Virus Alert - W32.Beagle.AV@mm

There is a new worm on the block named W32.Beagle, it is a variant of it's family, but better written and has been raised to a Level 3 alert. Along with mass mailing it's self, it will kill your AV software and open a Backdoor Port into your computer to carry away any personal information you may keep in your computer. I recommend you update manually your Anti-Virus software and download the fixtool to have on hand just in case this worm does slither into your computer. I maintain an Email Alert List to let people know about any new bugs that come out at or above a Level 3. If you would like to join this Alert List please send a blank email to me at fx1@bulleri.net?subject=AddMe2AlertList .

Jim Dodds

HOUSE BREAK - IN

Larry Henson notified the Block Captain Coordinator Jackie Memolie on Thursday evening that a house on Windmill had been broken into. The residents who are “Snow Birds” and the police were called.

Jackie immediately notified all Block Captains. We don’t have all the details but this is another “Wake Up “ call for everyone to keep their eyes and ears open. The holidays are just around the corner and there are some people out there that will take what you have given the opportunity. Be Alert!

THE NEXT SURVIVOR SERIES

Six married men will be dropped on an island with 1 car and 4 kids each, For
6 weeks.

Each kid plays two sports and either takes music or dance classes.
There is NO access to Fast Food.

Each man must take care of his 4 kids, keep his assigned house clean,
correct all homework, complete science projects, cook, do laundry, etc.

The men only have access to television when the kids are asleep and all
chores are done. There is only ONE TV between them and there is NO REMOTE.

The men must shave their legs, wear makeup daily, which they must apply
themselves either while driving or while making four lunches.

They must attend weekly PTA meetings, clean up after their sick children at
3am, make an Indian hut model with six toothpicks, a tortilla and one
marker, and get a 4 year old to eat a serving of peas.

The kids vote them off the island, based on performance.

The last man wins...ONLY IF...
He has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment's notice.

If the last man does win, he can play the game over and over again for the
Next 18-25 years...

Eventually earning the right to be called "Mother".

• 
  

  PET ADOPTION CENTER
  
  Ron added a new link to this page for those of you who might be looking to adopt a pet. This link will take you to Pet finders. Fill out your preference of animal, type, size age and zip code click on local shelter and you get a listing of shelter close to where you live.
  
  This will show the local shelters and the animals available with pictures. You can fine-tune your search to be as limited or as broad as you prefer. One of my favorites is the Senior Dog Rescue in Philomath. They foster all of their animals in private homes and are very selective as to the family the dogs are adopted into. If you find an animal you have an interest in there will be an e-mail address on the bottom of the page with the description and picture of the animal where you can respond to get additional data.
  

Sitting on the side of the highway waiting to catch speeding drivers, a Police Officer sees a car puttering along at 22 MPH. He thinks to himself, "This driver is just as dangerous as a speeder!"
So he turns on his lights and pulls the driver over. Approaching the car, he notices that there are five old ladies - two in the front seat and three in the back - wide eyed and white as ghosts.
The driver, obviously confused, says to him, "Officer, I don't understand, I was doing exactly the speed limit! What seems to be the problem?" "Ma'am," the officer replies, "You weren't speeding, but you should know that driving slower than the speed limit can also be a danger to other drivers." "Slower than the speed limit? No sir, I was doing the speed limit exactly... Twenty-Two miles an hour!" the old woman says a bit proudly. The State Police officer, trying to contain a chuckle, explains to her that "22" was the route number, not the speed limit.
A bit embarassed, the woman grinned and thanked the officer for pointing out her error.
"But before I let you go, Ma'am, I have to ask... Is everyone in this car ok? These women seem awfully shaken and they haven't muttered a single peep this whole time." the officer asks.
"Oh, they'll be alright in a minute, officer. We just got off Route 119."

GOTTA LOVE THAT MAXINE!
I guess Maxine will take over for Martha...at least for a little while. :-) Go Maxine!!

Martha's Way Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips.
Maxine's Way Just suck the ice cream out of the bottom of the cone, for Pete's sake! You are probably lying on the couch with your feet up eating it, anyway!

Martha's Way To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
Maxine's Way Buy Hungry Jack mashed potato mix and keep it in the pantry for up to a year.

Martha's Way When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on the outside of the cake.
Maxine's Way Go to the bakery! They'll even decorate it for you.

Martha's Way If you accidentally oversalt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato and it will absorb the excess salt for an instant "fix-me-up".
Maxine's Way If you oversalt a dish while you are cooking, that's too bad. Please recite with me the real woman's motto: "I made it and you will eat it and I don't care how bad it tastes!!!!"

Martha's Way Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
Maxine's Way Celery? Never heard of it!

Martha's Way Brush some beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful glossy finish.
Maxine's Way The Mrs. Smith frozen pie directions do not include brushing egg whites over the crust; so I don't.

Martha's Way Cure for headaches: take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
Maxine's Way Take a lime, mix it with tequila, chill and drink!

Martha's Way If you have a problem opening jars, try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.
Maxine's Way Go ask that very cute neighbor if he can open it for you.

Martha's Way Don't throw out all that leftover wine. Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.
Maxine's Way Leftover wine???????? HEL-LO !!!!!

A short essay on the golden rule

The golden rule is endorsed by all the great world religions; Jesus, Hillel, and Confucius used it to summarize their ethical teachings. And for many centuries the idea has been influential among people of very diverse cultures. These facts suggest that the golden rule may be an important moral truth.

The golden rule is best interpreted as saying: "Treat others only in ways that you're willing to be treated in the same exact situation." To apply it, you'd imagine yourself in the exact place of the other person on the receiving end of the action. If you act in a given way toward another, and yet are unwilling to be treated that way in the same circumstances, then you violate the rule.

To apply the golden rule adequately, we need knowledge and imagination. We need to know what effect our actions have on the lives of others. And we need to be able to imagine ourselves, vividly and accurately, in the other person's place on the receiving end of the action. With knowledge, imagination, and the golden rule, we can progress far in our moral thinking.

The golden rule is best seen as a consistency principle. It doesn't replace regular moral norms. It isn't an infallible guide on which actions are right or wrong; it doesn't give all the answers. It only prescribes consistency - that we not have our actions (toward another) be out of harmony with our desires (toward a reversed situation action). It tests our moral coherence. If we violate the golden rule, then we're violating the spirit of fairness and concern that lie at the heart of morality.

The golden rule, with roots in a wide range of world cultures, is well suited to be a standard to which different cultures could appeal in resolving conflicts. As the world becomes more and more a single interacting global community, the need for such a common standard is becoming more urgent.

ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN

All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in Kindergarten.Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain,but there in the sandpile at Sunday School.

These are the things I learned:
Share everything.Play fair.Don't hit people.Put things back where you found them.Clean up your own mess.Don't take things that aren't yours.Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.Wash your hands before you eat.Flush.Warm cookies and milk are good for you. Live a balanced life -learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.Take a nap every afternoon.When you go out into the world,watch out for traffic,hold hands,and stick together.Be aware of wonder.Remember the little seed in the styrofoam cup:the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why,but we are all like that.Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the styrofoam cup-they all die. So do we.And then rememberthe Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned -the biggest word of all -LOOK. Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.

Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or your government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm.Think what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world -had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had as a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and to clean up their own mess. And it is still true, no matter how old you are -when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.(from the book by Robert Fulghum)

GET YOUR TOOTHPICKS READY! IT'S NEARLY WINE AND CHEESE TASTING TIME!

The blind wine tasting and cheese nibbling weekend is nearly here and not very many revilers have signed up for the First ever Wine and Cheese tasting party at the club house. We are going to be sampling wine from the Pinot Noir grape, and if you know anything about the Willamette Valley, this is their primere wine . We have been able to persuade five vintners to participate in our "First Ever" and if your not sure whether you want to attend or not, I just want to say" it was very difficult to get oor sponsors to part with the liquid gold, so this may also be or "Last Ever".

No one is going to ask you swirl the wine, hold it up to the light, place your nose over the rim of the glass, inhale deeply and then suck in a teaspoonful of wine into your mouth and say aahhhhh, ( unless you want to). We are just going to have some fun, enjoy some wine and fellowship, and snack on some cheese and fingerfoods. Afterwards, I believe we're going to have our August B'day party.

So sign up on the sign up sheets in the clubhouse and we'll see yah-all on the 15th 3P.M. Sharp

BLIND WINE TASTING IN AUGUST



_{ben davi}

I have taken it upon myself to contact several wineries to ask for wine for our upcoming wine tasting party this August.
Two very gracious wineries have already responded by saying they would send some wine. I am hoping to hear from others before the event occurs. This will be a sign-up event, and all those who wish to attend may do so. If it is well received and well attended, who knows, we might be able to make it a regular activity several times a year. P.S. If you'll notice the new boxes on the left side of the browser window, you'll see the two sponsors and contributors so far for the event. Try them out!
Benton-Lane is exceptionally high in Resveratrol, a powerful anti-oxidant that is known to strengthen the immune system, kill cancer, and prolong life. P.P.S. This information is taken from THEIR brochure.

test


_{by ben davi}

BEST OF LUCK TO RON THOMAS
WISH YOU THE BEST ON YOUR OPERATION ON TUESDAY JUNE 15TH, GET WELL QUICK WE NEED YOU ON THE HILL.

ONE MORE TIME


I Hope this is right


This is the way to do it. Look at your code and compare it to this code. Hint you will have to be in EDIT mode to see this code. See your, "I hope this is right" is in black but when it is in between the 2 u's it is mauve. :)

_{I Hope this is right}

>b>New Testb>


_{<>b>IS THIS RIGHT? b>}

When using HTML code it usually rewards you with nothing if something is wrong with your code. What happened here is that you inadvertantly erased one of these synbols > on each line. the b on each line should have a right facing arrow next to it.

Go back in and find this post. Press the edit key and fix the 2 arrows and then republish it and she should work just fine. Everything is ok.. You are doing fine

test


_{test 3
by charlene}

test


_{test 3
by charlene}

Wally change this color to an octal color. hint you have to edit this post to do it


_{Wally Grover}

Wally you devil... you changed it to octal red. AS you can see the octal number and the word red result in the same thing.

Folks.. Wally has a couple of web pages that we worked on last year so his html is pretty good. Wally if there is anything you want to ask just ask the question in a post and I will try to answer it for you. The rest of you folks can follow along and if something interests you just put a question in the comments.

_{test#2 by charlene}

TestTest

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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED






Ron Thomas along with the assistance of Charles Burke has secured LVH a spot in front of Wal-Mart on Saturday June 5th from 10 am to 2 pm and then again on Saturday June 19th from 10 am to 2 pm. We will need 2 people per shift to work 2 hours each or 4 people per shift to work only 1-hour shifts. Sign Up sheet is posted at clubhouse. This is your opportunity to help sell the Izzy’s Books. We still have approximately 350 books remaining.

We also will need to borrow a card table and 2 folding chairs and I need someone who is good at sign making. If we have a sign that could hang from the table or stand up on something it would save time explaining what we were selling. However considering the wind in Newport the sign will need to be stable. All you creative folks get your thinking caps on and help me out here. If you have been saying I wish there was something I could do to contribute, here is your opportunity. If you are good at setting, talking and taking money this job is for you.

MANUFACTURED HOME PARK RESIDENT GROUP PURCHASES OREGON PARK




The residents of Springlake Park, Scappoose, OR, have completed the purchase of their park through their newly created resident cooperative corporation, Springlake Community, Inc. (SCI). This is the first resident coop park purchase in Oregon.

Springlake is a 147-site, 5-star, "55 & Older" manufactured home park located about 20 miles northwest of Portland at 51359 SE Springlake Loop, Scappoose, OR. The park includes a 3500 sq. ft. clubhouse, two small lakes, and RV storage with electrical outlets. The park was built in several phases from 1986 to 1998 and contains primarily doublewide homes with attached, two-car garages. The property has 23 sites that had never been occupied.

SCI was formed in 2003 to purchase the property. The purchase was completed in September 2003, when 83 residents each purchased a membership in the corporation for $15,000. 36 residents funded their membership out of personal funds. PMC Financial Services made loans to the other 47 participants through PMC's membership purchase program. This program provided 95% loans of $14,250 and was available to all residents. SCI also provided down payment assistance loans, if needed.

This equity, combined with a $5.83 million conduit first mortgage loan, enabled the group to purchase the property for $6.6 million (about $44,900 per site or $53,200 per occupied site). The Oregon Department of Housing and Community Services (HCS) provided critical initial pre-development funding through a $100,000 loan to the resident group.

The residents and PMC developed an organizational and financing plan. There were three (3) goals: 1) have a membership group of at least 60% of the occupied sites, 2) have a total average monthly payment (including loan payments) after acquisition of not more than 120% of the prior site rent payment, and, 3) have a down payment, for those residents borrowing the membership price, of less than two months site rent.

The goals were achieved with 67% participation, member payments 19% over the average site rent of $395, and a downpayment of 95% of the target amount. Member payments are expected to decline in the future as the vacant sites are leased.

The SCI Board approved the plan in April 2003 and signed a Purchase & Sale Agreement with the owner in late April. About 4 & 1/2 months later, the transaction closed. The first mortgage loan was originated with an interest rate of 5.83%, with a 25-year amortization and 10-year term.

Both HUD and Fannie Mae declined to finance the park. HUD took the position that they will not finance "55 & Older" parks, despite the fact that the "55 & Older" requirements were created by the HUD Fair Housing office and implemented by the Housing For Older Persons (HOPA) Act. Fannie Mae took the position that they will not finance resident-owned parks.

Park Purchasing Is A Reality In Oregon!


_{Donna Talarski}

This article may have already appeared on this page, but I thought it might me worth printing again.


From small seeds grow great trees. From seeds of hope comes great promise! !
Springlake Mobile Home Park is now owned by its residents. During the Annual Conference, held in Eugene, a complete summary of the park purchase was given by the residents, and Dean Sargent and Tony Woller, both from PMC Financial Services. PMC was instrumental in providing both financial and legal guidance during the negotiations and finalization of the purchase.

For those of you who have attended the annual seminars you will remember Dean Sargent, who has previously given a presentation on park purchasing. He, and the organization that he is associated with, PMC Financial Services, were instrumental in bringing about this development. While the paper work of such an endeavor can be almost overwhelming the residents of Springlake worked diligently with PMC Financial Services to achieve their goal.

Dean also credited OSTA for their participation in the purchase. He pointed out that OSTA, through the efforts of Pat Schwoch, were instrumental in obtaining "bridge financing" from Housing and Community Services.

A number of preliminary steps are essential to residents, who reside in a manufactured home park and want to be considered as potential buyers for the park.

First and foremost the Oregon State Statutes specifies, in ORS Title 10, Chapter 90, 90.815, that "A facility purchase association shall comply with the provisions of ORS chapters 60, 62 and 65 before making the offer provided under ORS 90.820." Very simply put this means that residents, in a manufactured home park, must form a non-profit corporation in order to be eligible for participation in a park purchase plan. There are also other requirements that must be met, by the residents, to be eligibile to purchase their park.

PMC Financial Services offers the necessary expertise and guidance for those interested in pursuing a park purchase and Dean Sargent is more than glad to discuss the program with residents.Click here for additional information

Different Strokes



_{Donna Talarski}

Ron, thank you for the kind words, my intention when I made the statement “Trust me people in LVH have Comments” was not for accolades but to show that we have varying viewpoints. I am excited when I hear folks talking at the clubhouse about what is going on, even if they don’t agree with it. In their own way they are involved. In every group it appears that a few people do most of the work. But when you look closer, you will find the “Silent Majority” of which I choose to believe are the folks working in the background doing the jobs that no one else wants and not asking or requiring any praise or accolades. It is the good neighbor that helps another yet never joins a group or the person that cares for a pet when someone is in the hospital, these are the true heroes.

People in LVH move here for a variety of reasons. Some choose to get involved but other don’t, that is their right. Our agenda is oftentimes not theirs. That does not make us right or them wrong. All I want is to offer the opportunity to everyone to attend the meetings, become involved in groups, and to build bonds with their neighbors if they choose too. If they choose not, then that is their decision and I respect it.

Someone once told me there is something in my personality that requires me being in the forefront. Was she right, maybe? As Lee Icocca once said, “Lead, Follow or get out of the Way.” I would put it more gingerly: “Live, let Live but Be Happy”.

IZZY’S COUPON BOOKS




The Izzy’s coupon books are here and available for sale. The sign up sheet is posted at the clubhouse. There is an opportunity to sell these books outside of Longview if we can get the woman/man power. Some ideas are as follows:

1.Table in front of Wal-Mart or Fred Meyer on Saturday – 4 people could work 2-hour shifts

2.Setup an appointment to be at Pacific Shores Community Clubhouse – 2 people could work 2 hours during the week for one day.

3.Contact Senior Center in Newport – 2 people could be there around lunch any day during the week.

4. Newport police and fire departments.

These are just a few of the possibilities. Remember we are Not for Profit Organization and an over 55 community this allows us a special status. Plus the fact that $4.00 out of every $5.00 goes to charity.

Bottom Line: we need people to be involved a few folks cannot cover all the options. If you have ever used the clubhouse or intend to use it in the future then you have the responsibility to help maintain it for our current and future needs. If you choose to help sell give me a call at 265-5530.

Identity Theft: Security and Privacy While Banking and Buying Online


_{Donna Talarski}



You’re banking and credit account numbers, your social security number, and your address and telephone number are the types of information that define your identity. Online banking and e-commerce have done wondrous things for consumer productivity and convenience. Protection of this type of information has always been critically important, even in the offline, paper world, and long before widespread use of computers or the advent of the web. Yet in our more interconnected, digital world of bits and bytes and rapid data exchange, this type of information is also more vulnerable to unauthorized access and subsequent theft. Consider this:
Most recent estimates sow that identity theft – on line and off line – has affected one in eight U.S. adults.
Americans reported losses of $437 million in 2003 to identity theft and fraud scams.

How Can Consumers Protect Themselves?
Properly dispose of credit card statements and offers by shredding.
Before providing identity information online make sure the site is endorsed by trusted seal issuers such as VeriSign or TRUSTe.
Never give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you’ve initiated contact or are sure of you know who you’re dealing with.
When browsing online, ensure that any program or add-in is downloaded from a trusted source with a valid security certificate.
Use firewall technologies and keep anti-virus and security software current.
Regularly update operating system software to ensure you are running the most current version.
Consumers with cable modems or digital subscriber line (DSL) Internet access should protect their home networks by adding routers equipped with firewalls.

It Helps to get all the Facts before making a Decision


_{Donna Talarski}

TWO TOUGH QUESTIONS

Question 1:

If you knew a woman who was pregnant, who had 8 kids already, three who were deaf, two who were blind, one mentally retarded, and she had syphilis, would you recommend that she have an abortion?


Read the next question before looking at the answer for this one.



Question 2:

It is time to elect a new world leader, and only your vote counts. Here are the facts about the three leading candidates.


Candidate A -

Associates with crooked politicians, and consults with astrologists.
He's had two Mistresses. He also chain smokes and drinks 8 to 10 martinis a day.


Candidate B -

He was kicked ou t of office twice, sleeps until

noon, used opium in college and drinks a quart of whiskey every evening.


Candidate C -

He is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian, doesn't smoke, drinks an occasional beer and never cheated on his wife.



Which of these candidates would be your Choice?

Decide first, no peeking, then scroll down for the answer.



----------------------------------------------




Candidate A: is Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Candidate B: is Winston Churchill.
Candidate C: is Adolph Hitler.


And, by the way, the answer to the abortion question: If you said yes, you just killed Beethoven.

Pretty interesting isn't it? Makes a person think before judging someone.

Never be afraid to try something new.

Remember:

Amateurs built the Ark

Professionals built the Titanic



and in case you never saw this one..! ....

Can you imagine working for a company that has a little more than 500 employees and has the following statistics:

* 29 have been accused of spousal abuse
* 7 have been arrested for fraud
* 19 have been accused of writing bad checks
* 117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses
* 3 have done time for assault
* 71 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit
* 14 have been arrested on drug-related charges
* 8 have been arrested for shoplifting
* 21 are currently defendants in lawsuits
* 84 have been arrested for drunk driving in the last year

Can you guess which organization this is?




Give up yet?





It's the 535 members of the United States Congress. The same group of idiots that crank out hundreds of new laws each year designed to keep the rest of us in line.

Friday Funnies


_{Donna Talarski}

Friday Funnies – I’m Fine

Farmer Joe decided his injuries from the accident were serious enough to take the trucking company responsible for the accident to court. In court the trucking company's fancy lawyer was questioning farmer Joe.

"Didn't you say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine,'?" asked the lawyer. Farmer Joe responded, "Well, I'll tell you what happened. I had just loaded my favorite mule Bessie into the..."

"I didn't ask for any details," the lawyer interrupted, "just answer the question. Did you not say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine'?".
Farmer Joe said, "Well, I had just got Bessie into the trailer and I was driving down the road..."

The lawyer interrupted again and said, "Judge, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the Highway Patrolman on the scene that he was fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question."

By this time the Judge was fairly interested in Farmer Joe's answer and said to the lawyer, "I'd like to hear what he has to say."

Joe thanked the Judge and proceeded, "Well, as I was saying, I had just loaded Bessie into the trailer and was driving her down the highway when this huge semi-truck and trailer ran the stop sign and smacked my truck right in the side. I was thrown into one ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other. I was hurting real bad and didn't want to move. However, I could hear ol' Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape just by her groans."

"Shortly after the accident, a Highway Patrolman came on the scene. He could hear Bessie moaning and groaning so he went over to her. After he looked at her, he took out his gun and shot her between the eyes."

"Then the Patrolman came across the road with his gun in his hand and looked at me. He said, 'Your mule was in such bad shape I had to shoot her.'" Then he said, 'How are YOU feeling?'

FOOD FOR THOUGHT


_{Donna Talarski}



Lovely Rose at 87

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us
to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around
when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a
smile that lit up her entire being. She said, "Hi handsome. My name is
Rose.

I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?"

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave
me a giant squeeze.

"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.
She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and
have a couple of kids..."

"No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be
taking on this challenge at her age.

"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!"
she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate
milkshake.

We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would
leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to
this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made
friends wherever she went.

She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her
from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football
banquet.

I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to
the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her
three by five cards on the floor.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and
simply said, "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this
whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just
tell you what I know."

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, "We do not stop playing
because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.

There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving
success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a
dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.

We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!

There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.

If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do
one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven
years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn
eighty-eight.

Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea
is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.

The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for
things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with
regrets."

She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Rose."

She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our
daily lives.

At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those
years ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the
wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all
you can possibly be.

When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of advice to
your friends and family, they'll really enjoy it!

These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.

REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL.
We make a Living by what we get, We make a Life by what we give.

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

"Good friends are like stars.........You don't always see them, but you
know they are always there."










____________________________________________________

NEEDED FUND RAISER COORDINATOR




Fund Raiser Coordinator

LVH needs to fill this position. You ask why another coordinator? The residents will soon be placed in a position of replacing needed furniture or equipment at the clubhouse. Since we have no governing body to impose fees on residents the Social Club is proactively trying to raise money to build a fund to be readily available when the need occurs. Bill Hanus was able to secure for the LVH Social Club, Izzys coupon books to sell.

This is a win-win situation. We will sell the books for $5.00 they are a $50.00 value at Izzys, $4.00 dollars will go to local charities such as Samaritan House, Food Share etc. and $1.00 of the profit stays with the LVH residents. At first glance this doesnt sound like much, but we are looking at this being a long-term project. When we sell 1,000 books that is $1,000 dollars in our coffers and better yet $4,000 to donate. When you see Bill Hanus give him a pat on the back and a hand shake for all his tenacious work.

Now to the subject at hand: we need someone who will lead this project. Bill has done the groundwork and will work with Izzys to get the books. We already have several folks willing to be helpers. However, we need someone organized and detailed to coordinate the receipt of money and process the orders. We will have many people involved in the selling. Call me at 265-5530 for further details. This is a worthwhile cause.

FOR ALL YOU CAT LOVERS!!!!!




A cat dies and goes to Heaven. God meets him at the gate and says, "You have been a good cat all of these years. Anything you desire is yours, all you have to do is ask."

The cats says, "Well, I lived all my life with a poor family on a farm and had to sleep on hardwood floors."

God says, "Say no more." And instantly, a fluffy pillow appears.

A few days later, 6 mice are killed in a tragic accident and they go to Heaven. God meets them at the gate with the same offer that He made the cat. The mice said, "All our lives we've had to run. Cats, dogs and even women with brooms have chased us. If we could only have a pair of roller skates, we wouldn't have to run anymore."

God says, "Say no more." And instantly, each mouse is fitted with a beautiful pair of tiny roller skates.

About a week later, God decides to check and see how the cat is doing. The cat is sound asleep on his new pillow. God gently wakes him and asks, "How are you doing? Are you happy here?"

The cat yawns and stretches and says, "Oh, I've never been happier in my life. And those Meals on Wheels you've been sending over are the best!"

AGENDA



LVH SOCIAL CLUB MEETING AGENDA

MONDAY – March 15, 2004



OLD BUSINESS

ü Future Seminar

Department of Justice - Date TBD
Oregon Contractors Board – March 17, 2004
Samaritan PCH Final – April 13, 2004

ü Club House Fixtures Replacement - - Fund Raiser Ideas

ü Flag -

ü Breakfast Crew

ü Advertisers in LVH Newsletter



NEW BUSINESS

v Block Captain Coordinator

v Purchase additional Book Cases for Library

v Other New Business as presented by residents

SOCIAL CLUB MEETS AGAIN




SOCIAL CLUB MEETING

¨ TIME: 4:00 PM

¨ DATE: MONDAY – MARCH 15, 2004

¨ PLACE: LVH CLUBHOUSE








WHAT IS ALL THAT POINTING ABOUT?????

Find A Cure Stamps!





Please read the following story and follow the instructions at the end!
Thanks.


Like most elementary schools, it was typical to have a parade of
students in and out of the health clinic throughout the day. We
dispensed ice for bumps and bruises, Band-Aids for cuts, and liberal
doses of sympathy and hugs. As
principal, my office was right next door to the clinic, so I often
dropped in to lend a hand and help out with the hugs. I knew that
for some kids, mine might be the only one they got all day.


One morning I was putting a Band-Aid on a little girl's scraped
knee. Her blonde hair was matted, and I noticed that she was
shivering in her thin little sleeveless blouse. I found her a warm
sweatshirt and helped her pull it on.
"Thanks for taking care of me," she whispered as she climbed into my
lap and snuggled up against me.


It wasn't long after that when I ran across an unfamiliar lump under
my arm. Cancer, an aggressively spreading kind, had already invaded
thirteen of my lymph nodes. I pondered whether or not to tell the
students about my diagnosis. The word breast seemed so hard to say
out loud to them, and the word cancer seemed so frightening. When
it became evident that the children were going to find out one way
or another, either the straight scoop from me or possibly a garbled
version from someone else, I decided to tell them myself. It wasn't
easy to get the words out, but the empathy and concern I saw in
their faces as I explained it to them told me I had made the right
decision When I gave them a chance to ask questions, they mostly
wanted to know how they could help. I told them that what I would
like best would be their letters, pictures and prayers. I stood by
the gym door as the children solemnly filed out. My little blonde
friend darted out of line and threw herself into my arms. Then she
stepped back to look up into my face. "Don't be afraid, Dr. Perry,"
she said earnestly, "I know you'll be back because now it's our turn
to take care of you."


No one could have ever done a better job. The kids sent me off to my
first chemotherapy session with a hilarious book of nausea remedies
that they had written. A video of every class in the school singing
get-well songs accompanied me to the next chemotherapy appointment.
By the third visit, the nurses were waiting at the door to find out
what I would bring next.


It was a delicate music box that played "I Will Always Love You."
Even when I went into isolation at the hospital for a bone marrow
transplant, the letters and pictures kept coming until they covered
every wall of my room.


Then the kids traced their hands onto colored paper, cut them out
and glued them together to make a freestanding rainbow of helping
hands. "I feel like I've stepped into Disneyland every time I walk
into this room," my doctor
laughed. That was even before the six-foot apple blossom tree
arrived adorned with messages written on paper apples from the
students and teachers. What healing comfort I found in being
surrounded by these tokens of their caring.


At long last I was well enough to return to work. As I headed up the
road to the school, I was suddenly overcome by doubts. What if the
kids have forgotten all about me? I wondered, What if they don't
want a skinny bald principal? What if . . . I caught sight of the
school marquee as I rounded the bend. "Welcome Back, Dr. Perry," it
read. As I drew closer, everywhere I looked were pink ribbons -
ribbons in the windows, tied on the doorknobs, even up in the trees.
The children and staff wore pink ribbons, too.


My blonde buddy was first in line to greet me. "You're back, Dr.
Perry, you're back!" she called. "See, I told you we'd take care of
you!" As I hugged her tight, in the back of my mind I faintly heard
my music box playing . . "I
will always love you."

---

SOCIAL CLUB MEETING TODAY!!!!!!

DON'T FORGET THE MEETING TODAY AT 4:00 PM AT THE CLUB HOUSE. EVERYONE WELCOME.