Paulette Burdick is Toast

Paulette Burdick is toast, ring, ring, ring..

Have you been constantly interrupted and awakened by her phone survey.
There is no “go away” "do not call” option. Your only options are to answer a long biased survey or be bothered again later.
How stupid do they think we are. Oh, this is Florida and they are consultants.
If you answer a couple of questions and hang up they will call back!! Forcing you to answer – no doubt they will be amazed at some negative responses, and many hang-ups. When will the programmed calling nonsense stop.

From the news - “Burdick: paid consultants on hold. Pleased with the grass-roots volunteer organization for her 2010 Democratic campaign for county commission, school board member Paulette Burdick has put paid consultants … on hold — at least temporarily. Burdick is running against state Rep. Mary Brandenburg, D-West Palm Beach, in a Dem primary to succeed term-limited Commish Jeff Koons.” “Burdick paid $1,000 in June for the consulting expertise of Johnson, who’s also chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton, and who works with Schiller on several local races.”

almost chicken

by special request -

WHAT'S WITH THE DATE

When you click on the new CV web address slide pictures appear
with the date of September 29, 2015.
..........................................................................................................
Your BLOGMEISTER replies:


It's a neat little trick to keep the slide show always at the beginning of the Post stack.


Dave

New Site

Good Luck Dave et al

It looks good.

CHANGES, GOOD NEWS - BAD NEWS

Hi All,
This BLOG was created some 21 months ago to give you, the CV Unit Owner, an unrestricted voice. It has succeeded to a point with the development of a small cadre of active bloggers.


From the beginning there has been an issue that has irked some; and that issue is anonymous posting.


Anonymous posting has been a problem with not only some of our bloggers, but also with some of the Officers of UCO.
An opportunity has arisen with the approach of the expiration of the CV Web Site Domain Name, to try a new experiment.
We propose a new BLOG which combines the Information function of the CV Web site with the Broadband interaction capability of the BLOG format.


Three things will happen when the new BLOG  goes into final operation:


1) This BLOG will go away.
2) The CV Web site will go away.
3) Anonymous posting will go away.


The new Site is being built at this time and we invite you all to examine it and to feedback your comments and ideas about this new approach.


SEE: http://century-village-wpb.blogspot.com/


All those who have signed in to the CVBLOGANDCHAT with a true name and Email address will shortly be sent an invitation to sign in and Post to the new site.


Thank you all,
Dave Israel
For the CV blogger Admin team

SPECIAL MEETING ABOUT THE GOLF COURSE

Hi all,
The following Email was received from Phyllis Richland:
Dave Israel
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Dave,
please post on your BLOG that every delegate or alternate must attend the October meeting (of the Delegate Assembly). there will be a vote to include (a presentation by) the owners of the golf course property at the October 15th., 2009 (special) meeting in the theatre. I have heard , that an impartial mediator will chair that meeting. I do not know who it is, or who will choose this person. I do not know how it will be advertised, or how the word will get out, but I hope the theater is overflowing. 

I do know that UCO, ie. George is starting to bend to the will of the people, in that he is agreeing to this.


Please tell every delegate and or alternate to be sure to sit in the designated areas so that all the votes will be counted properly and if any one wants to speak or ask a question he or she does not have to walk down the length of the theatre.
I am an advocate of the development . I feel that it will do nothing but good for the Village and the surrounding areas.
I have been to a meeting with Andrew Waldman (The golf course Co-owner) and I , as a former contractor, can see the development is a good thing.


let us give him an opportunity (to present his vision) without the vitriol and the one sided hysterical commentary.


Thanks for listening,

Phyllis

Insurance Committee Chair Dan Gladstone Advises

All HO Policy holders of Universal Property & Casualty Ins. contact their agent and have them add All Risk Coverage (Endorsement # H017320491R) on their policy for the extra cost of $31 annually.
Dan will go into more detail on the Endorsement in the next UCO Reporter
Dan Gladstone can be reached at 712-1923

No Medicare Raise

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20090924/US.Medicare.Premiums/

CLICK ABOVE LINK
This is an article sent to me by my buddy GONZO

Reflections on Meeting with Developer of Former Golf Course

I too attended one of the recent small group presentations by Drew Waldman, the developer of the former Turtle Bay Golf Course. It was an enlightening and helpful time, because until then, despite the fact I had been to many delegates meetings, I really didn’t understand what was going on relative to the old golf course. Others who attended felt the same.

Mr. Waldman’s plans are to have moderately-priced housing, varied in style, a maximum of 550 units in all, in a village-type setting—that is, with some small shops and stores for use by the residents. These shops would not be there for use by the general public, but Mr. Waldman would welcome an arrangement whereby people in Century Village could patronize them. In fact, Mr. Waldman made it clear several times that he looked forward to doing almost anything cooperatively with the Village.

I was puzzled when I first saw the large map showing his development and the edge of our Century Village property. There were two large lakes—were they ours? No, they explained, these were lakes on their property that they would build, which would not only provide some pleasant scenery, but also form a kind of buffer zone between their housing and our Village. In other words, their lakes, not their housing would abut our property.

What I learned at this informal meeting was heartening. It seemed from the plans that those Villagers who live with a nice view of the golf course would now perhaps have an even nicer view with the lakes and surrounding grass areas. It seemed too that with this buffer zone, we might not have to be as concerned as we were with Village break-ins. The plans, we were told, are not for this to be low-income housing, which might bring in a bad element. It occurred to me that not only the lakes, but their village as well might provide our Village with a buffer zone from crime.

I know nothing about the zoning or legal aspects of this, but I believe Mr. Waldman seemed amenable to our putting up a fence if we wanted to have one. Perhaps in whatever agreements, if any, are involved, this could be written in as okay to do if we felt in the future we wanted it. There is no fence now, as has been noted in this blog. I understand that many Golf’s Edge residents like their view without a fence being interposed. Plus, a fence would be expensive, as Dave Israel pointed out at this meeting, costing maybe well over $100,000.

Something is bound to be done in time about the former golf course land. Turtle Bay was a losing proposition; I think it is dreaming to expect another golf course to take its place. It seems to me that what Mr. Waldman plans could very well be a plus for the Village and the general area in which we live. As one person at the meeting pointed out, the best overall solution for high-crime areas in decline is to step-by-step improve them with good neighbors. This person described how this was done in Hoboken, NJ, a successful effort which then spread to some surrounding towns.

The one thing I am uneasy about is the added traffic. Mr. Waldman did not have an answer for this, saying this would be a matter for the county or town to work out. I would guess at the least it would mean another traffic light on Haverhill between our entrance and Okeechobee.

I would like to see Mr. Waldman be able to present his plans to the officials of the Village and enter into discussions with them. I understand there has been an ad hoc “golf course committee” in the Village for some time. This is fine, and it is quite natural given that these people abut the golf course. But neither they nor groups like the one I attended represent the Village as a whole, and the whole Village has a concern about what replaces the golf course. After Mr. Waldman and his assistants have met as many times as they need to with a legally representative committee of Village officials, then there could be a presentation at a delegates meeting.

Lanny Howe

Tee Shirts for Bloggers

The CV Gun Club has a shirt, the Blog should have one too.

Possible logos:

No, I will not fix your computer

DavesBloggers


I survived the Bush administration


The more you watch Fox, the less you know


I’m a senior citizen dammit, gimme my discount


Joe Bob Briggs is a personal friend of mine
.........................................................
BLOGMEISTER replies: neat idea, how about this:
.........................................................
                     Know that the INTERNET has no eraser

                                                  Davesblogandchat.blogspot.com

HOLD HARMLESS PROVISION - DON'T PANIC YET

Hi all,
There is a Post in the BLOG bemoaning the "fact" that zero COLA will be accompanied by an increase in our Medicare premium.
Well, perhaps not, due to the "Hold Harmless" provision which protects the vast majority of our residents. Please read the following News article and rig for some confusion.
Dave Israel
.......................................................................................................................................
Lack of Social Security COLA may cap some Medicare premiums
By Bob Moos

The Dallas Morning News (MCT)

DALLAS - The lack of a Social Security cost-of-living adjustment next year will have a ripple effect on some Medicare premiums, experts say.
Many older adults were quick to lament the prospect of no COLA for 2010 when federal budget experts said earlier this year that beneficiaries probably shouldn't expect one because of low inflation.
But few seniors gave much thought to what the lack of an increase in their Social Security benefits will mean for the Medicare Part B premiums they'll pay in 2010 for physician services and other outpatient care.
Why would they? Typically, Social Security COLAs have no bearing on Medicare Part B premiums. The adjustment is more than enough to cover the higher Medicare premium.

But what happens when there is no COLA? Now that July's flat Consumer Price Index seems to confirm the federal budget experts' earlier projection, more seniors have begun to ask that question.
The answer is more heartening for some seniors than others, says the Kaiser Family Foundation, a health care research group.

Three in four Medicare beneficiaries are protected by a "hold-harmless" provision in the law that ensures that their Medicare premiums won't go up any more than their Social Security benefits, said Kaiser policy analyst Juliette Cubanski.
So next year, if they get the same amount from Social Security, they'll pay Medicare the same $96.40 per month they do today.
That won't be true, however, for the remaining 25 percent of Medicare beneficiaries, Cubanski said.
They include:- Higher-income beneficiaries whose modified adjusted gross income exceeds $85,000 for individuals and $170,000 for couples in 2009.-

New enrollees who didn't collect Social Security benefits or weren't covered under Part B a year earlier.-
Low-income individuals whose Medicare Part B premiums are paid by Medicaid.

Cubanski said higher premiums will be charged to those beneficiaries or, in the case of low-income individuals, to state Medicaid programs.

The latest estimate for next year's Part B premium is $104.20 per month, the Kaiser foundation reports, though higher-income beneficiaries can expect to pay a surcharge on top of that.

One final note for the majority of beneficiaries who may think they've dodged the bullet: The hold-harmless provision doesn't apply to Medicare's prescription drug coverage. So some seniors may still get a smaller Social Security payment next year if their drug premiums increase.

"2010 will be anything but a typical year," Cubanski said. "I see a big potential for confusion among beneficiaries."

(c) 2009, The Dallas Morning News.Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Annual CV Resident Show

A suggestion for the “I Am An American” show 1-24, 25.

Waldman Reflection Bay Development Meetings

Try some truth instead of hysteria and tantrums. Mr. Waldman will present his plans to wider audiences when the snowbirds arrive but for now there are small information meetings in individual condos. Go to one if you have the chance, all questions answered. Mr Waldman brings renderings of his plans and discusses all aspects of security for us and for his gated community. There is a large continuous lake between his area and CV (no boats). The whole area between Southampton and Greenbrier has no building just a long lake, plantings and islands. Only 2 tiny land areas need a fence/barrier. The blog can show plans in a couple of months. The development includes all types of homes, from single family thru flats, pool, amenities, café, park - these all hug Haverhill Road. Any current golf course views are replaced by lakes, fountains, and single family homes across the water.
Nothing is approved at this time.

Soc. Sec. Cola NO ,Increase in Premium , YES

Social Security...................
For the first time in history, the Democratic Congress will not allow an increase in the social security COLA (cost of living adjustment). In fact, The Henry J.. Kaiser Family Foundation predicts there may not be any COLA for the next three years. However, the per person monthly Medicare insurance premium will be increased from the 2009 premium of $96.40 to $104.20 in 2010and to $ 120.20 for the year 2011.
Send this to all seniors that you know. Remind them to not vote for the incumbent senators and congressmen in the 2010 and the 2012 elections.

CV Lightning

Was there even a power surge at the north end of Berkshire and Camden last week? Master Gardener’s opinion is this West Drive palm was struck by lightning. Even tho condos and pines are higher! (+Remove palm it will not recover)

Press One For English

You have to watch this. It is the No . 1 song played all over the country. Over 8.0 million hits on YouTube. You will not hear it on the radio or on the news. I wonder why !!????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEJfS1v-fU0

GATE CRASHING AGAIN

Hi all,
Please slow down, stop at the sign, wait until the Gate Arm comes down; and then proceed slowly, do not drive through Gate Arm:

Dave Israel.




CRASH AND STOP = $30.00 FEE
----------------------------------------------------


CRASH AND RUN = $80.00 FEE

Finance Committee -Budget Presentation

Clubhouse-Room C - Tue. 9/15/2009 - 9:30 am
Everyone Welcome
Please come and learn where your money is going .

CABLE SIGNAL DEGRADATION CYCLE

Cable signal degradation graphic.

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We are approaching the Fall Sun Outage Period which will start September 29th and run through October 7th across the West Palm Beach Region Service Area.

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These degradations in the signal will begin as a mild interference starting at 12: 30 PM on 9/30/09, with the maximum degradation occurring 10/3-10/5 and ending each day at 5:17 PM on 10/07.

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A sun outage is an interruption in, or distortion of, Geostationary Satellite signals caused by interference from solar radiation. The effect is due to the sun's radiation overwhelming the satellite signal.

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Generally, sun outages occur in February, March, September and October, that is, around the time of the equinoxes. At these times, the apparent path of the sun across the sky takes it directly behind the line of sight between an earth station and a satellite. As the sun radiates strongly at the microwave frequencies used to communicate with satellites (C-band and Ku-band) the sun swamps the signal from the satellite effectively blinding it.

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The effects of a sun outage include partial degradation, that is, an increase in the error rate, or total destruction and loss of the signal during these short periods of interference.

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Dave Israel

Cable Chair

THANKS

Hi all,

My most profound appreciation and thanks go out to all who Posted here, sent cards or attended the burial of my Mom, this morning.

Dave Israel

Highest Human Position in the World

Highest Human Position in the World

Delegate Assembly, Sept. 04, 2009

Hi All,
Here is the Delegate Assembly meeting for September. Principally for our Snowbirds, but of course open to all.

Comments on the DA posting will be greatly appreciated.

Dave Israel

NEVER FORGET

Hi all,
Never forget 9/11!

Dave Israel

Pause for 9/11

Pause for 9/11, thankful to be here.

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame,
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
by Emma Lazarus, New York City, 1883

Dave Israel's Mom

We note with regret the passing of Dave Israel’s Mom; Ruth Israel Pershan.

Ruth passed at 10:10AM, today, September 10th., 2009 at home in Greenbrier C
Ruth died of Natural causes; being aged 98 years and 8 months.

There will be a graveside interment on Monday, Sept. 14th., 2009.
Burial will be at; Palm Beach Memorial Cemetery, 3691 Seacrest Boulevard
Lantana, FL 33462. The time will be 11:00am.

Our hearts go out to Dave as he adjusts to life without his mom. To lose one's Mom leaves an empty spot in our lives. Any of us who have lost our Moms know about this hole in our lives. It takes sometime to get used to and, that we are left with many memories, and thanks Dave for all you do.

We love you. Mollie

Sex Offenders in the HOA

I removed the whole Do You Know post at request of first poster.
The topic was internet sexual pornographer in the village. If you wish to replace comments add onto the following:
A Sex Offender Has Moved Into Your HOA ... What Now? March 2009 From - http://www.hoaleader.com/public/242.cfm

“Start by knowing that laws governing sex offenders vary from state to state, and you must determine your own state's law before you make a single move. "Across the country, more and more supreme courts have been ruling that an association can and may limit who can be in the building," says Sima L. Kirsch, a principal at the Law Office of Sima L. Kirsch P.C. in Chicago, "and that there's no prohibition of the secondary dissemination of information about sex offenders." ….
… Florida allows associations to implement restrictions. "In Florida, unless there's a provision in the association's governing documents that deals with whether people who've been convicted of crimes can live there, the association has no power to keep those people out, whether it's a murderer who's been paroled or a sexual predator who's served his or her time," says Robert L. Tankel, principal at Robert L. Tankel P.A. in Dunedin, Fla. "To keep them out of the association, it has to be voted on by the members and in the governing documents. I strongly urge that associations consider a document amendment to deal with the issue.

"If it's not in your governing documents," adds Tankel, "work with legal counsel and local law enforcement to determine the best route of notification, if any. There's no standard protocol for what to do about sexual predators or offenders within a community association. It's not defamation to tell people that someone is a convicted criminal, but it may be beyond the association's jurisdiction.

Don't step over the line. Remember that many states specifically prohibit harassment of sex offenders.”

Raccoons

Dear Bloggers--before I move on to raccoons and rousing my neighbors to action instead of just discussing/complaining ---does anyone have raccoons in CV anecdotes,info of any kind to share ---unfortunately, my assn does not have a supply of coyote urine to sprrinkle where rocky raccoon and his gang have marked their territory ---we now have a lovely heavy bar to keep our dumpster lid secure ---I note my lids in other areas open/luring the critters---thank you once again for anything you wish to share.

Locked Out

If you lock yourself out of your condo and the bldg holder of the keys has gone away leaving no substitute in command. How can you open the door?
In order of least damage to door and pocket book please. (I think it is only the handle lock, not the dead bolt.)
e.g. Call Pop-a Lock or WeKey.
Does Weisner Security help?
Have extra key and better plan in future, understood.
And do not wake me up!!

..............................................................................................................................................................................................

Your BLOGMEISTER replies:

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Above I have added a photo; it's all about the gap between the door and the frame; and this photo. is very typical.

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The gap is 3/8ths. of an inch, the lower bolt is 1/2 inch in length. Thus, the "bite" is a mere 1/8th. of an inch.

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Worse yet, on these home locks, this bolt can be pushed back, even when the door is locked. So, with a solid flat head screw driver, engage the bolt and lever it back into the door while pulling the handle; pop, the door opens, no damage whatever.

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Clearly, the lower bolt offers zero security; the upper bolt in this example is a full inch long and cannot be pushed back.

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What's the answer, use no lock at all on the bottom knob; this results in no more being locked out, and forces you to carry your key and lock the upper dead bolt from the outside when you leave the house!

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Dave Israel

Silent Film Festival

The recorded Delegate Assembly will be shown on Channel 63 for 5 days at 9am and 6pm (I assume weekdays). OK we get the point the Delegate Mtgs need better sound equipment. Even when speakers use the mic its garbled. Its mostly no sound this week … How many $$ needed?

Open Financial Cmte Meeting ??

I have never seen a Financial Cmte Meeting listed in the Open Meetings. Apparently there was one 8/11 mentioned after it was long gone.
In the August UCO Reporter there is a notice of a Budget Seminar for 9/15, sounds very educational, is it to study personal budgets or the CV budget? In the September UCO Reporter there is NO notice, however, at the end of GL’s notes there is mention of a workshop for input 9/15! Ahah must be an open meeting. There are 2 large notices that the UCO Financial Statement is available, seems like that would have been a good location to notice an important Financial Cmte Meeting in a more timely manner.

GATE CRASHERS

Hi all,

For reasons beyond my comprehension we have a small number of folks who like to drive through our transponder lane gates without stopping and waiting for the gate to go up!

What is the big hurry? Just a matter of a few seconds, but no; straight through they go.

The video clip above shows a CV unit owner vehicle driving through the gate with no intention whatever of stopping; it is the black car in the right lane, note that the brake light is never even flashed; not even a tap on the brake pedal!!

All unit owners be aware, these gates are monitored by cameras; and most of the time either the guards or the cameras capture the offenders license tag. In short order, the unit owner receives a letter with a demand for $35.00, if the offender stopped and provided his/her ID information.

If the driver flees without stopping; the fee is $80.00. Please, help enhance our security. don't crash the gate!

By the way, until the fee is paid; the unit owner is removed from the Transponder system!

Dave Israel

VP - UCO

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Some fine references from Creakyknees:

http://roadragers.com/

http://www.platewire.com/location/?Florida

http://www.zapatag.com/

Dave

CABLE BOX CONFUSION

Hi All,
-
Ok, there is a bit of confusion about the Cable Box (CB).
-
The following Comment appears in another thread:
……………………………………………………..
Anonymous said...
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While we're at it, can someone explain the difference between the Comcast boxes? Do you get the same stations with a pre-existing box for which you pay as you do with a new box installed under the new contract? I understood that under the new contract i don't have to pay anymore for my pre-existing box but I’m still getting a bill for it. Shall I turn in the box to Comcast and get a new box installed? What’s the solution?Confused.
………………………………………………………
A CB is a special purpose Radio Receiver. It consists of three main parts; they are Tuner, Demodulator/Demultiplexer and MODEM.(Modulator-Demodulator).
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The MODEM, just like the one in a PC, allows for two way communication with the Head End. Thus, any full featured CB, or more correctly Set-Top Converter can receive instructions from the Head End and thus tune and display any TV product that you the subscriber want to pay for.
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So, any of the Comcast Set-Top Converters, from the basic Box, included in our contract, to the top of the line HD/DVR CB (High Definition/Digital Video Recorder) can display the same set of channels, it’s all a matter of what Tier you are willing to purchase.
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Now, if you had a pre-existing CB, which you have been paying for since before the deployment of our contract CB; why would you expect to get that box for nothing? Rather, with the signing of our new contract, if you do not take the contracted basic box; you will receive a small credit on your pre-existing box.
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What if you take the new basic box in addition to your pre-existing CB; well, then you will see a fee of $6.50 for an Additional Outlet. We on the Cable Committee do not feel that this is correct, as our contract calls for that basic box to come as part of the Bulk Rate under our agreement at no addition cost. This issue is under discussion with Comcast.
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The recommended approach, for the moment, if you have a pre-existing CB is as follows:
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1) Do not take the Basic Box, wait for the small credit.

2) For two additional TV’s, wait for the DTA (Digital Terminal Adaptor) boxes. There will be two of them And they will be free. They will receive all channels from 2 – 99 even when channel 31 - 99 transform to digital.
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The DTA box is not a two way box.
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For any TVs beyond 3, take no box whatsoever; yes, in due course there will only be 30 analog channels remaining for reception without box; but this is the lowest cost approach.
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Dave Israel
Cable Chair

COMPUTER USAGE IN CV AND BEYOND

Computer and INTERNET usage by demographic, per US Census 2000 data

Left click to supersize

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In a Comment stream, Margaret asks:

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"what's the percentage of residents who do have home internet access? just curious."

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This question has been asked in the BLOG before, but here goes!

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The graphic above breaks down the statistics of usage by age and various other categories. It is clearly dated, but I would doubt is has changed much since publication in 2002.

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Short of a survey, this is as close as we will get to real numbers.

Dave Israel

What's on your Mind

Most popular (controversial posts) by number of comments >19 since last November.

Whose computers are they 35
Golf course letter 34
Golf Course Briefing 33
Infrastructure communication - shoreline 32
Comcast volume and 31
Election of UCO officers 26
Dog and cat regulations 23
Can anyone – condo law/ownership 22
UCO and golf course 22
Vote on new bylaws 22
Cable box registration 22
Car accident 22
Golf course 21
Reconsider – anonymous postings 20
Visitors in guest pool 20
Low CV property values 20
Shoreline Restoration 20

Whaddya know, the blog is about our condo issues. Some are in motion towards some kind of resolution.