Saturday, January 17, 2009
Sunday question of the week
Do you enjoy eating at the Lake Ashton restaurant even thought the developer owns the restaurant and he keeps all the money. No money is given to the HOA or anyone else even thought this is our clubhouse. We paid all utility bills, repairs and maintenance cost. What a deal.
Deadline is Sunday Jan 18 to vote
Deadline is Sunday Jan 18 to vote. See right hand column. On Sunday the results will be posted. It now stands for yes there should be a charge of $375.00
Friday, January 16, 2009
Friday Fishing Joke "FISH"
What is the richest fish in the world?
A goldfish
Where does a fish end-up when it flies?
A magic carp
What do you call a small fish magician?
A magic carpet
What do fish use for money?
sand dollars
A goldfish
Where does a fish end-up when it flies?
A magic carp
What do you call a small fish magician?
A magic carpet
What do fish use for money?
sand dollars
Friday Golf Joke "gas"
Two couples went out golfing together.
The men hit first from the men's tee and walked with the ladies to their tee box.
The first lady took a mighty swing at the ball, missing it completely, while passing some gas rather loudly in the process.
No one commented.
She addressed the ball again but this time she passed just a little gas as she made contact with the ball, topping it and moving it only a short distance. She said,
"I wonder why it didn't go any further?"
One of the men said, "I don't think you gave it enough gas!"
The men hit first from the men's tee and walked with the ladies to their tee box.
The first lady took a mighty swing at the ball, missing it completely, while passing some gas rather loudly in the process.
No one commented.
She addressed the ball again but this time she passed just a little gas as she made contact with the ball, topping it and moving it only a short distance. She said,
"I wonder why it didn't go any further?"
One of the men said, "I don't think you gave it enough gas!"
Pass the buck
80% of the Lake Ashton Residents just don"t want to hear anything negative about this community. They are living in a world of their own. The things here are not getting better but getting to a point that if your neighbor gets robbed or mug next door they just don't want to hear about it. They just don't care. Like Joe Hunter says, he does not have a office at Vienna Square but he never told you how many times he went there or how much time he had spend there. Also about the crime here at lake Ashton he said since we had the crime watch by residents there were no crime here but he never told you about the crime prior to this program. You will never get a straight answer from Joe Hunter. He is the guy that drives by every home and looks in your garage as he drives by to see if you have a "for sale" sign posted. He keeps a careful eye on everything and if you have a problem he will ask you to go see the CDD, HOA or George Flint.
Investigation of Bush?
Last Sunday President-elect Barack Obama was asked whether he would seek an investigation of possible crimes by the Bush administration. “I don’t believe that anybody is above the law,” he responded, but “we need to look forward as opposed to looking backwards.”
I’m sorry, but if we don’t have an inquest into what happened during the Bush years — and nearly everyone has taken Mr. Obama’s remarks to mean that we won’t — this means that those who hold power are indeed above the law because they don’t face any consequences if they abuse their power.
Let’s be clear what we’re talking about here. It’s not just torture and illegal wiretapping, whose perpetrators claim, however implausibly, that they were patriots acting to defend the nation’s security. The fact is that the Bush administration’s abuses extended from environmental policy to voting rights. And most of the abuses involved using the power of government to reward political friends and punish political enemies.
At the Justice Department, for example, political appointees illegally reserved nonpolitical positions for “right-thinking Americans” — their term, not mine — and there’s strong evidence that officials used their positions both to undermine the protection of minority voting rights and to persecute Democratic politicians.
The hiring process at Justice echoed the hiring process during the occupation of Iraq — an occupation whose success was supposedly essential to national security — in which applicants were judged by their politics, their personal loyalty to President Bush and, according to some reports, by their views on Roe v. Wade, rather than by their ability to do the job.
Speaking of Iraq, let’s also not forget that country’s failed reconstruction: the Bush administration handed billions of dollars in no-bid contracts to politically connected companies, companies that then failed to deliver. And why should they have bothered to do their jobs? Any government official who tried to enforce accountability on, say, Halliburton quickly found his or her career derailed.
There’s much, much more. By my count, at least six important government agencies experienced major scandals over the past eight years — in most cases, scandals that were never properly investigated. And then there was the biggest scandal of all: Does anyone seriously doubt that the Bush administration deliberately misled the nation into invading Iraq?
Why, then, shouldn’t we have an official inquiry into abuses during the Bush years?
One answer you hear is that pursuing the truth would be divisive, that it would exacerbate partisanship. But if partisanship is so terrible, shouldn’t there be some penalty for the Bush administration’s politicization of every aspect of government?
Alternatively, we’re told that we don’t have to dwell on past abuses, because we won’t repeat them. But no important figure in the Bush administration, or among that administration’s political allies, has expressed remorse for breaking the law. What makes anyone think that they or their political heirs won’t do it all over again, given the chance?
In fact, we’ve already seen this movie. During the Reagan years, the Iran-contra conspirators violated the Constitution in the name of national security. But the first President Bush pardoned the major malefactors, and when the White House finally changed hands the political and media establishment gave Bill Clinton the same advice it’s giving Mr. Obama: let sleeping scandals lie. Sure enough, the second Bush administration picked up right where the Iran-contra conspirators left off — which isn’t too surprising when you bear in mind that Mr. Bush actually hired some of those conspirators.
Now, it’s true that a serious investigation of Bush-era abuses would make Washington an uncomfortable place, both for those who abused power and those who acted as their enablers or apologists. And these people have a lot of friends. But the price of protecting their comfort would be high: If we whitewash the abuses of the past eight years, we’ll guarantee that they will happen again.
Meanwhile, about Mr. Obama: while it’s probably in his short-term political interests to forgive and forget, next week he’s going to swear to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” That’s not a conditional oath to be honored only when it’s convenient.
And to protect and defend the Constitution, a president must do more than obey the Constitution himself; he must hold those who violate the Constitution accountable. So Mr. Obama should reconsider his apparent decision to let the previous administration get away with crime. Consequences aside, that’s not a decision he has the right to make.
I’m sorry, but if we don’t have an inquest into what happened during the Bush years — and nearly everyone has taken Mr. Obama’s remarks to mean that we won’t — this means that those who hold power are indeed above the law because they don’t face any consequences if they abuse their power.
Let’s be clear what we’re talking about here. It’s not just torture and illegal wiretapping, whose perpetrators claim, however implausibly, that they were patriots acting to defend the nation’s security. The fact is that the Bush administration’s abuses extended from environmental policy to voting rights. And most of the abuses involved using the power of government to reward political friends and punish political enemies.
At the Justice Department, for example, political appointees illegally reserved nonpolitical positions for “right-thinking Americans” — their term, not mine — and there’s strong evidence that officials used their positions both to undermine the protection of minority voting rights and to persecute Democratic politicians.
The hiring process at Justice echoed the hiring process during the occupation of Iraq — an occupation whose success was supposedly essential to national security — in which applicants were judged by their politics, their personal loyalty to President Bush and, according to some reports, by their views on Roe v. Wade, rather than by their ability to do the job.
Speaking of Iraq, let’s also not forget that country’s failed reconstruction: the Bush administration handed billions of dollars in no-bid contracts to politically connected companies, companies that then failed to deliver. And why should they have bothered to do their jobs? Any government official who tried to enforce accountability on, say, Halliburton quickly found his or her career derailed.
There’s much, much more. By my count, at least six important government agencies experienced major scandals over the past eight years — in most cases, scandals that were never properly investigated. And then there was the biggest scandal of all: Does anyone seriously doubt that the Bush administration deliberately misled the nation into invading Iraq?
Why, then, shouldn’t we have an official inquiry into abuses during the Bush years?
One answer you hear is that pursuing the truth would be divisive, that it would exacerbate partisanship. But if partisanship is so terrible, shouldn’t there be some penalty for the Bush administration’s politicization of every aspect of government?
Alternatively, we’re told that we don’t have to dwell on past abuses, because we won’t repeat them. But no important figure in the Bush administration, or among that administration’s political allies, has expressed remorse for breaking the law. What makes anyone think that they or their political heirs won’t do it all over again, given the chance?
In fact, we’ve already seen this movie. During the Reagan years, the Iran-contra conspirators violated the Constitution in the name of national security. But the first President Bush pardoned the major malefactors, and when the White House finally changed hands the political and media establishment gave Bill Clinton the same advice it’s giving Mr. Obama: let sleeping scandals lie. Sure enough, the second Bush administration picked up right where the Iran-contra conspirators left off — which isn’t too surprising when you bear in mind that Mr. Bush actually hired some of those conspirators.
Now, it’s true that a serious investigation of Bush-era abuses would make Washington an uncomfortable place, both for those who abused power and those who acted as their enablers or apologists. And these people have a lot of friends. But the price of protecting their comfort would be high: If we whitewash the abuses of the past eight years, we’ll guarantee that they will happen again.
Meanwhile, about Mr. Obama: while it’s probably in his short-term political interests to forgive and forget, next week he’s going to swear to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” That’s not a conditional oath to be honored only when it’s convenient.
And to protect and defend the Constitution, a president must do more than obey the Constitution himself; he must hold those who violate the Constitution accountable. So Mr. Obama should reconsider his apparent decision to let the previous administration get away with crime. Consequences aside, that’s not a decision he has the right to make.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
See the best cartoons by the New Yorker
The best cartoons of Obama in the New Yorker. Great art work. See Lakeashtontalk@yahoo.com
MUG SHOTS
Chicago police dept has no mugshots with Bush on their t-shirts
For pictures of mug shots see lakeashtontalk@yahoo.com
For pictures of mug shots see lakeashtontalk@yahoo.com
BULLETIN: Roads to be repaired by delveloper
All Lake Ashton roads in Lake Ashton community will be repaired by the developer at his expense, saving the residents hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs. More on this as it comes in.
: 911 Aerial Photos recently declassified
If you are interested in seeing the most unbelievable pictures taken by the US government and by people please E-Mail me at lakeashtontalk@yahoo.com and I will forward the pictures to you. Thanks Some of the CDD Board Members now have them.
THURSDAY FISHING JOKE "Ask Questions"
A father and son went fishing one summer day. While they were out in their boat, the boy suddenly became curious about the world around him. He asked his father, "Dad, how does this boat float?"
The father replied, "Don't rightly know son."
A little later, the boy looked at his father and asked, "Dad, how do fish breath underwater?"
Once again the father replied, "Don't rightly know son."
A little later the boy asked his father, "Dad, why is the sky blue?"
Again, the father replied, "Don't rightly know son."
Finally, the boy asked his father, "Dad, do you mind my asking you all of these questions?"
The father replied, "Of course not, son. If you don't ask questions, you never learn nothin'."
The father replied, "Don't rightly know son."
A little later, the boy looked at his father and asked, "Dad, how do fish breath underwater?"
Once again the father replied, "Don't rightly know son."
A little later the boy asked his father, "Dad, why is the sky blue?"
Again, the father replied, "Don't rightly know son."
Finally, the boy asked his father, "Dad, do you mind my asking you all of these questions?"
The father replied, "Of course not, son. If you don't ask questions, you never learn nothin'."
Thurs Golf Joke "Hole In One
As a young man, Norton was an exceptional golfer. At the age of 26, however, he decided to become a priest, and joined a rather peculiar order. He took the usual vows of poverty,chastity, but his order also required that he quit golf and never play again. This was particularly difficult for Norton, but he agreed and was finally ordained a priest.
One Sunday morning, the Reverend Father Norton woke up and realizing it was an exceptionally beautiful and sunny early spring day, decided he just had to play golf.
So... he told the Associate Pastor that he was feeling sick and convinced him to say Mass for him that day.
As soon as the Associate Pastor left the room, Father Norton headed out of town to a golf course about forty miles away. This way he knew he wouldn't accidentally meet anyone he knew from his parish.
Setting up on the first tee, he was alone. After all, it was Sunday morning and everyone else was in church!
At about this time, Saint Peter leaned over to the Lord while looking down from the heavens and exclaimed, "You're not going to let him get away with this, are you?"
The Lord sighed, and said, "No, I guess not.
"Just then Father Norton hit the ball and it shot straight towards the pin, dropping just short of it, rolled up and fell into the hole. It was a 420 yard hole in one!
St. Peter was astonished. He looked at the Lord and asked, "Why did you let him do that?"
The Lord smiled and replied,"Who is he going to tell?"
One Sunday morning, the Reverend Father Norton woke up and realizing it was an exceptionally beautiful and sunny early spring day, decided he just had to play golf.
So... he told the Associate Pastor that he was feeling sick and convinced him to say Mass for him that day.
As soon as the Associate Pastor left the room, Father Norton headed out of town to a golf course about forty miles away. This way he knew he wouldn't accidentally meet anyone he knew from his parish.
Setting up on the first tee, he was alone. After all, it was Sunday morning and everyone else was in church!
At about this time, Saint Peter leaned over to the Lord while looking down from the heavens and exclaimed, "You're not going to let him get away with this, are you?"
The Lord sighed, and said, "No, I guess not.
"Just then Father Norton hit the ball and it shot straight towards the pin, dropping just short of it, rolled up and fell into the hole. It was a 420 yard hole in one!
St. Peter was astonished. He looked at the Lord and asked, "Why did you let him do that?"
The Lord smiled and replied,"Who is he going to tell?"
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Have a problem at your condo unit?
Article Courtesy of The Sun Sentinel
By Daniel Vasquez
Published January 14, 2009
A curious rooftop noise has kept Phyllis Howard from getting a good night's sleep at her Tamarac condo for two months.
Howard, 81, describes it as a recurring and irritatingly constant "bam-bam" sound akin to a coin caught in a clothes dryer — only a bit softer. She says it comes from the roof of her Kings Point condo and starts after midnight, lasting until past 7 a.m.
"I haven't had more than three hours of sleep since Nov. 12 to be exact," Howard said. "Ask me how I know. You don't forget the last time you had a good sleep."
Howard, a retired social worker, contacted her association, maintenance company and handyman. But nobody has been able to hear the noise, quiet it or satisfy Howard.
The maintenance company said it did everything it reasonably could, including paying for $4,000 worth of roof improvements, hiring an exterminator to check if animals had gotten into the roof and temporarily shutting off sprinklers and a nearby water fountain to make sure they were not the sources.
Howard's situation raises some interesting questions: What should you do when faced with an aggravating quality of life issue? And at what point has an association or maintenance company done enough to address your problem?
Make your case
Within a day of hearing the noise and losing sleep, Howard alerted her board. Later she called a company to visit her home to make sure the noise was not related to a year-old air conditioning unit.
Howard says the association president and handyman visited, but said they heard nothing. She also talked to neighbors, but none had a similar noise problem.
She said she is now left with calling the maintenance company every day.
Howard convinced me to make a trip to her immaculate one-bedroom unit. "These noises are killing me," she said. "I need help."
I arrived after midnight and tried my best. I checked different rooms, even laid on her bed to get a better sense of her vantage point. I just didn't hear anything. But I believe she does.
"Thanks for coming," Howard told me, clearly disappointed. "Too bad you don't have better hearing."
Despite the results, Howard has done a lot of things right.
It's important to contact everyone involved, said Barry Silver, a Boca Raton attorney who represents condo owners. If you can, he said, first meet informally with board members to seek help. If that doesn't work, go to a board meeting and discuss it on the record. To make your best case, Silver suggests collecting whatever relevant information you can to ensure the board understands the problem and why they may be responsible for fixing it.
If you're collecting evidence about a strange noise, use a recorder. Take photos if that helps. If you have a serious problem, like a roof leak, consult an expert, Silver says.
"It's very important to establish what the problem is and what it takes to fix it. You need an expert to write it in a report," he said.
File a lawsuit
Even if you do everything right, you may not get relief and may have to file a civil suit. "Make sure you are on solid ground before you do that because in Florida, the loser pays the winner's attorney fees in a homeowner or condo dispute," Silver said.
He also warned that a dispute may involve a small sum of money — a couple of hundred dollars in repair costs, for instance — but could wind up costing thousands in attorney fees if it ends up in court. Of course, if you win in court, you are entitled to be reimbursed.
"In most cases, an association has a duty to allow people to live in peace," Silver said. "If the association does not do this, it can be sued for breach of duty.
"But just because your situation involves an association [or maintenance company], you still must do what anyone does when they bring a civil suit. "Provide evidence," Silver said. "With zero evidence, you have no case."
By Daniel Vasquez
Published January 14, 2009
A curious rooftop noise has kept Phyllis Howard from getting a good night's sleep at her Tamarac condo for two months.
Howard, 81, describes it as a recurring and irritatingly constant "bam-bam" sound akin to a coin caught in a clothes dryer — only a bit softer. She says it comes from the roof of her Kings Point condo and starts after midnight, lasting until past 7 a.m.
"I haven't had more than three hours of sleep since Nov. 12 to be exact," Howard said. "Ask me how I know. You don't forget the last time you had a good sleep."
Howard, a retired social worker, contacted her association, maintenance company and handyman. But nobody has been able to hear the noise, quiet it or satisfy Howard.
The maintenance company said it did everything it reasonably could, including paying for $4,000 worth of roof improvements, hiring an exterminator to check if animals had gotten into the roof and temporarily shutting off sprinklers and a nearby water fountain to make sure they were not the sources.
Howard's situation raises some interesting questions: What should you do when faced with an aggravating quality of life issue? And at what point has an association or maintenance company done enough to address your problem?
Make your case
Within a day of hearing the noise and losing sleep, Howard alerted her board. Later she called a company to visit her home to make sure the noise was not related to a year-old air conditioning unit.
Howard says the association president and handyman visited, but said they heard nothing. She also talked to neighbors, but none had a similar noise problem.
She said she is now left with calling the maintenance company every day.
Howard convinced me to make a trip to her immaculate one-bedroom unit. "These noises are killing me," she said. "I need help."
I arrived after midnight and tried my best. I checked different rooms, even laid on her bed to get a better sense of her vantage point. I just didn't hear anything. But I believe she does.
"Thanks for coming," Howard told me, clearly disappointed. "Too bad you don't have better hearing."
Despite the results, Howard has done a lot of things right.
It's important to contact everyone involved, said Barry Silver, a Boca Raton attorney who represents condo owners. If you can, he said, first meet informally with board members to seek help. If that doesn't work, go to a board meeting and discuss it on the record. To make your best case, Silver suggests collecting whatever relevant information you can to ensure the board understands the problem and why they may be responsible for fixing it.
If you're collecting evidence about a strange noise, use a recorder. Take photos if that helps. If you have a serious problem, like a roof leak, consult an expert, Silver says.
"It's very important to establish what the problem is and what it takes to fix it. You need an expert to write it in a report," he said.
File a lawsuit
Even if you do everything right, you may not get relief and may have to file a civil suit. "Make sure you are on solid ground before you do that because in Florida, the loser pays the winner's attorney fees in a homeowner or condo dispute," Silver said.
He also warned that a dispute may involve a small sum of money — a couple of hundred dollars in repair costs, for instance — but could wind up costing thousands in attorney fees if it ends up in court. Of course, if you win in court, you are entitled to be reimbursed.
"In most cases, an association has a duty to allow people to live in peace," Silver said. "If the association does not do this, it can be sued for breach of duty.
"But just because your situation involves an association [or maintenance company], you still must do what anyone does when they bring a civil suit. "Provide evidence," Silver said. "With zero evidence, you have no case."
ANIMALS GETTING LAID OFF IN ZOOS
Times are rough and even the animals are being laid off and yet the CDD wants to find more ways for us to cough up more money. In Florida, state lawmakers cuts $2 million for manatee hospitals at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Seaworld in Orlando, and Miami Seaquarium. In other states there is no more money for food to feed the animals and now they are face laying them off. Anyone out there willing to take in a man eating tiger? There is one member on the CDD I would love to give it to. The CDD thinks the people here at Lake Ashton have lots of money floating around. I guess they are out of touch with the world.
REDNECK
January 14, 2009
You might be a redneck fisherman if:
1. Your mother has "stink bait" on her birthday wish list.
2. You have the local taxidermist's number on speed dial.
3. Your dentist gave up asking you to quit biting fishing line.
4. You've ever cleaned crappies in your living room.
5. You've ever had to turn your pickup around because of bridge clearance restrictions.
6. You have more than two fishing buddies named Bubba or Junior.
7. You brought your fishing rod to Sea World.
8. Your kitchen doubles as a bait shop.
9. You consider "Cabela's Spring Fishing Catalog" deep reading.
10. Your boat is worth more than your house.
And you might be a redneck fisherman ... if you can think of three friends who've just been described.
You might be a redneck fisherman if:
1. Your mother has "stink bait" on her birthday wish list.
2. You have the local taxidermist's number on speed dial.
3. Your dentist gave up asking you to quit biting fishing line.
4. You've ever cleaned crappies in your living room.
5. You've ever had to turn your pickup around because of bridge clearance restrictions.
6. You have more than two fishing buddies named Bubba or Junior.
7. You brought your fishing rod to Sea World.
8. Your kitchen doubles as a bait shop.
9. You consider "Cabela's Spring Fishing Catalog" deep reading.
10. Your boat is worth more than your house.
And you might be a redneck fisherman ... if you can think of three friends who've just been described.
Hall Rentals in Lake Wales
Rent this hall for just $115.00 from 8am to midnight,a total of 16 hours in Lake Wales. The city has a community center @ 315 Martin Luther King Dr. Their phone #863-678-4003 And you can serve your own liquor and keep the profit. And with the profit the hall will cost you nothing. It holds 250 people, But they do recommend that an officer be hired at $70.00/hr Your choice. They do required a security deposit of $144.50, if no damage is present you'll get your money back. Or you can rent the pavilion for $57.75 with picnic tables, BBQ guill Tennis courts, shuffleboards, what a deal. Your getting a much better sweet deal and you don't have to wait in line and you don't have to get on your hands and knees and beg or get approval. Try this on for size CDD board. Get all your facts and figures straight before you open your mouth. Where is that hall for $1,000 to $1500 rental??????????? Do I have to do all your homework?????????
LESS ACTIVITIES AND SHOWS
With the new fees and restrictions on the club house, there will be less and less activities. No more art shows, no more selling unwanted goods, no more charity shows, no more weddings, no more parities, no more craft shows, because they are not a club or a group. And there are a number of other shows that will not be there. They will have to pay $750, BUT BEING A RESIDENT YOU GET 50% OFF and pay $375 to rent the hall and you can go elsewhere for less than $200. Plus you have to pay another $50 to have a bar and they keep the profit. Sounds like a good deal. This is a don't do this and don't do that community. Remember, no fishing on the bridge and no smoking outside the ballroom entrance but they all do. Is there anything we can do? What will this place be like a decade from now. Rules are being added faster than a adding machine can add.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Tuesday Fishing Joke TWO DEPTS WILL MERGE
Effective February 1st, the California Highway Patrol and the California
Department of Fish and Game will be merged to form the new California
Department of Fish and CHiPs.
Department of Fish and Game will be merged to form the new California
Department of Fish and CHiPs.
POLICE
We had a very long talk about the problems of Lake Ashton. Even the officer could not believe the things that are going on in this community. One question was who owns the roads, we or they, yet they patrol the roads. When the developer took out a loan in the form of a CDD the city owns the roads until the loan gets paid off. Then it is our road. Same as your house, the bank owns it until the loan is paid off. He could not give me a answer. Yes, we will soon pay for the repairs. Who owns the roads?
As far as the AK47, it was only an expression not a treat. Should I have said after a golf ball brakes your window, come on in and have a beer, cake and ice cream. Now that is a threat. By the way my house got hit twice yesterday by golf balls. I guess that person on the CDD just don't understand the difference between a threat and an expression. Every story that on the blog is it going to lead to a knock on the door by a policeman. Yes I found out who the idiot was that made that phone call, it is a matter of law, they must tell you and they did.
Please be advise that I now have a 500,000 lb fully loaded tank in my single one car garage next to my car and 2 golf carts and all my junk, and its not hanging out into the street.
As far as the AK47, it was only an expression not a treat. Should I have said after a golf ball brakes your window, come on in and have a beer, cake and ice cream. Now that is a threat. By the way my house got hit twice yesterday by golf balls. I guess that person on the CDD just don't understand the difference between a threat and an expression. Every story that on the blog is it going to lead to a knock on the door by a policeman. Yes I found out who the idiot was that made that phone call, it is a matter of law, they must tell you and they did.
Please be advise that I now have a 500,000 lb fully loaded tank in my single one car garage next to my car and 2 golf carts and all my junk, and its not hanging out into the street.
MONDAY FISHING JOKE:::::Even Trade
"I got a new fly rod and reel for my wife
...best trade I ever made."
I hope I don't have to explain this one.
...best trade I ever made."
I hope I don't have to explain this one.
WEB SITE FOR SALE
This web site is for sale!
Anyone interested in purchasing this web site please E-Mail me at lakeashtontalk@yahoo.com
Anyone interested in purchasing this web site please E-Mail me at lakeashtontalk@yahoo.com
Charity Show has been call off
I have decided to canceled the "Give Kids the World" charity show for Feb 15 and March 15. It is just to much stress to put on a show with new rules and regulations. Yes Margot Stevens, you can knock on my door and ask me, a so call "non-resident" to call the police if I see anyone digging up the road and somehow the police came over to my place looking for a AK47. How dumb can some people be? I will be calling up the entertainers sometimes today. The magic comedy of Erick Olson. Also Ruby Tuesday and Keith Colman who played all over Europe and also on many large ships and tell them Lake Ashton is too cheap to allow giving money to charity that they want part of the charity money. No way am I going to pay $325 for the hall for residents only when I can rent a hall for approx $150 to $200 and have everyone welcome to enjoy the show with no restrictions.
I don't enjoy police knocking on my door looking for a AK47 and having MY FRIEND answering the door. I was not at home at the time, I was at the clubhouse. I will be going down to the police station today. This whole thing has turn into a nightmare. No, I don't have a AK47. But I do have a 50 thousand Lb tank fully loaded in the garage.
I might add that I put in this request a month ago and Tricia Adams has that copy. This request was put in long before the CDD laid down the rules. Therefore it should have been accepted.
PS I hope the police don't come looking for the tank.
signature EDMUND W. KING
I don't enjoy police knocking on my door looking for a AK47 and having MY FRIEND answering the door. I was not at home at the time, I was at the clubhouse. I will be going down to the police station today. This whole thing has turn into a nightmare. No, I don't have a AK47. But I do have a 50 thousand Lb tank fully loaded in the garage.
I might add that I put in this request a month ago and Tricia Adams has that copy. This request was put in long before the CDD laid down the rules. Therefore it should have been accepted.
PS I hope the police don't come looking for the tank.
signature EDMUND W. KING
Monday, January 12, 2009
FEES
More and more condo owners and homeowners are going broke -- and many more to come. And for the owners who are still paying (or are still able to pay) the dues are increasing real fast! Yes, fees are going up and you must pay or be force out of your home. This is community living in Florida. Fees increased $300 last year here at Lake Ashton and I expect it to be increased up to $500 this year. See news article below. The CDD is looking at new ways to get more money in the funds.
FORECLOSER AND FEES
Article Courtesy of The St. Petersburg Times
By Mike Brassfield
Published January 11, 2009
CLEARWATER
Sitting in her small condo in one of Tampa Bay's biggest retirement communities as her hands tremble, a 75-year-old woman reads a letter threatening to put her out of her home. Like so many other Floridians, Ann Studen is facing foreclosure. But in her case, it has nothing to do with her mortgage. She's four months behind on her $280 monthly maintenance fees, and her condo board has put a lien on her $70,000 unit.
It happens more often than you might think. While no one tracks foreclosures prompted by homeowner boards and associations, there are a rising number of people in Studen's situation, according to civil court judges and condominium officials.
In a shaky economy, this is one more way that people are falling through the cracks.
"I have no place to go. Where could I go?" says Studen, her face contorting in anguish. She's out of savings, low on cash and running out of time.
Evicting her may seem cold and harsh. And while condominium experts say they sympathize, many are quick to defend the practice.
Their argument: Condominium associations have to take aggressive steps to collect unpaid fees so they can do things like mow the grass, clean the pool, service the elevators and keep the lights on in common areas. If some owners don't pay, their neighbors have to pay more to make up for it. Increased fees for all can mean more defaulters. It can spin out of control.
"We feel sorry for people like this lady, but you can look at it both ways," says Bill Raphan of the state Condominium Ombudsman's Office.
"The rest of the owners are bearing the burden.
Ann Studen, a 75-year-old resident of On Top of the World, could be evicted because she can’t afford the monthly fees. “I have no place to go,” she says. She has outlived her nest egg and gotten a part-time job. Her only comfort is her dog Mimi.
If you were paying $100 a month and 50 percent of the unit owners don't pay, you're going to pay $200 a month. Every time someone is delinquent, your piece of the pie gets bigger."
These days he's seeing condominiums, particularly in South Florida, where 50, 60, even 70 percent of the owners are defaulting on their maintenance fees or mortgages.
"It's a cascade effect, like an avalanche."
By Mike Brassfield
Published January 11, 2009
CLEARWATER
Sitting in her small condo in one of Tampa Bay's biggest retirement communities as her hands tremble, a 75-year-old woman reads a letter threatening to put her out of her home. Like so many other Floridians, Ann Studen is facing foreclosure. But in her case, it has nothing to do with her mortgage. She's four months behind on her $280 monthly maintenance fees, and her condo board has put a lien on her $70,000 unit.
It happens more often than you might think. While no one tracks foreclosures prompted by homeowner boards and associations, there are a rising number of people in Studen's situation, according to civil court judges and condominium officials.
In a shaky economy, this is one more way that people are falling through the cracks.
"I have no place to go. Where could I go?" says Studen, her face contorting in anguish. She's out of savings, low on cash and running out of time.
Evicting her may seem cold and harsh. And while condominium experts say they sympathize, many are quick to defend the practice.
Their argument: Condominium associations have to take aggressive steps to collect unpaid fees so they can do things like mow the grass, clean the pool, service the elevators and keep the lights on in common areas. If some owners don't pay, their neighbors have to pay more to make up for it. Increased fees for all can mean more defaulters. It can spin out of control.
"We feel sorry for people like this lady, but you can look at it both ways," says Bill Raphan of the state Condominium Ombudsman's Office.
"The rest of the owners are bearing the burden.
Ann Studen, a 75-year-old resident of On Top of the World, could be evicted because she can’t afford the monthly fees. “I have no place to go,” she says. She has outlived her nest egg and gotten a part-time job. Her only comfort is her dog Mimi.
If you were paying $100 a month and 50 percent of the unit owners don't pay, you're going to pay $200 a month. Every time someone is delinquent, your piece of the pie gets bigger."
These days he's seeing condominiums, particularly in South Florida, where 50, 60, even 70 percent of the owners are defaulting on their maintenance fees or mortgages.
"It's a cascade effect, like an avalanche."
I AM NOT A RESIDENT
It disturbs me very much that Margot Stevens, a CDD member claims I am not a resident of Lake Ashton. I have lived here for 4 years, bought two homes here and sold one. My drivers license says I live here, my income tax records says I live here and Margot Stevens says I am not a resident, therefore I don't live here, tell this to the Feds Margot. What do you think I do travel miles every day to get here? This is the type of people that you vote for and this is the type of reply you get, they open their mouth before they think. What type of education does she have anyway? Please reply to this comment Margot and I'll be happy to publish it.
CDD MEETING
There were about 200 people at the 10am meeting and in the afternoon meeting at 2pm there were only 40. It is very disturbing to hear all the argument's, shouting back and forth, getting no where. There are approx 850 homes here about 1700 people. This adds up to about 11% of the people that care and 89% don't care. In the afternoon there were .02% of the Lake Ashton residents there. I guess no one wants to hear all the problems at Lake Ashton. Lots of people think there are none. Where are they coming from? Here are just a few problems of what they talked about. Charity Shows, Roads, $10,000 missing from Bingo before Paul took it over. Repairs at Clubhouse, Developer and his restaurant, Coffee money, Joe Hunter and Tricia Adams at Vienna Square, Residents and non-residents, Screening in the Lani at the restaurant, on and on and on etc.
BINGO
Again Paul Pontious tried to dominate the CDD meeting by wanting to help pay for a number of items in the clubhouse. Jeff Salvin got up and offered him his chair. He reply that its better to pay the money than to go ahead and take over paying the bills at the clubhouse. It seems he is taken over Joe Hunter Job at paying bills. After a heated debate it was agreed upon that Bingo must pay the CDD $200 for every Bingo night. It went from $100 to $300 or 10%. We must pay for all the repairs of the public roads or is it our roads!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Swiming Pool Injury
I was told today that someone was injury at the pool today at the Clubhouse. If someone has info on this could you please E-Mail me.
More Cost out of your pockets
Is your son or daughter getting married? Good place for them to get married is right here at Lake Ashton. Think-again The CDD may decide to tack on a cost of renting the club house. They charge $750.00 but since your a resident it will only be $325.00 Lake Ashton is completely getting out of control. Effectively this Monday Bingo will start paying $200 every time Bingo is Played. This means $200 less in your pockets. The money will be given to the CDD which in turn is to be used to pay for maintaining the roads etc. They say these are public roads yet we pay for maintaining them. Boy am I confuse.
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