Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Italian Publisher Expands Add-On Business To Teach OC Newspapers to Sell Real Estate

Italian Publisher Expands Add-On Business To Teach OC Newspapers to Sell Real Estate
The May 24, 2006 issue of the Wall Street Journal reports that in 1993 the Italian newspaper La Repubblica conjured up an incentive to increase circulation – sexual-education tapes for children, which la Repubblica sold every week with the daily newspaper for an extra $17.00 USD, and the European newspaper industry’s first forays into the so-called add-on business.

This year, the Italian daily set up a consulting business to teach foreign newspapers how to go about selling extras. The new division won its first contract in March, when Russian newspaper Komosolskaya Pravda started selling a collection of 19th-century literature books.

La Repubblica’s new consulting group, L’Espresso’s, move underscores to what lengths publishers are going to counter a drop in revenue and profit because of increased competition from alternative media, such as the Internet, and the free press, “Any newspaper which wont’ be boosting its revenue by getting consumers to pay fro products and services for an extra price is putting its survival at risk in the next five years”, the WSJ quotes Paul Zwillenberg, global head of media practice at CC&C Strategy Consultants in London.
Germany’s Suddeuthsche Zeitung, Poland’s Gazeta Wyboreza, and the Guardina and the Telegraph in Britain have diversified revenue streams with add-on products. In Brazil, papers like O Globo of Rio de Janeiro and A Folha of Sao Paulo also have tried.
With the cooling off in the housing market the drop in revenue and profit for newspapers in Southern California are particularly problematic. As a defensive move, a major Libertarian newspaper in Southern California has announces an agreement with L’Espresso to establish a Real Estate Consultancy Group and an Automotive Marketing and Sales Group. Details are not available, but it is reported that within five years, over 90% of the revenue will come from the new initiatives.


We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

Monday, May 29, 2006

Megan Jensen, former USC women's soccer team captain joins RSM Soccer Club technical staff

Megan Jensen, former USC women's soccer team captain joins RSM Soccer Club technical staff


May 29 2006


Megan Abbamonto-Jensen, captain of the USC women's soccer team from 2002-2003 is joining the staff of Rancho Santa Margarita Soccer Club as coach and technical trainer.

"Megan will be working with our younger girls program helping with all ages. As an MVP (2001, 2003) and midfielder (2001, 2003) of the year at USC she brings a tremendous amount of experience and soccer knowledge to our program. We are very pleased to have her and are looking forward to seeing her on the field" , said RSM coah and director Toki Rathor

Rancho Santa Margarita Soccer Club Calendar:

Starting Friday June 2nd RSMSC will bring back its popular Free Fun
Friday

Soccer Clinics. These clinics will be held every Friday in June from
5:00-6:00 pm at Borrego Park in Foothill Ranch. Girls and boys ages 5
and up are welcome to attend.

Dates: 6/2, 6/9, 6/16, 6/23, 6/30
Time: 5:00 pm-6:00 pm
Location: Borrego Park Foothill Ranch
Age: boys and girls ages 5 years and up are welcome.
Cost: Free

About Ranch Santa Margarita Soccer Club:

The mission of RSMSC and academy is to nourish and develop local players and teams by providing the highest level of professional training and coaching available, and creating an environment where local youths can flourish by using their skills and talent, both on and off the field. Though the club focuses on developing soccer skills, the club also instills on youth the 'Passion For Success' in life as well as on the soccer field.





We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

A Word from Orange County Register’s Founder: Vox Populi Vox Moronus, Or Plain Folk Cannot Tell Right from Wrong.

A Word from Orange County Register’s Founder: Vox Populi Vox Moronus, Or Plain Folk Cannot Tell Right from Wrong.

It is only fitting that on this Memorial Day when as Mallard Fillmore says in his political strip “it is the one day the media give our service man and women the respect they deserve every day” the Orange County Register runs an op-ed piece titled And now, a word from our founder, Freedom patriarch R.C. Hoiles explained his editorial policies

The preamble reads: “The following statement was written in the 1960s by Freedom Communications, Inc. founder and longtime Orange County Register publisher R.C. Hoiles, who died in 1970. This was recently found among his files”:

Hoiles then goes on to explain that “..the following is an outline of our beliefs”

No one can determine right from wrong, without some starting point to reason.

Starting point: No individual, no group has a right to initiate force or use coercion against another individual or group to get part of his life energy

· Thou shalt not murder

· Thou shalt not steal

· Though shalt not cove anything that belongs to a fellow countryman

· The starting point is included in the Golden Rule and Declaration of Independence

· We know of no other US newspapers that use as a guide the theory that no man or group of man should initiate force.

Given Hoiles’ beliefs, the then holds his columnists and reporters accountable:

“Editors and reporters gain understanding by permitting their suggestions or ideas or statements to be questioned, and if they cannot defend them without contradicting themselves or facing a dilemma, they are evidently in error”


Hoiles’ Conclusions based on his starting point
· We have to be against tax-supported schools, minimum wage, Social Security and any law that interferes with people making voluntary contracts and any law that interferes with an unhampered market.

· We are against taxation

· Governments should be supported on a voluntary basis. If a man does not consent to voluntarily paying, he should not be compelled to pay. The minute you compel him, you are violating moral principles and cannot tell the difference between that form of government and the compulsion of communism other than by degree.


Our own conclusions based on this op-ed piece are:

Given the disclaimer contained in the introductory paragraph “This was recently found among his files”, we are not sure if the current embodiment of the Orange County Register subscribes to Holies’ belief, or they simply run out of editorial material.

We now understand why the OCR has perfected the concept of Adporting (advertising passing as reporting), As one of the OCR’s most common ad depicting Benjamin Franklin and George Washington reads ”What made freedom of the press so important to the founders…… maybe it was the coupons – Newspaper Advertising”

From Hoiles’ description about reporter accountability, we are led to believe that as long as reporters are questioned and presented with the facts, they will then admit (or not) to the errors of their ways. However, we have sent documentation to the Freedom Communications’ Board of Directors demonstrating systematic erroneous reporting. We have yet to hear from them!

Holies cites the Golden Rule and The Declaration of Independence as a starting point to conclude that the “right” society is one where government is voluntary. However, he fails to go further upstream. If he had, he probably could find that you should “"Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."

It is now clear to us why OCR reporters have difficulty discerning right from wrong – Whereas The New York Times revised Code of Conduct is provided to their reporters and columnists for guidance, the OCR employees need to have a Starting Point!



RELATED STORIES:

OC REGISTER COMMUNITY JOURNALISM: Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire! - Recently Michael D. Capaldi, a partner in the business law firm of Spach, Capaldi & Waggaman, LLP and a director of The Lincoln Club or Orange County asked a rhetorical question: What is a liar?

CZ MASTER BOARD – 3rd COMPLAINT FILED WITH CA ATTORNEY GENERAL -Excerpts from third complaint filed, in less than two years with the California Attorney General against the CZ Master Association Board of Directors.

CZ BOD - COMPLAINT FILED WITH CALIFORNIA BAR - The complaint against involves failure to act, and collaboration with the CZ Master Association’s board of directors - responsible for managing/governing a roughly 13,500 resident gated community in South Orange County, CA, commonly referred to Coto de Caza - to create a repressive environment where civil liberties are being trampled upon; personal safety is being compromised, where the accident rates have doubled each year for the last three years and will set an all time record by the end of 2005 - and assisting the board promote personal agendas beyond the scope of the association board of directors, such as converting the association into a city, as a priority over providing basic security.

CZ MASTERS BOD/ OC REGISTER CONSPIRACY – CZ MAFIA? YOU BE THE JUDGE! As CotoBuzz readers know, we have been working for some time on a model to help us understand the relationship between the CZ Board’s multiple breaches, and the output from the OC Register.

EVIDENCE OF WMD FOUND IN COTO DE CAZA! - Through effective use of the OC Register and a carrot and stick, the CZ BOD has convinced a number of followers that the only way in which the CZ board can provide traffic control, is by turning Coto into a City. One month the board simply says, "The Sheriff is coming, the Sheriff is coming". Then the next month the board argues that they cannot contract directly for patrol services - instead, the residents need to approve Coto turning into a City.


DEPRAVED INDIFFERENCE - We have been asking Mr. Varo and this board to focus on association matters, rather than to pursue personal agendas. Finally, in the January 2006 issue the CZ Master Association’s President’s Letter, Mr. Varo recognizes that “It is important that while I and others on the board have our personal opinions on these subjects and the CSD process, the process must be driven by residents and not by the board…! “Duuuuh



We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

Friday, May 26, 2006

Coto de Caza- Bidding Property Management. Services

From: Morabito, Joe Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2006 3:26 PM
Subject: CZ - Bidding Property Mgt. Services

Hello All: The current incompetent CZ Board has not gone out to bid for property management services in more than five years. The last time it occurred was when I managed the project as a Board Member. This is not about whether Keystone is good or bad; bad rather good business. Property Management is one of CZ's major budget items. It is time to go out to bid to test the market and reduce our fees. I think I still have all the materials. We used purchasing department methods to bid this contract. I would be happy to participate on a Committee, presumably chaired by one of the Board Members to get this done. Obviously, it would be a conflict of interest for CJ Klug to have anything to do with bidding property management services since he is officially a Keystone employee and further based on what I have seen, he can't add much to the process anyway. So Varo/Mezger/Hill/Thagard team I am ready to go when you are. If I was still doing Consulting, I suspect my rate would be $3,000 a day; but for you guys and our community, I would do it FREE. And, when I say FREE, I really do mean FREE. Joe Morabito


Hi Joe: Using key business indicators and making sure that service providers are doing what they are being paid for, is only common sense. So the idea of getting bids for property management services falls in that category. But using Mezger's logic, this needs to be in a tickler file inherited from Merit - and so perhaps this item is simply missing from the tickler file! On the other hand, the June 2006 President's letter does mention that the association went out to get several bids for slurry services. The last time we heard this, we got a compelling offer and program by firing Securitas and replacing them with UPS - so perhaps we do need to audit that bidding process as well - not that we do not trust the board nor Keystone, but we do not trust Keystone! Buzz


We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

Coto de Caza Residents: 2 - Coto Board of Directors: 0

COTOBUZZ PREDICTION ONLY 50% ACCURATE


Now, this is news! – For the first time in five years, a CotoBuzz’s forecast predicting results of a Coto de Caza election have not been 100% correct.

CotoBuzz readers may recall that we predicted that Thagard would be re-elected, and Steven Zipperman would join the board: We were only 50% correct. Last night, Coto residents elected two new board members: Zipperman and Yocham.

We know that Yocham worked harder than any other candidate we have ever known, and despite all the artificial obstacles created by the current board, including misinformation fed to the Orange County Register, Yocham persisted and prevailed. We know she will bring in a much needed new perspective to the board.

Based on CotoBuzz Voting Guide, we can safely score this election as Coto residents 2, Board of Directors 0!

· Revolution: GREEN – Cast all your votes for Yocham
· Evolution: ORANGE - Cast all your votes for Olson
· Progression: YELLOW – Cast all your votes for Zipperman
· Regression: RED – Cast all your votes for Thaggard




We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

Friday, May 19, 2006

What Happens in Fair Oaks, stays in Fair Oaks.

Following up on leads provided by Coto de Caza’s Fair Oaks district residents, we are hot on the trail of a $1.54 million building construction defect settlement negotiated by Thomas Miller (Newport Beach) between the sub-association and the insurance company representing the bankrupt builders. The trail led us to Fair Oaks property manager Villageways. Response from Villageway’s Lisa Terry? It is none of Coto de Caza resident’s business, and “the attorneys may say it is none of the media’s business”!



And what about Fair Oaks residents? “All I remember is a 1 page newsletter that the case was settled, the amount but I never saw details on how the money was disbursed nor did the few other people that I asked. I remember 2 homeowners stating they asked where the money went and was told it was confidential”



We should note that Terry called us back to ask if she could change her story to “no comment”. So, What Happens in Fair Oaks, Stays in Fair Oaks!



We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Coto de Caza's Sports Park Deal Close- Lake Forest Park Done Deal

Coto de Caza's Sports Park Deal Close- Lake Forest Park Done Deal

Lake Forest City Council has OKd deal with shoemaker Sole Technology to keep skate part open for free. Sole Technology will donate $30,000 and extend its naming rights 2 more years.

In a related story, Smart Parts Inc. president Bill Gardner unveiled the new SP-8 marker.
The new SP-8 is the first true electropneumatic paintball gun manufactured specifically for scenario, milsim and woods oriented players on a major scale. The whisper quiet low-pressure operation, minimal recoil, and incredible rates of fire that dominate in the tournament world give the same winning edge - even when the bunkers are made of boulders instead of airbags. The SP-8 also represents Smart Parts’ new commitment to address products and support specifically to the scenario and recreational player.

As part of this commitment, Garder has reported looking into the Coto de Caza Sports Park as a location to hold SP-8 training seminar. Smart Parts Inc. has reportedly allocated some $600,000.00 in a possible naming rights deal.



We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

FIGHTING TERRORISM ACLU STYLE - NOW PLAYING

FIGHTING TERRORISM ACLU STYLE - NOW PLAYING
IN A NEWSPAPER NEAR YOU!
May 16, 2006


Ann Peppers, a reporter for the Orange County Register, in the article titled ACLU seeks FBI records on monitoring of Islamic groups and published Tuesday, May 16, 2006, writes:

"Six groups, including the Anaheim-based Council on American Islamic Relations in Southern California, filed a Freedom of Information Act request Monday asking about suspected law enforcement monitoring of Islamic religious institutions.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California filed the request on behalf of CAIR, the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, area mosques and six leaders in the Muslim community. Four from Orange County include: Muzammil Siddiqi, imam of the Islamic Society of Orange County in Garden Grove. Hussam Ayloush, executive director at CAIR. Sabiha Khan, CAIR spokeswoman"


Brings back the question CotoBuzz has asked in the past: Is this Profiling?


1. In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, athletes were kidnapped and
massacred by:

a. Olga Corbitt
b. Sitting Bull
c. Arnold Schwartzeneger
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

2. In 1979, the U.S. embassy in Iran was taken over by:

a. Lost Norwegians
b. Elvis
c. A tour bus full of 80-year-old women
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40.

3. During the 1980's a number of Americans were kidnapped in
Lebanon by:

a. John Dillinger
b. The King of Sweden
c. The Boy Scouts
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

4. In 1983, the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by:

a. A pizza delivery boy
b. Pee Wee Herman
c. Geraldo Rivera
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

5. In 1985 the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked and a 70
year old American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard in his
wheelchair by:

a. The Smurfs
b. Davy Jones
c. The Little Mermaid
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

6. In 1985 TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens, and a U.S. Navy
diver trying to rescue passengers was murdered by:

a. Captain Kid
b. Charles Lindbergh
c. Mother Teresa
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

7. In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by:

a. Scooby Doo
b. The Tooth Fairy
c. Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

8. In 1993 the World Trade Center was bombed the first time by:

a. Richard Simmons
b. Grandma Moses
c. Michael Jordan
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

9. In 1998, the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed
by:
a. Mr. Rogers
b. Hillary, to distract attention from Wild Bill's women problems
c. The World Wrestling Federation
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

10. On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked; two were used as missiles
to take out the World Trade Center and of the remaining two, one
crashed into the US Pentagon and the other was diverted to a
crash by the passengers. Thousands of people were killed by:

a. Bugs Bunny, Wiley E. Coyote, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd
b. The Supreme Court of Florida
c. Mr. Bean
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

11. In 2002 the United States fought a war in Afghanistan against:

a. Enron
b. The Lutheran Church
c. The NFL
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

12. In 2002 reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered by:

a. Bonny and Clyde
b. Captain Kangaroo
c. Billy Graham
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40



13. Recently the two snipers captured in the DC, Virginia, Maryland area are Muslim?

Is there a pattern here?


So, to ensure we never offend anyone, particularly fanatics intent on killing us, airport security screeners will no longer be allowed to profile certain people. They must conduct random searches of


80-year-old women, little kids, airline pilots with proper
identification, Secret Service agents who are members of the
President's security detail, 85-year old Congressmen with metal
hips, and Medal of Honor winning former Governors.

As the writer of the award winning story Forest Gump so aptly put
it, "Stupid is as stupid does!"

Gloria Aldreds and other dunder-headed attorneys, along with various Federal
Justices want to thwart common sense, and should feel doubly ashamed of themselves.



RELATED STORIES

Group Blames U.S. for Anti-Muslim Actions
(AP) - Government efforts to crack down on terrorism contributed to an increase in reports of discrimination and harassment of Muslims in the United States last year, an Islamic advocacy group says. The Justice Department called the allegations "unfair." The Council on American-Islamic Relations said Tuesday that post-Sept. 11 government actions have broadly targeted Arabs and Muslims. "The government has employed and is employing policies and practices based on religion and ethnicity," said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Washington-based group



Michigan City OKs Islamic Calls to Prayer - HAMTRAMCK, Mich. - The City Council gave preliminary approval Tuesday night to a mosque's plans to send out a call to prayer to Muslims on a loudspeaker.



Top Saudi Cleric Assails Terrorists
(AP) - Saudi Arabia's top cleric called on Muslims around the world Saturday to forsake terrorism, saying those who claim to be holy warriors were an affront to the faith. In a sermon that was remarkable not only for its strong language but also its timing — at the peak of the annual hajj — Sheik Abdul Aziz al-Sheik told 2 million pilgrims that terrorists were giving their enemies an excuse to criticize Muslim nations



Top Saudi Cleric Slams 'Evil' Unveiled Women - 2004, Tue Jan 20, 3:39 PM ET

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's highest religious authority said Tuesday Saudi women appearing without their veils in the presence of men "cause the doors of evil to open."



U.S.: Gitmo Quran Was Splashed With Urine 6-04-2005

http://news.yahoo.com/fc/world/guantanamo_detainees

WASHINGTON - U.S. military officials say no guard at the Guantanamo Bay prison for terror suspects flushed a detainee's Quran down the toilet, but they disclosed that a Muslim holy book was splashed with urine. In other newly disclosed incidents, a detainee's Quran was deliberately kicked and another's was stepped on. On March 25, a detainee complained to guards that "urine came through an air vent" and splashed on him and his Quran. ----turns out the perpetrators were Muslims. No mention of daily mutilation of Bibles all over the world!

“The recent Newsweek story about the alleged desecration of the Quran created an uproar and all the established media jumped on the bandwagon. There is no single day when a new twist in this alleged desecration is not covered. The same media, however, does not deem news worthy the daily Bible desecrations, mainly in Muslim countries as well as China. Additionally thousands of Christians are persecuted, but no one seems to want to report it…….the point is that mainstream media borders on sensationalism, anti-Americanism and anti-Christian, while seeking cover under the First Amendment…..all this possible perhaps because of apathy, and because of lack of proper research – such as in this column (OC Register’s column)? CotoBuzz, June 3, 2005

Islam’s War Against the Unbelievers

An excerpt from Letters to the Editor, The Wall Street Journal May 27, 2004 . This letter is in response to a Wall Street Journal editorial, May 20, 2004 by Irshad Manji, “Blind Faith”:

If the Muslim community is ever to find peace with the rest of the world, much more must be done. Terrorist make war against America, because the Koran explicitly states Muslims should fight unbelievers, and America is the greatest country of unbelievers.

[4.76] “Those who believe fight in the way of Allah, and those who disbelieve fight in the way of Satan. Fight therefore against the friends of the Satan: surely the strategy of Satan is weak”.

[9.29 ] “Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and his Apostles have prohibited, nor follow the religion of the truth, out of those who have been given the Book (Bible, meaning Jews and Christians) until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection”.

[4.74] “Therefore, let those fight in the way of Allah, then be he slain or be he victorious, We shall grant him a might reward

Note: To make sure nothing is lost in the translation, you can refer to the Qur'ân, click here.

PS: There are over 100 verses in the Qur'ân neutral to positive with regards to hate. Zero versus promoting love toward your enemy:









We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

[COTO DE CAZA] United Protection Services Missing in Action

[COTO DE CAZA] United Protection Services Missing in Action
To: CotoBuzz@yahoogroups.com
CC keystonepacific, czmaster BOD, Ocregister.com
From:
BOB
Date: Sun, 14 May 2006 03:28:12 EDT
Subject: [COTO] United Protection Services (UPS) Missing in Action
Tonight (Saturday), shortly after 10PM, I was at my house in Hillsboro when I heard tires squealing and then a crash. I got up and walked down to the corner of San Miguel and Vista del Verde where an automobile accident had just occurred. Two young men, approximately 20 to 25 years old, had sped through the intersection headed East on San Miguel, and run the stop sign at full speed. Going too fast to navigate the turn, they went into the fence and ended up headed South on Vista del Verde after bouncing off the curb. Fortunately, no one else was traveling North on Vista del Verde or there would have been a bad head-on accident.

I began talking to two fireman who had come out of the station and put out flares to alert on coming traffic. I asked them if they had notified the Coto security(UPS) and one of them replied that he had called three times, talked to three different people, and been told that UPS was short-handed and could not send anyone to investigate the accident or direct traffic! The fireman also told me that UPS informed him that there was no roving security patrol in Coto tonight.

Exactly two weeks ago, I called UPS to report that a landscaping company truck had been left on Avondale overnight and requested that patrol come out and get the truck moved. Three hours later, I called the gate again to request something be done about the truck that had been left abandoned on the street, to sit there all weekend. Finally, the patrol officer got to the truck and arranged with the business owner to get the truck moved. After the patrol officer made contact with the truck's owner, he came to my house to let me know what had been done and informed me during his conversation that the UPS staff "had been cut to the bone" and that they were very short handed.

So Mr. Klug and Mr. Varo, please tell me again, about the "compelling offer" to hire UPS. The employees are telling the Fire Department and residents that they cannot respond to calls because their staff has been cut so much. Is this because UPS has hired a high-priced consultant and has no money to cover patrol hours? No patrol in Coto on a Saturday night with all the vandalism that is going on in Coto? I would just ask both of you, Mr. Klug and Mr. Varo, do either of you review the staffing assignments that certainly were contracted for when you brought in UPS? Were either of you consulted before UPS began reducing patrol hours and agreed to these reductions? If either of you were aware of the security manpower reduction in Coto and approved it, then shame on you. If you were not aware of the these reductions, and are allowing UPS to operate in Coto with no system of checks and balances, then double shame on you. One other point the fireman made to me tonight was that since no one from UPS came to the scene and took a report, then there would be no record on the incident sent to Coto management since it was a non-injury accident. His statement was that CHP does not file "non-injury" accident reports. I assume this to be true since it came from an on duty fireman. If this is the case, then perhaps CZ Master is not getting information on every accident or incident that occurs in Coto, and as a result the incident report that you receive is not a true indication of what is really happening here. If I was the community manger of Coto or head of the CZ Master Association, I think that I would demand an accounting to the last dollar of how my $1,504,819 Gate attendant/patrol services budget was being spent, what my weekly staffing schedule was, and how it could be possible for there to be no one on roving patrol in Coto de Caza on a Saturday night! To give UPS over $1,500,000 annually and have no roving patrol is a problem. Who is minding the store?I would be more than happy to discuss my conversations with the UPS employees that I quoted from two weeks ago or the fireman tonight if either Mr. Klug or Mr. Varo would like to verify what I was told.


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

Bob Hi Bob: Thanks for the most excellent report! Too bad you are not a highly paid security consultant for Coto– because according to what one told the Orange County Register, “the reason vandalism, and crime is low in Coto, is because of the quick response from UPS”. Then Varo encourages Coto residents not to call UPS, because as Jerry Mezger said: “According to the Sheriff’s numbers for 2004 and 2005, our law enforcement calls by the Sheriff’s department run about ¼ the rate of other South Orange County communities on a per capita basis”- Jerry Mezger, April 28, 2006 – Code words for “we ain’t got people at UPS due to a compelling offer and program” - We have yet to see who the beneficiary of Varo's Compelling Program and Offer has been, other than Varo and UPS! What the consultants are telling the Orange Country Register, What the board is telling residents and what the Orange County Register reports is 180 degrees from what we have witnessed and reported, and very consistent with your experiences.

COTO DE CAZA PUBLIC SAFETY STATISTICS – A BRIEF OVERVIEW
In the words of former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani from his speech at DMD New York in June 2002 when he was asked by an audience member how he got crime under control, he replied the city set up the right tracking metrics and benchmarks. Giuliani said, "If...

INTENSIVE VS. PENSIVE PUBLIC SAFETY: COTO DE CAZA Vs. LADERA RANCH
Intensive Versus Pensive
CZ board member, Metzger has characterized the current Coto de Caza traffic patrol as “intensive” – only after the board was coerced into bringing back the CHP – the problem is that since the association has...


COTO DE CAZA ROOTS: USE OF "NON-RESIDENT VOLUNTEERS" April 30, 2006
The current Coto de Caza board of directors came to power with the help of non-resident Paul Young. Young is executive vice president with the CRI. CRI has been accused in the past of financial irregularities, which allegedly triggered an investigation... COTO DE CAZA LEADERSHIP MODELING
Disturbed by the feedback the board is getting about service providers, the board president writes in the May 2006 issue of the CZ President’s Letter: “what makes matters worse is that one would think that these individuals would know...

BREAKING NEWS: COTO IS SAFER THAN OTHER COMMUNITIES:

The April 21 issue of the CanyonLife reports that “Fred Lisanti of Pacific Oak Security, security consultants to the ( Coto de Caza) board, presented a report indicating the official crime...Focus on Coto de Caza Public's Safety
Focus on Public’s Privacy

According to the April 20, 2006 issue of the Wall Street Journal, in February 2006, the Justice Department named Jane Horvath its first privacy and civil liberties officer, making her responsible for developing and...Breaking News: South Orange County Public Safety Round Up
RSM- During the April 12, 2006, Rancho Santa Margarita City Council meeting, the council adopted an ordinance that will prohibit people from walking on city street medians. Under the ordinance, pedestrians will not be allowed to step, stand, sit or...

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Buzz, I am sending a letter to Cary Treff, CJ Klug, Harkins and Bob Varo requesting an audit of UPS. How is the $1,504,819 being expensed and why are services that certainly have been contracted for been reduced? Who authorized this reduction in services and do you think that the general population of Coto de Caza is in favor of reducing security services and is aware of this reduction? And more importantly where is the money going?


-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Bob: Good luck with the audit – if it takes place, we would be happy to join in. Remember that the audit to determine if due diligence was used when the board fired Securitas and brought in UPS, found no evidence of due diligence. Also, remember that according to the GM, the metrics used to determine if a service provider is doing its job is an contract. "If it is renewed, then the service provider is doing a good job" , according to the board. Also, remember that the $1,504,819 does not include the total “security expenses” – there are invoices for other items, such as those associated with GateWorks, gate maintenance, and last but not least, the Keystone overhead. Further, statistics show that a good percentage of the gate runners come from non-homeowners, who enjoy the Coto Lifestyle without paying a nickel, and are now members of good standing of the Coto Public Safety Committee. Total consumption by these none-homeowners, by our own estimates is roughly $600,000.00 year!



We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

Friday, May 12, 2006

COTO DE CAZA BOARD 2006 ELECTIONS - A VOTING GUIDE

COTO DE CAZA BOARD 2006 ELECTIONS - A VOTING GUIDE

May 12, 2006



In general we are in agreement with Joe Morabito’s assessment of the 2006 candidates to the CZ Master Association Board of Directors (below) . Our recommendations differ slightly for a number of reasons, some of the listed below:

For an attorney, Zipperman has indicated a willingness to jump to conclusions, even when facts can be obtained easily – particularly troubling when it comes to public safety. Consequently he has been willing to give the board the benefit of the doubt, to the point of voicing that the hiring of the General Manager was a “good decision”.

As someone has said, having two attorneys serving the board (a board of directors and legal counsel) at the same time will simply expose the association to unprecedented liability.

On the other hand, the community does not need a rocket scientist to solve the public safety problems – all it takes is to acknowledge the community has a problem, then use common sense. Therefore, our recommendations to district delegates are:

Whatever you do, use your cumulative votes to vote only for one candidate. If you like two or three candidates and want to split the votes, you can be sure that all your votes will be diluted and will not count.

Revolution: GREEN – Cast all your votes for Yocham
Evolution: ORANGE - Cast all your votes for Olson
Progression: YELLOW – Cast all your votes for Zipperman
Regression: RED – Cast all your votes for Thaggard


If you are a delegate and are not sure how cumulative voting works, send us a note. If you are a resident, you should contact your delegate and make sure the delegate is not a “hit and run” delegate – that is, a delegate that will support the current board, then run and hide.




Hello All: After attending the CZ Board Candidate's Night, I can make the following observations: 1. Xochitl Yocham - Bright woman. Worked in business before becoming a Mom. Concerned about Security/Safety as her first priority. Appears to be the type that will roll up her sleeves to get the job done. Recognizes that the dues we pay must be prudently managed. Has chutzpa. Has the time to do the job. Will work to fix the problems we have in Coto. 2. Steve Zipperman - Smart Guy. Real Estate Lawyer. A little off on some issues; but my guess is that once he understands the facts, he will do the right thing most of the time. Does not appear to be a go along to get along kind of guy which probably is good given the characters on the current CZ Board. 3. Incumbent George Thagard - Nice Guy. Like him personally. But, the man in the empty golf shirt. After serving on the CZ Board for four years, surprisingly, See Nothing, Do Nothing George could not speak authoritatively concerning the workings of the Association. He appears to be a surface kind a guy. In other words, he just did not know very much about anything. If George is re-elected, we will see more fiascos. Mr. Thagard is part of the problem not the solution. 4. Betty Olson - Well meaning woman. Clueless in Coto. Needs to do her homework and then run for the CZ Board. Betty, is serving on the Water Board for two and half more years which given the time requirement to do a good job on the CZ Board will be problem. Needs to do one or other because with work at UCI, two Boards are just too much. I am not a Delegate so I can't vote; however, after listening carefully to all the candidates and asking several questions, as a former CZ Board Member and concerned citizen, I have placed these four candidates for the two Board seats available in the order of excellence. If you are a Delegate, I hope this helps. If you know your Delegate, please feel free to pass on this e-mail. Joe Morabito
P.S. I don't agree with any Candidate on all issues; but that's ok.



We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

COTO DE CAZA PUBLIC SAFETY STATISTICS - – A BRIEF OVERVIEW


COTO DE CAZA PUBLIC SAFETY STATISTICS

– A BRIEF OVERVIEW

May 9, 2006


In the words of former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani from his speech at DMD New York in June 2002 when he was asked by an audience member how he got crime under control, he replied the city set up the right tracking metrics and benchmarks. Giuliani said, "If you can't measure it, you can't manage it; and you can't manage it if you are not measuring it." He said.



Actually this is an old management theory which goes back to the time of time and motion studies in the Detroit car industry, and it definitely makes sense, you need to have information on the number of units you have sold, the performance of the sales people, the cost of all units, the number of units manufactured per hour per shop floor employee, the number of tickets punched per hour, number of defects per 1000 widgets, etc. If you don't know these figures, you cannot improve on them, you cannot identify the problem, you cannot think about resolutions and solutions and you certainly cannot do any kind of forward planning.



It should be pointed out that this theory is applicable to almost every human endeavor that you can think of, as Rudy alluded to. For example, one of the common elements of a successful state is that it has a good bureaucracy with a meticulous and precise statistical and data collection service. Starting from the Inca's, Pharaohs of Egypt, the ancient Chinese civilizations down to the great dynasties of Abbasids, Guptas, Romans to the Moguls, Ottomans, Japanese, British, French, Germans etc.. A successful dynasty / kingdom had an able bureaucratic structure and lots of data collection. The caveat of course, is that figures do not lie, but liars figure!



We have long been advocating the use of key business indicators to manage the CZ Master Association’s affairs, and until the first fatal traffic accident in 10 years in Coto de Caza, we have had little impact. The following is a brief overview comparing our efforts at constructing a public safety tool for unincorporated areas, such as Coto de Caza and Ladera Ranch, and compare that to the quality of data long supplied by the current Coto de Caza Board of Directors.





The Evolution of a Crime and Vandalism Management Tool

Our first attempt to baseline crime and vandalism in and around Coto de Caza took us to the CNN/Money. CNN/Money commissioned a study for their Better Places to Live section, and use census, FBI and other data. We published these results in the November 2004 issue of CotoBuzz and include a number of communities in and around Coto.


NOVEMBER 2004 - COTO DE CAZA - Source: CNN/News

Population: 13,597

Crime about crime data
City
Stats
Natl.
Avg.
Rank from
Lo to Hi
(out of 1260)

Personal crime risk
(index based on 100 average;
lower is better)
59
100
777

Property crime risk
(index based on 100 average;
lower is better)
41
100
282




NOVEMBER 2004 - RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA: Source: CNN/News

Crime
City
Stats
Natl.
Avg.
Rank from
Lo to Hi
(out of 1260)

Personal crime risk




(index based on 100 average;
lower is better)
31
100
406

Property crime risk
(index based on 100 average;
lower is better)
31
100
187




NOVEMBER 2004 - IRVINE: Source: CNN/News

Population: 150,450



Crime (about crime data)
City
Stats
Natl.
Avg.
Rank from
Lo to Hi
(out of 1260)

Personal crime risk
(index based on 100 average;
lower is better)
125
100
1,066

Property crime risk
(index based on 100 average;
lower is better)
63
100
568




NOVEMBER 2004 - LAKE FOREST Source: CNN/News
Population: 61,091



Crime (about crime data)
City
Stats
Natl.
Avg.
Rank from
Lo to Hi
(out of 1260)

Personal crime risk
(index based on 100 average;
lower is better)
28
100
341

Property crime risk
(index based on 100 average;
lower is better)
24
100
142






DECEMBER 2005

As of December 2005, CNN/Money dropped Coto de Caza out of its Best Places to Live with population under 100,000, whereas the top 6 cities are:

1
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

2
Flower Mound, TX

3
San Clemente, CA

4
Tustin, CA

5
Carlsbad, CA

6
Laguna Niguel, CA






JANUARY 2006

Not having a reliable place to collect crime and vandalism data, since CNN/Money were no longer interested in Coto de Caza, we started to work with the Orange County Sheriff’s department. And have now developed a tool for Coto de Caza and Ladera Ranch – for other incorporated areas, such as Rancho Santa Margarita, the OC Sheriff’s blotter can be used.



SOURCE: Orange County Sheriff’s department

SHERIFF'S REPORT FOR COTO DE CAZA

COTO DE CAZA CRIME TRENDS
Jan-06
Feb-06

ZIP CODE: 92679



Totals Reports (Part I, II & III)
18
22





Part I



Aggravated Assault
0
2

Burglary
2
2

Larceny/Theft
4
2





Part II



Other Assaults
6
1

Fraud
2
5

Other Offenses
1
3

Suspicion
2
0

Vandalism
0
3

Vehicle Violations
0
1





Part III - Non-Criminal Incidents



Prank
1
0

Other Non-Criminal
0
3





Total Number of Domestic Violence Cases



Domestic Abuse
1
3





Total Number of Arrests
1
0









Age Breakdown for Suspects
Jan-06
Feb-06

17 years and under
0
2

18-20 years
0
0

21-24 years
0
1

25-29 years
1
0

30-34 years
0
1

35-39 years
1
3

40-44 years
1
0

45-49 years
0
0

50 years or older
0
0




And exactly what sort of metrics do we get from the current Coto de Caza Board of Directors? “The Sheriff keeps track of calls for law enforcement service to Coto and other communities. According to the Sheriff’s numbers for 2004 and 2005, our law enforcement calls by the Sheriff’s department run about ¼ the rate of other South Orange County communities on a per capita basis” – Jerry Mezger, Coto de Caza Board of Directors, April 26, 2006, prompting the following response from former board member, Joseph Morabito:

“Rather than arguing about crime statistics in Coto, we need to start with the premise that we don't want any crime in Coto. From that premise, our bench mark should be Zero crimes so then even one is too many. Therefore when the high priced Security Consultant the incompetent CZ Board has retained, retired ex-Sheriff Lisanti says that we fall in the normal range for a community our size related to crime rate, what ever that means, it is bureaucratic law enforcement acceptance and rationalization that some crime is normal. While that may be true, if that becomes the accepted premise, then it allows for the paint ball shooting, a hit and run accident that resulted in a tragic death, stealing of our mail or other items in unlocked cars in our driveways etc. etc. because perhaps these things happen less often in Coto than they do in East LA or Watts. But, we don't live in East LA or Watts. For the extra $200 a month we pay to live behind these gates, we should never accept the notion that some crime is normal because it allows for the rationalization of crime. If that is the best our new Security Consultant can do, then please CZ Board Members stop wasting our money. We can read the newspapers to get that information for free or the price of a subscription”





PRO-ACTIVE TRAFFIC PATROL:

CZ board member, Metzger has characterized the current Coto de Caza traffic patrol as “intensive” – only after the board was coerced into bringing back the CHP – the problem is that since the association has not invested in a tickler file for its service providers, those responsible let road certification expire all but Coto de Caza Drive – apparently making this road the more intensively patrolled street in traffic the history of Coto de Caza!

In contrast, the more pensive approach to public safety in Ladera Ranch with a much larger population that Coto de Caza during February 2006, averaged 5 - 6 units per shift on Day Shift and Swing Shift, and 3 units on Graveyard Shift worth of CHP patrol.

Bottom Line: Coto de Caza has logged two traffic fatalities in the last six months. Ladera Ranch? None since 2000!



COTO DE CAZA: Source: CHP







1Q06






Traffic Collisions
5






Total number of Hours of Enforcement
445






Total number of Citations
507






Total number of Warnings
90






Total Arrests
8















1Q06






Counts:
Citations
Warnings













Seat belt
55
12





Stop sign
184
21





Speeding
225
31





Expired Registration
6
6





License Plates
5
4





Mechanical Violations
13
4





DUI - Marijuana
1
0





Suspended license
1
0





Other
19
11





Arrest
8
0





Sub-total
517
89





Daily Average
11






















PERIOD
2002
2003
2004
2005
1Q06


ACCIDENTS
15
19
22
28
20


%
0%
27%
47%
87%
5%









COTO DE CAZA ACCIDENT RATE: Source: CHP



LADERA RANCH- Source: CHP
















2004
2005





Total Citations: 387
387
315





Arrest
4
4





Speeding
181
100





Seat Belts
70
54
















And what exactly are the statistics used by the Coto de Caza Board of Directors?

Typical example from March 2005 CZ Master Association General Session Meeting Minutes”



52 incident reports
330 parking citations17 vehicles towed
21 gate strikes
104 new transponder issues
123 replacement transponders
96 defective transponders
2 fall of transponders
991 aentry access denies


It should be noted that all citations issued are toothless – that is, rarely if ever are they enforced, and in some cases, simply thrown in the circular file!



INVASION OF PRIVACY

Invasion of privacy has been an element of the multiple comprehensive public safety proposals we have advanced to the Coto de Caza board of directors, without much success. We have documented evidence of certain violations and we are working on a management tools to help with this endeavor as well



OTHER RELATED STORIES:

Breaking News: South Orange County Public Safety Round Up
RSM- During the April 12, 2006, Rancho Santa Margarita City Council meeting, the council adopted an ordinance that will prohibit people from walking on city street medians. Under the ordinance, pedestrians will not be allowed to step, stand, sit or...



Safest Cities in Orange County:- Orange County Register


Mission Viejo, Lake Forest are in the top 10 and Irvine 11th in rankings released by a private research firm.











We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

THE FREE COTO DE CAZA ANNUAL SHAKESPEAREAN FESTIVAL SCHEDULED FOR MAY 11 - 25, 2006

THE FREE COTO DE CAZA ANNUAL SHAKESPEAREAN FESTIVAL SCHEDULED FOR MAY 11 - 25, 2006

May 9, 2006



The annual Coto de Caza Shakespearean Festival kicks off May 11, 2006, with the adaptation Macbeth by none other than the Board of Directors’ President, The Baro himself.

In this Shakespearean classic, Macbeth is about a noble warrior who gets caught up in a struggle for power. Supernatural events and Macbeth's ruthless wife play a major role in his downfall. In this modern version, the Baro has six warriors, some are noble, some are not. Then Baro issues a challenge to the citizenship to determine who the noble warrior is. To make it more interesting, in this adaptation, all the kings horses and all the kings man do everything they can to confuse the citizenship so they will not be able to tell what is going on, how many warriors there are. In the end, the Baro has already hand-picked two not so noble warriors who will join him in the 2006-2007 edition of the Coto de Caza Board of Directors: Thaggard and Zipperman.

Once the true noble warrior, played by Yocham, realizes that Candidates’ Night has just been a Sham, goes into a passionate soliloquy:

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this Coto place from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Candidates’ Night is walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.



Macbeth is followed by a modern version of King Lear. KL is a tragic story of an old man's descent into madness as his world crumbles around him. It is also a tale of Lear's pride and his blindness to the truth about his three daughters and others around him.

In this modern adaptation, there is a Quixotic hunt for $1.54 million dollars, originally intended to correct construction defects in and around the Coto de Caza Fair Oaks district, then mysteriously allocated to repair of common areas to the dismay of residents, and then apparently the money vanished into thin air.


Coto’s Shakespeare Festival closes May 25, 2006 with the production of Much Ado About Nothing. Unlike Shakeaspeare’s earliest comedic works, the humor of Much Ado about Nothing does not depend upon funny situations. While it shares some standard devices with those earlier plays (misperceptions, disguises, false reports), the comedy of Much Ado derives from the characters themselves and the manners of the highly-mannered society in which they live. In Coto’s version, everything is funny: The situations, misperceptions, disguises and false reports. The end result is that two new candidates are crowned members of the Coto de Caza board of directors: Thaggard and Zipperman!.









We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

[COTO DE CAZA] Free $45,000.00 Mature Trees – a couple of immature kids thrown in as bonus

FreeCoto.Com and Jerry’s Good Deal
To go along with Varo’s Compelling Offer and Program


We had heard that if you are conducting business over the Internet, it is highly recommended that you include the word “free” someplace in your website – this word is then used as a hook to attract naïve and unsuspecting customers, so you can then pull a switcharoo. The beauty is that one is born every second, which is why the keyword “free” is indexed at the top of the list by major search engines.

What we did not expect, is that the Coto de Caza board of directors would fall for this scheme – but they did: They fell for a $45,000.00 Free Trees, that Jerry Mezger describes as: “It was a good deal”. Jerry Mezger, April 25, 2006.

As implied in our introduction, of course, Jerry is not alone in falling for the “Free Mature Trees” ruse – a simply Internet search (below) yields websites with “free.com”, “freeeverything.com”, etc. So now, we are starting a new website that we have called FreeCoto.Com. If our predictions are correct, the two seats for the 2006 Coto de Caza board of director will go to Thaggard and Zipperman, then the FreeCoto.Com will be used to promote “free products” to the board. In the unlikely event that Thaggard and Zipperman are not elected, we will use it to explore the virtues of a Free Coto: where Coto resident’s invasion of privacy and constitutional rights are upheld.

But getting back to Jerry’s Good Deal: This prompted a response from former board member, Joe Morabito:

“Jerry: Paying $45,000 for just 12 trees no matter how mature was an incredibly dumb deal. First, crowding those trees into our median on Coto de Caza Drive probably made no sense. Second, did we really need any more trees at all that will require future maintenance. And, third, if we did need more trees which I seriously question given all the other areas in Coto that look like hell, 48 inch box trees at a $1,000 each installed would have been just fine. They do grow after all. And, Varo and Company has reduced the monies going into Landscaping Replacement to about half where it was when I left the Board. You spent more than half your budget for 2006 on these trees. Are all of you smoking Oak leaves? This current incompetent CZ Board just has no sense when it comes to spending our money. The continuous, blatant fiscal mismanagement is really amazing. This Free Tree fiasco is just one of many examples of wasting our money. Please think real hard before you spend our money. Pretend you are spending your own money before you vote to waste ours. If you had done that, I doubt you would have spent $45,000 for 12 trees even if they were the size of Sequoias” Joe Morabito, May 1, 2006

Of course, crtics may charge that Joe Morabito is simply biased and does not understand the benefit of $45,000.00 Free Mature Trees, so we tuned to a more objective analysis as follows:

“If the giver of the trees wanted to remove them from their property they would have had to crane them onto a truck, transport them to a different location, then crane them off the truck and then plant or store them for another buyer.

Coto should have provided the holes to put them into and installation plus a nominal fee for each tree.

Let’s figure we expedited the digging by employing a backhoe versus laborers to dig the holds. Worst case is cost for backhoe and operator no more than $5000. One day is required to dig 12 holes. Also assume it took 6 laborers and a supervisor to help manage installation, figure $150/day for each laborer and $500/day for supervisor and installation took three days. To be safe add soil treatment, insurance and permits @ $3000. These are all generous allowances. So the subtotal would be $12,000. Now add huge overhead and profit fee for landscape contractor at 50%. That totals $18,000. Let’s also give provider of trees $1000/tree. CZ cost should have been only $30k in the worst case.

Alternatively, we buy 24” box trees at $200 each including delivery. Installation at $500 each, worst case. Still, be safe figuring each tree cost $1000 installed. That means we could have purchased 48 trees. Far more bang for the buck having 48 additional trees versus 12 that will require significant pruning within 24-36 months.”


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We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

Sunday, May 07, 2006

Bucolic Versus Arizona: Coto de Caza Consultants



Bucolic Versus Arizona: A HOA Consultant

A Coto de Caza cowboy was herding his horses in a remote Trabuco Canyon pasture when suddenly a brand-new BMW appeared out of a dust cloud.

The driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci shoes, Ray Ban sunglasses and YSL tie, leans out the window and asks the cowboy, "If I tell you exactly how many horses and ponies you have in your herd, will you give me a pony ?"

The cowboy looks at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looks at his herd calmly answers, "Sure, Why not?" The yuppie parks his car, whips out his Dell notebook computer, connects it to his Cingular RAZR V3 cell phone, and surfs to a NASA page on the Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite navigation system to get an exact fix on his location, which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo.

The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop and exports it to an image processing facility in Hamburg, Germany. Within seconds he receives an email on his Palm Pilot that the image hasbeen processed and the data stored. He then accesses a MS-SQL database through an ODBC connected Excel spreadsheet with email on his Blackberry and, after a few minutes, receives a response.

Finally, he prints out a full-color, 150-page report on his hi- tech,miniaturized HP LaserJet printer, turns to the cowboy and says, "You have exactly 311 horses and ponies."

"That's right. Well, I guess you can take one of my ponies," says the cowboy. He watches the young man select one of the ponies and looks on as the young man stuffs it into the trunk of his car.

Then the cowboy says to the young man, "Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my pony?" The young man thinks about it for a second and then says, "Okay, why not?"

”You're a consultant for a homeowners association ", says the cowboy. "Wow!

That's correct," says the yuppie, "but how did you guess that?"

"No guessing required." answered the cowboy. "You showed up here even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked. You tried to show me how much smarter than me you are; and you don't know a thing about horses

Now give me back my bucolic community!


NOTE: Coto de Caza CC&Rs prohibit any landscaping that does not adhere to a bucolic look and feel. However, thanks to new consultants, Coto has a new Arizona look with pot holes to match!

Bucolic Versus the Arizona Look.





We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

Saturday, May 06, 2006

OFFICZE SUPPLIES & COTO’s CZENSE OBITUARY

OFFICZE SUPPLIES & COTO’s CZENSE OBITUARY
Jerry Mezger's Trademark attorney's Tickler File, Mitch Hill's Three Envelopes and a Stapler to string along all those lies!

May 06, 2006


When the current Coto de Caza board of directors first took office, Mitch Hill told the joke of a new executive who received three sequentially numbered envelopes from his predecessor and told to open these only when he had major problems and needed help.

When the executive found himself in trouble and did not know where to turn, he opened envelop number one. Inside the envelope was a note that read: “blame everything that is wrong on your predecessor”. So he did, and things went back to normal.

New developments soon turned to complaints and major problems. This time the young man quickly turned to envelop number two: The note contained in this new envelop stated: “we are re-organizing, and soon we will have everything under control”.

Again, everyone bought the new excuse and the executive was thrilled and thankful for having received such great advice. No soon had things settled down when problems surfaces again, and he had to open envelop number three. Its contents: “Prepare three new envelopes”!

Recently Jerry Mezger dared insult Coto resident’s intelligence by blaming the road certification fiasco on Kesytone’s predecessor: “ Our streets need to be re-certified every five years with a new survey. Vista del Verde’s certification expired in December 2005 without being re-surveyed because no one (no one at Keystone nor any former Board member I’ve talked to) knew they expired on that date. The original certification was done on Merit’s watch and, if they had a tickler file (e.g. like attorneys do for patent fee renewals), it never made it over to Keystone” – Jerry Mezger April 29, 2006.

Now, the property manager for Fair Oaks blamed a board of directors’ election fiasco that eventually resulted in a law suit, on Merit. It was alleged that the information received from Merit called for election of three directors, not just two.

So we decided to follow up with Merit and ask if these excuses had any merit (punt intended). First the Merit representative proved to have more sense and be more articulate than any other supplier we have encountered in Coto over the last four years. We were told in the most professional of terms, that the Merit representative would look into the facts, but the tone clearly was more telling than anything else! Basically, we interpreted it as” What did these folks have for desert”?

There are more questions than answers here. First, how many more envelopes does the current board have left?

When the board of directors comes up with such flaky excuses in support of blatant service provider’s errors, such as the failure to re-certify roads for traffic patrol, then on the same breadth accuse critics of poor service of harassment, we figured that the death of Coto’s Common Czense was indeed here



Coto’s Common Czense Obituary

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend,
Common Czense, who has been with us for many years.
No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth
records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape,

But has not seen in the last four years around Coto.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such
valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the
rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair,
and maybe it was my fault. Common Czense lived by simple,
sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn)
and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are
in charge), contrary to Dunlup’s depiction of the “Coto Family”.

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well
intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in
place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual
harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended
from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and
a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only
worsened his condition.



Not to mention having an attorney convict a 75-year old man

For violating the vehicle code as he rode a bike, then was

Struck by a 16-year old hit and run, eventually arrested and

Charged with manslaughter, hit and run, and resisting arrest.

The accident resulted in the 75-year old man, but the DA is not

Allowed to say anything about the underage female.



Then there is the assault with a deadly weapon that left a Coto kid

Partially blind on what the board president calls a “game getting

Out of hand”

Common Czense lost ground when parents attacked
teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to
do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even
further when schools were required to get parental
consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a sticky
plaster to a student; but could not inform the parents
when a student became pregnant and wanted to have
an abortion.

Common Czense lost the will to live as the Ten
Commandments became contraband; churches
became businesses; and criminals received better
treatment than their victims.

Common Czense took a beating when you couldn't
defend yourself from a burglar in your own home
and the burglar can sue you for assault.

Common Czense finally gave up the will to live, after
a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee
was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly
awarded a huge settlement.

Common Czense was preceded in death by his parents,
Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter,
Responsibility; and his son, Reason.

He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know My Rights,
Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm A Victim, and
Prepare Three More Envelops.




We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

Friday, May 05, 2006

Whatever in the World Happened to $1.54 million Settlement?

Concerned Coto de Caza residents, over the “vehement objection” of sub-association board of director’s president, pressed with a law suit to settle a number of construction defects in their district – such defects are documented in a voluminous notebook.

At the time, it is reported that the sub-association was in the red with some -$60,000.00 to their credit.

The short story is that a settlement agreement was reached between the homeowner’s association and the builder’s insurance company for a reported $1.54,000,000.00. A reported caveat in the settlement is that the funds are to be used for common area improvements and not for homeowner repairs! Besides a reported complete replacement of a drive way to a homeowner who happened to be on the sub-association board of directors, there does not seem to be evidence that the $1.54,000,000.00 have been used in common area improvements. So the question is: Whatever in the World Happened to $1.54 million Settlement?

We were referred to the sub-association’s property manager, but apparently she will not be available for a couple more weeks.




We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

Corrupt Electoral Process Results in Lawsuit and $22K Settlement!

Homeowners allege the association improperly notified its members about the total number of open positions for the board of directors. The property manager then blamed it on Merit, the previous property management company (we assume it is because Merit did not provide a tickler file, e.g. like attorneys do for patent fee renewals),


At the election, the board of directors decided to partially ignore the proxies and count only the votes of those actually present. The “ignored” proxies where actually counted to obtain quorum, however.

At the election, an incumbent took a “10-minute break, to collect the additional necessary proxy votes needed to gain one of the open seats.

A personal injury and homeowner attorney gets a number of residents to file a “slam dunk” lawsuit against the association.

The Homeowners alleged these (above) actions were in violation of the Association’s bylaws and the Corporations Code; they attached that portion of the Association’s conditions, covenants and restrictions (CC&R’s) entitled “Voting Rights” (dealing primarily with one vote per homeowner). The Association demurred on the grounds that the Homeowners had not attached a certificate stating they had pursued alternative dispute resolution as required by Civil Code section 1354, subdivision (b).

The attorneys who litigate the case on behalf of the association are insurance company attorneys, the defendants perjure themselves, and the slam dunk case ends up costing residents $22,000.00! Insiders confide that the property management company would “burn the whole village” if so ordered by the board of directors. The same board that was “fired” by Merit Property for “certain irregularities”

Does this sound like a description of the current CZ Master Association electoral process? It could be, but this actually summarizes in part what happened in the Coto de Caza Fair Oaks district!



We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Blatant manipulation of 2006 CZ Master Association Elections Continues

Blatant manipulation of 2006 CZ Master Association Elections Continues

When the May 2006 issue of the CA Master Association President’s Letter contained erroneous information regarding the number of remaining candidates for the board of directors, we published an errata and called on those responsible for managing the process to not only make the necessary corrections, but to let all the district delegates know, so that independent candidates of the board may have a fair shot. Knowing full well the motives behind these actions, we also predicted the excuse that would be used to justify publishing erroneous information: The excuse, we stated, would be to blame the withdrawing candidates that they had not followed protocol to withdraw – this of course coming from the same individuals who meddled in the election process by soliciting proxies and delegates favoring the current board.

These are the same people who sent the wrong Request For Delegates notice, which just happened to favor one of the candidates we have predicted will walk away with on the seats.

The same ones who failed to return calls from independent delegates who needed clarification regarding election procedural matters.

The same ones who accepted “sign-in sheets” from delegates after the deadline.


When we called for invalidating the “inactive delegates”, who really turn out to be hit and run delegates, the same people cited statue and regulation, as if they knew them AND followed them

Now the Notice of Annual Meeting & Candidate’s Night dated April 28, 2006, STILL has the original six candidates listed. Implications? Votes that could go to independent candidates Yocham and Olson, will now be wasted on two candidates who have long withdrawn from the race!

Funny how every single action taken by those managing the CZ electoral process favors the status quo – or is it simply a conspiracy theory?

COMMENTS
Remember the sleazy 2005 CZ Board election. Sean Larkin who missed more than 50% of Board meetings and had probably already moved or was in the process of moving, remained on the Board, voted in the election as a Delegate and then resigned a week or two later to deny the one candidate who ran against this corrupt, incompetent CZ Board a Board seat. Does anyone believe that George Thagard, running for reelection, Bob Varo, Jerry Mezger and Mitch Hill were not involved in this sleazy, scheme and election manipulation. If you believe otherwise, I have some "Free" mature trees to sell you. So what we are seeing in 2006 is nothing new and to be expected. Joe Morabito

P.S. Our suppliers have a vested interest in the status quo. All the high priced Consultants and over paid Klug are feeding at the trought thankes to this incompetent CZ Board. And, Varo & Company have not gone out to bid for property management services in more than five years which means fees higher than necessary



We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

INTENSIVE VS. PENSIVE PUBLIC SAFETY: COTO DE CAZA Vs. LADERA RANCH

CZ board member, Metzger has characterized the current Coto de Caza traffic patrol as “intensive” – only after the board was coerced into bringing back the CHP – the problem is that since the association has not invested in a tickler file for its service providers, those responsible let road certification expire on all but Coto de Caza Drive – apparently making this road the more intensively patrolled street in  the history of Coto de Caza!
In contrast, the more pensive approach to public safety in Ladera Ranch with a much larger population that Coto de Caza during February 2006, averaged 5 - 6 units per shift on Day Shift and Swing Shift, and 3 units on Graveyard Shift worth of CHP patrol.
Bottom Line: Coto de Caza has logged two traffic fatalities in the last six months. Ladera Ranch? None since 2000!
But of course, we cannot provide the “official figures” for Coto de Caza, given that we are not highly paid consultants for the association. We merely work with local law enforcement agencies in developing public safety community management tools.




We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts

Coto de Caza district Fairway Oaks challenges validity of election of BOD

Does the following look familiar? It should! - CZ Master residents are going through a similar situation, but perhaps learning from its neighbors in the Fairway Oaks district!Individual members of Fairway Oaks Homeowners Association (collectively, “Homeowners”) filed an action against the Association challenging the validity of an election of the board of directors. The trial court found the election valid and awarded the Association attorney fees under Civil Code section 1354, subdivision (f), which authorizes an award to the prevailing party in an action to enforce the governing documents of a common interest development. The Homeowners do not appeal the judgment against them, but appeal the attorney fee award. They claim their action was filed under Corporations Code section 7616, which does not authorize an award. - For the rest of the story, click here




We do not make jokes, we simply watch the Coto de Caza Board of directors, the LA Trash and the Orange Crud Repository and report the facts