David's Anthem Journal

When Truth, Facts and Honesty Leave the Room

 

Readers: There is nothing I dislike more than having to use my communications channel –this blog- to write and publish articles whose only purpose is to call out others by name for promoting lies, falsehoods and misinformation.

There is a constant flow of this stuff on the Goodman/Arendt forum, which, for that reason, has caused many to label it The SCA National Enquirer.

Introducing their new logo:

 

 

When there are concerns about false information published on her forum, I would much prefer to discuss it via e-mail with Ms. Goodman instead of writing about it on my blog.

But she does not want to receive e-mails.

I would also much prefer to discuss it in a phone conversation or in person.

But she is unwilling to do this.

So, when I deem a matter important enough to address, I am left with my blog to present the information.

Lately I have had an exchange with one of Ms. Goodman’s devoted followers, a resident named Patsy McCarthy.

Ms. McCarthy has posted lies about me in the past, but more recently she claimed that I had not used my blog to promote a petition drive several years ago by Ms. Goodman and her related to concerns about aircraft flying in and out of the Henderson Executive Airport.

When I addressed Ms. McCarthy’s false claim by re-publishing the article I had posted at the time, and also e-mailing it to Ms. McCarthy, her response was to shrug it off as a failure of memory and accuse me of not doing enough.

Now, within the past day, Ms. McCarthy wrote on the Goodman forum that I had sent her an e-mail in which I accused her of being paranoid. I immediately sent an e-mail to her and to Ms. Goodman, who had also been copied on my original message, pointing out that I had not accused Ms. McCarthy of being paranoid, and I included a copy of the subject message so that they could be reminded of the fact that I had said no such thing.

I asked Ms. McCarthy to acknowledge her false statement, and the best she could do was to note that I had stated she has a persecution complex, which she claims amounts to the same thing.

There is a difference between having a persecution complex, which Ms. McCarthy does seem to have, and being paranoid.

I asked both Ms. Goodman and Ms. McCarthy to correct the false statement written by Ms. McCarthy, but they apparently are refusing to do so.

This is the type of thing that has damaged the credibility of the Goodman forum. Lies, misinformation, rumor-mongering and made-up scenarios that never took place.

And it is the unwillingness of the responsible parties to make necessary corrections and deletions that continues to damage their credibility.

In last Sunday’s Parade Magazine, the following question was asked and answered in the Ask Marilyn column:

Q: Why do we cling to beliefs even after seeing facts that contradict them?

A: Because people get freaked out by the notion of being wrong about anything. It makes them feel insecure. If you can be wrong about this or that, what about all the other stuff you think you know?

Your question goes to the heart of much unsound thinking. After we leave school, we tend to head down one of two roads: (1) We close our minds to new or different information while being more and more sure of ourselves; or (2) we watch, listen, and learn as we get older. The second road has way more bumps and curves, but it’s also the path to wisdom.

What a shame that Ms. Goodman, and apparently Ms. McCarthy, seem committed to the first of those two roads.

An Astounding Case of Hypocrisy

Instead of acknowledging her error in directing a crude epithet at Carl Weinstein, Rana Goodman has, instead, written and published a long, rambling dissertation that amounts to accusing me of cyber bullying her and some of her friends on my blog.

This is the height of hypocrisy.

I would say to Ms.Goodman, take a long, hard look, as you have never done in the past, at the damage you and your blogging buddies have done to others on your forum:

Outrageous attacks on others, by name and by implication, who step forward to serve our community.

The bullying of almost everyone who dares to express disagreement on your forum.

The publishing of incendiary images of the Holocaust to accompany criticism of our elected leaders.

Disparaging characterizations of people toward whom you have antipathy.

To top it all off, Ms. Goodman seems to think that if she ever succeeds in getting a law passed to prevent cyber bullying, she and her low-brow, rumor-mongering communications channel would be immune to similar charges, and worse.

Sorry, Ms. Goodman, not so.

Instead of wallowing in these phony crocodile tears, why don’t you and your ilk get off your butts and engineer change the right way, which is to field some Board candidates that you can convince the community should be elected?

After all, how could I prevent you from succeeding, since it is alleged that my readership and influence are fast fading while your readership and influence vastly exceed mine? Go for it!

When Facts Confuse Her Agenda

I believe that one of the hallmarks of this blog, which my readers often tell me they appreciate, is the work I put into getting my facts and information correct before publishing articles, as well as my willingness to correct information that is not fully accurate when the correct facts are brought to my attention.

The Goodman/Arendt forum that purports to compete with me is notable, in my opinion, for its penchant toward rumor, unsubstantiated information, and unwarranted speculation, as well as for non-stop personal attacks on named SCA individuals and community volunteers/committees in general.

Recently, as just the latest example, forum administrator Rana Goodman is taking tentative steps toward moving away from a false accusation that Boards of Directors prior to the current Board had done nothing to engage public officials over concerns related to planes flying out of the Henderson Executive Airport.

In a prior article, I quoted verbatim from the minutes of a 2008 Board meeting that reported acceptance by the Board of a recommendation from the since-demised Government Affairs Advisory Committee (GAAC) that the Board send letters of concern about airport practices to elected officials.

Ms. Goodman’s response was to write the following on her forum, which highlights the difference between my reporting facts and her adventures into uninformed guesswork:

It seems David Berman has reached into 2008 and claims that, at the request of GAAC, the board pledged to write to Washington admonishing me for not recalling that since I was vice chair. Well, it is easy to settle, I will request copies of those letters from the ever so efficient RMI today, reporting back to all, with an apology to Mrs. Berman, if and when I get them.

The first thing wrong with Ms. Goodman’s response is her statement that I “claimed” the Board pledged to take an action.

I “CLAIMED” no such thing! I reported what the minutes of the Board meeting stated. THAT is a fact! Repeat, it is not a claim, it is a fact!!

What is also amusing is that Rana seems to be basing her forthcoming apology to Roz Berman on her ability to obtain copies of the letters.

If she is unable to obtain them, apparently, there will be no apology or other acknowledgement.

Roz Berman has copies of letters that were sent to government officials in January, 2009, but she certainly doesn’t believe it is her obligation to provide them to Ms. Goodman, who should already know better herself what actions were taken.

Why do I say this?

On February 4, 2009, a month before all but one of the GAAC members resigned en masse, GAAC Vice Chairperson Goodman chaired a meeting of her committee in the absence of Chairperson Joan Patrick.

According to the minutes of this meeting, all other GAAC members were present, including Rana, Donna Dickey, Marcia Kosterka, Alvin Tenner and Martin Charney, along with CC&R Study Group member Ann Small and Board Representative Carl Weinstein.

Here is the pertinent item from the February 4, 2009 meeting minutes, quoted verbatim:

C. Henderson Executive Airport

The letter was signed, and sent to the Congressional delegation as requested.

I realize that few in this community keep the types of detailed records that Roz Berman does, but you’d think that in view of the limited accomplishments of her committee during its short existence, Rana Goodman would have a recall of this significant event even if she kept no records at all.

After all, it’s right there in the minutes of a meeting she chaired.

If she doesn’t remember that, what else is she failing to remember when she writes so critically, as she often does, about our volunteers and our processes?

This superficial approach to community matters by Ms. Goodman is what troubles so many, because the dissemination of faulty information in the form of “facts” creates the potential for causing long-term harm. When she could pick up the phone and call people who do have facts about an issue, she doesn’t do it. When she could do REAL research before committing her thoughts to electronic “paper,” she doesn’t do it.

This reliance on faulty memory is amusing at best, alarming at worst.

One last thought: Roz cherishes the written opinion of former GAAC chair Joan Patrick that Roz was the best Board President in SCA’s history up to that point. I’m sure her opinion was influenced in part by Roz’s support for Joan’s Committee. Roz invested a lot of political capital in supporting the GAAC despite strong internal opposition from some community leaders, and it was quite a stab in her back when Rana and all but one of that committee’s members, with no advance notice to Roz and fellow GAAC supporter Carl Weinstein, destroyed the committee with a mass resignation at the conclusion of what had appeared to be a normal March, 2009 committee meeting.

A Concerned Committee Member Speaks Out

 

One of the characteristics of the competitive Goodman/Arendt forum is that disagreements are not allowed to be expressed there without either of the co-proprietors, Rana Goodman or Richard Arendt, having the last word, which they do with EVERY person who expresses disagreement with them, virtually without exception.

While I may rarely block a poster or delete a post from someone who is offensive on a personal level instead of simply disagreeing on issues, I welcome and encourage diverse opinions, even vigorous disagreements, on this blog. And while I may, as the owner of this blog, participate in discussions with my readers, it is not a goal of mine to have the last word.

The proof is in my archives, where every article and every comment can be reviewed by you in order to document my claim of encouraging exchanges of opinions.

In one of his recent pejorative articles attacking Sun City Anthem volunteers, Richard Arendt went after Board President Jim Long and Vice President Wade Terry by comparing them to comic-book and film superheroes Batman and Robin.

 

 

I’m not sure Mr. Arendt succeeded in making his points, since Batman and Robin, protectors of the fictional Gotham City and dedicated fighters against crime, are two of the most widely admired characters in the history of their genre. If I wanted to compare the excellent leadership exhibited by Long and Terry since their election this past spring, Batman and Robin would make worthy comparisons.

Finance Committee member Al Glickman is one of the very few community volunteers who have made an effort to reason with Goodman, Arendt and a small number of others who share their views on the Goodman/Arendt forum.

For his troubles, Glickman is met by them with insults and ridicule.

When Glickman read the “Batman and Robin” article written by Arendt, he responded with one of the most heartfelt and articulate comments I have seen in a long while.

As often happens, Glickman’s comments were deleted from the Goodman/Arendt forum in very short order, and he was threatened with permanent banning from that venue.

Al Glickman’s comments are so significant that I asked him for permission to publish his message that was deleted from the Goodman/Arendt forum, and he has graciously consented. The Glickman comments appear below, modified only slightly to fit the blog format.

It is significant to note Glickman’s words regarding the tendency of Arendt to “dish it out” but not being able to take it. There is ample evidence of how Arendt and Goodman lash out when they are unhappy, but that is something for another day.

Thank you to Al Glickman for allowing me to share his important words. When he wrote them, I believe he was speaking not just for himself, but also for many of the community volunteers who come under relentless attack from the direction of the Goodman/Arendt forum.

As you read Glickman’s words, please keep in mind that while I think we have mutual respect for each other, we are not bosom buddies. He is not especially an advocate for me, and in fact has been more than willing to take me to task when he disapproves of some of my own writings or opinions.

Comments of Finance Committee member Al Glickman, addressed to Richard Arendt, published to the Goodman Arendt forum but deleted soon after: 

Give me strength!

You have absolutely no clue what the Finance Committee does or how various decisions are arrived at. You just assume that you know, because as I have said on this forum before, you are either too lazy or too scared to actually show up, preferring instead to continuously throw out darts and accusations from your keyboard.

Just because you THINK that things are always done badly and many decisions are faulty does NOT, in fact, make your assumptions true. For instance, SCA does not, in fact, spend over $3 million for RMI. The majority (all but a bit over $200K) is for employees who would be needed without RMI just to run the facilities. Maybe other people could do a better or less expensive job. Then again, maybe not. Why are you the sole arbiter?

I read this blog (the Goodman forum) basically to keep up with what those who dislike everything that is done here have to say. I occasionally post a comment, generally not of the flip nature. This time, I was a bit more flippant only because of your own beautiful comparison of SCA to Gotham City.

You know, sarcasm goes two ways, not only your way. Or, do you really fancy yourself to be such a great writer that everything you say is gospel and nobody should dare to disagree with you or point out sometime just how full of yourself you are?

Just what makes you think that you know more than anyone else or that your opinions are shared by many others or are even valid?

Almost every editorial that you make preaches the same complaints. You sometimes use different approaches, such as the Gotham City reference in this thread, but the subject matter is almost always the same.

If the BOD members can be referred to as Batman and Robin, why can't you be referred to as the Joker or the Penguin? Oh, I forgot! Mr. Right is the only one who can do these things. If someone else does them back they are immediately castigated, told that what they said was neither entertaining or informative, and threatened with disbarment from the blog.

And you say that this blog is "better" and more upstanding and honest than the other one (the Berman blog). That's rich--you should actually practice what you preach and not get so upset that you get back just a tiny bit of what you love to dish out to those who don't buy into your lines of thought.

If this is what you call a foolish post, than I feel sorry for you.

The Benefits Of A Financially Sound Community

 

“Hate HOAs Now? Just Wait.”

That’s the title of an article by J. Patrick Coolican in the October 30 edition of the Las Vegas Sun.

Among other things, Coolican notes that some Nevada homeowner associations are reaching the point where many of their big-ticket common elements need to be replaced or undergo substantial repairs, such as swimming pools, roofs, etc.

He goes on to suggest that homeowners living in HOAs may be facing enormous financial obligations if they have not set aside money in their reserves to provide for repair and replacement.

The entire Coolican article, located here, is well worth reading.

The risks to HOAs, of which some of the smaller ones have been in the news due to federal charges of collusion and corruption, are very real.

That is why we who are Sun City Anthem homeowners, living in a community recently cited as the top active-adult luxury community in America, can take comfort that we are in good hands.

We are blessed to have a Finance Committee whose membership includes a number of experienced CPAs, who have worked in cooperation with our committees, directors and administrators to carefully craft a budget that maintains our standards while not leaving us in a financial hole.

The SCA Board of Directors voted at its October 27 meeting to adopt the Finance Committee’s recommendation for a $100 assessment (dues) increase for the year 2012, bringing our annual assessment to $1,100. This recommendation is certain to be ratified at the annual members meeting on November 17.

Through attendance at the many public budget meetings that led up to the Board recommendation, it was most informative to observe and sometimes comment on the detailed analysis of the many budget components that took place.

Of the $100 2012 assessment increase, $45 of this amount will go to the reserve component, leaving us well situated to provide for the community’s repair and replacement needs without having to surprise owners with special assessments.

 

 

Is This Editorial Cartoon Offensive?

 

Dear Readers: In my entire life, I have never taken personal exception to an editorial cartoon, certainly not to the point of writing to a cartoonist’s editors to complain. My firm belief is that editorial cartoonists perform a valuable public service, and defense of the First Amendment is paramount to life in a free society.

I finally made an exception, however, when I saw the following cartoon by syndicated Atlanta Journal-Constitution editorial cartoonist Mike Luckovich, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, published in today’s (Sept. 28) Las Vegas Review-Journal.

 

This is the cartoon:

 

 

I take offense not to the message or the intended humor, but to the fact that the cartoonist pictured Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu with a Star of David on his suit.

Anyone even remotely familiar with the history of the Jews under Hitler knows that they were required to sew Jewish stars on their clothing to identify themselves …until they could be exterminated.

Publishing of the cartoon seemed especially ill-timed, coming on the eve of the Jewish New Year.

In addition, the image of the star on Netanyahu’s suit seemed both unnecessary and redundant, in view of the fact that he is also drawn wearing a large button that says “Netanyahu.”

I leave it to my readers to indicate whether they think I am overreacting.

On 9/11 … We Remember

 

Many days of memorial remembrances of the tragedies of September 11, 2001, will of course culminate with countless observances and tributes on September 11, 2011.

I’ve inserted a link below to one of the dozens of videos marking the occasion on YouTube. After reviewing many videos, I found that this one contains some of the most memorable graphic images to remind us of just how shocking and gruesome were the events of the day …not just at the World Trade Center buildings, of course, as this video depicts, but also at the Pentagon and in a Pennsylvania field.

As we pause to commemorate the occasion, please be aware that a grave injustice is being committed against those who responded to the WTC site, working that day and for months afterward to recover remains and participate in the massive cleanup.

The injustice is the refusal to recognize and provide compensation and medical benefits to the inordinately large number of responders who have developed various types of cancers. This is despite the recent finding of a medical review panel that the responders have developed cancer at significantly higher rates than the population at large.

While it is a useful exercise to remember 9/11 by sharing personal stories of where we were and what we were doing when we learned of the attacks, what would be more useful is to contact our Nevada Senators and U.S. Representatives and ask them to fight as hard as they can to provide these benefits to the responders who are in such dire need.

 

 

Questions for Ms. Goodman

Rana Goodman sometimes uses her forum to ask me questions, rather than calling me, sending me e-mails, or conversing with me when we are attending meetings.

So I’d like to ask Rana several questions, in good faith, regarding her Nevada Legislature lobbying efforts, or absence thereof.

Rana, you tend to frame the bills you lobby for, or against, as consistent with your stated belief that these are either friendly or unfriendly to homeowners.

You also frequently criticize SCA actions or processes as wasteful of our homeowner dues.

I assume you know that the Legislature often changes NRS 116 in ways that cause our CC&Rs to be out of compliance due to these changes. And we recently saw a Commission For Common-Interest Communities hearing conclude with the dismissal of a claim that past directors had changed our CC&Rs, without a vote of our owners, in order to comply with changes to statute.

Knowing that an effort to make such changes by vote of unit owners would likely cost at least $3,000 to $5,000 of our Association money, and that failure to obtain the necessary votes would be irrelevant because it would leave our CC&Rs out of compliance ….

Why haven’t you publicly supported and worked for a NRS 116 amendment that would allow Associations to make such changes to their CC&Rs in these cases where the only purpose would be to bring the CC&Rs into compliance with revised statute?

And will you participate in efforts to implement such an amendment to NRS 116 in the 2013 session?

Isn’t this an issue that we all could agree on, something that is clearly friendly to homeowners?

If not, why not?

Sincerely,

David Berman 

 

Answering Ms. Goodman’s Questions

I certainly understand and accept the fact that many of our residents are not knowledgeable about the processes of our Association because they have chosen not to focus their interests in that direction.

What I find really troubling, however, is the harm, and sometimes the damage, that can be done when those who purport to be informed and claim to have the correct information, and also have a platform to communicate their views, cause harm by putting out incorrect information or, at minimum, display a fundamental lack of understanding of the workings of our Association.

In conjunction with the pending replacement of “case goods” in the Activities Department offices, Rana Goodman writes as follows:

“Now I have a question for the board and David Berman: You are talking about buying new furniture for Greg’s office and others…What is being done with the other desks you are replacing like the reception area? Sold/auctioned? donated? to whom? who gets the money?”

I am astounded by Ms. Goodman’s ignorance on this subject. She seems completely unaware that a formal process for giving residents the first opportunity to obtain these “obsoleted” items by auction or sale was established and published many months ago. It was employed to sell off furniture from the Anthem Center swimming pool areas, though improvements in the process were later made. It was employed at the last parking lot sale when replaced poker tables and chairs were offered for purchase.

In the case of the furniture in the Activities Department offices, Ms. Goodman attended the same Board meeting I did last Thursday, when it was explained that some of the built-in furniture will have to be disassembled to prepare for carpet replacement. Any “case goods” that can be put up for auction or sale, as well as furniture from other areas of our buildings, will be disposed of according to the established procedure, with notices to residents through e-mail blasts and bulletin board postings.

Ms. Goodman’s forum pal Richard Arendt seems to think that any furniture that needs to be replaced in offices occupied by RMI personnel should be paid for by RMI. Mr. Arendt is obviously not familiar with the Association’s reserves policy, or he wouldn’t display his stupidity in this manner.

By her recent writings, Ms. Goodman, a former candidate for the Lifestyle Committee, apparently thinks the Chartered Club Guidelines should be aborted so that one of our chartered clubs can be run as a business operation instead of the social and hobby-related activity allowed to it under the Guidelines.

And lately she displays complete failure to understand that if a class-action litigation is to be considered, the Board members, not the homeowners, have the right to hire the litigators, but litigation cannot be commenced until the homeowners approve doing so, exactly as the law provides.

Ms. Goodman writes as follows:

NRS 116.31088 Meetings regarding civil actions; requirements for commencing or ratifying certain civil actions; right of units’ owners to request dismissal of certain civil actions; disclosure of terms and conditions of settlements.

1. The association shall provide written notice to each unit’s owner of a meeting at which the commencement of a civil action is to be considered at least 21 calendar days before the date of the meeting. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the association may commence a civil action only upon a vote or written agreement of the owners of units to which at least a majority of the votes of the members of the association are allocated.

That is EXACTLY what is going to happen, but we are not yet at that point. All the Board has done is exercise its legal right to retain attorneys, but no civil action can be commenced until approved by the homeowners. We are simply not yet at that point, which Ms. Goodman refused to understand due to her linear thinking.

Ms. Goodman also writes:

I cannot speak for David Berman or Ron Johnson but I can for myself. Anthem Today was created to be a community service forum, any statement I receive that is a community service is posted the minute I receive it along with a flash broadcast to my registered users.

For better or worse, my approach is different. When I receive information or a notice that is worthy of sharing with my readers, I don’t just throw it on the blog haphazardly. First I make sure I understand the purpose of the information, seeking additional information from the sender if I believe clarification is warranted.

Second is the matter of timing. Notices or information sent to me well in advance of their effective dates are usually held by me so that I can publish them closer to the time when they will be effective. This makes the information more relevant and immediate to my readers so that they don’t have to worry about forgetting the dates.

Ms. Goodman’s way is the easier approach, of course, requiring no additional efforts on her part. But I respect my readers too much to take that approach.

 

My Response to Being Baited

A friend of mine who reads my blog and the Goodman/Arendt message Board asked if I am going to respond to the baiting over there on the subject of a scheduled administrative hearing –not an indictment- involving an action of a Board of Directors majority several years ago to change certain provisions of our governing documents, without a vote of the residents, in order to bring the documents into compliance with changes the State Legislature made in the HOA governing statute, NRS 116.

While the Goodman/Arendt crew suggest that I have not recently reported on the subject because it does not favor my interest to do so, I think most of my readers know me better than that.

When the hearing takes place and an outcome is known, I will report completely and accurately on what transpired, regardless of whether the result pleases or displeases me.

I think my readers understand that they can count on me to give them the full story, separating factual reporting from personal opinion, and clearly delineating the difference if necessary.