Alpine News ~~ from the friends of alpine

one of my secrets... a guilty pleasure

diana - birches garden — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:41:32 GMT

---------------------------------------
We all have them, right? Since we are friends, I'll tell you my secret guilty pleasure... no, it's not betting on the ponies or illicit drugs. I love all types of music, from symphony to jug band, reggae to golden oldies, Celtic tunes to indie artists, I just love hearing music. So, here is that guilty pleasure~ Neil Diamond! that's right, Neil Diamond... not the coolest thing to admit but there you go! I could make the argument that he is the best US songwriter ever. I could tell you his appeal has spanned 40 years in the biz. He is so important that American Idol devoted an entire show to his music ( not that any REAL fan would've watched it ). None of that matters if you hear him belting out 'Red Red Wine', 'Solitary Man', 'Song Sung Blue', 'Cracklin' Rosie', or any of his other mega hits. He is a true genius. Some one VERY close to me has a theory about Neil Diamond... thinks he is the same dude who plays Jack Tripper's friend Larry on 'Three's Company'.

No matter to me... Neil Diamond rocks!
Here he is with one of my favs...go ahead, turn it up! You know you want to!!

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

funny of the day 5/11/08 IKEA's new car

funny friend — Sun, 11 May 2008 05:39:49 GMT

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

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

IKEA has announced its intention to sell cars...

Package includes:

a week around the compound ~~ 5/4-5/10

diana - birches garden — Sat, 10 May 2008 10:29:42 GMT

---------------------------------------
Here a recap of last week around the compound...

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

Gas is at $3.80 in TA...YIKES!

We've had plenty of rain this week... the May apples are coming up like crazy. When we first moved here, I did not know what they were so I named them 'umbrella plants'!

Cathy S celebrated her birthday in style at the home of David and Grace. Happy Birthday Cathy!

A pair of orioles are visiting the hummer feeders in my yard... they look just like the ones on the ball cap !

A big thanks to Barb B who brought me a bag of necessities from IKEA... good friends are a wonderful gift.

A Friday stop at Wally World was like li'l alpine...we saw lots of neighbors there including Vickie M, Dennis & Ronnie and Ben & Inge... with that high price of gas, a shuttle bus sounds like a great idea! LOL

It's been about 2 years since a bear has visited our yard ~ last night about 10:30 I heard a commotion out back. Well, the bear had first dibs on a feeder and I was not about to argue. Now, all feeders will go in at night.

Spotted on the golf course this week was Frank M, Bill B & Gene. Word is Gene was a few over par (whatever that means), but all players had fun. And each made birdies!

Ran into Bob & Kay at the Dollar General. Good thing they were there... I was 11 cents short! They covered my bill. Thanks... I owe you!

Congrats to Sherry M for completing her Breast Cancer Walk in record time. Way to go Sherry!

Sunday is Mother's Day. Make sure you wish all the ladies out there a Happy Mother's Day.

Have a great week!

funny of the day 5/10/08 a new element?

funny friend — Sat, 10 May 2008 07:12:29 GMT

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

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

Research has led to the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science.

The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.
These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact.
A small amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second to take from four days to four years to complete.

Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2- 6 years; it does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.
In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration.

This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass. When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

the six scariest real estate markets... and some pretty good ones

alpine reporter — Fri, 09 May 2008 06:54:35 GMT

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

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

The six scariest real estate markets...
Barbara Corcoran reveals which areas to avoid — and which to embrace

When choosing these cities we looked strictly at statistics, things like the number of foreclosures, steep price drops and high unemployment.* Many of these cities are perfectly nice places to live, with thriving cultures. Detroit, for example, was recently named one of the top 10 cities for young college grads.

But for various reasons, which I will go into, these markets have been hit particularly badly by the housing crunch. Here are our picks:

Stockton, Calif.
Stockton has the highest rate of foreclosures in the nation. One in 30 homes in Stockton are facing foreclosure, more than double the number a year ago. (Compare this with the national average: one in 194.) Unemployment is a whopping 10 percent, almost double the national average of 5.2 percent. The median sale price of a two-bedroom home in Stockton is only $142,000. That’s down more than 22 percent from last year!

Many 1950s bungalows were built here as part of President Truman’s Fair Deal, and today they house residents who commute to San Francisco via Interstate 5. Some people are simply walking away from their homes because they're spending too much on gas to commute back and forth to work in the Bay Area, plus their homes are no longer worth what they paid for them. Instead, they just move closer to work and rent rather owning. Local realtors report that homes have become vandalized or burglarized for copper plumbing or wiring, cabinets and other re-salable fixtures.

In some areas of Stockton, there are more than five homes on a single street that are abandoned. Homeless people are squatting in homes, even without power or water, just to find shelter. Construction trades have had to reinvent themselves and now offer new services like gardening, hauling, handyman services or notary signing. Foreclosures are fueling a great rental market for investors, since people who’ve lost their homes usually make honest, hard working tenants.

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
One in 73 homes are in foreclosure in Fort Lauderdale, about twice as many as this time last year. The median home price is $345.9, down 5.7 percent from last year. Unemployment is slightly below the national average at 4.3 percent.

There are some factors here that are keeping prospective buyers on the fence. One reason is that there's too much candy on the shelf. Between standard listings, foreclosures and short sales, there is entirely too much product from which to choose. Media reports predicting that real estate hasn’t neared bottom yet encourage buyers to try to time the market. Sellers reluctant to come down to reality are still holding on to peak market prices. But brokers say buyer confidence here is improving and that they’re seeing increased activity over the past six months as people realize they have a terrific opportunity to get a great value in a home in the current market.

Decatur, Ill.
Prices are down 15.9 percent over last year, putting the median home price at a rock-bottom $75,000. Unemployment is high at 6.1 percent. Foreclosures in Illinois in general are high and growing, currently 50 percent more than last year. Foreclosures in Decatur are relatively low, one in every 428 homes.

Decatur lost many large factories in the last 15 years and didn’t really experience the rapid rise in home prices seen in major metropolitan areas. Instead, local brokers see foreclosures here as a direct result of 100 percent loans given to buyers with low scores. The area has also been affected by appraisers who were unfamiliar with the local market and valued homes at inflated prices. The good news is that the number of home sales in Illinois were UP 24.5 percent in March from February according to the Illinois Association of Realtors. Local Decatur brokers report that “many homes are moving.”

Sacramento, Calif.
One in 55 homes is in foreclosure in Sacramento, the fifth highest rate in the country. Median home prices have dropped 18.5 percent to $297.6. Unemployment is 6.5 percent. Home prices in this area more than doubled between 2000 and 2005, setting Sacramento up for a hard fall. Since last year, the price per square foot in Sacramento dropped 29.8 percent to $161, according to the real estate data company Radar Logic Inc.

Worse still, Sacramento has the highest concentration of homeowner debt in the country according to Forbes.com. More people here have combined their mortgages with home equity loans, second loans, or both.

When the housing market slowed here, jobs were lost in related industries: title companies, interior design, lumber supply companies, electricians, plumbers, roofers, appliance stores and so on, dealing a heavy blow to the Sacramento job market.

Detroit, Mich.
One of every 68 homes here are facing foreclosure. Unemployment is 8.1 percent. Median home price is $133.3, down 13.8 percent from last year. The automotive industry here is always laying off, cost cutting, closing plants, or outsourcing jobs. The many wealthy communities surrounding the Detroit area experienced substantial appreciation in years past, making an eventual drop in prices inevitable. Local realtors report that many homeowners here are just walking away or are negotiating with lenders to sell their home in a short sale. The good news in Detroit is that the number of home sales is actually UP 45 percent over last year as investors come in to pick up great bargains.

Lansing, Mich.
Michigan had the third highest rate of foreclosure in the country last year. They experienced the largest drop in home prices in the nation last year, 18.8 percent down to $109.6. One in 150 homes are in foreclosure. Unemployment hovers at 6.1 percent. Layoffs in the auto industry throughout Michigan are hurting Lansing.

Between 1999 and 2004, sudden home growth, stimulated by lower mortgage rates and easy credit, created a seller’s market. Home values appreciated as much as 10 percent a year. Building took off, with subdivisions and condos going up at a record rate. A large number of retiring baby boomers combined with the uptick in new home construction to create an unprecedented excess of available homes on the market. When the bottom fell out of the mortgage industry, it became impossible to sell anywhere near the 35 percent necessary to keep pace with previous years.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, here are the three areas with the biggest median home price increase:

Cumberland, Md.
The median home price here is $116.6, up a whopping 19 percent over last year, and still a huge bargain. Within two hours of Washington, Baltimore and Pittsburgh, this area has undergone a renaissance in past few years with stores being re-built, homes being restored, and the town undergoing beautification.

Yakima, Wash.
Median home price is $170.6, up 18 percent over last year. A bright spot in the economy of the Yakima Valley is the burgeoning wine industry, due in part to the Yakima Valley soil, which is very similar to the soil conditions of French wineries. Over 40 wineries dot the Yakima Valley, covering more than 11,000 acres. Yakima is home to several wine-related events each year which draw wine enthusiasts from all over the Pacific Northwest and the world. Unemployment is at 4.5 percent.

Binghamton, N.Y.
Prices jumped 14.8 percent in the past year to $110,000, an incredible bargain in New York state, where the median home price is $275.600. The pro-active government has a vision for the community and has undertaken numerous projects and initiatives, like demolishing blighted properties and selling vacant lots for as little as a dollar to bring in business and development. They take their motto, “Restoring the Pride,” seriously here. Unemployment is at 4.7 percent.

Though we are in the grips of a national housing slump, it is interesting to see just how varied conditions are in different cities and the different reasons for the slumps in different areas. To figure out the state of your own real estate market and its possible trajectory, I recommend you look up the same figures we did and compare them to the cities we showed you here.

funny of the day 5/9/09 how your house is seen...

funny friend — Fri, 09 May 2008 06:44:11 GMT

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

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

Your house as seen by...

Yourself...

Your Buyer...

Your Lender...

Your Appraiser...

Your Maryland Tax Assessor...

DIANA-logue ~~ stereotypes... do we deserve this?

diana - birches garden — Wed, 07 May 2008 08:56:32 GMT

------------------------------------------
I'm sure you've all heard the West Virginia jokes, or maybe they were for Alabama, or Arkansas, or wherever. Depending on where you are in the country, you can insert any state name you like. It's all meant to be funny. And some of it is! But we all know that these are jokes. But... too many times the stereotypes of these jokes are true. Not all West Virginians have sofas hanging from a tree to use as a swing. Not all WV's ride the short bus to school.

Here's the point... Alpine Lake is in West Virginia. And for years WV has had an image of hillbilly, redneck, dirt eatin' folks. We all know that's not true, but it's still the image some people have. So, as a community, we need to make sure people get the right image about Alpine & West Virginia.

For the state, WVU and other schools have made a major impact on changing the attitudes of most. Beautiful state parks have also changed the perception.

But what about Alpine? For some, their first impression of alpine is some form of advertising. And there it is! Imagine seeing an ad in the paper for this place, and it's misspelled. OK, a mistake. Then the next week, it's misspelled again. This is happening right now, and happens all the time. I know, its funny when you see a flyer at the mailbox with a spelling mistake, or a menu in the lounge with a marker correcting a mistake... but is it really funny?

The point is... perception is reality. When you see these mistakes, you have to figure we just don't care. It's almost like we don't deserve any better. And that is why we are always trying to fight that hillbilly, redneck image. Maybe not everyone feels this way, but it really bothers me to see words spelled incorrectly. Or poor grammar. We all make mistakes, especially when typing informal messages, but these are advertisements for our community. There's no excuse for a paid advertisement to contain errors. It looks like we just don't care.

Here's a quick test... how many ' i 's are in the word lessons? That's an easy one.
How many ' k 's are in the word architect? Maybe a little tougher.

Are we just used to it?
Do we not expect anything better?
I do, what about you?

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

beautiful works of art ~~ driftwood horses

alpine cutie — Wed, 07 May 2008 07:21:18 GMT

-----------------------------------------
Check out what these ladies do with driftwood. Wow! Those are cool!!!

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

do you know Brother Iz? ~~ Frank and I do

diana - birches garden — Mon, 05 May 2008 14:18:45 GMT

-----------------------------------------
Here's a great rendition of 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow', by Brother Iz

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

get the juniors out on the golf course ~~ membership info

alpine reporter — Sat, 03 May 2008 20:56:30 GMT

-----------------------------------------
Spring is finally here at alpine and I wanted to pass along some info on golf memberships. Most golfers have probably already received the info on yearly memberships. If you haven't, contact the pro shop for the info.

But don't forget the Juniors! In a community with retired folks, not much advertising is done for the junior golfers. But check this out... it could be the best deal around. A Junior membership is $75 (alpoa). That covers green fees for the year, and the junior only pays half the cart fee (if riding). Obviously, juniors can't drive the carts. This is open for all juniors, whether the parent or grandparent has a membership or not.

So get the kids out and play some golf! It sure would look great to drive around the course and see more families out there having fun.

One last thing, make sure the Juniors check out the new line of Titleist hats & visors, and gloves in the pro shop.

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

funny of the day 5/2/08 wheels of life

funny friend — Fri, 02 May 2008 06:35:34 GMT

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

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

funny of the day 5/1/08 new sign for alpine?

funny friend — Sat, 03 May 2008 19:19:39 GMT

------------------------------------------
Our insurance carrier has required us to put up new signs to remain compliant.
And I got a sneak peek...

enjoy!

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

does anyone know about the pool?

diana - birches garden — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:10:39 GMT

-------------------------------------------
Well, its May 1 and assessment payments are due. As we head into a busy summer season, most of you know that the pool did not re-open as scheduled. For the last month, rumors have been flying about what happened. No 'official' response has been given. Even on alpine's official website, no statement as to why the pool is closed, or when it will be re-open. The only way to stop the rumors is to provide the PO's with an answer as to why the pool is closed.

This isn't about whether we should have a pool or not, but why can't the property owners get a simple answer to a simple question?

The pool is still used in our advertising. It shows up on the website, newspaper ads, radio ads, and the phone menu for booking pool parties. Yet, PO' still have no idea what's going on.

Are there plans for a new pool? Are there plans to shut down the pool and suffer the same fate as the ski slope? I don't know, but I sure hope PO's have some input before all decisions are final.

Please, someone in charge let the PO's know what's up.

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

got a question? post it here May '08

diana - birches garden — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:49:58 GMT

--------------------------------
Got questions? Let's hear them...
--------------------------------

what are you reading??? May '08

diana - birches garden — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:28:53 GMT

-------------------------------------------
what are you reading this month?

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

DIANA-logue ~~ life lessons

diana - birches garden — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:39:05 GMT

------------------------------------------
This year, I turned 41 years old. There are many life lessons we all learn...here are a few of mine. Please feel free to add your own.
BTW, my life lessons have come from many sources.

ENJOY...

* Life's short... buy the damn shoes!

*Do more listening than talking. This one is hard for me! LOL!

*Have respect for others.

*Things change~ good things change and bad things change. We should be thankful for that!

*Living in a big house and driving a fancy car does not mean you've got it made.

*I prefer living in a small house rather than a large one.

*Pay no attention to boundaries~ rivers and mountains certainly don't!

*People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.

*Have your own opinions and let others have theirs..makes life more interesting.

*Karma is one mean woman.

*Find your joy and go there.

*Refuse to allow negative people into your life.

*Show appreciation to the people who bring you happiness.

*Happiness can't be found~ it can only be made.
* You don't need to figure people out. Give them time and they will show you who they are.

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

lights around the lodge ~~ are they necessary?

diana - birches garden — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:36:31 GMT

-------------------------------------------
This topic was sent to me by Brad B. for discussion. The question of whether the outdoor lights around the lodge and pro shop are necessary.

Here goes...

I was out on the deck Saturday night and noticed all the street light pollution blocking out the night sky. The night sky is one of the features that draws me to the mountains.

How much money could we save if we turned off the street lights with the electricity and yearly maintenance? How important are the street lights to the property owners? We already have a gated community with a security on patrol.

Also, here's a website to check out...
http://www.darksky.org/mc/page.do

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

funny of the day ~~ 4/30/08

funny friend — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:33:52 GMT

april showers bring may ... snow?

diana - birches garden — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:10:04 GMT

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

Check out the pics.
This is what we woke up to here at alpine...

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

funny of the day 4/28/08 funny cat pics PART 2

funny friend — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 21:07:43 GMT

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

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

Here's part 2...