How to Clean a Flat-screen TV

(ARA) – The next time you walk into the room where your new flat-screen TV is on display, take a good look around. Is it starting to look dirty? Between all the dust and lint that flies around the average room and the dirty fingers used to turn the TV on its mount, it doesn’t take long before the set needs a good cleaning.

But don’t be tempted to use the same methods you would to clean your tube TV. Flat-screen television sets require more specialized care. Here are a few “Dos” and “Don’ts” to keep in mind:

* Don’t reach for strong chemical cleaners like alcohol, ammonia-based cleaners or window cleaners. They can damage the screen’s special coating.

* Don’t spray a liquid cleaner on the screen, as it can leak into the TV casing and damage the circuitry.

* Never use paper towels or newspapers to wipe off the screen either. These are wood products and will scratch the screen.

What you should do instead is look for a solution that is specially labeled “safe for laptop screens” or “LCD and plasma screens” and wipe it on with a soft cloth, preferably one made of chamois, microfiber or 100 percent cotton. These items are sold individually, or in kits available at most home entertainment stores or online. Kits, which typically include the cleaner, wipe cloths and brushes, are the most affordable way to go.

A line worth considering is Sanus Systems’ new Elements Screen Care, a series of quality screen care accessories that gently clean high-end TVs and monitors, and easily remove dust without damaging the screen. Within the Elements line is the ELM101, a complete screen care system that includes a special alcohol and ammonia-free gel that gently cleans TVs and monitors without harming screens or discoloring bezels and a Micro-Mist bottle you can use to apply it in a targeted spray. Also included is a unique microfiber wiping handle that allows for quick, even, window-style-cleaning; a microfiber cloth that cleans without leaving behind lint or residue; and an antistatic dusting brush attached to the wiping handle that lifts debris and static electricity from the screen between cleanings. Sanus also offers a simpler cleaning kit called the ELM102 that includes the detergent gel and a microfiber cloth that stores in the bottle cap.

“We know these cleaners are going to be extremely popular among flat-screen television set owners because they offer the solution they’ve been looking for,” says Jason Schmidt, product manager for Sanus, “an easy and inexpensive way to keep their electronics clean.”

Elements Screen Care products are now available at thousands of retail locations nationwide; a store locator is available at www.sanus.com.

Once you have your cleaner on hand, here are the quick-and-easy steps you should follow to clean your set:

Step 1

Disconnect the power to your TV before you clean it each time. This is much safer, and it will allow you to see the smudges and dirt better.

Step 2

Use either lukewarm water or a cleaning solution to clean your TV, and wipe it on to the screen with a damp, soft cloth. Just a gentle wiping of the screen is enough. Rubbing, scrubbing and hard pressure can damage the screen.

Between cleanings, a little preventative maintenance will go a long way. Remember, it’s important to dust your TV and its screen on a regular basis. Excessive dust will damage any electronic device.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

November 2008 HOA Meeting

The meeting started at 6:00 and present were the HOA Board, property manager, a Pinellas County Sheriff’s Detective specializing in Sexual Predators/Offenders and 3 residents. It was a busy meeting with many things discussed. Here is a brief synopsis of the meeting from my perspective as a resident.

The 1st thing that was discussed was the confusion about the meeting time and date. Due to the events of last week the board did not know if there would be a large turnout to discuss the problem of the sex offender and they wanted to get someone from the Sheriffs office to meet with us as well. The time and date did not work and the meeting was canceled. However, on Wednesday, all of a sudden things fell into place and the meeting was back on. The meeting information was posted here as soon as I found out.

After the normal formalities of the meeting, a Detective from the Pinellas County Sheriffs SPOT unit gave a presentation and answered questions regarding the sex offender that moved in across from the school path. The offender has left our neighborhood thanks to the efforts of concerned parents and residents. Once it was discovered that he lived in Woodland Hills word spread like a California wildfire and in the end, he left. However, he still can return at anytime to visit and spend time in our neighborhood and this is why parents and residents must remain aware. Details of his car can be found here.

We also found out that he may have been living in the neighborhood for 2 months before being found out. This means that he could have been here for Halloween! He was arrested and is awaiting trial for his failure to comply with the rules of the program and is awaiting trial, but he has been bonded out and is free to go where he pleases.

Because of this there is a plan to begin and set up a neighborhood watch. If you are interested please visit the information page.

The detective did a tremendous job explaining things to us about the SPOT program and Sex Offenses in general. One thing that stood out in the Deputies comments was that the 1000 foot rule only applies to a predator/offender who are on Sex Offender Probation or were convicted after 2004 of certain crimes.

This is troublesome, why is there a cutoff date? All convicted sex offenders/predators need to be kept away from schools period. There should be no distinction based on the date of conviction. The only way this can change is if people contact their local government officials and complain until they hear you.  The contact information for our area officials is below. Feel free to write, call, email or even visit to tell them how you feel about allowing convicted sex offenders/predators to live near a school.

Also, it was brought up that Florida does not have a tier system to classify risk and severity of the offense. This is another problem with our law that needs to be addressed . For example in Montana the system works like this:

Montana’s Three-Tier System

The Department of Corrections or the sentencing court designates a tier level that assesses the risk each offender poses for committing similar offenses in the future:

• Level 1 Sexual Offenders – the risk of a repeat sexual offense is low
• Level 2 Sexual Offenders – the risk of a repeat sexual offense is moderate
• Level 3 Sexual Offenders – the risk of a repeat sexual offense is high, there is a threat to public safety, and an evaluator believes the offender is a sexually violent predator

The grandfather clause needs to be eliminated, but it probably can’t, and a tier system investigated for future offenses in Florida. These two changes, while simple in concept, could have an impact on the ability of sex offenders/predators to live near  schools and give the officers a better chance in keeping our children safe.

The Detective also did say that the SPOT team was almost cut in half due to budget cuts and Sheriff Coats saved it by finding money elsewhere to keep the unit intact. This is another thing to mention when talking to your State Officials. There are over a thousand people being tracked in Pinellas alone.

Could the laws be changed?

Take the time to call or write now

Florida Representative: Peter Nehr
Website
District Office:
Tarpon Tower-Suite 430
905 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
Tarpon Springs, FL 34689-4829
Phone: (727) 943-4880

Senator: Mike Fasano
Website
District Office:
8217 Massachusetts Avenue
New Port Richey, FL 34653-3111
(727) 848-5885
fasano.mike.web@flsenate.gov

Congressman Gus Bilirakis
Website
District Office:
35111 U.S. Highway 19 North
Palm Harbor Professional Center
Suite 301
Palm Harbor, FL 34684
Ph: 727-773-2871
Fx: 727-784-6471

November 2008 Meeting Agenda

The agenda for the November 19th meeting is now set.

THE VILLAGE OF WOODLAND HILLS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 6:00 P.M.
Balmoral Assisted Living Center (Conference Room)
2960 Tampa Road, Palm Harbor, Florida

AGENDA

CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL

DISPOSAL OF UNAPPROVED MINUTES

OFFICER REPORTS
President
Vice-President
Treasurer

MANAGEMENT REPORT

COMMITTEE REPORTS

PENDING BUSINESS
Tree trimming
Tennis Court project

NEW BUSINESS
Neighborhood Update –Pinellas County Sheriff’s Dept.
Insurance

HOMEOWNER REQUESTS
(Any other ACC requests received after this notice was printed)

ADJOURN
POSTED THIS 17th Day of November, 2008

Don’t Give ID Thieves a Holiday Gift

(ARA) – Shoppers may spend less this holiday season, but it’s unlikely crime will take a holiday in the final months of 2008.
It’s important to protect yourself, your property and your hard-earned cash from thieves — especially identity thieves — while you’re holiday shopping this year.

Law enforcement agencies across the country routinely report crime spikes during the holiday season, and there’s no reason to think this year will be any different. Identity theft — the unauthorized use of personal information like your name, Social Security or credit card numbers — generated the most consumer complaints in 2007, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Victims spend an average of 300 hours repairing the damage wrought by ID thieves.

Here are a few ways to protect yourself from identity thieves during the holidays and throughout the coming year:

* When shopping at the mall or other retail centers, never leave your purse, wallet or purchases in the car. If thieves break into your vehicle, they won’t just take your cash and merchandise, they may steal any identifying information you’ve left in the vehicle, like your license and registration, credit cards or even club membership cards.

* Likewise, minimize the identifying information and financial cards you carry in your wallet. Carry only what’s required, and never carry your original Social Security card with you; memorize the number and keep the card in a safety deposit box instead.

* Never leave your credit card with a store clerk to process a purchase while you run an errand nearby. In those few minutes, an unscrupulous clerk may take down your credit card information, and a careless one may leave your card where a thief can get his hands on it.

* Don’t believe any merchant — online or in person — who requires you to reveal your Social Security or driver’s license numbers in order to make a credit card purchase. Showing your photo ID and your signature on the credit card should be sufficient for in-person purchases, and the security number for your card should suffice for online shopping. If a merchant insists on additional identifying information, consider taking your business elsewhere.

* You may be tempted to clean out your car when you stop for gas, but never leave receipts, especially bank receipts, bill stubs or any other identifying paperwork in a public trash can. “Dumpster diving” — pulling personal information from documents thrown in the trash — remains a leading route for ID thieves.

* When shopping online, stick with sites that have the closed lock icon at the bottom of your browser. It means you’re dealing with a site that practices security measures. Before you enter your credit card number for any online purchase, always make sure you’re dealing with a secure, trusted site that has a secure certificate.

* Don’t wait until you get a phone call from a creditor you’ve never heard of before you find out about ID theft – enroll in a product like ProtectMyID.com, your single source for identity theft protection.  The service offers a complete program for identity theft protection, detection, resolution and automatic coverage for credit and debt cards. If you do become a victim of ID theft while using the service, they’ll guarantee your losses up to $1 million. They check for important changes to your credit every day so you don’t have to.

Smart safety and shopping practices, and the right protection tools, can help ensure the holidays stay bright for you this year, and not for the identity thieves.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

IdentityTruth predicts potential fraud and provides the earliest possible notification in advance of potential identity misuse.

Know Your Neighbor

It is important to be aware of your neighborhood and the areas surrounding it. One important site to visit is the State of Florida Sexual Predator website. For more information and to sign up for email alerts from the State of Florida.  - sign up here -

The state number is Toll-free: 1-888-357-7332 (M-F 8am-6:30pm, EST)

Pinellas County Sheriffs Department has more information here as well:

Sexual Predator/Offender Tracking (S.P.O.T.):
General Information
Phone: (727) 582-SPOT (7768)
email: spot@pcsonet.com

Location & Hours of Operation:
11439 Ulmerton Road, Largo, FL
The Greenhouse Shoppe’s Plaza
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Ironman Traffic Delays

did not happen and it looks like there were many lessons learned from last years events. The Sheriffs Department did a great job keeping traffic moving and delays to a minimum.

This was much better that the road closures last year that hampered traffic.

Feel free to comment on the Ironman competition

2009 Budget and Dues

The 2009 Budget information is out and has been mailed. For more information contact PMI, the management company. At the last board meeting it was discussed. The dues for next year were also in the letter.

Here is a link to the document 2009 VOWH Budget