Flavor Pict Road was unpaved, when I moved to Boynton Beach, in 1996. A bridge had to be built over a canal, in order for the road to connect from El Clair Ranch Road east to Military Trail. A small, beautiful forest occupied the entire northwest corner of Flavor Pict and Military.

One tree stood out of this forest - literally! It was bent at a 50 degree angle away from the roadway. For several years, we would walk or bike past this bent tree that was so unusual it became the "landmark" for finding Flavor Pict Road.

One day, everyone noticed a sign announcing the future site of homes, stores, and a park. It was to be called "Renaissance Commons." Bulldozers, tree cutters, and dozens of heavy trucks attacked the forest and removed almost every tree. Scattered, here and there, were several specimen pines - and the one lonely bent tree. Apparently, it had grown into the electrical wires and became a problem for the company removing the trees. It required the most time, money and trouble to remove. It really stood it's ground, as crooked as it was. I guess it's time had come to go. Homes were eventually built there, instead of Renaissance Commons.

Recently, my husband found the photograph he had taken of the tree we had remembered as a symbol of what HAD been a forest and was now a community.

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How to Forward E-Mail APPROPRIATELY.

How can you forward e-mails without seeing everyone else's e-mail address?
Why do you get viruses or junk mail? Why are people angry at you for forwarding their mail on to their friends?

Every time you forward an e-mail there is information left over from recipients who received it before you, namely their e-mail addresses & names. As the messages get forwarded along, the list of addresses accumulates, and when and if someone gets a virus, his or her computer can send that virus to every e-mail address on that list. Or, someone can take all of those addresses and sell them or send junk mail to them in the hopes that you will go to the site and it will earn five cents for each hit. Imagine, just a nickel!

Here are some guidelines to help you FORWARD e-mail appropriately:

(1) When you forward an e-mail, DELETE all of the other addresses that appear in the body of the message (at the top). That's right, DELETE them. Highlight them and delete them, backspace them, cut them, whatever it is you know how to do. It only takes a second. You MUST click the "Forward" button first and then you will have full editing capabilities against the body and headers of the message. If you don't click on "Forward" first, you won't be able to edit the message at all.

(2) Whenever you send an e-mail to more than one person, do NOT use the To: or Cc: fields for adding e-mail addresses.
Always use the BCC: (blind carbon copy) field for listing the e-mail addresses. This is the way the people you send to will only see their own e-mail address. If you don't see your BCC: option click on where it says To: and your address list will appear. Highlight the address and choose BCC: and that's it, it's that easy. When you send to BCC: your message will automatically say "Undisclosed Recipients" in the "TO:" field of the people who receive it.

(3) Remove any "FW :" in the subject line. You can re-name the subject if you wish or even fix spelling.

(4) ALWAYS hit your Forward button from the actual e-mail you are reading. Ever get those e-mails that you have to open 10 pages to read the one page with the information on it? By Forwarding from the actual page you wish someone to view, you stop them from having to open many e-mails just to see what you sent.

(5) Have you ever gotten an email that is a petition? It states a position and asks you to add your name and address and to forward it to 10 or 15 people or your entire address book. The email can be forwarded on and on and can collect thousands of names and email addresses.

A FACT: The completed petition is actually worth a couple of bucks to a professional spammer because of the wealth of valid names and email addresses contained therein. If you want to support the petition, send it as your own personal letter to the intended recipient. Your position may carry more weight as a personal letter than a laundry list of names and email address on a petition. (Actually, if you think about it, who's supposed to send the petition in to whatever cause it supports? And don 't believe the ones that say that the email is being traced, it just aint so!)

(6) One of the main ones I hate is the ones that say that something like, "Send this email to 10 people and you'll see something great run across your screen." Or, sometimes they'll just tease you by saying something really cute will happen. It never does!

(7) Before you forward an Amber Alert, or a Virus Alert, or some of the other ones floating around nowadays, check them out before you forward them. Most of them are junk mail that's been circling the net for YEARS! Just about everything you receive in an email that is in question can be checked out at Snopes. Just go to http://www.snopes.com/ Its really easy to find out if it's real or not. If it's not, please don't pass it on. So please, in the future, let's stop the junk mail and the viruses.

This information comes from Netiquette (Network Etiquette).

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I have often walked into shops featuring clothing or other items in store windows, only to be "attacked" by loud rap music. I quickly exit that store without making any purchases.

Restaurants with quiet background music are delightful to dine at, since conversations with fellow diners can be appreciated. The slower and more pleasant the music, the greater the chance my husband and I will linger over an additional cup of coffee and dessert with our friends. Now isn't that the "vibe" the restaurant owner wishes to convey?

Music as "backgound" noise in medical service and doctors' offices is an important issue, too. Recently, my visit to a mammography center was quite distressing, because the "rap" music blaring from directly overhead was only pleasing to the young staff. The three other patients and I had to ask to have the volume lowered. Our anxiety was magnified by the annoying music.

So, if you're reading this and you are a doctor or medical service provider, sit in your waiting room and listen to the music that your receptionists are providing your patients. See if it relaxes you, or does it convey, "Find another place to patronize?"

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The Not-for-Profit corporation Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, Inc., began in October, 2003. It is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to shipping packages to our U.S. Troops deployed overseas. Their success is due to the collaboration of communities, schools, businesses and other organizations whose desire it is to encourage and inspire our uniformed men and women, for as long as they are deployed.

The founders, Lynelle Chauncey Baggett and William Baggett, Jr. have worked tirelessly to publicize this organization and to help it expand. The average cost of sending a box of necessities to a soldier is approximately $19.00. The box typically includes: snack foods, toiletries, magazines, etc. Many community fund-raising groups have taken up this cause and, by placing envelopes on the tables of luncheons, etc., they have collected hundreds of dollars from our area.

Would you like to write to a soldier? There is an on line form to enter a message that will be sent to a random soldier............or............you may register the name of a person who is serving at this time.
For more information or if you are interested in contributing or if you would like to write to a member of our armed services, click on www.Forgottensoldiers.org. If you wish to call:
561-369-2933. Check or money order donations should be made payable to Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, Inc and mailed to:
Forgotten Soldiers outreach, Inc.
9770 S. Military Trail, Suite B7-249
Boynton Beach, Fla 33436

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Rita Schreff is a resident in Coral Lakes who formed an organization called "Friends Assisting Friends." She had the misfortune to fall and break her leg, while at a graveside funeral. Suddenly finding herself in a wheelchair for several months, she discovered that there were no ramps at any of the entrances to our clubhouse. In addition, there were no doors that opened automatically, nor were there cuts in the curbs to afford easy access onto the sidewalks.

With the assistance of our Civic Association, Rita contacted other residents who required these amenities all the time, and they formed FAF. New Clubhouse automatic doors and ramps have been installed now that allow access to everyone in our community.

Today, this group also provides wheelchairs, walkers, shower benches, crutches, commodes, condolence services and visits, as well as phone calls to cheer people up. They provide a special service to our community that is generous and free to everyone. Monthly meetings feature learned speakers who represent many medical fields, including mental health. Recently, Bethesda Hospital received a donation of our surplus walkers, crutches, benches and other equipment which they give to needy indigent patients.

If your community does not now have such an organization, why not start one?

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Friends have e-mailed me about senior citizens who have forgotten how to say "please" and "thank you." The word "please" can open a lot of seemingly closed doors at restaurants, theaters,
parties, and even in our private relationships. "Thanks yous" often come with smiles, too!
Recently, I witnessed a rather unpleasant restaurant experience where a patron insisted on immediate service, while the waitress was assisting a gentleman to retrieve his walker.
Harsh words were exchanged instead of pleasantries, in the middle of the restaurant, during dinner time. The dozen or so diners who witnessed this exchange all murmured the same thing, "Why didn't she just say 'please'"? Instead, the waitress asked her, "Would you please wait for me - I have not forgotten about you - but, I have made this gentleman my priority, since he needs assistance now. I'm sure you won't mind waiting while I help him." The rude patron was put in her place by an intelligent and thoughtful waitress, while the gentleman and the others who were also waiting all secretly applauded.
Many opportunities abound for saying "thank you" for anything that is offered and accepted.
Children seem to learn it and use it - often! What has happened to people when they get older? Is everything taken for granted? Are we entitled to get everything handed to us, because we are old?
Thank you for letting me say this. It pleased me very much.

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Do you remember Jane Froman? This November 10th, members of her fan club, "The Fromanettes," will gather in Columbia, Missouri for a gala centennial celebration to honor their idol.

My good friend, Deena Meiner, has been a member of her fan club for over 50 years. Back in
1952, when Deena was 12 years old, she and a few friends went to the Roxy Theater in New York City to see "With a Song in My Heart," the biography of Jane Froman.
Jane was the courageous singer of the 1930s and '40s who was injured in a plane crash while on a USO tour. Jane's fans stuck by her through her ordeals of surgery and bouts of depression. Fans contributed to her Foundation for Emotionally Disturbed Children and continue to support her causes.
SAY IT WITH MUSIC, The Life and Legacy of Jane Froman, , written by Barbara Seuling, will be published November 10th, by Boxing Day Books, IL,

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The CLUB SINGERS originated in January, 1999, led by Marlis Winter, based on a group that had begun in Long Island, New York, named The Choraleers. They began to meet at THE CLUB, which is Marlis' senior community, so they took the name: The CLUB SINGERS.

From a humble beginning of only 14 members, now there are between 70-80 members who sing beautifully in FIVE PART HARMONY. There are singing doctors, lawyers, pharmacists, teachers and retirees from every field of endeavor. They live in several communities: all the Valencias: Lakes, Shores, Isles; Coral Lakes, Indian Spring, Hunter's Run, Lexington Club, Ponte Vecchio, Cascades, Rainberry Bay and many more.

They are a philanthropic organization that donates all monies received for
performances to scholarships and charity. They have awarded scholarships
recently to students from Boynton Beach H.S., Wellington H.S, and also have
made substantial donations to the Galaxy School in Boynton Beach. Their goal is
to help these children further their musical educations.

Their varied repertoire consists of music from many genres, i.e: pop music
from Bach to Bachrach, Broadway show tunes, ethnic songs, spirituals, and
even folk melodies.

They have performed at Mizner Park, The Harriet, at City Place, and numerous
other venues, where they are accompanied by a very dedicated and talented pianist, Carol Lever
( Hunter's Run). Both Marlis and Carol do not receive any remuneration for their services.
It truly is a labor of love.

Perhaps one of your communities will invite them to perform.

The Club Singers
10060 Diamond Lake Road
Boynton Beach, FL 33437
561-737-6083

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In 1976, while doing research for a Master's Degree, I learned that scientists working at the University of Maryland were exploring possibilities for uses of tobacco, other than smoking. They called it Fraction-1 Protein.

Their scientists were intrigued by the high-grade protein that they were able to extract from
tobacco leaves. The nutritional value of the extracted proteins were comparable to milk, they surpassed soybean, and had no taste nor odor.

It amazed me that there was little or no publicity about this endeavor. Only a handful of news media picked up on the story, in 1996, which seemed odd to me, at first. Then, I realized how powerful the tobacco industry is in the south.

Well, it is more than 30 years since those scientists made their discovery. Has anyone ever read about it or seen it on the news or in medical journals? With all of the world-wide starvation, wouldn't the use of tobacco as a food source be a fantastic solution?

Wonder why? It seems to me that our government has only supported the no-smoking campaigns,
because of the proven relationship between tobacco use and life-threatening diseases.
Due to fear of the powerful tobacco growers in the U.S., I think they do not want to explore tobacco for uses that are not revenue producing.

We might just have a non-hazardous, non-cancerous product from a plant that has been around for thousands of years and is able to grow in numerous countries. What do you think?

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