mchud11

Mine is pretty simple: walking through the Anne Frank museum, the home where she hid in WWII before being found and sent eventually to the gas chamber.

laughs out loud, that is twisted.. I am putting your name on my christmas card mailing list..

My best on also comes from our own chatroom. I would pay good money for a transcript of the proceedings.

One night, someone who was/is rather homophobic came into the room. As soon as I realized this, my warped sense of humor kicked in. Instantly, I became the token gay person. I began by doing all the stereotypical things a gay person would. I messed with him/her for a good three hours (yes, I had no life at the time). Rearranging furniture, suggesting window treatments, etc.

At the three hour mark, someone else in the room suggested to the homophobe that maybe, just maybe, I wasn't really gay, and that perhaps I was just messing with them. At which point they said, "BUT WHAT KIND OF PERSON WOULD DO SO A THING!??!??!?!?!!?!?" I replied, sort of nonchalantly, "An extremely effed up one?" That made the rest of my weekend worthwhile. Sad to say, but true.

Yes, messing with people, its a developed skill, twisted to some. But when you think about it, it is sort of a leadership mind set, after all, too serious is best offset by too ridiculous. A couple times, like during "company meetings", I would walk up to the front of the room, before the meeting got started, and I would announce "I am so glad you are here, you know, you CAN become financially independent by selling soap", which was the best summary statement I could make, not having a blackboard with a big circle on in with the dollar sign in the middle and a box of AMWAY detergent.... (dedicated to all of those of us who got pulled into THAT surprise, by some well meaning acquaintance )...

Ok, I remembered some of my funnier experiences.

They were all in chatrooms, of course.

One time, I became almost a bystander as 2-3 other people in the room became engrossed in a

personal discussion about relationships. (Teenagers, of course.)

The discussion got to some point where a guy was saying that this girl seemed to be flirting with

him, but then the other person replied that they thought she was still going out with (another name.)

That's when I began typing again.

Me:"Maybe she wants a 'spare.'

You know, a toyfriend."

Him:NO!!!!!

I will not play second banana!"

Me: "Second kielbasa?"

Him:"NO!"

Me:"Second chorizo?"

Him:"NO!"

Me: "Second bratwurst?"

Him:"I will not be a Second-Anything-Penis-Substitute!"

I didn't reply to that.

When you're doubled over your keyboard laughing, holding your stomach,

you can't TYPE.

There were also some running gags I did.

After the anthrax mail scare in Manhattan, I had a running gag.

I would go get coffee.....

"AAAAH!

There's ANTHRAX IN MY COFFEE!

No, wait-that's sugar."

Or getting french fries....

"Aaaaah!

There's ANTHRAX ON MY FRIES!

No, wait-that's salt."

Some people heard me do that one once, and enjoyed sitting in on repeat performances a few days later.

Great stuff here - lol

"Or some one in the family is a shareholder who recives benefits, money for the trademark and all the incomes?"

The answer's no, to all your questions TMex, pretty much as Jim and everyone else stated. You're referring to some of the things that were said over the years by VPW and others, about "the Corps" and whomever "running" the Way or whatever but that's worth the air it took to say it or the paper it's written on - legally, the Way - the property, buildings, books, stuff - isn't "owned" by anyone person or group of people. The Weirwille family had members as Trustees at one time, but there's none on the Board at this time, and if there were they wouldn't "own" the Way. As long as the Way doesn't violate any laws or have conflicts of interest in it's Board members, it is what it is.

If you gave money to the Way and ever claimed tax deductions for it in the U.S., don't try to get it back. You already got what's coming to you. If you gave money to the Way and feel it was misused, you'd have to prove it. The Way would actually have lots of precedent amongst it's publications where they've stated that they use the money to "further God's Word" moving around the world, etc. etc. and that can be very loosely defined and applied. Proving misuse based on disagreement in how they used it won't wash.

Likewise "members" of the Way, past and present choosing to force change in the Way's practices and operations, or beliefs. In the U.S. as long as you don't violate the laws, you're free to believe as you choose. Social pressure can change those kinds of things, but only when it's accepted.

This is one of the reasons, a major one, as to why so many people "walked" away from the Way ministry rather than put up a big fight against the Trustees over issues. There's nothing to fight against, other than specific violations of the law in the Trustees, if they occurred. People can argue all they want but at the end of the day, processes, procedures, beliefs, all those things that make the Way what it is, don't change unless the Trustees change it. It's impossible to take control of the organization unless mismanagement, conflict of interest, violation of the law, incompetence, etc. can be proven. Looking at the expanse of religious organizations in the world today and what they all do - it's easy to see why that can be difficult to wrap around.

I completely agree with you.

We here in GSC would love to think we can/could get our money back, that concept of fair, yet its a concept that gets lost in translation. Proving some kind of negligence against TWI, or misuse of funds, pretty much anything with regard to them doing something that resulted in ... well, an arduous task at best, with a time limit included. To have been on top of TWI, one, anyone, I think would have had to been a "double agent" to begin with, spending their time in TWI doing nothing but gathering evidence and facts to use later in a court of law.

My feelings about the lawsuits that have happened were more a question of how outrageous TWI became, how far they got out of the umbrella of protection of civil laws, more than anything else. I think back to some controversy while I was involved about a large donor, who ended up feeling he was ripped off and defrauded, this was around the time of the beginning of the gunnison ranch, and I don't believe he got anywhere with his civil action against TWI. regards..

So far my favorite home made was an oatmeal stout.

I think I have that name right

IT i s a rich amber color and has this molassasy flavor very very good.

Yep, that is the right name.

Some of your microbrews have all sorts of flavor, I am not referring to your oatmeal stout, just in general. Anyway, I believe these flavors whether its cherry, blackberry, apricot, and so on are not due to ingredients, but the "healthy microscopic organisms" that break down the mix into alcohol and other things, like flavor. The flavors have something to do with the "specificity" of the organisms. So, that goes into rocket science science to me, I am just the consumer. Maybe roadrunner and his brewing has some things to say about how to get special flavors into brews...

Well, let me give you some specifics that maybe will help you understand why some folks don't get all warm and fuzzy when asked about W.O.W.

In order to go W.O.W. I sold a small "hobby" farm ( 6 acres), left a lucrative job in a growing company (where I was "the man"), and alienated my family (they basically thought I was nuts and trapped in an abusive cult {they were right}). I've never regained that level of prosperity or had that good of a job since (it was a great job that I should NEVER have walked away from).

While out in Alabama, about midway through the year, the branch leader in a nearby town decided it would be a swell idea to shoot his disobedient W.O.W. family member in the head (which he did). That particular family member would never return home alive and the BL spent the next several years in an Alabama prison. Another W.O.W. had an ailing mother, but - in order to stay true to her holy commitment - she stayed "on the field" while her mother died (this sort of thing happened FREQUENTLY).

Other W.O.W.s can tell of the times they were raped, robbed, assaulted, had nervous breakdowns, etc. Going without meals, or housing, or jobs, or friends and family was the NORM, from what I could tell. Anything else was generally the EXCEPTION.

And all this sacrifice for WHAT? To promote a conman's business, that's what. And to prepetuate a tired mythology.

Sorry, no thanks, it was B.S., and yes, I DID try it TWICE. Gaaaawd...

I hear you loud and clear on this. Me, I had dropped out of Lynchburg College, not the Baptist one, the private college one, with Dean's List credentials, working part time for a physician, had been thinking about medical shool, had references with exceptional worldy known professors, just walked away from it...and the result was living in Nashville, with the first couple of weeks hearing gunfire in the apartment complex parking lot....leap of faith, or spiral toward self-destruction... I recall one moment in Nashville that still comes up in my mind, I was out "witnessing" at the park in Nashville where the Parthenon reproduction building is, I was walking on a road, a one way road for cars, walking mind you, and came up on a Y in the road, specifically a "do not enter sign", and in my confusion, my mental state on the WOW field, I stood there and looked at that sign for what seemed to be minutes...just standing there, staring at it, not really mentally there, attempting to figure out what to do..as in being the outskirts and entry into the town of "insanity"...

Like many, I am on the internet, browsing and browsing. And news is one of my interests. I read about this story on CNN and can't seem to find the original CNN post, but I did find an Aussie post of the story. The American version was toned down a bit. So, this is in the wierd news arena, not for the easily offended, or the "oh, that is so yucky" type outlook. My feeling is that this old world, just gets stranger by the day. I rationalize my passion for the wierd, the bizarre, as being an Amateur Social Scientist..

Sex Shop Crime:

http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2009/01/0...local-news.html

commentary:

Again, not for the squeamish, or easily offended, after all you don't know me. So, a conclusion based on an assumption, may not be where my head is at.

Summary:

I am so, so thankful victims of sex crimes do not have their photos posted all over the news. And especially with regard to this story. Ya, bad, sad...and the letters start coming into my personal inbox...

again with this? :blink:

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Stand back, Cheranne is in an infinite loop - lol. Hey Ms. Cheranne, I love that quote at the bottom, the saying..the language, dah, dah, dah, mind if I steal that?

Had a St. Peter's Cream Stout the other day.

(On the house/ way outside my budget these days)

Very smooth and a pleasure to drink

A tad bit on the bitter side but I actually prefer my stout to be that way.

When I hit the Lotto---------

Waysider, as long as you don't say that Corona is a beer, I will remain peaceful - lol

Oakspear, you are "the man" and although we have never met, and you have no idea of my credentials, my empowerment, I do appoint you MAN OF THE MONTH for GSC. You have, in my opinion, transcended and sit on the moutain, looking down yet apart from the "Vally of Average Beer".

Rumrunner gets second place, sitting at your feet, popping tops for your selections, still a place of prominence on the mountain, after all, brewing his own beer is a place of honor.

I started getting into beer while living in Seattle, at the start of microbrews, that is, microbrews taking off in the market place. I would go down to the Fremont area of Seattle, to the Redhook brewery and get live beer. I started on the delicate tastes, Wheat beer with a little lemon. Redhook, allowed you to bring in a thermos bottle with a lid and they would fill you up on a per ounce cost basis. I would take my thermos of beer and a hearty bread and cheese sandwich and walk the 30 feet from the brewery down to the canal, have a picnic and watch the sailboats power down to the locks to Puget Sound...ya, my place in the sun...

Oh, years have passed since then, tried a lot of brews. Seems like the germans make some good brews, always the purity standard with them. Dutch, Belgian, Italian, Japanese, even went down to Mexico and as the old saying goes...while in Rome, da, da...so I sampled the different brews down there while watching the bullfights...

Anyway, my conclusion is Sam Adams is doing some great work in beers. I actually haven't had a beer in some 6 or 7 months, but if I feel like it, Sam Adams is always there. And stouts are great, Guiness, a brown and tan, yep great beverage. There are some other stouts, pub stouts, that are a bit more mellow with the same creamy top, but I am sure you know all about that...I will have to look for the one you talk about with the vanilla tone....

Have you tried, you did not mention this, Irish Ales? The ones that are around 12 percent alcohol? Those are pub drinks, I have only been to a couple places that ever had them, but its a good diversion.

If you are ever in Seattle, the one stop, you have to, absolutely have to make is to the Pike Street Market. You go halfway, that would be like a right where the main entrance is, past the big stall where that guy is always throwing fish, big fish...you go right, and oh, like what 75 feet, and there is a small restaurant and bar on the left...pretty old place, from the old days before WWII, anyway, you go past the counter stools on the left, on the right tables...all the way to the windows and make a left...there is an area there, of like enough space for 30 people...and ya order a frosty mug of Alaska ?? ale, that is your homework, fill in the blank, have a brew at this little hideaway from the real world...

regards, and enjoy your elevated "symbolic" status on GSC...michael

Most of us men, think it will never happen to us, oh, we hear about it, but, but, but

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/20...strip.club.WOIO

Thanks for the replys, I think the one we are talking about is "changed". It seems to fit. I appreciate the mention of Bud M, another fired memory for me...regards

A terrorist abducted a bus filled with accordion players.

He threatened to release one an hour unless his demands were met.

Oh, man, whoa...that is getting my dander up, what good is Mexican "Teano" without an accordian? How would I be able to celebrate at a "festivale" without the sweet squeezings of the most beautiful instrument on God's green earth?

There was a video, TWI produced, supposedly filmed by "natural men", like unbelivers, and I can't seem to recall the name of it. It was centered on two TWI believers who met and fell in love, the good stuff, while in TWI. And TWI promoted it as special in that the individuals who filmed it were body and soul individuals, so it had some special purpose. I remember Rev. P&tti S$ith introducing it, that is as in live, she wasn't in the film presentation. I was in San Diego at the time, we are talking around, oh 1978-1982, my best memory on the year...thanks...was looking for any details, recollections on it...

FYI-

Rev. L33la Dani3lsen (sp)did my wedding in 77, so there were females ordained in the early years.

Thanks for the reference, have been curious about L%^ D*^%$@@son for some time, she was my WOW branch leader in Nashville, thanks...

I felt cat whispering might enjoy this, two articles I have submitted for my local rescue shelter, for their newsletter...

.....................................................

Jacks Corner

"Whats goin on with Jack"

My name is Jack and I am a HEART Connection.

My human lives on a small farm outside of Eldora. I fill the day

being an indoors cat which includes playing, catching small

intruders, and generally keeping the household running smoothly.

My coloring is jet black. Although I lost one eye as a kitten,

nothing seems to get by me. Visitors describe me as lean, smart,

nurturing, but a bit on the shy side. This article is my story.

A couple years ago, I was introduced to my human at the HEART

shelter. My whole family was there. The night I was adopted,

my brothers and sisters were all playing together when Amy and

a visitor dropped by. Although I was trying to keep a low

profile, peering around the couch with my good eye,

the visitor picked me up and started petting me and

talking to me.

My first night at my new home was a bit scary, rather than

explore my surroundings, I felt it best to curl up and go

to sleep. The next day, though, I decided it was my

house and there were things to do.

The household has grown over the last couple of years,

Missy and Sylvester came to live here. We are all good

friends.

Mice do sneak into the house from time to time and it

seems like my hunting skills are better than the other

cats. Although I do enjoy playing with live mice, sooner

or later my human takes them away from me. Its always

clear that I am on the prowl because I let everyone know

it by mer-ow-ing over and over. Its my early warning system.

After the days activities, there is nothing better than jumping

on my humans lap while the television is on. Ya, its a good

life. Jack

.............................................

Jack's Corner

"Jack is back and dealing with his inner kitten"

Due to popular demand, Jack is back. Since HEART's first newsletter, the calls have been

coming in, Oprah, Dr. Phil, even Geraldo. And the letters, oh my, the letters. Folks

from all over want to know my favorite brand of litter, what catnip I prefer, is gravy

better than dry food. I just can't keep up with it.

Missy has been my best friend in all of this, she comes over while I am laying down, licks

my ears and head and all the stress just seems to flow out of me, puts me in a better place.

Lately, I have been getting some benefits from exercise, may even do a video, I like helping

other cats. My regiment, is called "jump on anything higher than my shoulders", be it a desk,

a chair, the dining room table, the big screen television, its all good. My human seems

to be with me on this, using a loud voice when I start to exercise. He must be urging me on,

he seems enthusiastic enough. I jump, he takes me down, that is what I call teamwork.

Last week it was me verses the mouse. The hunt went on for hours. Sitting in silence, I

waited for the right moment to pounce. Showing my prize to the rest of the gang was not the

best idea, up in the living room Sylvester wanted my mouse and that is just not my style.

The situation got even more out of hand when I flipped the mouse up in the air with my neck

and he ran back down the stairs. Setbacks, always the setbacks.

My human has the nail trimming down to a science. The moment comes by surprise, He lures

me into a false sense of security with the petting and stroking my paws lightly, him telling

me what a good kitty I am. The next thing I know, my favorite furniture doesn't feel the same.

Humans, they are so, so sneaky. Another thing I have learned from dealing with humans is

they seem to re-arrange things often. I keep having to learn where everything is, one day

the couch is there, the next its over there, its subtle, but my play area is never boring.

My biggest annoyance is bugs. Whether its a bug with wings or a bug with legs, I really

lose it when there is bug around. I step on them, I swat them, I grab them off the wall,

because the best bug is a bug in my mouth. Its a lifestyle choice. Well, I need to get

a drink of water, maybe get a bite to eat, I hear Access Hollywood is doing a piece on

Morris, you know, of nine lives fame, til later...jack

....................................

michael

Just looking, in general for Windows 7 information.

I plan on sticking with XP as long as I can, and migrating in steps to Ubuntu Linux when that's no longer an option.

No problem there WordWolf, Beta software, always, always has the possibility of data loss, so doing one's homework is essential. The software now, is not my grandmother's software, so to speak, things have changed since DOS days, but BETA, means BETA. Even if you are not dealing with Beta software, a defense is always always the best offense, backups of your important stuff.

I have barely scratched the surface of Linux, but I feel if I did go in that direction, it would be of value. Linux, as an open operating system, gets rid of many of the issues of proprietary software. Developers and software writers are around to design and implement applications that do the tasks we need of an operating system, word processors, video playing applications, so good luck and good fortune in your migration. To me, experience generates confidence, and very much so for computer operating systems, there is some learning curve, but the fact remains that computers are dumber than dirt. Its the software that is the brains...regards, michael

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

Footnote: A joke. My only Microsoft joke, I know...came out of their early years in software..

How many Microsoft employees does it take to screw in a light bulb ?

Answer: NONE...they merely change the standard from light to darkness...

Hint: See Microsoft is a monopoly, or so the court said, so they just change the standard...dry, mean, I make no apologies.

I was once in the Jehovah's Witness Protection program - I'd go door-to-door and tell people that I wasn't me.

This is funny, really, I love this...JWProgram, I hope nobody borrows this for part of a comedy routine, but then again, I sort of do..

What does a sperm and a lawyer have in common?

One in fifty million has a chance of becoming a human being.

A lawyer fell overboard, into the ocean, and found himself surrounded by "man eating sharks", the lawyer climbed back into the boat...his friend, still in the boat watched the whole affair and asked the lawyer why he was unharmed...the lawyer said "professional courtesy".

ok, if you want me to change it from Chelsea Clinton to say, oh Cher..I will, but it wouldn't be a true story. Really, I do not mean to be mean to Chelsea, she is a fine woman, who no doubt is pulling down 200,000 a year as a consultant, somewhere. The story is about "my closest brush with fame", not the size of Chelsea's backside, that is merely for reference.

i agree too, Waysider, its eerie to think about it, yet...well, it feels true..

Oh, and I am damaged goods..

Please elaborate.

HOW is Windows 7 "not as annoying" as Vista?

Is it what 7 does that Vista does not do?

Is it what 7 doesn't do that Vista does?

Is it differences in how 7 does things Vista does?

http://xkcd.com/528/

That comic, the link, that is funny...

Vista feels to me, as slick, but slightly annoying, as in Microsoft appeared to be making decisions for us. I go to open a folder and want to look at the dates that files were last modified, in XP, I can change the folder options so the folder shows what I want, in Vista, however, I have yet to find it, in Vista, I have to do the right click thing and check off "date modified" every time, annoying, an example.

Vista, has characteristics of being Microsoft's Vietnam, sales haven't done as well as they wanted and Windows 7 is supposed to make up for Vistas shortcomings...

Efficiency, in connecting to the Internet, in Vista, is more efficient than XP, but...vista has some tweaks that still slow down Internet connectivity speed, and I had to find them all, and disable them all..all of them..annoying..the tcp/ip, the network pieces are too complex, and complexity means things can tend to slow down.

Windows 7 is more efficient, than Vista, from what I have read. Things run faster and faster is more necessary than ever now days. At the peak, we are talking about HD, 1080p, VC1, true HD sound and audio, you need a duo core nowdays. And we are in the middle of 32 bit, going forward to 64 bit..

So, my recommendation is try Windows 7 out, with conditions, those being that its installed on its own partition, and mess around. If you want to be on the cutting edge, and have 64 bit capability, install the 64 bit Window 7..now, I admit, that there are problems with the 64 bit thing, drivers (some not written), applications (not enough of them on 64 bit), we are not at 64 bit yet in the market place, its a year or so away, but you can get the taste of where things are going and that is what makes it fun...

good luck, if you have something specific you think I might be able to help with, do ask or write to me personally, I do my best to be timely with responses.....have a good one...

A friend of mine is doing research on cults and found this list on the internet.

How many can you relate from your twi experience???

25 Signs of Cult Behavior

* 1. The Guru is always right.

* 2. You are always wrong.

* 3. No Humor.

* 4. The End Justifies The Means.

* 5. Cult-speak.

* 6. Group-think, Suppression of Dissent, and Enforced Conformity in Thinking

* 7. Irrationality.

* 8. Suspension of disbelief.

* 9. Denigration of competing sects, cults, religions...

* 10. Personal attacks on critics.

* 11. Insistence that the cult is THE ONLY WAY.

* 12. The cult and its members are special.

* 13. Induction of guilt, and the use of guilt to manipulate cult members.

* 14. Unquestionable Dogma, Sacred Science, and Infallible Ideology.

* 15. Indoctrination of members.

* 16. Appeals to "holy" or "wise" authorities.

* 17. Instant Community.

* 18. Instant Intimacy.

* 19. Surrender To The Cult.

* 20. Create a sense of powerlessness, covert fear, guilt, and dependency.

* 21. Ideology Over Experience, Observation, and Logic

* 22. Grandiose existence. Bombastic, Grandiose Claims.

* 23. Enemy-making and Devaluing the Outsider

* 24. True Believers

* 25. We Have The Panacea.

copenhagen

Great list, where does really neat name tags fit in?

I tell this story when I am feeling good. And its a true story. And its silly.

My ex-wife and I lived in Redwood City, its south of San Fran, like an hour. She worked at Stanford, I worked at Siemens. We bought tickets to see the Chieftans. We sat down and I was on the isle seat, we were talking. I looked up and a foot and a half from my arm rest, stood Chelsea Clinton (she was attending Stanford). Chelsea and her date, a strapping lad, wandered around and then sat on the opposite side of the auditorium. I sort of sat there, thinking about it, my imagination, going a bit wild, and I came to the conclusion that I could have so, so easily pushed my hand up a bit and patted her on the butt. And yet, who knows, were I that wild and crazy, I probably wouldn't be here to tell you all this story, instead still sitting in some isolation and confinement in a 5 by 5 cell somewhere..

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

edited, an afterthought edit: Chelsea at that time, hadn't really filled out, she had great hair, but her figure was a bit on the pear side. From where and how I was sitting, her behind was "larger than life". And I do not mean to be critical or insulting, obviously you would have to have been there. Now for the critics in the audience, if I need to post a picture of the young Chelsea, say a picture of her facing away from the camera, I am sure somewhere in the great Internet there is evidence to support at least that portion of the post. My ticket stub is certainly not evidence enough and my ex-wife certainly does not want to get involved in a post this "silly".

Ok, it looks like finding a picture of Chelsea Clinton, from any other angle than her smile and torso from the front is a bit of a search, you all will have to take it on faith, the best site I can find is this: http://www.chelseaclinton.org/photo.html

If I Had A Hi Fi

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Awesome, a retro jazz interpretation of swinging cats and clicking fingers in a small club, loved it..