Ham

No, that's not it.

Atlanta Georgia, and Cincinnati Ohio are 440 miles apart. George leaves Cincinnati in his Ford Model T towards Atlanta at an average of 12.5 miles per hour. Simon Leaves Atlanta in his Mazzaratti towards Cincinnati at an average of 159.5 miles per hour. Question: how long does it take before the two meet? Answer: About two years.

I think it wasn't because we didn't do anything.. I think it was because we really didn't know WHAT to do.. I sat in that little meeting.. I was shocked and stunned. Most of the people in the audience were beaten down to where they couldn't speak up.

for that matter.. I wonder how linder feels about that..

heh.. I wonder how linder's wife feels about that..

What is the purpose of having linder, his clone and the white vans? Really.. what is left on grounds that is even worth protecting? Normally, remote farmland in Ohio does not warrant this level of care. what's left.. the fountain? Are they afraid of aged hippie types making odd, unusual pilgrimages to the "holy" woods? maybe they are afraid of someone parking a non-authorized wowmobile in one of the parking lots, and leaking half a quart of oil or transmission fluid. perhaps they have tons of hoarded gold bullion on grounds.. maybe stockpiles of firearms, ammunition, long term food store..to protect. That would at least make sense. But I tend to think more that having some kind of security force present helps foster their illusion that they are anything but a second or third rate, insignificant pathetic little club.. Two local country clubs here.. who have more acreage, which is far more valuable than acreage in rural ohio, have no security force that I have ever seen. I've walked right across the golf course.. no white vans, no goons trying to run me off.. no calls to the sheriff or police.. I suppose one could ask linder. What possible reason do they want to secure something that resembles a gold plated turd, more than a treasure? he'd probably answer.. "it's a living.."

I saw someone reeaed mercilessly for having to stand up, go to the bathroom.. even before the meeting even started.. apparently he blocked the view of the magnanimous leader from the masses.. it was viewed as a "spiritual" attack. No kidding..

yep.. and I would go further.. he would have had the "hippies" in airports and bus stations selling flowers.. except for the embarassment that would ensue. Likely they would have done it.. Instead.. he brought them to hq, and had them try out a business suit and briefcase..

I really think.. of two individuals, to be on some kind of board, assigned arbitrary power over other people's lives.. in this situation, one could not name a worse choice. I would go as far to say that it is frightening. there are way too many unresolved issues.. unanswered questions.

The bad thing about all of this.. da way made both of them. They could have EASILY defused the situation. Just let mac wander in the woods once a year or something.. let him do whatever he wanted.. he wouldn't give them a REASON to run him off grounds.. and practically nobody would have known. He would come, do his thing.. quietly leave and that would be the end of it.. no "compromise" with da "adversary" I guess..

I dunno about all of this.. while I tread lightly regarding individuals here who have loved ones interred on way grounds.. I really really think.. mac was an opportunist.. I think he wanted back in the organization, at whatever capacity possible. Including trespass "rights". Does this make sense? Or am I seeing something really off base here? Maybe he was trying to stage a coup of sorts. Look at one of the other players involved, about the same time period.. jp. He brought accusations of neglect, indifference and harshness of the then way in regards to.. his ma. While I have compassion in regards to Mrs. Wierwille.. Would he possibly use the heart-tugging situation to his advantage? Its just a thought. Is there any coincidence here that these two players somehow seem to converge on a Mississippi farm? And the new tactic- from what I perceive.. if you can't join them, (try to) beat them. They have a new wierwille to develop, who has a strikingly familiar name (assigned to him by pa) for the twenty-first century.. they resurrect the old program, and merely copy the goals, the objectives, the methods.. Honestly, in my opinion, people have been "played" here..

Yeah.. well, the comment I remember was.. "why can't we just take care of the people in the fellowships.." and that was it. The goon and goons were on him faster than a texan on a pork chop.. Honestly.. I hope he ran like hell from new knoxville and it's vile cretans..

After one week of assistantship training.. it isn't so much.. "let's not pick on the poor kids self esteem". It's more like.. how can we build a positive self esteem. So many studies seem to prove kids will perform as well as we can tell them they can. Give me a few months or years of real experience.. and maybe I can say more.. :) Tutoring.. I can tell the difference. I've told people they are as smart as anyone else, they have the capacity to learn.. and it really is true. The same portion of the brain that can do language also does math. Is one "wired" to be able to understand math? Yes. Doesn't make everything wonderful and easy though..

I agree. But the question was in terms of dollars and cents.. I would view loss of professional development as more personal. Though it might have a large bearing on the money. I think the money itself is a symptom of the larger problem.. just because the money issue is a symptom.. I don't think it's entirely irrelevant.. maybe its more like a twisted family of sorts.. they never wanted the "kids" to really grow up.. I know some of those who went for a degree.. especially after receiving the *wonder training* and graduated from the corps, were sharply criticized.. "they" were VERY disappointed, working corps assignments around something as "trivial" as a college education..

and they didn't have the foresight to think ahead ten, fifteen, twenty years.. so instead of really developing the organization.. these (insert your favourite non politically correct slur here).. hit us up for "spare change" and lunch money..

which makes me wonder.. why in god's name wouldn't an organization WANT someone to succeed in life along these lines.. if you think about it.. it cost THEM likely @200K in abs per individual, in the long run.. it cost the organization itself countless professional ties.. along the lines of thousands.. in the long run, it cost the organization credibility. In a big way. I have had to explain more than several times how affiliation with a "religious organization" crowded out time for professional development, college.. grad school.. etc etc.. there was a REMOTE possibility that the group would turn into something legitimate.. into what it purported to be.. but it never happened. at the entrance interview I had to the four year university they asked.. "how come you wait so long?" "ever hear of da way?" "why yes.. I have.." I know someone at this university whose remote form of "involvement" cost them more than me.. all I can say is, I think the person didn't see what was coming.. didn't have a clue.. nor should he have.. I think that's where they heard something about the organization..

about 1.5 million by conservative estimates..

Happy Birthday! I hope you enjoyed your special day.

I dunno.. seems back in "the day" unless one enjoyed the whack in the rear.. the "bad element" learned to be bad, more discretely. Just my impression here.. one generally had a close knit group where one could buy dope.. now its sold right out on the streets. Why? well..I think with lower standards, the sellers and users are still there.. but they just don't have a real need to hide.. we are educating dumbed down dealers and drug addicts.. now in Britain, it looks like they are just harvesting them..

You didn't go to my Junior High or High School.. I saw stuff that would make one's head spin.. and we were in a relatively "civilized" area at that..

cmon Groucho.. its been four days here. Are we storming the gates, or what?

Momentus.. heh.. Maybe its destructive testing.. weed out the sheep. hold harmless required. If you end up running off a cliff trying to prove you're a wolf with a parachute.. when you're not, its your fault or something.. they never considered me for a branch position.. no less "recommended" going into the corps.. maybe I'm a nice guy after all..

Teaching assistantship. I will be teaching intermediate algebra. anywhere from seventy to eighty freshmen, give or take a few.. The training program makes the prospect seem a little less.. what's the word.. terrifying.. Now I only experience brief moments of panic at the thought of what's to come.. Naw.. I know I'll do fine..