Ham

I dunno.. Bumpy, in a sense, I am coming to the conclusion that people can't get along.. perhaps we weren't made that way. Most people seem to be able to set aside differences, when it is in their own interest.. A few can't, even when their life depends on it

Might be the understatement of the year..

<<<< Ala, what in the world would give you that idea.. Phil, seen setting his sights on an early spring..

Why do these jokers pull out the devil wildcard..kinda like throwing bacon off the trail to distract the blood hounds. Really? These jokers have MADE themselves "the enemy".

Yep What's so funny about this.. more people know, love and adore Punxatawney Phil than those who have even heard of vp, loy, and all of the other leaders in offshoots combined..

Five days.. My favorite holiday of the year. Probably because my dad was so animated about it. amazing though- fifteen to seventeen thousand people will ascend upon a small town in Pennsyvania, in the MIDDLE OF THE WINTER. Stand in line from 3 AM till 7:30 in the freezing weather to get a glimpse of the chief speaker.. must be brainwashed..

Einstein also said:

Yeah, I get it right, once in a blue moon..

in wayspeak, "five-star" might be rather fitting description for the place..

I think a more stringent interview process may filter out candidates that lack necessary skills.. In our state, you have to declare a major with an education degree, whether it's math, or chemistry, or whatever.. To get a degree in mathmatics at the university I'm going to, you have to pass a competency examination at the end. And I imagine the questions aren't "how many fingers am I holding up"

I don't know.. it may be a problem isolated to your state or district. I think a math teacher that can't figure out a logarithm doesn't belong in a math class. When my kids were in high school, and that was within the last five years, the math teacher made it fun and interesting, but they LEARNED. I had a few conversations with him, and put a few questions forward to see how competent he was (I do have a strong math background). He passed MY test with flying colors.. and he was about 25 or so years old. Same for the middle school teacher. Maybe my district was the exception.

Indy? don't think so.. 15 to 17 thousand people will be there. More than ever showed up at a ROA. :)

February the second.

Just a thought.. with all of that extra white matter, I would imagine they would be rather "bored" with an ordinary life of sorts. I think that they have to find some kind of game to play..

This link from the University of Southern California says that the brains of these people are drastically different. They have less of the brain matter which controls morals, and more of the brain matter that gives them the intelligence required to lie. from the article:

Six days, counting.

Sorry for all the quotes.. Maybe you didn't understand the tone I wrote this with. This thread started with a question about joining up with an organization. These are questions I would ask in ANY organization. I would not feel comfortable being looked down upon or ridiculed for asking for further information, when I have a nagging feeling in the back of my mind. The last group I was a "member" of tended to beat down any kind of honest inquiry. Wouldn't even publish any financial information for their most faithful.. My question- how would a questions like this be received? I should have rephrased it.. "do we have freedom to ask these kind of questions without ridicule, shunning or being shamed?" No accusations here.. I restate, I have no axe to grind with CFF as such. But before I got involved, I'd ask a few questions.

Yep.. after a while, this meant nothing to "them"..

Somebody from the long, distant past found me, not at Greasespot.. if you put my name on a Google search, you would find me on the second page. I got an email. "are you the Ham I knew.." I gave the person my phone number.. Haven't heard a thing.. I wonder if the person ran the idea by their local leadership... That would be so sad..

I'm still looking for an "answer" here. In a way, I wish you didn't even bring this up.. I have no axe to grind with CFF as such. But really.. Do you indeed have the freedom that you think you have? Unless the Lord Almighty comes down and confirms your assertations in no uncertain terms, but HE hasn't. to me, personally.. I am FORCED to default to the scientific method. first two steps: (and there are more..) 1. make an observation 2. ask a question Do we have the FREEDOM to ask these questions?

Yep..

I saw it on a National Geographic special.

"We guarantee you will be amazed at the RESULTS" Today, unwary people get convinced with loud and confident claims of results. In the old days, they were convinced about who was right by how much latex the witchdoctor could vomit in a projectile manner..

I'd like to know, do you know this PERSONALLY, or did you just hear this in a report, or hear about results based on someone elses claim? I'm not saying it is not true, or impossible.. but I don't follow these claims like a lemming any more.. Next question: do you feel, in the organization, that you have freedom to think something like this, or to even ask an honest question, such as, is this real, or are we being led down another precipice by another charlatan? The logic here: 1. The word reveals the power of God 2. We know the word 3. Therefore we have the power 4. Therefore it MUST be genuine.. I think there are too many assumptions here. I've followed that train of logic before, and it didn't pan out to be what it claimed.. I'm not an unbeliever as such, but too many red flags go up in my mind..