oldiesman

I wish I had one.

This highly scientific debate is better than The War of the Gargantuas. :)-->

Mstar1, that's an incredible price! The least expensive I've been able to find it is a case of the 1 liter (12 - 33.8 oz.) for $31.00, plus tax. That's still double what you pay.Ya think the guy might give me a decent discount if I go up there to Boston and buy a few cases from time to time?

Electronic Tax Filing Now Free For All at IRS Web Site By SANDRA BLOCK January 18, 2005 For the first time, anyone who logs on to the IRS Web site will be able to prepare and file their taxes electronically for free. In the past, participants in the Free File program, a partnership between the IRS and private tax preparers, had to meet criteria related to age, income or state of residence. This year, however, tax software giant Intuit, maker of the popular TurboTax software, is one of three firms that has scrapped all restrictions. For now, anyone who goes to www.irs.gov clicks on "Free File" and links to TurboTax can prepare and file their taxes at no charge. Preparers eSmartTax and TaxACT are also offering their services to all taxpayers free. The Free File program is designed to encourage more taxpayers to file electronic returns, which are cheaper for the IRS to process. Filing electronically also offers advantages to taxpayers by catching common errors and speeding refunds. The IRS expects half of the returns filed this year to arrive electronically, including those sent through the free filing program. Free File lets taxpayers avoid the cost of buying sophisticated tax preparation software and fees charged for electronic tax filing. Taxpayers who opt to go online and use the free electronic filing program can browse 15 or more options, all tested for security and accuracy by the IRS. The IRS, however, does not endorse any of the tax products or other services offered for sale by participating companies. To take advantage of the free offers, taxpayers must go through the IRS site. Taxpayers who go directly to a preparer's Web site may be charged a fee. At TurboTax.com, for example, the cost of a basic federal tax return is $19.95. Last year, Intuit limited free tax preparation and filing to taxpayers under age 21 or over 62, filers eligible for the earned income tax credit, and members of the military. Intuit changed its policy because the Free File program has strayed from its original mission of helping low-income taxpayers, says spokeswoman Julie Miller. Some tax preparers were using the program "as a customer acquisition opportunity," and applied much broader criteria, she says. The free offer does create "some financial risk" for Intuit, but the company hopes many filers will pay for additional services, such as a state tax return, Miller says. Intuit has the option of changing its mind. The program allows participants to revise their criteria during the tax season. H&R Block, Intuit's main competitor, has limited its free offer to taxpayers with adjusted gross income of $34,000 or less. Tim Gokey, president of Block's U.S. tax division, says the unrestricted offers "aren't in the original spirit" of the program. Gokey says Block is "committed to competitively serving this market and will act accordingly." The agreement between the IRS and private tax preparers requires the participating companies, as a whole, to provide free online tax preparation and filing to at least 60% of taxpayers. It doesn't mandate the criteria participants use as long as that goal is met, says Bert DuMars, director of Electronic Tax Administration at the IRS. Nonetheless, about 80% of the 3.5 million taxpayers who filed free last year had income of less than $35,000, DuMars says. The free offers are limited to federal tax returns. Taxpayers who want to file a state return usually have to pay extra. This marks the last year, however, that taxpayers can use the telephone as a paperless filing method. The IRS plans to end the TeleFile program, available to taxpayers with simpler returns, because of shrinking demand and a tightening budget. "The number of people using it continues to go down between 7% and 10% a year," says DuMars. "It's become the most expensive tax return process we have at this point." The IRS expects 62% of taxpayers who file by telephone to turn to other electronic filing methods when the program ends at the end of the year. The remaining 37% are expected to complete their IRS forms by hand. The National Taxpayer Advocate, an office dedicated to helping taxpayers navigate the tax bureaucracy, opposed the decision to cancel the TeleFile program. Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson said more people filed by telephone (3.7 million) last year than used the free electronic filing program (3.5 million). The IRS said it expects to see that trend reverse this year. ------------------------------------------------ I have done my taxes for the past 3 years or so using Turbotax for the Web...it works great is real easy and now it's free for Federal!

I bought some Penta water this weekend and it tastes quite good. :)-->

I think ebay is sensational. One quick ebay tip: have one screenname for selling, and a different one for buying. That way, when you buy and if you are not satisfied with a seller, and leave negative feedback, retaliatory negative feedback from the seller will not be left on your selling name, only your buying name.

Mstar1, how much does that cost you? I did some checking around, and where I live it costs $1.99 for the 16.9 ounce and $2.99 for the 33.8 ounce. So by my calculations, a gallon would be say around $12.00?

Personally, I think there might be a more reasonable case for VPW possibly being a grifter if you use "Christians Believe The Preposterous" as an example. But PFAL was a bargain. No grifting there. Look at it this way: if you paid $75.00 for the class, and took the class 10 times, you paid $7.50 per class. A bargain! :)-->

I never got a copy of "Born Again to Serve". Sounds like a good historical book.

I guess things are easier for single folks like me. I could just get up and walk out when I wanted ... and I did, at various times during my twi stint. I hadn't been going to Twig for 6 months just before I took the Advanced Class in 1978, and that wasn't the only time I "tripped out". I was able never to be a victim ... But I'm learning that it just wasn't that simple with some other folks... Thanks for sharing.

The folks who knew about it, didn't do that.The folks who didn't know about that, are not responsible and are blameless.

My two favorites was "I Love the Lord" by Hope and the primitive "Romans 10:9". :)-->

David, thanks for sharing. I think it's worth a try. :)-->

And that's why his intent, I believe, was for everyone to try the product and decide for themselves if it was useful to themselves. If it wasn't useful, all one had to do was open the door, and leave. Interesting that lots of folks stayed for so long.I suppose you're in a different boat Georgio, in that you didn't ask to be around and were born into it. You have a reasonable excuse since you couldn't just get up and leave. I'm sorry you have all sour memories and not many decent ones. The ministry wasn't a blessing for folks like you, I suppose.

I suppose you'd have some meaningful argument if the 1953 class and the 1967 class were identical. THEN you may say with ALL BOLDNESS, that VPW stole PFAL from Leonard. Yawn.

So what? It was made known that B.G. Leonard was one of the men of God scattered across the continent that VPW learned from, that ultimately led to the final version of the PFAL class we all know and loved. Instead of focusing on the truth in the class (even B.G. Leonard's version), you instead focus on how Wierwille got some of the information, and if the way he got some of the information doesn't suit your fancy, you slam him. Who cares? Try looking at the truth in the class. And if you look at the results of a class that blessed thousands of folks, you may see that one of the issues was a godly communication from a man who was doing God's will in communicating it. There you go again, focusing on Wierwille.

It sure was a big responsibility.

Nothing of the kind, unless you think having monuments and rememberances of historical figures is idolatry.When we all visit Washington D.C., and see and enjoy all the monuments and honors of the founding fathers, do you call that idolatry as well?

UncleHairy, I gave your question more thought last night. The conclusion I came up with is, I actually think VPW may have written "Christians Believe The Preposterous" in part so that TWI, the ministry, the organization, would be in a position to have "carloads of money" and resources. I tend to have this opinion do to the writings right in CSPB talking about "a tithing church is a prosperous church" and all that. He puts the family farm in twi's name and now everything, all the wealth he generates, goes to TWI. He wants it to prosper.The question now becomes why did he do it? Some say he did it to fulfill his own lust for power and money. But I still think he did it to move the Word. I think he wanted twi to have abundant resources so that the Word would move better and faster. Purchasing more and more facilities means more and more real estate to inhabit more and more Christians to train and teach more and more people. The fact that those oldtimers of the '60s left when they did could have been their own suspicions and evil thoughts about VPW doing it out of his own lust, greed and power. It's possible. I could be wrong, I'm not God and certainly don't know everything that went thru his mind; but I prefer to think good thoughts about VPW in this category until I have definitive proof otherwise.

Thanks Steve, I hadn't noticed. Skyrider, are you referring to your Corps duties? Please explain what you refer to as legalism. Gee, I think TWI was anything but legalistic before the 90's. Have you checked out some other religious groups?

If some folks would quit focusing endlessly on Wierwille's sins and dirty laundry, maybe the focus wouldn't be on the preacher; but other, more important things.Does focusing on Wierwille's sins magnify the True and Living Way, the Christ?

Who cares? He taught that the Word of God is the Will of God, and ingrained it in lots of us. There's more power and lasting blessing in that one thought than all the nasties you guys love to focus on.

All I can say about this subject is I don't think the way VPW taught it was accurate, or works. Also, he made some comments that look like fear motivation to me. But I prefer to refrain from the personal attacks and leave true judgment up to God, since He knew where VPW's heart was.Regarding controls put on people...I view it as people in large part allowing controls to be placed on themselves, by joining the Corps and believing that decisions made by VPW for them were godly decisions. I suppose folks who thought differently could have easily opted out of the Corps, and many did. Lots of folks chose to not go Corps as well. Regarding the stolen teachings...I've seen instances that VPW plagiarized some sentences. But we all knew back then and now that VPW "learned from men of God scattered across the continent". He got PFAL from a variety of sources...some Leonard, some Stiles, some Bullinger, some from his own study. He "put it together", he adapted it to his own class form and the "interpretation" he thought was the best. I think it was the best at that time, and lots of folks thought the same as me, judging from their years and years in twi. There are many many goodies in PFAL, if you spent a fraction of the time focusing on the truth contained therein then you'd have something other than VPW'S sins to chew on and digest.

I guess it depends. I think he believed what he taught on many issues. What is it that he taught that he didn't believe? how do you come to that conclusion?

I fail to get the significance of this. Paul was talking to Israel, but Romans 10:9 applies to everyone, as well. Would you rather had VPW taught that Romans 10:9 only applies to Israel, and get folks (non Israel) thinking how they can't be saved, because Roman's 10:9 doesn't apply to them specifically? THAT would be lying.