Rocky

Arizona doesn't have a state bookstore. Never has. Not sure to what you were actually referring. But the legislature DID get rid of the nonprofit financial reporting requirement. The records were kept by the AZ Corporation Commission. They didn't get rid of the ACC either. It's established by the state constitution and it primarily regulates utility rates. It won't be eliminated anytime soon.

My understanding is said public data was accessed from filings twi made to the Arizona Corporation Commission. However, years ago, the Arizona Legislature changed disclosure requirements such that ostensible nonprofits like twi no longer need to so disclose.

Elegantly stated. It's notable how his actions are incongruent with his apparent subconsciously real intent. I call HIS and every other GSC reader's attention again to Jocko Willink's book. If I understand it correctly, the incongruence between Mistletoe Mike's stated and unstated apparent intention is the very definition of absence of integrity*. From Wordnik, Moral soundness; honesty; freedom from corrupting influence or motive; -- used especially with reference to the fulfillment of contracts, the discharge of agencies, trusts, and the like; uprightness; rectitude. The other day, on a different thread, I wrote:

Mistletoe Mike "decided" no such thing. He has dedicated the last 20 years of his life to writing, piecemeal, a fictive story, completely the product of his FANTASTICAL IMAGINATION. And he has conned "many people," most significantly, himself.

Not only do you describe a total FANTASY of FANTASTIC proportions (again, you're a PARASITE) you're arguing a rationalized self-justification for stealing the resources of this website.

Self-awareness would go a LONGGGGG way to helping you NOT act like a parasite here. The problem is you hitch a ride on someone else's website. A website on which you hijack threads for a purpose diametrically opposed to the website's purpose.

Who is us? Are you imagining you're reaching out to everyone in every twig (or home) fellowship? You DO know your audience here is much different, right? When are you going to address your GSC parasite role? I wish you great success figuring out a way to reach your INTENDED, IMAGINED, HOPED FOR audience.

To WHOM is it written? To anyone who gives two hoots? It's a noble sentiment, but really, is ANYONE who cares reading any of what you write?

You imagine? Is that like taking (or trying to take) ownership of what other people do? Isn't that a form of violating personal boundaries? Might it be similar to co-dependency? Again, exclusively rhetorical questions. I have no need and will find no value in your answers, but if you do some genuine reflection and goal setting, YOU can find value in your answers.

Will you, really? Wiil you, or do you actually accomplish anything here?

Do you have any data to demonstrate that you actually lead "new readers?" Do you accomplish anything worthwhile by "debating ANYONE" let alone a "large number of people you debate with simultaneously?" Do you even reflect in whether the activity you engage in on GSC accomplishes anything worthwhile? All three are rhetorical questions. You will not accomplish anything worthwhile by considering any responses/replies to me to be debating about anything.

What do you accomplish by engaging in Mike's narrative? (rhetorical question)

What did you accomplish by calling Mike out in this comment? (rhetorical question)

Who cares what Mistletoe Mike, the GSC parasite, declares regarding what any word means in the bible? Who gives oxygen to this wannabe TWI leader who doesn't lead anywhere, let along in TWI? Remember what Dale Carnegie set forth in How to Win Friends and Influence People (a book about leadership) about giving someone a reputation to live up to? Mike's got the ideas. And he's got the contacts in twi, right? Well, Mike, get out THERE in twi and lead them to reach your vision of what the group can be. Because you don't seem to be getting the job done by spending your time here.

His children's books deal with similar themes, just not as mature language.

He writes books for kids too... I've gotten some for my grandson.

Speaking of paradigms, perhaps you'd be happier if you shifted yours away from expecting or hoping anyone at GSC would or could OFFER YOU something you could take seriously. Perhaps it's time to take EXTREME OWNERSHIP of your two decades of experience here and redirect your life to accomplishing your mission of transforming Victor's subculture into what YOU want IT to be.

Of the many exceptional leaders we served alongside throughout our military careers, the consistent attribute that made them great was that they took absolute ownership—Extreme Ownership—not just of those things for which they were responsible, but for everything that impacted their mission. These leaders cast no blame. They made no excuses. Instead of complaining about challenges or setbacks, they developed solutions and solved problems. They leveraged assets, relationships, and resources to get the job done. Their own egos took a back seat to the mission and their troops. These leaders truly led. [unlike Mistletoe Mike] In the years since we left active duty, we have worked with multitudes of business professionals, from senior executives to frontline managers, across a vast range of industries, including finance, construction, manufacturing, technology, energy, retail, pharmaceutical, health care, and also, military, police, fire departments, and emergency first responders. The most successful men and women we’ve seen in the civilian world practice this same breed of Extreme Ownership. Likewise, the most successful high-performance teams we’ve worked with demonstrate this mind-set throughout their organizations. Since the publication of Extreme Ownership, we’ve heard from readers across the United States and around the world whose lives have been strongly impacted for good. They’ve told us how implementing its principles changed their lives and made them better: a more productive employee, a more supportive spouse, or a more engaged parent. Once people stop making excuses, stop blaming others, and take ownership of everything in their lives, they are compelled to take action to solve their problems. They are better leaders, better followers, more dependable and actively contributing team members, and more skilled in aggressively driving toward mission accomplishment. But they’re also humble—able to keep their egos from damaging relationships and adversely impacting the mission and the team. We’ve heard countless stories about how applying these combat leadership principles have helped readers accomplish what others, or even they themselves, had previously thought impossible. Extreme Ownership has helped people all over the world launch a successful company or nonprofit, receive a major promotion, land a better job with greater responsibility and more opportunity for growth, hit numbers far beyond expectations, achieve special recognition as an exceptional team member, or accomplish their goals, whatever they may be. Every day we hear new stories—different people, different businesses, different industries. The details change. The characters are diverse. There are always slight differences in the way things unfold. But their outcomes are ultimately the same. “I can’t believe how well that works” is a common response. The principles are simple, but not easy. Taking ownership for mistakes and failures is hard. But doing so is key to learning, to developing solutions, and, ultimately, to victory... Willink, Jocko; Babin, Leif. Extreme Ownership . St. Martin's Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

What could you or anyone on GSC possibly accomplish by engaging with Mistletoe Mike on anything?

Break it down for whom? I've been there; done that. My aim is not to engage Mike on the issue. Raising children, one learns (or can learn) the value of redirecting the child to something else. Detailing our experience pushing for change is not the point. We'd be better off helping Mistletoe Mike redirect the focus he puts in time and energy on GSC, redirecting it to where his stated mission might be accomplished. He certainly will not accomplish ANYTHING here but wasting his time, your time, and annoying the hell out of readers here.

Mistletoe Mike first came to GSC in December 2002. Off and on, now starting his third decade as a GSC parasite, he is the anti-leader. By that, I do not mean he's a follower. As cman noted, he blames everyone for not following his lead. For not understanding his fuzzy posts. IF Mike really wanted to lead, rather than representing an annoying gnat, he might embrace Jocko Willink's insight. But to do so, he would not only need to forsake GSC, he's have to infiltrate TWI, become a trusted follower there, and effectively communicate his "vision" for healing that pathetic organization.

The salient question for today regards Mistletoe Mike, a GSC parasite, declining to embrace the real challenge he has told us about himself. He wants to see TWI become the organization he has always envisioned. He first came to us in December 2002, as a gnat to be swatted perhaps, hoping to hijack the mission of GSC to meet his ends. Mike's vision may be noble, but it is incongruent with GSC. He has received pushback but by no means the kind of vitriol he might if he were to enter the lion's den of TWI iniquity. His goals may be noble, but to achieve them, he must become a leader IN twi, not simply a GSC parasite. Having ideas is not the same as inspiring change. There's plenty of inspiration in the bible for developing the will and stature of a mighty leader able to bring others along with him to the promised land of PFLAP ecstasy. But for two decades, Mistletoe Mike has taken the easy road and all he's accomplished was to annoy GSC netizens. Alas, maybe I'm simply jumping to contusions.

Mistletoe Mike, has an interesting idea there. However, besides failure to grasp the salient notion of Wierwille living the life of a con artist, his "suggestions for improvement" in Victor's cult also lack grasp of cultural inertia. Of course, others on this thread have either alluded to or described said inertia. Mistletoe Mike, alas, lacks the drive and tenacity of a warrior. If he had said tenacity, he'd not necessarily feel the need to be a parasite at GSC, he'd do what warriors and spies have done in records throughout the millennia, operate from within his target organization, albeit quietly and in a clandestine manner. Why doesn't Mistletoe Mike take advantage of TWI's insecurity (seeking to reinstate those who have left the "Household") and go back in to make the changes he so wants to see? I think of Jesus, when he eluded mobs. In Luke 4 (NIV): 16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[f] 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked. 23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’” 24 “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25 I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy[g] in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. 30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.

He might have been beautiful when he was young, but a lifetime of Kool menthols and Drambuie certainly took a toll.

I now conclude EVEN Wierwillites are able to go far beyond what they've been taught... but not without breaking the bonds limiting them to the boundaries of Victor's teachings, subculture, and idolatrous religion. Of course, I (long ago) determined not to accept the Wierwillite limitations. Eve (you know, Adam's better half ) may have (mythically, perhaps) been banned from the garden of Eden because she was "tricked" by a snake. but Linus, OTOH... obtained citizenship in the Land of Knowledge.