Jim

Morale will improve if I have to burn some asses to do it...

Dr. Asperger

I really, really like the cover of your book.

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/10/18/3113455/crystal-cathedral-megachurch-files.html

So sad... And not even a Rock of Ages to come back to...

I didn't know that different states had different programs. OTHO, I got the impression that the local limb leader had a lot of power to define the program. I could be wrong. In California the Fellow Laborers seemed to be a Corps for the people who wanted and were otherwise qualified to enter the Corps but couldn't get their sponsorship together. The bottom line was more slaves to run the limb.

This is kind of a sore subject with me. I went to renew my dog's heartworm medicine and my vet *required* a visit and checkup before he would give me a new prescription. Now mind you, the dog had been checked for heartworm years earlier, and had been on heartworm medication constantly since that check. The new checkup was not for heartworm, but a mechanism to get owners to pay for a yearly checkup. Rather than being held hostage, I opted for a nontraditional way of adminstering heartworm medication.

Yawn...

The Bible...

King most certainly did not plagiarize "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" or the "I have a Dream" speech. Two of the most moving and influential civil rights works we have.

If we must compare VPW with a controversial African-American man, I'd prefer Tiger Woods.

That condensation will never separate out into water at the bottom of your tank if your gas has 5-10 percent ethanol. Keeping the tank full is still a good idea.

Being in Pat P*w*ll's boat eh? And hoping he doesn't get "revelation" to resort to cannibalism...

It's a simple thing but I missed a decent cup of coffee in the morning. That chicory "extender" stuff was awful.

The BRC wasn't bugged. The EOB conference room was...

You know, VP's personal secretary, I forget her name, used a dumb terminal connected to the "mainframe" for VP's correspondence back in 1980. So it's not like his holiness thought they were evil then...

I worked one day with Way Builders stacking the logs for the walls. All I can remember is short tempers, confusion and mutiple injuries. People were definitely *not* being blessed....

As of around 1980, the books were printed by outside contractors. There was a print shop in the northwest corner of the OSC building. They printed the "sensitive" material such as sylabuses and class handouts. They also collated and shrink wrapped the book packages for the various classes.

If push comes to shove they can always hire unbelievers. Of course they would have to offer competitive wages, good benefits, a non-hostile workplace, no sexual harassment. Never mind, what was I thinking, that would never work....

I guess not. I went through a 10 month Army electronics and missile school. If you fell asleep once, you stood up in the back of the class. If you still fell asleep the consequences would escalate, you get the picture. I didn't have much problem staying awake in TWI classes.

I know how this cable infomercial thing works because my business would get 2-3 calls a year trying to get me to do it. What happens is you get a call from the associate producer of the show. He gushes about how your organization is a perfect tie-in with their program and that they would really like to do a 2 minute piece about you. They promise that it would be great advertising and that you are uniquely suited for the spot. The sales pitch is very carefully crafted to appeal to both your ego and your desire to be on TV, along with the hyped advertising advantage. Money is never mentioned until you are hooked or you bring it up. In my case, I had to ask several times "will I have to pay a fee for this promotion". As I recall, $27k was about the ballpark that they wanted. In my humble opinion, this is nothing more than a scam that plays on people's pride and desire to be in front of a camera. I'm a bit surprised the masters were scammed.

Ok, how about some real TWI trivia.... 1. What was the make, model and tail number of the turboprop plane? 2. What name did TWI give the single engine plane? What was it's make and model? 3. How were the candlesticks aligned on the podium in the BRC? 4. What was the make and model of TWI's mainframe computer? 5. What was the follower database on it called? 6. Dorothy and Rhoda played the organ and piano, who played which? 7. What act of frugality did Howard Allen do that was widely given as an example for staff? 8. Name one large Way Builders disaster. 9. Name one large A/V disaster. 10. Which of VPW's cars was stored in Joe Coulter's garage? 11. What name was TWI's literature published under?

Given that I'm only one generation from poor white trash, I have to say that my life has been very, very good. Everything that I need, I have. Plus a few things I don't need. Like an airplane. As to the non-tangible things, I raised a quality child, I've provided good jobs with full health benefits for my employees, and I've given the world some useful inventions and products. My hardest task is finding new goals. I've done all the ones I set for myself 30 years ago. As to TWI's influence, I have to quote Margaret Mead... "One way to get insight is to have a religious conversion and get over it."

"By the time a person graduates they are changed. Changed to endure mental / emotional abuse and mindlessly follow orders. If you begin to exercise critical thinking skills that go against the board of dummies desires you will be punished in one way or another. Leaving the way corps and the way ministry seemed just damn near impossible at times. After all, I took a salt covenant. In retrospect I was in deep bondage to the board of dummies and a cult that promises the power of God and only gives heartless legalism to it's adherents." I wonder if this was intentional or just reflected the darker side of human nature? Have you read about the Stanford Prison Experiment? In a nutshell, a class of undergrads are divided in half. Half will be the prisoners and half will be the guards. The experiment had be be stopped early because many of the guards became cruel and abusive and many of the prisoners appeared to be suffering serious emotional abuse. As twisted as it might sound, I think there is some similarity to the Corps experience. I wasn't there, but I did get an eyeful on staff. Much of the leadership found it more important to get instant obedience than to have people work in a cooperative fashion. I remember VPW saying back in the mid 70's that he wanted Corps applicants to have "natural leadership ability" because he was tired of trying to teach it. I didn't see much natural leadership ability. Unfortunately, VP had the same natural leadership ability as any successful dictator.

I remember the bulletin board at ROA and all the "for sale" posts. People selling their cameras and stereos and even their cars to have money to go out WOW. The enthusiasm of youth. Wonder how that worked out?