This thread delivers.
Assigned seating--that's a new one on me, but nothing would surprise me.
Human TP Dispenser--another new one. The day I saw that would be the last day I went to a DC. Excellent idea to use Watchtower pages, Finally-Free. Would be a more productive use than the one they are put to currently.
Only One Towel--this practice is alive and well today.
Horrible parking--I think the reason this is so bad is because they sexually abuse the parking lot. They don't just fill it to capacity, they stack those '79 Novas that Witnesses drive two deep, like cordwood. You can't empty a 175% capacity parking lot any faster than 2 hours. I've been one of those "parking attendants" and trust me when I say that the only thing worse than trying to get out of the parking lot after the program is trying to help people get out in 100 degrees Fahrenheit wearing a 3 piece suit and tie and a neon orange "don't hit me" vest.
No eating outside food--there is a practical reason for this. The Witnesses don't want the venue's normal vendors to be selling food in there--both because they don't want "commercialism" in "Jehovah's house" and because they don't want the 68% of Witnesses who are window washers and janitors to have to pay $4 for a 6" hot dog and 4oz of watered-down Pepsi. The thing is if the Witnesses are just going to go next door to the McD's for a burger, the venue management is going to be like "WTF dude, next year we're keeping the onsite vendors in." So the Society can actually RELIABLY NEGOTIATE THAT THEIR PEOPLE WON'T GO TO McD's. If this isn't evidence that they are a high-control group, I don't know what is.
Funny (and sad) story related to this, actually. For years at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, WA, there was this local entrepreneur who would set up a stand outside of the Dome, next door, and sell hot dogs, chips, cold drinks, etc. The dude must have been making a total killing. Guy always seemed really happy and had his whole family there to help him, kids, teenagers, wife, auntie, etc. We would always lunch from him one day. It was great and convenient. Well finally the Tacoma Dome management made the same complaint I mentioned above and threatened to bring the stadium vendors back in. Local Convention Committee (God why is there always a Committee for everything in Jehovah's Organization?) sends out a letter to all the congs going to the Tacoma Dome not to go to this guy's stand anymore. But nobody told the poor guy, he thought it was business as usual. Convention rolls around, this guy has his stand set up with his whole family there, his cold drinks, his hot dogs, his chips, etc. It must have been worth thousands and thousands of dollars, all that food. Nobody--and I mean NOBODY--shopped from him. He and his family just sat around all glum, looking heartbroken, and all the Witnesses walked right by him like he was disfellowshipped, not even glancing in his direction, like he was one of those apostates with the bullhorns and the "1914? 1925? 1975?" signs. I felt so bad for him.
