melmoth

Joined

• started 2 topics
• posted 84 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by melmoth

• 
  18

  JW nudists (aka What's wrong with this picture?)

  by melmoth in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  sorry if this has come up before but i'm new and it only just occurred to me.

  we all remember (or still see regularly, joe-help-you) those wt illustrations of people living happily in a paradise on earth, cavorting peacefully with the animals.

  everyone is dressed like retired wasps (no offense to retired wasps intended).

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  melmoth

  Sorry if this has come up before but I'm new and it only just occurred to me.
  We all remember (or still see regularly, joe-help-you) those WT illustrations of people living happily in a paradise on earth, cavorting peacefully with the animals. Everyone is dressed like retired WASPs (no offense to retired WASPs intended).
  But really... why are they wearing anything at all?
  If paradise is to be a return to the original, sinless state of Adam & Eve, then surely there is no need for shame or clothes.
  So why don't the pics show happy, butt-nekkid JWs?
  
  Can one of you active JWs bring this up with an elder for us? Try to keep a straight face when you do. Look genuinely puzzled.
  
  I'm starting to wonder if this board isn't taking me on a trip too far down memory lane, if this is the kind of thing I'm starting to think about...
• 
  57

  How can one poison a goldfish?

  by slimboyfat in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  ...with inconspicuous amounts of a household substance?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  melmoth

  A drop or two of ammonia should do it. Won't take much.
  Or if you'd rather, a bit of vodka.
• 
  64

  Is It Me Or Are There A Ton Of New Posters On This Month???

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've been on a mini vacation and lately i've seen mostly "newbies" posting.

  this place changes sooo quickly, it's amazing!!!

  i'm glad to see the "great crowd's" influx here.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  melmoth

  tdogg: OK
• 
  64

  Is It Me Or Are There A Ton Of New Posters On This Month???

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've been on a mini vacation and lately i've seen mostly "newbies" posting.

  this place changes sooo quickly, it's amazing!!!

  i'm glad to see the "great crowd's" influx here.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  melmoth

  I-bie newbie too-bie
• 
  42

  Video Highlights from the Drama!

  by CaptainSchmideo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  warning!

  it helps to be under the influence to watch this stuff.

  actually, it might enhance the experience to toke a little doob while watching.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  melmoth

  But, but... the good young brother wants to devote himself to spiritual things because he saw the happiness it brought one of his friends, and he wants that happiness for himself.
  Isn't that... er.... ENVY?
• 
  10

  LMAO @ this rant

  by Odrade in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  on craigslist:.

  http://portland.craigslist.org/rnr/83081601.html i don't expect you to bow at my feet every morning when i hand you your coffee, but a simple "thank you" would do.

  and yes, that "thank you" is mainly acceptable in the form of cash (please, dear god because i don't work at starbucks, actually know what i'm doing and don't rely on a machine to do my job for me... and also therefore have no health insurance, make minimum wage until my reveiw in two months and my student loans are killing me) it doesn't have to be huge.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  melmoth

  If I recall correctly, a LONG time ago, there was actually a KH discussion or talk or something about whether it was actually OK to leave literature instead of cash as a tip.
  I think the answer was a gentle 'no' (although the good intentions were praised, and you could leave some in addition to cash).
• 
  18

  lie's

  by Cupcake in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi everyone just had another situation wanted to know your all opnion on how to deal with this one.

  here goes..... i got a dozen roses with ballons the other day at work and it had type written on the card " to someone special ?

  "that was on friday.... i called my x and ask others if they sent them to me and everyone said no......including my co workers then tuesday when i went to work, the florist brought me another dozen roses with a teddy bear and said he forgot to bring me the teddy bear on friday so he had a dozen roses a teddy bear and ballons again and the card read " thinking of you".... again didnt know who sent it... i talk to a co worker who is trying to make the moves on me and he said " do you want me to tell you the truth?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  melmoth

  Find a casual opportunity to thank him again, then say something like:
  "You know, some loser tried to tell me he sent them when he hadn't. How pathetic is that? Can you imagine being that cheap and desperate? Anyway, I know who really sent them, and who not to waste my time on. Thanks again."
  Be sure to smile before you walk away.
• 
  63

  Do you judge others...

  by jeanniebeanz in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  by their choice of words?

  do bigger words equate to higher intelligence?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  melmoth

  Inferring exceptional intellectual acumen from polysyllabic vocabularies is contraindicated (prevalence notwithstanding).
• 
  3

  International Aid

  by jula71 in

  1. social
  2. current

  i have started a new thread on international aid.

  on a different thread this topic come up and was off topic.

  some points were brought up that have to be refuted.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  melmoth

  It's easy enough to find more recent statistics from the source you cite (OECD). Here's a link to a small PDF with official aid figures for 2002 & 2003:
  http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/19/52/34352584.pdf
  You'll find that in 2003 the US gave $16b in official aid, by far the highest of the 22 countries considered. Japan was #2 at $9b.
  As a percentage of Gross Domestic Income (GDI), US aid ranks last, at 0.15%, just behind Italy. Norway was first (0.92%). Japan's $9b represents 0.2% of its GDI, while the average among the 22 countries was 0.25%.
  Your point on lower US taxation and private donations might well be valid, to some extent anyway, but I'd prefer to see the real numbers on that, along with where it actually went, and how that compares to other countries in both real and relative terms. If you want to dispute the stats as misleading, that's fine. Just do it properly.
  Just so we're clear though, the point about the US being the 'cheapest' developed country - in terms of official aid, measured against its wealth - remains 100% valid.
  And to put our $16b annual aid into perspective: we currently add an average of $1.6b daily (yes, daily) to our national debt.
  There are contributions we might make as individuals voluntarily, as you state. Then there are things we expect the government to do on our behalf, with our tax money. I would argue that well-directed foreign aid these days can contribute to both our security and economic well-being (in a global economy) - and as such, I wouldn't mind seeing our official aid rate at least average. After all, there's no problem getting another $10b; we can just borrow it from China.
• 
  11

  Luther Vandross

  by pratt1 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  maybe i missed an early post on the death of luther, but i just wanted to state that i am a big fan of his music and knowing that i will not ee him again in concert or wait with anticipation his next cd certainly makes me sad..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  melmoth

  Swirlgirl - There were often rumors, and references to it in some of the obits (lifelong bachelor, declined to deny it when asked in an interview) -- but as it happens I'd heard it from a (gay) friend in the music industry who knew him personally from early in his career. Anyway, it's just one among many things he was (black, talented, successful, etc.) and I certainly didn't mention it to be derogatory. But it was kind of ironic, given his style of music.