SnakesInTheTower

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Posts by SnakesInTheTower

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  81

  MY APOLOGIES TO ALL

  by Mary in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  looking back over the last few weeks, i think i've been unnessarily rude to some posters and i just want to apologize to anyone who has been on the receiving end of my anger recently.. i believe that i'm so angry, dismayed, devastated and heartbroken over what's happening to my brother in law, that i've been taking it out on others and that's not right.

  it makes absolutely no difference what i think of the wts as a whole, or whether or not americans have a universal healthcare system......none of that makes any difference whatsoever when someone you love and has been like your brother for 35 years is dying and there's not a fucking thing we can do about it.. my sister just called me and there's more bad news, and that's that his disease has now progressed into the acute myeloid leukemia which means he cannot start the therapy they were going to give him, as this is far more serious now.

  they want to start chemo right away, but his blood counts aren't up high enough for him to survive.

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  SnakesInTheTower

  (((Mary)))

  very sorry to hear all of this bad news. you are a tough gal, but even tough gals have a soft spot. Family is always the thing that gets to us.

  I don't have anything witty to say... check your PM in a few minutes.

  Snakes (Rich )
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  6

  Funny Youtube series for cat lovers

  by restrangled in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  someone posted this on a thread but thought it deserved its own..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0ffwdyo00q.

  r..

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  SnakesInTheTower

  except for the baseball bat, that is my cat Max(ine) to a T.

  Snakes ()
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  17

  August 1 Watchtower on my desk!

  by AK - Jeff in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  my wife encountered a jw today at the uptown laundry where she goes to dry blankets and large items from time to time.. i had just asked her an hour earlier to look around and see if any mags were laying around there - i don't know why.

  i just wanted to see if any major layout changes were taking place with the watchliar and asleep lately.. i have not opened them.

  i am looking though at the cover of the tower - cover title 'how can you choose a good religion?

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  SnakesInTheTower

  heaven:

  You don't need a religion to read the Bible or have faith.

  I find I no longer need religion or the Bible (or any "holy book") to have "faith" ..though this may offend some. I find points from each of the major "holy books" to be useful in examining my thought processes.

  I am pretty good with my relationship with the Creator without some man-made fantasies (aka religion). Maybe out of old dying habits I may refer to the Creator as "Jehovah".... and I am sure that the entity has a sense of humor at the odd nickname we have given it. I do not attempt to "pray" to it...I figure if it created me it certainly can read my mind without the formality of bowing my head and "supplicating" it.

  Mostly....I try not to piss off the Creator by taking care of myself and those I love and the planet best I can and still have a reasonable life while I occupy the place for a short time.

  but that's just me...one lone man's opinion... Toni and I seem to have a "cut and paste" method to our spirituality...and it is just fine with us.

  Snakes (Rich )

  oh...Watchtower? I am going to take my few remaining ones that my mom sent me.....put them through the shredder....and then give the shredded pieces to George (George is my fiancee's son's hamster) for the bottom of his cage.... or maybe take them to the credit union tomorrow for "shredder day." LOL
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  65

  How about a new happy thread...the best thing that happened to you this month!

  by restrangled in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the best thing for me..... my son stopped over and he realized he needs to buy a home....so we quickly did a run on the internet in our neighborhood and he found a jewel.. whether he gets it or not....it was fun for both my husband and myself to go see, help him ask questions and give him the ok.. it's probably just a dream, but reminded us of our younger days.. how was your day?

  something happy please!!!!

  we have enough horrible negatives going on right now..

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  SnakesInTheTower

  huh...can't think of anything at all....pretty boring month....

  Snakes (Rich )
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  2

  St Peters broker banned for ponzi scheme (IS AN ACTIVE JW!!...I knew this idiot)

  by SnakesInTheTower in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i was lying in bed this morning listening to the local news on the radio when i heard something about a broker, a ponzi scheme, "selling to fellow church members" and a name....ken neely..... i thought...wtf?

  is it the same ken neely i had met?

  i had often seen him at the st. louis assembly hall.

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  SnakesInTheTower

  bump...

  not sure why this is not on the home page ...its the last topic under scandals.... weird.

  Snakes ()
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  77

  TED JARACZ' stroke, latest from Bethel heavy.

  by yesidid in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  according to a bethel heavy i know rather well,.

  ted is paralysed down his right side,.

  however his mind and speech remain unaffected.. .

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  SnakesInTheTower

  Hamsterbait:

  Ther is agreat glee in this thread. Are we actually talking about a HUMAN BEING?? HB

  agreed.... we may not stand them as individuals on the GB or the GB as a group, but they are still human beings. Yes, their policies have ruined lives, but are we any better by wishing them harm? I think it causes us to lose a bit more humanity ourselves when we embrace this sort of hate. I am not being judgemental of others who are taking pot shots..... I do not know your circumstances that cause such anger. I am just making an observation. I would prefer to be better than the GB and retain my humanity. I used to work for my cousin whose specialty was case management of TBI (Traumatic Brain Injured) patients, most of whom had strokes. It is especially sad to see someone very young and healthy lose mental or physical function and be reliant on others. I hope that Jaracz either recovers completely or dies quickly. The in between of a stroke is the human equivalent of purgatory. Snakes ( Rich)
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  9

  When love dies...

  by JustHuman14 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in my mind lately this thought is spinning round and round.

  can you find real love in the wt world?

  i guess you cant.

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  SnakesInTheTower

  I finally found real love....but only when I left the Borg. I am engaged to a wonderful nonJW gal. I would never have asked her out if I were still operating under JW rules about love...

  Snakes ( Rich)
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  2

  St Peters broker banned for ponzi scheme (IS AN ACTIVE JW!!...I knew this idiot)

  by SnakesInTheTower in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i was lying in bed this morning listening to the local news on the radio when i heard something about a broker, a ponzi scheme, "selling to fellow church members" and a name....ken neely..... i thought...wtf?

  is it the same ken neely i had met?

  i had often seen him at the st. louis assembly hall.

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  SnakesInTheTower

  I was lying in bed this morning listening to the local news on the radio when I heard something about a broker, a ponzi scheme, "selling to fellow church members" and a name....Ken Neely....

  I thought...WTF? Is it the same Ken Neely I had met? I had often seen him at the St. Louis assembly hall. I wonder if the Assembly Hall Overseer had any investments with this "brother" (they were good friends..bet that changes). This guy definitely put on a "showy display." I went to a 50th anniversary dinner for the assembly hall overseer and his wife at a country club...I believe the one in the article was the place.

  I had always wondered if his investments stuff was legit. Turns out it was not. I found the article from the St. Louis [MO] Post Dispatch in the online edition. I wonder what the local elduhs are going to do about this? (is it conflict of interest to sit on a JC for your investment "broker." ..LOL)

  Snakes ( Rich)

  St. Peters broker banned for ponzi scheme
  By Jim Gallagher
  ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
  07/28/2009

  Securities industry regulators say a St. Peters stockbroker ran an eight-year ponzi scheme in which he swindled brokerage customers, fellow church members and a cousin in order to support a "lavish personal lifestyle" and $4,000-per-month entertainment bills.

  The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority announced Monday that broker Kenneth George Neely took $600,000 from at least 25 victims, claiming he would invest it in a fictitious investment club and a nonexistent real estate investment trust.

  Without admitting guilt, Neely last week consented to an order banning him from the brokerage business. He could not be reached for comment. FINRA officials said he does not have a lawyer.

  FINRA, the self-regulatory arm of the brokerage industry, gave this account of Neely's activities:

  Neely has been a broker since 1987. In 2001, he was working for UBS PaineWebber Inc. when he fell on hard times amid the collapse of the technology investment bubble. His income dropped from $150,000 in 2000 to $30,000 in 2002. He was having trouble paying bills. He ran up some of those debts buying dinners and drinks for clients and friends at his country club.

  "It was during this period of personal financial stress that (Neely) conceived and effected his ponzi scheme," FINRA said in its order. He invented the "St. Louis Investment Club" and the equally phony "St. Charles REIT," promising 20 percent returns. He made up investment "certificates" for the club and REIT to give to clients. His first investor was a cousin who invested $30,000, expecting returns of up to 10 percent.

  Neely portrayed membership in the investment club as exclusive. He told a retiree, a longtime friend and fellow church member (Neely is a Jehovah's Witness) that he would tell her when "openings" occurred in the club. "Seven or eight" other church members invested in the scam, said James Shorris, executive vice president at FINRA. "In no sense were these sophisticated investors," he added.

  Neely also signed up his brokerage clients, while trying to hide that fact from his employers, regulators said. FINRA records show that Neely moved from UBS to Stifel Nicolaus and finally to AXA in Clayton. In all, at least 25 people eventually invested in the scheme, FINRA said.

  A ponzi scheme operates by paying current investors with money from new investors. Neely returned about $300,000 to clients over time, FINRA said.

  Neely spent the other $300,000 on his personal expenses including "his lavish personal lifestyle, including entertainment expenses at his country club, sometimes totaling over $4,000 per month," the FINRA order said.

  Such schemes depend on a constant flow of new money. By 2007, Neely "desperately" needed funds to repay investors who were demanding their money, FINRA said. He convinced a longtime friend to invest $154,000 in the St. Charles REIT. The friend's daughter invested $10,000.

  According to FINRA, the scheme continued until this month, when FINRA investigators confronted Neely. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office in St. Louis said there are no criminal charges against Neely. The St. Charles County prosecuting attorney could not be reached.

  Neely's disciplinary record shows that UBS paid out more than $240,000 to settle four cases brought by investors claiming they were placed in unsuitable investments.

  AXA said it discharged Neely the day it learned of the scheme early this month and said it is investigating the matter.
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  32

  Snakes will soon be writing a DA letter

  by SnakesInTheTower in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  very interesting thread atjeff started about whether to fade or not.

  (to fade or not to fade...an opinion) thought i would start a new thread with my thoughts, but not hijack his.. here are my thoughts on my own situation which may or may not reflect anyone else's situation.

  sunday is our family day.

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  SnakesInTheTower

  UPDATE PART ONE:

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/members/private/179391/1/Update-Engagement

  more on the DA letter later..... nothing written yet...

  Snakes ( Rich)
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  32

  Snakes will soon be writing a DA letter

  by SnakesInTheTower in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  very interesting thread atjeff started about whether to fade or not.

  (to fade or not to fade...an opinion) thought i would start a new thread with my thoughts, but not hijack his.. here are my thoughts on my own situation which may or may not reflect anyone else's situation.

  sunday is our family day.

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  SnakesInTheTower

  Monday night or Tuesday morning I will (try to) post an update...

  Snakes (Rich )

  ATJ: That was like the commercials for Mad Men

  I am supposed to borrow Season One of Mad Men from my GF's daughter before she takes off for the east coast (South Hadley, MA)