Posts by JeffT

75

HOME SCHOOL and the upcoming generation of scientifically illiterate kids

by Terry in

jw
friends

when i worked for a book store i became familiar with beka text books for home school.. i spoke with the mothers who came looking for them.

i realized something didn't smell right.. then, i realized there are a couple of generations of fundamentalist kids who have had no exposure.

to the scientific method, science facts or any conversancy with physics or biology or history as a result of beka textbooks.. in a nutshell here is the situation:.

JeffT

Terry, as a history buff I applaud your game, its a good one. Here's a set of events to put in the correct order: the start of the civil war, the confederate states suceeding, Lincoln's election, and Lincoln taking office.

We are currently home schooling our grandaughter, with the help of a three day a week support program. It's a good blend of structured education, socialization, and time to enhance her education ourselves. It helps that her father (our son), her aunt, her grandmother (an early childhood educator) and myself all have college educations. The support program is doing some really innovative things, particularly with teaching math and reading/writing. In the four years we've been there, every one of their graduates has been accepted into every college they applied to.

I agree with what Blondie quoted from Bill Nye, there is a remarkable like of critical thinking going on.

43

Which of the SEVEN stages of post JW behavior are you in right now?

by Terry in

1. they done me wrong.

2. i'm depressed.

3. i'm gonna act like an apostate (smoke, drink, drugs, sex, outrageous behavior).

JeffT

To borrow from AA, I'm at step 12, sharing my experience, strength and hope with others so they can have an easier exit.

I have better things to do than be angry, protest or othewise get my boxers in a knot over JW related stuff. Besides I don't want to give the Watchtower that much power in my life.

49

Misappropriation of funds (Project for an Assembly Hall in Guadalajara)

by avaddohn94 in

at the extj.com forum, a very serious scandal is being discussed regarding a potential misappropriation of funds by mexico's branch.. http://www.extj.com/showthread.php?24740-denuncia--quot-proyecto-fantasma-quot-salon-de-asambleas-de-guadalajara-o-robo-de-fondos.

though the situation may not be quite uncommon, below you will find an overview:.

a member of mexico's branch committee went to guadalajara to inform the brothers that a plot of land had been donated for the construction of an assembly hall.

JeffT

I bet the donors gave the WT the rights.

I agree with this. Whatever else goes on, the Watchtower's lawyers are not stupid. They are also the only attorney's involved in these deals, so the usual give and take between two sets of lawyers never takes place. Watchtower legal writes it up the way they want it and then tell the brothers in the KH's where to sign, all the while telling them that they have everybody's best interests in mind.

I keep thinking of the scene in "The Social Network" when Eduardo realizes that he's been screwed because he let Zuckerberg's lawyer write up all the paperwork.

49

Misappropriation of funds (Project for an Assembly Hall in Guadalajara)

by avaddohn94 in

at the extj.com forum, a very serious scandal is being discussed regarding a potential misappropriation of funds by mexico's branch.. http://www.extj.com/showthread.php?24740-denuncia--quot-proyecto-fantasma-quot-salon-de-asambleas-de-guadalajara-o-robo-de-fondos.

though the situation may not be quite uncommon, below you will find an overview:.

a member of mexico's branch committee went to guadalajara to inform the brothers that a plot of land had been donated for the construction of an assembly hall.

JeffT

On the other hand, if after the analysis it is determined that this construction will not take place, each circuit can determine if they want that their donations be placed in deposit with the branch office or if they wish to make a donation to the worldwide work.

Wow. That's like putting your money in the bank and then getting a letter asking if you want the bank manager to have it or should he give it to the assistant manager.

206

Took my son (5 yrs) shooting for his first time.

by dazed but not confused in

i went with my neighbor to an outdoor shooting range in the pawnee national grasslands in colorado.

its about 2 hours northeast of denver.

it was awesome.

JeffT

A basic mistake a lot of parents who own firearms have made in the past though is (Perhaps inadvertently) creating the ultimate "Forbidden fruit."

Winner winner, chicken dinner!

We are members at an outdoor range that has skeet shooting, rifle ranges, pistol ranges, archery ranges and fishing. My kids know that we can go shooting anytime they like to fish, shoot or practice archery. They have had hunter safety classes, firearms safety training and, pretty much any day of the week go shooting if they like. Every time they go they are reminded of safety rules, have to practice them and have to clean the guns when they are done.

Guns are absolutely no mystery to them and there is no fascination with them whatsoever. They are both excellent shots, know safety inside and out and have never attempted to play with a gun unsupervised. There is no mystery there.

Sounds exactly like my upbringing, and you are right. The key word is in all of this is responsibility. I learned a very long time ago that handling a weapon of any sort was a privlege that carried a weighty responsibility.

In looking over your photographs I was concerned that there was no protection from other shooters and their children.

Since this appears to be a public range I assume (big assumption which I would not make if I was actually there, I'd confirm it before using the range) that there is a range warden on site to insure safety.

4

WOULD THIS BE A TAX SCAM?

by The Searcher in

if a religion loaned out money - interest free - to its followers, would the authorities view the repayments as being taxable?

if so/not, could the religion legally cancel the debt, and request a donation for the same amount instead, thereby qualifying to claim back tax from the government, which the donors paid?

(in the uk it's called gift aid).

JeffT

What Hoser said is also applicable in the US. Under US tax regs forgiving a loan can produce a taxable event for the person who owed the money.

112

Supreme Court ruling- refusing to photo gay wedding is discrimination

by SadElder in

according to bloomberg news:.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-04-07/wedding-photographer-rebuffed-by-top-court-on-same-sex-ceremony.

"the u.s. supreme court turned away an appeal from a new mexico wedding photographer found to have violated a state anti-discrimination law when she refused to take pictures of a commitment ceremony for a same-sex couple.. the photographer, elaine huguenin, argued unsuccessfully that she was being unconstitutionally forced to convey a message conflicting with her religious beliefs.

JeffT

Just out of curiosity, do you guys think the African-American owned fried chicken place up the street from me should have to serve the KKK if they walk in and want to eat?

29

kingdom hall insurance....??

by punkofnice in

i seem to recall that there was an assistance fund set up for insurance on kingdom halls that were essentially set up as insurance.. where you were not to insure the khs by normal insurance companies.does anyone know about this and does any kh claim againt the fund i.e.

the watchtower?.

sounds like a scam!.

JeffT

We had an older visiting sister to fall inside our Hall and hurt her hip and back. Her hsuband was the visiting speaker that Sunday. She wasn't used to the floor plan. This sent her to a chiropractor or physical therapist for extended treamtments. Her husband, the brother, called later and asked about filing on our KHall insurance. We contacted the Society.

The Society told us to speak to them kindly and with understanding, but also to ask them to file on their personal health insurance if they had any. I was the Accounts Servant at the time, so the Secretary got the dubious task of calling them back. A week or so later I asked him how it went. He said they were not happy about it, but had health insurance, and so filed on their own.

Somewhere on their insurance forms there will be a little box that says something like "if this injury resulted from an accident check this box and fill out details below." If they don't put the real information in there they are technically committing insurance fraud. Of course, the only way somebody finds out about this is if a knowledgable person talks, which is unlikely given WTBS intimidation tactics.

206

Took my son (5 yrs) shooting for his first time.

by dazed but not confused in

i went with my neighbor to an outdoor shooting range in the pawnee national grasslands in colorado.

its about 2 hours northeast of denver.

it was awesome.

JeffT

Dazed, the last couple of summers I drove up and down I-25 between Billings and Boulder taking my daughter back to school. Yeah, what I was talking about was similar, although slightly more populated (Eastern Washington).

I've noticed people who love guns typically don't have a reputation of being educated or posessing any type of intellect.

Claptrap. My family are all avid hunters. Between the five of us there was a BA, three MD's and a Nobel Prize. All our hunting buddies were research scientists.

You need to kill for food? Grocery store is way easier and cheaper.

Yeah, the moral superiority is obvious, because nothing dies to make store bought hamburger.

206

Took my son (5 yrs) shooting for his first time.

by dazed but not confused in

i went with my neighbor to an outdoor shooting range in the pawnee national grasslands in colorado.

its about 2 hours northeast of denver.

it was awesome.

JeffT

next month maybe you can teach him to drive

OK, we can change arguments for awhile. In lots of rural areas in America kids start learning to drive as soon as they can reach the pedals and see over the steering wheel at the same time. I've lived in farming areas where 13 or 14 year-olds could legally drive trucks to the co-op during harvest. The 15 year olds are driving heavy equipment in the field. They tend to be good drivers by the time they get their licenses.