Posts by JeffT

43

What novels would you recommend?

by LoveUniHateExams in

i used to have a large-ish novel collection but my current collection is scaled-down because i was forced to move back to bolton 4 years ago and didn't have enough room for them all in my suitcases.. i currently own just 9 novels.. salem's lot (stephen king).

three by john ajvide lindqvist:.

let the old dreams die.

JeffT

That is a really interesting graphic, thanks.

Back to the OP, I forgot to mention Robert A Heinlein, if you like science fiction he's a must read. Almost anything he wrote is good.

43

What novels would you recommend?

by LoveUniHateExams in

i used to have a large-ish novel collection but my current collection is scaled-down because i was forced to move back to bolton 4 years ago and didn't have enough room for them all in my suitcases.. i currently own just 9 novels.. salem's lot (stephen king).

three by john ajvide lindqvist:.

let the old dreams die.

JeffT

I am very picky when it comes to movies made from books. I seriously disliked the Lynch version, but then I don't like much of anything he does. A second part to the latest version is due out this year, I'm withholding judgement until it gets here.

The books are philosophically interesting. Herbert has created a fascinating culture and ecosystem. The primary influence on the people that live on the planet "Dune" is Islamic, the primary influence on the ecosystem is a planet-wide desert inhabited by giant worms. That description doesn't do the book justice by a long shot.

The other books are an alternate history trilogy about a war between the United States and Japan in 1910, and its aftermath. The other is a historical novel set in the Revolutionary war. The first three sold well, maybe because everybody was locked inside by COVID. The other two haven't sold as well, which is why I slip in plug when I can. I invented a church for "Armageddon's Disciples" and I've started blogging about that process. See jeffthomasbooks.net

43

What novels would you recommend?

by LoveUniHateExams in

i used to have a large-ish novel collection but my current collection is scaled-down because i was forced to move back to bolton 4 years ago and didn't have enough room for them all in my suitcases.. i currently own just 9 novels.. salem's lot (stephen king).

three by john ajvide lindqvist:.

let the old dreams die.

JeffT

Science fiction:

Dune by Frank Herbert.

The Mote in God's Eye by Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet

1984 by George Orwell

I have five novels self-published on Amazon. One, "Armageddon's Disciples" was inspired by fifteen years in the Cult.

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

JeffT

That mess with the AAWA was my introduction to Lloyd Evans. I might have been aware of the "John Cedars" user name but I don't remember anything in particular about him. I still have not heard a rational explanation for how anybody justified putting the name of nonexistent person on the legal incorporation documents. The best scenario I can come up with is that nobody thought to get legal help.

But it was the outing of PIMOs that showed his true colors. The absolute refusal to take responsibility for seriously harming a lot of people is inexcusable. It seems that he has lurched from one mess to another. And people get hurt every time.

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

JeffT

Diogenesister you have a PM

12

Disney Star Wars makes another retarded choice

by LoveUniHateExams in

what is it with disney star wars?

why is it that seemingly everything disney touches turns to shit?

what the f**k are these scooters doing in the book of boba fett?!

JeffT

The magic of Star Wars pretty much ended with the final scene of Return of the Jedi.

This.

I'm a lifelong Science Fiction fan. Wife and I saw "Star Wars" at the first opportunity and loved every second of it. That is a great movie, even if bits and pieces of earlier works are scattered through it. The visuals are good, John Williams score if perfect.

The next two films were OK, but didn't grab me. I've pretty much hated everything since then.

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

JeffT

I can't remember if I posted anything on that thread, and I'm too tired at the moment to read through the whole thing. However, in general, I've been trying to offer up some clarity on the meaning of all these big awards against the watchtower.

I'm an accountant, not a lawyer, but I've dealt with plenty of lawsuits and payouts over the years. Two things to keep in mind:

1) Large awards are almost always reduced on appeal. If somebody is awarded $20,000,000 the chances are slim to none that they will have to pay out the full amount

2) In almost all cases no one writes a check for whatever the final settlement was. The lawyers will work out some sort of payment plan.

So in this hypothetical example, you read in the papers that JeffT was awarded $20,000,000 in damages because the ACME demolition company demolished the wrong house. (Believe it or not this happens. Google "wrong house demolished by mistake.) What you won't read is that, on appeal, my award was reduced to two million, half of which will be paid over ten years. If I want my cash now I can always call J G Wentworth.

I find myself trying to explain this frequently when the large initial awards are discussed here. I am sure that some of the plaintiff's lawyers in these cases are great people, and want to see justice done. But I don't see them "bringing down the Watchtower" for a simple reason: they want to get paid.

Back to the case in hand. Lloyd could have taught himself all this in about half an hour on his computer. In looking back through so many of his posts I see an unwillingness to do the hard work (which is being done by a lot of people in the XJW community). Instead of doing what could be some valuable research, Evans appears to want to pontificate.

I think by tonight I will have this on my blog so I won't have to write it all again. https://www.jeffthomasbooks.net/

92

Chance or intelligent design?

by ExBethelitenowPIMA in

cofty could you answer how the single cell came about by chance?.

i know the argument for complexity in nature says natural selection over billions of years but this could not explain the complexity of the single cell the building blocks of life?.

JeffT

Credit to my sister (a retired infectious disease doc) for bringing this to my attention while I was fighting an infection.

Intelligent design supporters always like to ask where something (eyeballs, cells, brains, what have you) came from because it is too complicated have "just evolved." It needs an intelligent designer.

Fine. Why are my sinuses so badly designed?

60

WARNING! If you DELIBERATELY avoid the JW memorial.....

by BoogerMan in

.......you will experience a fate worse than death!

you have been warned - don't come crying to me if you don't go.

you've got one month to change your mind.

JeffT

I attended Memorial faithfully from 1973 to 1987. For every single one of those the announcement contained a statement that we needed to attend because "this might be the last memorial ever." I can't remember if we went in 1988, it was during the time my wife and I were in our research phase. By the time memorial 1989 had rolled around I concluded the Watchtower didn't know what it was talking about.

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

JeffT

This is the very purpose of a forum and why JWs don't like people going to them. Free discussion. Nothing really is off-topic, and we are free to discuss what we might think is going on with certain things.

I joined the JW's at age 22 because I had just graduated from college and my community was dissolving and blowing off with the wind. So I found a new community (this was in 1973 and I was sucked up in the lead up to 1975) In 1988 I figured out my new community was based on false premises.

So I found a new community -- of xjw's. back in those days a bunch of us meet once a month and functioned as support group. Looking back this group was a key factor in out exit.

I discovered internet message boards in the late 90's and joined this one about 2000. I think this group now fills the space carved out by those early XJW support groups (I know the one we went to was not alone).

Now we can all chat with like minded people all over the world. (Not just here, I don't know how many XJW facebook groups there are) We have formed a community, and when others want to join that community they are welcome to do so. And almost all points of view are welcome, in sharp contrast to the kingdom hall The only one with the authority to shut us up is Simon, and he seems pretty chill unless you really piss him off.

For a time I think his videos filled an empty spot in the community, but it went off the rails with the problems AAWA had getting off the ground. Now Lloyd comes off as unwilling to allow anybody else in the sandbox, or any opinion other than his. Form my point of view I don't think he wants to get out of the Kingdom Hall, he wants to run it. That attitude is a threat to the freedom and safety of our community, and I don't think we're going to quit fighting it just because Lloyd's supporters tell us to.

Lloyd, if you don't understand what we're complaining about try reading the last 830 or so pages with an open mind. The answers to your problems exist, if you want to fix them.