Posts by CoonDawg

43

Is it crazy at the gas pumps in your State?

by LyinEyes in

jw
friends

me and the kids went to rent movies and noticed that there were long lines of people waiting for gas.

we live in shreveport/bossier louisiana about five hours north of new orleans.

we do have tons of evacuees here and so i understand it is going to be busier here than usual.. people were breaking lines to get gas tonite, and you could feel the tension in the air.

CoonDawg

I'm in Atlanta tonight, Gas at some places is nearly $6 / gallon.

The thing you should be watching is that Diesel fuel is up to nearly 3 bucks a gallon. As far North as TN, some fuel stops were limiting drivers to 50 gallons per driver. For an average tractor trailer, that'll get you about 250 miles down the road. There are approx. 10 % of the refineries that have had their production affected by the hurricane. Hang on to your hats. Fuel goes up, freight's gotta go up...that means everything we carry ...which is pretty much EVERYTHING....has to go up. I hope things get handled pretty quickly or things have the potential to spiral.

Good luck everyone.

Oh, by the way...I bought 150 gallons yesterday at $2.69/gal and there were trucks lined up from the interstate "getoff ramp" all the way down to the fuel islands....about 1/3 mile long.

Ern

88

What is WRONG with people? (Looters, shooters, et al)

by AlmostAtheist in

jw
friends

i'm sitting here in awe, just having read that evacuation helicopters are reporting being shot at in louisiana.

shot at.. looters are seeing an opportunity to take goods that will probably be destroyed or paid for by insurance anyway.

it's dirty and nasty and wrong, but i can live with it.

CoonDawg

Bottom line, if the levy had not broken, New Orleans would not be anywhere near as bad.

No S**t! I couldn't believe the prez had the balls today to say "No one ever would have guessed that the levy would break." What a load of crap. In 2000, the feds were told that the three most likely national disasters would be

1) A terrorist attack on NYC

2) A category 4 or 5 hurricane in New Orleans

3) An major earthquake in San Francisco

These were evaluated to be the MOST LIKELY....5 freakin years ago. I remember Sen. Landreau of Louisianna making impassioned speeches from the Senate floor BEGGING for funding to be continued for building levys and flood prevention in and around New Orleans...including restoration of the wetlands outside of New Orleans. The Times Picayune ran a series of articles in 2003 about how the funding for the levy projects in New Orleans had been slashed....to now finance the war in Iraq.

Law and order could have been maintained had anyone shown LEADERSHIP. The mayor of New Orleans pleaded with the governor, FEMA, and the White House....but the Prez was in AZ playing Golf and attending fundraising. The governor was telling all that "hey, we told them to get out."....and as for FEMA, the mayor said "I haven't seen anyone. Not one guy."

The affected states not only have 1/3 of their National Guard in Afghanistan and Iraq...along with their vehicles and equipment.

Is this REALLY the best that americans can do at disaster relief?

Ern

PS.... A Heartfelt thanks for all 24 foreign countries that have offered aid and assistance to America for relief in the wake of this disaster.

11

Local JWs beginning Relief Efforts

by doinmypart in

jw
friends

i can't believe it.

the congregations in the city are organizing a relief effort.

they're asking for toiletries, non-perishable food items, and bottled water.

CoonDawg

I know that in the St. Louis area, when Andrew tore up Homestead, donations were taken and 3 tractor trailer loads of supplies were taken down....along with a bunch of bros in the constructions biz to help out. It always stood out as one of the few times I felt like they were doing something tangible. Of course, the did primarily help JW's first...and then the occasional "worldly" person...but I still felt like it was at least a genuine effort on all of us who gave.

JMO, of course.

Ern

38

Who can and can't a JW sit next to at the hall?

by JH in

jw
friends

.

there are so many unwritten laws, but most witnesses know when it's wrong to sit next to someone.. name a few cases, when it's ok to sit next to someone, and when it's not ok?

.

CoonDawg

I wonder where I was supposed to sit when I was freshly divorced and schtupping another woman...did I need to leave a seat between us or did I just need to take her back to the car and nail her out in the parking lot?

The sad part is I remember putting up with this crap. You sisters usually had so much more scrutiny on you. Us young brothers could be mic attendants and dick around through the whole meeting...or sound board operators sitting back behind EVERYONE and then you could REALLY get away with anything.

Ern

5

seen by jw while riding motorcycle....

by zev in

jw
friends

while out riding this wendsday afternoon, .

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze4zk5x/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/dsc03361.jpg .

a jw i used to know saw me as i went by his house.

CoonDawg

Nice bike...gotta love the classics. I love to ride too. The last time any of my JW aquaintences saw me was on a nice long trip I took on my bike...

Like this one here...

I took about a 900 mile 2 day road trip up into my old stomping grounds. I love riding and if it makes my old JW aquaintences think i'm a rebel...fine by me...I think it's funny because I haven't really changed THAT much since I quit.

Ern

4

Karma

by sammielee24 in

jw
friends

now that you aren't in the society, do you feel like there is karmic influence at work in your life?

or do you at the very least recognize it?

i think a great many of us sitting in the kh chairs were without a doubt pharisiacal hyprocites, judging and condemning while not comprehending the unrighteousness of our actions toward others at the time.

CoonDawg

I guess I don't think of Karma in a universal power sense, but rather as a cause / effect (even if it's delayed) sort of thing. As my little sis, Banshee (some of you remember her) likes to say " You can't put S**T on the wheel of life and not expect some to splatter back on you."

I think that eventually people's actions come back to haunt them, whether they recognize it or not. If nothing else, in their treatment of others...if you do people wrong enough times, eventually you will do it to the wrong person and you will find that they are more vengeful than your previous victims.

JMO

Ern

15

Divorcing

by sammielee24 in

jw
friends

.

how many people know of someone in the truth that committed adultery for the sole purpose of divorcing?

CoonDawg

My ex-wife claims that this is the reason she started sleeping with someone else. I don't really buy it. I guess I could have if it had been a one time fling...but after we split, she continued the torrid affair (that was a small town scandal, btw) even shacking up with the guy...then dropping him for someone else. I told her "Gee thanks, next time don't try so hard to do me any favors". It's part of the reason for our bitter animosity to this day. Maybe she really did it because she's a swivel hipped whore instead....it seems more likely.

In HER case, it seems that the idea of "setting me free" was simply an excuse to justify her conduct. As some others mentioned, I have also seen cases where one waits for the other to slip up and that's no way to live.

Ern

82

Who here gives to the homeless?

by JW83 in

jw
friends

i'm interested in how many here give to the homeless, or any kind of charity, since that was not a part of the witness experience.

i have to admit that my heart is hard ...

CoonDawg

The homeless often would prefer to use those same monies on such things as alcohol and cigarettes,

I figure, what the hell? That's what I was gonna use it for myself, anyway!

Seriously, though...Since I drive a truck, most hard luck cases assume we are all softies. When I'm at the end of my week, if someone is standing at the freeway exit ramp holding a sign saying that they are homeless and hungry, I'm more than happy to hand them a couple of food items that I always have in the truck. It weed out those who are money whores from those who would genuinely accept help. A can of soup (pop - top, of course...can you imagine the cruelty of giving someone a can of soup with no can opener? That's just MEAN) and a spoon can mean a lot. Also, if I see a young girl at a truckstop trying to bum a ride...I always give what change I can or buy them a burger and urge them not to debase themselves by getting rides in exchange for sexual favors. I had a family member who did that once and I only wish that she hadn't felt the need to venture into that lifestyle to survive.

As one of you mentioned, when someone is asking for money, if I have some loose bills, I'll give them a couple. Two bucks is pretty much my limit...but I don't know their situation and who knows? maybe that two bucks will make a difference for them.

"I was gonna give a homeless guy some money, but he didn't have change for a $10." -- Comedian Craig Shoemaker

64

Your thoughts about Wal-mart

by desbah in

jw
friends

.

do you shop at wally world?

i can spend over $100.00 on little items, man shopping at wally world is the devil on my checkbook.

CoonDawg

When I walk through the doors, I hear the Evil Empire song that always plays when Darth Vader makes an entrance. You know the one...see...you have it in your head right now. I still do business with them, pretty much because when I'm on the road, it's the only place to park a 70+ foot long rig to go grab groceries, but other than that, I try to avoid them. I've seen too many small business owners get pushed out on their account. I've also delivered freight to their DC's. Those guys are pricks.

Ern

34

What is your favorite memory of your Mom

by joelbear in

jw
friends

mine would definitely have to be coming home from school and smelling hot pecan cookies that mom was just taking out of the oven.

CoonDawg

Just me an my mom...and the afternoon ritual before my younger sis was born. She'd lay me down for a nap...when I got up, she was finishing up with watching "As The World Turns". She'd make me some Tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich...then it was time for my shows...Mr. Rogers, Sesame Street and The Electric Company. I'll always treasure that time I had mom to myself. My older bro & sis were off at school and my little sis was still unborn. Those were great memories that I still treasure. Mom and I are still close. I speak to her at LEAST every couple of days.

Ern