observador

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Posts by observador

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  63

  Thought I'd properly introduce myself

  by JW Walking Away in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have been lurking on this site for nearly a year now and finally feel comfortable enough to begin posting.

  so i thought a little introduction would be appropriate.

  my whole family, except for my two sisters, are jw's.

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  observador

  The Witnesses believe that whenever someone leaves the organization, his/her life will go downhill with no chance of improving.
  They believe there is no way you can be happy, after all you left the happiest people on earth.
  
  So, if you are able to show consistently by your attitude that this is not the case, you cannot believe the state of confusion you throw their minds into. If you can couple that with a non-confrontational, tolerant, soft approach, free of bitterness language whenever you have any contact with the Witnesses, you may be planting a seed in their minds that could make a powerful difference years from now.
  
  Thanks for sharing.
  
  Observador.
• 
  18

  How much $$ do car salesmen and dealerships make?

  by Quirky1 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am just curious since now they are talking incentives of up to $10k.

  this really has to be getting into their pockets even if it may be a manufacturers incentive.

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  observador

  I don't know how much money these guys make, but judging from the pompous dealerships in the area here, you have to assume that they make quite some money. I have mixed opinions about this.
  
  What I would say is: depends on what price range you're buying. Likely they make little money in low end cars below, what?, 20K.
  
  In the past 7 years I have bought 3 new cars. The last one, 2 years ago, was a really painful experience. I won't go into details because just recalling make me sick. :)
  
  However, I find interesting some of the techniques people have related here. For instance, the one that avoids "go talk to the manager" game. The problem is that in this last purchase, even if I had tried to apply it, it wouldn't work because the sales person as a woman with probably a month on the job. So she was completely sidestepped and I had to play the game with the manager himself. A long story short: the car had a price tag of $22,500 and I paid $18,500 after a $2,500 rebate, about $1,100 Supplier's Discount and my negotiation.
  
  The key is to know very well beforehand all about the car you're trying to purchase, such as trim levels, etc, and all related numbers.
  
  At this dealer apparently things are so bad that they mistreat you even at the Financing Guy's office. They make you sign a paper declaring you have been offered [include here whatever dealers push you] but that you have declined to buy. At this dealer I had to purchase the car in a lump-sum because they offered a 7.9% APR financing (2006) and I told them in no uncertain terms I would never buy a car with those terms.
  
  Now, talking about financing... in my previous purchase at a Honda dealer (2003), the negotiation was not so bad, but at the financing office, the first financing offer the "manager" gave me was a 4.9% APR. I told him "look, I want to make things easier for you and me. There is no way I would pay more than 3.9% APR". Then he turned to his computer, without saying a word, typed a few things there, and said "is 3.5% OK for you?", to which I responded "OK". Three days later was driving out of the lot a new CRV.
  
  The thing I find most confusing/irritating/stressful when buying a new car is that you almost never find the exact car you're looking for (trim level, optionals, color, etc. etc.). One optional that this car has makes it a completely different beast from the one you saw for less in another dealer.
  
  And before I forget... never answer the question "how much do you want to pay monthly?"
  
  Observador.
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  24

  Ownership of Kingdom Halls secretly turned over to Watchtower org!

  by kool aid man06 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the watchtower org.

  is nothing more than a business masquerading as a religion.

  the conference call this sat.

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  observador

  "This doesn't sound right to me either. Recently my "in" mother asked an elder in her cong about it and he said that the cong owns the hall and it can't be sold etc without passing a resolution thru the cong."
  
  Passing a resolution is an act as innocuous as innocuous can be. This is the same as saying "the fox can't eat any hen unless a group of fox leaders pass a resolution saying that it is OK to eat them".
  
  Observador.
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  179

  Goodbye to JWD ... hello to JWN !

  by Simon in

  1. forum
  2. announcements

  as i announced some time ago, jwd as it is will not continue .... ... but .... it's clear from people's comments that they do like the site and many would like it or something else like it to continue.. one issue was the forum software that was self-developed and not really in a good state to hand-over to anyone but i've been working on that and can now reveal the first release of what will probably be called jwn (son of jwd):.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/.

  it is still work-in-progress so not all features are enabled yet but it will allow you to browse the site in a similar way to this one and it is pointing at the same database (although because of the way the caching works, new posts made on this site won't appear immediately).

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  observador

  I like that, Simon. Thanks.
  
  In fact I'm pleasantly surprised that a message I just posted on JWD is also showing in JWN.
  
  Observador.
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  13

  American Airlines now charging fee's to non-passengers

  by darth frosty in

  1. social
  2. humour

  american airlines now charging.

  fees to non-passengers.

  [url="http://www.theonion.com/content/news/american_airlines_now_charging"]american airlines now charging fees to non-passengers | the onion - america's finest news source[/url].

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  observador

  That was really good. Thanks for sharing it.
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  33

  Recession? I didn't see it this weekend. What's your take?

  by restrangled in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm just wondering if everyone has been holding back until the shopping season for christmas.

  it was like everyone one was pent up waiting to shop.

  (maybe paying off credit cards for months and worrying about the future).

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  observador

  I was out on Saturday and found the stores all packed. Not sure if people were buying much stuff or what, but I could not find what I was looking for (a Wii system) in 4 stores I went to.
  
  I found it on Target on Sunday morning.
  
  Obs
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  27

  Dec 15th & Jan 15 Watchtowers - change of thought?

  by dozy in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  just been having a flick through the dec 15 & jan 15 jw only watchtowers.

  (and no - i dont know how to pdf them or anything else!).

  unusually there isnt a single mention glorifying the fads - in fact , jehovahs channel or any other similar expression isnt referenced at all (other than a single scriptural reference in the review of revelation in the dec 15th issue.).

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  observador

  Remember too that for us, who have not read a magazine in years, it is quite easy to notice changes in terminology and wording. For a JW, though, who reads this crap every single day of the week, it is really hard to notice any change in language.
  
  WT has this incredible ability to introduce changes so gradually in their language, diluted along so many years, that when a JW notices it, it's usually too late, which he will attribute it to his own lack of keeping pace.
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  17

  Would jws obey a curfew during a flu pandemic?

  by badboy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  any ideas?

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  observador

  No. They would likely appeal to the Supreme Court.
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  45

  Greater Boston Meetup? Anyone up for one?

  by coffee_black in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  thought i'd throw this out there... anyone interested?

  i'm thinking maybe mid november?.

  coffee .

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  observador

  I hate chinese food. But would love to get a good soup. How about meeting at a Panera Bread somewhere in the area?
  
  observador.
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  54

  Virtual Kingdom Hall Super-secret Password

  by Shepherd Book in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so i want to sign up for the virtual kingdom hall here: http://thekingdomhall.ning.com/, which i guess is a clean and safe place for brothers and sisters to join.

  problem is, in order to be in approved association there, i need to know the first song listed in the july kingdom ministry for the meeting beginning the week of july 28. .

  the site says only jws know this, so i was hoping one of you loyal brothers or sisters could help me out..

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  observador

  Yknot,
  thank you. I think they realized there was something weird and changed now to say "by invitation only". :(
  
  Thanks anyway.