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> To top it off providers like Exxon Mobile in particular structure their sales

That's one way to put it.
http://www.ucan.org/blog/gasoline_autos/gas_prices/gas_hogwash_it_all_about_supply_and_demand (how it works)

> If I were that guy I would make the gas prices as low as I possibly could, even if it butted up against Exxon's bottom line and forced me into $0.09 a gallon profit just to drag everyone else's prices down.

Do you remember the Los Angeles owner who's supplier cut him off for doing just that? (I can't find a link to the old story, but it was a featured report on NBC in Los Angeles a few years back) - I believe the current strategy is that a retailer is attacked legally, then disciplined by suppliers, then undercut. Big Oil always wins.

Any links you can find regarding oil companies running out the owners who attempt to subvert their price fixing, tend to disappear. This is real conspiracy theater stuff. Most link you will come up with are fringe/kook sites, but I think you would be able to dig up real evidence using some facts gathered from them (filtering the noise is the problem). Now here are some links, annotated as accurately as possible from a once-over. These few pieces took entirely too long to find as it is.

http://www.nuwireinvestor.com/articles/rural-gas-station-forced-to-close-due-to-rising-prices-57051.aspx (editorial?,no substantiation that I could see)
http://www.firingsquad.com/news/siteseeingarticle.asp?searchid=576&up=2&filterLevel=1&page=1 (no substantiation)
http://www.rickross.com/reference/rama_behera/rama_behera42.html (kook, no substantiation)

This isn't my bag, it's just something I accepted a long time ago. There are more important issues to focus on imo.

Interesting note about private espionage related to what you've said about the sidewinder: L. Ron Hubbard Jr. (son of the cult leader) claimed in a penthouse interview that his father obtained the designs for an infrared seeking missile (perhaps early AIM-9 or AIM-4 variants) through brain washing one of the lead engineers. He then sold it to the Russians, among other bits of information.

So, who knows. They probably had several information vectors.

>>Generally, that is not the case. It is far more likely that the realtor set the asking price too high

Generally what is not that case? Houses where people died often reduce the value of a house, and IIRC, realitors have to disclose anything like this when they sell it.

When my friend built the website, I think it was listing at $700k, or about half the value of the mansion. Lemme see if I can dig up a link...

Ok, so I guess it sold for $668k, and was worth 1.6M. http://www.rickross.com/reference/heavensgate/gate34.html

>>Was this pre- or post- bubble?

This was 1997.

>>Was the realtor trying to capitalize on the celebrity of the location to extract a premium?

It doesn't work that way.

I could find not official link to the FBI report though I recall reading it at that time.

http://www.rickross.com/reference/satanism/satanism1.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satanic_ritual_abuse
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_panic

Know evil by what it produces.

Link: http://www.rickross.com/reference/scientology/france/france17.html

No. ECT and all that does not work as well as traditional thought reform. Brainwashing, done properly, is a process almost completely devoid of physical coercion... Here's a chapter from a book on the topic (Brainwashing in China). Interestingly enough, the structure of Chinese thought reform is more or less identical to that used by many cults (which isn't to imply a causal relationship... similar structures can form in parallel). Also, the term brainwashing was first coined by the Chinese.

If you know anyone who is trapped -- physically or mentally -- inside a cult like the Church of Scientology, then please contact Rick Ross. The life of the victim may depend on your getting Ross' help as soon as possible.

Scientology uses quackery, the 'e-meter'. They use brainwashing techniques to extort money from their members. Their lies about psychology and psychiatry lead to harm. They are the only religion I know of that makes their teachings a secret. Xenu is purportedly kept secret because learning too early (i.e. before a significant amount of brainwashing has been accomplished) would cause immediate death. In reality, I doubt anyone would become a scientologist if they knew the ridiculousness of it prior to joining.

Of course some people are afraid because they are guilty of something, and they don't want others to find out about it and try to shift attention to others.

You have just perfectly described the "technology" used by scientologists when confronted by critics. Watch videos of them on youtube, they simply call the person immoral, say they committed crimes or simply denigrate their appearance or something in their life. It is their policy to attack people that disagree with them. Look at the organized harassment of their critics. Why would someone want to belong to a group so filled with hatred?

Countries adopting Scientology to rehabilitate criminals, drug users, and it seems to go on and on.

What about countries considering them a cult and putting them on trial for fraud?

It can also be used by mad scientologists to ensure the truth is never added to their follower's pages.

What? There's no scientologists at wikipedia? AMAZING, you know, considering they've invaded the Antivirus industry (Information notably lacking at the wikipedia page on Panda Security) and the Canadian government.

Nope. All roads that I know of lead to Synanon, the originator of these programs. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if there is some connection from US programs to this Chinese program but I have no proof of that. What is it, specifically, that makes you doubt that this could happen in China?

But you have an informed choice to believe in Zombie Jesus or not to. In Scientology, by the time you find out what it's really about, you've spent hundreds of thousands, all your friends and contacts are Scientology, and leaving means cutting off contact with all of them (starting an entire new life). Generally, Christians won't shun you if you leave (but they might try and convert you back, which is just persuasion).

There is also the fact that scientology practices thought reform (brainwashing) and ericsonian hypnosis, something that does not happen in legitimate religions. The difference, again, is that there is a lack of informed consent. They modify your thinking in ways you do not realize.

You wrote "I think the only way that communism can succeed is if the people in charge can manage to keep all outside influences from reaching their people."

Very insightful and perceptive. It's Lifton's first condition.

His point is valid.
how about this:
http://www.rickross.com/reference/general/general188.html

try doing something that causes the church to loose revenue.
It's a money scheme, and it's about men controlling women. nothing more.

I don't have a problem with people getting cured by placebos. But I do want them to notice that, if they have TB, it's the "oh-my-god-they're-so-bad" antibiotics that will probably save them.

Says you. People die from TB due to all kinds of stupid reasons... they won't be saved by antibiotics if they don't "believe" in taking them.

I understand you were just making a point, I don't think i've ever met a 'godist' with such ridiculous views as those you have given your straw man. A godist would be more likely to believe that God is working through the health workers at the hospital to save his/her son.

Actually some religious groups don't allow life saving medical services. For instance Jehovah's Witnesses are against blood transfusions.

So, the Westboro types never kill?

Never?

Never ever?

I think you need to re-examine the definition of bigot. My point is, was, and will be that you're making claims out of the entire religion of Islam because of a relatively small number of extremists.

Here is an informative description of a cult that I tend to agree with: http://www.rickross.com/faq.html

Isn't there some physical evidence of some of the things in the new testment? What about the cloth that was used to supposidly wipe Jesus's face? and wasn't it written from different sources who supposidly witnessed some of these events?

Not that I'm going to argue that it's even close 100% accurate, but i'm thinking it's gotta be more accurate than something written by a guy, who's own son said he made i up in under a month. http://www.rickross.com/reference/scientology/scien240.html (search for month)

A) The phrase is "cue up", not "queue up".
B) While the Wired article wasn't focused on men vs. women, Slashdot naturally had to put that twist on it. I mean, what kind of scientist would be a woman? What a silly concept! (As though huge numbers of men don't believe in all sorts of kooky things. No, it's apparently only weak-minded women who fall for pop-culture nonsense.)

Yes, more women believe in astrology then men -- but not by a huge margin. Women are a mere 5% more likely than the population as a whole to believe in astrology. On the other hand, men are 9% more likely than women to believe in UFOs. And why stop at gender? There's a much stronger correlation between being a Democrat and believing in astrology (14%) than being a woman and believing in astrology. Should we have framed the question in terms of political parties? Was the goal to be insulting?

Lastly, while we're talking about pseudoscientific delusions designed to make people feel better, they give a free pass to people who believe silly things that are "religious beliefs". As a society, we always defer to that. But why? A delusion is a delusion. It's not as though religious beliefs are harmless or anything, judging from history -- quite the opposite, really. Why are we saying it's okay to believe as they do -- to think you have an imaginary friend in the sky who loves you very much, and when you die, you get magically transported to a happy place to live with him -- simply because there are so many of them in the US?

Yes, I dared mentioned the elephant in the room.

I made the mistake of sending a CV over to a Panda Antivirus office.

After chatting with some people, I was given a "personality test." I filled it out and left. I googled the people I spoke with only to discover they were all scientologists.

http://www.rickross.com/reference/scientology/france/france17.html

yeah, lawyers...
or killing abortion doctors
http://www.rickross.com/reference/a-abortion/a-abortion22.html
fundamentalists are all fucking crazies, doesn't matter what religion they fall under

Thanks for the rickross link. This report http://www.rickross.com/reference/landmark/landmark80.html mirrors exactly my own Landmark Forum experience - and shows why it is *so* different from CoS

Unfortunately pointing him towards Rick Ross' excellent site or the entry on SkepDic will only shore up his belief that you are broken and only the Landmark Education cult can help you understand that you're "running a racket" and that you haven't "become the possibility of being".

He'll offer to be "a stand" for you and help you into Landmark but do not fall for it.

I wish you well, I've lost several friends to Landmark. It's only a matter of time before he thinks that you don't "Get It" and he'll have to marginalize you.

Sorry, but this is how cults work. You'll see this for yourself first hand. Use this as fuel for the fight against cults.

Scientology and all its offshoot cults like The Landmark Forum are brainwashing users of people. Money money money.

In the cult known as "The Landmark Forum" there is no right choice!
You just chose flavor X because you chose flavor X! No explanation needed!

Fucking cults.

Aside from having relatives that are in the cult and seeing much first-hand, Google is your friend:

the Mountain Meadows massacre
The Mormon Murders
CIA and FBI recruitment of Mormons (Time Magazine)
The Mormon Army

The list goes on, but I'll leave further research as an exercise for the reader.

Most people probably aren't aware that the trigger event for the massacre of over 900 people in Jonestown was a "New West" article on Jim Jones which included damning interviews of former members of People's Temple. Moreover, the cult had a "don't be evil" mantra -- which took the form of preaching anti-racist, anti-homophobic doctrine (essentially the state religion of political correctness) thereby shielding it from journalistic or governmental scrutiny.

Jones panicked when he discovered the article was about to be published, and immediately ordered all his followers to grab their children and move to Jonestown, where he could make like John Galt on Viagra with his "flock". This allowed him some more time to sodomize his male followers and work them into a state of "compliance" leading to the fateful day when mothers, under the indoctrination of political correctness and under the guns of "security guards" stuffed cyanide in the mouths of their children to watch them die and then, assisted by the realization of the horror of what they had done, stuff cyanide in their own mouths to follow them to the rain forest topsoil.

The merit of this sort of cult is the simplification it brings to the mantra from "Don't be evil." to, simply, "Don't be."

I'm glad this got moderated Troll. It gives me a sense of hope about the site's moderators when I see isolated examples of GNU cultists *not* being rewarded for promoting Stallman's dogma.

Burz, I believe the owner of this website offers forcible deprogramming as a service, although these days it's referred to as an intervention. I would urge you however to have a family member contact this man immediately, and plan a time for him to do some work with you.

It's not too late to get help.

Up to date information on thecult of Scientology or its offshoot cult The Landmark Forum

Up to date information on thecult of Scientology or its offshoot cult The Landmark Forum

It's actually differs very little from the ice cream wholesaler giving free gloves to the clerk that orders ice cream, which is a commonplace pratice in business. I will leave it to the individual to decide if it's immoral or not, but make no mistake, it is a blatant attempt to manipulate the outcome of the blogger's musings about MS and Vista through the use of the powerful social-psychological principle known as Reciprocity.

The cultish Scientology/EST offshoot known as The Landmark Forum has claimed copyright infringement against Google and YouTube. The EFF has extensive details and are trying to squash that case.

Background: In 2004 a French TV channel had someone with a hidden camera go to a Landmark Forum indoctrination weekend. The expose was shown to 1.5 million viewers. Soon after the broadcast, Landmark left France. A similar situation occured in Sweden a few years before.

Landmark has no valid copyright in either case but, having learned a lesson from Scientology, are now resorting to intimidation and abuse of the DMCA and court system.

In any event, fire up BitTorrent and get the French video with English subtitles at Pirate Bay and a Swedish expose on Landmark, sans subtitles at the moment, at this link.

You will definately want to see these in case one of your family members or friends starts to push you to take a weekend course "that will create new possibilities"...

Spread the word, knowledge is power.

The cultish Scientology/EST offshoot known as The Landmark Forum has claimed copyright infringement against Google and YouTube. The EFF has extensive details and are trying to squash that case.

Background: In 2004 a French TV channel had someone with a hidden camera go to a Landmark Forum indoctrination weekend. The expose was shown to 1.5 million viewers. Soon after the broadcast, Landmark left France. A similar situation occured in Sweden a few years before.

Landmark has no valid copyright in either case but, having learned a lesson from Scientology, are now resorting to intimidation and abuse of the DMCA and court system.

In any event, fire up BitTorrent and get the French video with English subtitles at Pirate Bay and a Swedish expose on Landmark, sans subtitles at the moment, at this link.

You will definately want to see these in case one of your family members or friends starts to push you to take a weekend course "that will create new possibilities"...

Spread the word, knowledge is power.

Landmark isn't just "an offshoot", it's a full-blown cult in its own right. See:
Cult News
Rick Ross' Cult Info
Cult Help

If you have proof showing another group that has indiscriminately gone after Americans more often then I would love to see it.

Well, I'd start with the long list of anti abortion activists that terrorize american's every day.

Such as:

http://www.rickross.com/groups/abortion.html

I don't have time to dig up more, but goggle it, there's more than enough info out there.

The Feds do take white supremicists seriously: White Supremicists, White supremacist gets 40-year sentence, A Whiter Shade of Christmas

Burning down an empty house is not a "terrorist" activity

I think every living black american would disagree with you on that one. The implicit threat is elemental.

No mormonism, just did it to women and children and then denied the whole thing. http://www.rickross.com/reference/mormon/mormon78. html

of the Christian denominations that I have to put up with, the mormons have been the worst edcuated in the ideas of history of any sect to walk the planet. If it doesnt fit in your ideology, just change the wording of history or deny it all together.

might I remind you that it was your founding father that rewrote the bible to better fit his ideologies

that it was one of your founding fathers that believed that men lived on the moon and sun

for a man that is trying to speak clearly about scientific method you are part of a very interesting culture that flourishes completely on ignorance. Might I remind you the saying of your leaders "When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done."

I am not saying these are your personal beliefs but I would be careful about lecturing anyone about history and scientific methods then mention mormonism in the same sentence.

One sentence like say, "ISLAM is NOT a religion of Peace, rather it is a Hatemongering, terrorist breeding religion bent upon bringing the whole world under its tyranny" won't perhaps bring the gestapo to the doors, but will sure bring more severe consequences from the politically correct crowd before you can even wait for the doors to be broken down..

Unfortunately, not quite true. And while the perps may be idiosyncrasies, note who their customers were.

• 1/2 Americans believe in ghosts
• 1/2 Americans voted for George Bush

I was irritated to find that the drivers are proprietary

Here's the link you need: http://www.rickross.com/deprogramming.html

Sorry, charlie. A benevolent God wouldn't have let 150,000 people die in a tsunami. "understanding god's plan" or not, no greater good can come out of that evil. Or was he just punishing the wicked? You know, the thousands and thousands of poor people? Yeah, real merciful. Have fun not being part of the 144k that get brought up to heaven. I mean, you're probably a great christian, but really, are you in the top 144k? You _do_ have to compete with Mother Theresa (who, in all seriousness, did remarkable things in God's name). What? 144k is just a number mistranslated? Then what else might be mistranslated? THE WHOLE BOOK?!

I think its sad you are spending all your pre-worm food time believing something is waiting for you after you close your eyes that final time. Cheerio!

It's not direct, it's the fact that teachers do openly state that god does not exist and never are they called upon for offending anyone. Portland Ore. schools have banned religously offensive items or clothing. This brings out the athiests who are immediately offended by someone wearing a crucifix. Students have been expelled for wearing head scarves, Pentagrams, Crucifixes and the Star of David. Lincoln Park High

Canada

Banning Christmas Colors

Would you drink this Miracle Water from Christian Evangelist Peter Popoff that has been blessed by the grace of god, proven to cure all ailments?

Makes me want to jump on a space ship and emigrate to another planet.

Like these guys?

What the reporter reported finding in 2001 is not the same thing he "found" in 2004. Same computers, different story:

http://www.rickross.com/reference/alqaeda/alqaeda3 6.html

Notice there are no reports of ANY email from "Osama Bin Laden", for instance...

The news story linked to a thread about Scientologists using copyrights to silence critics. Ironically enough, the Cult Awareness Network used to be a vocal critic of Scientology. However, between 1991 and 1996, people connected with Scientology filed 50 lawsuits against the organization. Most were dismissed, but the organization was still bankrupted. Scientology ended up taking over the Cult Awareness Network.

http://www.rickross.com/groups/newcan.html

No one's suggesting that doctors pray instead of treat
No one?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
This took all of 1 minute in google to find.
Prehaps it would have been better said no one here has suggested.
Medicine and religion have a long history of bad blood and we would probably but a lot healthier without religion.

The sarin attacks in Japan were due to a cult called "Aum", not Muslims:

http://www.rickross.com/groups/asahara.html

I don't mind being "out there" as you characterize it, as long as my opinion is supported by fact. Hence, a little research will show you that:

1) Mormonism is not rooted in Christianity. For further clarification, see this link.

2) You obfuscate the issue, by stating that "blacks were always allowed in the Church." The question was whether or not the Church discriminated against blacks. The Church obviously has a long history of discriminating against, and maligning, blacks. For further information, see this link. Don't be surprised at the racist and hateful statements LDS apostles (who speak for God) have made against blacks throughout history.

I stated that Joseph Smith (founder of the Church) introduced and practiced polyandry (multiple wives and husbands), not polygamy (multiple wives for a single husband). You state erroneously that "there were never multiple men to one woman." Yet eight (8) of the thirty three (33) marriages of Joseph Smith were of this type! I suggest you check this link for supporting facts.

Likewise, everything in the temple is not documented. In fact, Mormon literature teaches us that "some things in the temple are sacred, and not to be revealed to outsiders." For an overview, see this link. For an overview of how the ceremony has changed over time, you can go here.

To address your next statement... yes, there are some racist people everywhere. But that wasn't the issue, or in question. I'm not sure what your point is in mentioning this. The fact that Mormons have a dark history with black people (no pun intended) is not exculpated by other examples of racism, rampant or otherwise.

You also state that "at no time did the leadership ever say black people had the mark of Cain." Again, you are incorrect. Plenty of LDS prophets (who speak for God) have told us so, as you can see for yourself right here. For a history of the black man and Mormonism in general, you can go here.

So far, your contentions are without merit. If you have evidence to present that is contrary to my researched opinion, please feel free to cite your sources, as I have done. I'm always open to assimilating new facts, and learning new things.