Send 5$ to GSO on your anniversary

[tomvlll]

Somebody else suggested that to me and I thought I'd pass it on.

[CarolD]

Hmmm.....
it's my custom to give extra to my home group
$X for each year to celebrate my anniversaries.

As my 3 home groups have always sent a %
to area...state...and NY... that will suffice for me.

[CarolD]

tomvlll......what are you doing or planning to do?

Please share with us your experiences.

[jimhere]

Yes, send your money to G$O so that they can use it to pay out several hundred thousand dollars a year to keep attorneys on retainer so that they can instigate punitive litigation against fellow AA members.

No thanks.

[navysteve]

No thanks, they make enough on Big Book sales alone. They don't need anything extra from me

[jimhere]

Originally Posted by navysteve

No thanks, they make enough on Big Book sales alone. They don't need anything extra from me

Right. Especially since prices are going up on the first of July.

[navysteve]

I'll stick with anonymous press . I ain't much of a story reader anyway

[jimhere]

I either buy from Anonymous Press or buy used Third Editions from second hand stores or used book stores.

You know, there was an item on the pre-conference agendas this year asking us how e felt about GSO stopping it's reliance upon literature sales to outside entities and going entirely to relying on group contributions. What I sensed from most that were presence was fear that GSO wouldn't be able to supply the services to the groups that it has in the past. Based on that, I don't see things changing, because the fellowship is now a self-reliant vs. a God -reliant entity. My feeling is that maybe it is time we (meaning the groups) start being responsible for our own services at group, district, and intergroup levels and stop relying on GSO to do everything for us.



I know it is a radical thing-it is called trusting God. But GSO stopping being a spiritual entity a long time ago.

[tomvlll]

Carol- I just sent five on my anniv. (3rd)

I didn't know the GSO was suing people.What's up with that ?

And are they really rolling in the dough? Didn't know that either.

[jimhere]

Originally Posted by tomvlll

Carol- I just sent five on my anniv. (3rd)

I didn't know the GSO was suing people.What's up with that ?

And are they really rolling in the dough? Didn't know that either.

Most of the fellowship don't know about the Mexican & German litigations during the 90's. GSO would rather you didn't know.

I can't post url's here, but pm me with an email address and I'll send you some stuff that might suprise you.

[RufusACanal]

I concur with Jim, Tom. GSO has focused on free enterprises rather free recovery. I understand that their are certain costs associated with running a national organization, but to release the Fourth Edition purely for profit, to litigate over copyrights of the Big Book and a whole host of other financially motivated ventures gives me more than pause. Thankfully the original manuscript is free to all who suffer and easily distrubuted on the net.

Ron

[Tommyh]

my home group sends money in to the area,district,inter group and AAWS,and sometimes I do too.
I like the idea they use some of it to help start AA in other countries and it helps save lives of people we will never see...
As for the anonymous press,I do not do business with them.As far as I can tell,they never help anyone for free,but if you got the bucks,they will sure put it in their pocket.
In 2006,they made over $350,000.00 as they are a for profit company.That is according to their tax returns.That might explain why they are registered in Washington State and Hawaii.I quit looking at the problems of GSO and got into the solution of trying to carry the message a lot time ago.

[CarolD]

Jim.....did Mitchell K put his site back up?
That's where I learned a lot about the litigations
He was also active on my 1st cyber home site
then known as the miningco.com

Here is the info on posting links....

SoberRecovery.com Forums Violations (Don'ts)


1. No Advertising: No advertising or links to advertising or "Spam" is permitted (including signatures, member titles, images). Advertising, defined as the buying, selling or trading of any commercial or personal product or service, or the solicitation of money, such as for investments, charities, or private gatherings.

Do not post links for the purpose of selling, soliciting or promoting by someone that has ownership or other "vested interest" to the web site involved, including efforts to promote other online forums, blogs, or web sites by web site owners. This includes posting messages for the sole purpose of promoting personal agendas that are not appropriate in the opinion of forum moderators. We do not allow links to other blogs or forums in posts anywhere on the forum.

A link to your personal page is allowed in your profile as your homepage. Commercial links are not allowed as your homepage. Links must be appropriate and abide by the forum rules or they will be removed.

Posts and links about fundraising (including nonprofit fundraisers) are NOT permitted. Please do not post casting calls for Radio or TV appearances. Please do not post asking for information for research, surveys, or school projects.

Links to informational, inspirational, and educational sites not related to products or services are permitted when they are posted by someone without any "vested interest" AND whose purpose is NOT to solicit, advertise, promote, fundraise, etc. This includes links to outside agendas that are outside the scope of our main purpose, which is recovery from addicitions and recovery for friends and family members.

Links, broken links, counters or trackers are not allowed in signatures, member titles, avatar images, profile picture, or any other image. Do not post images with scripts or codes linked from another site (clickable images). All links that violate forum rules will be removed without notice.

2. Outside Agendas: No posts of an overtly political or religious nature OR posts promoting advocacy of particular personal, medical, legal, religious, political, or non-profit causes. The forums are intended for offering mutual personal support related to recovery from addiction or recovery for family and friends. This is our primary purpose. Debating controversial subjects should be taken elsewhere. Limited references are allowed, but the forums should not be used to convert others. Do not post content or links to and from sites that flame someone's person, religious beliefs, race, national background, sexual orientation, or recovery program/method. It is inappropriate to promote the use of alcohol or drugs on our addiction recovery forums.

[navysteve]

As for the anonymous press,I do not do business with them.As far as I can tell,they never help anyone for free,but if you got the bucks,they will sure put it in their pocket.

Their books are sold at cost, and as I said, AAWS is self sufficient on literature sales alone. They ain't rolling in it as some may say but they are self sufficient on literature sales.

[CarolD]

Hmm...
It would be interesting to see the financial report from AAWS.
Assumeing of course....
you trust their figures...

I remember seeing one years ago
I think they sent it to groups on request.

[Tommyh]

Originally Posted by navysteve

Their books are sold at cost, and as I said, AAWS is self sufficient on literature sales alone. They ain't rolling in it as some may say but they are self sufficient on literature sales.

they are a for profit corperation as they grossed over 350,000 and pocketed over 150,000 for 3 officers of the corporation in 2006 if I am correct on the year.My computer hard drive crashed a while back and I had that info on it,but I have not been able to retrieve it yet.Their info should still be public info for anyone who wishes to see for them selves and discern for themselves.

[jimhere]

Hi Carol,

I don't think Mitchell's site is back up. There is The GSO Watch site and another site associated with it that I know of.

I am not too worried about the problems at GSO, either. They can fall of the map and it wouldn't bother me. Some people sure do accuse me of being worried about whenever I bring it up. Why ignore what happened and what goes on? I think we need to be aware of what they use our 7th Tradition contributions and proceeds from literature sales for.

[Puddy]

I didn't know any of this stuff...

Jim, can you email me the url's on the litigations and any other surprising stuff? I just want to read the material, not use it for anything.

Thanks, Dave

[JJB]

Could someone please explain what is GSO and AAWS i've tried googling them but it didn't help much.

[navysteve]

they are a for profit corperation

My friend, so is GSO? They turn a profit every year.

General Service Office ( GSO)

AAWS( AA World Services)


Here is a link about the German lawsuit:

German Court Orders A.A. Books Destroyed

[CarolD]

How does AAWS affect cyber sites?

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...opyrights.html (AA literature copyrights)

And ....
Thanks to SR members for following that gudieline.

[Tommyh]

Originally Posted by JJB

Could someone please explain what is GSO and AAWS i've tried googling them but it didn't help much.

GSO is the general Service Office of AA
AAWS is Alcoholics Anonymous World Services

[Tommyh]

Originally Posted by navysteve

My friend, so is GSO? They turn a profit every year.

at least at AAWS ,we carry the message to others and help save lives
big difference
Governing Persons of anonymous press
Title Name Address
Secretary GILLEN, SHANNON PO BOX 218
MALO, WA
President GILLEN, JOHN PO BOX 223300
PMB 147
PRINCEVILLE, HI
Vice President ANDERSON, JOHN 4110 HEHI RD
PMB 147
LIHUE, HI

[RufusACanal]

Nothing like a night of sleep to open up my thinking; Tom, giving is a glorious act and I did not mention how proud I was of you for the act. My apologies for not recognizing your good work in my earlier post. Consistent giving cannot be highlighted enough for the recovering person; I was a taker for far too long. Placing money in the basket for any reason is a good thing; remember there are different kinds of baskets as well that need our dollars just as much.

The General Service Office of AA was a fine thing years ago. Today, as I think on the many choices they have made over the last decade or so, I am left with a true lack of respect. As a group, their joint decision-making polices have not in my opinion lifted AA as a worldwide entity, but rather have been characterized by those traits most loathsome in humans; pettiness, dishonesty and mismanagement.

I believe in AA as a whole, though like anything else in life, I do not agree with or when actions by our governing body overrides the needs of the many and because of my disagreement, I do not add to donations specific to GSO.

Before I forget about it, AA truly is every member’s responsibility, mine included. I can no more rightly rile against the established order of AA without action to continue being an example of the psychic change. So, I am going to take some action. I will keep you informed.

Giving is a wonderful thing and I will work on being of good service.

[Tommyh]

I agree Ron,giving is good

It is up to each one of us to decide for ourselves where and how much to give.

If one is to try and be a wise giver,it may be good to see what it is used for when you give
if anyone wants to see where the money goes when you give to AA or anonymous press,PM me with your email address,and I`ll email you 6 files from 2005-2007 , 3 on each of these organizations as filed with the US Gov IRS

may we all give as we feel lead and be happy with where we give