Only ANGRY people 'CROSS-share'!

Extracts from the aacultwatch forum (old): 

“Hi ….....,

Thanks for that. I have never encountered any Primary Purpose goons. I guess I just dont get to enough meetings! Hmmmm, well, at least not in the Essex area anyway. 

So you were in your first year, made a mistake in a quotation and some smart ass from out of town thought he would humiliate you in front of 60 people, and more or less hold you personally responsible for the alleged decline of AA. And this joker reckoned he was sober and had been restored to sanity ??  lol.  It is good that in spite of him, you persevered and stayed in AA, and that you were able to put it to the back of your mind. 

I can remember being cross-shared in my first year by someone. I can't remember now what exactly I said to merit the honour (probably some nonsense) but, as  I was sharing an American guy shouted at me and said "Keep it simple stupid" . That stopped me in my tracks and I just wilted inside completely. I felt humiliated, and furious at the violation of my "sharing space"  in the meeting. However I now consider I got off lightly. A few years ago a sponsee/friend of mine visited Alaska, USA. He attended a meeting in a remote town on the Northern Slope and what he experienced there chilled me as he was telling me about it. He was asked to speak at the podium during a large late Saturday night meeting. While he was sharing he was both applauded, cheered, ignored, cat-whistled, booed, laughed at, insulted and heckled. He said the meeting was like an AA version of the Jerry Springer show. The experience really shocked him at first. Luckily he was sober a good while and generally good humoured too, and he was able to see the funny side of it all. But I do feel sorry for any newcomers in THAT part of the world. I guess you need to have really thick skin to survive there, as well as a bear skin to keep warm! 

I, of course, have been guilty of cross-sharing others myself.  This happened  mainly when I was part of the Vision cult. After I left the wretched cult, I have fortunately been able to make amends to (some) of my victims. Cross-sharing was a particularly nasty way of abusing and humiliating others who dissented from Vision cult dogma. I witnessed much cross-sharing of "outsiders" or "heretics" who worked the program in a slightly different way to the Vision. The sponsorless  David B, founder of Vision/Joys cult (now deceased),  would openly cross-share people AS THEY WERE ACTUALLY SHARING, interrupting them to put them down. I remember him doing a chair in Sunday Joys of Recovery Step meeting (then held at Lilly Road nr Earls Court), and after he finished he said that if anyone didn't share the message correctly (as he saw it) he would stop them! Sober behaviour?? I think not.

Another thing I experienced at Vision was if anyone in the group openly started to question the ludicrous cult dogmas of the sponsorless David B or his chief henchman David C Icons, the response would be a torrent of cross-sharing from the sponsorless David B, David C Icons and their little gang of mindless robots (sponsees). This cross-sharing was often planned and orchestrated.  For example I recall someone who was somewhat "out of favour" sharing that he did voluntary work outside of AA. David C Icons then came in immediately after saying that  voluntary work outside AA is "not allowed" if you're "working the program correctly" - his sponsor (David B) had told him, so it must be true. (Yes, David C Icons really is as childish as that.)

Well,  evidently David B had not read the AA literature  which clearly states that voluntary work outside AA is suggested, even recommended, in the AA book Living Sober.  But the twisted message of David B always trumped AA's message as far as David C Icons was concerned. Sure enough, the following week David C Icon's sponsees all shared about how not doing voluntary work outside of AA was "against the program". David C Icons had clearly lobbied them into a virtual lynch mob. Thus, the out of favour "heretic" was further humiliated and isolated. Needless to say the guy left the group.  Then, to add insult to injury, David C Icons gleefully seized on the fact that the poor chap had stopped attending the group to further justify his (false) dogma that doing voluntary work outside of AA was "off the program" and instil in others a (false)  fear that doing so could lead to drinking. He even laughed about it. "He has gone. Rejoice!" he told one of his followers. So a picture developed in my mind of a good fellow AA member, trying his best to work the AA program and help others, yet being hurt, isolated, humiliated and rejected by Vision, while David C Icons was laughing away merrily in self-righteous satisfaction. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible. Certainly not the "will" of my Higher Power, or any other Higher Power that represents goodness, justice and love.”

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

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Alcohol research

Contemporary Utilisation of Professional Help by Alcoholics Anonymous Members, Maxwell MA, Annals of the New York Academy of Science, Vol 273, 436-441, 1976

“This Conference reflects the accelerating involvement of physicians and other professionals in the treatment of alcoholic persons, which is, in turn, related to the increased number of alcoholics knocking on the doors of professionals and professionally directed programs.

Alcoholics Anonymous has also been experiencing an increased growth rate. After averaging an annual growth rate of about 6% during the 1960s, the annual growth rate has more than doubled in recent years.

When these interrelated trends are placed alongside the growing awareness, among persons who deal with alcoholics, of the multifaceted and long-term aspects of the "recovery process," the question of mutual appreciation and cooperative interaction between A.A. and the professional community becomes more relevant than ever.

I have previously described the unfavourable perceptions that have muddied the waters of A.A.-professional relations (1). I found in that exploratory study, conducted in 1963, that the perceptions of A.A. both positive and negative, varied a great deal among individual professionals, as did A.A. members' perceptions of the professionals and professionally directed programs. The range of perceptions and the factors that contribute to misperceptions, often a simple lack of knowledge about each other, need not be reviewed in this context. Rather, I will focus on one aspect of the problem, namely, the perception of A.A. as having among its members a disconcerting strain of antiprofessionalism.

This antiprofessionalism is easily inferred from two ideas with some currency among A.A. members: that only an alcoholic can help another alcoholic (which logically rules out all nonprofessionals) and that the A.A. program is complete in itself (the logic of which suggests that professionals have nothing additional to offer).”

See also Links and downloads 

PS For AA Minority Report 2013 click here 

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Questions and Answers on Sponsorship (contd)

The AA (General Service conference approved) booklet: Questions and Answers on Sponsorship 

Extract:

“What does a sponsor do and not do?

• A sponsor does everything possible, within the limits of personal experience and knowledge, to help the newcomer get sober and stay sober through the A.A. program.

• Shows by present example and drinking history what A.A. has meant in the sponsor’s life.

• Encourages and helps the newcomer to attend a variety of A.A. meetings — to get a number of viewpoints and interpretations of the A.A. program.

• Suggests keeping an open mind about A.A. If the newcomer isn’t sure at first whether he or she is an alcoholic.

• Introduces the newcomer to other members.

• Sees that the newcomer is aware of A.A. Literature, in particular the Big Book, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, and Grapevine, As Bill Sees It, Living Sober, and suitable pamphlets.

• Is available to the newcomer when the latter has special problems.

• Goes over the meaning of the Twelve Steps, and emphasizes their importance.

• Urges the newcomer to join in group activities as soon as possible.

• Impresses upon the newcomer the importance of all our Traditions.

• Tries to give the newcomer some picture of the scope of A.A., beyond the group, and directs attention to A.A. literature about the history of the Fellowship, the Three Legacies, the service structure, and the worldwide availability of A.A. — wherever the newcomer may go.

• Explains the program to relatives of the alcoholic, if this appears to be useful, and tells them about Al-Anon Family Groups and Alateen.

• Quickly admits, “I don’t know” when that is the case, and helps the newcomer find a good source of information.

• The sponsor encourages the newcomer to work with other alcoholics as soon as possible, and sometimes begins by taking the newcomer along on Twelfth Step calls.

• Never takes the newcomer’s inventory except when asked.

• Never tries to impose personal views on the newcomer. A good sponsor who is an atheist does not try to persuade a religious newcomer to abandon faith, nor does a religious sponsor argue theological matters with an agnostic newcomer.

• Does not pretend to know all the answers, and does not keep up a pretense of being right all the time.

• An A.A. sponsor does not offer professional services such as those provided by counselors, the legal, medical or social work comunities, but may sometimes help the newcomer to access professional help if assistance outside the scope of A.A. is needed.

The sponsor underscores the fact that it is the A.A. recovery program — not the sponsor’s personality or position — that is important. Thus, the newcomer learns to rely on the A.A. program, not on the sponsor. A sponsor well grounded in the A.A. program will not be offended if the newcomer goes to other A.A. members for additional guidance or even decides to change sponsors.”

(our emphases)

Comment: Note our extensive use of emphases in the above extract. This is primarily for the benefit of 'cult' sponsors who tend to do the precise opposite. These 'control freaks' frequently present themselves as being the font of all knowledge, more than happy to give advice and express opinions on matters where they remain entirely ignorant. Similarly their public image is frequently at odds with their private conduct. Leading by example in cult circles is usually something of a fraud.

Cult members rarely encourage their newer recruits (ie. newcomers) to visit other AA meetings other than those which form part of the cult circuit. There is only one perspective they are interested in disseminating – theirs, which mostly consists of the sponsor as Higher Power ie. what we refer to as “sponsorship idolatry”. The last thing a cult sponsor wants to do is suggest keeping an open mind about AA. AA (not their version) within cult circles is generally regarded as something of a 'wash out', weak and corrupt, and carrying a 'diluted' message.

When it comes to AA literature cult sponsors will generally disparage the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (written by Bill Wilson, a co-founder, some years after he had got sober). This is a more mature reflection on the Steps (and Traditions) than that presented in the book 'Alcoholics Anonymous' (Big Book), the former discussion based on a more developed and solidly grounded experience of recovery. This more sober exegesis of the subject contrasts with the somewhat ebullient if not downright misleading exposition found in the original text; a little less 'rocketed into a fourth dimension' and a bit more down to earth or, as we put it - life is not Disneyland.. nor is recovery!

As for “Tries to give the newcomer some picture of the scope of A.A., beyond the group” see above. Similarly for “Quickly admits, “I don’t know””.

Cult sponsors make something of a speciality of taking their charges' inventories – preferably at every opportunity that presents itself. How else do you 'groom' your victims other than by undermining them at every twist and turn in their recovery. Remember: “Always do what your sponsor tells you” etc etc. As for not imposing personal views forget it! The cult's whole ethos is based on the inverted (and perverted) principle of “personalities before principles”. Under this regime there is little scope for an objective viewpoint let alone allowing the newcomer to exercise their own judgement or arrive at their own conclusions. Sponsor always knows best!

“Does not pretend to know all the answers, and does not keep up a pretense of being right all the time.” (see above).

When it comes to offering advice we frequently hear of newcomers being pressured by their cult sponsors NOT to seek help from counsellors, GPs etc. These professionals are frequently presented as offering contradictory advice which will only serve to undermine the purity of the AA recovery program. Some newcomers have died as a result of this narrow-minded, dogma driven approach. Finally, as we have demonstrated above, the cult sponsorship system attempts to make the sponsee entirely dependent on the sponsor. At best this represents a form of co-dependency, at worst nothing less than severe emotional, psychological, and on some occasions physical (ie. sexual) abuse.

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

(to be continued)

Bournemouth Road to Recovery suicide

Some time ago we received some correspondence concerning the above group. We were requested to delay reporting this out of deference to the feelings of family and friends. The communication has been edited to preserve anonymity. These events took place in July/August 2012

“Hi,

I am writing this in connection with the recent suicide of a member of the Bournemouth Road to Recovery group.

…... threw himself out of a tree with a rope around his neck on Monday 30th July. His neck was broken and I believe his spinal cord was severed. He was kept alive until Friday 3rd August at which point his ventilator was switched off.

I visited him ….... to pay my respects and say goodbye.....

Since his death I have learned that …...... was a member of  the Bournemouth Road to Recovery group and was sponsored by a certain '….......', …....., sometime sponsee of Wayne P and a person I should like to avoid meeting ever again.

…....'s parents …... are mystified by his death - "He'd stopped drinking, his life seemed to be getting better. He'd even written a new song and joined a choir...." - and want to know about his associates and connections in AA. They understood that …... was a member of what they described as "a breakaway group in AA."

I don't want these kind and decent people to get caught in crossfire between the Roadies and 'mainstream' AA. They are stunned by grief. I believe that in time they may also start to feel angry, as indeed I am beginning to..

Meanwhile [his sponsor] is said to be on holiday.

I would appreciate any thoughts, suggestions or observations you may have to give me. …... was a friend, a decent guy and about as vulnerable as any chronic alcoholic has  a right to be.

In fellowship.

…....”

Our response:

“Dear …...

Thank you for your mail.

We're sorry to hear about the death of your friend. 

From our perspective it's always very difficult to discern the precise reasons why somebody decides to take their own life. In one sense there's nothing 'reasonable' about it. To go against one's own instinct to survive can only be the result of an enormous internal conflict.  What we can say however is that the kind of environment offered by cult groups like Bournemouth Road to Recovery is probably the worst possible for people such as these.  Their anti prescribed medication/anti counselling/dogma driven approach offers nothing to the more vulnerable members of our society.  From your description of …. it might be that he was suffering from depression and was unable to communicate easily what he was going through.  To exacerbate the situation further  (as you may be aware) any such 'negative' expression is much frowned upon in cult circles.  The opportunities for him to talk about these concerns may have been very limited indeed.  We quite understand your concern for his family and their feelings. They are after all the ones left behind to try and come to terms with his death.  It is interesting to note however that they are seeking some kind of explanation as to why he should take his own life, and moreover seem to suspect already that this may be in some way linked to his participation in the above group  We would certainly encourage them to pursue their enquiries especially if these should throw some light on the circumstances that resulted in his death.

We can of course raise the matter on the site (suitably edited) which may elicit further information if you feel that would be appropriate

Cheers

The Fellas”

“Dear Fellas,

Thanks for prompt reply.

I want these fundamentalist goons 'outed' for what they are.

I recall my own slog through the first three years of sobriety, the emotional instability and the taboo against saying how you really feel. I was helped by good people who told me things would probably get better with time and continued use of AA. I guess that's pretty much what I said to my poor friend.

He made a bid for freedom from the road [Bournemouth Road to Recovery] a couple of months back, …........, then stepped back onto the road. I have found this out only since he died. It's not my practice to draw folk away from the road.

The trouble is that vulnerable souls - and who doesn't fit that description in early times? - experience a crisis of confidence and conscience, caught between the hard line and 'the easier, softer way'. We are told we don't know what's best for us and the road equips us with (seemingly) strong, charismatic sponsors to tell us. The word 'cult' is appropriate.

As to the circumstances which resulted in …....'s death I have pieced some of them together. …....... I believe he was also on anti depressant (or even anti psychotic) medication. …....... several 'roadies' from …...'s home group ….. seem very shocked and I suspect the event may even discredit the group in the eyes of some members.

My problem is this. I would like …....'s inquest, funeral and memorial service to pass before any information is disseminated on Cult Watch. This wish is in the spirit of protecting …....'s family at this stage …......

Again I would value your perspective on this.

Best wishes,

…...”

Comment: None required. We'll let the facts speak for themselves

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

Group registration – rights ....... or not!

Extracts from the aacultwatch forum (old): 

“It can be understood that a trusted servant’s “right of decision” not to register a group of alcoholics as an A.A. group, cannot accurately be called punitive, governance or expulsion from A.A. membership. This is because if a group has another purpose or affiliation, according to Tradition and the provision in Warranty 6, it has expelled itself from any right to “insist it be called an A.A. group, nor should it use the A.A. name in its title”, as stated by Bill W, and in warranty six: “Finally, any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an A.A. group provided that, as a group, they have no other purpose or affiliation”. (Concept 12, warranty 6). 

  The trusted servant’s “right of decision” not to register a group, does not expel any individual alcoholics within the group from A.A. membership since A.A. registration is only applicable to alcoholics gathered together as a group. It can be understood in Tradition Three, that as individuals, alcoholics are unconditionally entitled to be members of any A.A. group and, as well, indulge in any ex-curricula group activities they wish to. – Ice hockey, football, religious sects and denominations, atheist societies, arts and crafts, whale watching, the study of coercive techniques, flower arranging, leatherback turtle conservation, the study of the psychology of bullies, paint ball, hang gliding, knitting, cult psychology, ballet dancing, member’s social clubs, horse riding, alcohol free dances, social events, rock climbing, - the list is endless. However, if an A.A. group with such dual purpose were to hit the headlines with news of A.A. newcomers being trampled by horses or swallowed by whales; or if other A.A. groups in the area were disturbed by having to give first aid to newcomers showing up at their meetings traumatised by hoof shaped head injuries; then it can be seen in A.A. Tradition, since each group is part of the whole, the principles of Traditions One and Two take precedence over the dual purpose group’s autonomy.  The “trusted servants” and “elder statesmen” within the intergroup are therefore responsible to apply the “specific application” of Tradition Four.

The “trusted servants “right of decision” not to register a group cannot accurately be called an act of government or punishment because the group and its individual A.A. members are not, in any way whatsoever, being coerced or commanded to stop any other purpose or affiliation, nor are punitive sanctions being applied. Instead, the “trusted servants,” being “happy joyous and free” under Tradition One, are glad to extend a “cheerful invitation” to “those who wish to secede from A.A.” as stated in warranty five:  “If individual A.A.s wish to gather together for retreats, Communion breakfasts, or indeed any undertaking at all, we still say “Fine. Only we hope you won’t designate your efforts as an A.A. group or enterprise”…..” To all who wish to secede from A.A. we extend a cheerful invitation to do just that. If they can do better by other means, we are glad.” (Concept 12, warranty five)

If on the other hand a dual purpose group’s dictators do not wish to secede, it can be understood that a trusted servant’s “right of decision” not to register them as an A.A. group, relates purely to a protective action against misuse of the A.A. name. It has nothing to do with individual’s membership, or restricting A.A. member’s liberty as individuals or as a group, - It can be seen in Warranty five, their liberty is not restricted in any way, whatsoever: “If individual A.A.s wish to gather together for retreats, Communion breakfasts, or indeed any undertaking at all, we still say “Fine. Only we hope you won’t designate your efforts as an A.A. group or enterprise” (Concept 12, warranty five). They may wish continue to misuse the A.A. name by calling themselves an A.A. group, but they may not insist others call them an A.A. group. Nor may they insist that an intergroup does not apply the “specific application” of Tradition Four and warranties 5 and 6: “Finally, any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an A.A. group provided that, as a group, they have no other purpose or affiliation”. (Concept 12, warranty 6) “Whenever and however we can, we shall need to inform the general public also; especially upon misuses of the name Alcoholics Anonymous." (Concept 12, warranty five). Nor may they compel “trusted servants” not use their “right of decision.” "No AA can compel another to do anything." (Tradition One, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions page 133)”

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

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E-cigs are out!

Well some kind person (or perhaps sadist!) has brought to our attention the fact that it's that time of year again ….. the Road to Recovery (cult) group Plymouth celebrating yet another year of dumping its message onto the - by now - very long suffering alcoholic. Can you imagine it? Twenty years of sitting through ….. and having to listen to …... what would Wayne call it? Crap! Yep! That's the word we were looking for. Well the ordeal itself lasted 71 minutes and 36 seconds (at least according to the length of the audio file recording this momentous event). Now we'd like to say we're the kind of fellas that'll go to any lengths, that 'half measures avail us not at all' etc but when it comes to listening to clone speak we're afraid all such noble sentiments quite abandon us, and we're reduced to a mere gaggle of 'shivering denizens'. In fact, if truth be told, we only managed to stick out the first ten minutes of this 'performance'. Luckily for us (or maybe not) the first speaker was none other than the local guru (or is it ex-guru?) Wayne P. From the context it sounded like he'd been dragged out of retirement to address the huddled masses. The prologue to the whole thing was delivered with characteristic Roadie efficiency albeit lacking rather the élan one would normally expect at the commencement of the latest drama to unfold at this popular cult venue. The secretary proceeded through the usual announcements with some occasional references to the traditions (although we have no idea why – this is not a group that pays too much attention to them). But our ears did prick up at the mention of an entirely novel prohibition: e-cigs (hence the title of today's post). Apparently one is exhorted not to light up one of these during the course of the proceedings (can you 'light up' an e-ciggy?). Naturally we looked up the relevant information on the subject (see above) but could find nothing to indicate why this should be the case e.g. no mention of passive 'electronic' smoking etc. We can only conclude that given a couple of fairly recent reports of these things going whizz bang (albeit in unusual circumstances) the secretary was keen to avoid such goings-on during Wayne's (et al) peroration. But by now it was time for the Great Pretender to do his piece although unfortunately from his 'performance' it does seem Wayne has somewhat lost his edge. During his allocated slot on stage he managed to mention sponsor/sponsorship only seven times which is well below his usual one-a- minute average. On the other hand God, Higher Power etc got 'nul' points with “spiritual” scoring only two. But no one was left in any doubt as to who played the role of Higher Power in this group! (we'll give you a clue – it begins with 's' and ends with 'r' and the word is 7 letters long!). Wayne rambled on for the designated time but seemed quite unable to inject any kind of originality into whatever 'Godless' message he was trying to communicate. In the end it amounted to just a series of standard cult slogans strung together in a kind of half-hearted fashion. The word “tedious” we think was repeated on at least a couple of occasions and 'tedious' would be about the most apposite way of describing this particular performance. However he did wander at one point in his monologue (rather dangerously we thought) into references to past misdemeanours in his drinking days as he contrasted these with his own present, rather splendid, sobriety ie. cheating on girlfriends, a defect of character which unfortunately his Higher Power (ie. Wayne) is finding harder than most to remove! Ah well! Business as usual! Words and no action has always been the cult way!

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

aacultwatch's alternative to “20 Questions”: You know you're a drunkard when ….............. (contd)

You open a friend’s refrigerator and are bewildered to find food where the beer should be

You got laid off and had to live on nothing but food and water for a whole week

Your hangover has a hangover

Your binge drinking gets in the way of your benders

You sometimes like to start the morning with a hearty, “Who the fuck are you?”

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

The 'chit' system - we've had a bit of a wheeze!

Who'd've thought it? You could have knocked us down with a feather (or similar light appendage) when we came up with this piece of pure genius! After pondering at length (about five minutes) the whole probation 'chit' problem we came up with a solution in what seemed like a flash of inspiration! (spiritual awakening perhaps!). Why not automate the whole thing?

Here's how it works. All you need to do is set up a website forum/AA meeting (with individual log-in and anonymous user ids). The 'client' is issued with their own unique user code by the probation service thereby preserving their anonymity but otherwise identifiable by the appropriate authority. Their log in and log out times can be recorded to ensure they meet their weekly attendance quota (online). This information is automatically generated and communicated to the monitoring station (eg. probation) thereby excluding the need for any human being (let alone AA member) having to fulfil the authentication function. Moreover whilst 'attending' the site the 'client' (oops sorry …. AA member) can be conducted through a tick-box questionnaire to ensure they have a thorough grasp of the recovery programme. Such methods are already widely employed so it should be a simple matter to adapt these accordingly. As each section of the text ('Big Book') is read (and the appropriate responses indicated) this can be confirmed using an online form demonstrating completion of that section before the next one is commenced. The steps can be 'taken” similarly as they arise at various points within the text. At each stage in the process a 'certificate' can be generated and similarly despatched to that same monitoring authority to serve as later accreditation. An option might be made available for the AA member to receive a hard copy via their respective probation service (on fancy paper perhaps with a gold seal attached). Of course there will be certain additional costs associated with this provision but these can be defrayed with a modest administrative charge (otherwise known as a 'voluntary contribution'). We reckon using this method we can get someone through the programme in maybe twelve (possibly fewer) sessions or in as little as a day.

In fact we think this method is applicable to everyone regardless of their legal status. Just think! You could cut out all that sitting around in draughty church halls listening to some old geezer banging on about his/her drinking days. Or even worse having to endure yet another rendition of 'happy, joyous and free' and 'my sponsor says ….' from the Visions/Step Nazi freaks as they belt out another verse from their hackneyed litany. As for the Primary Purpose/Back to Basics' brigade this should see them off for good and no mistake! They're old hat and way behind the times! The more we think about it the more the possibilities unfold. You could even have a grading system maybe a bit like the Scientology mob (but with more oomph to it!). Firstly you could have plain 'dry drunks' on the bottommost rung, then upgrading to 'sober', then 'spiritual', ending up finally with 'rocketed'. People could be whisked through the programme and once they'd reached the heady heights of the 'maintenance' steps (10, 11 and 12) these similarly could be automatically generated online using a 'smart' interface. Ongoing Step 10 inventories could be adapted from the initial Step Four and Five (the latter being conducted via a 'Turing' dialogue session) and condensed down into another 'tick box' format. For Step 11 your personalised programme could include a automatic Step 3, Step 7, St Francis Prayer and Serenity Prayer played back via the site every hour on the hour (a bit like the Tibetan prayer wheel system) together with a 'Thought for the Day' which covers the meditation bit. Even better when it comes to Step 12 templated automatic email messages could be sent to yet another automatically generated list of 'newcomers' provided by the email responders service. “Carrying the message” could never be easier! We reckon this system could do away with sponsors altogether (or any kind of 'personality') together with the need for 'meetings after the meeting' (chats in cafes etc) and all the other old fashioned distractions. Indeed alcoholics could be 'recovered' without the need for any kind of human contact. Of course there would continue to be 'relapsers' but these could simply log in like everybody else, tick the“relapsed” box, have their 'programme' reset, and simply begin the whole thing again. Couldn't be simpler!

Naturally the idea is still at the development stage and needs to be refined but the basics are all there. Even better we reckon there's some scope to 'monetise' the whole thing and make it entirely 'self supporting' (with even a little bit of a surplus generated to defray the expenses of the designers/administrators etc eg. doing presentations, hotel stays, meals, travel, entertainment, 'sundries' etc. But what's the harm in that! This could be included under the 'prudent reserve' item in our accounts!

Now you should know that we've already slapped a copyright on this so we don't want any of you buggers out there trying to jump the gun! Hands off is what we say! Everyone's got to make a living! Eh!

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous …... and entrepreneurs extraordinaires!)

For itinerant alcoholics

Translations of:
How can I locate an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting?

Language	Translation
Afrikaans	Waar is daar 'n Alkoholiste Anoniem (AA) vergadering?
Albanian	Si mund te gjej një vendakim Alkoolik Anonime?
Armenian	Pronounced: Vorteq em karogh ketnel Anhayt Alkoholik-ner`e-yee havakuyt-e?
Bahasa  Indonesia	Tolong, dimana ada pertemuan Alcoholics Anonymous di kota ini?
Bisaya	Asa nako makita ang alchohlics anonymous meeting? Pronounced: Asa nako makita ang allchoholics anonymous meeting?
Bulgarian	Как мога да намеря среща на анонимните алкохолици? Pronounced: Kak moga da nameria sreshta na anonimnite alkoholitzi?
Catalan	A on puc trobar una reunio d' Alcholics Anonims? Pronounced: Á Òn pÚk trÙbÁ una reunyÓ dalcÓlÌks ÁnÓnÌms?
Creole - Haiti	Ki koté réunion Alcohol Anonime?
Croatian	Kako mogu pronaci sastanak Anonimnih Alkoholièara? Pronounced: Kako mogoo pronachi sastanak Anoneemneeh Alkoholichara?
Czech	Jak muzu najit setkani Annonymnich Alkoholiku?   Prague web site
Danish	Hvordan finder jeg et AA-møde?
Dutch	Hu cann ig unn Aeknowniema Aelcollisten by eenkomst vin-done? Pronounced: Hoe kan ik een Anonieme Alcoholisten bijeenkomst vinden?
English	How can I locate an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting?
Esperanto	Kiel mi povas trovi kunvenon de Alkoholuloj Anonimaj? Pronounced: KEE-ell mee PO-vahs TRO-vee koon-VENN-ohn deh ahl-koh-ho-LOO-loy ah-noh-NEE-migh?
Estonian	Kus asub lähim AA-rühm?
Farsi	Jalseh-ye A.A. kojaa hast?
Flemish	Waar kan ik een vergadering vinden van de Anonieme Alcoholisten?
French	Où trouver une réunion des Alcooliques Anonymes?
Finnish	Kuinka voin löytää AA-kokouksen?
German	Wie kann ich ein AA-Meeting finden?
Greek	Πωϛ μπορώ να βρώ μια συγκέντρωση των Ανωνύμων Αλκοολικών; Pronounced: Pos boro na vro mia singkentrosi ton Anonimon Alkoolikon?
Hebrew	?כיצר אפשר למצוא פגישות של אלכוהוליססים אנוניסיים Pronounced: aich eff-shar lim-zo p-gishot shell alkoholistim anonimim?
Hindi	AA ki meeting kahan hoti hai kaise pata lag sakta hai?
Hungarian	Hogyan találok egy Névtelen Akoholisták gyűlését? Pronounced: HOD-yan TAW-la-lok ed NAVE-tel-en AL-ko-ho-list-ak DYU-laish-ait?
Icelandic	Hvar finn ég AA fund? Pronounced: Chwar fin yeg ah-ah foond?
Italian	Come posso individuare una riunione di Alcolisti Anonimi?
Japanese	Pronounced: AA - mitingu wa doko ni arimasuka?
Korean	나는 어떻게 알코올 중독자 협회 회의를 위치해 좋은가? Pronounced: yoydieyaiseo yai yai yl chagyulsu ykseuo?
Latin	Quo AA congressus est? Pronounced: Kwo Ah Ah kongressoos est?
Latvian	Kur ðeit varçtu atrast Anonîmu Alkoholiíu klubu sanâksmi?
Lithuanian	Kaip aš galiu surasti Anoniminių Alkoholikų susirinkimą?
Maltese	Fejn nista' nsib laqgha tal Alkoholici Anonimi? Pronounced: Fein nista insib laqa` tal Alkoholici Anonimi?
Marathi	Mee AAchee sabha kashee shodhu?
Norwegian	Hvor kan jeg finne et AA-møte?
Pidgin (W. Africa)	Which place dey go find Alcoholics Anonymous meeting?
Polish	Gdzie mogę znaleźć mityng Anonimowych Alkoholików? Pronounced: Gdjieh mogae znaleshc mityng anonimowykh alkoholikuv?
Portuguese	Como posso encontrar uma reunião de AA (Alcoólicos Anónimos)?
Romanian	Unde pot sa gasesc un grup Alcoolicii Anonimi?
Russian	Как можно найти собрание АА? Pronounced: Kak mozhno na-iti sobraniye AA?
Serbian	Kako mogu da pronaðem sastanak Anonimnih Alkoholièara? Pronounced: Kaako mogoo da pronadjem sastanak Anoneemneeh Alchoholeechara?
Slovak	Kde najdem stretnutie Anonimových Alkoholikov?
Slovenian	Kako lahko najdem sreèanje AA? Pronounced: Kako lahko najdem srechanje AA?
Spanish	¿Dónde puedo encontrar una reunión de Alcohólicos Anónimos? Pronounced: DON-day PWAY-do en-con-TRAWR oo-na ray-oon-YON day al-KOH-lee-cose ah-NO-nee-mose
Swahili	Tafadhali, unaweza kuniambia vile naweza kuenda kwa mkutano wa Walevi ambao Hawajulikani?
Swedish	Var kan jag hitta ett AA-möte någonstans?
Tagolog	Saan ako makakatagpo ng Alcoholic Anonymous meeting?
Thai	Pronounced: Kun ru wa gan brachum AA yu ti nai?      Add "ka" to the end of the sentence if you are female or "krap" if you are male.
Turkish	Adsýz Alkolikler Toplantýsý nerede yapýlýyor?
Ukranian	Де можна знайти зібрання AA? Pronounced: De mozhna znayty zibrannya AA?
Yiddish	Vi kon ikh gefinen du a meeting fun Alcoholics Anonymous?
Yup'ik Eskimo	Nani-kiq AA-lrianek quyurtellrianek nalleksarcia maani?