Best of the Forum - DECA and the 707 for the Client

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Editor's Note: This is a compendium of posts related to the DECA 707 plane project. This is some of the best information we've gotten yet.

Date:

Wed, Dec 22, 1999 at 12:53:15 (EST)

From:

rocket man

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To:

All

Subject:

plane

Message:

regarding the original plane project at deca, my understanding about the project was this;
the plane, a 707, I believe, was never used more than a few times by m and then was sold, for a nice profit to maharishi and the tm org.
the physical plant (deca) was described as an osha nightmare and one of the most dangerous and toxic workplaces one could imagine.
premies worked for $4/hr (minimum wage at the time)for 60-100hr.work weeks, but were paid for 30-40 hrs.(averages out to $2-3/hr.)
numerous people, esp. with professional skills, were lured down to deca on false promises and then given a sleazy hotel room to stay in with starvation wages(ex.-one premie worked for the fed. gov't and was recruited, with the promise of a salary and benefits commesurate with his position with the gov't. When he arrived, he, his wife and 2 kids were given one room to live in at a cheap hotel, with meals at deca or an ashram,and no salary.The man worked at deca, his wife was given service to do, the kids had to live in miami beach, which at the time was a dangerous place to be, and when he questioned it all, was told to not have doubts. He couldn't look at m for years, and he gave up his career track to do it.)

the miami res., on millionaires row, was sold, most likely at a nice profit-a few years later it was damaged by fire I believe, or vandalized-does anyone know more?
Steve Sardoni, on his last money pitch, actually had the nerve to say that m told him that the deca project 'saved' thousands of premie's lives by giving them service to do.No mention of the numerous lives it harmed, some physically, due to the toxic environment in which premies worked, many times in violaton of strict gov't regulations for that type of workplace.
the 707 couldn't be registered in the US because it was too polluting, and had to be registered in Switzerland, because they had the most lax regulations, which also helped sell it to maharishi, as his headquarters was in switzerland.

Date:

Wed, Dec 22, 1999 at 13:48:08 (EST)

From:

Email:

To:

All

Subject:

Re: plane

Message:

Thanks rocket man, for the information about deca and the plane project.

I would add that for most of the time the 707 was being converted to a luxury residence/plane, most of the premies who worked on the project were paid a big, fat ZERO in wages. They were either ashram residents, coerced to move into the ashram, or had to live financially as if they were ashram residents who, of course, had taken vows of poverty.

I have heard about some of the premies who were damaged physically by the dangerous and lax work conditions they worked under, not the least of which was the 'service ethic' that premies were supposed to work around the clock, without sleep, and to think of their personal needs LAST, if at all.

My understanding also was that by 1985 the plane couldn't be flown in the US because the engines were too polluting. Since the engines cost over a quarter million each, it would have cost over a million dollars to replace them. I also heard that Maharaji wanted to get rid of the plane even before it was finished, which took years and millions of dollars to do.

The plane itself was very old, I think built in 1961.

I think it's very ironic, and kind of funny, that he sold the plane to the Maharishi. Out of the hands of one cult-leader and into the hands of another.

Was the guy with the government job you were referring to Reggie Brown? He left a very high-level career in the Carter administration (I think it was the Department of Energy) to go to Deca. I was CC in Washington DC when he packed up his family and left their beautiful home in Potomac, Maryland, to be a devotee/slave at Deca for the Perfect Master. He and his wife were terrific people. Later, when I got sent to Deca myself, his wife was very disillusioned about the whole deca scene. She left and became a real estate agent in Miami. I don't know what happened to Reggie.

Date:

Thurs, Dec 23, 1999 at 11:39:17 (EST)

From:

Cynthia

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To:

All

Subject:

Re: Reggie/707/Deca

Message:

Dear JW,

I remember the Browns very well, but for the life of me can't remember what Reggie did down there. They were a beautiful couple with great kids. I remember them being very dignified and cultured. I knew that they had reduced their standard of life, but had no idea it was THAT bad. God, those folks were so nice. How the families lived and their financial situation was not talked about. They were getting daily darshan, wasn't that payment enough???

The plane was 20-22 years old when it was acquired in what, 1979? For some reason, the (honchos) kept saying that was a good thing--apparently because it had been continuosly in service for its lifespan, it would be perfect for reconfiguration. There was another one m wanted but it was too expensive. There was a lot of haggling going on about which one to buy and discussion about cost, etc. If my memory serves me, the 707 acquired was from a fleet of a caribbean airline, one of the islands, not sure which one. There was a lot of tension in the office (the little place) during that decision making time.

It was a GLORIOUS DAY when the decision was finally made and m (excuse me, Quantum Leasing to Deca ) would take delivery!! Tra la.....the staff was so happy because m was happy.... (or was he???)

I got ten bucks a week. I don't know of anyone who wasn't in the ashram who was paid any wages--the whole operation was completely illegal. I shutter now when I think about it because in the mid 80's I was the Personnel and Benefits Administrator for a 45 attorney law firm in Conn. with 3 branch offices-total staff of over 100. Actually, there was no personel dept., I created it from scratch. I knew virtually all the labor laws in Conn. and had labor attys as a free resource. What was going on at Deca doesn't remotely resemble a legal, bona fide business operation, not from a personnel standpoint, or any standpoint. It was a huge secret. We never said his name. He was referred to as the Client. If he came to the small warehouse/offices any vendors there had to be ushered out. It was a secret corporation(s). It was especially difficult at the hangar a Miami airport because FAA officials had to be there to sign off on everything done to the plane. A lot of them were drunks, too. It was a big joke.

BTW, did I ever mention that one never puts the Lord on hold when on the phone? When I was taught how to answer the phones I was told that you don't put the Lord on hold. You gently place the receiver down and run to get whoever he wants. Then you wait for the conversation and very gently, quietly place the receiver down.

I did not know he sold the 707 it to Maharishi. LOLOLOLOL for about infinity. That is too funny. It's unbelievably funny. Someone's got to come up with a conversation with GMJ and Mah haggling over the plane. Indian background music and each on a throne with their choice of backdrop. Stage set: come on someone....you know.....

I need a great big laugh.....

That's enough babbling for now,
Love Cynthia

Date:

Fri, Dec 24, 1999 at 00:10:45 (EST)

From:

Roger eDrek

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To:

All

Subject:

The elusive Client, the elusive Speaker, etc.

Message:

Yes, yes, yes. The shroud of secrecy.

At DECA Maharaji was referred to as the Client.

At programs Maharaji is referred to as the Speaker by the ushers and probably the Security forces that no longer exist.

When working for free at the residence, especially during the total knock-down rebuild, premies were told to say that they were working with some-name-that-I-forgot in case any of the real non-premie contractors asked.

Lots of under the table stuff in Maharaji's World of Knowledge.

Why? Because he is Lord of the Universe and he is a tightwad. Shhhh!

Date:

Fri, Dec 24, 1999 at 04:34:15 (EST)

From:

Email:

To:

All

Subject:

Re: The elusive Client, the elusive Speaker, etc.

Message:

I lived across the street from deca and the locals
thought m was an arab and reffered to him as 'the shiek'.
THEY knew he was to top dog, er god, at deca because
of the cars he drove in there.

Date:

Thurs, Dec 23, 1999 at 14:06:29 (EST)

From:

Email:

To:

All

Subject:

707/Deca

Message:

Yes, the plane was originally belonged to BWI (British West Indies) Airlines, but became such a wreck it was taken out of service. At the time the plane was purchased, it was in Ireland.

When I first came to Deca, I was in the legal department and I sat in on a meeting with Jim Hession, Virgil Cuillo (DLM lawyer) and some other people, at which Virgil ranted about how ripped off DLM was by the purchase of the plane and the shoddy and incompetent way it was purchased. He was really upset at how incompetently it was done. Apparently, the plane was such a wreck that it violated aviation rules and basic safety rules when it was flown from Ireland to Miami. (But Maharaji REALLY wanted the plane, so they got it.)

Because the plane was in such terrible shape, the 707 project was a lot more than a refurbishment of the interior. A lot of work had to be done on the basic structure of the plane, electrical system, engines, etc. That's partly why it cost millions to do the work. The fact that Maharaji lost interest in the plane before it was even finished, despite the money and premie-hours that were put into it is another example about how little he cares/cared about people other than himself, and how out of touch he always was about the lives of other people.

As I said before, my first job at DECA was to find out what licenses, etc., Deca needed to operate. I did my service but when I pointed out all the regulations Deca was violating, and that it would cost money to comply, I got the distinct impression that the powers that be didn't want to hear that.

Date:

Fri, Dec 24, 1999 at 00:18:34 (EST)

From:

Roger eDrek

Email:

To:

All

Subject:

Were the aircraft mechanics licensed?

Message:

JW,

Don't you need to be a certified aircraft mechanic to be able work on certains parts (eg. structure, controls, safety systems, etc.) of the plane. Is that an API or someting?

How was this done?

Date:

Fri, Dec 24, 1999 at 04:31:57 (EST)

From:

Email:

To:

All

Subject:

Re: Were the aircraft mechanics licensed?

Message:

there were at least a couple premie cert air mech's that
were roped in to the project.

Date:

Thurs, Dec 23, 1999 at 14:11:52 (EST)

From:

Marianne

Email:

To:

All

Subject:

Re: 707/Deca & M's age?

Message:

So Joe, Cynthia, bb, How old was M when he demanded that the plane be purchased for him? He sounds like a petulant child who got tired just waiting for his new toy.

Date:

Thurs, Dec 23, 1999 at 15:35:59 (EST)

From:

Email:

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All

Subject:

Re: 707/Deca & M's age?

Message:

I think the plane was purchased in 1979, so Maharaji would have been 20 or 21 at the time.

I remember a couple of programs around that time, Maharaji bitched about how much he hated flying on commercial airliners and how he needed a plane that he could fly anywhere and that he and his family could live in the plane. But the truth was by that time DLM was often renting jets for Maharaji and he never did the 'live in the plane' thing, even after he got the plane. So, I think he really just thought it was a neato keen idea, rather than having any practical reality to it.

Plus, and I know I have said this before, by 1979, it was dawning on M that he WASN'T going to bring peace to the world after all and that propogation had dried up. So, to prove to himself that he was indeed god on earth, he started demanding grandious stuff from the premies to try to assuage his ego and prove to himself that he was as important as he thought he was, and I think the 707 was an example of that. If premies got him something like that, then he must be really important, right?

Date:

Thurs, Dec 23, 1999 at 02:22:18 (EST)

From:

Email:

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All

Subject:

Re: plane

Message:

I know of no one that got paid during the 707.
Maybe some did, maybe Cynthia could chime in on this.
I know most of the folks there were ashramers and I was
getting nothing.
Meanwhile, in connecticut, the premies were encouraged
to get second jobs to support the project.
Although they werent told that it was a plane project.

Personal needs were out of the question of course,
and the schedule my crew was on was from 8 or 9 in
the morning till the final meal arrived at 2:30 in the
morning. I kid you not.
I was ok with that at the time, we were all getting the
lord off in his silver steed right?
Little did WE know that he was complaining at the time
that he wanted to fix up the 707 just to sell because
he had changed his mind about what he wanted.
I heard later that those that knew that, lost interest in
working on the plane as a result. And I heard that that
reaction was part of the reason he said finally
that he would use the plane after we finished.

Only the 'upper' dust knew that stuff at the time.
Of course to the lord, there WAS no upper dust, we were
all just so much dust to walk on and we should be
exstatic that he was walking on us.

5 Brighter than 1000 suns as seen through night vision goggles 4 As bright as the lights on Maharaji's jet 3 As bright as a 60 watt light bulb 2 As bright as a pile of burning ghi on a swinging arti tray 1 As bright as the inner light as seen by the third eye Other