That kind of smacks of the Branch Dividian situation doesn't it? The ensuing gassing by the FBI has the potential to be extremely psychedelic. But who will be our Jesus?
...I'm more certain that you've spent more time bitching about people you think were "lucky" or "undeserving" than you've spent actually attempting to make a difference in your own life.
So that's why I moved away from an unhealthy living situation, am in school and am waiting tables to make a living. Because I'm not trying to pay for college and a car as an independent student, right. I lived on welfare with somebody and it was a nightmare. I'm much happier making my own way, even if it means serving up steaming plates of goodness to customers. I enjoy making my own way, even if it I am doing a job that does not give me the chance to display the depth of my intellect.
And yes, it sucks that people are awarded a prestigious job/internship/la dee dah by virtue of their family name and connections. But my dad fixes telephone lines, he most definitely doesn't have any connections, other than the obvious (ha.ha.).
Totally. My dad is perfectly happy with his 500 dollar Wal-Mart PC. All he wants to do is read his conservative news websites and check up on the stock market.
Now, if only my 14 year old brother would stop filling up all of the drives with porn. It's not even good porn.
Life would have been easier had I done the homework and kept the academic scholarship, vs. working my way through University with crap jobs and student loans.
That's what I tend to do. I'll say, "I'm above doing this, it's so incredibly inane I think I'd rather tongue wrestle with a barbed wire fence than do this work."
Hopefully I'll learn that kind of thinking won't get me far. I can't imagine the universities to which I applied were too impressed with my perfect in English and Reading on the ACT and my B in my Gifted English class.
I was once told something very frustrating by an asshole who plans on going into politics , "Politicians are bred, they aren't discovered." That is, certain people are raised to be politicians from the time they can walk and talk. They are put through the seminars, the leadership programs, yadda yadda. This, in my opinion, leads to political stagnation.
I refuse to believe this. I understand that in politics, there is a game to be played, but that does not stop me from wanting to initiate change by working with and through the system.
I think what the UK had the right idea when they banned campaign contributions by corporations. How on earth can our process be considered democratic when we have big business putting lumps of cash into our political parties, thus influencing the law making process?
I can complain both about social system abuse and corporate welfare, can't I?
There was a combination of my being facetious with a bit of hyperbole thrown in there. I do not believe that we would need an isolationist pacifist in order to combat corruption. I think we could do with sweeping reforms. And yes, presidents must be held to account for what the appointed heads of departments do. However, I think the climate of general political apathy and indifference is not conducive to American's demanding that something be done.
Yes, I'm not sure I buy the claims of massive intelligence failure. For example, when Colin Powell presented a case for a connection between Al-Qaeda and Iraq in front of the UN, I laughed. I was living in Europe at the time. It was totally and wholly unconvincing. It was absurd. If that presentation was based on intelligence, then it was those who were manipulating the intelligence who need to be held to account.
Of course not. I was just providing a prediction based on my observations. Not an endorsement of a candidate simply because Europe would like him better.
You're taking a big leap of faith here if you're suggesting that the liberty/safety trade-off is real. Under Hitler, Stalin and Mao, nobody was safe. Don't expect any better here if we hand absolute power to Bush and his minions (or anyone else, for that matter).
Well, of course. It's always expected that someone will say that only the people who have something to hide will be concerned about these measures. The American people will probably readily give up their freedoms for the belief that they will be safer. It's already happening now and I don't expect that to change.
Between the fear-mongering of the U.S. media and Bush's capitalizing on the 9/11 tragedy (which is to be expected under purely political reasoning), there are a lot of people who are scared shitless, or simply indifferent.
...I predict it'll take, what, three years for the giant intelligent rats to take all of the good jobs...
Hm. I just finished reading the Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy books. I thought they've taken all the good jobs already and this is all just an illusion...
There's nothing we can do to stop the corruption. The power lies, in many cases, not in the democratically elected (ahem) president and congresspeople, but in the appointed heads of departments and the intelligence we receive from heads of our intelligence agencies. There's no reason to pretend that it is only America who is corrupt.
Not to say that we shouldn't criticize America's corruption, but I see little short of an election of an isolationist pacifist and appointment of isolationist pacifist heads, that will change anything about the operations of the American government.
Well of course. I understand quite clearly that America can never make the rest of the world happy. I'm not entirely sure what that is about, either. I lived in Europe and saw an incredible amount of anti-American sentiment. However, that sentiment was rooted in America's decision to go to war with Iraq and according to some, at one time, their seeming endorsement in the UK of the IRA.
It is my opinion that the only way that Europe is going to have a positive opinion of the U.S. is if we get a left-leaning president. Europe identifies with socialism. Where I lived, they loved Bill Clinton and thought he was fantastic. However, none of them had anything to say about Bill Clinton launching missiles into Iraq during his time as president. They didn't care, as long as there was a liberal president in power.
I am not conservative by the way. I am probably most accurately described as a liberal, but this is an observation based on my experience.
Some people simply aren't going to work. I've seen it, I've lived with it. It's not a matter of a lot of people getting the help they need to get back into a job. Some people just don't want a job. They are perfectly content to get their welfare check, sit at home, watch tv, drink/smoke pot, whatever, so long as it doesn't involve their getting employment.
Obviously, there are people who are dependent upon the system who genuinely need the assistance to pick themselves up. However, I have seen more than my fair share of people who fought harder to keep their welfare checks than they did to secure a job.
Re:Seriously, though...
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Eventually 'Power Diets' (copyrighted by me here and now:-) will arrive; these will be geared toward symbiotic foods stuffs that eaten (and crapped) together produce the best power for you home. Yeah!
What's even funnier is that Oliver Stone, probably one of the most hated (by right-wingers) directors in Hollywood once made a film about how aweful and terrible the media is. It was called, "Natural Born Killers".
My dad is definitely a "right-winger" and was not impressed by this film. Its violence can be a bit off-putting, but not when you understand the reasons for which it was made.
Why do you think Al-Qaeda attacked the U.S.? Obviously, America is meddlesome as hell, but there are many who would oppose America's not being meddlesome, not using its power to better the world. Or something. You have the neo-cons who want to see America enforce democracy throughout the world and you have some leftists who want to see America assist other countries, but only if it is a left-leaning president who is in power.
The UN needs to get its shit together, obviously, because when you have Libya chairing the Human Rights Commission, there's a problem. The UN cannot be taken seriously until they show that they are willing to punish those who do not afford their people an outlet through which they can voice their will. Non-democratic nations should not have leaders have the opportunity to participate in an institution that operates through democratic means.
Sounds good to me. I think the system should somehow be GTA-esque. The cops just stop chasing you after you drive around for a little while, after all...
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That kind of smacks of the Branch Dividian situation doesn't it? The ensuing gassing by the FBI has the potential to be extremely psychedelic. But who will be our Jesus?
I'm officially motivated. I guess we need our ass kicked sometimes to get on the right track.
Watch bubbles slide down your glass and wonder whether Jesus will return while you're bent over the commode.
So that's why I moved away from an unhealthy living situation, am in school and am waiting tables to make a living. Because I'm not trying to pay for college and a car as an independent student, right. I lived on welfare with somebody and it was a nightmare. I'm much happier making my own way, even if it means serving up steaming plates of goodness to customers. I enjoy making my own way, even if it I am doing a job that does not give me the chance to display the depth of my intellect.
And yes, it sucks that people are awarded a prestigious job/internship/la dee dah by virtue of their family name and connections. But my dad fixes telephone lines, he most definitely doesn't have any connections, other than the obvious (ha.ha.).
Now, if only my 14 year old brother would stop filling up all of the drives with porn. It's not even good porn.
Mmm..Political stagnation! My favorite. I like it with a bit of ketchup on the side.
That's what I tend to do. I'll say, "I'm above doing this, it's so incredibly inane I think I'd rather tongue wrestle with a barbed wire fence than do this work."
Hopefully I'll learn that kind of thinking won't get me far. I can't imagine the universities to which I applied were too impressed with my perfect in English and Reading on the ACT and my B in my Gifted English class.
I refuse to believe this. I understand that in politics, there is a game to be played, but that does not stop me from wanting to initiate change by working with and through the system.
I can complain both about social system abuse and corporate welfare, can't I?
Yes, I'm not sure I buy the claims of massive intelligence failure. For example, when Colin Powell presented a case for a connection between Al-Qaeda and Iraq in front of the UN, I laughed. I was living in Europe at the time. It was totally and wholly unconvincing. It was absurd. If that presentation was based on intelligence, then it was those who were manipulating the intelligence who need to be held to account.
So basically, I agree with you.
Of course not. I was just providing a prediction based on my observations. Not an endorsement of a candidate simply because Europe would like him better.
Well, of course. It's always expected that someone will say that only the people who have something to hide will be concerned about these measures. The American people will probably readily give up their freedoms for the belief that they will be safer. It's already happening now and I don't expect that to change.
Between the fear-mongering of the U.S. media and Bush's capitalizing on the 9/11 tragedy (which is to be expected under purely political reasoning), there are a lot of people who are scared shitless, or simply indifferent.
Hm. I just finished reading the Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy books. I thought they've taken all the good jobs already and this is all just an illusion...
I get more and more confused as time goes by...
The hemorrhaging kidneys sounds like the most fun part.
Not to say that we shouldn't criticize America's corruption, but I see little short of an election of an isolationist pacifist and appointment of isolationist pacifist heads, that will change anything about the operations of the American government.
It is my opinion that the only way that Europe is going to have a positive opinion of the U.S. is if we get a left-leaning president. Europe identifies with socialism. Where I lived, they loved Bill Clinton and thought he was fantastic. However, none of them had anything to say about Bill Clinton launching missiles into Iraq during his time as president. They didn't care, as long as there was a liberal president in power.
I am not conservative by the way. I am probably most accurately described as a liberal, but this is an observation based on my experience.
Some people simply aren't going to work. I've seen it, I've lived with it. It's not a matter of a lot of people getting the help they need to get back into a job. Some people just don't want a job. They are perfectly content to get their welfare check, sit at home, watch tv, drink/smoke pot, whatever, so long as it doesn't involve their getting employment. Obviously, there are people who are dependent upon the system who genuinely need the assistance to pick themselves up. However, I have seen more than my fair share of people who fought harder to keep their welfare checks than they did to secure a job.
Alan Ralsky
Two words: refried beans.
:-P Thank you hehe. Is Monkelectric your band? /off topic
My dad is definitely a "right-winger" and was not impressed by this film. Its violence can be a bit off-putting, but not when you understand the reasons for which it was made.
Why do you think Al-Qaeda attacked the U.S.? Obviously, America is meddlesome as hell, but there are many who would oppose America's not being meddlesome, not using its power to better the world. Or something. You have the neo-cons who want to see America enforce democracy throughout the world and you have some leftists who want to see America assist other countries, but only if it is a left-leaning president who is in power.
The UN needs to get its shit together, obviously, because when you have Libya chairing the Human Rights Commission, there's a problem. The UN cannot be taken seriously until they show that they are willing to punish those who do not afford their people an outlet through which they can voice their will. Non-democratic nations should not have leaders have the opportunity to participate in an institution that operates through democratic means.
Sounds good to me. I think the system should somehow be GTA-esque. The cops just stop chasing you after you drive around for a little while, after all...
Thanks for the link; I'm checking that out right now. That stuff is definitely right-on. Love the signature by the way!
I'm showing this site to my dad now. He works for Bellsouth (has been since '79) so he was there when Ma Bell was split up. Interesting stuff!