>> ^imstellar28:
you are not demonstrating a clear understanding of market forces, nor are you demonstrating a clear understanding of our educational system.

Feel free to tell me what part of my prediction is inaccurate when you make slurs against my intelligence.

>> ^imstellar28:
currently the bulk of our educational system is paid for by state property taxes. the argument in this thread is about relinquishing federal control--namely over curricula and standards.

I'm pretty sure we've been arguing about the place of any government in the education system. Otherwise this discussion is pointless (a distinct possibility). I'd be perfectly happy to get rid of the federal government's influence and go back to state controlled education. That was when it was the best education available in the world. I was fortunate enough to catch the tail end of that educational system, as the federal government was starting to interfere. Since that time I've listened to the horror stories of my parents (who were both grade school teachers) and friends who have become teachers after college. Nothing but contempt for the rapidly degenerating system.

>> ^imstellar28:
the beauty of the free market is that the price of milk, for example, is set by the millions of "votes" made every second worldwide. when someone buys milk, or doesn't buy it, or buys less or more, they are transmitting how much milk is worth to them.

Did you even read my post? That is exactly the basis for my prediction. Some people will place a high value on education, and allocate their resources accordingly, but far too many will either not value it at all, or be unable/unwilling to pay what is sure to be a much higher cost than parents currently pay in taxes. The current price per student in the US is somewhere around $10,000 per year, but the price per taxpayer is much less because the burden is spread. We do that because the education of the nation's youth benefits everybody (assuming we can repair the system so that our students actually begin to learn again).

>> ^imstellar28:
if i choose to home school my children, or pay a private tutor, or use online education such as dvds and video lectures in order to reduce the cost and/or increase the quality of education my child receives--who are you to tell me otherwise?

I am a single white male with no children. I have an average job and receive average pay. I cannot afford to purchase a house in the current market. Despite this, I will happily pay my share in taxes with the hope that it will increase the intelligence of the people I share this planet with. Who are you?

And just so we're clear, if milk went up to $8 per gallon, I'd stop drinking it. That's a lousy analogy.

Point made... I am agnostic/atheist, and I am being called a moron (apparently by a militant atheist) because of two words I used that seem to describe perfectly the individual that made the response. Well played ajkido.


Firstly, I don't agree that you're an idiot, but even if that isn't true, how does this make your point? He, if he's a so-called "militant atheist", expressed his opinion quite clearly. Your point was that apparently "militant atheists" are yet another group of people who lie to themselves and others and that you wish that the "spoke their minds" and "stop drinking the kool-aid"

I agree that his comment was rather rude and stupid, but thats not the issue, and even if ajkido does fit your description, doesnt mean thats got anything to do with being a so-called "Militant atheist" I'm rather strongly against being bullied around by people over fairytales myself, and if thats what you call "militant", then count me in, but you'll have to explain how that makes me dishonest about my own opinions.

Just imagine a world where democrats and republicans, conservatives and liberals, militant atheists and religious nutjobs always spoke their minds and were open about their own reservations about the candidate they support.

Seriously, I'll begin...
Barack's promises to solve the energy crisis, turn back a century of global warming, end the war, provide exceptional affordable health care to every American while personally tracking Bin Laden down and balancing the budget in the first three days of his presidency make me a little skeptical about his ability to deliver.

Who is next? Stop drinking your parties Kool-Aid and be honest for a second.

At about 1:24 when the cat stops drinking and just looks out through the glass it looks just like a baby tiger, just look at it! =D

I actually stopped drinking it once I found it didn't have hallucinogenic properties which was pretty much the morning after. But now that it's legal in the States I might get a set up so that I can try it as it's supposed to be tried: chilled and poured over sugar cubes into a glass.

The Godfather. 2 shots of Scotch Whiskey and 2 shots of Amaretto, mixed together with some ice in it. OH GOD SO GOOD I CAN'T STOP DRINKING IT.

To Farhad2K and MrConrads: don't underestimate the power of self-deception. I'm quite sure each person in Bush's upper echelon (including Bush his-own-self) really believes what they're trying to do. So from their point of view, they're in the right and all the liberals are merely doing what they do best: getting in the way because they hate America. <rolls eyes>

There's a reason this administration goes through so many Press Secretaries. I imagine it's kinda like Jonestown or Scientology: they're ignoring or at least setting aside any argument that doesn't jibe with their preconditioned outcome. McCellan couldn't have stopped "drinking the Kool-Aid" until he left the compound.

And Politicos has a right to sell books. Nothing wrong with that.

Sure, Russia only had 15 times as many troops as the USA, and single-handedly "liberated" more territory from Nazi Germany than all the other allied powers combined. They turned the tide of the eastern front at the Battle of Stalingrad a year and a half before D-Day, and several months before the beginning of the Italian campaign. If nuclear deterrance did not exist, the USSR could easily have captured all of continental Europe, and probably would have done so before Stalin's death in 1953. They couldn't have actually invaded the USA, but so what?

In reply to this comment by Trancecoach:
The Cold War was merely a political charade employed as a means of taking control of media operations, consolidating political power in the hands of the Right Wing , enriching the military-industrial complex, and basically generating a climate of fear with which to control mass behavior. From the sounds of your regurgitation, they've gotten to you too. The military spending that accounts for the thousands of nuclear weapons and make up the arsenal absorbed an enormous percentage of the nation's wealth without conferring any concomitant security -- indeed, it did just the opposite. Nibiyabi, it's time to stop drinking the Kool Aid. Russia is not and never was the threat they said it was. You've got to think for yourself, else others will do the thinking for you.

Down vote for implying native genocide is relevant to current American policy and that America had imperial intentions in WW2. Mixing insightful observations with misinformation is the pinnacle of propaganda.

More over, anyone willing to swallow the notion that American intentions in WW2 were imperial after Germany conquered all of Europe and Japan attacked Pearl Harbor needs to give their head a shake. Stop drinking the kool-aid!

There are legitimate problems with American foreign policy. Like most things though, it isn't black/white or good/evil consistently across history. It's varying shades of gray all through and anyone that simplifies beyond that is being dishonest through malice or ignorance.

The Cold War was merely a political charade employed as a means of taking control of media operations, consolidating political power in the hands of the Right Wing , enriching the military-industrial complex, and basically generating a climate of fear with which to control mass behavior. From the sounds of your regurgitation, they've gotten to you too. The military spending that accounts for the thousands of nuclear weapons and make up the arsenal absorbed an enormous percentage of the nation's wealth without conferring any concomitant security -- indeed, it did just the opposite. Nibiyabi, it's time to stop drinking the Kool Aid. Russia is not and never was the threat they said it was. You've got to think for yourself, else others will do the thinking for you.

No, it's from drinking it, not from putting it on his face. If it was just from putting it on his face, then it would BE just on his face, but it's his whole body that's effected.

Also, this is permanent....even if he stops drinking it, his skin will remain blue. It's pretty fascinating actually.

The lyrics, if you can't keep up Talib's flow:

[Talib]
Yeah...my Lord...yeah.

[Verse 1: Talib]
We sell crack to our own out the back of our homes
We smell the musk at the dusk in the crack of the dawn
We go through "Episodes II," like "Attack of the Clones"
Work 'til we break our back and you hear the crack of the bone
To get by, just to get by
Just to get by, just to get by
We commute to computers
Spirits stay mute while you eagles spread rumors
We survivalists, turned to consumers
To get by, just to get by
Just to get by, just to get by
Ask Him why some people got to live in a trailer, cuss like a sailor
I paint a picture with the pen like Norman Mailer
Mi abuela raised three daughters all by herself, with no help
I think about a struggle and I find the strength in myself
These words, melt in my mouth
They hot, like the jail cell in the South
Before my nigga Core bailed me out
To get by, just to get by
Just to get by, just to get by
We do or die like Bed-Stuy through the red sky
With the window of the red eye
Let the lead fly, some G. Rap shit, "Livin' to Let Die"

[Chorus: Background singers]
This morning, I woke up
Feeling brand new and I jumped up
Feeling my highs, and my lows
In my soul, and my goals
Just to stop smokin', and stop drinkin'
And I've been thinkin' - I've got my reasons
Just to get (by), just to get (by)
Just to get (by), just to get (by)

[Talib and background singers]
(ba ba ba, ba da bada, ba da bada, ba da bada, ba da badahh
Just to get (by), just to get (by)
Just to get (by by by by by by)
(ba ba ba, ba da bada, ba da bada, ba da bada, ba da badahh
Just to get (by), just to get (by)
Just to get (by by by by by by)

[Verse 2: Talib]
We keeping it gangster say "fo shizzle", "fo sheezy" and "stayin crunk"
It's easy to pull a breezy, smoke trees, and we stay drunk
Yo, our activism attackin' the system, the blacks and latins in prison
Numbers of prison they victim black in the vision
Shit and all they got is rappin' to listen to
I let them know we missin' you, the love is unconditional
Even when the condition is critical, when the livin' is miserable
Your position is pivotal, I ain't bullshittin' you
Now, why would I lie? Just to get by?
Just to get by, we get fly
The TV got us reachin' for stars
Not the ones between Venus and Mars, the ones that be readin' for parts
Some people get breast enhancements and penis enlargers
Saturday sinners, Sunday morning at the feet of the Father
They need somethin' to rely on, we get high on all types of drug
When, all you really need is love
To get by, just to get by
Just to get by, just to get by
Our parents sing like John Lennon, "Imagine all the people watch"
We rock like Paul McCartney from now until the last Beatle drop

[Chorus: Background singers]
This morning, I woke up
Feeling brand new and I jumped up
Feeling my highs, and my lows
In my soul, and my goals
Just to stop smoking, and stop drinking
And I've been thinking - I've got my reasons
Just to get (by), just to get (by)
Just to get (by), just to get (by)

[Talib: repeat 2x - with background singers]
Yoyoyo, yo
Some people cry, and some people try
Just to get by, for a piece of the pie
You love to eat and get high
We deceive when we lie, and we keepin' it fly

Yoyoyo, yo
When, the people decide, to keep a disguise
Can't see they eyes, see the evil inside
But there's people you find
Strong or feeble in mind, I stay readin' the signs

Forgetful and seein shit. This is just like that time I forget my admin password for my own damn computer. This is sad. I'm gonna have to start saving my queued videos in my bookmarks so I don't forget which one was there... and maybe stop drinking tap water I guess. Cure the hallucinations, right?

It's not about America's national defense or Iraq's struggle for stable, tyrant-free government, it's HOW CAN DEMOCRATS BENEFIT?

Actually, no. It's about both. We're talking about politicians after all. It just so happens that 64% of Americans think the war wasn't worth fighting and 56% favor a withdrawal even if order is not restored. It's hard to see how developing a plan for withdrawal wouldn't be politically beneficial to Democrats. However, as I explained earlier, there is more than one way to skin this cat. I was just expressing my belief that the Democrats have chosen the most effective, and at the same time beneficial, method of doing so. Also, you are implying that the war in Iraq is somehow benefiting the safety of America. Unfortunately, the country's top spy agencies strongly disagree with you.

Furthermore, you seem to think that Republicans are somehow ideologically pure. That they would never consider the political repercussions of their foreign policy choices. Frankly, that strikes me as extremely naive.

The only true deadline is when 99% of the enemy is dead and the other 1% is ready to surrender.

Which enemy are you talking about? The Sunni fueled insurgency? The Shiite militias? Al Qaeda? Radical Islamic terrorists? The fact is, it doesn't really matter which one you meant because we will never arrive at a point where 99% of them are dead. The violence we commit and the people we kill only serve to spawn more and more people who resist us. In fact, according to General Petraeus, the new Defense Secretary, "there is no military solution" in Iraq.

Don't sugarcoat liberal sabotage of the military and its mission.

The only people that have sabotaged the military are those in the White House and their Republican cronies. They have stretched our military to the breaking point during their experiment of spreading democracy at the business end of a rifle. They have neglected our wounded veterans after they came home.

Finally, Republicans in Congress had absolutely no problem using the ability granted them by the War Powers Act to force the removal of troops from Somalia in 1992. As a matter of fact, they attached it to an appropriations bill. Imagine that!

Do some research and stop drinking the Kool-Aid. WAKE UP!

The bears come running crying to the man, he asks what happened, they explain that their father got trapped and they want his help to rescue their old man.

When he sees the old bear trapped he offers some alcohol to ease the pain, the lil bear asks his father to stop drinking so much and to leave him some. Once he frees the bear, the bear offers some honey as repayment.

This is probably from the many state sponsored Russian children fantasy movies that were made around the 70s and 80s. They often combined live animals and their trainers with actors.