http://lyrics.wikia.com/Sage_Francis:The_Best_Of_Times

It's been a long and lonely trip but I'm glad that I took it because it was well worth it.
I got to read a couple books and do some research before I reached my verdict.
Never thought that I was perfect. Always thought that I had a purpose.
Used to wonder if I'd live to see my first kiss.

The most difficult thing I ever did was recite my own words at a service
Realizing the person I was addressing probably wasn't looking down from heaven.
Or cooking up something in hell's kitchen, trying to listen in or eaves drop from some another dimension.
It was self serving just like this is.

Conveniently religious on Easter Sunday and on Christmas.
The television went from being a babysitter to a mistress.
Technology made it easy for us to stay in touch while keeping a distance,
'til we just stayed distant and never touched. Now all we do is text too much.

I don't remember much from my youth. Maybe my memory is repressed.
Or I just spent too much time wondering if I'd live to have sex.
Fell in love for the first time in 4th grade but I didn't have the courage to talk to her.
In 8th grade I wrote her the note but I slipped it in someone else's locker.

Considered killing myself 'cause of that.
It was a big deal. It was a blown cover.
It was over for me. My goose was cooked.
Stick a fork in me. The jig is up.
I blew my chances, the rest is history, our future was torn asunder.
It became abundantly clear that I was only brought here to suffer.

At least I didn't include my name.
Thankfully I wrote the whole note in code
And it had 10 layers of scotch tape safety seal making it impossible to open.
Plus, it was set to self destruct.
Whoever read it probably died…laughing.
I wonder if they lived long enough to realize what happened.

A year later, I came to understand that wasn't love that I was feeling for her.
I had someone else to obsess over.
I was older. I was very mature.
I forged my time signature while practicing my parents autograph 'cause I was failing math.
Disconnected the phone when I thought the teacher would call my home.

I checked the mailbox twice a day at the end of a long dirt road.
Steamed open a couple envelopes like I was in private detective mode.
If you snoop around long enough for something in particular you're guaranteed to find it.
For better or worse that's how I learned that it's best to just keep some things private.

It was the best of times. It was the end of times.

It was the best of times. It was the end of times.
I was always on deck, I was next in line.
An only child with a pen and pad writing a list of things that I could never have.
The walls in my house were paper thin.
Every squabble seemed to get deafening.
If my memory serves me correctly I made it a point to void and forget some things.
Probably to keep from being embarrassed.
Never meant to upset or give grief to my parents.
Kept my secrets…hid my talents…
In my head, never under the mattress.

Therapy couldn't break me.
Never learned a word that would insure safety.
So I spoke softly and I tip toed often.
The door to my room was like a big old coffin.
The way that it creeked when I closed it shut.
Anxieties peaked when it opened up.
As if everything that I was thinking would be exposed.
I still sleep fully clothed.

It was the best of times.

It was beautiful.
It was brutal.
It was cruel.
It was business as usual.

Heaven. It was hell.
Used to wonder if I'd live to see 12.

When I did I figured that I was immortal.
Loved to dance but couldn't make it to the formal.
Couldn't bear watching my imaginary girlfriend
Bust a move with any other dudes.

Tone Loc was talking bout a "Wild Thang"
But I was still caught up in some child thangs.
Scared of a God who couldn't spare the rod.
It was clearly a brimstone and fire thang.

Pyromaniac. Kleptomaniac.
Couldn't explain my desire to steal that fire.
Now I add it to my rider.
Like "Please oh please don't throw me in that patch of brier!"

It was the best of times. It was the end of times.

The school counselor was clueless 'cause I never skipped classes.
Perfect attendance. Imperfect accent.
Speech impediment they could never really fix
And I faked bad eyesight so I could wear glasses.

Considered doing something that would cripple me.
I wanted a wheelchair. I wanted the sympathy.
I wanted straight teeth so then came braces.
4 years of head gear helped me change faces.

It was the best of times. It was the end of times.

Now I wonder if I'll live to see marriage.
Wonder if I'll live long enough to have kids.
Wonder if I'll live to see my kids have kids.
If I do I'm gonna tell 'em how it is.

"Don't listen when they tell you that these are your best years.
Don't let anybody protect your ears.
It's best that you hear what they don't want you to hear.
It's better to have pressure from peers than not have peers.
Beer won't give you chest hair. Spicy food won't make it curl.
When you think you've got it all figured out and then everything collapses…
Trust me, kid…it's not the end of the world."

Somalia is as @renatojj describes it. There are no private property rights and no rule of law.

Libertarians are not anarchists.

But seeing how @Drachen may believe that American corporations are the same as warlord-driven Somalian gangs, I hereby swear allegiance to the McDonald's' McMillitia.

'Egg McMuffin' is just a beautiful name for a boy. Or a girl.


>> ^bcglorf:

>> ^renatojj:
@Drachen_Jager, Uh... no? Somalia is very oppressed by criminal militias, that's a huge restriction to doing business, how do you suggest I secure private property and enforce contracts in that environment? A society that is not civilized, has no freedoms, including your precious freedom of speech.
You aren't taking this seriously, I'm a bit disappointed. Is this recession a joke to you?

His point stands, there is no central government doing the repressing. Somalia IS the utopia that the extremist libertarian/anarchistic minded folk are lobbying for. If you want to eliminate ALL taxation and ALL government rule, Somalia IS what results.

>> ^renatojj:

@Drachen_Jager, Uh... no? Somalia is very oppressed by criminal militias, that's a huge restriction to doing business, how do you suggest I secure private property and enforce contracts in that environment? A society that is not civilized, has no freedoms, including your precious freedom of speech.
You aren't taking this seriously, I'm a bit disappointed. Is this recession a joke to you?


His point stands, there is no central government doing the repressing. Somalia IS the utopia that the extremist libertarian/anarchistic minded folk are lobbying for. If you want to eliminate ALL taxation and ALL government rule, Somalia IS what results.

>> ^Drachen_Jager:

>> ^renatojj:
United States knows the importance of free speech but doesn't have a free economy. China is reaping the benefits of a freer economy but is still scared of free speech.

Yeah, Go Foxconn, the employees are reaping some really good suicide benefits there! Or how 'bout all those miners killed every year in China. Those guys really reaped some benefits.
Melamine in your milk = Benefit of a freer economy
School collapses and kills your children because contractor cheaped out on concrete = Benefit of freer economy
People make unhealthy fake eggs through chemistry and sell them at the market = Benefit of a freer economy
Sign me up, sounds GREAT!
Yes, they actually do make fake eggs and sell them to unsuspecting customers in China, it's a big business.
Thank you, but no. I'd like some restrictions on the economy. China is a perfect example of why Libertarians are so damn wrong.


Get off your soapbox Snoopy, there wouldn't be a powerful China without American capitalists offshoring everything to take advantage of cheap labour/costs and then importing the products back. Or do Apple (a US company last time I checked) get off scott free because somehow they didn't know their products were being produced by near slavery..?

>> ^njjh201:

Cool let's now see the sequel, "Chinese Youth Discuss what is Wrong with what happened at Tiannenmen Square in June 1989"
No?
Oh OK then.


And there's American arrogance, assuming that everything is exactly how you believe it is... The chinese government certainly represses knowledge of Tiannenmen, but you'd have to be a moron to believe people don't remember and word doesn't spread, and people are told to not get caught talking about it...

ps. Funny how the greatest assistant to the repression of knowledge re: Tiannenmen square is *drumroll* the US company Google and their willingness to allow regions to dictate what appears on their localised Google.

I'll release my tax returns... AFTER I'm the only candidate.

He's got a lot of faith in the republican talent for repressing Cognitive dissonance.

>> ^cosmovitelli:

>> ^Yogi:
>> ^artician:
I'm so curious to why people reject that notion. Is it purely fear of other religions and cultures? Are that many americans actually for invading other countries? I've never encountered that state of mind before, at all. From my experience most people are pretty quick to equate War with Evil.

I have a theory that most Americans know pretty much what we're doing. The fight between the indoctrinated (both the right and the left) is actually a fight about how we should go about doing what we're doing in the world..
Democratic presidents aren't any better on war crimes than Republican presidents. They just seem to be in the business of trying to tell everyone they're being nice and when they have to do something awful it's all the other countries fault...
This is also helped along by the media who play their role well.

Exactly. Without war America goes back to the 30's - California's border closed, 400,000,000 acres of farmland turned to dust by greed and lack of regulation, stillbirths due to malnutrition, bank of America paying people (WHITE People!) 5c a day for picking lettuce and beating them in some cases to DEATH for demanding a liveable wage (it was 25c before the excess labour turned up from the dust bowl).
Then corresponding communist organisation by the workers, FBI involvent in repression via total constitutional breaches, etc etc.
Without WW2 it looked like civil war - or reduction to a slave force for big east coast finance. Then the massive battle fleet parked off the coast of Japan mysteriously provoked an attack - and whammo - a job for everyone, a new massive industry (still what America spends half of all it's money on to this day), and a border extended effectively all the way around the globe, allowing the cycle to start again except on a much bigger stage.
What happens now when the organisms reach the edge of the petri dish? Well, better stick some of that annual $1 trillion into FTL research cos we're going to need a new planet.
The choice - face up to it, or shout boo at anyone who tries to tell you the truth.


Welcome to the world of bullshit for people who only speak and know bullshit -- that's everyone, FYI. And it's going to be that way for all of time, whether it's at the workplace of 2012, politics in 3012, or Sunday school at the Grand Cabal's Science Center for Observable Theological Theory in the year 100,012. I already have FTL drives and I keep em powered up wherever I go.

>> ^Yogi:

>> ^artician:
I'm so curious to why people reject that notion. Is it purely fear of other religions and cultures? Are that many americans actually for invading other countries? I've never encountered that state of mind before, at all. From my experience most people are pretty quick to equate War with Evil.

I have a theory that most Americans know pretty much what we're doing. The fight between the indoctrinated (both the right and the left) is actually a fight about how we should go about doing what we're doing in the world..
Democratic presidents aren't any better on war crimes than Republican presidents. They just seem to be in the business of trying to tell everyone they're being nice and when they have to do something awful it's all the other countries fault...
This is also helped along by the media who play their role well.


Exactly. Without war America goes back to the 30's - California's border closed, 400,000,000 acres of farmland turned to dust by greed and lack of regulation, stillbirths due to malnutrition, bank of America paying people (WHITE People!) 5c a day for picking lettuce and beating them in some cases to DEATH for demanding a liveable wage (it was 25c before the excess labour turned up from the dust bowl).
Then corresponding communist organisation by the workers, FBI involvent in repression via total constitutional breaches, etc etc.

Without WW2 it looked like civil war - or reduction to a slave force for big east coast finance. Then the massive battle fleet parked off the coast of Japan mysteriously provoked an attack - and whammo - a job for everyone, a new massive industry (still what America spends half of all it's money on to this day), and a border extended effectively all the way around the globe, allowing the cycle to start again except on a much bigger stage.

What happens now when the organisms reach the edge of the petri dish? Well, better stick some of that annual $1 trillion into FTL research cos we're going to need a new planet.

The choice - face up to it, or shout boo at anyone who tries to tell you the truth.

@MycroftHomlz

I am disappointed that some people can so readily decry just about anything as antisemitism. "Silly" was the harshest word I used, and I think most things about any religion are just that. I didn't even mention that I think they are self-righteous, arrogant, delusional, hate-filled, racist, sexually-repressed misogynists.

I'm an anti-theist, not an antisemite. Big difference. Also, human beings invented the Golden Rule centuries (millenia?) before they invented Jesus, and Confucius wrote it down long before Matthew did.

Their behaviour toward this little girl is despicable, and... they kinda remind me of the black "Spy vs Spy" guy, and he was definitely Jewish!

Freedom of speech is not freedom from criticism or judgement. No one is going to arrest you for what you say here, but when you engage in controversial speech, you should expect assessment.

I don't say these things to you for political gain. To be blunt, your commentary easily harms your cause more than it helps it. Your unique blend of childish language and unfocussed rage is not a threat. You are ignored, mocked and humbled in argument on a daily basis. Even when you do occasionally engage in lengthier analysis, it usually does not command much interest, support or respect. You do a fair job at keeping yourself marginalized without any help from me, so let's not pretend this is about keeping your politics down.

I'm not sure what you are getting at with disease and mental health. The gay people I know seem higher than average when it comes to mental health, and HIV effects both gay and straight, both women and men. I'm not sure what your point is. Do you think gay people should not be treated with respect or given equal rights because they are at higher risk of getting AIDS? Do you want to quarantine gay people? Sterilized? Do you want it mandated that they to go through life without romantic love because you don't approve? Or do you just want to be able to say you don't like homosexuality free from judgement? None of these is going to happen for you.

I disagree with your contention that conservatism is a one way street. I've seen many conservatives convert to the more liberal conservative libertarianism movement, shedding the prejudice, aggression, nationalism and repression that characterizes the social conservatism of the mainstream right. I see very few conservative libertarians take the next step to liberalism, so you might be right about going all the way, but there is certainly evidence to suggest that your brand of social conservatism dies a little more with each new generation.

Thanks for trying to at least provide some references Ghark. I'm curious how credible you honestly believe them to be though. All but 2 of them are to the same blog, the one is a very short piece by Ynet with nothing more to say than that SANA declares itself the victim and the other is a different blog reporting proof that America supports activists in authoritarian countries.

That last bit seems to be the most veracious of all the claims, but I wouldn't call it 'news'. America(sadly, like virtually all governments) not only supports repressed activists but has also actively supported what can only be called terrorists and has on multiple occasions participated in the overthrow of foreign rulers through covert and even overt assassinations. Don't mistake my claims here as being based on the naive notion that America or the CIA would never do anything like this, as they have and without a doubt will again. My claim is much different, and so is Tarpley's.

The important nuance I think your missing in my disagreement with Tarpley here is that his claim is NOT CIA support for a Syrian uprising. His claim is that there is, in fact, no legitimate Syrian uprising and that it is all a facade orchestrated by the CIA, Mossad, or whomever else he thinks is the puppet master. The truth of the matter is that the Syrian people are now living under their second generation of brutal dictatorship. The truth of the matter is that the Syrian people have seen the difference between the free world and their own, and those people have taken to the streets. Importantly to our discussion here, one of the ways they have seen the difference between freedom and repression has been through social media, like facebook, twitter and to at least some extent our dear videosift here as well.

The sources you referenced supporting Tarpley's notions on Syria all point back to either SANA, the Syrian state media, Al-Alam, the Iranian state media or XinhuaNet, China's state media. For brevity I won't point out the massive number of articles from the NYtimes, the CBC and BBC all reporting on the Syrian protesters being brutally repressed and murdered by Syrian forces. If you wish, I can fill out a page with supporting links, but I hope you might be able to recognize that at the very minimum these sources balance out with equal support. I would go further and posit that state funded media like CBC and BBC are vastly more independent from the state message than SANA and Al-Alam, but it isn't necessary to my argument.

If you accept my generous notion that the above can be called a draw, and we throw them out as having a bias one way or the other, what are we left with?

We are left with Al Jazeera reporting an entirely different story than Tarpley's:
http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/Syria

If you want more links from Al Jazeera they have a wealth of stories from all manner of separate and independent sources all backing their overall view that there is a legitimate internal Syrian uprising independently demanding the basic freedoms of a democracy, and the Syrian government met them with deadly repression, over and over and over again.

Is Al Jazeera a pro American tool of the CIA?

I'm going to cite what I consider to be very basic, fundamental facts but if you want references for them I can provide them if you don't trust a 5 second google verification of them.

The UN human rights committee voted 122 in favor of condemning Syria's crackdown, are they a pro American tool of the CIA?

The Arab League has threatened to revoke Syria's membership and asked that Syria allow their monitors into the country as a path to reconciliation, which Syria rejected.

Is the Arab League a pro America tool of the CIA?

>> ^bcglorf:

>> ^ghark:
@bcglorf - It's called news - if specific elements of what he says are untrue then feel free to disprove them - all you've done is used his involvement in a 9/11 movement as your 'proof' which is circumstantial at best. Marbles didn't make the video, he posted it, this site is called "Videosift" - a place where, you know, video's can be sifted. If you disagree with the message then attack the facts not the guy who added to the value of the site with an informative video. Unlike journalists where you seem to get your news from, Tarpley has (apparently) visited the country and talked to the people, there would be very few journalists that could give his perspective if this is true.
PS Was wondering when I'd see you next bcglorf, I missed you.

Al Jazeera has multiple journalists in Syria, all of whom are well agreed that the protests all started peacefully and were met with deadly force from the regime. The Arab league, who's member nations each have embassies in Syria with multiple diplomats living in the country, are also well agreed that the protesters were the victims of regime death squads. The Syrian refugees that fled to Turkey are all well agreed that the protesters were the victims of regime death squads.
The ONLY source that in any way corroborates Tarpley's story here is Assad's own media. I do believe that in itself calls into question Tarpley's veracity. When his sole evidence is basically his own word, trust him, I think it worth noting his past record of trustworthiness.
As for contributing, I don't consider propaganda bought and paid for by the Syrian regime a positive contribution to the plight of the Syrian people.



You do realise that people willing to spend 10 seconds on a Google search can verify whether your statements are true or not right?

Back in April alone:
(links available from http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2011/04/video-reporting-possible-ciasaudi.html)

The Al-Alam News Network reports that Saudi/CIA snipers are on rooftops firing at both protesters and Syrian forces

CNN reported that an unknown armed group had been firing on both protesters and Syrian forces alike (they go on to presume that it was Syrian forces that apparently opened fire on themselves which I find odd).

China's XinhuaNet reported that armed gangs had clashed with protesters and Syrian forces, killing members of both sides.

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported equipment from these armed forces had been recovered, there were non-Syrian SMS cards and other tools to spread fake repression of protesters.

Ynet also reported a similar story, finding fake bottles of blood and other items - they reported that "the phones and cameras were carried by members of an armed criminal group that attacked a military location in Rakhem al-Hirak area in Daraa countryside"
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4059951,00.html

The assistant US secretary of state for human rights and labor (Michael Posner) in an AFP report said that the US had budgeted $50 million in the past 2 years to help 'activists' evade authoritarian Governments.
http://www.activistpost.com/2011/04/us-trains-activists-to-evade-security.html

In terms of who the actual gunmen are, there is only circumstantial evidence from what I've seen - some of it is discussed here:
http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2011/04/video-reporting-possible-ciasaudi.html

There appears to be links with a group called Gen-next, and there is a precedent to this type of interference with local uprising - that link talks about armed units killing both Thai military and protesters alike in 2010.

And more information on them (with working vids of the Thai attacks) here:
http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2011/04/color-revolutions-mystery-gunmen.html

Anyway, it's the same old story with you, your comments are abrasive towards those opposed to your abhorrent ideology and your 'facts' are verifiably untrue. It's a shame because you seem more intelligent than some of the other trolls so you have potential to improve, you simply decide not to.

The real story is that these gunmen are a mystery to almost everyone, they appear to be showing up frequently, they appear to be corporate backed, they don't appear to be part of the local armed forces because they routinely attack them. Making a bold statement about their intentions seems difficult due to the circumstantial evidence against them, however the fact that they are operating in multiple countries and the US is pouring millions of dollars into these kinds of efforts (and has done over and over again in the past) indicates that it is likely not of Syrian origin.

You would like this guy wouldn't you Marbles. For the record, Webster Tarpley is a central figure in the 9/11 truther movement. Here is proof again that there are big elements of the truther crowd being manipulated and used by brutal maniacal dictators to try and blame America for their people rising up. It plainly couldn't be that they resent having been repressed, tortured and murdered by the dictator.

For the record, the Arab League is condemning Assad's crackdowns and demanding Arab observers be allowed to simply be present in Syria to confirm the regime(and lackey's like Webster) are telling the truth. Assad is refusing.

Worse, Webster further obfuscates things with half truths about how tolerant and mixed Syrian society is, which is true. The civilian populations spans christian, muslim, arab and non-arab, and they generally do get along as well as their counterparts in Egypt. The trick is NOBODY is calling that into question. The same was true when Assad's father decided to turn an entire town into rubble to massacre a muslim brotherhood protest that had attempted to start. The civilians are getting along with each other well enough, it's the regime they have beef with and it's the regime that is responding with violence, repression and brutality.

The truth is, as a group we're too nice, too honest, too forgiving, and too independent, which is why the right ends up eating our lunch so often.

NICE
http://michellemalkin.com/2011/01/10/the-progressive-climate-of-hate-an-illustrated-primer-2000-2010/
http://michellemalkin.com/category/unhinged/assassination-chic/
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2653895/posts
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.8760/pub_detail.asp
http://conservapedia.com/Liberal_hate_speech
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=41108
http://jonjayray.tripod.com/hate.html

Liberal/leftist philosophy is prodominantly driven by hatred, not kindness.

HONEST
http://www.ivorydome.us/category/unhinged-liberals/showcases-of-liberal-dishonesty/
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1905914/posts
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/50lies.asp
http://www.audacityofhypocrisy.com/fashion-shows/
http://www.nationalreview.com/campaign-spot/4701/long-post-complete-list-obama-statement-expiration-dates
http://scottthong.wordpress.com/2007/10/10/mainstream-media-dishonesty-101-liberal-media-lies/

How do you know a leftist is lying? His lips are moving.

FORGIVING
http://conservapedia.com/Double_standard
http://www.gargaro.com/bias.html
THIS VIDEO

If leftists were 'forgiving' then this video would never have been posted, right?

INDEPENDANT
http://blog.chron.com/sciguy/2006/04/a-majority-of-american-arent-intellectually-curious/
http://jonjayray.tripod.com/rudin.html
http://www.carolinajournal.com/issues/display_story.html?id=679
http://www.intellectualtakeout.org/content/quotes-liberal-bias-education-campus-classroom-college?library_node=67198
http://webpages.charter.net/tomeboy/leftout.html
http://snorphty.blogspot.com/

Most leftists are (politically and intelectually speaking) a bunch of lemming-sheep. When they encounter ideas that oppose thier own, they do not try to mentally adjust to them. They seek to repress them and criminalize free speech that differs from theirs.

Now - this cuts both ways. The right wing is no haven of fairness either. However, to claim the political left is just so gosh-darn nice/tolerant/forgiving is absolute bunk. The political left contains some of the most intolerant, least forgiving, cruellest, bunch of brain-dead robots on the planet. To claim otherwise is to ignore facts and reality.

But on topic - yeah Perry blew it big time and diamonds to dollars he is toast. He just doesn't do well in public speaking. Last night's winner? Newt Gingrich. He kicked @$$.

@quantumushroom
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech
not only the canucks, my dear troll.

@luxury_pie

I'm ashamed that the ACLU made up 'hate crime' laws out of thin air; more so that it was Jews (in this case, liberal Jews) behind it. I don't know if they got their cue from more repressive regimes or we gave them the 'bright' idea.

I don't have as much respect for a country that still stops BOOKS at the border (no 1st Amendment). If Canada can't handle unpopular speech, just wait until the muslims start arriving en masse.

Oh, and you lefters are getting slack. Only -2 for these comments? It should be -4, minimum!

According to Occupy Oakland, they will fight back:
This morning at 5am over 500 police in riot gear from cities all over central California brutally attacked the Occupy Oakland encampment at 14th & Broadway. The police attacked the peaceful protest with flash grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets after moving in with armored vehicles. Apparently the media was not allowed in to document this repression, and the police established barricades as far apart as 11th and 17th. Over 70 people were arrested and the camp gear was destroyed and/or stolen by the riot police.