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By Mark D, March 30, 2012 2:15 pm

So I was reading this story and I think it’s rather easy to see what’s going on. Quite simply doctors have made the umbrella or the catch all classifications far far too wide. It seems like today you run into more and more kids who have to be on medication for ADD, or claim that their social interactions are bad because of autism or aspergers. While there are some people who truly do suffer, it seems like there are plenty who just need a push in the right direction.

For example, when I was in Public School they continually tried to force my mom to put me on medication. It was mostly because I was a handful to deal with. For that matter I was a handful to deal with my whole time in school, so that isn’t too surprising. It actually got to the point that during 3rd grade they wanted to switch me over to Special Ed. My mom had gotten tired of dealing with them and made the decision to switch me over to the Catholic School. Of course while I was still there I took a literacy test and scored on a nearly adult level in 3rd grade. Since it actually made the school look good, they ended up begging my mom to keep me in the school. She laughed.

One girl I used to date, her brother supposedly had really, really bad ADD. But amazingly the kid could sit down and play video games for every waking second he was out of school. But the second you’d try to tear him away from playing a game to do some homework, he would freak. If he was just doing whatever he wanted, he would normally be fine. But the second you tried to force him to do something he would freak out. By saying he was doing what he wanted, it was normally just playing video games.

Another girl I knew took the cake though. She was the perfect example of Munchhausen syndrome by proxy. You see she had a daughter with a maniac from West Virginia while she was in college. So for the first year of the girls life she was basically locked in a playpen. When she finally moved back home, she almost immediately got the kid diagnosed with autism. All of the suddenly she had the huge autism awareness bow on her car, she wore the autism awareness bracelet everywhere. Whenever the kid was out of control it was always because of autism and not bad parenting.

Of course what she more then likely failed to ever tell any doctor is how the kid basically had no development at all for at least the first year of her life. Meanwhile whenever I dealt with the kid she was fine, and nothing that she did seemed so far out of the realm of possibility for a kid that was 4-5 years old by then. For example, what kid growing up didn’t get in trouble for biting (or supposedly biting) another kid? It’s a bit worse if your 12 as compared to 5 when it happened.

I realize that these are just my experiences, and some kids really do suffer. But even the experts are willing to admit that autism in all it’s different forms have been over-diagnosed because it’s easier. It’s a lot tougher to help a kid out when he’s suffering from anxiety, poor development, or any of a number of issues that might truly be the root cause of the problem. Especially with schools pushing for any and all trouble makers to be immediately diagnosed with ADD and put on Ritalin.

It’s almost as if someone read “Brave New World” and decided that it was a good guide on how to cure most of the problems in a school. Drugging kids who might not even be suffering from what you’ve diagnosed them with is one of the things that worries me most in this society. It’s always a run to the quick fix and the drugs, instead of actually trying to fix things. I really hope as mentioned at the end of the story that they start tightening up and changing some of the diagnoses. Maybe then we’ll see a drop in the number of internet users claiming that they have Aspergers.

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By Mark D, December 28, 2011 6:29 am

The speech had been proceeding for perhaps twenty minutes when a messenger hurried on to the platform and a scrap of paper was slipped into the speaker’s hand. He unrolled and read it without pausing in his speech. Nothing altered in his voice or manner, or in the content of what he was saying, but suddenly the names were different. Without words said, a wave of understanding rippled through the crowd. Oceania was at war with Eastasia! The next moment there was a tremendous commotion. The banners and posters with which the square was decorated were all wrong! Quite half of them had the wrong faces on them. It was sabotage! The agents of Goldstein had been at work! There was a riotous interlude while posters were ripped from the walls, banners torn to shreds and trampled underfoot. The Spies performed prodigies of activity in clambering over the rooftops and cutting the streamers that fluttered from the chimneys. But within two or three minutes it was all over. The orator, still gripping the neck of the microphone, his shoulders hunched forward, his free hand clawing at the air, had gone straight on with his speech. One minute more, and the feral roars of rage were again bursting from the crowd. The Hate continued exactly as before, except that the target had been changed.

And so most American troops leave Iraq. But the lesson is already forgotten by the American public. Iraq joins a long list of wars in which we took part on false pretenses. The Spanish American War (USS Maine) and as a offshot the occupation of the Philippines, the Vietnam War and First Iraq War were all started because of lies. But the war drums started beating and everyone fell into line. No one asked questions, no one backed off the ledge despite one of the biggest anti-war demonstrations around the world at the time.

The time will come again that we will invade and occupy some country, and no one will bat an eye. The drums will beat, the talking heads will talk, and before we know it we’ll be in a war. When someone asks even the simplest questions like how it will be paid for? or just how a weapon of mass destruction could reach the mainland of the United States? The answer will be why aren’t you patriotic?

Even the “opposition” will fall into line and rally behind the flag. The questions will be unanswered, and no one will dare to look behind the curtain. It wouldn’t be supporting the troops if you dared to ask those questions. Forget the fact that some of them will die, some of them will never be able to live the life they had hoped. Forget the fact that thousands of human beings will end up dead. Nope, if you question anything the simple response will just be that your not supporting the troops.

The girl I was dating at the start of the 2nd Iraq War thought I was insane when I was against the war. She thought people were going to try to lynch me for what I was saying. A few years later she admitted all this to me, and admitted she couldn’t believe that I was actually right about so much of it. She thought at the time that Saddam Hussein was moments away from destroying the United States at anytime he wanted. Now she actually listens to me when I start rambling about politics.

It’s almost enough to make me wonder what is being taught in schools. I mean are kids learning that the explosion of the USS Maine was an accident, or just that it was suspicious. Are they told about the yellow journalism of the time and how Hearst wanted to start a war to increase paper circulation? Does it mention the long occupation of the Philippines which lead to the creation of the Anti-Imperalist league and had such highly regarded figures as Mark Twain, Grover Cleveland and Andrew Carnegie among others.

What does it say about the Vietnam War and the Gulf Of Tonkin incident now? With hindsight (and papers which were classified for 30 years) we now know that no incident took place that night. For that matter we know that the American ship in the area a few days before had opened fire on the North Vietnamese torpedo boats. And yet we not only have the loss of life of 50K Americans for no good cause, but a high estimate of nearly 4 million dead all told. For what?

So we look towards Iraq and wonder what the legacy will be. Will people find a way to say that American troops in Iraq somehow helped the Arab Spring? Despite the fact of the matter being that America had propped up most of the dictatorships which were taken down. The debate about the legacy will in the end most likely mask the reality of the situation for those who lived it. No one wants to admit when everything is over and done that their sacrifice was for nothing.

We the people are no better then the Proles in 1984. We will turn on a dime, our friends today will be our enemies tomorrow. Those who point out what is going on behind the curtain will be shouted down and beaten down by the drums. The lies that were used to get us into the war will no longer work. But it doesn’t matter after we’re already there, and the reasons change after the matter. So no longer was it to stop Hussein from having WMDs, but the spread of democracy.

The lies just get bigger and bigger and more blatant every time. If you have not stood up in the past, then when will you take a stand about what’s wrong? Now is the time for people to demand changes within the government. We shouldn’t have to wait 30 years or more for documents to become declassified. We the people are the base of power for the government, it answers to us.

But if we allow our representatives to do whatever they want without consequence, in the end we lose. In the end it is the boot stomping our own faces for eternity. The best part is that it will be the people we continually choose to Represent us. All the facades of democracy will still exist, but it won’t matter as both sides work together. Now is the time, between wars, to work on a lasting and true peace. To let the government know that it won’t get away with lieing to us again.

Over the horizon, the war drums echo their familiar beat…

Comments (4)

By Mark D, March 29, 2011 12:07 am

I might be paranoid, but I really don’t think so. No idea where this person got my instant messenger from, but I’m almost 99% sure they were trolling me. It says something about my mentality, because whenever a woman hits on me online I think it might be someone trolling me. This has hurt me a few times in real life as I’ve gotten hit on and not noticed it at all. BTW: If you a cute chick that used to work at Music Warehouse, or Some Music Store that was across the block from the Tom’s River Mall and hit on a guy buying two Drain STH CDs, please Email me, lol.

Session Start (webbard:sexyfinale696969): Tue Jan 11 00:08:14 2011 -0500
sexyfinale696969: heeeeey
webbard: ?
sexyfinale696969: “sexyfinale696969 (sexyfinale696969)” signed on at Tue Jan 11 00:08:25 2011.
sexyfinale696969: I saw you on POF
sexyfinale696969: You’re so sexy
webbard: lol\
sexyfinale696969: Yeah?
webbard: I put my instant messanger in it?
sexyfinale696969: well I tried your name on there
sexyfinale696969: and it worked
webbard: it shouldn’t have, I use a different user name
sexyfinale696969: Um well for some reason this name was on there
webbard: lol, who is this for real?
sexyfinale696969: Um my name’s Jen
webbard: when did you see my profile?
sexyfinale696969: A while ago I had your name and was gonna IM you but I was kind of nervous
sexyfinale696969: cause i hadn’t IMed anyone from POF yet
webbard: whats your POF profile?
sexyfinale696969: I don’t really have one…I just look at the profiles…I had one for a little bit but I didn’t put anything on there and deleted it cause I wasn’t intending on actually using it
sexyfinale696969: I know it’s pathetic
webbard: I don’t know, your acting really supicious
sexyfinale696969: Oooookay and you’re actin gweird
webbard: and to tell you the truth, I think I met just about the absolute perfect girl for me
sexyfinale696969: I dunno maybe IMing you was amistake
webbard: facebook?
sexyfinale696969: My name is Jen Garcia look it up
webbard: town?
sexyfinale696969: West Chester
sexyfinale696969: I go to college there
webbard: k
webbard: can’t find you, whats your email?
sexyfinale696969: Oh shit… I might be private but try sexyjen00@
webbard: can’t find ya
sexyfinale696969: huh…yeah i might be private let me check my settings
sexyfinale696969: oh yeah, shit
sexyfinale696969: I remember I set it that way cause of my ex
webbard: k
sexyfinale696969: so what are you up to?
webbard: not much at the moment, you?
sexyfinale696969: Well I was watching Toy Story 3 now I’m eating icecream
sexyfinale696969: I’m such a fatty
webbard: lol. it sounds like a good night
sexyfinale696969: It is….but I’m a bit lonely
webbard: any pics?\
sexyfinale696969: yeah I think I have some around here
sexyfinale696969: File shared: (hotme.jpg) (Link: http://lifestream.aol.com/photo/tmp/486be3e01f856c1d648544c20f7ef3aa/hotme.jpg)http://lifestream.aol.com/photo/tmp/486be3e01f856c1d648544c20f7ef3aa/hotme.jpg

webbard: lol, come on
sexyfinale696969: What?
webbard: no one that looks like that would be bothering with me
sexyfinale696969: ooooookay
sexyfinale696969: What is THAT supposed to mean?
webbard: Mostly I don’t believe thats a pic of you]
sexyfinale696969: and why is that?
sexyfinale696969: Because you think no one this good looking would talk to you?
sexyfinale696969: REally?
sexyfinale696969: Oh okay wow
webbard: both]
sexyfinale696969: both what?
sexyfinale696969: Ugh whatever you’re so rude
sexyfinale696969: I was going to try to get to knwo you but whatever
webbard: well you are being even more vague
sexyfinale696969: what do you fucking mean?
sexyfinale696969: you probably don’t want to talk to me cause I’m latino
webbard: no facebook, no POF profile, no reason that you have my AIM
webbard: lmao
sexyfinale696969: I’m fucking serious
webbard: no, not at all, thats just silly
sexyfinale696969: don’t you fucking laugh at me
sexyfinale696969: I’m sorry I ever talked to you, racist pig
webbard: lol]
sexyfinale696969: You have been disconnected.
sexyfinale696969: “sexyfinale696969 (sexyfinale696969)” signed on at Tue Jan 11 00:41:38 2011.
Session Close (sexyfinale696969): Tue Jan 11 00:58:04 2011 -0500

Session Start (webbard:sexyfinale696969): Tue Jan 11 01:21:56 2011 -0500
sexyfinale696969: hey…um I’m sorry about the racist thing
sexyfinale696969: I got worked up
webbard: no problem
sexyfinale696969: I don’t understand why you said the things you did though
webbard: whats your facebook or myspace or something?
sexyfinale696969: well like I said before it is jen garcia but like
sexyfinale696969: I don’t have a myspace
sexyfinale696969: i did but I deleted it cause I didn’t need it
webbard: well I can’t find you on facebook
sexyfinale696969: I’m sorry
sexyfinale696969: =\
sexyfinale696969: I guess you can’t cause I’m private
webbard: I’d still be able to see some of it if you gave me your email
sexyfinale696969: i don’t really know what to tell you
webbard: a real picture?
sexyfinale696969: Ummm that was my real picture
sexyfinale696969: geez
sexyfinale696969: whatever
sexyfinale696969: I only IMed you cause I wanted sex
webbard: do you realize how crazy that sounds?
sexyfinale696969: Well to be honest I want to find someone to father my children
webbard: that makes a little more sense, but still, why would you think someone would be interested?
sexyfinale696969: I guess I’m jsut a bit desperate
sexyfinale696969: All the guys at west chester aren’t my type nor do they seem like the fathering type and i dunno i just
sexyfinale696969: *sigh*
webbard: you shouldn’t look for the fathering type
sexyfinale696969: how come?
webbard: just find someone that makes you happy and hope for the best
webbard: no reason to rush into having kids
sexyfinale696969: you might be right, i guess i am just in a hurry because my parents want me to start a family soon
sexyfinale696969: what kind of person would you look for?
webbard: truthfully I think I found the right person for me already
sexyfinale696969: really? awww
sexyfinale696969: well that is a shame for me
sexyfinale696969: but what is she like?
webbard: yes
webbard: she’s a lot like me for the most part
sexyfinale696969: I guess I should look for someone who is like me as well
sexyfinale696969: are you guys dating then?
webbard: I
webbard: I’m not sure, We’ve only been on one date
sexyfinale696969: but you know her really well?
webbard: it feels like it, because we are a lot alike
sexyfinale696969: ahhh I see
webbard: yea
sexyfinale696969: i guess she lives near you then? Is she latino as well?
webbard: no, and she lives about 30-40 min away
sexyfinale696969: that isn’t too bad
webbard: nope
sexyfinale696969: I’m guessing she’s white then
webbard: yes, but I’ve dated more then just white girls
sexyfinale696969: yeah gotta keep it politically correct
webbard: lol, no
sexyfinale696969: herp derp
webbard: lol, who is this?
sexyfinale696969: I dunno
webbard: well your funny as fuck
webbard: just obvious troll is obvious
sexyfinale696969: huh….
sexyfinale696969: interesting
Session Close (sexyfinale696969): Tue Jan 11 02:29:53 2011 -0500

Session Start (gambkind:sexyfinale696969): Tue Jan 11 02:38:30 2011 -0500
sexyfinale696969: *sigh* I guess I’ll never find love
sexyfinale696969: helllooo are you there anymore?
sexyfinale696969: I guess you ran off to touch yourself
Session Close (sexyfinale696969): Tue Jan 11 02:49:00 2011 -0500

Session Start (webbard:sexyfinale696969): Sat Mar 12 00:39:43 2011 -0500
sexyfinale696969: Long time no talk
webbard: who?
sexyfinale696969: don’t you remember me?
sexyfinale696969: Oh wait I changed my aim
webbard: your a bot
sexyfinale696969: it was simplegenie
sexyfinale696969: no no I’m not
sexyfinale696969: o_O
sexyfinale696969: weirdo
webbard: lol, bot
sexyfinale696969: Yeah okay sure
sexyfinale696969: Like I could talk like this to you
sexyfinale696969: if I was a bot
sexyfinale696969: *sigh*
sexyfinale696969: I IMed you like a long time ago
sexyfinale696969: I saw you on POF
sexyfinale696969: and we talked
sexyfinale696969: geez
webbard: wait, why the 6969696 at the end?
sexyfinale696969: because that’s a sex position duuuh
sexyfinale696969: and I can’t have numbers in my name?
sexyfinale696969: suddenly?
webbard: okay, it just comes off as a bot
sexyfinale696969: oh i’m sorry
webbard: and I use this for multiple accounts
sexyfinale696969: i didn’t realize
sexyfinale696969: oh i see
webbard: usually I get spammed out of the blue on my yahoo
sexyfinale696969: ahhh
sexyfinale696969: yeah no I’m nota bot I hate them
webbard: truthfully, I don’t remember, unless you have a pic
sexyfinale696969: oh okay I’ll find one
(null): sexyfinale696969 is trying to send you “hotme.jpg”.
webbard: didn’t work, do you have any posted?
sexyfinale696969: What do you mean?
(null): sexyfinale696969 is trying to send you “hotme.jpg”.
webbard: can you email it?
sexyfinale696969: yeah i can
sexyfinale696969: wuts your email
webbard: webbard@webbard
sexyfinale696969: sent
webbard: ahh, your name is familiar
sexyfinale696969: yeah
webbard: your a small girl though
sexyfinale696969: we chatted liek a few months ago
sexyfinale696969: haha yeah my friends say that
sexyfinale696969: is that bad?
webbard: no, except I’m not small at all, lol
sexyfinale696969: oh?
webbard: yea, I’m a big guy
sexyfinale696969: oh my
sexyfinale696969: well I like big guys
webbard: so whats up, why the IM out of the blue?
sexyfinale696969: Oh well I mean I missed talking to you
webbard: \whats your first name?
sexyfinale696969: Jen
webbard: okay, so why does your email say Dana and facebook say Sophia?
sexyfinale696969: I don’t use my real name on my e-mail to be honest, that’s my friend’s name and with the facebook well….lol
sexyfinale696969: my friend was trying to stalk an ex so I made her a fake facebook with it
sexyfinale696969: but I don’t have my own facebook
sexyfinale696969: i think it’s overrated
webbard: okay, can you take a picture of yourself with a piece of paper that says todays date
sexyfinale696969: ummm why?
sexyfinale696969: o_O;
webbard: because I think you might be messing with me
sexyfinale696969: wow you’re a bit paranoid lol
sexyfinale696969: I don’t have my own camera, that was taken at a party so…
sexyfinale696969: i dunno how to fulfill your request
sexyfinale696969: lol
webbard: okay, any other pictures of you?
sexyfinale696969: Well yeah but you don’t seem to trust me so…
sexyfinale696969: I dunno what the point is -_-
webbard: I will with more pics
webbard: you had a PoF profile?
sexyfinale696969: “sexyfinale696969 (sexyfinale696969)” signed off at Sat Mar 12 01:07:12 2011.
sexyfinale696969: You have been disconnected.

So any thoughts? Am I too Paranoid?

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By Mark D, November 29, 2009 10:08 pm

This is a rant from a friend about Atkins, back when they were about to go out of business. I love it and decided to share it.

GEH. Don’t get me started on the Atkins diet.

I’m a health nut. I breakdown and analyze the carb/fat/protein components of food I eat mentally and keep track of basic vitamins. I exercise. I roughly calculate in my head how many calories I burn and how many I need to consume depending on if I’m in a muscle-building or weight-maintaining phase.

AND I SAY ATKINS IS STUPID, DAMNIT. O_O;;; Carbs are your friend! Fats important but considering American diet should be used in moderation compared to what’s out there! Burgers without buns being healthier?! GAH!

When Atkins came out, it made me want to cry. Pastas and grains and such are some of the best foods you can have if you’re an active person, and Atkins didn’t even discriminate good carbs like those from bad; ones like processed sugars. Weight loss doesn’t come from cutting carbs — it comes from eating slightly less of what calories you need to maintain your current body weight, combined with healthy exercise. It’s a good idea to limit fats and proteins are
good for muscle-building, but beyond that you’re pretty free to eat whatever you want. o_o;

Now let’s all sit down and pray this doesn’t just get replaced with another fad new disaster diet.