Wednesday
Dec222010
And A Child Shall Lead Them...
A 15 year-old tells the establishment to stick it...
If you're in a hurry, the final 90 seconds will suffice.
Brilliant. Education gets cut while the war machine devours the budget. End the wars, cut the military-industrial killing machine by 50%, and then you can ask us for sacrifice. Until then, kindly hush.
No information on this young man from the youtube page. He's a British teenager and was discussing the student riots from last week I think.
Dec 22, 2010 at 3:19 PM
Reader Comments (13)
Decision to force bondholders to pay for banking system's collapse appears to pay off as economy grows 1.2% in third quarter
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/dec/07/iceland-exits-recession-third-quarter
Wonder how long it's going to take the American kids to do the same?
I believe that the students have made their voices very clear to govt., and I expect to see extensive subsidies applied to any increases, thereby effectively negating the impact that this policy might have had on further education.
The kid rocked though, didn't he?
As to the question of when will US students 'get it', then I'd say never! Their all too darn comfortable in their cocoon of middle class sobriety.
As to the question of when will US students 'get it', then I'd say never! Their all too darn comfortable in their cocoon of middle class sobriety.
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yes, and yes...
@gomp...yes he is...glad others enjoyed it...
"As to the question of when will US students 'get it', then I'd say never! Their all too darn comfortable in their cocoon of middle class sobriety."
I compelled to show you the truth.
Are you aware that in the states the middle class has been all but completely and utterly destroyed? I am 27 years old, a recording engineer and [was] a small business owner. [private recording studio] Enter 2008, decimation of U.S. economy ensues. I quickly find out that when people barely have money to pay rent or even something as base as eat dinner, they certainly don't have the money to pursue their dreams. [in music] Business for me tapers off as surely as a pianist's coattails. Suddenly, I find myself with barely enough money to run the business. I have to take a second job. No studios are hiring engineers and that is the skill-set that I have. Take a minimum wage job delivering food-> with a 10% unemployment rate in California at the time [now 12%], that's all there was and damned if I was about to be homeless out of pride.
Fast forward to present: it has gotten so much worse it would have been unimaginable to my pre-collapse self. I make 200 dollars less a month than I have to spend to keep this tiny apartment. The money isn't just running out, there's none left. The business is long gone. My only source of income is a job that should barely suffice as a summer job for a high-schooler who still lives at home. Work keeps hiring more employees and cutting everyone else's hours and they want more and more for the same meager pay. If you don't give it, they cut your hours more. [when a country is desperate for work, employers take as much as they can, while they can, because they can. If you don't like it, quit, starve] I can't find other work. Jobs within my skill set apparently do not exist anymore. I can't even find manual labor jobs, as this is California and if you aren't Mexican they simply don't want you for that. This isn't stereotyping, it's just how it is, I've found. Elsewhere in this country I was once a carpenter before I owned my own business. Now foreigners claim this line of work entirely. Every time I bite and claw my way back above water, Uncle Scam takes it all away again. I can't afford to eat more days than I can and sometimes I can't but have to anyway. [and go deeper in debt] I don't believe in credit cards and I don't believe in Welfare. I won't live off of other's hard work. Even Ideology aside, it would only stave off the inevitable.
A few days ago I got a 500 DOLLAR traffic ticket in the mail from an automated red light camera [from being pushed to be faster on deliveries] I find out that I have to pay this ticket, before I can even enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. So now it's "guilty until proven innocent" then? And yeah, when I fight it, they're really going to decide to give it back once they ALREADY HAVE IT. My ass. Even if they did, it won't be for months, at which point I'll already be utterly bankrupt from this.
Every day, a new rubicon is passed against the people in this country or another right is taken away. It just keeps getting worse. Most of my friends are in similar positions. My family members are all destitute [once very decidedly and successfully part of the middle class, a decade ago] and sick and dying from medical expenses. I want nothing to do more than to help, but I can't even help myself. God do I feel for those of them with children to care for through this crisis. A few of those are doing much worse than I am. [And this time next month, I'll be homeless unless a bloody miracle takes place.] I have a hard time talking about these things or even writing about these things as I was once a proud and self-sufficient man. Most of the things I've ever had, I'd earned myself. Now even that meager amount was taken away in a collapse engineered by the rich to make our earnings theirs.
I find my new pass-time is fighting back tears.
This is the truth of what is happening in America. This is not an isolated incident, if only you knew just how widespread this was you'd be appalled. Meanwhile, the government and corporate powers that be hold hands and grow wealthy beyond belief at our expenses, while our friends starve in the street. [and not metaphorically] Our gov is the most corrupt collection of human beings on the face of the planet. The thing is, we know that just as well as the rest of the world does. We have about as much power to stop it as you do. You've all seen the might of the American gov's military machine. What are words against gunships spraying 600 rounds per minute of 30mm depleted-uranium shells at anyone who disagrees with policy? If there is one thing I know you British understand, it's feeling like a prisoner in your own country. I know that many countries only know of other countries from what the world's opinion of them is, and granted, I don't actually know what a typical Englishman's day is like anymore than you actually know of ours.. What I do know is that we're all a whole hell of a lot more similar than anyone with the power wants us to know.
I don't tell this story to garner pity, I only hope it breaks stigmas and opens eyes. I could show you parts of America that look more like a slum in Nigeria than a city in one of the "richest" countries in the world. The problem is that all that wealth belongs to a couple hundred people. I'm starting to really fear for the future
thank you for sharing that...i was very moved by your story...you've got some friends around here, buddy...we'll be here day and night...this bar is always open...come back anytime you need to talk or vent...don't pay the ticket...go to free legal aid in your area...they will help...
Also, in most counties nationwide now there is something called '211'...just pick up your phone and dial 211..it is a 24 hr/day social services hotline...they can help you with the legal aid and the ticket...also they can direct you to resources in your community that will give you cash for rent (1 time only) to help you make it thru...usually just $500 or so, but it can help...good luck...
Its been 2, 1/2 years since I've layed down any tracks in my recording stodio, "Texas 3 Stars", becouse of fighting to hang on, and know whats next from our goverment.
DB, pass my e-mail address on to Mike O. I think we need to talk. You know it takes a lot of courage, to admit yr down and just barely hanging on today. We dident do nothing wrong, just got caught up in this mess.
Vol. 5 "Pickin In Them Beer Drinkin Honky Tonks" only has two more songs to go, and its ready for sale. Funny, I cant see it hitting the market. All I see is trying to hang on, and keep a head of whats next. The "Happy" is all gone.
Oh, I added 8 more songs to my play list on MySpace. Just type in my name. 1-2 Bluegrass for Gompers & Jake too..............! & Kasey S. thAre are so many of us out thAre. Most are to Proud to admit it, just yeat.
Its sad, the American Dream is dead. All we can do is "Hunker-Down" and help each other. The next 2 years will be the hardest when everything colapses. SHIT, I still have a tear in my eye, im in the same boat..............almost. My wife still has her job, and part time at the Red-K, to bring in extra $ to make ends meet.
The sad part is that this was all planed out to happen many years ago. Mike O. I Luv-Ya, man..................Neaver-Neaver Give Up. Google Dars Toy Story....................I should of shot my self many years ago from the shit im going threw. Its much worse'er, that the life yr going threw.
Im still here. They will neaver take Dar's Sririt from me. Evan if it takes 5 drinks a night & 4 pain pills "Altram"............Neaver Give Up, my friend. & dont be to proud to ask for help. Then "Pay It Fowared"................... Tex !
I can take you around Branson Mo. and show you people living in their cars and vans, working 2 shows a day. I can take you just 10 mi. out of town and show you people living in a trailer with no power, and 1/2 the winders broaken out.
I can take you 15 mi. out side of town, back in the Hollers, past the gravle roads, and show you shacks with "Dirt Floors"................I've been thAre. Took them thAre Propane...........................CASH, Ones, Fives, and Ten's, all cash. Dish on the shack. Beer cans a mi. high.
I also could tell you of the famous show people in Branson Mo.that dont pay their bills at the hospital, becouse my wife works the Ins. Billing Dept. The entertainers, that have kid after kid, all for FREE, becouse they make Crap, working the shows here in Branson.
I can also tell you who dosent pay thAre bills right here in our resort. Funny how its the ones that buy a new car every year, have a diesel pusher motor home in the yard.
Poverty, is only 10 mi. out side the city limets. And I can name names too..................................Ann worked the ER for 2 years, nights........................guess who comes in after dark........?
Famous people and their kids all messed up on Meth. It the tourist only knew what went on after the show. I gotta go...............Mikes story is bothering me tonight..........Mommy is home and needs a "Drink".................so do Dar !