I think they were trying to tell us something. I think it's true.

[FL Vulcan Rider]

Originally Posted by kawichic

Actually, ADD in itself *is* a real neurological disorder. It can be seen by a neurologist when doing a scan of the brain. Problem is, most people don't know that the ONLY way to properly diagnose ADD is with a neurologist. The schools don't wanna deal with "hyper" or easily distracted kids. They wants carbon copies of little robots that look like children - drones that will sit quietly and attentive in the classroom. But when you're dealing with 8 year old boys, that's asking an insane request. Kids are kids. They are hyper by nature. They are easily distracted. Their minds are ALL going a hundred miles a minute. That's what makes them kids.

But then, you get one boy in the classroom who daydreams alot, gets distracted a little more than others, and is very argumentative with the teacher. Now he needs to be coded. So they send him to the school shrink - who by the way is NOT legally or medically licensed to diagnose ADD - and she makes a referral for him to be coded. Next thing you know, "ADD" shows up in that boys file. And he's marked for life.

I've lived with ADD my entire life. My 8 year old son has ADD along with an Auditory disability and short term memory recall disorder. He is struggling. Is he medicated? Absolutely not! Was I medicated? Absolutely not! He was also *PROPERLY* diagnosed by a pediatric neurologist who did a scan of my son's brain and found an area of the brain not firing on all cylinders. Can it be corrected? Mostly, yes. He needs to learn other way to focus, maintain his control, decrease his impulsive behavior. Do I cater to him? Not for his ADD. However, for his disability I do. But not the ADD. I have led a very successful life and career with ADD. But I also didn't use it as an excuse for my shortcomings or failures. And that there lies the difference.

Recently I had a meeting with my son's school's IEP staff, and one particular staff member made the horrible mistake of suggesting medication to make my son "perform better in school." She made it sound like I was being a negligent parent because I wasn't "doing what was best" for my son and medicating him. I tossed her evaluation back onto the desk and told her she was done talking. It went downhill from there.

Okay, done with my rant. Truth is though, ADD is a true neurological condition. Its just grossly over-diagnosed and given to kids who aren't ADD, but merely acting like kids. And the teachers don't wanna deal with them.

Another fun fact for you, for every kid that's "coded" in the school system, the school receives a government grant. Think about that one.

I know... i was diagnosed by a neurologist when I was 8. They made me to computer tests and hooked me up to equipment. I was the kid who would stare out the classroom window looking into space. I was also the kid who would not be able to pay attention at all if a kid was tapping his pencil on the desk. After I was diagnosed, the doctor put me on ritalin. The school put me in a secluded testing area so that I can focus better in order to actually learn the material. When I started high school, my mother decided to take me off of the medication. So all in all, I took it from 3rd to 8th grade. I had side effects from the ritalin. It would make me like a zombie. Taking out all of my personality and completely draining it. It also stunted my growth immensely. I was 4'11 in high school and was the shortest out of the 2,000 population at the school.

I was supposed to be tall. My grandfather was 6'7" and my mom's family is tall. I only came out to be 6'2 inches. I dont know if this directly affected my growth or what, but we'll never know now.

As for A.D.D., you can talk to as many doctors and what not about A.D.D. You are absolutely correct. The health system has over-diagnosed way too many kids with this A.D.D. thing and I think it's horrible how they put all of these 8 year olds onto medication. As you said, kids are kids.

I do believe the medication helped me through primary school, as I was able to concentrate better, I was calmed down, and I could actually focus in the classroom.

This drug did kill my appetite, make me zombie-like, and stunt my growth, but in the end, I think it's great that I was able to perform better in school and actually receive a good education.

I think the term A.D.D. was the fad of the 90's. I do believe that there were 1,000's of kids that were mis-diagnosed.

I also whole-heartedly believe that this AUTISM thing is the NEW FAD of the 2000's. I know that there are kid's that do have Autism. But I believe that doctors, schools, and teachers have blown this word "Autism" out of proportion and this is the new "A.D.D."

I think it's sad that they are abusing the word Autism and flinging it around. There are kids that truely have it.... just like the 90's were there were actually kids that had it, but they blew it out of proportion.

It's such an interesting topic. I could go all day talking about it.

[ALStensby]

Originally Posted by PainlessWolf

Comparing his Bowling to Special Olympics...*facepalm*

Personally, I thought that was pretty freakin' funny. My cousin who's Down (happened to hanging out when we heard it) was laughing his butt off saying "YAY! I can beat the President!" Ha ha!

I'm already annoyed by the whining about this. I'm sick of people deciding what is and what isn't offensive for other people. People with ANY sort of handicap, be it physical, mental or otherwise are STILL people! I've seen too many treated like second class people by those who are too busy making themselves feel better by acting on their behalf.

[trikebubble]

Originally Posted by alstensby

Personally, I thought that was pretty freakin' funny. My cousin who's Down (happened to hanging out when we heard it) was laughing his butt off saying "YAY! I can beat the President!" Ha ha!

I'm already annoyed by the whining about this. I'm sick of people deciding what is and what isn't offensive for other people. People with ANY sort of handicap, be it physical, mental or otherwise are STILL people! I've seen too many treated like second class people by those who are too busy making themselves feel better by acting on their behalf.

I find silly hats offensive myself.....................

[ALStensby]

Originally Posted by trikebubble

I have noticed that as well, though honestly I noticed the reaction to anyone commenting anything even remotely negative towards your former President far more prevelant than now.

Because when someone did, they were quickly informed they HAD to respect him because he's the President.

[ALStensby]

Originally Posted by trikebubble

I find silly hats offensive myself.....................

Are you trying to infer that donkey-eared straw hats are silly?

[FL Vulcan Rider]

I think we should overthrow the government and go completely ape-sh*t on their butt.

[NCDave]

Originally Posted by FL Vulcan Rider

I think we should overthrow the government and go completely ape-sh*t on their butt.

Um....is there some closet you are wanting to tell us about? Now if Palin had won......just sayin'.

[ALStensby]

Originally Posted by NCDave

Now if Palin had won......just sayin'.

I'm beginning to think you have one of those creepy stalker shrines to Palin in your house, don't you?

[FL Vulcan Rider]

Originally Posted by NCDave

Um....is there some closet you are wanting to tell us about? Now if Palin had won......just sayin'.

Haha... geez Dave.. you must like those gay statements, huh?

You have to remember, that I'm all about the ladies.

[NCDave]

Originally Posted by alstensby

I'm beginning to think you have one of those creepy stalker shrines to Palin in your house, don't you?

yeah, so? whats wrong with that?

[FL Vulcan Rider]

Originally Posted by alstensby

I'm beginning to think you have one of those creepy stalker shrines to Palin in your house, don't you?

LoL

[Jake '53]

Originally Posted by trikebubble

I find silly hats offensive myself.....................

Actually, I find silly hats...........er





silly.

[vulcancowboy]

The Department of Defense briefed the president this morning. He was told that two Brazilian soldiers had been killed in Iraq. To everyone's surprise, all the color drained from <insert name of least favorite President here>'s face. Then he collapsed onto his desk, head in his hands, visibly shaken, almost in tears. Finally, he composed himself & asked, "Just how many is a brazilian?"

This is especially funny since he apparently has no understanding of billion or trillion either!

[Michael600r]

Originally Posted by NCDave

Why is it that people take an insult to the president so personally? I mean, he's just a guy that puts on his pants one leg at a time like the rest of us. But if someone thinks he's a donkey, then some people act like you insulted their best friend and want to attack you about it.

I'm not saying that to point anyone out, just that I find it interesting how polarizing the topic is.

I think it's a general degradation of politeness. I think it's extremely rude to insult the President regardless of whether it's Bush or Obama. However, people take something as reasonable as criticism as a personal attack.

[cinnamon]

Originally Posted by Michael600r

I think it's a general degradation of politeness. I think it's extremely rude to insult the President regardless of whether it's Bush or Obama. However, people take something as reasonable as criticism as a personal attack.

+1!

Very well said!

[canotdo]

You know I hear what you are all saying but, remember who put us here. The republicans have had 24 years in office, the democrats 8 and we were in better shape then, also remember the money for the Iraq war was never even put in the budget so I am going to give our president more time as he has only had 100 days or so in office compared to 24 years of the others.

[ZeroPunch]

Originally Posted by rfb92345
I think this July 4th, about 10 million of us should show up on the white house lawn with pitchforks...............think they would get the message then?

Originally Posted by alstensby

Only if we send another 10 million to both the House and Senate.

What makes you think anybody will be there on the 4th of July other than security and a few lowly staff members, congress will all be out at BBQ fund raisers.

[AK82kz440]

This is the most interesting thing I've read in a long time. The sad thing about it, you can see it coming.

I have always heard about this democracy countdown. It is interesting to see it in print. God help us, not that we deserve it.

How Long Do We Have?

About the time our original thirteen states adopted their new constitution in 1787, Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh, had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years earlier:

'A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government.'

'A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.'

'From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.'

'The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years'

'During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:

1. From bondage to spiritual faith;

2. From spiritual faith to great courage;

3. From courage to liberty;

4. From liberty to abundance;

5. From abundance to complacency;

6. From complacency to apathy;

7. From apathy to dependence;

8. From dependence back into bondage'

Professor Joseph Olson of Hemline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota , points out some interesting facts concerning the 2000 Presidential election:

Number of States won by: Democrats: 19 Republicans: 29

Square miles of land won by: Democrats: 580,000 Republicans: 2,427,000

Population of counties won by: Democrats: 127 million Republicans: 143 million

Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by: Democrats: 13.2 Republicans: 2.1

Professor Olson adds: 'In aggregate, the map of the territory Republican won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens of this great country.
Democrat territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in government-owned tenements and living off various forms of government welfare...' Olson believes the United States is now somewhere between the 'complacency and apathy' phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy, with some forty percent of the nation's population already having reached the 'governmental dependency' phase.

If Congress grants amnesty and citizenship to twenty million criminal invaders called illegal's and they vote, then we can say goodbye to the USA in fewer than five years.

[odinseye]

Sorry, I have to stick my head back in here. Mr. party pooper again

This would all be interesting if it weren't all COMPLETELY MADE UP!!!

While there was a Scottish historian/professor named Alexander Tytler who wrote a lot of books, he never wrote that one... no one did... the book doesn't exist.

And Professor Olsen? He exists as well, but did not come up with any of the "facts" quoted in that ancient email. His name was pasted to this because he was just another guy passing on a viral email. But this sure sounds a lot more impressive coming from a law professor than out of thin air.

A little bit of research shows the numbers quoted are erroneous, made up, uhhmm okay, LIES. Even Rush Limbaugh came back and said this was a hoax after reading it on the air.

But hey, I read it on the internet so it must be true

Originally Posted by AK82kz440

This is the most interesting thing I've read in a long time. The sad thing about it, you can see it coming.

I have always heard about this democracy countdown. It is interesting to see it in print. God help us, not that we deserve it.

How Long Do We Have?

About the time our original thirteen states adopted their new constitution in 1787, Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh, had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years earlier:

'A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government.'

'A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.'

'From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.'

'The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years'

'During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:

1. From bondage to spiritual faith;

2. From spiritual faith to great courage;

3. From courage to liberty;

4. From liberty to abundance;

5. From abundance to complacency;

6. From complacency to apathy;

7. From apathy to dependence;

8. From dependence back into bondage'

Professor Joseph Olson of Hemline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota , points out some interesting facts concerning the 2000 Presidential election:

Number of States won by: Democrats: 19 Republicans: 29

Square miles of land won by: Democrats: 580,000 Republicans: 2,427,000

Population of counties won by: Democrats: 127 million Republicans: 143 million

Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by: Democrats: 13.2 Republicans: 2.1

Professor Olson adds: 'In aggregate, the map of the territory Republican won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens of this great country.
Democrat territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in government-owned tenements and living off various forms of government welfare...' Olson believes the United States is now somewhere between the 'complacency and apathy' phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy, with some forty percent of the nation's population already having reached the 'governmental dependency' phase.

If Congress grants amnesty and citizenship to twenty million criminal invaders called illegal's and they vote, then we can say goodbye to the USA in fewer than five years.

[Idaho]

Those that have the ability to take action have the responsibility to take action.

That would be you and I.

It is with shameful disgrace that we continually trample upon the very foundation of wisdom given to us by our founding fathers.

We are still the majority. How long will it be until it is too late for us to take it back? Will we care?