Four Loco Idiots, One Genius

       "Each of us is here for a brief sojourn; for what purpose he knows not, though he sometimes thinks he senses it. But without deeper reflection one knows from daily life that one exists for other people...those whose smiles and well-being our own happiness is wholly dependent... A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.."  -Albert Einstein

There comes a time in life that you wake up, and realize that you are an idiot. Maybe it's because you drank one to many  high-alcohol energy drinks the night before, or your girlfriend is mad at you because you called her a "slut" when you were in the middle of imbibing your beverages. Whatever the reason, it is a realignment so transcending and pivotal that we as cognitive beings start the process of "self-actualization." Now while most people never move out of the lower echelon of Maslow's hierarchy, every once in a while an enlightened-one will take this as the opportunity of their life to improve their well-being and take responsibility for their actions.

Now just as a background; there are 5 basic needs that every person has to have in order to reach the highest level of self-actualization. Physiological Needs, the Need for Security, the Need for Love and Acceptance, the Need for Esteem, and the Need for Self Actualization.

A simple structure showing the hierarchy of Maslow's Needs.

So why is this relevant? Well if you think of the make-up of our U.S. Government, you can quickly place any issue on this grid. Right now, I believe the whole of our society sits somewhere between the needs of Safety and Love. Maslow's describes the ability to acquire Love is to both receive it from others, and to give it to others. However, with that fact being stated, where does that put our U.S. Government? Properly placed it should fall right into Esteem, but of course, with approval polls in the dump, where is the Love? And how can one have Esteem without Love? And then even further, what does the need for NSA, TSA, and the color system for terrorist threat say about our federal outlook? What does our ever growing debt to China make us feel like? This would put sections of our government below even Love!

No need to stress, just yet. Remember what Realignment was? Realignment was a dramatic change in the [U.S. government] system. I propose two things for our government and two things for us as citizens that could so very help put of government back into fulfilling it's Esteem Need.



(Government)
THING ONE: Invoking Fear.
Stop making it worse by reiterating the terrible.

THING TWO: Promote Progression.
Instead of telling everybody we're going to be broke and enslaved, try and start promoting progressive actions to help us improve.

Yes I know, "Don't ask, Don't Tell" is kind of important right now, but really, it's not at all. That shouldn't even be an issue on the table. If we are so unemployed, we're so in debt, we're all so sick, why are you rubbing our noses in Democrat v. Republican Debates? When we should be dropping the crazy party antics, and seriously consider how we can start paying off this debt? I've suggested we start manufacturing American made goods, starting with the American to Chinese Made ratio at 30% to 80%. Oh god, the cutting costs of imports, the job creation! When was the last time we tried that? Oh yeah, WWII, and it worked freaking great. Whatever it is, it's an idea. A desire, a longing even to take the steps to getting the love and respect of the American people. Rouse pride, submit public goals, prioritize!

(We the People)
THING ONE: Stop Listening to Everything in the Media
These tricksters would have you believing currently that the DeepWater Horizon Drill isn't still leaking millions of gallons of oil...

THING TWO: Practice, Educate, and Speak-Up(VOTE)
The only way out of this sheep heard headed for the cliff, is to stop turning our heads away when we don't agree, or we think we're being lied to. Stop re-electing the same people over and over again. Remember that phrase, "Fool me once..." I forget it myself.

The protests organized by the comedians John Stewart, and Steven Colbert, were revitalizing for those who participated, or longed to participate. The right to peacefully assemble is still very much allowed, and while FOX news flat out LIED to you about how many people participated, and where it was being held, the numbers were quite significant for what little marketing the protests had. Actually, on the National Level, over 500,000 people assembled for Keep Fear Alive, more than 200,000 assembled in Washington D.C. alone!  Keep Fear Alive was only promoted for two months! So imagine, if we have two years before the next election, and we are constantly promoting rationality and education, how many people could we effect by 2012? You do the math.



Links:
http://www.aip.org/history/einstein/essay.htm
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/maslow.htm
http://mktg343.pbworks.com/f/1253750058/maslow%27s_hierarchy_businessballs.jpg
http://www.gallup.com/home.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realigning_election
http://rationalrevolution.net/articles/americanprosperity.htm
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_9_54/ai_n27963828/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rally_to_Restore_Sanity_and/or_Fear

Education reform of the Second Coming

Department of Education Stands Up by: Christopher O' Brian

So this article brings up the need for more enforced ant-bullying measures, but what are the measures they are trying to enforce? Or rather, how do you stop a bully? You're article doesn't address what these actual "anti-bullying" policies are.

There is a lucid point also made in regard to schools losing their federal funding if they don't abide as well. Well do you know what part of our taxes is paying for education? I'll give you hint: everytime you buy a pack of cigarettes in the state of Texas you're really paying for education.

Also there is a mention of teachers witnessing this behavior, and doing nothing. But perhaps reprimand should go deeper. Anger management courses disguised as youth social minute could work. Your article brings up a very dire topic, but what are the resolutions to this issue? Your article mentions nothing about whatrules are actually being enforced. Maybe the rules are non-working? Do you know? Are they making bullies go to juvenile, wear dunce caps, or expulsion? I think this article needs to go further in depth.

Why Is It Taking So Long to Legalize Marijuana?

I mean, Why does it take so long to do anything? Not anything, but most things?

It seems that no matter the subject, there is a mile of red tape around it. Yet, we could still pass the "ObamaCare" act in less than two years, while we are just now letting our women onto submersibles after almost 15 years of deliberation. I understand that some bills are introduced in urgency, while others sit, and wait for the tumultuous activity it has to endure before even getting submitted for final approval.

The truth is, is that this entire process is completely laden with corporate influence, interest groups, and lots of contrite human beings. The political separation of parties has gotten extreme recently with the influx of the Tea Parties, and a general vocal uprising on social media sites from young, moderate, and liberal adults. Unrest has made a nest in our general political minds as something that needs to be fixed, and yet the issues to be addressed grows long. Here are a few of the issues, and we will not be defining these:

1. HealthCare
2. Immigration
3. Prop 19 and States rights
4. Global Warming
5. Foreign Dependence
6. The "War" on Terror
7. Energy Dependence
8. The U.S. National debt
9. The "War" on Drugs
10. Unemployment
11. National Disasters
12. Foreign Relations
13. Republicans vs. Democrats
14. Tea-Parties
15. Government control

The arguing needs to stop. As recently as today, we will more likely see the House of Representatives turn back into a predominately Republican-run house, and what does this mean for everyone in America?

I think this could be a good thing. While Republicans will move as quickly as they can to pass certain agendas, this will incite a hugely viable option for Obama, the veto power. This could potentially mean that whatever gets passed will more than likely be on a moderate bases instead of a largely Democratic one, or a largely Republican one. Perhaps we can take this as an opportunity to educate ourselves further, and promote more moderate ideals.

We know now that Corporate agenda is high in the Government after witnessing the AIG bailout disaster. Corporately-Run Media is also running a muck in this fine country by feeding bullshit stories about polls, stories, and issues. The question on every body's tongue that seems to be the most prevalent is "Why can't a politician answer a straight question?", and while this is so, less and less is being reported on the integrity, and views of the political candidates.

Maybe there is nothing wrong with our government, perhaps everything is wrong with the way our media chooses to inform us about it. When will C-span get the ratings it deserves? When will we stop paying out other countries for their resources and slave-labor? When will we stop producing plastic bags, or legalize marijuana, or making it so expensive to go to the doctor? When will insurance companies stop owning us? Perhaps when corporation stop trying to own us and our government. What agenda do these companies have for themselves? Simply, to increase revenue.

We need to take a better look at ourselves, and think about why we voted for who we did today. Was it simply because there was an R next to the name? Or was it because you read about John Doe and his incredible accomplishments as a Human-Rights activist? Think about it.

The Fox Jumped Over the Box

(Fox News Poll: Republicans Maintain Lead in Midterms)
Now, Dana Blanton, the infamous and ingenious "polling" expert makes Headliner news on the front of FoxNews.com.(pictures below) The irrefutable news heavy-weights in Internet News sources has apparently conducted a recent poll that indicates that registered voters are leaning conservative. More specifically there are percentage gaps opening between Republicans and Democrats. Dana Blanton doesn't provide any links for you to view the actual poll conducted, or where FOX derived their control group from, which if you don't know what that [control group] is, then what good is your statistics? (1)

Mostly the article consists of the kind of questions where the survey respondents answers yes or no to straight-forward questions: "Do you think your children will have a better or worse future?" A lot of "registered voters" think their children will be worse off...How optimistic. Blanton brings so much light to the curiosities that bloat us everyday...


Check out the ScreenShot I got!

 Okay, Okay, enough sarcasm for one article. While Blanton's poll was serious and in-depth, the fact that there is no apparent history for this woman's reputation, there is only one link showing the resulting data of the poll, but nothing else to reference or connect the reader to the poll. I ask, where can I sign up for participating in this poll? When clicking on the link to view the raw data, you'll see that the poll was conducted for only two days and by phone. Remember class discussions when we were asked if we had a Land-line? Excellent stuff. (2)

I like to take particular note how towards the bottom of Blanton's article she states how; "the administration has failed to convince the majority of voters that patience will pay off..." The numbers are: 45% say it won't pay off, and 44% say it will...WOW what a majority.

I'm not saying that we aren't leaning towards a republican ruling this next mid-term, but where is the support for this article? Who is this article intended for? Most likely Fox News readers who are lacking confidence. The questions that were asked seemed more ambiguous than, "Are you voting republican?" and upon looking at the raw data again and again, you'll note that the approval ratings for Democratic policy are actually higher than that of the Republicans, but hey, what do I know. I don't have my Masters from George Washington State in Public Policy.(3)

I do think it is great that American Voters love their country "Very Much" as opposed to "A Lot." Find that question in the Raw Data!


Related Links:
1: http://psy.st-andrews.ac.uk/resources/glossary.shtml
2: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101014/00463611420/obvious-news-is-obvious-polls-that-only-call-landlines-may-be-biased.shtml

3: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dana-blanton/24/308/69b

Oil, Media, and Congress?

Corporate Media as a Toxic Dispersant.

Ah, how I love intelligent, poignant writers. Leslie Savan's article is a blast to read. She points out in the very beginning, how Media acts as a dispersant1, much like the toxic chemicals that were dropped on the BP oil-spill. She notes that these "dispersants", while clearing away top layers of the oil slick, kills all life underneath it.2 Wow, what a metaphor. But why so angry Savan?

Leslie Savan is a three-time Pulitzer Prize Finalist, She has been a contributor to a vast number of resources, such as: The New York Times, and The Huffington Post. She now writes for an Online News Blog called, The Nation.Though she takes many Liberal stances on most political issues, her intentions lie more into a passionate "call to attention" to issues that are consistently unaddressed, and have little reference from which to draw from. Savan backs her articles up with various links, exact dates and videos of quotes, that support her writings.

Considering this article, Media as a 'Toxic' Dispersant, Savan states how media had supported the move to Off-Shore Drilling just a couple weeks, and even days BEFORE the Deepwater-Horizon Disaster. She even finds a quote of President Barack Obama, endorsing the safety and probabilities of off-shore drilling. She goes on to make the argument that Obama practically sold the seat for the Department of the Interior to a little known oil-advocate named, Ryan Salazar. Thus, connecting the corruption between government and the oil companies. But how does Savan relate the media to all this?

The Media, Savan, declares as "Toxic", destroying all in its wake, in the very cover up, the very smoke and mirrors that make up the aftermath of the incident, how is it that we get distracted by certain extraordinary disaster? Savan outright declares that the Oil Companies, Media Companies, and Government Committee Programs are all run by the same group. But I think it's worth more informative research. The links in this particular article are ambiguous, and some of the statements she makes need some serious backing up. Such as: "...even with documented evidence that the regulators had accepted gifts, sex, drugs, and huge amounts of cash from the industry for years..." What regulators, I'm asking?

Still, Savan, makes a great argument for successfully linking the Government and Media as working together towards a similar goal, perhaps the corporate media is there at the Governments disposal, most notably for the conservatives, but I still feel Savan doesn't touch the broader expanse of what she is actually saying. Meaning, calling the "Corporate Media a Toxic Dispersant" for covering up the politicians endorsements of Off-Shore Drilling is viable, but it is more simple than this to point out.

Let me ask you this; seriously.

Do you as a persons living in America get the idea that you are being forced to listen to bullshit politics such as Tiger Woods and his oppressively horny lifestyle? Do  BP Commercials make you feel anything at all? I think Savan is really trying hard to state how the BP oil spill is just another Media Circus show, but the ideas that are being incepted go on for miles. Savan only just grazes how it [the media] became so disastrous with the outrageous incidences the Bush administration were a part of. She talks about how the gaps between political parties are caused by media, but this belief, that we are a divided nation, is what is killing us.

You and me, we can get even older with this Media-craze if we want to. When Clinton had a failed missile attack against Afghanistan in 1993, Osama Bin Laden managed to capture the failed missiles, reverse engineer them, and use them against us later during the Bush Administration's War on Terror.3 But what did you hear of this? Probably nothing so similar, by the time that Clinton was dealing with foreign relations to absolve this situation; was right around the same time the Monica Lewinsky scandal ripped away any other attention you may have been giving to anything else.

If I could put verbal inflection into written text.

THIS! This stated above situation is all anyone needs to know, to know how Toxic the media can be. What the Corporate Media can do and how far they can go seems never-ending. As important issues can constantly be pushed under, I believe this is Savan's attempt to clap her hands and stomp her feet for anyone to listen to the great points, and great finds regarding issues that surround us everyday!

Resource links and Footers:
1: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30158418/

2: http://www.prisonplanet.com/scientists-40-times-more-cancer-causing-toxics-in-gulf-than-before-spill-dispersants-to-blame.html

3: http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2000/09/clintons-failed-missile-defense-policy

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Possible Life Bearing Planet Discovered!

The following article was written by Seth Borstein, a long time writer for AP news, who mostly distributes to major Newspapers such as; The Washington Post, Fort Worth Telegram, Yahoo, and Reuters.

Possible Life Bearing Planet

This is also a small video.



If you found that as intriguing as me, you will probably be already contemplating what it would take to get on board and go visit. Zamarina is it's proper name, though I'm sure Americans will dub it as Goldilocks for as long as you and me know it. I think Zamarina is exotic.

What would you name it?
Any ideas on the possible outcomes of Zamarina's Discovery?

I know I would be willing to ride in a ship for 50 years just to see a new planet. But hey, that's just me.

Ooh...maybe Avatar wasn't so fake!

Socialism in the U.S.

The Broadcast starts with an introduction to Republican Tea Party Member, Sarah Palin, eloquently debasing the perils of a Socialist run government:
Is The U.S. Moving to Socialism? (An intriguing look into the reform of what is Socialism.)

The Article comes from the live recording studio of the National Public Radio Broadcast Station, or NPR for short. They can be heard on Austin's own radio station @ 90.5FM KUT, they are a public funded broadcast station that does in-depth stories on a broad range of subjects. The new source itself is largely reliant on published resources and "ordained to educate" individuals. You can read more about it, HERE. And of course, NPR.org.

Now the Article comes in two forms, a written synopsis, and the actual broadcast, both done by Adam Davidson, a man who has also written articles relating to an extremely large array of subjects (His Bio: Here). What is so great about this article is that it draws attention to a subject that has long been banned from conversation in the U.S. since the 1950s. It mentions a subject matter that we cover in class constantly. Do you know what Socialism is? Or better, Do you think you know what Socialism is? This article suggests that since its ban, the knowledge of how a Socialist government would work and what it provides has been buried along with the Soviet Union and the rise of Capitalist China. Since these changes the practice of Socialism has changed and many prospering nations have adopted Socialist run nations such as Spain, and in the past, the U.K., France, and Canada.

The article also suggests that a Socialist run government would not own everything, the public would still own their own property, homes, and materialistic possessions. But instead of corporately run industries, the industries woulds be owned by the public, and the profits would be spent according to the workers. Though I believe the notion of this power could easily be corrupted, the Socialist-run Government would automatically provide Health Care to all individuals and would still provide millions of government jobs. This new practice of Socialism even allows for small business owners and the creation of Co-Operatives. If you don't know anything about Co-Operatives, send me an e-mail, leave me a comment, and I will tell you about my 5 years in and out of a variety of Co-Operatives that have done everything non-profit, environmental awareness, raised money for funding arts education, humanities services, and so much more.

But don't take my word for it. The article isn't as in depth as the subject matter available that covers Socialism. Take a listen or read for yourself. Read my back-up, unbiased articles, and think about it for yourself. I know that there is a general public concern for putting respect, knowledge, and altruism back into our own "Social" Lives, but educating yourself on this issue can be enlightening.

Follow Up Links:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism_of_the_21st_century
3. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/551569/socialism
4. "Why Socialism?" by ALBERT EINSTEIN

Links on CO-OPs:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Co-operatives
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochdale_Principles
3. http://www.ica.coop/coop/principles-revisions.html
4. http://www.regen.net/news/ByDiscipline/Community-Renewal/1028937/Co-operatives-step-help-communities-hit-pubs-fund-axe/