Critical Thinking Texans..

Usually, if something gets off the ground in the great conservative bastion of Texas, it spreads to other like minded states. What could be the reason that Rick Perry would attempt to wipe Philosophy and critical thinking oriented classes off the curriculum other than to suppress peoples ability to question "authority" figures. 

What a ploy like that stinks of is a theologically totalitarian government... Something that I see secretly hiding in not all, but a few conservatives. I have heard, "Christianity should be the only allowed religion, and those that don't like it can go home." (I live in the western areas of Fort Worth, Tx....Verrrrrrry Conservative) 

Another thing this smells of is the dark ages, where the church had absolute authority and anyone that questioned it must be a heretic(see modern Liberal). 

If there is no philosophy, there is no progress, as every single branch of the scientific world started with a philosopher wondering, "why does this work, how does it do it, can I duplicate this.." People should always emulate the child in their insatiable curiosity. Too often now, both Liberals and Conservatives alike hear a passing news story about the opposition, blow it out of proportion, and get into an immature bicker fest for which there really are no winners, only loosers. You need to keep asking, "Why? How can I trust this news source? How often do they publish erroneous reports? How often have they been accused of stretching the facts?" Once you answer this, go in search of new sources and compare the stories from one agency to the next. Absorb their views, but do not emulate it. Listen to both Liberals and Conservatives. 

I am a Liberal, and just spent the past two hours reading the headlines in the politics forum of FoxNews and Breitbart, the two most conservative forces on the web. I do this so I can understand my opponents and their motivations. I believe conservatives really should do the same, but don't turn on MSNBC with the intention to insult everything, just watch, listen, absorb their side of things, then make a calculated decision based on both sides. 

If we all did this, I think we'd have a bit more peace when a Conservative speaks about Liberals, and vice versa. 
(-= 

The Mitt Romney Problem

The Mitt Romney Problem

Does anyone here realize that the personality that Mitt Romney portrays is by far the worst example the GOP has produced over the past 20 years? George Bush, while toxic to liberals like myself, was far more likable than Mitt; who, at times has his nose pointed a bit too high. Mitt loves to use every excuse possible for why he hides the past ten years of tax documents. Showing the public this would go a long way in establishing trust between him and those that sit in the middle. Unfortunately, we all know that he hides them due to their potential to destroy his entire campaign. Do you really want a man that hides details of his life to run this country? A job like the Presidency requires complete transparency on all matters, as it helps form an image about how this person will run things. Currently, it appears that Romney is going to make every backdoor deal possible to strengthen his bottom line, at the expense of the entire nation. The Republican agenda to eliminate the EPA will open the doors to companies polluting where they desire once again; which, in the end will hurt citizens while strengthening the bottom lines of all those that supported this agency's exit.

Mitt Romney is a problem. One we cannot afford. With Obama, we know what to expect. His actions, while some feel as though they are not in our best interests, have always been geared to help the average joe, not their wealthy employer. People have been brainwashed into believing that he is destroying America, when in reality, the man has immense compassion in his heart; if not for that, we would have never seen Obamacare, the green investments, or the focus on helping the underprivileged. When we look back on this 30 years down the line, we may finally realize just how great life was under my President, Mr. Barack Obama. 

Death, Facebook, and Maturity

It has been quite some times since I have thought to update this blog, as I have had to deal with the death of my grandmother, Carmella Deane Thompson.  Since the death of my mother nearly 13 years ago, my grandmother stepped in as the primary person I could go to and tell anything without fear of judgement.  She was my chaplain, mother, best friend and confidant; which, means that there is really no person I can tell everything, unless I am ready for some kind of leak to the rest of civilization, as there is no one I honestly can trust on the same level as her.  I found this out firsthand when dumping my feelings on Facebook, from which I have since retired, only to have those reflected with more stress through people's need for dramatics.

It was a very upsetting day when I decided to rid myself of Facebook, as first, I noticed two people had stolen some of my photography and posted it as their own.  Next, when I confronted them about it, they feigned ignorance in an attempt to circumvent my discovery.  Lastly, to hide their guilt, they both blocked me; thus, I thought, "why not."  I went to the account screen and chose to de-activate my account.  I really never liked the whole idea of Myspace or Facebook for they are not places where honesty is accepted; rather, ego stroking is the law of the land, either like it, or stay silent.  When I decided to comment in an honest manner, I was branded as being intolerably evil and attempting to destroy a friendship.  The truth was I was giving a critique on a photo and not aiming any of it towards the photographer; instead, focusing the context of my entire passage to the photograph itself.  

On Facebook, if you do not give a positive comment, it is deleted and the replies never make any sense once it's gone.  Then you either, A. Look like a fool or B. Look like a fool talking BS to rile people up.  When I try to explain myself, people do not want to hear it and delete your message before reading it, then send you a vile, disgusting remark that is going on the thought that your message was doing the very same.  Honestly, I was finally fed up with that; so, I have moved on to merely updating my blogs, mastering photography, and talking to people via text or on the phone; as for the friends list on Facebook, I am happy to see people disappear, pass the horizon and never appear again; however, if they do find me, I will be more than happy to share a cup of coffee, instead of sharing comments on a picture of a dog.

The Road to Equality

                 Destiny never comes as a kind word to some, as their futures hold very little promise of an equal path toward goals that are usually shared by all.  Walking this dreary path changes an otherwise enlightened soul into one who separates himself from others based upon reasons that most would like to forget, as the many “ethnic” communities prove by simply existing.  Usually, when one tries to voice an idea that could possibly break down the walls guarding such distrust between people that are only different on the outside, they are met by strong resistance.  Color, that which has historically been the strongest reason to distance  one group from another, is still a common divisor; however, other divisions can be made for all manner of reasons including age, sexual orientation, background, nationality, religious affiliations, and even  financial standing.  Most simply accept this separation as a basic part of society; which, if left alone, will continue into futures that even the simple minded can predict.

            After several social movements that held the promise of reaching a stage of equality which was felt as  an inevitable outcome,  the work of men with hatred in their hearts and justifications based upon “common knowledge,” proved that the walls were not only unscathed, but actually strengthened.  Now, many live in areas where their education attempts to erase any idea that one person receives less than the next, or is subject to stricter rules which others do not need subscribe.   It is not a difficult task to see that many people are simply looked at as almost sub-human, and as such, are thought of as guilty even before an act could take place.  Even children, our donations to humanity’s future, wake up each day facing trials that destroy their innocence and cement society’s perception of where they should be.

            For the world to truly change, a revolution must occur, one which is not to be led by those underneath, but from those that offer the strongest divisions.  This means that to fix the problems plaguing the many minorities within our society, one from the majority will have to accept that, for some time, his actions may lower him below those he seeks to assist.  However, one cannot come from the top and expect their words to resonate with all without a deep understanding of the trials faced by such minorities.  Only by clothing oneself in the apparel of the minority, walking without fear in their communities, and living as if equality was an alien concept, will one understand.  Equality is a word that has truthfully never found a situation in which it could be applied without question.  Despite what the common man believes, there has never been an equally shared concept that anyone can take part in, other than death itself.

            How does this change begin?  This question has likely been asked by every man of color, every homosexual, every reformed criminal, and every person seen as outside the “in” crowd.  Answering this question, as one can imagine, is exceptionally difficult, as the idea has been tossed around by many with good intentions; however, they usually lack the knowledge necessary to structure it into a narrative.  To throw a message into the wild, without a name to blame, or a target to be had, means that even if the answer is correct, no one will give it a second thought.  If though, a man throws his message and his life into the public arena without fear or prejudice, the road will begin to look passable, even if it has the promise of death for the first to raise the issue. Fear, the greatest enemy to all who walk the earth, must be the first target eliminated for equality to even have a chance of survival in the long term.

            If one walks without fear, then the “common knowledge” that the dark man will do you harm will not be considered before initiating contact with him.  Fear of being attacked, robbed, or having one’s community polluted by color fuels the hatred which is continuously inherited by the next generation; one which, if left alone, creates an assortment of negative imagery which is next to impossible to remove without exposure to the original fear.  Unfortunately, fear is a basic part of the human experience and without a proper education, there is nothing to alleviate it.  Thus, those that seek enlightenment through increasing their knowledge of the world stand the greatest chance of accepting the concept of equality.  Once, the thought of absolute equality promoted a fear that saw the nation fight a bitterly cold war against an enemy that simply had an opposing philosophy for how to structure a society.  

            While the communist ideals will forever find damnation here, the idea of being equal, at least in an interpersonal capacity, is the point this narrative and the life mission of its author.  If ever we are to stand together, truly united against the storm that life continuously throws at us all, we must see the person, not the exterior.  The old phrase, “never judge a book by its cover,” is one of the greatest lessons a person can apply to their lives; furthermore, “never judging a corn cob by a single bad kernel,” would be more appropriate, as society is guilty of making too many generalizations about a particular group, based upon the actions of a single person or the very few.   Without fear, the strong, well educated man will greet the Arabian without assuming he will hail from a terrorist cell; he will hire the black man without fear of being robbed blind, and associate with the homosexual who seeks to simply coexist, not promote his own lifestyle upon others.   The future has arrived, but have we?

The Road to Equality...

The road to equality is not something that can be undertaken by all, but is something which the population must evolve into.  Without a doubt, the concept that will be proposed throughout this narrative will be hard to digest for some, but others will find it so refreshing that adoption is quite likely.

The concept of equality is something imaginary in our current world as all men are subject to envies about others, usually based on religious or racially motivated factors.  For most of our history, one race has always tried to issue dominance over another.  In order to truly have a solid and lasting peace among men, we must all have an equal share of power in the world.  To accomplish such a lofty goal, we have to put aside the fierce need to show up the next man.  The resistance to such an idea will be the most difficult part to circumvent, but perhaps if enough people take it to heart, then perhaps it stands a small chance of changing the world as we know it.

Such a model has already been implemented in a company that for now will remain nameless due to the violent objections the community will likely have on how they conduct business.  Chief among their rules is the concept that every man deserves an equal share of the big pie, meaning equal pay for equal work.  This means that instead of having a huge workforce with a variable of work ethics, a system based upon the rule of equality must be enforced by sharing absolutely equal amounts of responsibility.  Absolutely equal pay, divided based on number of employees, and with no accounts for senority, skills, or education means that each person must adapt themselves to the needs of the group in order for the whole to survive.  Every person's responsibilities are suited to their strongest attributes, but they are asked, quite often, to do jobs that are not in their primary skill set, thus promoting enrichment of the individual through exposure to new ideas.  For a man/woman to deserve entry into the company, is is not the decision of a single "manager" to make the hiring decisions, but the entire workforce.

Instead of letting a single man determine the eligibility of a prospective employee, all men and women give their voice; thus, all members interview a candidate so a complete profile of their personality can be generated prior to employment.  This eliminates the need for drug testing and a background check.  If the consensus is that the person can be trusted and shows a deep desire to work as hard as the rest, then all workers will accept a pay cut to bring him/her on board as an equal.  As an equal member, the new employee also gains a voice that will be used to direct the company.

Without a board of executives or a single leader, no business could be considered to survive our current system; however, within this company, every man and woman has an equal voice in all major company decisions.  If a decision would usually fall on those at the top, such as a merger or acquisition, the entire workforce must give their views on it.  If all give the approval, then it goes forward; thus, if a single member objects, then it is the duty of all to help that person see the light, or vice versa.

If a single member of the staff begins neglecting their duties and the whole begins to falter as a result, then a vote must be taken among all.  If 75% of the workforce believes that it would be best to terminate said employee, then they are terminated, but are granted a small monthly sum until further work has been secured.

While this all sounds wonderful, one must ask, "How does this change the world for the better?"

The answer is simple.  By dividing up the payroll of a company equally, the majority must work that much harder in order to achieve a chance at having everything they desire.  It is not acceptable to let only a small number of employees take the largest share of the pie; instead, it is better to allow all to bask in the glory of equality.  With a much higher average pay throughout the ranks, there will be increased prosperity.  Having the means to enjoy life, rather than succumbing to the same old social diseases of poverty and jealousy, will equate to more spending overall; which, after local businesses begin to profit from our model, their increased spending will translate into greater profits for the equal paying company.  Thus, if the local business community begins to profit, their extra spending strengthens the bottom line of the company, meaning higher pay for all employees.

The quality of life is the greatest benefit of this model.  With ample resources, the common man can seek higher education, better healthcare, and have a much stronger chance at survival than one in a comparable position at a competing company.  While this possibly eliminates the chances of achieving a life comparable to those enjoying the excesses in the upper echelons of society, it does open up the idea that peace can only be achieved by believing in equality for all.  Education about this will translate into greater understanding and appreciation for what this could mean for all men.  If a number of companies adopted this model, then the profits would begin to increase in ways never before seen.  This does not have to stand in defiance of capitalism, as it can coexist peacefully with it.  Both entities are able to see success without one trying to issue dominance over the other.  The only thing this stands against is nature, as the strong always dominate the weak; thus, the comment of evolution was made, for mankind must evolve into this new mindset.

Of course, there will always be an element of society that will call for the damnation of any who believe in such a structure, but in time, even those who vocalize the strongest opinion against may see the benefits of adopting the concept of equality.

Society and Equality

If we wanted a future without war or distrust, a common goal of seeing without references to anything other than a man's personality must be achieved.  Meeting a new person should not be determined on whether the eyes are pleased by their outward appearance, but whether the mind can acclimate to their unique spin on the world.  Sure, some will always stand against seeing one group as an equal, as dominance over the weak works in all circles, none more evident than in foreign relations.  When my eyes are transfixed upon a new person, I appreciate every unique attribute that person has which contrasts with my own personal sense of style.  Instead of issuing a negative emotion based upon this appearance, I use logic to establish where they hail from, what type of background they must be used to, and use this to greet them in a manner best fitting the situation.

Over this lifetime, I have encountered countless persons that one group would immediately halt all relations with based upon a first glance, and with my view, have learned a great deal from everyone.  Without a doubt, the most can be learned from the person whom you contrast quite starkly against.  Whereas you may have lived to believe in one set of values, theirs can sometimes be of a completely alien nature, thus instead of promoting negativity, the adoption of curiosity will result in appreciation from both sides.  Conflict may be a natural part of life, but with an analytic mind that is set upon the absorption of information, one can put aside the natural need to dispel that which is different or misunderstood.

Dreaming for a future that is based on equality can be dangerous, but with faith in the ability of a man to understand the world of another, perhaps this view will result in a positive experience for everyone breathing the common air.

Is your boss five times the worker that you are?

We all labor for our daily bread, but some who breathe the air which is shared equally recieve more than their fair share of the loaf.  According to a number of sources, there are supervisors in this world that recieve five times the salary as their subordinates.  In the corporate world this is quite commonplace and strangely it is accepted by most to be, "just another part of life."  The word "most" was used as it is not something I am willing to accept for a variety of reasons.

1. I have had many supervisors that made as much as three times as much as I was taking in, yet most of their work consisted of sitting in the office going over paperwork.  While they had their duties, I was running almost non-stop trying to keep the customers happy and the product flowing out the door.  By days end, the supervisor, even if he had worked in the office the entire day, would have absolutely no sympathy for employees caught taking a breather while on the clock.  In fact, I once witnessed an employee being terminated for sitting down for five minutes after a very busy hour-long rush of customers, this after the supervisor stepped outside for a cigarette.    

2. Some supervisors are hired directly into their posts.  Some with only college and no work experience.  Thus, a person that has never endured the hardship of the lower rungs of the staircase, rides the elevator to the next level.  In the past I have witnessed corporate officers fresh out of college fire hourly employees for the smallest of infractions.  When one asks them about why it was done, an answer of "he wasn't living up to my expectations," is given.  How can someone like this, who has no experience but wields such power, make so much more than those that have been breaking their backs to keep the company afloat?

3.  Some supervisors justify their pay by saying that, "they deserve the pay for their expeience and education." 

So, those are but three reasons why I cannot accept the status quo of the world.  Never have I met a supervisor or corporate officer that was indeed worth what they brought home.  I truly doubt I will ever meet anyone that is worth a multiple of another in any workplace.  Thus, the notion of equality enters the mind.

At Zebulon Poe Photography and "The Liberal Signal," I have written a constitution which outlines how the company will grow and evolve.  On the top of the list is the notion that all employees will be given equal respect, an equal voice, and absolutely equal pay.  The five rules by which this company will live are:

1. All employees are equals in all areas.  Pay-  Payroll account will be divided equally among all employees. Voice- All employees are given an equal voice.  Any major decision which affects the whole must be voted on by every employee.  Respect- There is no ruling class or board of directors.

2. If one employee recieves a benefit, all employees recieve the same benefit.

3. No Background Check or Drug Test will be conducted on prospective employees.  Instead, an applicant must be interviewed by all employees and if 75% of employees are impressed, the person will be hired. (To hire an individual, the whole must take a pay cut in order to supply the equal share to the applicant).

4.  Absolutely no discrimination based on ANY variable will be accepted.  If a person breathes the common air, they have a chance to be employed here.  

5. The company will NEVER go public as ownership will always remain with those that work to keep it alive, which is every employee.  Without shareholders, there is not a pressure to bring up profits by stomping on those at the bottom.  Also, every employee is responsible for their own pay, for if they fail, the company fails, and if the company fails, we all fail together.  Here there will never be a CEO that is able to live the good life while the bottom rung suffers the ills of poverty.

This is how my business model works:
By paying all employees equally means there is far more income per person.  These people with their large paychecks (when compared to the usual company), flood the local economy by buying up goods and services.  The well cared for employees will likely spread the word about either our company, or our products.  More interest means more sales and more $ for the payroll account, which translates into higher pay.

Actual Company in Azle, Texas:
20 employees, 18 regular employees, 2 supervisors     $1,000,000 payroll for year.
18 employees share $450,000 over the year, or avg $25,000 each...  Both supervisors drive Mercedes and live in the best part of town...the both of them share $550,000 from payroll..

My company if same # of employees:
20 employees, 20 equal employees, 0 supervisors  $1,000,000 payroll for year
20 employees share $1,000,000 over the year, or avg $50,000 each..  That's an extra $25,000 per year for regular joe's. 

So...does anyone out there like the idea of absolute equality?  This isn't to say it would work for everyone in every occupation, and I am not for a communist future, just an equal workplace that breeds goodwill instead of jealousy.

To all those that hear this Liberal Signal..

It is a dark day for all when the common man finds that his voice is destined to be unheard; as, most already know, the masses only listen to those that speak the most accepted "truths."  When a bold soul unleashes a torrent which could contain a strict adherence to the facts, if that person does not bend some of his message so that the uneducated can relate, it is said to be liberal rantings.  Sometimes those with no interests in the common man take an interest in them to further their own goals.  Unfortunately, for the younger liberal and those of the "Occupy" movement, few of those that have taken an interest have really contributed in any tangible way.  It is going to take someone who has lived on the bottom and tasted what such a life can do, to lead this movement.  Despite fitting the description, I am not volunteering for this post, but I am interested in helping the movement find some traction in the one place where it could make a difference, in Congress.  To protest a rather harsh bill Congress was considering, a number of prominent websites spanning the globe blackened their main screens or prevented access to their files.  What needs to happen is for the common man to stand up for what is right and protest the very system which keeps him hovering above the poverty line by attacking those at the top the only way that is possible, by halting all production, thus dropping the stock price almost instantly.  Instead of having separate organizations spread out loosely among the various cities that support the movement, a single unifying message needs to be sent out to unify all those that stand for change.  With the strength of the media, it should not be a difficult task to devise a single site with a single message daily that could be as simple as a countdown.


Tick Tock the Clock does go, for all those that hear this liberal signal, let the future hold that I will never go quiet in this most unsettling of times.  I am one who has tasted the power of this government, as I have been struck down by it, whipped into submission, tortured by poverty, stripped of honor by the banner of the law, but still I gladly offer my sincere words, "I stand with everyone!"   


Now that you know my stand, I must confess, I would love to see a countdown begin for a day of action or inaction.  Take your pick, if you choose action, I would hope that you would select an activity that gives protest towards a common goal, albeit in a peaceful way; or, two, you choose to inactive, thus you contribute far more than those that travel down the first route.  By being inactive, you halt all production within your company, thus forcing a shutdown of operations, which works to cripple the stock prices.  The only way such a tactic could work is if this countdown begins a "black-cat" effect.  Once the countdown reaches 0, a string of companies experience the effects of the movement.  A day of normalcy passes, then another wave of shutdowns occur.  Then, another day passes, followed by a day of uncertainty within all markets.  This needs to draw people from every major entity in order to work correctly.  


As great as all this sounds, there is a reason for doing it.  This is to shock the corporate system into dividing their payroll accounts a little more evenly and focusing on the employees rather than the shareholders.  If the shareholders pull out of a company, it dies.  If the employees pull out of a company, the shareholders take the greatest hit, and still, the company dies.  If the markets nationwide were hit all at once, with a trickle down effect around the world, then no investor, or shareholder would be safe.  The employee, those that keep the gears turning through their backbreaking work for those standing above them, will become the most important aspect of the company oncemore, or in some instances, for the first time ever.


Again, this has been the liberal signal, and there will be much more to come!