9/26/11

Finding Common Ground: The Global Warming Debate

By Dusty Dirt
Global Warming is one of the most controversial issues in recent history. Many Environmentalists which include citizens, politicians (mostly liberal democrats), and political/non-profit organizations such as Greenpeace maintain that Global Warming is caused by the over consumption of coal, oil, and other toxic chemicals. Some scientific evidence supports these claims, but there is also some scientific evidence to support claims from skeptics of Global Warming who believe that rising temperatures and climate change around the world is part of the Earth’s natural cycle. Skeptics of Global Warming are usually conservative republicans who think Global Warming is merely part of the liberal agenda, and that the world does not need to make such dramatic reforms to industrial laws in order to protect the environment and halt climate change.

People at both sides of the issue have very passionate opinions and evidence that either proves that Global Warming is a problem that must be dealt with now or that Global Warming is not as big of a problem that it is hyped up to be. Neither the skeptics of Global Warming nor proponents have enough solid evidence to prove or debunk each other’s claims. The proponents truly believe that they are fighting for a good cause that will save the Earth and create a cleaner environment for future generations. On the other hand, skeptics of Global Warming and Climate Change are not necessarily apathetic and hate the environment as many Environmentalists may like to believe. Since there is no adequate proof to support the claims of either side, the next best thing for everyone is to decide on a “happy medium” and find a common denominator that both parties can agree on.

Most people, regardless of their political affiliation or stance on Global Warming and the environment, do not like seeing trash lying around when they go on a trip to the mountains or the beach, or in their home town for that matter. If you ask around, most people would probably say that they desire clean air, water, and food free of toxins and poisons. Most people would agree that humanity needs to make some changes to make the planet a cleaner and healthier place. If you asked those same people if they believed that Global Warming is a threat to the health of our planet and children's’ future, fewer would agree with each other about what side of the issue is wrong or right. Humanity in general has come a long way with how we treat each other and the planet since the dark ages. The vast changes many cultures and societies have already made to enhance the quality of life proves that most people these days want what is positive and best for their friends, families, and neighbors

Technological advancement is one modern achievement that has improved the quality of life around the globe. The heated debate over Global Warming would not be as much of an issue if people could agree that we should use green technologies simply to ensure that we have access to clean energy, water, and air now. Instead of attempting to force industries to accept strict environmental standards, those who believe Global Warming is a problem might have better results if they spent their time, money, and energy trying to influence people on a public level. Middle class and poor people cannot afford solar panels and wind turbines. Urban and low-economic cities and towns severely lack environmental reforms and action. Also, education and public awareness about the environment is a side issue that is not often discussed. Until one side of the Global Warming issue has enough substantial evidence to completely debunk the other side’s stance, there will always be a reason for raising questions and debate.Change rarely happens overnight, unless there is a critical mass of people that agrees on making any change.

"Finding Common Ground" is a series of editorial articles that are intended to present a non-biased approach to important and controversial topics and current events around the world. The ultimate goal of these articles is to encourage people to critically think about solutions that could be discovered by making rational examinations of perspectives and opinions from all sides of controversial issues. I welcome any questions, comments and contributions. Thank You. --Dusty Dirt.

9/25/11

Lying By Omission: The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments

“For the most part, doctors and civil servants simply did their jobs. Some merely followed orders, others worked for the glory of science.”

- Dr John Heller, Director of the Public Health Service's Division of Venereal Diseases

The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment is a prime example of scientists taking the easy route regardless of the harmful and negative effects research can have on people and living things. I have heard references to the Tuskegee Experiments in regards to racism and minority abuse in the past, but never looked into it in depth until now. I do not remember hearing about this in High School, and I have never seen any documentaries on television, or have seen any news articles. I also do not remember Bill Clinton apologizing to five of the eight surviving members. Stories about minority abuse and mistreatment rarely make it to the front page, and if they do they do not stay there for long, and are hardly ever talked about again.

I have also heard of the conspiracy theory that AIDS was invented in a laboratory to further reduce the Black population. I have not looked into that issue too deep either, but I have seen what the AIDS virus looks like on a microscopic level, and it appears to be something that was constructed. The US government also conducted this experiment in Guatemala, and there they used 696 men. This experiment was conducted of forty years and during a time of blatant racism in the United States.

I would like to believe that as a society we have moved past that, but I am not sure because the overall black population continues to decline in America, and there is evidence that in the 1980’s the CIA purposely made crack cocaine readily available to African Americans. This issue goes beyond informed consent. This is more of an issue that no race or person anywhere should ever have to such a racist and despicable experiment. The mainstream media should also be put to shame for not giving more attention to issues like this.

9/24/11

Plan-It-X Records- Not Dying But Needs Help in Transforming

"If it aint cheap, it aint Punk!"

Plan-It-X records, my favorite DIY maker of Punk Rock records is not dead or dying, but is transforming and can use some help. By help I mean buy some records, CDs, tapes, whatever, or just donate some money if possible. For more information, about Plan-It-X, Google it, find some videos on YouTube including Chris Clavin's Channel, or visit the new Plan-It-X website (screenshot below), or check out the Plan-It-X message board. For more up-to-date information "like" the Plan-It-X page on Facebook, or even better yet, follow Chris Clavin's blog on Tumblr. Here is a recent Tumblr post from Chris Clavin, musician and Co-Founder of Plan-It-X Records..............

Stolen from Chris's Tumblr Blog......

This is my cat, Mr. Jefferson. Plan-it-x is in a state of change and development. It’s not dying, but it needs help in transforming. I’m the owner of hundreds of CDs that no one wants and I’m dead broke. So, I’m trying to raise funding to release LPs and COMICS, by selling CDs super cheap, in the form of the SUPER SALE!!!! please spread the word if you want to help and reblog this! you get 10 CDs (randomly picked by us) and a DVD for $20 postage included. You can order by sending a cool letter and cash to........

PIX

PO BOX 2312

BLOOMINGTON, IN. 4740

or by paypaling me here:

planitxrecords@gmail.com

If you live in Europe, please add $8.00. If you live in Asia, please ass $12.00

It would be great, if you want some CDs and you want to help out PIX! please do. !!!

9/19/11

Will Social Security Benefits Be Enough For Future Generations To Retire On?

Image via Wikipedia

Social Security was not intended to be a person’s only source of income after retirement. It was meant to be a form of insurance to supplement existing retirement plans. Every US citizen pays into social security insurance over their lifetime of employment, yet many are unaware that the money that was meant to be put aside, and untouched for OASDI, has been used to back up the ever-growing US deficit. This is the only real reason behind why so many politicians tell everyone that Social Security for the baby boomers, and future generations is at risk. Currently, money received from OASDI and other social security programs is not enough for most Americans to retire on, and another part of the problem is that many people have not been properly financially educated about how to save for retirement, and improve their quality of life.

In the United States, Social Security is an umbrella term that includes departments for unemployment, disability, medical, and retirement benefits. The retirement part of social security is officially referred to as “Old age survivor’s disability insurance” (OASDI). The funds paid into Social Security and OASDI become available to Americans at age 62. Social Security was one of many government public service agencies formed under President Roosevelt's “New Deal” for America. Social Security has been at the center of much heated debate for about the last fifty years. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike all have some interesting ideas on what how to solve the problems with social security. They range from reforming the system to ensure that the Social Security Trust will be always be separate from the rest of the deficit, to eliminating Social Security altogether (www.ssa.gov).

I recently watched a Public Service Announcement video about Social Security on YouTube that was made by the Ad council in 1946. In the video, a newspaper reporter is assigned to report on what happens inside a local social security office. Before she went out on the assignment, she stopped by her grandfather’s house to see if he wanted to go with her. He goes along and they arrive at the Social Security office. The granddaughter-reporter does an interview with one of the workers, asking common questions that people might have about social security. The social worker explains parts of the law, and that social security is something that every working American pays 1.5%, off every paycheck, over their lifetime. She also says that this money is put aside in a personal savings account separate from other government funds and resources. Simply put: It cannot be touched. They even show a cartoon of the money going into a vault in the video. The reporter’s grandpa receives his first social security card but was reluctant about receiving the SS retirement benefits that he was entitled to. The worker assures grandpa that he can still work and receive retirement benefits.

The video is very informative and pleasant to watch, and it is reminiscent of a time when most people trusted the government with their tax dollars. It presents social security in a very positive light, and as a good thing for a new America. These days it seems like every time there is something in the news about social security, it is almost always about how the system is in jeopardy and might not be able to fund retirements for generations to come. It was meant to be a pay-as-you-go program, and as long as young people kept paying in, the payments would keep going out to retired people. Millions of tax-paying citizens are still far from the age of retirement and paying into social security. So what happened?

In 1968, under the Johnson administration, the federal government consolidated the Social Security Trust fund under a “Unified Budget.” They used the surplus of funds created through social security in an attempt to make the United States deficit appear to be less than it was. The “Budget Enforcement Act” of 1990 essentially reversed the implications of the “Unified Budget” act, and separated Social Security funds, along with US Postal service funds, from the rest of the federal deficit. This act was intended to once again make Social Security funds untouchable and unaffected by economic conditions. However, the “Budget Enforcement Act” expired in 2002, and Social Security has reverted back in to being included in the US deficit, and part of the “Unified Budget. (www.ssa.gov)”

The AARP insisted during latest economic debt-ceiling crisis that Social Security funds will be paid out, and there is no need for retired people to worry . (aarp.og) The debt-ceiling crisis now seems to be under control, and retirees are still receiving benefits, but something President Obama said in an interview during the crisis raises more than a few questions about the integrity of Social Security funds. In a televised interview with Scott Pelly of CBS evening news, when asked if Social Security payments would be delivered on time, President Obama said “This is not just a matter of Social Security checks. These are veterans checks, these are folks on disability and their checks. There are about 70 million checks that go out…I cannot guarantee that those checks go out on August 3rd if we haven’t resolved this issue. Because there may simply not be the money in the coffers to do it.” (CBS Evening News) Really? Not enough money in the “coffers” to do it? The reason there is not enough money in the coffers is that politicians have been using social security as a political football, and the original intent of keeping Social Security autonomous, and independent of other government economic issues has been severely compromised.

The reality today is that most people do not put any money aside, or make their own retirement plans. Many poor and middle class people and families have a hard enough time making ends meet, and the idea of saving their own cash for retirement is simply not an option for them. People are living longer these days than ever before. Our attitudes and expectations about social security and retirement are shaped by family, government, and financial institutions. The Public Service Announcement program that I watched about social security was made during a time when public confidence in the government was soaring. These Entitlement programs were implemented to ensure that all retired people would at least have a little money available to get by on, if all else fails. The government made it very clear that the money deposited into an individuals social security insurance fund would be safe, and grandpa and grandma would not have to worry about ending their lives alone on the streets or in a sanitarium.

Today about 155 million people work and pay Social Security taxes and about 54 million people receive monthly Social Security benefits. About 36 million of these people are retirees and their families. Since the 1970’s, politicians have been debating about whether or not Social Security retirement benefits should be eliminated entirely or replaced with a different system. Many people feel that the individual should be responsible for saving up personal retirement funds and all of the taxes taken for social security by the government would be better off invested in privatised retirement funds, or collecting interest in a some type of savings account. Money paid by working people into social security insurance was meant to be used by retired people that need it now, and stay that way for future generations.

Many people are concerned that if Social Security is not reformed soon, the next generation of retirees will see massive cutbacks in their benefits and will not be able to afford basic their needs. Many retired people already struggle to get by with the cost of living constantly increasing because of inflation, economic problems. Even people who have saved their own money over the years for retirement are finding it hard to survive because of the rising cost of living, medical expenses, and unexpected financial losses occurring in America’s recent economic down-turn.

Tax-paying citizens of the United States deserve to have their social security retirement benefits protected from being used for any other purposes besides what their hard earned money was originally intended to be put aside for. Additionally, there should be a stronger focus on teaching financial education starting at the elementary level in public schools. More people should be aware of, speak out against, and hold the government accountable for any mishandling of tax-payer dollars. If the majority of citizens in the United States started putting more of effort into playing an active role in government than someday it may be possible for social security to not only cover the just basic needs of retirees, but also ensure that every American will have more than what they need to live well, and with dignity in their golden years.

References
1. YouTube Video- “The Social Security Story: Social Security Office, Card, and Benefits History (1962)”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc6R4xzPcgA&list=PL4F219F3B0A11694C&index=6

2. YouTube Video- “Obama No Guarantee On Aug. Soc. Security, Government Checks”

CBS Evening News with Scott Peely, air date: July 12, 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5Wg9BVYbWw&feature=BFa&list=PL4F219F3B0A11694C&lf=BFa

3. Website- Social Security Administration- “Agency History Research Notes & Special Studies by the Historian's Office”
http://www.ssa.gov/history/budgettreatment.html

4. Website- Social Security Online “Understanding The Benefits”

http://ssa.gov/pubs/10024.html

5. Website- AARP- “Protect Social Security” by A. Barry Rand, AARP CEO July 1, 2011

http://www.aarp.org/work/social-security/info-07-2011/protect-social-security-barry-rand.html

Movin' On.......

Hey Internet! So several things have changed since I last posted on my blog here. Around the second week of June 2011, I left the Dusty Dirt House where I had been living for the past three years with friends, hosting punk shows, attempting to get people involved in DIY ethics and interested in building a community. I have to say that for the most part I feel we made some kind of an impact, I really wish more could have been done in that space, but you play the cards life deals to you, and sometimes you have to fold. Myself, my daughter Maya, and Kristen packed up, and moved in with my sister in Upland for a few months, and about a three weeks ago we bought a really sweet house off an old lady with my dad in Rialto. We're all settled in now and I am really excited about the possibilities of hosting DIY punk shows and events in this area. Also, I have many friends out this way who live in Rialto and the surrounding cities that seem a little more welcoming than Rancho Cucamonga. I always felt like living in Rancho Cucamonga was one of the reasons we had such a hard time getting people together, it is too far from other cities where more punks live, and too expensive for most punks to live there.

Anyway, it was all fun while it lasted. We had a lot of good times and bad, lost some friends and made new ones, gave several bands a place to play when no other venue would. The last time I posted here I was very bitter and fed up with people and things, it seemed like no matter how hard I tired to keep the place going, everything would just fall apart. A lot of close friends let me down, but maybe I also let them down in some ways, and I know life can throw a curve ball once in a while, you just have to keep your head up, flow with the force and move on.

I have much catching up to do with this blog. I have several videos of shows and cool stuff from friends, along with my own music and musings. There is still a very active DIY punk scene in Southern California and other places in the USA. I am really looking forward to actually touring the west coast a little before the end of the year, and next year I plan on seeing the rest of the states. I am glad to see that there are still people out there really trying to make a difference, and I think that the reason is, and has always been because DIY Punk music, Hip-Hop, and the people involved in creating the music are a few of the only things left in this world of commercialism and mediocrity that make people think critically, recreate a positive message, and push forward human evolution for peace.