Confliction Theory

Minimum wage vs. Cost of Living

64 percent of people living below the poverty line in this country work full time.

Oregon has the highest minimum wage in the country so to give you an idea of how this is possible I've written out a minimum expense budget simulation based off oregon min. wage. This is a bare bone model and doesn't include healthcare, debt, having to provide for a family or whatever other expenses may come up for the average person.

Wages

8.00 * 40= $320.00 a week w/o taxes

$1280.00 a month w/o taxes

Expenses

1 bed apt.- $600 to $700rent

Gas- $300

Food(1 person)- $200

Car insurance- $150

Electricity(1 person) $70

Credit Card/Bank fees- $30

Personal Spending - min. $100

TOTAL COST OF LIVING- $1450 to $1550

MONEY LEFTOVER- NEGATIVE $170-$270 W/O TAXES DEDUCTED

TOTAL COST OF LIVING MINUS CAR EXPENSES ADD PUBLIC TRANS.- $1100 to $1200

MONEY LEFTOVER- $80-$180 W/O TAXES DEDUCTED

I wrote this blog to show how difficult it is for the majority of americans to pay there monthly bills and how minimum wage doesn't come close to supporting the cheapest lifestyle society has to offer. Keep in mind this would only be ONE PERSON providing for themselves and not someone who has to provide for a family or child. With a child expenses would inflate by about fifty percent. We desperately need to seperate from this system of economics that refuses to give us an affordable life and instead keeps us immersed in the monthly struggle just to keep your head above water. Is it worth the stress? Do you feel like you have no other options? I'll make a million dollar bet this system will die in our lifetime, we need to start thinking of alternative routes right now with this system failing in front of our eyes.

Poverty isn't a natural part of life but a forced policy to keep the powerful powerful and the powerless powerless.

Conflicktion 08'

W.H.O. deems Cuba’s healthcare system a "model for the world"

Cuba's public health system, with its comprehensive family doctor program and tertiary care facilities, has been recommended as a "model for the world" by the World Health Organization. Doctors are allowed to get advanced certification in natural and alternative medicine including herbal treatments, acupuncture, homeopathy and mind-body medicine. In the last decade, natural medicine clinics have opened in every major city and more than 60 indigenous herbs with proven medicinal value have been identified. Cuba has invested in and maintains a sophisticated hospital system, but even more important is the national emphasis on preventative health measures and primary and community care. Every person has free access to a community doctor and nurse and the national health association is organized down to the block level to ensure care is given. Every pregnant woman is receiving pre-natal care.

Cuba has invested heavily in biomedical research, giving it one of the only genuine biomedical capacities in the world. It has 67,500 doctors (the highest per capita in the world) of which 30,133 are family doctors, 436 polyclinics, 275 hospitals (both general and specialized, including surgical, pediatric and maternal hospitals), 13 specialized medical institutes and 22 medical schools. The infant mortality rate is 7.5 per 1000 live births, lower than that of the District of Columbia, and the average life expectancy is 76 years.

40,000 Cuban health care workers have provided services in more than 90 countries and helped develop comprehensive health care programs in 16 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa. Cuba has also provided medical treatment for 19,000 children and adults from the three republics contaminated by the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986. Moreover, there are currently young people from 24 countries and 63 indigenous ethnic groups studying, free of charge, in Cuba's prestigious Latin American School of Medical Sciences.*

This article gives you a good idea of how Cuba manages one of the best healthcare systems in the world. The average medical costs per cuban citizen is only $230.00 a year(srce. world heatlth organiztion), compared to a whopping average of $7,600 for a U.s. Citizen(srce. world heatlth organiztion). Still the life expectancy and infant mortality are near identical for both countries. The U.S. grossed 12.36 trillion dollars last year which is by far the highest in the world. Cuba's gross was about $39 billion. You do the math.

Maybe our elected officials should learn a thing or two about running a country from the Castro brothers.

Why I call myself Confliction

Man is a creature like no other this planet has seen.

A creature in constant conflict with itself, with nature, and with its own conscience.

Our thoughts are in conflict with our instincts.

Our conscience is in conflict with our pride.

Our infrastructures and over consumption are in conflict with the environment.

Conflict is what fuels our passion and sense of being.

God vs. ........Darwin,

Capitalism vs. Socialism,

Autobot vs. Decepticon…. A great conflict is what makes a good story and builds a good case.

And what opinion has no flaws??

Conflicting views, for better or worse is what has fueled mankind's progression for ages.

We become conflicted within ourselves multiple times daily.

For example you don't condone third world slavery but you might wear nike's. You despise greedy corporations but you buy thier cigarettes, booze and food.

You hate the government but you still pay your taxes and so fourth.

From these conflicting circumstances rose my name and creative ambition.

When you realize everyone you've ever known is a walking contradiction.

You look in the mirror and see the same hypocritical vision,

You find your brain is spinnin' and that's the essence of Confliction.