Just Off the One-Lane Road

OccuCopter!

2012-01-03T12:32:00.000-05:00

Do you support freedom of the press? Does the suppression of journalists's rights to cover the stories--stories such as police brutality, pepper-spraying people exercising their constitutional rights, trashing valuables, etc., make you as angry as it makes me? Check this out! You go, Tim Pool!http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/01/03/1050718/-Game-of-Drones-Eye-in-the-Sky-for-Occupy-Meet-the-OccuCoptor?via=siderec
And then there's this subtle little jab at Scott Walker....what guts! And the announcer completely missed it. But you can tell that it was an "unscheduled" stop by Wisconsin's Pulaski High School marching band as the announcer tried to "cover." The band stayed long enough in front of the VIP grandstand to play it out. And this is only the beginning! Shades of great things to come this year. OCCUPY the PLANET!

Check this out:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/01/03/1051043/-Pulaski-WI-Marching-Band-Sticking-to-the-Union-in-Rose-Bowl-Parade?via=siderec

Bradley Manning Imprisonment is An Unconscionable Travesty

2011-12-18T09:21:00.000-05:00

You may not like Michael Moore. Personally, he is one of my heroes. But that's beside the point. The point is: don't fail to read this article because Michael Moore wrote it and you don't happen to like Michael Moore. Take the time to read and follow the links....

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/18/1046557/-A-Man-in-Tunisia,-a-Movement-on-Wall-Street,-and-the-Soldier-Who-Ignited-the-Fuse?via=recent

http://www.bradleymanning.org/

CLOSER...THEY'RE GETTING CLOSER.....Tar Sands Sellout Pending

2011-12-17T09:24:00.000-05:00

Remember that Daffy Duck recording, set to the tune of the Hungarian Rhapsody? It was Daffy, portrayed as a hapless,hunted duck, awaiting execution, surrounded as he was, by a bazillion hunters intent on his demise.

"Bang-bang here, And bang-bang there....bullets flying everythere....closer, they're getting closer....!!!"

And that's exactly how we who support environmental issues, democratic ideals. social justice, LGBTQ rights, etc., feel. Everywhere we turn, we're being betrayed and "compromised" to death. For years, now, we've done the "right thing." We've gone through the "proper" channels of petitions, calls to the White House...we've made excuses for the unresponsive administration....and here we find ourselves holding the butt with no barrel, of Daffy's shotgun.

Here's our sad, bowed but not quite defeated completely, hero Duncan Meisel, two emails,here in reverse order to what I received late yesterday:

Friends --
Just wanted to pass along an update: today, we completely flooded the White House phone lines with thousands of calls opposing this deal on Keystone XL oil pipeline.

The good news: this means we overwhelmed the White House with calls. The bad news: it also means that a lot of people didn't get through, and that the comment line is now shut down for the weekend.

If you weren’t able to get through or make a call, you can leave a short message for the President on the White House website here.

Thanks again -- we’ll be in touch soon.

Onwards,
Duncan Meisel for the Tar Sands Action and 350.org Team
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friends,
It all comes down to Barack Obama.
As I type this, Big Oil's representatives in the House and Senate are pushing legislation that would rush approval of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. Up until now President Obama has stood strong, threatening to reject any bill that includes the pipeline.

But in the last hour, some terrible news has begun to leak from DC: President Obama seems to be on the verge of caving on Keystone. There’s no way to sugarcoat it -- if the President allows Keystone to move forward, he will be failing the single biggest environmental test of his presidency.

The next few hours will be absolutely crucial -- the President needs to hear from you that cutting a back-room deal with Big Oil on Keystone XL is unacceptable. If he steps up and threatens to veto this bill, he can stop this pipeline in its tracks.

Can you make a call right away? Here’s the White House number: 202-456-1111

Feel free to say what you want on the call, but remember to drive this one message home: to keep his promises, President Obama needs to veto legislation that would rush approval of Keystone XL. This pipeline is a threat to our climate and jobs and needs to be stopped.

After you've called the White House, take 30 seconds to let us know how it went by clicking here.

(Don’t worry if you get a busy signal -- it’s actually a good sign: it means we’ve flooded the White House switchboard and that the movement is sending an overwhelming message to the President. Just keep on trying until you get through.)

President Obama came into office promising to “end the tyranny of oil.” This is his chance to prove he was serious. If he’s not, he needs to know right now that there will be real consequences.

Big Oil cut a back-room deal with the dirtiest Members of Congress to attach this legislation to a must-pass tax cut bill. These kinds of deals exemplify the tyranny Big Oil exercises over our government, and underscores why the President needs to threaten a veto.

We have just a few hours to convince him to stand strong and veto any legislation to rush the Keystone pipeline. Can you make a call right now and tell him that we expect nothing less? Here’s the number again: 202-456-1111

Your calls right now are absolutely crucial, and you should also be getting ready to get back into the streets in the days and weeks to come. We’re dusting off our plans to go to Obama 2012 offices and raise some ruckus. Call the White House, but also get in touch with your friends to start plotting your next steps locally.

Thanks to you, this fight isn’t over yet -- not by a long shot.

Let’s go,

Duncan Meisel for the team at Tar Sands Action and 350.or
P.S. Share this red alert with a few clicks on Facebook and Twitter to bring them back into the game.

BTW: The Tar Sands pipeline project uses FRACKED gas in their process.

Conclusion? What else can I say? Back to the cliche of the boiled-frog analogy: drop a frog into a big kettle filled with boiling water. The frog, close to the top of the kettle jumps out easily and survives; drop the frog into a little cold water, heat it up slowly and the frog, never knowing he was in danger, boils, unable to jump out of the depths....We are working toward boiled frogs.

Friends, Americans,Countrymen, Lend Me Your Ears......

2011-12-17T08:56:00.000-05:00

......sleighbells (alarms) ring...are you listening?

I know....we all have heard this since high school....but it might be a good idea to re-read it, and then pay attention to the National Defense Authorization Act....CLOSE attention. Check out my recommendation at the very bottom of this post.....

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;

I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.

The evil that men do lives after them;

The good is oft interred with their bones;

So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus

Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:

If it were so, it was a grievous fault,

And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it.

Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest -

For Brutus is an honourable man;

So are they all, all honourable men -

Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.

He was my friend, faithful and just to me:

But Brutus says he was ambitious;

And Brutus is an honourable man.

He hath brought many captives home to Rome

Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:

Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?

When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:

Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;

And Brutus is an honourable man.

You all did see that on the Lupercal

I thrice presented him a kingly crown,

Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;

And, sure, he is an honourable man.

I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,

But here I am to speak what I do know.

You all did love him once, not without cause:

What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?

O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,

And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;

My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,

And I must pause till it come back to me

Tune in to WBAI radio FM 99.5 out of New York (http://archive.wbai.org/ Scroll down the archived play lists to Occupy Wall Street Radio...and others.

Check out the program for December 16th of Occupy Wall Street radio.

When you're done, scan the rest of the website for more interesting commentary and discussion. And then put it on your list of Favorites.

Guess what! -- UPDATE

2011-12-15T09:54:00.001-05:00

I'm wrong. I apologize to Time. Indeed the "Protester(s)" cover IS on the U. S. edition.

Time's "Person of the Year..."

They DIDN'T put the cover on the U. S. edition! Does that tell you something???

From The Washington Post: There are some hints of dissent. “Time's ‘Person of the Year’ is the person they did not put on their U.S. edition covers,” The Post’s Anup Kaphle wrote on Twitter.

In a viral screengrab, Internet users complained about the Dec. 5 cover story selection. Time Magazine put a protester with the headline “Revolution Redux on the cover of its Europe, Asia and South Pacific editions, but opted for the headline “Why Anxiety is Good For You” on the cover of its U.S. edition.

Meet Loukanikos...(name means sausage in Greek)!

2011-12-15T09:31:00.000-05:00

And while you're at it, check out these articles on Time's Person(s) of the Year 2011....
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/15/1045590/-Time-Magazine’s-Person-of-the-Year:-Tear-Gas,-Concussion-Grenades,-and-the-Occupy-Movement?via=recent
WaPo has posted extensive links to Time's Person of the Year:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/time-person-of-the-year-2011-the-protester/2011/12/14/gIQAvZtntO_blog.htm
And meet Loukanikos...!

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,2102191_2327694,00.html

And the beat goes on....

2011-12-15T08:46:00.001-05:00

This is probably the worst thing going on right now (although it's hard to make that choice when faced with the corruption that exists everywhere including the very topmost levels of OUR "government".....and this, sponsored by our esteemed president):

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/15/1045560/-Why-a-Constitutional-Law-Professor-Cannot-Sign-NDAA,-Allowing-Military-Detention-of-Americans?via=recent

Amazing to me that Congress (you know, the body that shall make no laws....) makes laws, like this. You might want to take your copy of the Constitution out of your hip pocket--the one you've been sitting on all these years, assuming everything is hunky dory-- and have a look:

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized

Amendment VII

In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Amendment VIII

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

...and the beat goes on....Take a look at your Constitution. Seriously. How long has it been since you read the Bill of Rights? I'll make it easy for you. Go here:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/billofrights

Now....having read it, and having had a RE-view of our Consitutional rights in this country, just go Google the NDAA (that's the National Defense Authorization Act sponsored by the president and MOST of the House (all but 4 voted FOR it) and MOST of the Senate....and picture ssstttttrrrrrreeetttcccchinnng that law just a teeny, tiny bit in order to imprison PROTESTERS--people that happen not to agree with "The Govrnment"....(of course the police or "authorities" would never "stretch" the "truth" (and if you believe that I have a big, juicy chunk of cow manure to sell you)...and let your mind wander. Heck, with this big weapon of power, militarized police can walk right onto my farm, pick me up, incarcerate me (no charges required) and keep me imprisoned for as long as they want without charge--in effect, throw away the key.

Finally, have a look at this: http://occupywallst.org/article/defend-bill-rights-all-us/

No joke. Civil libertarians EVERYWHERE are in an uproar, and YOU should be, too. We are headed down the wrong path. All the damned petitions and protests we can mount, don't keep apace. The illicit "powers that be" want to remain "the powers that be"....you'd best start paying attention. Don't sit back and assume you're safe. Don't assume anything.

I Knew You Would Be Proud of Me!

2011-12-14T13:36:00.000-05:00

Indeed. I accept your congratulations for having the foresight to join, support and publicize this awe-inspiring movement. What's exciting is that it's only just begun...! BTW, I'm told that I am now officially a terrorist because I support OWS, have more than seven days food stored, have smoke residue on my fingers (wood cookstove) and am generally speaking a cranky old bat when it comes to tolerating "personhood" and Republicans, and big banks and big oil and big pharma and the Congress and the president (lower case intended)...need I continue?
To read about Time's momentous decision go to:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45657166/ns/today-today_celebrates_2011/

Do you think you're well off, living in the U. S.?

2011-12-13T09:45:00.000-05:00

It might be enlightening to read the following.... Maybe you'll want to reconsider.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/13/1044550/-The-mainstream-German-magazine-Spiegel-asks-has-the-United-States-of-America-become-an-Oligarchy?via=recent

Amazing! No wonder the oil, gas, coal, et al industries are worried!

2011-12-13T09:41:00.001-05:00

Have a read of this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cwSFu1Pz0g&feature=related

SQUIDDING

2011-12-11T09:16:00.000-05:00

http://www.letsgosquidding.com/

This speaks for itself! (you might have to cut and paste here....don't know for sure.)

This Should Open a Few Eyes...

2011-12-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am not a Ron Paul supporter. Truth be told...I am not a supporter of ANY presidential candidate that is running, today. Nonetheless, this gives pause for thought and is worth a couple of minutes of your time:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/10/1044056/-Ron-Pauls-Eye-Opening-Ad-on-our-Wars-This-Ad-Needs-to-go-Viral

FRACKING

2011-12-11T07:36:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was gratifying. I was a little worried prior to putting up our banner, "Save the Water Table.org" MM and I are new at being visible activists, putting our bodies on the line, you might say (not that it even resembled that, but I was a tad nervous, if truth be told). You never know how people will react to those who take up a cause that has the potential for conflict about critically important topics...their jobs, the environmnet, politics....

But when you share information about such a hugely important topic as water, people take time to listen; at first they grow silent as the message takes root in their minds; and then it's like an awakening.....

We were at a little Country Store in the little unincorporated town in Greenville, West Virginia. We shared the potential for disaster with all who came into the store between the time we arrived--10:00 a.m. and the end of our shift at 1:00 p.m. And, it was soooooo rewarding! Of the 48 people who entered the store during that time, 45 signed our petition. Only one person was borderline rude, two didn't want any information (hard to imagine!) Two people even showed up for the specific purpose of signing the petition (as the signing locations had been well-publicized.

It was a good day. A very, very good day. Forty-five signatures may not sound like much, but keep in mind, this is a tiny place.....a very special tiny place....and the message was loud and clear: no fracking, not here....not anywhere. Go away BIG OIL....go AWAY! All your feel-good-ain't-we-wonderful slick ads on TV are just so much bullshit. You are ruining lives all across this country....lives of people who are defenseless...and you are the Goliaths against a humble population of Davids that risks losing everything...including our lives....all for BIG OIL PROFITS.

Watch the following to see how Fracking will impact this country.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEB_Wwe-uBM

This is simply beyond belief, but it's true.....

2011-12-10T08:41:00.000-05:00

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/09/1043781/-Why-Obama-Will-Not-Veto-NDAA-Military-Detention-of-Americans:-He-Requested-It?via=siderec

Think of all the protesters "they" will have the "right" to arrest without charge, and hold indefinitely.....connect the dots, folks....and make your voices be heard....Call the White House, your Senators.....only SEVEN voted AGAINST this bill....

Occupy the Plutocracy

2011-12-08T09:42:00.000-05:00

Don't miss the vids!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/02/1041647/-Chris-Hedges-at-Occupy-Harvard-–-feeding-plutocracy-and-why-the-cops-are-scared?via=sidebyuserrec

Here's My Very Own Recommendation on the New website as of last night.

2011-12-08T08:53:00.001-05:00

OCCUPYEDUCATED.ORG

In the belief that an educated citizenry is key to change, Occupy Wall Street--OWS--has --as of last night--introduced a new website to replace the exstensive library that was trashed by the New York City Police RAID in Zuccotti Park--Liberty Plaza. You may recall that 5,000 books at Liberty Plaza were thrown irretrievably into dumpsters by the goon squad of Mayor Bloomberg.

This replaces the physical books, and goes beyond.

It is an open forum. YOU--anyone--can recommend additions. With technological wizardry, OWS has produced a place where recommended reading is displayed for all to explore. It shows how richly educated we already are! And it also reaches out, offering to share our understanding of where we are, where we are heading, how we can help, what we need to know....on every possible front!

What kind of world do we want? How can we, as individuals, move our caring agenda forward?

Whether it be environmental, financial, legislative, climate change, unemployment, foreclosures, corporate personhood, money, income inequality--the list is infinite! Please take a look at this wonderful resource.

My own recommendation is for an inspiring film we watched about two weeks ago called The Singing Revolution. It features Estonia, an incredibly lovely land and its people in their peaceful struggle for independence. It's available as a streaming video on Netflix. To educate yourself, check out the new OWS awesome website:

http://occupyeducated.org/forums/topic.php?id=67

Scary Stuff From Keith Olbermann's program this evening....

2011-12-07T22:10:00.000-05:00

If this doesn't scare the daylights out of you....

http://current.com/community/93569564_government-activating-fema-camps-across-u-s-occupy-the-planet.htm

Fracking and Hot Diggity Dawg!!! Time Magazine's Story of the Year!

2011-12-07T18:32:00.000-05:00

MM and I will be on deck at a table out here JOTOLR this coming weekend, getting people to sign our petition against FRACKING. Our aim is to get fracking banned completely from our region at least, if not the entire country. The name of our organization is Save Our Water Table.

And here is a small announcement about Time Magazine's story of the year:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/07/1043118/-Time-magazine-picks-Occupy-Wall-Street-as-the-top-news-story-of-2011-?via=sidebyuserrec

You betcha! From four dedicated people to this...!!! And we're growing every single day with amazing stories as we Occupy EVERYTHING. Occupy is moving into illegally foreclosed homes across the nation, reclaiming them for the homeless. Occupy even Mic-Checked the Metropolitan Opera the other evening and got at least 50 percent of the audience to APPLAUD THEM!!! Right now, OWS is occupying Congress! Awesome. And this is only the beginning. Get ready for more. We are the 99%.

Port Shutdown on the West Coast

2011-12-07T18:16:00.000-05:00

This should be pretty big....Hoping to put a few punctures in Goldman Sachs, et al...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/07/1043151/-Occupy-Seattle-Why-We-Shut-Down-The-Port-Part-I?via=recent

Embarrassing to say the least.....

2011-12-01T09:42:00.000-05:00

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/01/1041370/-Der-Spiegel:GOP-Freakshow-Damaging-Americas-Reputation?via=recent

Now THIS is creative ACTIVISM!

2011-12-01T09:10:00.000-05:00

Love it!

http://occupywallst.org/article/occupy-museums-goes-lincoln-center/

Complete with tanks...

2011-12-01T08:57:00.000-05:00

...maybe even drones which currently fly over 8 U.S. cities spying on all kinds of activities, we're told...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/01/1041313/-Mayor-1-says,-Ive-got-my-own-army,-the-NYPD?via=recent

Couldn't have said it better....

2011-11-30T06:53:00.000-05:00

We're on the verge of losing this once-great country...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/30/1040975/-The-New-AmericaA-scary-place?via=recent

In Case You Missed This Edition of 60 Minutes....

2011-11-28T08:58:00.000-05:00

...I hope you take the time to watch this video. And, by the way....Occupy Foreclosures knows where there are LOTS of vacant homes, most, if not all, foreclosed upon ILLEGALLY. What would be wrong with allowing families to move into these VACANT homes? Rent free. In exchange for their looking after the place, starting with a little seed money...?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/27/1040359/-Families-Living-in-Cars:60-Minutes-Video?via=recent

Terrifying. Simply Terrifying....UPDATE

2011-11-28T08:05:00.008-05:00

If you believe our government is benevolent.....take a look at this...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/28/1040408/-Defense-Authorization-Bill-Raises-Alarms-Over-Civil-Liberties?via=recent

Pretty soon, they'll be outlawing the ACLU. Don't be caught napping...

Here's another on the same subject:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/27/1040371/-Monday-Stop-Senate:-Indefinite-Detention-of-US-Citizens-in-USA-by-US-Military-in-Secret-Legislation?via=recent

And still another..

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/28/1040468/-ALERT-!!!-Most-important-thing-today-!-Under-siege-?via=recent
Pick up the phone. Take action!!

Don't Miss This Special Edition of Democracy Now

2011-11-25T15:35:00.000-05:00

http://www.democracynow.org/2011/11/25/occupy_everywhere

Click on the center logo and get ready for an hour of great information thanks to Amy Goodman!

Buy Nothing Day

2011-11-23T11:57:00.000-05:00

Go to:

http://occupywallst.org/article/occupyxmas-kicks-buy-nothing-day-nov-2526/

And while you've got a little time, and while you're there, have a look at the destruction of books wrought by Michael Bloomberg's goon squad...as well as laptops, etc. Who will pay?

And have a read about the 1% who are in charge of California's "education" system, (translated making tons of money by being in charge of something called "an education" (needed by all young people if they want to rise above the poverty level in this country), while imposing "austerity" on students....cutbacks, layoffs, reduced library hours, etc. not to mention horrendous debt at the end of four+ years of schooling...They m must be kidding: 81% tuition increase????

Have a read of this article on AIG now suing the American people to pick still another tab of this fat-cat operation

http://money.cnn.com/2011/11/21/news/companies/aig_greenberg_lawsuit/index.htm

(not my cat! Borrowed from Google images)

Here it is......Hot Off the Press!

2011-11-22T16:57:00.000-05:00

Thanks much, Barbara!!

Here is what we want:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/22/1039174/-Where-Does-Occupy-Wall-Street-Go-From-Here?via=recent

WE ARE WINNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-11-22T14:47:00.003-05:00

When a courageous group of high school students from Central High in Manchester New Hampshire can MIC-CHECK the President of the United States to his face and call for investigations and support for over 4,000 arrested protesters, and be articulate about income inequality and other injustices......

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/22/1039110/-President-Obama-Mic-Checked-at-High-School-in-New-Hampshire?via=recent

...we are winning! Congratulations to the "youngsters" taking up the lamp of truth and confronting the source about his lack of interest. "Wanna know what democracy looks like? This is what democracy looks like!"

Stop SOPA in its tracks

2011-11-22T13:53:00.000-05:00

If you don't understand the issues on this one, trust me. You WANT your name read aloud as opposing it. I am one of the 60K

Go here:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/22/1039105/-Join-Wydens-Censorship-Filibuster:-More-Than-60k-Have-Asked-For-Their-Names-To-Be-Read-From-Senate?via=recent

and take action. If you like and use the Internet, you need to do this.

The %@#$ Hippies WERE RIGHT...

2011-11-22T09:24:00.000-05:00

Don't fall into the trap (many do) of discounting this because you perceive it to be uncouth and potty-mouthed....there's value behind the use of the "F"-word...don't miss it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YadT2EmDW_c

Gasland and Other Horrors

2011-11-22T07:26:00.001-05:00

First, have a look at from last night's Keith Olbermann's show:

http://current.com/shows/countdown/videos/debra-winger-gasland-director-josh-fox-antihydrofracking-victory-delaware

And, don't miss the Worst Persons on Countdown, where Bloomberg et al staged a "terrorist attack" on New York --foiled, of course--to take the sheeple press away from the drumming at Bloomberg's PP (posh-palace) Pretty creative, eh! Even the FBI admitted it was a bit too much to swallow, even for them! Remember Bush's red-alerts? Every time he had to hide something else from the press, he issued a "red-alert?" And the knee-jerk press (what of it that hadn't been bought off) was once again led by the nose on still another snipe hunt.

http://www.gaslandthemovie.com/

Then pick up a copy of this movie on your way to get those last essentials for Thanksgiving and have a look at what is being done to us. Here in West Virginia we've been told by huge and overwhelming "gas interests" (Koch brothers, et al....for one, with all their evil tentacles undermining our water supply.....) that we are a "sacrifice zone." So, how would you feel being labeled as such? We've already been under seige with "mountaintop removal" and now, our farmland and the water we drink, is under attack (unlaid with karst with all its fissures and unknowns)....What are you willing to sacrifice to enrich the Koch brothers?

And while we're on the subject of earth demolition, check this out:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/19/1038235/-Architect-of-Reactor-3-warns-of-massive-hydrovolcanic-explosion?via=search

Finally, the light show was spectacular! http://occupywallst.org/ and the car horns in support shouldn't go unnoticed.

This will get your day rollin'....

2011-11-21T09:25:00.000-05:00

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/20/1038494/-The-Empathy-Deficit

and then...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/21/1038452/-The-Goldman-Sachs-Project-to-take-over-the-world?via=recent

and top these off with Officer Pike of UC Davis fame:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/21/1038602/-UC-Davis,-John-Pike,-and-the-Birth-of-a-Meme?via=recent

Interesting....

2011-11-19T09:23:00.000-05:00

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2011/11/18/lobbying-firm-occupy-wall-street_n_1102310.html

Thank you, Occupy Wall Street Press

2011-11-19T07:55:00.000-05:00

And this doesn't begin to address the incredible abuse protesters have endured. For the most part, peacefully.

http://motherboard.tv/2011/11/18/who-smashed-the-laptops-from-occupy-wall-street-inside-the-nypd-s-lost-and-found

Five thousand books thrown into the dumpster as Mayor Bloomberg wined and dined at a fundraiser for the New York Public Library. Seriously. At the exact same time police were savaging the entire library at Zuccotti Park.

SOPA

2011-11-19T07:24:00.000-05:00

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/18/1037923/-Senator-Al-Franken-Is-A-Co-Sponsor-Of-The-Internet-Censorship-Bill?via=recent

I'm Just Sayin.....

2011-11-18T08:52:00.001-05:00

Check this out from Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthis-chiroux/occupy-wall-street-nypd_b_1100209.html

and this

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/17/1037590/-Reporters-Arrested-All-Across-America-For-Reporting-On-Police-Assaults-On-OWS-Camps?via=recent

You Make an Excellent Point, Wayfarin' Stranger...read below

2011-11-18T08:42:00.001-05:00

After I posted Jesse LaGreca's list, I came across this:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/17/1037506/-A-Critique-of-MoTs-OWS-Phase-2-From-One-of-the-99?via=recent

It's a way to make "The List" manageable. Makes good sense. I feel a bit lost myself trying to explain to neighbors that OWS is not some commie plot and keep them from dissing me off as a pinko! So, we've got to keep the list short, punchy and sweet! Right now, as I write, General Assemblies all over the country, as meeting to discuss and map out, the next moves, the next actions.

As an example of choosing those next moves, from my own agenda at the moment, MM and I are trying to start a community association in our neighborhood. We started with the simple stuff: checking on elderly in our neighborhood--those who want this service--to make certain those who live alone, those who are ill, those who could fall in their own home without being noticed...get the attention they need, etc. Potential members thought it was a great idea. The intial group has grown to around 25 people. That's a lot of participants considering our very rural and older population.

The trick here is translating real needs into simple actions. (getting a routine in place for the care-check, a form for making sure it's done, etc.) OTOH, it's a lot harder to explain to members that we COULD someday, if we go about it in the right way, actually build a community CENTER, where members of the community could gather, socialize, etc. without having to drive to Egypt in order to enjoy this kind of thing. This kind of pie-in-the sky looks worlds away to folks whose needs are more basic. But you have to introduce the dream. You don't want to get too carried away with the frosting when you haven't yet baked the cake! But, you don't want to forget to mention the possibility of something more, so, it's a go-slow approach, as you said: "one bite at a time" (although in the case of Republican elephants.....I would like to think we would get some help from their tendency to kill themselves.)

Build it and they will come...

Let me know, Jim, what you think of this prioritizing of our needs/wants, etc. The thing is...WE HAVE STARTED A CONVERSATION! And that is precisely what OWS is about!

Thank you for your fine comment!

WOW, AGAIN!!!!

2011-11-18T08:15:00.000-05:00

This is sooooo cooool! Don't miss it!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/17/1037610/-OWS-Messages-Projected-on-Verizon-Skyscraper-Near-Brooklyn-Bridge-(Updated)?via=recent

Also don't miss the fact that Congress is trying to ram through SOPA. What is SOPA? Life on the Internet as we currently know it, will die if SOPA goes through. Light shows and controversial YouTubes will disappear as "the government" will have to "approve or disapprove" of materials on the Internet. Big Brother is getting ready to extend its iron fist of control. If SOPA goes through, we will sink further into the police state we are becoming. Find SOPA on the web and study up because to defeat it will take a Herculian effort. I fits the model of suppression this government is aiming to install. Not allowing the press to cover the Day of Action by OWS has the eerie marks of totalitarian overreach. The news we are getting on this is mostly coming from Aljezeera.

WOW!!!!!!

2011-11-18T07:47:00.000-05:00

How FUNNY!!!! Google's headlines from the MSM this morning say, "NYC Authorities FOIL Protesters' Attempts to Shut Down Wall Street..."

Ahem......go here: http://occupywallst.org/ Check out the photos! Funny how the MSM creates "reality." It's funny because NYC refused even to let the press IN! Police kept the MSM press at bay for several hours yesterday, claiming "safety issues." I watched via UStream live stream where it was easy to see the huge phalanx of people all around Wall Street. The police kept trying to splinter groups.

Later in the afternoon, the numbers began to grow. By 3:00 p.m. NYPD estimated that between 30,000 and 40,000 took to Foley Square, last night, winding their way through the streets and culminating with a Festival of Lights on Brooklyn Bridge. Briefly, yesterday, OWS did shut down Wall Street, though not for very long. At least the congestion outside created obstacles for all needing to make their way through the crowds. And it was peaceful, despite the NYPD's bashing skulls with nightsticks, trying to overrun pedestrians using barricades as weapons, even smashing one man's teeth...

But the courageous protesters kept their cool and stayed focused despite being threatened.

Can we call 30-40,000 a successful Day of Action? Add to that the actions that took place in 30 other cities across the country, and consider that this was the 2-month anniversary of OWS. I would call it the day a "success"...but it's only one day. We have a long road ahead. I'll have more to say about this later on today.

So. Let's get busy:

2011-11-17T12:52:00.000-05:00

Jesse LaGreca says it all, right here. Got any questions? Seems pretty clear to me.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/17/1037356/-Welcome-to-PHASE-2-of-Occupy-Wall-Street,-now-here-is-a-message?via=siderec

UPDATE2...Want to Watch Live?

2011-11-17T08:45:00.002-05:00

Go to: http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution

Protesters have made it completely around the New York Stock Exchange..

LIVE UPDATES AVAILABLE HERE: http://occupywallst.org/

MORE: http://www.ustream.tv/TheOther99

Why Does Greece Need U. S. Tanks to Straighten Out Their Financial Mess?

2011-11-17T08:26:00.000-05:00

I am wondering why Greece needs tanks from the U. S. to settle their financial difficulties...It's time we all started "wondering" what the heck is going on....worldwide as well as right here in our rapidly crumbling former democracy...and it DOES concern everyone...or should...Yves Smith is no lightweight!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/17/1037302/-The-99-of-the-99-that-arent-paying-attention-should-wake-up?via=recent

Aren't you all wondering about a LOT of other things? It's time to at least start paying consistent attention! The billionaires are on the marchm too. They know what's at stake for them. These soldiers of fortune include the Bloombergs, the Clintons, the Blankfeins, the Dimons, the Bushes, the Geithners.....and they're all "marching" lockstep against those of us in the 99%.

It's time to get off the couch.

So, what can you do? TALK. Talk to your neighbors, talk to your friends. Don't hide your light under a bushel. If an 84-year-old woman can demonstrate, WE can. WEAR your opposition. Move your money. Vote with your feet. We didn't elect the Obama we now have. They got to him. Yeah, it's a little bit of extra effort to move those monthly pay-ins, but do it! Start thinking about who would make a good "write-in" candidate. How about Marcy Kaptur? Elizabeth Warren? Have the courage to start something.

Take the time to study what's going on. Read Daily Kos--there are plenty of choices. Watch Amy Goodman's Democracy Now. Take time to explain to those who are still questioning, still on the fence. It won't be long, now--a few months at the longest--and you're going to want to be in the thick of it, fighting for your Constitutional rights.

Right now, as I write, despite authorized press passes, journalists are not being allowed to cover the march on Wall Street "for security reasons.." Check out Democracy Now, which is running a Live Stream...go to http://www.democracynow.org/ for a Live Stream

And did you know we're sending troops to Australia? TROOPS!

The New Face of the Revolution

2011-11-17T07:41:00.000-05:00

Enjoy this new old face:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/16/1037252/-UPDATED-The-New-Face-of-Occupy-Wall-Street:-Dorli-Rainey?via=recent

You go, Dorli!!!

Don't Miss Amy Goodman's Democracy Now for 11-15-11

2011-11-16T09:20:00.001-05:00

http://www.democracynow.org/

A real jaw-dropper if you believe in our First Amendment Rights....to ignore this is to ___________(fill in the blank after you've seen it...)

You might also enjoy Keith Olbermann's Special Comment on Bloomberg on Current TV last night. KO was so mad, he was sputtering...! And, if you are a Michael Moore fan, you'll also appreciate his appearance on KO's show.

November 17th Day of Action

2011-11-16T08:54:00.000-05:00

Ten thousand are watching -- UPDATE

2011-11-15T13:28:00.001-05:00

Go to:

http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution

for a view of our police state. Ten thousand are online right now, watching this unfold; latest is that the Judge who granted protestors the right to return to Zuccotti Park (Liberty Plaza) has been removed in favor of a more generous judge (to the owners of Brookfield Park); also police destroyed 5,000 books from the library; the police are arresting and roughing up journalists; they have driven away journalists covering the march, eviction, etc. Police tear-gassed the food and kitchen; they used bulldozers to scrape up and dump all personal possessions in dumpsters;

UPDATE:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/15/1036711/-Breaking:-Homeland-Security,-FBI,-Others-Advise-Coordinated-Occupy-Crackdowns?via=recent

Evictions and brutality orchestrated from the top?

2011-11-15T12:35:00.000-05:00

I think it's rather odd that our esteemed President hasn't said one word about OWS. Now, maybe we are beginning to understand why...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/15/1036657/-Breaking:-Mayor-Quan-Admits-to-Collusion-of-Multi-City-OWS-Evictions?via=recent

Please read.

2011-11-15T10:59:00.000-05:00

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/15/1036619/-Occupy,-Police-Responses,-DHS,-the-Patriot-Act,-and-National-Leadership-Silence?via=recent

On the other hand....it can be done!

2011-11-15T09:37:00.000-05:00

Read below. Makes me proud to call Seattle the place of my birth!

Mon Nov 14, 2011 at 07:54 PM PST.

Seattle City Council passes Resolution from Occupy Seattle's G.A. in Unanimous Voteby Lefty CoasterFollow .

Share148 permalink 51 Comments

In a resounding endorsement of a Resolution before the Seattle City Council that is likely to lead to the divestment of city funds from the Big Banks passed tonight in a unanimous vote. THE RESOLUTION ORIGINATED AS A RESOLUTION PASSED BY OCCUPY SEATTLE'S GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

I first saw the good news on Occupy Seattle's twitter feed

OccupySeattle #OccupySeattle

Seattle City Council unanimously pass resolution in favor of #occupyseattle !

1 hour ago Favorite Retweet Reply

OccupySeattle #OccupySeattle

Incredibly inspiring testimony from occupiers at the city council meeting. Most council members very supportive #occupyseattle

1 hour ago

OccupySeattle #OccupySeattle

Many here at city hall talking in favor of divestment proposal for city of Seattle

2 hours ago

From the Seattle P.I.

Seattle City Council backs Occupy Seattle

In a lengthy resolution that borrows language from the Declaration of Independence — it has 14 “Whereas” clauses — the Seattle City Council on Monday gave its blessing to the Occupy Seattle protest.

The resolution, which passed on a 9-0 vote, was sponsored by activist Council members Nick Licata and Mike O’Brien.

The sweeping resolution covers everything from a review of Seattle’s banking and investment practices, to a demand that Bush-era cuts in federal income taxes be allowed to expire.

The resolution’s broad wording suggests that the nation’s economic ills go back to the Reagan era, declaring:

“WHEREAS, over the past 30 years, gains in our economy have accrued largely to the top 1 percent income earners, who now control 40 percent of the wealth in the United States due in part to public policies that can be changed . . .”

They made me proud to be from Seattle.

.

Here are some excerpts from the Resolution:

Seattle City Clerk

A RESOLUTION recognizing and supporting the peaceful and lawful exercise of the First Amendment as a cherished and fundamental right in the effort to seek solutions for economically distressed Americans at the federal and local levels.

Status: Adopted as amended

Date adopted by Full Council: November 14, 2011

Vote: 9-0

Date introduced/referred to committee: November 7, 2011

Committee: Full Council

Sponsor: LICATA; CO-SPONSOR: O'BRIEN

1. The City will review its banking and investment practices to ensure that public funds are invested in responsible financial institutions that support our community. The Council may also consider future legislation to promote responsible banking and provide an incentive for banking institutions to invest more in our City, particularly with regard to stabilizing the housing market and supporting the creation of new businesses. This review should include evaluating City policies on responsible depositing and management of City funds.

2. The City will examine the number of home foreclosures in Seattle, the geographic neighborhoods in which the foreclosures are occurring, and lender information on homes involved in the foreclosure process, including real estate owned homes. Furthermore, the Office of Housing will work with the Seattle-King County Asset Building Collaborative's Foreclosure Prevention Action Team to gather qualitative data on the circumstances and causes of foreclosures and the foreclosure methods and practices of lenders, including reviewing apparent inequities many people in Seattle face when lender foreclosure proceedings occur.

3. The City will continue to address economic inequality and wealth disparities by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender. Through the City's Race and Social Justice Initiative and 2012 City Council committee work programs, the Council will continue to identify effective approaches to asset building, job training, access to banking and other financial services, educational attainment, family support, access to health care and other ways to address historic trends in disparities.

4. The Council will request a report from the Department of Finance and Administrative Services on all exemptions or waivers allowed for City taxes to examine the impact of both tax shifts and lost revenue to the City against the economic and social benefits the exemptions are intended to bring to the City.

5. The Council will consult with advocates of tax reform and experts on equitable taxation and review past tax reform efforts in order to work effectively with the State Legislature toward a more equitable tax structure.

6. The Council will analyze how city election campaigns are currently financed and explore alternatives.

7. As federal and state assistance dwindles, the City resolves to continue to use available resources to provide assistance for the most vulnerable people in Seattle.

8. The City recognizes that reforms in education and career preparation are essential for building a viable future and that the disparities in these areas begin very early in life and they continue through adulthood. The Council will seek maximum possible funding for Early Learning and Basic Education in the State Legislative Agenda. During challenging times, it is also critically important to support community colleges, technical colleges, and state universities as they provide access to retraining and workforce development opportunities.

Section 4. The Council and the Mayor recognize and support the important responsibility the Seattle Police Department exercises in protecting for everyone our First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and assembly while, at the same time, appropriately enforcing City laws and regulations.

I think this is a useful template for resolutions that other Occupations may want to bring forward in their own cities and towns

Get Used to It.

2011-11-15T08:25:00.001-05:00

Have a look at what a police state looks like:

http://occupywallst.org/forum/nypd-raiding-liberty-square/

And go here to watch livestream...from way earlier this morning--roughly 1:00 a.m.(5,000 were viewing this live at 1:00 a.m. when the riot police struck....

http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution

And here's another look at what a police state looks like:

http://occupywallst.org/forum/nypd-raiding-liberty-square/

and here:

http://occupywallst.org/

and here:

http://www.occupytogether.org

We Need to Get Off the Couch and Stop Cooperating with the Enemy

2011-11-15T07:47:00.001-05:00

Some of my friends look at me like I might have a contagious disease when I mention out here JOTOLR that I am wholeheartedly not only supporting, but --as best I can--working for OWS.

On the other hand, I've found far more who immediately applaud my efforts. I display an OCCUPY poster wherever I go. It's slipped inside an old Pampered Chef bag which has a clearview slot for the poster that makes it visible as I go about my errands. The poster is the one I posted here the other day that reads, "Why is it easier to believe that 150,000,000 Americans are being lazy rather than 400 Americans are being greedy?" I've gotten all kinds of support for this. Raised fists, "You go, girl!" even short conversations about needing to do something, how unequal and rigged life is, and much much more.

I've made arrangements with several of my favorite online vendors to not use my credit card and instead wait for a check to clear, telling the person on the other end of the phone line it's in support of OWS against the BIG BANKS. "Oh, WOW! How great!" or "Way to go!" And these are the VENDORS!

You know, people....maybe we're all just slow to catch on or maybe we lack courage....but time's up. The problems our country faces are not going to go away by electing still another "great white hope." They aren't going away because we hoped that if we hid in the basement long enough, it would go away by the time we were ready to come out.

There's no hope out there other than for a complete makeover of this country. There's no magic rainbow. People have lost their homes, their jobs, their dignity, their families...their lives. And unless we all get up off the couch and start wearing our courage, start recognizing corporate fascism for what it is, we're going down--no question about it.

Below I have posted this entire diary from Daily Kos. The link is also posted so you can go back and have a read of 255 comments. People are fed up. And the only complaint I have with this beautiful post is that the words "pissed off" could diminutize the extent of our anger.

I am outraged. OUTRAGED! We've been screwed. It's time to get off the couch and take an active role in reclaiming our country. We are not here to change a few minds with regard to "fairness." We are here to change a world that sorely needs us at this critical time. This isn't about taking out a few greedy bankers (although that's part of it.) This is about saving the planet and building a society from the bottom up that reflects our values, our dreams, our concerns for the environment, our concerns for one another....So have a read, and tell me you've become an activist, voting with your body. You can do something. Choose an action. If you want a copy of that poster, let me know and I'll email it to you. Meanwhile, take time to read from the Declaration of Independence.....for real. Just reading those words is so inspiring. It reminds us of what the founders of our country faced. Can we do less? What right do we have to cower in the corners in fear?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/14/1036281/-Alternatives?via=search

Mon Nov 14, 2011 at 07:42 AM PST.
Alternatives
by One Pissed Off LiberalFollow .

Share47 permalink 204 Comments

A revolution is coming — a revolution which will be peaceful if we are wise enough; compassionate if we care enough; successful if we are fortunate enough — But a revolution which is coming whether we will it or not. We can affect its character; we cannot alter its inevitability.

Robert F. Kennedy

A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

When in the course of human events shit breaks down, it is everyone's right and responsibility to fix it. And that is what is happening with the occupation movement. We are no longer pleading with the government to change its ways. We are turning our backs on the past and embracing the future. We are inventing a new way forward for the old ways are broken.

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Such has been the patient sufferance of the American people; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present Corporate Plutocracy is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

From the Declaration of Independence, with bold text representing substitutions by this writer.

It's not only our government, and not only our system of commerce and finance, nor the insult and injury inflicted by the Military Industrial Complex - it's the whole shooting match. The problem is our whole superficial mind-numbing soul-sucking culture where we are programmed, manipulated, played like puppets and exploited like beasts of burden and given the same level of care.

It's an empty, hollow road ahead and we don't have to go down it.

We can opt out of this neo-feudalism/corporate-fascism by not cooperating with it. We can re-invent the future. We can jump off this cliff and be reassured that wherever we land, it's got to be better than this shit.

People don't know exactly what they want, but as one friend of mine put it, they know one thing: FUCK THIS SHIT! We want something different: a different life, with different values, or at least a chance at different values.

Matt Taibi, h/t UnaSpencer
It's possible to do it all differently, to live with dignity and integrity and to do the right things because they are the right things to do. We can respect nature and science, mind our planet and look out for the least of these our brothers and sisters. It doesn't have to be all about profiteering and looting, or beating out the other guy, or dropping bombs on people and taking their shit. We can live together with mutual regard and concern. We can share. We can take care of each other. We can help each other. We can live ethical lives in every respect and rescue our planet in the process. We can crawl out from under the shame and denial demanded of us by the present order. We can stop the killing, the looting and the madness. We can choose to love each other over hating and fearing each other. We can live lives that are just, peaceful and good. We can learn to cooperate and to tread lightly on the earth. Not only can we do these things - we must do these things.

An alternative is being formed. It is not an adjunct. It is an alternative.

“This movement is so beyond, 'Hey let's get this candidate elected.' Those days are over... we've all participated... What did we get? Where are we? We're in the worst shape we have been in this country that I have seen in my lifetime."

Michael Moore

All the police and all the weaponry in the world cannot put this genie back in the bottle. We will not be turned around. No longer will we be denied. There will be justice in every corner of the earth.

A new world is coming

Seeing Sex in Every Story

2011-11-14T09:34:00.000-05:00

Warning: TWBAR (This will be a rant.)

I thought about abandoning this post, which I wrote over the weekend. Thought some of you might be offended...but here we are again this morning, with the lead story on Google....you guessed it: the plight of Penn State

Had it dawned on you that over the past week the red-hot-headlining-number-one story- on every single day this past week --put forth by Google has been in one way or another about

Sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex... and more SEX?

I have often wondered if this abberrant fixation on sex by our country, of course promoted by the likes of Google, and MSM, et al isn't brought about because the 1%--controllers of the MSM--are all alpha-males. And alpha males are all about power, and power is about subjugation of those perceived as being weak. It is also about baiting their sharpened hooks to troll for attention from a lazy couch-anchored population to the worst society has to offer. And corporate America wants our attention on the Bread and Circuses they are so adept at creating.

I don't know about you, but I am sick of Google's focus on sex. More to the point, I am sick of their flagrant disregard for the suffering their They facillitate the prurient, they are the voyeurs: they are the provocateurs; it is they who promote drug (sex) addiction.

For the past week and a half, all we've seen is SEX,SEX,SEX,SEX,SEX...except for the intervening moments when a shooting has occurred at an Occupy Wall Street encampment (unrelated to anything OWS could, should, would, have done about it,'')

Instead of serious issues, we are slimed with still another sordid pie-cut of the JoePa scandal (scandal being another juicy word for the MSM) ad nauseum, fanning the flames of obscession.

It's been as if nothing were more important for this country at this time than how a bunch of high-powered football jocks managed to rape children and keep it secret for years. One commentator yesterday even had the gall to proclain that Penn State fans were somehow entitled to a win yesterday over Nebraska in order for them to overcome all the other "bad news" they were having to cope with...

Bad news? I guess that's one way of putting it...I rather doubt the families of the victims would have characterized the events in that vein.

What has happened to our sense of morality, decency, compassion and privacy in an event like this? The victims and their families are quietly suffering behind the scenes while the MSM makes a sideshow out of their pain. This is beyond disgusting. It's immoral in every sense of the word.

There are so many critical things crying out for our attention, our efforts, our cooperation, our creativity, our intelligence, our understanding! This nation is sick. Did you know there are 47,000 homeless in New York City alone? Now THAT is a problem worth looking into in a locale where a Republican mayor insists all is hunky dory... Not only that, but according to some sources, Bloomberg's thugs are now herding the homeless to Zuccotti Park, and guess what? OWS is feeding them and offering a blanket to all comers, walking the talk, moving down the bench a notch. How many? OWS says it is feeding between 3-5,000 per day. Now....why isn't New York City taking care of its homeless; more to the point, why does it HAVE so many homeless?

Did you know that the health department in Oakland has descended upon the OWS encampment there and is now disallowing certain foods (confiscating them) that are "unhealthy" to serve (and yes, OWS works out of certified kitchens) (and many of the recipients of the food are homeless, so the health department obviously prefers to knit-pick the minutiae of food "safety" and use that as a weapon to shut down Occupty Oakland rather than feed their homeless.

Yes, all the stories on Google worth looking at are at the very end of their very shallow roster designed to subvert attention to what's important. It's always Tiger Woods or Kim Kardashian (sp?) or Charlie Sheen, or Dancing With the Stars, or that Rick Perry suffers from CRS. But, then again, there's the Herman Cain SEX scandals, ( there's those juicy words again) playing out on the political stage...over and over and over.....all with a bunch of idiots in kabuki theater, parading as "candidates."

I try to stay away from Google, but I admit, it's difficult to do.   My blog is tied to Blogger which IS Google. So, despite getting my news from places like the Real News Network, Democracy Now, Occupy Wall Street Press, Countdown and Daily Kos, I still find myself tied to Google.

I find it creepy, too, after I have just checked the price of coffee beans at my favorite online outlet and a minute later, in Google "news" , is an ad from ANOTHER coffee company in the righthand margin of my screen offering me a 7% discount on coffee beans from that company. Or I've just finished visiting Paradise Fibers to check the price of a set of knitting needles, and I get a pop-up ad in the margin on specials at Paradise Fibers that I can cash in on. Talk about Big Brother....It's Big Brother Google.

And did you ever notice that there's no place you can complain to Google about stuff? Nope. They are safely anchored within the padded cells of the 1% bastion sipping their champagne as they choose "news" for the masses. What they want you to know--or not know.

They don't want us to think. They don't want us to understand that corporate America has sold us out.  They don't want you to focus on the fact that the oligarchs are in power.

Want real news? Something other than sex? Try any of the above publications I've mentioned and learn what is really going on in this country, this world. Get the real story on OWS--rather than some concoction of the 1%...start paying attention (if you haven't already) to the things that need doing, require understanding. Don't settle for sugar-coated, bite-sized breakfast bits of the Today show featuring the frosted flakes and pop tarts of celebrity. Instead...discover some real news--news that provides nutrition for the mind and the soul instead of constant titillation. We've got so much to do in this country!

http://therealnews.com/t2/component/content/article/50-danny/794-mic-check-you-say-you-want-a-revolution

So, you think it's dying down? Or that it's over?

2011-11-14T09:18:00.000-05:00

Not hardly. Not even close. As OWS heads out to the hinterlands, as it marches from New York City to Washington D. C., as it Occupies Phoenix on November 17 and November 18 http://occupyphx.org/; as we honor a No-Buy day on November 25th...as we lock in for the long haul....we grow stronger and more than ever convinced of the "rightness" of our stuggles. And it will be a long haul. Read (from the Occupied Wall Street Journal) http://occupiedwallstjournal.com/ this speech by Naomi Klein:

The Most Important Thing in the World
by Naomi Klein

Thank you for allowing me to post this speech in its entirety. I want to make sure it's easy to access and read and gives no excuse for not linking/reading.
NEW YORK TURNS OUT TO OCCUPY WALL STREET: Labor unions and student walkouts brought tens of thousands to Foley Square on Oct. 5. After dusk, crowds filled lower Manhattan around Zuccotti Park, re-named Liberty Square by the occupation. Despite high spirits among the protesters and no incidents of violence or vandalism, NYPD officers arrested numerous people. Pepper spray and batons were also deployed.
If there is one thing I know, it’s that the 1% loves a crisis.

When people are panicked and desperate and no one seems to know what to do, that is the ideal time to push through their wish-list of pro-corporate policies: privatizing education and social security, slashing public services, getting rid of the last constraints on corporate power. Amidst the economic crisis, this is happening the world over.
There is only one thing that can block this tactic, and fortunately, it’s a very big thing: the 99%.
And that 99% is taking to the streets from Madison to Madrid to say “No. We will not pay for your crisis.” That slogan began in Italy in 2008. It ricocheted to Greece and France and Ireland and finally it has made its way to the square mile where the crisis began. “Why are they protesting?” ask the baffled pundits on TV. Meanwhile, the rest of the world asks: “What took you so long?” “We’ve been wondering when you were going to show up.” And most of all: “Welcome.”

Many people have drawn parallels between Occupy Wall Street and the so-called anti-globalization protests that came to world attention in Seattle in 1999. That was the last time a global, youth-led, decentralized movement took direct aim at corporate power. And I am proud to have been part of what we called “the movement of movements.” But there are important differences too. For instance, we chose summits as our targets: the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the G8.

Summits are transient by their nature, they only last a week. That made us transient too. We’d appear, grab world headlines, then disappear. And in the frenzy of hyper-patriotism and militarism that followed the 9/11 attacks, it was easy to sweep us away completely, at least in North America.

Occupy Wall Street, on the other hand, has chosen a fixed target. And you have put no end date on your presence here. This is wise. Only when you stay put can you grow roots. This is crucial. It is a fact of the information age that too many movements spring up like beautiful flowers but quickly die off. It’s because they don’t have roots. And they don’t have long term plans for how they are going to sustain themselves. So when storms come, they get washed away.

Being horizontal and deeply democratic is wonderful. These principles are compatible with the hard work of building structures and institutions that are sturdy enough to weather the storms ahead. I have great faith that this will happen. Something else this movement is doing right: You have committed yourselves to non-violence. You have refused to give the media the images of broken windows and street fights it craves so desperately.

And that tremendous discipline has meant that, again and again, the story has been the disgraceful and unprovoked police brutality. Which we just saw more of Wednesday night. Meanwhile, support for this movement grows and grows. More wisdom. But the biggest difference a decade makes is that in 1999, we were taking on capitalism at the peak of a frenzied economic boom. Unemployment was low, stock portfolios were bulging. The media was drunk on easy money. Back then it was all about start-ups, not shutdowns. We pointed out that the deregulation behind the frenzy came at a price. It was damaging to labor standards. It was damaging to environmental standards. Corporations were becoming more powerful than governments and that was damaging to our democracies. But to be honest with you, while the good times rolled, taking on an economic system based on greed was a tough sell, at least in rich countries.

Ten years later, it seems as if there aren’t any more rich countries. Just a whole lot of rich people. People who got rich looting the public wealth and exhausting natural resources around the world.

The point is, today everyone can see that the system is deeply unjust and careening out of control. Unfettered greed has trashed the global economy. And it is trashing the natural world as well. We are overfishing our oceans, polluting our water with fracking and deepwater drilling, turning to the dirtiest forms of energy on the planet, like the Alberta tar sands. The atmosphere cannot absorb the amount of carbon we are putting into it, creating dangerous warming. The new normal is serial disasters: economic and ecological.

These are the facts on the ground. They are so blatant, so obvious, that it is a lot easier to connect with the public than it was in 1999, and to build the movement quickly. We all know, or at least sense, that the world is upside down: we act as if there is no end to what is actually finite—fossil fuels and the atmospheric space to absorb their emissions. And we act as if there are strict and immovable limits to what is actually bountiful—the financial resources to build the kind of society we need.

The task of our time is to turn this around: to challenge this false scarcity. To insist that we can afford to build a decent, inclusive society—while at the same time, respect the real limits to what the earth can take. What climate change means is that we have to do this on a deadline. This time our movement cannot get distracted, divided, burned out or swept away by events. This time we have to succeed. And I’m not talking about regulating the banks and increasing taxes on the rich, though that’s important. I am talking about changing the underlying values that govern our society. That is hard to fit into a single, media-friendly demand, and it’s also hard to figure out how to do it. But it is no less urgent for being difficult. That is what I see happening in this square. In the way you are feeding each other, keeping each other warm, sharing information freely and providing health care, meditation classes and empowerment training. My favorite sign here says “I care about you.” In a culture that trains people to avoid each other’s gaze, to say, “Let them die,” that is a deeply radical statement.

We have picked a fight with the most powerful economic and political forces on the planet. That’s frightening. And as this movement grows from strength to strength, it will get more frightening. Always be aware that there will be a temptation to shift to smaller targets—like, say, the person next to you. Don’t give into the temptation. This time, let’s treat each other as if we plan to work side by side in struggle for many, many years to come. Because the task before will demand nothing less.
Let’s treat this beautiful movement as if it is the most important thing in the world. Because it is. It really is.

from a speech delivered Oct. 6 in Liberty Square

Great job of framing the issues...

2011-11-12T08:15:00.000-05:00

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/10/1024591/-99:-A-Warning-to-OWS-and-the-Rest-of-Us?via=sidebyuserrec

Broke? Are you kidding???

2011-11-11T16:28:00.000-05:00

Watch this video! It's down a few paragraphs. Scroll down to get it. Well worth a view!

http://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/the-story-of-broke

SCORE!!!!

2011-11-11T16:04:00.000-05:00

I know, I know....hockey season is a ways away....but we have, indeed, scored! Read on! And BTW, thanks to Occupy Wall Street and mainly Bill McKibbens's dogged fight against the Keystone XL Pipeline Obama finally had to take notice, saying the project needed more "study." After making a ring around the White House, Bill McKibbens and the dedicated protesters (and helped by Occupy Wall Street) won the day.

So, I just got this email from Markos Moulitsas, Founder of Daily Kos:
Since September 29, at least 700,000 Americans have moved their money out of big banks and into credit unions.

The big banks are so freaked out by what's happening that some have locked their doors and even called the police on customers who tried to close their accounts.

Click here for ten amazing stories about big banks desperately trying to stop customers from closing their accounts:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/11/1035479/-Ten-stories-of-people-moving-their-money,-despite-bank-efforts-to-stopthem?detail=hide

Please share these stories with a friend, too. Everyone needs to know we have the big banks on the run.

Keep fighting,

Markos Moulitsas
Founder, Daily Kos
PS: Help keep Daily Kos strong by chipping in to support us.

Support Us Daily Kos Home Unsubscribe

Love these links....

2011-11-09T10:56:00.001-05:00

Speaks for itself. Have a look!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/09/1034658/-Get-a-What-A-Job-70-of-Occupy-Wall-Streeters-are-Employed,-Compared-to-56-of-Tea-Partiers-?via=recent

Thank you Daily Kos for your constance vigilance and eloquence. You are tops!

And...I will tack this onto this post for good measure. I don't always agree completely with Dave Pollard, but he's always interesting! And there's plenty to agree upon, to say the least!

http://howtosavetheworld.ca/2011/11/05/the-metamovements-message-were-not-buying-it-any-more/

I Am Proud to have Zeroed Out my credit card with JP Morgan Chase

2011-11-09T09:19:00.000-05:00

Poor Alabama!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FLII1RHuvc

So how can we help Alabama? Probably can't. It's pretty much a done deal, but we can slap JP Morgan Chase. We can be a burr under their saddle.

Quit using your credit card! Pay it off and then leave it lie at zero balance. Make them do the accounting every month on a zero balance. Use money orders, checks, and cash...or if you are lucky enough to have a credit union credit card, then for you, it's business as usual. Withdraw your money from ALL BIG BANKS...and YES!!! it DOES hurt them. So far, they are amazed. The next withdraw en masse is December 5, 2011. That gives you plenty of time to move your money. By putting it into local, community banks, the money stays in your...community!

Police State Coming to a Town Near You...

2011-11-09T08:25:00.003-05:00

Watch for it! A police state is coming soon to a town near you..! ...In some cases, it's here......and it's frightening. Check out Keith Olbermann's program for last Monday and have a look at a police state. Listen to Olbermann's interview of Scott Campbell. See what you think. Looks like police brutality to me...or are my eyes deceiving me? Not a word, though...nothing from the MSM.

And now, Asheville...for distributing flyers? They don't have the right to do this. We don't have "free speech ZONES!" We have free speech EVERYWHERE!
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/09/1034611/-Breathtaking-Police-State-Overreach-at-Occupy-Asheville-(NC)?via=recent

By way of contrast, check out the actions of the city of my birth: Seattle

http://clerk.seattle.gov/~scripts/nph-brs.exe?d=RESF&s1=31337.resn.&Sect6=HITOFF&l=20&p=1&u=/~public/resny.htm&r=1&f=G

I hope the inevitable lawsuits sink the corrupt judicial systems and bankrupt city coffers. In the best of all worlds, municipalities won't be able to afford the eventual court back-ups, let alone financial restitution and compensation they'll pay to the victims of their illegal, unconstitutional "crack-downs" and we'll have to rebuild a credible judicial system again from the ground up....go ACLU!!

Time to get off the couch, people...Talk about abridgement of Constitutional Rights! The sidewalks are OURS! Our tax dollars PAID for them! The building the police are housed in was bought and paid for by US! It's OUR building. It belongs to the 99%.

I thought the police worked for US! WRONG. They work for the 1%. Did you know that a good percentage of the police who are harrassing protestors everywhere are private security? Many of the so-called "police" that have descended on protesters in Zucotti Park are actually private security, hired by Bloomberg and all his rich friends. And they make up their own laws and rules as they go along?

Finally, on a brighter note, stay with Keith Olbermann and enjoy his interview with David Crosby and Graham Nash. For those of you in the 99%, this will warm your hearts! Go to Countdown Tuesday night, November 8, 2011

Thick as Thieves

2011-11-08T09:04:00.000-05:00

OK, all of you out there who are comfortably sitting on your Social Security and Retirement funds expecting to live out life on the proceeds of your hard-earned prior efforts...have a read of this:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/08/1034230/-Chained-CPI-Killing-Social-Security-Slowly?via=recent

What really gets to me is that the Social Security program is SUCCESSFUL and SOLVENT. Its problem is the fact that all other government agencies have pilfered the funds from Social Security and they've blown the funds on OTHER PROGRAMS that are NOT SOLVENT. And, of course, the 1% is trying to make the "elderly" the devil they need. Nothing like killing off a few old people to "balance" the budget and cut the numbers of beggars down to a suitable size...suitable, that is, for the 1%...

Watch Congress carefully for signs of tampering with CPI...

And check this out: (brave souls! one of the protesters was 100 years of age):

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/07/seniors-join-occupy-chica_n_1079553.html

Obama Is In the Middle of Cutting a Backroom Deal with Bankers

2011-11-04T13:50:00.000-04:00

Bankers and Wall Street get BAILED out

We get SOLD out!

From OccupyWall Street at http://occupywallst.org

"President Obama is on the brink of cutting a backroom deal that would give bankers broad immunity for illegally throwing tens of thousands of Americans out of their homes. The Administration is pressuring state attorneys general to abandon an ongoing investigation into the massive "robo-signing" fraud, in exchange for a relatively small payoff by the banks."

Sadly, this is true. It came out a couple of days ago, and I have been handwringing ever since. The bankers are criminally liable for their actions. Barack Obama is complicit in a sweep--it-under-the-rug shafting of the American people. He's letting all the cockroaches run for cover.

Thank goodness for the crew at Occupy Wall Street for jumping on this. As you watch this unfold, it's not rocket science to quickly realize that Obama is in the camp of big banks. No matter what he says, he is locked in their embrace. This is a perfect example.

MM and I worked hard to put Obama into office. But the emperor has no clothes.

Call (forget email except to get the phone number of your representatives) and protest. This is unconscionable!! The bankers will get off scott-free if this goes through...

Stronger Than You Think

2011-11-04T09:54:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, MM and I were outside building the firewood pile, he sawing, I stacking...and we were visited by this lovely Monarch butterfly flitting from one remaining blossom to the next. Though appearing fragile, its flight was strong, confident and the lovely creature was taking advantage of whatever nectar remained tucked away within the tiny throats of wildflowers that have endured the hard frosts out here JOTOLR. Of course we all know these beauties are Mexico-bound...but for now they are still here.

Like many of us who are supporting the #OWS Movement, we are wondering what winter will bring to the brave protestors camped in Zucotti Park. After the City of New York confiscated the protestors' generators when heavy snow descended upon the encampment, and shut down the protestors ability to run their kitchens, not to mention computers which broadcast to the likes of us out here JOTOLR, OWS got busy and located a source for people power. They have now set up eleven bicycles that power the entire encampment. They are producing twice the amount of power they had before, and now with ultra-clean energy. Whereas they were using fossil fuel before, they are now using PEOPLE POWER. And it's working just fine, thank you very much.

http://www.dailykos.com:80/story/2011/11/03/1033006/-WATCH:-OWS-Generating-Power-w-Fleet-of-Green,-Stationary-Bikes-After-NYPD-Steals-Gas-Generators?via=siderec

Then someone at FireDogLake started to think about the needs of a winter encampment. Winters in NYC are not kind to ill-prepared campers. So FDL decided to put action to words of worry. Check out this article (and all the rest of the great stuff!) on The Informed Citizen Daily. If you're an OWS supporter, this will warm your heart, not to mention its potential to warm the bodies of the stalwart protestors.

Like the Monarch butterfly, fragile as it might appear, OWS isn't going away any time soon....not with this kind of creative amd symbolic inventiveness.

The article is entitled Occupy Wall Street gets new supply chain for winter months and it is located here:

http://paper.li/knowmadds

At the bottom of the aricle (scroll down--it's in the center of the page) is a link to FDL where you can send donations; if you have an Occupy community near you, there is a separate link to the mechanism for connecting with that specific community and OccupySupply.

The butterfly kept us company for quite awhile, resting occasionally on the growing mound of sawdust and woodchips. Finally, it made a farewell circle, dipping and swooping past us...heading south. Who knows? It may stop at an OWS occupation near you. But just remember: it's stronger than you think. After all, its destination is Mexico.

Barbara, thanks so much for your comment! Wish more would put in a word or two from time to time, but most don't realize what danger we are in as a free and democratic society. Our way of life is on the line. Thank you #OWS for all you are doing!

Have a safe weekend.

The Trial of Goldman Sachs...whoohooooo! YES!

2011-11-03T09:30:00.000-04:00

To be honest, it's only a "mock" trial, but it's WONDERFUL! Read through this beautifully constructed voice of the people, to be heard later this morning and throughout the afternoon.

Go to: http://occupywallst.org/

Those of you on the side of social justice will enjoy this...

2011-11-02T10:43:00.000-04:00

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/02/1032387/-Mayor-Bloomberg:-OWSmake-the-world-better-OK,-watch-us-occupy-foreclosed-homes?via=recent

Happening today in Oakland!!

Bail-Out List

2011-11-02T09:45:00.000-04:00

There is a fascinating article on Occupy Wall Street Press (issue just out minutes ago) on which corporations got what in terms of "bail-out money." I encourage you to have a look.

Go to:
http://paper.li/occupymanhattan/1317517749

and scroll down the right-hand side....

Carrying On...

2011-11-02T08:24:00.001-04:00

In the short run, #OWS has been successful beyond it's wildest, most optimistic hopes and dreams. Within the short span of a little over a month, the Movement has galvanized those who support and those who don't. With winter coming on though, (history speaks to Washington's travails at Valley Forge during winter) many are wondering how the protesters will fare when the weather becomes crushing as it has a tendency to do in NYC in December and January.

So, with that in mind....what's next for Occupy Wall Street, you are wondering.Go to the Occupy Wall Street Press for "what's brewing":
http://paper.li/occupymanhattan/1317517749
Scroll down until you find the article on Adbusters on the lefthand side

Additionally, go here

http://occupywallst.org/

After reading the first article, scroll down to the list of things #OWS needs and send anything you can from the list. The list includes the updated address for sending packages.

Today emphasis is shifting to the West Coast with the General Strike in Oakland.

And this might also be of interest:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/02/1032423/-Why-Winter-is-Good-for-Occupy-Wall-Street?via=recent

We are the 99%.

November 5th Is Move Your Money Day

2011-11-02T07:49:00.000-04:00

If you haven't already done so, MOVE YOUR MONEY...either to a Credit Union or a Community Bank. If you can't think of a CU or a CB, this may help.

http://moveyourmoneyproject.org/

If you have questions and concerns, YES!Magazine can help. Go here

http://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/a-field-guide-to-closing-your-bank-account?utm_source=wkly20111028&utm_medium=yesemail&utm_campaign=titleaharbin

And, November 25th is BUY NOTHING DAY nationwide.

If You're Not Paying Attention...You Should Be Paying Attention...

2011-10-27T12:47:00.000-04:00

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/27/1030616/-The-Bill-that-Could-End-All-of-the-Occupy-Protests-?via=recent

...and not just "Occupy Protests"

Get Used to It, Folks: It's not "those kids"...it is us,

2011-10-26T14:57:00.001-04:00

like it or not. If you are observing from afar, safe in your home, and safe in the knowledge that you have yours and that it's just a bit of unpleasant noise going on outside your door, likely caused by some smelly-hippies which probably won't last very long, please think again. Maybe you should take the time to go visit one of the Occupy locations close to you and talk to some of the dedicated individuals who are putting their bodies on the line defending OUR rights...Check out out these videos on Jessie LaGreca's post (Ministry of Truth) on Daily Kos:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/26/1030199/-Shoot-me-with-Rubber-Bullets-and-Tear-Gas,-I-dont-care-anymore,-We-are-NOT-going-away!?via=siderec

It's hard to believe this is happening here, right on our doorsteps, in America...but, make no mistake, it is....

How does this one strike you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSMyY3_dmrM

Have a Look At Why We Need to Abolish the Federal Reserve

2011-10-26T12:28:00.000-04:00

http://www.mind-trek.com/reports/tl17a.htm

Support HR 2990 sponsored by Dennis Kucinich

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9IH-XKQpOI

And you've always thought the Fed was a "government" entity. Sacred. Untouchable. And anyone advocating its abolishment was a traitor....well, folks....look again. It's a huge part --if not the major part--of why we're in the mess we're in, today.

Keep an Eye on Your Rear View Mirror

2011-10-26T10:03:00.000-04:00

This article was on Occupy Wall Street Press this morning: (great site, BTW!! I read it twice a day (they post new stories twice each day)and they have around 50 reporters out and about. Take a look at this:

Google: US law enforcement tried to get videos removed from YouTube The technology giant's biannual transparency report reveals a 70% rise in takedown requests from US government or police

Google faced down demands from a US law enforcement agency to take down YouTube videos allegedly showing police brutality earlier this year, figures released for the first time show.

The technology giant's biannual transparency report shows that Google refused the demands from the unnamed authority in the first half of this year.

According to the report, Google separately declined orders by other police authorities to remove videos that allegedly defamed law enforcement officials.

The demands formed part of a 70% rise in takedown requests from the US government or police, and were revealed as part of an effort to highlight online censorship around the world.

Figures revealed for the first time show that the US demanded private information about more than 11,000 Google users between January and June this year, almost equal to the number of requests made by 25 other developed countries, including the UK and Russia.

Governments around the world requested private data about 25,440 people in the first half of this year, with 11,057 of those people in the US.

It is the first time Google has released details about how many of its users are targeted by authorities, as opposed to the number of requests made by countries.

"For the first time, we're not only disclosing the number of requests for user data, but we're showing the number of users or accounts that are specified in those requests too," said Dorothy Chou, a senior policy analyst at Google.

"We believe that providing this level of detail highlights the need to modernize laws like the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, which regulates government access to user information and was written 25 years ago—long before the average person had ever heard of email."

Brazil made the most content removal requests in the first half of this year, according to the report, followed by Germany, the US and South Korea.

March Against Murder by Spreadsheet

2011-10-26T09:15:00.000-04:00

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/26/1029469/-ALL-HANDS:-Need-show-of-force-today-in-NYC-OWS-march-against-Murder-By-Spreadsheet-health-insurers?via=siderec

How Coooool Is This//!! Go, Dennis!

2011-10-25T22:18:00.000-04:00

WATCH THIS VIDEO!

http://current.com/groups/news-blog/93510691_occupy-wall-street-and-the-demand-for-demands.htm#addResponse

AND THEN....

SUPPORT HOUSE RESOLUTION 2990 ENTERED BY DENNIS KUCINICH!!!

Bank of America At It Again....or, they never stopped....and never will....

2011-10-24T10:52:00.001-04:00

http://seekingalpha.com/article/301260-bank-of-america-dumps-75-trillion-in-derivatives-on-u-s-taxpayers-with-federal-approval

Happened over last weekend...

Here's an explanation:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/23/1029224/-BOA-preparing-to-screw-taxpayers-again?via=recent
One of the best sites for getting information about #OWS:

http://paper.li/occupymanhattan/1317517749

Live According To Your Principles

2011-10-24T09:44:00.000-04:00

I was tempted to simply lift this whole piece from Daily Kos and have it here, available for you to peruse. But, it's far easier to simply share the link and hope you will take the time to read through it.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/24/1029464/-How-to-live-your-life-according-to-your-principles

And at this location (below) you'll see videos of this past weekend's events, including 92-year-old Pete Seeger marching and singing down Broadway, Michael Moore, and others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2VK7eqolME&feature=relmfu
Couple more things: The Real News Network IS the "real" news. Not MSM (which is --if you think about it, not MSM at all. Main Stream Media is invalid. It's an oxymoron. Over 60% of

U. S.

citizens support #OWS!) So, ignore the misnomer "main stream" media and skip over to some REAL news. Go to: http://therealnews.com/t2/

Civil Rights Under Attack

2011-10-23T14:28:00.000-04:00

Scary stuff...Did I hear someone say "police state" or--perhaps more to the point-- "police-nation"?
http://current.com/shows/countdown/videos/occupy-wall-street-naomi-wolf-calls-attention-to-the-disturbing-involvement-of-homeland-security-in-her-arrest

And have a look at Michael Moore's take on things:

http://current.com/shows/countdown/videos/occupy-wall-street-michael-moore-calls-on-all-americans-to-participate

It's Been an Exciting Week!

2011-10-21T11:51:00.000-04:00

For us, it's been an exciting week! If you missed our "appearance" on Occupy Wall Street, go to http://occupywallst.org/ and read through this wonderful media production on behalf of the Movement! You'll get a sense of who is supporting #OWS. It's AMAZING!

If you are standing on the sidelines, wondering whether you're part of the 99% or not, and haven't yet decided whether to support the Movement or not...if you aren't pulling down a million bucks a year, you're part of the 99%, and you need to stand up and be counted. Join the 99% and learn what you can do to help in your local community. The Young Turks have started a push for a Constitutional Convention. Go here to learn what you can do:

http://www.youtube.com/theyoungturks

While you're there, click on the video of this man, orginator of Poorman's Nation at www.poormansnation.com

As for readers of this blog, it's been pretty danged quiet as far as comments here. If I've scared you, I apologize! But this is real, folks. It isn't going away anytime soon.

Vicki of (http://www.vickilanemysteries.blogspot.com/

Jim of Wayfarin' Stranger (http://cumberlandvistas.blogspot.com/)

and Beth of Blue Ridge Blue Collar Girl www.blueridgebluecollargirl.wordpress.com have offered encouragement, but I am wondering what the rest of you are thinking...

Finally, if you really want to know what's going on with #OWS worldwide, click here:
http://paper.li/occupymanhattan/1317517749

Go down to the Media section of the "paper" and skip over to the second video. It's GREAT!! (Actually, they all are "great" so don't fail to stay awhile and enjoy the great reporting. The "paper" is published every 12 hours and completely refreshed. They are doing a fantastic job! And there are other sources as well, that I hope to share with you this coming week.

Day before yesterday we had a mixed bag of weather, alternating from rain drizzles to golden glory. We had the first fire in the kitchen stove overnight last night. Supposed to have a whiz-banger of a frost tomorrow night. Gotta get my cabbages into the crock so we can have sauerkraut by the end of November!

Thank you #OWS for all the work you are doing, all the great minds, all the techological expertise, all the talent you bring to this movement and for being there for all of us who cannot be there at OWS# except in spirit and solidarity.

Have a great weekend. Hope the Family Sleepover there goes well and that it isn't too cold for the little ones!

And we're having our first meeting tomorrow here at the house, of a group who is interested in starting a community association.

Meanwhile, hope you all have gathered your garden stuff and are ready for the drop in temperatures!

See you Monday!

Fight the criminals with Basics....starting with We the People...

2011-10-20T13:11:00.000-04:00

So....now what?

Those of you who support NPR, might want to take a look at this:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/20/1028336/-BREAKING:-Host-of-NPR-Music-Show-Fired-for-Participating-in-OWS-Protest-%7C-Time-to-Occupy-NPR!?via=recent

Constitutional Convention is coming.....it's the only way to fight the criminals.

Sounds Like the Birth of a Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia

2011-10-18T17:51:00.000-04:00

beginning July 4, 2012 and lasting through October 2012. Have a look:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/18/1027740/-Occupy-Wall-Street-National-Convention?via=recent

Stop the War Machines!

2011-10-17T11:27:00.003-04:00

http://stopwar.org.uk/index.php/45-minute-film-anti-war-assembly-in-trafalgar-square

and here:

http://stopwar.org.uk/

So, who is funding the teaparty? And just who are those Koch brothers?

2011-10-16T10:45:00.000-04:00

..those benevolent funders of "Public" Broadcasting...? Before our adoring eyes, they cast a few crumbs from their billions into the air, and down upon us all, and we scrabble like children for the candy under the carriage wheels...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/15/1026678/-I-dont-remember-anyone-asking-about-who-funded-the-tea-party?via=recent

After you've read the above, it might be time to find out (if you don't already know) who these "Koch brothers" and Koch Industries are.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/koch-industries-report-reveals-secret-sins/story?id=14676652

Have you heard of the Keystone pipeline? And who is funding Herman Cain in a major way?

Why am I not surprised...?

Lansing Michigan Mayor Supports, Even Welcomes, #OWS

2011-10-16T10:21:00.002-04:00

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/16/1026963/-Boldest-US-mayor:-Lansing-Mayor-Virg-Bernero-welcomes-Occupy-Lansing-protesters-to-the-Capitol?via=recent

NYPD Uses Horses As Weapons On #OWS Protesters--Video

2011-10-16T10:10:00.000-04:00

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/16/1026956/-Protesters-document-NYPD-horses-ramming-in-Times-Sq-make-this-video-viral?via=recent

What Did the Middle Class "tourist" find when he visited #OWS?

2011-10-16T09:58:00.002-04:00

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/15/1026845/-Middle-Class-Tourist-Visits-OWS,-Debunks-Myths-(with-photos)?via=siderec

The Future is in Your Hands...fight for it!

2011-10-16T07:50:00.000-04:00

You need to see this. If need be, cut and paste.

http://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/wall-street-occupiers-the-future-is-in-your-hands?utm_source=wkly20111014&utm_medium=yesemail&utm_campaign=titleKorten

Your Tax Dollars At Work

2011-10-16T07:27:00.000-04:00

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/15/1026847/-On-the-front-lines-in-Times-Square,-NYPD-in-full-fight-mode?via=siderec

Keith Olbermann Shows The Way

2011-10-15T11:20:00.000-04:00

And the best part of this whole diary (linked below) is Keith Olbermann's (August 1st) rant replayed on last night's broadcast. Don't MISS it! Aired last evening on Current TV KO's Countdown....it's amazing! And having KOS on, as well, was a bonus!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/14/1026463/-Occupy-Wall-Street-hype:-The-screams-that-caught-my-eye-today-(Updated-injuries-confirmed)?via=mosthotday

We are the 99%.

You Can Help to Build the Power and the Momentum...

2011-10-14T18:35:00.000-04:00

10 Ways to Support the Occupy Movement

There are many things you can do to be part of this growing movement—and only some of them involve sleeping outside.

Document Actions Email Print Feed Share by Sarah van Gelder

posted Oct 14, 2011

The #OccupyWallStreet movement continues to spread with more than 1,500 sites. More and more people are speaking up for a society that works for the 99 percent, not just the 1 percent.

Here are 10 recommendations from the YES! Magazine staff for ways to build the power and momentum of this movement. Only two of them involve sleeping outside:

1. Show up at the occupied space near you.

Use this link to find the Facebook page of an occupation near you. If you can, bring a tent or tarp and sleeping bag, and stay. Or just come for a few hours. Talk to people, participate in a General Assembly, hold a sign, help serve food. Learn about the new world being created in the occupied spaces.

2. Start your own occupation.

Use this Meetup site. Or call together friends, members of your faith group, school, or community group. Reach out to people from parts of your community you don’t normally work with. Unexpected alliances keep the movement from getting labeled as partisan or representing only some people.

3. Support those who are occupying.

Most sites need food, warm clothes, blankets, tarps, sleeping bags, communications gear, and money. Many need people to do loads of laundry, to help with medical care, to provide legal support, to serve food, and to spread the word. Some people call in pizza orders from nearby vendors. Support the folks at Liberty Square in New York here, or check in with your local occupiers to see what they need.

As we discover a community of people who are experiencing similar hardship, humiliation turns into compassion for others and for ourselves.

4. Speak out. Get into the debates and the teach-ins.

Many occupation sites have workshops and discussions on critical issues of our time. Get into the discussion. Bring your expertise and reading materials to share. YES! Magazine is offering free copies of the current New Livelihood issue to occupied sites (request them by emailing JobsIssue@yesmagazine.org). Bring the discussions to other groups you are part of. Listen to perspectives you haven’t heard before. This process represents a critical, but under-reported side of the movement: People are shifting from being passive, frustrated observers of politics to active, powerful players. Instead of waiting for our leaders to do the right thing, people from all walks of life are becoming leaders. It makes us unstoppable.
5. Share your story.

Post how you’re part of the 99 percent on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, or in print. Through this movement, people are discovering others who are also losing jobs and homes, who are overwhelmed by debt or working a dead-end job. Through this sharing, humiliation turns into compassion and self-respect. And it builds understanding of the sources and the impacts of our crisis: A Wall Street system that funnels wealth to the top 1 percent is leaving the rest of us behind. Community plus insight makes us powerful.
6. Be the media.

Show up with your video recorder, camera phone, or laptop and share the stories of the occupation. You can download a selection of posters donated by graphic designers and spread them around. Highlight the human dimension of the protests. It is harder for critics to disparage a movement when people see the faces of those involved.

7. Name the meaning of this moment.

What will make the world better for the 99 percent? How has the power of the 1 percent gotten in the way of your hopes and dreams? Make a sign, write a blog, update your Facebook page, or speak out on the issue that means the most to you. Include the phrase, “I am the 99 percent.”

8. Insist that public officials treat the occupations with respect.

The eviction of the Liberty Square occupation on Wall Street was averted by massive public resistance from those in the square and from others. Other occupations also need support. The 99 percent don’t have the money, political access, and media empires of the 1 percent; the occupations are one of the few ways we are building power. Ask your local officials to respect people's right to assembly.

What Can Stop the One Percent?

Naomi Klein: There’s only one thing that can block the wish list of the one percent, and it’s a very big thing:

the rest of us.

9. Study and teach nonviolent techniques.

There are many examples of outside provocateurs who spark violent incidents that can discredit nonviolent movements such as this. The corporate media is hungry for violent images. (There’s already been an example of an admitted provocateur from the right-wing "American Spectator" who provoked pepper spraying at the National Air & Space Museum). Learn how to lovingly and firmly interrupt and contain violence, and teach what you know. Here are some resources.
10. Be resilient.

This movement is here for the long term. Some efforts may fade because of cold weather or harsh police responses. Others may self-destruct through faulty process or violent outbreaks. The movement may be idealistic, but it won’t be ideal. Don’t get disillusioned; the demand for a society that serves the 99 percent won’t go away. The movement may morph, but it has become unstoppable. Help it evolve.

The genie is out of the bottle. People will no longer accept the systematic transfer of wealth and power from we the people to the 1 percent. In this remarkable, leaderless movement, each one of the 99 percent who gets involved helps shape history.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bet You Didn't Know This....

2011-10-14T14:36:00.000-04:00

So, Obama's poll numbers are lousy and getting worse fast.. Time for him to start or intervene in still ANOTHER WAR... probably "defending" resources...oil, etc. Department of "Defense" (misnomber to be sure), says the troops are only there in an "advisory" capacity...and if you believe that....

Jake Tapper of ABC is the source.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/14/1026415/-Breaking:-US-sends-troops-to-Uganda

Iran again? Come on! Get real, Obama!

2011-10-14T07:59:00.000-04:00

I hope none of you is gullible enough to take this mythical Iran-thing the administration is trying to cook up as anything but a red herring.

It is an intentional diversion and we need to see it for what it is. Redux. Go to the website below to see the steps the plutocrats will be taking to try to discount, divide and discredit Occupy Wallstreet and the 99%.. Go to the link, read the words and watch the video.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/14/1026239/-Preparing-for-Panicked-Plutocrats-at-Occupy-Wall-Street-Camps?via=recent

Oh...and BTW, I worked hard to put Obama in office. I rue the day!

OWS GOES GLOBAL ON SATURDAY, OCT 15

2011-10-14T07:39:00.000-04:00

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/14/wallstreet-global-idUSL5E7LD3VU20111014

BLOOMBERG CANCELLED THE EVICTION ...for now....

2011-10-14T07:21:00.000-04:00

BLOOMBERG CALLED OFF THE "CLEANING!!!!!"

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/14/1026165/-LIVE:-NYC-Stands-Down,-Cancels-Cleaning-as-Thousands-Crowd-Zuccotti-March!-%7C-LiveBlog-+-LiveStream?via=siderec

Keep in mind that the "esteemed" mayor of New York DID NOT ALLOW THE PROTESTORS TO HAVE PORTO-POTTIES. OWS has had a working group within the group--a detail--specifically on sanitation, but the CNY would not work with the protesters. The eviction was a ploy to once-and-for-all kill the movement. The new rules were going to be as follows: no sanitation facilities; no tents, no tarps, no equipment of any kind and no lying down.

How is that for "freedom of expression?"

240,000 signed an emergency petition last night (as did I) against eviction by Bloomberg. There were close to 3,500 in the park last night around 3:00 a.m. ABC covered it. The phone lines at Bloomberg's office were totally jammed with people trying to call in from all across the country. Move-On sponsored the petition. The unions came out in force to protest the eviction, as well. There's an eviction in Denver; it may be over by now, don't know...

More coming on my blog as I get cranked up this a.m. Lots going on today. Lech Walessa is coming from Poland, today.

Bring Your Dollars Home...

2011-10-13T16:00:00.000-04:00

Read why, here:

http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/new-livelihoods/how-state-banks-bring-the-money-homeutm_source=oct11&utm_medium=yesemail&utm_content=subs&utm_campaign=StateBanks

Yes, you can hurt them. Read this article and realize that your community needs your dollars. Take action if you have your money in one of the six Too-Big-To-Fail banks: Wells Fargo, Citi Group, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, and Morgan Stanley. Bring your dollars "home" to your community and put them to work locally.

American Autumn--Occupy Together

2011-10-13T07:43:00.000-04:00

These will definitely get the cobwebs out of your brain this morning:
(put your headset on and turn the volume down before you commit yourself on the first one!)

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/13/1025864/--OccupyWallStreet-We-Will-Evolve-We-Must-Evolve-Expect-Us?via=recent

My Advice to the Occupy Wall Street Protesters Hit bankers where it hurts

By Matt Taibbi

October 12, 2011 8:00 I've been down to "Occupy Wall Street" twice now, and I love it. The protests building at Liberty Square and spreading over Lower Manhattan are a great thing, the logical answer to the Tea Party and a long-overdue middle finger to the financial elite. The protesters picked the right target and, through their refusal to disband after just one day, the right tactic, showing the public at large that the movement against Wall Street has stamina, resolve and growing popular appeal.

But... there's a but. And for me this is a deeply personal thing, because this issue of how to combat Wall Street corruption has consumed my life for years now, and it's hard for me not to see where Occupy Wall Street could be better and more dangerous. I'm guessing, for instance, that the banks were secretly thrilled in the early going of the protests, sure they'd won round one of the messaging war.

Why? Because after a decade of unparalleled thievery and corruption, with tens of millions entering the ranks of the hungry thanks to artificially inflated commodity prices, and millions more displaced from their homes by corruption in the mortgage markets, the headline from the first week of protests against the financial-services sector was an old cop macing a quartet of college girls.

That, to me, speaks volumes about the primary challenge of opposing the 50-headed hydra of Wall Street corruption, which is that it's extremely difficult to explain the crimes of the modern financial elite in a simple visual. The essence of this particular sort of oligarchic power is its complexity and day-to-day invisibility: Its worst crimes, from bribery and insider trading and market manipulation, to backroom dominance of government and the usurping of the regulatory structure from within, simply can't be seen by the public or put on TV. There just isn't going to be an iconic "Running Girl" photo with Goldman Sachs, Citigroup or Bank of America – just 62 million Americans with zero or negative net worth, scratching their heads and wondering where the hell all their money went and why their votes seem to count less and less each and every year.

No matter what, I'll be supporting Occupy Wall Street. And I think the movement's basic strategy – to build numbers and stay in the fight, rather than tying itself to any particular set of principles – makes a lot of sense early on. But the time is rapidly approaching when the movement is going to have to offer concrete solutions to the problems posed by Wall Street. To do that, it will need a short but powerful list of demands. There are thousands one could make, but I'd suggest focusing on five:

1. Break up the monopolies. The so-called "Too Big to Fail" financial companies – now sometimes called by the more accurate term "Systemically Dangerous Institutions" – are a direct threat to national security. They are above the law and above market consequence, making them more dangerous and unaccountable than a thousand mafias combined. There are about 20 such firms in America, and they need to be dismantled; a good start would be to repeal the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and mandate the separation of insurance companies, investment banks and commercial banks.

2. Pay for your own bailouts. A tax of 0.1 percent on all trades of stocks and bonds and a 0.01 percent tax on all trades of derivatives would generate enough revenue to pay us back for the bailouts, and still have plenty left over to fight the deficits the banks claim to be so worried about. It would also deter the endless chase for instant profits through computerized insider-trading schemes like High Frequency Trading, and force Wall Street to go back to the job it's supposed to be doing, i.e., making sober investments in job-creating businesses and watching them grow.

3. No public money for private lobbying. A company that receives a public bailout should not be allowed to use the taxpayer's own money to lobby against him. You can either suck on the public teat or influence the next presidential race, but you can't do both. Butt out for once and let the people choose the next president and Congress.

4. Tax hedge-fund gamblers. For starters, we need an immediate repeal of the preposterous and indefensible carried-interest tax break, which allows hedge-fund titans like Stevie Cohen and John Paulson to pay taxes of only 15 percent on their billions in gambling income, while ordinary Americans pay twice that for teaching kids and putting out fires. I defy any politician to stand up and defend that loophole during an election year.

5. Change the way bankers get paid. We need new laws preventing Wall Street executives from getting bonuses upfront for deals that might blow up in all of our faces later. It should be: You make a deal today, you get company stock you can redeem two or three years from now. That forces everyone to be invested in his own company's long-term health – no more Joe Cassanos pocketing multimillion-dollar bonuses for destroying the AIGs of the world.

To quote the immortal political philosopher Matt Damon from Rounders, "The key to No Limit poker is to put a man to a decision for all his chips." The only reason the Lloyd Blankfeins and Jamie Dimons of the world survive is that they're never forced, by the media or anyone else, to put all their cards on the table. If Occupy Wall Street can do that – if it can speak to the millions of people the banks have driven into foreclosure and joblessness – it has a chance to build a massive grassroots movement. All it has to do is light a match in the right place, and the overwhelming public support for real reform – not later, but right now – will be there in an instant.

This story is from the October 27, 2011 issue of Rolling Stone.

Hearing It Makes It All the More Real....

2011-10-12T09:33:00.000-04:00

Here is the OWS Declaration in audio.....

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/12/1025465/-A-Message-to-Wall-Street-SentientMind?via=recent

The Girl Who Silenced the World for Five Minutes...

2011-10-12T08:31:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQmz6Rbpnu0

This presentation was in April of this year...but it is still powerful, maybe more so today...

Arrogance Compounded

2011-10-12T08:11:00.000-04:00

Good Morning, everyone! Have a look at this video....it will definitely wake you up, if you've been sleeping...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/12/1025488/-Powerful-Vid-Going-Viral-+3,000-views-in-past-hour-middle-of-the-night-I-AM-NOT-MOVING?via=recent

And, just to keep you amused...

Here are eleven facts that you need to know about the nation’s biggest banks:

And by the way, we don't need (in fact don't WANT) big banks. Your money should be in COMMUNITY banks and credit unions, keeping the money close to home to build our COMMUNITIES. Move your money if you have it (checking accounts, credit cards, etc.) to a LOCAL BANK!! We still have the ability to move money...at least for now. Need to be convinced? Read on....

– Bank profits are highest since before the recession…: According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., bank profits in the first quarter of this year were “the best for the industry since the $36.8 billion earned in the second quarter of 2007.” JP Morgan Chase is currently pulling in record profits.

– …even as the banks plan thousands of layoffs: Banks, including Bank of America, Barclays, Goldman Sachs, and Credit Suisse, are planning to lay off tens of thousands of workers.

– Banks make nearly one-third of total corporate profits: The financial sector accounts for about 30 percent of total corporate profits, which is actually down from before the financial crisis, when they made closer to 40 percent.

– Since 2008, the biggest banks have gotten bigger: Due to the failure of small competitors and mergers facilitated during the 2008 crisis, the nation’s biggest banks — including Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, and Wells Fargo — are now bigger than they were pre-recession. Pre-crisis, the four biggest banks held 32 percent of total deposits; now they hold nearly 40 percent.

– The four biggest banks issue 50 percent of mortgages and 66 percent of credit cards: Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Citigroup issue one out of every two mortgages and nearly two out of every three credit cards in America.

– The 10 biggest banks hold 60 percent of bank assets: In the 1980s, the 10 biggest banks controlled 22 percent of total bank assets. Today, they control 60 percent.

– The six biggest banks hold assets equal to 63 percent of the country’s GDP: In 1995, the six biggest banks in the country held assets equal to about 17 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. Now their assets equal 63 percent of GDP.

– The five biggest banks hold 95 percent of derivatives: Nearly the entire market in derivatives — the credit instruments that helped blow up some of the nation’s biggest banks as well as mega-insurer AIG — is dominated by just five firms: JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Citibank, and Wells Fargo.

– Banks cost households nearly $20 trillion in wealth: Almost $20 trillion in wealth was destroyed by the Great Recession, and total family wealth is still down “$12.8 trillion (in 2011 dollars) from June 2007 — its last peak.”

– Big banks don’t lend to small businesses: The New Rules Project notes that the country’s 20 biggest banks “devote only 18 percent of their commercial loan portfolios to small business.”

– Big banks paid 5,000 bonuses of at least $1 million in 2008: According to the New York Attorney General’s office, “nine of the financial firms that were among the largest recipients of federal bailout money paid about 5,000 of their traders and bankers bonuses of more than $1 million apiece for 2008.”

In the last few decades, regulations on the biggest banks have been systematically eliminated, while those banks engineered more and more ways to both rip off customers and turn ever-more complex trading instruments into ever-higher profits. It makes perfect sense, then, that a movement calling for an economy that works for everyone would center its efforts on an industry that exemplifies the opposite.

Comment on Comments

2011-10-11T17:37:00.000-04:00

And...Blogger still isn't fixed..

Thank you for the Thumbs Up, Wayfarin' Jim! You, too, Vicki! Other than both your comments, it's pretty quiet here on the front line, out here JOTOLR.

Wish we had a little more feedback just to see what everyone's thinking...or not! I spent a good two hours today reading and absorbing the topic, "Organizing by Consensus," and studying the way the General Assemblies function at OWS. My oh, oh my....what a difference collective thinking would make in the way we govern (are "governed"...and I use that word as a surrogate only, for other words such as "controlled" and "marginalized" and "discounted."

Beacons in the Fog...

2011-10-11T10:18:00.001-04:00

This is an image I captured in 2009. It was a little later in the year...long about November. Every year, I keep thinking "it's over" when, indeed, the color is only beginning. That's what it feels like today with the protests...it's quiet, but that doesn't mean things aren't brewing. Last night's arrests in Boston at the Veterans for Peace demonstration, give voice to the fact that this Movement, this activism, is not a passing meteor shower. We must stay tuned for further developments...

And on that note, here are some ways to do that:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/02/1022051/-Occupy-Wall-Street-Mothership-The-Time-Has-Come-to-Organize?via=siderec

This link gives a broad overview to events as they have unfolded and are unfolding.

The Occupy Wall Street Press at http://paper.li/occupymanhattan/1317517749
is updated every 12 hours and they have reporters on the street gathering stories.

Sleeping bags are needed at the New York OWS. They've put out repeated requests for sleeping bags, but have received few. If you've got bags you can donate, it will help greatly. New ones, too, if you're inclined. If you know where OWS could purchase some at wholesale prices, let them now. Send any bags to:

UPS Store
118a Fulton Street #205
New York, New York 10038
Attn: Occupy Wall Street

Here is an interesting link. If you haven't heard of Jacque Fresco, have a look at this YouTube video which was in the Occupy Wall Street Press yesterday, reposted from an earlier conversation with the Russia Today host last February, I believe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qlgzTlAvOo

Occupy Wall Street is a good group, too, making efforts to reveal another "face" of the protests. Have a look at their website at:

http://occupywallst.org/

Same can be said for Occupy Together at http://www.occupytogether.org/

It's mid-week, and some DO have jobs, or classes, to tend and attend...it's looking like the protesters are staging a marching tour of Billionnaire homes in downtown Manhattan sometime in the next little while; also looks as though various groups are working to go global with global-wide protest on October 15th. (Check out the Spanish protests on the You Tube video on Occupy Wall Street Press. All plans are in the developing stages. To keep track, tap into any of the above websites I've listed. Disregard the MSM. Not worth reading. Keith Olbermann, Naomi Klein and Amy Goodman (Democracy Now) are the places to be...in that vein, check out this video from Amy's program last night:

http://www.democracynow.org/2011/10/10/occupy_wall_street_emerges_as_first