Thanksgiving at Occupy Wall Street
Once again our intrepid New York Bureau Chief Zach Roberts was on the scene in Zuccotti Park, but this trip was far more peaceful than the last one, where hundreds were driven out of the park by police, and violence ensued. The spirit was more festive on Thanksgiving, where thousands of free turkey dinners were distributed to hungry protesters and anyone who wanted one. The People’s Library was back in business after thousands of books were thrown into dumpsters by police last week. One man who was hired as a private security guard to keep protesters from reestablishing their tent…
The Cleansing of Zuccotti Park
By Zach Roberts F**k. My lens is busted – a cop hit it with a night stick. Then he hit me. Then he shoved me – I nearly fell backward into the crowd, tripping over the edge of the sidewalk. I would have been trampled. That’s when it got a bit scary. He was yelling “GET BACK!!! GET BACK!!!” Well, there was the road, and moving traffic behind us, but he didn’t seem to care. So, the choice was to keep walking backward and filming, possibly backing into moving traffic, or dart between the taxis. I made the decision to…
A Tale of Transfer – How Northrim Bank Lost My Money
I have to confess, I felt a little wistful about Move Your Money Day. The idea was that on Saturday, November 5, everyone who was fed up with the big banks, their unsound business practices, their bailouts and bonuses, should pull their money out of those banks, and instead open an account at a local bank or credit union. I thought this was a great idea, and I planned to promote it on the blog. But that’s where it would end for me, because I already have my money in a local bank. I’ve had multiple accounts, both personal and…
Open Thread – Move Your Money
Happy Move Your Money Day! Today, November 5, is the day when thousands have pledged to move their money out of the “too big to fail” banks that got us in the mess we’re in, and invest instead in local community banks and credit unions. And if you miss today, any day will do. Check out the Move Your Money project’s website, and go to Banxodus to find a list of local credit unions in your area. The Move Your Money project is a campaign that aims to empower individuals and institutions to divest from the nation’s largest Wall Street…
Occupy the Mudflats Forum!
The fine folks over at The Mudflats Forum have now created a special place to gather and post about your Occupy events and comment on others around the world. You can join in and participate HERE. The Occupy Wall Street movement is gaining steam, and the unique sense of connection and solidarity between cities is made possible through our ability to reach out and talk to each other online, and share our experiences in real time with others. If you’ve never ventured forth into the Mudflats Forum, you are missing out! The Forum is like a whole other level here…
Mudflix – 4 Reasons
Why occupy Wall Street? This one is a four minute, thirty second must-see that gives your four reasons. There is some interesting history from Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Alan Grayson and others that illustrates what’s gone so terribly wrong, and how we need to right the course. Extremely well done.
Open Thread – Flattened
From CNN Money: The choice between the current tax system and the Perry plan will be a no-brainer for the very rich, who would do much better under his system. And it will be easy for most low-income working-class families, especially if they have kids. They’d be far happier under a system that preserves refundable credits such as the earned income and child credits than under Perry’s plan. But for everyone else, picking between the two tax laws will a huge pain in the butt. The only way to get the right answer will be to do your taxes…
Alaska’s Business Report Card – F is for Fabulous, and A is for Asshat
Senator Bill Wielechowski and Rep. Les Gara held a press conference yesterday talking about how corporations attempt to wield their power over the Alaska legislature through the use of the Alaska Business “Report Card.” Let’s listen to what this is all about from Rep. Les Gara. Now, think about corporations for a moment. I have equated corporations to polar bears before. Polar bears are not inherently evil, but they can be dangerous, and they do have an agenda that doesn’t always match that of people. The internal programming of a polar bear is simple – if it moves, it’s food….