This is a great read a warnng to OWS http://politicsanonymous.com/?p=5884 On twitter yesterday a lot of ppl expressed displeasure to the mic check. It was overwhelming.
For 45 days and counting most of you have braved weather, media scrutiny, and lately, police opposition to boldly proclaim yourselves “The 99%” and stand up to the 1%. Just one problem: You are not the 99%. Not even close. You don’t speak for the masses of America.
Now as part of America’s 99%, allow me to explain:
According to the US Census Bureau, as of November 1, 2011 there are an estimated 312,540,000 people in America.
Now given the perceived bias of corporate media and other forces possibly at play towards OWS, let’s go only by #OWS numbers for discussion. Based on info and estimates directly from #OWS participants that I’ve regularly spoken with from #OWS encampments in LA, Oakland, NYC, Chi, ATL, there are, at best, about 5,000 participants at any given time at any given #OWS encampment. But also for discussion’s sake, let’s assume that even these first-person anecdotal estimates are low—by half; let’s say that there’s actually about 10,000 OWS folk encamped/publically protesting in each of our 50 states. Or better yet, let’s again double the estimate and assume there’s 20,000 people in each state marching, sitting, camping out in the name of all movements, “Occupy”.
So 20,000 folk x 50 states is roughly 1 million people. That’s 1 million out of America’s population of 312 million-plus citizens. Folks, that’s not 99%. That’s not 9%. That’s not even 0.9%. In fact, 1 million out of 312 million is exactly .32% of America’s current population as of this November. So yea… Zero Point Three Two… Percent. That’s what Occupy Wall Street really comes down to: Thirty-two tenths of a single percent of American people. But then again, “We’re the 32tenthsOfAPercent!” doesn’t look as good as a URL or twitter handle. Definitely doesn’t look as sexy as “We Are The 99%” does on a t-shirt, either.
Interesting to me that I sign on to see an OWS comment. On the way home just now I heard on CBC news that the Canadian group (Adbusters?) that planted the seed for OWS is not trying to plant a variant -‘Occupy Christmas / Occupy Santa’. The newscaster admitted that she didn’t see the sense in it, and asked whether the group realized that the economy actually benefits from people spending, and a boycott of this nature wouldn’t help. Although I’ve refrained from commenting on OWS, I have to admit I also don’t see the sense in this new suggestion. It is my hope that they would just fade away, so Americans can refocus on a more effective strategy – vote in politicians who have their best interests at heart.
I also heard about Germany having potential financial difficulty selling off bonds (which I do not understand), and I hope this does not shake the market again! I’m going to go watch WWW above to nurture some positive vibes.
Occupy Christmas? Oh no. They ought to stay 10 feet away from that. Why don’t they Occupy a homeless shelter or something. Use the season of giving to give back and project a better image to Americans. Well whatever, people aren’t going to stop shopping for Christmas if they have the money. Especially if they have kids. Then you have people who saved up and put stuff on layaway. Oh no. Not gonna happen.
‘Oh, crud!’ was my initial reaction to the news, as I was hoping the winter cold would help to curtail a movement that IMO has more than run its course. Since I for one see these persistent unfocused protesters as publicity seekers, hopefully the Occupy Christmas shift won’t catch on. Attention for the sake of attention just doesn’t appeal to many, I think, and Occupy Whatever seems impervious to the general mood surrounding them. If they do persist, maybe the attack on ‘Christmas’ will cause a louder outcry from the rest of the 99% for them to pack it in.
Even though Germany is a safe harbor, it can’t help but be affected by the general troubles in the Eurozone. The difficulty in selling bonds may also be a result of the idea floated by EU Commission president Barroso to create a “Eurobond”, where basically weaker Eurozone states could piggyback on the sterling credit ratings of the stronger members.
LL, the news I heard seemed to be implying that the fact the bonds didn’t sell as anticipated was a shock, and a possible indication that Germany may not be (seen) now as strong financially as originally thought. [Of course, as I’ve already admitted, financial comprehension is way outside my realm, which is the only reason I’m not a part of the 1%. 😉 Thus, I won’t say any more in this area because I really have NO clue what I’m talking about.]
You’ve got it exactly. Basically, now there’s a fear that the financial contagion is spreading to Berlin and the other credit-worth nations, due to their banks’ exposure to the PIIG countries.
Hi LL, stumbling upon these financial related articles (about Germany) is sooo funny to me as I really have no affinity to money; it doesn’t like me and avoids me like the plague. Anyway, although I know you like informative foreign media you might not have seen this yet, so I brought it for you. 😉
The yurts are barely dismantled and the tents only just rolled up, but there is already a new movement on the horizon — Occupy Christmas.
Canadian magazine Adbusters — which prompted the Occupy Wall Street camp and subsequent set-ups around North America, including Toronto’s St. James Park — has put out a call for another round of capitalism-disturbing.
“This movement is somewhat about angering people,” Lasn said.
Anger goes only so far; just ask the Teabaggers. Eventually you have to have a positive program to address your issues, or the great middle of this country will quickly ignore you.
Occupy Christmas? Adbusters is anti-capitalist that has successfully spawned a movement that claims to be anti-wealth inequality.
This is one of the most baffling waste of energy and squandering of goodwill in recent memory. They took an idea that potentially 99% of people would be pre-disposed and day-by-day, hour-by-hour, stunt-by-stunt they manage to unite 1 percenters and an increasing number of 99 percenters against them.
Whomever is advising them is a horrible strategist if their objective is to win hearts and minds or actuallly get something substantial accomplished.
I doubt they have advisers per se. Without doing any research, they strike me as a bunch of people with little insight, and just enough tech know-how to muck up other people’s lives. A power trip perhaps?
Because nothing wins hearts and minds more effectively than modelling your movement after Ebenezer Scrooge. If this is the best they can come up with, they are a spent force. Bah Humbug!
Lasn and White quickly hammered out a post-Zuccotti plan. White would draft a new memorandum, suggesting that Phase I—signs, meetings, camps, marches—was now over. Phase II would involve a swarming strategy of “surprise attacks against business as usual,” with the potential to be “more intense and visceral, depending on how the Bloombergs of the world react.” White could hear the excitement in Lasn’s voice. Even as Lasn vented about the morning’s counterrevolution, he was doing what he could not to splash.
This is how Occupy Wall Street began: as one of many half-formed plans circulating through conversations between Lasn and White, who lives in Berkeley and has not seen Lasn in person for more than four years. Neither can recall who first had the idea of trying to take over lower Manhattan. In early June, Adbusters sent an e-mail to subscribers stating that “America needs its own Tahrir.” The next day, White wrote to Lasn that he was “very excited about the Occupy Wall Street meme. . . . I think we should make this happen.” He proposed three possible Web sites: OccupyWallStreet.org, AcampadaWallStreet.org, and TakeWallStreet.org.
“No. 1 is best,” Lasn replied, on June 9th. That evening, he registered OccupyWallStreet.org.
White, who is twenty-nine years old, was born to a Caucasian mother and an African-American father. “I don’t really fit in with either group,” he told me. He attended suburban public schools, where he began a series of one-man campaigns against authority. In middle school, with his parents’ blessing, he refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. In high school, he founded an atheists’ club, over the objections of the principal. This led to an appearance on “Politically Incorrect,” and atheist organizations flew White to their conferences to give talks. “It all went to my head,” he said. “I became a little ego child. Ego destroys. I was too young to understand that.
…”
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————
This is a long article so I’ll just put it out there for anyone who might be the least bit interested in seeing who is really pulling, or trying to pull, the strings of Occupy. I was so -not- interested I only read the first page and the last two paragraphs on the last page (p6). While social media may have tremendous potential for good, IMO this is a good example where it can give power and control into hands that are not responsible, hands belonging to people who care less about the common good than they do about pushing buttons.
Chips – As Thanksgiving nears, I want to express my thanks for all you do for President Obama and all of us! Your blog is sterling, and your style is absolutely fabulous! Everything you do is near perfection, and we all luv ya (as if you didn’t get that by now)!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, and the entire TOD family!
Try as you may to put on the airs of inevitability by directly engaging President Obama, please know that President Obama is not your biggest obstacle to winning the nomination at the moment.
Sincerely,
Everyone Who Is Paying Attention
Exhibit A:
“Des Moines, Iowa (CNN) — Representatives for leading social conservative groups in Iowa held a secret meeting Monday as part of an effort with one main goal: find and support a Republican presidential candidate who can stop Mitt Romney in Iowa.
The idea: avoid splintering the conservative vote in the state by rallying around one GOP rival who could win Iowa’s Jan. 3 caucus and then challenge Romney in New Hampshire and the other early voting states.
Many social conservatives and other religious leaders in the state have openly labeled the former Massachusetts governor as a “flip-flopper,” a criticism the campaign frequently beats back, while others have seen Romney’s Mormon faith as an issue. And many of them have openly hoped for someone to emerge as a viable alternative to the former Massachusetts governor.
While Mitt is hyperextending his shoulder from patting himself on the back because he finally managed to get a response from the re-elect President Obama campaign when they answered his dishonest ad, it is clear that Mitt is wasting his time and resources trying to win the favor of a party that is not just indifferent to his nomination but actively hostile to it.
Corrected repost from previous thread…
Happy Thanksgiving TODers! Have a safe holiday.
In the tradition of answering the question “What am I thankful for?” I can honestly say that this year I am very thankful that I can get honest, complete daily coverage of what our wonderful POTUS, VPOTUS. FLOTUS and SLOTUS are doing. I’m truly hooked on TOD and cannot leave home without taking a peek each morning, even at the risk of sometimes being late to work. I am thankful that Chips does such an excellent job of keeping us all informed and troll free! Thank you and GOD BLESS YOU CHIPS!
Happy Thanksgiving all! And a heartfelt thanks to Chips who is so giving of her time, fierce energy, and creativity in creating an informed, determined, and committed community to insure eight years for President Obama to continue the changes he has started. Yes we Can! Fired Up and Ready to Go!
To expand on what vcprez posted above about Germany:
A “disastrous” German bond sale on Wednesday sparked fears that Europe’s debt crisis was starting to threaten even Berlin, with the leaders of the euro zone’s two biggest economies still at odds over a longer-term structural solution.
With contagion spreading, a majority of twenty prominent economists polled by Reuters predicted that the euro zone was unlikely to survive the crisis in its current form, with some envisaging a “core” group that would exclude Greece.
Investors were also unnerved by reports that Belgium is leaning on France to pay more into emergency support for failed lender Dexia under a 90-billion-euro ($120-billion) rescue deal that had appeared done and dusted.
The Obama Diary 
This is a great read a warnng to OWS http://politicsanonymous.com/?p=5884 On twitter yesterday a lot of ppl expressed displeasure to the mic check. It was overwhelming.
and this
http://www.hustleknockin.com/hustleknockin/2011/11/oh-so-now-police-brutality-matters.html
Thank you for the link aristac
From the same website, this:
For 45 days and counting most of you have braved weather, media scrutiny, and lately, police opposition to boldly proclaim yourselves “The 99%” and stand up to the 1%. Just one problem: You are not the 99%. Not even close. You don’t speak for the masses of America.
Now as part of America’s 99%, allow me to explain:
According to the US Census Bureau, as of November 1, 2011 there are an estimated 312,540,000 people in America.
Now given the perceived bias of corporate media and other forces possibly at play towards OWS, let’s go only by #OWS numbers for discussion. Based on info and estimates directly from #OWS participants that I’ve regularly spoken with from #OWS encampments in LA, Oakland, NYC, Chi, ATL, there are, at best, about 5,000 participants at any given time at any given #OWS encampment. But also for discussion’s sake, let’s assume that even these first-person anecdotal estimates are low—by half; let’s say that there’s actually about 10,000 OWS folk encamped/publically protesting in each of our 50 states. Or better yet, let’s again double the estimate and assume there’s 20,000 people in each state marching, sitting, camping out in the name of all movements, “Occupy”.
So 20,000 folk x 50 states is roughly 1 million people. That’s 1 million out of America’s population of 312 million-plus citizens. Folks, that’s not 99%. That’s not 9%. That’s not even 0.9%. In fact, 1 million out of 312 million is exactly .32% of America’s current population as of this November. So yea… Zero Point Three Two… Percent. That’s what Occupy Wall Street really comes down to: Thirty-two tenths of a single percent of American people. But then again, “We’re the 32tenthsOfAPercent!” doesn’t look as good as a URL or twitter handle. Definitely doesn’t look as sexy as “We Are The 99%” does on a t-shirt, either.
The rest of the excellent blog post is here: http://www.hustleknockin.com/hustleknockin/2011/11/dear-ows-you-are-not-the-99-percent.html
Interesting to me that I sign on to see an OWS comment. On the way home just now I heard on CBC news that the Canadian group (Adbusters?) that planted the seed for OWS is not trying to plant a variant -‘Occupy Christmas / Occupy Santa’. The newscaster admitted that she didn’t see the sense in it, and asked whether the group realized that the economy actually benefits from people spending, and a boycott of this nature wouldn’t help. Although I’ve refrained from commenting on OWS, I have to admit I also don’t see the sense in this new suggestion. It is my hope that they would just fade away, so Americans can refocus on a more effective strategy – vote in politicians who have their best interests at heart.
I also heard about Germany having potential financial difficulty selling off bonds (which I do not understand), and I hope this does not shake the market again! I’m going to go watch WWW above to nurture some positive vibes.
Occupy Christmas? Oh no. They ought to stay 10 feet away from that. Why don’t they Occupy a homeless shelter or something. Use the season of giving to give back and project a better image to Americans. Well whatever, people aren’t going to stop shopping for Christmas if they have the money. Especially if they have kids. Then you have people who saved up and put stuff on layaway. Oh no. Not gonna happen.
‘Oh, crud!’ was my initial reaction to the news, as I was hoping the winter cold would help to curtail a movement that IMO has more than run its course. Since I for one see these persistent unfocused protesters as publicity seekers, hopefully the Occupy Christmas shift won’t catch on. Attention for the sake of attention just doesn’t appeal to many, I think, and Occupy Whatever seems impervious to the general mood surrounding them. If they do persist, maybe the attack on ‘Christmas’ will cause a louder outcry from the rest of the 99% for them to pack it in.
Even though Germany is a safe harbor, it can’t help but be affected by the general troubles in the Eurozone. The difficulty in selling bonds may also be a result of the idea floated by EU Commission president Barroso to create a “Eurobond”, where basically weaker Eurozone states could piggyback on the sterling credit ratings of the stronger members.
LL, the news I heard seemed to be implying that the fact the bonds didn’t sell as anticipated was a shock, and a possible indication that Germany may not be (seen) now as strong financially as originally thought. [Of course, as I’ve already admitted, financial comprehension is way outside my realm, which is the only reason I’m not a part of the 1%. 😉 Thus, I won’t say any more in this area because I really have NO clue what I’m talking about.]
You’ve got it exactly. Basically, now there’s a fear that the financial contagion is spreading to Berlin and the other credit-worth nations, due to their banks’ exposure to the PIIG countries.
Hi LL, stumbling upon these financial related articles (about Germany) is sooo funny to me as I really have no affinity to money; it doesn’t like me and avoids me like the plague. Anyway, although I know you like informative foreign media you might not have seen this yet, so I brought it for you. 😉
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15869064
Next up, Occupy Christmas
The yurts are barely dismantled and the tents only just rolled up, but there is already a new movement on the horizon — Occupy Christmas.
Canadian magazine Adbusters — which prompted the Occupy Wall Street camp and subsequent set-ups around North America, including Toronto’s St. James Park — has put out a call for another round of capitalism-disturbing.
“This movement is somewhat about angering people,” Lasn said.
http://www.thestar.com/business/article/1091295–next-up-occupy-christmas
Anger goes only so far; just ask the Teabaggers. Eventually you have to have a positive program to address your issues, or the great middle of this country will quickly ignore you.
Occupy Christmas? Adbusters is anti-capitalist that has successfully spawned a movement that claims to be anti-wealth inequality.
This is one of the most baffling waste of energy and squandering of goodwill in recent memory. They took an idea that potentially 99% of people would be pre-disposed and day-by-day, hour-by-hour, stunt-by-stunt they manage to unite 1 percenters and an increasing number of 99 percenters against them.
Whomever is advising them is a horrible strategist if their objective is to win hearts and minds or actuallly get something substantial accomplished.
I doubt they have advisers per se. Without doing any research, they strike me as a bunch of people with little insight, and just enough tech know-how to muck up other people’s lives. A power trip perhaps?
Because nothing wins hearts and minds more effectively than modelling your movement after Ebenezer Scrooge. If this is the best they can come up with, they are a spent force. Bah Humbug!
Seems like there is some truth to my ‘power trip’ comment above.
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/11/28/111128fa_fact_schwartz?currentPage=1
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————
“…..
Lasn and White quickly hammered out a post-Zuccotti plan. White would draft a new memorandum, suggesting that Phase I—signs, meetings, camps, marches—was now over. Phase II would involve a swarming strategy of “surprise attacks against business as usual,” with the potential to be “more intense and visceral, depending on how the Bloombergs of the world react.” White could hear the excitement in Lasn’s voice. Even as Lasn vented about the morning’s counterrevolution, he was doing what he could not to splash.
This is how Occupy Wall Street began: as one of many half-formed plans circulating through conversations between Lasn and White, who lives in Berkeley and has not seen Lasn in person for more than four years. Neither can recall who first had the idea of trying to take over lower Manhattan. In early June, Adbusters sent an e-mail to subscribers stating that “America needs its own Tahrir.” The next day, White wrote to Lasn that he was “very excited about the Occupy Wall Street meme. . . . I think we should make this happen.” He proposed three possible Web sites: OccupyWallStreet.org, AcampadaWallStreet.org, and TakeWallStreet.org.
“No. 1 is best,” Lasn replied, on June 9th. That evening, he registered OccupyWallStreet.org.
White, who is twenty-nine years old, was born to a Caucasian mother and an African-American father. “I don’t really fit in with either group,” he told me. He attended suburban public schools, where he began a series of one-man campaigns against authority. In middle school, with his parents’ blessing, he refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. In high school, he founded an atheists’ club, over the objections of the principal. This led to an appearance on “Politically Incorrect,” and atheist organizations flew White to their conferences to give talks. “It all went to my head,” he said. “I became a little ego child. Ego destroys. I was too young to understand that.
…”
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————
This is a long article so I’ll just put it out there for anyone who might be the least bit interested in seeing who is really pulling, or trying to pull, the strings of Occupy. I was so -not- interested I only read the first page and the last two paragraphs on the last page (p6). While social media may have tremendous potential for good, IMO this is a good example where it can give power and control into hands that are not responsible, hands belonging to people who care less about the common good than they do about pushing buttons.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this!
tweeted it using #OWS hash. thanks Tulips
Happy Thanksgiving TOD family! Love, grace, and peace to all. YES WE CAN, YES WE DID, YES WE WILL AGAIN!! OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Chips – As Thanksgiving nears, I want to express my thanks for all you do for President Obama and all of us! Your blog is sterling, and your style is absolutely fabulous! Everything you do is near perfection, and we all luv ya (as if you didn’t get that by now)!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, and the entire TOD family!
I’ll drink to that! Thanks for all that you do Chips!
I’ll add my thanks and wish all happy Thanksgiving!
Ah Jacqueline, thank you soooooooooooooo much – Happy Thanksgiving to you and everyone else too, love ya all!
Happy Turkey day to everyone and special thanks to Chips for all her hard work.
I’ll add my thanks. Chipsticks you are necessary and appreciated. Thank you.
U.S. soldiers mark last Thanksgiving in Iraq
http://www.whatisworking.com/2011/11/us-soldiers-mark-last-thanksgiving-in.html
included a video of President Obama talking about bringing the troops home.
Thanks for the great post and segment; so glad to see them coming home!!!
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Seeing all that POTUS has done in a few short days, brings tears of PRIDE to my eyes!
I get tickled when I see and hear him enjoying just land laughing at his own jokes. He really likes to pardon turkey’s! LOL!!!!
On a serious note, I’d like to say that I am GRATEFUL and THANKFUL for Chipsticks and her tireless work to make TOD a family friendly OBAMA blog.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone 🙂
Memo to the Mitt Romney for President campaign:
Try as you may to put on the airs of inevitability by directly engaging President Obama, please know that President Obama is not your biggest obstacle to winning the nomination at the moment.
Sincerely,
Everyone Who Is Paying Attention
Exhibit A:
“Des Moines, Iowa (CNN) — Representatives for leading social conservative groups in Iowa held a secret meeting Monday as part of an effort with one main goal: find and support a Republican presidential candidate who can stop Mitt Romney in Iowa.
The idea: avoid splintering the conservative vote in the state by rallying around one GOP rival who could win Iowa’s Jan. 3 caucus and then challenge Romney in New Hampshire and the other early voting states.
Many social conservatives and other religious leaders in the state have openly labeled the former Massachusetts governor as a “flip-flopper,” a criticism the campaign frequently beats back, while others have seen Romney’s Mormon faith as an issue. And many of them have openly hoped for someone to emerge as a viable alternative to the former Massachusetts governor.
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/11/23/politics/secret-romney-meeting/index.html
While Mitt is hyperextending his shoulder from patting himself on the back because he finally managed to get a response from the re-elect President Obama campaign when they answered his dishonest ad, it is clear that Mitt is wasting his time and resources trying to win the favor of a party that is not just indifferent to his nomination but actively hostile to it.
Apologies but I posted this comment on the previous thread after Chipsticks had already put this new one up.
http://theobamadiary.com/2011/11/23/afternoon-all-9/#comment-177705
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Oh SNAP!
Chipsticks, I’m on my laptop and didn’t remember to log in!
Found ya and freed ya, GGail – thank you soooOOOooooo much, happy Thanksgiving!
Thank youuuuuuuuu!
Corrected repost from previous thread…
Happy Thanksgiving TODers! Have a safe holiday.
In the tradition of answering the question “What am I thankful for?” I can honestly say that this year I am very thankful that I can get honest, complete daily coverage of what our wonderful POTUS, VPOTUS. FLOTUS and SLOTUS are doing. I’m truly hooked on TOD and cannot leave home without taking a peek each morning, even at the risk of sometimes being late to work. I am thankful that Chips does such an excellent job of keeping us all informed and troll free! Thank you and GOD BLESS YOU CHIPS!
I love the way he personalizes his few seconds of conversations with everyone. Not repeating the same thing over and over and over.
Happy Thanksgiving to all TOD family.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Happy Thanksgiving all! And a heartfelt thanks to Chips who is so giving of her time, fierce energy, and creativity in creating an informed, determined, and committed community to insure eight years for President Obama to continue the changes he has started. Yes we Can! Fired Up and Ready to Go!
A new Happy Thanksgiving post here:
http://theobamadiary.com/2011/11/23/happy-thanksgiving/
Have a wonderful day, everyone – I’ll post if there’s anything to post (!), otherwise see you Friday. 😉
To expand on what vcprez posted above about Germany:
A “disastrous” German bond sale on Wednesday sparked fears that Europe’s debt crisis was starting to threaten even Berlin, with the leaders of the euro zone’s two biggest economies still at odds over a longer-term structural solution.
With contagion spreading, a majority of twenty prominent economists polled by Reuters predicted that the euro zone was unlikely to survive the crisis in its current form, with some envisaging a “core” group that would exclude Greece.
Investors were also unnerved by reports that Belgium is leaning on France to pay more into emergency support for failed lender Dexia under a 90-billion-euro ($120-billion) rescue deal that had appeared done and dusted.
Reuters article is here: http://news.yahoo.com/germany-france-clash-ecb-crisis-role-115310251.html
Pres. Obama flashback from 1995 😀 :
YEAH….West Wing Week
Totally worth the extra wait. 😀