Fire Walk With Me
Fire Walk With Me's JournalMeet the OWSaltbanking group. Their upcoming book, OCCUPY FINANCE, launches S17
Michael Buell ?@buell003
Meet the @OWSaltbanking group. Their upcoming book, OCCUPY FINANCE, launches #S17:
pic.twitter.com/VJtmaAuaxq via @OccupyWallStNYC #occupy #ows
Dream Defenders End Occupation of Florida Capitol After 31 Days
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/8/16/headlines/dream_defenders_end_occupation_of_florida_capitol_after_31_days#.Ug5NR_gW6eY.twitterThe Dream Defenders are ending their occupation of the Florida State Capitol after 31 days. They entered the suite of Florida Republican Governor Rick Scott three days after the acquittal of George Zimmerman to call for the repeal of Florida’s "Stand Your Ground" law which delayed Zimmerman’s arrest for killing Trayvon Martin and affected instructions to the jury. The group claimed a number of victories, including a promise from House Speaker Will Weatherford to hold a hearing on the law this fall, although Governor Scott rebuffed their demands for a special session. They have announced plans to register the amount of voters by which Governor Scott won the election in 2010. The group’s executive director, Phillip Agnew, spoke Thursday.
Phillip Agnew: "And so it is now that I am proud to announce that our work and our power has grown too big for these halls, and that it’s time for the movement to continue, and that this is the last time that I’m going to sleep on any floor. And so, as we announced just last week, I’d like to reaffirm our intent to register 61,550 voters in the state of Florida, because we will indeed never forget."
Matt Taibbi: Ripping Off Young America: The College-Loan Scandal
Occupy Wall Street ?@OccupyWallSt
Read the amazing Matt Taibbi's new piece for Rolling Stone: "Ripping Off Young America: The College-Loan Scandal"... http://fb.me/1CzR3dbvP
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/ripping-off-young-america-the-college-loan-scandal-20130815
The topic? Student loans. Unless Congress took action soon, he warned, the relatively low 3.4 percent interest rates on key federal student loans would double. Obama knew the Republicans would make a scene over extending the subsidized loan program, and that he could corner them into looking like obstructionist meanies out to snatch the lollipop of higher education from America's youth. "We cannot price the middle class or folks who are willing to work hard to get into the middle class," he said sternly, "out of a college education."
Flash-forward through a few months of brinkmanship and name-calling, and not only is nobody talking about the IRS anymore, but the Republicans and Democrats are snuggled in bed together on the student-loan thing, having hatched a quick-fix plan on July 31st to peg interest rates to Treasury rates, ensuring the rate for undergrads would only rise to 3.86 percent for the coming year.
snip
The thing is, none of it – not last month's deal, not Obama's 2010 reforms – mattered that much. No doubt, seeing rates double permanently would genuinely have sucked for many students, so it was nice to avoid that. And yes, it was theoretically beneficial when Obama took banks and middlemen out of the federal student-loan game. But the dirty secret of American higher education is that student-loan interest rates are almost irrelevant. It's not the cost of the loan that's the problem, it's the principal – the appallingly high tuition costs that have been soaring at two to three times the rate of inflation, an irrational upward trajectory eerily reminiscent of skyrocketing housing prices in the years before 2008.
How is this happening? It's complicated. But throw off the mystery and what you'll uncover is a shameful and oppressive outrage that for years now has been systematically perpetrated against a generation of young adults. For this story, I interviewed people who developed crippling mental and physical conditions, who considered suicide, who had to give up hope of having children, who were forced to leave the country, or who even entered a life of crime because of their student debts.
(More at the link. Cross-posted from Occupy Underground.)
Matt Taibbi: Ripping Off Young America: The College-Loan Scandal
Occupy Wall Street ?@OccupyWallSt
Read the amazing Matt Taibbi's new piece for Rolling Stone: "Ripping Off Young America: The College-Loan Scandal"... http://fb.me/1CzR3dbvP
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/ripping-off-young-america-the-college-loan-scandal-20130815
The topic? Student loans. Unless Congress took action soon, he warned, the relatively low 3.4 percent interest rates on key federal student loans would double. Obama knew the Republicans would make a scene over extending the subsidized loan program, and that he could corner them into looking like obstructionist meanies out to snatch the lollipop of higher education from America's youth. "We cannot price the middle class or folks who are willing to work hard to get into the middle class," he said sternly, "out of a college education."
Flash-forward through a few months of brinkmanship and name-calling, and not only is nobody talking about the IRS anymore, but the Republicans and Democrats are snuggled in bed together on the student-loan thing, having hatched a quick-fix plan on July 31st to peg interest rates to Treasury rates, ensuring the rate for undergrads would only rise to 3.86 percent for the coming year.
snip
The thing is, none of it – not last month's deal, not Obama's 2010 reforms – mattered that much. No doubt, seeing rates double permanently would genuinely have sucked for many students, so it was nice to avoid that. And yes, it was theoretically beneficial when Obama took banks and middlemen out of the federal student-loan game. But the dirty secret of American higher education is that student-loan interest rates are almost irrelevant. It's not the cost of the loan that's the problem, it's the principal – the appallingly high tuition costs that have been soaring at two to three times the rate of inflation, an irrational upward trajectory eerily reminiscent of skyrocketing housing prices in the years before 2008.
How is this happening? It's complicated. But throw off the mystery and what you'll uncover is a shameful and oppressive outrage that for years now has been systematically perpetrated against a generation of young adults. For this story, I interviewed people who developed crippling mental and physical conditions, who considered suicide, who had to give up hope of having children, who were forced to leave the country, or who even entered a life of crime because of their student debts.
(More at the link.)
After more than a year of domestic terrorism against Occupy, Obama continues to acidically mock us
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/15/us-egypt-obama-statement-idUSBRE97E0QP20130815http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/transcript-president-obamas-remarks-on-egypt/2013/08/15/5f69252a-05b7-11e3-a07f-49ddc7417125_story.html
"We deplore violence against civilians. We support universal rights essential to human dignity, including the right to peaceful protest."
"Just over two years ago America was inspired by Egyptians'... desire for change," Obama continued. "We said at the time the change would not come quickly or easily, but we did align ourselves with a set of principles. Non-violence, a respect for universal rights, and a process for political and economic reform."
ORLY?
Images and video of police brutality against peaceful protesters at the DEMOCRATIC National Convention (dial-up warning, graphic image warning) :
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002710303
And that's just the one event over a period of a week or so? Much less the year+ with 7700 Occupiers arrested and two peaceful Veterans very nearly killed in Oakland by a DEMOCRATIC mayor?
Domestic terrorism: The use and threat of force (which includes arrests into the prison-industrial complex and courts system) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population for political or social purposes.
Domestic terrorism is the unlawful use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual based and operating entirely within the United States or Puerto Rico without foreign direction committed against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof in furtherance of political or social objectives.
http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/terrorism-2002-2005
Section 802 of the USA PATRIOT Act (Pub. L. No. 107-52) expanded the definition of terrorism to cover ""domestic,"" as opposed to international, terrorism. A person engages in domestic terrorism if they do an act ""dangerous to human life"" that is a violation of the criminal laws of a state or the United States, if the act appears to be intended to: (i) intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping. Additionally, the acts have to occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States and if they do not, may be regarded as international terrorism.
http://www.aclu.org/national-security/how-usa-patriot-act-redefines-domestic-terrorism
We revealed the true power in the country which is the Plutonomy/Plutocracy/Corporatocracy. And that the government is devoted to protecting it at the expense of US citizens. That the US government does not represent the citizens of this country.
Some 7700 of us were arrested. The DHS and FBI spied upon us from day one and shared the information across agencies (such sharing is specifically redacted in FOIA documents) =as well as with the very corporations and institutions we protested=. How many banksters are in jail? How much Wall Street reform has occurred? Not holding my damn breath.
SERIOUSLY: If W Bush had arrested 7700+ peaceful, righteous protesters, wouldn't you ALL be enraged? But when a democrat does it, it's okay, despite the absolute righteousness of the cause? Obama let Bush and his war criminal friends WALK but when we point out lies and corruption and a better way of living, we get attacked?
For further reading:
Oakland officials caught in lies about attacking Occupy (Dial-up warning; graphic images and video)
occupyobservations.blogspot.com/2012/01/oakland-officials-caught-in-lies-about.html
What remains unchanged or has worsened under Obama?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023389720
Dell Cameron ?@dellcam
BREAKING: Obama condemns violence... except in #Pakistan, #Yemen, #Sudan, #Iraq, #Afghanistan, #Palestine, #Bahrain, #Libya, #Chicago...
After more than a year of domestic terrorism against Occupy, Obama continues to acidically mock us
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/15/us-egypt-obama-statement-idUSBRE97E0QP20130815http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/transcript-president-obamas-remarks-on-egypt/2013/08/15/5f69252a-05b7-11e3-a07f-49ddc7417125_story.html
"We deplore violence against civilians. We support universal rights essential to human dignity, including the right to peaceful protest."
"Just over two years ago America was inspired by Egyptians'... desire for change," Obama continued. "We said at the time the change would not come quickly or easily, but we did align ourselves with a set of principles. Non-violence, a respect for universal rights, and a process for political and economic reform."
ORLY?
Images and video of police brutality against peaceful protesters at the DEMOCRATIC National Convention (dial-up warning, graphic image warning) :
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002710303
And that's just the one event over a period of a week or so? Much less the year+ with 7700 Occupiers arrested and two peaceful Veterans very nearly killed in Oakland by a DEMOCRATIC mayor?
Domestic terrorism: The use and threat of force (which includes arrests into the prison-industrial complex and courts system) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population for political or social purposes.
Domestic terrorism is the unlawful use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual based and operating entirely within the United States or Puerto Rico without foreign direction committed against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof in furtherance of political or social objectives.
http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/terrorism-2002-2005
Section 802 of the USA PATRIOT Act (Pub. L. No. 107-52) expanded the definition of terrorism to cover ""domestic,"" as opposed to international, terrorism. A person engages in domestic terrorism if they do an act ""dangerous to human life"" that is a violation of the criminal laws of a state or the United States, if the act appears to be intended to: (i) intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping. Additionally, the acts have to occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States and if they do not, may be regarded as international terrorism.
http://www.aclu.org/national-security/how-usa-patriot-act-redefines-domestic-terrorism
We revealed the true power in the country which is the Plutonomy/Plutocracy/Corporatocracy. And that the government is devoted to protecting it at the expense of US citizens. That the US government does not represent the citizens of this country.
Some 7700 of us were arrested. The DHS and FBI spied upon us from day one and shared the information across agencies (such sharing is specifically redacted in FOIA documents) =as well as with the very corporations and institutions we protested=.
For further reading:
What remains unchanged or has worsened under Obama?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023389720
Dell Cameron ?@dellcam
BREAKING: Obama condemns violence... except in #Pakistan, #Yemen, #Sudan, #Iraq, #Afghanistan, #Palestine, #Bahrain, #Libya, #Chicago...
Texas town runs out of water after using it for fracking
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/08/fracking-texas-drought-climate-change
"The day that we ran out of water I turned on my faucet and nothing was there and at that moment I knew the whole of Barnhart was down the tubes," she said, blinking back tears. "I went: 'Dear God, help us.' That was the first thought that came to mind."
snip
So what is a town like Barnhart to do? Fracking is a powerful drain on water supplies. In adjacent Crockett County, fracking accounts for up to 25 percent of water use, according to the groundwater conservation district. But Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, argues fracking is not the only reason Texas is going dry—and nor is the drought. The latest shocks to the water system come after decades of overuse by ranchers, cotton farmers, and fast-growing, thirsty cities.
"We have large urban centers sucking water out of West Texas to put on their lands. We have a huge agricultural community, and now we have fracking which is also using water," she said. And then there is climate change.
West Texas has a long history of recurring drought, but under climate change, the Southwest has been experiencing record-breaking heat waves, further drying out the soil and speeding the evaporation of water in lakes and reservoirs. Underground aquifers failed to regenerate. "What happens is that climate change comes on top and in many cases it can be the final straw that breaks the camel's back, but the camel is already overloaded," said Hayhoe.
(More at the link.)
Much, much further reading:
Water privatization by the richest rich is happening now ("hydraulic empire"
incl. the Bush family
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023406830
The ‘Wild West’ of groundwater: Billion-dollar Nestlé extracting B.C.’s drinking water for free
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023464038
Texas town runs out of water after using it for fracking
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/08/fracking-texas-drought-climate-change"The day that we ran out of water I turned on my faucet and nothing was there and at that moment I knew the whole of Barnhart was down the tubes," she said, blinking back tears. "I went: 'Dear God, help us.' That was the first thought that came to mind."
snip
So what is a town like Barnhart to do? Fracking is a powerful drain on water supplies. In adjacent Crockett County, fracking accounts for up to 25 percent of water use, according to the groundwater conservation district. But Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, argues fracking is not the only reason Texas is going dry—and nor is the drought. The latest shocks to the water system come after decades of overuse by ranchers, cotton farmers, and fast-growing, thirsty cities.
"We have large urban centers sucking water out of West Texas to put on their lands. We have a huge agricultural community, and now we have fracking which is also using water," she said. And then there is climate change.
West Texas has a long history of recurring drought, but under climate change, the Southwest has been experiencing record-breaking heat waves, further drying out the soil and speeding the evaporation of water in lakes and reservoirs. Underground aquifers failed to regenerate. "What happens is that climate change comes on top and in many cases it can be the final straw that breaks the camel's back, but the camel is already overloaded," said Hayhoe.
(More at the link.)
99% documentary trailer VIDEO: Occupy's collaborative film set for release next month.
Occupy Wall Street ?@OccupyWallStNYC
99% documentary trailer VIDEO: #Occupy's collaborative film set for release next month.
http://ow.ly/nWuX0 via @JoshVoorhees
Dream Defenders: We've got a BIG announcement tomorrow at 3pm w/ Julian Bond. Be there or watch LIVE
The Dream Defenders ?@Dreamdefenders
We've got a BIG announcement tomorrow at 3pm w/ Julian Bond. Be there or watch LIVE at:
http://bit.ly/takeoverFL
pic.twitter.com/qirD3UGdaK
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Gender: MaleCurrent location: Los Angeles
Member since: Sat Apr 9, 2005, 09:20 PM
Number of posts: 38,893
