October 19, 2011 archive

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Occupy Wall Street Wednesday 10.19.11

Reader Supported News: OWS Organizers Blast MoveOn (10.15.11)

Occupy Wall St. Livestream: Day 33

Cross posted from The Stars Hollow Gazette

Watch live streaming video from globalrevolution at livestream.com

OccupyWallStreet

The resistance continues at Liberty Square, with free pizza 😉

“I don’t know how to fix this but I know it’s wrong.” ~ Unknown Author

Late Monday night police entered the park to take down the medical tent which is the only tent in the park despite Mayor Bloomberg’s characterization of Liberty Park as a tent city. The Rev. Jesse Jackson was present and participating in the park when the police arrived. Kevin Gosztola at FDL has the account of what happened:

Just before midnight, NYPD officers moved in on the southwest corner of Liberty Park, the site of Occupy Wall Street for the past month, to take down and confiscate a medical tent that had been erected during the day. A commotion immediately erupted in this section of the park. Occupiers rushed over and a human chain around the tent was formed. And, Rev. Jesse Jackson suddenly appeared to help the occupiers defend the medical tent from being forcibly removed.

Rev. Jackson told the occupiers, “I am not visiting, I’m participating.” When asked to link arms and help the occupiers defend the tent, he linked arms with them. They stood their ground and were able to convince the NYPD to back down.

Rev. Jackson was a guest on Countdown with Keith Olbermann

Marine Sgt. Shamar Thomas who stood up to 30 cops shaming their actions and those of their colleagues appeared for an extended inter view with Keith Olbermann.

Sources: Pepper-Spraying Officer Violated NYPD Guidelines

As hundreds of “Occupy Wall Street” protesters marched to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office to demand prosecution of alleged police brutality in the handling of protest crowds over the past month, sources said a police officer who was seen on video using pepper spray on a protester last month violated city guidelines.

Deputy Inspector Anthony Bologna, seen above, was seen using pepper spray on a crowd during a demonstration on September 24.

According to sources, an NYPD investigation has found that Bologna violated the department’s rules on pepper spray use, and he will lose 10 paid vacation days.

Bologna can challenge the ruling, according to sources, and can have an administrative trial.

Protesters Storm Governor’s Award Ceremony

Meanwhile, after 6 p.m. other protesters began to swarm a West Village event where former Governor Mario Cuomo was scheduled to a present a “Changer of the Year Award” from the online news site The Huffington Post to his son, Governor Andrew Cuomo.

The protesters called Andrew Cuomo “Governor 1 Percent” and objected to how the governor has not extended the so-called “millionaires’ tax,” allowing for the state’s wealthiest residents to pay fewer taxes starting next year.

Demonstrators wanted the governor to speak directly to them, but it is still unknown if he will address the protesters. Their numbers at the Hudson Street event have also decreased.

Protesters are also rallying against Sotheby’s auction house over a union dispute, and the group plans on holding a vigil at Lincoln Center.

The Granny Peace Brigade is also protesting the the Koch brothers’ involvement in the center and their funding of several Republican issues.

Cartnoon

Riff Raffy Daffy

On This Day In History October 19

Cross posted from The Stars Hollow Gazette

This is your morning Open Thread. Pour your favorite beverage and review the past and comment on the future.

October 19 is the 292nd day of the year (293rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 73 days remaining until the end of the year.

On this day in 1781, hopelessly trapped at Yorktown, Virginia, British General Lord Cornwallis surrenders 8,000 British soldiers and seamen to a larger Franco-American force, effectively bringing an end to the American Revolution.

The Siege of Yorktown or Battle of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis. It proved to be the last major land battle of the American Revolutionary War  in North America, as the surrender of Cornwallis’s army prompted the British government eventually to negotiate an end to the conflict.

In 1780, 5,500 French soldiers landed in Rhode Island to assist their American allies in operations against British-controlled New York City. Following the arrival of dispatches from France that included the possibility of support from the French West Indies fleet of the Comte de Grasse, Washington and Rochambeau decided to ask de Grasse for assistance either in besieging New York, or in military operations against a British army operating in Virginia. On the advice of Rochambeau, de Grasse informed them of his intent to sail to the Chesapeake Bay, where Cornwallis had taken command of the army. Cornwallis, at first given confusing orders by his superior officer, Henry Clinton, was eventually ordered to make a defensible deep-water port, which he began to do at Yorktown, Virginia. Cornwallis‘s movements in Virginia were shadowed by a Continental Army force led by the Marquis de Lafayette.

The French and American armies united north of New York City during the summer of 1781. When word of de Grasse‘s decision arrived, the combined armies began moving south toward Virginia, engaging in tactics of deception to lead the British to believe a siege of New York was planned. De Grasse sailed from the West Indies and arrived at the Chesapeake Bay at the end of August, bringing additional troops and providing a naval blockade of Yorktown. He was transporting 500,000 silver pesos collected from the citizens of Havana, Cuba, to fund supplies for the siege and payroll for the Continental Army. While in Santo Domingo, de Grasse met with Francisco Saavedra de Sangronis, an agent of Carlos III of Spain. De Grasse had planned to leave several of his warships in Santo Domingo. Saavedra promised the assistance of the Spanish navy to protect the French merchant fleet, enabling de Grasse to sail north with all of his warships. In the beginning of September, he defeated a British fleet led by Sir Thomas Graves that came to relieve Cornwallis at the Battle of the Chesapeake. As a result of this victory, de Grasse blocked any escape by sea for Cornwallis. By late September Washington and Rochambeau arrived, and the army and naval forces completely surrounded Cornwallis.

After initial preparations, the Americans and French built their first parallel and began the bombardment. With the British defense weakened, Washington on October 14, 1781 sent two columns to attack the last major remaining British outer defenses. A French column took redoubt #9 and an American column redoubt #10. With these defenses taken, the allies were able to finish their second parallel. With the American artillery closer and more intense than ever, the British situation began to deteriorate rapidly and Cornwallis asked for capitulation terms on the 17th. After two days of negotiation, the surrender ceremony took place on the 19th, with Cornwallis being absent since he claimed to be ill. With the capture of over 8,000 British soldiers, negotiations between the United States and Great Britain began, resulting in the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

Blank Frank


“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”  — Barack Obama, The Audacity of Hope

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Muse in the Morning

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Muse in the Morning

Time for a break from poetry…in order to create some art.

Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.

–Lao Tzu



Kink 1

OWS working demands, 5 themes.

disclaimer: these working demands came through “a” working group, and is not necessarily definitive, at all.  The link came from HuffPo.

I see five major themes to the working demands of OWS.

Democracy/anti-plutocracy (items 1-5, 19):

(1) Public financing of federal elections, (2) nullify Citizen’s United, (3) 5-year ban on revolving door, (4) lifetime ban on gifts, (5) tax code reform, (19) additional campaign finance reform

Health Care (item 6):

(6) Health: single payer, Medicare for all

Environment (item 7):

(7)  empower EPA enforcement, carbon caps, transition to renewables

Economy (items 8-18):

(8) sustainable debt/GDP ratio by 2020; (9) jobs program; (10) student loan debt relief; (11) immigration reform; (12)  close non-essential military bases; (13) education with emphasis on tech and green, fair teacher pay; (14) rebuild manufacturing; (15) currency wars (?); (16) re-instate Glass-Steagall, investigate & prosecute market collapse; (17) end mortgage crisis; (18) one-year moratorium on foreclosures.

War (items 12 & 20):

(12) close non-essential bases, Congressional approval of war; (20) withdraw from Iraq & Afghanistan.

Late Night Karaoke

“Don’t Let Me Get Me!” OWS Kabuki.

We need to talk. Seriously. I shit thee not.

The only thing really stopping you is you. You have choices you know. I mean, its almost ridiculous the notions we entertain in order to be “rational, contemplative” leftists; asking if every whack story out there has even a grain of truth.

Lets start with the media that you all claim to distrust if not despise, and how it works. I know its a 4 minute remedial course, but its going to be a fine jumping off spot for our conversation.

You know, the one: An anti-semite, a CIA color revolution plant and Democratic stategist walk into a bar, and ask the bartender which conspiracy cocktail is on special tonight…. and the bartender says…





(hat tip Ria for the video…)

Ok, c’mon into the kitchen and let me grab you a beer, or pour you an “and” (any drink with the word “and” in it), have a seat and lets get to it. Maybe, just maybe, since we all demonstrate for the free drugs according to Rush, I’ll even pack you a bowl of oregano or something… heh.