Occupy Wall Street!


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Survey results for OWS. It has some interesting demographic results from a 300 person study.
73% Dislike Obama's policies
42% said they would vote democrat in a national election
<2% said they would vote republican in a national election
The average age was 33 (I wish they detailed this a little more. 1 80 year old counts for 4 20 year olds)
The vast majority of their donations are ~$20, from families earning 50-100K a year. (concidering this is the largest demographic that can donate, this doesn't suprize me)

Shadow Lodge

DΗ wrote:
TOZ wrote:
Freehold DM wrote:


Also guys..what happened to OWS?
Man, they are so 15 minutes ago. What's new and exciting?
Or... ya know.... 3 years old. :P

Well, that explains why they want to be babied!

Sovereign Court

Some updates:

http://boingboing.net/2011/11/01/why-are-portland-police-posting-mugshots-o f-occupy-portland-arrestees-to-facebook.html

http://boingboing.net/2011/11/01/st-pauls-cathedral-drops-eviction-effort-a gainst-occupylondon-almighty-corporation-of-london-plows-ahead.html


Data from a survey of 1,619 respondents from a survey placed on occupywallst.org suggests that there is a huge undercurrent of mainstream dissatisfaction with traditional political party affiliations as well a huge amount of support for radical change in the United States of America.

92.5% of respondents either somewhat or strongly supported the protests with most respondents indicating strong support.

1/4th of the sample (or 24.2%) participated in the Occupy Wall Street protests as of October 5, 2011.

91.8% of the sample thinks that the Occupy Wall Street Protests will continue to grow.

In terms of demographic characteristics of the sample, we found that,

64.2% of respondents were younger than 34 years of age.

While the sample is relatively young, one in three respondents is older than 35 and one in five respondents is 45 and older.

7.9% of respondents have a high school degree or less.

92.1% of the sample has some college, a college degree, or a graduate degree.

27.4% have some college (but no degree), 35% have a college degree, 8.2% have some graduate school (but no degree), and close to 21.5% have a graduate school degree.

This is a highly educated sample.

26.7% of respondents were enrolled in school and 73.3% were not enrolled in school.

50.4% were employed full-time and an additional 20.4% were employed part-time.

13.1% of the sample are unemployed.

2.6% of respondents were retired, 1.3% disabled, 2.6% homemakers and 9.7% are full-time students.

47.5% of the sample earns less than $24,999 dollars a year and another quarter (24%) earn between $25,000 and $49,999 per year.

71.5% of the sample earns less than $50,000 per year.

15.4% of the sample earned between $50,000 and $74,999.

The remainder 13% of the sample earn over $75,000 with close to 2% earning over $150,000 per year.

27.3% of respondents considered themselves Democrats, another 2.4% said they were Republican.

Interestingly, a very large proportion of the sample, close to 70.3%, considered themselves Independents.

66.4% in the sample agree somewhat or strongly that they regularly use Facebook.

28.9% in the sample agree somewhat or strongly that they regularly use Twitter.

73.9% in the sample agree somewhat or strongly that they regularly use YouTube.

Our data suggest that the 99% movement comes from and looks like the 99%.

Héctor R. Cordero-Guzmán, Ph.D.

Full Paper: Mainstream Support for a Mainstream Movement (PDF)

link

I guess that explains why their signs aren't misspelled...

Sovereign Court

http://www.opoa.org/uncategorized/an-open-letter-to-the-citizens-of-oakland -from-the-oakland-police-officers%E2%80%99-association/

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111031/NEWS03/111031013/-1/NLETTER04/Fe deral-judge-orders-TN-to-stop-arresting-Occupy-Nashville-protesters?source= nletter-breakingnews


2 people marked this as a favorite.

As some one who was skeptical of the OWS movement when it began, I'm impressed by how it has shifted the economic narrative in the US from national debt to income equality. The movement has its problems (the attraction of "professional activists," hipsters, anarchists, and other social piranha), but raising awareness about our country's third-world income disparity is a great achievement.


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The problem with inviting everyone is that everyone can show up. As the little survey above indicates, most of these people fit within the demographic of the "average American," if a bit better-educated.

The leaderless consensus methodology being used ensures that fringe ideas remain on the fringe. Most of these people aren't communists, Nazis, or even Democrats or Republicans. They don't love or hate any people or ideologies, as a whole. I don't see pro or anti-Obama signs, or anything like that. They're doing what our government should be doing; looking for solutions to the problems that are hurting real people, here and around the world.

Today the house is voting on "In God We Trust."

Really? Is that a burning issue that needs immediate resolution? If our elected officials continue fiddling, Rome will burn. I don't think they're getting the message. Yet.


Benicio Del Espada wrote:

Today the house is voting on "In God We Trust."

Really? Is that a burning issue that needs immediate resolution? If our elected officials continue fiddling, Rome will burn. I don't think they're getting the message. Yet.

Sad. Another distraction courtesy of "small government" Republicans. I wonder how many are aware that this motto dates all the way back to...*drum roll*...1956. On the other hand, take a look at where we were a hundred and fifty or so years before that:

Treaty of Tripoli. In Article 11 wrote:
"...the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion..."


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Hey Congress, here's a plan: HOW ABOUT YOU FIX OUR PROBLEMS INSTEAD OF DICKING AROUND WITH OUR "NATIONAL MOTTO?"


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Robert Hawkshaw wrote:

http://www.opoa.org/uncategorized/an-open-letter-to-the-citizens-of-oakland -from-the-oakland-police-officers%E2%80%99-association/

I can see why they feel that the mayor is trying to have it both ways... HOWEVER they went on an ultraviolent police rampage that almost kills a vet, and then are whining about not getting the day off? Seriously? No apology for their actions? No "...maybe we shouldn't have flash-banged the people who rushed to help him as he lay unconscious"? Nothing?

Nope, they are confused. They want the day off.

I'm always amazed at the police acting shocked when they get caught pepperspraying, beating, incarcerating, etc. etc. innocent people. I think they must live in a tiny little bubble of Rush, Fox News and police propaganda.

As for the "In God We Trust" thing, remember that these are the same people who's reaction to 9/11 was to sing, and the Iraq war was to change food in their cafeteria to "Freedom fries" and "freedom toast". Total morons. On the positive side, it is better that they waste their time then do more damage to our country and economy.

Welcome back HD! Where have you been?

Liberty's Edge

2 people marked this as a favorite.
bugleyman wrote:
Hey Congress, here's a plan: HOW ABOUT YOU FIX OUR PROBLEMS INSTEAD OF DICKING AROUND WITH OUR "NATIONAL MOTTO?"

Why would they do that? Their corporate masters would get angry with them.


South Park will address the question tonight. Here be a preview. Arr.

They'll be gettin' to the briny bottom o'things.


I just realized that Comrade Del Espada and Dave Young 992 are one and the same!

I was wondering who that was favoriting my posts who wasn't Gark.


For Comrade Hawkshaw--

I still don't really know who David Harvey is, but here, I found this while doing my daily commie web-surfing.


bugleyman wrote:
Hey Congress, here's a plan: HOW ABOUT YOU FIX OUR PROBLEMS INSTEAD OF DICKING AROUND WITH OUR "NATIONAL MOTTO?"

They'll get to it. Honestly, "fixing our national problems" is up, right after "discussing HGH usage in baseball" and "conference realignment in college football".


Hey, hey, WK, how are things?


Hey guys. I can't link right now because I am at work cut I just found out the ows movement has takes in a lit of money in donations - about 500k in ny alone. They are spending some money on heating, medical supplies and sanitation, but there's a great deal left. What should be done with it? I think it would be a good idea if they were to start their own bank or something. I know I would consider switching to them.

Shadow Lodge

Freehold DM wrote:
Hey guys. I can't link right now because I am at work cut I just found out the ows movement has takes in a lit of money in donations - about 500k in ny alone. They are spending some money on heating, medical supplies and sanitation, but there's a great deal left. What should be done with it? I think it would be a good idea if they were to start their own bank or something. I know I would consider switching to them.

Start their own bank? Nah, there are credit unions out there already and $500K isn't nearly enough to get started with the bank.

The two big things the movement needs are longevity and increased participation. More heating, medical supplies, and sanitation will be a good thing, but what would really help is simply an increase in the size of the movement. As long as the police can contain it and still maintain the idea that they protect the city, the movement is ultimately unimportant. It is only when the police have to fight the city as represented by the population of the movement that the tipping point occurs.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Freehold DM wrote:
Hey guys. I can't link right now because I am at work cut I just found out the ows movement has takes in a lit of money in donations - about 500k in ny alone. They are spending some money on heating, medical supplies and sanitation, but there's a great deal left. What should be done with it? I think it would be a good idea if they were to start their own bank or something. I know I would consider switching to them.

I certainly wouldn't put my money in a bank run by socialist hippies!

My commitment to Sparkle Motion only goes so far!

Dark Archive Bella Sara Charter Superscriber

Comrade Anklebiter wrote:


My commitment to Sparkle Motion only goes so far!

Hah! I knew I was right in doubting your commitment to Sparkle Motion.


Hee hee!


Blasphemy! Sparkle motion is the key to a new world.


I doubt it.


InVinoVeritas wrote:
Freehold DM wrote:
Hey guys. I can't link right now because I am at work cut I just found out the ows movement has takes in a lit of money in donations - about 500k in ny alone. They are spending some money on heating, medical supplies and sanitation, but there's a great deal left. What should be done with it? I think it would be a good idea if they were to start their own bank or something. I know I would consider switching to them.

Start their own bank? Nah, there are credit unions out there already and $500K isn't nearly enough to get started with the bank.

The two big things the movement needs are longevity and increased participation. More heating, medical supplies, and sanitation will be a good thing, but what would really help is simply an increase in the size of the movement. As long as the police can contain it and still maintain the idea that they protect the city, the movement is ultimately unimportant. It is only when the police have to fight the city as represented by the population of the movement that the tipping point occurs.

i dunno. I'd be interested if they started something longer lasting that more people could take part in.


Freehold DM wrote:
i dunno. I'd be interested if they started something longer lasting that more people could take part in.

I haven't seen any indication that it's winding down--other than the onset of winter, that is. The Oakland general strike is supposed to be occuring, well, now, I guess. The New York page is still showing activity and the NH group has put out a call for a pan-NH movement (there's two others in NH that I know of--Keene and whatever town Dartmouth College is in).

Because, you know, NH is a nest of Bolshevik organizing, like NYC and the Bay Area...

Back to reality, the websites that I visit are still chock full of daily reports from all around the country, so, again, I haven't seen any indication that it's running out of steam.

Sovereign Court

Comrade Anklebiter wrote:

For Comrade Hawkshaw--

I still don't really know who David Harvey is, but here, I found this while doing my daily commie web-surfing.

Neat, thanks.

Sovereign Court

The port in Oakland is apparently shut down.

The Exchange

How about OCCUPY HOLYWOOD?

If workers were paid in shares they could have as much pay rise as their productivity merits. The more you work, the greater your share holding, the greater money you get at the end of the year and eventually a massive pay when you sell the shares and retire.

Film companies wouldnt be able to make off with the profits before share dividends are calculated.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
yellowdingo wrote:

How about OCCUPY HOLYWOOD?

If workers were paid in shares they could have as much pay rise as their productivity merits. The more you work, the greater your share holding, the greater money you get at the end of the year and eventually a massive pay when you sell the shares and retire.

Film companies wouldnt be able to make off with the profits before share dividends are calculated.

Such a system (or something quite similar) does exist in european countries. In France, "participation" was instituted in 1967 by de Gaulle, who wasn't exactly a raving mad commie.

In short, part (a tiny bitty part, but still) of the results goes to the employees, before dividends. All in all, I got last year a little less than two months of bonus salary this way.

Of course, that is because my company is doing well.

Silver Crusade

I occupied my frontyard today. I plan on occupying my backyard tomorrow!


Robert Hawkshaw wrote:
The port in Oakland is apparently shut down.

Cool, the reports of the protest are interesting. Too bad they had to end it with a bonfire in the middle of the street and massive vandalism.

Sovereign Court

Caineach wrote:
Robert Hawkshaw wrote:
The port in Oakland is apparently shut down.
Cool, the reports of the protest are interesting. Too bad they had to end it with a bonfire in the middle of the street and massive vandalism.

Those black block scumbags really do ruin it for everyone else.


Like i said on the london riots, no one pays real attention to peaceful protests.


Any more suggestions on what should be done with the extra cash. OWS is in possession of?


InVinoVeritas wrote:
Freehold DM wrote:
Hey guys. I can't link right now because I am at work cut I just found out the ows movement has takes in a lit of money in donations - about 500k in ny alone. They are spending some money on heating, medical supplies and sanitation, but there's a great deal left. What should be done with it? I think it would be a good idea if they were to start their own bank or something. I know I would consider switching to them.

Start their own bank? Nah, there are credit unions out there already and $500K isn't nearly enough to get started with the bank.

The two big things the movement needs are longevity and increased participation. More heating, medical supplies, and sanitation will be a good thing, but what would really help is simply an increase in the size of the movement. As long as the police can contain it and still maintain the idea that they protect the city, the movement is ultimately unimportant. It is only when the police have to fight the city as represented by the population of the movement that the tipping point occurs.

Agreed. The money needs to be translated directly into getting more people on the street.

Punch & pie for protesters?

Vive la revolution!


Freehold DM wrote:
Any more suggestions on what should be done with the extra cash. OWS is in possession of?

They should just hang on to it. No telling how long this could go on. Donations might drop off.

If and when it's all over, they can decide what to do with any extra then.


Robert Hawkshaw wrote:
Caineach wrote:
Robert Hawkshaw wrote:
The port in Oakland is apparently shut down.
Cool, the reports of the protest are interesting. Too bad they had to end it with a bonfire in the middle of the street and massive vandalism.
Those black block scumbags really do ruin it for everyone else.

As soon as Occupy Shiznit started spreading throughout the country, I told all my friends "Wait until it gets to the Bay Area."

As I mentioned a few pages back, that area has been all up in arms for a while: the killing of Oscar Grant (and I think there were one or two other young black men shot by BART officers in the past year or so); the Pelican Bay hunger strikes; and, of course, there's International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 10 which has consistently been the most radical trade-union local in the United States since Harry Bridges organized the San Francisco general strike of 1934 (too bad he was a Stalinist).

This is at least the second time the Port of Oakland has been shut down this year: when there was a national call-to-action in solidarity with the Wisconsin occupation, ILWU Local 10 was the ONLY union to respond with, you know, an actual work stoppage. Add to that the shiznit that's been going down up the coast in Longview, WA with ILWU Local 21 and I knew Occupy Oakland was going to be explosive.

Also, although I haven't been there since 1995, the Bay Area has the biggest population of anarcho-gutter punks that I've ever run across.

All that being said, Comrade Hawkshaw, you should revisit your post many pages ago about being wary of agents-provocateur. I haven't had a chance to go looking through the youtube videos (my internet connection takes about 8 minutes to download a 3-minute music video), but I spoke with a friend who told me that he saw some videos of phalanxes of Black Block-types who were all tall, jacked and very, very well organized.

I haven't seen the video, so I don't know, but if I were the officer in charge of a Red Squad, this is exactly the kind of shiznit I would pull.

Sovereign Court

Comrade Anklebiter wrote:
Robert Hawkshaw wrote:
Caineach wrote:
Robert Hawkshaw wrote:
The port in Oakland is apparently shut down.
Cool, the reports of the protest are interesting. Too bad they had to end it with a bonfire in the middle of the street and massive vandalism.
Those black block scumbags really do ruin it for everyone else.

As soon as Occupy Shiznit started spreading throughout the country, I told all my friends "Wait until it gets to the Bay Area."

As I mentioned a few pages back, that area has been all up in arms for a while: the killing of Oscar Grant (and I think there were one or two other young black men shot by BART officers in the past year or so); the Pelican Bay hunger strikes; and, of course, there's International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 10 which has consistently been the most radical trade-union local in the United States since Harry Bridges organized the San Francisco general strike of 1934 (too bad he was a Stalinist).

This is at least the second time the Port of Oakland has been shut down this year: when there was a national call-to-action in solidarity with the Wisconsin occupation, ILWU Local 10 was the ONLY union to respond with, you know, an actual work stoppage. Add to that the shiznit that's been going down up the coast in Longview, WA with ILWU Local 21 and I knew Occupy Oakland was going to be explosive.

Also, although I haven't been there since 1995, the Bay Area has the biggest population of anarcho-gutter punks that I've ever run across.

All that being said, Comrade Hawkshaw, you should revisit your post many pages ago about being wary of agents-provocateur. I haven't had a chance to go looking through the youtube videos (my internet connection takes about 8 minutes to download a 3-minute music video), but I spoke with a friend who told me that he saw some videos of phalanxes of Black Block-types who were all tall, jacked and very, very well organized.

I haven't seen the video, so I don't know, but if I were the officer in...

It's what I would do as well.

http://theintelhub.com/2011/11/01/police-infiltrators-and-agent-provocateur s-at-occupy-oakland-documented-fact/

But I don't rule out the idiot a#~!*%& factor either.

Speaking of context, a little while ago there was this string of protests:

http://newyork.ibtimes.com/articles/198775/20110816/bart-cell-phone-protest -anonymous-fcc-investigate.htm


Comrade Hawkshaw, I was wondering if I could interest you in following me around the messageboards, substantiating my rants, raves and unfounded accusations?

Please?


Comrade Anklebiter wrote:

Comrade Hawkshaw, I was wondering if I could interest you in following me around the messageboards, substantiating my rants, raves and unfounded accusations?

Please?

Everyone needs someone like that!


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Tsk. People cutting off access to harbors and destroying private property. its downright unamerican


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

I suppose they could use the extra money for reparations to repair the homeless shelter whose windows they threw bricks through.


2 people marked this as a favorite.
Kryzbyn wrote:

I suppose they could use the extra money for reparations to repair the homeless shelter whose windows they threw bricks through.

The obvious problem is who did that and why.

One would think that legitimate occupiers wouldn't victimize the weakest and most defenseless among the 99%. That's what banksters do.


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

"The obvious problem is who did that and why."

Occupy Oakland demonstrators, of course.

Oh, wait? You mean a small number of people at those rallies should not be used to sully the name of the entire movement?
Wonder if I can think of a parallel situation here...


Kryzbyn wrote:

"The obvious problem is who did that and why."

Occupy Oakland demonstrators, of course.

Oh, wait? You mean a small number of people at those rallies should not be used to sully the name of the entire movement?
Wonder if I can think of a parallel situation here...

No offense to you, I am only speaking about my experience, but the problem with comparing it to the Tea Party is that they picked up a lot of the extreemist stuff as main values.

I liked the early tea party, when its focus was on excessive government control, even if I disagreed with many of their points. Not so with what it has become, at least arround me. Its public message changed because of those small number of people, and that changed its core demographic twords those outliers as they started to join more and the more centrist people left. I hope the Occupy Oakland demonstrators can keep their message on target, even with these happeninsg. Only time will tell, but this was really the first thing from the protestors that I am really unhappy about. Though the drum circles in NY bother me too, with people ignoring the agreement to stop them.


Though the drum circles in NY bother me too, with people ignoring the agreement to stop them.

I think the problem is people take drummer jokes to mean that drummers take no talent, whereas it takes less talent than guitar but less than the people playing in ts have...


Benicio Del Espada wrote:


One would think that legitimate occupiers wouldn't victimize the weakest and most defenseless among the 99%. That's what banksters do.

I thought I had read that the shelter that was torched has been closed down and that that was why it had been targeted.

Which wouldn't excuse a riot, if you dislike riots (equivocation anyone?), but it's a far cry victimizing the homeless--IIRC.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Caineach wrote:

Survey results for OWS. It has some interesting demographic results from a 300 person study.

73% Dislike Obama's policies
42% said they would vote democrat in a national election ...

So 42% of the people protesting against the 1% are going to vote the 1% back into office (even though they don't like his policies)?

* head explodes *

Sovereign Court

Comrade Anklebiter wrote:

Comrade Hawkshaw, I was wondering if I could interest you in following me around the messageboards, substantiating my rants, raves and unfounded accusations?

Please?

Heh - just continue to be correct.


Some clever signs

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