When they don't listen to us when we're peaceful, they leave little choice for the 99%

(AP) OAKLAND, Calif. - A day of demonstrations in Oakland that began as a significant step toward expanding the political and economic influence of the Occupy Wall Street movement, ended with police in riot gear arresting dozens of protesters who had marched through downtown to break into a vacant building, shattering windows, spraying graffiti and setting fires along the way.
"We go from having a peaceful movement to now just chaos," said protester Monique Agnew, 40.

The far-flung movement of protesters challenging the world's economic systems and distribution of wealth has gained momentum in recent weeks, capturing the world's attention by shutting down one of the nation's busiest shipping ports toward the end of a daylong "general strike" that prompted solidarity rallies across the U.S.

About 3,000 people converged on the Port of Oakland, the nation's fifth-busiest harbor, in a nearly five-hour protest Wednesday, swarming the area and blocking exits and streets with illegally parked vehicles and hastily-erected, chain-link fences.

Port officials said they were forced to cease maritime operations, citing concerns for workers' safety. They said in a statement they hope to resume operations Thursday "and that Port workers will be allowed to get to their jobs without incident. Continued missed shifts represent economic hardship for maritime workers, truckers, and their families, as well as lost jobs and lost tax revenue for our region."

Complete Coverage: Occupy Wall Street protests

Supporters in New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and elsewhere staged smaller-scale demonstrations; each group saying its protest was a show of support for the Oakland movement, which became a rallying point when an Iraq War veteran was seriously injured in a clash with police last week.

The larger Occupy movement has yet to coalesce into an organized association and until the port shut down had largely been limited scattershot marches, rallies and tent encampments since it began in September.

Organizers in Oakland had viewed the day as a significant victory. Police said that about 7,000 people participated in demonstrations throughout the day that were peaceful except for a few incidents of vandalism.

One of the protest leaders, Boots Riley, touted the day as a success, saying "we put together an ideological principle that the mainstream media wouldn't talk about two months ago."

His comments came before a group of demonstrators moved to break into the Travelers Aid building in order to, as some shouting protesters put it, "reclaim the building for the people."

Riley, whose anti-capitalist views are well-documented, considered the port shut down particularly significant for organizers who targeted it in an effort to stop the "flow of capital." The port sends goods primarily to Asia, including wine as well as rice, fruits and nuts, and handles imported electronics, apparel and manufacturing equipment, mostly from Asia, as well as cars and parts from Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Hyundai. An accounting of the financial toll from the shutdown was not immediately available.

The potential for the chaos that ultimately erupted was not something Riley wanted to even consider.

"If they do that after all this ..." He paused, then added, "They're smarter than that."

But the peace that abided throughout the day, did not last into the night.

Occupy protesters voicing anger over a budget trim that forced the closure of a homeless aid program converged on the empty building where it had been housed. They blocked off city streets with dumpsters and other large trash bins, starting bonfires that leapt 15-feet in the air.

City officials released a statement describing the spasm of unrest.

"Oakland Police responded to a late night call that protesters had broken into and occupied a downtown building and set several simultaneous fires," the statement read. "The protesters began hurling rocks, explosives, bottles, and flaming objects at responding officers. Several private and municipal buildings sustained heavy vandalism. Dozens of protesters wielding shields were surrounded and arrested."

Protesters reported running from several rounds of tear gas and bright flashes and deafening pops that some thought were caused by "flash bang" grenades. Fire crews arrived and suppressed the flames.

Meanwhile, protesters and police faced off for the rest of the night in an uneasy standoff.

In Philadelphia, protesters were arrested earlier Wednesday as they held a sit-in at the headquarters of cable giant Comcast

In New York, about 100 military veterans marched in uniform and stopped in front of the New York Stock Exchange, standing in loose formation as police officers on scooters separated them from the entrance. On the other side was a lineup of NYPD horses carrying officers with nightsticks.

"We are marching to express support for our brother, (Iraq war veteran) Scott Olsen, who was injured in Oakland," said Jerry Bordeleau, a former Army specialist who served in Iraq through 2009.

The veterans were also angry that returned from war to find few job prospects.

"Wall Street corporations have played a big role in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Bordeleau, now a college student. He said private contractors have reaped big profits in those countries.

In Boston, college students and union workers marched on Bank of America offices, the Harvard Club and the Statehouse to protest the nation's burgeoning student debt crisis.

They say total outstanding student loans exceed credit card debt, increase by $1 million every six minutes and will reach $1 trillion this year, potentially undermining the economy.

"There are so many students that are trying to get jobs and go on with their lives," said Sarvenaz Asasy of Boston, who joined the march after recently graduating with a master's degree and $60,000 in loan debt. "They've educated themselves and there are no jobs and we're paying tons of student loans. For what?"

And among the other protests in Oakland, parents and their kids, some in strollers, joined in by forming a "children's brigade."

"There's absolutely something wrong with the system," said Jessica Medina, a single mother who attends school part time and works at an Oakland cafDe. "We need to change that."

The Encampment in Liberty Plaza

With the Occupy Wall Street movement going into it's forth week, many people have felt the need to take heed to what the movement is calling for action on. Yesterday, thousands of people attended the larger general assembly in Washington Square where people were able to use a soap box to get their opinions and suggestions out in the open. The reason why the organizers decided to bring the general assembly to Washington Square Park is mostly because the movement has grown beyond the small size of their home base and encampment at Zuccotti Park.

Just going to Liberty Plaza and seeing what is happening there is the reason why this movement has been as important than any other movement that this nation has endured in the past. It is a movement that is exposing the facts about the failings of our socio-economic system and we will no longer sit by as giant financial institutions gamble our lives away.

Rest In Peace Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs has died today according to Apple. His legacy through technology will live on.

"Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do." - Steve Jobs

The NEED Act & Ron Paul / Dennis Kucinich 2012?

Everyone who lives in America knows the dire situation our country is in at this present time. Millions of Americans are without jobs and wall street has taken every bit of wealth from the people and transferred it to themselves. There are protests erupting all over the country under the "Occupy Wall Street" banner and we really need to support some type of radical reform from our government to actually make a change for the better. We now realize no lone President is going to save us from this mess.

Although it is still going to be very hard for Ron Paul to obtain the Republican nomination, both he and Rep Dennis Kucinich are the only politicians coming forward with a real plan for reform that is scaring the daylights out of the elite. The NEED Act (H.R. 2990 - The National Emergency Employment Defense Act) could very well possibly end fractional reserve banking and the federal reserve all together.

Ron Paul has a very strong following and also supports ending the federal reserve system and giving the power to coin money back to Congress. Dr. Paul also suggested recently that he would be open to having Kucinich in his cabinet. This would be truly something that only good could come from for the American people. It would be a great thing for America & American politics to see Republican & Democrat working together for the common goal of restoring America to its former glory. The wealth of this nation belongs to its people, not the private banks.

Let us, we the people, use the new momentum we have obtained from the Occupy Wall Street movement to support honest people like Representatives Paul & Kucinich and support an agenda that will change this country for the better.

Is the war in Libya really justified?

For months now NATO and many supporting countries around the world have been supporting rebel forces in Libya. No matter what your stance may be on the issue, one fact is clear, many innocent civilians have been killed in the relentless fire fights, shellings, & bombing campaigns. Do you think this support mission is truly justified? Is this no different than most western countries foreign policy goals of the middle east region? Libya has a lot of oil, just remember that.

Over 700 Protesters Arrested on Brooklyn Bridge

Watch live streaming video from globalrevolution at livestream.com

Whether you have already heard about this movement or not, no one can deny that the Occupy Wall Street movement is growing with each passing week since its inception. Today is the beginning of the third week of the protests and this weekend is already shaping up to be more confrontational than last week in terms of police response.

Over 400 protesters were arrested when the NYPD led a section of the protesters onto the Brooklyn Bridge. Police kettled hundreds of people and called in buses and vans to escort all of them back to the 1st precinct in lower Manhattan. Traffic was blocked for hours.

Was this entrapment? The NY Times reported that this was a pre-planned move on the NYPD's part. If so, then the police are really making a hard case for themselves as protectors of freedom.

It also doesn't help the fact that JP Morgan Chase recently donated $4.6 million dollars to the NYPD. Is this a protection racket? You decide.

JP Morgan Chase Donates Millions to the NYPD during Wall Street Protests



Over 500 Arrested on Brooklyn Bridge (Reuters)
NY Times Covers Occupy Wall Street
CNN Confirms over 400 arrests

Occupy Wall Street & The Coming Economic Revolution

Well, it seems that our time has come. The sheep are waking up, and now Americans from all over the country are participating in this new protest called #OccupyWallStreet.



You may not have realized, but this movement started back on September 17th. It has grown in just over a week to thousands of people who are motivated to get rid of the status quo. Americans are pretty sick of banks being bailed out and using the people as their personal piggy bank. People are sick of rampant government/corporate collusion and corruption.

Perhaps Americans really are waking up. Realizing they will be paying indefinitely to a broken system that they will never be able to benefit from. Government & Corporate greed has finally broken the last straw. Now is the time to make a real difference

ABC News Coverage
Madrid Protests That Inspired #OccupyWallStreet
CNN Coverage of the Protests
Famous People Supporting #OccupyWallStreet

BitCoins, the borderless digital currency of the future?

I don't know if you have ever heard of BitCoins or not, but it is a virtual currency. This virtual currency is just like your country's currency since it is used to buy or sell goods or services or essentially basic trade. It is also a currency that is backed by something that is finite unlike the US dollar which the Federal Reserve creates out of thin air. BitCoins are backed with actual cryptographic meta data that will eventually cease new BitCoins from being issued.

There can only be about 21 million BitCoins, but the going rate at any BitCoin exchange at the moment will cost you about $20 for one BitCoin. After 21 million BitCoins have been issued, it will be quite an economics experiment to see how the BitCoins market will stablize. Obviously for sure, this market isnt mature yet, but the real eye opener here is that its a growing market. More & more businesses are accepting BitCoins everyday.

The real thing here is that BitCoins are a great currency alternative, and is quite remarkable in its nature in both economics and long term valuation. It would be better to invest in something like BitCoins then it would be to invest in the stock market as it is real money. Everyone knows how bad the stock market can be... remember just a few years ago?

It would be great if BitCoins would be allowed to catch on and grow, but the Fed & the banks will most likely do everything in their power to kill BitCoins.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitcoin

LulzSec vs The Empire

As many of you have already heard I'm sure, LulzSec (laughing at your security) has achieved quite a high profile over the past week. They were responsible for hacking Sony, PBS, Nintendo, FBI affiliates, & other IT security firms.

Major attacks

PBS

In May 2011 members of Lulz Security hacked into the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) website. They stole user data and posted a fake story on the site which claimed that Tupac Shakur was still alive and living in New Zealand.[7]

Lulz Security claimed that some of its hacks, including its attack of PBS, were motivated by a desire to defend Wikileaks and Bradley Manning.[8] A FoxNews report on the group quoted one commentator, Brandon Pike, who claimed that Lulz Security is affiliated with the Anonymous group. Lulz Security claimed that Pike had actually hired it to hack PBS. Pike denied the accusation and claims it was leveled against him; because he said Lulz Security was a splinter of the Anonymous group.[9]

Sony

In June 2011, members of the group claimed responsibility for an attack against Sony and took data that included "names, passwords, e-mail addresses, home addresses and dates of birth for thousands of people."[10] The group claimed that it used an SQL injection attack,[11] and was motivated by Sony's legal action against George Hotz for jailbreaking into the PlayStation 3. The group claims it will launch an attack that will be the "beginning of the end" for Sony.[12] Some of the compromised user information has since been used in scams.[13]

InfraGard

Lulz Security also claims to have hacked InfraGard, a company affiliated with the FBI that does work on botnet detection,[2] in June 2011. The group leaked some of Infragard's e-mails and a database of users.[14] The group defaced the website posting the following message, "LET IT FLOW YOU STUPID FBI BATTLESHIPS," accompanied with a video. LulzSec has posted the following message regarding the attack:


"It has come to our unfortunate attention that NATO and our good friend Barrack Osama-Llama 24th-century Obama [sic] have recently upped the stakes with regard to hacking. They now treat hacking as an act of war. So, we just hacked an FBI affiliated website (Infragard, specifically the Atlanta chapter) and leaked its user base. We also took complete control over the site and defaced it [...]."[15]

Canada's Conservative Party

One June 7th, Lulzsec hacked the website of Canada's Conservative Party, making it seem as if Prime Minister Stephen Harper was rushed to the hospital for choking on a hash brown. The prank was so well integrated that Member of Parliament Chris Alexander tweeted that he hoped the Prime Minister was okay.[16]

Nintendo

Lulz Security attempted to hack into Nintendo, but both the group and Nintendo itself report that no particularly valuable information was found by the hackers.[17] LulzSec claims that it did not mean to harm Nintendo, declaring: "We're not targeting Nintendo. We like the N64 too much — we sincerely hope Nintendo plugs the gap."[18] Additionally, LulzSec tweeted, following the incident, "Re: Nintendo, we just got a config file and made it clear that we didn't mean any harm. Nintendo had already fixed it anyway. <3 them!"

Lulzsec VS The Empire

Even though they are doing this out of what appears to be genuine hackivisim and a way to make companies more aware of their IT security needs, they are going against the status quo. They are going up against the government and big corporations which could have an unknown effect for the rest of us. The cyber war is really starting to get under way.

I wonder what the coming months will bring.

Jared Lee Loughner's problem with the government

As we have all heard the news by now that Jared Lee Loughner opened fire today during a meeting in Tucson, Arizona where political figures and congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords were attending. The congresswoman was shot in the head, and 5 were killed, including a 9 year old boy.

Now why would this 22 year old choose to do something on this level? Especially since he was apprehended after the shooting and is now in custody, but what was his motivation for doing this? What would make him carry out this horrific plan, and are we moving into an age where this could become more frequent because of the political discourse in America?

Right now we know he had a youtube channel that he posted new videos on a few weeks ago.

You Can View His YouTube Channel By Clicking Here

Jared rambles on about literacy, lucid dreaming, and voices his distrust for the Federal Government, but that still doesn't answer the question as to what his real motives were... I'm sure we will find out in the coming days, but please feel free to leave your thoughts and comments.