Updates 12/7/12

Hello everyone.

I'm working on this last paper today like a madman. My response to pretty much everything is "Don't bother me right now; I'm writing."

-- In Qatar, Arab youths held a silent unregistered protest about their concerns over climate change, and the results were horrifying. At least two of the young people, considered to be the leaders of the protest, have been deported from the country.

http://www.bdlive.co.za/world/2012/12/07/arab-youths-deported-for-silent-climate-protest-in-qatar

-- [Chuck] A Wall Street Bank is laying off over 11,000 workers in order to trim expenses. The news of the layoffs come directly after Citigroup gave its two former executives 14 million dollars after they were fired for poor management. 

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/12/05/1285501/citigroup-jobs-bonuses/

-- Oakland has temporarily given up control of their police force to a court-ordered compliance director. The change comes from the civil rights case against the force alleged that police used excessive force, planted drugs on suspects, and filed false reports. A new assessment will be done in the spring to determine if the changes have been enough to prevent a federal takeover.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324640104578163563408820252.html

-- [Chuck] A new plan has come to light that offers America the chance to use "half the oil" that our country is using now. It's quite interesting.

http://ecowatch.org/2012/cut-oil-usage-in-half/

-- [Chuck] Lastly, here is a video, a call to arms of sorts, for the Mexican Art Community. #WeAreAllPrisoners resonates strongly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZteJTfs6hE

***Solidarity***

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks.

Updates 12/6/12

Hello everyone.

Almost done with the semester. I have one more class today, and a 30 page paper left to write. Yikes.

-- A California professor apparently has things all figured out. The Chapman University teacher/conservative activist has declared that the reason Californians have gone on a gun buying spree lately is all due to President Obama and Occupy Wall Street. His rationale is laughable at best, but his opinions were published in the school paper with no rebuttals. Someone believes him.

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2012/12/john_eastman_occupy_wall_stree.php

-- [Chuck] Wondering how to explain to others why Occupy is and needs to be? Here's a great little list of ten films that offer those explanations.

http://www.filmsforaction.org/articles/the_top_10_films_that_explain_why_occupy_wall_st_exists/

-- [Chuck] The fiscal cliff is approaching! (Sorry, I still don't buy it.) Anyway, if you have ever wondered if our money could be better spent, here's an infographic that says, "Why yes, it could be."

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=84539157&l=93c8873d76&id=184749301592842

-- One of the officers involved with the November 2011 beating of an Army veteran has retired, but two more have become quite notable for their involvement. One of them is a high-ranking member of the union, and the other has been involved in at least four shootings, some fatal.

http://www.eastbayexpress.com/92510/archives/2012/12/05/oakland-police-union-official-implicated-in-sabeghi-beating

***Solidarity***

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks.

Updates 12/5/12

Hello everyone.

Today's updates are all from Chuck. I'm still not well, and I actually think I may be getting worse. Wish me luck. 

-- Here's a great video from WeAreChange about supporting the resistance and getting to know the people around you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0oHlX8Kmxk

-- Another awesome video: An animated fairy tale called "Tax the Rich."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwg4DB-EeEA&feature=player_embedded

-- This site is in Dutch, but when you translate it, it tells of the amazing people who are singing to save the climate, and how you can help.

http://singfortheclimate.com/NL/default.aspx

-- Los Angeles and Long Beach ports have been having difficulties as workers are striking. How is this affecting us? Very strongly. 

http://www.businessinsider.com/economic-impact-of-la-and-long-beach-port-strikes-2012-12

***Solidarity***

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks.

Updates 12/4/12

Hello everyone.

I'm still sick. This is awful. I'm going to get through it though. I always manage to somehow.

 -- [Chuck] You know what I haven't heard a lot about recently? Sinkholes. Apparently that's surprising, because massive sinkholes have been cropping up from Texas to Ohio to Louisiana. There are talks of fracking causing the New Madrid fault line to reawaken and possibly rupture. (If that happens, don't bother trying to contact me. I'm in Carbondale, Illinois... only a few miles from the fault line. If it ruptures as bad as it used to, we'll all be dead around here.)

http://naturalsociety.com/why-is-media-ignoring-mass-sinkholes-around-country/

-- [Chuck] There are more secrets formulating in government, and this time they are trying to clamp down on the internet -- AGAIN. Here's a petition from the AFL-CIO demanding that the International Telecommunications Union back off.

http://act.aflcio.org/c/18/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=5157

-- [Chuck] Qatar's first ever climate march happened yesterday, as Arab youths called on the UN Climate Summit to take action this year.

http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/3/at_un_climate_summit_in_doha

-- [Chuck] Two protesters barricaded themselves inside one of the pipes for the Keystone XL pipeline yesterday, essentially stopping progress on the line until they could be extracted. Here's a step-by-step timeline of what happened.

http://occupyamerica.crooksandliars.com/diane-sweet/two-people-barricade-themselves-inside

-- Cooper Union has been a free university ever since its foundation was laid, but now the administrators are wanting to charge tuition to students to cover the growing deficit brought about by an expansion plan. They have already begun to charge tuition to graduate students. Students are angry about this, because it is tossing aside the values of the school, and they have locked themselves into one of the towers, demanding that the administrators stay true to the founder's vision, and that the President be removed.

http://www.thenation.com/blog/171576/students-occupying-cooper-union-insist-founders-vision#

***Solidarity***

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks.

Updates 12/3/12

Hello everyone.

The news is short today. I've come down with something. I'm very unhappy.

-- [Chuck] Remember Chalkupy? It turns out the Fresh Juice Party still meets almost every Friday afternoon. If you're in the area, feel free to meet up with them! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dSQhuSiEN4&feature=youtu.be

-- [Chuck] The "fiscal cliff" is a terrifying term we've heard thrown around recently bu politicians and pundits, and we've certainly heard that we have to stop it or else. But what does it really mean? It's meant to implement austerity measures, and to be honest, it doesn't even really exist.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frances-causey/the-socalled-fiscal-cliff_b_2158323.html

-- [Chuck] Hurricane Sandy relief is still ongoing, but why is it taking so long to help the people? In this article, it's described as the Katrina of the north, and I can see why.

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/katrina_all_over_again_20121202/

-- In Mexico, multiple protests are ongoing as the President was sworn in. People feel that the new President was imposed upon them rather than elected, and are taking to social media to plan movements and the like.

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/12/02/mexico-enrique-pena-nieto-is-sworn-in-as-president-amid-protests-and-riots/

-- Some 10,000 workers are protesting at the factories in Bangladesh after a fire killed over a hundred people last week. Over 50 factories have shut down out of fear of the protesters, who have barricaded roads and are demanding safety at their jobs.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hzgkfMT8o80rRSH2lR-FDPEMse5Q?docId=CNG.cc66d94e22988b53c786d79196923ae9.6a1

-- In Spain, thousands of disabled people hit the streets to fight back against austerity cuts, carrying signs reading "SOS, Disability" on their wheelchairs and guide dogs. One in ten people in Spain have some form of disability, but they have been heavily affected by the cuts, losing services, centers, and medical care.

http://www.thonline.com/news/national_world/article_6167625a-d198-579d-9840-244e4b350f8e.html

***Solidarity***

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks.

Updates 12/2/12

Hello everyone.

It's getting cold and snowy for some of my readers, warm and sunny for the others. Here, it's strangely in the mid 60s (Fahrenheit) so it's quite warm when it should be cold.

-- [Chuck] First up, we have two videos for you. The first shows that Robert Redford (the actor) is standing up to ask President Obama to stop the Keystone XL Pipeline. Second, the banks have been secretly bailed out again, to the tune of over 7 Trillion Dollars. To learn more, follow the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aCHNoUcxRvY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUpXDZFtEHw&feature=youtu.be

-- [Chuck] A quote from the Dalai Lama to remind us all what we truly need.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=11396604&l=8a7b687634&id=682838549

-- A far-right lawmaker has incited protest in Hungary after he suggested that all Jews must be screened for security purposes in the country.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/12/02/thousands-attend-anti-nazi-rally-in-hungary-to-protest-lawmaker-call-for/

-- [Chuck] This amazing invention could help both us and the planet. Amazing... A bicycle made of cardboard and recycled materials. 

https://www.commondreams.org/further/2012/12/01

-- Police in Tunisia have no training on how to handle peaceful protests, and have been firing birdshot and lead balls at protesters.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201212020020.html

-- Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court has had to suspend its actions indefinitely due to massive protests against the government.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/12/02/egypt-top-court-postpones-key-ruling-on-assembly/

***Solidarity***

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks.

Updates 12/1/12

Hello everyone!

It's Christmas! No, no, not really, but it seems that way from the amount of people already pretending it is. I mean, come on. 

-- Occupy Unmasked is available to stream for free on Netflix! If you have Netflix (like I do, can't watch Doctor Who where I am without it), check out the film and come tell us what you think about it. 

-- [Chuck] What happens to the West when climate changes permanently? Will the people be able to handle it? 

http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/271-38/14812-will-the-west-survive-climate-change

-- [Chuck] Sea levels are rising faster than anyone thought they would, and this may have a huge effect on all of us. 

http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/312-16/14803-sea-levels-rising-60-faster-than-expected

-- [Chuck] The Bradley Manning trial is not just a trial for the whistleblower, but also for the military itself. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/30/bradley-manning-pretrial-hearing-military-wikileaks_n_2220913.html

-- [Chuck] Charlie Chaplin has been autotuned, and the results are fun and inspiring.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/30/charlie-chaplin-auto-tune-melody-sheep_n_2218249.html?utm_hp_ref=comedy

-- Bloomberg has praised Occupy Sandy for their relief efforts, declaring that "You guys are great!"

http://gothamist.com/2012/12/01/video_bloomberg_praises_occupy_sand.php

-- [Chuck] Speaking of Occupy Sandy, a secret Santa has been handing out $100 bills to victims of the hurricane.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/santa-hands-money-storm-victims-article-1.1210799?localLinksEnabled=false

***Solidarity***

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com.

Thanks.