Conservative Brains, Liberal Brains

Not entirely accurate, but amusing nonetheless...

Federal Government/Goldman Sachs Overlap

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Keith Olbermann: Why Occupy Wall Street needs Michael Bloomberg

What Are the Goals of Occupy Wall Street?

Roger Lowenstein writes for Businessweek ("Occupy Wall Street: It’s Not a Hippie Thing: Don’t be fooled by the drum circles. Today’s protests have more in common with the anti-Hoover 1930s than the antiwar ’60s and ’70s"):

As critics have noted, the protesters are not in complete agreement with each other, but the overall message is reasonably coherent. They want more and better jobs, more equal distribution of income, less profit (or no profit) for banks, lower compensation for bankers, and more strictures on banks with regard to negotiating consumer services such as mortgages and debit cards. They also want to reduce the influence that corporations—financial firms in particular—wield in politics, and they want a more populist set of government priorities: bailouts for student debtors and mortgage holders, not just for banks.

"How members of Congress make gigantic bank on insider trades, real estate deals, IPOs and other sweetheart opportunities"

Here's your pull quote ("Congress: Trading stock on inside information?"):

The buying and selling of stock by corporate insiders who have access to non-public information that could affect the stock price can be a criminal offense, just ask hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam who recently got 11 years in prison for doing it. But, congressional lawmakers have no corporate responsibilities and have long been considered exempt from insider trading laws, even though they have daily access to non-public information and plenty of opportunities to trade on it.

Headline courtesy of Cory Doctorow writing for Boing Boing.

Thugs of Penn State vs Occupiers of Berkeley

Do you defend the ugliest manifestations of unchecked power or do you fight for a better world with an altogether different set of values? Do you stand with the Thugs of Penn State or do you stand with Occupiers of Berkeley? It’s fear vs. hope, and the stakes are a hell of a lot higher than a BCS bowl.

"How Do You Illustrate Corruption?"

From Truthout ("How Do You Illustrate Corruption? Artist Rachel Schragis Explains"):

"This image is profoundly not a solution: to either the injustices we face or my own (infinitely smaller) creative concerns. It is a statement of the problem, and its material being does not reflect the world we want: to start, it is drawn with (toxic) sharpies and distributed through the (unsustainably powered) internet. And the reality it states, let us not forget, is pretty bleak. I dream about making spaces that inspire justice - not just collections of words that show what's wrong. And isn't this really what OWS is about, at its core? Believing that if we start by stating the problems correctly, a better world than we can currently envision is possible. Demanding that we dream up that world, and build that dream."

Footage of Scott Olsen being shot by Police at Occupy Oakland

Footage of Scott Olsen being shot by Police at Occupy Oakland from Raleigh Latham on Vimeo.

Jon Stewart: "What the f@#k happened in Oakland?" (Occupy Wall Street)

The Daily Show
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From Talking Points Memo ("Jon Stewart Horrified By Police Response To ‘Occupy Oakland’ (VIDEO)"):

"What the fuck happened in Oakland,” Stewart asked.

Police on Tuesday used tear gas to clear more than 1,000 “Occupy” protesters. A stun grenade was reportedly used to clear a crowd, sparking a public outcry.

“Seems a little heavy handed,” Stewart said. “Unless, was one of the protesters godzilla?”

“I know a self-selected group of people can’t take over public space forever, it’s public space, it’s for everyone, including people who don’t consider drum circles to be sleepy time music,” Stewart added. “But it seems to me there might have been a less (riotous) way of resolving this.”

I AM NOT MOVING - Short Film - Occupy Wall Street

"... people everywhere are seeking a chance to contribute and to have a role in the decisions that will shape their lives. Leaders need to respond to these aspirations and to help build that better future for all. They need to view civil society as their partner, not as a threat."
--Hillary Clinton