This picture is fucking awesome

Hung around the Occupy protest here for a while over the weekend. In all honesty, a lot of earnest people with very few having much of a concrete notion of what they are doing or care about, at least around here. But as far as I am concerned the anger is real and justified if unfocused and I hope all this keeps getting more attention. Even if most of the people turn out to be less than stellar representatives of my views, at least perhaps they can succeed in refocusing the dialogue about economics that we have away from meaningless to the average person macro conversations about overall growth that in reality is only shared by a few and back to a conversation about how we can focus the economy on improving the lives of typical Americans.

But please...can we get rid of the fucking drum circles?

hell yes

I should have known from the smell that you'd be a fan of drum circles.

the people camping out for occupy portland just had to move their tents a few blocks and slightly modify their cardboard signs.

the protests aren't getting any attention, it's the spectacle that people are watching. these guys are wasting their time because no one cares what losers without any money actually think.

the amount of air time, venom and mockery targeted at them makes me believe it is making a difference. Though what that will be I have no idea.

The press is covering it and asking politicians question about the issues the protesters are referencing. That's about as good as can be hoped for really. It's not like anyone would expect that they would protest for a month and systemic changes would sweep the nation. They are getting attention and the dialogue is including them. I can't say I have any idea if it will keep up, but if they hold it together things are going pretty well so far. The real problem I see being a stumbling block is that they have to convince people they actually have numbers that will get out and vote and support specific issues and candidates who align themselves with those issues. And with the long tradition of young people not voting it will be hard to convince people this will be any different. I'm a fan of this thing and I'm not convinced myself. That's part of why the Tea Party thing worked, old people vote and everyone knows it.

And on a more personal note, the whole losers without any money thing is bullshit. Part of the whole problem here is that attitude that places value on individuals based on their bank accounts. Feel free to believe that is truth on a practical level but on a personal level I am happy to call bullshit on that all day.

the tea party also worked because they had a shit ton of money behind it and an entire news network dedicated to promoting their events.

It's called "Worthington's Law":

And their urine soaked nursing home dwellers, people who mix up homonyms on signs, and tri-cornered hat wearers.

Both of these groups are by and for the new dumb.

I'd occupy Picabo Street

awwwwwwwwww

bweeaawrrr

Meanwhile at Occupy London...

Edit: Fuck it - http://www.thepoke.co.uk/2011/10/16/occupy-london-fail/

RESIZE IMAGE!

If I recall correctly, her "admission standards" are very Kardashianesque.

Despite the lame jokes and dismissiveness by some in this thread, I'm actually encouraged by these protests.

The protesters here in Atlanta were removed from Woodruff Park last night and about 50 arrested.

Do I think some of it is a little ham fisted? Yes but I hope that this will inspire many others to follow in their footsteps.

This country could use some civil disobedience, or, a good old fashioned class war.

Don't get too far out on that limb dude - We're not the 1%....but we're probably the 5%....

My God. They've already gotten to you.

Also, you do acknowledge that the gap from 1% to 2% is astronomical vs the gap from 5% to, say, 50% that can be overcome by simply being employed.

Of course dude. I deal with people every day who really are the 1%.

But what I'm saying is that when the class war pops off, don't think you won't be one of the first against the wall.

i didnt know derris was rich