Quote :

""

Truth. Destabilize the system hard enough and you no longer have anything. Organized food production, etc. Lot of good socialism will do you when you're thrown back into the dark ages of hunter gatherer culture. Truth of the matter is no one is entitled to anything. Entitlement is a man made construct. Not some basic principle of human life.

10/21/2011 2:45:34 PM

^^

Of course these methods have been used to drive up the price of lots of things.. some, more unethical than others

But what I just described was absolutely rampant in the mid-2000s when people were purchasing real estate for investment at absolute insane levels. It undoubtedly played a significant role on the collapse.

10/21/2011 2:53:38 PM

Quote :

"Truth of the matter is no one is entitled to anything. Entitlement is a man made construct. Not some basic principle of human life."

You just made an argument in support of theft.

10/21/2011 3:21:19 PM

This thread is hilarious.

10/21/2011 3:33:25 PM

Quote :

"Truth of the matter is no one is entitled to anything."

That's funny. Conservatives seem to think that they are entitled to cheap, yet limited and non-renewable resources.

10/21/2011 3:36:52 PM

I'm pretty sure everyone thinks that.

10/21/2011 3:41:36 PM

i love this thread!!

10/21/2011 3:48:24 PM

1. Russia is shitty.
2. We have it better off than most Russians.
3. ...
4. RAWR RAWR RAWR YOU'RE AN UNEDUCATED REDNECK WHO DOESN'T APPRECIATE HOW GOOD YOU HAVE IT!!!1

Does that sum it up pretty well?

10/21/2011 5:07:38 PM

from the link Skack posted back on page 17

using this protester as an example:


what i don't get is.... the anti-bailout contingent makes up a large number of these Occupy people as well as the Tea Party protesters.

yet, Obama seems to be trying to co-opt this Occupy movement for his own political gain.

does he not realize his actions with Wall Street the last 4 years, namely in the form of these bailout packages, are exactly what these people are protesting against?

do the OWS people themselves, and the Tea Party people, not realize how similar their goals are on some of these fiscal issues?

it seems there are a lot of people who are polar opposites on social issues that are saying substantially similar things on fiscal issues. if only they were smart enough to work together, and see through the major party bullshit.

10/21/2011 6:26:49 PM

saw one of the OccupyRaleighers today with a sign that said "Down with Capitalism, It's Mean!"

10/21/2011 6:36:06 PM

I was thinking about going out on Saturday and seeing if I could spark up some conversation.

10/21/2011 6:42:34 PM

don't know if this has been posted or not, but i found this to be very informative, especially as someone who was wondering what the hell the protesters were going on about:

http://www.businessinsider.com/here-are-the-four-charts-that-explain-what-the-protesters-are-angry-about-2011-10

this one goes into a lot more detail than the one above:

http://www.businessinsider.com/what-wall-street-protesters-are-so-angry-about-2011-10?op=1

awesome for those who love graphs and charts.

10/21/2011 7:37:56 PM

wow, more awesome stuff

http://www.businessinsider.com/facts-about-inequality-in-america-2011-11?op=1

http://www.businessinsider.com/22-statistics-that-prove-the-middle-class-is-being-systematically-wiped-out-of-existence-in-america-2010-7?op=1

http://www.businessinsider.com/charts-facts-about-global-wealth-2011-10?op=1

http://www.businessinsider.com/biggest-landowners-america-2011-10?op=1

10/21/2011 8:45:21 PM

^great info, 0EPII1

[Edited on October 21, 2011 at 10:32 PM. Reason : ...]

10/21/2011 10:32:02 PM

ITT people who want the stupid and lazy to be given the same money and rewards as the clever and productive

[Edited on October 22, 2011 at 9:30 AM. Reason : ,]

10/22/2011 9:29:26 AM

^ You realize that repeatedly defaulting to gross oversimplification and name calling only makes you look stupid, right? You're not doing yourself any favors.



There are many factors at play, but the most vibrant element highlighted to me - especially after reading the links above - is that this movement is led by idealistic thinking instead of logical thinking.


You can't protest the banks for taking advantage of the situation handed to them. If you want to effect change, seriously the only way to do it is vote. That's why no one takes the OWS people seriously. The Tea Party may be ill-informed, and flat out wrong on a bunch of things, but they work within the electoral system to push their agenda.... and guess what? It works. If you don't show up to the game, then you can't play, and sitting outside on the street protesting about the game ain't the same as being on the field.

10/22/2011 10:19:56 AM

Quote :

"this movement is led by idealists thinking instead of logical thinking."

i'll agree with that.

10/22/2011 12:30:56 PM

"No person, corporation or business entity of any type, domestic or foreign, shall be allowed to contribute money, directly or indirectly, to any candidate for Federal office or to contribute money on behalf of or opposed to any type of campaign for Federal office. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, campaign contributions to candidates for Federal office shall not constitute speech of any kind as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution or any amendment to the U. S. Constitution. Congress shall set forth a federal holiday for the purposes of voting for candidates for Federal office."

http://www.getmoneyout.com/

10/24/2011 1:58:01 PM

Do you have any idea how dumb that is? That means no one (including individuals) can spend any money for any political purpose. Individuals can campaign for themselves, and that's it. That means only the rich have any chance of being elected. This is why we can't have nice things.

Yes, get the money out of politics. Get the kernels out of popcorn while you're at it.

Also, you do realize that without corporate contributions, your boy Obama would be out of a job, right? He has the full support of all the biggest banks and corporations.

10/24/2011 3:21:45 PM

this is the OWS mascot

10/24/2011 3:36:46 PM

More like...


Take money, from richest


Amirite?

10/24/2011 3:53:28 PM

Quote :

"OCTOBER 24--Citing the potential of “Occupy Wall Street” to become a “global brand,” a Long Island couple has filed to trademark the name of the amorphous organization responsible for the protests and encampments in lower Manhattan and other U.S. cities, The Smoking Gun has learned. In a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) application, Robert and Diane Maresca are seeking to trademark the phrase “Occupy Wall St.” so that they can place it on a wide variety of goods, including bumper stickers, shirts, beach bags, footwear, umbrellas, and hobo bags. The October 18 filing, made in Diane Maresca’s name, cost the couple $975, which Robert Maresca, 44, termed “something of a gamble” in a TSG interview."

10/24/2011 4:08:16 PM

Quote :

"NY Post - A married mother of four from Florida ditched her family to become part of the raggedy mob in Zuccotti Park — keeping the park clean by day and keeping herself warm at night with the help of a young waiter from Brooklyn. “I’m not planning on going home,” an unapologetic Stacey Hessler, 38, told The Post yesterday. “I have no idea what the future holds, but I’m here indefinitely. Forever,” said Hessler, whose home in DeLand sits 911 miles from the tarp she’s been sleeping under. Hessler — who ironically is married to a banker — arrived 12 days ago and planned to stay for a week, but changed her plans after cozying up to some like-minded radicals, including Rami Shamir, 30, a waiter at a French bistro in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn.She swears she’s not romantically involved with her new friend. Yesterday was a typical day for the pair, who woke up at 8 a.m. on their little patch of paving stone near the communal kitchen and dashed off to Trinity Church to wash up. She got coffee and a granola bar from the protest kitchen before sorting laundry for two hours. At around 11 a.m. yesterday, Hessler moved from laundry duty to park cleanup — a four-hour detail from which she broke just once to give a troubled protester a hug at the “empathy table.” She also found time for a meditation session later in the day. “Military people leave their families all the time, so why should I feel bad?” a defiant Hessler said. “I’m fighting for a better world.”"

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Support-Stacey-Hessler/238543656202480

10/24/2011 4:57:05 PM

Jesus fucking christ.

10/24/2011 5:03:21 PM

That just seems to me like she's looking for an excuse to dodge responsibility.

10/24/2011 5:11:09 PM

OWS: stares natural selection in the face and demands the rest of their species bring them food. lol.

10/24/2011 5:12:46 PM

Dodging responsibility is the new American dream.

10/24/2011 5:13:31 PM

i'd like to bang stacey hessler

10/24/2011 6:32:13 PM

make sure if you knock her up youre willing to pay for an undisclosed number of train tickets in the future.

10/24/2011 6:37:33 PM

Political corruption should be tolerated because some people are worthless hippies.

10/24/2011 6:40:17 PM

i think pack_bryan makes good points. my problem with this whole thing is finding out where they pulled 99% from. off 2009 individual income data, i have these numbers:

less than $25k: 47.39%
$25k-$50k: 28.01%
$50k-$75k: 13.17%
$75k-$100k: 5.19%
-------------------------
$0-$100,000: 93.76%

I don't know where the 99% line is, because I can't verify it with real data -- although one census source appeared to put the 250k line at about 98.5%. It just seems odd to have people making up to and over $100,000 (and possibly up to around 250,000) joining up with people who make $21,000, bitching about starving to death. It's just impossible for such a wide range of earners to feel the same about these issues.

Also, back to that sign that pack_bryan put up. I was thinking.... if you carjacked 10 people driving escalades and shit like that, and took them the ATM at gunpoint - i bet that like 7 of 10 wouldn't even be able to pull out their daily limit

10/24/2011 6:50:24 PM

stop making sense, jackleg

10/24/2011 9:45:38 PM

10/24/2011 10:18:53 PM

why did pryderi say the N word 2 pages ago. wtf. i just noticed that.

10/24/2011 10:32:32 PM

Stacey not wearing her ring because she's a hippy or because shes shackin up with Rami? Seriously, she acts like she has to share a tarp with this tard. Sorry banker husband. Your wife is banging the waitor.

10/24/2011 10:48:02 PM

when this shit gets real.... and it will (we are at foreplay stage)...
the universal laws of work, energy, and survival upon which the foundations of the universe operates, won't be making any special handouts to such lifeforms who willfully refuse to accept the cold hard facts that some stars are different than others and will always shine brighter


ps: i bet stacee loves her hubbies amex. such a inspiration for the world to see. so much hope to this rotting organization in the human species we used to call 'family'

10/24/2011 11:03:15 PM

To me stacey sounds like Jenny from Forrest Gump to me.

10/24/2011 11:08:19 PM

^^^^ probably the same reason you used the word faggot on the same page

10/24/2011 11:17:37 PM

btw, you know as well as i do the amount of direct insults is waaay disproportional to the 'support OWS' side compared to the non supporters. and i'm sorry i insulted you. i know your sensitivity with that word and your fierce agenda to try to limit its usage. i am ok with that and will shut up using it.

i guarantee you'll never hear something like from 'the other side' in this thread.

[Edited on October 24, 2011 at 11:28 PM. Reason : edit]

10/24/2011 11:26:58 PM

not what i said. if you really want to know, i think you're both pathetic

10/24/2011 11:27:33 PM

10/24/2011 11:29:55 PM

knitter please

10/24/2011 11:36:14 PM

pryderi has a point about lobbyist's being an immoral part of politics. If that was his point.

10/25/2011 8:36:14 AM

Quote :

"http://www.facebook.com/pages/Support-Stacey-Hessler/238543656202480"

Heh, the comments are starting to get good...

10/25/2011 10:48:51 AM

How long are campaign seasons in England and Canada? Do they have donor limits?

Because of the SCOTUS' Citizens' United decision, political campaigns in the US are going to be 24/7 365 days/year.

10/25/2011 11:31:44 AM

Quote :

"I don't know where the 99% line is, because I can't verify it with real data -- although one census source appeared to put the 250k line at about 98.5%. It just seems odd to have people making up to and over $100,000 (and possibly up to around 250,000) joining up with people who make $21,000, bitching about starving to death. It's just impossible for such a wide range of earners to feel the same about these issues. Also, back to that sign that pack_bryan put up. I was thinking.... if you carjacked 10 people driving escalades and shit like that, and took them the ATM at gunpoint - i bet that like 7 of 10 wouldn't even be able to pull out their daily limit "

Dude, it's about $350k / year. That took like 2 google searches.

10/25/2011 11:38:28 AM

Quote :

"That chart is from a new report from the New York State Comptroller’s office on the securities industry in New York City. It shows that the average salary in the industry in 2010 was $361,330 — five and a half times the average salary in the rest of the private sector in the city ($66,120). By contrast, 30 years ago such salaries were only twice as high as in the rest of the private sector. "

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/11/bankers-salaries-vs-everyone-elses/

10/25/2011 12:25:39 PM

Quote :

"You can't protest the banks for taking advantage of the situation handed to them. If you want to effect change, seriously the only way to do it is vote. That's why no one takes the OWS people seriously. The Tea Party may be ill-informed, and flat out wrong on a bunch of things, but they work within the electoral system to push their agenda.... and guess what? It works. If you don't show up to the game, then you can't play, and sitting outside on the street protesting about the game ain't the same as being on the field."

So what election has there been since September 17th that these people should have been voting in?

10/25/2011 12:55:28 PM

Quote :

"OWS's Beef: Wall Street Isn't Winning – It's Cheating"

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/owss-beef-wall-street-isnt-winning-its-cheating-20111025

10/25/2011 5:28:54 PM

if you aren't cheating you aren't trying?

10/25/2011 5:41:19 PM