‘Another World Is Happening’ – Occupy Wall Street 1 Year Anniversary: David DeGraw (legit co-founder of the 99% Movement) Interviewed by Cenk Uygur on The Young Turks

Protestors Arrested in NYC on #S17, 2012

David DeGraw is a heck of a role model, a brave and inspired visionary.  Won't you listen to what he had to say the other day?

While this sane and humane conversation was happening, NYPD, the FBI, and associated branches of the Police State were intimidating and arresting American citizens for protesting.  How can this be the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, when the Government is outlawing protest because our society is crippled by Fear.  Think about it, please.

Better yet, act on it.  What have you really got left to lose?

Long Term Occupier Gear Checklist: #OccupyTogether, #OccupyWallStreet, #OccupyLA, #OccupyDC, #OccupyChicago, #OccupyMN, #OccupyPortland, #OccupySF, #OccupyAmerica, #OccupyHouston, #OccupyBoston, #OccupySeattle, #OccupyUSA, #OccupyPlanetEarth

Compiled by Max Mogren, OilFreeFun.com

In this Campaign of Occupation, it is crucial to stay healthy, well-rested, and comfortably peaceful.  As camps spring up around the world, we should strive to make them the safest and most accommodating communities we can envision: Prototypes for what will come after the Revolution succeeds.

When we come prepared for long term occupation, our encampments show that we mean business.  Also, creating a Welcoming Home is crucial to keeping occupiers warm, hydrated, well fed, and productive.

Inadequate equipment could limit the successes of the 99% Movement.

With adequate equipment, occupying will be easier and more enjoyable than the oppressive lifestyles we’ve dealt with since Infinite Growth Economics died and the corrupt commenced looting the collapsing global economic system.

***

Load up a backpack, put your crap in storage, quit paying rent, and hit the road to the nearest occupation.  You’ll make a bunch of new friends, learn a lot about everything, gather stories to tell your grand-kids, and Save the Friggin’ Planet.  You’ll also save a heck of a lot of money by living rent free and eating communally.

No job?  No problem... in fact, being "out of work" now is one step in our Path to Resolution.

Hopefully this list helps you get the right gear together.  Incidentally, all of these items would also be useful in the event of an ugly revolution or full-tilt civilizational COLLAPSE.  At this stage in the game, if Peaceful Occupation doesn’t force the changes we need, it’ll boil down to either one or the other.  It's just a matter of time, really...

Long Term Occupier Gear Checklist

(general list for all climates… please add suggestions in the comments.)

BASIC ESSENTIALS

*Sandals or Slippas for hot days and downtime

*Sporty (ideally “Trail Running”) Shoes

*Lots of SOCKS

*Durable, Comfortable, Layerable Clothes

*Wool Sweater… retains warmth when wet

*Rain Gear… a good rain coat or winter parka could come in really handy

*Down Jacket or Extra Sweater… look bigger while being warmer

*Sun Hat and Cold Weather Hat... also hides

*Scarf… useful in a variety of situations

*Sun Glasses… the goofier, the better

*Gas Mask… they’re cheap ($12), fun to play with, and you never know…

*Towel(s)

*Laundry Bag

*Duct Tape or Gorilla Tape… to fix holes in anything, hang signs, etc!

*Cordage/Rope… for hanging tarps, signs, etc.

*Tarps… you can’t possibly bring too many

*Tents… big cheapos are great in a warm climate but you’ll want a decent tent as winter sets in… you can always throw a tarp on top of a tent to make it more resilient.

*Sleeping Bag (ideally a Double Sleeping Bag) … you’re going to make lots of new friends: be ready to accommodate one.

*Foam Pads… or an even more comfortable experience invest in some affordable interlocking Anti-Fatigue Floor Mats which are also great for sleeping on

*Wool Blanket… retains heat, even when wet

*Sanitary, Durable Water Bottle… stainless steel is best because it doesn’t retain odors or flavors

*Spork and Bowl… communal cooking and meals is the name of the game for a low-hassle, long-term occupation

*Toothbrush… and Toothpaste

*Deodorant… (optional)

*BOOKS… in NYC is seems like the Camp Library is one of the coolest services being offered

*Headlamp… see in the dark!!!

*Foldable Solar Panel… you’ll make lots of friends if you can charge people’s gizmos.  Odds are businesses near your occupation won’t take too kindly to loitering Chargers.

*Headphones and/or Ear Plugs… useful while trying to sleep in a crowd or for a little “alone time” with your music.

*Trash Bags… useful for lots of things

*Large Backpack… a quality backpacking pack in dark/earthy colors is ideal

*Tote bags… aka reusable shopping bags, which are great for carrying lots of stuff

*Lots of food… contribute to the camp stockpile by bringing whatever you can.

*Large Cooler… great for sitting on and storing anything that needs to be dry and protected (or wet and frosty!)

*DELUXE: Crazy Creek Power Lounger Chair… sometimes a back rest feels really good, also doubles as a great sleeping pad

INDIVIDUAL MEDIA KIT

*Sign-making Tools… markers, paints, cardboard, poster board, posts, tape, etc.  "The thing about hand-written signs is that unless you go out of your way, they end up looking like the scrawl of the Unabomber."  --Jenna Orkin... MAKE QUALITY SIGNS!

*Laptop/TabletPC/SmartPhone/etc… Social Media is our best friend.  "World War Three will be a guerilla information war, with no division between military and civilian participation." -- Marshall McLuhan

*Camera… consider a durable, weatherproof, wearable, and pole mountable POV Camera.  Shoot hands free by wearing it on your head or mount it on a pole for hard to get shots like a group watching a speech or some confused cops walloping on your fellow occupiers.

*All the cords and accessories you’ll need to keep your personal media machine powered up and operating.

ENCAMPMENT ORGANIZERS

*Support and Storage Vehicles… for storing and transporting food, water, fuel, equipment, etc

*First Aid Kits

*Trash Cans… and trash bags

*Kitchen Equipment and Supplies… stoves, grills, propane tanks, pots, pans, utensils, buckets, scrubbers, dish soap, water tanks, coolers, etc.

*Portable Generator... Honda's are reliable, quiet, and buying one supports the struggling Japanese

*Small Solar/Wind Power Setup

*Portable High Speed WiFi System

*Portable toilets… or some sanitation system that works given your location

*Lots of food…

*Even more water… or at least a system to replenish water supplies to 5 gallon jugs, 55 gallon drums, etc.

*Legal Defense Specialists… look for disgruntled lawyers!  There are plenty out there.

*Social Networking Media Team...

*Medical Personnel...

*Resupply Network...

 *And So Forth...

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This guide could also prove useful... Stash Yer Cache: Building A Budget Backcountry Retreat

316 listed Occupations on 10/5/11!

The Zeitgeist Films: Watch Them Right Here.

If you're not familiar with Peter Joseph's ZEITGEIST Trilogy of films, you should probably watch them soon.

2007's Zeitgeist: The Movie takes a critical look at where the world was headed then.

2008's Zeitgeist: Addendum continues where the first one left off.  If you want to know what's going on with the economy right now, this film will help you make basic sense of it all.

The soon to be released Zeitgeist: Moving Forward will offer humanity a roadmap out of the catastrophe spawned by a corrupt and outdated system.

You can watch the first two films in their entirety right here.  The trailer for the third film is also available.  It comes out in January, 2011.

Zeitgeist: The Movie - 2007 by Peter Joseph from ZeitgeistMovie.com on Vimeo.



Zeitgeist: Addendum - 2008 by Peter Joseph from ZeitgeistMovie.com on Vimeo.



Zeitgeist: Moving Forward | Official Trailer- [ Extended ] from ZeitgeistMovie.com on Vimeo.

Billionaire Birthday Bash #5: First Round of Fallout

 vs 

***

This is just one of several posts about my current conflict with vengeful billionaire hypocrite Foster Friess.  For an overview of the situation and chronology of posts go here...

***

Last night I got fired from my Bellman gig for writing about my experiences working at and opinions of Foster Friess' 70th Birthday Party.  I didn't have a chance to defend myself, my claims or my rights.  I just got canned over the phone.

Team Friess has also contacted my other employer and is putting pressure on them to fire me as well.  This seems exceptionally unethical as that job has absolutely nothing to do with the situation.

He's threatening my livelihood in an attempt to intimidate me.  He wants these posts down, and he's going against his declared ideals to shut me up.

I was also informed - not by Friess but rather a friend - that unless I remove the postings and apologize for my opinions, I'll be sued for everything I'm worth and blacklisted by most major employers in Jackson Hole.  Mr. Friess has obviously got financial sway in this valley, and a Billionaire's legal team can make mountains out of molehills, so I've got no doubt of Foster's ability to cause me oodles of trouble.

I face all this though I did nothing illegal or immoral.  Bellmen don't sign a confidentiality agreement.  We'd need to get paid a lot more than $8.50 an hour to voluntarily turn off our eyes, ears, hearts, and voices.

Near as I can tell, the only thing I said that could possibly be construed as slanderous is a caption under a picture of Friess that says "This cowboy fucks sheep.  You, dear reader, and I are unfortunately part of the flock."

The ironic thing is that Foster just fucked me by getting me fired, so I've got pretty compelling evidence the caption - though crude - rings true and is therefore legit.

Another irony is that Foster took out a full page ad in yesterday's Jackson Hole News and Guide to throw a twisted spin on a recent story by Todd Wilkinson called "Friess Implies Obama Welcomes Oil Disaster".  If this doesn't further establish him as a willful public figure open to criticism, I don't know what possibly could.  Thus the libel laws grow looser.

Yet another irony comes near the end of yesterday's "Open Letter to Todd Wilkinson" where Friess writes:

 "... let's you and I pledge to work together to see what we can accomplish for the good of those people who need help right now, particularly those without jobs."

The irony is that on the day he published those words Friess was actually conspiring to get a poor person fired from not one but two jobs.  And for what?

For speaking his mind in his small section of cyberspace.

For exercising his right to Free Speech.

For doing his Patriotic Duty by exposing the hypocrisy and wastefulness of some of the wealthiest, most-powerful, and two-faced Americans.  Let me explain...

The true "Judeo-Christian ethic undergirding our culture"  has deep roots in forgiveness and understanding.  More than by means of financial, political, or military power, the success of our culture is due to our ability to live and work together despite our differences.  It's the whole "melting pot" thing.  Remember?

From small service industry jobs where folks of many races and languages work side by side to the momentous meetings of international businessmen, our collective ability to let bygones be bygones is one hell of an asset.

If our Nation's strategy was to wage war on anyone who criticized or contradicted our prevailing ideology, we'd have suffered the Nazi's fate long ago: utter defeat and a place in the history books as the World's Greatest Assholes.

Right now, I'm having a war waged on me for documenting an honest experience and offering my opinions.  I have had my livelihood partially cut off and am being intimidated with additional threats.

My intent in writing what I did was raising awareness, ideally in the hearts and minds of those about whom I wrote.

I'll let you decide for yourself what Foster Friess' intentions are in dealing with me.

And now, the Lyric of the Day!  Here in America - thanks to the aforementioned diversity - we've got a song for just about any occasion.  Facing the threats before me, I'm embracing the wisdom of Muddy Waters:

You can't spend what you ain't got

You can't lose something you ain't never had.

Peace.