h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Suzuki has just pointed out that if 40% of Canadians don't vote at the Federal level, then they don't have democracy.




http://www.mapleleafweb.com/features/voter-turnout-canada

Here is another idea- if you can't occupy wall street- keep wall street occupied handling protests.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JlxbKtBkGM

"being immoral doesn't mean you're infertile"

Good one shagbark He has some good ideas.

"hello big bank clerk, please join a union"

Here's how the same guy describes his occupy: "I want to have a conversation. I want to have a huge, crowd-sourced conversation, with the nation's largest banks..."

He comes across as an intelligent and thoughtful man.

http://www.youtube.com/user/ransackedroom#p/a/u/0/QsUKtBzTgvk

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-15599615

"Anti-capitalist protesters in Glasgow's George Square have begun to relocate their camp before a city council deadline of Monday to vacate the site."

That's good news. I hope the relocation goes smoothly. Although I don't know the geography of the area, this seems sensible. I don't think Occupy would win many friends by doing anything to disrupt or inconvenience Remembrance Day commemorations.

It's basically moving about a mile, out of the city centre and close to the University.

Some are refusing to move though

There is a situation in one NZ city where the Mayor is offering a deal to the occupiers:

>>
It offered a deal that would see most of the encampment's tents removed, but one symbolic tent and an information kiosk allowed to remain in the Octagon - together with any protesters who wished - on a "long-term'' basis.
<<

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/news/print.cfm?objectid=10763804

I find that fairly extraordinary. The camp is in *the* central public area of the city and the local council are basically offering them the right to long term presence. Other city councils in NZ will be watching this closely. I'll be interested to see what the occupiers do, and how the council manages the situation. Given that there is no group membership or leadership it's not like anyone can agree to the council on behalf of anyone else anyway, but the temptation to have a permanent protest vehicle in that particular place will be very strong.

Their original right to occupy the Octagon was based on a still existing 19th century bylaw that allowed miners the right to camp in there on their way to the gold fields in the late 1800s

Yup. The George Sq protestors were moving on yesterday (turf being rolled up in preparation for Remembrance Day - and the subsequent moneyspinning ice rink etc.)

To a certain mindset, they couldn't really win, could they? Stay and its,

'How dare those workshy oiks interfere with the sanctity of Remembrance Day!'

But if, as reasonable, community-minded people, they negotiate a compromise, it's:

'Nyah! Nyah! Pathetic quitters.'

Some cynics prefer discord. They're the sort who could start a fight in an empty room.

Occupy Wall Street:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O_Ao9w1u7c

Meanwhile it sounds like in Atlanta, GA,USA things are starting to get ugly.
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/occupy-atlanta-police-halt-1217965.html

Running the flag up the pole upside down was a nice touch.

Interesting vid HN. I see they're trying to get it on cable TV:

http://loudsauce.com/campaigns/49-help-this-occupy-video-reach-millions-of-americans-on-tv

Och, away. 'Ugly' is when they fire into the crowd. That's when you know you're winning.

Actually I think that's when you know you're in deep shit.

Possibly. The other side often win. It generally depends on whether you shoot back.

Well it looks like it's kicking off. Or, at least, certain people are assuming that it's about to kick off:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/nov/07/plastic-bullets-available-student-protests?INTCMP=SRCH

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/nov/08/two-thirds-support-social-media-blackout

Should we begin to worry if two such stories appear in the same day's newspaper? If not then, when?

You don't have to be a member of The Weather Underground to know which way the wind's blowin'

End with a song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUO8ScYVeDo

The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin'
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'. -Bob Dylan

My suspension on h2g2 is now lifted.

Since I last posted here I got to find out more about 'Occupy' here in London. I'm not rushing though to a lot of research on the web. I'm taking my understanding from real life encounters with people involved here..and it appears a lot to do with 'thinking'. At least that's the aspect of it that really impresses me..and changing thinking can take time.

My closest friend in real life, (the artist I mentioned earlier), emailed me yesterday about her visit to the people at St.Pauls..and was very excited and happy by the discussions she had there. She is someone I totally trust. I'll be meting up with her soon to find out more. She has done practical activism to do with art for years.

She was encouraging me to visit. But I don't feel up to that at present.

I also met an Aussie woman the other night..and was also struck by the challenge to do with ways of thinking about things, that she talked about.

Anyway that's where I'm at to do with 'Occupy' at present. And I decided for now to confine it to real life understanding. But that's just what suits me at present. Others will engage in other ways of course.

After I meet up with my friend I'll maybe post more about what it means to me.

Ah. So she's not tittering like your other pals. Its good to have a wide range of friends.

It's also good to have an independent mind.

No-one's really doing anything like tittering here.


One moment it is setting fire and smashing up the place by our young people here. People taking quite some time to come to terms with that insanity.

Then now it's *also* Occupy..to do with thinking.

A big kaleidoscope for people in this community to integrate.

It's a lot to deal with. Some people full of violence and hate..their only solace in drugs. Others more rationally thinking people..tending to be middle class and honestly admitting to that priviledge..like the Aussie woman I met the other night...also artists.

And then I come to h2g2 and read stuff here from people all over the world.

**

It's far too complicated to explain. But then when you start to challenge yourself to think differently..it's quite some time before you can make proper sense of it.

**

There is a big student demo here tomorrow in London.

The Sky news I caught on a rather silly radio station, said the police have been issued with rubber bullets. I find that very hard to believe. But that's Murdoch for you..scare mongering people away.