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We are the 99 percent

January Nigerian General Strike and Call for Solidarity Actions

Posted 12 years ago on Jan. 7, 2012, 7:53 a.m. EST by OccupyWallSt

With the IMF and the Nigerian administration forcing more cuts on the people, especially an 8 billion dollars cut on fuel subsidies causing an inflation in the nigerian cost of life, occupations and protests across the country grew. They were met with heavy handed police repression last week, with three dead across the country.

The Nigerian Labor Congress, Africa's largest union, with 4 million members, is now calling for a general strike of all its affiliate unions in support of the country's also striking oil workers, starting on January 9th.

In solidarity with Occupy Nigeria, EIE and other Nigerian movements, the occupy movement in the US is calling for local protests.

OccupyDC will hold a solidarity rally monday at 11 am, starting at McPherson square.

Details coming soon for other solidarity actions.

101 Comments

101 Comments


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[-] 11 points by fucorporatemedia (451) 12 years ago

If you really want to support Nigeria, we need to stop the ridiculous food and fuel prices that are driving the 99% into poverty.

What does it help to just 'support Nigeria' when poor people all over the world are suffering and dying because Goldman Sachs and Koch Brothers are speculating on our commodities, driving the cost of everything through the roof just to make themselves more money. Goldman Sachs created the commodity index and the bastards even named it after themselves 'Goldman Sachs Commodity Index' and Koch created the first oil derivative to start driving up the cost of our fuel. This makes no sense for the common good. This hasn't always been this way, they just bought the government off and everyone just accepted it. It is unacceptable and we are the ones that have to stop it.

They are laughing at this movement, because they are still raking in the money every time you fill up your tank to go to a protest, or bring food for protesters, or donate money for goods....everything is at least twice what it should cost because those bastards are playing the market.

It hasn't always been this way...and WE HAVE TO STOP THE SPECULATION ON WALL STREET SO POOR PEOPLE CAN AFFORD FOOD!

What good is it to just 'support them'....WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION TO STOP SPECULATORS that are causing the poorest to suffer and die from starvation.

Forum Post: Wheat has gone from $4 to $25 on Speculation alone! Stop Goldman Sachs from ripping off the world!! http://occupywallst.org/forum/wheat-has-gone-from-4-to-25-on-speculation-alone-s/

Top Ten Ways Americans are Getting Squeezed: Report Shows Wall Street Driving Up Food, Fuel Prices http://occupywallst.org/forum/top-ten-ways-americans-are-getting-squeezed-report/

Please, do not go to a park and 'support Nigeria'. Do you really think the media will cover this, or that every day Americans will care or support it?

If you go to the TV stations with signs explaining to the 99% that they too are being ripped off by speculation on food and fuel...surround the stations until they bring this fact to the American people loud and clear....Demand that they use our public airwaves to serve the public interest....this will reach many more people and be much more useful to Nigerians and the rest of the world's poor populations.

[-] 2 points by hiddenwheel (83) from Newton, MA 12 years ago

We are dominated as a culture by people like the Koch brothers who somehow find a way to live their lives ignoring the fact that their existence is predicated on murder. Murder that is twice or three times removed is still murder! People in Nigeria and the Congo die over oil fields and copper mines. Deregulated global trade allows corporations to enter foreign countries, encourage their governments to use whatever tactics they find most efficient to clear land and displace people, and then take no responsibility for the massacres and famines that ensue. Just call it "ethnic violence''. The leaders of these corporations must be the most delusional or just plain psychotic people on the face of the earth! The future looks pretty bleak if these are the people buying our elected officials.

[-] 3 points by hiddenwheel (83) from Newton, MA 12 years ago

And it makes sense from a financial perspective that if the poorest countries can't afford food they are more likely to turn to violence. When they do they create a country that is more unstable which leads to a government that is more corrupt. This type of nation is an American corporations dream come true. So the speculators help create an environment that is ripe for anyone wanting to swoop in and steal some raw materials.

[-] 1 points by i8jomomma (80) 12 years ago

they are laughing at us cause all we do is light a candle instead of lighting up a police station or a courthouse.................they are laughing at us cause they know we are afraid of them...............do you really think our military is that brainwashed that they would actually turn their guns on their own?.........

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[-] 1 points by i8jomomma (80) 12 years ago

the U.S...............our crooked government...........the ones that steal our tax money..........goes on vacation.........comes back and tells us the country is going bankrupt cause they stole all our money and are running out of ways to rip us off..............and as far as Nigeria goes............I'm for anybody who is willing to get rid of any corrupt government.......by any means ...........no matter who they are or where they are from

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[-] 1 points by i8jomomma (80) 12 years ago

i said.........if we took back our country by any means........do you think our military would turn their guns on their own?........I think not but there must be some reason why the people are afraid to do what it takes to live our lives the way we want instead of the way the tea bags(our government) think we should be living our lives............

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[-] 1 points by i8jomomma (80) 12 years ago

??????????????????????????????????????????

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[-] 1 points by SwissMiss (2435) from Ann Arbor Charter Township, MI 12 years ago

I love your idea of making signs (as well as using other methods) to explain this to the 99%. The focus, part of it, should be on educating the 99% on the most important issues that are being challenged.

[-] 0 points by grumpy1 (-24) from Newark, NJ 12 years ago

And also....how to spell correctly.

America has had enough. When the OWSers start dying in the streets, your movement will be nothing but a chaotic unpleasant distant memory that no one cares about reliving.

[-] 1 points by struggleforfreedom80 (6584) 12 years ago

Taking action is important, but it´s also important that the Occupy Movement grows first. Please read my contribution:

http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/1321101669_the_transition_phase_.html

Also check out Noam Chomsky at Occupy Boston:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZbNT62aprM (q&a at 28:35)

When the movement is huge, lots of things can be done :)

http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/

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[-] 1 points by struggleforfreedom80 (6584) 12 years ago

By "commie" do you mean Leninist, or Anarcho-Communist?

Noam Chomsky is a Libertarian Socialist.

And it is an egalitarian, non-hierarchical libertarian socialist society we should strive for:

http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/1320873951_the_society_we_should.html

http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/1317735903_chomsky_explains_libe.html

What exactly is your definition of "anti-american"?

struggleforfreedom

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[-] 1 points by richardkentgates (3269) 12 years ago

Why is it always an either or argument with you types? Every religion in the world teaches a form of socialism, but you cannot build state of the art hospitals and cruise ships with good will. It has never made sense to me that people try to drive a nail with screwdriver, ie... right tool for the right job.

[-] 1 points by struggleforfreedom80 (6584) 12 years ago

Oh, ok. Then I´m afraid you´re way off. I think you should study what NC stands for (libertarian socialism) before you make any further comments. Please check these two out:

http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/1320873951_the_society_we_should.html

http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/1317735903_chomsky_explains_libe.html

There´s a pretty huge difference between Leninism and Anarcho-Communism wouldn´t you say?

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[-] 1 points by struggleforfreedom80 (6584) 12 years ago

"Do you live in a community? Guess what? That makes you a communist"

This is not correct, my friend. A communist is either one who supports a classless, stateless society (which is the original meaning of the word) but it has also (because of Soviet and Western propaganda) come to mean leninism, which is something very different (and awful)

please come visit my blog: http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/

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[-] 1 points by struggleforfreedom80 (6584) 12 years ago

listen, a word has to have a meaning/definition that is shared by most people if its going to be put to use (and those two definitions i mentioned are the two meanings of the word "communism") You can of course give the word some other meaning, but that would make things very confusing. But let´s not start arguing over this. There are more important things to do :)

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[-] 1 points by struggleforfreedom80 (6584) 12 years ago

Hehe. Remember, the important thing is to create the actual society we want to live in, rather than talking semantics. yours s. sff http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/

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[-] 1 points by struggleforfreedom80 (6584) 12 years ago

I´m sorry - capitalism and (real) democracy don´t mix:

http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/1320871888_replace_capitalism_wi.html

When you think of "communism" you´re thinking of leninism. That´s not what the word really means, and it´s not at all what NC, or the Occupy Movement stand for.

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[-] 1 points by struggleforfreedom80 (6584) 12 years ago

What do you mean?

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[-] 1 points by struggleforfreedom80 (6584) 12 years ago

First of all, democracy has more dimentions than just voting every 2nd year:

http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/1320873951_the_society_we_should.html

second, where have you heard that the OM wants to take over the US government?

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[-] 0 points by bettydonnelly (115) 12 years ago

80 Cents on every Gallon of Gas we buy goes to Goldman & the other Wall St Speculators. If you doubt this "Google Gas Prices and Speculators" And what does the Administration do Nothing because Obama and Congress are owned by Goldman Sachs.

[-] 2 points by SwissMiss (2435) from Ann Arbor Charter Township, MI 12 years ago

I'm buying an electric car in a year or so. I'm sick and tired of padding the pockets of those bastards.

[-] 1 points by i8jomomma (80) 12 years ago

are you one of those people that supports that tea bag obama and his effort to go green cause going green is the way to be?............all your doing is taking money out of one pocket and putting it in the pocket of another tea bag...........it is all a hustle............if you really want to get back at those bastards then stop taking shit from all of them and just fill up and go...........or when ya go shopping just fill your cart up and take off................what the fuck are they gonna do about it?.............they can't stop us all...........and when push comes to shove............I really don't think our military is going to turn their guns on their own

[-] 0 points by grumpy1 (-24) from Newark, NJ 12 years ago

If you steal from me, you're also going to leave my store with a good amount of lead blasted into your theiving face.

Just prepare yourself, jack.

[-] 1 points by i8jomomma (80) 12 years ago

ha ha..........joker

[-] 0 points by agnosticnixie (17) from Laval, QC 12 years ago

There's a song about that from the 50s >.>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DgJZADHsyg

[+] -4 points by DependentClass (19) 12 years ago

Are you really this stupid? Sure, poor governance, lack of technology, galloping population growth rates, political unrest, poor access to water, more people globally consuming animal proteins which demand more crops... none of it matters to a propagandist like you. The problem, of course, Wall Street.

In Western countries, population size is driven by choice. In crudholes like Nigeria, it's driven by what the environment will bear. And as modern healthcare benefits have reached them, the food supply is even more the determinant of population size. Equilibrium is the cusp of crisis. This too has NOTHING to do with the U.S. and Wall Street.

Let's see, I "speculate" in wheat. Hmm, ok. I buy. I buy a lot. But then what? Do I dump it in the ocean? Set it on fire? If I'm a speculative buyer, how I am not also a SELLER. What a dope.

[-] 4 points by fucorporatemedia (451) 12 years ago

I believe it is abundantly clear who the stupid propagandist is. Try reading some facts!

In 1991, Goldman bankers came up with a new kind of investment product, a derivative that tracked 24 raw materials, from precious metals and energy to coffee, cocoa, cattle, corn, hogs, soy, and wheat to be known henceforth as the Goldman Sachs Commodity Index (GSCI). For just under a decade, the GSCI remained a relatively static investment vehicle.

Then, in 1999, the Commodities Futures Trading Commission deregulated futures markets. Bankers recognized a good system when they saw it, and dozens of speculative non-physical hedgers followed Goldman’s lead and joined the commodities index game, including Barclays, Deutsche Bank, Pimco, JP Morgan Chase, AIG, Bear Stearns, and Lehman Brothers “You had people who had no clue what commodities were all about suddenly buying commodities,” an analyst from the United States Department of Agriculture told me.

In the first 55 days of 2008, speculators poured $55 billion into commodity markets, and by July, $318 billion was roiling the markets. Food inflation has remained steady since.

Hard red spring wheat, which usually trades in the $4 to $6 dollar range per 60-pound bushel, broke all previous records as the futures contract climbed into the teens and kept on going until it topped $25. And so, from 2005 to 2008, the worldwide price of food rose 80 percent — and has kept rising.

Which part of that don't you understand??

[-] 1 points by jdjay (34) 12 years ago

Keep educating us on this stuff. Don't let us forget. It is insane what these elitists' monsters are doing to exploit the earth's resources and its people. They will face justice in due course of time. They will get their karma one way or another. They should not be allowed to gamble with the basic necessities of life at the Wall St. casino. President Obama had better do something to change this or he is going to be forced from his position by a higher power.

[-] -1 points by DependentClass (19) 12 years ago

When a "speculator" buys grain, what does he do with it? Do they dump it in the ocean or, lacking a use for it, sell it? You moonbats gets so wee-wee-ed up over things you don't even half understand that you forget even the most obvious.

We burn about 1/3 of our corn crop for idiotic ethanol. See, now there's something that consumes grain.

[-] 2 points by fucorporatemedia (451) 12 years ago

You should really go back to your Corporate re-education camp.

Your 'points' are making you look ridiculously stupid.

Kinda like the people that think the GOP candidates on TV are smart....meanwhile they are embarrassing the Republican party and the corporate owned media. The entire world is laughing at the stupidity of you and your types.

You think you have it all controlled, because the corporate media goes right on lying every day...but the American people and the people of the entire world are not as stupid as you think and no one is going to put up with your bullshit anymore.

You may be stupid, but the rest of us are not. You are just too stupid to realize that you all have been exposed as greedy bastards that only use the face of religion to promote your fascist movement. By the way, everyone also knows that the religions the politicians and their idiotic followers pretend to believe, are teaching the exact opposite of what you hypocritical bastards are doing. If you all believed in God at all, you would realize you are going to hell for the killing of millions of innocent people all over the world, as well as lying, and stealing....

[-] 1 points by DarknessOfGreed (41) 12 years ago

well said, im sick of politicians using religion as a bargaining chip to gain power...if they were as religious as they claimed to be, their policies might burden them a little greater

[-] 1 points by Mooks (1985) 12 years ago

You never answered his question of what happens to that grain that the speculator buys.

[-] 1 points by hiddenwheel (83) from Newton, MA 12 years ago

Is the question: "What do speculators do?'' When you buy a large enough amount of a commodity it becomes more scarce and the price goes up. Speculators buy a ton of a commodity when the price is low. When the price then goes back up they sell it for a profit. The speculator never sees an ounce of actual grain. The more this technique is used the more the commodity continues to be priced higher than its actual value based on the labor required to create it. There are however people who need to buy these things just to survive. Stock market speculators are playing a game with peoples lives.

[-] 1 points by Mooks (1985) 12 years ago

When contracts are bought, the price goes up. When they are sold, the price goes down. Traders always buy AND sell (or sell AND buy), otherwise they would end up with a ton of grain or pig bellies or oranges or whatever. The situation in which a speculator continues to drive up the price of something indefinitely simply is not true. There are just as many speculators (those who are short) who would love nothing more than to see the price plummet.

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[-] 0 points by DependentClass (19) 12 years ago

Pure propaganda. Sure, when I see the NEXT starvation incident in Africa, I won't think civil war, poor and corrupt governance, how the population is up 20% from the last time it happened, how water supplies are inadequate, how we burn corn for fuel or how China is moving towards animal protein... I'll think greed and Goldman.

You're a one trick-idiot. Is something bad? Yes it is. Well, it must've been caused by greed and Goldman.

[-] 2 points by jdjay (34) 12 years ago

Can't you be constructive with your criticisms? Do you have to be so vile with your name calling? Your showing a complete lack of class, dependentclass.

[-] 1 points by DarknessOfGreed (41) 12 years ago

you make some good points...however...why do you think governments become corrupt? -GREED!....greed cannot be discounted from this equations as it contributes to many basic evils...yes, Goldman isnt the lone reason for world turmoil, but its a key component.....our problems are a collaboration of things

[-] 0 points by DependentClass (19) 12 years ago

It isn't a key component; the world is a lot bigger than Goldman Sachs. I don't like Goldman either, but laying everything bad in the world is at its door step is grossly misplaced.

Government's become corrupt for a lot of reasons. Politics, ethnic struggles, religious struggles, greed, fear, power... on and on.

Greed also is a basic human trait. We can resist it, but it'll exist as long as people exist. Railing against greed isn't very useful. Do you rail against other integral features of humanity? Do you fixate on jealously too?

[-] 1 points by DarknessOfGreed (41) 12 years ago

that does not make greed right....government must attempt to separate itself as much as possible from greed...and goldman sachs plays a role....that cannot be refuted, no matter how big or small you view this role

[-] 0 points by DependentClass (19) 12 years ago

Greed is part of all of us as human beings. We attempt to manage it; that's what we do. Goldman is just one institution in a big world. OWS has a hard on for it, but that lacks an understanding of context.

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[-] 1 points by JesseHeffran (3903) 12 years ago

Correct me if I'm wrong, I thought speculators bought futures in grain, which would mean they do not actually buy grain but gamble as to what that grain will be worth in the future.

[-] 0 points by DependentClass (19) 12 years ago

Correct. But the futures market is linked to physical markets. If you're a buyer driving up the futures price, you're gonna end up with the physical reality of owning some grain that you don't have a use for.

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[-] 1 points by SwissMiss (2435) from Ann Arbor Charter Township, MI 12 years ago

You obviously know NOTHING about speculation and therefore should not comment about it.

[-] 2 points by Anachronism (225) 12 years ago

There is an Occupy Nigeria? Cool!

[-] 1 points by struggleforfreedom80 (6584) 12 years ago

Occupy everywhere:)

yours s sff http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/

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[-] 1 points by falcon1961 (24) 12 years ago

Please folks help us contact an attorney to legally fight corporate WallStreet don't let this legal chance to bring WallStreet down pass us up. Hundreds of millions belonging to my family is being extorted by the courts in two states in return for protection of greater prosecution of this corporate corruption to unlawfully dispose of toxins which destroyed our home and left us for dead. Thinking we would die the entire settlemnet was placed on us.. Yet the court trial class action failed to prove any injury to others. court documents at www.classvictim.wordpress.com

[-] 1 points by Builder (4202) 12 years ago

Tell the locals to take their earnings in gold, and demand food and fuel vouchers.

Otherwise, no work.

[-] 1 points by sunsetparker (1) 12 years ago

All out to support Occupy Nigeria and the Nigerian general strike against the 1 percent's fuel price hikes. Come to 44th and 2nd Avenue in Manhattan at 12 noon today, January 10 for a march and rally.

[-] 1 points by Terrington (1) 12 years ago

The only true way to support a general strike to call for our own. Strikes should only beget more strikes.

[-] 1 points by Pharos (12) from 's-Hertogenbosch, NB 12 years ago

Nigeria imports gas/kerosene/diesel because due to corruption they do not have a refinery of their own and then had subsidized 50% of the fuel price. J. Goodluck wants a refinery for Nigeria & like any corrupt country cannot borrow to build a refinery. Boko haram anybody???? Some nigerian prince still owes me like $50 million, maybe he can use it to build that refinery! [my donation] LOL

[-] 1 points by Pharos (12) from 's-Hertogenbosch, NB 12 years ago

Louis Theroux: Law and disorder in Lagos. Watch & shiver!

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[-] 0 points by grumpy1 (-24) from Newark, NJ 12 years ago

Why doesn't OWS squat in the front yard of the white house or at every Private Country Club in America?

Until you show the real patriots of the U.S.A. that you have a brain in your heads, your movement is a fart in the wind. And you do smell.

[-] 0 points by grumpy1 (-24) from Newark, NJ 12 years ago

OWS encouraging nigerians to protest....is like shooting them all in the face while shaking their hands.

Have some responsibility for inciting riot on a clearly weak and fragile population. If not....better learn to love licking their blood off your fingrs. The U.S. and Nigeria cannot be approached as if they are the same species of snake. How old are you guys anyway?

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[-] 0 points by reysuf (0) 12 years ago

the elites of the world know how to kill a movement with leader. the elites of the world don't know how to kill a 7 billion people leaderless movement. ows is by design a success.

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[-] 0 points by BystanderDC (91) 12 years ago

Does anyone else have an issue with this? OWS us trying to be the International movement of everyone. And in doing so instead of having a few good messages or events or statements. It has many. Too many. Think about this for a second. One event with 1000s of protestors has more impact than 100s of protests with a 100 protestors. The movement is spreading intsrlf too thin and trying to do too much. Instead of doing a few things well. It is doing too many things poorly.

Maybe that is the key. Maybe we are trying to make it seem that OWS is bigger than it actually is. The DC camps are shrinking. Ithe freedom plaza one is s small compared to Franklin Park but that is because the homeless always kind of camped in Franklin Park. I read this OpEd piece the other day. If you truly want to make a change, come to DC. Stop these small OccupyEverywhere camps and do something real.

http://mobile.al.com/advbirm/pm_29183/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=wsdlvHxB

[-] 2 points by geminijlw (176) from Mechanicsburg, PA 12 years ago

We are coming to DC on the 17th of January for the largest rally yet.

[-] 0 points by BystanderDC (91) 12 years ago

According to the Washington Post we are the biggest coupling camp. Do come for the rally and leave with a new significant other. Gotta love the media.

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[-] 0 points by BystanderDC (91) 12 years ago

I thought we were trying to co-opt other countries movements as solidarity for us? The movement died went it decided to be a leaderless movement. Most movements need a leader. The only reason the Arab Spring was successful IMHO is that they had one person they hated. OWS is all over the place and scattered in its approach. It was fun while it lasted. But yeah I think you may be right. 60 Wall Street only has a few dozen people attending their planning sessions I heard.

[-] 0 points by bpmangan (123) from New York, NY 12 years ago

Why do you believe that 1 protest with 10000 people is better than 100 protests with 100 people? I mean its all academic, but I'd disagree. A constant buzz can be just as valuable as a few explosions. If anything, in a world where we are updated by the minute, it makes more sense to update our protests every minute.

[-] 0 points by BystanderDC (91) 12 years ago

Well the Huffington Post had a good article about this today. It talks in a positive way about everything the movement is doing but when you read it you realize that these are all very small "wins" if you can call it that. The movement is too fractured the leaderless aspect while novel at the beginning is starting to turn people away. The frustration in the lack of being able to do anything. Look at the Occupy DC movement for example. It got in the Washington Post today not for it's direct action but all the couples coming out of the camp. Really? And everyone wonders why people are leaving the movement? A few good, solid movements with direction is much better that lots of poorly planned ones.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2012/01/09/occupy-2012-wall-street_n_1193210.html

[-] 1 points by bpmangan (123) from New York, NY 12 years ago

Ultimately the goal either way is to have lots of very big protests. I just wanted to bring up that it isn't a given that a single large protest will do more than a constant buzz. One might get more news coverage, but the other will likely get more people in to the streets in total.

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[-] 0 points by fucorporatemedia (451) 12 years ago

Goldman Sachs and Koch are speculating on everyone's food and fuel...driving the cost of everything sky high.

We think we have it bad, this is causing millions to starve across the globe.

This is happening on our wall street, and it is our responsibility.

Nigeria cannot fight the speculators that are literally killing people, but we can.

This needs to be the focus and we need to take it to the TV stations. Those are our public airwaves the liars are using every day to push their propaganda. The FCC gives them a license with the understanding they are to serve the public interest and if they do not they can have their license revoked.

We can easily make a case to have their license revoked, but that is every 8 years so until then we need to tell the corporate media that their bullshit is going to stop, whether they like it or not.

[-] -1 points by DependentClass (19) 12 years ago

If speculators drive up the price by buying, what are they doing with the grain? Because unless they're getting rid of it somehow, it comes right back on the market because they also then become sellers. Drop the propaganda and think for just a second.

[-] 1 points by fucorporatemedia (451) 12 years ago

"If speculators drive up the price by buying, what are they doing with the grain?"

I was going to comment but your ignorance speaks for itself.

[-] 0 points by DependentClass (19) 12 years ago

No, yours does. See, it's those bastards at Goldman, yeah, them. It just couldn't be things like burning 1/3 of the corn crop for ethanol. It couldn't be population growth. It couldn't be that fuck nut countries have all sorts of problems that result in food problems... Of course not, it's Goldman. You're just too stupid.

Grain isn't like gold or even oil. You can't just stick it somewhere (for very long). And as prices go up, guess what dummy, so does PRODUCTION. You'll be buried in production. If you are a buyer of grain, you have to soon be a seller of grain.

[-] 1 points by bpmangan (123) from New York, NY 12 years ago

The simple fact is that this does happen. Food is thrown away because a higher supply is bad economically. It benefits those who have the goods, in this case grain, to not grow them to their fullest extent so that the prices stay higher. It may not be the only reason, but saying that it isn't a reason and that the Blame Goldman mentality causes this is a bit nosensical.

[-] 0 points by DependentClass (19) 12 years ago

We do throw some food away and we waste food too. But this serves an important purpose. We always have to produce more than we consume. We need a cushion against crop failures and famine. Imagine if we didn't. Imagine is there was no food waste. Then, production would be aligned with demand. But what would happen in a series of disastrous harvests? What then? Prices would spike. Americans could tolerate it because we're so rich. There's pretty much no price of food where I would go hungry. But who would do without? The Third World.

Grain is a global market and governments subsidize food creation to placate farmers and for the disaster reason I just wrote about. There no reason whatsoever to say that food creation is being suppressed to push up prices. It's the opposite that happens because of policy.

[-] 1 points by bpmangan (123) from New York, NY 12 years ago

Yes you are correct it would be great if we could fill our need and have what is left over used for other purposes, but we're not filling the demand. There are too many people going hungry. It is often decided that it makes more financial sense to throw away perfectly good food than to give it to those who need it. Many restaurants have been known to put food that could be donated to local homeless shelters into locked dumpsters and to dump all kinds of poisons on them so that they can not be taken for free.

Food is thrown away at an alarming rate. I'd be much more willing to see that as a positive, on the grounds you explained, if there weren't so many peopel without food in the world.

[-] 0 points by DependentClass (19) 12 years ago

But as I tried to explain, wasting food serves a purpose. If we didn't waste food, our margin of safety to cope with a true production crisis would be reduced. Think about it. If we only produced what we ate, what the hell would happen the year we ran into a production problem? Immediately, hunger would ensue. Waste is unseemly, but it's a buffer. It's starvation insurance.

Now, food problems in the 3rd world are another matter. Population in the West is determined by family planning. But population in much of the 3rd world is determined by the food supply. Equilibrium is the cusp of food insecurity. Add more food, population follows and equilibrium of the edge of food insecurity is restored. Then something happens like a bad harvest, drought, or unrest and a hunger crisis is touched off.

Supplying more food does nothing to change this dynamic; it doesn't alleviate the break point, it just moves it to a higher number. Until family planning becomes the population governor, this won't change.

[-] 1 points by bpmangan (123) from New York, NY 12 years ago

I'm not willing to agree with your statements on family planning and the third world (it's cyclical because family planning makes no sense when most of your family is going to die because of lack of proper nutrition), but I'm willing to concede them so as not to get sidetracked.

There are people starving in America in every town and city. Wasting food serves a purpose when you are already meeting your needs; that is a surplus. If food is being wasted because we have a surplus that is left over than it can be good. I agree. Our needs are not met, so we don't have a surplus. The logic you are using makes no sense in a country where a large portion of the people go hungry. The point isn't that we are being wastefu, but that we are being wasteful with neccesary goods that could be used to feed the hungry.

Also you've gone from saying that noone is wasting food(and implying that that would be the only thing to make speculation wrong) to arguing that waste, as such, is neccesary for a functioning society. You seem to be heavily invested in arguing one side; bending your own logic to do so.

[-] 0 points by DependentClass (19) 12 years ago

Starving creates thinness. No skinny, no starving. Sorry, it's simply a biological fact. Only in America, a place utterly removed from chronic hunger, could people think starvation and not being thin can co-exist.

We waste food as a matter of lifestyle and policy, not because speculators are some how buying it up and disposing of it. Speculators can't stay one-sided for long. If they're buyers, they have to be sellers too (and soon) because they don't take the grain.

To persist and talking about Goldman in the face of issues like what dynamic drives population size in these places, ethanol consuming 40% of our corn crop, unrest, etc. is just plain silly.

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[-] -2 points by Wallgreed (-26) 12 years ago

Obama's mountain of failed policies and out of control spending is costing us more and not the Koch brothers.

[-] 1 points by fucorporatemedia (451) 12 years ago

Do you think that having fuel costing twice as much might affect government spending?

"Excessive energy speculation today is at its highest levels ever, and even Goldman Sachs now admits that at least $27 of the price of crude oil is a result from reckless speculation rather than market fundamentals of supply and demand."

Have you considered that more and more people need food stamps because they are paying at least twice what they should at the grocery store?

"Hard red spring wheat, which usually trades in the $4 to $6 dollar range per 60-pound bushel, broke all previous records as the futures contract climbed into the teens and kept on going until it topped $25. And so, from 2005 to 2008, the worldwide price of food rose 80 percent — and has kept rising."

JP Morgan is administering the food stamp program, which they outsourced to India.

Every time someone uses their food stamps, cha-ching for JP Morgan.

The corporations biggest fear is that we will go to their propaganda arm, the corporate media, and shut their bullshit down. None of this could be accomplished without the complicity of the corporate media using our public airwaves to lie to Americans every day.

[-] 0 points by Wallgreed (-26) 12 years ago

A lot of the food price increase etc is caused by the Bernanke printing press = inflation.

[-] 2 points by fucorporatemedia (451) 12 years ago

They want you to think it is 'inflation' while they drive the cost up through speculation.

Food prices are being driven by speculation and exacerbated by fuel prices for shipping,

Even Goldman Sachs admits it.

* How Koch Became An Oil Speculation Powerhouse From Inventing Oil Derivatives 

To Deregulating The Market – October 6, 1986: First oil derivative is introduced to Wall Street by traders at Koch. Koch Industries executive Lawrence Kitchen devised the “first ever oil-indexed price swap between Koch Industries and Chase Manhattan Bank. “Documents reveal that Koch is also participating in the unregulated derivatives markets as a financial player, buying and selling speculative products that are increasingly contributing to the skyrocketing price of oil.gas prices

Excessive energy speculation today is at its highest levels ever, and even Goldman Sachs now admits that at least $27 of the price of crude oil is a result from reckless speculation rather than market fundamentals of supply and demand. Many experts interviewed by ThinkProgress argue that the figure is far higher, and out of control speculation has doubled the current price of crude oil. “ * U.S. Oil Exports Reach Record Highs; That’s Right…Exports

[-] 0 points by sufinaga (513) 12 years ago

we are all oppressed by the same tyranny. we are all the same humanity. the money they stole in the subprime fraud bought land in the third world dispossessing the poor. they look down on all of us. that's how we can identify OUR ENEMY by their looking down on us. by their looking down on their fellow man. by their looking down on and attempting to divide OUR COMMUNITY.

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[-] -1 points by BystanderDC (91) 12 years ago

Funny how the only news about Occupy DC is about the coupling going on. I am all for free love but this is why the movement is struggling. Some prople in OWS here not all are using the movement like Match.com. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/occupy-dc-gives-way-to-romance/2012/01/05/gIQAO9CthP_story.html

[-] -1 points by ETHABHAE (13) from Seattle, WA 12 years ago

fucorpratemedia, they are laughing harder than you can imagine; http://tinyurl.com/7ckykcs

[-] -1 points by ETHABHAE (13) from Seattle, WA 12 years ago

Do not give up, keep solidarity. You have know idea how hard they are laughing at this movement: http://tinyurl.com/7ckykcs

So please do not cave, keep strong, promote and fight for change and reform you deserve as citizens of this once great nation.

[-] -1 points by theophilanthropy (4) 12 years ago

the original occupy platform http://www.RightsOfMan.org

If the Government, or the Constitution, or by whatever name it be called, be that miracle of perfection which the Proclamation and the Addresses have trumpeted it forth to be, it ought to have defied discussion and investigation, instead of dreading it. Whereas, every attempt it makes, either by Proclamation, Prosecution, or Address, to suppress investigation, is a confession that it feels itself unable to bear it. It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from enquiry. All the numerous pamphlets, and all the newspaper falsehood and abuse, that have been published against the Rights ofMan, have fallen before it like pointless arrows; and, in like manner, would any work have fallen before the Constitution, had the Constitution, as it is called, been founded on as good political principles as those on which the Rights ofMan is written.

It is a good Constitution for courtiers, placemen, pensioners, borough-holders, and the leaders of Parties, and these are the men that have been the active leaders of Addresses; but it is a bad Constitution for at least ninety-nine parts of the nation out of an hundred, and this truth is every day making its way.

It is bad, first, because it entails upon the nation the unnecessary expence of supporting three forms and systems of Government at once, namely, the monarchical, the aristocratical, and the democratical.

Secondly, because it is impossible to unite such a discordant composition by any other means than perpetual corruption; and therefore the corruption so loudly and so universally complained of, is no other than the natural consequence of such an unnatural compound of Governments; and in this consists that excellence which the numerous herd of placemen and pensioners so loudly extol, and which at the same time, occasions that enormous load of taxes under which the rest of the nation groans.

Among the mass of national delusions calculated to amuse and impose upon the multitude, the standing one has been that of flattering them into taxes, by calling the Government (or as they please to express it, the English Constitution) “the envy and the admiration of the world.” Scarcely an Address has been voted in which some of the speakers have not uttered this hackneyed nonsensical falsehood.

The Rights of Man Organization

[-] -1 points by PatrickOxOethafulm (35) 12 years ago

Go 99%

[-] -1 points by jbally (-1) 12 years ago

Thank you very much OWS for recognizing us and fixing us in your occupy agenda just as we have always pray for your success to put US in a good shape because America is the current threat that the whole world is facing.

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[-] -1 points by DonQuixot (231) 12 years ago

Congratulations. Keep it international. This must be a worldwide rebellion against currupt regimes, which are the majority of the nearly 200 countries in the world, headed by the US, of course, from where corruption rains to the rest of the world. Best wishes from Alicante, Spain, and Madrid's M-15 movement.

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[-] -1 points by jomojo (562) 12 years ago

Stop exporting misery.

[-] -1 points by FHampton (309) 12 years ago

"In a letter addressed to President Goodluck Jonathan, which the Coalition handed over to Governor Adams Oshiomhole at Government House, they said: 'In the interest of peace, unity and progress in Nigeria, we recommend the immediate reversal of the price of fuel to N65 in the first instance and thereafter to N39.50k, which is the ideal price of a litre of petrol. Restore the capacities of the four refineries in the country immediately and take full control of the oil industry. Drastically reduce the cost of governance and use the proceeds to fund development projects and the welfare of Nigerians. Jettison all market fundamentalist policies/programmes of the IMF/World Bank.

"'The ideas and development policies of the two Bretton Woods Institutions have failed repeatedly in different parts of the world. Therefore, the current Minister of Finance and all other agents of the World Bank and IMF in the Federal Executive Council should be sacked if they fail to resign honourably. We believe that Nigeria must reclaim its sovereignty from the IMF, the World Bank and Multinational Corporations, MNCs.'"

http://allafrica.com/stories/201201060570.html

[-] -2 points by marga (82) 12 years ago

OWS ignore all negativity. Just keep reaching out. The American people just have a hard time coping with the financial crisis. They want to keep hanging on to their job's, their earthly possession, their idea of God and whatever it is they hate to let go of. They fear the future, the unknown and keep reaching out in vain to hold on to something, but there is nothing there but memories of time gone by. We are still a rich country and we're gonna have to change our ways to insure the survival of our children and grandchildren. We are simply to wasteful and selfish in our ways. Poverty and war is simply unacceptable in a world of plenty. However before we give aid to other countries we truly need to take care of our own first.

[+] -4 points by DependentClass (19) 12 years ago

Typical. Unions, borrowing money, unsustainable government spending, subsidizing fuel to pretend it's cheaper than it is and then wondering why it ever has to end. Just like Greece. Just like Italy. Just like Spain. Just like Ireland. Just like Portugal. Just like California and Illinois. The solution? Strikes to make it even worse.

[-] 2 points by fucorporatemedia (451) 12 years ago

Do you like paying twice as much in gas as you should?

Koch brothers are driving the cost of gas sky high, not the unions.

Do you like paying more than double what you should for food?

Goldman Sachs is driving food cost sky high just to make themselves even more money.

Doesn't that make you angry?

The government has been borrowing money from the Social Security Trust Fund and China/Japan to fund wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya...and then to give tax cuts during these increased expenditures!

Bush's Big Government programs like Homeland Security and the TSA are costing billions to subvert our Constitution.

It is unAmerican to expect these Wars, BIG Governement programs to be paid for for free.

Who the hell are these 'conservatives' who are spending all the money, gaming the system and then pointing the finger at Social Security recipients who should never have had the money they paid in stolen from the trust fund in the first place.

Then the bastards even call for more tax cuts and more cuts to social safety nets....and another war!

Do you see the disconnect here?

Do you realize that bullshit you are spewing is propaganda from the very same corporations?

[-] -2 points by DependentClass (19) 12 years ago

As you "should"? What the hell does that mean?

How fucking stupid are you? Gee, let's see, why are their food problems in some places? Unstable governments, water access problems, technology access problems, unrest, galloping populations, societies where food decides population size not family planning, greater global demand for animal proteins as diets change.... nah, all bullshit. It's those damn Koch brothers and Goldman Sachs. LOL. You're just so stupid.

You're seething with propaganda.

I'd love to see you in Greece. You'd be out protesting the end to borrowed money.