Chile Forum

Don't know what you're hearing about it down south but this Occupy Wall Street thing seems to be catching on in different cities. I just came back from downtown and we have about 6,000 protesters walking around chanting near Salmon and Main in Portland. From what I've seen on TV in NYC and here it's still all somewhat polite and non-violent. So far. I mean, IMO it's a just a big picnic unless I see burning cars and tear gas clouds. I sense an undercurrent that this may get out of hand. But Uncle Sugar is always 17 steps ahead of the hoi-polloi and has had contingencies in place in some cases for decades. Thus all the FEMA camps. Tiny Tim made a statement about the economy today, he seems scared. I think we've entered a new phase with this and it will be happening a lot more frequently.

Yea, love the copy chilean protector thing with the zombies. That has got to be an historical first.

As for the banks and wall street, the suckers got it coming.

The hackers are also threatening to shut down the exchanges, including black mailing the employees.

Time to find out just what that trillions in magical digital currency is really worth. Bet it does not really represent good and services, but political power (or perhaps lack of it).

Small world, Chuck.

I was also in downtown Portland.

As some of you know, I am a financial advisor. Business is not that great. I had to sell some precious today to cover the mortgage and other expenses. So I went to my favorite coin dealer downtown. Since I was there anyway, I went to the location of the protest. There were people there from all walks of life. Then the protest started marching through downtown, and the financial district. I joined the rest of the protestors.I am also sick of the bankster and corporate greed, I fighured I belonged there too. The protestors just want their way of life back. They want the USA the way it used to be. There were lots of police officers there. I overheard one of them talk with a business man. The police were under orders to just stand by and observe. The marchers were in the streets, without a permit. Blocking traffic. Someone was stuck in traffic, because thousands of people were in his way. He got out of the car and honked the horn. he was cheering us on and flipping us the peace sign.

The day was sureal.

JvG wrote: The protestors just want their way of life back. They want the USA the way it used to be.

Sorry to break it to you bud. Those days of glory are gone forever. The protester should've come out right after the market crashed in '08 and even so..the crumbling and falling could be heard for miles and years as a sign it was coming but not one was paying attention. They were all too preoccupied shopping, now it's too little to late. The clock's hands cannot be turned back. Get over it.

I'm here on the ground in NYC and there have already been several incidents of "violence" (pepper spraying and the like) between the NYPD and the protestors. Nothing approaching the levels of the last few months in the Centro and other places in Santiago. As someone who is extremely sympathetic to the notion of a Lost America I too agree that those days have been gone forever for a long time.

From the interviews and seeing these kids first hand I will tell you that they only have the vaguest notion of what they are actually rallying against and seem for the most part to be there for lack of anything better to do. I expect it will wrap up quickly as soon as the weather gets cold enough.

I had the "good fortune" to be riding on the train the other day when some of these kids were going home (looked like the were headed back to NYU) as their version of Occupy Wall Street seemed only to encompass daytime. They looked like the group we would have called Stoners in High School and one was talking loudly about his acid use. I have not seen any mention of the NYPD needing military backup but of course it wouldn't shock me. The only reason I would doubt it is the NY Police are more heavily armed than most military around the world.

Gloria wrote:

JvG wrote: The protestors just want their way of life back. They want the USA the way it used to be.

Sorry to break it to you bud. Those days of glory are gone forever. The protester should've come out right after the market crashed in '08 and even so..the crumbling and falling could be heard for miles and years as a sign it was coming but not one was paying attention. They were all too preoccupied shopping, now it's too little to late. The clock's handles cannot be turned back. Get over it.

Yup, never going to happen. We live in a world economy now where manufacturing and entrepreneurship is not limited to the boundaries of your border. Sadly, few people are willing to accept change or adapt...meaning many more protests to come.

Sorry, eeuunikkeiexpat I should have more coffee before I take on reading comrehension challenges. I believe they did get some Veterans to join them on Monday but as far as I know it was just a few and didn't change the dynamic at all.

eeuunikkeiexpat wrote:
How about the report that US military personnel were going to ...

Where is Tim McVeigh now that you need him?

patagoniax wrote:

eeuunikkeiexpat wrote:
How about the report that US military personnel were going to ...

Where is Tim McVeigh now that you need him?

If you are referring to Timothy McVeigh (who was convicted of the Oklahoma City Federal Building bombing that resulted in the deaths of 168 people and 800+ injured), he was cremated after his execution and his ashes scattered somewhere by his lawyer (Patagonia?).
You are joking, right?

And yet another perspective:

Confronting the Malefactors - NYTimes opinion piece by Paul Krugman

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/07/opini ... nyt&em=rss

the "economic hitman" (John Perkins) has a go at "occupy" theme...

“A man in debt is so far a slave.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson -

“These are the Times. . .”
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article29616.htm