Too much for just one post, so you get a bonus! UPDATE: actually, Flickr doesn’t want you to see these inflammatory photos, so just scroll up to one of the posts where I told Flickr to go fuck its censorship-happy Yahooligan self and uploaded the pix to WordPress.com. Should I ever get a break, I’ll sit down and repair this post. UPDATE: Done. Turned out to be my fault for setting them as Moderate in the uploader. I didn’t even know you could do that.

I spoke to the same security guard that I encountered yesterday and tonight instead of being nervous, he was … stoked. That’s pretty much the only word for it. He was stoked! Far from fearing the Anonymous masks, he was now focused on the community-building in situ, something he’d heard about but never seen for himself. The democratic process was impressive: the security woman at the medical tent, who couldn’t have been more supportive if she HAD been wearing one of those masks, told me they’d come to six resolutions, there was a free food tent (donations accepted) and it had been uniformly peaceful, to the obvious disappointment of a couple of standers-by.

As expected, it was fairly left-leaning, although there was also a strong Libertarian presence and they are attempting to keep the livestream as apolitical as possible. They’ve come up with a statement from the General Assembly, which is basically everybody there who wants to vote, which is basically EVERYBODY THERE. That should put paid to the “if they can’t say what they want in 140 characters, forget it!” people. What ever happened to good old manifestos, anyway?

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15TH, 2011 VANCOUVER ART GALLERY

Occupy Vancouver – A Non Violent Movement 
for Social, Economic and Political Change 

We, the Ninety-Nine Percent, come together with our diverse experiences to transform the unequal, unfair, and growing disparity in the distribution of power and wealth in our city and around the globe. We challenge corporate greed, corruption, and the collusion between corporate power and government. We oppose systemic inequality, militarization, environmental destruction, and the erosion of civil liberties and human rights. We seek economic security, genuine equality, and the protection of the environment for all.

We are inspired and in solidarity with global movements including those across the Middle East, Europe, and the Occupy Wall Street / Occupy Together movement in over 1000 cities in North America. Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere.

We humbly acknowledge that Occupy Vancouver is taking place on unceded Coast Salish territories.

We are committed to an inclusive and welcoming space, to addressing issues of oppression and discrimination, and to creating an environment where all the 99% can be heard and can meaningfully participate. We are also committed to safeguarding our collective well-being – including safety from interpersonal violence and any potential police violence.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a working statement that we know will evolve as #OccupyVancouver grows and flourishes. Our demands and our dreams are not limited to this statement as we have many ideas and solutions. As stated by #OccupyTogether, no one group, person, or website could ever speak for this diverse gathering of individuals. However, the General Assembly on October 8th reached consensus to accept these broad principles as a starting point and there will be further discussion on October 15th at 10 am at the General Assembly at the Vancouver Art Gallery.

And as for resolutions of the General Assembly, well, they are all nice people, they are letting anyone speak, they are willing to consider any and all positions and objections and amendments, but remember:

No one rules if no one obeys. Your moment of Zen

While we’re on the subject of Deep Thoughts, here are some by Brian Revel, who eloquently said what I’ve been too restless to articulate. It’s worth the time to read the whole thing, but here’s a taste:

The Occupy Wall Street movement that is slowly gaining steam in New York City is the change that I have been anticipating for much of my lifetime.

I have warned that a ‘revolution’ is coming. But on the other hand, I have called for change. I admit I have vacillated between embracing a world where the corporate agenda has lost its influence and ‘selling out’ to secure my economic future.

The revolution is upon us. It won’t be a Storming of the Bastille sort of revolution- or so I still hope. It’s going to be organic and more peaceful a la Gandhi; it will be in the numbers of participants, rather than in any violence that the change will take place.

Indeed, it will gain moral strength with every act of violence committed by those defending the status quo. Sadly, the defenders of the status quo is the role the New York Police Department is fated to play out.

REAL, deep and profound change doesn’t happen with a convenient sound bite or even a speech.

It happens because people vote with their feet. It may seem that what they are doing is unfocused right now. But as people slowly realize that their economic interests are being compromised by forces beyond their control and that all they have to do is stop what they’re doing and assemble to be counted, the momentum for change will accelerate.

We are not yet anywhere near a critical mass for spontaneous ‘revolution’ but I cannot help but keep my eye on this movement. Hell, I might even get on a plane and fly to New York to go see what is happening for myself. Seriously. This is the real thing.

Are we at all surprised it’s happening now? The largest demographic in the American population is the kids of baby boomers. They are unemployed, endebted and mad as hell. They see their parents retirement dreams vaporized. Their futures appear condemned to a losing battle against organizations that get rights but bear no responsibility for their actions. They see injustice everywhere and they have the time on their hands to affect the change they need to rebalance the wrongs.

And they make their flower-power parents look like kids making daisy chains in their sophistication and connectedness. To the establishment, they are truly dangerous and the first management tool to diffuse their frustration is extinguishment: to simply ignore them.

Three Little Pigs by Jerome Kashetsky

Remember that in BC the gap between the top 1% and the other 99 is larger and faster-growing than in the US. Remember also that Canada has more billionaires per capita than any other nation, and that Vancouver has more of them than any other city in Canuckistan except possibly Toronto. And hell, anybody who lives in Toronto instead of Vancouver is already suffering enough, right? Amirite?

Sorry, protests r srs bzns.

Goddam Organizers cheaped out! OccupyBakeries!

Should you wish to Occupy Grocery Stores on behalf of Occupy Vancouver, here is the wish list from the food tent:

and the wish list for the rest is topped by: INTERNET! If you have one of those Wind, Mobilicity, Telus, etc, internet sticks and you would like to donate it, please do. If you’ve got the makings of your own mesh network or what have you, please hook up with the Media Committee. And here’s the rest of the wish list:

Media team

walkie talkies

press passes

whiteboard

printer, ink, paper

tables, chairs, media tent

rocket stick (prepaid)

Boom mic and stand

extension cables

super long internet cable

4 power bars

External hard drives

SD cards

Apple laptops with final cut pro

PC laptops with premier or AVID

HD cameras

Cables (USB, FireWire, etc)

flip HD camera

Any other film/video equipment (lights, generators, Gaffer tape, power cables,

umbrellas

tarps

scissors

duct tape

saran wrap (for waterproofing)

re-usable rain ponchos

Dell 1525 Batteries with Rapid Chargers

Double A and Triple A Batteries

HDSLR and Video Camera Rain Covers

generator (1000 watts minimum, 2000 is good)

two 4G hotspots (clearchannel is good brand)

recommended microphone:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=tascam+tm-st1&N=0&InitialSearch=yes

laptop of 2.4ghz core 2 duo or greater. this will work:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834200327

-K

For the Kids Zone

toys

rubber maid containers

musical instruments

tarps

twine

large plastic water containers

childrens books

cd player, portable radio

batteries

WILLINGNESS TO COME PLAY

Requests for the KIND KITCHEN

Rubbermaid containers

power cords

hot plates to make warm yummy vegan food

reusable plates, cups and cutlery

12′ x 12′ tarp

coffee maker, toaster, microwave, mixer

coolers

plastic bins

serving bowls

Food requests

prepared foods, soups salads, fruit & veg

caffeine free hot beverages, hot chocolate

The Education Station

NEEDS A TENT / CANOPY and chairs

MEDICS AND SECURITY TEAM

Walky Talkies

White Boards

If anyone has any of the following items and is willing to donate or loan them for Occupy Vancouver, please email occupyvancouvercontribute at gmail.com