Occupy Harvard Street As Well

It's been a while

I noticed some of the complaints had to do with tuition debt, and while I completely agree with the sentiment "Give us a bailout instead of big corporations". I think the bigger problem here is that schools are charging too much. These days you can learn from 50 other sources if you so desire. If anything, the person who deserves the big bucks is the teacher who taught you how to read and write, she enabled you to open the world before you! OK, some degrees are useful, very useful and even enable you to function in the work you will be pursuing, but speaking as a graduate of arts and science I am disappointed.

If people here can organize a demonstration on a world wide basis, they can surely do the same with some kind of "opt out" year where everyone just stops going to Universities until they get their act together. These bastards have it coming.

OK, here are my thought from my trip to Zuccotti Park on Friday

Went again at lunch time, the movement is growing. More people then ever in Zuccotti Park but so is the police presence. Cops everywhere this morning but it seems the protesters won this battle as the City backed down on getting them out of there to clean up the park. Don't know what that was really about. Tensions are still high along Broadway where guys in stock exchange jackets argue with the hippies. Police stand on the ready. The more people show up at the park, the more it gets hairy. But I will say this, the majority of these people are college kids, the same ones I saw at NYU protesting this or that, they are pretty harmless, idealistic, actually good kids. But I see there some gutter punks in the mix, kids who really do live a more anarchistic existence. These guys were sitting in the middle of the park and smoking a joint. I can't even explain the utter lack of concern this displays. There are a thousand cops surrounding the park not to mention the hundred that must be in there undercover. Wow. Some interesting characters as well. Like the V inspired one I took a picture off, some libertarian minded guys supporting capitalism and one guy who stood holding up a sign with these three words: CONSIDER MAXIMUM WAGE. There are some good ideas out there, lot of half baked ones but I can't see this ending well for anyone I'm afraid. Only the cold weather can disperse the event, 'till then, shit can still go down.

excuses, excuses, excuses

Sorry, haven't written anything in a while. Just ran out of inspiration I guess also the logistics of updating have become more difficult. I intend to remedy this soon and be back bitching in the next few weeks when I get some new hardware. Until then please enjoy the old posts and this picture I took of a bum sleeping on a park bench just off of Canal Street this week. He covered his face with an I LOVE NY T-Shirt, classic.

(my) Egypt Analysis

This weeks Newsweek had an article on the riots occurring in Egypt and other Arab countries, they mention a population boom of young men. that's not entirely accurate. Birth rates have always been high in these countries, that's not what has changed. People are dirt poor and opportunities scarce, also, no change. The fact that dictators rule these nations is as old as society itself in Northern Africa. But there is something that has changed. 50 years ago, young Muslim men were welcome into Europe where many emigrated and found jobs. About 10 years ago those jobs began drying up. In recent years high numbers of unemployed and voiceless young men in these countries began causing problems for authorities. Many of the lax immigration laws were changed and much of Western Europe has been closed to new immigration ever since. What was once a release valve for excess populations in no more.

The groups gathering at Liberation Square in Cairo (at least what is being reported) are revolting with no particular cause other then the ouster of Mubarek. What's that going to do for them? Democracy in the hands of this mob is a bad idea for everyone and I suspect much of these troubles have been instigated by the Muslim Brotherhood and other pro-militant Islamic factions. The only thing I am sure of is that the people throwing rocks and burning cars probably never got a cent of the billion dollars the US sends Egypt's way every year.

I feel bad, the angry young men are like rebels without a cause, full of testosterone and trouble they are not what is being portrayed. These are not lovers of democracy, freedom and other such lofty ideals, well, maybe on some superficial level they are. Mostly this is a mob of people on the fringe. You are in your twenties, your job prospects are horrible and in a society where access to a wife is severely limited by your religion and income, you are frustrated. This can't end well for them. Mubarek may be every nasty thing they say but for international purposes, he is stable and does not cause trouble. Internally, I couldn't tell you but from the looks of the real life flash mob, reporters better keep filming from their hotel rooms because what is on the ground is neither uplifting nor worth the accolades.