[Nat]

I identify with and agree with the protesters on pretty much all I've heard, though I haven't followed the protests closely enough to offer any insights here that haven't already been offered.

I think the term "Occupy" wasn't the best term due to US history and present of occupation.

It doesn't surprise me that some groups are more organized than others. Protests often inconvenience people - but I don't think I'd mind much if I were inconvenienced. (Not a single Occupy Temple protestor, I'm afraid).

I've been to protests that last an evening - maybe a late-afternoon til midnight. In those cases, all I had to do was show up (in Sacramento, protesting Prop 8 just after it was passed). These were not super-planned, but they weren't forever-protests. We went home, went to bed, and went about our business the next day. I'm impressed people are able to hold out so long. These sort of protests taking place require a support network - not just people who show up. My impression is the original protest was extremely well-planned, and probably has the most *professional* protestors. (I have a few friends who - though neither would claim the title - would qualify as professional. They are a bit snotty when regular folks attempt to protest - with no experience, no direction, etc. Anyway, they know the drill, they know what they'll need, they know to pick up after themselves, they are super-trained for dealing with cops, they understand the resources for support, the network of couches to surf, lawyers willing to support them if needed. They are well-practiced and well-trained). Anyway, I think regular folks just show up and there is no training and no preparation - and that's okay if you're talking about an afternoon or evening of protest. If protestors need more support in some areas, then they need more support.

I hope I'm making sense - I just woke up. I wanted to write last night, but ended up reading and watching the youtubes posted here. It was nice to hear Naomi Wolf talk - haven't heard her in a while.

I took a sociology class in college - "the sociology of deviance." I thought it was going to be nice and juicy, but instead the entire class focused on corporate deviance with an eye to Enron. I found the reading extreeeeemely tedious. But, I'm glad now I took the class. I wish I'd retained more of what I read. I am glad so many people can be so motivated for such a long period of time to protest what has been a long history of corporate crime, violation and injury at the expense of those who can least recover from it.

I hear alarm bells with people switching their banks on November 5th. When I think of masses of people withdrawing money from a bank, when you know they don't have the cash at hand to pay for it, it just reminds me of that Mary Poppins scene about the run on the bank. I am somewhat concerned that certain actions could plunge us into a (worse) depression and there might be a certain element of cutting-off-our-noses-to-spite-our-faces going on. The banks deserve it, but I do wonder what the long-term ramifications will be for people.

I think it's shitty anywhere it's illegal to be homeless.