Police become violent to OW in Melbourne, Aust.

[bozo]

The picture on the previous page was taken in Rio, 2007. Not an American cop.

I'm sure the LAPD would see to it he got a visa to work for them.

I used to go to LA regularly when I was hunting deserters for the Navy. I had dinner with many a cop and his family. Out of the hundreds I met over the years I found a few that weren't particularly angelic. But most of them were plain folks doing a job they felt was important. Like me in the Navy, they sure weren't doing it for the money.

I understand the point you are making about many cops just doing a job ( whether thinking it important or not ). I am no anarchist and accept that law enforcement is necessary to protect society from the lawless.
The big problem with the police is that they are simply a tool used by the Establishment to ensure the status quo prevails. Thus, when social unrest is in motion, their orders are to stamp it out or just allow token protest to go ahead. I have been on many demos and seen them at work. At worst, they are pretty terrifying. I have also come across police who were very uncomfortable doing what they were asked to do.
It is a big, big problem to those who long for change.
I hope that when a revolution of sorts materialises, the " good cops " will throw down their weapons of repression and join the uprising.

[reverendjeremiah]

You don't have the third option of 'Burn their fucking hippie tents with fire, then go obliterate the government ruthlessly'... that's my opinion

I say 'fuck this tent shit', and really I don't give a damn about their movement. If they want to set up a proper syndicate: go and fucking do it already. I never did like protestors, and I never will: they don't often suggest a better way, and they usually botch their 'better way' up if they do.

I would prefer it to be non-violent. A general strike where all means of prduction are driven to a hault while the workers take control of the means of production. They haulted production in Australia (well, in small parts of it) and look at the price they are paying for it...and the police and govt are looking REAL bad right now dragging peaceful protestors to be arrested.

---

These people have a right to be angry, though I think they are pushing their anger in the wrong direction. Who is responsible for the biggest bankers in America to still exist? The government.

It is funny when people bitch about capitalism in America, because we haven't had capitalism in a very fucking long time. IF we were a capitalist country we would not have nearly as much government intervention. Especially when the government holds up giant corporations.

The only possible way you can make a change is by voting third party, whether you are a liberal or conservative. Otherwise, the Republican establishment and the Democrat establishment is going to continue creating regulations against small businesses while making loopholes for their lobbyist friends

America is very much capitalistic...but..they are mercantilistic as well. A pure capitalistic system cannot exist because those who gain great sums of money influence the system to ensure their riches remain safe from honest competition. But, I do agree with many things you are saying.

[DeistPaladin]

As a businessman myself, I'm proud of what I do, what other good businesspersons do and what capitalism, if properly regulated, does. We manage scarce resources and maximize the wealth of society. The "if properly regulated" is the key. One of the first principles of organizational behavior I learned in business school is to be careful what you reward because you will get it.

It's important to have a sober view of corporations, what they will do and what they won't. They are soulless machines with a simple directive to maximize the bottom line. They will not protect the environment, they will not protect worker's rights and they will not restrain themselves from forming monopolies. It takes government regulation to do any of these things.

As our government is based on a balance of power between the separate branches, our economy needs to be based on a balance between government, business and unions. Regulations need to ensure that the bottom line that rewards corporations and drives their decisions will drive them to do what is good for society.

The failure of our economic system, turning democratic regulated capitalism into corporate welfare and quasi-fascism, is this romanticized idea that the free market will take care of everything and "government is the problem". We need to return to the pre-80s policies of regulation and fair taxation of the wealthy so capitalism can work for everyone, not just the top 1%.

[reverendjeremiah]

As a businessman myself, I'm proud of what I do, what other good businesspersons do and what capitalism, if properly regulated, does. We manage scarce resources and maximize the wealth of society. The "if properly regulated" is the key. One of the first principles of organizational behavior I learned in business school is to be careful what you reward because you will get it.

It's important to have a sober view of corporations, what they will do and what they won't. They are soulless machines with a simple directive to maximize the bottom line. They will not protect the environment, they will not protect worker's rights and they will not restrain themselves from forming monopolies. It takes government regulation to do any of these things.

As our government is based on a balance of power between the separate branches, our economy needs to be based on a balance between government, business and unions. Regulations need to ensure that the bottom line that rewards corporations and drives their decisions will drive them to do what is good for society.

The failure of our economic system, turning democratic regulated capitalism into corporate welfare and quasi-fascism, is this romanticized idea that the free market will take care of everything and "government is the problem". We need to return to the pre-80s policies of regulation and fair taxation of the wealthy so capitalism can work for everyone, not just the top 1%.

You are a minority in the world of business owners. I too, when I owned my own businesses, tried very hard to run them fair and society minded. The problem i faced was those other businesses who i had to deal with would shake my hand with one hand and slip a dagger into my back with the other.

I am willing to make compromises of sorts, seeing that hind sight is 20/20.

I am willing to let capitalism exist, but under these conditions:

#1 - The IMMEDIATE abolishment of usury and the clearing of all past usury on all current contracts.
#2 - The abolishment of all tax loopholes for those who play and trade on the stock market.
#3 - The banning of Derivative stocks and contracts.

Thats a good start.

[kılıç_mehmet]

I've been through worse protests, but hey, they are simply not used to it.
Poor guys.

[frankiej]

I've been through worse protests, but hey, they are simply not used to it.
Poor guys.

It is not a matter of whether they are used to it... If you are moist and wanting for an authority figure to butt fuck you then fair enough, but that doesn't mean that it makes this right.

[kılıç_mehmet]

I've been through worse protests, but hey, they are simply not used to it.
Poor guys.

It is not a matter of whether they are used to it... If you are moist and wanting for an authority figure to butt fuck you then fair enough, but that doesn't mean that it makes this right.

Did I say anything that signaled my approval of this forceful end to the protest?
Yeesh...

[frankiej]

No, but it sounded like you were bragging about being in worse protests... You should think about how you word things.

[kılıç_mehmet]

No, but it sounded like you were bragging about being in worse protests... You should think about how you word things.

Now since that is cleared, let's analyze the situation.
Why on earth would they forcefully remove protesters?

[Violet]

@Frankie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE7CEycI7nc

Anyway: I'm hungry as all fuck for nachoes. Nachoes. That's like a nacho. But plural. With an e in it. Mmmmm. E is for CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEESE.

Who else thinks fibromyalgia if fucking horrible? It sucks balls.