Nobody speaks up

I think someone said that all evil needs to exist is for good people to say/do nothing.

So it seems in our modern "politically correct", "non-judgemental" society, that no one is ready to speak up no matter how small the matter might be. A slight course correction now, might have saved us all a great many heart and head aches. But noooooo, we're too concerned about "rocking the boat" or "I don't want to cause trouble".

To my way of thinking, this is the reason we're in this mess we're in. Because someone saw what Goldman Sacks was doing and said nothing. Because someone saw what Bears/Sterns was up to, but "didn't want to be a whistle blower".

So here we sit in a big smelly pile of manure and we're all trying to pretend like it doesn't stick to high heaven. That the methane that the pile is emitting is just a nice evening glow. That somehow if we just repeat our actions again and again, we'll somehow get out of this mess. Economic, social, environmental, ethical, moral, personal decay.

So, here it is people. If we don't speak up when we see something is wrong, we have no one to blame but ourselves when the excrement interfaces with the rotating blades.

Therefore, to those on public transit, here is the proper etiquette:

- When using a napsack/backpack - be considerate and practical when travelling in public transit during rush hours and carry it when not walking to/from your destination. You'll have a great fewer people cursing you under their breath.

- When walking down the side walk and you are in a group of 3 or more, you can't all walk abreast, two by two at best. Think of it like driving, you wouldn't get into the oncoming lane when there are other cars coming at you. Again, be considerate of others around you. You don't own the sidewalk and I will not move over to accommodate you. Yes, I will let you bash into me and give as good as I get and if you want to follow that up with your "entitlement" attitude, be prepared to deal with th backlash.

- When getting into an elevator, let the people out first. Simple I know, but you'd be surprised how many people don't.

- Same goes for when you're getting into a public transit vehicle. Let the other people out first.

We'll leave it at this for now, but suffice it to say, it is proof positive what happens when a whole generation is left to be raised by Barney and the mass media. Parents should teach their children common sense and common courtesy instead of giving them money and a sense of entitlement and sending them off into the world.

The G20 (Toronto) nightmare continues for some

GROUP STATEMENT BY 17 PEOPLE CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY DURING THE G20REGARDING A PLEA DEAL

November 22, 2011 -- As people across Turtle Island look towards theglobal wave of protests against the austerity agenda, the memory of the2010 G20 protests in Toronto looms large as both inspiration and caution.We are seventeen people accused by the state of planning to disrupt theleaders summit – the prosecutors call us the G20 Main Conspiracy Group. This alleged conspiracy is absurd. We were never all part of any onegroup, we didn't all organize together, and our political backgrounds areall different. Some of us met for the first time in jail. What we do havein common is that we, like many others, are passionate about creatingcommunities of resistance. Separately and together, we work with movements against colonialism,capitalism, borders, patriarchy, white supremacy, ableism,hetero/cis-normativity, and environmental destruction. These are movementsfor radical change, and they represent real alternatives to existing powerstructures. It is for this reason that we were targeted by the state. Although these conspiracy charges have been a big part of our dailyreality for the past year and a half, we have been slow in speaking outcollectively. This is partly because of the restrictive bail conditionsthat were placed on us, including non-association with our co-accused andmany of our close allies. In addition, those of us who did speak out havebeen subjected to a campaign of intimidation and harassment by the policeand prosecutors. We are writing now because we have negotiated a pleadeal to resolve our charges and to bring this spectacle to an end. The state's strategy after the G20 has been to cast a wide net over thosewho mobilized against the summit (over 1, 000 detained and over 300charged) and then to single out those they perceived to be leaders. Beingaccused of conspiracy is a surreal, bureaucratic nightmare that fewpolitical organizers have experienced in this country, but unfortunatelyit is becoming more common. We can't say with any certainty if what we didwas in fact an illegal conspiracy. Ultimately though, whether or not ourorganizing fits into the hypocritical and oppressive confines of the lawisn't what's important. This is a political prosecution. The governmentmade a political decision to spend millions of dollars to surveil andinfiltrate anarchist, Indigenous solidarity, and migrant justiceorganizing over several years. After that kind of investment, what sort ofjustice are we to expect? We have not been powerless in this process; however any leverage we've hadhas not come from the legal system, but from making decisionscollectively. This has been a priority throughout, particularly in thelast several months, as the preliminary inquiry gradually took a back seatto negotiations for a deal to end it. The consensus process has been attimes a heart-wrenching, thoughtful, gruelling, disappointing, andinspiring experience, and in the end, we got through it together. Of the seventeen of us, six will be pleading and the eleven others willhave their charges withdrawn. Alex Hundert, and Mandy Hiscocks are eachpleading to one count of counselling mischief over $5,000 and one count ofcounselling to obstruct police, and Leah Henderson, Peter Hopperton, ErikLankin, and Adam Lewis are each pleading to a single count of counsellingmischief over $5,000. We are expecting sentences to range between 6 and 24months, and all will get some credit for time already served in jail andon house arrest. Three defendants in this case had their charges withdrawn earlier and onehas already taken a plea to counselling mischief over $5,000 that involvedno further jail time. This means that out of twenty-one people in thesupposed G20 Main Conspiracy Group, only seven were convicted of anything,and none were convicted of conspiracy. The total of fourteen withdrawalsdemonstrates the tenuous nature of the charges. This system targets many groups of people including racialized,impoverished and Indigenous communities, those with precarious immigrationstatus, and those dealing with mental health and addiction. The kinds ofviolence that we have experienced, such as the pre-dawn raids, thestrip-searches, the surveillance, and pre-sentence incarceration happenall the time. The seventeen of us have moved through the legal systemwith a lot of privilege and support. This includes greater access to"acceptable" sureties, and the financial means to support ourselves andour case. While the use of conspiracy charges against such a large groupof political organizers is noteworthy, these tactics of repression areused against other targeted communities every day. There is no victory in the courts. The legal system is and always has beena political tool used against groups deemed undesirable or who refuse toco-operate with the state. It exists to protect Canada's colonial andcapitalist social structure. It is also deeply individualistic andexpensive. This system is designed to break up communities and turnfriends against each other. Within this winless situation, we decided that the best course of actionwas to clearly identify our goals and needs and then to explore ouroptions. Within our group, we faced different levels of risk if convicted,and so we began with the agreement that our top priority was to avoid anydeportations. Other key goals we reached were to minimize the number ofconvictions, to honour people's individual needs, and to be mindful of howour decisions affect our broader movements. Although we are giving up someimportant things by not going to trial, this deal achieves specific goalsthat we weren't willing to gamble. Our conversations have always been advised by concern for the broaderpolitical impacts of our choices. One noteworthy outcome is that there areno conspiracy convictions emerging from this case, thus avoiding thecreation of a dangerous legal precedent that would in effect criminalizeroutine tasks like facilitation. Taking this deal also frees up communityresources that have been embroiled in this legal process. We emerge from this united and in solidarity. To those who took us in while on house arrest, to those who raised moneyfor our legal and living expenses, to those who cooked food, wroteletters, offered rides and supported us politically and emotionallythroughout, thank you. To those in jail or still on charges from the anti-G20 protests, to political prisoners and prisoners in struggle, we are still with you. To communities and neighbourhoods fighting back from Cairo to London, from Greece to Chile, in Occupied Turtle Island and beyond, see you in the streets.

--Pat Cadorette, Erik Lankin, Paul Sauder, Meghan Lankin, Bill Vandreil,Joanna Adamiak, Julia Kerr, David Prychitka, Alex Hundert, Monica Peters,Sterling Stutz, Leah Henderson, Adam Lewis, Mandy Hiscocks, PeterHopperton, SK Hussan, Terrance LuscombeIf you would like to issue a solidarity statement, please emailtoronto.g20resist@gmail.com and let us know.

Q: Why do men's clothes have buttons on the right while women's clothes have buttons on the left?
A: When buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid's right! And that's where women's buttons have remained since.

Q: Why do ships and aircraft use 'mayday' as their call for help?
A: This comes from the French word m'aidez -meaning 'help me' -- and is pronounced, approximately, 'mayday.'

Q: Why are zero scores in tennis called 'love'?
A: In France , where tennis became popular, round zero on the scoreboard looked like an egg and was called 'l'oeuf,' which is French for 'egg.' When tennis was introduced in the US , Americans (mis)pronounced it 'love.'

Q. Why do X's at the end of a letter signify kisses?
A: In the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write, documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.

Q: Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called 'passing the buck'?
A: In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility of dealing,he would 'pass the buck' to the next player.

Q: Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?
A: It used to be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of the host. Both men would drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would only touch or clink the host's glass with his own.

Q: Why are people in the public eye said to be 'in the limelight'?
A:Invented in 1825,limelight was used in lighthouses and theatres by burning a cylinder of lime which produced a brilliant light.. In the theatre,a performer 'in the limelight' was the centre of attention.

Q: Why is someone who is feeling great 'on cloud nine'?
A: Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud If someone is said to be on cloud nine, that person is floating well above worldly cares.

Q: In golf, where did the term 'Caddie' come from?
A. When Mary Queen of Scots went to France as a young girl, Louis, King of France, learned that she loved the game 'golf.' So he had the first course outside of Scotland built for her enjoyment. To make sure she was properly chaperoned (and guarded) while she played, Louis hired cadets from a military school to accompany her. Mary liked this a lot and when she returned to Scotland (not a very good idea in the long run), she took the practice with her. In French, the word cadet is pronounced 'ca-day' and the Scots changed it into 'caddie.

Q: Why are many coin banks shaped like pigs?
A: Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of a dense orange clay called 'pygg'. When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became known as 'pygg banks.' When an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a container that resembled a pig. And it caught on.

Q: Did you ever wonder why dimes, quarters and half dollars have notches (milling), while pennies and nickels do not?
A: The US Mint began putting notches on the edges of coins containing gold and silver to discourage holders from shaving off small quantities of the precious metals. Dimes, quarters and half dollars are notched because they used to contain silver. Pennies and nickels aren't notched because the metals they contain are not valuable enough to shave.

So there! Now you know!

Money, money, money.

Occupying Wall Street or Bay Street or whatever street in your town is a great way to initialize a conversation with the powers-that-be. The thing you must keep in mind however, is that these people are merely a bi-product of a warped system, they are merely playing the game to the best of their abilities. They operate under a different paradigm then the 99% rest of us. So while open dialogue is great and a positive step in the right direction, what must ultimately happen for the system to gain the collective “reboot” that it requires, is for us (the majority) to starve it to death.
How do we go about that, considering how plugged into the monetary system most of us are? Well, start at home and start with the little things. Reconsider all you have, credit cards, debts, and other such “financial instruments” and remember, they are not real. Money is a construct, it is not real.
So, get rid of the excess, the credit cards, the debts, the ongoing headaches.

Do you really need all those mindless television channels? Get rid of the cable/satellite.
Do you really need to drive the car to the corner store for a bag of milk? Take the bike out of the garage, or better yet, walk.
How long are you going to hang on to those “things” that weigh you down? Rid yourself of the excess and feel how freeing it really is.
Mostly though, move your money to a credit union and out of the big banks, if you have investments, get into silver, real silver, not certificates that are worthless.
Most importantly, teach your children, the youth about what is really worthwhile and priceless in life. Relationships, friends, family, people. If there is one thing I have learned about me and money over the last 4 decades, it’s that I can always get more. Beg, borrow, earn, steal, whatever the method, there is always a way to get more. Time on the other hand, once wasted and gone, can never be retrieved.