2011: A Year in Revolt
2011 will be remembered as a year of revolution, the beginning of the end for an unsustainable global system based on poverty, oppression, and violence. In dozens of countries across the Arab world, people rose up against broken economies and oppressive regimes, toppling dictators and inspiring the world to action. Popular rejection of austerity measures and attacks on worker’s rights brought millions to the streets in Greece, Iceland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the UK, Chile, Wisconsin and elsewhere.
By midsummer, murmurs of “occupying Wall Street” were stirring online, and on July 14th, we registered the domain occupywallst.org and began organizing. The first New York City General Assembly was held August 2nd and the Occupation of Liberty Square began on September 17th.
Fueled by anger at the growing disparities between rich and poor, frustrated by government policies that benefit a tiny elite at the expense of the majority, and tired of the establishment’s failure to address fundamental economic inequalities, OWS offered a new solution. We built a People’s Kitchen to feed thousands, opened a People’s Library, and provided free shelter, bedding, medical care, and other necessities to anyone who needed them. While cynics demanded we elect leaders and make demands on politicians, we were busy creating alternatives to those very institutions. A revolution has been set in motion, and we cannot be stopped.
As the mainstream media ignored us, we learned from other leaderless resistance movements in places like Tunisia, Egypt, and Iran to use social media and live video streaming to spread our message. We are part of a global movement that has radically democratized how information is created and shared, rendering centralized, corporate-funded mainstream media increasingly irrelevant. The rapid exchange of information allowed us to make collective decisions quickly, discuss information and ideas across the globe, mobilize effective direct actions, and document police brutality. Now more than ever, when we chant “The Whole World Is Watching!” it is not an idle threat.
Today, tens of thousands of everyday people are putting ideals like solidarity, mutual aid, anti-oppression, autonomy, and direct democracy into practice. Individuals are joining together in city-wide General Assemblies and autonomous affinity groups. Through consensual, non-hierarchical and participatory self-governance, we are literally laying the framework for a new world by building it here and now — and it works.
The rest is history. In honor of a new year, here is a run-down of what we accomplished since then. It would be impossible to list every action or mention every place an Occupation has occurred. But let us start a new year by celebrating a few highlights of our victories — along with a sneak preview of what’s to come!
Latest News - Iraq War veteran in critical condition after police clashes
”An Iraq war veteran has a fractured skull and brain swelling after allegedly being hit by a police projectile.
Scott Olsen is in a “critical condition” in Highland hospital in Oakland, a hospital spokesman confirmed.
Olsen, 24, suffered the head injury during protests in Oakland on Tuesday evening. More than 15 people were arrested after a crowd gathered to demonstrate against the police operation to clear two Occupy Oakland camps in the early hours of Tuesday morning.”
Read the full report here.
Latest News - Microsoft freezes Xbox accounts after Credit Card hack
”Microsoft has frozen some Xbox Live (XBL) accounts after online gamers reported they were hacked, and that their credit cards were used to purchase content for another video game.
The gaming website Eurogamer was alerted to the issue Oct. 11 from a reader who said the credit card associated with his gaming account was drained to purchase a content pack for FIFA 12, the popular soccer game made by Electronic Arts (EA) for the Xbox 360.
Several posts on an Xbox forum point to the same problem. “Account somehow moved to another console on 2nd October, Fifa 12 achievements and 7200 points purchased and spent immediately off my linked card,” read a post Oct. 4 on the forum.
Another post the next day read, “This just happened to me too JUST NOW!! Sitting on my sofa checking email and got a confirmation note that I had purchased 6000 points for ~ $75. Called them right away, they locked the account, but not before whomever did it bought 2000 points worth of ‘PREMIUM GOLD PACKS.’”
Microsoft responded to the hacking claims, telling SecurityNewsDaily, “We do not have any evidence the Xbox Live service has been compromised.” The Microsoft representative admitted that “a limited number of members have contacted us regarding unauthorized access to their accounts by outside individuals.” Microsoft said it is working with these affected customers to “resolve any unauthorized changes to their accounts.”
Microsoft is freezing the accounts of affected customers for 30 days to investigate the claims. Users on the Xbox forum are encouraging others to change their passwords. EA Sports’ communications manager, Steve Frost, directed SecurityNewsDaily to two EA forums which feature tips on how to stay safe and include examples of what a phishing site looks like compared with the real gaming websites.
This incident comes a week after Sony, no stranger to cybercrime itself, froze 93,000 online accounts after the gaming giant detected mass unauthorized login attempts on its Sony Entertainment, Sony Online Entertainment and PlayStation Networks.”
Latest News - Muammar Gaddafi dead
(Above is the first photo of a deceased body)
”According to Reuters, ousted Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has been captured by Libya’s National Transitional Council. According to the report, National Transitional Council official Abdel Majid told Reuters’ Samia Nakhoul that “”He’s captured. He’s wounded in both legs … He’s been taken away by ambulance.”
Later, Reuters reported that Gaddafi had died of his wounds.”
Read the full report here.
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