phyncke

It gets old - we are on our 4th night of protests here. I am sympathetic - I really am (and I think we need some reforms on Police procedures) but living right in the middle of the protest zone is getting old. Helicopters over head, roaming bands of anarchists, looters and pillagers. It is very chaotic and very stressful. It is at the point where the average person does not want to be on the street after dark because of their personal safety. We keep getting alerts at the Uni about what is going on and early release time so that we can get home safely before the protests start in the evening.

Last night they blocked the 80 freeway - a major artery through here - they stopped an Amtrak train and they closed the Berkeley BART station down. I guess that would mean they are being effective since they are getting national coverage. But living here - well it gets old. It is weird seeing your town covered on the news all the time - in real time - live and up close.

I think with a major storm coming in tomorrow night - that will shut it down. Protesting is a fair weather activity.

Anyways - that is all I have - got some Christmas shopping done - all online - woot. And I have sussed out some gifts to buy from some local shops - so I am in good shape here with my holiday cheer.

Tomorrow is my holiday party at work and then I am going to see Yo Yo Ma at the local theatre - he is giving a talk on art and culture. Should be interesting. I have been into this speaker series the the Uni lately - broadening my mind.

Anyhoo. That's it for me. Hope all is well with you!



by yishui on livejournal

An interesting day as this (Occupy) movement converged on the campus. Berkeley is known for protest so not surprising this should make it here finally. As I left campus today, news helicopters hovered overhead and a small group of determined people stayed on the plaza thinking to set up a tent camp. Official UC campus policy is that such encampments are not allowed on the grounds and I fully expect that to have been cleared up by morning. The sheriff and city police were there with a large county bus to take resistors away.

I am simply reporting what happened today where I work. I am not sure how I feel about this movement as they did a lot of damage to businesses and retail stores in downtown Oakland here. I think people are angry...that much is clear.

This photo says it all from today's Daily Californian, the student newspaper. A student faces off against the riot cops last week...they called it vandalism and I imagine that the roaming protest was joined by some local thugs as it got out of control but look at this kid...holy sh*t. This in a photo shows you what is happening here. This is the state of education in California. They are taking it to the streets.

UC Berkeley The Daily Californian 03-01-10 Tim Maloney, photo

That is the street I walk on every day to get to work. That is my neighborhood. We are preparing for the March 4th protests here. I hope it is peaceful.

I want to alert my lj friendslist and any people who like to use glitter graphics to an upsetting image that I found on www.sparkletags.com tonight. Basically it a homophobic image. I am posting it here so that you can see it and I am asking that people send in their protest to that site to let them know that they should not promote this kind of intolerance. I know these are private sites but it is the ideas that get out there. It is my hope that they will take it down.

Here is the image. Be aware that it definitely does NOT express my view. I am a slash writer.



I wrote my email just now. If you want to do the same. Send yours in to:

admin@sparkletags.com

Here is the text of my message behind an LJ cut.

( Rage against sparkletags.com )


*tries to calm down*