They want $lice of the occu-pie pie

[Dave]

I got a feeling that before long, the occupiers are going to come to the realization that while not perfect, the US has the best economic system in the world. Granted it can definitely use some fixes and other stuff, capitalism simply works better. Honestly, I still think they are concentrating on the wrong place as far as the protest goes... if they really wanted to go somewhere to try and make their voice heard, Washington DC is the place to go... right on the steps of the capital and in front of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Anyway, it was bound to happen sooner or later.. people with the money are going to keep it away from the people without it... they have basically become the Wall Street Big Bank that they oppose... morons.

 

 

Even in Zuccotti Park, greed is good.

Occupy Wall Street’s Finance Committee has nearly $500,000 in the bank, and donations continue to pour in -- but its reluctance to share the wealth with other protesters is fraying tempers.

Some drummers -- incensed they got no money to replace or safeguard their drums after a midnight vandal destroyed their instruments Wednesday -- are threatening to splinter off.

“F--k Finance. I hope Mayor Bloomberg gets an injunction and demands to see the movement’s books. We need to know how much money we really have and where it’s going,” said a frustrated Bryan Smith, 45, who joined OWS in Lower Manhattan nearly three weeks ago from Los Angeles, where he works in TV production.

William Farrington

NEST IN PEACE: Protester Dylan Spoelstra smirks yesterday from his high perch amid the workings of the sculpture “Joie de Vivre” in Zuccotti Park.

Smith is a member of the Comfort Working Group -- one of about 30 small collectives that have sprung up within OWS. The Comfort group is charged with finding out what basic necessities campers need, like thermal underwear, and then raising money by soliciting donations on the street.

“The other day, I took in $2,000. I kept $650 for my group, and gave the rest to Finance. Then I went to them with a request -- so many people need things, and they should not be going without basic comfort items -- and I was told to fill out paperwork. Paperwork! Are they the government now?” Smith fumed, even as he cajoled the passing crowd for more cash.

The Finance Committee dives on whatever dollars are raised by all the OWS working groups, said Smith, and doesn’t give it back.

The Comfort group has an allowance of $150 a day, while larger working groups, like the Kitchen group, get up to $2,000.

“What can I do with $150?” said Smith. “We have three tons of wet laundry here from the rainstorm -- how do I get that done? We need winter gear, shoes, socks. I could spend $10,000 alone for backpacks people need. We raise all this money. Where is it?”

Pete Dutro, 36, a Brooklyn tattoo artist who is getting a master’s in finance and sits on the Finance Committee, said big purchases like Smith’s can’t get immediate approval.

“We don’t have the power for that. They have to go to the General Assembly. If it’s approved, we pay out that amount and make sure everything is accounted for,” he said.

Within the next few days, the Financial Committee will release a detailed report, he said.

Yesterday, a huge flat-screen TV went up in Zuccotti Park for a movie night and pajama party with popcorn. Organizers hoped it would attract new recruits -- even as some long-timers complained that the movement was getting too diffuse after yesterday’s lackluster showing at a police-brutality event in Union Square that barely attracted 50 participants.

“I think it’s getting too spread out,” said John Glowa, 57. “My sense from where I live is that it’s losing steam. We gotta plug the holes.”

Some activists, like those in Pulse, the committee that represents Zuccotti Park drummers, are a bit worn out by all the collective activity.

Last week, on a rainy night, someone stabbed holes in many of the protesters’ drums with a knife, said Elijah Moses, 19, of Queens, a founder of the Pulse Working Group. Moses asked the General Assembly -- the nightly meeting where protesters collectively vote on OWS decisions -- for $8,000 to replace the drums, and build a small shed to lock them up.

“They said no -- they turned us down. I’m really frustrated,” said Moses.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/they_want_lice_of_the_...

[AQUAMAN]

Dave, I could care less about pajama parties and popcorn weasels in NYc, when Ludington has an election of substance to deal with in the next few weeks, okey-dokey? I like local news right now pal, and you should too, imho. Thanks anyhow for the update on the freak show.

[Dave]

X has the local stuff covered pretty good and in reality, even though I work up there, I don't live up there.. if I see something worth starting a thread, rest assured, I will. Anyway, most of my threads tend to cover state/national stuff... think of me as the state/national correspondent. Anywho, I don't think I could cover the local stuff nearly as well as what X does... he does an admirable job in his research and coverage.

[XLFD]

Thanks a load, Dave, and like I have said before, I appreciate your ability to bring us national news of note, because sometimes the likes of Aquaman and me are a bit myopic. 

There is a big picture, and all that stuff happening in Lansing and Washington DC has its consequences here.  Occupy Wall Street is even bigger news than Occupy City Hall!  The fact that it is motivated on greed by special interests as well, can tie it into our local mess.

Dave is our roving correspondent... and he doesn't even charge mileage.  Or urinate or defecate on other's front yards.

[Sweater Cows!]

Or urinate or defecate on other's front yards. *giggle*

[Dave]

Or on political signs :-P

[Willy]

I appreciate any and all the imformation Dave posts. What still amazes me is that most of these people not only live off the Gov. when not protesting but now want to live off their movement. DO YOUR OWN LAUNDRY, IDIOTS.

[Lisa O'Brien]

Amen - While I support their right to assemble, it is not anyone's responsibility to make sure they are comfortable while doing it.

[Dave]

The protesters are finding out that their little piece of utopia is anything but utopia.. they still have the same problems and issue that any society, big or small has.. crime, hunger and all the other fun stuff. Part of the spirit of the OCW thing was they would help their fellow man and here we see some not wanting to feed them apparently, attempting to send the homeless off to shelters instead. Of course the security issues continue to rise as crime within the community continues to grow. Maybe they grow up and be adults, maybe they don't... at this point, I have my doubts that they do.

 

The Occupy Wall Street volunteer kitchen staff launched a “counter” revolution yesterday -- because they’re angry about working 18-hour days to provide food for “professional homeless” people and ex-cons masquerading as protesters.

For three days beginning tomorrow, the cooks will serve only brown rice and other spartan grub instead of the usual menu of organic chicken and vegetables, spaghetti bolognese, and roasted beet and sheep’s-milk-cheese salad.

They will also provide directions to local soup kitchens for the vagrants, criminals and other freeloaders who have been descending on Zuccotti Park in increasing numbers every day.

To show they mean business, the kitchen staff refused to serve any food for two hours yesterday in order to meet with organizers to air their grievances, sources said.

As the kitchen workers met with the “General Assembly’’ last night, about 300 demonstrators stormed from the park to Reade Street and Broadway, where they violently clashed with cops.

Officers made at least 10 arrests when rowdy demonstrators refused to get out of the street and stop blocking traffic. A dozen cops on scooters tried to force them back to the sidewalk.

There were no reported injuries.

The demonstrators said they were angry over the violence in Oakland.

After making their way to Union Square, many of the protesters returned to Zuccotti.

The Assembly announced the three-day menu crackdown announced earlier in the day -- insisting everybody would be fed something during that period.

Some protesters threatened that the high-end meals could be cut off completely if the vagrants and criminals don’t disperse.

Unhappiness with their unwelcome guests was apparent throughout the day.

“We need to limit the amount of food we’re putting out” to curb the influx of derelicts, said Rafael Moreno, a kitchen volunteer.

A security volunteer added that the cooks felt “overworked and underappreciated.”

Many of those being fed “are professional homeless people. They know what they’re doing,” said the guard at the food-storage area.

Today, a limited menu of sandwiches, chips and some hot food will be doled out -- so legitimate protesters will have a day to make arrangements for more upscale weekend meals.

Protesters got their first taste of the revolt within the revolt yesterday when the kitchen staff served only peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and chips after their staff meeting.

Organizers took other steps to police the squatters, who they said were lured in from other parks with the promise of free meals.

A team of 10 security volunteers moved in to the trouble-prone southwest section of Zuccotti Park in a show of force to confront them.

“We’re not going to let some members of this community destroy the whole movement,” a volunteer said.

Some arguments broke out as the security team searched tents -- but no violence erupted.

Overall security at the park had deteriorated to the point where many frightened female protesters had abandoned the increasingly out-of-control occupation, security- team members said.

Rumors swirled that one homeless man had pulled a knife in a dispute the night before -- and that there had been yet another case of groping.

But protesters and a cop on duty told The Post that most of the crime goes unreported, because of a bizarre “stop snitching” rule.

“What’s happening in there is staying in there,” said the cop.

Additional reporting by Josh Saul, Erin Calabrese and Julia Marsh

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/zuccotti_hell_kitchen_...