So, today DH and I spent a couple of hours as part of "Occupy Olympia"... an off-shoot/support of Occupy Wall Street. :welcome:
so did you take a dump in a street too? 'cause you know Treb or amp'ed are gonna if ask post a pic op2:
Good for you! I am just surprised that it took so long for people to protest the mess that this country is in. Also thank you for your intelligent explanations of vegan/vegetarian beliefs. As Socrates said "An unexamined life is not worth living".
We plan on attending/occupying again, today. I have some positive sign ideas... answers, not complaints. Shop local. Use a credit union. Support the farmer's market. We vote with our feet. If more people made those kinds of decisions, then the mega corporations wouldn't have the impact that they do.
I friend was in one of our local credit unions getting some papers notarized last week (a free service at our credit union) and the assistant manager commented that new membership signups were at a high level. Credit unions and banks have something in common. Their first obligation is to shareholders and owners. The difference being that at a credit union, the customers are the shareholders and owners.
This is being driven by the large fee increases announced in the past two months by several megabanks. BoA's new account structure takes effect today, though the fees are waived for two more months. The new debit card fees are a few months off. When I joined my long-ago employer's credit union in the 1980s, I skipped the checking account because that CU had no local presence. By good fortune, it merged into a local CU a few months ago. When I went in to open a checking account, the rep knew exactly why, because she had received the same BoA notice I had. I haven't dumped BoA yet. (I never chose them, but landed there after a long sequence of buyouts and mergers.) That will be their Christmas present.
As long as television exists, the vast majority will get their news, their politics, their beliefs, and their ideas from it, and will buy what it tells them to buy, and by example will teach their kids to do the same. I wound up with my bank the same way. I kept leaving the big banks when they took over my local bank, but with the last take-over I realized that having a national-wide bank carried benefits, in terms of ATMs everywhere and a better on-line site. And I'm a good enough customer that they waive all fees. A local credit union cannot provide the degree of service that a national bank can. I agree that for most people, a CU is a better choice.
I've been doing the CU thing for years now, and I have to support the local Farmer's market, since they don't have a "Whole Foods" anywhere near here. I do my purchasing local. VERY local (I tend to buy online when/where I can.) As far as voting with my feet......I find that it's easier to use my fingers on the touch screen... Enjoy your occupation gathering!!! I've never been to a TEA party or a OCW[sic] gathering myself, but I've seen far too many low rent comments about both to want to make remarks about your decision to protest.
I recently got back from a NYC and New England Trip. Finding no fee ATMs for my California based Credit Union card wasn't a problem. I did look them up ahead of time because they aren't as obvious as a big bank with the same name as your bank. OTOH, there were 41 no charge ATMs within 1 mile of my New York hotel. I doubt a bank would match that. Our on line site is very good too.
I have been to a Tea Party event and liked the rhetoric up until the local republicrat (who incidentally voted for TARP) made his speech. What I get tired of with them is the constant barrage against "guv'ment" while conveniently paying very little attention to corporations or the federal reserve cartel. I haven't been to an "Occupy" event- frankly, the slacker beatnik look makes me aggressive- but I have watched quite a few of the individual YouTube videos. What I get tired of with them is the ignorance of basic economics as it applies to REAL human interaction. Frankly, once you exclude the nutjobs from both factions there is a lot more common ground than is being acknowledged by the loudmouths. Both camps fail in alleging that they are not like the other. The middle is where the connection needs to be made.
LoL! Almost as coherent as the OWS bowel movement members give when asked why they're occupying! Almost.
I've done my "demonstrating" for this week... unfortunately, my fibro has flared, and I've spent nearly all of today in bed. Holding a sign and waving at passing cars can be fun.
When I travel, EVERY ATM I've used or tried to use that does not have my bank's name on it announces that there will be a fee. I've never seen a no-fee ATM. However, my bank seems to have a branch in every neighborhood everywhere (for if I need more than just to withdraw cash) and I can use any ATM and my bank refunds the fee. I'm not saying big banks are good. For most people they are very bad. But they do have some benefits, and with the amount I travel I find it convenient.
You realized that they just shifted their $53 Trillion derivative book to the retail bank, so that now YOU are the collateral for their liabilities? Right? No? It seems like everyone is too busy fighting over BS to see they're getting screwed. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-...-moving-merrill-derivatives-to-bank-unit.html
Bank with a Credit Union,, mine has no fee ATMs, and, and has affiliation with othe CUs for ATM reciprocity. Icarus