For those who maintain the occupation at night and all day: “They also serve who only stand and wait.” ~ John Milton (1608 – 1674) from Sonnet XIX.
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Some interesting new items on the OccupyHouston site.
On the home page, there’s an article called Made Sustainable by Occupy Houston, wherein OH announces that it has secured a 1999 Lincoln Navigator, with the object of using it as a testbed for various, undesignated pollution-lowering technologies. I’m not prepared to criticize (I wasn’t at the GA where this decision was taken, after all), but I am concerned about ‘muddying the message’. I’m also curious how OH tends to proceed with this project.
The GA Minutes are being kept more current. The GA Minutes for Oct. 20th posted below are from Thursday. Nice job, guys!
In addition to the previously announced clean-up day (Clean Sweep!, Saturday, Oct. 22), there is mention in the GA Minutes of Oct. 22nd as a day to “Protest against police brutality”. The Minutes (posted below) provide some more details, but I’d like to see an actual announcement on the site. There’s also some question about how this event will dovetail with the clean-up event, time-wise.
Remember, you can support #OccupyHouston without participating in specific demonstrations with which you do not agree! (Read: OPINION: #OccupyHouston and the Energy Day Protest (Oct. 15) Just bringing your warm body (and any other warm bodies you can rustle up) represents support for the movement.
More stuff after the jump.
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October 20th, 2011 · Cassie · Sustainability ProjectsOne comment
In out effort to be a responsible community, Occupy Houston is starting with the low hanging fruit. We are transforming one of Houston’s biggest polluters into a model for sustainable transportation. This is an excellent opportunity for all interested community members to gain experience creating sustainability in our great city while getting knowledgeable about various green alternatives within the auto industry.
The project vehicle is a 1999 Lincoln Navigator. We acquired this vehicle through the help & love of an individual supporter who donated the $1500 down-payment and arranged a very flexible fee schedule with the wonderful folks at Go Car Guys.
We will not be taking away from general donations, but will rely solely on fundraising efforts to accumulate the remaining $4092. We have also set up a separate WePay account specifically for this project.
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One Response to “Made Sustainable by Occupy Houston”
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Quoting your article….”We acquired this vehicle through the help & love of an individual supporter who donated the $1500 down-payment and arranged a very flexible fee schedule with the wonderful folks at Go Car Guys”.
One of the biggest problems facing the 99% is that they cannot restructure their debts unless they first agree to a default. I hope you see the irony of you accepting payment terms that the 99% cannot ever get.
Change the banking rule of law from “Debt restructuring first requires a default” to “Debt Restructuring DOES NOT first require a default” and main street can protect their depleting assets from the banker’s tentacles.
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Saturday, Oct. 22nd –
We will be cleaning up our area and surrounding areas downtown.
We will start at 9 a.m. Tranquility Park and break of into teams that will cover specific areas, then w will meet back up again at Tranquility around noon.
BYOB -Bring your own broom and stand-up dust pan. OH will be providing gloves and trash bags.
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Intro to GA Process
Housekeeping reminders -no smoking in park, no littering, no peeing
Shaun: Use the new hand washing station! We need worms for vermiculture. We are using the greywater from hand washing station to water plants.
Sarah- we now have video version of the hand signals (posted in forums)
Website report back-
–Accept Proposals page –when posting GA Minutes, please also add all accepted proposals to this Accepted Proposals page.
-site is now bilingual -Thanks, Selene !! and Selene’s mom, and others who will also be translating!
-Over 11,000 Likes on Facebook
-Over 5,000 Followers on Twitter
-when possible in conversations on Facebook, Twitter, etc, try to direct people to the website, where the most centralized and frequently updated information can be found.
Security report back-
-We NEED more security volunteers. There are shifts available every night for as little as 1 hour.
Announcement: BP Action today with the Coalition for Peace Dick Gregory stopped by and gave a speech.
Announcement: Oct. 18th approx. 2pm Jolanda Jones (Jo Jones) stopped by and spoke to OccHou.
John P: Clean Sweep this Saturday! There will be food, music and community!
-starts at 9am
-lunch at 12 noon
Announcment: Re-purpose market at 2850 Fannin
Swim Announcement:
-Be sure to return your sleeping materials to storage in the morning after you get up.
-We need volunteers! Especially for Food, Medical, Warehouse and Security
-Be the change you want to see.
Carlos:
-Oct. 22nd – Protest against police brutality
-3pm Market Square Park
-Wear all black
proposal to accept the action against police brutality as an official Occupy Houston action -PASSED
Joslin – proposal: Reach out to more established groups like public service and EMT, teachers, etc. -PASSED
Joslin -suggestion: Overnight occupiers might consider placing a sign next to where they are sleeping.
Karl:
-Flash Mob planning.
-1/2 bystanders with fake money, 1/2 zombies
-if participating, must attend at least one rehearsal at Good Jobs Great Houston around 5PM, Oct. 29th and 30th
-Flash Mob accepted as official OccHou action (details to be released at planning sessions and closer to the date) –PASSED
Maria (media) :
-Haunted House of Corporate Horrors planning -will take place at Tranquility Park on the 29th.
-Get with Maria if you want to help / get involved with this project
-Proposal for House of Corporate Horrors to be official Occupy Houston event -ACCEPTED
Eric: We need to make the effort / we need to be the change we want to see. Volunteer, volunteer, volunteer your help! This is all-inclusive and the various positions need to cycle through and be done by different people.
Ian: stresses importance of having centralized gen info for newcomers -use the white board
Alex: response to ‘camping trip’ — stresses the importance of having fun so that we *want* to be here, and so new people want to come back
Karl: We’re getting serious and need to have more fun
Joe: Welcomes diverse opinions -says the most contradictory perspectives show us what the challenges are in reaching others and welcoming them to the movement
Remington: Put together a YouTube video from last weekend, wants to put on site (just email your video link to info@occupyhouston.org or approach a website group person)
Amanda M: Let’s not pee in the park. If women have to use the porta potties, so do the guys! No peeing in the park. It smells.
Nico: Can we come together as a family ? We need more people, more flyers, etc. Expresed much love for the movement and everyone here.
Scott: response to camping-vs-party discussion- it’s great if we want to have more fun, but the thing is that we don’t have enough people yet to focus on the optimal circumstances of parties and fun… The main people who are here most often are spread very thinly to cover multiple positions. We NEED more volunteers to cover the basic functions and needs, THEN we can focus on fun and parties more.
John P: Maybe lift the tone of movies shown on movie nights. Change it up — alternate some full features, etc, along with the serious documentaries.
Steven J: Trip to Dallas leaving at 10AM Oct. 21st, to confront Rupert Murdoch’s super committee Chairman while he plays golf in Dallas. Transportation provided –we will be leaving between 10-11AM.
Sarah: thousands of flyers will be delivered tonight, for people to hand out.
Ian: we need to welcome the Critical Mass bike rally/event folks that will be out
Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig 