Explaining Occupy Wall Street...

Since the Occupy movement began, I've heard many, many different explanations of what they're protesting and what they're trying to accomplish. I've had people call me every name in the book because I haven't researched their movement to figure out what the actual objectives are. 


So I posted a video asking members of the Occupy Wall Street (and everywhere else) movement to use the comments area to explain to the rest of us: 1) What exactly the Occupy movement is protesting against, and 2) what exactly they're trying to accomplish.

Click to watch

Now that it's been up for a few days, check out the comment section. There were a few thoughtful responses, but as I expected, nobody seems to have a clear vision what they're specifically trying to accomplish. Thankfully the movement is over, and when they hit the parks again next summer, maybe they'll have a realistic, articulated set of objectives...

CH2M Hill's Crony Stimulus: Where Are The Occupiers?

Our friends in the Occupy movement have been protesting big corporations' influence over government and how crony capitalism is destroying our country for the little guy. And two months of destroying our public parks, drumming in circles, crapping in buckets and vandalizing businesses hasn't changed a damn thing, has it?

So Occupiers: If you want to change things, maybe you should Occupy CH2M Hill.

According to a report released today by Accuracy in Media, CH2M Hill has received nearly $2 billion in stimulus funds (yes, that's right: more than triple the amount received by Solyndra). And why did they receive so much of our taxpayer dollars? How else? Lobbying and campaign contributions. Here you go:

• CH2M Hill, a consulting/engineering/construction firm, has operations in over 80 countries worldwide.
• The company has been awarded almost $2 billion in Federal funds, more than triple the amount received by Solyndra
• CH2M Hill was awarded $9.6 million to design Solyndra’s Freemont, California facility.
• In the 2008 election cycle, CH2M Hill donated $45,000 to Senator Barack Obama.
• In the 2010 cycle, 65 percent of all campaign contributions were made to Democrats.
• CH2M Hill spent $455,000 on progressive lobbyists in 2010.
• CH2M Hill hired and subsequently fired 1,350 employees after stimulus funding depleted.

Read the whole report, written by Rusty Weiss, at Accuracy in Media.

Why don't you Occupiers go after CH2M Hill? This is cronyism at its finest. And for those socialists among you who believe that the Stimulus Program saved us from the next Great Depression, think again.

Thankfully, winter is here, so the Occupy movement is all but over. But next spring when the sun comes out and you start up again, I'd suggest a more pointed attack, where you actually target the offenders themselves, rather than protest all the world's ills and hope your pithy signs and mic checks are actually going to change things.

Occupy Wall Street: A One-Sign Summary

It's been over a month since I posted my little rant about the hypocrisy of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Based on the signs I saw on the news the day I shot it, the protesters were out there rallying against corporate greed (whatever that is). But 700,000+ views later, along with several death threats and literally hundreds of comments calling me the most vile names you can imagine, I still haven't heard a succinct explanation of what exactly the OWS movement is trying to do. I've received dozens of different explanations as to what they're protesting and what they're trying to accomplish. Probably time to re-group and work up a little mission statement? I think so.

But then I was forwarded a picture (which originally appeared at pjmedia.com). The picture really does sum up the entire movement:

This image is incredibly powerful. Look at it again. Read it again.

I'm starting to think we really are screwed. Throughout the OWS movement, I've been heartened by messages I've received, from people of all ages, who dismiss these protesters as a very loud, entitled minority with a pervasive victim mentality, out there shouting and trying to out-do each others' pithy signs, while the rest of us fulfill our responsibilities by working hard and being accountable for our own success or failure. But looking at this picture makes me nervous.

Anyway, there you have it. Happy belated Thanksgiving. Drop me a comment below; tell me how you feel about this image...

Family-Friendly Version of "A Day in the Life" Video Posted

When I first posted my little rant video, "A Day in the Life of an Occupy Wall Street Participant," I had no idea what I was in for. Fan mail, hate mail, death threats, radio interviews, etc. Honestly, I didn't think more than 20 or 30 people would ever see the video.

But one thing that did surprise me (though it shouldn't have) was how many people were offended by my use of profanity, specifically the "F" word at the very end. But as it turns out, a lot of folks wanted to share the video on their Facebook pages and show it to their kids, so I can see why they didn't appreciate my delivery.

Anyway, the other night two people requested that I post an edited version so that they could more comfortably share the video with more people. So Friday I bleeped out the bad words and put a new one up. Click here to see it.

So if any of you felt uncomfortable about sharing this video due to the 'blue' language, here's your chance. When I first recorded it, it was really just to vent, but the more positive feedback I receive, I'm starting to actually believe it makes valid points and shows the silliness of the Occupy Wall Street movement. So do me a favor and post it to your Facebook page. I can guarantee that your friends will either love it or hate it...

And once again, HUGE thanks to everyone for all the messages of support. It's pretty heartening to know that I'm not alone out here. Witnessing the OWS delinquents can make you lose faith in our country, but after all the loving, supportive messages I've received from hard-working, responsible Americans (and Canadians!!!), I have total faith that all will be fine. We just need to keep fighting the good fight, you know?

Occupy Wall Street CRIME TALLY!

Just posted this video today covering some of the more serious crimes committed by our gentle friends in the Occupy movement. It turns out that there's an exhaustive list at breitbart.tv, so if you want more fun facts about these degenerates, be sure to check it out. Meanwhile, check out the video and be sure to give me a thumbs up if you enjoy it (and subscribe to my channel for future videos).

Click here to watch

New Video: Elizabeth Warren - "There is Nobody in This Country That Got Rich Alone"

I realize Elizabeth Warren's little speech about the factory happened a couple months ago, so it's old news. But I keep seeing the transcription posted on people's Facebook pages as they subtly vilify business people who create new business, take risks, and ultimately drive our economy by creating jobs. I just rolled my eyes the first 20 or so times I saw her words, but after a while, my blood was boiling. I decided to shoot a little video telling why I found her speech condescending and offensive. You can watch it here:

Enjoy the video, and be sure to share it with friends if you agree (or disagree) with the sentiments. And as always, be sure to give me a thumbs up and a positive comment if you have the time.

Stay tuned for more...

Un-Occupy Vancouver

It's very heartening to see that the anti-Occupy movement is gaining momentum. Tonight I received a note from someone who just started a Facebook page rallying against the Occupy Vancouver heroin club.

Regardless of where you live, show your solidarity by clicking "like" at the page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/UN-Occupy-Vancouver/257078201009431

I hope people in every "Occupy" city start one of these. Seriously, the movement should have been over weeks ago; maybe we can accelerate its demise...

How do you know when you're actually making an impact?

Well, this morning I woke up and saw this on www.breitbart.tv:

Yep, that's me at the top of the page with a screenshot from my little Occupy Wall Street rant. And if you can't see it, it says, "Our New Hero..."

When I posted this video, I figured maybe 30 people would see it. Now it's at over 150,000 views. If you haven't seen it, click here. Be sure to read some of the angry, semi-literate comments from upset OWS folks. Pretty interesting stuff, if not a bit scary.

Anyway after this was posted on Breitbart.tv, a producer from the Larry O'Connor radio show contacted me and asked if I was interested in being interviewed on his show. Of course I was!!

So you can hear me tonight around 9:25 Pacific time. Here's the address for the show, where it streams: 

http://stagerightshow.com/

And if you miss it live, you can check out archived shows after the fact on the site.

And finally, a quick word of thanks. Thanks so much for all of the really nice, supportive messages that you've sent me. I've gotten so many emails from people wanting to tell me they appreciate my little videos and my point of view, it's been very flattering. Keep 'em coming! I love to hear from you all.

Surviving A Natural Disaster

So all these crazy Occupy Wall Street protesters got me thinking. They're living in these filthy tent cities and they're depending on donated food, water, tents and toilet paper. The sanitation is a complete nightmare and reports of the stench of waste are coming out about pretty much every tent cities.

Just what would these people do if a natural disaster happened? What would they do if a terrorist attack cut supply lines and suddenly the donations stopped coming in? Well, most likely they'd return to the home (the ones who aren't homeless, at least) and most likely they wouldn't be prepared for the empty store shelves. They would probably have three days or so worth of food (or less, especially if the disaster was accompanied by a power outage). Then what?

For whatever reason, and I won't try to analyze it, most conservatives believe in preparation. Preparation for hard times by saving money and having an emergency fund, preparing for retirement by making IRA contributions, and in many cases, preparing for natural disasters by storing non-perishable food, supplies of water, some fuel, candles, etc. Personally, I could probably be more prepared, but I think I could probably live semi-comfortably for about 30 days without outside food or power. I could probably do 60 if the power wasn't out.

Anyway, I started wondering if I really was as prepared as I should be and in doing my research I found Damian Campbell's survival program. It turns out I'm not nearly as prepared as I thought I was, but I've got a good start going. Damian's information shed a lot of light on things I hadn't even considered, especially for long-term crises, like water purification and alternate power.

I've kind of re-committed myself to improving my level of preparedness, and I think most of us could probably be more prepared, but as I continue to witness the Occupy Wall Street protests, I fear what might happen after a crisis or natural disaster. Clearly these people and many more aren't prepared, and once they run out of food, the rule of law is going to be out the window. Of course this leads to the discussion of being well-armed in the event of a disaster. Those of us who actually prepared for a crisis may have to protect ourselves and our families from those who would take it away.

It's no fun to think about, and God willing, we'll never have to face a situation where the stores run out of food, the water supply is disrupted, and there's panic in the streets, but it's worth considering. In the coming weeks, I'm going to add to my stores just in case. It can't hurt to be prepared, can it?

Charles Adler Show on Sun News

Yesterday I had the pleasure of being on Charles Adler's radio show, followed by an appearance on his TV show. I'd never been on TV or on the radio before, so I was quite nervous, but it was a very interesting experience. And Mr. Adler was a gracious host who really helped make it easy. If you're in the US and not aware of Charles Adler (I believe he's a household word in Canada), you should really check out his podcast at www.charlesadler.com


http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/video/featured/prime-time/867432237001/youtube-sensation/1244879195001

Best thing I heard today...

"it is the tree that bears good fruit that has the sticks thrown at it."


Thanks Jayce!!!

Charles Adler Show

Big thanks to the Charles Adler show. This kind gentleman not only played audio of my little Occupy Wall Street rant on his Canadian national talk radio show, he also put a link to the video on his website.

Here's his address: http://www.charlesadler.com

I encourage you to check out his page and get his podcasts -- the show is great. Thanks Charles!

I will work.

Have you ever heard someone say, "I can't find a job," or "nobody will give me a job"?

Well, in the last few years, I've heard those types of complaints more times than I can count.

I'm self-employed, so the more I work the more I make, and vice versa. But at the beginning of this summer I started thinking what I would do if I were a regular Joe who lost his job and needed to survive.

I thought, "Could I make it?" Given that I grew up doing odd jobs, from washing cars to picking blackberries, that I could figure out a way to get by. But I wondered if I could figure out a way to make a living without a job, just as an experiment.

Well, it turns out my experiment succeeded beyond my expectations. I started out by picking up cans (which can actually be quite lucrative if you use some strategy), then invested the money I made into supplies to do other, progressively better-paying odd jobs.

My experiment proved that here in America, you can start with basically nothing and make a comfortable living. I wrote a little e-book about my crazy journey and you can order it here:

www.willwork-thebook.com

It's only $3 and it's a pretty simple, quick read. Next time you hear someone complaining about not being able to find a job, you might get this for them...

Occupy Wall Street "Good Neighbor" Policy Explained

Here's a little video I shot today covering some of the fine points of the Occupy Wall Street Good Neighbor policy.

Be sure to double-click to see the YouTube page, and if you agree with my sentiments, give me a thumbs up or a positive comment. My young liberal friends are hammering me!

A Little Video Commentary on the Hypocrisy of the "Occupy" Movement

Here's a fun little video I shot of myself while I was on vacation a couple weeks ago. It's been fun read the comments and see how angry it makes the supporters of the movement. It's also fun to see what poor spellers they are. Given how many years these people spent pursuing their college degrees, it's surprising they can't punctuate a sentence...

 

If you double-click on the video, it'll take you to the YouTube page where you can read the comments. Really interesting stuff. Looking forward to a death threat or two to keep things interesting!

Occupy Portland

So the movement is rolling right along. Today they marched through Portland, Oregon protesting poverty. Once again, members of the "Occupy" movement are diluting their message by adding more and more societal ills to protest.


Seriously, if they would pick one or two issues and stick with them, the entire movement would not only be more credible, but the marchers would seem much smarter and more credible, which couldn't hurt their cause. Regardless, it's been very entertaining to watch, and though the rampant hypocrisy in the movement never fails to annoy, I hope the movement keeps going just for the entertainment value.