Will Dropouts Save America? NYTIMES oct 22

"AFTER all, there is not one job market in America, but two. The formal market we always hear about — jobs that get filled through cold résumé submissions in reply to posted ads — accounts for only about 20 percent of jobs. The other 80 percent get filled in the informal job market.

If a young person happens to retain enough creative spirit to start a business upon graduation, she does so in spite of her schooling, not because of it. "

thoughts

• ya know, a large majority of students I know from Harvard, are starting their own programs
• that or in medical school
• but i wonder what it is about that institution that grooms students to actually beleive that they are capable and deserving of startng their own
• i think thats what it comes down to, many of us don't believe that its in the cards for us to have a fulfilling dream come true type of profession
• its something we fantasize about and then when it comes to reality especially in this economy and with student loans, we simply grovel and take anything that pays us a check
• and we subdue our dreams with the notion that this is just "for now" that "someday" we will be able to do what we want
• but how many people actually ever get there?
• it is much easier to take risks and to fail in our younger years, when we don't have little mouths to feed and a mortgage and dogs to walk everyday and a marriage to keep intact
• but today the youth in many places are numbed by continous, repetitive activities that lead to no actual productive outcome, such as video games, or watching movies, youth spend hours and energy pouring into these manufactured scenarios and have nothing to show for it after beating the ultimate level
  
  
  • then what? its on to the next mindnumbing hour sucking simulated success.
  • we are glued to our computers, our cell phones, constantly reading about what others are doing right now
  • but when does that "someday" become tomorrow?
    • when do we get a jolt to put us into action to actually manifest that dream
    • we're not going to get a tweet to remind us that time is plodding by or a reminder on our iphone to write that book you've always imagined, or take a class which will open up doors
    • no, we live in a culture of fear, of the applauding of those who conform, and thos who are successful
    • but behind each success is failures
    • yet during those failures, everyone is actually pitifully encouraging us to give it up, to take that "real" job and stop with our fantasies
    • but, for those greats who finally achieve, the steve jobs and bill gates, suddenly they are revered
    • what is wrong with that picture?
    • that trying and failing or any type of rebellion from the normal realm of what is expected, any deviation from our culture our classes concept of what defines success, be that a business suit or a law degree, is criticized, alienated, ostracized
    • until those few crazy ones manage to create something incredible, and then suddenly everyone wants to say how they knew it all along
    • ‎"The rebellions that are happening around the globe today, it is people becoming awake and aware, stopping to think about what is happening,
      stopping to finally analyze and consider if everything they have been raised to placidly accept is actually "just how it is", and if that means "how it has to be".
      We are the ones who are scratching our heads and stepping away from the TV and turning off our auto-pilot to question, to wonder, to critically consider...and, we are coming to the seemingly radical conclusion that "this" in fact, is not necessary. That this scrambling, clinging, paycheck to paycheck lifestyle does not have to characterize our few decades on this earth. It is dawning on us after centuries of technological progress dulled our most innate human qualities, that you, that I, despite not holding public office or having many zeroes in our bank account, actually still have power. That what sets us apart from our comrade animals is supposedly our minds and ability to reason and discern. We are finally coming together as humans, living and working together in community, on a small scale local level, and seeing our neighbor as a person, worthy of being assisted, not just annoying sounds heard through a wall. And are we being applauded? supported? held up as heroes in news stories to celebrate our rebirth into consciousness? No, instead we are being undermined, penalized, ignored, dismissed as chaotic, disorganized, unproductive. But isn't that how all great changes come about?
      First, the conclusion that what currently exists is failing, and thus to create solutions one must imagine what something could be, before it is. It is like trying to put together a puzzle with many pieces which do not yet fit together,
      one has to cut them and shape them and constantly modify them until all four sides fit with their partners, not only physically into place but maintaining the right parts of an image on their surface, it is a messy process, filled with mistakes, trial and error, sometimes starting over completely, but, in the end, when each piece connects smoothly, an entirely new image will be born. And, like many finished masterpieces, only then will the people praise it. We are the builders, the construction workers, the designers, the artists, the engineers, the dreamers, the revolutionaries, and without us, nothing would ever change."

Recently, I've been having trouble motivating myself to achieve small goals that I set. I find myself overwhelmed by fantasies of what could be, yet somehow inhibited from taking a first step towards manifesting that potential. It's as if I have a block that is in my way. I'm able to gaze up the mountain to all of the various plateaus and paths, but I can't get a foot off the ground.

what is occupy wall street movement?

from occupy portlands fb page

Adam Simmons

Someone asked me why they should get behind Occupy Portland. Here is my response "Here's what I see as the bottom line: We have always been taught as children, that this country is a land of freedom, for the people, by the people. It's a sad fact that growing up into adulthood includes accepting that money rules the land. This is not the truth and not what founded the country. This country, even world, cannot be run by those with the largest bank accounts unchecked. The oligarchs are the target. This is not a battle against individual religions, opposing political views or tightly held beliefs.

it's about the purging of tyranny (in this case, of the aforementioned oligarchs), that our country wrote into its DNA at its onset.

But, ultimately it's a personal choice. You either feel like this systemic problem is at it's breaking point, or you don't. Has the level of corruption and reduction of quality of life reached a level that is no longer acceptable? It has reached that point for me and I will exhaust myself with the tools I have, in the effort to correct the wrong."

Heather Lightcap

Occupy Wall Street is meant more as a way of life that spreads through contagion, creates as many questions as it answers, aims to force a reconsideration of the way the nation does business and offers hope to those of us who previously felt alone in our belief that the current economic system is broken.

and my own comments on an online debate about the OWS movement:

•  "Those demands pissed me off. I feel like they completely discredit the whole thing."

  Yesterday at 3:51pm ·  ·  1 person
• 

  Lali Be I tried to explain not to take that specific site as representative of what every person involved in the movement feels....I personally had nothing to do with that list of demands, but I am still passionate about the cause of uniting disenfranchised and hurting people to come together and discuss what the best specific avenues to address the injustices will be...I'm sure there will be laws and more particular topics addressed, for example I have heard many people addressing the issue of corporate spending in elections as one of the main problems....thats just one website, try to explore more information about the movement and maybe you will feel better, feel free to post your thoughts on any of the discussion boards or fb sites....constructive criticism is helpful
  

do you realize people are participating in this movement in: DC (McPherson Square which is near the white house and the capitol building, the security is intense so hard to get any closer) in Boston, San Franciscio, New Orleans, Houston, Seattle, Maine, Miami, Santa Fe, Albequerque, Portland, Cleveland, Orlando, Atlanta, Tucson, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, San Diego, Denver, Kansas City, Chicago, Charlotte, Toronto, Vancouver, Manchester UK, and more that I don't feel like typing out. at the OWS site there are professors, former bankers, Ph.D students, lawyers, activists who participated in the civil rights movement, teachers, and more that I don't feel like typing, so it is NOT in fact, a bunch of "unemployed hipsters" protesting at the wrong place. It is a uniting of people who are fed up with the corruption and misplaced priorities of the government, the misallocation of finances to causes which do not benefit the general public, yes there have been many people who don't turn out to vote, but it is precisely a movement like this which is needed to kick them in the ass and get them involved because they actually feel like there are people out there like them who care and believe they can make change. So before you shit all over people who have the passion to camp out because they believe that there is potential for change, why don't you do some more research than whats on the mainstream media, talk to people all over the country who are involved, and since you work for similar ideals, why not be supportive rather than condescending.

is it possible that this could be the beginning of something larger? that maybe the movement could evolve into more than just the occupations and sign waving? that its inspiring people to feel empowered, so maybe they will go out and get together and form more focused coalitions which will play by the systems rules? and ok, maybe the people going to work on K street as a whole don't care, but 1-some individuals could be moved to reconsider their profession, I met several social workers who were former wall street workers and did not feel morally right doing certain work and switched careers, seeing all of the people that their industry is hurting out there sleeping on the street could make them think, also their presence is reaching others, the government certainly knows that the movement is going on, city councilman in NYC were present at OWS, and local government is being involved, for example the mayor is in contact with the occupy portland movement, and it has a voice, maybe not a cohesive soundbyte of a message, but government knows that its happening and that this is another voter base they may want to consider appealing to, because the people are upset and organizing together and it is growing.

I see this stage as the beginning of the movement, the awakening of people, the recruitment of many dejected, hopeless, struggling people and bringing them together to instill the conviction that they can create change, by uniting so many thousands, they begin to have a voice, maybe the next stage will be addressing each movements local government and leading up to the federal level, but laughing it off and dismissing it as misdirected and futile certainly does not help bring it to that next level.

Steve Jobs, you are gone too soon

“Here's to the crazy ones ~ the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers ~ the round pegs in the square holes ~ the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them ~ but the only thing you can't do is ignore them ~ because they change things ~ they push the human race forward ~ and while some may see them as the crazy ones ~ we see genius ~ because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world ~ are the ones who do” ~ Steve Jobs


‎"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do, If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on." 


'‎"Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition" 


- Rest in Peace, Steve Jobs

turn off your TV!

I am so frustrated that many of my peers are ignoring the movement and just concerned about whats on TV

Occupy the Brooklyn Bridge!

my mission

Maya Angelou:

"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style." 

Timeless Words from past Heroes

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGaRtqrlGy8




The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

You will not be able to stay home, brother.
You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out.
You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and skip,
Skip out for beer during commercials,
Because the revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not be televised.
The revolution will not be brought to you by Xerox
In 4 parts without commercial interruptions.
The revolution will not show you pictures of Nixon
blowing a bugle and leading a charge by John
Mitchell, General Abrams and Spiro Agnew to eat
hog maws confiscated from a Harlem sanctuary.
The revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not be brought to you by the 
Schaefer Award Theatre and will not star Natalie
Woods and Steve McQueen or Bullwinkle and Julia.
The revolution will not give your mouth sex appeal.
The revolution will not get rid of the nubs.
The revolution will not make you look five pounds
thinner, because the revolution will not be televised, Brother.

There will be no pictures of you and Willie May
pushing that shopping cart down the block on the dead run,
or trying to slide that color television into a stolen ambulance.
NBC will not be able predict the winner at 8:32
or report from 29 districts.
The revolution will not be televised.

There will be no pictures of pigs shooting down
brothers in the instant replay.
There will be no pictures of pigs shooting down
brothers in the instant replay.
There will be no pictures of Whitney Young being
run out of Harlem on a rail with a brand new process.
There will be no slow motion or still life of Roy
Wilkens strolling through Watts in a Red, Black and
Green liberation jumpsuit that he had been saving
For just the proper occasion.

Green Acres, The Beverly Hillbillies, and Hooterville
Junction will no longer be so damned relevant, and
women will not care if Dick finally gets down with
Jane on Search for Tomorrow because Black people
will be in the street looking for a brighter day.
The revolution will not be televised.

There will be no highlights on the eleven o'clock
news and no pictures of hairy armed women
liberationists and Jackie Onassis blowing her nose.
The theme song will not be written by Jim Webb,
Francis Scott Key, nor sung by Glen Campbell, Tom
Jones, Johnny Cash, Englebert Humperdink, or the Rare Earth.
The revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not be right back after a message
bbout a white tornado, white lightning, or white people.
You will not have to worry about a dove in your
bedroom, a tiger in your tank, or the giant in your toilet bowl.
The revolution will not go better with Coke.
The revolution will not fight the germs that may cause bad breath.
The revolution will put you in the driver's seat.

The revolution will not be televised, will not be televised,
will not be televised, will not be televised.
The revolution will be no re-run brothers;
The revolution will be live.

pix of wall st from fb/flckr accounts

livestream global revolution

http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution


‎"Organized nonviolent resistance is the most powerful weapon that oppressed people can use in breaking lose from the bondage of oppression."... "Non cooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good" - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

occupy wall st!!!!!!

Whoever controls the volume of money in our country is absolute master of all industry and commerce...when you realize that the entire system is very easily controlled, one way or another, by a few powerful men at the top, you will not have to be told how periods of inflation and depression originate.”
―1881 President James A. Garfield- Two Weeks before his Assassination