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Fire Walk With Me

Fire Walk With Me's Journal
Fire Walk With Me's Journal
December 26, 2012

Hurricane Shows Fragility of City’s Mental Health System

Occupy Sandy ?@OccupySandy

NYTimes: Hurricane Shows Fragility of City’s Mental Health System http://nyti.ms/RinDSi
Retweeted by Stop The Wars

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/27/nyregion/new-yorks-mental-health-system-thrashed-by-services-lost-to-storm.html?_r=0

When a young woman in the grip of paranoid delusions threatened a neighbor with a meat cleaver one Saturday last month, the police took her by ambulance to the nearest psychiatric emergency room. Or rather, they took her to Beth Israel Medical Center, the only comprehensive psychiatric E.R. functioning in Lower Manhattan since Hurricane Sandy shrank and strained New York City’s mental health resources.

The case was one of 9,548 “emotionally disturbed person” calls that the Police Department answered in November, and one of the 2,848 that resulted in transportation to a hospital, a small increase over a year earlier. But the woman was discharged within hours, to the shock of the mental health professionals who had called the police. It took four more days, and strong protests from her psychiatrist and caseworkers, to get her admitted for two weeks of inpatient treatment, said Tony Lee, who works for Community Access, a nonprofit agency that provides supportive housing to people with mental illness, managing the Lower East Side apartment building where she lives.

Psychiatric hospital admission is always a judgment call. But in the city, according to hospital records and interviews with psychiatrists and veteran advocates of community care, the odds of securing mental health treatment in a crisis have worsened significantly since Hurricane Sandy. The storm’s surge knocked out several of the city’s largest psychiatric hospitals, disrupted outpatient services and flooded scores of coastal nursing homes and “adult homes” where many mentally ill people had found housing of last resort.

(More at the link.)


December 26, 2012

Occupy activists sue Los Angeles over harsh treatment from police

Anonymous ?@YourAnonNews

Occupy Activists Sue Los Angeles Over Harsh Treatment From Police | http://bit.ly/12PEzSL | PressTV Report | #OWS #Anonymous #Revolution
Retweeted by John C.onner

http://www.presstv.com/usdetail/280071.html

Activists with Occupy Los Angeles have filed suit against the city for what they allege was harsh police treatment as they were swept off City Hall grounds over a year ago, court documents show.

An estimated 1,400 officers drove about 300 demonstrators off the grounds on November 30, 2011; the activists had been camping out for eight weeks to support the Occupy Wall Street movement against economic inequality and wealth disparities.

In the federal suit filed in US District Court in California’s central district on December 20, five people are suing in the class action lawsuit meant to represent 292 people detained in the raid

(This story, but not this particular article, was posted in LBN a few days ago. I love when I can come to DU to get Occupy news before the Occupy channels carry it! Well done!)

December 26, 2012

David Koch Now Taking Aim at Hurricane Sandy Victims

This is a few days old, sorry if it's already been posted.

http://www.thenation.com/blog/171906/david-koch-now-taking-aim-hurricane-sandy-victims#

Billionaire David Koch’s prime political organization, Americans for Prosperity (AFP), having failed in its $125 million quest to oust President Barack Obama, is now aiming at a slightly less sophisticated political target: victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Hurricane Sandy was the second most costly in American history, leaving 100 lives lost, over $50 billion in devastation and tens of thousands of damaged or destroyed homes. Legislative efforts to help those who survived Hurricane Sandy’s wrath will reach a major stumbling block.

Earlier this week, AFP, which is chaired by Koch and believed to be financed by several other plutocrats from the New York City region, released a letter warning members of Congress not to vote for the proposed federal aid package for victims of the storm that swept New Jersey, New York City and much of the surrounding area in October. An announcement on the group’s website says that the vote next week for the Sandy aid package will be a “key vote”—meaning senators who support sending money for reconstruction could face an avalanche of attack ads in their next election. Already, opposition to the bill is growing, although it passed one procedural hurdle last night.

(More at the link. Follow https://twitter.com/KOCHexposed on Twitter.)

Another reason they'd block Sandy Aid is to buy up the property to gentrify the area, and of course, to simply be land barons. Prime real estate, and some Far Rockaways residents were saying early after Sandy that this is exactly what would happen!

December 26, 2012

Hurricane Distribution Center Being Shut Down By New York City Housing Authority

Cross-posted from Occupy Underground.

http://interoccupy.net/occupysandy/2012/12/hurricane-distribution-center-being-shut-down-by-new-york-city-housing-authority/

The 57th Street Action Center has been operating as the central emergency distribution hub for the Arverne Queens area at the Ocean Bay Apartment houses since Hurricane Sandy struck the NYC area. The center distributes food, supplies, medical, and legal services to those still living in unhealthy environments. There are still 10,000 people living without power in Rockaway alone and the action center is under the threat of being closed down by its landlord, the New York City Housing Authority.

Action Center Director Aria Doe met with the New York Housing Authority yesterday and was told on December 28th “we have to have everything cleared out of the building so they can do “cleaning”. They won’t work around the distribution, and want us out. We were told to stop taking donations, to send all that we have to the Mayors programs, to close the medical and legal clinics and to send our folks to medical units 40 blocks away”

It seems only too obvious that the City is attempting to stop the visual lines that show continued incompetence in dealing with post Sandy recovery. NYCHA will not give a clear timeline for when the cleaning is to be over and when the Action Center volunteers can return. “NYCHA has the opportunity to drag this out as long as they want to, and hinted in the meeting that was what was going to happen. They have been known to take 6 months to change a lock.” said Ms. Doe. “We cannot abandon our people now. It is even more critical that we have a presence in the community with the cold weather, escalating health hazards, and historically, what takes place in the dark to the poor, when no one is standing watch.”

(More at the link including a petition.)

December 26, 2012

Hurricane Distribution Center Being Shut Down By New York City Housing Authority

http://interoccupy.net/occupysandy/2012/12/hurricane-distribution-center-being-shut-down-by-new-york-city-housing-authority/

The 57th Street Action Center has been operating as the central emergency distribution hub for the Arverne Queens area at the Ocean Bay Apartment houses since Hurricane Sandy struck the NYC area. The center distributes food, supplies, medical, and legal services to those still living in unhealthy environments. There are still 10,000 people living without power in Rockaway alone and the action center is under the threat of being closed down by its landlord, the New York City Housing Authority.

Action Center Director Aria Doe met with the New York Housing Authority yesterday and was told on December 28th “we have to have everything cleared out of the building so they can do “cleaning”. They won’t work around the distribution, and want us out. We were told to stop taking donations, to send all that we have to the Mayors programs, to close the medical and legal clinics and to send our folks to medical units 40 blocks away”

It seems only too obvious that the City is attempting to stop the visual lines that show continued incompetence in dealing with post Sandy recovery. NYCHA will not give a clear timeline for when the cleaning is to be over and when the Action Center volunteers can return. “NYCHA has the opportunity to drag this out as long as they want to, and hinted in the meeting that was what was going to happen. They have been known to take 6 months to change a lock.” said Ms. Doe. “We cannot abandon our people now. It is even more critical that we have a presence in the community with the cold weather, escalating health hazards, and historically, what takes place in the dark to the poor, when no one is standing watch.”

(More at the link including a petition.)
December 24, 2012

sheriffs have told the Hernandez family they will be coming to evict them today, Christmas Eve.

I have written here several times regarding Fort Hernandez. The family were tricked by Bank of America into foreclosure proceeding. They walled off their house and defied the eviction notice and have held their ground for over 100 days. They have taken as many possible measures of protest and legal action as might be considered possible in an effort to reclaim their home.

They have three small children.

This morning an attorney is at the sheriffs department in a last-minute meeting.


JP Massar ?@jpmassar

They R Kicking the Hernandez' Out of Their Home Xmas Eve
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/24/1173634/-They-Are-Kicking-the-Hernandez-Out-of-Their-Home-on-Christmas-Eve
… @defendjodie @Fort_Hernandez @FortLucero @OWSLosAngeles #oo

They Are Kicking the Hernandez' Out of Their Home on Christmas Eve.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/24/1173634/-They-Are-Kicking-the-Hernandez-Out-of-Their-Home-on-Christmas-Eve#

Today we received news that the sheriffs are coming to forcibly evict us from our home of seven years on Monday December 24, Christmas Eve, at 7 in the morning. This despite the fact that we have had our chapter 13 repayment plan approved by the bankruptcy trustee, and even made our first payment, men with guns are still coming to throw our family out.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's phone number is 818-374-2121. I'm sure they would appreciate a call telling them what you think of their planned action. The LA County Sheriff is Lee Baca. The Chief in charge of the Court Services Division, which is responsible for evictions, is Richard J Barrantes. Fort Hernandez lists these numbers as appropriate to call:

Main number: 323-526-5541
Van Nuys Branch (West Bldg.): 818-374-2511
Van Nuys Branch (East Bldg.): 818-374-2121

Details and an itemized list of the fraudulent items in the foreclosure proceeding:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12524691

December 24, 2012

One in four Americans are said to suffer some degree of "mental illness".

Yet even with the astonishing number of weapons floating around the country, we haven't wiped each other out.

It may pay to recognize that not all mental illness results in murder. It may also pay to realize that you likely know more than one person with some level of mental illness. This is to make you realize that it's okay, not a call to fear. I very much hope we may end the fear being spewed by the weapons sales/manufacturing lobby group, the NRA and replace it with compassion and understanding. Mental illness varies widely in regard to type and degree, much less the issues involving external/situational influences such as poverty, abuse, loss, etc. Thank you very much.

PS: Over 100 shootings have happened since Sandy Hook, yet no one is screaming over it. Are we so inured to death by weapons? And for the lulz, we seriously outnumber NRA membership. Boo! (Edit: The "Boo!" is meant towards the NRA. This is one of the problems with the illness...I have to spend a great deal of time considering whether I've correctly conveyed my intent or if the meaning is insufficient and can be misinterpreted. Please have compassion to the "mentally ill". It's just not easy.)

December 24, 2012

Occupy breaks locks as BofA break their promise to not evict families during the holidays (Updated)

Status Update
By Carlos Themailman
Occupy breaks locks takes back home in response to Bank of America breaching their promise to not evict families during the holidays

WHO: Occupy Fights Foreclosures Activists, Soledad Corona (single mom), Lincoln Heights Community
WHEN: Sunday December 23, 2012 at 5PM
WHERE: 2200 Daly Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90031
WHY: Bank of America Breaks Promise of "NO EVICTIONS AND FORECLOSURES DURING HOLIDAYS", evicts single mom on Dec. 14 and refuses to talk with representatives from Occupy LA, Occupy Fights Foreclosures
WHAT: Soledad Corona is joined by members of Occupy LA to take back her home as a protest of Bank of America wrongful eviction
Contact: Carlos Marroquin (323) 592-4663

Occupy breaks locks takes back home in response to Bank of America breaching their promise to not evict families during the holidays

LOS ANGELES - On December 14, 2012 Bank of America breached their promise to our country that there would be no evictions during the holidays and evicted Soledad Corona, a single mother with a teenager, at gun point. In response Occupy activists help the mother to take back her house because Bank of America has failed to provide an explanation of this breach to their representative.
Soledad will then be joined by community members and barricade themselves to demand attention and justice to their case until the home is returned to the rightful owners: the Corona family.
Occupy Fights Foreclosures, a subcommittee of Occupy LA, is dedicated to end the bank abuse against home owners, the families, and the communities in which they live. "I have worked closely with dozens of home owners. I have seen widespread abuse by financial institutions that continue their financial terrorism against working families," says Carlos Marroquin, "Unless we resist, abuses will continue."

---

LA Activist ?@laactivist

By Dan Bluemel.
Occupiers protest another questionable foreclosure, this time by breaking the locks on a home and...
http://fb.me/Fxc3i40X

---


Soledad Corona Gets Help From Occupy L.A. To Return To Her Foreclosed Home For The Holidays (VIDEO)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/24/soledad-corona-occupy_n_2359586.html

December 23, 2012

Michigan passes fascist, dictatorial "Emergency Managers" law

Thom Hartmann:

Michigan May Have Passed an Even More Undemocratic Law Than Right-to-Work

http://truth-out.org/news/item/13395-thom-hartmann-on-the-news

In screwed news... We all now know about Right-to-Work-for-less laws in Michigan, thanks to Republican Governor Rick Snyder and the corporate oligarchs. But, believe it or not, Right-to-Work-for-less may not even be the most radical, anti-democratic law that passed in Michigan this week. Late Wednesday, Republicans in the State House passed a new "emergency financial managers" law, which allows Rick Snyder to take over an entire city and appoint his cronies as mini-dictators who can fire all the local elected officials and take the reins of looting that city. The new law will allow Governor Snyder to break union contracts, slash budgets, and sell off parts of the commons to for-profit corporations. This is a radically anti-democratic law, and it's already been put in place in mostly-minority, cash-strapped cities like Benton Harbor, Ecorse, Pontiac, and Flint. But what's even more radical, is that just last month on Election Day, voters repealed Snyder's emergency financial managers law. Voters said, "no way!" and the law was kaput. So in response, and in a huge slap in the face to voters, Republicans just passed the law again this week. Governor Snyder claims the law is new-and-improved to address voter concerns. But the incoming Democratic House Minority Leader called the legislation a "mirror image" of the law that was repealed in November. Snyder thinks that by just changing the name of the law, he can send his mini-dictators back into the field, to take over more of Michigan's cities against the will of the voters. The Republican overreach in Michigan is unprecedented. A movement of working men and women must respond and make sure Republicans are never again given power in the Wolverine State.

http://economyincrisis.org/content/michigan-may-have-passed-an-even-more-undemocratic-law-than-right-to-work

We all now know about Right-to-Work-for-less laws in Michigan, thanks to Republican Governor Rick Snyder and the corporate oligarchs.

But, believe it or not, Right-to-Work-for-less may not even be the most radical, anti-democratic law that passed in Michigan this week. Late Wednesday, Republicans in the State House passed a new “emergency financial managers” law, which allows Rick Snyder to take over an entire city and appoint his cronies as mini-dictators who can fire all the local elected officials and take the reins of looting that city.

The new law will allow Governor Snyder to break union contracts, slash budgets, and sell off parts of the commons to for-profit corporations. This is a radically anti-democratic law, and it’s already been put in place in mostly-minority, cash-strapped cities like Benton Harbor, Ecorse, Pontiac, and Flint.

December 23, 2012

Twitterer searches net for most recent gun deaths, posts them all in an awful, continuous torrent

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Among other sources I'm using Google News to search for, and tweet, shootings in the US. Sorting by date, I'm only up to "1 hour ago." #guns

---

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Missouri: Man shot, wounded in party room of St. Louis Park apartment building // #guns http://www.startribune.com/local/184612931.html?refer=y


Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

California: 7-Hour Search For 2 Suspects In Whittier Ends In Deputy-Involved Shooting // #guns http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/12/23/7-h


Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Louisiana: Three arrested in St. Bernard shooting // #guns http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2012/12/three_arrested_in_st_bernard_s.html


Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

California: One man dead, second critically injured in West Oakland double shooting // #guns http://www.marinij.com/ci_22250501/one-man-dead-second-critically-injured-west-oakland

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

North Carolina: Trio charged in fatal shooting of Conover man // #guns http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/12/23/3744105/cmpd-makes-arrest-in-fatal-shooting.html

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Michigan: Fatal midnight shooting in Saginaw brings city's homicide count up to 30 for 2012 // #guns http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2012/12/fatal_midnight_shooting_in_sag.html

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Massachusetts: Worcester police investigating weekend shooting of 15-year-old boy // #guns http://www.telegram.com/article/20121223/NEWS/121229898/1116

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

South Carolina: Police search for suspects after shooting // #guns http://www.wcnc.com/news/crime/SC-police-search-for-suspects-after-shooting--184614271.html

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Florida: Police seek person of interest in Saturday's attempted shooting // #guns http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20121223/ARTICLES/121229876?Title=Police-seek-person-of-interest-in-Saturday-s-attempted-shooting

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Oregon: Duke's holds benefit for Clackamas shooting victims // #guns http://www.kgw.com/news/Dukes-holds-benefit-for-Clackamas-shooting-victims-184574151.html

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Alabama: Suspect arrested after nightclub shooting kills two // #guns http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/339654

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Michigan: Detroiter, 46, arrested in shooting of his son, 22 // #guns http://www.freep.com/article/20121223/NEWS01/121223023/Detroiter-46-arrested-in-shooting-of-his-son-22?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Illinois: Police: Children unharmed after latest west Evanston shooting // #guns http://dailynorthwestern.com/2012/12/23/blogs/aroundtown/police-children-unharmed-after-latest-west-evanston-shooting/

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Rhode Island: Man shot in the finger in Lebanon City // #guns http://fox43.com/2012/12/23/man-shot-in-the-finger-in-lebanon-city/

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Oxford, MA: Child wounded in shooting finds joy in singing // #guns http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2012/12/child_wounded_shooting_finds_joy_singing

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Akron, Ohio: Romig Road shooting leaves one dead // #guns http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/oh_summit/romig-road-shooting-leaves-one-dead

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Philadelphia: 1 Dead, 2 Injured In Weekend Shooting // #guns http://www.myfoxphilly.com/story/20413760/1-dead-2-shot-in

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Authorities probing fatal shooting of high school sophomore // #guns http://www.bgdailynews.com/news/state/authorities-probing-fatal-shooting-of-teenager/article_03bddac0-4aaf-5bf2-ad2f-037d76fda1ce.html

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

2 hurt, 1 arrested after Grand Rapids shooting // #guns http://lacrossetribune.com/news/state-and-regional/mn/hurt-arrested-after-grand-rapids-shooting/article_bd5413c8-3463-5bec-984c-c624d0bab19d.html

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Shooting In Lansing Saturday Night #guns http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/Shooting-In-Lansing-Saturday-Night-184616281.html


Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Florida: Shooting Outside Bar Leaves 1 Dead, 2 Injured // #guns http://www.newschief.com/article/20121223/NEWS/121229764/-1/entertainment?Title=Shooting-Outside-Bar-Leaves-1-Dead-2-Injured …-

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Illinois: Police: 3 Dead, 5 Wounded In Shootings Since Late Friday // #guns http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/12/22/three-wounded-in-shootings-since-late-friday/

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Pennsylvania: District Attorney: Troopers justified in killing Blair County shooting suspect // #guns http://fox43.com/2012/12/23/district-attorney-troopers-justified-in-killing-blair-county-shooting-suspect/

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Alabama: One Dead In Shooting Involving Police Officer // #guns http://58wchs.com/common/more.php?m=15&r=1&item_id=281

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

Pennsylvania: Police: Juvenile injured in early-morning shooting in York // #guns http://www.ydr.com/crime/ci_22250355/police-juvenile-injured-early-morning-shooting-york

Stop The Wars ?@sickjew

I keep comparing locations of these stories thinking, "this must be the same as the one I already posted." "…Nope, it's a different one."




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Current location: Los Angeles
Member since: Sat Apr 9, 2005, 09:20 PM
Number of posts: 38,893

About Fire Walk With Me

"There is something terribly wrong with this country." -V So, OCCUPY.
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