This is Hilarious. When the going gets tough, the occupiers get going! Wild eyed climate svengali Bill McKibben claims the “atmosphere is occupied”, and that’s why we have global warming.
Only one problem, when the atmosphere gets too cold, people bail from the tents and head home. The Infrared camera video footage shot by the Telegraph reveals a lot of tents are missing bodies at night.
What a bunch of wimps! Why, in the 60’s their parents protested in waist deep snow, carrying signs, and the protest march was uphill both ways!
Or maybe they brought in some polar bears to help them “experience and be one with nature” more fully and that’s why people are missing?
Here’s the story from the Telegraph:
Only one in 10 St Paul’s protesters stay overnight
Just one in 10 of the tents at the Occupy London Stock Exchange camp which has closed St Paul’s Cathedral are occupied at night, it can be revealed.
The camp forced St Paul’s to close for the first time since the Blitz and is costing local businesses thousands of pounds a day.
But most of the protesters are heading home to sleep in their own beds at night.
Infra red images taken by a police helicopter during the early hours show that only around 20 of the 200 tents on the encampment actually have people staying in them.
The Daily Telegraph has shot its own video of the St Paul’s camp using thermal imaging equipment which appears to confirm these claims.
…
On Monday the revelation was described as a “charade” and pressure was growing on the church and other authorities to evict the camp.
“It is like a phantom camp – a big charade,” said Matthew Richardson, a Corporation of London councillor, who is calling for action to be taken.
“It just shows that most of the people don’t have the courage of their convictions and are here just to make trouble and leaving your tent here overnight is a good way to do that.”
Full story and the video here
Dirk H,
I always enjoy your comments. To answer your question re: the Gini index, there is a trade-off between equality of opportunity and a nation’s wealth. With equal opportunity [not to be confused with equality of results], there is a wide disparity between those with a little wealth and those with a lot of wealth. Those with the drive, ambition, intelligence, persistence, etc., will in the long run amass more wealth than those with lesser qualities. But over all, in a free market economy everyone benefits more financially, even though the benefits can be plotted along a Bell curve with the rich at on end, the poor at the other end, and a large middle class in the three middle quintile cohorts.
The problem occurrs when society tries to forcibly make outcomes equal [“From each according to his abilities; to each according to his needs.”] When the trade-off tilts toward a lightly regulated free market, with relatively low taxation, the entire society becomes very wealthy and everyone benefits. But the wealth is not shared equally; that’s the trade-off. Your success is up to you. When the trade-off leans toward forcibly confiscating and redistributing wealth from the wealth producers to the wealth consumers, there is a more equal economic result. But as you pointed out, the entire society is very poor, like Cuba and North Korea. But hey, the citizens are equal; equally destitute.
I prefer freedom over collectivism, and a much richer country over a dirt poor third world hellhole like the ones you mentioned. But other folks’ mileage may vary, and they’re usually the ones who haven’t been very successful in life.
“How can I get the five minutes of my life back that I wasted on that drivel? The obnoxious host’s first words are “The Tea Baggers…” Thanx for posting your lunatic propaganda… NOT.”
Thanks for the cliche line there. Awesome. Awesome stuff.
You don’t mind calling all the people at Wallstreet bums, losers etc…. But we shouldn’t attack any Tea Party folks. Lunatics… You mean like Michelle Bachmann who wants to pray the gay away (even though she actually has a gay husband), throw out minimum wage.. etc…
Or like this lunatic?
Things are going to get worse Smokey… None of these clowns running for the right wing party are going to fix anything. The GOP can’t even decide who to run against Obama because they’re so inept.
Brian says:
“The GOP can’t even decide who to run against Obama because they’re so inept.”
IANAR [nor a Dem], but you don’t even understand how the party nomination winnowing process works. How can you credibly comment on the political process? Opinions based on ignorance [and worse, on YouTube videos] mean nothing.
Next, you state that Bachmann’s husband is gay. I don’t know that… how would you know?
Finally, I am 100% in favor of getting rid of the miniimum wage. It may surprise you, but some workers are not worth $9/hr [depending on your state]. Some may be worth only $7.50 an hour. But with an artificially high minimum wage, you automatically get more unemployment. Econ 101 [my minor, and I always made the Dean’s List].
Some folks have no understanding of human nature, or freedom, or the economy, or how the world really works. They include the large majority of the bums “occupying” their pigsty parks.
Why is it that no matter what colored tent the socialists hides under they’re always the most violent people on this planet? Why do they always have to retort to violence or ask that others take care of what not according to their whims and wishes disregarding all things sane and rational.
So if they lack authority, power, money, fame, women, and their occasionally preferred dildo to boost their ego, why do everyone else have to suffer for them to gain their beloved petrochemical supported wind powered utopia?
Pull My Finger says:
October 26, 2011 at 12:20 pm
Alexander, that’s a choice you make.
I must emphatically disagree with you. I cannot afford any real, meaningful health insurance. I am 50, I am overweight, and I like my pipe; the only health insurance I can afford is a meaningless scam (being a naive fool, I paid for it for 20+ years, and in the end it won’t pay for anything more or less serious). American health care is a huge pitiless scam exploiting to the hilt the government’s Ponzi scheme called “Social Security.”
Yes, WalMart employees do sign a contract, even if they work part-time (otherwise their employment would be illegal). Many years ago, my wife worked in the supermarket for $4.25 per hour, and I worked as a gas station attendant for $5 per hour. We both had to sign off the contract stipulating conditions of our employment, and my wife even had to pay useless union fees out of her miserly $4.25 per hour! We survived, and I bought my first car (used Chrysler Horizon hatchback) for $700 after just a few months of working, while we barely could speak a few words in English, and had absolutely no relatives or friends to help us. On the contrary, we had a little son, and were forced by the circumstances and self-respect to support some other, elderly people (talk about “some Americans cannot afford a car” nonsense). It doesn’t take a high IQ to cut cheese or to fill up cars.
No, health insurance is NOT similar to car insurance in any way or form. Mandatory car insurance protects other people from accidental damages that you may cause them. My untimely death without any medical care would not cause anybody any damage. Until I reach an eligible age, I will pay for any necessary medical care out of pocket, and will refuse any services I cannot afford. Since I pay more than 45% of my earned income in taxes, I will not refuse whatever medical services Uncle Sam would condescend to pay for when I turn 67 or 70 or whatever would be the eligible age if I ever live that long — but it will be my money, not other people’s, that would pay for these services.
The only case where I could be accused of taking a penny from Uncle Sam was when I drove my demented mother to the local nursing home after living in hell, keeping her in the house, for 15 years. However, I firmly maintain 1) that I paid much more in wasted taxes then it cost a government to keep her until her death (she received virtually no medical care, and very bad food there — I had to supply her with TV, refrigerator and magazines, and to regularly deliver better food), and 2) that, if Medicare system would not exist, I would be able to afford a private nursing home for my mother — the astronomical costs of today’s health care in America is largely due to the socialist “safety net” that keeps everybody but rich equally miserable, and punishes hard-working people.
Having an average IQ is not an excuse for not learning professional skills. I’ve met hundreds of people with an average IQ who earned very decent money after a few months of training.
Those looking for excuses will always find them. Life is hard, and then we die.
One imagines people share tents in order to deepen understanding of ‘Warmist” alarm and economic theory of Mutual Aid.
http://www.debtdeflation.com/blogs/2011/10/25/why-occupy-wall-street-makes-sense-lessons-economists-could-learn-from-the-99-4/
M.Kelly says:
October 26, 2011 at 2:47 pm
” http://www.debtdeflation.com/blogs/2011/10/25/why-occupy-wall-street-makes-sense-lessons-economists-could-learn-from-the-99-4/ ”
A guy equates riots in Egypt (they always had riots when food prices shot up) to the problems of homeowners in America (who used their mortgage as an ATM, expecting house prices to rise). Also, he calls the protesters “the 99%” – oh, it looks like that was a smart marketing move, like calling oneselves the “Bolsheviks”…. so the term comes into use… no matter how few they really are. Reminds me of “97% of all climate scientists”…
http://opinion.financialpost.com/2011/01/03/lawrence-solomon-97-cooked-stats/#ixzz1A5px63Ax
“IANAR [nor a Dem], but you don’t even understand how the party nomination process works. How can you credibly comment on the political process?”
None of these people are creditable. Perry is a redneck with immigration issues possibly. (Ironically enough I’m against illegal immigration).
Bachmann is nuts. Even some of the Tea Party people aren’t keen on her and she’s doing so horrible in the polls for a reason.
Just a little look at her thought process.
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2011/10/24/351147/bachmann-americans-can-rely-on-charitable-organizations-if-they-cant-afford-health-care/
Cain can’t even recent run a decent campaign ad and he isn’t even really clear on his abortion views. Even the Foxnews interviewers couldn’t even make sense of him.
These candidates rise in the polls and then drop like a stone. There is a reason why
“Even worse, you state that Bachmann’s husband is gay. I don’t know that… how would you know?”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/24/michele-bachmann-marcus-bachmann-gay_n_1028141.html
These two are crazy. Moreover, listen to the guys voice and watch how he carries himself. If I had 1,000 dollars I’d bet my money on it (Him being gay). Not that there is anything wrong with being gay, but when you pull the shenanigans that these people pull… It makes you look like a hypocritical fool.
“Finally, I am 100% in favor of getting rid of the miniimum wage. It may surprise you, but a few workers are not worth $9/hr [depending on your state].”
That’s not surprising… That you feel that way. We wouldn’t want that McDonald’s employee who has to work long hours and annoying people to get that extra dollar an hour. Now would we?
“Some folks have no understanding of human nature, or freedom, or the economy, or how the world really works.”
I agree…. Some people have no understanding. Including republicans who think people just choose to be gay.
William McIlhagga says:
October 26, 2011 at 4:14 am
If you look at the top left corner, you can see a heat signature partially obscured by a tent. This suggests that the tents aren’t very transparent to the IR wavelengths being used by the camera. You can also see in this picture that about half the tents are glowing faintly.
Indeed, as a camper since youth, this was my first question (the second being news interest and the usual half way in which journos get their stories). I wouldn’t consider as half decent a tent and a sleeping bag and whatever else that didn’t keep my own radiated heat in during the night (with the optiional ventilation for warmer weather, if we get finicky).
Pull My Finger says:
October 26, 2011 at 12:20 pm
“Alexander, that’s a choice you make.”
Mr Fart? :p
Have you had not having the choice?
I pay some of the highest taxes on this planet, still I have choices, after I have paid the taxes that is, still they amount next to nothing for me or my elders. My in laws has worked for a full 45 years full time but still receives less in pension funds than dope fiends who has been on well fare for that same amount of time. And that’s including the extra insurances my in laws paid for. How exactly is that computed to be a choice since they only had the choice of one, in the end.
TheGoodLocust says:
October 26, 2011 at 9:29 am
Okay, when I first saw the pictures my thought was that the tents were blocking the IR from the camera, but after watching the video, even though two layers, you can still faintly see people’s limbs when they walk behind the tent.
Ah, ok. Who would say. Thanks.
Where does one start and where does one stop, at least in a democracy (for those lucky to live in one,but dissatisfied for whatever reason) protesting is an outlet to express frustration, to meet with others and see if your badge of frustration matches the others badge of frustration, have a good gripe and perhaps a swipe at what you feel is responsible for causing that feeling of frustration, then you meet those that are trying to get you to latch on to their extremist view or politico plumbers doing their best to recruit you to serve their own interests. At that point you are becoming an observable lab rat, a social experiment and where you choose, or what you do will be closely observed, commented on, gravely postulated, and cited as an observable sample of crowd phenomena, misguided youth, twisted thinking or malleable personality or just for the individual and experience that you will either grow into or out of.
Its nice to have the right to protest, the right to have your views aired, but then at some time your expression of your individual right will impinge on the rights of others, at that stage it is right to consider the democratic rights and freedoms that you enjoy, and step back to allow those other individuals that do not choose to demonstrate (at that particular time) If you choose not to recognise other competing rights, then expect “your” society to react. (and begin yet another observable social lab experiment as society passes judgment on the process)
Forgive my musing, but also beware when the experimenters drop crumbs to entice, or meld the process!!
Gareth Phillips says:
October 26, 2011 at 8:34 am
….As a result I suspect I may have beliefs which fit in with many others who do not belong to either fringe. My philosophy is that in blaming the inaccuracies in climate change on left wing politics we are missing a major factor. And that is while there is money to be made from radical and inaccurate theories and models, it is the financiers and bankers who will win as usual leaving the rest of us out in the cold. While we howl about left wing politics driving poor science we are missing the plot, it’s not the old hippies, lefties and greenies who benefit, it is politicians like those in the Maldives and the financiers who trouser the cash. They are the ones with the fingers in the pie, they are the ones who have most to gain…..
_______________________________________________
Very nicely put.
From a used to be very right wing conservative… now centralist. (To Willis, as a Republican I picked up Hitchhikers and was a member of Greenpeace, WWF, and Sierra Club in the early seventies)
Brian says:
October 26, 2011 at 10:09 am
This hurts the creditability of this blog. I’m willing to bet money that when The Tea Party was having it’s 15 minutes that people were not posting video’s of all the rednecks carrying ignorant and hateful signs. When I first came on this site I suspected that this was a republican propaganda site in disguise… I was assured that it was not. But stuff like this leads me to wonder if I wasn’t right the first time.
_______________________________
I suggest you read the comments.
As far as I can tell WUWT has a wide range of people. Some are “Left” some are “Right” and many are “Central” However most are concerned about good science, humanity and the environment.
As far as the protests go, at least here in the USA we have freedom of speech, the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Up holding those rights is much more important to me than the message although I really wish the message was clearer and did not seem so “Organized” (beware Useful Idiots comes to mind)
I may disagree with you but I will fight beside you for your right to freedom of speech and assembly.
“I suggest you read the comments.
As far as I can tell WUWT has a wide range of people. Some are “Left” some are “Right” and many are “Central” However most are concerned about good science, humanity and the environment.
As far as the protests go, at least here in the USA we have freedom of speech, the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Up holding those rights is much more important to me than the message although I really wish the message was clearer and did not seem so “Organized” (beware Useful Idiots comes to mind)
I may disagree with you but I will fight beside you for your right to freedom of speech and assembly.”
I know I didn’t make this clear and I should have…. My problem is mostly with topics like this because it feels…. I don’t know, pointless. Even if it’s true that some of the protesters leave at night, so what? Anthony obviously believes that Extreme Man Made Global Warming isn’t true, but that doesn’t mean he has to sit on this blog all the time. The topic seems sort of petty, outplace and fairly unimportant.
I’m not out there protesting, so obviously I don’t agree with these people 100%. But that doesn’t mean I think they deserve to be trashed. The people here are sensitive to the word “denier” and nobody likes to be called names.
Really!!??
Is it a poor doctor training program?
Not enough nurses or bed pans?
Dirty hospitals … what?
If you mean INSURANCE, well, that’s a horse of a different color (forthesane).
.
Smokey says:
October 26, 2011 at 1:42 pm
Dirk H,
I always enjoy your comments. To answer your question re: the Gini index, there is a trade-off between equality of opportunity and a nation’s wealth…..
________________________
Thank you for a great answer.
I really wish we could return to “Lightly regulated” instead of the “If I can think of it it needs to be regulated” mentality. Only the bureaucrats and very wealthy win in that situation. The USA is close to 25% of the work force being employed by the government or having a job dedicated to dealing with government regulations. NOT a healthy situation for any country and it is headed for much worse.
Many people (Obama) confuse getting a pay check with creating wealth. Writting, enforcing or dealing with regulations spends wealth it noes not create it. (The broken window fallacy)
If you have not read it Facts about the “Industrial Revolution” by Ludwig von Mises, September 1993 is an eye opening look at the industrial revolution from the point of view of an economist. It is certainly not the view we get in school.
For those seething leftists still raging against the machine, let me say there is still ‘hope’ for you in attaining sanity while you still draw breath.
Open up your perspective, put on a few more years toward maturity and come to grips with actual ‘reality’ as it exists in the world … and take a look at the conversion experienced by David Horowitz *, former Marxist and author of “Radical Son: A Generational Odyssey” (See excerpt below). I mean this most sincerely.
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Horowitz
.
THE SAME Mises who wrote * the below on the subject of opportunity or oppression, the “Free labor” children:
Which ‘side’ are you arguing on today?
.
* Ludwig von Mises, “Human Action”, 1949
Leave it to politicians to convince two different groups who share common ideas about what is wrong that they believe totally different things. This thread is a monument to massive public manipulation. The Tea Party started because people were tired of the government spending money it didn’t have on bailouts and nonsense stimulus. The OWS movement started because the rich of the world were getting bailed out and still profiting just nicely despite everyone else’s struggles. There’s so much overlap it’s scary, and the politicians know this, that’s why the groups were co-opted by the polarized parties.
But, by all means, continue your nonsense flamewar and divisive ad hominem against each group guys. I know I can’t stop you.
Brian says:
October 26, 2011 at 3:26 pm
I agree…. Some people have no understanding. Including republicans who think people just choose to be gay.
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/sex/study-says-most-women-are-bisexual-2584654/
Study Says Most Women are Bisexual
A new study reveals that women’s sexual preferences tend to be a gray area (yep, identity confusion wasn’t just for those college dorm days). In fact, researchers at Boise State University
found that in a group of heterosexual women, 60 percent were physically interested in other women, 45 percent made out with a woman in the past, and 50 percent had fantasies about the same sex.
Experts support this view. “Women are encouraged to be emotionally close to each other,” says psychology professor Elizabeth Morgan. “That provides an opportunity for intimacy and romantic feelings to develop.” From talking about personal issues for hours to calling each other “lovers” (well, maybe that’s just women in my generation), women’s friendships are often barely distinguishable from romantic relationships.
So much for being born that way.
Jeremy says:
October 26, 2011 at 5:45 pm
I dunno, Jeremy… I actually strongly agree with many aspects of both groups–I just wish the world was devoid of those people (usually called politicians) who are in the people manipulation and herding business-for example, when it comes to fads like global warming/cooling/etc., social justice, illegal immigration (that’s apparently a way to re-define someone doing something illegal without using the word “illegal”–if that’s ever possible; maybe those that use the term have no grasp of the English language.)
Looks like a constant battle with little chance of resolution or success. But we keep trying. *sigh*
I won’t personally be going to St Pauls tonight, but others might be happy to get their hands on some second-hand kit for their camping holidays. Finders keepers and all that.
@T.Hill says:
October 26, 2011 at 6:06 am
WELL DONE !
BRAVO !
You have effectively pinpointed an issue that is so rampant at liberal/ultra-elite sites that would make this thread seems likes child’s play.
Try to go to SS or RC or TOM and not only will you not see any debate, you wont see any skeptical comments either.
Why is that you ask..
CENSORSHIP !
Or better yet go to some of these child like blogs like TalkingPointsMemo or MotherJones and if you remotely make a skeptical announcement. please be prepared to be cussed at, laughed at. attacked, threatened and made to look like a fool when you show any civility.
@luismanueldias and the rest of the diatribe that seems to solicit the idea that we should just look away, because their heart is in the right place…..
Really?
To start with, this article only announced the story. It didn’t denounce the movement.
It made FUN of the fact that this ‘protestors’ aren’t even hanging out in the tents to make it look like they are some kind of ‘faithful’ protestor.
Is wimps, phantom camps, and charade such a harsh critique?
Really?
Maybe if we didn’t have Manbearpig and McKibben trying to embrace this ‘which-way-did-he-go-george’ protest, maybe I would even support it.
But when rumors are flying around that it is socialist/communist in nature, or CAGW in nature, or for HEAVENS SAKE, no one can tell what the freaking hell is going on with this rabble, how can any of you point fingers at all and suggest any criticism be unwarranted.
Really?
Blindfolded commentors….. the lot of ya.