• Contact Us

    .
    Ian Wilder: ianwilder7@gmail.com< You can also find us at:
    facebook.com/iswilder

    twitter.com/wilderside

  • Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire: Ultimate Fan Guide

    Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire: The Ultimate Fan Guide [Kindle] $0.99.


    Kobo Inc.
    Download_on_the_iTunes_iBooks_Badge_US-UK_146x40_0824
    I
    Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire: Ultimate Fan Guide

    Georgiana is the subject of the movie "The Duchess" (currently on Netflix) and a relative of the young Prince and Princess of Cambridge. Get the Ultimate Fan Guide -- with plot points, history, and what happened to the historical characters -- for only 99 cents!

  • Green Party Peace Sign Bumper Sticker


    Green Party Peace Sign Bumper Sticker
    The Green Party has continually opposed entry into war and has consistently called for the immediate return of our troops, in stark contrast to the Democratic and Republican parties.
    Today we march, tomorrow we vote Green Party.

  • Occupy Wall Street: What Just Happened?

    Occupy Wall Street: What Just Happened? ebook cover

    |

    Occupy Wall Street: What Just Happened? eBook

    Occupy Wall Street: What Just Happened? eBook on Amazon

    Occupy Wall Street: What Just Happened? eBook

    Reflections on Occupy Wall Street, with photos, fun, and good wishes for the future. eBook, Occupy Wall Street: What Just Happened? (Only $.99 !) In the eBook, the Occupy movement is explored through original reporting, photographs, cartoons, poetry, essays, and reviews.The collection of essays and blog posts records the unfolding of Occupy into the culture from September 2011 to the present.  Authors Kimberly Wilder and Ian Wilder were early supporters of Occupy, using their internet platforms to communicate the changes being created by the American Autumn.

    The eBook is currently available on Amazon for Kindle;  Barnes & Noble Nook ; Smashwords independent eBook seller; and a Kobo for 99 cents and anyone can read it using their Kindle/Nook Reader, smart phone, or computer.

Green Party candidates pick up key endorsements in 2011 state and local races across the US

Posted on October 21, 2011 by iwilder

Green Party candidates have received key endorsements in local races across the US in the 2011 election.  The Green Party now has two contenders for the presidential nomination, Dr. Kent Mesplay (http://www.mesplay.org) and Dr. Jill Stein, who will make her formal declaration in Boston, Massachusetts, on Monday, October 24 (http://www.jillstein.org).  The nomination will take place at the Green Party’s 2012 national convention next summer, details to be announced.

On the ballot in the November 8, 2011 general election:

• In a press conference on October 1, the Philadelphia chapter of NOW announced its endorsement of Cheri Honkala for Sheriff of Philadelphia (video: http://www.cherihonkala.com/?p=1121).  Ms. Honkala is running on an anti-eviction platform and, as sheriff, will not cooperate with banks attempted to foreclose on homeowners (http://www.cherihonkala.com).
Video of Ms. Honkala at Occupy DC: http://www.cherihonkala.com/?p=1146
Video of Ms. Honkala at Occupy Wall Street: http://www.cherihonkala.com/?p=1134
Interview in Yes! Magazine http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/the-no-evictions-sheriff

• Rick Purcell, Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party candidate for Holyoke City Council in Ward 3, has been endorsed by United Auto Workers (http://www.greenpartywatch.org/2011/10/07/uaw-endorses-green-for-city-council-in-holyoke-ma). This is the UAW’s second recent endorsement of a Green in Massachusetts, after its endorsement of Mark Miller for State Representative.  More information:http://www.facebook.com/RickPurcellForHolyoke

• The Marin Independent Journal has endorsed Larry Bragman (incumbent) and Ryan O’Neil for Fairfax Town Council (http://www.marinij.com/opinion/ci_19083673).  The five-member Town Council already has a Green majority.
More information, videos: http://www.bragmanforfairfax.com
Video: Mayor Larry Bragman On What Tea Partiers can Gain from Greens http://vimeo.com/30821248  Read more »

Filed under: election, elections, grassroots democracy, Green Party | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Happening now in NYC: Occupy Wall Street march against “Stop and Frisk” policy

Posted on October 21, 2011 by kwilder

Tonight, Friday, 10/21: Gathering at Columbus Circle around midnight for a concert with Pete Seeger; his grandson, Tao Rodriguez-Seeger; Arlo Guthrie; and Suzanne Vega. See Live Stream’s below for possible coverage.
_____________
Images of march happening (Friday afternoon) in Harlem:

Global Revolution Live Stream: here
and/or
NYC Live Stream: here

Update at 2:52pm: Some people calmly arrested, as they planned, as Civil Disobedience.
A policeman or small group of policeman kind of harassed and bullied a photographer into a confrontation, and then arrested him. That was wrong. I will call the photographer the “extra arrestee”. Will try to update you on that. It was bogus, hyper-testosterone fascism.

Update at 3:51pm: A Live Stream host says the arrestees were taken to the 33rd Precinct in NYC. You can try to call the precinct and remind them to be kind, and not to arrest people for Free Speech again.

Chants:

“We say NO to the new Jim Crow: Stop and Frisk has got to go!”

“Cease and Desist. Stop ‘Stop and Frisk'”

Cornel Westand other important people are doing a Civil Disobedience and are expected to be arrested. List of supporters of this march from a Huffington Post article:

Cornel West, Professor, Author, Public Intellectual
Rev. Stephen Phelps, Interim Senior Minister of Riverside Church
Rev. Earl Kooperkamp, Rector of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
Debra Sweet, National Director of World Can’t Wait
Rev. Omar Wilks, Union Pentecostal Church
Prof. Jim Vrettos, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Elaine Brower, Military Mom and World Can’t Wait

____________________________________________________

Related Post and background at onthewilderside: here

Excerpt from that article: Read more »

Filed under: activism, grassroots democracy, local, new york, New York State Politics, News, nonviolence, progressive politics, social & economic justice | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

NYCLU Criticizes Taser Use by Suffolk, NYC, Albany, Nassau, Monroe, Rochester & Syracuse Police

Posted on October 21, 2011 by iwilder

IW: The Green Party of Suffolk has called for a moratorium on Taser use by Suffolk Police after Taser deaths in 2009 and 2011

Police officers throughout New York State are consistently misusing and overusing Tasers, according to a report released today by the New York Civil Liberties Union. The NYCLU’s analysis covers the following law enforcement agencies: Albany Police Department, the Glens Falls Police Department, the Greece Police Department, the Guilderland Police Department, the Monroe County Sheriff ’s Office, the Nassau County Police Department, the Rochester Police Department, the Saratoga Springs Police Department, the Suffolk County Police Department, the Syracuse Police Department and the NYPD.

The report, Taking Tasers Seriously: The Need for Better Regulation of Stun Guns in New York, analyzes 851 Taser incident reports from eight police departments across the state as well as 10 departments’ policies and guidelines for using the weapons, which deliver up to 50,000 volts of electricity and have caused the deaths of more than a dozen New Yorkers in recent years.

The NYCLU’s analysis found that an absence of sound policies, training and guidelines to direct the lawful use of Tasers is contributing to the disturbing pattern of misuse and overuse of the weapons and putting New Yorkers at risk.

“Our analysis shows that police officers are using Tasers in inappropriate, irresponsible and downright deadly manner,” said NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman. “This disturbing pattern of misuse and abuse endangers lives. Law enforcement agencies that choose to use Tasers must adopt clear and effective policies governing their use, and they must do so without delay.”

Among the NYCLU’s findings:  Read more »

Filed under: 3rd party, Action Alert!, activism, courts, Green Party, health, local, long island, Long Island Politics, new york, New York State Politics, News, suffolk | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Occupy Alert: Arrests at Occupy Cincinnati

Posted on October 20, 2011 by kwilder

Update on Friday morning:

More than two dozen arrested at Occupy Cincinnati. Cincinnati.com has updated story: here.

From Cincinnati.com:

“A spokeswoman for Occupy Cincinnati said the group will return to the park today and hold an 8 a.m. press conference.

According to a press release posted at at occupycincy.org, the protesters said they were upset about the arrests, but that the protests would go on.”

Update at 1:07am:

It appears from the Occupy Cincinnati Live Stream that about 20 protesters were arrested in Cincinnati, simply for being in the park (which homeless people live at, and some of the occupiers now call home). If you are awake, please watch, and be a number for the police to see on the Live Stream ticker! I have to go to sleep…

Updates from Cincinnati.com, up to 10:30pm:

UPDATE: 10:30 p.m EST No arrests have been made and there are reportedly no police around as protesters chant “What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now! Whose park? Our park!”

UPDATE: 9:55 p.m. Some Occupy Cincinnati protesters were packing up and leaving Piatt Park as the 10 p.m. closing time neared and threats of arrests loomed.
______________

An Occupy image from NYC

KW writes: I am still tracking down the latest updates. But, if you know someone in Occupy Cincinnati, give them a call. If you are close by, you may want to show up and support.

At the Live Stream, someone said you could call the Mayor’s Office and ask him not to evict demonstrators: Mayor Mallory’s Office801 Plum Street, Room 150Cincinnati, OhioPhone: 513-352-3250. (See more contacts at the bottom of this post).

Some places are reporting that the police in Cincinnati may start removing people at 10pm tonight (Thursday, October 20th). Though, that seems to contradict reports at Democracy Now! and elsewhere that a Federal Judge ordered the police to stop ticketing protesters. Could the police be playing a game, and ceasing on the tickets, but kicking them out physically? I am not sure. Read more »

Filed under: Action Alert!, activism, grassroots democracy, international politics, News, politics, progressive politics, social & economic justice, US Politics | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Today! Transfer your funds to a credit union! 10/20 is a special day for Occupy Wall Street

Posted on October 20, 2011 by kwilder

Emancipate Yourselves at Occupy Wall Street See our post at Peace Couple for information and links on how to celebrate International Credit Union Day with the folks at Occupy Wall Street.

Today, October 20, 2011, move your money – savings account, checking account, etc. – to a credit union instead of a megabank. It’s easy! Moving your own money is a simple, subtle, empowering way to fight Wall Street, and to diminish the power of megabanks and megacorporations in our democracy.

“Credit unions are unique because they are not-for-profit, democratically controlled, member-owned cooperatives.”

You can find a database link to search for a credit union near you at the Peace Couple post, too: here

Filed under: Action Alert!, activism, grassroots democracy, News, politics, progressive politics, social & economic justice, US Politics | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Information on Persistent Organic Pollutants PLUS press conference about POPs and NY State government

Posted on October 20, 2011 by kwilder

Persistent Organic Pollutants are chemical substances that appear in the air, and in animal fat. POPs is a nickname for these harmful pollutants. Cancer Action New York studies the problem of POPs. The organization attempts to get various layers of government to acknowledge the reality of POPs,  to take logical steps to reduce POPs, and to educate the public about how to avoid the POPs that exist around them.

________________________________________________________________________

(The info is still useful. The press conference was canceled, and will be rescheduled. Stay tuned at onthewilderside for updates. – KW)

Cancer Action NY News Conference:  World Health Organization
Recommends POPs Exposure Minimization Effort for Protection of All
Children, What New York State Government Can Do Now

Thursday, October 20, 2011 at 2:00 PM

On the Sidewalk at the Central New York Regional Office of the New
York State Department of Health, 217 S Salina Street, Syracuse, New
York USA (in first floor lobby of this office building in case of rain)

“Persistent Organic Pollutants:  Impact on Child Health”, World Health
Organization, 2010

http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241501101_eng.pdf Read more »

Filed under: Ecology, Environment, green, new york, New York State Politics, News, progressive politics, public health, sustainability, sustainable, US Politics | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

What’s happening at Occupy Wall Street? Updated as of 10/29/2011

Posted on October 19, 2011 by kwilder

Update at 11:56 am EST – It is a wintery mix, of heavy snow, not sticking at Liberty Park/NYC. Everyone is digging in and staying. The unofficial Occupy Wall Street weather person predicts that the “sticking snow” will arrive in a few hours. LIVESTREAM FROM NYC: here.

Update 10/29/2011 at 11:09 am – It is rainy in NYC at Liberty Square this morning. Snow in Westchester, so may come to NYC this morning. Folks have tents, but the government took away their generators. There is a Live Stream (often commenting on the weather this morning): here. You can find info on donations needed at www.occupywallst.org
________________________

You can see a whole set of Flickr Photos from Ian’s visit to Occupy Wall Street on the rainy day of Wednesday, October 20, 2011.

_______________

Well…it’s raining at Liberty Square. Ian was there around 5:30pm, and it seems like things were all wrapped up and quiet. Some photo below. More at Flickr, above and: here.

Interesting things were done related to infrastructure. The whole New York City General Assembly website was updated. You can now log on. There are handy tabs. And, there is more room to grow.

Also, there are some great, new reports posted at www.occupywallst.org, including how they managed to secure a tent for First Aid.

OWS Music: Music scene

Occupy Wall Street: Library Meeting in The Rain

The People's Library in the rain.

—-

Filed under: activism, News, Photos, progressive politics, social & economic justice | Tagged: , , , , , | 2 Comments »

It can happen to you: Author Naomi Wolf arrested on sidewalk

Posted on October 19, 2011 by kwilder

An Occupy image from NYC

Naomi Wolf is a feminist author. She was attending an event honoring New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. When she saw demonstrators out front, protesting Cuomo’s objection to a NY millionaire’s tax, she joined with them. Then, she was arrested. The Guardian UK has the story in Naomi Wolf’s own words:

(excerpt from) Guardian UK
Naomi Wolf: how I was arrested at Occupy Wall Street

Arresting a middle-aged writer in an evening gown for peaceable conduct is a far cry from when America was a free republic

Last night I was arrested in my home town, outside an event to which I had been invited, for standing lawfully on the sidewalk in an evening gown…

Please read the whole article: here. It has wise words about permits, megaphones and illegal detentions.

Filed under: activism, new york, New York State Politics, News, politics, progressive politics, social & economic justice | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Green Party PA: Close all 9 nuclear reactors

Posted on October 19, 2011 by iwilder
Both reactors and cooling towers at the Susque...

Image via Wikipedia

The Green Party of Pennsylvania (GPPA, http://www.gpofpa.org)  called for the closing and decommissioning of the state’s five nuclear power plants, which contain nine operating nuclear reactors. The Green Party also rejected the idea of building more nuclear plants in the Commonwealth.

GPPA Chairperson I.K. Samways from Allegheny County explained,

The Fukushima nuclear power plant catastrophe in Japan is a wakeup call that this energy source is neither safe nor sustainable. The entire nuclear-power life cycle is fraught with inherent risk, which is multiplied by the possibility of human error.

GPPA Treasurer Vivek Ananthan from Philadelphia noted,  Read more »

Filed under: Action Alert!, activism, Ecology, energy, Global Warming, News, public health | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Stein for Prez announces 10/24/11

Posted on October 18, 2011 by iwilder
Photo of Jill Stein in 2010

Image via Wikipedia

Dr. Jill Stein, the recent Green-Rainbow Party candidate for Governor of Massachusetts, will announce her candidacy for President of the United States on  Monday October 24 on the steps of the State House in Boston at 12:30 PM.

A key focus on Stein’s campaign will be a Green New Deal to end unemployment in America and jump start a real recovery from the Bush/Obama  recession.  The Green New Deal will provide public jobs to the 16% of Americans  who need one, including green jobs that will transition America to a secure, green economy for the 21st Century.

Dr. Stein seeks to reverse the growing concentration of power and wealth in  the hands of the top 1%, an increasingly urgent problem given the rising problems of unemployment, poverty and economic distress afflicting vast numbers  of Americans. Read more »

Filed under: 3rd party, activism, election, Election 2012, elections, Green Party, health care, Healthcare, News, politics | Tagged: , , , , , | 4 Comments »

In NY: Democratic Party Governor defies public, will stand with Republicans to oppose millionaire’s tax

Posted on October 18, 2011 by kwilder

Update on 10/19/2011: While one organization tried to honor Andrew Cuomo, Occupy Wall Street protesters gathered outside. An attendee, feminist author Naomi Wolf, realized their point, and she was arrested for standing on the sidewalk to draw attention to Cuomo’s objection to the millionaire’s tax. Great video! She was arrested in her fancy dress for the awards dinner. Story: here. Video: here.
______________

I am providing links to two different stories. Unfortunately, my local paper, Newsday, is subscription-only, so, you can’t see the whole story without paying them directly or using their paid, related services. – KW

(excerpt from) Bloomberg BusinessWeek
Most New York Voters Favor Tax on Millionaires, Siena Poll Says

…”The tax adds a temporary surcharge on New York’s married couples earning more than $300,000 [a different article says $250,000], and singles earning more than $200,000. It will expire on Dec. 31 after Cuomo and Senate Republicans, who hold a majority, made clear they wouldn’t renew it.”

“…Support for taxing wealthier people breached party lines, with 83 percent of Democrats and 55 percent of Republicans in favor, according to the Siena College Research Institute poll released today. Governor Andrew Cuomo said Oct. 13 he wouldn’t change his opposition to the so-called millionaire’s tax…”

(excerpt from) Newsday
Poll: Most in NY favor millionaires’ tax Read more »

Filed under: democrat, grassroots democracy, new york, New York State Politics, News, politics, progressive politics, social & economic justice | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

LIMHoF Poetry Jam 2011 w/ Public Enemy & DMC

Posted on October 17, 2011 by iwilder
Public Enemy en Vista Alegre

Image by Javier Mediavilla Entertainment via Flickr

YOUNG POETS NEEDED!

THE LONG ISLAND MUSIC HALL OF FAME WITH DMC and PUBLIC ENEMY ARE PROUD TO PRESENT THE SECOND ANNUAL SPOKEN WORD POETRY CONTEST

One Grand Prize Winner Will Get In-Studio Visit With DJ Johnny Juice
(Public Enemy)

The Long Island Music Hall of Fame (LIMHoF), Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, and Public Enemy present the second annual spoken word poetry contest. The contest calls for entrants to write a long poem about their home on Long Island, set it to an instrumental music track of their choice, and submit a recording
of their performance of the spoken word reading set to the 3-minute music track. The deadline for entries is December 23, 2011. Read more »

Filed under: events, local, long island, Long Island Music, long island music scene, new york | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

Cornel West arrested at Supreme Court, related to Occupy DC

Posted on October 16, 2011 by kwilder

BET reports:

Cornel West from Wikimedia Commons

“Activist and professor Cornel West was arrested on the steps of the Supreme Court building Sunday afternoon while taking part in Occupy DC protests.

West was holding up a sign that ready “Poverty is the Greatest Violence of All…”

Link above has photo, more info, and the promise of more coverage.

Cornel West marched to the Supreme Court and held up a sign as an act of nonviolent, civil disobedience. On September 27th, he made a speech at Occupy Wall Street in NYC. Today, West attended the dedication of the MLK statue on the National Mall, went to Freedom Plaza to speak at Occupy DC, and then marched over to the Supreme Court.

Filed under: activism, News, nonviolence, politics, progressive politics, social & economic justice, US Politics | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Morning After Update on Occupy Wall Street, and other occupies

Posted on October 16, 2011 by kwilder

An Occupy image from NYC

KW writes: I watched both Occupy Live Streams (the nyc one, and the Global Revoultion one) on and off until 1am. Occupy Wall Street went to Washington Square Park for their Assembly. They decided as a group to leave. But (as CNN reports) 14 stayed peacefully in the empty fountain, and were arrested. Others were wandering the streets, some headed back towards Liberty Square right away, some more slowly.

Tomorrow, I believe that the NYC General Assembly will hold their evening meeting at Washington Square Park, and bring sleeping bags. The demonstrators truly want that park, as it is bigger, and the movement is growing.

A weird thing happened, in that one of the beloved characters from Occupy Wall Street ran back to Liberty Square encampment, with a concerned report about police. Not sure how it turned out, think she may have been too worried. But, people on the Live Stream said she was being a “Drama Queen”. Think the Live Stream team have to work on how to understand colleagues more, and be careful about how to characterize things.

There is an excellent review of yesterday’s occupations at CNN: here. Please read. It has updates from around the country. It notes that a woman was reported arrested in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but police have not answered questions. That situation is one to watch closely. Link to story about OccupyMN is here.

Filed under: activism, News, nonviolence, Peace, progressive politics, social & economic justice, US Politics | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

« Previous Page — Next Page »