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Another Wall Street Bear Throws in the Towel
Morgan Stanley strategist Adam Parker is doing an about face.
Parker, one of Wall Street's biggest bears, upped his year-end S&P 500 price target this morning to 1600, a 12% increase from his previous 1434 estimate. He joins a string of bearish analysts and investors who have been capitulating on their downbeat views in the face of a relentless push higher in the equities market.
In a research note titled "Spring Cleaning," Parker says he sees improving fundamentals in the second half of the year and into early 2014 that will drive the rally. He boosted his 2013 S&P 500 earnings estimate to $103.20, from $98.71, although he notes that level remains well below Street consensus of about $112.
"In our minds, the debate isn't whether the consensus estimates are too high," Parker said. "Rather, the debate is, will anyone care. For the last year, estimates have declined and the market has rallied."
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In addition to Parker, analysts at Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank boosted their year-end S&P 500 price targets. The index recently fell 0.5% to 1553, after last week coming within two points of hitting a fresh all-time high.
Parker's bearish reputation stemmed from his 2011 call, when the S&P 500 finished a volatile year roughly flat. He was the most accurate prognosticator on Wall Street that year.
But he stuck to his pessimistic views last year, a call that proved incredibly wrong. At the beginning of 2012, he was calling for the index to drop about 8% for the year. Instead, it rose 13%.
He turned a bit more bullish before the calendar flipped to 2013. He had been calling for the S&P 500 to finish the current year at 1434. But a 9% rally that has brought the index within striking distance of record levels prompted him to change his call this morning.
"Our guess is that a number of things have been responsible for the recent market multiple expansion, but perhaps a major contributor was quantitative easing, which encompasses Fed and ECB policy," Parker wrote this morning. "While we freely acknowledge that our framework for forecasting multiples doesn't work well, if history were a perfect guide, it appears QE has elevated the market multiple by about 1.5 turns relative to history."
Parker acknowledges that his long-term worries about the detrimental impact of the Fed's QE efforts haven't been helpful in forecasting the market.
"In the end, while most metrics of sentiment and positioning show investors are markedly more bullish than they were a few months ago (after all the market is at an all-time high), we only foresee two items that could create a major US equity market correction in the coming few months," Parker says.
1) Fear that earnings will be substantially reset: We don't see this as likely, given investors' belief that policy makers have removed tail risk (look at the VIX or the Portugal 5-year CDS). But, to the extent a stronger economy doesn't materialize or a large US company (General Electric, IBM, etc.) guides poorly, this could create some fear about the earnings trajectory. Frankly, while EPS estimates are too high in our view, we think they will more likely be gradually reset as opposed to suddenly. Given there has yet to be a large capital spending or hiring cycle, and inventory levels don't appear to be an impediment, it is hard to see what causes big fear about US earnings.
2) QE: To the extent people start worrying that QE will end due to better economic news – i.e., the "good news is bad news" trade emerges, or people start worrying about unwinding QE and its long-term detriments – a material market correction could occur.
Until then, Parker is joining the rally party.
For more MarketBeat and other streaming markets coverage from The Wall Street Journal, point your mobile browser to wsj.com/marketspulse.


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FILE - In this Aug. 29, 2012 file photo, Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks at the American Legion National Convention in Indianapolis. When Romney addresses the Republican convention Thursday night, he'll do it from a stage that puts him a little bit closer to the crowd inside the convention hall. His campaign hopes the evening ends with Americans feeling a little bit closer to the Republican presidential candidate, too. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Accepting his party's nomination to be president, Republican Mitt Romney says he wants to restore the nation's promise by creating jobs for millions of unemployed Americans
He says Americans were hoping for great change when President Barack Obama came into office, but those hopes have given way to disappointment and division.
Romney says he has a goal of creating 12 million jobs and would do so by taking full advantage of the country's energy resources and by giving citizens skills they need for the jobs of today and of the future. He is also promising to cut the deficit and rein in the cost of health care.

subset: commoncrawl


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Dragon Age: Origins - Leliana's Song
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Tuscaloosa woman sentenced for student loan fraud
Published: Wednesday, January 9, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at 11:19 p.m.
TUSCALOOSA | A Tuscaloosa woman who fraudulently obtained and spent nearly $20,000 of federal student loan money has been sentenced to serve 32 months in prison.
Sierra Taylor, 25, posed as a recruiter for Troy University in 2010, according to court documents. She used the names, Social Security numbers and other information of three victims to apply for classes at the school and for federal Pell Grant and Federal Direct Student Loan money.
All three victims were accepted to the school and were awarded the assistance. Taylor told victims that they had not submitted paperwork in time to be admitted that semester.
According to federal court documents, $3,182 of the federal aid money was directed to Troy to pay tuition and $15,232 was issued to the women in debit cards, intended to be used for education-related expenses. The debit cards were sent to Taylor's address in Tuscaloosa.
Tuscaloosa police officers began an investigation in November 2010 after a victim received a bill statement for one of the loans.
Video surveillance from the Tuscaloosa and Northport Walmart stores shows Taylor using the cards to make small purchases, receive cash back and purchase gift cards, according to the court documents. She spent $15,232 between Oct. 8, 2010, and November 2010. Taylor pleaded guilty to mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and education loan fraud in April.
U.S. District Judge Virginia Emerson Hopkins sentenced Taylor on Friday to serve two years and eight months in prison, and to repay $18,414 to the government. She was ordered to report to prison on April 4.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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This fun and educational activity is brought to you by Melissa & Doug, written by our Blog Ambassador, Valerie Deneen. Enjoy playing outdoors with this fun activity for Spring!
Sometimes a little change of scenery is all it takes to make an old toy seem like new again. That's exactly what happened with our Farm Blocks Set, which the kids have had for quite some time, when we took it outside and added a bit of sidewalk chalk!
The chalk allowed the kids to create instant sidewalk scenery. It didn't take long for the pigs to have plenty of "mud puddles" to enjoy, the cows went out to the "meadow", and the horses took lovely strolls out to the "pond" for a good drink.
At one point the pond froze over, and one of the horses even knew how to ice skate! It was great fun to watch the kids' imagination come to life with creative storytelling and problem solving — all while enjoying some fresh air outdoors!
One troublesome cow kept jumping over the fence and getting stuck in the mud — it was a good thing the tractor was there to pull her out! Then it was time to build a higher fence…
Have fun!!
Do you have any tricks to make old toys seem like new? We'd love to hear about it! Leave a comment, and share your ideas with us!
Valerie Deneen is a Melissa & Doug Blog Ambassador and the author of Inner Child Fun where she inspires parents to spend more quality time with their kids, and less money doing it. Inner Child Fun celebrates simple pleasures for all ages — with more than 1,000 frugal and creative projects that are sure to bring out the "kid" in you too! You can follow Valerie on Twitter, or say "Hi" to her on Facebook!
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WASHINGTON (January 19, 2013)--President Barack Obama is on the threshold of his second term and the overriding theme of his next four years seems to be this: assuring that America is a place where anyone can make it.
What Obama wants his legacy to be is that he delivered a better life for the people struggling in the richest nation on earth.
His second-term agenda is a wish list in support of that idea.
Mr. .Obama wants to overhaul immigration policies, retool the tax system to make it fairer and funnel more money to education and energy. He also wants to curb gun violence.


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The Oakland general strike called by Occupy Oakland drew thousands Wednesday for rallies and marches. The mostly peaceful event turned chaotic early Thursday after protesters took over a vacant building and police moved in, firing tear gas and flashbang grenades.
7 a.m. Protesters' blockade prevents truckers from entering Port of Oakland
Fences and dumpsters dragged across the roadway at 3rd and Adeline streets are preventing trucks and other vehicles from entering the port this morning. About a dozen protesters have had some scuffles with truckers.
Monique Agnew got in front of a truck with a camper shell that was forced its way in. When it charged, she hit it with a sign she was carrying.
She said she has been there for several hours.
"These people tried to kill us. I can't believe they are being that aggressive over a paycheck, over your own people fighting for you."
Most trucks are just turning around and going back the other way, down Middle Harbor Road.
One big rig is having trouble turning around, though, since it can't turn around because the street is too narrow.
3:30 a.m.: Protesters call it a night
Organizer Mario Fernandez, 27, got on a megaphone, performed the customary mic check to get the crowd's attention and said: "It's late. I feel that we should go back to camp for a 3:30 a.m. rally."
But they are not rallying. It was a joke. They're going to bed.
A handful of determined strikers were sent to the picket line at Third and Adeline in the remains of an effort to keep the Port of Oakland closed.
About 15 protesters remain near the police line, which is still about 200 strong. But, police, too are beginning to leave.
-- Sean Maher
3:28 a.m. Protest has mostly ended
Only a handful of protesters remain, with a few sitting in front of a line of police on Broadway. Those who remain say they are committed to peace and will not antagonize the officers.
3:12 a.m. Crowd continues to dwindle, but some action continues
There's probably only 100 protesters left. The helicopter is back overhead. An ambulance is arriving.
The crowd has continued to thin out, however the police helicopter has turned on its spotlight.
2:50 a.m. Calm settles in
Action is winding down.
At the police line on Broadway, a man plays "Blitzkrieg Bop" on a mandolin.
2:49 a.m. Riot police begin to disperse
Some of the riot police are dispersing, to cheers from the protesters.
The fire department arrived to put out trash fires on by BART station at 13th and Broadway.
Earlier, a man walked by pushing a bicycle yelling, "Police are not our enemy!"
2:35 a.m. Crowd's energy is waning
The front line of the protest is mostly quiet, although some protesters continue to yell. Police aren't moving. Drums continue in the camp, but the crowd's energy is waning. Chanting has all but ceased.
2:10 a.m. Injured man is taken away in ambulance
After protesters called for help several times, an ambulance finally arrived to take away the injured man.
Graham Holoch, a student at the California college of the arts in Oakland, was a volunteer medic who tended to the man, using medical supplies he brought in a backpack.
"When we got him on the stretcher," he said, "his vitals were pretty shaky."
Holoch said he believed the man had been shot in the knee with a rubber bullet and gassed.
His friends called the man's relatives and his pastor.
"He seems fine, but it's definitely better to get him medical attention," said Holoch, who is also a photographer.
As paramedics carried the man to the ambulance, a bruise could be seen on his knee.
Before leaving, one paramedic told the volunteer medics: "By the way, we do support what you're doing."
-- Sandy Kleffman
2 a.m. Dozens arrested
Interim police chief Howard Jordan says between 30 and 40 people have been arrested in downtown Oakland, although he could not provide an exact number.
Police have also reclaimed the Traveler's Aid building, as he said protesters were preparing to light the building on fire.
Meanwhile at the camp, about 150 protesters continue to beat drums and chant while others are sweeping up -- getting ready for bed and trying to tidy up a little.
-- Sean Maher
1:53 a.m. Protesters seek help for man they believe was hit with a rubber bullet
Some protesters said they believe the injured man was hit by a rubber bullet. About eight or nine people carried him on a stretcher to 14th and Franklin, hoping to remove him from an area where they fear more tear gas could be coming soon, in the wake of the police order to disperse.
With no ambulance in sight, protesters tried to enlist help from a police officer, but he just drove away.
Some said the rubber bullet may have hit a metal pin in the man's knee, from a previous injury. This was not confirmed, however.
They are trying to call an ambulance.
-- Sandy Kleffman
1:42 a.m. Police order dispersal on Broadway, protester is injured
The police just gave a dispersal order to break up "unlawful assembly" on Broadway between 14th and 15th.
A protester has been hit by an unknown object. Volunteer medics are tending to him.
It's unclear if police are trying to clear out the camp or if they are just trying to push people back into it.
-- Paul Rosynsky
1:11 Police appear ready to take the camp
At Frank Ogawa Plaza on the edge of the "Occupy" camp, there are some reports that police have unleashed tear gas and are moving in from two sides.
However, at 14th and Broadway, there no evidence of tear gas in the plaza. Yet, even from this vantage point, police do appear to be preparing to take the camp.
Inside the camp, protesters are tending to someone with a leg injury. It's unclear the extent of the injury or how it was caused.
12:54 a.m. Tensions mount near camp
Protesters calling for no violence shouted down by chants of, "Whose streets? Our streets!"
Sheriff's department has brought two prison transport buses onto Broadway.
Someone in all black just painted on a wall: "Until the last capitalist is hung by the entrails of the last bureaucrat."
There are people playing guitar, a ukulele and fiddle leading people in song, dancing near the police line.
-- Thomas Peele
12:43 a.m. Police converge near camp
There is a police line near the camp at the plaza.
So far, it appears to be a standoff. Neither protesters nor deputies are moving.
Protesters are cleaning up, pulling garbage cans back out of the street
Crowd facing sheriff's deputies at 15th has grown, but remains passive.
It appears that it would only take a couple bottles or rocks for this situation to explode again.
-- Thomas Peele
12:26 a.m. Police move in on protesters, peaceful demonstrators saddened
Police are moving in on both sides of protesters who are gathered in 16th Street, shooting tear gas.
No people are in the building. Swarms of people are leaving the area.
Several people with the Occupy movement are very disheartened by this. Watching from the outskirts, they said they were very sad and kind of angry that this was happening.
Police are reporting no injuries to officers and say some protesters were using homemade bomb launchers to fire M80s at police. They are believed to be some of the same vandals that trashed Whole Foods.
-- Paul T. Rosynsky and Sean Maher
12:22 a.m. General strike retreats, fire doused
The general strike has fallen back to 14th and 15th at Broadway, near camp.
The fire appears to be doused.
12:14 a.m. Fire truck arrives; explosions fill the air
A fire truck has arrived to douse the burning barricade and the protest has devolved into a chaotic scene with witnesses reporting explosions and panicked people running down the streets.
One reporter said the explosions are from protesters throwing fireworks on the fire, but others report flash bangs and tear gas. A police officer said protesters were throwing M80s.
Police have given a dispersal order.
Midnight. Police converge on occupied building
Law enforcement officers formed a line on San Pablo at 17th Street outside the building and and put on gas masks. There was a loud bang, followed by smoke on Broadway.
The barricade made by protesters on Broadway and 16th is on fire and the police have made a dispersal order over loudspeakers with a bullhorn. About 100 police are on scene and more are arriving.
They are surrounding the building.
Mayor Quan wants the protesters to call her. She has given them her phone number.
Police said protesters are throwing rocks at officers. Tear gas is flying.
11:59 p.m. Reports of tear gas deployed on Broadway
Multiple reports of tear gas on Broadway, as police mass at 17th and Broadway. Barricades the protester set up are burning and the building seems abandoned.
11:51 p.m. Quan wants to talk to protesters
Mayor Jean Quan wants protesters who've taken over the Traveler's Aid building to call her at 510-238-3141 to discuss turning the building over and returning it to the Traveler's Aid Society, said deputy mayor Sharon Cornu.
Quan has read the note protesters are distributing and wants to talk to them.
11:32 p.m. Some parts of Oakland very calm
Up Telegraph toward Temescal the city was eerily quiet.
Pizzaoila was shut in solidarity, while places like Lanesplitter Pizza were jammed with folks.
Meanwhile, many California Highway Patrol officers were milling about their headquarters on Telegraph.
11:29 p.m. Police in riot gear organizing four blocks from occupied building
About 50-60 law enforcement officers wearing riot gear are organizing at 20th and San Pablo, about four blocks from the occupied building.
Agencies involved include the San Mateo County sheriffs, who brought a bus used for transporting prisoners.
Police are putting on helmets and handcuffs and are preparing to get into about 10 unmarked white vans.
The idea of police arriving is beginning to hype up the crowd.
Meanwhile, protesters have built a barricade at 16th and San Pablo streets, near the vacant building, using tires, garbage cans and pallets.
10:52 p.m. Vacant building had been foreclosed, according to flier
The taken-over building that formerly housed the Traveler's Aid Society was foreclosed upon, according to the flier distributed by protesters.
"Since then, the space sat vacant, as though it were disposable to those with the keys," the flier reads. "To us this space is invaluable. We are reclaiming it for the people. It is now open for our use."
The flier's authors say the space is open to the aid society if it wishes to return, and will otherwise be turned into a library and workshop for Oakland residents.
"This space is an example for the country," the note concludes. "When the political and financial systems of this nation fail to provide needed services, we must do it ourselves. We are the 99 percent. This is our future."
-- Sean Maher
10:34 p.m. Building takeover was pre-planned
As hundreds of people gather at the building at 16th and Telegraph, some are passing out fliers bemoaning the nonprofit organization's loss of funding.
The Travelers Aid Society helped homeless people, but lost funding during government cutbacks, protesters say. They have broken in, turned on the lights and are occupying the building to protest the cuts.
About 200-300 more people have headed over to join the initial group of protesters.
10:30 p.m. Protesters take over vacant building
About 100 protesters have stormed a building on 16th street, the site of the former Travelers Aid Society, and have hung a banner reading, "Occupy Everything."
10:15 p.m. Pizza Man is a hotspot tonight
Although the protests are all about corporations that are making too much money, one small business is making a killing tonight: Pizza Man.
The business near the corner of 14th and Broadway has a line out the door.
Hundreds of single slice pizza boxes are overflowing from nearby trash cans.
10:13 p.m. Quan estimates crowd was 7,000
At 10 p.m., about 50 workers at the Port of Oakland had remained stuck at work for more than two hours trying to get home, port officials said in the day's last planned press conference.
Port Director Omar Benjamin said about 150 protesters remained at the port, and that marine operations were still shut down, as they had been since about 5 p.m.
"As of right now in port area, there have been no injuries, no property damage and no major security problems," Benjamin said. "We hope the work day can resume tomorrow and port workers can get to their jobs in safety."
Mayor Jean Quan said she was happy the crowd -- which police estimate maxed out at about 7,000 people at once -- protested all day with very little destruction or violence.
"It looks like this was a good day for the demonstrators and for the 99 percent movement," Quan said. "We will be trying to focus on moving ahead tomorrow for everybody."
Interim police Chief Howard Jordan was asked why the police approach to the crowd was so markedly different from what it had been on Oct. 25, when officers fired tear gas and other less-than-lethal munitions into a crowd police said had begun throwing rocks and bottles at officers.
"Our goal has always been to facilitate a peaceful march," Jordan said. "We react to the actions of the crowd. Today the crowd been peaceful, with no threats to police officers, and we allowed them to peacefully assemble. When crowd becomes assaultive or agitated, we're required by law to respond. That hasn't happened here. What you saw tonight was minimal presence."
Police will release photos later Wednesday night, Jordan said, of some of the 60 to 70 people identified earlier in the day as "determined to cause trouble and instigate a confrontation with police."
Quan spokesperson Sue Piper said the City is well aware that the sight of police lines could be inciting to the crowd, and the minimal appearance of officers was deliberate.
Two people hit by a civilian car at the intersection of 11th Street and Broadway had been injured, Jordan said, but he said reports that one of the victims had died were false.
Asked why the driver of the vehicle that hit those protesters had been allowed to leave the scene, Jordan said he didn't know, and that the incident is still being investigated.
About 900 people remained at Frank H. Ogawa plaza at 10 p.m., according to police estimates.
"Moving forward, we still have the evening to get through," City Administrator Deanna Santana said. "I need to reinforce what we need to ensure our law enforcement can maintain public safety: We need no fires, no vandalism, no rocks, bottles or human waste thrown at officers. We need to enforce traffic and crowd control. With that, we can have more peaceful demonstrations."
-- Sean Maher
10 p.m. Man hit by car has not died, coroner says
The Alameda County Coroner's office said a man hit by a Mercedes at 11th and Broadway earlier this evening has not died, after rumors swirled on Twitter that he had.
Officials at Highland Hospital, where the man was taken by ambulance, said no one had died there in the past 10 hours.
9:55 p.m. Officers from Contra Costa County heading to Oakland
A Contra Costa Sheriff's spokesman says vehicles from the agency's Mobile Force Unit are heading into Oakland to lend support for officers there.
The Sheriff's Office contracts out with police agencies in cities and towns such as Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Danville and Oakley. The city of Concord has also sent officers to Ogawa plaza to help.
9:48 p.m. Some at city hall start heading toward port
At city hall, restlessness appears to be setting in, as some begin marching toward port.
9:39 p.m. Protesters try to block trucks from leaving port
At Third and Adeline streets, groups of protesters are trying to prevent some trucks from leaving the port.
However, they are letting the Disability Action Brigade through.
9:30 p.m. Media briefing soon to begin
Oakland officials will update the media around 9:30. The briefing was postponed from 9 p.m.
8:45 p.m. Word spreads that arbitrator says longshoremen won't cross picket lines
Organizers are heading from the port and from downtown to West Oakland BART in a steady, but moderate stream.
A protest leader with a bullhorn said an arbitrator has declared a "community picket line," which longshoremen won't cross. He said there will be no recrimination against the workers.
Some are still urging the crowd to hold the picket line, but many are leaving.
8:23 p.m. Rowdiness sets in
Longtime Oakland resident Stephanie Ross, who witnessed the Mercedes collision with the protesters, said a short time later: "I think they need to shut it down now. The peaceful protesters are starting to leave. But the people still here are defacing property and banging on things."
"I don't want this to end up in the media as another riot. That's not what this is about. Today as such a beautiful day."
-- Sean Maher
8:19 p.m. Details emerge from collision, festivities continue at plaza
Two people were injured when a man driving a silver Mercedes drove into a crowd of demonstrators in downtown Oakland. Several witnesses say the driver was provoked by a demonstrator who banged on the hood of his car as he attempted to turn onto a street thronged with demonstrators.
"The man who is on the ground now hit the car, and then the driver pushed on the gas," said Ayzia Robinson of Benicia. The car was then surrounded by a mob of demonstrators as medics arrived on the scene.
"The guy who got hit by the car hit the hood of the car, and then the driver hit the gas," said a witness who gave her name as Kareena. "This is a situation where you have two people with bad decision making skills."
Meanwhile, the crowd at Oakland's Frank Ogawa Plaza remained festive into the evening, with people dancing in the streets. There was no "General Assembly" - the nightly meeting held by Occupy Oakland organizers - because so many people remained at the Port of Oakland. Members of the Alameda Labor Council served free hot dogs, hamburgers, veggie dogs and veggie burgers to a ravenous crowd and had given away more than 4,000 meals by 8 p.m. Firefighters from the City of Alameda with Alameda Local 689 worked the massive charcoal grills while other volunteers began picking up the mountains of trash overflowing garbage bins.
"It's been exciting. There's been great energy all day," said Josie Camacho, secretary treasurer of the Alameda Labor Council. "We have health care workers from Placer County here volunteering."
--- Dana Hull
8:08 p.m. Protesters on the move at port
Some protesters at 7th and Maritime are on the move to gather with others.
Although some group leaders had said they thought longshoremen would come to work at 8 p.m., no workers showed up.
The crowd is beginning to thin.
7:45 p.m. Injury accident on Broadway at 11th Street
A man and a woman were hit at 11th Street and Broadway by a silver Mercedes, after a male driver ran a red light, said Joe Jackson, 37, of Oakland, who witnessed the incident.
The driver was irritated by protesters walking in front of him.
Onlookers said the driver deliberately ran over the pair, accelerating after a man hit on the hood of the car.
The windshield was splattered with what appeared to be a milkshake.
After the car stopped at the other end of the intersection, the driver switched seats with his female passenger.
About 40 people gathered in the intersection and some pulled open the driver's door.
The woman inside shouted: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
The injured man and woman were taken away in ambulances.
Police let the driver go.
-- Sean Maher
7:43 p.m. Protesters hit by car
Protesters marching from Frank Ogawa Plaza to the Port of Oakland have been hit by a car. The extent of their injuries is unknown.
7:40 p.m. Protesters set up driver check points at port
The intersection at Seventh and Maritime streets is almost like a rebel checkpoint. Every car that comes through is stopped while protesters question the driver, then debate with the larger group about whether they should be allowed to pass.
"He's a worker," a protester at a car will shout to the group. "He's trying to get home."
Then, they await the larger answer: "Let him go through," the crowd replies, and the driver is allowed on his or her way.
Protesters, however, are refusing to let television news trucks through.
"They work for the 1 percent," the crowd will shout. "We can tell our own story."
-- Paul T. Rosynsky
7:35 p.m. Protesters try to block news truck from leaving
At Seventh and Maritime streets, protesters argued briefly over whether to let a CBS5 news truck leave the port, with several protesters blocking the path. Others are urging them to let the truck leave.
7:25 p.m. Google map corrected
Frank Ogawa Plaza is no longer called "Oscar Grant Plaza" on Google maps. The change was apparently a user contribution that has since been corrected.
7:18 p.m. Port workers try to arrive for night shift
The Pacific Maritime Association requested 200 stevedores to work the night shift at the port, and those workers are making every attempt to get work, said Craig Merriless, spokesman for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.
7:15 p.m.: Stragglers continue to head toward port
At 14th and Broadway, a drum circle and a truck begin heading east on Broadway, with the intention of circling around City Hall, then heading toward the port.
Hundreds are following.
7:01 p.m. Port workers try to leave
Some port workers express visible support for the strike while others became entangled with testy exchanges with the protesters as the workers tried to leave the port.
At Maritime Street and Middle Harbor Road, one truck driver said he was angered by the dozen people who had occupied the roof of his trailer. His shift began at 4 a.m. and he wanted to get home to San Jose.
"It's his truck. He's not the problem," said protester Erica Lee, who works at a coffee import business in West Oakland.
Another protester yelled for the people on the trailer to get off, expanding that the driver was paid by a truckload and they should not alienate the port workers.
The crowd, however, was only getting larger and it appeared the driver would be stuck there for several hours. A brass band played on the street outside and one sign carried up to the trailer said, "Be excellent to each other."
"There are some truckers that are probably pretty cool with it," Lee said. "I saw some who were stoked. But some people are probably getting annoyed."
--Matt O'Brien
6:50 p.m. Meanwhile, back at the plaza....
Union workers are hosting a huge cookout.
6:40 p.m. Police retreating from port
Police are pulling away from the line of protesters at the port. Officers remain in the command center, but they are not longer blocking the line of bicyclists.
6:30 p.m. Support arrives from county sheriff's office
Vanloads of officers from the Alameda County Sheriff's Department and unmarked SWAT vans have arrived at the OPD command center at the Port.
Some officers are heading to the nearby EBMUD facility.
6:18 p.m. Brief standoff with police, protesters at port
About 50 police officers wearing riot gear have formed a line at Maritime and Bataan roads, near the OPD command center. Some have shotguns with tear-gas canisters equipped. About a dozen motorcycle officers are forming a line behind them. All the officers appear to be from the Oakland Police Department.
About a dozen protesters on bicycles are facing off in front of the officers, including one wearing a bandanna to cover his face. Other protesters on foot are heading that way.
6:25 p.m. Crowd grows by thousands
Thousands of people are continuing to stream over the bridge onto Adeline Street, blanketing all four lanes.
The crowd continues to be peaceful. It includes many bands and children, with no anarchists in sight.
6:13 p.m: Port workers try to leave
Some port workers are leaving taking 7th Street instead of Harbor Road, which is filled with people.
Some disputed there was any violence, but blamed the media for reporting it.
6 p.m. Port entrance
About 3,000 of people were stopped at the port entrance for about 40 minutes, before moving into the port. Thousands more people were surging over the bridge onto Adeline Street.
The crowd was peaceful, with people playing music, smoking marijuana and standing on top of trucks that were parked in the crowd.
5:47 p.m. More details from the command post news conference
The Oakland general strike called by Occupy Oakland has drawn thousands Wednesday for rallies and marches. The show of solidarity is expected to continue throughout the day and many businesses have shut down.
The Port of Oakland was effectively shut down around 5 p.m. as protesters arriving appeared to potentially endanger the workers there, Port Executive Director Omar Benjamin said.
No injuries had been reported to the city as of a 5 p.m. news conference held by city leaders, but Benjamin said, "We ask that everyone remain calm, respectful and safe. Specifically, we ask that demonstrators allow port workers safe passage home. Please allow our fellow 99 percent to get home safe to their families."
"Maritime operations will resume when it is safe and secure to do so," he added.
The total crowd at 5 p.m. was estimated at between 4,500 and 5,000 people, interim police Chief Howard Jordan said. About 3,000 were "marching peacefully to the Port," he added.
"Earlier, we got reports that five businesses have been damaged, mostly banks and Whole Foods. We deeply regret that took place," Jordan said.
Of the crowd of thousands, Jordan said, a small group of just 60 or 70 people now identified as anarchists were responsible for the vandalism, Jordan said.
"We are aware of people bent on causing problems, and we're taking steps to address those problems," Jordan said. But so far, he added, "There are no reports of officers being injured, and no one else being injured."
He also said no one had yet been arrested, and acknowledged that some calls for service are taking longer to respond to than he'd like.
"We're facilitating roughly 5,000 people moving freely around Oakland," he said. "So it's possible some calls will not be handled immediately. In a perfect world we'd have 5,000 cops here too."
CHP officers and Alameda County Sheriff's deputies are helping mitigate traffic problems near the Port, including preventing people from walking into the freeway or bridge, Jordan said.
There are no police blockades set up, but marchers will not be allowed to cross the Port gates, Jordan said.
"That's a federal crime, and at that point they'll be arrested," he said.
City Administrator Deanna Santana said she let city employees go home at 3:30 p.m., in light of the highly congested crowd around Frank H. Ogawa Plaza.
"I want to reinforce what we need to ensure public safety in the streets: we need no fires, no vandalism, no throwing bottles or rocks or human waste at police officers," Santana said.
"The world is watching Oakland tonight and we need to make this a safe place for everyone."
-- Sean Maher
5:45 p.m.: Oakland calls for mutual aid
Oakland is now calling for extra officers from other jurisdictions for help dealing with the Occupy general strike, signaling possible concern from officials about what direction the protest will take tonight.
San Mateo Sheriff's Lt. Ray Lunny confirmed that Alameda County has called for mutual aid from San Mateo County.
Oakland police Chief Howard Jordan said Tuesday the city would deal with the strike with its own officers, though he has said mutual was available if needed. San Mateo County officers were instructed to bring gas masks and riot gear.
-- Joshua Melvin
5:41 p.m. Protesters have taken over port
Protesters have taken over the Port of Oakland. They are blocking entrances, climbing on top of containers and even railroad crossings.
5:30 p.m.: Port entrances blocked
Protesters are blocking all three entrances to the Port of Oakland at Seventh and Maritime streets, Fifth and Adeline streets, and West Grand and Maritime.
The Oakland Police Department is trying to move its West Oakland command center from the area, while the Teamsters union is helping direct protesters to entrances.
Truckers are being turned around.
5:15 p.m.: Quan, Chief Howard update events
At least five businesses were damaged, but no reports of injuries or arrests, Police Chief Howard Jordan says at media briefing.
Port director Omar Benjamin says Port is effectively shut down. He asks for protesters to allow workers to safely go home.
"The world is watching Oakland tonight and we need to make sure this is a safe place for everyone," City Administrator Deanna Santana says in massive call for violence-free protests tonight.
5:05 p.m.: Police break through protest line
Dozens of police motorcycles have broken through the line of bicycles at the Port, and a California Highway Patrol officer has reportedly run over a bicycle.
5 p.m.: Hundreds more start march to Port
Several hundred people have now left the main Occupy Oakland encampment at Frank Ogawa Plaza and have started marching down 14th Street to the Port of Oakland.
4:50 p.m. Seventh street closed in both directions
Police have closed Seventh Street in both directions while hundreds march down Market Street to the Port. No reports of violence yet. The group is chanting, "Let's go Oakland!" "Take the port!" and "We got sold out!"
Truckers are negotiating with those blocking entrances to the Port, telling protesters that their trucks are empty.
4:34 p.m. Helmeted police at port
Lot of police at the Port. CHP on motorcycles. Couple of dozen helmeted police.
About 100 cyclists and seven buses carrying demonstrators have made it to the port. The protesters are trying to block the trucks from entering. Police are blocking vehicle traffic on Maritime Street.
4:15 p.m. Children's brigade to join march
More than 100 children, parents, toddlers and babies are gathered at the Oakland public library to march in a "children's brigade" to the Port. The library is swarming with wagons, strollers, bicycles and children in carriers. The children practiced a chant," Play fair and share." Many will march to the main demonstration at 14th and Broadway, and others will continue on to the Port.
Meantime, more details emerged from the fracas at Whole Foods. Around 3 p.m., a small group of what appeared to be high school students attacked the grocery near Lake Merritt, breaking a window with chairs and table legs and splashing red and green paint on the walls. They also spray-painted "Strike" on the exterior wall in white paint.
"It sounded like gunshots," said one customer who was trapped inside but declined to give her name. "People started running and screaming and crying. Employees were crying."
Claire Moore, 30, of Oakland, was inside when she heard a commotion outside and banging on the windows. She was frustrated some of the protesters had chosen to vandalize Whole foods. "How much more unpeaceful does a nonviolent protest get. We don't want this kind of attention for the movement. This puts a damper on the whole demonstration, which has largely been peaceful."
Another witness, Owen Latham, 25, said that the vandals appeared to be high school students. He saw about eight teenagers all wearing black spraypainting Whole foods and trying to break windows while other protesters tried to stop them.
A man who witnessed the Whole Foods attack, but asked not to be identified, said he was in the store buying an organic orange when the crowd arrived.
"I heard a thud as I walked out, and I looked and saw this whole parade of people walking toward the store," the witness said. "Most of them were holding signs, walking peacefully, but about three people ran out and kicked down the gate, so I turned to run away."
The experience was surreal, the man said.
"They were wearing masks. There was this whole mess of people, and no police here. That was weird."
Joan Bechtel, of Pittsburg, said she and her friend got caught inside when the vandalism started and were held inside the store for 45 minutes.
"People were scared at first, and there was a lot of tension there for quite a while," Bechtel said. "We heard they were coming back and the employees said they had to close the store, and they let us out."
Despite being a scary experience, Bechtel said, "It was totally nonviolent in terms of hurting people. I think they made their point. I felt something could maybe go haywire if the glass broke or the police showed up, but I'm still rooting for them, for the demonstrators."
Oakland City Council President Larry Reid took a more dismal view of the crowd's growing rowdiness.
"Look at Whole Foods. Look at Bank of America and the Kaiser Center. Look at Chase Bank. It's not even dark yet." Asked if he thinks the city can control the vandalism, Reid sighed, and said simply, "No."
-- Dana Hull and Sean Maher
4:15 p.m. Marchers start trek to Port
The general strike march to the Port of Oakland has started, from Frank Ogawa Plaza to the maritime terminals in West Oakland.
4:10 p.m. Buses leave for Port as groups prepare to march
Hundreds have gathered at 14th and Broadway in preparation to march to the Port of Oakland.
Seven charter buses have left down Broadway, ferrying people to the Port, and one more bus is expected to arrive.
The festive atmosphere continues at the plaza, with drummers entertaining the crowd.
4:05 p.m. Minimal public transit delays
BART train service through Oakland has continued as normal Wednesday, while AC Transit has rerouted buses on many lines around the city's downtown, public transit officials said.
BART ridership was slightly down during the morning rush hour -- a variation possibly due to some people skipping work or working at home, BART spokesman Jim Allison said Wednesday afternoon.
Around noon, there was a modest surge of riders exiting BART at Oakland City Center-12th Street station, near the spot for political rallies.
AC Transit spokesman Charles Johnson said several bus were detoured to avoid marchers and rallies. Buses on more than 20 lines were detoured as of mid Wednesday afternoon, AC Transit reported in an email. Bus drivers showed up for work Wednesday at normal rates, Johnson added.
-- Denis Cuff
4 p.m. Groups prepare to march to Port of Oakland
A 4 p.m. briefing at the OPD command center has been delayed for an hour as protesters mass in downtown Oakland. The first wave of protesters is expected to begin marching to the Port of Oakland at 4 p.m.
3:45 p.m. A church is vandalized
Staff members at Christ the Light Cathedral are cleaning up graffiti -- the word "f***" -- sprayed on the concrete wall facing Lake Merritt.
3:30 p.m. Many downtown businesses didn't open today
While a number of pizza shops, cafes and other restaurants opened for business, some of the stores near the heart of the protest kept their doors closed today, including Walgreens, Rite Aid, Foot Locker, Spitz Jewelers, Lucky Money, Twilight Zone, and Scottrade, a stock trading company.
Men's Wearhouse, Saigon Restaurant and Oaklandish are also closed, in solidarity with the movement, and Oaksterdam University is closed as well. Also:
Others remained open: Payless Shoe Source, Subway Sandwich and Plaza Cafe, along with several pizza places.
-- George Avalos
2:45 p.m. Whole Foods-fight
As marchers approached the Whole Foods Market near Lake Merritt, a small group of people in black infiltrated the group, smashing the windows and throwing paint at the store.
Other demonstrators enveloped the agitators, forcing them to stop. Fistfights broke out. No one went inside; the store closed its doors before the crowd arrived.
After the incident, the crowd continued to move down Grand Avenue. Protesters on Twitter appear to be trying to find the people responsible for the vandalism.
Whole Foods denies rumors that managers threatened to fire employees who participated in today's strike.
Regional President David Lannon posted the following statement on Facebook: "We totally support our Team Members participating in the General Strike today -- rumors are false! Again, no Team Member is losing job for supporting strike."
The East Bay Express reports that Whole Foods shoppers, held inside for about 15 minutes, have left.
-- Robert Salonga
2 p.m. Dressing up for the protest
A few protesters are dressing for the strike as they would for the office.
Dave Baba, 62, is wearing a crisp white button down, dark suit, striped tie and fine leather shoes.
"I'm an old hand at this," he said. "You have to have a little dignity."
He added, "As soon as they start seeing more regular people, they'll start to take notice."
Baba, who lives in Danville, spent his career working for a graphic design firm on Broadway just a few blocks from the plaza.
An Oakland native, he protested the draft at this same intersection.
"The police wouldn't let us out in those days," he said. "They would lock down the block."
1:30 p.m. Sorry, we're closed
Some of the bank branches targeted by protesters were closed all day, including the Wells Fargo and Citibank outlets near Oakland City Center.
Wells did open its ATMs around noon, but kept the branch doors shut.
"It's inconvenient," said Adrielle Kent, a Modesto resident who works in Oakland. "But I understand why they are closed."
Wells had said this week that security for customers and team members would determine their decision for closing branches.
"I'm not surprised Wells is closed," said Chris Kee, who works for the city of Oakland. "There is always the possibility of disruptions."
The Wells branch was marred by some graffiti. "Who's robbing who" and "99%" were scrawled on the wall.
Just down the street on Broadway, a Citibank branch also had its doors shut.
The ATMs were taped over. On the machines several placards were taped. "Foreclose the 1%" and "Occupy the banks" were among them.
-- George Avalos
1:20 p.m. Transit update
BART continues to run at full capacity and AC Transit is rerouting several downtown bus lines between 12th and 20th streets over to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, City Administrator spokeswoman Karen Boyd said.
Travelers should call 511 to check traffic and transportation issues throughout the day, Boyd said.
-- Sean Maher
1:15 p.m. Leaving Bank of America
The crowd is pulling away from the Bank of America building, moving up 21st Street toward Webster and, eventually, Frank Ogawa Plaza.
1:05 p.m. Protest leaders try to keep the peace at Bank of America
The doors of Bank of America are taped off from the outside. Marchers are pounding on the bank glass, writing on the windows with a marker. Several march leaders appear to be trying to stop people with bandannas covering their faces from smashing the windows.
The crowd is now chanting, "They got bailed out. We got sold out."
A sign posted there reads, "We, the people of Oakland, stop choosing profit over people."
12:50 p.m. Chase doors blocked; a bigger crowd returns to Bank of America
Protesters have blocked the doors to the Chase branch on 20th and Webster. Meanwhile, most of the crowd has moved a block away to the Bank of America branch at the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center on Lake Merritt.
12:30 p.m. Protesters converge at banks
Thousands of people have assembled at the intersection at Webster and 20th streets in front of Chase and other bank branches. Two protesters climbed a lamp post and put up a banner that crosses Webster street that says "Occupy the banks." The ATM has been spray painted.
Employees are looking out from the second floor windows, grinning at the spectacle.
Protesters are chanting, "Banks got bailed out, we got sold out" and "Hey Chase, what do you say? How many houses did you take today?"
Among the demonstrators was Kijami Safari, 26, of Oakland, who works for the alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment. He said his job is to keep the peace and "make sure nobody breaks the law, within reason."
-- Hannah Dreier and Julia Prodis Sulek
Noon: Marchers serve school district eviction notice
The teachers and student marchers that started at Laney College served a symbolic eviction notice at OUSD.
Joel Velasquez, a parent of two children at Westlake school, read the school members names out and said they are "on notice that they will be evicted from office in the next election for doing the dirty work of the 1 percent."
He added: "They are part of institutional problems that cause hardship on low-income children."
11:57 a.m. Next target: Bank of America
Two or three dozen protesters are blocking the Bank of America branch in the Henry J. Kaiser Center near Lake Merritt. They marched there chanting, "Shut down B of A."
11:55 a.m. City officials to take a van tour of downtown
At about 11:30 a.m., Mayor Jean Quan, City Administrator Deanna Santana, Police Chief Howard Jordan and City Councilman Larry Reid left the emergency operations center to take a van tour of the goings on downtown. Jordan said at the time that police estimated the crowd at about 700 people, a fraction of the organizers' estimates, but will likely have an update for the next press briefing at noon.
The City Council canceled the committee meeting Thursday morning where they would have scheduled more discussions and items for next week. The council will still meet Thursday night to vote on a resolution supporting the Occupy Oakland movement and camp. They will also hear public input on the Occupy Oakland encampment, the police action on the camp on Oct. 25 and the general strike itself.
11:55 a.m. Marchers converge on school district headquarters
About 300 to 400 protesters, a combination of school teachers and students, are marching down 10th Street, eastbound past the Kaiser Convention Center, appear to be headed to the Oakland Unified School District Headquarters on 2nd Avenue.
11:50 a.m. UC march heads down Telegraph
The Daily Californian reports that hundreds of students, marching down Telegraph, have just crossed 62nd Street, chanting, "We are the 99 percent."
11:20 a.m. Another group assembles at Laney College
Oakland North reports that teachers union members and students from ARISE High School have arrived at Laney College, and that they plan to head to the Oakland School District Headquarters.
10:55 a.m. Occupying Wells Fargo
People are gathered outside the locked doors of the Wells Fargo and Comerica branches on 12th and Broadway. It appears as though the Wells Fargo was closed before the protesters arrived. Protesters in bandannas yelled at tellers in locked Comerica Bank: "Lemme in I want to get $25 for opening account."
The march, which some observers have likened to a parade, has stopped out front, filling the intersection. Occupy Oakland organizers put the size of the crowd at 5,000.
10:35 a.m. Outside the state building
The crowd is on 16th and Clay streets, outside the Elihu M. Harris State Building. People are peaceful, singing and holding hundreds of signs. There was no sign of police anywhere during the march; now some officers are inside the building, watching the door.
10:30 a.m. City Council president on the Occupy movement: 'I don't like the method'
City Council President Larry Reid arrived at the command center shortly before 10 a.m.
Asked what his hopes are for the day, Reid said, "I'm hoping we have the least amount of impact on our local businesses, who are also part of the 99 percent."
Reid said he's gotten numerous calls from frustrated small business owners since the Occupy Oakland encampment set up shop in early October, who are contemplating leaving the city.
"These are folks who don't want to expose their employees to potential danger," Reid said. "They went through the Oscar Grant murder riots, and a lot of folks are fed up. They're trying to get out of their lease agreements."
Reid said he strongly supports the message of the Occupy Wall Street movement, "but I don't like the method. This is a blue collar town, and if the city is going to get on sound footing, we have to attract jobs."
The center is now where all the city's top leaders are keeping track of the situation: Reid, Mayor Jean Quan, City Administrator Deanna Santana, interim police Chief Howard Jordan and fire Chief Mark Hoffmann.
-- Sean Maher
10:30 a.m. March to Wells Fargo Bank
Protesters are marching peacefully down Broadway.
No one has spotted a uniformed police officer since dawn, though organizers say they assume plain clothes officers have been monitoring the rally.
James Harrow, who is doing safety and security work for the strike, says he expects to see uniformed officers further down Broadway, but is confident that the crowd will remain peaceful.
"I haven't seen a single cop and I've seen all protesters acting safely and respectfully," he said. "It's been incredible. My hope is that everything stays de-escalated."
The crowd is composed of a wider range of ages than the core Occupy campers, with many retirees in attendance, as well as a smattering of children.
-- Hannah Dreier
10:15 a.m. Bank action begins
Protesters are headed north on Broadway, possibly to shut down the Wells Fargo branch at 20th and Webster.
10:10 a.m. The crowd is swelling
Each BART train seems to bring scores of people -- including some school-age children -- to downtown Oakland. And there's not just speeches; there's theater, rapping, dancing and singing.
9:50 a.m. Port slowed, but not shut down
Rumors abound around the strike, but the port is not shutdown -- only slowed significantly. A mile-long line of trucks from both directions lead to the SSA terminal.
9:40 a.m. Mayor says most city employees at work
Oakland Mayor Jean Quan said less than 5 percent of city employees taken advantage of floating holidays or furloughs to call in today.
"The only city service impacted right now is Head Start," she said.
She added: "At this point we expect fully this is going to be a good day for Oakland, and we can show how people can protest and get their message across and we can keep the city safe at the same time. We're looking forward to a day of peaceful protest."
Oakland police are the only enforcement officers on the ground, interim police Chief Howard Jordan said, but mutual aid is available if the need arises to call it in.
Once called, that aid would be between one and two hours away, Jordan said.
Quan said she asked Gov. Jerry Brown to send enough CHP officers to make sure traffic control would run smoothly.
Quan said she and other city leaders, "spent a lot of days working with community to make sure today is a day that supports the goals of the 99 percent. Oakland is clearly a progressive city, and we support many of their demands, particularly those that focus on foreclosures, fair lending processes and making capital available to low income communities."
She added that "Many Oaklanders today who may favor the goals of the demonstrators may not be able to afford to take the day off, and we're asking the demonstrators to respect that."
Fire department Chief Mark Hoffmann said firefighters will be on hand throughout the day to provide first aid if it becomes necessary.
He added that there are "red flag" warnings out in parts of the city Wednesday after wind gusts Tuesday night knocked down more than 60 trees and dropped several power lines.
-- Sean Maher
9:40 a.m. Flash mob comes to Frank Ogawa
A group of young women in clown costumes just flooded out of the 12th Street BART station.
9:35 a.m.: Angela Davis addresses crowd
"The eyes of the world are on our city. There are now Occupy movements in Asia and South America and Europe. The 99 percent are rising all over the planet," Davis tells the crowd.
"Economic justice includes freedom from police oppression include freedom from police oppression"
She called the Oakland police an "occupying police force."
9:20 a.m. : Richmond contingent on the way
A dozen progressives led by Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin set off down San Pablo Avenue for Oakland about 8:30 a.m., carrying anti-rich placards and a long banner that read "Occupy Oakland."
"We are marching in solidarity with the Occupy Oakland movement. We stand for the 99 percent that the system is failing," McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin also took a verbal poke at her Oakland counterpart, Jean Quan, for allowing her police department to forcefully roust protesters last week, a clash that made international headlines.
"We really are at a crossroads here. As an elected official, you need to know which side you are on or you will get caught in the intersection, as Jean Quan did," McLaughlin said.
-- Karl Fischer
8:59 a.m. Reports of Port of Oakland shutdown
Word is spreading that the longshoremen have short-staffed the early shift, and the Port of Oakland is shut down. Reporters are on their way to the port to confirm. Chief Wharfinger Chris Peterson said work is happening in some terminals, "but it's really slow."
8:50 Traffic hot line
People hoping to drive in or around Oakland can call 211 for updates on traffic conditions and other ways the strike may be affecting public thoroughfares.
8:45 a.m. UC Office of the President is closed
The 850 employees of the UC Office of the President are staying home from work today, according to a security guard at the building on Franklin and 12th.
8:55 a.m. Crowds gather, protesters blocking traffic
A hundred protesters are standing and walking in circles in intersection of Broadway and 14th Street, trying to cut off traffic.
A couple hundred have gathered in the Plaza, most are coming from BART, some are bicycling in, others on foot.
8:45 a.m. Google maps renames Ogawa Plaza as "Oscar Grant Plaza"
On Google maps, the label for Frank Ogawa Plaza is now 'Oscar Grant Plaza". Check it out here: http://bit.ly/vVXX7D
8:40 a.m. Cafe pledges support
Awaken Café, operating out of a retail shop near 14th Street and Broadway, opened for business Wednesday morning with a pledge to donate 20 percent of its sales to the Ella Baker Center and the Alameda County Community Food Bank. Employees also pledged to donate their wages, according to the shop's Facebook page.
"But we're not sure how everyone will receive us being open in the heart of downtown Oakland or what kind of crowd to expect downtown," the post read. "We want to be an active participant of this conversation and movement."
8:30 a.m. City leaders committed to peaceful day of protests
City leaders and police "remain committed to facilitating peaceful demonstrations and freedom of speech," and "are aware of the events scheduled throughout the day and have prepared accordingly," according to an announcement City Administrator spokeswoman Karen Boyd e-mailed to the press shortly after 8 a.m.
The City is expecting a peaceful crowd today, Boyd wrote. But as a precautionary measure, she added, OPD "has advised banks that their doors should be closed to everyone except customers and should facilitate customer access at secured doors."
City offices and services will open as usual, Boyd wrote, adding, "we recognize that service levels may be impacted, but we do not anticipate a major reduction in services at this time."
There are about 2,500 civilians currently employed by the City, and about 1,150 firefighters and police officers. Public safety employees have mandatory staffing and all OPD officers were ordered to come to work Wednesday, but civilian workers can take the day to join the strike by using a vacation or furlough day, Boyd said.
8:20 The rally is beginning
Dance music is pumping from a sound system in a truck parked at 14th and Broadway, and people are beginning to speak. Demonstrators are holding signs promoting a range of causes, from the resignation of Oakland Mayor Jean Quan to an embargo of Israel. One advertises a Nov. 5 Marxism conference at UC Berkeley.
8:15 A new masthead in town
The Occupy demonstrators have started up their own newspaper — Occupied Oakland Tribune. The lead story today is headlined "General Strike and Mass Action!
8:10 a.m. Oakland police haven't called for outside support
Though the city has sought mutual aid from outside law enforcement agencies, interim police Chief Howard Jordan said this morning that for now, the Oakland Police Department is the only agency handling crowd control.
"It's always an option to call (other agencies), but that's not being considered right now," Jordan said. "This crowd told us they want to be peaceful and we're going to take them at their word."
CHP and Alameda County Sheriff's deputies will help control traffic down by the Port of Oakland, Jordan added.
The city's leadership set up shop at an emergency operations center Wednesday morning, several blocks from the strike's epicenter at 14th Street and Broadway.
City Administrator Deanna Santana was on hand by 7 a.m., and interim police Chief Howard Jordan arrived about 8 a.m. Mayor Jean Quan was in a staff meeting and expected to arrive around 9 a.m.
-- Sean Maher
7:45 a.m. Arising to the strains of "Dead Prez"
Brian Crow, 20, sound guy for the day, is blasting Dead Prez from a flatbed truck stacked with speakers.
Crow, a DJ, has been camping out here for three weeks
The speakers and sound equipment are all loans from individuals in the music and recording industry.
He's been working on this nonstop for a week and also does sound for the camp's general assembly.
"The thing about sound at Occupy Oakland is no one thinks about it till it's not there. It's been pretty manic getting all this together."
Crow was working in a solar panel factory, quit three weeks ago to come down here.
"Sure it was nice having a full-time job but it didn't pay very well. It's not just about being able to get a factory job -- they don't have benefits and job security"
He is excited about today's strike.
"We're attempting something that hasn't happened here since 1946 -- since the last time Oakland did it"
--Hannah Dreier
7:15 a.m. Street blocked off near police station
Long rows of white vans are parked in front of the Oakland police headquarters on Sixth Street. The street is blocked off to traffic.
7 a.m. Groups starting to set up
Occupants of the tent city are starting to rise and fastening down tents to keep them from blowing away in gusty winds.
Some people are fashioning a flatbed truck with speakers to be a rolling platform.
Carey Dall, 35, a dockworker with the ILWU, was among the first to arrive at Frank Ogawa Plaza. He was standing next to a pile of about 100 signs "Stand with the 99 percent" ready to be distributed.
The strike is an important symbolic gesture, he said.
"Economic impact is how you make change," Dall said. "It's going to take sustained activity like this if we are going to see changes in this country."
Dall works in San Francisco but lives in Oakland. The ILWU is encouraging participation but not specifically telling people not to go to work.
Also on hand International Workers of the World. They say they have been supporting Occupy Oakland from the start and are hoping for a strong turnout.
-- Robert Salonga


text:
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1/4 cup honey
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Form into logs or just place into a dish as I did. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.


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Source: geek.com
quote: What's up with companies trying to force an entire suite of software that nerds don't want and drive those customers away? I thought they want more sales.
quote: I would agree with you except everyone hates crashes and a slow GUI. My girlfriend, sister, brother-in-law, friends, etc... have all considered iphones when upgrading. Their main reason are always crashes and slow unresponsive UI. I don't need to use six sigma to figure out what's causing the obvious problems.
quote: Are you telling me the average person cannot tell the difference between an unresponsive UI to a responsive one?


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Calibre is a e-book library management application.
calibre is a e-book library management application. It is free, open source and cross-platform in design and works on Linux, OSX and Windows. calibre is meant to be a complete e-library solution and thus includes, library management, format conversion, news feeds to ebook conversion as well as e-book reader sync features. calibre is written purely in python.
Required OS: 10.7
Tags: ebook , conversion , lrf , comic , epub
13 Opinions
not exactly mac-like but a lot of features, works flawless with my kindle paperwhite. Along with Graphic Converter it's a shareware must and I supported it.
No PPC-Support anymore?
Calibre is prettier now, but still does an excellent job of cataloguing, converting, transferring and managing ebooks. You can also use it to download and read news. It's indispensable if you have any number of ebooks in different formats, or even if you just have an e-reader and want to manage what's on it.
I love it - don't care how it looks, just care that it does its job: Making managing my ebooks a breeze. The constant updates are a bit annoying, but at least this means that the app is being actively developed.
What I most dislike about Calibre is that there is always an update when I open it. Probably shows how many times I use this applications, but still. It could use a background updater á la Chrome. Every 2-3 weeks doing the popup-browser-download-dmg-close-drag-reopen dance is a bit much.
ugly but great for getting metadata on PDF and ePub
I love Calibre. It's Kindle bliss. Yes, it's totally ugly, and is begging for a proper Aqua redesign, but it's functionality can't be beat. Sometimes, you think that it's frozen, but just give it a little bit of space, and it really shines. Converting/uploading is a snap, and makes it blissfully easy to manage content on a Kindle.
The thing is ugly as sin, that's true, but I never even step inside the GUI. I downloaded it for the command line tools, and they work like a charm for converting things for my Kindle. There's a lot of power in those tools, and Applescript/Folder Actions could bump the usability up for those who don't want all the typing of the CLI, but don't want all the ugly/complexity of the GUI either.
Yes it's ulgy etc... but i can add metadata and titles to books where needed before adding them to the ereader. At least someone has built it when sony couldn't be bothered.
What a horrible looking UI....
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Watch this video of a truck full of cows crashing and rolling over in front of oncoming traffic. See how the cows tumble over each other and then quickly get back up? Watch it again. See how the cows try to act all cool and nonchalant? "Nothing to see here," say the cows. "Keep walking."
OK, cows.
h/t Deadspin


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Lake Regional Wound Healing Center has been named a Center of Distinction by Healogics, one of only three programs statewide to receive this honor. Healogics partners with more than 500 hospitals nationwide, including Lake Regional, to provide wound healing protocols.
The Wound Healing Center has achieved outstanding patient outcomes for the past 12 months, including patient satisfaction of 92 percent, wound healing rate of 97 percent and a median of 30 days to heal.
"We're very proud of our staff for making such high outcomes possible," said Laurie Lowther, R.N., Lake Regional's Wound Healing Center director. "We are able to effectively heal chronic wounds of patients who might otherwise experience an amputation or other life-threatening condition."
One of the highly specialized treatments offered by Lake Regional Wound Healing Center is hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
The HBO chambers surround patients with 100 percent oxygen at higher than normal atmospheric pressure.
This painless therapy increases the amount of oxygen in the patient's blood and allows red blood cells to pass more easily into the wound, healing it from the inside out.
In addition to tissue oxygenation, Lake Regional Wound Healing Center also provides skin grafting and wound debridement.
For more information, visit lakeregional.com/whc. To schedule an appointment, call 573-302-2990.
Location, ST | website.com


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STOCKTON - A family of four was displaced when fire consumed a large, single-story, Victorian-style home in southeast Stockton on Monday, the Stockton Fire Department said.
The blaze was reported about 5 p.m. in the 1700 block of Drake Avenue, just east of Highway 99 and north of the South Golden Gate Avenue exit, fire officials said. The house was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. It took 35 minutes to get the fire under control, officials said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but firefighters determined that it started in the southwest corner of the home near a washer and dryer, authorities said. A boat also was destroyed in the blaze. A fence on the south side of the house and a second home on the north side also were damaged.
Fire officials contacted the San Joaquin County chapter of the American Red Cross, which is providing shelter for the family for three days, authorities said.
They also contacted the Stockton Fire Department Family Auxiliary, which provided gift cards for clothing and food.
Location, ST | website.com


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1979 Tolkien Enterprises Puzzle
Just popping in
2009/8/6 14:26
Posts: 1
I have a near mint 1979 Tolkien Enterprises Frame-Tray Puzzle titled "Bilbo's Birthday" based off of Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings. All the pieces are in perfect condition, with only a bit of fading around some of the border edges. I'm looking to sell.
Posted on: 2009/8/7 13:28
Edited by aericura on 2013/12/26 16:10:07
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3-2 Warren board vote keeps Schob as football coach
March 19, 2013
VINCENT — Warren High School football Coach Andy Schob was approved for another year at the helm Monday despite some board of education members expressing concern about the direction of the program....
somebody's little " All-Star " must not get to play quarterback!!!!!
i guess the grass isn't always greener at another school......what was warren footballs records before andy?
7 Agrees | 1 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
This coach is one first class guy. He was smart enough to get away from Marietta parents and into a healthier district. His only interest is taking care of kids.
3 Agrees | 3 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
LOL Murphy77! A 3-2 vote to renew his contract is hardly a sign of support from the parents and the BOE. Healthy! :-D
3 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Things should run better without coach Leffingwell calling the plays. Hopefully Andy can break the puppet strings and run the program his way now.
0 Agrees | 1 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Good luck Schob. Smart move. Things will get better. You have athletes and a program that will work hard to accomplish goals.
Set the standards high and procedd.
We are behind you. Some never are behind anything except the "time".
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I hope that Coach Schob doesn't regret coming to Warren. Coach Schob brings more then football to the kids that play. Mr. Allen and Mr. Nichols voted against renewing Coach Schob's contract based on records trending down. There are several things that need to be considered not only records. One would be building a program. When building a program you don't only look at wins and loses but the number of kids in the program. In years past we didn't have enough kids to field a Freshman, Junior Varsity and Varsity team. We do now! One should also look at the competion. Folks we aren't playing in the TVC. Debbie West mentioned that "Being mentors and supporting student-athletes on and off the field or court are important as well". To often people forget this, Coach Schob brings exactly that to each and every player. I know this first hand. Mr Nichols also made a comment regarding an assistant coach having mannerisms and language that weren't appropriate. I do not condo
0 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
sorry correction on last post should have been losses not loses. bad behavior or language from anyone, players or coaches. My only comment to that is, Mr Nichols are you sure you want to open that can of worms? You would have to apply this to everyone, which it currently should, but doesn't. We need more coaches and teachers like Coach Schob. He taught my son more then football, he taught him what it means to do the right thing regardless, and how to let your faith lead you. For some of the young men that play football this might be the only positive role model they have.
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2.6-6 Multiple Defendants
Revised to December 1, 2007
There are <insert number of defendants> defendants on trial here. Although the defendants are being tried together, you must consider the case against each separately. That is, your findings in one case do not in themselves establish a basis for similar findings in the other case[s]. Each defendant is to be considered as if (he/she) were on trial alone for the offense or offenses for which (he/she) stands charged. You will be required, therefore, to render a verdict upon each defendant separately. The charges against each defendant are contained in different counts. Each count charges a separate crime joined for the convenience of the trial in one information. You must consider each count separately and decide whether or not the state has proved each of the elements of that crime beyond a reasonable doubt.
I remind you that during the course of the trial certain evidence of <describe evidence> was admitted for you to consider in the case of <insert name of defendant>, but you were instructed not to consider this particular evidence in connection with the charges against the other defendant[s]. Your verdict for each defendant must be based solely on the evidence that was admitted for your consideration with respect to that particular defendant. Where evidence was admitted with respect to one defendant and not the other[s], you must consider it only with regard to the appropriate defendant and disregard it as to the other[s]. Remember that you will be required to return a separate verdict for each count.
See generally State v. Booth, 250 Conn. 611, 632-33 (1999), cert. denied, 529 U.S. 106, 120 S. Ct. 156, 146 L. Ed. 2d 47 (2000) (trial court instructed the jury to "decide the case against each of these three defendants separately").
If there are more than two
defendants, a longer instruction may be necessary. See State v. Henry,
72 Conn. App. 640, cert. denied, 262 Conn. 917 (2002).


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'Can I have a lolly?' 'I want a toy!' 'Please, please, please!'
When you're a child, the world is full of attractive and desirable things. In shopping centres, they're usually at your eye-level. It can be hard to understand that some pretty, shiny or yummy things are bad for you, or can't be afforded.
Even grown-ups can have trouble denying themselves things they want. And if we have trouble, think how difficult it must be for kids.
Pestering wears parents down. It can put them in embarrassing situations, and it can give kids the power to get away with things their parents wouldn't usually put up with. But sometimes pestering works.
If pestering becomes an effective way for children to get the things they want, they'll pester more often. If parents simply refused all pestering, it would eventually disappear. So why isn't it that easy?
For one thing, parents want their children to be happy – it can be hard to turn down your child's request when you know that agreeing will bring him instant pleasure. It's even harder when you know that saying 'no' will mean repeated requests, whinging or the embarrassment of a public temper tantrum.
You can take steps to make pestering less likely to happen in the first place:
If your child pesters or uses other negative tactics to influence you (for example, by whining, demanding or threatening), you could try the following:
Staying calm when children pester
Pestering can drive any parent crazy. If you feel that pestering is getting the better of you, this exercise might help:
That extra 10 seconds is often enough to calm you down.
Clark, R. A. & Delia, J. G. (1976). The development of functional persuasive skills in childhood and early adolescence. Child Development, 47, 1008-1014.
Robinson, T. N., Saphir, M. N., Kraemer, H. C., Varady, A., & Haydel, K. F. (2001). Effects of reducing television viewing on children's requests for toys: A randomised-controlled trial. Journal of Developmental & Behavioural Pediatrics, 22(3), 179-188.
Roedder-John, D. (1999). Consumer socialisation of children: A retrospective look at twenty-five years of research. Journal of Consumer Research, 26, 183-213.
Turner, J. J., Kelly, J., & McKenna, K. (2006). Food for thought: parents' perspectives of child influence. British Food Journal, 108(3), 181-191.
Yukl, G. & Falbe, C. M. (1990). Influence tactics and objectives in upward, downward and lateral influence attempts. Journal of Applied Psychology, 75(2), 132-140.


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It's 6:30 on a dark, shivery morning. The furnace is rumbling away as I write, and I need a mug of something hot and comforting.
For most of you, I know, that means coffee. It's heresy these days, but I don't drink coffee. And all I really want -- quite desperately, actually -- is for an endless vat of vegetable soup to magically appear on my stove. I'd be perfectly content to sneak mugs, cups and bowls of that soup all day while I huddle under my electric throw with my Kindle and a cat or two.
But since my fairy soup godmother or my soup-making mother-in-law haven't shown up in my kitchen this morning, I guess it's left to me to satisfy my hankering.
Last week, we talked about following recipe instructions. This week, we're serving up a dish that really needs no recipe. After all, if you chop a bunch of vegetables and add some broth or water and seasonings, you'll get soup. But it's nice to have a framework from which to work. And a number of you offered just that: vegetable soup recipes that allow for flexibility, depending on whim and the contents of your fridge.
One of my mom buddies, Marilyn Williams, of Fremont, shared her favorite big-batch veggie soup recipe. It starts with sauteed onions or leeks, celery and a big can of tomatoes, then finishes with eight cups of any and all vegetables you choose.
"I came across a wonderful vegetable soup recipe a couple of years ago and have made it many, many times for my family and vegetarian friends, always to rave reviews," Williams says. "Since I'm not a fan of Martha Stewart, it's a good thing I didn't discover that the original recipe was hers until after I tried it!"
I picked up a hint or idea to steal, er, borrow, from almost every vegetable soup recipe readers sent. Williams' submission includes a tablespoon of tomato paste for depth of flavor, and she always uses thinly sliced leeks rather than chopped onions.
Melodie Pohorsky picked up a bit of inspiration from her favorite celebrity chefs: She adds a pinch of salt and pepper every time she adds a new vegetable to a pot of veggie soup. "On my stove, filled with my delicious vegetable soup, is the biggest pot in my house," she says by email. "The first time I made this soup, I was expecting my youngest daughter in 1989. I had a jar of my Aunt Josie's home-canned tomatoes and a fridge filled with vegetables needing to be cooked before the baby arrived. It was the best pot of vegetable soup I have ever made or eaten!
"Since then, I have learned a few techniques that bring out the best in every single vegetable I include in my soup. I start out with some basic ingredients that are in every pot I make and add whatever vegetable looks the best at the store or what is in my refrigerator just waiting to be eaten."
Pohorsky sometimes makes a batch of brown rice or elbow macaroni and adds it to each bowl along with Parmesan cheese.
Joan Carter, of Newark, says it's always best to saute veggies such as onions, carrots and zucchini, along with garlic, first. "The caramelization makes a really big difference in the flavor, and it mellows the garlic a lot," she says. Regina Williams, of Santa Clara, adds a cup of uncooked pearl barley to her soup.
Heidi Denzler-Halsey makes vegetable soup once a week and eats it for lunch each day. "It never turns out the same way twice, since I don't use a recipe," she says.
She cooks seasonally, adding winter squash, sweet potatoes, leeks, fennel and chopped Swiss chard in the winter, and chopped eggplant, red and green bell peppers and summer squash in the summer.
Her best piece of advice, and one I'll likely follow: "Don't add broccoli. It gets bitter," she says.
Request line
Contact Kim Boatman at email@example.com. Find recent Home Plates recipes online at www.mercurynews.com/home-plates.


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2018 World Cup qualifying - how it works
The qualifying process for the 2018 World Cup began on March 12, 2015 with preliminary ties between the 12 lowest-ranked nations in Asia.
Chiquito Do Carmo of Timor-Leste had the honour of scoring the very first goal on the road to Russia in a 4-1 victory at home to Mongolia.
There are 31 places up for grabs, joining hosts Russia.
The draw for the main sections of qualifying takes place on Saturday, July 25, 2015.
EUROPE:13 places
• European qualifying home page
Qualifying for 2018...