South Essex Register of Deeds: Mortgage Settlement Fails to Address Banking Criminal Enterprise

I will continue to pursue my request for Federal and State grand juries to be impaneled to hold the CEO’s of these banks liable for the crimes that have been committed under their watch. The only thing missing in this illegal scheme that MERS and the big banks came up with was a gun and a mask. I will continue to expose this fraud and work everyday to make sure that the taxpayers are fully reimbursed for the over $44 million dollars in lost recording fees in my district alone by institutions who still believe fees are “for thee but not for me.” A message needs to be sent to these banks that they may think that you are too big to fail but they are not too big to go to jail.

http://tinyurl.com/6olhfnz

Harvard: The Dilemma of the Radical – On-Campus Activism in the Age of Occupy

Even within activist organizations like the EAC, convincing students to get out and protest isn’t easy. “A lot of people show up to meetings and not to events. Others go to one or two rallies but don’t sustainably involve themselves,” he explains.
12:03 p.m. Stepping out of the Park Street station, Chaudhary joins about 25 people who are gathered for the rally. Most are well out of college, but there are a few other students from Brandeis and Tufts as well.

http://tinyurl.com/6r9kwhd

What if Occupy Created a Movement so Big it Couldn’t Control it?

Essentially, something can only be considered an “official” statement or action by Occupy Wall Street if it gains approval by the group’s general assembly in New York. It’s a cumbersome process, and most Occupy-related actions don’t go through it — but they’re done in “good faith” with the guidelines the group ratified in its Statement of Autonomy, so there’s usually no problem. Lately, though, more such Occupy-branded actions that diverge from the group’s ethos have been popping up. Remember the Occupy Super PAC last week and quickly drew the ire of the movement? Or the Occupy candidates, who’ve emerged despite the fact that the group has specifically pledged not to endorse parties or candidates? Or that delegation from Zuccotti Park that nearly (gasp) met with Congress before thinking better of it?

http://tinyurl.com/7na6v87

Student Activists Occupy Novartis

AIDS activists, students, and community groups “OCCUPIED” the offices of pharma giant Novartis today in three US cities on the eve of the Swiss pharmaceutical company’s annual shareholders meeting in Switzerland.  The effort was part of a global day of action drawing attention to the company’s lawsuit against cancer patients and the government of India, aiming to reinterpret India’s patent standards to block access to life-saving generic medicines.

In 2006, Novartis sued the Indian government after its request for a patent on its blockbuster cancer drug Gleevec was denied. The Novartis version of the drug costs roughly ten times the cost of the high-quality generics on the market and the company is trying to stop production of those versions.

Since Novartis initiated action against the Indian government, protests have been held around the world. On Wednesday, demonstrators in New York, Washington, and Boston stood in solidarity with actions in India, Switzerland, and other regions. “We’re here to try to ensure that India remains the pharmacy of the developing world,” said Katrina Ciraldo, Boston University medical student and member of Occupy Boston’s Health Justice group.

http://tinyurl.com/82tbaze

After a long winter of discontent, can Occupy Boston bloom again this spring?

As the weather warms, though, the question looms: will there will be an Occupy Spring? Will the movement once again reign in the national headlines – not just as a sideshow tailing presidential candidates, but in cities like Boston, where much of the fall was dominated by Occupy actions and the response to the sudden surge in activism?

All signs point to “yes.” In addition to vague plans to establish another camp in April – a surefire way to attract news cameras – daily Occupy Boston strategy meetings remain staffed by significant numbers of dedicated operatives. Saturday-night general assemblies draw roughly 80 attendees. The crowds are smaller than those that rallied on Dewey Square at the height of Occupy intensity, but a core group of direct-action-minded folks are regularly joining more established forces like City Life and the T Riders Union in protesting everything from MBTA service cuts to foreclosures and, this past weekend, prisoner abuse. College occupations are also picking up some slack; earlier this month, a New England student summit at Harvard attracted delegates from more than a dozen schools (as well as Occupy godfather Noam Chomsky).

http://tinyurl.com/7hcc6mg

Chris Faraone Q&A: Living with the 99 percent

When the Occupy movement was raging last fall, Chris Faraone was there. In Boston. In Seattle. In New York. [Chris Faraone] the 32-year-old Boston Phoenix writer and Jamaica Plain resident spent more time at the encampment here than any journalist, not to mention his visits to Occupy movements around the country, from Miami to New York to Seattle to Oakland. This month he releases his self-published book, “99 Nights With the 99 Percent,” and on Feb. 27 he’ll speak at Brookline Booksmith at 7 p.m.

http://tinyurl.com/6r3w9c3