Occupy Banksters & Crony Capitalism & GREED

Record 65.3 Million People Were Displaced Last Year
HP & World News | Reuters | 06/20/16

One in every 113 people on the planet is now a refugee.

A record 65.3 million people were uprooted worldwide last year, many of them fleeing wars only to face walls, tougher laws and xenophobia as they reach borders, the United Nations refugee agency said on Monday. The figure, which jumped from 59.5 million in 2014 and by 50 percent in five years, means that 1 in every 113 people on the planet is now a refugee, asylum-seeker or internally displaced in a home country. ... Read more

All The Folks Who Would Need To Come Together To Stop Trump At The Convention
HP | Howard Fineman | 06/20/16

As more and more Republican elites come to the realization that they're stuck with Donald Trump -- a rabid Teddy Ruxpin doll with Skrewdriver's debut album wedged inside it -- as their nominee, the dream of blocking his ascension continues to flit about fitfully in their collective subconscious. But the hour of doom draws ever closer, and staging a contested convention at this late date is going to be a difficult stunt to pull off.

Nevertheless, hope springs eternal. And this week, The Washington Post's Ed O'Keefe reported that the desire to supplant Trump at the convention is now shared by a growing number of convention delegates themselves. As O'Keefe reports, "Dozens of Republican convention delegates are hatching a new plan to block Donald Trump at this summer's party meetings, in what has become the most organized effort so far to stop the businessman from becoming the GOP nominee." ... Read more

People's Summit: Progressive Gathering Fertilizing Momentum of Bernie's Revolution
commondreams.org | Andrea Germanos | 06/20/16

Harnessing the broad desire for "transformative change," thousands are expected to gather this weekend in Chicago for a three-day event centered around many of the progressive issues that Bernie Sanders put at the forefront of his presidential campaign.

Backed by organizations including 350.org, Physicians for a National Health Program, National Nurses Union (NNU), Hedge Clippers, and the People for Bernie, the People's Summit says in its call for the event that it aims "to bring together activists committed to a different kind of agenda: a People's Agenda that can enhance and expand issue campaigns and hold all elected officials accountable to popular demands for justice, equality, and freedom." ... Read more
TRNN | RoseAnn DeMoro, executive director of National Nurses United speaking at The People's Summit: explains how the Sanders movement does not exist in isolation (06/20/16) [1:40:49]

"The Next Few Days Will Be Dominated By Fear" - Why One Trader Isn't Buying Today's Massive Stock Surge
ZeroHedge | author | 06/20/16

"The referendum is the single biggest risk-event in 2016. No major money manager can afford the consequences of being wrong if they significantly increase their risk exposure this week. The bravest and most nimble can perhaps punt on sentiment moves. But that is only day-traders and the most opportunistic of hedge funds, and they are a minority of money flows.... The relief rally will soon fade and, globally, most risky assets will trade weaker by Thursday." ... Read more

Endless War, Endless Greed: The Pentagon Is Lining Its Pockets with Taxpayer Dollars
AlterNet | Andrew Cockburn / TomDispatch | 06/16/16

A military plan focused not on peace but profitable production contracts for our weapons-making cartels.

... After 15 years of grinding war with no obvious end in sight, U.S. military operations certainly deserve such obloquy. But the pundit outrage may be misplaced. Focusing on Washington rather than on distant war zones, it becomes clear that the military establishment does indeed have a strategy, a highly successful one, which is to protect and enhance its own prosperity. ... Read more

This Man’s Transformation Into Disney Princesses Has To Be Seen To Be Believed
HP | JamesMichael Nichols | 06/20/16

A 21-year-old Instagram artist is making waves across the Internet for his very convincing and thoroughly executed Disney Princess cosplay.

Richard Schaefer has spent the past five years perfecting his creative craft, using the classic Disney Princess cannon as inspiration for his makeup transformations. From Snow White to Pocahontas, these new takes on many of our classic childhood heroines are something that have to been seen to be believed. ... Read more