You can contact me at kasewickman AT gmail DOT com, or find me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Click around, read some words, and feel free to drop me a note and say hello! Thanks for stopping in.

Most recent update: October 6, 2011.

Lacquered red drums, glittery blue marching band type bass drums, bongo drums, tambourines and a cowbell, an overturned bin painted streaky red and hand-lettered with “OCCUPY WALL STREET,” slapped at with palms and mallets and drumsticks, anything really.

Read more behind the cut, or at Raw Story, where this article was originally published.

The drumming and clamor of the Occupy Wall Street protest in the Financial District’s Liberty Plaza can be heard, unending, from blocks around and even underground, in nearby subway stops.

A fledgling arts community has sprung up in the niche world of Occupy Wall Street, showcasing musicians, dancers, visual artists and spoken word performers, not to mention the thousands of words and pictures that have emerged from the weeks of protest.

“It’s really only a matter of time before a New York Times culture reporter comes down here,” protester Paolo Mastrangelo told Raw Story about the virtual artist’s colony the protest has become. “People show their art, the whole park is a stage, there’s a library, people play music and recite poetry. It’s only a matter of time before there’s a feature on the front page of the Times art section.”

Indeed, a pop-up gallery hosting art inspired by Occupy Wall Street, called “No Comment,” will open across the street from the New York Stock Exchange. Twelve removable, graffiti-covered walls will surround the gallery and then will be displayed near the protest’s heart at Zuccotti Park.

More than a dozen bins of books along one edge of the park act as “the People’s Library,” a trove of donated and swapped books for the protesters to share and enjoy.

Illustrator Molly Crabapple has also been spotted at the protest camp, where she created a stencil-ready “vampire squid” mascot, based on Rolling Stone‘s Matt Taibbi’s characterization of Wall Streeters.

Though the requisite acoustic guitars and drum circles make up a constant soundtrack, other boldface musical names have also been connected with the movement. Last week, Radiohead was rumored to be playing the protest, but never showed. Jeff Mangum, frontman of Neutral Milk Hotel, wowed protesters with a free show Tuesday night.

One protest organizer, a man named Jesse, said that the peaceful and creative nature of the long-running protest could be attributed to the people who showed up, those who wanted to “empower themselves.”

“Things here are working because people care about them working,” he said. “If people were greedy or mean, this just wouldn’t work.”

Just yards from where the drummers have assembled with their array of dancers — from b-boys to a bellydancer in a crocheted top to an older woman in a purple cable-knit sweater, her auburn-tipped gray hair flopping as she bounces to the beat — a table is laden with paints and markers and chalk, surrounded by wobbly towers of cardboard and used pizza boxes for making signs.

Michael, a visual artist who came from Dallas to join the protest because, as he said, he “just wanted to come out here and touch it,” painted three figures over the words “We are the 99 percent.” The phrase has become a slogan for the protest, the idea of 99 percent of people serving the richest 1 percent in the country.

“Artists tend to be people who really struggle in an economy like this,” he noted.

A man named David sat smoking a cigarette and carefully painting a sign with broad, black strokes. He cut in, talking over Michael.

“If a school has trouble getting funding, what’s the first thing that gets cut?”

David nodded in agreement. The two did not know each other today.

“We’re just in our element here,” David said.

Back at the drum circle, a woman skittered joyfully across the pavement in tap shoes, her steps clacking and arms waving above her.

Here, surrounded by noise and breakdancers jumping over news photographers and kids writing about corporate greed with sidewalk chalk just blocks away from Wall Street, it doesn’t seem surprising that somebody would bring tap shoes to a protest. The woman disappears into the crowd, and the drums beat on.

Behind the cut, see photos of a day with the movement, originally posted at Raw Story. Or view at flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=107931

Photos by Kase Wickman.

Read more behind the cut, or at Raw Story, where this article was originally published.

Groups such as progressive political action group MoveOn, as well as several teachers, construction, nurses and other labor unions latched on to the protest, planning a highly visible march toward the end of the work day Wednesday.

Those associated with Occupy Wall Street, however, said they had no problem with welcoming new comrades in the form of professional activist groups.

“I don’t give a shit about Occupy Wall Street, that’s just a name,” a man named Jesse, who acts as a do-it-all information resource for the protest, told Raw Story. He brushed his teeth over a garbage can with a bottle of water and travel toothbrush, and toothpaste he pulled from his pocket, while answering questions.

“This is not about the name,” he said, “it’s about how we can work together to do something larger.”

Construction workers in fluorescent vests and hard hats also moved among the crowd, watching performers dance and hula-hoop in front of an ever-beating drum circle. Several of the workers were on break from nearby construction projects, such as Freedom Tower.

Mark Bray, a member of the Occupy Wall Street press team, moved through the square carrying a handwritten cardboard PRESS sign duct taped to a pole. He wore a button-down shirt and shoes, in contrast with many of the gathered protesters.

The movement was not being co-opted, he said, because there was nothing specific to co-opt.

“We don’t have one specific policy goal. We are creating the vehicle to move mountains, but we don’t have to choose a specific mountain to move.”

“We started Occupy Wall Street without any institutional support,” Bray said. “We’ve just really resonated with unions’ issues. I think the more organizations that join, it’s wonderful. This plurality is something we encourage.”

Participants agreed that Occupy Wall Street is important not only because of it’s message against corporate greed and economic injustice and imbalance, but also because of the passion it inspired in people.

Paolo Mastrangelo, who has been a regular at Liberty Square and runs popular site NYC the Blog and the accompanying twitter handle (@newyorkist), said he lives in the area and liked experiencing history in the city as it unfolded.

“I support the fostering of a protest culture and people advocating for change, and that’s what they’re doing,” he said.

Photo: Kase Wickman.

Thompson filed his Statement of Candidacy with the Federal Election Commission Tuesday, the final step that establishes him as a candidate.

Read more behind the cut, or at Raw Story, where this article was originally published.

In an email to supporters, Thompson touted his record cutting taxes and spending.

“Barack Obama and Harry Reid have a vastly different idea for your hard-earned money,” he wrote. “They want more and more and more. But I will fight them every step of the way.”

He cites 91 cuts he made to taxes and 1,900 vetoes on spending, resulting in $287 million of cut state spending and $16 billion saved for taxpayers.

Darrin Schmitz, a spokesman for Thompson’s campaign, touted Thompson’s experience as an elected official in a prepared statement.

“As Wisconsin’s next senator, Tommy Thompson will lead the fight for conservative, commonsense reforms to get America working again,” Schmitz said. “Thompson ushered in an era of prosperity through tax reforms and innovative solutions that empowered families and entrepreneurs. He’s committed to securing our nation’s future through fiscal accountability and job creation, and putting an end to the Obama/Reid big government agenda. Washington needs the kind of wake up call that Tommy Thompson can deliver.”

Rumors of a Thompson run have been circulating since May, and the former governor incorporated his campaign committee in mid-September.

Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Read more behind the cut, or at Raw Story, where this article was originally published.

The union, Metallic Lathers Union Local 46, is suing Lalezarian Developers, JMH Development and HRH Construction for a payout of more than $21 million, accusing them of creating an illegal shell organization to avoid paying fair wages. The complaint was filed last week in Westchester.

Local 46 said in the complaint that the three companies had worked together to complete three buildings from 2007 to 2011, using a phony non-union company that they called Leviathan Construction Management. By using non-unionized workers for the buildings, union workers lost more than $7 million in pay. Punishment calls for three times the lost wages to be paid, totaling $21 million if the court sides with the unions.

Bill Hohfeld, labor management coordinator for Local 46, told Raw Story that unions get a bad reputation because they can be a nuisance to power mongers.

“Corporate America and business in general has done everything they can to put unions out of business,” he said. We’re almost like the last speed bump in between them and them having everything.”

Tom Kennedy, the attorney bringing the case on behalf of the union, said at a press conference that the Leviathan plot was discovered when HRH Construction filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. The union and Kennedy investigated HRH’s finances, and found evidence of wrongdoing.

“We were able to subpoena records about the projects that in the past, the union had only known on the street,” Kennedy said of three buildings named in the lawsuit. “[They were built in 2008 and 2009], a time when there was very little construction work in the city, these projects would have been very important in assisting thousands of union members and protecting their livelihood and the benefits that their families enjoyed.”

HRH is obligated to hire union workers, but instead worked within the dummy corporation Leviathan to save money and hire non-union workers.

One family, the Singers, owns both Leviathan and HRH. The two businesses also have shared employees and expenses, and money has been transferred between the two businesses.

New York City Council member Stephen Levin said in a prepared statement that he supports the union and the suit.

“Developers like Lalezarian and JMH need to respect the rights of working people,” he said. “I am standing with Local 46, the Mason Tenders and all NYC unions to confront this kind of illegal behavior.”

It’s unusual for a union to bring a RICO suit against a developer — historically, the cases run the opposite way. However, a consultant who specializes in industry analysis for unions said that this could be the first case of many. Mike Locker, president of Locker Associates, said in a statement, “we are sure that this kind of activity is happening throughout the industry. This lawsuit is just the beginning of a more aggressive campaign to weed out this kind of corruption and to ensure that workers get the pay and benefits they deserve.”

Hohfeld, the union leader, praised the creativity and initiative that have taken the case this far, the farthest he’s seen a union-led RICO suit progress.

“There’s a certain level of frustration among building trades,” he said. “You hoot and you holler and the rat is there and the usual suspects, the elected officials, show up, telling you what you want to hear. Then everyone goes away and nothing gets done…I don’t think [a union RICO suit has] come along this far this successfully before. It’s out of the mold.”

Kennedy, at the press conference, also predicted a future for this and other cases.

“We are confident that at the end of the day, this will stand as a message to the construction industry that if you are a legitimate company, if you have a union contract, you are obligated to follow it,” Kennedy said. “If you take steps to avoid it by creating the kinds of shell enterprise that Leviathan represents, that the unions will find it, they’ll find you, and you’re going to pay.”

Even if you’re not Jewish, you can still enjoy the high holiday with this carefully-curated selection of our five favorite song parody videos, created to celebrate and educate about the Chosen People.

Read the video listicle behind the cut, or at The Raw Story, where it was originally posted.

5. “Soul Bigger (The Rosh Hashana Song)” parodying “Gold Digger.”

Complete with Jewish moms in hair salons, this National Jewish Outreach Program project makes over Kanye’s hit to tell a saga of repentance and synagogue hang-outs — acapella.
Sample lyric: “Repent, boy, go ‘head, repent.”

4. “I’ve Got a Feeling (The Shabbat Song)” parodying the Black Eyed Peas.

Produced by the same group as No. 5 on our list, “I’ve Got a Feeling (The Shabbat Song)” is just the a cappella boost that you need to get your sabbath on, Jewish or not. Plus, when even the original song includes a shouted “Mazel Tov!” it’s just begging for a Hebrew makeover.

3. “Candlelight,” parodying “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz

It’s not just repentance that gets aural love in the great Jewish tradition of song parodies: Of course Hanukkah has its own song! The Maccabeats, an a cappella group based at Yeshiva University, parody radio hit “Dynamite” to tell the story of the Maccabees’ defense of Israel against the invading Greeks.
Sample lyric: “I flip my latkes in the air sometimes sayin ayy ohh, spin the dreidel.”

2. “Raise Your Mask,” parodying “Raise Your Glass” by Pink

Think of Purim as Jewish Halloween, and this song as your anthem to celebrate it (plenty of time to prepare, it begins March 8 in 2012). The Ein Prat Fountainheads, graduates and students of a school in Israel, lay out the story of Purim via the rewritten lyrics. The song it’s based on, “Raise Your Glass,” is also rather appropriate, because Purim is typically a rather booze-soaked celebration.
Sample lyric: “Evil master, getting nast’ier/Planning for a big disaster/Jews are worried, what’s the story/Mordechai sacks his clothes.”

1. “Rosh Hashana Rock Anthem,” parodying “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO

If you aren’t watching this video to get into the Rosh Hashana spirit, at the very least, please watch to see break-dancing men perform impressive dance moves while executing an even more impressive feat: keeping their yarmulkes on their heads (for the most part).
Sample lyric: “Rosh Hashana’s in the house tonight, all the world is passing through the light/Shana Tovah it’s high holiday time.”

The state commission that decides the date for Florida’s primary presidential elections meets this Friday, and they are expected to choose January 31, 2012. The Republican National Committee bars all states but the traditional early primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina from having primaries earlier than March 6.

Read more behind the cut, or at Raw Story, where this post originally appeared.

Florida’s move, a blatant violation of the RNC’s rule, could lead to a cascade of consequences affecting not just the Sunshine State, but the timeline for the entire country’s Republican presidential primary season.

If Florida leapfrogs to the starting position on the primary calendar, the traditional early primary states would also have to reschedule for early January to maintain their influence and importance, inviting holidays spent away from families.

“If Florida decides to go in January, they blow the RNC planned calendar wide open and we’ll be back to campaigning over the holidays as Iowa and New Hampshire hold their presidential caucus and primary in early January,” Michigan National Committee member Saul Anuzis, who is on the RNC’s presidential nominating schedule committee, told CNN.

New Hampshire has also vowed to remain the first primary, their traditional position.

“Florida’s effort to move into the early primary period not only hurts the process, by cutting into the type of vetting that we do so well here in New Hampshire, but it also hurts Florida, by costing them delegates and watering down that state’s impact,” House Speaker William O’Brien said in a statement. “Florida may dilute the value of their primary, but we certainly won’t allow their actions to minimize the New Hampshire Primary.”

An early primary would also invite sanctions against Florida — the committee could opt to allow only half of the state’s delegates at the nominating convention in Tampa, Florida next August.

South Carolina GOP Chairman Chad Connelly predicted a confused stampede for earlier primaries if Florida doesn’t budge.

“If Florida moves, it would create chaos,” Connelly said. “The calendar would be so compressed that the states that are trying to more relevant, that I don’t think it would do any good for them.”

There are also murmurs of Colorado, Georgia and Missouri contemplating an early primary date. States are required to turn in their final dates by this Saturday, and most are expected to have made a decision by close of business Friday.

Creative Commons image via flickr user jugbo

Hailey said that she had kissed another woman on a Southwest flight, and was told by an employee that Southwest was a “family airline” and was subsequently removed from the flight.

Read the full post behind the cut, or at Raw Story, where it was originally published.

On Tuesday, Hailey and her bandmate Camila Grey released a statement through their management about the incident. (Grey also tweeted about the ordeal from the band’s Twitter account.)

“No matter how quietly homophobia is whispered, it doesn’t make it any less loud,” the statement reads in part. “You can’t whisper hate. We ask this airline to teach their employees to not discriminate against any couple, ever, regardless of their own beliefs. We want to live in a society where if your loved one leans over to give you an innocent kiss on an airplane it’s not labeled as excessive or not family oriented’ by a corporation and its employees.”

The airline had previously released a statement saying the crew had “received several passenger complaints characterizing the behavior as excessive,” so an employee approached Hailey. The argument escalated, and Hailey was removed.

“The above is not an apology and we are in the process of filing a formal complaint with the airline,” the band’s statement reads. “We hope that when all is said and done a greater tolerance without prejudice will evolve.”

Southwest hails itself as an LGBT-friendly airline and the official airline of GLAAD and other gay advocacy groups. Representatives of GLAAD said that the group had contacted Southwest, but no action had yet been taken.

Read Uh Huh Her’s full statement below.

—

UH HUH HER:
Camila Grey and Leisha Hailey statement

We have always promoted tolerance, openness and equality both as a band and as individuals. We both come from loving homes where our parents not only love and accept us, but are also proud of who we are. We believe everyone has the right to live openly in this society as equals. In no way were our actions on Southwest Airlines excessive, inappropriate or vulgar. We want to make it clear we were not making out or creating any kind of spectacle of ourselves, it was one, modest kiss. We are responsible adult women who walk through the world with dignity. We were simply being affectionate like any normal couple. We were on the airplane less than 5 minutes when all was said and done. We take full responsibility for getting verbally upset with the flight attendant after being told it was a “family airline.” We were never told the reason the flight attendant approached us, we were only scolded that we “needed to be aware that Southwest Airlines was a family oriented airline.” No matter how quietly homophobia is whispered, it doesn’t make it any less loud. You can’t whisper hate. We ask this airline to teach their employees to not discriminate against any couple, ever, regardless of their own beliefs. We want to live in a society where if your loved one leans over to give you an innocent kiss on an airplane it’s not labeled as “excessive or not family oriented” by a corporation and it’s employees. We find it very disturbing that the same airline who lauds itself as being LGBT friendly has twisted an upsetting incident that happened into our behavior being “too excessive.” The above is not an apology and we are in the process of filing a formal complaint with the airline. We hope that when all is said and done a greater tolerance without prejudice will evolve.

www.uhhuhher.com

###

Southwest Airlines has released this statement.

—

Additional reports from our Employees and Customers onboard flight 2274 during a stop in El Paso on Sunday now confirm profane language was being used loudly by two passengers. At least one family who was offended by the loud profanity moved to another area of the cabin. Although we have reports of what Customers characterize as an excessive public display of affection, ultimately their aggressive reaction led to their removal from the aircraft. We do not tolerate discrimination against anyone for any reason. In this situation, their removal was directly and solely related to the escalated conversation that developed onboard the aircraft.

Our tenets of inclusion and celebration of diversity among our Customers and Employees-including those in the LGBT communities-anchor our Culture of mutual respect and following the Golden Rule. The more than 100 million people who fly Southwest each year reflect the great diversity of our country and our Company – and ALL are valued and welcome. In fact, we’ve been recognized as a leader in diversity throughout our 40 years of service.

Our Customer Advocacy Team reached out to extend goodwill and a full refund for an experience that fell short of the passengers’ expectation.

###

Image via Wikimedia Commons

“I have been discriminated against by @SouthwestAir. Flt. attendant said that it was a “family” airline and kissing was not ok,” Hailey tweeted Monday afternoon.

The actress called for a boycott of the airline, and claimed that she has video and audio recordings of their actions.

Read more behind the cut, or at Raw Story, where this article was originally published.

Hailey is also a member of electro-pop band Uh Huh Her, and tweeted about the ordeal on the band’s Twitter account.

Southwest released an official statement on the company blog.

“Initial reports indicate that we received several passenger complaints characterizing the behavior as excessive,” the statement reads. “Our crew, responsible for the comfort of all Customers on board, approached the passengers based solely on behavior and not gender. The conversation escalated to a level that was better resolved on the ground, as opposed to in flight. We regret any circumstance where a passenger does not have a positive experience on Southwest and we are ready to work directly with the passengers involved to offer our heartfelt apologies for falling short of their expectations.”

Hailey, on the Uh Huh Her Twitter account, responded directly to the statement.

“@SouthwestAir I didn’t realize a small peck on the lips is regarded as excessive and never once did your stewardess mention other passengers,” she tweeted.

Southwest, on its website, makes specific claims of being an LGBT-friendly airline.

“At Southwest Airlines, we take pride in our outreach and commitment to the GLBT community,” reads a statement on the site. “We have community partnerships with a variety of local and national organizations who are dedicated to GLBT causes and initiatives.”

According to the site, Southwest is the official airline of advocacy groups such as GLAAD, the Gay-Straight Alliance Network and the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

“We look forward to welcoming you onboard soon,” the statement concludes.

GLAAD has not taken a public stance on the ordeal, but issued a brief statement that hinted that the anti-defamation group may alter their relationship with the airline.

“GLAAD contacted Southwest to call for additional actions beyond tonight’s statement that ensure all customers feel comfortable and welcomed while traveling,” said Herndon Graddick, GLAAD’s senior director of programs.

Image via Wikimedia Commons.