[Pix] Halloween Party @ Occupy San Francisco Sat, 10/29

A lot of protesters showed up to the Saturday afternoon march wearing clever, creative costumes.


Click through to the Flickr album to see this day of celebration.

New Donations Needs from the Medical Tent

In addition to the constant need donation requests, these are items for the newest issues:

Photo credit: drugstore.com

• Socks, more socks, endless piles of plain white socks for men and women, tube socks and crewe socks. 
• Tough actin Tinactin or generic
• Cough Drops
• Hotel sized individual body lotion. For all toiletries, the medics prefer handing out individual sized items, as there's no bathing facility in the med tent.
• (Which is why sanitation items are on the constant needs donation request list)
• Ensure, or generic "Nutritional Shake," or Slimfast (for senior, long-term homeless campers)
• Cold/hot packs, the kind you slap
• Ace bandages

Thank you so much for your generosity and consideration! Your donations go to help a lot of homeless people who have no access to affordable healthcare.

[Word] [Pix] Occupy San Francisco Campers Not Deterred By All Night Police Threat

Tired, quiet, and insular are three words that describe the mood at the Occupy San Francisco camp at Justin Herman Plaza the day after a day-long siege with police forces.


I didn't see any large projects going up; two sections of the tarped longhouses that are always full of activity were empty of people and equipment. Campers sat in small groups with friends and pets, painting signs, talking, playing music, snacking. Committees went to Starbucks even though the weather wasn't bad; sometimes you just can't hold another meeting on concrete.

[Read more: "So What Happened?"]

The Medical Donation Request Post

After speaking with the nurses at the new medical tent at the Occupy SF camp, I wanted to post their immediate donation requests. The medical tent serves the homeless, and people who have no access to affordable medical care.

These are subject to change. Find out the latest needs at OccupySF.com

Continual Needs:

• Baby wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Bar soap
• antifungal spray/powder - lots
• Tongue depressors
• Butcher paper
• socks
• Toothbrushes & toothpaste
• underwear, m/f, var. sizes
• ace bandages
• crutches
• medical tape, all kinds
• latex gloves
• pads & tampons
• condoms
• adult diapers
• gauze pads
• cotton balls
• blankets

Equipment

• Blood pressure cuff
• Stethescope
• Thermometers
• Glucometers 
• Defibrillator

[Word] [Pix] Occupy San Francisco Medical Tent is a Go

OSF camp is expanding its community

* = names changed
There's a great hollowness of spirit when you learn that a 75-year-old homeless woman you know and like is dying of pancreatic cancer; and a certain percentage of American would categorize her as natural selection in action. Pancreatic is a swift and cruel killer -- it's what finally did in Patrick Swayze. But she isn't chaff to be separated, and isn't that so easy to say when you think you're the wheat? She's an African American woman who was born in the 30's, went to college and post-grad, and founded a nonprofit that assisted abused African American mothers.

I don't know why Mrs. Kidd* is sleeping under a tarp, upright in a wheelchair at the Occupy San Francisco permanent live/work camp, but she is living out her days in sickness and pain, and without dignity.

So.

After more than a week of visiting the Occupy San Francisco camp, stories like these are wearing on my soul, so I was elated to see that the medical tent run by the National Association of Nurses was erected today at 9 am.

[Read more below the cut: "We hope everyone visits us."]

[Vid] Oct 15 Protest Marchers Return to Camp

Right time, right place, right music:

[Vid] OSF Juggler @ Justin Herman Plaza - San Francisco

At dinnertime at the Occupy San Francisco Embarcadero camp, I had opportunity to catch up with this talented juggler (who didn't wish to give his name). (more)

The San Francisco protesters moved their camp from Market Street to Embarcadero during the protest march, starting around 3 pm, and finishing up around 6. It went extremely well, aside from some organized chaos, as is expected from any miss migration.

Occupy San Francisco is full of talented, creative individuals from all walks of life -- from lawyers to artists, students, writers, doctors, media experts -- all wishing to find employ for their talents. Some are homeless, some aren't; most are unemployed or underemployed. All are devoting their talents to the best of their ability to this movement.