Today I was down by the White House to witness the massive protest against the new Keystone XL pipeline that would bring tar sands oil from Canada down to American refineries on the Gulf of Mexico. Thousands showed up to cover the multiple city blocks it takes to fully circle the White House. The protesters all came out to send a single clear message to President Obama: use your power, do not approve the pipeline.

It was one of the most impressive protests I’ve ever experienced personally. The event was well run, had a massive turnout and was full of great energy.

This is what I did yesterday. I participated in Bank Transfer Day by opening an account at a local credit union. But I only put a trivial amount into the account, and will then wire my money over electronically from Bank of America after being assured that all charges have cleared on that account. I’ve been a BofA customer, through sheer inertia, since 1998. Business was pretty brisk at the credit union, and the bank manager said it’s been that way for the last month (we do know from statistics provided by the Credit Union National Association that credit unions have added 650,000 new members with $4.5 billion in deposits since September 29, when Bank of America announced their since-abandoned debit card fee). When I said I was transferring from BofA, the bank manager smiled knowingly.

I’m at Layfayette Park in Washington, where we’ll be livestreaming #Surround the White House.

I expect this to be a day that rejuvenates many of the occupations. There will be stories coming from occupations that people thought no longer had people participating. It will be a reminder of the fact that the Occupy movement is a broad-based movement with people from not just major cities in the country but people from all over the United States, who support the growth of this movement to put an end to the undue influence of corporations and the top 1% on the US government.

On September 29, Bank of America announced its now-defunct debit card fee. Since that time, according to the Credit Union National Association, 650,000 Americans have moved their money to credit unions. That’s more in a little over a month than in all of 2010 combined. And that’s just credit unions, it doesn’t count community banks. And it doesn’t count what will happen tomorrow, on Bank Transfer Day… I’m sorry, I mean Chase Pride Day.

Greek MPs ignored a 48-hour general strike, the first in the country in decades, and a march of nearly 100,000 on the Parliament building, by preparing to approve another round of austerity measures that continue to cripple the world’s oldest democracy.

Interfaith Communities United for Justice & Peace organized a march and rally at the Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles today. The event’s culmination was civil disobedience, in which 14 people would refuse to leave the street in front of the Federal Building after the rally and, in all probability, get arrested. I was one of the 14.

Money-movers, who advocate changing from large corporate banks to credit unions or small local banks, are calling to make November 5 a nationwide Bank Transfer Day.

I’m at Freedom Plaza in Washington, DC with Jon Walker and Kevin Gozstola, where we’ll be livestreaming the occupation.

Chip in $10 to our OccupyWallStreet coverage fund and help us do what the mainstream media won’t do.

PCCC’s email seeks additional co-sponsors for the legislation. But the legislation is mainly a signpost for the idea that Americans still have a choice with their banking. That choice is dwindling as banks consoldiate to an amazing degree. But there still are community banks and credit unions in almost every city, eager for the opportunity to work with customers without trying to gouge them at every turn. And while legislation to make the process of changing banks hassle-free would be very nice, just highlighting the whole idea has value. It adds the notion of competition into a market where banks want none.