Oakland general strike brewing, beginning to boil

Oakland - Flash mobs numbering in the thousands have continued to grow since noon in this, the nation's 5th largest port.

International Longeshoremen and Warehousemen's Union (ILWU) have joined Occupy Oakland protesters who plan to block traffic at key points on the waterfront during the night shift, which begins at 7 p.m. local time. Assembly hour is for 5 p.m. PDT, but the crowds have been blocking access to downtown ATM's and the doorways to major banks since noon.

City employees who work in nonessential areas have been allowed to use vacation days to join the strike, something police union officials are finding disconcerting.