who identifies politically with the Tea Party. The Occupy Wall Street protesters seem to just be railing against all things corporate indiscriminately, she said, and the anti-capitalism undercurrent bothers her. "I think it's a lot different from the Tea Party-type activist," Stafford said.

One Tea Party follower contacted by phone said that there are absolutely no similarities and demanded an apology from the reporter for asking if there were, before hanging up.

The Occupy Wall Street movement has attracted derision from conservative political pundits and TV commentators for its apparent lack of focus and leadership. Indeed, the slogans on the signs outside the courthouse ranged widely in content, from the standard "Wall Street trickle is fickle" to "Radiation is here among us!" One sign protested fluoride in the public watersupply.

Despite the diversity of causes represented, it's shortsighted to say that the Occupy movement is too varied to be consequential, said Jack Nounnan, standing out in front of the courthouse. "We're intelligent enough to have more than one ball in the air." Occupy Wall Street is more of a people's movement than the Tea Party movement, he said. "This is very inclusive and welcoming."

The Tea Party hasn't been exactly focused either, said Jim Decker, also at the courthouse. Tea Partiers represent general discontent, with the president, with taxes, with government, with liberal social policies, he said. "I don't see coherence there either."

But is it possible that the Occupy Wall Street-Tea Party divide is more of a rift between generations than of substance?

Charles Ciancio has lived in Humboldt for