The 99 percenters' continual assault against banks starts today with what is being dubbed another "Week of Action" (They might as well start calling it the year of action) that started yesterday with a rally at Union Square that will culminate on Tuesday with what, they say, will be a massive convergence in Times Square.

Each day has been dedicated to a different cause.

Today, they're focusing on Homes, Jobs, and Services, and the schedule includes a rally at Rockefeller Park at 2pm, followed by a screening of "Making change at Walmart Worker's Stories" at 7pm on 155 East 42nd Street.

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Entering the subway through an exit gate: illegal. Entering the subway through an exit gate in possession of a controlled substance and a loaded gun: very illegal. That's is how cops arrested Travis Marks of Virginia Friday evening at the Times Square subway station, NY1 reported. Police told Runnin' Scared that police were about to stop him for illegally entering the system. When they approached him, he threw a bag containing white powdery substance, trying to rid himself of it. Only after the man was already arrested did cops search him and find the gun.

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Dubai rang in the new year last night by shooting flames out of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. If you ever wondered what a half-mile-tall sparkler looks like, watch the above video.

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The above video, from the AP, shows yesterday's successful test of the Times Square ball drop. Now that you've watched that, you don't have to watch it on TV tonight. You're welcome.

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Oh, New Year's Eve. The most dreaded of holidays is fast approaching. CBS New York reports that the Times Square Ball is being installed today. But where should you venture come December 31? Luckily Priceline.com made a list of the"Top 50 New Year's Destinations for U.S. Travelers." (Read: "top New Year's Destinations To Stay Away From.")

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Maybe there is justice in the world. The NYPD will no longer pursue and ticket with abandon the various fur-clad creatures bringing joy and frivolity (or, annoyance and hassling) to your Midtown commute. The plentitude of Minnie and Mickey Mice, Elmos, Pusses in Boots, Grinches, Spidermen, and Hello Kitties lurking in Times Square are now free to get voluntary tips from tourists after posing for photos with them, or cajoling them in whatever way they do, as long as it doesn't involve blocking traffic, selling products or photos, panhandling, or being aggressive.

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The above video shows the scale of yesterday's Occupy Wall Street protests in Times Square. Original estimations had the demonstrators' numbers in the thousands, with some reporting a presence of 20,000 people. Yesterday's protests resulted in 74 arrests--although 24 of those arrests occurred at a Citibank far from Times Square on LaGuardia Pl. near Washington Square Park.

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This afternoon at 5 p.m., a party for the Occupy Wall Street movement will start in Times Square. Like any good party, this one has a website, Twitter account, and Shepard Fairey-designed invitation. The instructions are laid out at the aforementioned website: "Meet at the TKTS kiosk in the north section. From our street carnival in Times Sq. we will take the protest party to the trains and head downtown." The organizers are throwing this bash to show support for the Occupy protests around the world, so if you have been sitting on the fence about the evils of global capitalism, waiting for a party to convince you on what side to choose, now is your chance. We bet there will be drums!

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EpicStep, a kickstarter-esque website that crowdsources funds for billboards, has pledged to pay for an Occupy Wall Street billboard if 20,000 people vote for it on their website. People can vote on the design and city where it will be built, and if enough people vote, EpicStep will fund it. If 200,000 people vote, they will buy ad space for two Occupy Wall Street billboards in Times Square. We spoke with one of EpicStep's founders, and they told us that they approached Occupy Wall Street with the idea and "they loved it." So far, the campaign only has 694 votes, but there are 29 days remaining.

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DNA Info today reports on the "Times Square of the future," which, in a bit of a pleasant surprise, seems less Disney-esque and more darkness, concrete, and simplicity, at least on the ground, removing old curbs and sidewalks to create a continuous pedestrian walkway. Overall, this is being described as more of the grittiness you used to know and love, minus the fact that the redesign plan from Snohetta, an architecture and landscape company founded in Oslo (they designed the 9/11 Museum), will cost some $27 million. But are pedestrian spaces really that gritty, inherently? Minus the one-winged pigeons gnawing on old Chipotle burritos under a Diet Pepsi billboard?

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