2013 Budweiser Made in America LiveStream

2Cellos – Highway to Hell

Blown away….

 

 

The Snark Factor Tonight

Listen live to the Snark Factor every Wednesday night at 8pm EST on FTR Radio where I will be joining Fingers Malloy, Irish Duke to bring news bites at the top of the hour followed by sparkling chats with invited guests. If you are a fan of my blog, you’ll know that I have an eclectic taste in news of the day.

On tap tonight:

 

Dick move by Rolling Stone magazine.

 

 

 

Bong Girl? Abby Huntsman to join MSNBC ‘The Circle’.  Oh, you didn’t know? Well, that’s not surprising, as no one watches the show. Just FYI.

She & Him- I Could’ve Been Your Girl

A tough couple of days on the political and cultural front – we all need a moment to pause,reflect and listen to a fun and catchy song – She & Him- I Could’ve Been Your Girl

How to Lose Friends and Influence Counter Protests

See Texas state house protests.

There seems to be a tempest in a teapot in the Texas the past few weeks.  A successful filibuster in the Texas state senate ast week prevented the passage of SB5, even thought it had enough votes to pass on its own merits. A new proposal was drafteted and SB1’s key points are as follows:

• Protects an unborn child rights earlier at 5 months instead of 6 months.
• Raises the standard of care requirements at abortion facilities to be the same as ambulatory surgical centers, which provide cataract surgery, ear tubes, and carpal tunnel surgery, all of which have less risk of hemorrhaging than an induced abortion.
• Raises the standard of care requirement for physicians that provide abortion services by requiring that these physicians have admitting privileges at a local hospital within 30 miles. Admitting privileges are a general quality indicator of peer review and competence for physicians. All current abortion facilities in Texas are within 30 miles of a secular hospital.  More than half of known abortion providers in Texas already have admitting privileges.
• Ensures that the standard of care for the use of Ru-486, also known as Mifepristone, is within FDA requirements and the guidelines of the American Congress of OB/Gyns. This means you must receive both doses of the drug at a safe abortion facility and follow up within 14 days of the last dose. It also means you can not use, this drug after 7 weeks.
• This bill DOES NOT close down abortion facilities, shut down women’s health clinics, or cut women’s health services.

Measured, balanced and safe for women. Far less restrictive than our European counterparts.

Since the filibuster erupted, there have been two dueling sides camped out at the Texas State House.  I’ve been watching closely to see how both sides would present their case within the context of a public protest.  The following are my observations on the presentation and messaging of both sides and how this will reverberatein the Texas state house and across the nation.

The pro life movement galvanized its forces after the filibuster and asking them to don blue shirts.  A good choice in color as blue is seen as trustworthy, dependable, and committed.  They pro life supporters assembled to pray, sing Amazing Grace, present articulate and passionate testimonies. I did not spot on obsenitites on any sign held by them or their children – the messages were compelling and on point.

The predominate Twitter hashtag used by the prolife crowd #Stand4Life has been very active the past few weeks. This hashtag has trended nationally during this debate in Texas.

What I can observe is the pro-life side has a cohesive positive message paired with likeable supporters who consistently present compelling counter reasoning to the abortion on demand supporters.  In truth, this SB5 has the votes to pass in the Senate. It passed out the Texas House with four more votes than the preceeding bill. This shift in votes is a telling sign that pro life messaging is working.

The counter protesters are those supporting abortion on demand and aim to stop SB5 in the senate.   Their color choice is orange, a contrasting color to blue.  So far, supporters have donned bloody butcher aprons, let children hold signs with abusive language, and dragged grumpy cat into this fray. They sporatically break into chants of  ‘Hail Satan‘ around the capitol building. Yes, there have been arrests within the orange division.

Oh yes, the hail satan meme has its own hashtag on Twitter aptly named #hailsatan and has been disavowed by those who practice satanism.

From a marketing and messaging perspective, all I can see is a flaming train wreck. I did not embed the images from the orange crowd because they are not safe for work or when children, friends and family are around.  This is a huge problem if the images you are presenting have to be shielded from different age and social groups. The message being broadcast needs to be cast as broadly as possible, the images breaking the surface are not ones you can share widely.

Just when I thought this mess could not get worse. It did. Enter the idea of #BroChoice.  @Popehat tweeted exactly what I was thinking when I first came across this meme on Twitter.

I believe that #brochoice is a cruel parody or an inside job by a turncoat. I believe nobody could be that moronic and tone-deaf.

— Popehat (@Popehat) July 10, 2013

This final image represents to me what flushing your message down the toilet looks like.

SB5 will pass but the resounding change will be in the public perception of both sides of this issue. I like vibrant debates on issues. In this case there is a clear winner from a marketing/messaging standpoint – Life wins in Texas.

UPDATE: 7/13/2013 – Love wins.  By a vote of 19 to 11 HB2 is finally passed.

What are your thoughts on the messaging strategies employed by both sides? Do you feel their message has been adequately conveyed to the public?

News Bites

 

This coming days will be a busy ones for me. I’m looking forward to attending Close Encounters..with M. Night Shyamalan – clips and conversation with Carrie Rickey tomorrow night at the Perelman  theater.  I’m looking forward to learning new stuff during this event and writing about it on the blog.  During the weekend, I’ve a 10 mile training run scheduled and I’m adopting a dog on Sunday. Also, did you know it is the season for pickling cucumbers and beets?  Let me tell you, there is nothing like a good pickled beet salad. Anyone who tells you differently is an idiot.

I’ve a lot on my plate in the upcoming days, yet the world still turns and drama occurs daily.  While I’m out living life, here are a few news items that have caught my attention. Feel free to leave your thoughts on this topics in the comment section.

1. Some data points to think about regarding DOMA – via The Foundry.  There is way too much rhetoric being flung about regarding DOMA and the SCOTUS ruling. I want to inject a bit of measured data into this discussion, also I want my readers to have access to reasoned facts instead of flaming rhetoric.

50        The number of states whose marriage laws remain the same after the Court’s marriage decisions.

38        The number of states with laws defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman. That includes California, where the scope of today’s Prop 8 decision beyond the specific plaintiffs will be the subject of ongoing debate and, most likely, further litigation.

12        The number of states that can now force the federal government to recognize their redefinition of marriage. The Court struck Section 3 of DOMA, which means that it must recognize same-sex marriages in states that redefine marriage.

1          The number of sections of the Defense of Marriage Act struck down yesterday (Section 3). Section 2, which ensures that no state will be forced to recognize another state’s redefinition of marriage, is still law.

0          The number of states forced to recognize other states’ redefinition of marriage.

The important news you may not be hearing is that the U.S. Supreme Court did not redefine marriage across the nation. That means the debate about marriage will continue. States are free to uphold policies recognizing that marriage is the union of a man and a woman, so that children have a mother and a father.

2. Regarding the SCOTUS decision on Prop8 – I am troubled – not by the content of Prop 8 but the undermining of basic democratic self governance. The people of California voted for Prop8 twice and their will should be respected by all. Equality cannot be forced, it must be earned. That is the ugly marketing truth the gay and lesbian community have not learned as of yet.  Inexplicably.

3. So who, outside the dayside producers of MSNBC, didn’t see this confirmation coming? IRS auditor reconfirms conservative groups, not liberal groups were targeted by the IRS.    It seems the IRS is truly the bogeyman we all loath and fear.  Now would be a good time to start discussion on how to reign in and defang this beast.

4. What in the name of physics is causing this ancient Egyptian statue to rotate? I’m hoping one of my NSA watchers could anonymously comment on why this is happening.  Don’t worry, I won’t tell 🙂

 

5.  ICYMI – It appears a pork laden amnesty bill passed Senate scrutiny today and all reports point to it being DOA in the House.

Snark Factor Tonight!

Listen live to the Snark Factor every Wednesday night at 8pm EST on FTR Radio where I will be joining Fingers Malloy, Irish Duke to bring news bites at the top of the hour followed by sparkling chats with invited guests. If you are a fan of my blog, you’ll know that I have an eclectic taste in news of the day.

On tap tonight:

DOMA, DOMA, DOMA!

Texas SB5

S.E. Cupp moving on from  MSNBC’s ‘The Cycle’.

Home brewed beer!

 

 

 

 

Are You The Doctor?

Yes, I know there are  serious issues swirling around with Gosnell, Benghazi, IRS targeting political rivals, and the shocking shakedown of AP by the Justice Department.

We will process and discuss these issues in good time. What we need right now is a moment to chill and perhaps have a laugh before digesting the above mentioned issues.

So sit back and enjoy the comic relief of my favorite Doctor – David Tennant:

Snark Factor Tonight

Listen live to the Snark Factor every Wednesday night at 8pm EST on FTR Radio where I will be joining Fingers Malloy, Irish Duke to bring news bites at the top of the hour followed by sparkling chats with invited guests. If you are a fan of my blog, you’ll know that I have an eclectic taste in news of the day.

On tap tonight:

#Benghazi – that local event in Libya last September 11th:

How long has the Washington Post invented data? Clearly it is the case with their Benghazi *coverage*.

Joel Pollack – 5 Key Points from Today’s Benghazi Hearing.

Snark Factor Tonight

Listen live to the Snark Factor every Wednesday night at 8pm EST on FTR Radio where I will be joining Fingers Malloy, Irish Duke to bring news bites at the top of the hour followed by sparkling chats with invited guests. If you are a fan of my blog, you’ll know that I have an eclectic taste in news of the day.

On tap tonight:

Pigford – the essential story – Andrew Breitbart’s Pigford Vision.