America Loves/Hates Puppets
Today, the controversy regarding the Iranian election rages on, with authorities having to close parts of Tehran due to anti-Ahmer Ahmea- Ahmadinejad protestors. Israel put forth their conditions for the creation of a Palestinian state. But who cares about the that!? What’s up with those Nike puppets!?
As you probably know. I live half my life on the Twitters. (Don’t judge.) While doing laundry and browsing, I noticed people complaining about or lauding these puppets. Such passionate controversy, such spirited discourse is difficult to ignore!
Whether you like the puppets or not, Portland-based ad powerhouse Wieden+Kennedy scored big with this campaign. The decision to keep LeBron in the commercials, despite the loss of the Cavs, drew a great deal of attention:
And that, more analytical assessment and opinion is of course joined by many more:
And here’s a sample from the pro-puppet camp, who seems to slightly outnumber the anti-puppet forces:
The debate rages on, ad infinitum.
I think the commercials aren’t bad, but the general campaign strategy seems to be a big winner. And, no matter what you think about puppets, at least they’re not horrifying claymation figures, like the ones pictured below. I still have nightmares about them.
Sharing My Feelings with Portland City Council
I sent the following letter to all five members of Portland’s City Council this morning. Since I can’t be there on Wednesdays at 9:30 AM, to address them in person, I am limited to email.
They look friendly enough. Don't be afraid!
Last time I wrote them, about the 39th Ave. renaming proposal, I received an actual response from Sam Adam’s office, and a form letter from Nick Fish’s (the contents of which clearly betrayed no one had read my letter.) No response from Leonard, Saltzman, or Fritz. Let’s see what they say, or if they respond, this time! I encourage you to write emails to the members of city council as well. Participation in your government is important!
Email Addresses of Portland’s City Council members:
Mayor Sam Adams samadams@ci.portland.or.us,
Commissioner Fish nick@ci.portland.or.us,
Commissioner Fritz amanda@ci.portland.or.us,
Commissioner Leonard leonard@ci.portland.or.us,
Commissioner Saltzman dan@ci.portland.or.us
—–
Members of Portland’s City Council,
As a proud resident of Portland, I’m happy to see us leading the nation in things like sustainability and bike-friendliness. However, I’m also disturbed by the fact that we’ve followed other cities in the trend of taking civil rights away from the homeless, specifically via the sit/lie law (14A.50.030). While SAFE contains admiriable provisions, providing city services, in exchange for the ability to violate civil rights, is a hardly ethical, “quick fix” to the homeless problem. Anyway, the city has failed to deliver the capacity of services promised, while vigorously enforcing the sit/lie ordinance, almost always against the homeless.
Despite Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Michael McShane declaring the law unconstitutional. (“The ordinance encourages arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement,”) you chose in April to extend the law “for further consideration”. Does this deliberation include removing the affordable housing portion of the Urban Renewal fund in Lents? Or putting a giant neon rose up on the Waterfront?
I urge you to not use this extension as a stalling measure, which I perceive it to be, and address this matter as soon as possible. I humbly await the day when I can feel that my beloved city isn’t violating the civil rights of others, regardless of their lack of economic viability or wealth. Hopefully I won’t have to wait until October.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Will
