Here are his comments on The Health Care Blog:

Title: “By the numbers, on single payer the Democrats are pussies”
“Now before I explain why I say the Democrats are girlie-men, let me say . . “

ACTION PLAN:

1. Go to Matthew Holt’s blog and let him know what you think: http://www.thehealthcareblog.c.....mment-form
He needs to hear from a lot of us!

2. Please post also on Puma Responders!

Thanks!

PLEASE INVITE YOUR FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES, FAMILY MEMBERS AND OTHERS TO THIS WEBSITE AND ASK THEM TO JOIN US and to donate so that TNA can grow and continue its essential work for opportunity and safety for all women, equal rights, parity, and the future for our children.

Join us: http://thenewagenda.net/join-us/

Donate: http://thenewagenda.net/events…..ory-books/

Equal Pay Day is the day in 2009 when the average woman’s wages will finally catch up with those paid to the average man in 2008. The day serves as an important reminder of the persistent wage gap and the urgent need to take action to ensure that women can receive equal pay for equal work. For more information see: http://www.nwlc.org/fairpay

ACTION PLAN:

1. Write to your Senators to support The Paycheck Fairness Act, which was passed by the House in January 2009, and would deter wage discrimination by closing loopholes in the Equal Pay Act and barring retaliation against workers who disclose their wages. The bill also allows women and men to receive the same remedies for sex-based pay discrimination that are currently available to those subject to discrimination based on race and national origin. For a quick and easy letter to your Senators, go here: https://secure2.convio.net/nwlc/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=295

2. Blog for Fair Pay: http://action.nwlc.org/site/Pa.....r_Fair_Pay

It looks like the commercial is only one of Burger King’s soft porn commercials with crude lyrics and objectified women that are used to advertise to children. Check out this website: http://evilburgerking.tripod.com/

In addition, Burger King has just announced this week that it will increase its advertising spending this year. See “Burger King Corp. to Increase U.S. National Advertising Expenditures” http://adage.com/article?article_id=136081 and http://investor.bk.com/phoenix.....;highlight= Do we want to see more of this?

My concern is that Burger King and Nickelodeon are teaching our youngest generation that it is ‘okay’ to degrade and sexualize women. I think TNA can lend a strong voice against this.

UPDATED ACTION PLAN:

How about a TNA Press Release on this issue and its broader implications? It’s another way to point out, and keep in the public awareness, sexism, misogyny, and the sexual objectification of women in the media. In my opinion, it’s a powerful strategy (and a moral imperative) as these corporations are promoting not only their product, but the sexual objectification of women, to children. In addition to the issues noted above, points and resources in a Press Release could include:

1. MSNBC TV presents a discussion of the Burger King / Nickelodeon SpongeBob ad and a second Burger King culturally insensitive ad, “Texican”, where reference is made to burger “with a little spicy Mexican”: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21.....9#30213779

During the video segment, Dr. Susan Linn, director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and a psychologist at the Judge Baker Children’s Center (a Harvard Medical School affiliate), notes that Burger King and Nickelodeon are using a popular male cartoon character to degrade and sexualize women.

Emily York of Advertising age – doesn’t get it. She starts to acknowledge that the culturally insensitive Texican ad complaints have had some “traction”, but she disregards and plays down any complaints about the SpongeBob ad that degrades women. Here we are again with racism not being okay, yet sexism is. . .

2. Here, the ads shown are disgusting, and the Today Show (MSNBC) anchors’ comments after the video segment, “Using Ads to Sell Burgers”, are dismissive at best: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/.....2#30261432

3. It appears that Burger King has used a series of sexist, degrading ‘soft porn’ ads to market to children (!) and adults including:
• The current Sponge Bob ads noted above
• http://evilburgerking.tripod.com/

4. Burger King has been accused of other corporate ethics violations:
http://www.sourcewatch.org/ind.....urger_King

5. Nickelodeon which sells itself as “the only network that puts kids first”, nominated Chris Brown—the guy with two felony charges for battering his girlfriend, Rihanna—for their Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. . .

6. Nickelodeon apparently says one thing and does another: “Nickelodeon bans characters from pushing junk food” Not! http://www.brandrepublic.com/N.....ILC-SEARCH

7. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood can provide more information and good quotes, especially from Dr. Linn (mentioned above). http://www.commercialexploitation.org/

Additional Action Steps:Updated from the steps under Take Action in the original post above:

1. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood has launched a letter writing campaign. Click here for a quick letter you can send online: http://salsa.democracyinaction....._KEY=27008
This is a great organization. You can learn more about them here: http://www.commercialexploitation.org/ TNA and CCFC are on the same page in many areas.

2. Email, fax and call Burger King corporate headquarters. Tell them that their sexually suggestive advertising is inappropriate for children, morally and ethically irresponsible, degrading of women, and violates their Corporate Social Responsibility Mission Statement: Fundamental respect for all people, and our planet, guides our corporate conscience. Tell them you will not visit their restaurants until they withdraw the ad and change their advertisements.

a) Call Burger King Corporation Consumer Relations (305) 378-3535 Staffed M-F, 9am–5pm EST?

b) Email / fax / write to:

John W. Chidsey
Chief Executive Officer, Burger King Corporation
5505 Blue Lagoon Drive
Miami, FL 33126
Phone: 305-378-3000
Fax: 305-378-7262
His email: jchidsey@whopper.com

Russ Klein,
President of Global Marketing Strategy and Innovation
5505 Blue Lagoon Drive
Miami, FL 33126
Phone: 305-378-3000
Fax: 305-378-7262
(Can anyone find his email on LInkedIn or elsewhere? Possible email: rklein@whopper.com)

Email Amy Wagner,
Burger King Investor Relations
Phone: 305-378-7696
investor@whopper.com

Susan Robison,
Burger King Corporation Media Relations
Phone: 305-378-7277
mediainquiries@whopper.com

3. Call / Email / FAX Nickelodeon, which bills itself as “the only network that puts kids first.” Tell them that to profit by teaching children to objectify women is wrong, and that you will purchase no more SpongeBob merchandise until the offensive ad stops running.

b) Email / fax / call / write to:

Nickelodeon
1515 Broadway?
New York, NY 10036?
Phone: (212) 258-6000 and 212-258-7500
FAX: (212) 258-7575
Ms. Cyma Zarghami
President, Nickelodeon
Possible email: cyma.zarghami@nick.com

Dan Martinsen
Executive Vice President Corporate Communications
Nickelodeon
Possible email: dan.martinsen@nick.com

Marva Smalls
Executive Vice President, Public Affairs
Executive Vice President, Global Inclusion Strategy
Nickelodeon
Known email: marva.smalls@nick.com

4. For those who are on Facebook, and apparently for those who aren’t, there is an open group regarding this issue. Quoted on another site: “Please join and invite your friends. Once we’re at 10,000, we can start calling in mass corporate and our local franchises.”
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=92228140218

5. Boycott Burger King and Nickelodeon.

6. Forward this action alert to your friends and colleagues.

Quotes from the letter:

” Despite warnings, Summers failed to hold Harvard Management accountable for its fiduciary responsibility in investment practices. Instead, according to a former analyst with the university’s endowment manager, Summers, as Harvard president, breached the requested confidence of the analyst who blew the whistle, causing her to be fired while cowboy traders of swaps and derivatives returned short-term gains for the school’s long-term fund.”

”Summers is a disgrace to the Obama administration. How can any rational American find hope in financial crisis when our recovery plan is the brainchild of a bull-market genius?”

You can read and comment on the letter here: http://www.boston.com/bostongl....._question/

”I invite you all (even the men!) ‘in the ladies room’ – a blog that begins a conversation about women, at work and in life. ??You may find some ideas for your company, a little bit of mentoring or you may just notice the world a little differently. Each post will end in a question to keep the dialogue going with you. ??Please, if you like what you see, subscribe to the conversation and forward this to your friends. ??You are ALL … Welcome ‘in the Ladies Room’

Everyone, join us ‘in the ladies room’ – - career women, entrepreneurs, stay-at-home-moms, University students, and, yes, even men. Anyone interested in a conversation about the ways in which women can contribute to the world we live and work in will find interesting topics for discussion.”

Take a look at ’in the Ladies Room’ here: http://www.intheladiesroom.net/welcome/

ACTION PLAN:

1. Let’s make sure that Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson hears from us, since she says she hasn’t. Write to her here:
Email: hassellt@senate.state.ny.us

Her FAX and Mail:
District Office
959 E.233rd Street
Bronx, NY 10466
Tel: (718) 547-8854
Fax: (718) 515-2718

Albany Office
612 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247
Tel: (518) 455-2061
Fax: (518) 426-6998

2. Write to Senator Martin Golden and THANK HIM for speaking out against keeping Monserrate in office.
Email: golden@senate.state.ny.us
His quick online Contact Form (and office numbers) are here: http://www.senatorgolden.com/22/Contact.aspx

3. Puma Responders –can you post this on the Puma Responders website?

4. Please see the Action Plan above (March 31st) for additional steps to take.

Let’s make sure these NY State Senators hear from us!