For those who have kids, those who work with kids, and those who generally find the intrusion of marketing and ad creep into almost every nook of our remaining public sphere. Today's article in Pediatrics Journal is a call to arms.  read the article: http://pediatrics.aappublications.or...

I am impressed that the white coats were courageous enough to take on more than the low hanging fruit of tobacco and alcohol and also take on the pharmaceutical industry for incessant ED ads and the hypocrisy that almost nowhere to be seen is advertising for birth control.

And while I expect the knee jerk libertarian response to flame me as some  proxy for social conservatives, I really see this as a bi-partisan issue that both progressives and social conservatives can work together on in the fight against exorbitant pressure on very young children to consume unhealthy and unneeded crap (please read the article and disclose if your bread is buttered by one of the listed industries or an ad agency when you flame me).  

We may be in the backwaters when it comes to beltway politics, but we do carry the title from Bush Sr. of "Little Beirut" for our protesting abilities and we know how to give a warm welcome to Markos and Jerome as they make some stops in our hood. And what fine spots to see them- Seattle Labor Temple, Marymoor Park (remember WOMAD anyone?), The Lucky Lab Brew Pub, and the great temple of independent bookstores- Powells Books. Times and locations below the fold.

Check the CTG website for updates.
http://www.crashingthegate.com/

I clicked through on the current daily kos front page ad to see what TV Watch is up to. Looks like a broad swath of industry and ideologically aligned groups against government regulation. I am in general opposed to any additional censorship of programming for adults, but the group's statement that "Parents have the tools they need to make informed decisions" does not hold up with me.

Children in the US are harmed every day by shills for the fast food and junk food industries. I refer kos readers to check out links on www.commercial alert.org. Check out the proposed Parents Bills of Rights. It is needed legislation. I do not know if this is what TV Watch is organizing against from their ad, but if they are- look further as they certainly do not seem to be looking out for my interest as a parent of a young child.
more on flip-

Updated- hot link to MP3 in comments This morning I heard this song on radio that I had not heard before and it moved me to tears. I searched for it here on daliykos and I did not find in diaries or in dskospedia. I'm hoping that one of you with more posting skill can post a hotlink to the song in the event that my link below isn't formatted properly. Apparently the song is getting some airplay in Los Angeles and now Portland. In my view it is a song that explores issues that have been discussed extensively on this site and would be of interest to the dailykos community. If you agree, please reccomend the diary so others will hear it too. I hope you enjoy it and find it worth listening to. This is my first diary and I know it is on the short side. The lyrics are in the extended section. www.brettdennen.com/media.html