On election day, your vote is private – but your voting experience can be blasted out to the public from your cellphone.
The Twitter Vote Report was founded in a cooperative code-a-thon as an election monitoring system, in order to combat any voter suppression or disruption efforts that may arise on voting day.
If you have a Twitter account, you can use your cell phone or computer to send a 140-character or less micro-broadcast notifying voters, election monitors and the media of any problems you’ve encountered trying to vote. A web map will display incidents in real-time.
While “The Onion” did a send-up 4 years ago about Republicans urging minorities to vote on “Big Wednesday,” this time around the phony flier is all too real. But the overall nature of the Internet has changed drastically since the last election; user-generated content/Web 2.0 is the norm now, and projects like the Twitter Vote Report are looking to make sure that this kind of misinformation is publicized and debunked in short order. Now, if we can just bridge the digital divide…
One might wonder just what this kind of instantaneous user-generated information might have done for the infamous dangling chads of Florida 8 years ago…
The folks at TVR have set up official t-shirts, and we might recommend them as a good alternative on voting day to your candidate t-shirts due to the vague “electioneering” laws which, judging from unfortunate incidents like the fake flier, could potentially cost someone their right to vote.
So on election day (that’s November 4th regardless of party affiliation, race or income level), be sure to dress innocuously, tweet responsibly, and remember: your vote is your concern, but your voting experience can – and should – be everybody’s.
The CafePress “Sport Your Support” contest has ended, and the winners have been chosen by popular vote! (The popular vote determined the outcome of this contest, as we decided that an electoral college system in our design contest would be overkill.)
The “sustainable future” design, at left, nabbed First Place for designs; the “issues” design, at right, took home the gold for Best Slogan.
And don’t forget – Sport your support as much as you want, with the notable exception of your polling place. Because on election day, your support is best (and most legally) expressed by your vote.
Could a t-shirt cost you the right to vote? Well, maybe. It depends on your polling place. E-mails have been circulating about in such a manner as the Nigerian money scam, making internet-savvy folks skeptical about the assertion that their “Geezer/Dingbat” shirt could possibly cost them entry to their polling place.
Now, some call it “electioneering” and some call it “passive electioneering,” which makes slightly more sense given that the actual definition of “electioneering” tells us that it’s to work actively for a campaign or political party. And it’s a stretch to consider a wardrobe choice to be an activity – because unless you’re a nudist, getting dressed is something we all have to do every day, regardless of political involvement.
First Amendment pundits have been pondering whether these kinds of restrictions conflict with our right to Free Speech, with some local Judges making last-minute determinations on the matter.
What’ll happen in your local polling place is a question for your local officials. So please, pass the above PSA along, inform your friends and remember:
You may notice a slight difference in the CafePress website today. Things are a bit cleaner, a little more natural, a lot more fun and a whole lot less green.
Not that we’re losing the green, a’course. But it’s taking a back seat to our most colorful design asset of all: your designs.
And so this week’s Fantasy T-Wearer is: the CafePress website! Oh, if only our website could wear a t-shirt… hmm, perhaps our friendly IT guys would let me put a sticker on the servers… [insert sound of horrified engineers gasping here.]
So anyway, we hope you enjoy the new look – after all, you’re the ones who designed it!
Bumper sticker activism is always at its finest during an election year, and nowhere is that more evident than here at CafePress.
Our political bumper sticker collection has exploded this year – some are fun, some are serious, some are just hilarious, and some might run you the risk of having it forcibly removed or otherwise molested if you park in Berkeley, CA or on Wasilla Main Street.
And so today we bring you, in no particular order, the 10 stickers most likely to risk being defaced in these 2 towns. (Though admittedly, Berkeley residents are more likely to wait by your car to have a cruelty-free and well-meaning chat with you about your political views, then segue into a discussion of peak oil. But you get the picture.)
5 most potentially unpopular stickers on Telegraph in Berkeley, CA
A gun, a McCain endorsement *and a Clint Eastwood reference insulting Liberals. You’ve hit the trifecta! Beware: you may be assaulted with a long-winded opinion on gun control. Run away, run away!
Some communism symbols and a dash of Marx plus an insult to someone’s intelligence is a recipe for a Berkeley-style smackdown, bub. And by smackdown we mean a pamphlet on tolerance and a researched treatise on Obama’s lifetime church affiliations and their significance.
Extra bonus points for implying terrorism and a Middle Eastern policy worry simultaneously. Watch out, though: some pesky overly-literal Berkeley student might point out that while this sticker is actually true, it’s also true that Barack Obama is also the most popular candidate in the rest of the world, too. So have your retort ready.
In the land of Political Correctness, this sticker is a timeless classic that will earn you lectures long after the 2008 election is over. Those lectures will be in English, incidentally – after all, the people you’re insulting can’t read your sticker. And therein lies the secret beauty.
A notable punctuation error and an outrageous comparison will offend grammarians and Liberals alike – and this is after all a University town. Spelling and punctuation count.
On the other hand, this sticker may be saved if those viewing it think you’re being ironic/satirical in that hipster kind of way, and you might get an I-use-crystal-deodorant-and-it-works (no it doesn’t) enthusiastic if fragrant pat on the back rather than a VW Bug key to the driver’s-side door.
And that brings us to…
5 most potentially unpopular stickers on Wasilla Main Street
A crass anatomical reference and a Bush comparison are sure to get the Moose-hunters out in arms – and they’re actually armed, so beware.
In addition to announcing your anti-Republican sentiments, this is hunting country. Braking for animals is for sissies. And Wasilla Main street doesn’t cotton to sissies.
Now it looks like you’re just trying to annoy people. The smugness of this sticker is sure to irritate more than a few Wasilla Main Street denizens, and will likely remind them uncomfortably of Obama’s suggested elitism. Wasilla is a working class town, and its people like honest to goodness folks like that nice Joe the Plumber, not some smug liberal counting unhatched (and unwanted) chickens.
Putting aside the fact that this announces an “alternative lifestyle” to the world and you’re brazenly trumpeting your crusade for rights, now you’ve gone and brought that nice, God-fearing Mrs. Campbell and her ex-husband into it. That’s just rude.
Sarah Palin has, here and there, mentioned that Alaska is separated by a narrow maritime border with Russia. And now your sticker is somehow mocking the narrowness of that border and its significance. You also get extra bonus points for referencing Tina Fey’s Palin send-up, and that’s hitting a sore spot.
On the other hand, some Wasilla residents may find this sticker close enough to the truth to be a pro-Palin sticker. If you’re actually Tina Fey, though, you probably can’t pull that one off – better get the extra rental car insurance.
Remember, bumper sticker activism is an American tradition in demonstrating our First-Amendment right to free expression. So get on out there and make your voice heard. Just remember, drive safely. And consider parking on a side street.
Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag (”Speidi”) of “The Hills” fame caught the attention of several photographers and Perez Hilton when they stepped out on the town in a Polo-esque Republican photo op, complete with props.
Spencer carries a 6-pack of Budweiser and a shotgun; Heidi has a designer bag (it’s blue, unfortunately; perhaps it doesn’t come in red) and the book “You Can Profit from a Monetary Crisis.”
What caught our attention, though, is that both are wearing CafePress shirts.
Spencer stepped out in the classic “3 G’s” t-shirt – the one he’s wearing has been retooled by its designer, so if you’re a fan of the design you’ll get close with two options:
Heidi is sporting a pink “Read My Lipstick – Vote McCain Palin” spaghetti-strap tank, disproving everyone who thinks that Hollywood and California as a whole are full of nothin’ but a bunch of left-wing Liberals.
Indeed – we may be a blue state, but our fearless Hollywood-scion leader is The Governator, after all.
The first Capitol of the United States is home to more than the Liberty Bell and cheesesteaks – now we have a rally cry fresh outta Philly that throws caution and boring grammatical norms to the wind, asking the world this important question:
Why Can’t Us?
The unlikely creator of this daring citywide battle yelp is a Delaware resident and Philadelphia Phillies fan, who called into a local Philly talk show to discuss the Fightins’ chances of winning the World Series. His emotional commentary is as follows:
“Boston did it. The White Sox did it. Why can’t us? Why can’t us?“
As a lifelong Dodgers fan, I have to admit that this rally cry has led me to root for the Phils in the World Series despite their having knocked my team out. Because I just can’t imagine this priceless slogan springing forth so honestly and unfettered from a Dodgers fan, nor can I imagine L.A. embracing such a syntax-defying cry without Randy Newman creating an anthem out of it. So go on with your bad selves, Phillies fans (and Delaware residents). Today, a transient Phils Phan is born.
The Phillies face off against in Game 1 of the World Series tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays. Whether the Fightins can take a young inexperienced ball club and win the Series for the first time in 28 years has yet to be seen, but hey – why can’t them?
With the election growing closer and the recent news of Connecticut legalizing gay marriage making National headlines, the focus on California’s November ballot initiative to deem same-sex marriage unconstitutional is growing sharper, and the debates surrounding the Proposition are growing more heated.
Proposition 8seeks to ban gay marriage by amending the state Constitution with this clause:“Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” This Proposition was put on the ballot in response to the California Supreme Court’s May ruling that all people have a fundamental and equal right to legally marry the person of their choosing.
Gay marriage has been a hotbed of controversy in California since the 2004 election, and this season we’re seeing a lot of new designs crop up about the issue as well as about Proposition 8 itself. Some are off-the cuff, some are funny, some are serious – and all are trying to make a point. While the protectmarriage.com and No on H8 camps have official gear up on the issue, the vast majority of the designs are simply the voice of a single person with an opinion on the matter.
With designs being an indication of the public discourse, from our end the No on 8/pro equal rights/pro gay marriage folks are far more vocal. Searches for Prop 8, Proposition 8 and gay marriage merchandise lead to results that sway heavily in favor of not discriminating against gay marriage. Which is against Proposition 8. Which is somewhat confusing.
So if you live in California, just remember that on November 4th, Yes = No on gay marriage and No = Yes on gay marriage.
From Down Under we have a special Friday treat: the heartwarming tale of a friendly whale washed up on a New Zealand beach.
Brought to you from the same folks who brought you Trent from Punchy, this cartoon perhaps speaks to all of us that have taken a wrong turn and ended up stuck or lost somewhere.
Or maybe it’s just a funny little cartoon.
And if you’re really into whale videos, retro videos (there really was viral web video before YouTube) or both, the classic exploding whale video is a must-see. Even if you’ve seen it before, it’s always worth a watch.
The third and final Presidential debate covered the economy, healthcare, taxation and the VP choices – but none of them were afforded as much attention as Joe the Plumber.
McCain mentioned Joe 21 times and Obama was good for 5 mentions, for a grand total of 26 mentions for Joe the Plumber. By contrast, Iraq came up 6 times. Joe came up more that the economy (16 times) and outshone mention of Sarah Palin and Joe Biden as well. Not surprisingly, we saw Joe the Plumber designs hit the system mid-debate and within a few hours Joe had about 1/4 the content of all plumber designs.
Joe Wurzelbacher (his last name isn’t “The Plumber” after all) became an unlikely hero for the McCain campaign after having a discussion with Obama on the campaign trail about the Illinois Senator’s proposed tax plan. McCain used Joe as an example of a hardworking American (dare we say Joe Six Pack?) who would pay more taxes under the Obama plan.
Obama countered by repeating what he’s been saying throughout the debates: That if you make less than $200,000 a year, your taxes will decrease. This works out to 98% of small business and 95% of America, making some wonder why Joe the Plumber is being held up as an everyman if he’s in the top 5% of small business owners.
It seems Joe was concerned about the principle behind Obama’s plan. He worries that if he someday makes that much money he’ll be penalized for it, and he’s concerned that Obama might at some point lower the taxation thresholds.
Despite being made an instant celebrity thanks to McCain, Joe won’t endorse either candidate and is keeping his vote private.
On election day, your vote is private – but your voting experience can be blasted out to the public from your cellphone.
If you have a Twitter account, you can use your cell phone or computer to send a 140-character or less micro-broadcast notifying voters, election monitors and the media of any problems you’ve encountered trying to vote. A web map will display incidents in real-time.
One might wonder just what this kind of instantaneous user-generated information might have done for the infamous dangling chads of Florida 8 years ago…
The CafePress “
