W/ regard to the "Mickaboo, false and true" document, I thought the idea was to post it at full length somewhere on our Web site, but provide a short version that encapusulated each bullet point, then provided a link to that point in the longer document. (Or something like that.) It would seem a shame to discard large portions of the original altogether - not for my ego investment in it but simply because the piece answers most of the main lies and misrepresentations in some detail. I'm not sure we could preserve that if it were significantly shorter. 

But as a point of entry - certainly, less is better. A short version also could serve as a flyer (hard copy) or press release. I'm too close to it to see where the paring knife should go. But I know it can be done effectively. Elizabeth's writer/editor friend Jean did a phenomenal distillation of what I wrote earlier this summer, and I imagine she could do a beautiful job on something like this. And we have others among us with the journalistic chops to do it (Maggie and Patricia are great, succinct writers). 

I also have been wondering about how things are progressing at ACWC. I was especially interested to know whether there had been any developments on that horrible excuse for a re-homing plan put forward by AFA. Mary Ellen LePage was chomping to meet with the commission and work toward implementation. Does anyone know whether they have met yet to discuss it or what the reaction of commissioners has been? I know several of us (Pam, Tammy and others) made comments on the proposal. Did we send in any feedback? Should we?

Best to everyone and your flocks,
Jonathan


-----Original Message-----
From: "Vincent J. Hrovat" <1217@vhrovat.org>
Sent: Sep 6, 2010 8:17 PM
To: 'Mickaboo media advisor team'
Subject: [Media-advisors] Checking in . . . .

Hi,

 

I hope that you are all having a good Labor Day holiday. As we are all aware, the proposed SF legislation on pet sales and the ACWC’s discussions thereupon are on hold until next year. This has given many of us a chance to catch our breath and re-concentrate our focus on Mickaboo’s core operations of rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming companion birds. (I know, mentioning “catch our breath” and “Mickaboo’s core operations” in the same sentence could be considered an oxymoron.)

 

However, this Media Matters group had developed a few discussion and action topics which I think should continue to move forward as much as possible for the good of the organization. Specifically:

 

1.)  Jonathan has drafted a “Lies and Misstatements” document. We were discussing the possibility of trimming this document to keep the attention span of the youtube generation, and finding appropriate distribution media (both web and printed) that would make this document portable and accessible.

 

2.) Patricia Blau created a press release, I believe Mickaboo’s first, stating our support for the proposes SF legislation. We talked about creating more standardized press releases to document elements of our operations which our opponents tend to dismiss – for example, our strategic partnerships and activities with pet stores and shelters. It might even be a good idea, IMO, to publish high-level quarterly statistics about intakes, vet bills, etc. in press releases where they’d be readily available.

 

Both of these topics will require some writing, document formatting, technical infrastructure and web development. We discussed inviting Maggie Rufo to help us with the writing from a journalist’s perspective, and mentioned Walt Boeninger as a possible candidate to do some of the web design and setup.

 

I haven’t heard any discussion on these in weeks, since the on-hold announcement from ACWC. I know that we’ve all been busy and have reprioritized, but I wanted to ping the rest of you to see if we there’s been any activity on these and, if not, to see if we can pick them up where we left off. I know that we all want to be ready when the arrows begin flying again, on the pet sale ban or any other topic. Having a history of relevant press releases and a document to clear up “misunderstandings” will give us a stronger starting position going into such fracases and will help us in the interim.

 

Thanks.

 

Vincent J. Hrovat