Weekend roundup is here.
First up, 43+ million Americans have now seen Oliver Anthony’s “Rich Men North of Richmond.” Including myself.
Here it is.
There’s a post from the past rolling around the interwebs…
For more on how some think this tune’s meteoric rise wasn’t just a random happening, check this out.
Including this:
There was nothing authentic about this song’s rise to popularity.
Jason Howerton seems to be the key player involved in the astroturfing campaign. He’s the CEO of Reach Digital, which helps “media companies and political influencers grow their social media footprint exponentially.”
Jason was one of the first accounts heavily promoting this song as he provided a background on Oliver Anthony and his faith. Jason indicates that Oliver Anthony had been contacted to record the song. Jason also admits he even covered the cost to produce the record.
So who wrote the song? And how did so many big right wing-accounts have the video ready to post simultaneously?
You can like the song, and like its message without gaslighting us into believing this was an authentic viral hit by a simple country man with a mic and a guitar.
“Launch a product, get over 1.3 million hits” overnight was the article Mr. Howerton shared on Linkedln. This was another Conservative Inc AstroTurf campaign
We report. You decide.
Meanwhile, over at government-funded media, NPR has this…
Next up: Our pals over at the New York Times let the mask slip more than a little, for at least a few hours earlier this week.
They renamed the story after a few hours.
As for the “believe what they say,” check out this video by Mark Smith over at Four Boxes Diner.
A bunch of amicus briefs to the US Supreme Court from a host of sources claiming, rather boldly and publicly, that “we have no right to keep and bear arms” and no right to protect ourselves, this is what they really think and really mean.
And lastly, from Chicago (CWB Chicago):
#17: Drive-by shooter killed 1, injured 4, and accidentally shot an accomplice while on bail for machine gun possession, prosecutors say
CHICAGO — Prosecutors say a man on bail for illegally possessing a machine gun shot five people and accidentally shot one of his accomplices during a drive-by on Chicago’s West Side last month.
The early morning shooting killed Ashley Griggs, the 41-year-old mother of Carnell Tate, a standout freshman in Ohio State’s football program.
Manuel Bahamon, 22, and Ismael Lozada, 23, are each charged with one count of first-degree murder and four counts of attempted first-degree murder.
Judge Charles Beach held both men without bail during a court hearing on Friday afternoon.
Bahamon is the 17th person accused of shooting, killing, or trying to shoot or kill someone in Chicago this year while awaiting trial for a felony. The cases involve at least 28 victims, nine of whom died.
The events began early on July 16 when Bahamon, Lozada, and a third person who remains at large saw the victims shooting dice in the 4000 block of West Washington, prosecutors explained in a written proffer provided by the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.
At about 2:24 a.m., the person still at large drove both men and three witnesses back to the same block to look for the victims, the proffer said. Prosecutors did not explain why they went back to look for the group.
As they rolled down the block in a silver Infiniti, Bahamon and Lozada allegedly opened fire on the crowd from the car’s passenger windows.
Griggs was shot ten times in the head and died, according to prosecutors. Suffering non-fatal gunshot wounds were a 40-year-old woman and men ages 38, 39, and 42.
Shot in the head 10 times? Even if it was a switched Glock, that’s personal.
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