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Not the Greenest President: Bush's Environmental Sins

LibertySugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:30:00 -0800

Even some conservatives believe that the US President-elect should put the environmental crisis at the top of his presidential to-do list, because addressing that crisis has bipartisan approval. Yet despite an apparent citizen yearning for leadership on green issues, President Bush has neglected the topic during his eight years in the White House.

Salon put together a list of Bush's seven environmental deadly sins. The authors argue that Bush made a mockery of the US's environmental laws and values. Here are the seven pieces of supporting evidence for their indictment:

Blew hot air on global warming: Bush refused to agree to mandatory greenhouse gas emission reductions, thus erasing any credibility the US had to persuade China and India to cut their emissions and also leading to a rise in CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere.
Failed to regulate greenhouse gases at home: Bush vowed to veto any bill that would limit greenhouse gases. He also refused to regulate CO2 as a pollutant, even though the Supreme Court ruled it was a pollutant and said he could regulate it.
Failed to develop clean energy sources: While doing nothing to further renewable energy, Bush gave regulatory support to polluting industries like coal, oil, and gas.
Abandoned endangered species: The only additions to the endangered species list, such as the polar bear, came from private parties who sued the government. The administration also tried to build roads without considering harm to these species.

To see the rest,

Rumors Fly After Election: Which One Shocks You More?

LibertySugar — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:00:00 -0800

Now that the election has ended, members of the campaigns aren't quite as tight lipped. It's like getting a retroactive backstage pass when happy, or disgruntled, aides start revealing happenings that didn't make the talking points or headlines. The latest issue of Newsweek takes a look at the secret battles waged on the path to the White House, and the private events are a doozy! Of these leaks featured in the expose, which one surprises you the most?Source

Rumors Fly After Election: Which One Shocks You More?

Palin spent more than reported. An aide described it: "Hillbillies looting Neiman Marcus."

A "foreign entity" hacked both camps' computers, likely seeking international policy info.

McCain himself rarely spoke to Palin during the campaign.

The Secret Service gave Obama reports showing increased threats in Sept. and Oct.

Palin started the William Ayers attacks before the campaign had finalized a plan.

Palin greeted top advisers wearing only a towel, during the RNC.

Geographically challenged Palin did not know Africa was a continent, not a country.

After losing, Hillary Clinton had a long and friendly phone chat with McCain.

Keeping the Faith: Are Abstinence-Only Pledges Unrealistic?

CitizenSugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0800

Ever think evangelical teens are most likely to be the next Juno? You might be onto something. While religion may be a good gauge for attitudes towards sex, it is not for sexual behavior.

A national survey talked to 3,400 teens between 13 and 17 and found that evangelicals are the most likely to say they do not believe in sex before marriage, yet they are just as likely to have it — if not more. Seventy-four percent say they do not believe in premarital sex, compared to 50 percent of mainline Protestants and 25 percent of Jewish teens. Second only to black Protestants, they lose their virginity on average shortly after turning 16.

While the effectiveness of abstinence pledges that are so popular among evangelicals has long been contested, I never knew inflation was a problem. A pledge movement often collapses in a school when it becomes too popular. As soon as it loses its magical minority milieu — 30 percent is the tipping point — teens feel less unique and pledges get tossed aside like last year’s yellow.

Minding the gap between sexual beliefs and behavior becomes even harder when looking at the outcome of abstinence pledges. To find out how effective they are,

Don't Take No For an Answer: Protecting Against Election Theft

LibertySugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:53 -0700

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Greg Palast wrote in the Huffington Post yesterday, that while Republicans had the media searching for links between Barack Obama and ACORN, RNC operatives were completing one of the most massive voter suppression and purging efforts in US history. RFK, Jr.'s piece asserts that none of ACORN's bad registration signatures will impact the election; but an obstacle course of barriers for November 4 voters, including purging legitimate voters from the list, and creating mayhem and long lines at the polls, has been created on behalf of Republicans.

In its story about what might go wrong on Election Day, Time Magazine offers advice of what you can do to make sure your vote counts. Tips include: contacting your local registrar or going to canivote.org to verify your info; making sure you know your polling location and ID requirements; not taking no for an answer. If you get turned away, request an emergency paper ballot or cast a provisional ballot if you must. You can also call 866-OUR-VOTE if you have an issue.

Here's to hoping both sides play fair on Election Day!

Source

Want to Be Fly on McCain Camp Wall? Pick up NYT Mag

LibertySugar — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 13:00:24 -0700

This weekend's NYT Magazine piece on the making and remaking of John McCain reads like a Greek tragedy. "John McCain’s biography has been the stuff of legend for nearly a decade," the lengthy piece points out. "And yet Schmidt and his fellow strategists have had difficulty explaining how America will be better off for electing (as opposed to simply admiring) a stubborn patriot." Throughout the magazine piece, a litany of narratives are identified.

The Heroic Fighters vs. the Quitters: Steve Schmidt, McCain's top adviser, encouraged McCain to denounce the Democrats for advocating a withdrawal of troops — a kind of surrender in the face of victory. Thus did Schmidt initiate the No Surrender Tour late in the summer of 2007.
Country-First Deal Maker vs. Nonpartisan Pretender: The campaign was in the throes of an identity crisis by June 24, when a number of senior strategists gathered at 9:30 a.m. in a conference room of McCain’s campaign headquarters in Arlington. As one participant said later, the meeting was convened “because we still couldn’t answer the question, ‘Why elect John McCain?'"
Leader vs. Celebrity: Eventually, it was Schmidt who blurted out the epiphany concerning Obama. “Face it, gentlemen,” he said. “He’s being treated like a celebrity.” The others grasped the concept — a celebrity like J-Lo! or Britney! — and exultation overtook the room.
Team of Mavericks vs. Old-Style Washington: Well before McCain made his selection, his chief strategist and his campaign manager both concluded that Sarah Palin would be the most dynamic pick.
John McCain vs. John McCain: The flipside to John McCain’s metanarrative of personal valor has always been palpable self-righteousness. In this campaign, his sense of integrity has been doubly offended.
The Fighter (Again) vs. the Tax-and-Spend Liberal: McCain was once again a warrior — only more upbeat, more respectful of his opponent, more empathetic to suffering Americans and far more disapproving of the president.

If McCain pulls this off, the author may have re-write the story. Check out the whole drama if you need some weekend reading!

Is a GOP Loss the Only Way to Bring Back Small Government?

CitizenSugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 06:00:17 -0700

The editor of Reason magazine, the libertarian leaning mag devoted to "free minds and free markets," has an Op-Ed with a somewhat counterintuitive premise: in order to save the GOP, we must destroy the GOP. After voting for Dole and then Bush, editor Radley Balko’s disappointment grew to treasonous proportions in 2004 after watching the Republican Party create the invasive and historically expansive Homeland Security Department. Following that the prescription drug benefit — the largest entitlement program since the Great Society. The last straw for Balko, however, came as he witnessed one of the largest takeovers of a private sector in this nation’s history: the recent bailout.

Balko makes his case, as he's nervous about the Bush Administration’s ever increasing executive power, which the writer believes goes against the very core of his conservative ideology. Saying “. . . the only consistent principle we’ve seen from the White House over the last eight years is that of elevating the American president to that of an elected dictator.” While admittedly using hyperbole in that statement, his real concern is that of an Obama presidency which then uses those same expansive powers.

To find out his voting strategy,

Will the Recession Cause the End of the War in Iraq?

CitizenSugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:00:00 -0700

While the subject of a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq has been hotly debated, it's a decision that might prove moot. The US may very well have to leave whether it's considered strategically correct or not. The democratically elected Iraqi government may actually want to employ their sovereignty, leading both US and Iraqi negotiators reportedly close to setting a withdrawal date, mostly at the insistence of Iraq. The agreement will likely require all US forces to leave the nation by the end of 2011 and by all cities by next summer. It still has to be approved by the Iraqi parliament.

The agreement comes as the new National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq is released — and the picture isn't so rosy. The surge, which coincided with a downturn in violence, may not even be the key reason for that result but rather just one contributing factor. A major reason, states the NIE is the truce with the Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr as well as the alliance with the Sunni insurgents, both of which occurred at roughly the same time. The bad news is that according to General David Patraeus, the gains made in Iraq recently are “fragile” and “reversible” due to a series of rising regional tensions.

To see where the recession fits in,

Rachel Maddow Coming to a NYT Magazine Near You

LibertySugar — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 07:00:04 -0700

Rachael Maddow is to Keith Olbermann as Stephen Colbert is to Jon Stewart. And just like Stephen, Rachel's new pseudo-Countdown spinoff is acquiring a fan base potentially more dedicated than its predecessor's. This weekend's New York Times Magazine caught up with the Stanford and Oxford grad-turned-progressive-MSNBC host, visiting her home in western Massachusetts where she lives with her partner Susan.

Some items to look forward to:

Rachel, a TV personality, has no TV.
Some of Rachel's favorite objects include: a squirrel sculpture, four kinds of mustard from her fridge (“I am a mustard person"), a sneaker, two ashtrays from the Watergate hotel, and her 7-year-old red Ford pickup.
Fictional character she identifies with: "Wally Cleaver. Cause he is a dork.”
If her show doesn't make it Rachel has a backup. "I am a hobbyist bartender. I have a a liquor cabinet. I research classic drinks from the golden age of American cocktails and I make them for me and Susan.”
Rachel's favorite movie? The Manchurian Candidate, original version.

Are you a fan of Rachel?

Ladies' Man Gets the Vote? Vogue Declares Early Victor

CitizenSugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:15:05 -0700

Looks like the Obama-Biden ticket is starting to close in on the coveted fashionista vote. Vogue took a chance in its November issue, which will hit newsstands over the next week, by titling a feature story "All the Vice President's Women." Cute! Let's hope it's not wildly prophetic, because the profile is really about one woman — Jill Biden, the would-be vice president's wife. Second Lady?

A representative for Vogue spoke to the Huffington Post and said of the cover line, "Win or lose, we thought it was a clever cover line that would serve to get people's attention." I've written entire posts to fit headlines I've come up with, so I understand the urge, but putting it in print and on the cover seems a lot like buying a dress one size too small.

Is it just me, or is there a lot of Obama-presumptiveness around lately? To see what I mean,

A List Candidates Want to Avoid: Biggest Debate Blunders!

LibertySugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:00:26 -0700

Tonight is the last chance Barack Obama and John McCain have to show Americans how their visions for America differ.

That's swell, but we all know what tonight's debate is really about — it's the last chance either candidate has to make a major blunder and self-inflict a campaign crippling wound.

Esquire went back to the archives to find examples of how presidential campaigns destroyed years of campaigning during a few seconds of debate time. Here are some of the highlights (or low points). You can check out the videos on Esquire's site.

1960: Nixon vs. Kennedy: Richard Nixon made the horrid mistake of refusing to wear makeup. His pasty skin, five-o-clock shadow, and unfortunate weight loss due to hospitalization distracted viewers and helped shift the momentum to a tan JFK.
1988: Bush vs. Dukakis: When asked if his wife was raped and killed, would he want the death penalty for the killer, Dukakis said: "No, I don't, and I think you know that I've opposed the death penalty during all of my life.” His lack of emotion didn't fly.
2000: Gore vs. Bush: Gore's sighs and eye-rolling. Enough said.

Is there a good chance we'll add to the list tonight — or are the candidates going to play it safe?

The Real John McCain in Radar — He Likes Lost and Dexter!

CitizenSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:00:00 -0700

Ooh, don't get excited — I'm not insinuating John McCain is a lady, merely that given this awesome interview in Radar this month by Ana Marie Cox (the original Wonkette) that he deserves the space on the cover instead of Shannen Doherty. So I thought I'd just adjust my cover to my liking.

Cox asked McCain all manner of questions with an emphasis on the pop culture that is less fluffy than you'd think. I mean, we've heard him talk politics for eons. His less practiced answers about TV and movies? I think pretty telling. Like his love of the zombie movie 28 Weeks Later that has oblique references to Guantanamo and a post 9/11 world? McCain shrugs and says, "A lot of those zombie movies are political, you know." Here are the answers I filed away for future reference:

On Dexter being one of his favorite TV shows: "I think it's a very good series. I enjoy Dexter; I enjoy The Tudors. You know, I think I'm pretty normal in my tastes.... Lost, I also like Lost. And Prison Break. I think it's a shame when the guys get out of prison. I thought The Wire was an excellent series. I've also heard that John Adams is excellent—that's my next viewing assignment." [Ed. note: I love Lost too! We could totally have TV night together.]
On heated discussions with Jon Stewart: "Hey, I don't disrespect the guy. He feels passionately about issues. A lot of times he covers it up with humor, but you can detect there's an intensity there that suggests he's very concerned about America and its future."

To see what else he had to say,

First All-Black Town Mirrors Community's Success & Struggle

LibertySugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Six miles from downtown Orlando sits Eatonville, FL, the country's first all-black town to incorporate. From 27 black families in the 1880s to a population of around 2,400 that is 90 percent black, the town's history has mirrored the pride and complications of the African-American experience, explains a New York Times profile.

In 1887, 22 years after slavery ended, the town's men voted unanimously to incorporate Eatonville. Native daughter Zora Neale Hurston, author of Their Eyes Were Watching God, was born in Eatonville in 1891 and used her birthplace for inspiration. During desegregation, some residents worried that the introduction of white students and teachers would dilute Eatonville's cohesiveness and its youth's confidence. In 1988 a highway project threatened the town, prompting a new surge of civic spirit. To combat the road that never happened, Eatonville created an annual festival to showcase the its strengths and pride.

Eatonville, which embodies black empowerment, but also sees a poverty rate twice the US average, has increasingly become a Florida tourist stop. Would you pay a visit?

Source

How To Become a Legal Immigrant? Here's a Handy Flowchart!

CitizenSugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 06:00:18 -0700

With equal parts sincerity and critique, the Libertarian minds over at Reason magazine have put together a fully-illustrated flow chart addressing what they designate as the argument of illegal immigration opponents, the "get in line" theory. What does that line look like? Follow along and see the steps and relative wait times for each part of the process, whether to become a lawful permanent resident or a full-fledged citizen.

Following each path of the "game" with steps like "Married adult children [of citizens]: seven to 15-year wait" the payoff comes at the end — they calculated the best case scenario timeframe to immigrate and become a citizen at six to seven years. The longest path could take 28 years from immigration to legal status. The step that gives pause? Answering "no" to "Are you skilled?" Receives the answer: "Sorry! There is virtually no process for unskilled immigrants without relations in the US to apply for permanent legal residence. Only 10,000 green cards are allotted every year."

Does that make sense to you? Do the checks and balances limiting immigration regulate the process appropriately?

On the Newsstand: Time Magazine's 21 Ways to Serve America

CitizenSugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 06:00:36 -0700

Hot on the heels of last week's candidates' service forum, Time magazine has an issue devoted to "21 Ways to Fix Up America."

The best bit is the 21 item "User's Guide," filled with tips, tidbits, and pieces from everyone from Ted Kennedy advocating for his Serve America Act to Miley Cyrus on starting young, the list is full of unique ways to volunteer. If you've got time to spare, here are five ways you can serve America too:

Citizen Schools:
The program has 3,200 adult volunteers running after-school programs for 4,500 kids at middle schools in 21 cities. Projects include building solar cars, and trying out their legal skills in mock trials.
Day of Service:
Giving just one day, this year on Sept. 27, the ServiceNation coalition is hosting more than 1,600 service events planned across all 50 states.
Start Young Says Miley Cyrus:
It's never too early to serve: "My family has been visiting Kentucky coal-mine towns since I was little. We take clothes, gifts and school supplies. It's an eye opener for me, seeing families here in America living in Third World conditions."

To see other ways to give back,

Uphill Both Ways For Planet: Kids Take "Walking School Bus"

CitizenSugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:30:08 -0700

School's back in session. What's one thing we sure learned over our summer vacation? Gas costs a lot, and vehicles tend to need a steady supply of it in order to run. That includes school buses, which usually take pricey diesel that's up 34 percent in the past two years. Some Missouri parents had to get creative after the school district slashed transportation costs, eliminating bus routes — they formed a "walking school bus."

The idea is this: the neighborhood parents take turns "driving" or supervising the kids on the half-mile walk to school every morning. There are a bunch of benefits to the plan and not just for the environment. To see what they are,

First Daughter to Be? The Meghan McCain You Don't Know

CitizenSugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:00:56 -0700

Despite the embarrassingly hideous and enormous pile of magazines next to my bed, I was able to unearth one cool piece among the mountain. Glamour caught up with Meghan McCain on the campaign trail this month and found out the "12 Things" we don't know about her. Here are my favorite quotes from the flaxen first daughter to be. (Alleged. Possible. Maybe. You know what I mean.)

She's real: "Politicians often teach their kids to control what you say and not to trust. My parents just taught me: Be who you are."
Some guys are blinded by her beauty and/or don't read the paper: "[Once, a guy said,] 'Baby, I could totally give you a tour of the Capitol.' In fairness, he didn't know who my dad was. I just said, 'Really?'"
She's a smashing big sis: "I'm a role model to my little sister [Bridget, who's 17]. The last [thing] I'd ever want her to think is that it's OK to be stupid and not involved. I want her [to know] that you can do it all — you can like fashion and clothes and movies but also be highly involved."

To see the number one thing that you might not know about Meghan McCain,

Is Jon Stewart the Most Trusted Man in America?

LibertySugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:30 -0700

Last year Americans named fake-news host Jon Stewart their fourth most admired news anchor, tied with Brian Williams, Tom Brokaw, Dan Rather, and Anderson Cooper. A recent New York Times article tried to figure out how a comedian became a trusted news source. The article noted that The Daily Show does things other news programs can't like, "speaking truth to power in blunt, sometimes profane language, while using satire and playful looniness to ensure that their political analysis never becomes solemn or pretentious."Jon Stewart gets to interview politicians and world leaders outside their comfort zones, pass on digestible scoops from a range of experts, and filter each day's big news stories in a humorous way. While Jon makes his opinions known (he says he's looking forward to the end of the Bush Administration "as a comedian, as a person, as a citizen, as a mammal"), it's not Republicans that Jon dislikes. He claims contempt for the empty rhetoric of both conservative and liberal politicians. I think his critique of talking points makes many Americans tune-in for an alternative to television's usual partisan shouting match. What do you think?

Is Jon Stewart the Most Trusted Man in America?

Yay! Jon Stewart fills his jokes with substantive information and smart observations.

Nay. Jon Stewart is a mouthpiece for the left.

Not really. It's entertaining, but I don't trust simplified comedy as a news source.

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

Elizabeth Edwards People Cover Hits Newsstands Today

CitizenSugar — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:00:24 -0700

This week's People cover girl isn't as beaming as last week's Brad and Angelina lovefest — Elizabeth Edwards graces the cover — and I think "grace" is really the appropriate word. She seems to be handling the John Edwards trouble about as well as she possibly can. She's issued a statement in support of Edwards, though according to the story inside the mag, her friend says she's really having to tough it out. "There was anguish – excruciating anguish – for her in dealing with this."

She's, of course, weighing her kids, her disease, and her broken trust with her husband — and the youngest kids haven't been told yet what's going on though Elizabeth's brother says, "Children are very wise and know things." While I'm glad there wasn't a "parade the wife to the podium" shot like we saw earlier this year, somehow I feel like this mag crosses my line a bit. I'll read everything there is to read about him — he made his bed, so to speak — but I might just want to leave Elizabeth (even two-dimensional Elizabeth) in peace. What do you think? Are you picking up the issue? Are you glad that John seems to have made the story about him and less about their marriage?

Music to Your Ears? Candidates Share Their Favorite Songs

LibertySugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:30:00 -0700

Blender magazine asked John McCain and Barack Obama which 10 songs make their ultimate playlists. Obama embraces the newcomer theme — his favorite song of all time is "Ready or Not" by the Fugees. As for McCain, he may not be young and sweet, only 17, but his favorite song is "Dancing Queen" by ABBA. And Obama and McCain can agree on one thing: Frank Sinatra. Songs by Sinatra make both lists. Other than that the candidates have distinct listening preferences.

To see both candidates' top-10 lists,

On the Newsstand: Barack and Michelle Open Up to the Ladies

LibertySugar — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:00:24 -0700

Barack and Michelle Obama sat down with Ladies' Home Journal to talk about marriage, parenting, women voters, and what it's like to run for President of the United States.

I have to admit, I love getting a behind the scenes look into how busy politicians try to maintain some remnants of normalcy. Stay tuned for a peek into the McCains' marriage, as LHJ plans on sitting down with John and Cindy, too. The Obama interview will be the cover story for the September issue of the magazine.

Here are some highlights:

On Michelle becoming a part of his administration:
Barack: "She is my chief counsel and adviser. I would never make big decisions without asking her opinion. Certainly about my career and my life. My sense is—and I’ll let her speak for herself here—that she’d probably be more interested in having a set of projects that were driven by her interests and her desires, as opposed to me handing her some sort of portfolio, and saying, 'Here, do this.'"
Michelle: "There are a ton of issues that I care deeply about. But the notion of sitting around the table with a set of policy advisers—no offense — makes me yawn [laughter]. . . . I’d love to be having more conversations with military spouses."
On marital problems:
Michelle: "There were a lot of things time-wise that he couldn’t provide because he was not there. So, how do I stop being mad at him and start problem solving, and cobble together the resources? I also had to admit that I needed space and I needed time."

To find out Barack's views on being a father, the presidency, and the role of the female voter this year,

Life After 9/11: One Young Arab Gets Thrown in US Jail

LibertySugar — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 03:00:18 -0700

A recent piece in the New York Magazine chronicles the nightmarish journey of a young Arab immigrant. After September 11, Rasha found herself in jail with her family. Rasha's story sheds light on a darker side of national security.

At five-years-old Rasha moved with her family from Syria to the United States on a tourist visa. When she was in the sixth grade, after years of trying to get permanent residency, and failing, Rasha and her family moved back to Syria. Eventually she would get her Brooklyn life back, after her family was finally granted their green-cards. But the joy didn't last forever.

In February 2002, fifteen US officers awoke Rasha and her family in the middle of the night — Rasha's family was being investigated for terrorist connections. Once in a holding cell, officials questioned each family member in a separate room. To find out what happened next,

Want to Know if There's Anyone You Can Sue? Find Out!

CitizenSugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 06:00:10 -0700

Slipped on a pile of goo and wondering if you have a case? If you have the Internet, starting next month you can log on to WhoCanISue and see for yourself. Started by a Florida lawyer, the website will help prospective litigants figure out whether they have a case as well as find a lawyer in one fell click. (Legal disclaimer: the lawyers will pay an annual fee of $1,000 to appear on the site.)

Though there are similar services out there, this one is the first that offers real-time access to attorneys. After a brief questionnaire, those with promising grievance will instantly be put in touch with an interested attorney. Easier access to the legal system seems like an improvement, but there might be a downside. To see what it is,

"Bazaar" Is Right! Tyra Plays Michelle Obama in Mag — Why?

CitizenSugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:00:03 -0700

Tyra Banks has a penchant for playing dress-up (see: episode where she wore a fat suit), but in the September issue of Harper's Bazaar, she's slipping into a power suit to portray Michelle Obama in a fashion spread. While the dress-up stand-in seems odd, the mag has ventured into the politics of mimicry before, featuring fashion models posed next to cardboard cutouts of the candidates. Given the sometimes questionable authenticity surrounding a campaign, this seems to make sense on a deeper level (candidates = cardboard), but what does the Tyra stunt mean? While the vocal African-American supermodel has spoken out on race in the past, is the larger statement that she has a potential first lady to portray at last? Or is this just a huge September mag fashion stunt? One of the shots has been leaked, you can see for yourself. Source

"Bazaar" Is Right! Tyra Plays Michelle Obama in Mag — Why?

It's a ridiculous dress-up stunt that makes no sense. Good try finding meaning, though!

Of course it's a message about race. Tyra was a pioneer, too, so the homage is nice.

They couldn't get the real Michelle, so they compromised.

Other. I've got the solution, I'll tell you in the comments.

Pelosi Talks About Impeachment and Her Do-Nothing Congress

LibertySugar — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 03:00:15 -0700

The first female Speaker of the House has just released a book, Know Your Power: A Message to American Daughters, in which she encourages America women to make their voices heard. Making her voice heard on the new-book-media tour, Pelosi appeared on The View last week to explain that impeachment was off the table because there is no evidence that Bush committed a crime and in this week's Time, readers asked Pelosi ten questions. Here's what the eleven-term Congresswomen from San Francisco had to say about the topics on Americans' minds.

Why have you taken impeachment off the table as an option for President George W. Bush? I took it off the table a long time ago. You can't talk about impeachment unless you have the facts, and you can't have the facts unless you have cooperation from the Administration. I think the Republicans would like nothing better than for us to focus on impeachment and take our eye off the ball of a progressive economic agenda.

Why do the Democrats insist on blocking oil-drilling when we need the price of oil to drop? Even if they drilled every place [in America], it would not have any impact on the price of oil now. You can't increase domestic supply only by drilling. You have to invest in renewable-energy resources. That's all longer term.

To find out if Speaker Pelosi ever votes against her party, and what she thinks about challenger Cindy Sheehan and accusations that her party controls a "do-nothing" Congress,

For the Sake of the Planet, Save the Plastic Bags?!

CitizenSugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:45:43 -0700

The second I remember to quit grumbling when I get a paper bag with no handles instead of the evil that is the plastic bag, the whole eco-mantra of choosing paper could be dumped on its head. One man, Stephen Joseph, is out to save the plastic bag. He's head of the campaign called Save the Plastic Bag, and he means business.

Even though his battle ramped a little more uphill after LA became the most recent US city to can the bags on Tuesday, he's convinced he has facts on his side. On his website, the well-named SaveThePlasticBags, he lists the reasons to choose plastic over paper:

Roaches love paper bags — they attract them.
When paper bags decompose, they release methane.
Paper bags take up more space to transport (making more trucks on the road and more space taken in landfills if they end up there.

That's not all. To see why the global backturning on the bag may have been too hasty,

Just Like Reagan's Kids! Obama's Girls Are Featured in People

CitizenSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:00:42 -0700

The more things change, the more they stay the same, huh? This week in history, waaaayyy back in 1980, then-presidential candidate Ronald Reagan's children were featured in People magazine — fast-forward to 2008, and while Obama is in Israel meeting with top Israeli and Palestinian leaders on his plans for containing the nuclear threat from Iran and building peace in the Middle East, his daughters are getting their time in the mag.

In the Reagan kids' profile (which has a hilariously vintage feel) daughter Patti scandalously admitted to the question of whether she would vote for her dad, "gee, uh, I don't know — maybe I wouldn't vote for anybody. I'm really kind of antipolitical. I just get the newspaper and turn to the comics." Gee? Too good. In the profile, Patti, 27, was living at home "until I can find a new apartment."

Michael on the other hand was fully engaged as a campaigner for his dad, despite that his age (35) made his dad look ancient — and scandalous with his blended family. He said, "I suppose it makes Dad look old, having older children. Headquarters may feel it's embarrassing if Maureen and I are in the forefront, and the real kids [the two by Nancy] are not. Sometimes I've felt like I was fighting to volunteer."

And this! After talking about Ron's love of ballet, the piece included the quote from dad, "he's all man—we made sure of that," and the article goes on to say, "in fact, young Reagan seems thoroughly heterosexual." Oh, 1980. You're so cute!

All in all, it's kind of a shock to see how unmuzzled the kids were during the campaign — not produced in the least.

Though the Obama girls are decidedly younger than their Reagan predecessors, they gave out the goods, too. To see what they said,

Lost Your Job? Maybe a Felon Found It! Prison Gigs Aplenty...

CitizenSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:00:49 -0700

While California inmates were busy fighting fires this month, prisoners in South Carolina were stitching up some brassieres for Victoria's Secret. That's right. Check that tag, your bra might be the new license plate, an arguably more useful product, I'd say.

Mother Jones has a whole list of common goods that are now sourced to prisons. Drinking some coffee? Yup, that too. What else?

Eating: CA inmates produce 680,000 pounds of beef, and Starbucks has hired WA prisoners to pack up holiday coffee blends.
Playing: Nintendo Gameboys and Microsoft mouses are packed in the pokey.
Learning: TX and CA inmates make everything from lockers to juice boxes.
Wearing: The above mentioned Vicky's bras, as well as leisure wear for JC Penney

And the best prison product? To see it,

McCain Gets the Old Satire Treatment, Which Cover Is Worse?

LibertySugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:00:00 -0700

Vanity Fair has an editorial response to the now infamous New Yorker Obama-as-terrorist cover. The essential message: John McCain is old, and Cindy likes prescription drugs (where's the reference to her cash?!).It all may be tongue-and-cheek, but the McCain-VF stereotypes differ from the Obama stereotypes. McCain's critics could legitimately raise issues of McCain's age, connection to Bush-policies, and constitutional positions, all topics illustrated by VF. But it's impossible to argue with a straight face that Obama is a militant that burns the American flag and worships Osama bin Laden.While VF wants cover-gate to live on, the New Yorker seems happy to let it disappear, literally. At the airport last week, I noticed that all the controversial copies had a sleeve covering the cover as if to hide porn. (Perhaps thanks to a terrorist-image ban at the airport?)Whether covered-up or out in the open — does one of these covers bother you more than the other?Source

McCain Gets the Old Satire Treatment, Which Cover Is Worse?

Obama cover! Obama came off as dangerous, adding credibility to viral lies.

McCain cover! It's vicious, while the Obama cover just made fun of absurd rumors.

I don't like either, since they oversimplify the candidates.

Neither bother me, it's all just exaggeration for the sake of art.

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

What's Too Much? Are Safety Kits For Drug Users Worth It?

CitizenSugar — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 13:00:26 -0700

The back page of New York magazine every week is the Artifact feature, where they archive a tidbit of the city — this week was an annotated picture of the kit given by the city to drug users to ensure the safe usage of their substance of choice. I was more than surprised by its. . . thoroughness? I mean I have hobbies, but no government agency has ever given me a kit that contains not only every thing I need to accomplish said extracurricular — down to a nine-step info card of how to do so, but that's just me.

I honestly don't know where to stand on this conundrum, but I have some questions:

If someone is a habitual drug user, what are the chances that they will actually use all of these items as they're intended? The kit contains 10 different doodads, including capsules of sterilized water for mixing the drugs (see, I had no idea this was necessary) itsy-bitsy cotton balls to trap dirt and debris from getting in the syringe, a bottle of bleach, and an empty bottle to use to clean the needles in. Oh, and the needles come from a whole different location. Will the complexity stop these goods from actually getting put to use?
At what point is the line between encouraging drug use by making it so much safer, easier, and government-sanctioned? If drug users aren't exposed as easily to diseases and live longer as addicts, what kind of future societal health problem could we be creating?

I'm just getting started — we haven't even considered money yet. To see the rest,

These Colors Do Run? Is the USA No Longer a Superpower?

CitizenSugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:15:18 -0700

Is America place at the head of the class, finished? Well-known intellectuals, think tank thunkers, and MSM elite seem to think so. Citing headlines from the Times asking "who shrunk the superpower?" to Fareed Zakaria's book, The Post-American World, and the French foreign minister saying of America's standing, “The magic is over . . . It will never be as it was before." It seems like a logical conclusion: The US Party of A is over. Take the streamers down. But! According to this piece in World Affairs it's not the first time such talk has been bandied about, and it's hardly cause for panic.
The United States does contend with serious problems at home and abroad, but these prophecies of doom, which spread like a computer virus, hardly reflect a rational appraisal of where we stand. Moreover, it is not too difficult to see the ghosts of declinism past in the current rush to pen America’s epitaph. Gloomsayers have been with us, after all, since this country’s founding.

Though it sure seems like the drumbeat of America fading is a new millennial challenge, it's not. It reared up in the late-18th century from royalists, the 1920s and 30s from fascists, the 1970s from similar challenges to the ones the country is facing today (shored up by Jimmy Carter's malaise speech) and became terribly chic in the 1980s. Bashing America's standing is in like shoulder pads. Are the "declinists," pointing to the Bush doctrine, over-stretched military, and squashed economy right — is the US out of first place? Or is history just repeating itself?Source

These Colors Do Run? Is the USA No Longer a Superpower?

The US has absolutely slipped in its standing. Regardless of history, its decline is real.

What could be trendier than bashing the US? Naysayers are nothing new, the US is fine.

It may be more nuanced. Perhaps it's no longer who's #1, but more collaborative.

Other. I'll tell you what I think in the comments.

New Yorker Cover Called "Offensive" By Obama Camp. Is It?

CitizenSugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 08:32:18 -0700

This week's satirical New Yorker magazine cover showing Barack Obama dressed as a Muslim and Michelle dressed as a terrorist has been called "tasteless and offensive," by the Obama campaign.The illustration hits newsstands today and shows Obama wearing traditional Muslim garb and his wife dressed in camouflage, combat boots and an assault rifle strapped over her shoulder, standing in the Oval Office doing the "terrorist fist-bump" in front of a mantle-top portrait of Osama bin Laden, next to a burning flag. No stone unslammed, it seems.
The Obama camp statement says: The New Yorker may think, as one of their staff explained to us, that their cover is a satirical lampoon of the caricature Senator Obama's right-wing critics have tried to create. But most readers will see it as tasteless and offensive. And we agree.

The magazine, however, said the cover: Combines a number of fantastical images about the Obamas and shows them for the obvious distortions they are. The burning flag, the nationalist-radical and Islamic outfits, the fist-bump, the portrait on the wall? All of them echo one attack or another. Satire is part of what we do, and it is meant to bring things out into the open, to hold up a mirror to prejudice, the hateful, and the absurd. And that's the spirit of this cover.

No word yet on apologies for the rest of the New Yorker cartoons. Who's side do you see — is this pointed satire, or tasteless and offensive?

New Yorker Cover Called "Offensive" By Obama Camp. Is It?

Pointed satire! The cover points out the ridiculousness of the attacks. It's brilliant.

Tasteless and offensive. Plus, it goes beyond commentary to adding slights of its own.

What's the big deal? Is it possible to go a day without people getting all worked up?

Other. I'll tell you my opinion in the comments.

Odd Disappearance of Afghanistan's Only Female Olympian

CitizenSugar — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:34:19 -0700

Time magazine this week has a feature on the bizarre story of the mysterious disappearance of Afghanistan's only female, Olympics-bound runner. The 19-year-old Afghan middle distance runner, Mehbooba Andyar, went missing in Italy last week while on her way to the Olympics in China. Friends and co-athletes have not seen her since July 4, when she left her training facility in Formia, Italy.

Police are not ruling out any possibilities, although her missing bags and passport do indicate that she may have left on her own. Some believe she's seeking asylum in Europe over fear of Muslim extremists in her homeland where she faced constant rumors of prostitution and repeated threats of violence.

In a recent interview, Andyar said, "I'm the model for my country, being a woman in a typical Muslim nation. I'm very proud to say that I will be participating in the Olympic Games. By virtue of these opportunities, many women from my country are participating in many sports, and this will help to develop a better managed country."

Source

Lincoln and Darwin: More Alike Than You'd Might Think

CitizenSugar — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 07:00:55 -0700

Newsweek's cover story pits two men against each other that I have to confess, I'd never really considered in the same breath: Lincoln and Darwin. As next year marks the 200th birthdays (both were born on February 12, 1809) of both men whose independent ideas have have formed our modern world, Newsweek asks the tricky question, who was more important: Lincoln or Darwin? Are we more influenced by the man who preserved the concept of republican democracy or the man who brought forth the idea of evolution? The ideas they pioneered were as disparate as the men are surprisingly similar.

Here's how: Both men lost their mothers in early childhood, both suffered depression and both struggled with religious questions. The two also had poor relations with their fathers and each lost a child in early childbirth. Lincoln and Darwin both share "late bloomers" disease: Neither found real success until their middle years — Darwin published The Origin of the Species at 50 and Lincoln was elected President one year later. To see the most surprising and possibly inspiring shared trait,

Pumped Up? Ten Ways High Gas Prices Are Good for America!

LibertySugar — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:30:13 -0700

Like any addiction, America will have a hard time kicking its dependency on oil. But despite the withdrawal symptoms, it will be worth it. Time Magazine points out that prices have never risen to levels forcing the sprawling nation to seriously reconsider the car dependent way of life. But the time to change may have arrived.

Painful petrol prices, which probably won't go down anytime soon, could ultimately improve America's quality of life. Well, there are at least 10 things you can like about $4 gas, as featured in this week's Time.

Globalized Jobs Return Home — Too expensive to transport
Sprawl Stalls — Home buyers looking to move closer to cities
Four-Day Workweeks — Energy costs fall along with sick leave
Less Pollution — Bluer skies and longer lives

To see the rest, including how a smaller bank balance might lead to a smaller waistline,

Christopher Hitchens Is Waterboarded, Lives to Call It Torture

CitizenSugar — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:45:34 -0700

The August issue of Vanity Fair is set to clear up an important question once and for all: is waterboarding torture? No scientists or military experts were needed for this: just a self-proclaimed "wheezing, paunchy" 59-year-old scribbler. Christopher Hitchens, VF columnist and controversial panelist extraordinaire, who's written previously on the difference between "extreme interrogation" and "outright torture," submitted himself to the technique to make the call.

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Strapped to a board at a house in North Carolina, the dashing author was waterboarded by veterans of the US Special Forces, administering a technique they're usually do while teaching people how to survive. The video is proof; he didn't survive very long. To see his stark proclamation about the proceedings,

Seymour Hersh Exposes New US Covert Operations In Iran

CitizenSugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:55:36 -0700

Seymour Hersh Exposes New US Covert Operations In Iran
The New Yorker's Seymour Hersh reports on how the Bush Administration has stepped up covert operations against Iran: "Late last year, Congress agreed to a request from President Bush to fund a major escalation of covert operations against Iran, according to current and former military, intelligence, and congressional sources. These operations, for which the President sought up to four hundred million dollars, were described in a Presidential Finding signed by Bush, and are designed to destabilize the country's religious leadership."

Which Magazine Will Tell You Everything You Need to Know?

CitizenSugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 03:00:11 -0700

Or pretty darn close anyway. If you only buy one magazine this month, I've got the answer to, "Hey Citizen! Which one?!"

One of these mags features the following:

An article on the schism over homosexuality in the Anglican church, known as "the greatest crisis the modern Protestant community has faced," featuring Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Christian bishop including the trial he faced coming to terms with his sexuality, getting married and then finding himself. It ends, "It's when I let God love me that I remember who I am," and includes all the major players in the controversy.

A whole picture article with charts about who the major players are reading to follow the election, showcasing "smartest reads on the web," and how one liberal media member prefers to read right-leaning news.
A piece entitled "You Can't Save the Planet" which has an amazing chart to help nail down fact from fiction in claims about CFL light bulbs and solar power.
And a stark trip inside the Landsthul Germany hospital where every wounded US soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan is brought for treatment.

Curious? To see which one,

Beijing Gets an Olympic-Sized Makeover: In 8 Easy Steps!

CitizenSugar — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:30:49 -0700

Beijing will be dressed to impress this August when the world turns its attention east for the Summer Olympics. Radar lists eight changes in its July/August issue that China is making to ensure the city is picture perfect when the cameras go on.

Reduced traffic
To avoid unsightly traffic, the Chinese government will only let half of Beijing's drivers on its streets. How will they decide who gets to drive? Even- and odd-numbered license plates will alternate days. See, life is fair.
Less spitting
China's government is known for its oppressive quirks, but that does not include prohibiting spitting in the street. Until now. Fines and tissues will be handed to the defiant.
Fewer felines
Apparently, Beijing is like one giant cat lady. And that never did my image any good, so I can see why China is concerned. To reduce the city's overpopulated kitty sidewalks, the government launched an aggressive campaign to ensure people know the truth about cats. You know, like how they carry SARS. Scared pet owners have been sending their beloved fluffies to cat death camps.

There are more upgrades afoot. To see what else is going on,

Grand-Theft Auto It's Not. Video Games Ease Soldiers' PTSD

CitizenSugar — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:00:52 -0700

Soldiers and Marines are iron tough in battle — though the biggest enemy they face sometimes doesn't show up until they get home. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or major depression afflicts nearly 20 percent of troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. One-half don't seek treatment. But a new treatment, Virtual Iraq, allows troops to delve into their trauma without landing on the couch.

With many soldiers avoiding treatment out of fear of stigma, a customized version of the best-selling videogame Full Spectrum Warrior has become a promising option. Since 2005, the Department of Defense has poured funding into it and two other virtual-reality programs targeting PTSD. And psychologists like JoAnn Difede — who treated Sept. 11 victims with a similar program called Virtual WTC — are hopeful. She said:

You don't have to do any work. You don't have to engage in any mental effort. We'll do it for you and then, gradually, we'll let you get involved in the experience in sensory detail.

Slow and steady wins the race with this therapy. A patient's readiness to move on must be carefully assessed. Looking at an Iraqi street scene may begin and end the first session, but slowly sounds and smells and actions are added. It can take months.

How is this even helpful? To see how,

New Yorker Cartoon Finally Makes a Point!

CitizenSugar — Sun, 04 May 2008 07:00:23 -0700

There is so a first time for everything. I usually despise a New Yorker cartoon with all of my being (and don't get me started on the caption contests) but this one is actually timely, poignant, and came very, very close to making me chuckle!

I love that it speaks to the whole flag pin wearing of the candidates debate that's been featured so prominently recently.

Does this cartoon speak to you? Are flag pins really proof of patriotism? Can you just live it instead of wearing it?

Source

eHarmony Says Love Is Not For Liars or Gays?

CitizenSugar — Fri, 02 May 2008 03:00:31 -0700

The eHarmony dating site bills itself as the ultimate uniter, but a piece in Newsweek shows that the very practices that make it so successful — 236 eHarmony users marry every day — could get them sued.

The roots of the site have long been speculated about. It was founded by 72-year-old Christian self-help author Neil Clark Warren, who published several of his books under the imprint of Dobson's Focus on the Family, and then consummated that relationship when eHarmony started out by peddling eHarmony the service on Dobson's radio show.

Adding to the buzz, and a fact successfully exploited by competitor Chemistry.com, is that eHarmony rejects about 20 percent of its applicants and doesn't fully explain why. Their official statement says that the site rejects people who are underage, already married or dishonest—as well as those whose answers raise flags about their mental health. Some don't see it that way. To see who,