CitizenSugar -- Breaking News, Together.

Barack Obama Takes Pennsylvania

CitizenSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:34:00 -0800

The night is still early, but NBC is saying Barack Obama has started off with a lead in the Electoral College by winning Pennsylvania. Both parties targeted the so-called "Keystone State" as crucial to winning the race, along with large Eastern and Midwestern states like Florida and Missouri.

It's projected that Obama also won Massachusetts, New Jersey, and his home state of Illinois.

Source

Who's Watching Obama's 30-Minute TV Special Tonight?

LibertySugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:45:00 -0700

Update: The whole video of the presentation can be found below.

Tonight at 8 p.m. most networks in America will become Obama TV. The campaign has purchased a half-hour block of airtime on NBC, CBS, FOX, and Univision, to air Barack Obama: American Stories, during which he will make a closing argument for his candidacy. It will include a live segment from Florida, where Barack will lay out his plans for specific problems raised by voters.

While it could seal the deal by drumming up enthusiasm and turnout, the hefty price tag may make the appeal look like overkill. Perhaps the historical precedent for primetime appeals softens the feeling of extravagance.

Plus, two demographics — voters in the crucial states of Florida and Pennsylvania — will surely be tuning in at a high rate. The start of the World Series game five, between the Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays, has been postponed from 8:20 to 8:37 p.m., so Fox can carry Obama's address. The special will be shown after the game on the West Coast. If you're tuning in, share your reactions here!

To see the whole video,

Pep-Rally for Brains Over Brawn? Academic Trading Cards!

CitizenSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:15:10 -0700

Blah, blah, sports, blah. Not a popular sentiment, I realize — I mean they're fun to watch and all (I hear) but I'd rather know the names of the leaders of Zimbabwe than whether the World Series has happened yet. I just get concerned over the culture of idolizing athletes — because when has a touchdown ever cured cancer?

That's why I'm particularly excited over Penn State's new line of academic trading cards. Just like baseball cards (or the media heroes cards), the glossy collectables tout the top faculty members. According to the university president, "We have many great faculty, and they are surely worthy of the accolades our society often lavishes on athletes, coaches, and celebrities in the entertainment world." Hear, hear!

To take a peek at what they look like and whose featured,

Gimme a Shot of Jesus: Belly Up to the Bar With Your Bible?

CitizenSugar — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 07:00:13 -0700

If you're on your couch right now recovering from last night and wondering whether you should hit church or give your thanks over a Sunday brunch Bloody Mary instead, your prayers have been answered. The Phyrst Church in State College, PA, part of Penn State’s Christian Student Fellowship, is taking their message to the Phyrst Bar to preach the word. That's right. Church in a bar.

“We’re taking it to them, just like Jesus did in his time,” said Buzz Roberts, a minister with CSF. Seconding this is a Penn State student: “It’s about hearing a message and getting to congregate.” The relationship between God and alcohol didn’t start out on calm seas, however. The CSF contacted several area bars and few were keen to allow religious services to be held inside their establishments, until they reached the Phyrst Bar. “All I wanted was an hour on Sunday nights to share the word and they were cool with it,” said Pastor Kingshipp, also of the CSF.

The services are relaxed, offering a sermon, singing, and even a shot of Stoli. So far nearly 50 students and locals attend, and the church hopes the good times will continue to roll. What do you think? Is this a perfect shake-up of fellowship and the word, or does it stir you up?

Source

Will Impounding Johns' Cars Put Prostitution to Bed?

LibertySugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Looking to punish demand, and not just supply, Easton, PA, is considering a law that would allow police to seize the cars of anyone seeking a prostitute. Any vehicle used to solicit or patronize sexual services would be subject to impounding. If a john gets convicted of soliciting a prostitute, the city could sell his car.Since officials usually target the workers, it's somewhat refreshing to see equivalent attention paid to the customer criminals. Even so, I'm not sure any law will help end the timeless sale of sex. Will this measure put the issue of prostitution to bed? Source

Will Impounding Johns' Cars Put Prostitution to Bed?

Yay! This will send the right message, and people will think twice before soliciting sex.

Nay. This extreme reaction does not fit the crime.

Maybe. But I don't think it would really deter someone looking for sex.

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

Family Battles Poor Children of Panama for Man's Fortune

LibertySugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:30:43 -0700

An undercover child benefactor originally from Pennsylvania, has sparked an international legal battle from the grave. Wilson C. Lucom left a small amount of his fortune to his family, while leaving the rest of his tens of millions of dollars to a foundation he secretly created for the poor children of Panama.

Those who knew Lucom probably never saw this coming. While alive he funded anti-communist causes, and authored political commentaries, which often advocated solving the world's problems by dropping nuclear bombs.

Now, Lucom's widow, who was granted $20,000 a month in the will, wants the last testament of her mysteriously child friendly husband thrown out. The case is currently in front of Panama's Supreme Court, and the legal battle (which includes 20 law firms!), will decide the fate of Panama's largest charitable donation in history. Who do you want to win?

Source

President Bush Awards Medal of Honor to Ross McGinnis

CitizenSugar — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:00:39 -0700

This morning President Bush presented the nation's highest military award to a young soldier who was killed in Iraq when he threw himself on a hand grenade tossed into a Humvee and saved the four other soldiers with him in the vehicle.

Ross McGinnis of Pennsylvania was only 19 years old when he gave his life to save his fellow soldiers.

Bush said, "the Medal of Honor is the nation's highest military distinction. It's given for valor beyond anything that duty could require or a superior could command."

McGinnis' parents accepted the award. He is to be the fourth soldier to receive the Medal of Honor, for actions while serving in Iraq. McGinnis enlisted on his 17th birthday. US Army Maj. Gen. David H. Huntoon Jr. said, "He chose this path because he was a good man and an honorable man. His generosity of spirit shines bright. We salute his honor and inspiration and we remember his brilliant example of selfless service."

Source

Boy Sells Bike For Clinton While She Soars in Swing States

LibertySugar — Thu, 22 May 2008 12:15:31 -0700

The news out of the Clinton campaign regarding the candidate's finances hasn't been good lately. Even though she has raised an astonishing $200 million so far, Hillary is $19.4 million in debt.

But she has found a diamond, or at least $422, in the rough of bad money news — an 11-year-old Kentucky boy sold his bike and video games and donated the proceeds to her campaign.

Hillary's young fan Dalton Hatfield shared his motivation to give with the New York Times:

I saw that her funds were running low. I just saw so much that I did not need such as like my video games, and I thought, "What can I do with them?"

Dalton agrees with Clinton's position on the war, the economy, and health care.

Despite her lack of cash, Hillary may have a new incentive to fight on. To see why,

Does the 9/11 Flight 93 Memorial Contain Islamic Symbols?

CitizenSugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:15:36 -0700

United Airlines Flight 93, the flight that crashed into the field in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001, is set to get a memorial dedicated on the tenth anniversary of the tragedy. The design of that memorial is sparking big controversy. It was conceived by a Los Angeles-based architect, and mirrors the topography of the bowl-shaped land, highlighting a circular pathway ringed by trees, all pointed toward the "sacred ground" of the crash site near the bottom of the circle.Some are violently opposed to the memorial design saying that it includes a thinly-veiled Islamic tribute to the hijackers complete with "Islamic-like crescents built into the plan, glass blocks honoring the terrorists, a wind-chime tower that seems to be an Islamic minaret, and site points to the Islamic holy city of Mecca."One critic says, "there's Islamic symbolism in the design. The current design should be completely scrapped." Yet another says, "please don't sanction the placement of a fully functional Islamic mosque as the head stone on their graves."One woman who lost her husband during the crash as passengers struggled with Islamic terrorists for control of the plane, believed to be headed to a target in Washington said, "I don't even think about it. The land speaks for itself; it's in the shape of an embrace," not an Islamic crescent.Petitions with 5,300 signatures opposing the design were presented to the Flight 93 boards during its quarterly meeting. Is it possible the memorial contains secret symbolism?Source

Does the 9/11 Flight 93 Memorial Contain Islamic Symbols?

It's possible to find symbolism anywhere if you try. The families' opinion is what matters.

The whole community was affected. All should get a say — and they may have a point.

No one liked the Vietnam Memorial either. There are always detractors, I'm sure it's fine.

Did you see it? It looks completely like the Islamic crescent. They might be right!

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

Awaiting Results: Clinton Takes the Keystone State!!!

CitizenSugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:03:02 -0700

After six weeks of Philly cheesesteaks and endless speculation, Reuters is now reporting that Hillary Clinton has won Pennsylvania, and clinched the largest share of the 158 delegates.

The candidates now look to the next big prize, the 218 delegates of Indiana and North Carolina on May 6. Want to play with what tonight's results do to the overall totals of the race? Check out the delegate counter and enter in the results.

Are you surprised by the outcome? Will we still have two Democratic candidates in the morning? Do you hope so? What does this mean for the race?

Pennsylvania Primary Results . . . Almost There . . .

LibertySugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:06:25 -0700

While we're desperately waiting for some conclusive results, here are some scraps of info coming from the internet and those notoriously unreliable exit polls. Eat it up wit' Whiz!

Wonkette is watching every single cable channel all at once so you don't have to!
Huffington Post says exit polls are splitting on gender lines Women: Clinton 55; Obama 44; Men: Clinton 47; Obama 53.
According to the Associated Press women and older voters came out in force, encouraging signs for Hillary Clinton.
Politico reports that Obama is preparing to spin loss as a victory.
Exit polls from ABC found two-thirds of Pennsylvania voters in preliminary exit poll results say Clinton attacked Obama unfairly; fewer, but still about half, also say Obama unfairly attacked Clinton.
The New York Times says turnout could be at least double the 26 percent recorded in the 2004 primary.

What's your prediction?

Source

Front Page: PA Votes on Earth Day, 35 MPG by 2020, Chemical Ali, Tainted Heparin

CitizenSugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 06:51:58 -0700

PA Votes on Earth Day: On this Earth Day, Pennsylvania voters head to the polls to award their 158 delegates. The Clinton campaign let loose at the last minute, running an ad featuring shots of historic world events such as Pearl Harbour and the fall of the Berlin Wall, with clips of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden and Hurricane Katrina victims and the concluding line, "you need to be ready for anything." The Obama campaign said of the move, "we already have a president who plays the politics of fear, and we don't need another." The Clinton campaign defended the ad saying, "we're at a moment where we need a president who's got the strength and knowledge to take on very tough challenges." We'll be checking in with the situation in Pennsylvania throughout the day and have results here tonight!

35 MPG by 2020: Federal regulators are expected to unveil a shorter schedule for auto companies working toward a fuel-efficiency goal of 35 miles a gallon by 2020 for all vehicles. The industry will likely have to meet a target of 31.5 miles a gallon for Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, by 2015, according to insiders. An environmental consultant thinks that the short-term target for CAFE was likely to be 31.5 miles a gallon by 2015 saying, “they will be implementing roughly two-thirds of the improvements in oil use and emissions in half the time."
Chemical Ali: Saddam Hussein’s cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid, who is also known as Chemical Ali, has been taken to an American military hospital. He apparently suffered a heart attack while in custody awaiting execution. Chemical Ali was among three of Hussein’s lieutenants sentenced to death by an Iraqi court last June after being found guilty of using poisonous gas against Kurds in northern Iraq in the 1980s.
Tainted Heparin: A contaminated blood thinner (Heparin) from China has been found in drug supplies in 11 countries. US Federal officials said yesterday they had discovered a clear link between the contaminant and severe reactions now associated with 81 deaths in the United States. Response from the Chinese embassy says that because illnesses associated with contaminated heparin had occurred only in the United States, it suggests that the problem arose once the medication arrived in the US.

Front Page: Indonesia Sentences Militant, PA Votes, Carter and Hamas

CitizenSugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 06:57:21 -0700

Indonesia Sentences Militant: An Indonesian court has sentenced Abu Dujana, a suspected military commander of an al Qaeda-linked terror network, to 15 years in prison. He is thought to be leader of the military wing of Jemaah Islamiyah, a group with ties to al Qaeda with an aim to turn Southeast Asia into a Muslim "superstate." The court found Dujana guilty today of illegally possessing firearms and explosives, and of harboring suspected terrorists. He's also thought to have had direct involvement in the Bali nightclub bombings of 2002 that killed more than 200, mostly Western, tourists. Dujana described Jemaah Islamiyah as "an underground organization," saying "it will continue to exist and continue to move on with its plans" to create an Islamic state under Sharia law despite his capture.

PA Votes: Pennsylvanians head to the polls tomorrow voting in their primary, and deciding who gets the bigger slice of the 158 delegate pie. Polls show Clinton with a small but not devastating lead, indicating that the race will continue on to Indiana and North Carolina.

Carter and Hamas: Former US President Jimmy Carter reports after meeting Hamas leaders in Syria, that Hamas is prepared to accept the right of Israel to "live as a neighbour next door in peace." Carter was troubled that the US and Israel would not meet the group. His visit with the group has caused controversy, which he defends by saying, "the problem is not that I met with Hamas in Syria. The problem is that Israel and the United States refuse to meet with someone who must be involved." Carter said Hamas had said that it would accept an Israeli state within its pre-1967 borders if such an agreement was approved by Palestinians.

Immigration Divides Communities in the US and France

LibertySugar — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:33:50 -0700

An ill-fated, and extremely tough, immigration ordinance has caused ethnic divisions in small-town Hazleton, PA. Mayor Lou Barletta, was proud of the nation's strictest immigration law that punished businesses for hiring undocumented workers as well as landlords who rented to them. The law was ultimately declared unconstitutional in federal court.

Meanwhile in France, businesses and unions are clashing with President Sarkozy over his promise to deport 25,000 illegal immigrants each year. Businesses complain that they are forced to play police, and fire workers they cannot replace. To see what happened this week,

Who's Watching the Pennsylvania Democratic Debate?

LibertySugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:30:50 -0700

Are you all ready for Democratic Debate Number 21?!

Will you be watching the Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama face off in Pennsylvania tonight because you love seeing democracy in action, and live for in-depth policy discussions? Or, is the Democratic Party like a train wreck you just can't help but watch?

Whatever your reason, let's break it down tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET. ABC! Be there or be square!

Source

Food Stamp Stats Show US Hungry for Help

CitizenSugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 09:00:04 -0700

Yesterday morning's talk about Haiti's food riots turned my attention to tummies close to home. Specifically, food stamps. Perhaps once considered the currency of that spurious caricature the "welfare queen," government food assistance is a harbinger of tight times — and tightening belts. Take a look at these stats out this week:

This year, 28 million Americans are predicted to receive food stamps. That's the highest number since 1960.
1 in 8 Michigan residents receive food stamps.
1.17 million Pennsylvanians were receiving food stamps in a February count, up 4.4 percent from last year and close to a record high.
1 in 3 Oklahoma kids have been on food stamps at some point in the last year.

To receive government food aid, applicants have to pass a very strict asset test and a very strict income test. Some say the threshold to qualify is too high. Once a person qualifies, benefits average about $100 a month per person in the family. In New Hampshire, a state that's seen a 7 percent increase in food stamp beneficiaries, the maximum daily allotment for someone in a three-person, incomeless household is $4.53 a day. It would take some pretty creative cooking to eat on less than $5 a day.

Are those benefits too small? Should we still be relying on the almost 50-year-old program, or should we be taking care of local food needs with private or faith-based programs?

Serious news notwithstanding — never fear! Our fancier international friends recognize that the US is on a budget. To see how they're offering assistance,

More Bushes and Clintons! PA to Stick With What It Knows?

LibertySugar — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:00:11 -0700

Call it comfy jeans politics, but the prospect of a Bush, Clinton, Clinton, Bush, Bush, (Clinton?) run stemming back to 1981 (counting Bush Sr.'s tenure as Ronald Reagan's VP) does not alarm Pennsylvania voters.

Luckily for Hillary Clinton, dynasties are just fine in the Keystone State, where political offices are often passed through generations of the same family. Clinton's name recognition is not a liability, but a durable asset. Pennsylvanians like tried and true candidates. Example? Former Governor Robert Casey Sr. ran for office three times, before he won.

While Pennsylvania Democrats may not warm up quickly to the new kid on the block, do you think Americans in general have dynasty fatigue? Perhaps Clinton should be judged solely as an individual, and not part of a Clinton dynasty. But that argument seems shaky since she invokes her husband's presidency so often.

Does it weaken democracy if the presidency remains with the same two families? Or, are Americans comfortable with ruling families they know so well?

Source

Front Page: Iraq Fights in Basra, PA Dems Balloon, Sirius/XM

CitizenSugar — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 06:58:43 -0700

Thousands of Iraqi troops battled Shia militias in heavy fighting that has been raging in the southern city of Basra. At least 12 people have died in the conflict, one day after Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki vowed to "re-impose law." Some of the most brutal fighting was with the Mehdi Army, supporters of radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr. The city of Basra with its wealth of oil makes the area ripe for warring. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said, "Militias have taken over almost the city and law and order has collapsed, although it is not a hopeless case because the government is taking measures to reverse the situation. Remember, Basra is the lifeline of Iraq. Most of Iraq's oil exports go through Basra." Those oil exports provide most of Iraq's revenues.

Democratic voter registration in Pennsylvania has hit a record of more than four million voters. Yesterday was the deadline for Pennsylvanians to register ahead of the April primary. In addition to more than 120,000 new voters registered this year, more than 86,000 others switched from other parties to register as Democrats. Only 12,000 switched registration to become Republicans, perhaps signaling the desire of Keystone voters to participate in the tight Democratic contest.
Sirius Satellite Radio won US antitrust clearance in their proposed purchase of XM Satellite Radio. The deal would create a single US satellite-radio provider. The Justice Department approved the deal and said the combined company won't amount to a monopoly because of competition from other types of audio entertainment like broadcast radio and MP3 players. The Justice Department's antitrust chief said, "we just simply found the evidence did not support a challenge to the transaction under the antitrust laws."

Front Page: Casualites Reach 4,000, Torch Lit, PA Deadline

CitizenSugar — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:58:51 -0700

The US death toll in Iraq reached 4,000 yesterday after four soldiers were killed in a roadside bombing in Baghdad. This sad milestone is likely to fuel calls for the withdrawal of American forces as the war enters its sixth year. The fatal attacks came amid heavy shelling on the US-protected Green Zone which also killed 61 Iraqis. The grim tally of US deaths has a companion list, that of Iraqi casualties. One widely respected count is by Iraq Body Count, which collects figures based mostly on media reports, estimates that 82,349 to 89,867 Iraqi civilians have lost their lives in the conflict.

The Olympic torch has been lit at a ceremony briefly disrupted by protesters. At the lighting held in Greece, two pro-Tibet activists broke through the mass of 1,000 police officers in Olympia and tried to display a flag as China's envoy spoke. During the speech by the head of the Beijing Olympic committee, two men ran up behind him attempting to display a black flag depicting the Olympic rings made from handcuffs. The men were swiftly contained and removed by police and the ceremony continued uninterrupted. The torch will now begin the journey around Greece before being sent to China to start a trip through 20 countries, returning to Beijing on 08.08.08.
Today marks the deadline for Pennsylvania voters to register to vote prior to the state's big primary. The April 22 contest could prove to be a pivotal point in the campaign with 188 delegate votes at stake.

Picture It: Truckers Unite to Put Brakes on Runaway Fuel Costs

CitizenSugar — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:39 -0700

Photo of the Day: With diesel prices hitting $4 per gallon, a big group of road warriors assembled this weekend in Pennsylvania. In addition to the fuel costs, the plan to privatize the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which will affect the tolls on I-80, heavily influences big rigs traveling across the country. One of the group's spokesmen said, “Every freight that travels across Interstate 80 is paying $100 more.”

The rally of truckers turned out to organize a convoy to drive I-81 on March 31 to raise awareness of the effect that diesel prices have on us all. The eventual goal is a convoy to Washington, DC.

Source

Inconvenient Timing: Hillary Receives Big Endorsement

CitizenSugar — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:00:27 -0700

If an endorsement falls in Hillary Clinton's forest on the same day Barack Obama gives a huge speech about race, does it make a sound? If it does, it's muffled at best.

Yesterday Representative John Murtha (D — PA) endorsed Hillary Clinton, the first superdelegate to line up behind her since her victories in the last big primaries. The endorsement is key for a number of reasons:

Murtha is a decorated Vietnam veteran. He created a stir in 2005 by calling for an end to the war in Iraq, and in his endorsement stated that Clinton has "a similar position" on the conflict. This is significant backing given Obama's reliance on his 2002 speech against the war and his subsequent attacks on Clinton's war vote. Having Murtha's approval on her Iraq position and plan strengthens her cause.

But wait, that's not all! Please