CitizenSugar -- Breaking News, Together.

Quiz Nation! New Year's Eve Drop Traditions in the US

CitizenSugar — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 10:00:17 -0800

Every year up to one million people gather in Times Square to watch the ball drop, and an estimated one billion watch video of the event, 100 million of them in the United States. While it may seem like the main celebratory attraction, there are thousands of quirky drops that happen in small cities around America. Do you know how they get down? Take my quiz and find out!
Source

All in Your Head...and Internet: Culture and Psychology Collide

CitizenSugar — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 06:00:56 -0800

Paranoid delusions are nothing if not timely. In World War II, psychotics often thought their neighbors were Nazis. They became spies during the cold war and terrorists after 9-11. But as the cultural landscape changes, so does the delusional scenery. Today culture and technology intersect with mental illness like major events did before.

While it may seem like this only affects a select group, psychiatrists say delusions and hallucinations of the mentally ill reflect what the world, or at least its more neurotic inhabitants, worry about. What's being escalated into all-out delusions today?

Internet Delusion
The Internet could make anyone paranoid, but it's a minefield for some. People become convinced the Internet is monitoring or controlling their lives. An Austrian woman even believed she was a walking webcam.
Truman Show Delusion
Named after the movie The Truman Show, where Jim Carrey's character learns his life is a soap opera that's being broadcast 24-7, people believe they are stars of reality shows. While patients differ in experiences, they all believe they've been chosen without consent and producers are controlling their lives.
Climate Change Delusion
While I've heard of eco-anxiety, climate change delusion is a whole new level. Australian psychiatrists reported the first case this Summer when a patient refused to drink water, fearing its consumption could lead to the death of millions.

These all lead to a chicken-and-egg question: Are these just modern examples of age-old paranoia? Or is there something about the pervasive coverage — both method and subject — that's pushing people over the line, farther and faster than ever?

Source

New Bible Modernizes the Word With Angelina: Heavenly Idea?

CitizenSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:45:22 -0700

Though the story might always start, "in the beginning," the Bible has taken a whole host of formats from iPod ready to graphic novel, but this latest incarnation called Bible Illuminated: The Book takes the Bible and smashes in a bit of People and a little bit of Vogue and reimagines it as an avant-garde coffee-table book of photo essays to tell the story of Jesus for an Angelina Age (yep, she's in there.)What's behind the new slick format? One professor of religious studies explains it like this: "In general, Bible publishers have always been creative, but now they are scrambling to meet a culture where people are moving away from print reading. In a visually literate, advertising-skeptical age — how do you grab people's attention? Mixing the biblical text with Angelina Jolie doesn't surprise me."Sales of Bibles rise during times of war and economic crisis, (uh, check and check) so the new version may be an instant best-seller and might lure new readers in. The dean emeritus at the Nida Institute For Biblical Scholarship says, "We are living in the age of increased secularization and distance from traditional religion. It's about new points of entry in a modern world that is not ready to open its doors and windows to the traditional word."

New Bible Modernizes the Word With Angelina: Heavenly Idea?

Of course! As long as it tells the story, what's wrong with modern images?

No way. It's one step closer to total commodatization. Jesus is fine without Angelina.

Other. I'll give you my good word in the comments.

Artist Shows True Consequences of Brutal Bugs Cartoons

CitizenSugar — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 10:00:36 -0700

Ah, Saturday morning. That blissful time formerly devoted exclusively to cartoons, though what happened? Cartoon Network, did you have to ruin everything? Even though Bugs, Daffy, and their pals might not be standard pancake breakfast companions anymore, given this new less-than-appetizing art show at London's Aquarium gallery, that might be a good thing.

You know how Elmer Fudd was always hunting ducks, and Daffy's bill was constantly getting blown to the back of his head? Artist James Cauty does — and he's re-imagined all of the faux-cartoon violence, with realistic gory consequences. The artist says, "People have been saying since the 60's that cartoons should show the consequences of violence, or kids will get the wrong idea. It's very difficult to shock kids these days — you have cartoon characters being shot in the head and walking off cliffs, so we have decided to replace them with something more realistic."

That realism includes a work showing the cat Sylvester having taken a bite out of Tweety, with a generous amount of blood, and Tom the cat chopping Jerry the mouse into small pieces in a pool of . . . Jerry's insides. Is this appropriate for kids? To see what the artist says,

Boo, I'm Osama bin Laden? Are Certain Costumes Off-Limits?

CitizenSugar — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:00:12 -0700

While it may be a bit until Halloween, all those "Spirit Stores" are popping up selling costumes already, and they made this story jump out at me. This week a senior British police officer found himself in hot water over his choice of costume for the local carnival parade. He's been advising the Afghan government on counter-terrorism, so I suppose he thought his costume was true to the theme: he showed up dressed as Osama bin Laden. Despite the fact that the officer works to fight terrorism and has attended 9/11 memorial services in New York, his superiors were not amused by the flowing robes and turban. A spokesman for the officer's unit released a statement condemning the costume: “While we believe that his actions were misguided rather than malicious, they were clearly inappropriate, and we would condemn any such actions by any police officer as unacceptable.”Even though Halloween is more and more (it seems to me anyway) about dressing as sexy and shocking as possible, was this beyond the boundaries of taste? It's certainly a scary enough costume — and they sell Osama masks online — but are certain costumes automatically off-limits?

Boo, I'm Osama bin Laden? Are Certain Costumes Off-Limits?

Absolutely. Some costumes are by nature in very poor taste and shouldn't be worn.

Where you're wearing it is a consideration, but in the end, it's just a costume.

Nope. They're all fair game. Osama, Hitler . . . after all, the point is to be scary, right?

Other. I'll say "boo" in the comments.

Hug It Out! McCain Brings a New Level of Affection to Politics

CitizenSugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:15:20 -0700

It's one small squeeze for woman, one giant leap for hug-kind. I didn't believe the prevalence of the McCain/Palin embrace until I went searching for pictures — and found the mother lode of warm greetings. The second mixed-gender ticket in history is breaking the boundaries of the cold handshake with a now signature — yet brief and businesslike — clinch.

What a change from 1984, when candidate Walter Mondale had a strict look-don't-touch policy with his running mate, Geraldine Ferraro — so much so that he didn't even put palm to back when the two stood side by side on stage, with waving arms high. Ferraro remembers, “people were afraid that it would look like, ‘Oh, my God, they’re dating.’ ”

While Palin gets the hugs, Cindy gets the smooches — and now the first introduction — when they're all on stage together. To see how that evolved, and who disapproves,

Coney Island's Astroland Takes Its Final Shot at the Freak

LibertySugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 03:00:00 -0700

A New York establishment, Astroland Amusement Park on Coney Island's boardwalk, closed its doors Sunday, after 46-years of amusing visitors. Since landowner Thor Equities decided not to renew the lease with the park owner, 300 park workers will be out of work after they dismantle the rides.

Not all is lost — the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel rides have been spared, thanks to their independent ownership and landmark status. And Thor Equities has plans to bring new rides by next summer.

Since we all know the children matter most, it's a shame to hear that the news of the closure on Coney upset the local kids, as well as nostalgic adults. A seventh-grade teacher at a Brooklyn school explained that the kids greeted the news with disappointed curiosity. Ms. Simonson said:

They were upset and confused that the rides they'd spent childhood summers on would no longer exist. I reassured them that some elements of Astroland would still remain, but I also understood their disillusionment. They don't get all of the politics and profits behind the changes — to them, it just seems like strange people are going to march into the park and knock things down.

Are cities losing their character to progress and profit, or is it time for modern and financially sustainable institutions of fun?

Source

Nyet to Kenny? Russia Wants to Ban "Extremist" US Cartoon

CitizenSugar — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:30:38 -0700

While it's never won awards for being kinder and gentler entertainment (though it does have two Emmys) now South Park is on the run in Russia. Prosecutors are looking to ban the "extremist" cartoon after viewer complaints. Filing suit against the network showing the cartoon, the spokesman says, "South Park is just one of many cartoons that need to be banned from open broadcast . . . as it insults the feelings of religious believers and incites religious and national hatred."

The episode in question? The 1999 episode called "Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics" that shows the cast singing Christmas Carols. The spokesman goes on to say, "It's one thing if they are on cable TV and viewers pay money and make a conscious choice. But young children should not be able to turn on the TV after school and watch this. They need to be defended."

In 2006, Russia passed a law extending the definition of extremism to include "the abasement of national dignity" and "inciting religious and national hatred." Does South Park do this — or is it all in good fun?

Would You Get a Tattoo of Your Favorite Candidate?

CitizenSugar — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 07:00:49 -0700

Holy commitment to the cause, Batman! A tattoo shop in Moore, Oklahoma is giving away free tattoos— of Barack Obama's face. The tattoo artist is an Obama supporter and says while he doesn't have money to give to the cause, he can donate his talent to help Obama-maniacs wear the Senators face — forever. The artist says, "I'm a tattoo artist and a lot of people that are into the tattoo thing like free tattoos." He's done about 100 of those free tattoos, a black and white likeness of the Senator with the words Obama 2008 in red. Is this wildly creative campaigning and a testimony to the fervor the 2008 campaign has inspired? Would you transfer your ballot to your back?

Would You Get a Tattoo of Your Favorite Candidate?

Why not? It's free, and what better way to remember a historic election?

Heaven's no. This is absurd! Candidates come and go, ink is forever.

Maybe? People get tattoos of less meaningful things all the time, right?

Other. I'll ink it up in the comments.

Has the Peace Sign Sold Out Its Meaning?

CitizenSugar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:00:57 -0700

I remember drawing them on my notebook during the first Gulf War and not really knowing what they meant — and now the peace sign is turning the big 5-0. The famous symbol made its first official public appearance in 1958 to advocate nuclear disarmament, and has since been used to graphically support a range of efforts from economic justice to environmentalism. Nearly every altruistic group has used this iconic logo as a way to communicate the idea of universal brotherhood.

The designer of the symbol, Gerald Holtom, created the logo while in a big funk. He explains the symbol: “I was in despair. Deep despair. I drew myself: the representative of an individual in despair, with hands palm outstretched outwards and downwards . . .” (I never saw that until I read this, but now it makes sense!) Holtom died in 1985, and some say if he had lived this long, he might really understand the true meaning of the word “despair."

How has a simple symbol morphed from a cry for help to a price tag? To see how,

Should We Pick a New Word? Minorities to Be Majority by 2042

CitizenSugar — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:01:48 -0700

According to new Census Bureau projections, ethnic and racial minorities won't be that way for very long. The census calculates that by 2042, Americans who consider themselves a minority including Hispanic, black, and Asian will in combination outnumber non-Hispanic whites. Even earlier, minority children will be the majority by 2023.

The change happened quicker than previously expected, one reason being significantly higher birthrates among immigrants. Also projections of the growing influx of foreign-born immigrants show it's set to rise from 1.3 million per year now to 2 million per year by the mid-2000s, and the aging and dying of the less prolific whites. It's like a melting pot on speed; a demographer says, “no other country has experienced such rapid racial and ethnic change.”

To see what this means for the state of the population,

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon Proved Globally Via Text Messages

CitizenSugar — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 09:06:41 -0700

Hey, don't I know you from somewhere? According to this new study, chances are, yes. Using records of 30 billion electronic conversations from 180 million people the world over, researchers have concluded that on average, any two people are only separated by 6.6 degrees of separation — meaning they could be linked together by seven acquaintances.

Kevin Bacon eat your heart out.

The researchers say, "to our knowledge, this is the first time a planetary-scale social network has been available to validate the well-known '6 degrees of separation' finding by Travers and Milgram." Within the study two people were dubbed acquaintances if they had zapped one another a text message. They then calculated the minimum chain lengths it would take to connect 180 billion different pairs of users in the database, finding it to be 6.6 hops.

Is it a small world after all? To see the study that started the six-degrees game,

Could Sex Without a Condom Be the New Engagement Ring?

CitizenSugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:30:46 -0700

Condom-free sex is the new engagement ring. As shocking and lurid as that sounds, the story behind the headline is actually kind of logical. As told in an NPR piece in conjunction with the Youth Radio organization, for young kids in physical relationships now, they've never known a time before the threat of HIV/AIDS. What they have known however, is the impermanence of marriage. A ring, as they say in the piece, is temporary — STDs are not.That's why the new engagement is sitting down with your partner, having a serious talk about commitment, and taking the plunge to get tested together. One of the teens interviewed said, "to have sex without a condom, it's like saying I love you." What it stands for is trust, a commitment, and a shared future together. Precautions are still taken to prevent pregnancy — it's not about that, it's about the trust that the other person won't stray or put your health in danger. Does this trend make sense? Is trusting your health to another, the truest form of commitment? Want more? You can listen to the whole three-minute piece. Source

Could Sex Without a Condom Be the New Engagement Ring?

Sure! Marriage isn't permanent at all — losing protection is really the ultimate bond.

I can see why it's happening, but it's a really dangerous trend. You can't divorce AIDS.

No! There's no commitment deeper than marriage. This is scary and makes no sense.

Other. I'll commit to leaving my opinion in the comments.

Progress? India Poised to Elect "Untouchable" Prime Minister?

CitizenSugar — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:00:02 -0700

While India reels from a new spate of bombings over the weekend, terrorist attacks like these have become more prevalent in recent years, unsettling the country. Officials say the attacks are attempts to incite violence between Hindus and Muslims, which so far have failed. Who could be the perfect person to unite and lead a country in unsettled times? Perhaps an icon of uniting within division itself — Dalit leader Mayawati Kumari.

Usually answering just to Mayawati, this icon of the Dalit or "untouchable" caste has emerged as a political force. Leading the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which represents the most people (160 million) with the fewest seats in parliament (17), Mayawati is broadening her political appeal to include upper-caste Hindus and Muslims, creating a masterful and uniting coalition within India's fractious society.

To see where she came from,

Ever Wondered Why Asians Seem Like Better Students?

CitizenSugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:00:28 -0700

A group of eight students at Lincoln High School in Los Angeles hunkered down in a room to talk about a touchy subject: What's behind the Asian math-whiz-valedictorian stereotype — and why do other ethnic backgrounds appear to come up short in the classroom?

Long thought to be traceable to socioeconomic backgrounds that theory no longer makes the grade. At Lincoln High School both the surrounding neighborhood and student body are 15 percent Asian — why then do Asian students make up 50 percent of the Advanced Placement classes, and teachers can’t remember the last time a Latino was valedictorian?

The students' talk about the difference was frank. When talking about a Hispanic student who was good at math one said, "I think Carlos is Asian at heart," and described one Asian student who didn't get good grades as, "Mexican at heart." The students squashed the economic background reasoning, agreeing that of their school, the Latino and Asian students came mostly from poor and working-class families.

Looking further at census data, 84 percent of the Asian and Latino families in the area earn below $50,000 — stumping the fact that the Science Bowl team is 90 percent Asian, as is the Academic Decathlon team.

To see possible reasons for this,

London Opera Gimmick to Bring Culture to Tabloid Masses

CitizenSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:15:15 -0700

For a publicity stunt at London's Royal Opera House, the controversy may not be over 'til that fat lady, you know whats. It's elite vs. lowbrow, and it's hard to see who's in the right.

Here's the gimmick: the opera house limited tickets to a prestigious premiere to readers of The Sun, a tabloid newspaper, in a bid to attract a more diverse audience and upset the image that the opera is just for the elite. Ticket prices for good seats usually run $400 (that's a high note!) so the Sun deal reserves all 2,200 seats for readers at prices from $15 to $60. The head of the opera says, "we have so many opportunities to open up our doors to more people and I'm thrilled that we're able to invite those who have never been to the Opera House before to experience a first-night performance."

Nice right? Who can find fault with that? To find out,

Olympics Emergency Air Plan: Is Wearing a Mask an Insult?

CitizenSugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:00:26 -0700

Traffic restrictions started in Beijing over the weekend in a frantic effort to try and improve the city's air quality before the start of the Games. By only allowing vehicles with odd-numbered license plates into the city on alternating days with evens, officials hope the halving of traffic will take 60 percent of the city's 3.3 million cars off the roads and reduce emissions by two-thirds.

Though the atmospheric throat-clearing is all about getting gussied up for company, locals are loving the effect. One mom said, "it's great — today there are far fewer cars on the road and the air quality is so nice. This is good for the children." With 1,000 new cars hitting Beijing streets every day the measures are herculean in one of the world's most congested cities.

Not limited to cars, construction and factories have also been quashed, making it clear that the bid for cleaner air is wholly temporary — once the rings come down, it's business as usual. For now, an extra 4 million people are expected to smush their way onto public transportation — claustrophobes, stay out of China.

Though the plan seems to be helping a little, all of this effort still might not be enough — and the stars of the show, the athletes, are grappling with a crisis of manners over performance. To see how,

Peace, Wigs, and Happiness: Love Parade Draws 1.5 Million

CitizenSugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 03:00:06 -0700

A record crowd of 1.5 million dancing, happy revelers celebrated at Germany's Love Parade held Saturday in Dortmund, Germany. A Summer tradition held for the first time in Berlin in 1989 just after the wall came down, it started as an expression of a changing Europe and was originally a political demonstration for peace and global understanding through music.

That music thumped this weekend from 37 floats and 250 DJs as the wildly costumed participants kept the peace demonstration, peaceful. Almost a dozen international cities have spin-offs of the event, including Mexico City, Cape Town, and Rio de Janeiro. Next year's event is set for Bochum, Germany — get your tickets (and/or green wigs) now!

Source

Barack Obama: Is America Ready For an Un-Funny President?

LibertySugar — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:00:50 -0700

George W. Bush may have his critics, but comedians should not be among those eager to have him leave the public stage, especially if the un-funny Obama becomes president.

Bill Clinton's womanizing, Al Gore's monotone persona, and George W. Bush's trouble with words define them in "funny" terms. But no one can seem to pin down what defining characteristic makes Obama funny. Jon Stewart shared what his team has come up with: “Our take is that he’s positioning himself to be on a coin.” Um, ha ha?

Others think political correctness has killed America's sense of humor, along with the candidate's. Rumor has it that Obama told Maureen Dowd of the NY Times that he is hypersensitive to remarks about his ears. And of course there is the "race factor" — white writers and comedians tend to stay away from that subject.

Perhaps comedians have gotten lazy over the last eight years. After all, you just have to roll a tape of Bush talking to, or dancing with, a foreign leader to get outbursts of laughter. You might remember the 2004 lampoon of Bush and Kerry by the Jib Jab team — the parody of This Land is Your Land? Well, they're baaa-a-ck! Check it out and see if this is the way to funny up '08.

Source

One Is the Loneliest Number: 100 Million Chinese Are "Onelies"

CitizenSugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:06 -0700

For someone who puts a fair amount of stock in how astrology and birth order affects a personality, this news released yesterday by China's state media is chilling: there are now 100 million only children running around. China's famed one-child policy began in the late 1970 and continues to limit couples to one child per household has resulted in 100 million people with no one to fight with, share with, relate to — and the shrinking family is becoming permanent. In 1982, the average Chinese household was 4.4 people. In 2005, it dropped to 3.1.

In a nation that currently has about 1.3 billion people, this law has prevented an estimated 400 million additional births from occurring. It's prevented the population equivalent of the United States. As China created the law to ensure better health care and education, it's possible they've succeeded, though not without its trade-offs. To see how,

Merriam-Webster Unveils New Dictionary Words

CitizenSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:10:29 -0700

Merriam-Webster Unveils New Dictionary Words Merriam-Webster Inc. has added more than 100 new words. Is it acceptable to serve edamame to a dinner guest who's a pescatarian? Should you pour prosecco or soju for the winner of the Texas Hold 'em game you're planning near the infinity pool? And what's that wing nut in the corner saying about dirty bombs and nasty Noroviruses? These and about 100 other words that have taken root in the American lexicon — and the dictionary.

What Motivates Female Suicide Bombers?

LibertySugar — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 03:00:13 -0700

Last week's terrorist bombing in Iraq, carried out by a woman, made many of you question the logic behind suicide bombings. While men are still far more likely to be suicide bombers than women, more and more women are ready to die and ready to kill. Male or female, the endgame is always the same, but what leads them to a crowded square with a bomb strapped on is not.

Time magazine tells the story of Hasna Maryi, a suicide bomber who found her calling after her brother died en route to his mission when a fellow jihadis's belt prematurely exploded. She was devastated: he would never be a martyr. His only path to salvation, she decided, was for her to complete his mission. Religion was not her motive (she hardly cracked the Koran growing up), but redemption was.

Hasna's story is not an anomaly. Research findings reported in Studies in Conflict and Terrorism found female suicide terrorists were more motivated by personal reasons and more likely to be recruited through peer influence, exploitation, and self-promotion than men, who found their fury in religion and nationalism and were recruited through religious persuasion.

In eJournal USA (as in paid for by the US government, just a disclosure . . .) the article "Women As Victims and Victimizers" examines the complicated question of why? To find out,

Powersuit of Tradition: Sworn Virgins In Albania Are Dwindling

CitizenSugar — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 08:05:57 -0700

In Albania, gender equality has a literal meaning — and a less modern, more traditional translation that your 9 to 5 or Working Girl tropes. For centuries, sworn virginity has allowed woman to live as men, with all the responsibilities and rights that accompany the role in a conservative society.

In closed-off rural northern Albania, the practice of swapping genders was a practical solution motivated by social necessity, for a family with a shortage of men. One woman decided to make the change after her father was killed leaving no male heir. The custom she chose requires a vow of lifetime virginity — in exchange for living as a man with all the authority the gender commands — including the obligation to avenge her father’s death. Though she says she wouldn't necessarily do it now, then it was an easy decision:

Back then, it was better to be a man because before a woman and an animal were considered the same thing. Now, Albanian women have equal rights with men, and are even more powerful. I think today it would be fun to be a woman.

With sexual equality and modern trappings seeping into Albania (including MTV which popped in after the fall of the Berlin Wall) the tradition is fading. Not needing to make the vow to own property, move freely, or avoid an arranged marriage, now there are only about 40 sworn virgins remaining. The decision not only created equality in life, it created equality in worth. A woman is worth is half that of a man, but a virgin is worth the same as a man — 12 oxen.

The changes of modern times don't sit well with all the sworn virgins. To see why,

Pale and Persecuted: Albinos Hunted, Terrorized in Tanzania

CitizenSugar — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 03:00:27 -0700

Living in sub-Saharan Africa isn't an easy existence for anyone — but for albino people living in one of Earth’s hottest areas has intense challenges. Their total lack of pigmentation, which affects 1 in 3,000, is excruciating under the glaring African sun — they are predisposed to severe skin burns and often die of skin cancer before the age of 30.

Though lately, the weather is the least of their problems. Tanzanian officials claim that witch doctors are promoting the sale of albino skin, bones and hair as ingredients in spells to create prosperity. In the past year, 19 albinos including children have been killed or mutilated. Police are creating lists of albinos throughout their nation in an effort to better protect them including escorts for albino children to get to and from school. I absorb a lot of news, but this story is almost unimaginably horrific. To see how,

Air India Attendants Too Fat (Ugly) to Fly? Court Says A-OK

CitizenSugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:00:23 -0700

India's state-owned airline, Air India, has just won the right to prevent attendants from taking flight for carrying on extra weight. The Delhi high court ruled on a case filed by five flight attendants protesting the fact that they'd been grounded by the airline for being too fat to fly. They're expected to appeal.

The judges sided with the airlines, saying a chubby crew presents a safety hazard — but then there's this addition to the judgment — in the highly competitive airline industry, flight attendant's physical condition and appearance play an important role in her overall personality. (Emphasis, mine.) How can someone's appearance dictate her personality? I buy that flight attendants have to be in a physical condition good enough to save people from a burning plane, but the beauty factor of the ruling is not so pretty.

The government-run airline is up against private airlines who don't clothe their employees in traditional saris, opting for Western get-ups, and they've pinpointed the crux of being competitive with their employees' looks. At a recent recruitment drive the airline refused applicants with acne or bad teeth.

Can a court rule that the attractiveness of an employee has business ramifications? OK, some industries — modeling, and the like — depend on appearance, but maintaining safety on an aircraft? Is the ruling fair justice, or just pretty ugly?

Source

World Wide Web of Justice: People's Court RAW

CitizenSugar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:15:14 -0700

I'll admit, in my youth I abused TV courtroom dramas. Hey, I was young, it was summertime, and the talkshow/reality TV circuit was in its nascent stages. That's why to this day I can recite the whole opening to The People's Court. You know, "both parties have agreed to dismiss their court cases and have their disputes settled here, in our forum, The People's Court.

You can imagine my excitement about this: People's Court Raw. It takes the court concept and smashes it into YouTube, letting bickering parties upload videos of their side of the argument, and letting the Internet community decide who wins. This is why the Internet was invented — so we can all be Judge Wapner. It's so brilliant, it just might work.

Cases on the docket now and open for voting: "Why do we need 4,000 giant dog beds?" and "Do you think it's OK if guys show emotion and cry?" That's it folks, you won't hear another peep from me today, I'm going to being playing bailiff on this site.

Would you submit a case for adjudication by a jury of your Internet peers? What question would you like settled? Is it even worth it without Doug Llewelyn asking the tough questions in the lobby?

Greece Grants Gay Marriages, Japan Awards Gender Rights

CitizenSugar — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:00:41 -0700

With a Greek mayor who presided over outlawed gay marriages yesterday saying, "The laws on marriage simply do not specify any genders. To me, therefore, if something is not banned by law it is not illegal," now facing jail time for his actions, Japan's government is actually moving toward broader gender ideas.

Japan’s House of Councillors (like the US Senate) has unanimously passed legislation which will allow people with gender identity disorder to officially change their sex, giving Gender Identity Disordered (GID) people the ability to change the way the world perceives them — on paper. To see how,

Meet the Happiest Place on Earth — and the Scariest Place

CitizenSugar — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:00:07 -0700

The South Pacific isle of Vanuatu has been voted the happiest place on Earth. Is it a luxurious island paradise of sipping Mai-Tais on the beach, being fanned by tanned studs? Hardly. The blissful residents of Vanuatu have embraced the old Janis Joplin refrain, "freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose," and it's made them delightfully content.

Vanuatuans live without all the things we usually associate with happiness: running water, electricity, a house — most people live in basic thatched huts. But the real key to the smiles seems to be the utter lack of money. With the island providing all of a family's food — coconuts, yam, and manioc and a sea full of fish — and entire leisurely days to gather grub, simplicity has earned them the crown. When money is come by, families don't turn it into a Nintendo Wii — they buy soap powder and kerosene for their lamps.

When asked the true secret of happiness one resident replied immediately, "not having to worry about money." For an unblinkingly honest romp of life near Vanuatu, check out The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by J. Maatren Troost. It's an outstanding beach read.

If Vanuatu is the happiest place, where's the scariest? To find out,

Condoleezza Rice Commands Kiss Army, Rocks All Nite Long

CitizenSugar — Fri, 30 May 2008 08:00:40 -0700

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has a new job: Commander in Chief of Rock and Roll. Sort of. Rice was in Stockholm, Sweden yesterday for a conference on Iraq — and KISS just happened to be there to play a sold-out concert. Who knew Condi was a secret member of the KISS Army? Her favorite song might make her the perfect candidate for a 3 a.m. call — she loves "Rock and Roll All Nite."

Her day job comes with perks — Rice got her own late-night encounter with KISS frontman Gene Simmons and bandmates Paul Stanley, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer in the executive lounge of the Sheraton Hotel. The rockers signed autographs and handed out backstage passes and T-shirts to her staff. Condi's reaction? "I was thrilled! It was really fun to meet Kiss and Gene Simmons." Rice is no stranger to music, she's a classically trained pianist, has claimed eclectic favorites ranging from Beethoven to Bruce Springsteen.

As big a thrill as her KISS run-in was, Rice conceded she has never seen the band in concert. She could fix that this summer when the band plays Lake Tahoe August 30. It might just be "Hotter than Hell."

Source

Miami's Spanish-Speaking Population Outnumber English Speakers

CitizenSugar — Thu, 29 May 2008 07:56:27 -0700

Miami's Spanish-Speaking Population Outnumber English Speakers According to the AP: In many areas of Miami, Spanish has become the predominant language, replacing English in everyday life. Anyone from Latin America could feel at home on the streets, without having to pronounce a single word in English. But this situation, so pleasing to Latin American immigrants, makes some English speakers feel marginalized. In the 1950s, it's estimated that more than 80 percent of Miami-Dade County residents were non-Hispanic whites. But in 2006, the Census Bureau estimates that number was only 18.5 percent, and in 2015 it is forecast to be 14 percent. Hispanics now make up about 60 percent. According to the Census, 58.5 percent of the county's 2.4 million residents speak Spanish.

Childhood Obesity Tipped Top of Scale — Are We Winning?

CitizenSugar — Wed, 28 May 2008 12:15:19 -0700

A new survey out today shows that childhood obesity, after rising for more than two decades, appears to have hit a plateau. The data gathered from 1999 to 2006 by the federal Centers For Disease Control and Prevention is being greeted carefully.It is not yet clear if the pause in kids' weight gain is permanent or even if the small success is the result of public antiobesity efforts to limit junk food and increase physical activity in schools. Even if the trend holds up, 32 percent of American schoolchildren are overweight or obeseThe director of the childhood obesity program at Children’s Hospital in Boston says, “After 25 years of extraordinarily bad news about childhood obesity, this study provides a glimmer of hope. But it’s much too soon to know whether this is a true plateau in prevalence or just a temporary lull.”In the study, the number of children who fall into the obese category decreased from 17.1 percent to 15.5 percent between the 2003 and 2006 surveys — though the decline is not statistically significant.Are state programs, like the one in Arkansas, to eliminate vending machines in elementary schools, and adding a half hour of daily physical activity to the school curriculum — or the one in Somerville, MA, that included doubling the amount of fruit served for school lunch, painting crosswalks to encourage walks to school, and increasing physical activity in after-school programs the cause of this trend? Has education and outreach worked? Are we winning the childhood battle of the bulge?Source

Childhood Obesity Tipped Top of Scale — Are We Winning?

Yes! It's about time and there's work left, but education looks like it's winning!

More attention in schools can't hurt, but it's too early for a cookie reward on this one.

Not buying it. A lull is one thing, but kids are still too far from having healthy habits.

Other. I'll weigh in in the comments.

Lights, Camera, Action on Saudi Arabia's First Film Festival

CitizenSugar — Thu, 22 May 2008 10:00:58 -0700

I can see the trailer now. . . "In a world ruled by a strict theocratic monarchy . . . where the freedoms we enjoy are a distant concept . . . where everything you know is not as it seems . . . one man stands alone. . . "

OK, it’s not that dramatic, but it is pretty exciting. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is now holding its first ever film festival. The four-day affair is taking place in the eastern city of Damman — though roll up the racy red carpet — it will adhere to all Muslim rules: women and men will be separated during screenings, the festivities begin with a recitation of Quranic verse, and no alcohol will be served during the festival. Though the usual trademarks of a Sundance-y atmosphere are there — baseball caps and t-shirts with the festival’s logo were offered to everyone at the screenings. To see why this is such a huge leap,

Want to Be Alone? Six Micronations Where That's Possible

CitizenSugar — Wed, 21 May 2008 03:00:27 -0700

I can't for the life of me remember which thread we started talking about Petoria (cabaker27? You were there. . . any ideas?) But! The universe was listening! I just came across this roundup of micronations, just like our good friend Peter turned his house into on The Family Guy.

Sealand: Is located about six miles from the coast of Suffolk, England in international waters. It has its own national anthem, flag, currency and passports.The heads of Sealand (formerly a WWII fort) call themselves the Prince and Princess of Sealand.
Kugelmugel: Perhaps the most like Petoria, Kugelmugel is located in Vienna and when an artist and Austrian authorities began feuding over building permits for his house. Independence was declared.

There's more, and they just get weirder. To see them,

Feeling Walled In? India's Untouchables Actually Are

CitizenSugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 12:15:04 -0700

It's been a while since I've Netflixed Gandhi, but this story snagged my attention: The caste system in India is still alive and well. Studies have shown that shunning members of society and labeling them "untouchables" — behaviors like banning them from temples and bathing areas, refusing to share drinking glasses or barbers with those of the lowest class — are still very common. In fact, 45 different forms of "untouchability" are still being carried out by the upper caste of Hindus on the Dalits.

How serious are they about restricting contact with the untouchables? In Tamil Nadu (the most developed part of India that prides itself on being politically progressive and educationally advanced) they built a wall keeping the Dalit out of the main part of the village. To see why,

Afghan Women Fleeing Abuse Often Wind up in Jail

CitizenSugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 06:00:24 -0700

When the Taliban fell six years ago, it was thought that a new government would offer women in Afghanistan a greater freedom since their rights are now guaranteed in the new Afghani constitution. The women of Afghanistan can now go to school and find employment, yet except for a small number of wealthy, urbanites, a woman who escapes a setting of domestic horror can end up in jail.

The reality for most women parts of Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan is less than free: a woman who runs away from home is usually assumed to have taken a lover and can be prosecuted for adultery. Simply leaving her house without her family's permission may be deemed a jailable offense. To see what's happening,

Flirting in Saudi Arabia Earns State-Sanctioned SuperCut

CitizenSugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:45:00 -0700

In a crazy twist on a sort of Samson and Delilah-esque story, a governor in northern Saudi Arabia recently issued an order promoting the issuance of forced hair cuts as punishment for young men caught pestering women. This decree will be enforced by Saudi Arabia’s Commission For the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice who are assigned the task of carrying out the punishment at “the scene of the infraction.”

This decision is the result of Prince Fahd bin Badr, governor of the northern al-Jof region, seeing a group of long-haired young men bothering female students leaving their school. Saudi Arabia is renown for its strict imposition of Islamic religious tenets, chief among them that women and men are to be segregated in public. This new law will not apply to all long-haired men, but only those who are caught flirting or harassing women in public. Luckily for the long locked who behave themselves, "the decision doesn't include men who spend their free time in public places without hurting anyone."

Would you approve of immediate punishment for on-the-street harassment? Do more rules and stricter societies actually improve quality of life? Are liberties overrated?

Source

Keeping Baby Gender a Secret Could Save Girls in India

CitizenSugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:00:48 -0700

India’s prime minster, Manmohan Singh is calling for stricter enforcement on laws designed to hide the sex of the fetus from their parents until birth. She described the rampant aborting of female fetuses as a “national shame.”

The decline in female births can be attributed to two factors. First is money. A family with a female is required to scrape together a dowry to their son-in-law — this can be a very heavy financial burden and bury the parents in crushing debt. The wealthier regions of India suffered the most acute imbalance in female to male birth ratio where a male heir is of particular importance and the access to the surprising high-tech reason #2 is much easier. To see what it is,