An Army career counselor appears to have used Barack Obama's election as tool to persuade former soldiers to rejoin. In an alleged email to an Iraq veteran (with the subject line "New Commander in Chief") the recruiter wrote: "A President Elect who says he'll get us out of Iraq. What are you waiting for?"

The appeal, made while Bush remains commander-in-chief, could be seen as a confession of disapproval for the Bush Administration's war policy.

Even if this isn't official US Army policy to use the exit of George W. Bush as an enlisting device, do you think a new president with a drastically different military policy could help boost recruitment?

Source

Making sure to exercise their Second Amendment rights before it's too late, firearm fans have gone on a shopping spree. Gun shop owners report record sales since Tuesday, suspecting that customers fear a Democratic federal government could curtail the right to bear arms with new gun control laws. In fact in October, there were 15 percent more background checks issued for new purchases.

Barack Obama's stance on gun control shouldn't cause too much panic in the gun-carrying community. The president-elect has said that he "will protect the rights of hunters and other law-abiding Americans to purchase, own, transport, and use guns." He also believes the Second Amendment creates an individual right, just as the Supreme Court decided earlier this year. Even so, Obama does support national legislation against carrying concealed firearms, and he may reinstate the ban on semiautomatic assault weapons.

If you're a gun enthusiast, do you feel like your rights will come under fire from the new Democratic leadership, or are you comforted by the fact that a lot of other problems might push gun control to the bottom of the agenda?

Source

For those of you who look forward to the weekends all week long, chances are Friday night fun means a late night and possibly a few too many drinks! Going all out can make Saturday morning lack its usual prestige, especially when you’re too tired to even enjoy it. Some of us have to take a rest day, while others hit the gym or another bar! Everyone is different, so do tell, how do you recover from a wild night out?

Source

DearSugar and Being Punished Betsy need your help. She's a bridesmaid in her cousin's wedding and the bride doesn't want her to bring a date. She feels like she's being punished because she's not in a serious relationship, so what should she do since she doesn't want to go alone?

Dear Sugar,
My cousin is getting married in the Spring; she's a month older than me and we've been raised almost like sisters. I'm in the bridal party and am flying in with my parents from out of town. I want my best friend (he's gay) to be my date for the wedding, but when I asked her, she said that she "really needs me to be there for her 100 percent," even though her sister is the maid of honor and she has four other bridesmaids. We had this conversation several months ago but I didn't tell my friend that my cousin said no because he wasn't sure if he would be able to come anyway.

He just told me today that he is free that weekend and that he'd love to be my date. The more I think about it the more I feel that I should be able to bring someone. If I were to get married next year and had my cousin in my wedding, it would be understood that she could bring her husband the same way it would be understood that my friend would come if he was my boyfriend.

My parents love him so I know that if I were to be busy or preoccupied with helping her or doing something for the wedding, he'd be OK — he's a big social butterfly as it is — so I don't understand what the big deal is. I get that my cousin wants this opportunity to have the spotlight, (as she should ) but is asking to bring a date an unreasonable request? I feel as though I'm being punished for being single! I don't want to cause problems before her special day but I truly don't want to go stag. What should I do? — Being Punished Betsy

Source

Senator Joe Lieberman is a Democrat-turned-Independent who supported Republican John McCain for president. He caused an upset among Democrats during the campaign when he attacked Obama and met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid this week to discuss his role in the Democratic caucus, leaving many to wonder if Dems will capitalize on his bipartisanship or remain bitter about his choice of endorsement.

The senator didn't say exactly what he and Reid talked about after the meeting, but according to CNN said:

"The election is over, and I completely agree with President-elect [Barack] Obama that we must now unite to get our economy going again and to keep the American people safe. That is exactly what I intend to do with my colleagues here in the Senate in support of our new president. And those are the standards I will use in considering the options that I have before me."

Reid is quoted as saying he understands Lieberman has voted with Democrats a majority of the time, but that his comments and actions have raised "serious concerns." Prior to the election, 50 percent of CitizenSugar readers said Lieberman is no longer reputable and would only help McCain's campaign as much as he helped Gore. What do you think now — should Lieberman ask the Dems for forgiveness, and perhaps give up his powerful positions, or should he accept the Republican's offer to join their ranks?

Source