TresSugar

Alabama Supreme Court to Women: No Sex Toys For You!

TresSugar — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:00:00 -0700

Love Stuff, a sex toy shop in Hoover, AL, recently filed a challenge to strike down a 1998 law that bans the sale of sex toys. Alas, anyone who wants to buy sex toys in Alabama will have to go elsewhere. The Alabama Supreme Court upheld the state's ban in a 7-2 decision on Friday, arguing against Love Stuff's claim that the ban violated a person's right to sexual privacy.

The Legislature argued that although you can still use your Pearl Rabbit in private, they have the right to ban its public distribution. In a statement that could easily have been written by the satirists of The Onion, the 11th Circuit stated in its majority opinion, "There is nothing 'private' or 'consensual' about the advertising and sale of a dildo."

In arguing that regulating commercial activity is not a private activity (and hence doesn't fall under Love Stuff's challenge that the law is a violation of privacy), Associate Justice Michael F. Bolin claims that the law banning the sale of sex toys is an issue of public morality. Do you see any connection between morality and the sale of sex toys? Does the court's view of sex toys and their sale seem outdated to you?

Lawmakers Crack Down on Guns After Shooting Rampages

CitizenSugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:30:28 -0700

Shooting rampages filled today's headlines. In Alabama, a man killed a dozen people, including the members of his own family. Over in Germany, a 17-year-old boy attacked a high school, killing at least 16 people.

When attacks occur, European countries often hurry to tighten gun laws. Following two school massacres within a year, Finland announced plans today to raise the minimum age for handgun ownership from 15 to 20. In Belgium, lawmakers passed strict gun laws in 2006 after a racially motivated shooting of a toddler and her black babysitter. In Portugal, the parliament is considering denying bail to anyone suspected of a gun crime.

American lawmakers have responded, too. After the Virginia Tech massacre, the governor signed an executive order requiring that anyone ordered by law to get mental health treatment be added to a database of people barred from buying guns.

Do you think this is the correct response to gun-related tragedies?

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Front Page: AL Community in Shock After Gunman Kills 11

CitizenSugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 08:02:56 -0700

A gunman in Alabama killed 11 people yesterday, including his mother, his grandparents, his aunt and uncle, the wife and child of a sheriff deputy, and himself. - CNN
Stocks opened with a gain again today, as Wall Street hopes to extend big gains made yesterday. - MSN
Pakistan arrested hundreds of opposition activists today and banned protests in two regions ahead of a planned rally outside parliament. - AP
President Obama plans to lay out a new set of guidelines for Congress's earmark process. He will sign the spending bill today that has 9,000 earmarks. - CNN
Speaker Nancy Pelosi thinks Congress may have to approve another stimulus plan in order to ease the effects of the recession. - Washington Post
Citigroup and General Motors might be removed from the Dow Jones Indexes, if the government takes more control of the companies. - Reuters

GOP Senator Questions Obama's Citizenship

LibertySugar — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:00:24 -0800

Proven-American (I assume) senator Richard Shelby has an issue with his President. Saturday the Republican from Alabama said:

Well his father was Kenyan and they said he was born in Hawaii, but I haven't seen any birth certificate. You have to be born in America to be president.

Shelby was responding to a question from a constituent about whether there was any truth to the rumor that Obama wasn't a US citizen.

He has since said that it was a "throwaway line" and that he doesn't have any doubt that Obama is eligible to be president. Still, why would he choose to perpetrate this line of "attack" on the president. No other president has had his citizenship questioned, even in a "throwaway line."

Is this "he's not one of us" narrative dangerous, or do you think Shelby's comments were harmless?

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Great Deal? Alabama Town Offers $50,000 for Jews to Move

CitizenSugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 06:00:54 -0700

With the housing situation the way it is and homeowners throwing in all kinds of perks to entice buyers this almost fits in - almost. The Blumberg Family Relocation fund is offering Jewish families up to $50,000 to come live in Dothan, Alabama - a mostly Christian town that calls itself the Peanut Capital of the World.

While the numbers of Jews living in the South has risen overall, they're concentrated mostly in the bigger cities. Small towns like Dothan are seeing an ever dwindling population of the chosen people. One member of the local temple says, "A lot of the older people have died, and not many of the younger ones have stayed. We are dying." The program aims to, according to its sponsor, "find young people that we could use in our religious school, our Sunday school and help in the way of trying to create more of a family-type atmosphere in our temple."

The cash payment isn't the first time this has been attempted. To see who else tried, read more.

Some groups offered a payout for Jewish families to move back to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and another synagogue outside of Boston is trying a similar plan. Despite the bucks, a small town in the deep South is a tough sell. Though 20 families have looked into Dothan, none have made the move so far. But maybe soon! One local said this of the quality of life in Dothan, which is the cutest thing ever, " "We have Friday afternoon rush minute, and that's about it."

No traffic and $50,000? What are y'all waiting for?

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Alabama Makes Unfit Workers Pick Up Tab For Insurance

CitizenSugar — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 10:00:42 -0700

Giving up buttered grits for health care? As Alabama ballooned to take the #2 spot (right behind #1 ranked Mississippi) in the national obesity rankings, the state is cracking down on free health care payouts for state workers who are overweight. It's issued a get-slim-or-pay-up ultimatum for the nearly 40,000 workers on the state's insurance plan. They'll have a year to lose weight or start paying $25 a month toward their usually free plan.

Alabama already charges smokers - an incentive that has spurred some to snub out the butts - and other states reward workers for healthy habits. Ohio, for instance, pays workers $50 for getting health screenings and $50 for following the advice.

Not everyone is happy about the plan. To see why, read more.

One size-acceptance advocate says the new Alabama insurance policy will cause stress for workers. She says, "I'm big and beautiful and doing my best to keep my stress levels down so I can stay healthy. That's big, not lazy, not a glutton and certainly not deserving of the pompous, poisonous disrespect served up daily to those of us with more bounce to the ounce." The Alabama program will go by the body mass index chart - anyone with a BMI over 35 will be charged. Research shows that this demographic costs an average of $1,700 extra dollars in health care per year, far more than the $300 an overweight worker will be charged.

Is this plan fair? Is it a good plan to motivate healthy changes, or does it tip the scales in the wrong direction?

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Can You Eat for $1.75 a Day? Alabama Prisoners Do

CitizenSugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:30:23 -0700

80 years ago Alabama passed a law that gave sheriffs $1.75 a day to cover the cost of prisoner grub. If they didn't spend that much, they got to keep the leftover dough. Most Alabama counties still operate under this system, with the same per diem - and some sheriffs are actually making money on top of their salaries.

The precise amount of profit is impossible to figure - sheriffs buy food out of their own pockets, making tracing the bucks hard. One new sheriff said he and his wife took out a loan for $150,000 the day he took office to buy food until his first state payment came through. "It's the most money I've ever borrowed in my life, even more than for my house," he said. To see what critics of the program have to say, read more.

Critics allege that this program ends up paying law enforcement to skimp on food could reward sheriffs for maltreatment.

Sheriffs defend the program as cost-effective for their counties and scoff at the suggestion they are making a lot of money. They tell tales of being vigilant about not wasting anything and shopping creatively. They're not off the hook - the system holds sheriffs personally liable for budget shortfalls and any lawsuits over jail food.

For perspective, the government pays schools $2.47 for serving one meal under the National School Lunch Program for low-income students. If sheriffs are able to put food on the table for such little money, do they deserve to keep the leftovers? Does this encourage abuse of prisoners? Should anyone who can provide three meals for less than two bucks be celebrated?

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One Night Stand Kit - Hilarious or Horrifying?

TresSugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 07:00:00 -0700

When I first saw the pink beaded strands in this One Night Stand Kit ($19), I thought they were hair rubber bands, which actually could come in handy during an unexpected hookup. But no, they are "love beads," packaged alongside a tiny vibrator, a vibrator ring, Please Gel samples, and two condoms - everything you'd need for a one-night stand. (This is basically the Walk of Shame Kit but without the cancer awareness bracelet!) Assuming you don't live in Alabama, would you buy something like this? Do you think it's funny, useful, or offensive?

For Some, Weight Is a Qualification For Surgeon General

TresSugar — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:00:00 -0700

This week President Obama appointed Dr. Regina Benjamin to be the US Surgeon General. Dr. Benjamin is a family physician from Alabama who arrived on the national scene thanks to her public efforts to rebuild her rural clinic after Hurricane Katrina. She also was the first African-American to head Alabama's Medical Association and served as an associate dean for rural health.

In addition to her resume, Benjamin also understands the importance of health as a result of tragedies in her own family. Sadly, her mother died of lung cancer, her father died with diabetes and high blood pressure, and her brother and only sibling died of an HIV/AIDS-related illness.

Despite these experiences and qualifications, some people think that Benjamin's weight is problematic. Considering that obesity is one of the most serious health problems facing the US, critics would rather see a fit-looking person as the face of health policy. (Judging from the picture, she may not be thin, but how do we know she's not fit?)

Do you think Benjamin's weight is irrelevant?

Front Page: Domino's Workers Arrested For Spitting in Food

TresSugar — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:00:14 -0700

Two Domino's employees have been charged with felonies after they filmed themselves contaminating food with spit and snot and posted the videos on YouTube. - New York Times
President Obama will head to Mexico today, his first stop on his Latin American visit. - Los Angeles Times
Spain's attorney general has come out against his country's attempt to prosecute six US officials for torture. - BBC News
Texas Governor Rick Perry suggested at yesterday's tea parties that Texas might want to secede from the union. - Dallas Morning News
A Senate panel will investigate whether the NSA has been violating wiretapping laws in recent months. - AP
The Obamas' tax returns show that the first family made $2.66 million in 2008, gave $172,050 to charities, and spent $933,000 on taxes. - Reuters
The sailors aboard the Maersk Alabama, which escaped pirates last week, have returned to the US. - ABC News
Nadya Suleman is seeking a trademark for the name "Octomom" so she can sell baby goods and a TV show. - E! Online

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