TresSugar

DVD Explains How to Fight the Local Gay Agenda

LibertySugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:30:25 -0800

Eureka Springs has become the San Francisco of Arkansas, according to the American Family Association. The AFA's latest DVD - They're Coming to Your Town - teaches unsuspecting Christian communities how to prevent gays from taking over their towns. If you're so inclined, you can purchase the DVD in a five-pack and distribute it to your friends or Sunday school teachers.

Salon points out that the besieged town's city council recently implemented a domestic partnership registry for gay couples after a unanimous vote, thus making Eureka a great example of the homosexual threat AFA seeks to combat. I guess only straight people can be part of American families?

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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?

New Holiday Ad Tells You to Be Good, but Not For God's Sake

LibertySugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:30:06 -0800

"Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness's sake." That's the message about to be proclaimed on the side of Washington, DC buses this holiday season. Firing the first shot in what could shape up to be a hard-fought War on Christmas, the American Humanists Association is ready to claim a little holiday turf from traditional religions.

Following in the footsteps of its British counterparts who put atheist ads on London buses, the humanist group hopes the American version will bring some holiday cheer to atheists and agnostics feeling left out during the holiday season. The American Family Association, which wants to keep Christ in Christmas, thinks it's a "stupid ad." To find out what the group had to say the merit of the ad's message, read more.

The president of the American Family Association said: "How do we define 'good' if we don't believe in God? God in his word, the Bible, tells us what's good and bad and right and wrong. If we are each defining what's good, it's going to be a crazy world."

If celebrations like Hanukkah and Christmas are rooted in religious beliefs, should atheists just expect to feel a little lonely during the holidays, or are the holidays for the religious and nonreligious alike?

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Binghamton Gunman Kills At Least 12 People and Himself

CitizenSugar — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:35:51 -0700

A gunman at the American Civic Association building in Binghamton, NY, killed 12 or 13 people, before taking his own life today. Citizenship classes were scheduled for the day. Details are still coming out, but it appears the man was a young male.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

New York governor David Paterson held a press conference recently, saying: "I speak for all of New York when I offer my prayers for the victims and families of this tragedy." Our thoughts go out to them, too.

Thanksgiving Party Crib Sheet: 10 Hot Dinner Table Topics

CitizenSugar — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 03:00:59 -0800

Thanksgiving is all about family, delicious food, fancy drinks, and, of course, small talk about the state of the nation, gas prices, and our president-elect. Debating politics with family members can get dicey, so I suggest doing your homework and having a safety net of topics that will encourage healthy conversation and smart family bonding without alienating those who, well, don't agree with you.

Whether your aim is a heated, controversial debate or lighthearted banter, here are some stories that are sure to get the crowd talking. (Note: Number 10 might be best served during cocktail hour and not over your Thanksgiving spread.)

Thanksgiving-Themed Outfits Forbidden in Class - A group of children in Claremont, CA, weren't allowed to dress up as pilgrims and Native Americans this year for their classroom Thanksgiving after parents deemed the controversial costumes demeaning.
President Bush Calls Iraq War a Success - While debris from collapsing financial institutions continue to fall during the final days of the Bush administration, the president has found something he considers a "success" - the Iraq war.
Top 5 Most Dangerous Cities List Released - The latest City Crime Rankings looked at reported incidents of six major crimes to determine the most dangerous dwellings in the US. With a population of only 250,000 that changed drastically after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans came out on top. Was your city on the list?

For more juicy conversation starters, read more.

Unemployed Fred Thompson Decides to Go Back to Acting - While he failed to convince enough Americans to make him president, Republican Fred Thompson still has a shot at playing commander-in-chief. The former presidential candidate, US Senator, and (pretend) NYC district attorney plans to go back to acting.
Eliot Spitzer's Call Girl Ashley Dupré Talks to 20/20 - Reformed call girl Ashley "Kristen" Dupré has finally opened up about her experience with "Client No. 9," or as you may know him, former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer. Dupré told Diane Sawyer that escorts differ from prostitutes because they offer "more than sex."
Intelligence Report Says Dominance Set to Wane by 2025 - Americans might need to start practicing being humble, because by 2025 the US could lose its position of global supremacy.
DVD Explains How to Fight the Local Gay Agenda - The American Family Association's latest DVD - They're Coming to Your Town - teaches unsuspecting Christian communities how to prevent gays from taking over their towns. If you're so inclined, you can purchase the DVD in a five-pack and distribute it to your friends or Sunday school teachers.
Will Smoking Make Obama a Better President? - Barack Obama may like to work out, but that doesn't mean he's snuffed out all unhealthy habits. Barack promised first-lady-to-be Michelle that he would quit smoking back in 2007 - that much we know. Yet it still remains unclear whether Barack successfully quit, and the president-elect hasn't given a direct answer, nor has the media demanded one.
The City of Love Issues a Manual to Stop Forced Marriages - Paris, the universal capital of love and romance, created a manual on forced marriages this week to help officials spot and prevent cases of young women being forced into matrimony.
Did Sarah Palin Ruin Thanksgiving? - You may have heard Sarah Palin can hunt and skin a moose, but did you know that she could give an interview while someone else slaughters turkeys in the background? In the video that hit the web this week, Palin chats about Alaska's state budget and her experience on the campaign trail, while turkeys meet their dark, headless fates. (Warning! Watching this video could prevent you from eating turkey on Thanksgiving or ever again.)

Is the Media Missing the Point of the Immigration Debate?

LibertySugar — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 06:00:12 -0700

Using polling data as its foundation, Rasmussen Reports argues that as Barack Obama and John McCain debate immigration, the media misses the issues Americans care about.

Current conventional media wisdom holds that since Obama and McCain both support a path to citizenship, voters won't worry about immigration this Fall. But, Rasmussen argues that the real debate begins with the details of the path. According to polling, most Americans want a sustainable plan that meets the basic goal of reducing illegal immigration in the future. In addition, Americans overwhelmingly want immigrants to embrace American culture and language.

Last Saturday, Obama and McCain spoke about immigration in front of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. To find out what they said, and for more on the candidates' immigration records, read more.

McCain addressed his immigration record, which includes a Senate bill he authored but later rejected. He said: "Many Americans, with good cause, did not believe us when we said we would secure our borders, and so we failed in our efforts. We must prove to them that we can and will secure our borders first." McCain also touted plans for lower taxes, which would benefit Latino small businesses.

Obama also spoke about securing the borders, but said: "If we think that a wall is the sole solution to the problem, then we're not thinking it through." In the Senate, Obama has proposed a system to help employers check eligibility, legislation that would ensure immigration fees are reasonable as well as improve the accuracy and speed of FBI background checks. Obama has also introduced amendments that support keeping immigrant families together.

Do you want to hear more from the candidates regarding how they plan on putting immigrants on the path to citizenship? What sort of plan would you like to see?

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S'more Support: Camp Helps Kids Cope With Military Parents

CitizenSugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 06:00:14 -0700

'Tis the season for sleep away camp - and for 100 kids attending a weeklong camp in the tiny Rocky Mountain town of Larkspur organized it's no exception. The only difference is, the camp is free, and sponsored by the National Military Family Association. The association is hosting 10,000 campers in 37 states this summer - with a special mission: to help both veterans and their kids deal with the stresses of deployment.

There are more than 155,000 American children with a parent deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan, and though their parents have a tough job, the kids at home bear a burden too. With dad or mom gone, days can easily fill with loneliness and anxiety over their parents in combat. S'mores, songs, and sleeping under the stars with new friends who understand their situation is a big help. The typical camp activities are there - but they're geared toward the service as well. Instead of writing letters home the kids' notes will be dispatched to brighten military dining halls overseas. One camper says, "It's nice to help more than just our parents."

One entire wall of the dining hall is plastered with photos of parents serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. A note scrawled on one reads, "So me and my brother all have to be strong and make sacrifices for my dad because we all want him to come back."

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Ruh Roh!

GiggleSugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:00:00 -0700

The American Family Association has an odd practice of using "homosexual" in place of "gay" on its news site. (I guess "gay" is too ambiguous for them that they have to use that anachronism?) They've even gone so far as to set up a filter to automatically make the switcheroo. Recently, a sprinter named Tyson (you guessed it) Gay, made news at the U.S. Olympic track and fields trials. Too bad they renamed him Tyson Homosexual as in "Homosexual misjudged the finish...and had to scramble" and also, "Asked how he felt, Homosexual said: 'A little fatigued.' " Sigh. Battling stupidity will do that to you.

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McCain's Rx for Health Care: Will Employers Ditch Insurance?

LibertySugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 06:00:52 -0700

John McCain wants to give every person that purchases his or her own health insurance $2,500, and families $5,000 in tax credits. Yesterday the Associated Press tried to answer this question: How many employers would drop insurance coverage for their workers because of this tax policy? In other words, will health insurance still be an attractive benefit?

Under McCain's incentive plan, some individuals would be able to make a profit from the system - they could buy a plan for less than the credit, keeping the difference. Thus, McCain's plan could give a boom to the market for individual plans, at the risk of weakening the employer based scheme.

Experts say the results will be mixed. To see why, read more.

It would probably take a while for employers to overhaul a benefit system common since World War Two; but, if employees opt for their own coverage, there may be reason to drop the pricey benefits offer. McCain has said that employer-provided insurance leads to higher health costs and inefficiencies.

Since Americans overwhelmingly approve of an employer paid insurance scheme is McCain taking a risk with a plan that might signal a transition away from that scheme? Should America move away from job related insurance and toward an open market solution?

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Top 5 Weirdest College Scholarships

GiggleSugar — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 11:45:00 -0800

I'm not sure what any of these weird college scholarships have to do with scholastic achievement. They're not in any particular order of weirdness.

American Fire-Sprinkler Association Scholarship

Eligibility: You must write an essay about a successful fire sprinkler activation in your town, area or state.
Amount: Seven awards of up to $3,000
Julia Durgee
Duck Brand Duct Tape "Stuck at Prom" Scholarship Contest

Eligibility: Awarded to a couple attending a high school prom that makes the best costume out of Duct Tape.
Amount: Three main awards with up to $3,000 for each member of the couple.
The K2TEO Martin J. Green Sr. Memorial Scholarship
Eligibility: Preference given to a student ham from a Ham (amateur radio) family.
Amount: $1,000
New England Chapter-National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance Scholarship
Eligibility: Must be a single New England high school senior who is overweight, with a minimum GPA of 2.5. Must study in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island or Vermont.
Amount: Two awards of $500
Kae Sumner Einfeldt Scholarship, sponsored by Tall Clubs International
Eligibility: Must be a female with a height of at least 5-foot-10, or a male with a height of at least 6-foot-2, who will attend college in the fall.
Amount: $1,000

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