List-apalooza! Time's 100 Most Influential + Top-Polluted Cities

CitizenSugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 14:30:56 -0700

Boy do I love a list. A who's better than whom, ranked for the world to see. Time magazine's list of 100 most-influential people dropped today - they've got it separated into categories like Leaders and Revolutionaries, and Heroes and Pioneers, lest we get our Mariah Carey confused with our Sheik Mohammed al-Maktoum. The best part is to see who wrote whose blurb - Rob Reiner wrote Hillary's. Here are the first five listed in the leaders category - they oh so fairly included all three presidential candidates. Check out the whole list and see what you think.

Dalai Lama: Not only is he in exile fighting to free his nation from oppression, but he’s also responsible for the religious inspiration of millions. And you thought your job was tough.
Vladimir Putin: Russians love him, some fear him, and his love of country may be the key to reforming a Russian Empire.
Barack Obama: Whatever the outcome of this election, many are arguing that he has changed the face of American politics and reinvigorated the idea of hope.
Hillary Clinton: Like her competitor for the democratic nomination, she too has also changed the face of American politics, launching the idea of true equality into the new century.
John McCain: Whether you see him as a maverick or as a continuation of the current administration, his ability to face some very tough situations has made him a true leader.

What else are we ranking up today? Dirty air in cities. To see the list of smoggy goodness, read more.

Los Angeles/Long Beach/Riverside, CA
Pittsburgh, PA
Bakersfield, CA
Birmingham, AL
Visalia/Porterville, AL
Atlanta, GA
Cincinnati, OH
Fresno/Madera, CA
Hanford/Corcoran, CA
Detroit, MI

Oh California. You win/lose. Well now we know, we might all breathe a little easier.

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?