TresSugar

Here Comes a Book About a 9/11 Hijacker and His Stripper

LibertySugar — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:00:53 -0700

Novelist Andre Dubus III wanted to write a book about a stripper. Instead he ended up telling a story about sordid events leading up to September 11, 2001.

At the center of the 535-page novel - The Garden of Last Days - sits Bassam, one of the 9/11 hijackers, who spent time at a Florida strip club four days before the attack. The story follows a few other characters as well, including a stripper who takes her child to work while she dances for the would be terrorist, a drunk patron, and an elderly landlady.

In a note to book reviewers, the author explains his motivation for telling this story:

In the weeks after that brutal September morning, we began to learn something of the hijackers. We learned that many of them had trained in Florida, that they'd been seen visiting strip clubs. This was confusing. How could these young men be self-described holy warriors but also frequent strip clubs? But what lingered for me even more than this was the image of cash on a bedroom bureau in Florida, money earned by a woman who'd danced for one or more of them.

Are you intrigued by the internal struggles of a 9/11 hijacker and the stripper who danced for him? Will this appeal for even minimal empathy change the way readers think about terrorism?

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Do You Sport Awareness Ribbons or Wristbands?

LibertySugar — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Ribbons! Those little looped, colorful, pinned-to-your-lapel statements of support. What started with your standard red for AIDS awareness, pink for breast cancer, has blossomed into a full rainbow. Did you know there's a burgundy ribbon? How about periwinkle? Lace?! Do you know what these stand for?

In the book Ribbon Culture, author Sarah Moore argues that the overuse of "awareness ribbons" has transformed charity into a commercial enterprise. She writes:

Both a kitsch fashion accessory, as well as an emblem that expresses empathy; it is a symbol that represents awareness, yet requires no knowledge of a cause; it appears to signal concern for others, but in fact priorities self-expression.

If you're aching to buy the book, get a quick taste of it with this book review.

Oh, and in case you didn't know, burgundy ribbons are for brain aneurysms, periwinkle for eating disorders, and lace for osteoporosis.

What do you think about the "ribbon culture?" Are ribbons and wristbands just easy ways for us to feel better about our lifestyles, or are they expressions of authentic solidarity, and a pledge to take positive action?

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Bookmobile: The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs

CitizenSugar — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:30:41 -0800

We're kicking off our World of Faith month here at CitizenSugar, because as with I'd reckon, a good 93 percent of our presidential candidates, I'm fascinated by religion, spirituality, and its place in our world. I love to see Jesus and Jamba Juice duke it out for our scattered, Tivo-addled attention. So when the author of that book about reading the encyclopedia (more entertaining than it sounds, really) released a new book about living in the age of the internet while following all the rules once chiseled onto a tablet of some sort, I snapped it up immediately.

First of all, I liked it. Wholly entertaining if like me, you'll live anyone's life vicariously as an antidote to fiction. But . . . my complaint is this: he lived by the rules all right, but only as deep as the paper they were printed on. He was trying to see what faithful felt like without religion. It's like he tried to taste a ham and cheese omelet by holding an uncracked egg. Now he does admit briefly that his "lone wolf" method did lack the sense of community usually associated with religion (it even caused him not to mention Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because they were such a blah experience for him alone) but it's more than that - to find out, read more.

It's not just the group mentality (the supporting cast, if you will) that makes practicing a faith, meaningful, it's the whole picture: the set, the costumes - the theatricality of it all. He does go to a megachurch (Jerry Falwell's at that) but it's pretty perfunctory, and it's the only structured worship he attends throughout the entire year. I'd love to have seen him go to a church camp - total immersion (like he tried to do) plus the group dynamic and drama? I bet that would have cracked his egg.

What do you think? Have you read it? Want to?

Publishers Targeting Teen Readers Through Technology

TresSugar — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:00:00 -0700

"Teens can be very passionate readers. The format isn't as important as the fact that they're reading."

- Sara Nelson, an editorial consultant of a firm looking for ways to connect teens and books, on how publishers are smart to reach teens via nonbook formats. Publishers are starting to use mobile technology and online social networks to reach young readers.

To promote Lauren Conrad’s new book LA Candy, publisher HarperCollins is using 2D bar codes that, when scanned by cameras on mobile phones from the back of book jackets, lets readers connect to extra content like video interviews with the author.

Make It Work! White House Adjusts to Outdated Tech

CitizenSugar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:00:19 -0800

Between President Obama's struggle and sort-of triumph to keep his BlackBerry and the West Wing's faltering email system - yesterday Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said it was down - it's a hardly a surprise to learn the White House is mired in cords and cables and 6-year-old computers.

Staff has traded in campaign MacBooks for desktops fitted with outdated Windows software, and the few laptops available are being rationed to very select staff. No Facebook. No IM. No Twitter. Not even wireless!

For a staff that relied on technology and social networking to win an election, White House employees will have to begrudgingly adjust to the loss of mobility. While it's done partly out of tradition, restrictions also ensure information is protected under the Presidential Records Act. Obama spokesman Bill Burton admitted, "It is kind of like going from an Xbox to an Atari." And that's the official line!

If America is going to lead the world, should its government have access to leading technology?

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GiggleSugar Reader Spotlight: GIOVS

GiggleSugar — Fri, 04 May 2007 15:00:00 -0700

GIOVS, GiggleSugar's resident heartthrob and the first guy to be spotlighted, doesn't just look like an Italian movie star, he's also genuinely sweet and silly. We wanted to recognize that GS has male fans, too, and it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy! Be sure to check out his pictures in the gallery at the end of the interview.

GS: What’s your motto?

GIOVS: Life is about the little details. Also, the people that you need to know will appear without a call--they'll just show up.

GS: Where are you from?

GIOVS: I'm from Baja California, in the south of California, specifically from the municipality of Tecate, where Tecate Beer and famous bread is made, and of course, the world knows wines from the Baja peninsula. I have lived here all of my life (I'm 19) but in August I'm going to move to Guadalajara (in the center of México) for university...

GS: What do you do?

GIOVS: I´m a full time student now. A few months ago I worked in Telcel, a mobile communication company, like Cingular or T Mobile, but I left it to go to school. Now I just write articles, and I am working on a book, but I haven't finished it yet.

GS:: What's your book about?

GIOVS:: An epic tale about people from all walks of life and all sexual orientations....

GS: How would you describe your sense of humor?

GIOVS: My sense of humor is a little weird, because some days I laugh at everything, some days I laugh at myself, but I always have a smile for everyone. If someone smiles at you, you have to smile back. You can make anyone happy by smiling at them. My sense of humor is a little grown up for my age. I prefer smart jokes, but whatever, a joke is a joke, and sometimes I like the dumb jokes.

GS: What’s your favorite GiggleSugar post?

GIOVS: I like all the WTF?! and Products Of The Day, but I think I don't have a specific one because I think most of them are great. I visit the site on my laptop in class (GS: Uh oh! We're contributing to the distraction of a student!) and I can´t see the videos because they're too loud, so I prefer pictures. When I go home I watch the videos and I like to read the other members' comments--they are great! Everyone thinks differently about the same thing so it's fun to compare ideas.

GS: Who’s the cutest funny man and funny woman?

GIOVS: For male comedian, I like Tiziano Ferro. For female, Paris Hilton. (GS: Come to think of it, she is a comedian! At least, I'm always laughing at her!)

GS: Who are your favorite male and female comedians?

GIOVS: My favorite male comedian is Adal Ramones, from the TV show "Otro Rollo." The female comedians I love are Tina Fey and Rachel McAdams, but I guess Rachel's more of a dramatic than comedic actress.

GS: What’s your favorite comedy of all time?

GIOVS: I guess Mean Girls, because I like the war between students in the school-- popular, geeks, jocks, etc… I also like the Scary Movie films...

GS: If your life were a comedy, what would it be?

GIOVS: I think Mean Girls. When I worked, they told my friend and me that we were like characters in the film. My friend Richard is the Mean one, my friend Grys (a Sugar member, too) is the Meaner, but everybody says I’m the Meanest! I can handle that! Hahahaha...

GS: Do you look like someone famous?

GIOVS: I don´t know, sometimes when I’m at the mall people will ask if they can take pictures with me, say hello or just stare at me, but I don´t know who they're confusing me with. (GS: They're staring at you because you're cute! ) A cousin says I look like this guy Roger, a Latin ZZ Disney Channel host, but I don´t think so.

GS: Free for all. I could say so many things. I feel honored to be selected as the reader of the week. This is a large community, we're all so different with different ideas. We all think differently because our minds are as diverse as the whole world. I hope to meet people from many places because I like to know different people's opinions about the same thing. People inspire me to write. Don´t ever shut up--scream what you think because the world can be better if we want it to be. I appreciate the Sugar Network because it's a place where I can share my ideas and learn new ones. My goal would be to have my own column, but if not, we have the forums, the comments and the polls to share with each other. Please comment whatever you want to say to me and don´t forget to sign my guestbook! Thanks to all, Ciao!

GS: Thanks, GIOVS!

View 12 Photos ›

(Shopping, birthday in costume, Sugar network member Grys and GIOVS, in a Black Eyed Peas car at Disney's Grad Night, Road trip, in the Rumorosa in Baja, more GIOVS, more friends, Tiziano Ferro, Paris Hilton, Tina Fey, Rachel McAdams.)

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The How-To Lounge: Sightseeing

DearSugar — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Summer is always the high season for travel and if you are planning on braving the crowds in the next few months, there are a few things you should take into consideration before hitting the must see sights.

Click here to read more

Before your trip, make sure you have a game plan. On my first trip to Washington D.C. when I was young, my mother mapped out every day on index cards to make sure we had enough time to see everything. I thought it was ridiculous at the time, but we didn't miss a single sight
Obviously the best way to avoid the crowds is to go off season
Even if you are trying to pack lightly, be sure to bring the essentials for comfort and mobility. Remember to dress in layers -- even if it is hot outside, museums tend to be air conditioned as well as most restaurants
Your shoes are one of the most important things when it comes to sightseeing, so be sure to break them in. Getting blisters can really ruin your trip so opt for comfort over fashion
The early bird catches the worm when it comes to beating the crowds so coordinate your group to get to the sights as early as possible
A smart trick someone taught me once is to start from the end of an attraction or exhibit and work your way against the traffic. That way you can move at your own pace without dealing with bottleneck congestion
Book appointments with docents or travel guides if you can. They will know where to take you, the important aspects of each sight to point out, and will be the best judge of mapping out your time
When traveling, people tend to over exert themselves right off the bat leaving them burnt out before all their destinations are met. Be sure to rest, stay hydrated, and most of all enjoy your vacation

I hope these tips are helpful for all you jet setters out there, and remember not to forget your camera! Safe travels!

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