TresSugar

The Old Meets the New: Daft Charleston

GiggleSugar — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:00:00 -0700

Whoever said "out with the old, in with the new" didn't foresee the coming (and staying) of the dance floor disaster we call Soulja Boy. If you compare the moves we bust on the dance floor nowadays with those of the past, you'd understand why someone did everyone a favor and put the Charleston at play to Daft Punk. Let's infuse our new with a little old, shall we? This is awesome.

Introducing: Xylopholks

GiggleSugar — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:00:00 -0800

You regular readers don't need an introduction to Xylopholks, as you probably saw a reader's photograph of them busking in Cookie Monster and fuzzy pink gorilla costumes in the NYC subway. Here they are playing a xylophone classic, Charleston Capers by George Hamilton Green, on East Village Radio. They are too cute for words, and I am now totally in love with the xylophone!

From Factory Town to Forgotten: Top 10 US Cities in Decline

CitizenSugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:51:59 -0700

Ohio and Michigan may be key battleground states this election perhaps because they have the most to gain. In the list of fastest dying American cities, Ohio scored four slots and Michigan took two - it appears in these declining Rust Belt towns, there's nowhere to go but up.

What factors peg a town as "dying?" Dwindling populations, higher than average unemployment, and stagnant economies all combine to signal bad news for a city. The automotive industry has had the biggest impact on the trend, where the Michigan cities of Flint and Detroit (pictured) have seen unemployment approach 10 percent.

Though the cities on the list aren't facing the crushing real estate landscape that Miami, Las Vegas and Phoenix are seeing, it's hardly good news - the prices never climbed there to begin with. The one bright spot is that a survey shows that almost every city's economy in the US grew between 2001 and 2005; those making the list just grew at a much more depressed rate, some well below 1 percent. Here's the list:

Canton, OH
Youngstown, OH
Flint, MI - GM was founded here, and the city has suffered the auto decline even harder than Detroit.
Scranton, PA - Not even being featured on The Office can help the town build a post-industrial economy.
Dayton, OH

To see the rest, and one city who's rebranding to buck the trend, read more.

Cleveland, OH - The city has lost over 100,000 people since 2000.
Springfield, MA - Springfield is actively combatting the decline by launching a rebranding as New England's "Knowledge Corridor" highlighting the boatload of universities close by.
Buffalo, NY - Once one of the US's 10 largest cities, it's been in decline ever since.
Detroit, MI - Despite economic decline, it's in the midst of a baby boom: 430,000 were born during a period where only 280,000 died.
Charleston, WV

As the shift from industry to service and information continues, what's the solution to industrial cities in decline? Given the global energy crunch and the cost of importing goods from afar, will industry return to the US - or is it gone for good? How can these cities adapt - and which candidate has the best plan to make that happen?

Source

Should Tour Guides Be Required to Take a History Test?

LibertySugar — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:15:59 -0700

Tour guides in Philadelphia think a new city law requiring history tests before they receive a license, violates their right to freedom of speech. This new rule will require guides to pass a written test, or pay a fine, the same requirements for guides in Washington, DC, New Orleans, and Charleston, SC.

Opponents paint the law as making speech conditional on government permission.

If you're paying big bucks for a history lesson, it might be nice to know it's not the history of the guide's imagination. It's pleasant to picture Walt Whitman walking into Philly from New Jersey across the Ben Franklin Bridge (as one guide will assist you with) - but does it matter that the bridge wasn't built until 1926, 30 years after Whitman died?

Do you think Philadelphia is betraying its constitutional roots, or being responsible by making sure those roots are portrayed accurately? Either way, since the law only requires a one-time-test, neither censorship nor accuracy will be guaranteed.

Source

Fred Astaire Meets Michael Jackson: Smooth Criminal

GiggleSugar — Thu, 29 May 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Play Fred Astaire's moves to Michael Jackson's grooves and the end effect is nothing but badass. Astaire, with his dapper good looks and command of the dance floor, was something of a "Smooth Criminal" back in the day. The man was a show stopper and scene stealer, but he's sharing the spotlight with Jacko this time around. Watch what happens when two legends meet for a remix. (Want more? Check out the Daft Charleston.)

Lighten Up: In-Debt Hillary's Strategic Hand Gestures

LibertySugar — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:30:56 -0700

This video is by far the best Hillary impression I have seen to date. SNL needs to contact this woman immediately. I actually did a double take to make sure I didn't come across a secret video of Hillary practicing a speech in her robe.

Meanwhile, the real Hillary is in a bit of a credit crunch. Her aides admit that the campaign has over $20 million in debt. Presidential campaigns rack up tons of bills in order to pay consultants, staff, hotels, venues, food providers, etc. Apparently, Hillary hasn't been able to pay as she goes.

Hopefully, she won't spend too much money on her victory celebration in Charleston, West Virginia tomorrow night!

Fashion Designer Takes Her Final. . .Ow!

GiggleSugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 04:00:00 -0700

She missed the dress rehearsal, so when it came time for K. Morgan to walk the runway and take her final bow, the designer misstepped and made the ultimate fashion faux pas. Fortunately, her disappearing act resulted in no injuries, excluding a bruised ego, and her showing at Charleston Fashion Week was a hit! Hee, hee.

Become an Activist: Peace Rallies Held Worldwide Today

CitizenSugar — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 08:43:05 -0700

On this, the Ides of March and near the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq, rallies against the war are being held internationally. Today, antiwar protesters gathered in London's Trafalgar Square bolstering a worldwide day of protest against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the organizers, demonstrations are taking place from Washington to Beirut and from Sydney to Seoul.

In Rome, the US Citizens for Peace and Justice have named their demonstration today, "The Ides of March Protest: 'Et tu Congress?'" In the United States, the antiwar movement is in the midst of 10 days of civil disobedience in Washington DC, and events are scheduled today nationwide, from Santa Barbara, CA to Charleston, SC. Dozens of international events, including Madrid, Seoul, Oslo, and Reykjavik means that peace has its passport out. If you're an activist looking for an event stateside, here's a map and calendar to help you find one.

While I wholeheartedly defend the right to protest, I wonder - do you think demonstrations are an effective way to spark change? Attention-getting, to be sure, but do you think they're effective? Will you be protesting the war today?

Source

Pillow Talk: The Geography of Love

DearSugar — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 06:30:00 -0700

Do you love your single life? Some men and women enjoy the dating scene, while others are ready to find their soul mate. I love Charlotte from Sex and the City for summing up the single doldrums: "I've been dating since I was fifteen. I'm exhausted. Where is he? My hair hurts."

Despite all the great promises of technology, there's just no formula for finding your one and only. Still, some people go to great lengths in their romantic quest, but have they done their research?

Click here to read more

Ever felt surrounded by single guys when you travel, but they seem in short supply when you're home? Turns out, certain cities have greater dating pools than others. Men's Health magazine published a recent article naming cities across America where singles have the most luck finding other singles.

To determine which cities ranked best, the researchers looked at 6 key criteria. Finding a romantic partner is, in part, really just a numbers game, so the more singles in the same community, the better the odds of meeting someone. Next, the research looked at the divorce rate per city and the percentage of divorced men, as someone who's never been married is more likely to stay married (roughly 60% of remarriages fail).

You want your fella around for the long haul, so physical shape and health were rated. The philanthropic tendencies of a town were evaluated; we want someone who thinks of others! And smart is sexy, of course, so the study looked for cities packed with college graduates.

When the number crunching ended and the scores were tallied, 5 cities emerged as the best places to meet a potential suitor: San Francisco, Minneapolis, San Jose, Arlington, and Raleigh. The 3 worst cities for meeting your match are Buffalo, Charleston, and Toledo. To find where your favorite city or home town ranked on the list click here.

Source

Up Up and Away

DearSugar — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 04:56:29 -0800

Dear Sugar
I live in the North East and I'm looking for an easy 4 day getaway with my honey. Her 30th birthday is coming up and I'd like to do something special and romantic. I don't mind flying but I don't want to go too far because of time restrictions. Got any ideas? Lover Luke

Dear Lover Luke
What a guy you are! I've got a couple of great suggestions for you. Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos is a short and direct flight. The resort is private, chic and quaint. It's also on a health kick. It's yoga centric and the food is natural and mostly low fat. Depending on your room choice, it can get expensive, but after one walk on those white sand beaches with clear turquoise waters, you'll agree it's worth every penny. Another terrific trip with an even shorter flight is Bermuda. It also has beautiful sand and water. Stay in Elbow Beach for the complete experience. Some other ideas that are less expensive (again, depending on where you stay) are visiting Charleston to do some antiquing or partying it up in South Beach, FL. All are memorable and fabulous!