TresSugar

Has Technology Ruined Romance For Us?

TresSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0800

Conservative columnist David Brooks wrote an essay in the New York Times yesterday about how technology is ruining love and sex for the youngins.

Although Brooks reaches this conclusion based on the testimony of some horndogs who agreed to be "online sex diarists" for New York magazine (he admits it's a pretty unrepresentative demographic), Brooks nevertheless believes their stories tell us something fundamental about love in the age of technology: it's allowed people to treat potential sex partners (and it's significantly limited to this) as if they were products on eBay.

Once upon a time - in what we might think of as the "Happy Days era" - courtship was governed by a set of guardrails. Potential partners generally met within the context of larger social institutions: neighborhoods, schools, workplaces and families. There were certain accepted social scripts. The purpose of these scripts - dating, going steady, delaying sex - was to guide young people on the path from short-term desire to long-term commitment.

Now? People have lots of different kinds of sexual attachments with different people at the same time, and their cellphones help making and canceling plans as easy as rearranging Netflix queues. (I'll take the credit for that last analogy!)

Do you agree with Brooks? Is it true that, "In today’s world, the choice of a Prius can be a more sanctified act than the choice of an erotic partner"?

America: A Country For Rude People

TresSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:00:00 -0700

High-profile incidents of rudeness have dominated the news cycle over the last week. The president of the United States can't give a speech without being heckled, Serena Williams lost her cool during the US Open, and yes, Kanye West acted like a "jackass" by interrupting Taylor Swift's VMA acceptance speech.

In today's New York Times, columnists David Brooks and Gail Collins weigh in on the decline of American manners. Specifically, conservative Brooks suggests that Kanye's outburst is a turning point for America's future, equivalent even to the Battle of Gettysburg (seriously, David Brooks?) and a sign that American society is in decline.

Putting aside the possible implications, do you think Americans are getting ruder?

Briefing Book! Republicans Pan Bobby Jindal's Address

LibertySugar — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:30:08 -0800

Conservative David Brooks says Bobby Jindal was a disaster last night. - Gawker
Pundit George Will sees men hug Obama, ponders: "when men started to hug each other." - Feministing
Women are turning to the black market for butt injections. - Lemondrop
Death penalty might be latest casualty of recession since it costs so much taxpayer money. - Wonkette
Obama chooses ex-Washington Governor Gary Locke as third commerce secretary nominee. - Huffington Post

David Brooks Calls Palin a "Cancer" on the Party: Too Far?

CitizenSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:35:14 -0700

Oh I took stalkerazzi pics at both conventions, but the one person I made a point to strike up a conversation and get a legitimate picture with? Mr. David Brooks. I find his sensibly reasonable pragmatism electric. Somehow I trust those who I feel call it like they see it over how they think people think they should see it. Which is why his recent column about Palin not being ready to be president didn't strike me as particularly counter-conservative, just his honest assessment.

Yesterday however, Brooks extended that thesis, in decidedly stronger terms. At the launch of the Atlantic's new look, Brooks said that Palin:

Represents a fatal cancer to the Republican party. When I first started in journalism, I worked at the National Review for Bill Buckley. And Buckley famously said he'd rather be ruled by the first 2,000 names in the Boston phone book than by the Harvard faculty. But he didn't think those were the only two options. He thought it was important to have people on the conservative side who celebrated ideas, who celebrated learning. And his whole life was based on that, and that was also true for a lot of the other conservatives in the Reagan era. Reagan had an immense faith in the power of ideas. But there has been a counter, more populist tradition, which is not only to scorn liberal ideas but to scorn ideas entirely. And I'm afraid that Sarah Palin has those prejudices. I think President Bush has those prejudices.

He said much, much more yesterday from his predictions to the final outcome (Obama by nine points even though he's a "mediocre" Senator) to whether experience matters (decidedly, yes) and honestly, it's all worth a read. What do you make of his commentary on what Palin represents about the Republican party? Is "drill baby, drill" replacing more. . . subtly thought out dialog? Did he go too far?

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Day 3: Countdown to Sarah Palin's Big Speech at the Arena

CitizenSugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:11:03 -0700

The video feed in the arena says there are still four hours to go until Sarah Palin's speech, but already the place is zinging with more energy and bold names than it has been all week!

Spotted so far: Samantha Bee from The Daily Show, David Brooks (swoon), Gary Bauer, Karl Rove (he was very friendly, smiling at everyone and in a big hurry), the folks of the upcoming movie, An American Carol, and more wildly dressed delegates than you can imagine. Everyone is pumped up for tonight - with Mitt, Mike, Rudy, and Sarah, I am too! I'm grabbing my seat now and I'll keep you posted!

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To watch all the action live, from the floor, including all of tonight's speeches, read more.

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Conservative Imagines Dream Obama Administration

CitizenSugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 10:30:00 -0800

Conservative columnist David Brooks has outlined his vision for an Obama Administration all Americans could get behind. In today's New York Times he painted a picture of an American leadership free from extreme partisanship and ideology:

Walking into the Obama White House of my dreams will be like walking into the Gates Foundation. The people there will be ostentatiously pragmatic and data-driven. They’ll hunt good ideas like venture capitalists. They’ll have no faith in all-powerful bureaucrats issuing edicts from the center. Instead, they’ll use that language of decentralized networks, bottom-up reform, and scalable innovation.

Brooks went on to suggest that Obama appoint Republicans to crucial positions, push policy with broad support such as middle-class tax relief and an energy package, and hold off on health care reform until success in fixing the economy and reducing the budget defect has helped gain the trust of most Americans.

Do you think the Obama Administration can succeed in pleasing both conservative and liberal Americans? What does change you can believe in look like?

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Day 2: Woman and the Economy - What We're Seeing Today

CitizenSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:55:15 -0700

As Liberty and I were walking and chatting with David Brooks last night (Not telling lie! David Brooks! He was wearing a pink tie, and couldn't be lovelier in person) he asked how many of you all were Hillary supporters. There are certainly Hillary supporters here (more on that soon) and she features prominently in the day's activities:

EMILY's List is sponsoring a gala with Senator Hillary Clinton, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Michelle Obama.
Hillary is speaking tonight on the convention floor, along with a keynote by Gov. Mark Warner, and speeches by Govs. Kathleen Siebelius and Janet Napolitano. The topic tonight is the economy.

We have news from last night's events, including, "you'll never believe who we saw sing a duet," and a couple of crack interviews by Liberty, and our report on the truth about the Hillary supporters here, all coming soon!

Bono to Rock His Opinions in the New York Times

CitizenSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 03:00:30 -0700

He is a world famous singer and songwriter, a spokesman for Africa, a Noble Peace Prize nominee, and now he’s a writer for the New York Times. My David Brooks is looking at some rocking competition. Bono, lead singer of U2, is set to be a contributing writer for the NYT, offering his insight on topics including Africa, poverty, and a little Frank Sinatra too. Bono will be penning as many as 10 pieces for the paper spreading throughout 2009.

Editorial page editor Andrew Rosenthal, who announced this new appointment this week, may also have had an ulterior motive: it seems as though Mr. Rosenthal is learning the guitar. Bono’s pay may also be a factor in his assignment, as he will be receiving no money whatsoever.

Does a Bono op-ed sound like music to your ears? Or does it hit a sour note?

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Are Republicans Who Don't Vote For McCain Traitors?

CitizenSugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 06:00:46 -0700

We (pronoun applied royally if you wish) have been wrestling with the concept of Republicans and known Conservatives turning away from McCain all week. Buckley, one of the more famous cases of the phenomenon, appeared on Hardball talking about his decision to go Obama and then quit the National Review. He told Matthews he was surprised by the ouster of sorts saying, "Be careful who you offer your resignation to, they may just accept it."

Then New York magazine posted this list entitled, "Et Tu, GOP? The Conservative Betrayal Spectrum." Using Julius Caesar imagery this top 10 list of Republican "Brutuses," the countdown includes [my] David Brooks, Peggy Noonan (the whole reason I went to grad school) and winds up at #1: Andrew Sullivan. Of his "betrayal," they say:

OK, OK, everybody knows Andrew Sullivan basically wants to be reincarnated as a beagle in the sinewy lap of Barack Obama, nestled comfortably under the Resolute Desk for the next eight years. But still, there was a time this dude had carved out his own steady brand of Republicanism - a maverick version, if you will. Remember when those were the people who were supposed to like McCain?

Wow.

So is all the "traitor" and "betrayal" talk accurate?

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Briefing Book! Google Opposes Ban on Same-Sex Marriage

LibertySugar — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:30:00 -0700

Same-Sex Marriage: Wrapping up the Google vote? Google makes a public stand against California's proposed same-sex marriage ban. - SFist
Supreme Court: Gotcha questions or crucial questions? Roe v. Wade may be the only Supreme Court case Sarah Palin knows. - Femisting
Bailout: What would voters do? Voters split on bailout 45 percent for, 45 percent against. - Donklephant
Conservatism: Why does conservative writer David Brooks hate conservatives? It's one thing to disagree with House Republicans' vote, but another to question their motives. - Townhall
Pirates: They just want the money? Questions and answers with a pirate. - The Lede
Obama: How Obama wins? Hint: he already did. - 23/6

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