TresSugar

Front Page: Citizens Get Angry at Healthcare Town Halls

TresSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:00:40 -0700

Emotional citizens are turning town hall meetings on health care, like this one with Senator Specter, into shouting matches because they are afraid President Obama's proposed reform will take coverage away from them. - CNN
Actress Molly Ringwald has penned an op-ed honoring the late director John Hughes. - New York Times
The White House is protesting ads that invoke the Obamas' daughters by asking: "President Obama's daughters get healthy school lunches. Why don't I?"
- Washington Post
The President of Costa Rica has come down with swine flu. - AFP
Republican Senator Murkowski has told Sarah Palin to stop ginning up fear about "death penalties" because they don't exist in the bill. Palin stoked fears last week by posting on Facebook that her parents and son with Down syndrome might have to appear before Obama's "death panels." - Anchorage Daily News

Did Hugo Chavez Call Bio-Diesel Lover Sean Penn a Criminal?

CitizenSugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 02:55:24 -0700

In the ever complicated environmental tussle between clean fuel and responsible use of resources the differing opinions over the use of biofuels has produced an interesting contrast of ideas - fueled by Ethanol.

Sean Penn, actor/activist has just initiated a cross-country trek using a fleet of biodiesel buses carrying about 300 people that will burn the corn fuel for 1,800 miles from the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and ending in New Orleans for the annual jazz festival. Penn appeared twice yesterday at Coachella. He said of the trip, "I see this as a reckoning. My generation and those that came before have to recognize the numbing of incentive that we've passed on to the change hungry, imaginative, smarter than us youth of today." To see the larger implications of Penn's good intentions, read more.

Penn might mean well running his trip on corn, but he may have created an unlikely opponent. On the other side of the biodiesel debate is Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez who claims that “a US push to boost ethanol production during a world food crisis is a crime.”

Chavez also said that “the corn needed to fill an average car with ethanol would be enough to feed seven people for a year.” Venezuela is putting their corn where their mouth is, and will donate more than 385 tons to food to Haiti to help ease the suffering since the food shortages toppled their government.

Is Penn taking corn out of the mouths of the hungry while on his journey to try to inspire change and "encourage individuals to take individual actions"? Do you think biofuels are responsible for the current food crisis? Are they the answer to cleaner and renewable fuels, or just an eco-fairytale?

Source

Rationing! It's Not Just For Your Grandparents Anymore

CitizenSugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:02:57 -0700

Call it the Big-Box Tipping Point, but you know the global food crunch has solidified from sad headline to international reality when your local Costco gets walloped.

Shoppers at the Costco in Mountain View, CA felt the first tremors of the clamp down this week - no rice! The usually packed shelves held but a few jumbo bags of rice and shoppers faced something the US hasn't really seen since WWII: rationing.

That's right. Rationing. The sign above the dwindling supply read: "Due to the limited availability of rice, we are limiting rice purchases based on your prior purchasing history." It's not just limited to rice - a Costco store in Queens has limits were imposed on purchases of oil and flour. The meager supply is partially responsible for emptying the shelves, but it's also human nature. To see how, read more.

The editor of SurvivalBlog.com says it's a hoarding instinct. "There have been so many stories about worldwide shortages that it encourages people to stock up. What most people don't realize is that supply chains have changed, so inventories are very short. Even if people increased their purchasing by 20 percent, all the store shelves would be wiped out."

Of course the Costco situation is but a ripple world wide. The head of the UN World Food Programme just admitted urgent action is required to stimulate food production and help the poor cope with soaring food prices. 100 million people who did not need assistance six months ago, cannot now afford to purchase food.

Liberians are getting creative in the face of surging rice prices - local people are changing life-long habits and switching to cheaper staple foods such as spaghetti. The Costco shortage is similar in Liberia as the country imports 90% of its rice from Asia and the US. Earlier this month in Egypt, anger over rising food prices and the cost of living sparked street battles between crowds and police producing some stunning stories that make the Costco blip seem like an omen.

It's clear now that action is needed. Is rationing the way to go? On this Earth Day when thoughts turn to using less, would you be willing to accept a stamp book program like the one used in World War II? Can you imagine turning in ration stamps for butter, sugar, or meat? Is that structure exactly what we need to encourage people to make conscious consumption decisions?

Source

Is Your Pantry Partisan? Having Our Vote and Eating It Too?

CitizenSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:01:59 -0700

In a tight race, political advisers have to stop at nothing to figure out how voters are thinking - all the way down to scrutinizing what's in their shopping carts. By looking closely at consumer behavior, including how people eat, savvy advisers are seeing a way to scavenge for votes. In the voting biz it's called microtargeting (hello Soccer Moms!) and it's as much political discipline as cute concept.

In the Coke-vs-Pepsi United States, the brands we buy and how we spend our free time can be a pretty good predictor of our politics. So the same way you get a mailbox full of targeted catalogs, people can figure out your votes based on shopping habits.

Although advisers still consider gender, religion, and other big categories most useful, info about eating, travel, and hobbies provide a good second-tier crystal ball into the mind of the voter. Clintonite Mark Penn wrote a book all about this practice of microtargeting - and said about Obama in an email just last week, “He has more of the arugula vote.” Are you an arugula or an iceberg vote? To see which parties eat what, read more.

Pepsi-Cola and Sprite are Democratic sodas.
Dr Pepper is a Republican soda.
Most clear liquors, like gin and vodka are Democratic hooch.
Brown liquors like bourbon or scotch are Republican.
White wine and Evian water are Democratic.
Red wine and Fiji water are Republican.
Democrats prefer Popeye's chicken.
Republicans eat Chick-Fil-A.

Though the chicken-and-beer info is useful, it's how you use the platter that matters. The managing director of American Environics says,

“Knowing that your base drinks gin doesn’t give you a clear idea on how to communicate with them effectively on issues. But if you take it a level deeper and say, are there psychological drivers that will help understand the values behind the behavior, you can speak to those values and persuade voters.”

Do your ballot and your pantry match? Are you a Dr Pepper Republican? Do you think this in an accurate way to predict votes or just a bunch of leftovers?

Source

USDA Closes School Lunch Meatpacker, Kids Don't Know Pork

CitizenSugar — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:00:50 -0800

The USDA just shut down an LA slaughterhouse that had been the distributor for Westland Meat Company, the ground beef supplier for the National School Lunch Program.

Meanwhile, on the UK side of the pond, LEAF, Linking Environment and Farming, just released a video to help kids learn that sausages don't grow on trees. The video "demonstrates the sausage-making process, from farm to plate." True story. This comes after a survey last year showed that 22 percent of adults didn't know that bacon and sausage come from farms.

Knowing where your food comes from and safety regulations are crucial. LEAF was founded to help environmentalists, consumers, and farmers make positive strides for all concerned. To see how the UK is winning at the smart and sane farm game, read more.

LEAF started because:

"They were motivated by a common concern for the future of farming and keen to develop a system of farming which was realistic and achievable for the majority of farmers."

The LEAF survey, among other things, showed that people are becoming increasing disconnected from their food and where it comes from. Part of the reason I'm vegan is that after having grown up on a farm, closer to where my meat and dairy originated, I know that beef doesn't spring forth, wrapped in Saran wrap, and land in a Safeway cooler. Environmental and legislative consequences are becoming increasingly relevant.

While exploring the Environmental Legislation posted on the British Pig Executives website, I uncovered this - in the US, each pig farm is responsible for its own environmental plan. Is this a good idea? Can agencies like LEAF be more effective than the USDA to help kids and the environment?

Source

The Simple Food: Can Obama Change the Way We Eat?

CitizenSugar — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 11:00:26 -0800

Everyone wants food reform. Parents want better school lunches. Consumer groups call to improve food-safety regulations. The Humane Society wants kinder policies towards animals. And a high-profile White House chef who cooks "delicious, local food" would be great! (Thanks Gourmet editor.)

But one person's reform is another person's tax dollar, and there aren't enough dollars to go around. As if there ever were. Even once decided, improved food policies could take years to implement.

If policy changes take years and tax dollars are tight, Ruth Reichl, the Gourmet editor, could be onto something. After all in like 2004, I read about the back-to-basics cocktail trend in Gourmet, and look where we are now! To see how Obama's personal changes could affect the way we eat, read more.

A garden in front of the White House - like a Maine-based campaign is already promoting - would be a visible commitment to eating locally. And even if a White House chef who cooked with garden ingredients only created buzz among foodies initially, it would accelerate the know-where-it-came-from movement further into the mainstream.

"It's like the hat manufacturers being furious because JFK didn't wear a hat, and suddenly everyone in America stopped wearing hats," Reichl said. "It's that simple."

Maybe it's not that simple, but could it be a simple start?

Source

The How-To Lounge: Tips for Eating at your Desk

DearSugar — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 10:00:00 -0700

If you're anything like me, you very rarely have time to sneak out of the office for a lunch break, which leaves you with no other place to eat your lunch then at your desk. Below are some tips to live by when you can't break away for a quick bite.

Click here to read more

Respect your office mates and don't eat foods that will smell up the room. Stay away from fish, cooked broccoli, eggs, cheese etc.
When you eat at your desk, you're less focused on your lunch, which can lead to over-eating. Try not to multi-task and concentrate more on your food, just like you would if you were at a restaurant
Avoid fast food restaurants and unhealthy take out restaurants. If you can, bring your lunch so you can make the right food choices
Be sure not to let your food sit out unrefrigerated for more than three hours. If you have a fridge in your office kitchen, put your lunch in it when you get into the office
Spills are inevitable when eating at your desk. If you can, use a place mat and always remember to wipe down your desk before getting back to work
Move your key board and any important papers away from where you eat, you don't want to splatter on your documents or computer
Always throw your garbage away in the kitchen or away from your desk. Leaving food containers in your cube or office will stink up the room all day
No matter how busy you are, try to get out of the office at least once a week for lunch -- you work hard and deserve a break every once in a while

Lunch breaks are meant for just that, so make sure you take a few breaks through out your day to get your legs moving, your blood flowing, and a few breaths of fresh air!

Source

Missouri State Rep: Do Poor Kids Really Need Free Lunches?

TresSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:30:00 -0700

"Hunger can be a positive motivator."

- Missouri State Representative Cynthia Davis, responding to a press release from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services on a Summer food program that provides “food during the summer for thousands of low-income Missouri children who rely on the school cafeteria for free or reduced-price meals during the regular school year.” According to Feeding America, one in five kids in Missouri often goes hungry. To watch Stephen Colbert's response, read more

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Tip/Wag - Cynthia Davis & Fox News

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Jeff Goldblum

Source

Briefing Book! Coulter: Chris Matthews Wants Obama, Sexually

LibertySugar — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:30:06 -0800

Ann Coulter says media's love for Obama is sexual. - Real Clear Politics
No indication that Bernie Madoff bought even a single stock. - Huffington Post
Will Obama's housing bailout save the octuplet mom's home? - wowOwow
How to make your own Aretha Franklin inauguration hat. - Lemondrop
Vintage sexism? Tab will help you get a shape a man can't forget. - Feministing
Indian woman has been married 23 times, and wants to give it another shot. - The Frisky
Meghan McCain says her dad's campaign didn't like her blog. - Wonkette
Food banks in some of the most affluent places are seeing floods of new people in need. - SavvySugar

Source

Ask E. Jean For DearSugar: We've Both Gained the Newlywed 15 - Help!

E Jean Carroll — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:00:00 -0800

Dear E. Jean,

My husband and I have been married one year and we're very much in love. What's the problem? We're getting fat and we blame each other! Instead of the Freshman 15, we’ve each put on the Newlywed 15 in less than a year. We’ve tried dieting together, but we fall back into bad eating habits during times of stress or celebration. My husband is a fan of the low-carb diet; I don’t think a life without carbs is worth living. He likes lifting weights and running; I prefer yoga. It’s impossible!

But no matter what E. Jean, we’re too attractive to let ourselves go! I haven’t been feeling as confident as I used to, and this affects our marriage in more ways than one. When I feel badly about myself I can’t give my husband the attention he deserves. We should be feeling frisky and sexy, not flabby and irritable! Help! - Fat and Unhappy in Houston

To see E. Jean's answer read more.

E. Jean to Houston,

Darling, I’d like to see you and your husband try to keep the weight on after you have a whirl at this. (I’m a moron for not thinking of this years ago!)

Go to Flaab.com. Decide how much money it’s worth to each of you to get rid of the 15 pounds forever - $15? $50? $150? $500? (I know people who’ve spent $5,000 a year since the Reagan Administration trying to lose the same 20 pounds.) Decide the date by which you want to lose the weight. Then tell Auntie Eeee the name of your husband’s ex-girlfriend. Because Auntie Eeee is going to send her the money if you don’t lose the weight.

Yes, and to make doubly certain you don’t "fall back into bad eating habits," the note I’m sending to the ex-girlfriend (along with your money) will say you’re such a delightful dingbat that you want her - the ex-girlfriend - to take your husband out to dinner because you’re no longer feeling "frisky and sexy" and can’t lose 15 pounds. (By the way, the note I’d be sending to your ex-boyfriend because your husband can’t lose the pounds is even more entertaining.)

Of course, you’ll get the money back if you do lose the weight; not that you’ll be able to look at food again. And if there are no exes in the case, you can name a horrid ex-boss, a mean girl from high school, or a nasty political group like Kill the Whales.

So let’s do it. The $40 billion-a-year diet industry has wasted everyone’s bread long enough! You can help feed the world’s hungry by stipulating that the United Nations Food Programme receives a percentage of the money you put down. My friend, Kenneth Shaw, a brainiac economics guy out of Stanford, has made the site so simple (no pictures! no bilge!) it’s almost Google-esque.

And best of all? On Flaab.com, you can maintain your svelte self by stipulating that the cash will go to your husband’s ex (the guy who stole your promotion, a puppy mill, etc) if you gain a pound back. Enjoy!

To see more advice from E. Jean, visit Elle magazine and AskEJean.com.