TresSugar

Man Arrested For Assaulting Woman During Monopoly Game

TresSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:00:00 -0700

We have several rubrics here at TrèsSugar that this news story could have fit under. Stranger Than Fiction. Très Bizarre. And then there's the less-oft-used Dumbass of the Day. The following story is a rarity - I will file it under all of the above.

A 54-year-old Michigan man was playing Monopoly Saturday night with a female friend. He tried to buy Park Place and Boardwalk from her, but she wasn't budging. So what did the guy do? He hit her in the head and broke her glasses. Needless to say, he was subsequently arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault and battery.

May I add another charge? Terminal stupidity.

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Thousands Roll Dice for World-Record Game of Monopoly

CitizenSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:00:11 -0700

At least 2,500 people from around the world have passed "go" and set a new world record for the largest simultaneous game of Monopoly. The big event took place in London, but organizers say once online players (who rolled virtual dice on Monopoly's online site, cell phones and game consoles) are counted, the total number of players could rise to 5,000.

The hour-long game took place on Wednesday and was the first of its kind. Guinness required a minimum of 1,000 players in 23 locations to set the world record. (It only took an hour? Monopoly games take forever. . .)

The Monopoly board game was born 1934 at the height of the Great Depression, when Charles B. Darrow of Pennsylvania, showed the game to executives at Parker Brothers. They rejected the idea due to "52 design errors," so Charles handmade sets with a friend and was quickly able to prove demand for the game to the game company. According to Hasbro, in its 65-year history, an estimated 500 million people have played the game. Check out SavvySugar's Monopoly quiz for more trivia.

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I always play with the car because it's the only piece that makes logical sense. I'm weird. Do you have a go-to piece? The iron, perhaps?

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Front Page: A Chance For Peace in Gaza

LibertySugar — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:05:29 -0800

A three-hour cease-fire in Gaza left hope that peace between Hamas and Israel can be reached, but there is no guarantee. - CBS on YouTube
The Red Cross reports it found at least 15 bodies and several children, who were emaciated but alive, in a row of shattered houses in the Gaza Strip. Officials accused the Israeli military of preventing ambulances from reaching the bombed-out site for four days. - Washington Post
President-elect Barack Obama plans to urge Congress to move quickly on his economic aid package (expected to cost $800 billion) today, warning that failure to do so would have devastating long-term effects for the nation. - CNN
The Army mistakenly sent letters addressed "Dear John Doe" to 7,000 family members of soldiers who died in Iraq and Afghanistan, forcing a formal apology from the Army's top general. The letters contained information about private organizations that assist grieving families, but a printing error by a contractor left the letters without specific names and addresses. - Washington Post

Russia's state-controlled gas monopoly said it would restore supplies to Europe through Ukraine, which it cut off after a dispute between Moscow and Kiev, as soon as international monitors are implemented. - Reuters

Product of the Day: Chocolate Jesus

GiggleSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:00:34 -0800

Who says Santa and the Easter bunny have a monopoly on being sculpted in chocolate? Just in time for the holidays, an enterprising confectioner in Germany is making hand-crafted candy Jesus figures. Not surprisingly, German churches have critized the idea as "tasteless" (but did they try the chocolate?!).

According to the company website, the high-quality organic chocolate "is produced without exploitation of our fellow humans or the natural resources awarded to us by God, as this would be unchristian." Biting the head off a chocolate Jesus, however, is a great way to celebrate any Christian holiday, "where they can help to refocus on the real meaning of these events."

Does Barack Obama Have a Mandate?

LibertySugar — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:30:16 -0800

Speaking about uncertain economic times at a press conference today, President-elect Barack Obama said one thing's for certain: He has a mandate. Obama explained:

We had, I think, a decisive win, because of the extraordinary desire for change on the part of the American people. And so I don't think there is any question that we have a mandate to move the country in a new direction, and not continue the same old practices that have gotten us into the fix that we're in.

Despite his confidence that he has the political capital to change the country's course, Obama also said he realizes a large portion of the country voted for John McCain and that "wisdom is not the monopoly of any one party." Do you agree with Obama's bold statement that Americans support his agenda for change?

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The How-To Lounge: Making the Best of Things

DearSugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0700

Financially, things are rough right now, and even if you’re not personally affected, it’s impossible to miss the changes happening everywhere as people lose their homes and their jobs. In such a time of uncertainty, it’s easy to let worries overtake you. But as they say about life giving you lemons, maybe it's time to make lemonade. To see my ideas for doing just that, read more.

First of all, do what it takes to get your finances in order. Organizing your money will allow you to feel more comfortable and alleviate many worries. You couldn’t possibly have a better excuse to now. If you don't know where to start, I'm sure Savvy has plenty of tips for you.
It’s too expensive to go out, so stay in. Offer to have people over for a cheap wine party or a pot luck dinner.
The same goes for family. It’s expensive to meet at a restaurant or take an outing to the movies. It costs a fraction of that to whip up some chili and pull out the Monopoly board. And you know what? These are the family memories that last longest.
In need of extra cash? Try cleaning your house. The junk that’s been clogging your counters and cabinets this year could bring in some money. Not to mention that your house will actually be clutter-free, too.
Give volunteering a shot. You may be surprised how working with an organization you care about will start to make you feel hopeful. It’s easy to sit at home depressed, but you’ll feel much better taking action.

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Study: Children Are Aware of Voter Prejudice in US

LibertySugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:45:50 -0700

The "race card" has been a hot phase for pundits, politicians, and the general population throughout campaign season (McCain's own camp even alleged that Obama "played the race card" earlier this Summer), and apparently, it's a notion that's not lost on the youngest among us. A new study shows children are aware white males have monopolized the US presidency, and most attribute the trend to racial prejudice.

Researchers at the University of Texas found most elementary-school-aged children are aware there has been no female, African-American, or Hispanic president. Many of the children attribute the lack of representation to discrimination.

The research team interviewed 205 children aged five to 10 in 2006, a year before Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama began their historic bids for the presidency. For additional findings, read more.

A third of the children said the white male monopoly was due to "racial and gender bias," and another third believed members of the excluded groups "lacked the skills to hold the position."
One in four participants told researchers they thought it was "illegal for women and minorities to hold the office of president."
The study found children were generally optimistic about the possibility that they could be president.

Rebecca Bigler, professor of psychology at the University of Kansas, and lead author of the study, noted the topic of how racial and gender exclusion play into our politics is not typically explained to children so they appear to create their own explanations for the exclusion.

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Relationship Protocol: Competition

DearSugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0700

I don’t consider myself a competitive person, but I can get pretty feisty during a round of Guitar Hero or a game of Scrabble. There’s nothing wrong with a little competition in a friendly game, but what about when it comes to a relationship? I’ve always kept my tiny competitive edge away from my significant other, but I’ve seen some couples duke it out over Monopoly or worse, their roles at work. Maybe it has more to do with the urge to get out a little tension than an actual desire to win, but what do you think? Have you seen this in other couples? Do you and your man ever go head to head?

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Top Five Cheapest States to Fill Up Your Gas Tank. . . .

CitizenSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:45:49 -0700

This I didn't know: Alaska has the highest gas prices in the US? Wow. The average up there in Klondike country is $4.63. California follows pretty closely at $4.50, and Hawaii, Connecticut, and Washington round out the top five.

So where should you be heading to fill up? Missouri is the cheapest at $3.86 (aw! Remember $3 gas! I made a scrapbook of it!) helped along by their record-low gas tax. Oklahoma, South Carolina, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Iowa round out the cheapest five states to fill up. So now that gas stations are having to use up a whole bunch more "4"s to fill their prices signs, where in the world will they get them all?

Can you guess who had this explanation for it? "I know what you're thinking. The fours have probably been replaced by illegal Mexican quatros." To find out, read more.

Last night on the Colbert Report, Stephen showed off his capitalistic prowess claiming that he's got the monopoly on all the fours needed for the rising gas prices. Funny, but let's hope he doesn't have a stockpile of fives, too? OK, Stephen? You hear me?

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GiggleSugar Reader Spotlight: Sweetpeabrina

GiggleSugar — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 15:00:00 -0700

How can you not love someone whose many mottos includes, "Yay! Go me!" I think we have a few things to learn from Sweetpeabrina, who is an actual school teacher, so let the schooling begin!

GS: What’s your motto?
SPB: I have a couple. “In vino veritas.” Mainly because I have this bad habit of drinking wine (mmm... Pinot Noir) and telling people what I truly think. “A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a woman perfected without trials“ was my mantra that helped me get through my divorce to Number 1 Douchebag. And the one that I say at least twice a day, “Yay! Go me!”

GS: Where are you from?
SPB: Atlanta, GA – I love it here. I’ll always be a southern girl at heart. Lately I’ve been aching to get out! I know the grass is always greener (or scorched, in this case) on the other side, but my BFF is in San Diego and my brother is in San Francisco. I need to be in California. My parents are from St. Croix and St. Thomas, USVI, so I also like to claim that as home even though I wasn’t born there.

GS: What do you do?
SPB: I’m a teacher-8th grade, Physical Science. Most people look at me like I’m insane when I say that I really like teaching 13 and 14-year-olds. They are soooo melodramatic. Everything is such a big deal to them. They have this strange sense of humor that makes me laugh. One of my coworkers and I love to find their notes that they write to each other. If we can find one of those notebooks that they write in then pass back and forth, it makes our day. Ohh! My 7th period has me hooked on Potter Puppet Pals.

GS: How would you describe your sense of humor?
SPB: My sense of humor is very sophomoric. I’m really silly and goofy. Much to the amusement of my friends, when I get really excited about something funny and try to tell them about it, I tend to get my words mixed up and out of order. I think that came from when I had my tongue pierced. My brain moves too fast for my mouth.

GS: What’s your favorite GiggleSugar post?
SPB: Cute Alert: French Bulldog Pups! I melt every time I see this! I love the WTFs and the Douchebag posts! And Miss Teen South Carolina. Oh! And the Hiccupping Baby Porcupine was dang cute, too.

GS: Who’s the cutest funny man and funny woman?
SPB: I’d invite Dane Cook over any night of the week. I’m not sure if you can count Drew Barrymore, but she is funny and hot.

GS: Who are your favorite male and female comedians?
SPB: I really like stand up comedians. This will probably change but in the men category I love Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell, Jim Carey, Ron White, George Lopez, and Mitch Fatel (because he likes panties). For the ladies, I like Tammy Pescatelli (because she has class), Margaret Cho, Wanda Sykes, Kathy Griffin, Ellen DeGeneres.

GS: What’s your favorite comedy of all time?
SPB: It’s a tie between Office Space and Monty Python and the Holy Grail. If you haven’t seen either of them, you must rent them this weekend. Have you seen my stapler?

GS: If your life were a comedy, what would it be?
SPB: Definitely Clueless minus the ditziness and the falling in love with my ex-stepbrother part. I don’t have a stepbrother.

GS: Do you look like someone famous?
SPB: When I was little, I looked just like Rudy Huxtable! Now, not so much. I like to imagine I look like Halle Berry, but that’s only extreme wishful thinking!

SPB Free-for-all: I think I’m in danger of becoming addicted to the internet and books. I spend my free time surfing and reading. I’m addicted to HyperSugar. I’m absolutely nuts for LOL Cats. Maybe it’s because I really like my own cat, Gadget, who is curled up next to me right now. I also read a lot. I go through about two books a week, which totally sucks because books can get expensive. I could go to the library but bookstores are so much more fun. I’m totally into Monopoly. I think people’s true colors come out when they play Monopoly. The sweetest person will cuss you out when they land on your properties with hotels. Um.. there’s so much more to add but I’ll stop here. Yay! Go me!

Thanks, Sweetpeabrina!

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(Sweetpeabrina and Gadget the cat (cute!), Ellen DeGeneres, Will Farrell, Jim Carrey, Drew Barrymore, Wanda Sykes, Kathy Griffin, Dane Cook, Ben Stiller, George Lopez, Mitch Fatel, Stephen Lynch, Margaret Cho, Tammy Pescatelli, Ron White)

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