TresSugar

Pep-Rally for Brains Over Brawn? Academic Trading Cards!

CitizenSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:15:10 -0700

Blah, blah, sports, blah. Not a popular sentiment, I realize - I mean they're fun to watch and all (I hear) but I'd rather know the names of the leaders of Zimbabwe than whether the World Series has happened yet. I just get concerned over the culture of idolizing athletes - because when has a touchdown ever cured cancer?

That's why I'm particularly excited over Penn State's new line of academic trading cards. Just like baseball cards (or the media heroes cards), the glossy collectables tout the top faculty members. According to the university president, "We have many great faculty, and they are surely worthy of the accolades our society often lavishes on athletes, coaches, and celebrities in the entertainment world." Hear, hear!

To take a peek at what they look like and whose featured, read more.

I mean, imagine if this girl was a excited about Glaciologist Richard Alley and his work, as listed on his card: "He unlocked the SECRET of the Greenland ice core." Take that to the free-throw line! The cards are sadly not for sale, but maybe even better they're being given away at football tail-gate parties. What more perfect place to nudge university fans into remembering that the school is well rounded and says the president, of "the important work being done by our leading scholars." No word on whether the cards come packaged with gum though. . .

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Harvey Milk Day - Would You Support It?

LibertySugar — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:01:17 -0800

If you didn't grow up in San Francisco, and maybe if you did, you might not have heard of slain gay-rights activist Harvey Milk until Milk hit theaters last year. Sean Penn, who won the Oscar for his portrayal of the nation's first openly gay person elected to major office, wants to continue promoting Milk's legacy. Yesterday in SF, Sean teamed up with state Senator Mark Leno to announce legislation creating a Harvey Milk Day in California.

May 22 wouldn't be a holiday, but it would be an occasion for teachers to talk about how the San Francisco supervisor fought for equal rights. The bill says that it would be "a day of special significance in California," in which public schools would be encouraged "to conduct suitable commemorative exercises on Harvey Milk's life and his contributions to the state."

Fellow-actor Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill similar to the one supported by Penn last year. Do you think the governor should support it?

To see more photos, read more.

View 10 Photos ›

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Gimme a Shot of Jesus: Belly Up to the Bar With Your Bible?

CitizenSugar — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 07:00:13 -0700

If you're on your couch right now recovering from last night and wondering whether you should hit church or give your thanks over a Sunday brunch Bloody Mary instead, your prayers have been answered. The Phyrst Church in State College, PA, part of Penn State’s Christian Student Fellowship, is taking their message to the Phyrst Bar to preach the word. That's right. Church in a bar.

“We’re taking it to them, just like Jesus did in his time,” said Buzz Roberts, a minister with CSF. Seconding this is a Penn State student: “It’s about hearing a message and getting to congregate.” The relationship between God and alcohol didn’t start out on calm seas, however. The CSF contacted several area bars and few were keen to allow religious services to be held inside their establishments, until they reached the Phyrst Bar. “All I wanted was an hour on Sunday nights to share the word and they were cool with it,” said Pastor Kingshipp, also of the CSF.

The services are relaxed, offering a sermon, singing, and even a shot of Stoli. So far nearly 50 students and locals attend, and the church hopes the good times will continue to roll. What do you think? Is this a perfect shake-up of fellowship and the word, or does it stir you up?

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Should Barack Obama Meet Cuba's Raul Castro?

LibertySugar — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 08:00:00 -0800

Cuban President Raul Castro is ready to listen to what President-elect Barack Obama has to say about US-Cuban relations. But Castro told Sean Penn, who traveled to Cuba to interview the dictator, that the meeting would have to be on neutral ground. Castro said:

Personally, I think it would not be fair that I be the first to visit, because it is always the Latin American presidents who go to the United States first. But it would also be unfair to expect the president of the United States to come to Cuba. We should meet in a neutral place. Perhaps we could meet at Guantanamo.

Apparently Castro would set a location precondition before meeting face-to-face with the US president. As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama indicated that he would take steps to loosen the US-Cuba trade embargo. The majority of you agreed with such a policy. So tell me what you think about this proposal - should Barack Obama set up a meeting with Raul Castro in a neutral place to discuss the 40-year grudge?

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Briefing Book! Knowing Is Half the Battle . . .

LibertySugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:00:26 -0700

W: Is Oliver Stone's next movie a comedy? Hilarious script excerpts from the upcoming movie about George W. Bush. - Wonkette

Clinton: Is he next to go? Bill Clinton's ties to Colombia trade deal stronger than ex-strategist Penn's. - Huffington Post
Olympics: Conservatives agree with Clinton and Pelosi? The president of the United States should not go to the Olympics. - Red State
China: Is the era of cheap Chinese toys over? Shoppers starting to pick up the tab for rising costs in China. - Slate

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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?

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Super-Duper Tsunami-rageous Tuesday Extravaganza-palooza - Update

LibertySugar — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:30:22 -0800

Mike Huckabee is projected to win all 18 West Virginia delegates at the state's GOP Convention. The former Arkansas governor beat his Massachusetts counterpart after delegates for John McCain defected to his side. Huckabee is Super Tuesday's first winner. - Washington Post
Both the Clinton and Obama campaigns are playing down expectations today. Clinton's strategist, Mark Penn, said that because none of today's races are winner take all, the fight will continue past Tuesday. - The Washington Times
In the last week, John McCain has surpassed even Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in the amount of news coverage he has received. The media effectively anointed McCain as the Republican frontrunner after he won Florida. - The New York Times
Super Tuesday apparently caused confusion for many voters in Texas. More than 1,000 calls poured into the Bexar County Elections Department on Monday from voters wanting to know where they could vote in Tuesday's primary. Problem is - Texas isn't holding a primary today. - KSAT
Increased voter registration and some long lines early Tuesday pointed to a record turnout for presidential primary contests. - CNN

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