TresSugar

Why You Should Trash the Term White Trash

TresSugar — Tue, 19 May 2009 14:00:00 -0700

Some people tire of more don'ts to add to the so-called politically correct list of things not to say. For me, I think it's important to be aware of what the language you use implies - what it means, who it might hurt, the power behind words. Political correctness (for lack of a better term) is just etiquette on a larger social scale.

Which brings me to the term "white trash." This has always bugged me, and many have weighed in on why it's an awful term.

On the most basic level, calling anyone trash is just plain cruel and dehumanizing. When you think of it from a racial perspective, there's the implication that it's such an unusual event for white people to be "trash" that there needs to be a special category. Political theorist bell hooks, in her book Black Looks, says that white trash is basically a code term meaning, "as low as black people." To hear more thoughts on the term white trash, read more.

Then there's the class discrimination involved. People considered white trash are almost always poor, or from poor backgrounds. I don't need to explain how messed up it is to trash people for being poor. That, I think, is classless.

White trash has become so casually tossed around, in spite of attempts by critics to call attention to it - even Heidi Klum and Seal had a white trash-themed wedding when they renewed their vows recently, and I bet they didn't intend it to be offensive.

Have you ever casually used the term white trash? Does it bother you when you hear it?

Source

Obama Controls Stars, Puts Together Constellation of Bucks

CitizenSugar — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:10:10 -0700

What do Cindy Crawford, Seal, and Dennis Quaid have in common? Nope, it's not a movie remake version of Three's Company (I wish). They were just three of the celebs who came out to a pricey, glitzy Obama fundraiser last night in LA.

For the crowd of 900, Seal performed "A Change Is Gonna Come," while the campaign sang all the way to the bank. Estimated take from the shindig where VIP dinner tickets went for $28,500 per couple? About $5 million smackers. Not bad for a night's work - public funding does seem puny when your own public is the fabulously wealthy.

Other luminaries included Don Cheadle, Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Beals, and Lost producer JJ Abrams. Quaid introduced Seal's performance saying, "he's here tonight to sing for the superman for everyone - Barack Obama."

Is Barack snapping up the center square for the win in this money game of Hollywood Squares? It would seem so. To find out how, read more.

A study by the Center for Responsive Politics showed that Obama has collected more than $4 million from movie, TV, and music types, Clinton took $3.4 million, and McCain? A not-so-big $636,000, with donations from Jerry Bruckheimer and Lorne Michaels.

A McCain spokesman explains his relegation to "extra" like this:

Hollywood is always an uphill climb for Republicans. I think that we're very encouraged by the support that we've been able to get from the folks in the entertainment industry, and John McCain is a great fan of a lot of the work that they do.

He did have a role in Wedding Crashers after all.

Obama is looking to share his wealth - he's asked donors to help bail Hillary out of her debt yesterday, and he's not all celeb centric - he did just downplay all the hoopla surrounding the infamous "ScarJo" emails. Does this type of fund raising keep in line with Obama's quest to abandon a "broken system" and fund his campaign by the people? What draws celebs to the Democratic party?

Source

Seal Goes Kayaking

GiggleSugar — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 13:30:00 -0700

Our friendly neighborhood seal hopped aboard this kayak for a little company, and what does he endure in return? Name-calling ("Clifford") and awkward gawking, that's what. So a seal can't hitch a ride around town anymore without causing a fuss? And what happened to the momentum here? No wonder he bailed.

Cute Alert: Rescued Baby Seal

GiggleSugar — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 03:00:00 -0700

It's that time again: time for your Monday morning cup of cute. Thanks to the folks over at the Vancouver Aquarium, we have footage of this rescued pup. With dark black marbles for eyes and a charming way with words (just listen!), this little guy really "seals" the deal on adorable.

Jack Black Sings "Kiss From A Rose" On American Idol

GiggleSugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 09:50:00 -0700

Seal's "Kiss From A Rose," according to Jack Black, is from "the most sensitive" of the Batman movies: Batman Returns. He takes it on the chin from Randy "Yo Dawg!" Jackson, and doesn't really get a lot from Paula "I Love Goofballs" Abdul, but gets a thumbs up from Simon and Seal himself. Silly fun--and Jack's a good singer, too. (His Tenacious D bandmate plays the crying, rose-holding weirdo in the audience.)

The Biggest Parking Attendant Ever!

GiggleSugar — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:00:00 -0700

Please, for the sake of your vehicle, don't park in the giant elephant seal zone because this particular parking attendant gives citations in the form of car crushing belly blows. One small step for public transportation, one giant leap (or slam?) for seal-kind.

Thanks, Web Junk TV!

Obama to "Seal" His Fate By Stealing the Seal? Slick or Sorry?

CitizenSugar — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 06:00:11 -0700

What, haven't heard people chanting "Vero Possumus" lately? How about the non-Latin translation, "Yes, we can." The Obama campaign rolled out a snazzy new logo at a round table meeting with 16 of the nation's Democratic governors on Friday, that inspired one big question: "Did I sleep through the last seven months and Obama is president already?"

The logo is a dead ringer for the presidential seal, (note the Vero Possumus switch) right down to the cargo the eagle is toting (though I haven't seen any website plugs on the real deal. . . ) The stolen seal has quite a few dishing about the audacity of the swipe.

On MSNBC Pat Buchanan unleashed on the make believe seal saying, "It is too cute by half. It's a knock-off, it's a rip-off, it's a counterfeit. . . they oughta get rid of that nonsense and they're going to be mocked and ridiculed until they do."

A Republican National Committee spokesman said, “Unfortunately for Barack Obama, props won’t seal the deal with the American people. Obama will be judged on his record not oversized, make-believe presidential logos.”

The Obama camp defended the decoration saying, "We've used different design elements at different events, this worked well for this event."

Is this clever graphic design, or a disrespectful (possibly illegal?) game of campaign make-believe?

Source

Product of the Day: Lame Rhinestone Seals

GiggleSugar — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:02:00 -0800

YumSugar went to the magical Daiso dollar store in Serramonte, California only to find that these Lame (lamé?) Rhinestone Seals (stickers?) were all sold out. Now that is lame. But maybe this will start a craze in reverse psychology branding?

Giant Elephant Seal Is PMSing

GiggleSugar — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 01:00:00 -0700

When it's your time of the month and your beached and bloated, do you want someone poking at your blubber? Well, neither does a giant elephant seal. This brave lady has no idea what she's got coming.

GoGirl - Love It or Leave It?

TresSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0800

I envy guys for being able to pee anywhere - especially when I'm camping or attending an outdoor festival or something. But what stops me is the whole drip-drying issue, not the lack of a special tool, which is why I find the GoGirl feminine urination device ($7) a tad puzzling. This silicone funnel comes in a cute tube and creates a watertight seal so you can "go anywhere" with no mess or fuss. The tagline: "don't take life sitting down." Do you think this is empowering or just plain silly?