TresSugar

Western Oil Companies Back in Iraq With Unusual Contracts

LibertySugar — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:02:44 -0700

Thirty-six years after Saddam Hussein nationalized oil and kicked out Western companies, Iraq's Oil Ministry has awarded Exxon Mobil, Shell, Total, and BP contracts set to bring the oil giants back.

Despite the fact that high oil prices put these contracts in high demand, Iraq granted very unusual no-bid contracts, meaning the companies did not have to compete with their counterparts in China, Russia, and India. Today's New York Times explains:

There was suspicion among many in the Arab world and among parts of the American public that the United States had gone to war in Iraq precisely to secure the oil wealth these contracts seek to extract. The Bush administration has said that the war was necessary to combat terrorism. It is not clear what role the United States played in awarding the contracts; there are still American advisers to Iraq’s Oil Ministry.

The oil companies assure that they intend to help Iraq rebuild its neglected oil infrastructure. To see how, read more.

Private companies will bring new technology and expertise to Iraq, as well as new oil revenue to help rebuild other infrastructure. Interestingly, the contracts, designated as "service contracts" to be paid with oil, circumvented any legislative approval.

For a more in-depth explanation on this unusual, yet seemingly predictable development, check out the whole NY Times story. Would it have been better if Western oil companies came back to Iraq under less exceptional circumstances?

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Were You Ever Attracted to Bad Boys?

TresSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:00:15 -0800

With her rocker eyeliner, all-black wardrobe, and perfected eye roll, Gossip Girl's Jenny Humphrey isn't exactly fitting in with the prissy kids at her prep school. It's obvious that she needs a bad boy by her side, and on last night's episode that's just what she gets.

Jenny meets up with a Belgian diplomat's son, who happens to be drug pusher. She seems turned on or at least intrigued by his rebellious side and ends up helping him with some sales. Luckily, original bad boy Chuck Bass (they know his name even in Europe) is there to save Jenny from the dangers of drugs. But now that she's had a taste of the fast life, I suspect she'll be back for more, especially since she already has the wardrobe.

Although Jenny's appearance in the episode is otherwise pointless, it did remind us that sometimes we can be attracted to bad boys - even if it's completely stupid. Have you ever had a thing for troublemakers?

For more Gossip Girl coverage, check out FabSugar, BellaSugar, BuzzSugar, and CelebStyle.)

Photos courtesy of The CW

Ask Two Guys About Guys: Why the Incessant Package-Adjusting?

TresSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:00:32 -0800

Colin Nissan and Sean Farrell of Don't Be That Guy fame have graciously agreed to answer some burning questions we women folk have about men. You guys were not loving their answer to a woman's question "Why isn't he calling me?" but this week they head into less controversial territory. Check it out!

This week's question: "Why do men need to adjust their packages so much?"

To hear what the Two Guys have to say, read more.

What’s simply written off as a lewd display of machismo is often a great deal more complex.

Climate plays a critical role in male package adjustment. In the humidity of summer months many guys experience what the medical community refers to as Swamp Balls or Jungle Johnson. Shifting things around is often our only hope for relieving this dreaded, Amazonian discomfort. Scientifically speaking, when the crotch heats up, the ball sac loosens, thinning the skin and causing temperatures to rise. Our balls begin to slide haphazardly against one another, not unlike two Jell-O-lubed wrestlers jockeying for position in the ring. It’s our job to step in and separate the two to give them time to cool off.

Underwear physics are also worth discussing. In the world of briefs, sometimes we simply need to push the curious old turtle back into its shell, if you know what we mean (the turtle is our penis.) With boxers, it’s very common for the fabric to ride up into the crevices of our inner thighs and to drag an excruciating pube or two with it. Rolling the fabric down must be done very carefully to minimize the pain, which explains why our hands are actually inside our pants a lot.

Hopefully the next time you see a guy fiddling publicly with his privates, you’ll be able to temper your disgust with a little empathy. It’s no picnic going through life with a penis, balls and a code of decency all at the same time.

Say What? Shakira's Hips Don't Lie

TresSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:00:00 -0700

"My body feels like it is asking to reproduce, to have a huge belly and carry babies."

- Shakira, in the latest issue of Rolling Stone, about feeling her biological clock ticking. You won't see her get married any time soon, though. She claims she'll never get married, even though she's been with her beau for nine years. What I'd love to hear her explain is what the following lyrics from "Wherever, Wherever" mean: "Lucky that my breasts are small and humble/So you don't confuse them with mountains." I may not confuse them with mountains, but I am confused!

Grab Bag: Get Over Your Ex With the Help of Craigslist!

TresSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0700

How to get over your ex with Craigslist. - Lemondrop
Woman thinks she'll never hook up with a woman. (Never say never!) - The Frisky
Who gets to keep the ring after a broken engagement? - Em & Lo
Five ways a guy can suck in bed. - Your Tango
There's a Mormon fetish industry? - Jezebel
Author Joyce Maynard's daughter speaks out about being subject of mom's book. - Double X
Is it possible to change the way a guy kisses?- Glamour
Why did the chicken cross the road? Maybe this compendium of YouTube videos will answer your question. - Urlesque

Sunday Confessional: She'll Ditch Husband After Kids Grow Up

TresSugar — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 03:00:00 -0700

We're scouring the juicy (but anonymous!) secrets posted on Truu Confessions and letting you weigh in. This week, a confessor admits that she is planning on leaving her husband for another man.

"Dear Boyfriend, I'm falling in love with you. I hope you know that. Just another decade or so until our kids are old enough that we can leave our spouses."

Do you think this is a big deal?

Awkward! My Friend Keeps Oversharing Her Sex Life

TresSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Thanks to a reader with an issue (sorry, reader!), we have an awkward scenario requiring your advice. (Have some awkward tales of your own? Join our Awkward! group to get etiquette advice from other readers - that's where we got this gem!)

"I have this really good friend. I love her to death, but she tends to overshare with me, and it's pretty uncomfortable at times. Every time she has sex, I get a text. "Just had amazing sex!" "He's soo great in bed . . . just had the best sex ever!" (Just some of the examples that come to mind.) I get one of these texts almost daily, and it really drives me nuts. I'm afraid that if I say this to her she'll think she can't tell me anything. (She tends to react dramatically.) We are really close and do share a lot, but I don't need an update everytime she gets it on. I don't know what to do!"

Flashback: Spice Up Your Sex With . . . a Computer Game?

TresSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Before there was online porn, there was the Interlude computer game. Apparently, people would shell out money for a manual and computer disk filled with someone else's sexual fantasies. Anything to keep your love life from being routine, predictable, or boring!

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Did You Read Sweet Valley High Books Growing Up?

TresSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Sweet Valley High, a book series that had a twenty-year run starting in 1983, centered on the lives of teen twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield from - you guessed it - Sweet Valley, CA. There was even a television show based on the books.

Word on the street is that Jennifer's Body screenwriter Diablo Cody will be at the helm of a project to produce and direct an adaptation of the Sweet Valley High books. Something tells me she'll be perfect for this.

Guides Hope Public Will Have Big Love For Polygamy Tours

TresSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:10:00 -0700

Has Big Love only intensified your curiosity about the mysterious lives of polygamists? Perhaps you should book your next vacation to Arizona, where former fundamentalist Mormons have launched a tour of a polygamous colony.

Starting next weekend, outsiders will get an inside look with "The Polygamy Experience: A Guided Tour of Colorado City." The tour is not for the passingly curious, as it lasts four hours and involves meetings with people who have been exiled by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS). Even so, it promises to be respectful. The guides will educate tourists on the history of fundamentalist Mormonism and explain why they take more than one wife in the first place. Paying customers will also learn what's behind the prairie dresses and long braids.

The tour costs $70 for adults and $60 for children (children, really?). Would you shell out the money to see polygamy up close?

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