TresSugar

Family Battles Poor Children of Panama for Man's Fortune

LibertySugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:30:43 -0700

An undercover child benefactor originally from Pennsylvania, has sparked an international legal battle from the grave. Wilson C. Lucom left a small amount of his fortune to his family, while leaving the rest of his tens of millions of dollars to a foundation he secretly created for the poor children of Panama.

Those who knew Lucom probably never saw this coming. While alive he funded anti-communist causes, and authored political commentaries, which often advocated solving the world's problems by dropping nuclear bombs.

Now, Lucom's widow, who was granted $20,000 a month in the will, wants the last testament of her mysteriously child friendly husband thrown out. The case is currently in front of Panama's Supreme Court, and the legal battle (which includes 20 law firms!), will decide the fate of Panama's largest charitable donation in history. Who do you want to win?

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Do Women Have a Right to Sexual Happiness - by Law?

LibertySugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 14:30:48 -0700

One politician wants to add a woman's right to sexual happiness to Ecuador's new constitution. While her opponents claim she is trying to legislate orgasms, Maria Soledad Vela says that she simply wants to recognize the right to enjoy sex in a more open society. Since the new constitution will recognize the rights of indigenous communities and the poor, she says women should also be represented.

It seems like governments all over the world are always trying to legislate issues that can't exactly be solved with a law. Remember the Kentucky lawmaker who wanted to make anonymous Internet posting illegal? Or the fact that in Italy, it is illegal for men to grab their genitals in public. Why do you think governments have such an expansive view regarding what is appropriate for legislation?

Perhaps these politicians have worthy intentions - by calling to legislate sexual happiness for women, Soledad Vela has ignited a debate in conservative Ecuador about the female position in society. She hopes that an official endorsement of female pleasure will end the treatment of women as sexual objects.

Do you think Soledad Vela should be commended for trying to stop female sexual subordination? Or, is she treading on something intimate that has nothing to do with politics or law? Would you like to see a constitutional right like this in your country?

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Guidebook Writer Says He Never Visited Countries

LibertySugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 06:00:49 -0700

Apparently it isn't essential that a guidebook writer actually visit the country he writes about. A Lonely Planet author is claiming that he made up large portions of his books, and dealt drugs to subsidize his measly salary. Think twice before going to the titles on Brazil, Colombia, the Caribbean, Venezuela, Chile, and South America, for some first-hand advice.

These damning revelations came out in the writer's, Thomas Kohnstamm, new book Do Travel Writers Go to Hell? He says that he wrote about Colombia without visiting the country because they didn't pay him enough to go to Colombia. He says: "I wrote the book in San Francisco. I got the information from a chick I was dating - an intern in the Colombian Consulate."

This guy has the coolest job ever - traveling around the world and writing about it- and he does the arguably hard part while, ditching the fun of seeing the world. I know he's not making a lot of money, but he accepted the job knowing how much he was going to make. Do you think phony travel writers, like Kohnstamm, should go to hell?

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Dengue Outbreak, Doctor Shortage Plaguing Brazil

LibertySugar — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:00:27 -0700

A medical crisis is erupting in South America. A dengue fever outbreak in Brazil has infected 55,000 people, and killed 67 Brazilians so far this year. Half of those killed by the mosquito-borne illness are under 13-years-old. Victims experience harsh symptoms including, high fever, headaches, joint pain, eye pain, nausea, vomiting, and a rash.

Unfortunately there are not enough doctors to tackle the outbreak. Patients must wait at hospitals for as long as 28 hours. People from the rural areas are flooding the municipal hospitals. Eighty new cases are being diagnosed every hour. The Brazilian military intervened, building three field hospitals trying to address the demand. The situation is so drastic that the governor of Rio de Janeiro may ask Cuba to send doctors.

This is a huge humanitarian crisis! The more time it takes for those infected to get treatment, the more likely the infection will become fatal. If you haven't heard about it yet, are you surprised?
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Chicago Dropped From 2016 Olympic Race, Rio Wins!

TresSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:35:43 -0700

Update: Rio de Janeiro has been awarded the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. This is the first time a country in South America will host the Olympics! The delegation from Brazil jumped and cheered in celebration when the IOC made the announcement.

The IOC unexpectedly decided to drop Chicago from contention for the 2016 Olympics in the first round of voting. It had been expected that the final vote would come down to Chicago and Rio de Janeiro. Tokyo was dropped in the second round, and Madrid and Rio are still in the running as the vote continues. President Obama, Michelle Obama, and Oprah had traveled to Copenhagen to make a passionate pitch for their hometown, but in the end, it wasn't enough.

Happy Caturday!

TresSugar — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:28:26 -0700

You may not be able to herd cats, but you can take them backpacking, apparently!

Just ask William and Laetitia, a French couple who love their feline companion Kitty so much that two months into their trip on-foot from Miami, FL, through Central and South America, they took her with them! You can check out the website about their journeys here. I really have seen everything!

Front Page: Afghan Voters Head to Polls

TresSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:00:14 -0700

Afghan men and women headed to the polls today amid Taliban threats and rocket attacks. - New York Times
On compassionate grounds, Scotland releases the convicted PanAm bomber, who has terminal prostate cancer. - Associated Press
US News & World Report releases its 2010 list of the best colleges in America. - New York Daily News
A Seattle woman is suing magician David Copperfield for sexual assault. - Seattle Times
Teenage South African runner Caster Semenya is undergoing gender testing amid speculation that she is not a woman. - AP

Shocking: One in Four Men Admit Rape in South Africa

TresSugar — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:00:00 -0700

The figure "one in four" has always stood out in my mind - statistics show that one in four college women in America have survived rape or attempted rape. Now the figure has taken on meaning in South Africa as well, where one in four men admit to raping someone.

If you thought the high incidence of rape was tragic, an incredibly sad study reveals it’s even worse than you might have imagined. Men who were physically violent toward women were also twice as likely to be HIV positive. The study unveiled a culture of violence that just gets more disturbing. In South Africa, some men consider gang rape a form of male bonding.

As the high rate of rape suggests, women in South Africa cannot count on the government to address the epidemic - only 7 percent of reported cases lead to a conviction.

Front Page: North Korea Sentences US Journalists to 12 Years

TresSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 08:00:45 -0700

North Korea has convicted American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee of crimes against the nation. They have been sentenced to 12 years in a labor camp. - Washington Post
The Supreme Court declines to take up a case challenging the Army's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. - Fox News
Conservative parties across Europe are claiming victory in the latest EU Parliament elections. - Voice of America
Brazil's military is recovering bodies from last week's Air France crash off the coast of South America. - CNN
Susan Boyle has hired U2's manager. - New York Post

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Conventional Wisdom: Ask a Bartender

TresSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 06:00:00 -0700

My boyfriend who was also my best friend has left me, very cruelly. Ten days after the breakup, he started posting pictures of himself with a new girlfriend on Facebook! I hate my job in the family business and want to go abroad. My parents are extremely unhappy about this. None of my friends are here anymore; they have all moved out of town, either getting married or getting a career. I am lonely. I don't even have anyone to go watch a movie with.

Although I have a postgraduate degree, I am not confident that I will find a job in this economic climate, after three years of working in the family. My mom has been diagnosed with an ovarian cyst, which may or may not be malignant. Being the only child, now I am duty bound to take care of her, postponing my rebellious move out of the country. I am 26 and have no idea where my life is going. I have taken to popping Xanax and sleeping off my days; I prefer my dreams to my reality. I wake up at nights with a thumping heart and read novels as long as I am awake. Show me a way. Tell me what to do . . . please. I need help!

- Woeful With Wanderlust

To see what the bartender had to say, read more.

Dear Woeful,

I am not sure where to begin here. I seriously had to shake myself a stiff martini before I could delve into all of your issues. It sounds like someone has been having the only kind of party that is not any fun: a pity party. It's time to splash some cold water on your face, snap out of your benzo-induced haze, and do some serious soul searching.

Although your ex-boyfriend's behavior may seem cruel, he might have been unhappy for a long time and checked out of the relationship months prior to making the move. People get lazy in that comfortable space and often don't have the gumption to break up with the person until they meet someone else. You should be thankful that he had the decency to break up with you rather than carry on some torrid affair based on the fear that he didn't want to hurt you.

I am going to take a stab in the dark here and guess that you were one of those girls who let her friendships wane, instead spending nights at home watching movies with your boyfriend. Please learn something from this experience. You should only have to experience that feeling of complete and utter aloneness once in your lifetime. Having a great group of friends always helps ease the pain of a breakup. They are there to remind you what a fun, smart, and sexy person you are and can say things like, "There are so many other fish in the sea," and "We always thought he was a douchebag but just didn't have the heart to tell you."

As far as your family and career go, yes, yes, yes to living abroad. Become bilingual, trilingual, quadlingual. People automatically respect you. If you're worried about dilly dallying away your time while our economy is in the crapper, do some volunteer work in another country. I have a sense that you might be a business-minded gal; what about helping women in South America write business plans? Just a thought, but I am sure there are programs applicable to your profession out there, and I am a firm believer in always trying to better yourself.

You seem like you have been the dutiful daughter for far too long. Since you are the only child, I am sure your parents are going to be nervous, but they obviously love you and will not disown you for making an independent decision. Now, if your mom truly does have ovarian cancer, maybe consider a month-long trip oversees - in which case, party your ass off - instead of relocation.

Lastly, lay off the freaking Xanax. Benzodiazepines are highly addictive with long-term use. Your words suggest anxiety and depression, which I predict is a product of your current situation and hopefully not a chemical imbalance that needs medical attention. You seem like a hardworking, sensitive, and smart woman. Empower yourself instead of feeling sorry for yourself. Always trust your gut; it never lies. And don't forget to tip your bartender.

Click here to find out more about Conventional Wisdom and here to submit a question.

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