TresSugar

Michael Bloomberg Wants Four More Years . . . Again

LibertySugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 09:00:11 -0700

Michael Bloomberg announced yesterday that he would seek a third term as mayor, thanks to unprecedented challenges and the economic crisis facing New York City. Only problem: New York City's term limit law says his time is up.

Bloomberg plans to ask City Council to change the law so he can have another shot. He explained:

The question for me has become much less about the theoretical and much more about the practical. And so to put it in very practical terms, handling this financial crisis while strengthening the essential services such as education and public safety is a challenge I want to take on for the people of New York.

A few months ago the majority of you said term limits should be imposed on leaders. Even if in theory term limits end gridlock and purge the system of self-serving incumbents, should an exception be made for Michael Bloomberg?

Source

Should States Impose Automatic Term Limits?

LibertySugar — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:15:52 -0700

An editorial in today's New York Times bashes automatic term limits on political office. The predicament of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg demonstrates the discord - voters approve of the job he's doing, but would vote for term limits again if given the choice.

So why do voters favor limits that make them give up effective government leaders? The editorial explains that promises of ending gridlock and purging the system of self-serving incumbents attract voters' support.

But there is a down side to this automatic house cleaning. Term limits quickly turn leaders into lame ducks, removing their electoral accountability. Also, voters lose their choice to elect provenly capable politicians. In some ways, it distrusts citizens to make a decision in their best interest, assuming that they would not be able to identify a selfish and special-interest-entrenched politician. The question becomes whether this distrust is justified.

What do you think? Do term limits help democracy?

Source

Front Page: Venezuela Gets Rid of Presidential Term Limits

CitizenSugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:07:40 -0800

Venezuelans voted Sunday to do away with presidential term limits, allowing Hugo Chavez to potentially rule for life. - Christian Science Monitor
American automakers GM and Chrysler have until tomorrow to present the federal government with a viable turnaround plan or else the government can recall their emergency loans. - CNN

Investigators are examining the cockpit tapes from flight 3407, which crashed in Buffalo last week. The plane was on autopilot until just before it went down. - AP
Today France's top judicial body recognized the French government's responsibility for deporting Jews during World War II. Thousands of Jews were deported from France to the Nazi death camps during the occupation. - AP

Source

Has Technology Ruined Romance For Us?

TresSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0800

Conservative columnist David Brooks wrote an essay in the New York Times yesterday about how technology is ruining love and sex for the youngins.

Although Brooks reaches this conclusion based on the testimony of some horndogs who agreed to be "online sex diarists" for New York magazine (he admits it's a pretty unrepresentative demographic), Brooks nevertheless believes their stories tell us something fundamental about love in the age of technology: it's allowed people to treat potential sex partners (and it's significantly limited to this) as if they were products on eBay.

Once upon a time - in what we might think of as the "Happy Days era" - courtship was governed by a set of guardrails. Potential partners generally met within the context of larger social institutions: neighborhoods, schools, workplaces and families. There were certain accepted social scripts. The purpose of these scripts - dating, going steady, delaying sex - was to guide young people on the path from short-term desire to long-term commitment.

Now? People have lots of different kinds of sexual attachments with different people at the same time, and their cellphones help making and canceling plans as easy as rearranging Netflix queues. (I'll take the credit for that last analogy!)

Do you agree with Brooks? Is it true that, "In today’s world, the choice of a Prius can be a more sanctified act than the choice of an erotic partner"?

Dating: When Does Older Become Grosser?

TresSugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:00:00 -0700

I saw Woody Allen's latest film this weekend - Whatever Works, meaning do whatever it takes to make you happy, or "filch whatever happiness you can" as Larry David's nihilist character says. For him that means marrying a much, much, so much, younger woman, played by Evan Rachel Wood. Wood is 21. David is 61.

Thankfully, save a shudder-worthy Viagra reference, Allen spares the audience from any sex scenes between the two. But whether it's Larry David's unfalteringly artless performance or Woody Allen's personal baggage left over from marrying his adopted daughter, it never feels right or romantic or even endearing. (Meanwhile, a woman over 40 who dates men younger - but not this much younger! - has her own pejorative term.)

When it comes to dating, how old would you go? Is there a limit, or should we do whatever works?

King Bloomberg? City Council Decides Mayor Can Run Again

LibertySugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:15:00 -0700

The New York City Council has voted 29-22 to change term-limit laws to allow Michael Bloomberg to run for a third term, but the royal battle is far from over.

In addition to securing federal Justice Department clearance, the city council's decision must survive various court battles. A lawsuit has been brought by public school teachers, and another by two council members. The city lawmakers explain that the officials who voted for the change get to run again, too, thus violating the city's conflict-of-interest law. The teachers think the change should be put to a referendum. In the 1990s, Ronald Lauder (heir to Estée Lauder) funded the two referendums instituting the term limits. Lauder now backs Bloomberg's bid for a third term.

Regardless of whether they support Bloomberg for another term, 89 percent of New York voters think term limits should be modified through a voter referendum, according to a new poll. Do you agree, or is an additional campaign the last thing NYC needs?

Source

All Abort? Dutch Nonprofit Bypasses Abortion Laws With Boat

LibertySugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:15:02 -0700

I've heard of underage drinking and avoiding taxes over international waters, but circumventing abortion laws is a new one. Women on Waves sails to countries where abortion is illegal and provides early-term abortions - legally, thanks to Dutch law, which the ship sails under.

Always a gracious guest, Women on Waves never shows up sans an invite from local women's organizations. And it's latest venture in Spain is no exception. At the request of 33 local organizations, it dropped anchor at a port in Valencia, Spain.

With government initiatives to increase protection for women and doctors performing abortions, it's not surprising Women on Waves chose Spain. Its goal is not simply to provide abortions when they would be otherwise prohibited but also to garner support for legalizing abortion. While Spain decriminalized it in 1985, it's only available in limited cases - up to 12 weeks after rape; up to 22 weeks if the fetus is malformed; and at any time if the women's physical or mental health is jeopardized.

If you ask me this boat doesn't look much safer than a back-room abortion, but I haven't seen the inside. How would you feel if it docked off the US coast?

Source

Huh?! The EU Telling People to Turn iPod Volume Down

LibertySugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Members of the European Union work together for Europe's common values such as democracy and social justice. In addition to solving the world's financial mess, there's at least one other common challenge the international body wants to confront: iPods. Today, the EU executive asked Europeans, especially children and youth, to turn that music down! - or risk long-term hearing damage or loss.

A report from EU scientists found that 2.5-10 million Europeans could suffer hearing loss, as a result of listening to MP3 players at over 89 decibels for at least one hour a day, for a five year period. Perhaps because the governments anticipate rising medical care costs as a result of the damage, the EU might impose a volume limit lower than the current 100 decibel maximum.

Should a supranational body be responsible for keeping MP3 players safe, or is a warning in the user's manual enough?

Source

Ad-rageous: Wounded Vet Calls Out Barack Obama

CitizenSugar — Sun, 25 May 2008 11:00:54 -0700

The ad is a product of Vets for Freedom. They call themselves "a nonpartisan organization established by combat veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan." This wounded veteran featured has a scathing message for Barack Obama.

The Vets for Freedom's mission is to "educate the American public about the importance of achieving success in these conflicts by applying our first-hand knowledge to issues of American strategy and tactics in Iraq," and they "support policymakers from both sides of the aisle who have stood behind our great generation of American warriors on the battlefield, and who have put long-term national security before short-term partisan political gain."

The organization is a PAC. To see how a PAC is different from a 527, read more.

The FEC only requires a 527 group to file regular disclosure reports if it is a political party or if it advocates the election or defeat of a federal candidate or puts out electioneering communications.

A PAC raises and spends limited "hard" money contributions specifically for electing or defeating candidates. Organizations that raise soft money for issue advocacy may also set up a PAC. Most PACs represent business (like Microsoft) labor (like the Teamsters) or ideological interests (Emily's List or the NRA).

Do you think there's any difference in result between the efforts of a 527 and a PAC? Even though a 527 can't expressly advocate for a candidate, could the outcome be the same? Should they have to abide by the same rules as a PAC?

You Asked: Are My Sexual Habits Normal?

DearSugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:00:00 -0700

Dear Sugar,

I was in a long-term relationship for nearly five years. Things were very tumultuous and we finally called it quits just over a year ago. It was a bad end, and I've had a challenging time getting over it. In fact, I still don't feel like I can even really process it and have yet to open up to my friends. I haven't dated in a year or had sex since we broke up. Instead, I've been masturbating once almost every day. I don't think my friends masturbate that much, and it's not like me too either. I'm concerned that my behavior isn't healthy. Is there something wrong with me?

- Concerned Crissy

To see DearSugar's answer, read more.

Dear Concerned Crissy,

There is no limit on what constitutes a normal frequency of masturbation as it can greatly vary from person to person. A far greater concern than the number of times you masturbate per week is whether or not your level of masturbation or need for self-pleasure is affecting your daily life. In your case, it doesn't sound like your sexual habits are necessarily impeding your ability to remain functional; however, I'm concerned that self-pleasuring might be taking the place of dealing with the pain you have yet to process from your relationship.

I think it's time to reveal your feelings about your past to your friends and yourself. Look into talking with a therapist who can work closely with you to delve into some of those darker places. And don't be shy about bringing up your masturbation practices either. A therapist can help you figure out if this new habit is OK for you or if it's a manifestation of some of the issues you have yet to grapple. Most importantly, recognize that the sooner you can begin working through the past, the sooner you can start feeling better.

Source