TresSugar

Jim Gaffigan on The Food Network

GiggleSugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:00:00 -0700

Jim Gaffigan is obsessed with food - mostly food that's bad for you but yummy, like Hot Pockets. Here, he talks about how if you don't have food, The Food Network is a nice alternative. Then when you can't take it anymore, you can get your crack and your burgers.

New Intelligence Report: US Dominance Set to Wane by 2025

LibertySugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:30:57 -0800

If you wish you could see into the future, US intelligence officials are here to hand you a crystal ball. The National Intelligence Council just released Global Trends 2025, an unclassified intelligence report put out every four years, and assesses the opportunities and problems that lie ahead in the next 15 years. One tip: Americans might need to start practicing being humble, because by 2025 the US could lose its position of global supremacy.

Other findings include:

Global warming will have a positive economic impact in Russian and Canada because it will make seasons longer, as well as increase their access to oil fields.
Russia's rise could be hindered by a lack of investment in the energy sector, crime, and corruption.
Governments in Africa and South Asia could collapse due to security problems or water and food shortages caused by a population boom of 1.5 billion and global warming.
There will be a greater potential for war in 2025, thanks to increased global competition for food, water, and energy.
The transfer of wealth from West to East will continue for the foreseeable future.
Thanks to economic growth in the Middle East, and growing unpopularity of al Qaeda, the terrorist network will collapse sooner than people think.

To see some other predictions regarding Iran, nuclear weapons, and US dominance, read more.

Iran could be a major world player if it gets rid of its theocracy.
The risk of a nuclear weapon detonation will still remain low in 2025, but it will be higher than today's risk.
A growing demand to solve domestic problems could cause the US to reduce global aid, thus reducing US influence.

Are you upset or happy that US global domination could decrease over the next 15 years?

Source

Briefing Book! Olympic Medalist Calls Chinese "Scum"

LibertySugar — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:30:00 -0700

Diplomacy: Can one stupid comment hurt the countries' relations? Israel's lone medalist calls the Chinese "scum." - Shanghaiist
VPs: How do you debate a woman and win? Pretend she's a man, and you're not Joe Biden. – Slate
Healthcare: Who will it help? John McCain wants to tax your employer-provided healthcare benefits. - Swampland
Palin: Fact or fiction? Breaking down the rape-kit story. - Townhall
Lobbyists: Birds of prey or part of a complex Washington reality? McCain's aides often end up as lobbyists. - Politico
Michelle Obama: Will you tune in for Michelle, the food, or both? Michelle Obama to appear on Paula Deen's Food Network show to make fried shrimp. - YumSugar

Source

Front Page: Julia Child Was a Spy, Inflation Hits Major High, Lebanon Bombing Kills 15

CitizenSugar — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:55:03 -0700

Julia Child Was a Spy:
Newly released files show that famous chef Julia Child was a World War-II era spy. The CIA declassified 35,000 top-secret personnel files that detailed the huge spy network run by the OSS, which later became the CIA. Former OSS agents are pleased with the release of the information, a list which includes other notables like Ernest Hemingway's and Teddy Roosevelt's sons.

Inflation Hits Major High:
Consumer prices rose at twice the rate expected to post the fastest rate of growth in 17 years. Costlier energy and food made the Consumer Price Index balloon. Food alone is six percent more expensive than a year ago.

Lebanon Bombing Kills 15:
A briefcase bomb detonated in a bus packed with Lebanese soldiers on their way to work, killing 15 and wounding more than 40 people. The bombing distracted from the news from Damascus that Syria and Lebanon were to establish diplomatic relations for the first time since both won their independence from France in the 1940s. The bombing is the deadliest attack in Lebanon in more than three years.

Source

Under Gaza: Tunneling Through Sand for Food, Weapons, Oil

LibertySugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 03:00:46 -0700

Gaza residents are tunneling through sand, in their latest attempt to withstand the Israeli blockade of the region. Israel has shut off access to the Gaza strip, in response to attacks and in an attempt to put pressure on Hamas.

The tunnels bring electricity, phone lines, cigarettes, food, petrol, and weapons. The more secretly located Hamas-controlled tunnels carry weapons of unknown caliber. The tunnelers, or "snake heads," give the local authorities a cut of their contraband profits, to help them look the other way.

The intricate tunnel networks are no secret to Israeli officials, who have implored Egypt to do more to end their existence. But according to reports, Egypt does pump water or worse, poisonous gas, through discovered tunnels, with deadly results. Just last week one tunnel did collapse, perhaps due to Egyptians pumping in water to weaken it. A man died during the collapse and had to be dragged out of the tunnels by his feet, 24 hours later.

One of the "snake heads" says, "constructing them is the worst job in the world," but the money keeps many going until they perish. Do tunnelers dig and transport at their own risk, or does Israel's policy bear some responsibility for the deaths that result from trying to secure essentials like food and electricity?

Source

Morning News Anchors Drink McDonald's Coffee (For Cash)

LibertySugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:15:00 -0700

Each morning news anchors on Fox's Las Vegas affiliate sit in front of very visible McDonald's iced coffee cups, part of a product-placement deal. The fast-food chain sponsors the two-hour morning news-and-lifestyle segment, but instead of commercial breaks, the advertisement happens during the news.

Since advertisement dollars already influence networks, I think the product-placement deal raises some old conflict of interest concerns. The producers say they would pull the cups if they had to report a negative story about McDonald's, just as they would pull a regular commercial. Still, the covertness of the promotion could deceive some viewers not aware that McDonald's paid for the cups' placement.

To find out how political parties are incorporating product placement, and how the industry sees it, read more.

Product integration happens a ton in scripted television, so much so that the Writers Guild of America wants it blatantly disclosed. The WGA says: "the hope is that consumers, not expecting to find a commercial within their program, will fail to realize they are actually being advertised to. This practice exploits the emotional connection viewers have with shows." Perhaps this expectation of neutrality increases significantly when dealing with news, as opposed to entertainment.

Going the overt-sponsorship road, the Democrats will be handing out AT&T logo-plastered bags at the Democratic National Convention. It's almost impossible not to see a conflict of interest here (telecom cough cough immunity) but, the Democrats assure that sponsorship does not equal access to politicians.

How should news stations and political parties reconcile high costs with integrity?

GiggleSugar Best of the Week

GiggleSugar — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 04:00:00 -0700

Mmmmmm. Furry cake.
Another Miss USA bites the dust.
I Dream of Jeannie's Diner.
Jim Gaffigan on The Food Network.
An extraordinary nutsack.
Bruno tricks frat boys into flashing their asses.
Port-o-potty prank. (Say that 10 times fast.)
Man sings puppies to sleep.
If you can't beat 'em - join 'em. Little kid crawls into a win-a-stuffed-animal game machine.

Lauren Conrad's Looking Back!

DearSugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:00:00 -0700

After compiling over 20 million of your votes, the 2nd annual PopSugar 100 is finally here! To help celebrate tomorrow's announcement of the PopSugar 100, and her debut on the list, we're bringing you this exclusive interview with Lauren Conrad!

It's been a huge year for LC; between her friendships, fashion line, and hit TV show, this starlet is bigger and better than ever. We had a chance to catch up with her and talk about love, happiness, food, fitness and just about everything else. Check out our interview across the network and be sure to be back tomorrow to see where she lands and see the rest of the list!

We all know that hindsight is 20/20, and though I feel our past makes us who we are today, a little advice from the older wiser you sure would be helpful when hitting those bumps in the road! To see what LC's advice to her younger self would be, read more

PopSugar: If you could go back to a year ago and tell yourself some advice, what would it be?
LC: It would be that I’m never going to please everybody so I should just give up now. [Laughs] I mean you can waste so much energy trying to make everyone happy, but at the end of the day it's impossible to please everyone, so you just need to focus on what makes you happy.

I'd say that's a pretty good tip! What would your advice be to yourself knowing what you know now?

Source

GiggleSugar Best of the Week

GiggleSugar — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 04:00:00 -0700

This cat is, like, totally bummed.
Bitchin' Zombie lawn sculpture.
Waffle House wedding.
Headlines: real or fake?
It's a panda. It's a dog. It's a panda dog!
Pixie Stix spaghetti how-to video on the Non-Food Network.
Best slang ever: "Vageener."Jamie Lynn Spears!
Duckling BFFs with dog.

Egyptians Use Facebook to Mobilize, Government Not Happy

LibertySugar — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:00:31 -0700

Social networking site Facebook is getting in the way of Egypt's emergency law governance, which has not allowed more than five people to congregate unless registered for the last 25 years.

In April, young citizens used Facebook to get 80,000 supporters to protest rising food prices. Also that month, on April 6, the site spread support and increased turnout for a textile workers' strike and protest. Just yesterday, an imprisoned blogger was released, after being allegedly tortured for his alleged role in the April 6 deadly protests.

Now, the LA Times reports that Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak may shut off Facebook access in Egypt. Already, the government is warning media not to mention Facebook, while leading a defamation campaign against those who use it.

The article continues to say that the Facebook movement, which offers a safe political space, has shown that there is secular opposition in Egypt. If not ill-fated, Facebook activism may counter the agenda of President Mubarak's son Gamal, who wants to gain youth support for his succession to power.

The Internet, which helps citizens circumvent traditional repression by allowing them to meet virtually, may be the solution for a freer society in Egypt. But, considering that only 40 percent of Egyptians are literate, and much less have Internet access, online tools will most likely be only a catalyst at first.

Source