LilSugar

Sarah Palin Is Packing Diapers

LilSugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:00:03 PDT

Sarah Palin may be the Republican vice presidential candidate, but she's also a mom. While juggling jobs, the Governor of Alaska stepped off her campaign bus with her baby, Trig, and was flanked by security as they headed in to an Ohio Walmart to purchase a toy and a pack of Parents’ Choice brand disposable diapers for her lil guy.

Lil Links: Presidential Paper Dolls

LilSugar — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:00:32 PDT

Obama and McCain paper dolls - Ohdeedoh
Woman kidnaps first grader to prove it can be done - Parent Dish
Can't stop the beat for Courteney and Coco - Celebrity Baby Blog
Naomi and Sasha run errands - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Cool Mom to be on Dr. Phil! - Cool Mom
Rainbow jello - Alpha Mom
In search of the perfect nursing pad - The Poop
Cutest cupcake photo contest - Women's Day

Texts and Tunes: Children's Political Story Books

babysugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:00:00 PDT

Election season is the perfect time to teach your tot a thing or two about the political world around them. In a year where so much is at stake and the candidates are neck and neck, party talk dominates many adult conversations. Don't leave the kids in the dust - keep them in the know with their own stash of political reads.

Christina Aguilera Rocks the Vote With Max

LilSugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:30:25 PDT

Christina Aguilera may not be vocalizing her support for McCain or Obama, but she is endorsing Election 2008. The songstress lent her singing abilities and her son to the "Rock the Vote" campaign. The 27-year-old mama sang, "America the Beautiful" while cradling her five-month-old, Max Bratman, for the public service announcement. And, having her son on board caused the blond bombshell to be a bit more reserved. She said, "Since I'm holding my son, I'm not going to, you know, belt in his face or anything like that. But it was really, really nice to bring it down to a really intimate moment between me and my son."

Would you allow your child to be part of an election PSA?

Cannes Minireview: Killing Them Softly

Molly Goodson — Tue, 22 May 2012 10:21:14 PDT

Brad Pitt's gritty new project, Killing Them Softly (formerly titled Cogan's Trade, and based on a book of the same name), made its debut to the press at the Cannes Film Festival this morning. Considering the early hour of the screening and just how violent and drug-fueled it is as a film, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it overall. Pitt is at his best playing the ruthless assassin, and James Gandolfini can, of course, carry a mob movie.

Who's behind it? Like Sapphires and Lawless, it's another The Weinstein Company film here at the festival. Writer-director Andrew Dominik brings together an excellent cast of men to tell his story, including Ray Liotta in addition to Pitt and Gandolfini. With that much testosterone on screen, there's not much room for the ladies. In fact, there's barely a female to be seen in the film at all. At the center, there are two bumbling thieves, played by Scoot McNairy and Ben Mendelsohn, who shine in their own deeply messed-up ways - often seen sweating and using drugs. Pitt, who we have seen playing a ruthless assassin before, does it again, this time with slicked-back hair and a cigarette dangling from his mouth as he explains his preferred method of murder - "killing them softly," rather than listening to them plead.
What's it about? On paper, it's about a heist at a mob poker game gone wrong, but as both the director and Pitt spoke at the film's press conference after the screening, it's a much larger commentary on America's capitalist society. It's set in New Orleans against the backdrop of the 2008 financial crisis and election, with actual speeches from Barack Obama and Sarah Palin sprinkled throughout. As for the actual heist at stake, Frankie and Russell (McNairy and Mendelsohn) rob a poker game that was previously hit up as part of a scam put on by its own owner, Andrew (Liotta). Pitt's character, Jackie Cogan, is brought in by the larger mob bosses to assassinate the men. Wires are quickly crossed and it can be hard to tell who is working for whom, but with the crazy visuals and hilarious, sometimes unsettling, one-liners, it is a riveting watch. I, for one, was particularly amused by the scenes about Russell running a racket by stealing purebred dogs.
More important even than the story, however, is the feel of the film. It takes place and was shot in New Orleans, a city which Pitt is clearly comfortable in. It's not quite a love letter to the city - or to anything for that matter - like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but it still has that uniquely gritty and stylized New Orleans feel.

To read what I thought of the film at Cannes, just

What did I think? The performances, especially by Gandolfini, could start award-season buzz, depending on how and when Killing Them Softly is released stateside. While the film is not for the faint of heart, it's a thought-provoking watch. The humor and political commentary keep it from being a straightforward mob movie, therefore setting it apart from being the same story we've seen 100 times before. Plus, Pitt's swagger, Gandolfini's monologue expertise, and a pack of dogs are welcome at any movie for me. Watch out for the last line, though, it will stick with you.

Photo courtesy of The Weinstein Company

Obama's Complicated Relationship With Gay Marriage

Tara Block — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:25:00 PDT

The Obama administration has had a rocky relationship with its stance on gay marriage, so our interest was piqued at Joe Biden's recent comments in support of same-sex marriage. On Meet the Press the vice president said:

"I am absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women and heterosexual - men and women marrying - are entitled to the same exact rights, all the civil rights, all the civil liberties. And quite frankly, I don't see much of a distinction beyond that."

While Biden has made his stance on the issue clear, Barack Obama hasn't always been forthright in his support of gay marriage. And while he's been quoted as saying he's "evolving" in regards to gay marriage, looking at his track record we have to wonder toward which direction? And things have only gotten more complicated during this election season, when he's trying to appease liberals along with the swing voters. Not only do conservative and working-class groups oppose same-sex marriage, many of his African American supporters do, too. But what has Obama actually said on the issue? Here are some of his quotes on gay marriage:

1996: "I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, and would fight efforts to prohibit such marriages." - questionnaire
2004: "I am a fierce supporter of domestic-partnership and civil-union laws. I am not a supporter of gay marriage as it has been thrown about, primarily just as a strategic issue." - Windy City Times interview
2006: "I agree with most Americans, with Democrats and Republicans, with Vice President Cheney, with over 2,000 religious leaders of all different beliefs, that decisions about marriage, as they always have, should be left to the states." - Federal Marriage Amendment speech
2007: "I will appeal any proposal to amend the U.S. constitution to ban gays and lesbians from marrying. I know how important the issue of equal rights is to the LGBT community. I share your sense of urgency." - speech opposing Defense of Marriage Act
2008: "As the Democratic nominee for President, I am proud to join with and support the LGBT community in an effort to set our nation on a course that recognizes LGBT Americans with full equality under the law." - letter to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
2008: "I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of gay marriage." - MTV interview
2010: "I am a strong supporter of civil unions. I have been to this point unwilling to sign on to same-sex marriage primarily because of my understandings of the traditional definitions of marriage. . . . attitudes evolve, including mine. And I think that it is an issue that I wrestle with and think about . . . I think it's fair to say that it's something that I think a lot about." - interview with liberal bloggers
2010: "My feelings about this are constantly evolving. This is something that we're going to continue to debate, and I personally am going to continue to wrestle with going forward." - TV speech

If he's going to call himself a supporter of the LGBT community, do you think it's time for Obama to commit to the gay marriage cause?

It's Complicated: The Relationship Statuses of France's Presidential Candidates

Annie Scudder — Thu, 03 May 2012 04:00:38 PDT

This weekend, France will vote for its next president. After a first round, it's down to incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy and his socialist challenger Francois Hollande. Since Sarkozy was elected in 2007, a lot has changed. One of the most intriguing evolutions has been the love connections among the politicians.

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy is technically the second first lady France has known under Sarkozy. When he was elected, he was married to his second wife ‪Cécilia Sarkozy (now Attias)‬. In 1983, then mayor Sarkozy conducted Cécilia's first wedding and reportedly fell in love with her that day. She left her husband in 1988 to live with Sarkozy, who didn't divorce his first wife until 1996, the same year he married Cécilia. They remained married during his first campaign. But only a few months after his May 2007 election, they announced their divorce and Cécilia confessed that she had run away with another man. Could you imagine Michelle Obama doing this months into Barack Obama's first term? Soon after the split, France would get another first lady in the form of Italian-born singer/supermodel Carla Bruni. Sarkozy met Carla Bruni a month after his split at a dinner party, and after a quick romance they married in Feb. 2008. They went on to have a daughter last year.

So what about Francois Hollande, the man who could beat Sarkozy and become France's next president? His love life actually has a Sarkozy connection. His partner from 1973 to 2007, Ségolène Royal was the person to go head-to-head against Sarkozy in the last presidential election. Ségolène and Francois were partners for more than 30 years and have four children together. Both are major figures in the country's Socialist Party, but a month after her 2007 loss to Sarkozy, they announced their separation. Soon, France learned the details of Francois Hollande's relationship with journalist Valérie Trierweiler, whom he's still with today. Without any hurt feelings, Ségolène has backed her ex-partner, who is now trying to accomplish something she couldn't: beating Nicolas Sarkozy.

See some photos of all the parties involved now.

Flying Cars and Other Future Tech the Movies Got Right

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 10:50:53 PDT

The flying car is finally here! Well, almost. Though it doesn't look like The Jetsons' floating bubble or Marty McFly's Delorean, the Terrafugia Transition is street legal and can be preordered for the low price of $279,000. That's more than a space flight aboard the Virgin Galactic, but at least you'll be able to drive it (and pilot it!) again and again. Requirements for piloting are pretty tame: passing a test and logging 20 hours of flight time. You can get a closer look at the Transition at this week's New York Auto Show, but expect those preorders to roll out within the next year.

Of course, flying cars aren't the only sci-fi and future tech that movies and TV shows have predicted. Check out this list of other technology that has sprung from screen to real life, below.

Iris scanners - Those crazy iris scanners that identified everything from your identity to your last purchase at The Gap in Minority Report are here now.
3D Holograms - Though we can't yet watch 3D versions of ourselves on home movies, we can chat with others like CNN did during the 2008 election, and dance alongside a few holograms in Vegas.
Gesture-based interfaces - Not just for video games anymore, the gesture-based interfaces like we saw in Minority Report will soon be a real way of life - crazy gloves and all.

Check out the rest after the break.

Julianne Moore Talks Being Sarah Palin

Annie Scudder — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 10:00:32 PST

If you've seen ads or the trailer for HBO's Game Change, you might have done a double take. Julianne Moore has transformed herself into a version of Sarah Palin that is even more believable than Tina Fey's. Last night on The Daily Show, Julianne, an outspoken Democrat, talked about whether she worried the film about the 2008 election would be seen as elite Hollywood liberals taking cheap shots for fun. She said, "We were very, very careful to be as balanced as possible in our portrayal." Watch Julianne give her take on Game Change and made for TV politicians like Sarah Palin with Jon Stewart now.

Hillary Clinton Suspends Campaign and Endorses Obama

CitizenSugar — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 10:04:27 PDT

Hillary Clinton has just ended her bid for the White House within walking distance of the 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue residence she's fought the past 17 months to call home again.

Previewing the contents of the speech to supporters this week, Clinton said, "I have said throughout the campaign that I would strongly support Senator Obama if he were the Democratic Party's nominee and I intend to deliver on that promise."

The promise was just delivered on in a speech at the National Building Museum in DC. Supported by Bill, Chelsea, legions of fans, and those parents who watched her campaign saying to their kids, "see? You can be anything you want to be." Clinton detailed the fruits of her remarkable campaign, and then extended her support to her former rival, saying:

Today as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the extraordinary race he has run. I endorse him and throw my full support behind him. I ask all of you to work as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me. . . ensuring that Barack Obama walks through the doors of the Oval Office on January, 20, 2009!

Following up that strong endorsement saying:

We cannot let this moment slip away. We have come too far and accomplished too much. . . today I am standing with Senator Obama to say, 'yes, we can!'

It's been a long fight, one that ends today not without emotion. Clinton may not be the only person nursing bruises from ending her quest - supporters will have to decide if they can now endorse Obama as wholeheartedly as Clinton did this morning. To see how hard this might be, and what's next for everyone,

The psychiatry correspondent for FOX News said this individual healing process can't be rushed, and supporters will have to warm up to Obama slowly. "Pretending Clinton support translates in a wholesale way to Obama needlessly inserts falsehood into a movement that all of us, regardless of our politics, would have to admit is fueled by passion."

Passion and bucks. Now that the end is here, Hillary and Obama are apparently in deep negotiation as to how to retire the $30 million campaign debt Hillary's dug - with the bonus to Obama that she'll in turn fund raise for his campaign. Advisers think she could bring in $100 million for his general fight.

When Hillary and Obama had their secret meeting Thursday evening at Senator Feinstein's home, they spoke for an hour and seemed to salve some of the campaign wounds. How long will it take for supporters and the party to follow? Will the Democrats find a way to unite, Unity Ticket or not?

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