LilSugar

Are You Disappointed the President Doesn't Write His Tweets?

GeekSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:33:41 -0800

While traveling in China, President Obama spoke to a group of students in Shanghai, where one of the students asked if he believed people in China should have access to Twitter. (The service has been blocked in China since July). He responded,

"I have never used Twitter but I'm an advocate of technology and not restricting internet access."

With over 2.5 million followers and counting, President Obama is one of the most popular users. New tweets are posted nearly every day, with multiple posts added during important events like House votes or special initiatives. Although the President admitted he doesn't write the tweets himself, he presumably has someone on his staff updating his feed with regularity. With a major to-do list and one of the most high-profile jobs in the world, I'm not surprised the president isn't using Twitter on his own (though I'm sure he could add a Twitter app to his much-loved BlackBerry). What about you?

Oh Snap! Obama Is a Celebrity in China

TresSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:00:37 -0800

A stone carving of President Obama is on sale in Shanghai, China, along with carvings of celebrities like Will Smith, Tom Cruise, and Katie Holmes. Obama will be meeting with both ordinary citizens and Chinese leaders in Shanghai and Beijing starting today. As you can tell from these photos, creative vendors in China are ready to capitalize on Obama's visit. You just got to love ~~capitalism~~ communism!

View 5 Photos ›

Women Worry That Obama Is Throwing Them Under the Bus

TresSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:42:32 -0800

Back in January, feminist magazine Ms. hailed Barack Obama as a super feminist. But the president's recent tepid response to protecting abortion rights might mean that the love affair with Obama is about to end for many women. Over at the Daily Beast, women's rights activist Amy Siskind argues that the Stupak amendment, which treats women's rights as a political bargaining chip that can be traded for healthcare reform, is just one more example of how Obama couldn't care less about women . . . except when he's trying to win their votes of course. She writes:

He appointed fewer women into his cabinet than President Bill Clinton. He surrounded himself with czars, more than 90 percent of whom are male. He appointed Larry Summers, of "girls are inferior in math and science" fame, to a key economic post. He played basketball, golfed and fished with men and men only. He had beers with Skip Gates, but ignored it when Rihanna was almost strangled to death. And so on.

Of course it's not all bad. Ms. released a report chronicling the giant strides Obama made for women during his first 100 days in office. These actions included: signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, instituting a new ambassador-at-large for global women's issues, establishing the White House Council on Women and Girls, and overturning the "global gag rule" in order to re-fund global family planning organizations.

Has the Obama administration let you down when it comes to women's rights?

Front Page: Obama Wants Healthcare Bill, Not Abortion Bill

TresSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:11 -0800

President Obama is asking Congress to drop the clause in the House healthcare bill that puts new restrictions on abortion coverage. - ABC News
Virginia will execute John Allen Muhammad (aka "The DC Sniper") today. - CNN
RNC leader Michael Steele says some white Republicans are scared of him. - Politico
Fans apparently walked out of Tracy Morgan's Carnegie Hall performance last night because it was too raunchy. - New York Daily News
Former Miss California Carrie Prejean says she has been "Palinized." - MSNBC

What to Know About the Extended Homebuyers Tax Credit

SavvySugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:00:09 -0800

Stimulating the economy is the motivation behind many discussions and decisions coming from the White House these days. The original $8,000 first-time homebuyers credit was developed with economic improvement in mind, and the measure's popularity led to President Obama signing an extension and expansion of the credit on Friday.

The tax credit was scheduled to expire on Dec. 1, but the new version comes with a later date and widens the range of those eligible to claim the credit. Learn more about the new tax credit when you read more.

Homebuyers must sign a contract before April 30 and close on the home by June 30.
The previous credit was limited to first-time buyers or buyers who haven't owned a home in the past three years. The new version has been expanded to include those who have owned a home for five out of the past eight years and want to buy a new one.
First-time homebuyers are still eligible to receive the $8,000, while existing homeowners can qualify for a $6,500 tax credit.
The income limits have been significantly raised. With the previous credit, single people making more than $75,000 or couples earning more than $150,000 didn't qualify for the full credit. Under the new version, single buyers can earn up to $125,000 while a married couple can earn $225,000 and still get the full credit.

Are you hoping to take advantage of the extended homebuyers tax credit?

What Change Would You Still Like to See in the US?

TresSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Whether you make it to the polls or not, today is election day and marks one year since Americans elected Barack Obama as president. If you're curious how Obama managed to win, you can watch the documentary By the People: The Election of Barack Obama airing tonight on HBO. The film includes behind-the-scenes campaign footage and interviews with staff, volunteers, supporters, and opponents.

During the campaign, we heard a lot from Obama about "change." Among his accomplishments so far? There's the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the protection of wilderness through setting aside federal land, legislation that allows the federal government to regulate tobacco, and a new defense bill that cuts pricey weapons programs. Still, supporters are waiting for some big-ticket change items, like the closing of Guantanamo, the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the end of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and real healthcare reform.

What change would you like to see?

Obama Shows You What the Weather Is Doing in Your City

GeekSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:15:53 -0800

In San Francisco, the weather can be hmm . . . how do I say . . . so up and down that I really do depend on my daily cell phone weather forecast deliveries to know what the heck I should wear each day! I like Umbrella Today because it texts me whenever I need to take an umbrella to work with me, but I also like Sleeves, since it says if I need to wear a long-sleeved shirt, a t-shirt, or if I can go sleeveless!

Well I think I've found one that tops em' all. With Obama Weather, you just enter your zip, and there's our cute President Barack Obama showing you a full weather forecast, and the most appropriate attire to wear each day! I'm loving it!

US Lifts HIV/AIDS Travel Ban

TresSugar — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 01:00:00 -0700

For the last 22 years, foreign citizens living with HIV or AIDS have been forbidden to legally enter the US. As of Monday, that ban will be a thing of the past. On Friday, President Obama announced the decision to overturn the policy he called "rooted in fear rather than fact." He said:

"We talk about reducing the stigma of this disease - yet we've treated a visitor living with it as a threat. We lead the world when it comes to helping stem the AIDS pandemic - yet we are one of only a dozen countries that still bar people from HIV from entering our own country. If we want to be the global leader in combating HIV/AIDS, we need to act like it."

Before this decision, the US joined a less-than-impressive list of countries that banned HIV-positive outsiders. The list still includes: Armenia, Colombia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Sudan, and Yemen. Considering there are already Americans living with HIV/AIDS, it served little purpose to "quarantine" the country. I'm happy to see that our HIV/AIDS prevention strategies will no longer include an ineffective and discriminatory ban.

What Type of Green Technology Is This?

CasaSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:00:18 -0700

Today, President Obama toured a facility in Arcadia, FL, that specializes in a green technology. Can you tell me what type of technology it is? (Hint: Just look at the photo.)

Obama's Foursome Finally Includes a Woman

TresSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:10:00 -0700

The 44th president has played 24 rounds of golf (who's counting?) since he came to office. How many women have been invited along with the golfer in chief? One. This weekend, President Obama's chief domestic policy adviser Melody Barnes became the first woman to play golf with the president.

Last week, Obama sounded pretty enlightened about modern gender roles. He said that after he had kids, he realized that Michelle should not be solely responsible for running the house just because she's a woman. But it seems that Obama has been having a hard time translating these enlightened ideas to sports, as he typically plays basketball and golf with men only.

Hanging out socially with the boss is always good for career advancement, and it's a bit disappointing that the president was perpetuating the idea that these traditionally all-male activities are still for for members of the "boys club." Hopefully any of the sporty women on staff will now feel welcome to play in these very visible games.

Have you ever felt excluded from activities (social or work-related) because you're a woman?