FitSugar

Alabama Supreme Court to Women: No Sex Toys For You!

TresSugar — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:00:00 -0700

Love Stuff, a sex toy shop in Hoover, AL, recently filed a challenge to strike down a 1998 law that bans the sale of sex toys. Alas, anyone who wants to buy sex toys in Alabama will have to go elsewhere. The Alabama Supreme Court upheld the state's ban in a 7-2 decision on Friday, arguing against Love Stuff's claim that the ban violated a person's right to sexual privacy.

The Legislature argued that although you can still use your Pearl Rabbit in private, they have the right to ban its public distribution. In a statement that could easily have been written by the satirists of The Onion, the 11th Circuit stated in its majority opinion, "There is nothing 'private' or 'consensual' about the advertising and sale of a dildo."

In arguing that regulating commercial activity is not a private activity (and hence doesn't fall under Love Stuff's challenge that the law is a violation of privacy), Associate Justice Michael F. Bolin claims that the law banning the sale of sex toys is an issue of public morality. Do you see any connection between morality and the sale of sex toys? Does the court's view of sex toys and their sale seem outdated to you?

Lawmakers Crack Down on Guns After Shooting Rampages

CitizenSugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:30:28 -0700

Shooting rampages filled today's headlines. In Alabama, a man killed a dozen people, including the members of his own family. Over in Germany, a 17-year-old boy attacked a high school, killing at least 16 people.

When attacks occur, European countries often hurry to tighten gun laws. Following two school massacres within a year, Finland announced plans today to raise the minimum age for handgun ownership from 15 to 20. In Belgium, lawmakers passed strict gun laws in 2006 after a racially motivated shooting of a toddler and her black babysitter. In Portugal, the parliament is considering denying bail to anyone suspected of a gun crime.

American lawmakers have responded, too. After the Virginia Tech massacre, the governor signed an executive order requiring that anyone ordered by law to get mental health treatment be added to a database of people barred from buying guns.

Do you think this is the correct response to gun-related tragedies?

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Front Page: AL Community in Shock After Gunman Kills 11

CitizenSugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 08:02:56 -0700

A gunman in Alabama killed 11 people yesterday, including his mother, his grandparents, his aunt and uncle, the wife and child of a sheriff deputy, and himself. - CNN
Stocks opened with a gain again today, as Wall Street hopes to extend big gains made yesterday. - MSN
Pakistan arrested hundreds of opposition activists today and banned protests in two regions ahead of a planned rally outside parliament. - AP
President Obama plans to lay out a new set of guidelines for Congress's earmark process. He will sign the spending bill today that has 9,000 earmarks. - CNN
Speaker Nancy Pelosi thinks Congress may have to approve another stimulus plan in order to ease the effects of the recession. - Washington Post
Citigroup and General Motors might be removed from the Dow Jones Indexes, if the government takes more control of the companies. - Reuters

GOP Senator Questions Obama's Citizenship

LibertySugar — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:00:24 -0800

Proven-American (I assume) senator Richard Shelby has an issue with his President. Saturday the Republican from Alabama said:

Well his father was Kenyan and they said he was born in Hawaii, but I haven't seen any birth certificate. You have to be born in America to be president.

Shelby was responding to a question from a constituent about whether there was any truth to the rumor that Obama wasn't a US citizen.

He has since said that it was a "throwaway line" and that he doesn't have any doubt that Obama is eligible to be president. Still, why would he choose to perpetrate this line of "attack" on the president. No other president has had his citizenship questioned, even in a "throwaway line."

Is this "he's not one of us" narrative dangerous, or do you think Shelby's comments were harmless?

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Great Deal? Alabama Town Offers $50,000 for Jews to Move

CitizenSugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 06:00:54 -0700

With the housing situation the way it is and homeowners throwing in all kinds of perks to entice buyers this almost fits in - almost. The Blumberg Family Relocation fund is offering Jewish families up to $50,000 to come live in Dothan, Alabama - a mostly Christian town that calls itself the Peanut Capital of the World.

While the numbers of Jews living in the South has risen overall, they're concentrated mostly in the bigger cities. Small towns like Dothan are seeing an ever dwindling population of the chosen people. One member of the local temple says, "A lot of the older people have died, and not many of the younger ones have stayed. We are dying." The program aims to, according to its sponsor, "find young people that we could use in our religious school, our Sunday school and help in the way of trying to create more of a family-type atmosphere in our temple."

The cash payment isn't the first time this has been attempted. To see who else tried, read more.

Some groups offered a payout for Jewish families to move back to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and another synagogue outside of Boston is trying a similar plan. Despite the bucks, a small town in the deep South is a tough sell. Though 20 families have looked into Dothan, none have made the move so far. But maybe soon! One local said this of the quality of life in Dothan, which is the cutest thing ever, " "We have Friday afternoon rush minute, and that's about it."

No traffic and $50,000? What are y'all waiting for?

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Speak Up: Are You OK With an Obesity Fee?

FitSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:00:00 -0700

New reports are claiming that by January 2010, state employees in Alabama will be charged $25 per month for insurance (that's normally free to state workers) if they have a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or greater or if they are not making any process in slimming down - though how the progress will be measured is still being determined. This comes after insurance companies are finding that obese folks incur more medical costs over the course of a year than those who are not overweight.

Granted, Alabama is second only to Mississippi for having the most obese population in the country, but how do you feel about it? If you're overweight, would you be OK with paying a $25 fee if your employer were to set the same guidelines? If you're not overweight, do you feel it's fair? Speak up and share your thoughts below.

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Alabama Makes Unfit Workers Pick Up Tab For Insurance

CitizenSugar — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 10:00:42 -0700

Giving up buttered grits for health care? As Alabama ballooned to take the #2 spot (right behind #1 ranked Mississippi) in the national obesity rankings, the state is cracking down on free health care payouts for state workers who are overweight. It's issued a get-slim-or-pay-up ultimatum for the nearly 40,000 workers on the state's insurance plan. They'll have a year to lose weight or start paying $25 a month toward their usually free plan.

Alabama already charges smokers - an incentive that has spurred some to snub out the butts - and other states reward workers for healthy habits. Ohio, for instance, pays workers $50 for getting health screenings and $50 for following the advice.

Not everyone is happy about the plan. To see why, read more.

One size-acceptance advocate says the new Alabama insurance policy will cause stress for workers. She says, "I'm big and beautiful and doing my best to keep my stress levels down so I can stay healthy. That's big, not lazy, not a glutton and certainly not deserving of the pompous, poisonous disrespect served up daily to those of us with more bounce to the ounce." The Alabama program will go by the body mass index chart - anyone with a BMI over 35 will be charged. Research shows that this demographic costs an average of $1,700 extra dollars in health care per year, far more than the $300 an overweight worker will be charged.

Is this plan fair? Is it a good plan to motivate healthy changes, or does it tip the scales in the wrong direction?

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Can You Eat for $1.75 a Day? Alabama Prisoners Do

CitizenSugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:30:23 -0700

80 years ago Alabama passed a law that gave sheriffs $1.75 a day to cover the cost of prisoner grub. If they didn't spend that much, they got to keep the leftover dough. Most Alabama counties still operate under this system, with the same per diem - and some sheriffs are actually making money on top of their salaries.

The precise amount of profit is impossible to figure - sheriffs buy food out of their own pockets, making tracing the bucks hard. One new sheriff said he and his wife took out a loan for $150,000 the day he took office to buy food until his first state payment came through. "It's the most money I've ever borrowed in my life, even more than for my house," he said. To see what critics of the program have to say, read more.

Critics allege that this program ends up paying law enforcement to skimp on food could reward sheriffs for maltreatment.

Sheriffs defend the program as cost-effective for their counties and scoff at the suggestion they are making a lot of money. They tell tales of being vigilant about not wasting anything and shopping creatively. They're not off the hook - the system holds sheriffs personally liable for budget shortfalls and any lawsuits over jail food.

For perspective, the government pays schools $2.47 for serving one meal under the National School Lunch Program for low-income students. If sheriffs are able to put food on the table for such little money, do they deserve to keep the leftovers? Does this encourage abuse of prisoners? Should anyone who can provide three meals for less than two bucks be celebrated?

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Scale Back Alabama

FitSugar — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 15:30:00 -0800

Alabama is right next door to the fattest state of the nation Mississippi, and not far behind it statistically in terms of residents on the heavier side of a healthy weight.

Alabama healthy officials have created Scale Back Alabama, an eight-week program beginning in January designed to help people lose weight and learn how to eat smarter. Here's how it works:

Hospitals are taking the campaign into their communities to sign up businesses and other organizations. Teams of three to five members will compete to see who can win the most weight on a percentage basis, with the winning team receiving $1,000 per person, compliments of Barber Dairies.

The contest sounds like a great idea with team building built in to the program. American Idol winner and Alabama resident Ruben Studdard is the campaign's spokesperson.
He recently told the Associated Press, "I'm not where I want to be, but I'm on the right track, and I'm excited about encouraging other Alabamians to begin their own weight-loss journeys." He has lost almost 100 pounds with a diet and exercise regimen.

Right on Ruben! Good luck Alabama!

Casa Verde: Alabama Chanin's Interiors Collection

CasaSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:00:20 -0700

While I've featured Alabama Chanin before, the design company's site has beautiful new interior pictures that I thought were worth reflecting upon. Alabama Chanin, the collection of designer Natalie Chanin, features clothing and interior decor pieces that strive to be as environmentally sensitive as possible. Organic cotton, natural indigo dyes, and US-made products are all part of the line. The interior collection offers limited-edition pieces for the home that emphasize upcycling. Natali calls the collection "Alabama Studio Style." Right now, Alabama Chanin's collection includes home furnishings as well as decorative pieces.

To find out more about the interiors collection, read more.

All of the lighting and furniture are handmade, artisan creations that were found in vintage shops, flea markets, or scrapyards in the southeastern United States, and then repurposed. Old metal scraps have been transformed into sculptural objects, and farm chairs feature new seats woven from cotton jersey scraps and old ties. Chandeliers made with old lighting fixtures are decorated with cow bones, string, metals, and sticks retrieved from river beds. Ancient, tattered quilts have been washed, patched, and decorated with appliques and decorative stitching, and all of the pillows in the interiors collection are made from 100 percent Certified Organic Cotton from the Alabama Chanin Fabric Line.

If you're interested in seeing more of the interiors collection, check out the online store.

View 14 Photos ›

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