I think it’s fair to say that most of us are sick of the political games played by our politicians—at the local, state, and national level. And I think most of us are kind of annoyed that politics has become, in recent years, very polarized to the point where you want to strangle/cut/smash the knee caps of the other side.

Needless to say, when I first read about Unity08, a web-based movement, in The Atlantic, I was pretty excited. Although not a third party per se, Unity08 hopes to run a Unity ticket that will give Americans something more than the usual rhetoric.

What, you were happy voting for the lesser of two evils?

(In case you can’t find this particular issue of The Atlantic, it’s the one with the cover of President Bush and the cover line that reads: Why Presidents Lie?)

Unity08 believes that neither of today’s major parties reflects the aspirations, fears or will of the majority of Americans. Both have polarized and alienated the people. Both are unduly influenced by single-issue groups. Both are excessively dominated by money.

The goals:

Goal 1 is the election of a Unity Ticket for President and Vice-President of the United States in 2008—headed by a woman and/or man from each major party or by an independent who presents a Unity Team from both parties.

Goal 2 is for the people themselves to pick that Unity Ticket in the first half of 2008—via a virtual and secure online convention in which all American voters will be qualified to vote.

Goal 3, our minimum goal, is to effect major change and reform in the 2008 national elections by influencing the major parties to adopt the core features of our national agenda.

I suspect no C-average students in this bunch.

In case you missed (or in my case, fell asleep) President Bush’s State of the Union address, I thought some key points might be in order this chilly A.M. courtesy of The Arizona Republic.

ON IRAQ: Bush faces lawmakers skeptical of his Iraq troop—increase strategy. “We went into this largely united,” he says. “I ask you to give it a chance to work.”

ON ENERGY: Bush’s goal is to reduce gas usage by 20 percent over projected levels in 10 years by increasing use of alternate fuels and requiring greater efficiency in cars. (more…)

It seems Starbucks has landed smack-dab on the sh*t-list of Rui Chenggang.

After Chenggang, a well-known talking head on Chinese state TV, posted a blog demanding Starbucks be evicted from its prime spot in China’s Forbidden City, the response has been well, overwhelming.

Chenggang’s post has since received more than half a million hits. Not too shabby.

Of course, this entry isn’t really about one man’s dream of seeing the demise of Starbucks (think Fight Club, baby!), it’s about the growing power of the blogosphere in controlled states like China.

Check it:

The appeal of blogs in a country where the traditional media are strictly censored by the government which uses them to propagate approved information and opinions, lies in both the relative freedom they enjoy, and in their interactivity. (more…)

I’m not a big believer in “the resolution,” but I am making an exception this year. Blame the sexy vixen with the blond hair wearing leopard print heels and red lipstick on the N train last night, but I realized I was a bit of a bore in 2006.

That being said, I have decided to post my resolution(s)—in six words—on SMITH, so I can actually remember what they are. The list will be part of the official SMITH record.

OK, here goes:

1. Start book proposal. Want book party.
2. Wear high heels to City more.
3. Hit gym. Nice gams in heels.
4. Freelance more—for tax purposes, natch.
5. Go to London. Heck, travel more.
6. More yoga. Yoga means more balance.
7. Celebrate BIG 3-0 in big way (FYI: February 25).
8. Make out with boyfriend. Daily basis.
9. Hang with friends. Call them too.
10. Enroll in class at New School.

Here’s to a happy and healthy 2007!

Merry Christmas SMITH-ites!

Below, I found a few stories I thought would: a) bring a smile to your face; b) make you laugh out loud; or c) remind you that there’s no reason to be a Bah Humbug—at least for today.

Beliefnet: Christmas Around the World

New York Times: Jewish in a Winter Wonderland

Arizona Republic: Belief in Miracles is Matter of Faith

Slate: How to be a Shopping Mall Santa

asap: Christmas on the Battlefield

LA Times: The War on Hanukkah by Joel Stein.

Ever wonder what other people around the globe think of you, the American? I do. Of course, me being the nosy type, I also wonder what it’s like to be the other person living, breathing, eating, and playing in Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal or Denmark, which is one reason why I love the Web so much. It’s a great way to snoop.

Today, I’m spying on Ahmed al-Omran. He writes one of Saudi Arabia’s most popular blogs called Saudi Jeans. What piqued my interest you ask? The kid sticks out like a sore thumb in one of the most conservative countries in the world—at least according to a recent article in The Christian Science Monitor.

Ahmed al-Omran… is easy to spot, sitting in a Lebanese kebab restaurant in the city’s downtown Olaya district. Purple T-shirts aren’t that common. He’s definitely not the thobe type, he says, a fact underscored by his late-model jeans and Pumas.

Ahmed’s blog has already received lots of attention from new organizations both here (obviously The Christian Science Monitor and others) and there—think Al Hayat in Saudi Arabia, Gulf News in Dubai, and Arab Times in Kuwait.

Be sure to check out Saudi Jeans. Ahmed’s got a lot to say and it’s pretty interesting—plus, you can see what a Starbucks in Riyadh looks like.

Got ink? Well, if you do or if you know somebody who does or if you’re contemplating getting inked or if you have a certain opinion about tattoos, then you’ll wanna scope out this site.

David Kimelberg is a photographer/corporate lawyer—and “not necessarily in that order.” Kimelberg, who started Inked Inc., is on a mission: he’s photographing other corporate types in their corporate gear, then juxtaposing those pics with ones that show off some pretty bad ass body work (be sure to check out Dr. Dave).

Kimelberg is looking for volunteers so if you think you’ve got the right stuff you can shoot the man an e-mail.

Check out Kimelberg’s rockin’ site here—but careful, you never know who you might be on the site.

I wonder if President Bush has an “I heart mom” tattoo on his butt?

Tis the season to hear from your third grade teacher, old pals living abroad or your second cousin twice removed—or something. The Christian Science Monitor had a great story about the importance of Christmas cards and how these “personal connections… are more important than ever” because they “serve as a barometer of people’s lives.”

Word.

I love getting a year’s worth of hand-written gossip—oh, and the Hallmark card is nice too.

You can check out Marilyn Gardner’s piece here.

Does every can of soda have a story? Well, for some it may be a reminder of party with friends, a family gathering or a first date long ago.

asap writer Pervaiz Shallwani travels from “ethnic grocery stores” to “corner markets” sampling pop from Pakistan, Mexico and India—every hear of Thums Up? Still, these imported sodas are a hit with immigrants who simply want a taste from home. Americans seem to be digging these new fandangled colas with their funky flavors too. Jarritos from Mexico comes in a maroon hibiscus flower flavor, while Pakola from Pakistan comes in a green ice cream flavor.

“One of the general movements we are seeing in the United State today is cultural fusion,” said Valeria Piaggio, a vice president and marketing expert for Iconoculture, a trend research firm in Minneapolis. Foreign sodas, she says, encourage the “expansion of the American palate.”

“They do two things,” Piaggio says. “They appeal to the nostalgia of Latino immigrants and the desire for discovery and experimentation of the general-market consumer.”

You can check out the story here.

There’s a fantastic article in The Christian Science Monitor about the role of women in Sudan’s Darfur region.

Apparently, it was the women who, amid the death and destruction, stepped up and spoke out against the atrocities taking place so the international community and NGOs would know just how brutal the situation really was. Of course, spreading the word comes with price. The women risked arrest or worse—and their families weren’t safe either.

You can check out the story here and be really glad that we can protest any situation with our blogs, our voices, our T-shirts or whatever makes us happy.