Watercooler Sensation

Read once for instant popularity

A-CHOO! The Allergy Capitals Of America

• This time, it’s personal. Sidelined by runny noses, watering eyes and headaches this week, we decided to take a look at what U.S. cities are hit the hardest by spring allergies this year.
• Luckily, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (or AAFA) did the work for us. They counted pollen counts, amount of allergy meds purchased and number of working allergists in the area. [AAFA]
• Here’s their top 10 cities hit by spring allergies. Bring tissues.
• Tulsa, Okla.
• Dallas-Fort Worth
• Fort Myers, Fla.
• San Antonio
• Tucson, Ariz.
• St. Louis
• Wichita, Kan.
• Little Rock, Ark.
• Charlotte, N.C.
• Atlanta

Pass the Claritin.

Go, Stephanie Colbertle, Go

• Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the Great Turtle Race!
• Every year, leatherback turtles trek 1,200 miles from their breeding grounds in Costa Rica to their home on the Galapagos Islands after laying their eggs.
• Thanks to poaching, ocean contamination and over-development near their nesting grounds, however, the turtles are in danger of becoming extinct.
• To bring attention to the plight of the turtles, biologists this year attached satellite tracking devices to 11 of the females as they started their journey back to the Galapagos. You can track where the turtles are on the website, www.greatturtlerace.com.
• Ten groups, including Yahoo, Dreyer’s Ice Cream and DrexelUniversity, are sponsoring the turtles. Each turtle has its own trading card with its name, personality and stats.
• Our money is on Stephanie Colburtle, named of course after Stephen Colbert. According to her playing card, Stephanie Colburtle is “an intensely patriotic turtle who can fly through the water like an eagle.”
• Right now, Stephanie is in third place. Turtles Windy and Billie are in the lead and Purple Lightening is closing in on her tail, but we have high hopes.
• Scientists estimate that in 1980 there were 115,000 female leatherbacks worldwide. Today, that number has fallen to only 43,000.
• Leatherback turtles can grow to be more than 6 feet long and 2,000 lbs.

Slow, steady, and not eating plastic bags you think are jellyfish wins the race.

On Second Thought, Trans-Fats Aren’t So Bad...

• In the past few years, America’s War on Drugs has been eclipsed by America’s War on Fatties. The main target? Trans-fats. [AP]
• Unfortunately, as more and more companies give up trans-fats for substitutes, experts are discovering that the artery-clogging alternatives aren’t that much healthier.
• Researchers are finding the hardest foods to rid of trans fat are baked goods, such as pastries, cookies and pizza crusts. Substituting animal fats, such as butter or lard, or tropical oils such as palm or coconut oil may keep the taste, but they are really high in saturated fat — which are almost as bad as trans-fats.
• The real irony; Americans eat about five times more saturated fat than trans fat. And while gram for gram, trans fat is considered somewhat more harmful than its cousin, too much of either greatly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other ailments.

Does this mean they can stop screwing around with the McDonald’s fries recipe? Because we really dig those.

You’ll Look Like a Princess on Your Wedding Day, and Disney’s Gonna Help

• You’re a princess, damn it. And you’re wedding day is your day to show it. Just ask Disney.
• The Walt Disney Co. has teamed with bridal designer Kirstie Kelly to create a collection of gowns inspired by the favorite Disney princess characters, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Ariel from “The Little Mermaid,” Belle from “Beauty and The Beast” and Jasmine from “Aladdin.”
• But don’t worry, we’re not talking about poofy sleeves and rhinestones: the designs attempt to channel the personality of each princess in terms suitable for a real-life, modern woman. Tim Gunn would be proud.
• Here’s what we mean: Cinderella is for the classic glamour bride; Sleeping Beauty is about pretty romance; Snow White is sweet elegance; Ariel is sultry allure; Belle is stylish sophistication; and Jasmine is bohemian chic. Boho chic? Jasmine? Interesting.
• The gowns will be sold at bridal salons. Kelly said Disney identified a void in the mid-tier level of gowns for brides who want to spend between $1,100-$3,400.

Unfortunately, sporting one of these gowns means you’ve got to dance with Dopey at the reception.

Youth Voters...Passionate, Global, Fickle

The Story

• Being 18 to 24 isn’t just sex, drugs and rock and roll anymore. These days, youth are hip to a whole new jive: political engagement. Luckily, we here at Mic Check have our fingers on the pulse of the next generation of politically savvy young people, all thanks to our groovy friends at the Harvard University Institute of Politics. Man, are we happenin’ or what? [Harvard] [Center for American Progress]
• The Harvard Institute of Politics has released their 12th biannual Youth Survey on Politics and Public Service, a study of over 2,900 young people across the country. Here are some results: [The Study]
• Young people are becoming a real electoral force: Youth turnout increased 31% from 2000 to 2004, and young people are widely seen as cementing the victories of Senators Jim Webb in Virginia and Jon Tester in Montana during the 2006 mid-terms (which also saw unprecedented youth turnout).
• Youth are deeply concerned about Iraq and Darfur: 43% of young people believe that “Iraq” or “the War” is the number one issue facing America today. All other issues (health care, the economy, even the War on Terror) didn’t even break 6%. In another question, 19% said that Sudan should be the second most important foreign policy priority (after Iraq) of the Bush administration (only 5% said fighting the war on terrorism).

• They want to draw down U.S. troop presence in Iraq: About

  60% of college and non-college students want to decrease troops or remove troops from Iraq all together.

• Young people are believe in a multilateral approach to foreign affairs: 75% of young people surveyed said that the UN and other countries should take the lead in dealing with international crises and conflicts, while only 25% said the U.S. should take the lead.
• Rise of the “Religious Centrists”: The study also noted the realignment of traditional political categories, and found a new category (about 17% of those surveyed, 31% of whom are African American) called “religious centrists” who are concerned about the moral direction of the country and hold conservative social views while supporting universal health care and environmental protection.

The Audio

[Transcripts]

• Harvard Researcher David King talks about the politicization of young people after 9-11. [Audio, :26]
• King notes that, with the rise of the internet, it is cheaper to target youth voters, but warns that they’re much more fickle. [Audio, :17]
• King talks about the increase in spirituality and religiosity of young people, and how it informs their views on domestic politics. [Audio, :33]
• Former John Kerry Political Director Sarah Bianchi on the importance of the youth demographic. [Audio, :20]
• Polling Director John Della Volpe on youth views on Iraq, Darfur and the United Nations. [Audio, :32] [Audio, :09] [Audio, :12]
• Della Volpe on the rise of the “Religious Centrists.” [Audio, :49]

By the Numbers

FOLEY’S LAWYER FEES

Remember Representative Mark Foley (R-FL) who engaged in salacious instant message conversations with House pages? Well, turns out he spent a bundle on lawyer fees from out of his campaign coffers (federal law allows officials to use campaign cash to defend themselves for actions taken while in office). But he’s not the only one. Here’s what Foley’s sexual exploits cost prominent members of congress in legal fees:

$250,000

Amount Foley has spent on Lawyers from his campaign fund since the scandal broke.

$130,000

Legal fees of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL).

$52,128

Hastert’s fees from the scandal that he has yet to pay.

$21,500

Legal fees of Tom Reynolds (R-NY), former GOP political chief, who was also implicated in the scandal.

Celebrities: Unfiltered

“When I go out I just fill the patches with black Mac eye shadow. I don’t care if people know about that, I’ve always been very honest. But people say I’ve tattooed on my eyebrows — that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard!”

— The freakishly faced former Mr. Liza Minelli, David Gest, on how he looks so darn good. (Shudder.) [MSNBC]

Speed Round

WILL POWER FOR SALE

This season’s must-have accessory for the rich and bored: A “sober companion,” a person you pay to hang out with you to stop you from getting high. [NY Times]

MONKEY

Scientists successfully map the DNA of the rhesus monkey, which is 97.5% identical to human DNA. Cool, huh? [State College]

WALK OF FAME

Oscar-winner Forrest Whitaker gets a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. [LA Times]

SANJAYA

Maxim names Sanjaya it’s official Girl Of The Day. Blame the ponyhawk. [Maxim]

ICK

Marilyn Manson, 39, describes his new girlfriend Evan Rachel Wood, 19, as his “double.” We did the math and realized, true, he is double her age. [D-Listed]

CELEBRI-DIRT

Regis Philbin recovers from triple bypass heart surgery, announcing that he’s so happy he can have sex again. In a related story, we vomit. A lot. [AP]

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

The founder of the Soviet secret police shows off his soft side. Also, Hitler was a cuddler. [Reuters]

WHY DIDN’T WINONA THINK OF THIS?

“Woman: Bowel caused alleged shoplifting” [AP]

FRANCE

With its national election only days away, the French do pretty much what you’d expect them to do in a time of political turmoil: they consult fortune tellers. [AP]

A SPELLING BEE FOR THE REST OF US

The Simplified Spelling Society (SSS) celebrates its 99th birthday by basically trying to do away with the entirety of the English language. Sweet. [Reuters]

AWKWARD

Jenna Bush is writing a novel set in Panama: a country her grandfather bombed. [Wonkette]

OLD AND COLD

Fred Fox is on his way to become the oldest man to ever reach the North Pole. He’s 92. You go, Fred. [LA Daily News]

6 FEET UNDER

A woman sues her town after slipping and falling into her friend’s grave. [Citizen Times]

REFEREE

A referee is suspended after getting into a fight with a player. Someone, quick, blow a whistle. [NY Times]