It is that time of year again, when we celebrate our fathers for being more than just the guy that gets the big piece of chicken. In spite of the commercialization of the day, the intended meaning is a good one. Tell Dad how much you love him. And because he is a Dad, that will simply be enough.

It seems like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (aka PETA) is pissed at Charlotte's meat-eating community. Check out the press release they just sent:

ALICIA SILVERSTONE BARES ALL IN PETA CAMPAIGN

Sexy Ad to Air in 'Fattest City' Charlotte During World Vegetarian Week

Charlotte, N.C. — Showing off her fit, veggie-powered body, sexy Alicia Silverstone goes au naturel in a brand-new TV ad campaign promoting the health benefits of vegetarianism. The ad is aimed at reminding residents of Charlotte—which was named one of America's fattest cities by Men's Fitness magazine—that going vegan is the best way to get slim and stay healthy.

"I'm Alicia Silverstone, and I'm a vegetarian," Silverstone says as she emerges naked from a swimming pool and reveals how going vegetarian does a body good. "There's nothing in the world that's changed me as much as this. I feel so much better and have so much more energy."

Vegetarians weigh on average 10 to 20 pounds less than meat-eaters. Consumption of meat and other animal products has been conclusively linked to heart disease, diabetes, several types of cancer, and, of course, obesity. Eating meat is also responsible for the daily suffering and deaths of billions of animals who are deprived of everything that's natural and important to them on factory farms. Animals are often still conscious as they are dismembered in slaughterhouses.

The 30-second ad will air in Charlotte on WCNC-TV (NBC) during the Tonight show through May 30. Initially set to run in the morning, one of the station's managers made a last-minute change. In an e-mail to PETA, the manager wrote, "The Alicia Silverstein spot has more 'bare-skin' than we are comfortable with for daytime programming …." The ad was directed by Dave Meyers, who has directed more than 180 music videos, including rapper Missy Elliott's groundbreaking "Work It" video, which won MTV's "Best Video of the Year" award. Meyers also directed the video for Elliott's Grammy Award winning "Lose Control."

"Charlotte's love affair with meat is making its residents fat and unhealthy," says PETA's Manager of Vegan Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "If the good people of Charlotte want to lose their 'spare tires' and get on the road to good health, the best thing that they can do is go vegetarian."

For more information and to view the ad, please visit PETA's Web site VeggieTestimonial.PETA.org.

The next time you're tempted to have a Red Bull and vodka — or to get in the car with someone who's been drinking that lovely beverage combination — think twice. I still can't fathom why some people want to ruin good vodka by adding the taste of bad bubblegum, but that's not why you should reconsider your drink order. The New York Times reports today that health researchers say young adults and teens who consume energy drinks like Red Bull, Monster, Amp or Full Throttle are more likely to engage in "risky behavior." Usually, "risky behavior" is a media euphemism for having unprotected sex, but in this case, condom- or diaphragm-challenged intercourse is only the beginning.  The consumption of energy drinks, according to The Journal of American College Health, is a potential indicator of "toxic jock" behavior, including the aforementioned bareback rides, along with more serious substance abuse and violence.

The Police Department has changed its mind about Coyote Ugly coming to the Uptown area, and now plans to cancel its support for a liquor license for the planned bar at Fifth and Church Streets. It's another of life's little ironies that a good decision was made for dubious reasons. Who really needs a cheeseball chain theme bar, especially one that would provide an essentially phony experience for goobers attracted by whatever leftover movie glitz fumes still exude from the bar's name? But misgivings about a chain-bar's tackiness — in an Uptown area that has been revived largely by the efforts of local businesses, no less - is basically an esthetic concern. The police don't deal in esthetics. Their decision to deny a liquor license recommendation to CU came after the Police Department was tsunami'd by complaints from members of future bar neighbors at First Presbyterian ("God's Frozen People") Church, and Fourth Ward residents who don't want to have to worry, or even think, about drunks outside their toney homes. Hmm, you'd think the church would see an opportunity to save some sinners, but then again, it might mean having to stay up late. In any case, it looks like a cheesy national chain will have to find another Charlotte location or, better still, just give up and go away. The decision will be discussed at a City Council meeting Tuesday, which should add another facet of comedic dysfunction to the issue.

By Hillary Clinton 

After consulting some outside sources (Geraldine Ferraro), it appears I got more screwed by sexism than Barack did by racism. Probably because I lost. But just for kicks, I thought I'd recount my top 10 most sexist moments on the trail:

10. The Obama Bro’s Before Ho’s t-shirts. It’s not that I think this age-old mantra is misogynistic; it’s more that I question its accuracy. You put any ho between two bros and that chicka will have those dudes clawing at each other’s eyeballs if she so much as smiles or makes eye contact with one of them. It’s called pussy power. It’s very real and very powerful.

9. Speaking of shirts, the heckler who yelled “Iron my shirt” at my stump speech. The shirt was indeed very wrinkly. After I pressed them out for him, that bastard put the shirt back on carelessly and created more creases!

8. My financial troubles. People are saying that I’m in the red $21 million because I’m a woman who can’t manage a checkbook! Please. I’m in this much debt because of my stubborn refusal to quit. This stems from my need for approval which is rooted in latent daddy issues.

7. Barack playing "99 Problems" at a primary victory party. OK, I'm actually not that pissed about this one because Jay-Z is a personal favorite and I thought it was kind of funny. I'll give him credit for not playing "Soldier Boy" — which recounts a debase sexual act involving a cape and garden tools as far as I can tell. 

6. The media referring to me as Hillary and every other candidate by his surname. This chauvinistic exercise trivializes my message and my campaign, but I think I have a compromise solution. We’ll all just go by our middle names. So from here on out I’ll respond to Diane. And Barack — what’s his middle name again? Oh that’s right — Hussein.

5. Cleavage-gate. Actually pointing out that any part of my body is feminine, or more specifically, that it’s feminine and unattractive. Be it my turkey neck, my plaster mold-like hair cut or my superhuman nutcracking ability.

4. The time I watched Knocked Up in my hotel room. Judd Apatow’s understanding of women runs about as deep as my knowledge of nuclear fission.

3. Barack calling that waitress sweetie. Sure, that got a ton of press because Barack did it. But when I call a male bus boy “sugar dick” no one covers it.

2. Obama Girl. 

1. This post. While it seems like its purpose was to support the theory that sexism played a detrimental role in the campaign, the real intent was to mock and subvert my claims of sexism.

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With a fiery speech made in Iowa, the site of his first primary win, Sen. Barack Obama began to set his sight on November. It was there they announced that they had won the majority of pledged delegates. With the math and momentum firmly on his side, Obama began to look forward to November; he looked to unite the party and focus the troops on the battle that lay ahead for November. Here are a couple of excerpts from his speech last night. (Quotes provided by The AP wire)

“Fifteen months ago, in the depths of winter, it was in this great state where we took the first steps of an unlikely journey to change America.The skeptics predicted we wouldn't get very far. The cynics dismissed us as a lot of hype and a little too much hope. And by the fall, the pundits in Washington had all but counted us out.But the people of Iowa had a different idea ... Many of you have been disappointed by politics and politicians more times than you can count. You've seen promises broken and good ideas drown in the sea of influence, and point-scoring, and petty bickering that has consumed Washington. And you've been told over and over and over again to be cynical, and doubtful, and even fearful about the possibility that things can ever be different.”