Lets just get it over with, because we've all been thinking it: Sarah Palin was damn attractive. Lets also remember that saying so falls slightly within the realm of "let me say something a little offensive, but I'm not a ___ist." Reducing a woman to a collection of her anatomical parts and/or sex appeal is fundamentally wrong. It only serves to further reinforce stereotypes and negative perceptions about the capabilities of "the fairer sex." As a guy, I have to be honest though: Sarah Palin is pretty attractive.

But now that its been said, can we start a dialog about this unlikely veep choice? Of all the Republicans in all the world, why someone who presides over a state with a total population smaller than Omaha, Nebraska? Is she really qualified to take the reigns if (when) McCain bites the bullet? Let's talk it out, beginning with a look at her political highlight reel concerning two major issues which I think will define the next presidency - energy policy, and women's rights:

Energy
Palin is a proponent of continued oil resource development in her home state. This includes, of course, opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for exploratory drilling. Forget the fact that the reserve supports six distinct ecosystems, including the natural habitat for the dwindling polar bear. Forget that Governor Palin opposed putting polar bears on the endangered species list, because their inhabiting the drilling area would dampen exploratory prospects. Forget that a human industrial presence in the ANWR would significantly affect its ecological balance, no matter what Big Oil tells you.

(In fact forget everything that those fancy new BP/Exxon/Shell commercials say, because what they won't say is what really matters: like the millions of barrels that spilled into the groundwater beneath Brooklyn; a spill they refuse to clean up.)

Forget that known Alaskan oil peaked in 1988. Forget that every media outlet on the planet has been reminding us that it takes at least 10 years for found oil to be processed for consumer consumption. Forget that it's been shown that, even if oil is found there, the ANWR is predicted to have a minor at best contribution to prices at the pump. Take away from this the fact that this woman is representative of the same politics which led us from $1.25 gas, to $4.50 gas and an "oh, shit...oops" attitude concerning global climate change.

Women's Rights
The ceiling has been cracked, and gender/sexuality politics is thankfully at the forefront of the American psyche.

Palin is an accomplished governor and a mother; her son will be shipping out to Iraq in September (whether he'll get the Prince William treatment is to be seen). But we, as voters and as intelligent people must mark the difference between being a woman, and being sensitive to women's issues. Palin is a lifelong member of the NRA and a prominent member of Feminists for Life, both anti-abortion and against gay-marraige. Not new positions for a Republican, but we, as a voter generation defined by a global education, and a world not easily split into black and white, deserve better than elected officials (regardless of partisan stance) who continue to address important social issues according to simple duality.

She is a proponent of consumer-driven healthcare - a system primarily designed to save employers money by shifting the burden of employee health onto the wage earners. Wage earners who also have to worry about losing their homes, filling their gas tanks, and whether their spinach will kill them.

On a positive note, I will say that I applaud her bravery in raising a child with Down syndrome; a child who will face many challenges down the road - her success as a parent will provide continued de-facto support for disability aid groups worldwide.

I'm sitting here watching James Carville about to have a shit attack live on CNN; the man is absolutely "floored" by the veep-stakes results, and it makes me wonder: was this merely political pandering by the GOP, or a move for true change on the political horizon?

First, I want to say that Ross White is an amazing human being, a talented progressive thinker with unlimited potential, a very close and dear friend, and most of all - a good sport.

Second, I want to say that I don't personally believe in the practical application of reparations because I am a pragmatist and fully realize the impossibility and problematic nature of the United States Government applying any reparations policy.

However, Art Star is a space that has been created for the exchange of ideas, information, and to build a community of young artists, thinkers, and influential people.

Yesterday I wrote a column that was meant to be pure entertainment called My Top Ten Guilty Pleasures, and #10 was reparations. I knew that it was a spicy topic and would possibly offend some of our readership as I acknowledged.

However the value of making controversial statements is not from the pure "shock" value, but from the ensuing dialogue about the issue.

In the comments section of my column, Ross and I had a debate which turned on whether or not a white person would learn anything about slavery from picking cotton for a day?

I said yes they would, and he said no they would not.

So, I challenged him to a bet that we would let our readership (and whoever else cares) decide via this really neat new idea called prediction markets.

Using the Inkling Marketplace we will pose the question and you, the reader, decide how right or wrong each of us are (we both believe that we insult everyone's intelligence by making it a yes or no answer).

If "the world" decides that yes, a white person would indeed would learn something from picking a day's worth of cotton, then Ross White will pick cotton for a day, and post footage from that and reflection on his experience in a youtube video.

If "the world" decides that no, a white person would not learn much from picking a day's worth of cotton, then I will issue a public apology to any white people I have offended in a youtube video.

Now of course I don't want to apologize and Ross doesn't want to pick cotton but that is what makes it interesting.

Over the next week or so we will both make posts elaborating, and nuancing our positions.

However, tomorrow we will introduce how YOU will decide and let the betting begin.

We encourage for you to comment on our bet and the issues, because although we both realize the inherent silliness in making a white person pick cotton, both Ross and I strongly believe that our countries ongoing conversation about race, history, discrimination, equality, and fairness are very important and isn't a "black" issue, or a "white" issue, but an American issue.