As you noticed, this Summer is invaded by wonderful prints. Jil Sander, Etro, Emilio Pucci are just a few of the many that give us a great inspiration of paisley print. Here I am wearing it too:) I bought this vintage dress a couple weeks ago along with another two; you will gone see them soon. But this dress couldn't be complete without a great necklace. There it is the cherry on top of the cake : this neon yellow necklace- thanks to Sira&Mara USA.Visit their shop HERE to find many other wonderful necklaces & bracelets at an affordable price. Meantime, I have one necklace to give to one of you ! It is GIVEAWAY time and here is what you have to do :
1.Follow Sira&Mara on Facebook Here 2.Follow Bittersweet Colours on Facebook Here 3. Leave a comment below with you e-mail address and your name.
This giveaway is worldwide and will end on July 23rd. Good luck to everyone !
Necklace: thanks toSira&Mara USA Dress: vintage/ another great oneHere Shoes:BCBGeneration/ similarHere Bag: vintage/ similar designHere Sunglasses: Ralph Lauren Cuff bracelet: St.Thomas/ another wonderful designHere
by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -vs- Tyranny
Robert F. Bukaty/AP Photo
Ron Paul's final battle is securing the necessary 18 delegate needed from Nebraska’s state GOP convention on Saturday. In doing so he stands to secure a 15 minute speaking slot at the national convention in August. Congressman Paul believes this will help galvanize his base and keep his "Revolution" and the liberty movement alive.
THE HILL - Rep. Ron Paul said that the Republican Party is scared to let him speak at the national convention in Florida next month.
The Texas Republican candidate for president said he thinks the prospects of him having the Tampa platform to energize his “Ronvolution” movement of supporters — who buck traditional GOP staples such as war funding and are in favor of more radical ideas such as auditing the Federal Reserve — intimidates some in the Republican leadership, including former Gov. Mitt Romney’s (R-Mass.) campaign.
“I think the Romney campaign organization is very insecure,” said Paul in an interview with Fox Business News on Friday.
“They want this thing to go smoothly. But all conventions are like that. And this is the one thing that annoys me a bit. If they want this thing to go smoothly and be a big media event, and it costs the taxpayers $18 million, and they don't want a discussion, why can't we have a little debate?”
Paul is in the process of gunning hard for the 18 delegate votes he needs from Nebraska’s state GOP convention on Saturday so he can have his name entered into nomination for president and secure a speaking slot at the Republican National Convention in August.
While Paul does not stand much of a chance of stealing a significant number of votes away from Romney at the national convention, the plurality of delegates in Nebraska would guarantee him a 15-minute speaking spot, which he believes could galvanize his base.
Paul needs to win a plurality of delegate votes in at least five states to be given a spot on the GOP national convention. So far he was won four: Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, and Louisiana.
Romney, the party’s presumptive nominee, seized the 1,144 delegates need for the nomination in May.
The executive summary? On the economy: "We have some big problems in this country." He's very concerned about debt, and about monetary, tax and regulatory policy. On foreign policy: "We're weaker, much weaker" abroad than we were two decades ago.
But despite it all, Mr. Shultz is confident that if we get the policies right again, America can regain its footing: "When Ronald Reagan took office, inflation was in the teens, the prime rate was in the 20s, and the economy was going nowhere. We still had the remnants of wage and price controls, particularly in oil and gas. And Jimmy Carter said we were in 'malaise.' It was a bad time. I'm convinced the economy can be turned around because I watched Ronald Reagan do it."
"It took long-term thinking," Mr. Shultz emphasizes. "I'll give you an example. [Reagan] knew and we all advised him you can't have a decent economy with the kind of inflation we've got. . . . The political people would come in and say 'You've got to be careful, Mr. President. There's gonna be a recession [if the Federal Reserve tightens the money supply]. You're gonna lose seats in the midterm election.'
"And he basically said, 'If not us who? If not now when?' And he held a political umbrella over [Fed Chairman] Paul Volcker, and Paul did what needed to be done. And by late '82 early '83, inflation was under control, the tax changes that he made were kicking in, and the economy took off. But it took a politician with an ability to take a short-term hit in order to get the long-run results that we needed. {Read More}
Indeed. Taking a short term hit in order to reap long term gain. Undoubtedly in today's special interest winner take all political climate such noble ideals seem to have long been forgotten.
Are you taking note candidate Romney? Oh, and you as well Mr. President.
by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -vs- Tyranny
Some further thoughts on the very real possibility of the USA becoming an oligarchy. I found these informative videos on You Tube and thought them very instructional.
The videos illustrate the various concepts of government, and the dangers to freedom and liberty a full blown oligarchy presents the people. Indeed these dangers are ever present in our republic and must be resisted and fought against continually if we are to preserve our individual rights and liberties as well as maintaining a civil society.
It has been said nothing on earth is perfect, and that is a true statement. However, history has shown our democratic republic is arguably as close to a perfect form of government as has ever existed.
The question we face today, and must answer for the future is; do we still have the intellegence and will to preserve it?
Sweet and soigne - this is a ladylike look with a pleated skirt that I bought last year, but that I never wore, until now. I combined it with a backwords cardigan, Aldo heels and Forever21 clutch. The "condiments" of this look are given by a bit of volume, in a minimalist way, and a little bit of metallic accents, in a small dose. This outfit took me back in an Audrey Hepburn world :) I hope you like it !
Cardigan: Zara/ similarHere Shoes: Aldo/ similarHere Skirt: Sparkle & Fade/ another great oneHere Clutch: Forever21/ similar designHere Earrings: from flea market Ring: Tarhuna Bijoux Sunglasses: Betsey Johnson/ similarHere
by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -vs- Tyranny
Anyone sensing that our country is heading in the wrong direction should be concerned with the very real possibility of America becoming an bonafide oligarchy. Added to the fact that the nation has been trending towards fascism the future for our posterity seems wrought with peril.
Our nation's political environment today is such that rather than elected lawmakers and the executive branch seeking to solve problems through genuinely meaningful and spirited discourse/debate it is clear the goal is now to either gain, or preserve their own power.
We have gone from a nation of people engaged in determining our country's destiny through active involvement in the process to a nation of apathy. Our declining voter turnout since 1968 points to this fact. Should the trend of recent years continue there is little to no doubt that we will become a fascist oligarchy.
The following was written in 1911 and all indications are We the People of today had better start taking note.
www.spunk.org" - ...Robert Michels, a friend of Weber's, also was concerned about the depersonalizing effect of bureaucracy. His views, formulated at the beginning of this century, are still pertinent today.
"Michels (1911) came to the conclusion that the formal organization of bureaucracies inevitably leads to oligarchy, under which organizations originally idealistic and democratic eventually come to be dominated by a small, self-serving group of people who achieved positions of power and responsibility. This can occur in large organizations because it becomes physically impossible for everyone to get together every time a decision has to be made. Consequently, a small group is given the responsibility of making decisions. Michels believed that the people in this group would become enthralled with their elite positions and more and more inclined to make decisions that protect their power rather than represent the will of the group they are supposed to serve. In effect Michels was saying that bureaucracy and democracy do not mix. Despite any protestations and promises that they would not become like all the rest, those placed in positions of responsibility and power often come to believe that they too are indispensable, and more knowledgeable than those they serve. As time goes on, they become further removed from the rank and file...
"The Iron Law of Oligarchy suggests that organizations wishing to avoid oligarchy should take a number of precautionary steps. They should make sure that the rank and file remain active in the organization and that the leaders not be granted absolute control of a centralized administration. As long as there are open lines of communication and shared decision making between the leaders and the rank and file, an oligarchy cannot easily develop.
"Clearly, the problems of oligarchy, of the bureaucratic depersonalization described by Weber, and of personal alienation all are interrelated. If individuals are deprived of the power to make decisions that affect their lives in many or even most of the areas that are important to them, withdrawal into narrow ritualism (overconformity to rules) and apathy are likely responses. Such withdrawals seemed to constitute a chronic condition in some of the highly centralized socialist countries. However, there are many signs of public apathy in the United States, too. For example, in 1964 about 70 percent of those eligible to vote for president did so. In each of the succeeding national elections this figure has dropped, and in 1988 it was only 50 percent."
by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -vs- Tyranny
Word has it Condi Rice is being considered by Mittens to be his vice presidential running mate. Some sources are even saying that she may top the short list. To which I can only say, if this is true, and Condi ultimately does get the number two slot on the ticket all Romney supporters ought to hope Mittens listens to her counsel. In a nutshell she is eminently more qualified than the top of that ticket will be.
Of course the often incoherent babbling brook of the ill fated republican campaign of 2008 chimed in with her half hearted support of Condi... should Condi eventually be the choice and choose to accept. From my perspective I cannot understand why a women of Condi's intellect and experience would want to consider a run with Mittens. But enough of that.
The Hill - Sarah Palin thinks Condoleezza Rice would make a "wonderful" vice president, and dismissed concerns that the former of secretary of State might not oppose abortion rights.
“I think that Condoleezza Rice would be a wonderful vice president,” Palin told Fox News on Thursday night. She compared Rice's past experience favorably to that of Obama.
The Drudge Report on Thursday reported that Rice has emerged as the front-runner in the Mitt Romney campaign's search for a VP. Rice has previously told CBS News "there is no way I will do this," speaking of becoming Romney's running mate. But it is not unusual for the eventual choice to publicly refuse the job initially.
Rice might not be popular with all evangelicals due to what she has called her "mildly pro-choice" views. Most of the large anti-abortion-rights groups, such as National Right to Life, Americans United for Life and the Susan B. Anthony List, have united behind Romney for president, but Rice as running mate might compromise the support of their members.
But Palin dismissed concerns over Rice's stance on the subject.
“I would certainly prefer a presidential and vice presidential candidate who had that respect for all innocent precious purposeful human life,” Palin said. “We need to remember, though, that it’s not the vice president that would legislate abortion and that would be Congress’s role, and we’ll keep that in mind.”
Rice has noted that she believes in building a "culture of life," and is for parental notification and against late-term abortions. In 2008, she indicated she does not support overturning Roe v. Wade.
Condoleezza Rice would be an excellent choice. Unlike Palin she could be president of these United States someday.
It was certain to happen. An immensely qualified individual such as Condi Rice is unacceptable by the religious right based solely on her modest pro choice views. Gee, what a surprise.
Politico - The anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List released a statement this morning declaring Condoleezza Rice "unqualified" to serve as Mitt Romney's running mate.
Reacting to the eruption of Condi-for-veep speculation, SBA List president Marjorie Dannenfelser pointed out that Romney has pledged to choose an opponent of abortion as his vice president.
"Former Secretary Rice's position on the sanctity of human life makes her an unqualified candidate for Governor Romney to choose as a running mate (emphasis mine}. Throughout the campaign, including at the Palmetto Freedom Forum last September, he has pledged to us in no uncertain terms that he would choose a pro-life running mate," Dannenfelser said. "We have taken Governor Romney at his word and therefore believe Secretary Rice will be ruled out of consideration. Secretary Rice's position violates criteria that Governor Romney himself has laid out."
It's a small down payment on the blowback Romney would feel if he actually chose Rice, and a perfect illustration of why precious few think he ever would.
Romney should chose Rice because of her qualification and on that basis only.
It will be interesting to see how Mittens handles this thinly veiled threat... ""We have taken Governor Romney at his word and therefore believe Secretary Rice will be ruled out of consideration. Secretary Rice's position violates criteria that Governor Romney himself has laid out."
Romney's reputation for flip flopping from time to time is well known. This time a flip flop would be justified for sure. Anybody betting on his decision?
A lot of people don't like magic because it makes them feel stupid, but in reality getting fooled by magic tricks says little about your intelligence. I do in fact possess psychic powers and to prove it to you I'm going to predict the exact difference in the amount of pocket change we are both carrying.
All I need you to do is remove some change from your purse or your pocket -- not more than a couple of bucks, to keep this short -- and hold it in your fist. Shake it around a bit so I can feel the vibrations. Excellent.
I am definitely getting a reading now, more than I had hoped for in fact.
My sixth sense is telling me three things: that I have as much change as you do, plus two extra quarters, and enough left over to bring your total up to $2.35.
You look skeptical. Lay your change on the table and count it. Great. Now since we are doing this remotely, you'll have to be my stunt double.
Reaching in my pocket it appears I have ten quarters, two dimes, a pair of nickels, and five pennies -- totaling $2.85. (I was going to do laundry later.)
I want you to pretend my pile of change is on the table next to yours -- or even better, procure this array of coins for yourself and do it for real.
Now I predicted my pile would contain exactly as much as yours plus two quarters, so please remove from my pile the exact amount you were carrying in your pocket, plus an additional two quarters, and set this amount aside.
I also predicted that what remained in my pile would be exactly enough to bring your total up to $2.35, so push the rest of my coins into your pile, merging the two, and add them all up. Was I right? I told you I was psychic!
Oh Casey Kasem. You were the Confucius of our time. Now we are stuck with Ryan Seacrest. But this is a (worthy) discussion for another time.
Today I'm talking gold. I'm loving it. I need it. Since finishing my glitter vase for the Pinterest Challenge, I've been looking for something else to dip in gold and it didn't take me long to find my next victim subject.
You all might remember these little honeys I picked up at an estate sale several months back.
The stars, my favorite detail of the tables, were just screaming for some gold.
I've had the tables in my living room for several weeks now, on approval from the basement, trying out the current finish. And although it wasn't bad, it wasn't working for me.
So the first step was to take the table out and gave it several light and even coats of my trusty black Rust-oleum Painter's Touch Ultra Cover spray paint.
The table after her first coat of black
After 4 coats of black and a day of sunbathing to dry, my stars were ready for their closeup.
I got a Krylon Gold Leaf Pen at Michael's and went to town. I love this pen. It is like a marker for grown ups. I put a napkin under the star to protect the rest of the table and then just sat down and colored. (That star spins, I know pretty cool, so I would just paint the part of the star that was on the napkin, spin and repeat.) And it dries super fast so I was able to do several coats rather quickly.
Just the pop I was looking for. You can see these suckers from across the room. Not in a bad 'what the hell are those' way though, more in a 'who is that hot man across the room' way. The gold would have never stood out as well on the mahogany-ish finish.
Looking good Mr. Carter. But it wasn't enough to give me my fix, I needed more than just the four stars. Speaking of, have you ever tried to take a picture that shows all four ends of a rectangle? Don't bother, it can't be done.
So to up the gold factor, I 'dipped' the legs. Obviously they aren't technically dipped as I can't fit those thick legs into a tiny little pen, but you get the idea.
Yes, my floors need to be refinished but that will have to happen another year. Look at the legs instead. They are pretty. They are gold. Oohhh. Ahhhh.
I love it. So much so that I know move the table all ove the house, changing it up each time. Good thing I have another one in the basement.
And a quick public service announcement about the glitter used earlier in the week - make sure you store all glitter in a locked cabinet, just like your liquor, or your children will get a hold of it and 'dust' the table with it.
One dipped table completed, one more to go.
Have you tried the Gold Leaf pen? Found yourself slapping a new to you color on anything that will stand still? Don't be surprised if my girls have been painted gold by the end of the summer.
