Daily news sites

Our 5 years anniversary! I hope that the years that will come will be as wonderful as the first 5 years I spent so far with Bogdan...



                                                                   Top: thanks to Twenty
                                                                   Shorts: Divided
                                                                   Sandals: Urban Outfitters/ another great pair Here
                                                                   Bag: Old Navy(old)/ a wonderful one Here
                                                                   Hat: H&M/ similar Here
                                                                   Sunglasses: Foster Grant/ similar style  Here

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs- Tyranny

Yesterday we posted on Michelle Bachmann's most recent looney activities. Her McCarthy era style fear mongering.

Radical Islam, where it exists must be confronted and the appropriate actions to safeguard ourselves and our nation certainly must be taken. Where it indeed exists and when backed up with proper intelligence data to support such allegations.

Senator McCain is right this time. We ought to listen to voices of reason because tyranny (often of the worse strain) can be self inflicted, the result of unsubstantiated and unbridled fear.

Today we are putting up the other side of the argument, just to be balanced and equitable. Presented compliments of GBTV and Michelle Bachmann herself.




Read the transcript here.

One can't help but wonder but maybe this being a presidential election year just might have something to do with the zaniness of Backmann and Beck.

Via: Memeorandum

Actually, I'm just going in an Acura, but you get the idea. I'm off to have some fun with the family up north (and reunite with my old pal IKEA). 

Corrie Bond

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs- Tyranny

Wacko and Dangerous

I basically knew Michelle Bachmann was a looney, I just didn't realize how much a looney she really is. I never saw her as a bigoted fear monger, until just today.

CBS News - (CBS News) WASHINGTON - Former GOP presidential candidate Michele Bachmann and four other conservative members of Congress are charging that people with ties to Muslim extremists have infiltrated the federal government.

Sen. John McCain denounced the allegations Wednesday, calling them "sinister" and saying they "need to stop."

Huma Abedin, a longtime aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, has been singled out.

The State Department has responded to the allegations with very harsh language, calling Bachmann's charges "vicious and disgusting lies."

Even Bachmann's own former presidential campaign chief, Ed Rollins, said she was being extreme and dishonest.

It's rare for a senator to publicly rebuke members of his own party. But that's just what Arizona's McCain did, saying on the Senate floor, "These attacks have no logic, no basis and no merit, and they need to stop," after the five House Republicans questioned whether Abedin has ties to terrorism.

"When anyone, not least a member of Congress, launches specious and degrading attacks against fellow Americans on the basis of nothing more than fear of who they are and ignorance of what they stand for, it defames the spirit of our nation, and we all grow poorer because of it," McCain continued.

Bachmann, from Minnesota, and the four other representatives sent letters to top intelligence and security officials last week warning that the Muslim Brotherhood, a global religious Islamic movement whose members have been linked to terrorist groups in the past, may have infiltrated the top levels of U.S. government.

They pointed the finger first at Abedin, who is deputy chief of staff to Secretary Clinton and has been one of her closest aides for nearly two decades. Abedin, who was born in the U.S. and is of Pakistani descent, has been described by both Hillary and former President Bill Clinton as a daughter.

But Bachmann and the others wrote, "Huma Abedin has three family members -- her late father, her mother and her brother -- connected to Muslim Brotherhood operatives and/or organizations."

Minnesota's Keith Ellison, the nation's first Muslim congressman, says, "Our country has gone through a McCarthy period. We cannot allow America to go back to another one." {Read More}

Bachmann is not only Not presidential material Ever, she, as well as the other idiots involved in this with her are not fit to hold the office of U.S. Congresswomen/men.



Via: Memeorandum

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs- Tyranny

Ann Romney - trains with show horses as part of her therapy for multiple sclerosis

The DNC showing it's Complete lack of character and class. Perhaps it has something to do with Debbie Wassermann Schultz?

At any rate the the lame apology is just that lame. Were it sincere the ad would never have ran. But we're talking the DNC here. No pilar of integrity by any stretch of the imagination.

ABC News - It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now the Democratic National Committee is offering an apology of sorts to Ann Romney.

At issue is a DNC video featuring footage of Ann Romney’s dancing show horse. The DNC used the horse in mocking way to attack Mitt Romney for not releasing his tax returns (and dancing around the issue).

The DNC introduced the video as the first in a series of videos featuring the horse, which is owned jointly by Ann and Mitt Romney.

Ann Romney, who trains with show horses as part of her therapy for multiple sclerosis, took offense in an interview with Robin Roberts on “Good Morning America,” and now the DNC is saying it will put out no more horse videos, and is expressing regret for offending Ann Romney.

“Our use of the Romneys’ dressage horse was not meant to offend Mrs. Romney in any way, and we regret it if it did,” DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse told ABC News. “We were simply making a point about Governor Romney’s failure to give straight answers on a variety of issues in this race. We have no plans to invoke the horse any further to avoid misinterpretation.” {Read More}

Classless, and clueless indeed is the DNC.

Via: Memeorandum

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs- Tyranny


This sight is no fan, advocate or supporter of Mitt Romney. However when the "other" side, or opposition party takes it upon themselves to get their knickers all in an uproar over Romney's correctly quoting the President's statements, well, to frigging bad boys and girls.

The following, taken from the the weekly Standard offers clarity.

President Obama's reelection campaign accuses Mitt Romney of distorting the president's words, by showing a side by side comparison of the Obama's words and Romney's quotation of those words:

"Mitt Romney is launching a false attack," the ad's text states. But the weird thing is: The Obama campaign is purposefully trying to make it sound like Romney is misquoting the president, when the official White House transcript backs up Romney's quotation.

In the ad, Romney says that Obama revealed his thoughts on business when he said this, "If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen."

And, in fact, according to official White House transcript that's precisely what Obama said on July 13, 2012 in Roanoke, Virginia.

Nevertheless, the Obama campaign, in the ad, says it's not true. "The only problem?," the ad text reads. "That's not what he said." It then turns to Obama, from the same Roanoke campaign speech, who said, "If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life."

Which is true. Obama did say that. But he also said the line that Romney says he said-- "If you’ve got a business --you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen."

What I am most curious about is which of his actual documented statements really represent the President's philosophical and political views. I believe I know which it is, but certainly welcome your views on this quite important question. After all, this election will determine America's future for some time to come methinks. Read it all right here.

As an aside, for those in doubt this site urges you take a serious look at, and consider Libertarian Candidate Gary Johnson. For a really interesting article please visit The Libertarian Patriot.

Via: Memeorandum

Update:

I just visited one of the more balanced political blogs on the net. Frank Hill of Telemachus has weighed in on the President's statements that generated some buzz.

Here's a teaser.

President Obama sure stirred up the hornet's nest last week when he told a small business group in Roanoke, Virginia:


'If you've got a business, you didn't build that!'


What would you think he was talking about if you had nothing other than those 9 words to read?


The statement came across to many as further evidence that the President is hostile to the private sector, profits and the whole free enterprise system.


That one single statement, coupled with his stated incessant desire over the past 3.6 years to 'raise taxes on the wealthy'; 'make them pay their 'fair share' (whatever that is...someone please give us an exact number or percentage of income that can truly be considered 'fair') and his propensity to regulate everything under the sun in America sure seems like 'proof' to any reasonable observer, doesn't it?


To be fair about it, here is the exact transcript of what he said in its entirety:

"There are a lot of wealthy, successful Americans who agree with me (one person exactly, Warren Buffett, our insert)-- because they want to give something back. They know they didn’t -- look, if you’ve been successful, you didn’t get there on your own.

You didn’t get there on your own. I’m always struck by people who think, well, it must be because I was just so smart. There are a lot of smart people out there. It must be because I worked harder than everybody else. Let me tell you something -- there are a whole bunch of hardworking people out there. "If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges.

If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.

The Internet didn’t get invented on its own. (We thought Al Gore invented the Internet- our insert again) Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet.

The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together. There are some things, just like fighting fires, we don’t do on our own. I mean, imagine if everybody had their own fire service. That would be a hard way to organize fighting fires. "So we say to ourselves, ever since the founding of this country, you know what, there are some things we do better together. That’s how we funded the G.I. Bill. That’s how we created the middle class. That’s how we built the Golden Gate Bridge or the Hoover Dam.

That’s how we invented the Internet. That’s how we sent a man to the moon. We rise or fall together as one nation and as one people, and that’s the reason I’m running for President -- because I still believe in that idea. You’re not on your own, we’re in this together."

We can see where he 'said': 'If you have got a business, you didn't build that'. It is right there in the transcript for all the world to see.

Either President Obama's teleprompter went out-of-whack and he went off on a bad tangent ad-libbing or he has a very bad and probably now-fired speechwriter.

But to be entirely charitable, even though the fun thing to do would be to pile on in this political season, we will at least acknowledge that the President might have been referring to the fact that each individual business person did not build all the roads and bridges and the Internet on their own.


Which is sorta true. But not entirely. {Read More}

This is what I call comfortable and funny for hot days, when you don't want nothing to stick to your skin. Last Sunday, Bogdan and I, we went to flea market ( our favorite Sunday shopping place). We piked fresh fruits, vegetables and of course some great vintage jewelry. I just love to look at a table full with old jewelry, trying to find the right piece. I always wonder what story is behind these old garments and who wore it before. Is it just me or you do the same thing with vintage stuff ?
Have a wonderful rest of the week and thank you for your visit !


                                                                    Jumpsuit: BCBG Max Azria/ another great version Here and Here
                                                                    Bag: Pulicati / another great one Here
                                                                    Bracelet: vintage
                                                                    Sandals: Marais USA, from Urban Outfitters / another great pair Here
                                                                    Hat: no name brand/ similar Here
                                                                    Sunglasses: Betsey Johnson/ similar style Here

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs- Tyranny

As We Have Come To Expect

Wondering if the President will be challenged by the left on these disclosures. Likely they won't even receive so much as a mention by the left. Smelling hypocrisy once again from the wind out of the left. I sincerely hope I'm wrong. Not holding my breath.

The Washington Examiner - President Obama has accused Mitt Romney of raking in profits from investing in companies that ship American jobs overseas, but according to his most recent financial disclosure, he and First Lady Michelle Obama have hundreds of thousands of dollars in a mutual fund that has large holdings in corporations that outsource jobs.

“(Romney) invested in companies that have been called ‘pioneers’ of outsourcing,” Obama said at a Saturday campaign event in Glen Allen, Va. “I don’t want a pioneer in outsourcing. I want some insourcing.”

But Obama’s own portfolio shows a willingness to invest in American corporations that have shifted employment overseas.

In his most recent financial disclosure from 2011, Obama and his wife reported having between $200,000 and $450,000 in the Vanguard 500 Index Fund, which invests in the largest U.S. corporations. According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as of Sept. 30, 2011, the fund’s biggest holding was 8,272,039 shares of Apple Inc., then valued at $3.2 billion.

The New York Times reported in January:

Not long ago, Apple boasted that its products were made in America. Today, few are. Almost all of the 70 million iPhones, 30 million iPads and 59 million other products Apple sold last year were manufactured overseas….

“Apple’s an example of why it’s so hard to create middle-class jobs in the U.S. now,” said Jared Bernstein, who until last year was an economic adviser to the White House.

“If it’s the pinnacle of capitalism, we should be worried.” {Read More}

Patiently waiting the Obamaites response.

Via: Memeorandum

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs- Tyranny

Deja Vu

I shudder to admit, let alone think that 22 years ago I was the Vice Chairmen of the Republican Town Committee in the community in which I lived at that time. Not because I am ashamed of the party I represented at that time but rather I cannot fathom what caused the once viable republican party to devolve to its present state.

Sure, I recognized the decent of a once great party that represented ideals most Americans could identify with long before before I quit the party. Which is why I chose to register without any party affiliation five years. The things that caused me to make such a decision have only increased and grown within the big "R" statist party.

Evidence of the lack of substance was amply presented by none other than failed 2008 presidential candidate "Lost Somewhere in the Clouds" McCain.

POLITICO - Mitt Romney's tax returns had nothing to do with Sen. John McCain's decision to choose Sarah Palin as his running mate in 2008, according to the Arizona Republican, saying he chose the former Alaska governor because she was a "better candidate."

McCain received more than two decades worth of Romney's tax returns as the former Massachusetts governor was undergoing the vetting process four years ago, far more than Romney has released publicly in the 2012 campaign. Democrats have questioned whether McCain saw something untoward in those tax returns and decided to choose Palin instead.

But on Tuesday, McCain flatly rejected that assertion and grew angry at questions over his decision to choose Palin over Romney.

"Of course not," McCain told POLITICO when asked if the contents of Romney's tax returns disqualified him from the selection process. "I don’t know what depths these people won’t reach. Obviously, it’s just outrageous. That’s just outrageous. It shows the – it’s so disgraceful for them to allege something that they have absolutely no knowledge of."

Asked why he chose not to go with Romney, McCain said: "Oh come on, because we thought that Sarah Palin was the better candidate. Why did we not take [Tim] Pawlenty, why did we not take any of the other 10 other people. Why didn’t I? Because we had a better candidate, the same way with all the others. ... Come on, why? That’s a stupid question."

Steve Schmidt, McCain's top campaign adviser in 2008, told the Huffington Post that the contents of the tax returns were not viewed as a problem for their campaign. But Romney's vast wealth was seen as a political liability that McCain could ill afford, he said.

"Sen. McCain got caught flat-footed answering a question about how many houses he owned," Schmidt told the news website. "In fact, they were Cindy McCain's properties but that distinction was lost in the political optics and we knew it would be a big liability that the presidential and the vice presidential candidates together owned more than a dozen homes. It was like something out of a 'Saturday Night Live' skit. I mean, come on."

As could almost be anticipated the tired old bloviating McCain had further comment, and what I consider to be a convoluted reaction to his prior remarks. I'll leave it to my readership to determine exactly what kind of response it really was.

Via: Memeorandum

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs- Tyranny


Capitalism is under attack. Cronyism and corporate welfare will of course be defended in many nefarious ways by the Obama administration. We are indeed witnessing the slow transformational changes this President promised the nation. It ain't going to turn out so picturesque as the nanny state gig government statists would have Americans believe.

This excerpt from the David Brooks article in yesterday's New York Times says it well.

... The president is now running an ad showing Mitt Romney tunelessly singing “America the Beautiful,” while the text on screen blasts him for shipping jobs to China, India and Mexico.

The accuracy of the ad has been questioned by the various fact-checking outfits. That need not detain us. It’s safest to assume that all the ads you see this year will be at least somewhat inaccurate because the ad-makers now take dishonesty as a mark of their professional toughness.

What matters is the ideology behind the ad: the assumption that Bain Capital, the private-equity firm founded by Romney, should not have invested in companies that hired workers abroad; the assumption that hiring Mexican or Indian workers is unpatriotic; the assumption that no worthy person would do what most global business leaders have been doing for the past half-century.

This ad — and the rhetoric the campaign is using around it — challenges the entire logic of capitalism (emphasis mine) as it has existed over several decades. It’s part of a comprehensive attack on the economic system Romney personifies.

This shift of focus has been audacious. Over the years of his presidency, Obama has not been a critic of globalization. There’s no real evidence that, when he’s off the campaign trail, he has any problem with outsourcing and offshoring. He has lavishly praised people like Steve Jobs who were prominent practitioners. He has hired people like Jeffrey Immelt, the chief executive of General Electric, whose company embodies the upsides of globalization. His economic advisers have generally touted the benefits of globalization even as they worked to help those who are hurt by its downsides.

But, politically, this aggressive tactic has worked. It has shifted the focus of the race from being about big government, which Obama represents, (emphasis mine) to being about capitalism, which Romney represents (emphasis mine).

Just as Republicans spent years promising voters that they could have tax cuts forever, now the Democrats are promising voters that they can have all the benefits of capitalism without the downsides, like plant closures, rich C.E.O.’s and outsourcing. Just as Republicans used to force Democrats into the eat-your-spinach posture (you need to have high taxes if you want your programs), now Democrats are casting Republicans into the eat-your-spinach posture (you need to accept outsourcing and the pains of creative destruction if you want your prosperity).

The Romney campaign doesn’t seem to know how to respond. For centuries, business leaders have been inept when writers, intellectuals and politicians attacked capitalism, and, so far, the Romney campaign is continuing that streak. {Read More}

Perhaps Romney and the Republicans ought to revisit, read, and grow to understand Ayn Rand and they just might to be able to sell capitalism on the basis on which it should be sold. I'm not holding my breath.

Via: Memeorandom

I have a very demanding audience. And they are getting antsy.

They are 4 and 1.

We started out the summer with a bang doing a million fun things; zoo, pool, playdates, museums, camps, trips. But we've started to loose our fizzle.

We went from dancing in the streets.
To doing this.
They are starting to turn on me.
How do you deal with the summer slump? How many trips to Target and Michael's can you make in a week? Have you heard of any summer camps for moms? I would be happy to be sent away for a week.

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 to Sira&Mara USA 
                                                                           Dress: vintage/ another great one Here 
                                                                           Shoes:BCBGeneration/ similar Here 
                                                                           Bag: vintage/ similar design Here 
                                                                           Sunglasses: Ralph Lauren
                                                                           Cuff bracelet: St.Thomas/ another wonderful design Here 

BY" Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs- Tyranny

Reasonable? Plausible? Likely? You, the reasonable American people be the judge.

Via: Memeorandum

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs- Tyranny

It has been fascinating to watch President Obama go after Romney because of his experience and record with Bain Capital, a private equity firm.

Via: Fox News Channel


Even more so considering the evident hypocrisy.

Via: Fox News Channel


However, we must remember anything goes in American politics and the obsession for power. Truth and integrity be damned!

Via: Memeorandum

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.

Via: Memeorandum