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I love the chemistry between delicate sheer materials, like this colorful dress here presented, thanks to In love with fashion.com and hard materials, like this leather jacket. All I had to do was to put them together and, with no destination in particular, I dressed like this particularly for a photo shoot for my blog :) Voila!!! I initially started shooting on heels, but I ended up running through the grass barefoot.
 I hope you like it !


                                                                         Dress: thanks to In love with fashion.com
                                                                         Shoes: Aldo/ similar Here and Here
                                                                         Ring: Glitterings/ another great design Here
                                                                         Leather jacket :Martin +Osa/ a great version Here
                                                                         Sunglasses: Ray Ban/ similar Here

This week my oldest has camp, so my 1-year-old and I have been enjoying some alone time together. And since she isn't old enough to say she otherwise, I've decided dragging her to store after store was the way to go. She is one fab shopper and just a general 'go with the flow' awesome baby, so she appeases me. As long as we stop to pet the occasional ceramic dog, we are good.

It has been a while since I've checked in at my favorite antique mall (don't let the word 'mall' fool you, its good loot) so of course it was on my list of places to visit. And as always, there were a million and one things I wanted.

Sorry, this seat is saved...for someone with a clean house. Considering most surfaces in my house have sticky finger prints and dog hair on them, I don't think the dealer would allow these to go home with me.

It was obviously a chinoiserie kinda day at the mall.

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

Senator Rand Paul ( R-Ky)

If the following report is true Rand Paul, Republican Senator from Kentucky has succeeded, at least IMO, in losing a great deal of his credibility. Partisan politics and less than completely ethical tactics have pretty much been a staple in recent years from both parties. Senator Rand Paul has just elevated the practice to a new level.

I'll let The Huffington Post fill in the details.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) moved this week to hold a noncontroversial flood insurance bill hostage until the Senate agrees that life begins at fertilization.

The bill, which would financially boost the National Flood Insurance Program on the cusp of hurricane season, had been expected to pass easily in the Senate. But since Paul on Monday offered an unrelated "fetal personhood" amendment, which would give legal protections to fetuses from the moment of fertilization, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is threatening to halt progress on the legislation.

"I'm told last night that one of our Republican senators wants to offer an amendment -- listen to this one -- wants to offer an amendment on when life begins," Reid said on the Senate floor Tuesday. "I am not going to put up with that on flood insurance. I can be condemned by outside sources; my friends can say, 'Let them have a vote on it.' There will not be a vote on that on flood insurance. We'll either do flood insurance with the amendments that deal with flood insurance, or we won't do it. We'll have an extension." {Read More}

If Senator Paul has a issue with the idea of the federal government funding a National Flood Insurance Program that is one thing. He should then have the integrity to argue his position in the Senate and let the chips fall where they may.

Or, if the real issue is debating when life begins in a hope the majority buys the argument it begins at the moment of fertilization as a precursor to overturning Roe -v- Wade then have the honesty to say so and let the debate begin.

Attaching a completely and totally irrelevant amendment to a bill for the purpose of defeating it is disingenuous and dishonest. Rand Paul should be ashamed of himself and the people who elected him to represent their state in the Senate ought to take him to the woodshed.

This is the kind of behavior that will ultimately render the republican party totally useless and irrelevant. I suggest you think about it republicans and conservatives. At least those that support this type of behavior.

The video of Senator Reid addressing this issue on the Senate floor. I have many issues with Senator Reid. But when you're right you're right.


Via: Memeorandum

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


A beautiful mountain view, complete with the early morning fog. Scenes I enjoyed in my youth living in the Pacific Northwest. I think living there, and having the opportunity to enjoy such beauty almost daily is why I am so reflective.

As I found myself reflecting on the present day state of politics, most specifically on the reality we are deeply divided along political fault lines, it occurred to me this picture is very representative of the current state of our nation.

Whether good ideas start in liberal circles or conservative circles they are, none the less, good idea. But like with most things good ideas are seldom perfect. That is to say they can, and should be improved upon. But, as almost everyone knows, at least on the personal, family, and business level, arriving at the best solutiions usually require honest discussion and compromise.

Heated, and sometimes almost uncivil irrational discussions occur. As long as those discussions do not devolve into personal attacks on someones character, and they ultimately lead to positive movement towards the realization of a good idea, such circumstances can and should be of no concern. It is, after all, the American Way.

Unfortunately, and far too often the differences we have as individuals, and as a people become roadblocks, or walls surrounding each differing political position, engulfing reasonable and otherwise rational people in the pursuit of defending their selected political ideology. The result? Polarization. Today we are more polarized as a society than we have ever been in our modern history.

So you ask. What's the relationship to the beautiful and breathtaking picture? It's simple really, at least IMO, and reflective mind.

Those on both the left (liberal or progressives) and the right (social and fiscal conservatives) have many good ideas. Neither side however has either all the "right" or all the "wrong" answers. Which leads me to the answer to the question.

Both continue to have their heads in the clouds... Until this changes and the people of this great nation, as well as their elected officials, begin to recognize again there needs to be an element of compromise we will see no change. That and we'll have difficulty surviving as a nation going forward.

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



Romney speak, from The Hill:

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney argued Tuesday that if the president's signature healthcare legislation was overturned Thursday by the Supreme Court, it would mean that President Obama's first term was a waste.

"Instead of focusing on immigration — and of course the big issue, which was the economy, and getting the economy going — he instead focused on putting in place his healthcare reform called ObamaCare," Romney said at a campaign stop in Salem, Va. "As you know, the Supreme Court is going to be dealing with whether or not ObamaCare is constitutional. If it's not, if ObamaCare is not deemed constitutional, than the first three and a half years of this president's term will have been wasted on something that does not help the American people."

So, Mittens, does this mean that if the Affordable Care Act; aka ObamaCare, is deemed constitutional President Obama's first term will have been a resounding success?

On a serious note, Romney does make some valid observations later. Read the rest of the article and watch the Video.

Via: Memeorandum

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


Perhaps it's nostalgia week for me. But I always liked Bob Dole. Didn't always agree with him mind you, but I still wish he woulds have won the 1996 match up against himself and Bill Clinton. I always got the sense he could be trusted. Maybe that's why he didn't win.

Anyway Senator Dole is a real American who served his nation in wartime, took a bullet for liberty, and went on to serve it in public life for 50 years. Admirably, with integrity, and honor. Ah, the good old days of the Republican
party perhaps.

As I was reading an article in GQ this morning I was reminded of the candor and humor of the Kansas Senator. That, and how much respect I hel\d for the man. So, I decided to share a few quick excerpts of his comments from the article...

I ask him the question everyone seems to be asking of the GOP faithful in 2012: "Would you say your endorsement of Romney was...tepid?"

"Not tepid at all," Bob Dole says, his face tight and serious.

"Romney came to my office," Dole says, "we had a good meeting, and I'm not a Gingrich fan, so..." He famously loathed Gingrich: "He's just difficult to work with. It's either Newt's way or the highway. He's got a lot of ideas. Some of them are good; not many. So it looked to me like it would be either Romney or Newt for the nomination, but just on its own, I thought he—well, I'll say this: Romney looks like a president."

"You're self-made," I say. "You embody the American Dream."

"I've never known a lot of rich people," he says. "It's not my bag."

I ask him how he sizes up President Obama.

"He's a nice person. I have a good relationship with the White House, I just think he's totally out of step. We're moving farther to the left, and it may not be as bad as some people say, but we've got to cut spending. One of these days, we'll probably have to raise taxes. I just think his philosophy is too far to the left."

"Bill Clinton called me one day recently," he offers. "I said, 'What do you want?' He said, 'I want to see how you're doing. How's your health?' He's done that a couple times. If I did anything, I made a lot of friends. And they were Republicans, of course, and Democrats." Clinton would help Dole deal with Gingrich. "I'm not going to talk to him, you talk to him," Dole, as Senate majority leader, would say to Clinton. "No, you talk to him."

"President Obama came to visit me in the hospital. He said, 'I wish you were still in the Senate; I need your help.' I'm not certain I can help on everything. Maybe some things."

"I don't know how many people run for vice president and president and lose both," Bob Dole says, turning to his aides. "I think there's one other?"

"You're testing my history on that one, sir. It would have been..."

Dole: "Anybody?"

"Lost both vice president and president? Um..."

Dole: "Somebody said there was someone—other than me?"

"You have to go back pretty far, I just, I don't think—"

Nobody can come up with one. {Read The Whole Article Here}

Maybe it's just me, but one can't help but to get a sense of the man's character and class. Even at, and perhaps especially at 88.

Via: Memeorandum

As I told you a few days ago, here is another project that I was invited to participate to.
Wander(lust) around the world with Sienna Ray! One multi messenger bag," makayla",from SS 2012 collection, and selected bloggers from around the world, are the main subjects. The goal? two bags: one international , around the globe, and one across the USA, which will be passed from one blogger to another ,being worn in every unique way before it hits the store. It is a great test, right? 12 bloggers will share their opinions about this versatile bag .
Now it is time to share with you the wonderful experience I had with this bag. I have to tell you that it strikes you when you see and touch it: great quality leather, defined details and finish. We all love a bag
that can be worn in so many ways. How about in at least 3 ways? mmm..perfect!!!
The Sienna Ray "makayla" completes all my expectation: studs, chain&leather adjustable strap, mobile holder, iPad slip... these are a modern and right in trend updates that the bag has. I wore it with my new favorite pair of pumps and a green tunic dress.
Check out www.siennaray.com/wanderlust/  to see the entire story and thank you for reading !



                                                                          Bag:"makayla"by Sienna Ray
                                                                          Tunic dress: Daniel Benjamin /another great design Here and Here
                                                                          Shoes: Daniblack/ similar Here and Here
                                                                          Bracelet : Forever 21/ a great version Here
                                                                          Sunglasses: Kenneth Cole/ similar style Here

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

Refreshing. A majority of voters recognize the wrongheadedness of Obama's decision to invoke Executive Privilege to block the release of documents in the "Fast and Furious scandal. Whether his miscalculation will hurt him politically remains to be seen. As a majority of voters believe the Congress has been intentionally obstructive to the President it will likely be a wash.

The Hill - A clear majority of likely voters believes President Obama has exercised his executive power inappropriately — particularly in blocking the release of documents relating to "Operation Fast and Furious," according to a new poll for The Hill.

But in a sign that the electorate’s frustration extends to Capitol Hill, voters by a significant margin also feel Congress has behaved in an obstructionist manner toward the president.

Amid the discontent over the behavior of both Obama and members of Congress, the poll found a strong preference among voters for a return to one-party rule in Washington.

Obama last week invoked executive privilege to stop certain Justice Department documents relating to the botched “gun-walking” operation from being disclosed to the House Oversight and Government Reform committee.

The same panel, chaired by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), voted along party lines to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress.

The Hill Poll found that likely voters disapproved by an almost 2-to-1 margin of Obama’s assertion of presidential power in the case. Overall, 56 percent of voters disapproved of his action, while only 29 percent approved.

Democrats have accused Issa of waging a partisan campaign that has no real purpose save for embarrassing Obama and Holder.
Issa has always denied his pursuit of Holder is politically driven.

“Our purpose has never been to hold the attorney general in contempt,” he said last week. “Our purpose has always been to get the information the committee needs to complete its work — that it is not only entitled to do, but obligated to do.”

White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters that “the assertion of privilege has to do with the absolute necessity of retaining the executive branch’s independence.”

The defense is not proving an easy sell with voters, particularly independents.

Sixty-one percent of independents said they disapproved of the president’s actions, and just 25 percent approved. {Read More}

Via: Memeorandum

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


It has allegedly been said as one gets older they get wiser. This is quite probable as the experiences of a long and productive life gives a person many references that naturally become part of their life experience and mold their philosophy of existence.

Of course that assumes the individual chooses to use reality and the truth of rational unemotional thought to guide them. Both in their analysis as well as their ultimate conclusions on every important issue of their life.

I was not a advocate nor a supporter of William Jefferson Clinton in his hay day as President and Commander in Chief. He was, as they say, just a bit too progressive as well as being a bit untrustworthy. I shall leave it to Hillary to clarify the forgoing statement.

Forgive me as I have digressed...

I stumbled across the following article published today in THE DAILY BEAST, a leftist rag I rarely visit. On the rare occasions when I do i typically find it to contain a boatload of BS.

Today was interestingly different. I found myself reading, and rereading the auricle expressing ex President Bill Clinton's position. Not because I fully disagreed nor that I fully agreed with his positions. Rather I found many of his arguments to be both interesting as well as some possessing a bit of merit.

As a person enters the senior years of their life they become more reflective. In the process the individual seem to gain the ability to fully grasp more complex perspectives that only experience can give them. That is to say if they have managed to stay awake throughout their life and take in all the intellectual stimuli that life and reality provides.

Of course it is the ideal for one is able to retain an objective and rational ability to determine reality as it is, rather than how one may wish it to be. Which I suppose is the reason I put this post up. To suggest that everyone, whether they are conservative, liberal, neo-conservative, libertarian, objectivist, Platonic, or Aristotelian in their leanings consider the merits or lack thereof of the article.

President William Jefferson Clinton most definitely does not have all the answers. In fact he may only have a few, a very few. Certainly this Randian capitalist, limited government, classical liberal, and advocate of maximum individual liberty has many issue with ex President Clinton. However, given his intelligence and experience (personal shortcomings aside) his views are at least worth considering. Naturally this means with an active and inquisitive mind. Something I fear too few liberals and conservatives do in this day and age of wedge politics.

I have prepared myself for the possible backlash this post might cause. I stand ready to defendant the post as well as the logical and rational justification for having posted it.

Simply stated it is time the political activists of both parties, the candidates as well as current office holders, and the general population start to engage in studying both sides of issues and civilly discuss/debate the possible disadvantages as well as the possible advantages of all positions. Based solely on empirical data and actual facts. Sadly this nation and its people seems to have lost the ability to do so.

Admittedly I have taken a very long way around in getting to the subject matter that drove this post. I humbly ask your understanding for this and hope you posses the capacity to understand the reason why I did so.

Please take the time to read this article in full. Consider the thoughts of this ex President. Weigh them against all opposing views. After doing so decide based on logical and rational criteria, not emotionally driven concerns or experiences. In the final analysis reason and logic must prevail.

Certainly this is true if this nation is to survive as we have known it. Both for the next millennium and beyond.

Via: Memeorandum

What better way to start off the week than with a guest post! Head over to The Aestate and check me out. I'm talking about my favorite color. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you may even get hungry. (If talking about colors makes you hungry)