BRICS prepares world banking revolution

<div class="lettrine"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQFCEYukR4Oa-N_rgixXIlsXSP9srha7-lOxrk9-kofaiVkkN8EflqWQupvlp33v4eB48_XR0laIExKsGAIL4dbW8N_NVGGZ4wzFjGNsF9dFNaYBlz-MICnnIYwxqBu62IyTAHoI985S2O/s1600/arton172935-fa002.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQFCEYukR4Oa-N_rgixXIlsXSP9srha7-lOxrk9-kofaiVkkN8EflqWQupvlp33v4eB48_XR0laIExKsGAIL4dbW8N_NVGGZ4wzFjGNsF9dFNaYBlz-MICnnIYwxqBu62IyTAHoI985S2O/s400/arton172935-fa002.gif" width="400" /></a></div><h1 class="titre_serif_1 crayon article-titre-172935 noprint entry-title" style="margin-bottom: -10px; margin-top: -2px; text-align: center;"><br /></h1><div class="lettrine"><br /></div><div class="lettrine"><b>BRICS member-states are preparing a world banking revolution</b>. They are planning to nominate an alternative candidate for the post of the Chairman of the World Bank for the first time in history. BRICS also demands redistribution of quotas in the International Monetary Fund in the near future and intends to study India’s initiative on creating a South-South Bank.</div><div class="lettrine"><br /></div>Representatives of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa proposed a reform of the world financial system at their meeting in Mexico City which took place during the conference of G20 finance ministers and heads of central banks.<br /><br /> BRICS financiers are annoyed with the private rule that the head of the World Bank is always a representative of the US. They believe that candidates should be assessed based on their merits and not citizenship. BRICS member-states are convinced that it is essential to create competition for the US candidate, either from a BRICS country or from Europe. It has been decided to prepare a declaration on a coordinated position on this subject in the next two weeks. Candidates for the post of the head of the World Bank should be determined by the 23rd of March.<br /><br /> On the 29th of March BRICS leaders are expected to launch the mechanism of coordinating opinions on India’s proposal to create a South-South Bank. It is to become a support institution for countries with developing markets. BRICS member-states will be playing the main role in it, according to the quotas of votes. In this context they will have to assume serious financial responsibilities. The project looks promising but needs detailed studying, President of the Russian Financial Corporation Andrey Nechayev says.<br /><br /> "<i>There are a lot of unanswered questions at the moment. Who is going to provide capitals for this bank? Who will be able to get money from it? There may be a lot more of those who want to take a loan than those willing to give loans. The new institution meets the requirements of world development. BRICS member-states need investments and not only cash but new technologies, methods of corporate management and innovations. At present it is not quite clear how this bank, if it ever opens, will help to solve this problem</i>.”<br /><br /> In any case, India’s initiative on creating a South-South Bank is an attempt by BRICS member-states to offer their mite to the establishment of a new world financial system. They are planning to take a place in it according to their global weight. The rate of the Brazilian, Russian, Indian, Chinese and South African growing economies in world production exceeds 21% and these countries’ currency reserves exceed $4trln.<br /> The latter fact gives these countries grounds to dispute the financial tradition set by the west. BRICS member-states intend to upgrade their role in the IMF.<br /><br />They are ready to discuss the strengthening of the Fund’s resource base, in particular, for helping the EU to get out of the debt crisis. At the same time, they demand redistribution of the Fund’s quotas, which means both the realignment of world financial flows and the rearrangement of votes when the IMF makes decisions. At present, almost half of the votes belong to the EU and the US, while BRICS member-states have about 10%. In 2010 BRICS raised its quota a little but its potential is still underrated. The West will keep trying to hamper the IMF reform, so as to prevent countries with growing markets from strengthening their positions. Meanwhile, the need for replenishing the IMF resource base will apparently make the management of the Fund respond to the BRICS initiative.

BRICS prepares world banking revolution

BRICS member-states are preparing a world banking revolution . They are planning to nominate an alternative candidate for the post of the C...

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Clearing Out the Pantry

My appetite has started to come back now, and the eating choices haven't been great over the last several days.  <br /><br />Now that I'm pretty much back to having an actual desire to eat something, I must start cooking again and prepping my meals for the week.  I went on a small hiatus from the New Year's Resolution I made of not eating out through the week.  I had no desire to cook whatsoever, and therefore almost every meal consumed over the last 2 weeks has been of the restaurant variety, and usually not the healthiest of choices.  Did this really affect me?  Well obviously not, given that I weighed in just days ago at 227.1.  Still, that lifestyle simply is not sustainable for me – eventually I will go overboard and gain – neither of which I want to see happen.   It’s time to get my rear back in gear and on to making some better choices.  <br /><br />I have a lot of food in my pantry and freezer, and so my goal over the next few weeks is to use up what I’ve got with very minimal trips to the grocery store.  If I have to go to the grocery store, I’m going to challenge myself to spend no more than $25 per week. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qSn6XxTZftIU80K2oVUhuBq_owX9lrIBIhbXJRV644qdyhl_McnKXLbqW7C9Ou7NxAzrvG6dXXIUPKj65uE9JK7dMxW0uiJpbS2yukWWKXowOR91CMV-32OtHyznwN4P3SfTp2owfbI/s1600/pantry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qSn6XxTZftIU80K2oVUhuBq_owX9lrIBIhbXJRV644qdyhl_McnKXLbqW7C9Ou7NxAzrvG6dXXIUPKj65uE9JK7dMxW0uiJpbS2yukWWKXowOR91CMV-32OtHyznwN4P3SfTp2owfbI/s400/pantry.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><br />I love cooking and I tend to go overboard when I head to the store.  I almost always buy stuff that isn’t on my grocery list and this is how I end up with an extremely full pantry.    <br /><br />For the remainder of the week, here are a few things I plan to whip up to start dwindling down my stockpile:<br /><ol><li><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/green-beans-and-bacon-recipe/index.html%20" target="_blank">Green beans with bacon.</a>  I’ve got many cans of green beans and two packages of frozen turkey bacon that needs used up.  I think I’ll take the Neely’s recipe and modify it to be a little more WW friendly.  Should be easy peezy!  </li><li><a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spinach-cheese-tortellini/" target="_blank">Spinach Cheese Tortellini.</a>  I’m thinking about doing a variation of this, but cutting back on the butter somehow.  I have some packages of frozen tortellini and this recipe has received great reviews! </li><li><a href="http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeid=203061&tab=2" target="_blank">Kielbasa Baked Ziti.</a> This is directly from WW... at 11 PointsPlus.  Rather high but we'll see what happens.  </li><li><a href="http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/07/easiest-pasta-and-broccoli-recipe.html" target="_blank">SkinnyTaste Easiest Pasta and Broccoli</a>.  I have tons of pasta waiting to be eaten.  Pasta is hard to consume when trying to limit your caloric intake, but everything in moderation, right? </li></ol><b style="color: #351c75;">Are you like me when it comes to grocery shopping? </b><br /><ol></ol>

Cooking Clearing Out the Pantry

My appetite has started to come back now, and the eating choices haven't been great over the last several days.  Now that I'm pretty...

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shirt turned tray

What's that saying? "Never blue and green without something in between"? (or something like that) Well unless that something in between in the creamy center of an Oreo, I disagree. I know, I'm just that crazy. Just call me the rule breaker.<br /><br />Take for instance this $4 tray from Michael's.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZvmmzyT0CHhpS4jUhGQZUYWFxUMt0y1m6a6ZZ4yhAa-rrJz2ORemB4zI49a-cwk6SjtAa5pvogmjcVr74s9ovDg4N0rfYLSlXAfPfCyfDk4hbwmFA6yVkSxKUi1AxbsGZalsMG5Z6bqX/s1600/P2234575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZvmmzyT0CHhpS4jUhGQZUYWFxUMt0y1m6a6ZZ4yhAa-rrJz2ORemB4zI49a-cwk6SjtAa5pvogmjcVr74s9ovDg4N0rfYLSlXAfPfCyfDk4hbwmFA6yVkSxKUi1AxbsGZalsMG5Z6bqX/s640/P2234575.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Don't fall asleep on me. I know, pretty boring right?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5IzO3UZECsmxEnZSdsO4j_chQi5_uxQONrn4TVHu7-d1awXEYdJ28REdXH2RCNMwq9uaJlK15E1xvACBihLk30tumwZStwH6gxI-uS4e8A8bNl0vM5MSxScz9b9OfWoxFw6gCZJJf2w7/s1600/P2234576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5IzO3UZECsmxEnZSdsO4j_chQi5_uxQONrn4TVHu7-d1awXEYdJ28REdXH2RCNMwq9uaJlK15E1xvACBihLk30tumwZStwH6gxI-uS4e8A8bNl0vM5MSxScz9b9OfWoxFw6gCZJJf2w7/s640/P2234576.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>I've been trying to think of a way to tie the <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/02/green-for-very-little-green.html" target="_blank">green I used on the mirror for the bedroom</a> to something else in the room. And also I haven't picked a color for the walls yet, so I'm stalling with a smaller project. This still totally counts as 'progress in the bedroom' though! (Get your mind out of the gutter)<br /><br />No problem, I'll spray the tray green. Easy, but still pretty boring.<br /><br />I thought about a stencil like this<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2m51aytqZxi6VaL322Bog-8IbidNmiDESMAEyTjd6TsO7_LIBAlGWEm8LTDOxivxUftHjsE5v_lLyehkSvMRKVdUt5S5Z9YhNNvrWQ8qdgKoTpKtT57kzEwlUk7kujIY3T2yc5JERkbDW/s1600/shop_stencils_detail.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2m51aytqZxi6VaL322Bog-8IbidNmiDESMAEyTjd6TsO7_LIBAlGWEm8LTDOxivxUftHjsE5v_lLyehkSvMRKVdUt5S5Z9YhNNvrWQ8qdgKoTpKtT57kzEwlUk7kujIY3T2yc5JERkbDW/s640/shop_stencils_detail.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/128634133076304214/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />or some sort of Greek Key inspiration, like I found in these bookcases.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgli1w_w_uranKzoW4hV-EsCDsPB1Y90om261ytQ10TeADUQG_rYVOFGaPuUp-VzfP8oS4d3Q0DGX95dEIZ6MUGfNYwABlZly0qdAf3pfJAHSgOAleXXN5pBAZic00-X5u-vMw6R3DTdhW9/s1600/2011-1-26+bokcases.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgli1w_w_uranKzoW4hV-EsCDsPB1Y90om261ytQ10TeADUQG_rYVOFGaPuUp-VzfP8oS4d3Q0DGX95dEIZ6MUGfNYwABlZly0qdAf3pfJAHSgOAleXXN5pBAZic00-X5u-vMw6R3DTdhW9/s640/2011-1-26+bokcases.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://bibbidi-bobbidi-beautiful.blogspot.com/2011/01/more-nursery-progress.html" target="_blank">Bibbidi Bobbidi Beautiful</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />But I wasn't convinced.<br /><br />Then while browsing <a href="http://www.jcrew.com/womens_category/shirtsandtops/blouses/PRDOVR~72387/72387.jsp" target="_blank">J. Crew, I found this honey</a>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvTztjVg07ZRkSxta-Yhx0xEnMr26kBZoXiz-yXYlIqN7qC9rLF8JCTe2kuFuWM4W2L-31fVlirgSJAWo1oBC7juRhPxvXeQ9YHBVEMBdDHmXc1-5D8MsPH1e1iYFXCLlvfTZKNNx3E3jx/s1600/void(0).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvTztjVg07ZRkSxta-Yhx0xEnMr26kBZoXiz-yXYlIqN7qC9rLF8JCTe2kuFuWM4W2L-31fVlirgSJAWo1oBC7juRhPxvXeQ9YHBVEMBdDHmXc1-5D8MsPH1e1iYFXCLlvfTZKNNx3E3jx/s640/void(0).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, I'm not drinking. I am aware that is not a tray but rather an article of clothing. But the look is just right. As Uma Therman would say, "Disco."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Off I went to Lowes for the thinest painters tape I could find - .75". I started with a piece down the middle and then worked my way out from there. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaqXvY_txsd3M5O-imx5LcLyZ1irETbfLQH-HibI-Q9g3UB62su5vICPO0IjwxlaTbsidIGbRaO-AQ6gTMGAysrA6FX73kUX5F94EiSK_IggHDDtYHisHG-qCZ019ScDu109Chje2Slyl/s1600/P2264667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaqXvY_txsd3M5O-imx5LcLyZ1irETbfLQH-HibI-Q9g3UB62su5vICPO0IjwxlaTbsidIGbRaO-AQ6gTMGAysrA6FX73kUX5F94EiSK_IggHDDtYHisHG-qCZ019ScDu109Chje2Slyl/s640/P2264667.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />I used a piece of the same size tape for my spacer, so the lines would be as symmetrical as possible. I just moved the spacer piece of tape after each line was set, working my way out to the ends.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9CenszKJJHrRz0DhEIDaSm8gfXmrPrBWyc0hKWMcAtDZzKmonm_tg7heg-PS2xg-cPRv5uANgzVcfOy_S3e2HNzq681DwLwvvMfvny7KTb8bzFWTYctN_xSJJ7JXAKV8_HQRyej3OYMa/s1600/P2264666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9CenszKJJHrRz0DhEIDaSm8gfXmrPrBWyc0hKWMcAtDZzKmonm_tg7heg-PS2xg-cPRv5uANgzVcfOy_S3e2HNzq681DwLwvvMfvny7KTb8bzFWTYctN_xSJJ7JXAKV8_HQRyej3OYMa/s640/P2264666.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry for the Miami Vice lighting in this picture</td></tr></tbody></table><br />One taped tray and I'm ready for paint. I love it already.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCH4w0qFkH9tLti6PyxBElMf6h4UEGxuT4Nffrr3-tNm28XlXAczWP5FO2GWWzq3uTPH2hYSbuJT1xC6V5Dpia-S6osnlRof8Wgxe9s62Cu0_JlKvO3qmc9AXfIsLLYqgPQ9sWlN4wANqf/s1600/P2264668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCH4w0qFkH9tLti6PyxBElMf6h4UEGxuT4Nffrr3-tNm28XlXAczWP5FO2GWWzq3uTPH2hYSbuJT1xC6V5Dpia-S6osnlRof8Wgxe9s62Cu0_JlKvO3qmc9AXfIsLLYqgPQ9sWlN4wANqf/s640/P2264668.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />I knew touch ups would be needed, especially on the edges, so I was pretty liberal with the paint...as you can tell.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggYvB8mxwOi9-sJ2VEBPFe2EUK-U4d1BW_sAzs9e8fsEXaacOlYY-KE2IRtZMKOyHPXLrW2svN0lirXKwREiiaSZ2483h0m7Vbu5ogNTcp8INyPIHJugZg8WOQbUJbAk0wXWGlzdYXXnOH/s1600/P2264825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggYvB8mxwOi9-sJ2VEBPFe2EUK-U4d1BW_sAzs9e8fsEXaacOlYY-KE2IRtZMKOyHPXLrW2svN0lirXKwREiiaSZ2483h0m7Vbu5ogNTcp8INyPIHJugZg8WOQbUJbAk0wXWGlzdYXXnOH/s640/P2264825.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />I used Navy Blue craft paint, as I couldn't think of a safe way to use Navy Blue spray paint with out a LOT more taping. It did take several coats to get even coverage but it dried super fast so my impatient self was satisfied.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhh6BlKCrWDUgKYTsmUcm5m9oNFSYCBq7rJ7Gi07YRx5TIg41b8tsq0ytzXHbrXs607NvtBqQhqf_H_cLZPvZA7gea5wKiTvp3F3UKdSRIKSkA3AsXCyme249zuIJR0Cx_kf6BzBQ9kRGQ/s1600/P2264829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhh6BlKCrWDUgKYTsmUcm5m9oNFSYCBq7rJ7Gi07YRx5TIg41b8tsq0ytzXHbrXs607NvtBqQhqf_H_cLZPvZA7gea5wKiTvp3F3UKdSRIKSkA3AsXCyme249zuIJR0Cx_kf6BzBQ9kRGQ/s640/P2264829.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My best Vanna White impression</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After letting that final coat dry for a few hours, I pulled the tape for the reveal.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEOGaRV8h74FBVYJlEcWqFkKksc8H4GWPKIvwh4NS9s8vTLmS9ezWTeHM0s8SSBhwoeREuCneBDR88HpUxboZuD1k6MsYZugHrhM7ov6zSCrJq88ZaPDQL_ihEDGVv5bluDruA2pvH-qg/s1600/P2294906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEOGaRV8h74FBVYJlEcWqFkKksc8H4GWPKIvwh4NS9s8vTLmS9ezWTeHM0s8SSBhwoeREuCneBDR88HpUxboZuD1k6MsYZugHrhM7ov6zSCrJq88ZaPDQL_ihEDGVv5bluDruA2pvH-qg/s640/P2294906.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jackpot. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFJnp0wpaA3Jx51CQuDqR_j2AUhflicNsYFol0mmXtaZqx-EKNHdKp-6JQy3yp1jVz7aUjhdEHerz4fm0NAXklrZK8jBHQMmqCHTSNXSvEZ445UFrTar6ikap39UoIa0tqT3ZvwzA8xXH/s1600/P2284865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFJnp0wpaA3Jx51CQuDqR_j2AUhflicNsYFol0mmXtaZqx-EKNHdKp-6JQy3yp1jVz7aUjhdEHerz4fm0NAXklrZK8jBHQMmqCHTSNXSvEZ445UFrTar6ikap39UoIa0tqT3ZvwzA8xXH/s640/P2284865.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I like that the stripes are only inside, like a little surprise. As they say on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M547l7Mpe6E" target="_blank">Happy Endings</a> - so cute!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8eyhyM9qW10nAcF_-mM5Aik0E_AH63RU5fCrWmq3gE_pcaveSrjP_vIgVb7mns7lWZ4KPhCMAWK234iq6xhE79XYT31fXulD2TUf2XCnlaizbEZfrMvjSKnu2ZUpL47R0-09jEJp9C3wr/s1600/P2284861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8eyhyM9qW10nAcF_-mM5Aik0E_AH63RU5fCrWmq3gE_pcaveSrjP_vIgVb7mns7lWZ4KPhCMAWK234iq6xhE79XYT31fXulD2TUf2XCnlaizbEZfrMvjSKnu2ZUpL47R0-09jEJp9C3wr/s320/P2284861.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are some small touch ups to attend to, but I knew that would be the case. I'll also <span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">spray the whole thing with a coat (OK, two coats) of high gloss lacquer to protect it from the years of abuse and use it is in for.</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHI-hcOG5hjGpVEKNgTjXq7WsRAupL8voNY2T7jYfKs4EarQ9EgfPNIsMSngzCqkqpSq__S1EIWlDzh95sLIJx_61tlMohPCBCiRdWObIqPof8-X_2kwHAN0aO6Z4OSAuRq4kW8LfK6Oh/s1600/P2294913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHI-hcOG5hjGpVEKNgTjXq7WsRAupL8voNY2T7jYfKs4EarQ9EgfPNIsMSngzCqkqpSq__S1EIWlDzh95sLIJx_61tlMohPCBCiRdWObIqPof8-X_2kwHAN0aO6Z4OSAuRq4kW8LfK6Oh/s640/P2294913.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is going to serve me well as a make-up tray and general organizing type thing for my dresser. And its keeping my momentum going. This weekend, paint color for the walls will be picked! Promise.<br /><br />Have you spray painted anything lately? Have any touch up paint advice? How do you organize your jewelry?</div>

shirt turned tray

What's that saying? "Never blue and green without something in between"? (or something like that) Well unless that something i...

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

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mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_t8u2Skq5DodQdcnM0JRnwF6KTo_a0LPs41CPdiMPlGLn_ItzlJXVQFUlzmzshz37m55hXb6bm2XU_39lvxSD7yoOaGwdOnVUT5pZQ26fzzDvXAJE2oG5PGF1zkPIGcDkg9I0qKWBWoB/s1600/1234400933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_t8u2Skq5DodQdcnM0JRnwF6KTo_a0LPs41CPdiMPlGLn_ItzlJXVQFUlzmzshz37m55hXb6bm2XU_39lvxSD7yoOaGwdOnVUT5pZQ26fzzDvXAJE2oG5PGF1zkPIGcDkg9I0qKWBWoB/s400/1234400933.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">An <span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1330327894_0">economics professor</span></span>at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had recently failed an entire class. That class had insisted that Obama's socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no<span class="yiv2107756022textexposedshow"> one would be rich, a great equalizer. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /><span class="yiv2107756022textexposedshow">The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class on Obama's plan". All grades will be averaged and everyone will receive the same grade so no one will fail and no one will receive an A.... (Substituting grades for dollars - something closer to home and more readily understood by all).</span><br /><br /><span class="yiv2107756022textexposedshow"></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="yiv2107756022textexposedshow"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy. As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span class="yiv2107756022textexposedshow">The second test average was a D! No one was happy. When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F. As the tests proceeded, the scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else. To their great surprise, ALL FAILED and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great, but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed. It could not be any simpler than that. </span></span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="yiv2107756022textexposedshow" style="color: purple;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">These are possibly the 5 best sentences you'll ever read and all applicable to this experiment:</span></b></span><span class="yiv2107756022textexposedshow"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span><span class="yiv2107756022textexposedshow"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span class="yiv2107756022textexposedshow">2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span class="yiv2107756022textexposedshow">3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span class="yiv2107756022textexposedshow">4. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span class="yiv2107756022textexposedshow">5. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.</span></span></span></div>

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had recently failed an ent...

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"A Month of VERTIGO," TCM and...Synchronicity

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3dfFiXT04if4kxFnE7LhIBIxDxVSa6a7rQdA97nTTTcJ7cr1wNphyJVHkPApqzegvWw1PM06I26dmJJ-nODeIYYUXTk6dd6bMIAbfj41Qkjr42iWqj4_1E8KrLvQtnw0c5CvVbwyyH4t/s1600/cats13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3dfFiXT04if4kxFnE7LhIBIxDxVSa6a7rQdA97nTTTcJ7cr1wNphyJVHkPApqzegvWw1PM06I26dmJJ-nODeIYYUXTk6dd6bMIAbfj41Qkjr42iWqj4_1E8KrLvQtnw0c5CvVbwyyH4t/s400/cats13.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sans Soleil</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This blog was consumed by <i>Vertigo</i> all through January and half of February. I thought I'd moved on, was looking forward to <i>Mad Men </i>on Sunday nights - and then I opened the March issue of TCM's <i>Now Playing</i> guide.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><a name='more'></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One of my <i>Vertigo </i>guest bloggers, Dan Auiler, author of the definitive <i>Vertigo: the Making of a Hitchcock Classic</i>, considered two films by French filmmaker Chris Marker in his piece, <a href="http://eves-reel-life.blogspot.com/2012/01/vertigo-for-life.html" style="color: #990000;"><i>Vertigo for Life</i></a>: <i>La Jetee  </i>(1962) and <i>Sans Soleil </i>(1983). I read of Marker with interest; I was completely unfamiliar with his work, but Dan's references to his films and the links of each to Hitchcock's <i>Vertigo </i>piqued my interest and I put both on my "to watch" list. I did not have to wait for very long...</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This Sunday night (for some, the wee hours of Monday morning), March 4, Turner Classic Movies will air both films, <i>Sans Soleil </i>at 2:15 am Eastern/11:15 pm Pacific, and <i>La Jetee</i> at 4:00 am Eastern/1:00am Pacific.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7U_INveKKcCLQKyz-sz1VXtrJrBep1vgjvuN3U_0pffWU8VK76nztbClR97kqJ_tDuJH5kzDhR7G-5gk-ks_sn1AZtXiwJwKURT_8K_-c5IHepGJJ-D-LnJ1R2aS_E__wTCXD7Yq7fdi9/s1600/la+jetee.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7U_INveKKcCLQKyz-sz1VXtrJrBep1vgjvuN3U_0pffWU8VK76nztbClR97kqJ_tDuJH5kzDhR7G-5gk-ks_sn1AZtXiwJwKURT_8K_-c5IHepGJJ-D-LnJ1R2aS_E__wTCXD7Yq7fdi9/s400/la+jetee.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>La Jetee</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Chris Marker, born in 1921 and still with us today, studied philosophy with Jean-Paul Sartre in the 1930s and was part of the French Resistance during World War II. He is best known for the two films mentioned as well as <i>A Grin Without a Cat </i>(1977) and the 1985 documentary, <i>AK</i>, on Akira Kurosawa. Marker is classified among France's <i>Left Bank</i> (<i>Rive Gauche</i>) filmmakers, a group contemporary to but considered distinct from the <i>French New Wave</i>. Others in the <i>Left Bank</i> cluster include Alain Resnais (<i>Hiroshima mon amour</i>, <i>Last Year at Marienbad</i>, <i>Mon oncle d'Amerique</i>), Agnes Varda (<i>Le Bonheur</i>, <i>Vagabond</i>) and others - like Varda's husband Jacques Demy (<i>Lola</i>, <i>The Umbrellas of Cherbourg</i>, <i>The Young Girls of Rochefort</i>). </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>La Jetee</i>, composed primarily of cinematically showcased still photos, has been called a Science Fiction masterpiece (even at a short 28 minutes) and has inspired or provided the basis for several later films. Of these, the most familiar to and popular with American audiences is Terry Gilliam's 1995 hit, <i>12 Monkeys</i>, starring Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt and Christopher Plummer.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Sans Soleil</i> reflects on time and memory and features several locales around the world - including the San Francisco Bay Area where locations shown in Hitchcock's <i>Vertigo</i> are revisited. <i>Sans Soleil</i> is said to recall <i>Vertigo</i>'s structure and themes.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Between <i>Vertigo</i>, the Oscars and <i>Mad Men</i>, I'll be making time to discover Chris Marker this weekend...</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LTLyIqeB6898d_HYJB65llDmUkTb8bxHsv5wwJ3pU5ggFRgXnv_lzHzQ7HpKVcV2MHvitW2ZYM0QbHvcaLl0EBUAu-6qNt7b7oTN50jCEJqghatgMWDb1TsRkEUJS2fIKROBzIDMJPuG/s1600/Vertigo-trees1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LTLyIqeB6898d_HYJB65llDmUkTb8bxHsv5wwJ3pU5ggFRgXnv_lzHzQ7HpKVcV2MHvitW2ZYM0QbHvcaLl0EBUAu-6qNt7b7oTN50jCEJqghatgMWDb1TsRkEUJS2fIKROBzIDMJPuG/s400/Vertigo-trees1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alfred Hitchcock's<i> Vertigo</i></td></tr></tbody></table>

A Month of Vertigo Chris Marker Dan Auiler La Jetee Left Bank filmmakers Sans Soleil TCM The Lady Eve (author) "A Month of VERTIGO," TCM and...Synchronicity

Sans Soleil This blog was consumed by Vertigo all through January and half of February. I thought I'd moved on, was looking forward to ...

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7 gigs that make good second jobs

<br /><div class="ArticleHeadline" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-top: -30px; text-align: left;"><div class="cbmsnArticleImage" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" src="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/h0/ar5l4b36tgpg17rkgjh0.gif?time=1/6/2012%203:35:23%20pm" /></div><div class="hdr_org_bld" style="color: #ff6600; font: normal normal bold 18px/normal arial, helvetica;"><h1 id="articleHeadline" style="color: #ff7700; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span id="cbArticle_lblHeadline">7 gigs that make good second jobs</span></h1></div><b><span id="cbArticle_lblByLine">Debra Auerbach, CareerBuilder Writer</span></b><br /><br />Perhaps it's to help cover your bills. Or maybe it's to seek fulfillment not experienced at your day job. Whatever the reason, if you are looking to get a second job, you're not alone. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 7 million Americans hold more than one job.</div><div class="ArticleContent" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;">Here, experts and job seekers weigh in on what they consider to be the best moonlighting gigs. The suggestions run the gamut from child care to cosmetic procedures, but all provide a means for pulling in some extra income.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>1. Second job:</b> <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/bartender/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">bartender</a><br /><b>Details:</b> "I am an attorney who moonlights as a bartender," says Brianna Sadler, partner at a law firm in <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/minnesota/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">Minnesota</a>. "It's actually a great way to meet future clients without violating the <a href="http://www.bing.com/search?q=Model+Rules+of+Professional+Conduct&src=IE-SearchBox&FORM=msns07" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">Model Rules of Professional Conduct</a>, as I am able to have a personal relationship with the guests/clients and help fulfill both their need for a drink and possibly legal advice. As I am a plaintiff's attorney, it's also a great way to pay my rent until I have my 'one big case' we all dream about."<br /><b>Potential pay: </b>Bartenders earn a mean hourly wage of $10.25, according to the BLS.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>2. Second job: </b><a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/freelancer/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">freelancer</a><br /><b>Details:</b> "I recently started my own consulting business in August, and while I was getting that up and running, I was actively seeking freelance writing work," says Sophia Habl Mitchell, <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/principal/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">principal</a> at Sophia Mitchell & Associates. "Taking small gigs through freelance sites ... can be a great way to supplement income. The best part is that this work can be done at home, before or after a 'regular job.'"<br /><b>Potential pay: </b>While pay varies based on the type of freelance assignment, Mitchell says she earned $3,000 in four months by doing a variety of freelance work, including writing for a travel website and ghostwriting blog content.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>3. Second job: </b><a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/cosmetic+technician/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">cosmetic laser technician</a><br /><b>Details:</b> "Cosmetic laser technician is a career some people do part time while holding down another full-time job," says Louis Silberman, president of National Laser Institute. "Cosmetic laser technicians work mostly in med spas and doctors' offices as independent contractors. They perform procedures like laser hair removal and laser skin resurfacing. Some RNs have received their laser certification to increase their earning potential by performing cosmetic procedures."<br /><b>Potential pay: </b>According to the NLI, the most common scenario is a blend of an hourly rate plus commission. The hourly rates usually range from $15 to $25, in addition to a commission ranging from 3 to 20 percent. At med spas, technicians typically receive a gratuity.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>4. Second job: </b><a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/child+care/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">child-care provider</a><br /><b>Details:</b> My husband and I have two small children, and we juggle going back and forth to the office and staying home with the kids," says Brina Bujkovsky, owner and <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/ceo/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">CEO</a> of <a href="http://www.tybinc.com/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">The Younique Boutique.</a>"We decided to start a home day care to take advantage of the tax deductions, earn extra income ... and provide playmates for our kids. We are helping the community by providing affordable care for children six weeks and up, and we are earning a nice second income."<br /><b>Potential pay: </b>Bujkovsky says she makes more than $2,500 a month through her home day-care gig.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>5. Second job: </b><a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/futures+trader/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">Futures trader</a><br /><b>Details:</b> A recent survey conducted by <a href="http://www.topsteptrader.com/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">TopStepTrader</a>, an international scouting agency that recruits and trains futures traders, found that more than half of the workers surveyed conduct futures trading as a second job. "With the markets open 23-24 hours a day, there is a lot of flexibility and profitability in this career as a second alternative job," says Michael Patak, <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/president/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">president</a> and CEO of TopStepTrader.<br /><b>Potential pay: </b>According to TopStepTrader,<b> </b>part-time traders who trade lightly can earn an estimated $2,000 a month, while active part-time traders can average up to around $4,000 a month.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>6. Second job: </b>Container/organization sales <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/consultant/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">consultant</a><br /><b>Details:</b> If you're outgoing and like organization, consider being a sales consultant for a container company. In this role, you'll help plan or host fun parties -- often held at people's homes -- where guests will have the opportunity to try out and buy your products. Some companies now offer e-commerce options, too.<br /><b>Potential pay: </b>Earning potential can vary based on company and role. Lee Padgett of Clever Container says their starting consultants make 20 percent on their retail sales, and after they reach $1,000 worth of product sales, they make 25 percent on their retail sales.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>7. Second job: </b><a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/mystery+shopper/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">mystery shopper</a><br /><b>Details:</b> Bethany Mooradian, author of "<a href="http://www.bing.com/search?q=The+Mystery+Shopper+Training+Program&src=IE-SearchBox&FORM=msns07" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">The Mystery Shopper Training Program</a>," suggests mystery shopping as a great way to earn extra cash. "To be a successful mystery shopper, a person needs to be reliable [and] honest, have basic Internet skills, decent writing, spelling and observation skills and live in a fairly metropolitan area," Mooradian says. "Any time I've needed money, I just jump right back into mystery shopping ... It's perfect for anyone who wants a flexible way of earning extra income, has basic skills and doesn't want to stay trapped behind a desk."<br /><b>Potential pay: </b>Mystery shoppers can make up to $38,520 in annual salary, according to CBSalary.com.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><i>Debra Auerbach is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.</i></div></div>

7 gigs that make good second jobs

7 gigs that make good second jobs Debra Auerbach, CareerBuilder Writer Perhaps it's to help cover your bills. Or maybe it's to seek ...

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11 questions

<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">Tag! I'm it. The very lovely Brooke from <a href="http://inside-outdesign.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Inside-Out Design</a> has tagged me and 10 other design bloggers to answer 11 questions about ourselves. She is one crafty genius and one of my very first blogger friends. She's a big inspiration for me and I'm so happy to play 11 questions with her. Thanks Brooke!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">The Rules are simple:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">First rule - you do not talk about Fight Club...wait, wrong game.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">1. You must post the rules.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">2. Answer the 11 questions the tager posted for you and then create 11 new questions to ask the people you've taged.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">3. Tag 11 people and link them in your post.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">4. Let them know you have tagged them. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">May I present to you, Brooke's questions:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">1. <b>What is your favorite room to decorate and why?</b> </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">I'm a sucker for a good living room. I have a chair obsession and love pretty much all upholstered furniture. The pillows, the vignettes, the lighting. Oy! So many options. So much fun. My Living Room is on the to-do list for this spring/summer.</span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vgXtYfE2g0slg9W7usJHnENfta7Ytwj6uPkO5Nj7hP0q1lnzIGHwqD1DJlOg-WTVN2XQfEGjk7S1ZiLscLc28OSdqbSh26fEcQretGumYxEiL5ApdaMmVLS-ues7Pc02voQEyRn_ditK/s1600/-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vgXtYfE2g0slg9W7usJHnENfta7Ytwj6uPkO5Nj7hP0q1lnzIGHwqD1DJlOg-WTVN2XQfEGjk7S1ZiLscLc28OSdqbSh26fEcQretGumYxEiL5ApdaMmVLS-ues7Pc02voQEyRn_ditK/s400/-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This baby is in need of an overhaul!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">2. <b>Do you have a "Monica's closet" aka a hidden space in your house that's either a total mess or completely undecorated?</b> </span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">YES! Sadly my bedroom is always a total mess and hasn't had a touch of attention since we moved in. During parties it is always the room we throw all the last minute messiness into and close the door. Sad. This is why its my <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/02/green-for-very-little-green.html" target="_blank">next project</a>!!</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">3. <b>What is your favorite room in your house?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">That's a hard one as it changes all the time. Right now it is probably a room I haven't really ever talked about - my girls room. There is a lot of laughing and happiness in that room. It is a happy place to be. I'll be posting pictures of it soon. </span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">4. <b>What made you decide to start a blog?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">I've been designing, whether it was my bedroom, dorm room, apartment(s) or house since I was able to move a chair. I look at this blog as a creative outlet, a chance to learn and share with a wonderful blogging community and also a way to look back on all of the projects I attempt. </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">5. <b>What is the best decorating tip that you've learned from another blog?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">The best thing I've learned is not from one blog in particular, but several of them - not everything you try is a home run and that is OK. Its OK to strike out. And usually those big busts lead to an even better idea.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">6. <b>What is your favorite movie?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">There are so many bad movies I watch over and over again because I love to study the interiors. Sex and the City for example. Good gracious they are bad (especially #2) but I watch them over and over again. Mr. and Mrs. Smith - I get upset every time they hurt that wonderful house. Do your shooting outside! </span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">As for real movie loves, I quote move lines all the time so I could never pick just one favorite. A few that come to mind are Gone With The Wind, anything by John Hughes or Thank You For Smoking. </span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN37K1xCThFplEpXuk1NOKY1_RdMm9YDs1oiNPeCrHlwUdG4ZUB18ZfzRi74TL9nt2-Pt3UD-iW-dDpI9FfbazyNHWEoyvIAe1FIdejc_WMTxilB6WyLRcmYHORhVx9wxjVHfWdzdUe0ZU/s1600/tt0427944.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN37K1xCThFplEpXuk1NOKY1_RdMm9YDs1oiNPeCrHlwUdG4ZUB18ZfzRi74TL9nt2-Pt3UD-iW-dDpI9FfbazyNHWEoyvIAe1FIdejc_WMTxilB6WyLRcmYHORhVx9wxjVHfWdzdUe0ZU/s320/tt0427944.jpeg" width="216" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">7. <b>What is your favorite food?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Sushi is something we do on date night, so that represents happy adult time to me. However, my go to comfort food will always be pizza. (homemade - I make a mean pizza)</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">8. <b>Is there a decorating trend that you hate and why?</b></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #544841;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">Get ready to throw rocks and burn my car - I'm kind of over chevron. There, I said it.</span></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">9. <b>Do you prefer baking or cooking?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">I actually really like both.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">10. <b>What is your all-time favorite blog post? (That you've done)</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">I would say my </span><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/02/step-into-my-gallery.html" style="line-height: 20px;" target="_blank">gallery post</a> because it all came together so fast and it was such a big change<span style="line-height: 20px;">. Although, my </span><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/02/gold-metallic-glow.html" style="line-height: 20px;" target="_blank">spray painted lampshades</a><span style="line-height: 20px;"> are a close second because I am still so surprised by how well that worked. I will say though, I've got a lot of good projects up my sleeve that I'm pretty excited about too.</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">11. <b>What project have you completed that has made the biggest impact, visually or otherwise, in your home?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/p/kitchen.html" target="_blank">My kitchen</a>. We did this prior to the blog but it was a long, blood sweat and tears kind of project. We wanted to make as many updates as we could without making any huge (aka expensive) changes. I'm happy with how well it has been updated with very little money spent. </span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">So there you have it. A fun Monday glimpse into the weirdo that writes these posts. :)  Now to pass along the fun, here are the 11 bloggers I'm tagging.</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Megan at </span><a href="http://alivedinhome.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">A Lived in Home</a><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Erin at <a href="http://clementineandolive.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Clementine + Olive</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Diane at </span><a href="http://dianeagain.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">Diane Again</a><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Colleen at </span><a href="http://mylemondropdreams.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">Lemondrop Dreams</a><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Charmaine at </span><a href="http://mybestfriendcraig.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">My Best Friend Craig</a><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Meg at </span><a href="http://www.nutmegandcompany.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">Nutmeg and Company</a><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Amber at </span><a href="http://www.simpledwellings.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">Simple Dwellings</a><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Andrea at </span><a href="http://strawberry-chic.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">Strawberry Chic</a><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Megan at </span><a href="http://sugarmegnolia.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">Sugar Megnolia</a><br /><span style="text-align: left;">Elizabeth at </span><a href="http://themustardceilingblog.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">The Mustard Ceiling</a><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Camille at </span><a href="http://thevintiqueobject.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" target="_blank">The Vintique Object</a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These are all very talented ladies and I encourage you to check them out if you haven't already.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Your questions are:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. What room in your house would you change if you had an unlimited budget?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. What is your decorating trend prediction for 2012?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. If someone where to show up at your house right now, would it be presentable? (i.e. - clean)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4. What was your favorite blog post?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5. Music or Movies?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6. If you had your own show on HGTV, what would it be called?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">7. What is your favorite low budget project?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">8. What was your first decorating disaster?</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">9. What was your first decorating success?</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">10. What is the one design related task you hate doing? (i.e. painting trim, sanding furniture, hanging curtains)</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">11. What is your favorite cocktail?</span></span></div>

11 questions

Tag! I'm it. The very lovely Brooke from Inside-Out Design has tagged me and 10 other design bloggers to answer 11 questions about ours...

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Believing

I hit 227.1 on Friday!  To be in the 220s again is.... amazing!  I feel so much better and lighter, and clothes are getting too big and it's all such an awesome feeling.  It's that feeling of being in control of your life that I love.  Do you know what I mean?  It's like... I'm not allowing my body to give in to life's shenanigans... I'm taking control of it and I'm reaping the benefits.  It's that whole "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels" concept.  <br /><br />On Friday I went ahead and bought the next two charms I have earned.  The purple one is simply because I love purple and I wanted to add more color to my bracelet. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4cZh7lXIH0rDYii5QQSUHGeS7l_-Z_CxRvprHQ4mh8MudmVXwPQ_S5E6rlu7Fo_uq5gJM_v8OxanEPEKjup_q2HrSRza4rOICmchTlYMvy_1-fnRfmBaH7jtf_1O2p_QDOzLlxE9X-NU/s1600/bracelet+with+heart+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4cZh7lXIH0rDYii5QQSUHGeS7l_-Z_CxRvprHQ4mh8MudmVXwPQ_S5E6rlu7Fo_uq5gJM_v8OxanEPEKjup_q2HrSRza4rOICmchTlYMvy_1-fnRfmBaH7jtf_1O2p_QDOzLlxE9X-NU/s400/bracelet+with+heart+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />The entwined hearts symbolizes many things to me at this point, but one of which is the love I have for myself and this journey.  I can only have that love by God's grace.  It is important that my life, my "heart", be intertwined with His in order to experience the life I'm meant to have. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxp_I_jqMgpZvM4fh2gdSxyzb2AKu_pFjcQBvQ1-mdWd4athJRvv3_yCift8J3fzkFQl2zDWAEGQlgPdU2o_N1liIs9S8w1q_JqfY8rT5VG4xedx2twyqMFUWBP1jqBL_8AwM3hl2A-0/s1600/bracelet+with+heart+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxp_I_jqMgpZvM4fh2gdSxyzb2AKu_pFjcQBvQ1-mdWd4athJRvv3_yCift8J3fzkFQl2zDWAEGQlgPdU2o_N1liIs9S8w1q_JqfY8rT5VG4xedx2twyqMFUWBP1jqBL_8AwM3hl2A-0/s400/bracelet+with+heart+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Last week I picked up this curling iron too.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjptwuWWa4cbPGed3n0nJPPpdk6_ebd99mUbBCsfK2iyJ7gQpRCXC3qr1LwPWcMcygekI2CM56BhrS-6-eQ0kqgxhzht7d9mVuTrbhYe6aNFDZWAikc7CA2VxRLxo6tv2Xa6D5BtIe_tNA/s1600/curling+iron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjptwuWWa4cbPGed3n0nJPPpdk6_ebd99mUbBCsfK2iyJ7gQpRCXC3qr1LwPWcMcygekI2CM56BhrS-6-eQ0kqgxhzht7d9mVuTrbhYe6aNFDZWAikc7CA2VxRLxo6tv2Xa6D5BtIe_tNA/s400/curling+iron.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />And this week I picked up the <a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod3900691" target="_blank">Clarisonic Mia 2 from Ulta</a>. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguuEm-a6L_TshHaVjqM3918Co-g84LkmRy_M4tlCN33HqLlW8U_8odRh0SLQz3-wylS31QWAg5yqWdtYBEys7_eepuYIagM7UtfTCOK8pJ29JiPaza_AR3C_ODkODSFE2X2mSWobpThv8/s1600/mia+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguuEm-a6L_TshHaVjqM3918Co-g84LkmRy_M4tlCN33HqLlW8U_8odRh0SLQz3-wylS31QWAg5yqWdtYBEys7_eepuYIagM7UtfTCOK8pJ29JiPaza_AR3C_ODkODSFE2X2mSWobpThv8/s400/mia+2.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><br />I first saw this device on QVC right before Christmas.  It seemed cool enough, but I'm always a big skeptic on "miracle" products such as this.  Then I read <a href="http://honeyishrunkthegretchen.com/2012/02/02/skin-care/" target="_blank">a post from Gretchen</a> about how much she loved her Mia, along with the other commenters from her post.  <i>Then </i>I went to my friend's house to discover that she had one too and loves it.  Given that I still suffer from acne like a teenager, I decided I wanted to give this a shot.  I wear a lot of makeup everyday, and I know that there is no way a wash cloth and my Olay Foaming Face Wash was doing the trick entirely.  That is also the good thing about this device - you can use whatever nonabrasive wash you'd like (do not use an exfoliating cleanser - it will end up being too harsh for your skin).   <br /><br />I was also able to move 2 more beads from one jar to another!  Yes!

goals Inspiration Loss Weight Loss Believing

I hit 227.1 on Friday!  To be in the 220s again is.... amazing!  I feel so much better and lighter, and clothes are getting too big and it&#...

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The truth about Greece

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Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" 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font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An open letter to international public opinion</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">The truth about Greece</span></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span> </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RI65TR8rX0Pu5GDh1IGlAHpl53bom9u9RmBM4axE5_o-w54DxxMDUf0pexurs82LCBk-DCnRuVLQTRc2Itfq6hgXJ_5VT0tA8RxgsuLLrUq6jIHTbReDpkORR7e7WChBrQzlumJSVd7g/s1600/4dc63173c0098f20e087c71b16b09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RI65TR8rX0Pu5GDh1IGlAHpl53bom9u9RmBM4axE5_o-w54DxxMDUf0pexurs82LCBk-DCnRuVLQTRc2Itfq6hgXJ_5VT0tA8RxgsuLLrUq6jIHTbReDpkORR7e7WChBrQzlumJSVd7g/s400/4dc63173c0098f20e087c71b16b09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by </span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Míkis Theodorákis</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; text-align: center;"><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Composer and resistance icon Mikis Theodorakis lambastes the joint strategy devised by Greek politicians and financial institutions with the objective of pillaging the country. He explains how Greece was gradually put under IMF tutelage by Dominique Strauss-Khan and former Prime Minister Papandreou. While the Western media point the finger at Syria, Russia and China, a financial government has taken over the reins of power in Greece and in Europe.</span></span></div><div class="lettrine"><br /></div><div class="lettrine"><span style="font-size: large;">There is an international conspiracy whose target is the complete destruction of my country. They began in 1975 aiming at Modern Greek civilization, continued with the distortion of our modern history and our national identity and they are now trying to eliminate us biologically as well through unemployment, hunger and impoverishment. If Greek people don’t rise as one in order to prevent them, the danger of Greece becoming extinct is evident. I place it within the next ten years. There will be nothing left of us but the memory of our civilization and our battles for freedom.</span></div><div class="lettrine"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;">Until 2009, there was no serious economic problem. The major wounds of our economy were the enormous expenses related to the purchase of war material and the corruption of a part of the political and economic-journalistic sector. For both of these wounds, foreigners are jointly responsible. Germans, for instance, as well as French, English and Americans, earned billions of Euros from annual sales of war material, to the detriment of our national wealth. That continuous hemorrhage brought us to our knees and did not permit us to move forward, while at the same time it made foreign nations prosperous. The same was true of the problem of corruption. The German company Siemens, for instance, maintained a special department for buying off Greek stakeholders in order to place its products in the Greek market. Hence, the Greek people have been victims of that predatory duo of Greeks and Germans, growing richer at their expense.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">It is obvious that these two big wounds could have been avoided if the leaders of the two pro-American parties in power hadn’t been eroded by corrupt elements who resorted to excessive loans in order to cover the leakage of wealth (the product of the Greek people’s labor) into the hands of foreign countries, resulting in the public debt reaching 300 billion Euros, i.e. 130% of GDI (Gross Domestic Income).</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Due to that confidence trick, the foreigners I mentioned before made a double profit: firstly from the sales of the weapons and their products. Secondly, from the interest on the money they lent to the governments and not to the people. As we have seen, the people were the primary victims in both cases. A single example should convince you: the interests on the one billion dollar loan that Andreas Papandreou received in 1986 from a big European country reached 54 billion Euros and was eventually paid back in … 2010!</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Mr Juncker declared a year ago that he had realized the Greeks’ financial hemorrhage caused by the excessive (and compulsory) expenses in buying war materials exclusively from Germany and France. And he concluded that our sellers were leading us on a path to destruction. However, he confesses that he didn’t take any action in order not to hurt the interests of friendly countries!</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">In 2008 came the big financial crisis in Europe. It was therefore only logical that the Greek economy should be affected. However, our living standards, high enough for Greece to be ranked among the 30 richest countries in the world, remained unaffected. There was an increase, though, in public debt. But public debt doesn’t necessarily lead to financial crisis. There are big countries, like the U.S. and Germany, with debts amounting to trillions of Euros. The key is in economic growth and production. In that case, one can borrow from large Banks with an interest rate of up to 5%, until the crisis ends.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">That was exactly our position in 2009, when the government shift took place in November and G. Papandreou took over as prime minister. In order for the current opinion of the Greek to become clearer I cite two figures: in the elections of 2009 PASOK gained 44% of the votes. Today the polls give PASOK 6% of the public support.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Mr. Papandreou could have dealt with the financial crisis (which as I have said reflected the European one) by borrowing from foreign Banks under the usual interest rate of under 5%. If he had done that, there wouldn’t have been the slightest problem for our country. In fact, the opposite would have occurred; because we were on an economic growth path, our standard of living would certainly have risen.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">However, Mr. Papandreou had already begun his conspiracy against the Greek people since the summer of 2009, when he secretly met with Strauss-Kahn, with the objective of driving Greece under the domination of the IMF. The information concerning this meeting was released by the former President of the IMF himself.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">For the situation to reach that end, the country’s real financial status had to be distorted, so that foreign Banks would become nervous and raise the loan interest rates to prohibitive figures. That odious project began with the phony raising of the Public Deficit from 9,2% to 15%. For that felonious deed, the District Attorney, Mr. Peponis indicted Messrs Papandreou and Papakonstantinou (Minister of Finance) 20 days ago. What followed was the systematic campaign by Mr. Papandreou and the Ministry of Finance throughout Europe that lasted 5 months, during which they tried to persuade the foreigners that Greece was a Titanic about to sink, that Greeks were corrupt, lazy and therefore incapable of dealing with the country’s needs. After each of their declarations the interest rates increased, so that it became impossible for us to borrow any more, giving IMF and the European Bank the appearance of being our slavation, when in reality it was the beginning of our death.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">In May 2010 a single Minister signed the notorious Memorandum, our complete subservience to our lenders. Greek law stipulates, in such situations, that the adoption of such an important agreement must be decided by three fifths of the Parliament. Therefore, in essence, the Memorandum and the Troika that essentially govern us today, operate illegally not only under Greek but also under European law.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">By now since then, if the steps leading us to our death are twenty, we are already more than half way there. Imagine that with this Memorandum we concede to foreigners our National Independence and our National Property. That is, our harbours, airports, road networks, electricity, water supply, subterranean and underwater wealth, etc., etc. Add to that our historical monuments, like the Acropolis, Delphi, Olympia, Epidaurus and such sites, since we have waived all our legal defenses.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Production has come to a standstill, the unemployment rate has reached 18%, 80.000 shops have closed down, along with thousands of small businesses and hundreds of industries. In total, 432.000 enterprises have shut down. Tens of thousands of young scientists are abandoning the country, which is every day sinking into medieval darkness. Thousands formerly wealthy citizens are scavenging on rubbish heaps and sleeping on the pavement.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">In the meantime, we are supposed to be surviving thanks to the magnanimity of our lenders, the Europe of the Banks and the IMF. In reality, every package deal which charges Greece with tens of billions of Euros is repaid in full, while we are burdened with new unbearable interest rates. And since it is necessary to maintain the State, the Hospitals and the Schools, the Troika is burdening the middle and lower economic strata of society with excessive taxes, leading directly to starvation. A famine took place at the beginning of the German occupation in 1941, with 300.000 people dead in a period of 6 months. Since then, the ghost of hunger is now returning to our defamed and unfortunate country.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">If one considers that the German occupation cost us one million people dead and the total destruction of our country, how is it possible for us Greeks to accept Ms Merkel’s threats and the Germans’ intention to impose on us a new Gauleiter… This time wearing a tie…</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">And to prove just how rich a country is Greece and how hard working and conscious the Greek people (conscious of their Debt to Freedom and love of their country), I cite as an example the time of the German occupation from 1941 until October of 1944. When the SS and hunger killed one million citizens and the Wehrmacht was systematically destroying the country, and stealing all its agricultural production and the gold from the Banks, Greeks saved the people from hunger by creating the National Solidarity Movement and a partisan army of 100.000, which tied down 20 German divisions in our country.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">At the same time not only did Greeks manage to survive thanks to their hard work, but there was also a large growth in Modern Greek art -especially in literature and music- under the terrible conditions of the occupation. Greece chose the path of self-sacrifice for the sake of freedom and simultaneously of survival.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">That is when we were unnecessarily punished, and we responded with Solidarity and Resistance and we survived. Now we are doing exactly the same thing, with the certainty that the Greek people will be the ultimate victors. This is the message I am sending to Ms Merkel and Mr Schäuble, declaring that I remain always a friend to the German People and a fan of their great contribution to Science, Philosophy, Art, and especially Music! And the ultimate evidence of that is probably that I have entrusted the whole of my musical work to two German Publishers, Schott and Breitkopf, who are among the greatest publishers of music in the world and my co-operation with them is extremely friendly.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">They are threatening to throw us out of Europe. If Europe doesn’t want Greece to be a part of it, Greece, for her part, is 10 times more unwilling to be a part of this Merkel- Sarkozy Europe.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Today, Sunday February 12, 2012, I am about to take part in the demonstrations, along with Manolis Glezos, the hero who, in the past, took the swastika down from the Acropolis, signaling the beginning of resistance against Hitler, not only in Greece but throughout Europe. Today, our streets and our squares will be flooded with hundreds of thousands of citizens who will demonstrate their rage against the government and against the Troika. I heard, yesterday, the banker-prime minister proclaiming to the Greek people that “we have reached point zero”. </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">But who has led us to this ZERO point within two years? Those same people, who instead of having been imprisoned, blackmail the members of the parliament to sign the New Memorandum, which is even worse than the first one and which will be implemented by the same people following the same methodology which brought us to this point ZERO. Why? Because this is what the IMF and the Euro-Group dictates, blackmailing us that if we disobey, we will go bankrupt…This is a play of the theater of the absurd. All these parties who in fact hate us (foreigners and Greeks) and are the only ones responsible for the dramatic situation to which they have led our country, threaten and blackmail, aiming at continuing their devastating work, i.e. to lead us even beyond point ZERO, to our final elimination.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">We have survived very difficult situations throughout the centuries and it is certain that if they lead us to the brink of death by force, Greeks will not only survive but they will be reborn.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">At this point in time, I have devoted all my efforts to an attempt to dynamically unify the Greek people. I am trying to convince them that IMF and Troika is not a one-way street, that there is an alternative solution. And that solution is to radically change the course of our nation and turn towards Russia for economic co-operation and the setting up of joint ventures in order to exploit our natural wealth under beneficial terms that will safeguard our national interests.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">As for Europe, I suggest we stop buying war material from Germany and France. And that we do everything in our power so that Germany pays back the war reparations they owe us and which currently amount to approximately–including the appropriate interest- 500 billion Euros.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">The only force capable of effecting all these revolutionary changes is the Greek people, unified under a huge Front of Resistance and Solidarity in order to remove the Troika (the IMF and the European banks) from our country. At the same time all their illegal actions (loans, debts, interest, taxes, privatization of national wealth) should be considered as if they never took place. Naturally, their Greek partners, already condemned in our conscience as traitors, will have to be punished.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">I am totally dedicated, body and soul, to this cause (the unification of the People in one Front) and I believe that I will be proved right in the end. I have fought, gun in hand, against Hitler’s occupation. I have experienced the Gestapo’s dungeons. I have been sentenced to death by Germans and have miraculously survived. In 1967 I founded PAF (The Patriotic Anti-dictatorial Front), the first resistance organization against the military junta. I fought underground, was caught and imprisoned in the junta’s “slaughterhouse”. Once again I survived.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">I am today 87 years old and it is very possible that I will not live to see the salvation of my beloved country. But I will die with a clear conscience, because I will continue doing my Duty towards the ideals of Freedom and Justice until the end.</span><br /><br /> Athens, February 2012 Mikis Theodorakis<br /> <div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

The truth about Greece

An open letter to international public opinion The truth about Greece   by Míkis Theodorákis   Composer and resistance icon Mikis Theodor...

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