This is a giclee that Mark brought home from Laguna Beach, Ca for the family - for his brothers. The name on the boat is "Three Loyal Brothers" and it could have included "plus One Loyal Sister". I love the sentiment, and that Mark chose it to represent the relationship with his brothers, and our whole family. Tim said not too long ago, that we are a very loyal bunch, we Dehghani's. It's true; loyalty and trust are so very, very important, without it there is not much of real substance. Who care's how pretty or handsome you are, or how much money you make, or what your education is, or how hard you work; if you cannot be trusted with a tender heart, if you are not loyal to those you love. That is a lack that cannot be substituted by other worthy traits. These are necessities, and I love Mark for provoking me to think on this topic. It's been a topic very dear to me of late.Bobbi Brown Beach...goodness, this reminds me directly of the beach as a girl, it actually smells like Coppertone™ and sand, and ocean...how did she do it? It's wonderful!
The description, from the Bobbi Brown website: If one scent could capture the atmosphere and attitude of summer, this best-selling fragrance is it. Designed with a lightly intoxicating blend of sand jasmine, sea spray, and mandarin, this eau de parfum is wearable anytime, anywhere.
Bronze Goddess by Estee Lauder. Where has this been all my life...it's smells so good! It's another beachy, warm, summery scent that makes me think of sun tan lotion and sand. I think that this is my absolute favorite. Here's the description from the Estee Lauder website:
A sensuous, sun-drenched blend of Bergamot and Mandarin, cooled with Tahitian Gardenia Petals and Coconut, warmed with Amber, Sandalwood and Vetiver.
Next is Stella McCartney, origninal... this is very unique, and quite sweet, so if you don't like sweet flowery scents, then stay clear. I love it however, once it's settled down a bit; at first it reminds me of something I can't quite bring to mind, but then it drifts into a lovely scent that I really enjoy.
Here's the official description:A fragrance based on the contrast between the freshness and softness of the rose, and the dark sensuality of amber, Stella is a sophisticated scent focused on an intense sense of femininity.
I also wanted to purchase Michael Kors 'Very Hollywood', but haven't done it yet; I really just love the bottle, but find the scent itself not all that unique, but still very nice.
Past favorites? LaVanilla in Vanilla Coconut, Aqualina Pink Sugar (I have gotten over this one, but have an enormous bottle left), Sud Pacifique in Extreme Vanilla, Mac Naked Honey, Lulu Guiness, and JLo Live.
What are your favorites?
By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, July 12, 2010; A02
BOSTON -- The co-chairmen of President Obama's debt and deficit commission offered an ominous assessment of the nation's fiscal future here Sunday, calling current budgetary trends a cancer "that will destroy the country from within" unless checked by tough action in Washington.
The two leaders -- former Republican senator Alan Simpson of Wyoming and Erskine Bowles, White House chief of staff under President Bill Clinton -- sought to build support for the work of the commission, whose recommendations due later this year are likely to spark a fierce debate in Congress.
"There are many who hope we fail," Simpson said at the closing session of the National Governors Association annual meeting. He called the 18-member commission "good people with deep, deep differences" who know the odds of success "are rather harrowing."
(Graphic: President Obama's proposed 2011 budget explained)
Bowles said that unlike the current economic crisis, which was largely unforeseen before it hit in fall 2008, the coming fiscal calamity is staring the country in the face. "This one is as clear as a bell," he said. "This debt is like a cancer."
The commission leaders said that, at present, federal revenue is fully consumed by three programs: Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. "The rest of the federal government, including fighting two wars, homeland security, education, art, culture, you name it, veterans -- the whole rest of the discretionary budget is being financed by China and other countries," Simpson said.
"We can't grow our way out of this," Bowles said. "We could have decades of double-digit growth and not grow our way out of this enormous debt problem. We can't tax our way out. . . . The reality is we've got to do exactly what you all do every day as governors. We've got to cut spending or increase revenues or do some combination of that."
Bowles pointed to steps taken recently by the new coalition government in Britain, which also faces an acute budgetary problem, as a guide to what the commission might use in its recommendations. That would mean about three-quarters of the deficit reduction would be accomplished through spending cuts, and the remainder with additional revenue.
Most Republicans in Congress are opposed to any tax increases, which has made the work of the commission far more difficult. Bowles and Simpson appealed for support to the governors, who have been forced by their states' constitutions to balance their budgets with deep spending cuts and, in many cases, tax increases.
Bowles and Simpson said the commission would have had a stronger hand politically had it been created by Congress, rather than through an executive order. Simpson was pointed in his criticism of seven Republicans who once co-sponsored such a measure but who helped block it in the Senate.
"As far as I can discern, it was to stick it to the president," Simpson said. "That's where we are in Washington." He later added that all seven "have now come to us to say, 'We're ready to help.' "
The presentation by Simpson and Bowles, which included repeated statements of determination to produce a bipartisan set of recommendations, drew praise from the governors.
"I don't know that I've every heard a gloomier picture painted that created more hope for me," said Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe (D).
Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire (D) said that many governors fear that the commission's recommendations will result in more demands on the states.
Bowles, who noted that the 1997 balanced-budget agreement between the Clinton White House and the Republican-controlled Congress included many provisions that put more burdens on the states, said that wasn't likely.
"I don't think you're going to see a lot of devolution coming from us because the states are all broke," he said.
Simpson also warned that the November elections could add another wild card to the work of the commission. "I have no idea what's going to happen on Election Day but it's going to be disruptive . . .," he said. "It's going to be a big wake-up call around the whole United States. I have no idea where it's going, but thank heaven we have a month then to work through the wreckage."
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