min-myinnersoul

Every government in the world says one of its biggest priorities is to create jobs. And yet, very often, they do precisely the opposite. Governments, and policy makers, do not normally get it as to how to create jobs. A shining exception is China – no government in the world comes even remotely close to China when it comes to job creation. How should governments stimulate job creation. By helping in all of the areas covered in this series – by favouring the manufacturing industry, by not adding burdens on to labour cost, by not putting insurmountable barriers to labour flexibility, by creating the right skilled work force, by investing in infrastructure, etc etc. But governments can directly aid employment too. Here’s (again of doubtful practicality) some prescriptions. Firstly reduce incentives based on investment and increase incentives based on employment. Remove capital subsidies, investment subsidies, and shift to employment subsidies. Base tax holidays on employment, not investm...

This week I am posting gifts that I have made for a baby shower that I will be attending. This bag is for a mommy who is having her 2nd bambino, so I wanted the bag to be a little bigger(not by much) since I have 2 monkeys and know how much junk you have to haul around. I had the urge to keep this bag for myself b/c I love the size and the fabric...does it look familiar? Remember the Bo Peep skirt? I used the leftovers from this bag to make S.R.'s skirt. I'm taking her 2 year pics this week, and yes, she will be sportin' the new skirt:o) Anywho, I made a bunch of pockets(7 in all), inside and out, so that there was plenty of space to store stuff. Love, Love, Love it! I got to use my fancy stitches on the ribbon that goes all the way around. That was a little nerve racking just b/c I felt a little out of control as the needle was working like nobody's bid-ness. Did I mention how much I love this bag?:o) Oh well, if I have to make one for myself, I guess I could:o)       ...

Exactly a year ago a “young” man, I know, made his first blog post – not knowing where it will lead him to, but start, he did. He was, and is, an oddity – in a media which is inhabited by young people, for he is, let us say, skewing the age profile. Today he sheds the rookie tag and becomes a sophomore. But why blog ? Some do it because its the “in” thing to do. Some do because they have an opinion and want to express it. Some do because they love to write. Some do because they want to connect up with other people. A little of each of this was behind his attempt to write. But it was also for him, a way to read more – for to write, you have to read. How has a full year of blogging been, I asked ? A wonderful experience, he says. For he has met some incredible people, who he has never seen in real life , but have become close friends. If you had asked him sometime ago as to whether this was possible, he would have looked at you as if you are a little weird – why would you want to traw...

I love making things for my children, and absolutely love it when I think I have an original idea that makes life easier... after saying that I am reminded of the verse in the Bible that says there is nothing new under the sun...;o) Anyway, sometimes I like to make a lil something for myself and when I ran across this tutorial for a wallet at The Rubber Punkin , I knew that it was for me. It is super simple and I already had the supplies here which was even better. Nuttin' like f-a-ree:o) One thing I would change, (speaking of change..there isn't anywhere to put it, so you need a change purse), I would make a spot for my drivers license at the top..it just looks empty up there. I did monogram my initials on the front... the hubs was quick to point out that my spacing was a little off...still working on that:o) Just adds more character..HA! I plan on making a coordinating purse for it later on. I got a great book in the mail the other day, and I found a bag I want for myself.  ...

My sweet S.R. is turning 2 next month...sniff, sniff...she's growing up so fast! So pictures are in order. I always take the kids pictures, and if I say so myself, I think I do a fairly good job without any formal training:o) Anyway, I had some left over fabric from a baby bag that I am making(more on that next week), so I thought why not use the extras for lil sis? The pattern I used is absolutely A-dorable. The name of it is the Bo Peep skirt from the book It Seams to Me. It took a little over an hour to make, and I  L-O-V-E it!!! It is so sweet on little britches and she can even twirl in it if her lil heart desires. Pictures will commence this weekend, so that I can get her b-day invites out with her precious little mug in them:o) I also made a head band with the scraps...she loves it and I love that she loves it:o)

In China, when you are employed, you get a fixed term contract. Usually 2 years or 3 years. Even if you are a manager. Even if you are a very senior manager. There is no “endless” employment agreement. And this is ostensibly a communist state. It is not a complete coincidence that in the last 20 years, China has created jobs in the manufacturing sector for some 200 million people. This blogger might prattle on like an Ayn Rand and is unapolegetically a capitalist. Yet, in his heart, he is a bleeding socialist. Witness the almost pathological aversion to layoffs, as posted here , here and here . BUT …… One of the biggest myths behind unions and governments “protecting” jobs is that they protect jobs. They don’t. What they actually do is cosset the privileged few and make vulnerable the underprivileged many. The employer simply does not take on “permanent” workers and instead takes on temps, or contractors or part timers or whatever. These get no security of employment, they are often...

I have been dying for some Chicken Tortilla soup from McCallister's Deli for the longest, but have been super lazy and super cheap here lately to actually go and get some. Yesterday the hubs came home sick from work with the yuck that the kids and I passed on to him...aren't we sooooo sweet?:o) I knew that this was the perfect time for some soup, and why not try to make some chicken tortilla soup. I hopped online to see if I could find a version of McCallister's, and I did here . Here is my version, since I didn't have all the ingredients...go figure:o) 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves(I had 1 lb. of chkn. cutlets) 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil(regular canola oil) 1/2 medium onion, minced(1/4 of a red onion) 2 tablespoons minced garlic(I had the kind in a jar) 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes(diced tomatoes with onions) 1 (28-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth(a 32 oz. box of chkn. broth) 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespo...