BuzzSugar

Before and After: A Stylish Secretary

CasaSugar — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:00:43 -0800

I just came across interior designer Eddie Ross's makeover of a beautiful secretary he found at a New Jersey consignment shop, and I couldn't help but share it with you. The Chippendale style of the desk with its graphic grille and shapely top facade is very elegant, but the reddish mahogany veneer was very dated. So, Ross decided to make it over with a fresh coat of his favorite paint, Farrow & Ball's All White, and a mirror fit for behind the grille. To see the transformation, read more.

I'm really impressed with this project. The mirror gives it a contemporary polish and the white paint makes it youthful and not so stuffy. Head over to Eddie Ross to hear the steps he took to transform this wonderful secretary.
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Love It or Hate It? Martin the Mule Secretary Desk

CasaSugar — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:00:12 -0800

French company Ibride recently gave a sneak preview of this new design, Martin, a contemporary mule-shaped secretary, at the Maison & Objet trade show in Paris. Not only does Martin's body serve as convenient storage for books and papers, but it incorporates lighting and Ethernet cords into the design, using them as a "reins" for the mule. I find it hilarious and whimsical, but obviously it's not for everyone, or every home.
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What's Buzzworthy: Embarrassing Movies to Watch With Parents

BuzzSugar — Sat, 19 May 2007 11:45:05 -0700

Last week I invited you all to Buzzworthy the movies you've watched with your parents (or grandparents, or in-laws) that just made you cringe, slump down in your seat, or pretend to yawn, stretch and call it a night. There were some great Buzzworthied DVDs, as well as many comments about embarrassing movie experiences. Check out some of the titles bookmarked by Buzz readers, and then a few "highlights" (if you can call them that!) from the comments section of last week's Buzzworthy challenge.

Wedding Crashers
Selected by gruaig_rua, among other commenters. gruaig_rua says, "The scene where Isla Fisher's character goes under the dinner table......cringe!!!"

Secretary
I couldn't agree more with this selection from Fab_Kitty, who writes "I love this movie, but can't think of any flick more embarrassing to watch with older family members. Be sure Grammy knows this movie isn't about a sweet Doris Day-type heroine!"

Should Hillary Accept the Secretary of State Position?

LibertySugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:35:39 -0800

Democratic officials have announced Barack Obama offered Sen. Hillary Clinton the position of Secretary of State.

While there's been much speculation that Clinton was among Obama's top picks, she reportedly requested time to consider the offer. Clinton spoke at a transit industry conference in New York on Friday and held back from making any indication of her choice, saying "any inquiries should be directed to his transition team."

The Secretary of State is the highest-ranking cabinet secretary and head of the Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs.

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Obama In Talks to Keep on Bush's Defense Secretary Gates

CitizenSugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:30:00 -0800

Not everyone in the Bush Administration will be out on their behinds on Jan. 20. Barack Obama is considering keeping on Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Gates, a former CIA head, has received widespread praise for his work as defense secretary since replacing Donald Rumsfeld.

Since he has led the Pentagon since 2006, Gates could be the person best situated to coordinate Obama's plan to withdraw from Iraq and increase troops in Afghanistan. Even so, keeping a Republican who has been leading Bush's war policy may take the team of rivals idea a bit too far.

Is Obama responsible and wise to keep on Gates in order to make the transition of power and situation in the Middle East run smoothly, or does a new direction require a new person in such an important cabinet position?

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Before and After: A Fresh Secretary Desk

CasaSugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:00:08 -0700

Christiana Coop of Ferm Living recently shared a DIY project of hers on her blog Clever Spaces, finding yet another use for Ferm's gorgeous wallpaper. She decided to update a Target Secretary Desk ($144.99) by priming and painting it white, and wallpapering the interior with the Ferm Wild Flower (Green) Wallpaper ($115). By measuring the inside sections of the desk first, and then using an adhesive spray to keep them down, the project was pretty breezy. And, to keep the paper intact as the desk is used, Coop sprayed it with a protective coating. To see the impressive results, read more.

I love it! Do you? Do you have any desks or other furniture pieces lying around that you could wallpaper?
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Emma Thompson Tells Trafficked Woman's Story in Art

TresSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0800

Academy-award winning actress Emma Thompson was so moved by the plight of a Moldovan woman who survived being trafficked for sex, she decided to create an art installation that would help viewers to put themselves in Elena's shoes and bring attention to this growing problem.

"Journey," which will be exhibited in New York City Nov. 10 to 16 in Washington Square Park, tells the story of Elena, a woman from the Eastern European republic of Moldova who, at age 18, was promised a secretarial job in England. Instead, once she got there, her passport was confiscated and she was forced into prostitution.

"Journey" consists of seven shipping containers. Each has a keyhole through which the viewer can peer to see a chronology of Elena's story. The first shipping container depicts Elena's childhood and the loss of her father. In another, the viewer can see Elena approached in a Moldovan marketplace and offered work.

Thompson personally curated one of the more disturbing of the shipping containers which depicts Elena's forced prostitution in England. She had Oscar-winning costume designer Sandy Powell design the clothes she was forced to wear, and when the viewer looks into the keyhole, she sees her face superimposed onto the body of a woman in prostitute's clothing. They wanted the viewer to have an experience of what it meant to lose one's identity. Thompson said that even men "didn't laugh or find it funny. They understood absolutely what it meant."

Thompson met Elena while doing work with UNODC (United Nations Office on Drug and Crime) to help raise awareness about the practice of trafficking women, and it sounds as if she's not only telling her plight, she's giving Elena the voice that was taken away from her. In the last shipping container, Elena tells her story on tape.

Oh, Snap! Hill Thrills Haitian Nation

TresSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:00:00 -0700

With all the Obamamania going on, it's easy to forget that Hillary Clinton is the US Secretary of State. Yesterday, she was welcomed by Haitian President Rene Preval to the presidential palace in Port-au-Prince. Her visit highlights Washington's support - symbolically and monetarily - for the poor and politically fragile nation.

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Clinton Met With Obama About His Administration

CitizenSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:20:27 -0800

A Democratic official has confirmed that Sen. Hillary Clinton met with President-elect Barack Obama this morning to discuss her role in his administration.

Clinton's trip to Chicago was described as "personal business" in a press release, but happened after a request from Obama. Rumor has it Clinton is under consideration for the secretary of state position.

Forty-two percent of CitizenSugar readers said the Clintons are still a favorite political family, but 36 percent of reader suspected Colin Powell would be the Secretary of State pick. On Monday Clinton said she is "happy being a senator from New York" and "looking at the long list of things I have to catch up on and do." What do you think about the prospect of Clinton having a place in Obama's camp?

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Front Page: Americans Anxious About H1N1 Vaccine Shortage

TresSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:00:35 -0700

The shortage of H1N1 vaccines has many people worried, but Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is asking Americans to be patient. - ABC News
The US job outlook has brightened, as the National Association for Business Economics says more companies plan on hiring in the next six months. - CNN
Fourteen Americans were killed in two helicopter crashes in Afghanistan. - AP
ESPN has fired baseball analyst Steve Phillips a week after details came out about his messy affair with a 22-year-old production assistant. - New York Times
Low-budget underdog Paranormal Activity came in number one at the box office this weekend. - BuzzSugar