Fashion icon Andre Leon Talley has lead a life that most would die for. He was editor-at-large for Vogue magazine, judge for America’s Next Top Model and contributing editor for Vogue magazine. He managed to do it all in the world of fashion and become an icon while doing it.

Now the icon is adding another reality to show to his perfectly styled and chic belt, the series will be called Fashion Stories. A press release from Bravo describes the show:

We follow four up-and-coming fashion design teams as they produce the defining collection of their careers, all under the watchful eye of fashion icon Andre Leon Talley. The mission to “create, show and sell” is clear for emerging designers striving to build a business in New York City, which remains the heart of the fashion industry.

Only time will if the larger-than-life persona that is Andre Leon Talley can breathe life into a show that sounds as if it might be carbon copy of Project Runway and any other runway show that has been created out of its existence. We say with his expertise, we are bound to see designers pushed to the brink while creating pieces that they could only dream of with Talley as a mentor.

American skater brand, Supreme, has collaborated with fellow American-based skater brand, Vans, to create a collection that pays homage to Andy Warhol’s iconic depiction of the Campbells soup logo. Prices for the Sk8-Hi, Era and Half Cab have been announced in Japan at ¥12,600 JPY (approximately $153 USD) and ¥10,500 JPY (approximately $128 USD). More details to come.

 

Mia Love is exciting the world of politics. As a political figure, Love defies multiple demographic expectations. She is a staunch Republican, running for Congress as her party stands accused of declaring a “war on women” and contraception. She is a stunningly successful but demonstrably traditional, wife, mother, and dynamic leader. As a two term City Council-woman and now Mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah’s rapidly growing boon town, she is not a political neophyte. But she is running for congress against an established political powerhouse yet by all indications she seems to be holding her own. Love made national news when she filed to run for congress because her victory in this race would make Love the first African American Female ever elected to Congress in the GOP. The potential for that distinction, along with her record of managing one of Utah’s most successful cities earned her an endorsement from ShePAC, a fundraising org, that formed after the GOP was accused of adopting policies that could harm women. As the daughter of Haitian immigrants, Love isn’t typical of the GOP’s voter base. However, Mia Love is one of a small but growing number of African Americans that seem to be bucking traditional political ties with the Democratic Party. As a candidate for congress, Mia Love’s message has been largely positive. She has emphasized her love of country and freedom and the need to rein in government expansion. Mia Love might be unconventional demographically for the GOP, but she is a staunch, unapologetic and doctrinaire conservative. She is also a fierce critic of President Obama. She has pitched herself as a candidate that can go where more traditional candidates cannot, expressing ideas that they may be unable or unwilling to profess. She has sold her candidacy by assuring voters that she will “Stand Up and Stand Out”; and that she will “Cut Through The Clutter and Change the Culture of Entitlement”. In a party that is often charged with being anti-woman, anti-black and anti-minority, Love challenges many of the  presumptions about “who” the republican party represents. Love has the cosmetics of a very traditional wife and mother. She emphasizes her role as a mother and wife. She teaches aerobics classes-a fact her campaign has emphasized by organizing a 5K charity run as a campaign event. Yet despite her emphasis on traditional familial roles and her penchant for values that can be described as vintage Americana, she is clearly ambitious, active and independent. But not everyone is in love with Mia. Some are questioning the sincerity of her conservatism. They suggest that, in the past Love has embraced tax hikes and deficit spending in order to transform her town, Saratoga Springs into a boon town. Some more traditional African Americans might also take issue with her unrelenting criticism of President Obama and her disdain for the Congressional Black Caucus. Regardless of the caveats, Mia Love is someone to watch.

Nicki Minaj fans will be excited to know that another sneak peek to Nicki’s upcoming sophomore album, Roman Reloaded  has been released. The latest single features Nas, Young Jeezy and Drake and is arguably one of the most highly anticipated records on the album. Have a listen to the track and let us know what you think before the album drops April 3rd.

Click here to listen

Solestruck has done it again. Their mantra of “Riding the world of ugly shoes one pair at a time,” has ushered in the perfect summer. Perforated holes make Lilo the perfect light and airy shoe for the summer. With 1’2″ heel and leather upper lining this chic number was made for comfort and style. It is definitely going on our  list of must-have items. 114 USD.

 

 

 

TIM TEBOW IS OUT!

Tim Tebow (Superman) is OUT, as the Quarterback for the Denver Broncos. After selling millions of dollars worth of jerseys, tickets and air time for the football franchise, the Broncos, sent the faithful quarterback packing! After, rescuing the Broncos from obscurity and bringing countless new fans into the Broncos fold, they dismissed the fan favorite after signing Peyton Manning. The trade set off explosions in the sports world and for most of the day, sports fans were confused and disoriented by contradictory rumors. After the dust settled, Tim Tebow found himself in a New York Jets uniform. The trade has a roster of quarterbacks in the throws of a dramatic football Soap Opera. Tim Tebow is cast as the wholesome good guy, while the current team starter is the wild and crazy, bad boy with a penitent for fast women and the fast life. Sanchez is also rumored to have a serious streak of jealousy. Sanchez is known to be territorial, about his role as a starter. He does not enjoy sharing snaps and practice time with his current back up Drew Stanton. And Stanton is now rumored to want out of the Jets franchise, in fear that his role as backup is in peril. According to ESPN, he has bluntly asked to be traded.

DOES THE WORLD NEED SUPERMAN?

Tebow, is one of the most famous athletes in America. He has mysteriously also become one of the most controversial. In a sport with famous athletes that have publicly engaged in drug use, domestic violence, rape and brawls, Tim Tebow has garnered more negative attention for his public displays of faith, than any of those players. His tendency to “take a knee” in prayer, on the field and thank god for touchdown plays has roused more anger from some fans then the felonious behaviors of his fellow players. He is known for the time he spends with sick children. It seems strange, in a popular culture that often lacks good role models for our youth, that a sport, played by millions of children, would turn its nose up, at a player that (at the very least attempts to) stand for TRUTH, JUSTICE AND THE AMERICAN WAY. The cheese and irony aside, it seems strange that a player finds it difficult to obtain a job, due in part to being too positive.

But, there are legitimate business concerns associated with selecting Tebow. He is not considered to be a particularly skilled QB. His success has been described as miraculous and inexplicable. His throws are wobbly; his passes are often slow. He has a relatively weak arm for a pro-athlete. But then again, the same criticisms have dogged Tebow, since high-school. He has since won the Heisman, college championships, and stunning wins at the pro-level. His achievements are a mixed blessing for teams. Some have described him as a quarterback you can hire, but not fire. Tebow is a hero and fan favorite. When TEBOW-MANIA takes over a franchise, his avid fans could demand to see their superhero on the field. If the post didn’t work out, as a result of personalities, or play style, teams could feel pressured to retain the QB despite the poor fit. These concerns are rumored to be behind the failure of two Florida teams, to hire the homeless QB (the Miami Dolphins, and Jacksonville Jaguars). Both teams were in the market for quarterbacks. Despite the potential profit windfall both teams passed on the prayerful player.

 

As the nation’s economy continues to mend, employers are beginning to ad workers to their payrolls. The Great Recession began in 2007; for some the malaise over America has lasted five years. It is no longer uncommon to find hardworking, well educated workers that have been out of market for greater than two years. Sensing the desperation of millions of Americans, some employers are demanding unprecedented concessions of privacy from employees. An increasing number of employers are demanding that potential employees hand over the password to their Facebook accounts. Employees, desperate for income, often feel that they have no choice but to relinquish control of their personal social media accounts. And this trend seems to be growing as employers are anxious to protect their brands from the inappropriate, off-clock shenanigans of employees. Some employees are even reporting interviewers that demand to be signed into social media accounts, during the interview process. While it is understandable that employers would want to be sure that they were hiring sober and responsible individuals, the tactic of raiding the photo albums, time line and record of status updates, for new hires is raising concerns. Some are asking, if we really want to enter a world in which, off duty hours and activity can be monitored by employers. In a political climate in which we are constantly reminded of the threat of government intrusion, it seems ironic that we find ourselves confronting a prospect that is worse than BIG BROTHER! The evolution of these trends forces us to ponder if the job application of the future, will have a space requiring potential hires to disclose twitter, Facebook, and google+ passwords and handles.

This leaves us wondering if YOU, Worthy Readers, would hand over access to your Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Tumbler accounts, in order to land a job?

Blowin Money Fast-isn’t just a Rick Ross song, its also apparently, the motto of the Mitt Romney Campaign. Mitt Romney is the current front runner in the GOP race, however that success has come at a substantial premium. Mitt Romney has spent at least 38 Million Dollars, outspending his competitors by several orders of magnitude. Newt Gingrich has spent approximately 9.7 million and Rick Santorum, who just bested Romney in 2 southern states, has only spent 6 million. Victory for Romney has come via the sheer force of his money. In Michigan, Romney’s home state Mitt Romney barely garnered victory, with 41% of the vote compared to Santorums 38%. He also spent 4.3 million dollars in his home state, while Rick Santorum spent a relatively humble 2.3 million. The prize for outspending his opponent 2:1, was 2 more delegates than Santorum (Santorum received 14 delegates, Romney received 16 delegates). Romney has had to outspend his opponent by as much 10:1 (in Arizona) and on average he is outspending Rick Santorum by 6:1 (and 4:1 against Gingrich). For Romney victory seems possible, only when he can drown his opponents in cash, which raises questions about his viability in the general election. It is unlikely that Mitt Romney will be able to outspend President Obama in comparable ratios. The Obama Campaign is amassing a tremendous war chest and will likely match Romney, dollar for dollar-if GOP contributors can continue to generate the huge sums, required to make Romney an appealing candidate. The GOP is forced to ask how it can afford to go into battle with Mr. Romney as their standard bearer, when such massive funds are required to carry him over-even favorable finish lines. Earlier this week, Newt Gingrich called Mitt Romney, the weakest front runner since 1920. The evidence for his statement is found, in Mitt Romney’s own campaign spending!

The 2012 election is approaching fast and both parties are scrambling to find popular positions that will win the support of the public. The President himself, is desperately appealing to the American people to appreciate the progress that has occurred under his leadership. His campaign is feverishly trying to anticipate the next move of his republican opponents. However, the GOP’s new “winning” position may not have been anticipated by anyone, let alone, the President and his minions. The GOP is preparing to pitch itself, as The Anti-War Party. The audacity of such a position is likely to be seen as so incredible that few in the belt way have been willing to consider it. The GOP promoted the war in Afghanistan and then the war in Iraq. Prior to leaving office, the GOP’s pundits were clamoring for George W. Bush to strike against Iran. Despite it’s willingness to fight overseas, the GOP has begun to parry, in order to foil President Obama. An increasing number of Republicans have come out, in direct opposition to the war effort in Afghanistan. The rumblings of this avalanche were initiated by the vehemently anti-war Ron Paul. Paul’s sentiments were later seconded, by failed Presidential candidate, Jon Huntsman. Huntsman was ridiculed at the time and candidates like , Rick Perry suggested that they would double down in Afghanistan. But more Republicans have since adopted the Huntsman doctrine. Newt Gingrich is transitioning to a-”pull out now”-campaign position. Loud voices in the conservative movement like Sean Hannity are also beginning to call for retreat. Their new found distaste for the war they called for, is based on a series of events in Afghanistan. Afghans recently rioted over the unprovoked attack of a U.S. soldier. The potentially disturbed, 38 year old soldier (on his 4th tour), recently massacred 16 afghans in the dead of night. A series of fumbles have become convenient excuses for the GOP to abandon the war and lay blame for its very existence on President Obama! While calling for retreat, an increasing number of republicans are basing their opposition on President Obama’s inability to fight the war effectively. By making themselves the party that wants to withdraw from Afghanistan and President Obama the defender of the decade long war, the GOP may have just stumbled upon a message more potent then the lack of job creation in the country.