Retail stores reported that sales were down this holiday season, despite slashing prices to barely sensible margins (for them).  According to the Wall Street Journal, women’s apparel dipped 23%, contributing to 5.5% of red ink splashed across all categories. I guess those numbers don’t include the pair of shoes Kim Kardashian picked up in Beverly Hills this past Friday.

Why I’m posting this is beyond me. Going on a Shoe-Spree with a woman is one of the most torturous things a man can do to himself, but here we go..

from the bare feet.

To “I like the patent leather.. *blah blah blah blah*..”

And of course.. “OK. How do they look?”

That guy will say anything to make commission.

Sold! Kim Kardashian putting the economy back on track, one pair of shoes at a time.

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Can’t see his eyes, but you know the smile. Over the holidays, Martin Lawrence stopped in at a listening party for Heavy D’s new album Vibe. It feels wacky to even say that: Heavy D has a new album. The guy that brought us “Overweight Lover”, “Mr. Big Stuff”, and in a small way can claim responsibility for Diddy gravitating to Uptown records, has decided to come back to the music world with a reggae album.

I tried to watch the video for “Long Distance Girlfriend” but it makes me scream Jamerican..

Heavy D “Long Distance Girlfriend”

I know Heavy D was born in Jamaica, but I have a cousin who was born in Gemany. Think he’s any good “Plaudern mit den Homies”
The album snippets are way more believable. “Long Distance Girlfriend” sounds better without the visuals too, go figure.

Speaking of Jamaicans, look who else was in the house..

Rohan “Keep em’ Barefoot” Marley. Lauryn was in New Jeruz with their five kids.

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Years ago, I worked with a guy who made about $30,000 a year. Over half of his salary was going to child support, another third was going to the government for unpaid taxes. After all of the deductions, he was literally left with enough money to eat and get to work. Long story short, he was able to get a mortgage for a house that cost $250,000. Sounds cheap, but this was just before the housing bubble, today that same house would easily go for half-a-million. The guy eventually left and got a better job, but I always wondered how he was able get approved for a loan when he had pocket change at the time his mortgage was approved.

Yesterday, the International Herald posted a great article about Washington Mutual’s (aka WaMu’s) loan practices, that made them one of the fastest rising banks of the last ten years, only to come crashing into Wall Street this September due to their ‘Power of Yes’ philosophy. “Yes” was what all loan officers were encouraged to stamp on any application that crossed their desks. The ultimate goal: sell the mortgages to investment banks, who sold them in mortgage backed and asset security packages to investors around the world.

I’m not sure where my work friend got his loan, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Washington Mutual.

They approved loans for secretaries claiming CEO salaries, baby sitters sitting on college president money and school teachers peeling back green like Warren Buffet. Eventually word got out that Washington Mutual was the place to go if you wanted a mortgage. Credit checks and income meant nothing, you want a loan? You got it.

In the article a former WaMu mortgage supervisor described just how rigid the loan approval process was. One applicant said he made six figures as a Mariachi singer. OK, some people are able to make a lot of money in unusual ways, but this guy didn’t have any proof of his income. So the supervisor simply had him take a picture of himself in front of his house wearing the Mariachi outift. Wow, this guy’s doing well.. loan approved!

Here’s the full story at Washington Mutual, a relentless urge to approve any loan

If that’s hard on the eyes, have a dude in a polo shirt explain the subprime/us banking crisis.

Subprime US Banking Crisis Explained - Part 1

Subprime US Banking Crisis Explained - Part 2 + Part 3

Yup.. it’s all related.

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I saw Seven Pounds over the weekend, got home and read the reviews I stayed away from to keep the movie’s twist wrapped tight.  I suppose the people walking out of the theater should have been clue, but the real surprise was that the reviews were so harsh. Those people kicking rocks looked like folks looking for Will Smith to do the ol’ shuck and jive. Make me laugh, funny man.. at least shoot somebody. Didn’t know the whole world, minus one, gave him the middle finger.
Those of us who braved through it were left wondering if Seven Pounds referred to the weight of his heart or if it was the sum of his heart plus all the other body parts sewed on to people scattered around California. ← That’s the twist. Will Smith comes out of this boxoffice blooper a lucky man, had it been a big hit, some big thinker would have had the time to ask if it might encourage a sad soul to take their own life.

Though there were no laughs in Seven Pounds, everyone in my local AMC got a laugh for free when the trailer for Beyonce’s next “I wanna be an actress too” gig popped on the wide-wide screen, it’s Obsessed.. A clean shaven Idris Elba gets your attention, then the office episode that morphs into Fatal Attraction. Beyonce stars as the wifey scorned, and she’s ready to rip a weave out..

Beyonce is “Obsessed”

When this thing ended the entire theater laughed out loud.. I’m sure that’s not the response the studio is looking for at all. Beyonce needs to stick to speaking in the tongues of Sasha, Oscar is not in her stars. ←

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We’re a month away from Barack Obama’s big party aka Inauguration day. What does the first mocha-latte president-elect wear to an event that will officially plant the cherry on top of the country’s historic sundae? Don’t ask me. Michelle Obama has fourty dresses to choose from, she’s too busy/won’t be any help either. This is a job for the Stylish one. She’s got pictures, but surprise, you have the answer.

Which tuxedo/suit should Barack H. Obama pop tags off?

Brooks Brothers - One Button Tux

Brooks Brothers - Golden Fleece Morning Coat

Sean John Tuxedo - 1

Sean John Tuxedo - 2

D Squared

Nautica Suit

Ermenegildo Zegna - Tuxedo/Suit

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You know the places, certainly know the faces. Last night Will Smith and Rosario Dawson were all smiles at the Mann Theater in Los Angeles. The red carpet was rolled out for the premiere of their new film Seven Pounds. Remember that? I wonder what seven pounds refers to. Does it tie into the surprise twist in the movie? If you have any interest in seeing this, you better be in a theater this weekend; once that quirk gets out you’ll find yourself, let’s say week two, watching the credits roll and thinking that was it? Kind of like knowing that Bruce Willis is Casper the Ghost in Sixth Sense or The Village is just off a six lane highway.

With all of Will’s ‘solo’ success it’s good to see that he is still friends with the guy he started in the entertainment game with.. Uh, 90’s babies, that would be Jazzy Jeff.

Carlton was in the house.

In fact, it was almost a Fresh Prince reunion. Hey Tatayna, what’s up with the Buppies distribution? Not for commercial use.. Just Hulu it.

Tyrese was looking fit for Gentlemen’s Quarterly or is that Details?

Speaking of fashion.

Rosario Dawson did that check out the back of my dress thing, and of course..

gave her shoes a close up

Vanessa Williams (the chocolate one) came out to turn heads.

Got mine.

Caught this Muhammad Ali documentary over the weekend, it dealt with his early years, ending just as he embraced the Nation of Islam, ditched the Cassius Clay tag and refused to enter the military. The host’s big question? ‘Will Muhammad Ali become the next Malcolm X?’.. Nope. He would bring Laila Ali to the world. Why did she stop boxing?

Terry Crews and his wife, Rebecca

Taye Diggs and.. *insert suit name here*

Gabrielle Union aka forever solo. She needs a man.. or a friend.

Thought that friend was Sanaa Lathan, but the girl on girl action wasn’t on display. I’m not talking Wanda Sykes, more like fist-bumping road dogs.

Ever wonder who Will Smith would ‘bond’ with if he wasn’t married to Jada Pinkett? Rosario does. 

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