The coveted winner of the “Mercedes-Benz Presents” Designer of the Fall 2012 Season Award is avant-garde, chic designer, Naeem Khan.   He has creatively dressed many a beauty of culture and refinement such as Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Lady Gaga, Penelope Cruz and even First Lady Michelle Obama.  His fashions can be seen in such dazzling hits of the television and movie screen as Sex and the City and Dreamgirls.

It is customary for Mercedes-Benz to select a special designer each season; one that reflects the brand name in the area of high style, quality materials and innovation.  The Mercedes-Benz is a vehicle of class and sophistication fashioned for the customer that knows exactly what they want.  Throughout Fashion Week at Lincoln Center, the 2012 ML63 AMG SUV will be on display along side pieces of Naeem’s collections.

What sets Khan apart from his counterparts is his eye for stunning detail.  His clothing is all embroidered by hand.  With his Indian background, he can easily relate to the cultural appreciation of his own collections.  With his decision to enter into the fashion world, he has followed in the footsteps of his family who also were designers for the royal families.  There was no better mentor than Halston whom he apprenticed for in his teenage days, absorbing and filling himself with much knowledge.

The first Naeem Khan Collection was launched in 2003 and sold at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.  How far he has come and his clothing is sold at over 100 specialty stores across the globe.  In 2008, Khan was inducted as a member of the prestigious Council of Fashion Designers of America.

TIMELESS was one of Khan’s elegant collections made for HSN in October 2009.  Its popularity was evident as the collection was sold out in minutes of hitting the network.  Every woman needs a touch of grace and majesty and these opulent evening gowns hold a magic for each and every customer.  The popularity overcame him and in November 2011, he launched an extension of the TIMELESS Collection, a Tissavel faux fur line with hats, scarves, vests and coats.

You too will fall in love with the collections of Naeem Khan with their eye-catching fabrics, textures, patterns and designs fit for  a woman of grandeur.

The week in review was equally divided between international and national news this past week.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29TH

Heavy fog and unstable driving conditions caused a massive pileup of vehicles on I-75 South of Gainesville in Florida.  Cars and trucks collided as drivers became blinded by smoke and fog in the early morning hours.  There were 18 people hospitalized and at least 10 were killed.  It was an ominous sight and those that made it out were haunted by the cries and screams and the sound of cars crashing.  Six tractor-trailers were involved and some burst into flames.  The Interstate was closed for most of Sunday and the huge accident is under investigation as to whether the brush fire, thought to be the cause, was intentional or not.

MONDAY, JANUARY 30th

To the dismay of Americans, word was released that Freddie Mac invested billions betting that struggling Americans will default on their home loans and won’t be able to refinance their mortgages at today’s lower rates.  That is somewhat ironic since their job is to make home ownership easier.  The company is owned by U.S. taxpayers and overseen by a regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).  Public documents are proof that in the last 2 years, Freddie Mac set out to make gains for its own investment portfolio by using complex mortgage securities that brought in more money for Freddie Mac when homeowners in higher interest rate loans were unable to qualify for refinancing.  It appears to be a conflict of interest as well as Freddie Mac declined to comment.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31st

Unemployment is at an all-time high for the Euro Nations, particularly Greece (19.2%), Cyprus and Spain (22.9%).  EU leaders agree that they must boost economic growth right away.  At the end of December 2011, the unemployment rate was at 10.4%.  This is largely attributed to Europe’s debt crisis.  Both Austria and Germany have a far better story to tell.  Leaders pledged to offer more training for young people to ease their transition into the work force, to deploy unused development funds to create jobs, to reduce barriers to doing business across the EU’s 27 countries and ensure small businesses have access to credit.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1st

Legendary ‘Soul Train’ creator, Don Cornelius, was found dead in his Sherman Oaks, California home with a ‘self-inflicted gunshot wound’.  Many were utterly surprised and in disbelief that he was that despondent to carry out a suicide including his own children.  Cornelius brought talent to the world such as ‘The Jackson Five’ and ‘Patti LaBelle’ and gave widespread exposure to artists such as Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin and James Brown.  His show as one of the longest-running syndicated shows in television history running from 1971 to 2006 and was in close competition with Dick Clark’s ‘American Bandstand’.  In recent years, Cornelius was plagued with many health issues.  The world will surely miss him.  He passed away at 75 years of age.

President Obama announced a proposition to assist responsible homeowners and heal the housing market.  This would save homeowners thousands of dollars by refinancing at a lower interest rate.  The plan is to:

* Provide access to refinancing for all non-GSE borrowers who are current on their payments and meet simple criteria

* Streamline the refinancing process for all GSE borrowers that are current on their loans

* Give borrowers the chance to rebuild equity through refinancing

There is much associated with this plan that will certainly be released in more detail in the coming weeks and months.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2nd

A soccer match turned deadly and went out of control in Egypt as 79 people died in a riot after the game and at least 900 were injured in Cairo.  The soccer violence reignited demands for Egypt’s military-led government to make reforms and improve security in the region.  An emergency parliamentary session was called.  What started as a peaceful and entertaining sports match, turned deadly with chairs and rocks being thrown and knives and sticks being carried by people in the crowd.  As fans tried to flee from the stadium, some were trampled as the escape was blocked by a locked steel gate.

Here at home, Mitt Romney was still exuberant from his big win in Florida as Donald Trump decided to announce that he was endorsing the candidate in Las Vegas just days before that state’s primary election.  Trump was quoted as saying that Romney was tough, smart, sharp and would not allow bad things to happen to this country.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3rd

Egypt is once again thrown into the spotlight as two American tourists were kidnapped by gunmen and then after several hours of tense negotiations, were set free again.  They were swapped for four Bedouins who had been arrested in the Sinai Peninsula earlier.  Both of the captives were women who actually stated that their kidnappers were civil and did not harm them.  This could be viewed as a negative blow to the tourist industry in Egypt as the incident happened in broad daylight on a busy highway.  The two tourists were in a mini-van with their Egyptian guide leaving the peaceful and beautiful St. Catherine’s Monastery.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4th

The week ended on a high note for GOP candidate, Mitt Romney, as he dashed to the finish line with a double-digit margin lead.  Romney has been focusing on the downfall of President Obama as he moves to each new state.  His opponents will not drop out of the race just yet and Newt Gingrich is even more determined for a win now in one of the next states on the agenda.  The next states in line will be Colorado, Minnesota, Missouri and Maine.  Since Nevada is mostly a Mormon state, that worked in Romney’s favor as he is also of the Mormon faith.  He pulled ahead with 48% of the vote with Gingrich taking 23%, Ron Paul taking 19% and Rick Santorum taking 11% of the vote.

Just days after President Obama gave his State of the Union address, the January Employment Update has just been released.

The economy is continuing to head towards recovery at a slow but even pace.  It was noted that the payroll tax cut needs to be extended as well as the continuation of emergency unemployment benefits through the end of 2012.  President Obama proposed additional steps to create an economy built to last during his State of the Union address.

The unemployment rate fell 0.2 percentage points to 8.3 from 10% in October 2009.  The drop during the month is due to employment growth.  The labor force participation rate remained constant once you take new population weights into account. Private sector payrolls increased by 257,000 jobs and overall payroll employment rose by 243,000 jobs in January.  Private sector jobs have been added for 23 straight months now, for a total of 3.7 million payroll jobs over that period.  In the last 12 months, 2.2 million private sector jobs were added on the net.

In December, professional and business service jobs increased by 70,000, manufacturing industry increased by 50,000, leisure and hospitality by 44,000, health care and social assistance industries by 29,700 and construction jobs by 21,000.  Government jobs decreased by 14,000 jobs.

This is an encouraging trend but there is still work to be accomplished on an ongoing basis.  We still have to continue to give Americans job opportunities especially now that our service veterans are back home.

MERCEDES-BENZ FASHION WEEK IS UPON US

We are just days away from what once again promises to be another great season of New York Fashion Week.   On February 9th through February 16th,  well-known and emerging designers will come together across the city and within the Lincoln Center venue to show their Fall/Winter 2012 Collections in front of an audience of buyers, fashion critics, industry professionals, fashion media, celebrities, models and more.

One of the largest sponsors is Mercedes-Benz, thus the very reason it has come to be known as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.  Lincoln Center is transformed into a runway of luxury not only for chic clothing but stylish vehicles are spotlighted under the bright lights in the lobby.  The sporty new SL Roadster will make an appearance along with the racy high-performing ML63 AMG.  Mercedes-Benz kicks off the week with an exclusive ‘invite only’ ‘Fashion’s Night In’ on Thursday, February 9th.  Those guests invited will take part in a Mercedes-Benz DIY style studio to make their own bespoke fashion accessories of luxe vehicle materials.  Hosts of the evening will be Nicola Ehrenberg-Uhlig, Head of Conceptual Design Team Color and Trim for Mercedes-Benz, Erica Domesek of ‘P.S. I made this’ and accessories designer, Paige Novick.  Making a very special appearance will be the “Mercedes-Benz Presents” designer of the Fall 2012 season, Naeem Khan whose show takes place on Tuesday, February 14th in the Theatre.

As is customary, the Mercedes-Benz Style Lounge is the elegant area adorned with artwork where attendees can go to unwind and socialize in a contemporary setting.

DHL is another corporate sponsor with a fashion forward attitude.  This season they are proud to partner with LIM College to help immerse visual merchandising students into the competitive arena of high fashion.  The students design unique couture using DHL packing and shipping materials to style and trim high-gloss abstract fashion mannequins and competing to have their creations showcased at the DHL activation area in the lobby of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center.

American Express is once again sponsoring Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week for the tenth season.  They bring us the cardmember VIP lounge.  This season will be even bigger with American Express sponsoring the Tommy Hilfiger one-of-a-kind command performance of the Spring 2012 Runway Show.  As a special token of their dedication to the fashion world, they are proud to continue their support of emerging designers with a $250,000 donation to the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund (CVFF), a program of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).  In addition, American Express also showcases its support of IMPACT: 50 years of the CFDA-a tribute to the illustrious designs of the CFDA’s numerous members marking the organization’s 50th anniversary in 2012.

Maybelline New York makes their mark on the world of sponsorship.  As the #1 makeup brand worldwide, it is only fitting to have one of the undisputed leaders in the industry be a part of such a large and distinguished event.  They will lead the backstage makeup teams creating exciting new looks from the catwalk all the way to the sidewalk under the creative direction of Maybelline’s Global Makeup Artist, Charlotte Willer, and world-renowned makeup artist, Charlotte Tilbury.  Personalized color consultations and giveaways will take place at specific times.  Women across the globe will be able to share the excitement of the week through live-streaming fashion shows on the YouTube Live from the Runway Channel.  Follow Maybelline New York at www.twitter.com/Maybelline and www.maybelline.tumblr.com.

Hair-care sponsor and #1 styling brand in the United States is TRESemme’.  Stylist Jeanie Syfu will create the trend-setting looks at the Charlotte Ronson, Tracy Reese and Rebecca Minkoff shows.  They will be offering advice on recreating the looks of the shows at www.TRESemme.com.  The TRESemme’ Salon and Lounge will offer guests complimentary dry-styling sessions.  Guests will be able to pose for professional photos and receive free samples of the new Split Remedy Collection, available in stores in March.

W Hotels Worldwide brings us once again their innovative, industry first initiative called Fashion Next, a global platform for rising fashion visionaries.  This season’s picks are Haus Alkire, Suzanne Rae, Bibhu Mohapatra, Nomia and Rochambeau who will unveil their collections over the week.  Throughout the year, exclusive fashion events take place at W Hotels around the world.  W Hotels are located in some of the most exotic locations imaginable.

Corporate giant, Diet Pepsi, also again joins in sponsoring the fashion event.  The Diet Pepsi Refresh Studio, designed by Jonathan Adler, provides guests a place to relax and recharge in the Grand Lobby as well as a central place to catch up on all the week’s shows.  As a special treat, Diet Pepsi with fashion commentator, Simon Doonan, will present a cross-country runway show with looks created by regional American designers on February 9th.  After the show, attendees will have the opportunity to view and interact with the looks at the Refresh Studio during the week.  Follow Diet Pepsi and all the real-time updates at www.facebook.com/dietpepsi.

The official snack of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week are Fiber One bars and brownies.  So good and good for you.  Now through March 31st, 2012, all fashionistas should visit www.fiberone.com to enter the Great Taste Giveaway for the chance to win Fiber One Bars or Brownies or one of 100  $500 gift cards for a designer handbag of their choice.  Check out Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at www.facebook.com/FiberOne.

The inaugural and official trend sponsor of the season is WGSN (www.wgsn.com).    WGSN can boast they are the world’s foremost provider of strategic, creative and business intelligence for the apparel, style, design and retail industries.  They will feature every show that takes place at Lincoln Center at WGSN.com.  Expert trend analysts, Maren Hartman and Sally Lohan, will be on-site compiling and reporting key trends as they happen.  They will treat visitors to the recently launched Vogue archive, a compilation of every issue of American Vogue from 1892 to today.  Visit www.wgsn.com/mbfw  during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and register for a free Spring/Summer ’13 Key Items Report.  Check out their blog at http://www.wgsn.tumblr.com.

ideeli is the unique sponsor of this event.

 ideeli (www.ideeli.com), the online retailer specializing in limited-time sales, will bring the excitement of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week to its 5 million members by providing incredible “front row” access to the shows at Lincoln Center through:

• A week long Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week online “shop in shop” featuring curated daily sales from designers including BCBGMAXAZRIA, Candela, Joseph Abboud, Nicole Miller, Custo Barcelona, Tommy Hilfiger, Vivienne Tam, L.A.M.B, Tadashi Shoji, Betsey Johnson, Badgley Mischka, Calvin Klein and more.
• The launch of “The Buzz” (www.ideeli.com/thebuzz) – ideeli’s all-encompassing social style hub with live streaming runway shows, special sales and giveaways, as well as exclusive ideeli content featuring interviews and tips on how to rock the trends seen on the runway.

The New York Times is right there from the very beginning.  They offer editorials and digital spreads on design collections at www.nytimes.com/fashion.  The Collection is a new app from The New York Times, a way for tablet readers to experience the coverage from The Times.  All kinds of interesting and informative presentations are part of this innovation geared towards getting the word out to stylish readers who want to stay on the front lines.  You will also get to see backstage and party photos.  Get updates every hour every day and On The Runway: www.runway.blogs.nytimes.com and The Moment: www.tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com.

Sherry-Lehmann Wine and Spirits will be on hand and in addition to The New York Times, Women’s Wear Daily and Getty Images will have you covered.

In 8 days, over 90 designers will showcase their Fall/Winter 2012 Collections and over 100,000 guests will through the doors of the posh Lincoln Center.  We are looking forward to this very special and magical event.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is an IMG-Event.

Popular actress and mother of two, Jessica Alba, has been spotted on the fashion scene on the West Coast, on the East Coast and in between.  She sets the trends that are worn across the United States and her picture is seen in almost every magazine these days.

Now Jessica is moving into a whole new realm.  She has always been passionate about maintaining an eco-friendly lifestyle and now she has launched Honest.com, an e-commerce company named after her 3 year-old daughter Honor.  For a monthly subscription, you can buy eco-friendly and toxic-free baby products and household items.

Since the birth of her daughters, Alba has been more aware of the ingredients that make up the products that end up touching her children.  She thought about how she could affect the situation so she would feel comfortable with her choices and ended up partnering with author and environmentalist Christopher Gavigan, ShoeDazzle founder Brian Lee and PriceGrabber.com executive Sean Kane.

It was a venture well worth the work involved but has been a long and arduous path over a period of three years.  Much went into the packaging, bottles, the product itself and the interfacing to the website.

This is how the process works.  Consumers sign up on www.honest.com and choose the subscription package that fits their needs from diapers to shampoo to laundry detergent.  Then the products are delivered right to the consumer’s door.  Based on the feedback that Jessica receives from her customers, she will grow and improve her company.

Alba is a huge advocate for safe toxic-free products.  Recently she drummed up support for the proposed Safe Chemicals Act, an act requiring the testing of products for chemicals before they are sold to the public.  Not only that, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would also have to test existing products.  Some say this may be an unachievable goal but Jessica Alba puts her belief behind it.

Great work Jessica! Her line is sure to become a big success!

Celine Dion – ONSTAGE JANUARY 28, 2012 at the Air Jamaica JAZZ AND BLUES 2012

Jamaica Jazz and Blues 2012 Marcia Griffiths and George Nooks

Celine Dion in JAMAICA , at Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival

Have you had enough of the winter blues?  Are you ready to escape to the world of sunny skies and clear blue seas?

There are so many different destinations that hold the key to a vacation of a lifetime.

The TAKA is a luxurious live aboard boat that spoils you by granting your dive wishes off the Great Barrier Reef of Australia.  They have been treating travelers for over 18 years to the most remote regions of Australia’s Northern Great Barrier Reef including the exceptional Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea.  Experience the Marine Park and dive among some of the most fascinating marine life and colorful corals in the world.  See the majestic grey reef, black tip reef, white tip reef, Wobbegong, Epaulette and large Oceanic Silver Tip sharks.  If you plan your trip between June and August, you might have the unusual opportunity to swim amongst the commanding Minke Whales.

What could be better than chartering your own diving catamaran?  It is your very own private charter and a week filled with scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing and adventure.  The 65′ Cat Ppalu sets sail from glorious Nassau to the relaxing Exuma Islands.  There is no keeping track of time.  Each day you set your own schedules to the sounds of the soaring pelican in the cloudless sky.  Imagine it is your own floating bed and breakfast.  Take part in an open bar with all the beverages and food included in the package price.  Dive remote walls, wrecks and even be adventurous and dive with sharks.  The water is clear and pristine and draws you in for a refreshing dip or dive.

Head over to the Cayman Islands and celebrate the 1st anniversary of the sinking of the USS Kittiwake and see for yourself all the resident sea life that now call this sunken vessel their home.  Take a peek at the horse-eye jack and the tiger grouper.  The water is a comfortable 80 degrees with 100′ visibility.  It has been called the #1 Best Destination Overall in the Atlantic and Caribbean in Scuba Diving’s 2012 Top 100 Reader’s Choice Awards.

Discover Dominica known as ‘Nature Island’.  It’s a diver’s dream and a hiker’s paradise.  Experience volcanic peaks, boiling waters, underwater champagne springs, sparkling waterfalls, rushing streams and rainforest canopies.  Let the evening overtake you to the beat of the Calypso steel band.  This tropical island is considered one of the top ten dive destinations in the world.  See volcanic craters and capture the underwater world on film.  You couldn’t ask for any more splendid beauty.

Santa Lucia is another dream destination sure to leave you in awe.  There are 22 prime dive sites with walls, reefs, wrecks and swim-troughs.  Breathtaking scenery captivates the imagination.  Superman’s Flight was named after a scene in Superman II, which has the hero flying between Santa Lucia’s landmark mountains and down the cliff of Petit Piton.  Drift diving dazzles.  The Key Hole Pinnacle has been voted one of the ’10 Best Dive Sites’ by Caribbean Travel and Life.  Tons of fish create a mysterious world of exploration.  If this is meant to be a family vacation, plan to go zip-lining, sightseeing or even take an ATV tour.

For all you fashionistas of the sea, look out for the distinguished decorator or dresser crab as you enjoy your dive vacation of choice.  These crabs are covered in tiny bristles that act like Velcro for any objects they see as appropriate.  They camouflage themselves on any candidates on the seafloor that they come across.  It could be bits of seaweed, coral polyps or even anemones.  Interestingly enough, when it is time to molt, the decorator crab will remove its coverings from its former shell and place them on its new one.  You might say it has ‘refined taste’.

Hopefully by now I have your curiosity at its peak and your interests at their highest level.  Get ready to leave the cold weather behind and slip into a vacation paradise of your choice.

With the kick-off of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week on February 9th, there are many exciting events taking place in New York City to usher in a new season.

Get a glimpse into the world of one of the most classic designers of all time, Tommy Hilfiger.  On Thursday, February 16th at 6:30 P.M., fashion will come alive with the ‘Tommy Hilfiger American Express Cardmember-Only Runway Show‘.

This fashion and music runway extravaganza will introduce guests to Hilfiger’s Spring 2012 Campaign and ‘The Hilfigers’ – the all-American eclectic family on a camping adventure.  Adding to the sublime will be the chart-topping band, Cobra Starship, who will perform for the first time at Lincoln Center.  The band has skyrocketed to the top of the charts with such great hits as “Good Girls Go Bad” featuring none other than Gossip Girl’s own Leighton Meester and the band’s most recent hit single, “You Make Me Feel”.

As Gabe Saporta, Cobra Starship Frontman was quoted as saying, “Personal style and individuality really influenced our group as a whole since we came together in 2005″. “Our band name actually came from an old, vintage leather jacket I had, so I guess you could say that a piece of fashion has been and will always be with us.”

The evening will bring the versatile fashions of Tommy Hilfiger to the runway in khaki jackets and pants, versatile vests, tailored shirts, scarves to accessorize and so much more.  Denim even makes an appearance.  Pre-cocktails will be offered at 6:30 P.M. to set the stage and provide the perfect atmosphere.

Tickets can be purchased online at americanexpress.com/entertainment or at LincolnCenter.org or by calling (212) 721-6500. Purchasing a ticket will entitle you to receive a $100 voucher for use at select Tommy Hilfiger locations.  Terms and conditions apply.

This certainly promises to be a most memorable evening and a chance to be part of a most unique experience.

Mitt Romney was the clear-cut winner in a definite 2 man race in Florida.

He defeated Newt Gingrich 46% to 32%.  Florida is largely a Republican state and each candidate made their way through parts of the state last week.  Romney had the majority of the Hispanic vote due in part to endorsement by Hispanic leaders.  Since Romney has won all 50 Florida delegates, that makes him the GOP front-runner but it will be a fight to the finish line.  Super Tuesday is fast approaching on March 6th when 10 states will hold their primaries.

Since Florida is such a large state, it was difficult for the candidates to campaign throughout the entire state, therefore, ads played a large part in the voters decision.  There was much in the way of vicious personal attacks between Romney and Gingrich, sometimes to the point of turning voters off.  Though Democrats may use this as ammunition later, Romney is quoted as saying, “A competitive primary does not divide us, it prepares us and we will win”.  Gingrich did not offer any congratulations at the end of the evening but instead will continue the fight to the end.

Rick Santorum and Ron Paul still remain in the race and have been campaigning out west and in Maine in preparation for the Nevada and Maine primaries.

No candidates hold more than 10% of the 1,144 delegates which are needed to win the nomination in August.

Now Romney and Gingrich are heading out of the Sunshine State and focusing on Minnesota and Nevada who are the next states to hold their primaries.  It is a tough campaign trail ahead.

We are moving into a brand new week and here is a recap of last week’s most newsworthy events.

On Monday, January 23rd, the Iranian Government made it quite clear that the Strait of Hormuz would be closed to waterway traffic if the sale of Iranian oil is violated in any way.  This means that the United States will not be able to open the route and a warning was issued to the U.S. not to attempt “military adventurism”.  It was a threat that certainly may become a reality.  This was prompted by an action of the EU Nations which agreed in Brussels on an oil embargo against Iran partly because of sanctions over Iran’s controversial nuclear program.  Iran is the 2nd largest producer of oil in OPEC.  Israel and the United States have been monitoring Iran’s nuclear program and it has been said that Iran will have 20% of concentration of enriched uranium by next month.  The tension continues to build but it has been said that Iran is trying to ease those tensions.

All you gambling fanatics, you may not have to leave your home in order to play the lottery.  Several states such as Illinois and New York are getting one step closer to offering lotteries on the Internet.  The 1961 Wire Act needed clarification and it was determined that only betting on sports was prohibited online.  With over 44 lotteries across the country, all are looking at the possibility of going online.  This could draw in more revenue and begs states to question whether they could also offer other games such as online poker.  Not everyone is excited about this new opportunity.  There are a few that feel this would create bankruptcies, crime and make gambling addiction become more plentiful.  There will need to be regulatory reforms put into place.  However great as this sounds, there are some people that enjoy the social atmosphere of actually going to the casino to do their gambling.

All households across the United States were anxiously awaiting the President’s State of the Union address last week.  The President recognized all the accomplishments of the past year, the issues he will concentrate on for the year ahead and what we can do as Americans to help make these goals a reality.  His focus will be on bringing jobs back to our country and restructuring the tax code.  Carrying out his promises will definitely be key in getting reelected later this year.

A bit of good news received accolades on January 24th as U.S. Navy SEALS in the dark of night parachuted in on Somalian Pirates and freed an American woman, Jessica Buchanan (32) and a Danish man, Poul Hagen Thisted (60) who were aid workers being held captive since October of 2011.  Nine pirates were killed in the raid.  The two hostages were working in Northern Somalia for the Danish Demining Group.  Their families were so thrilled to hear of their release and were eagerly awaiting their return.  There are still a number of people being held by Somalian Pirates including an American journalist taken last Saturday.

Is that rumor true?  It has been confirmed that U.S. Airways may try and merge with the airline heading for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, American Airlines.  U.S. Airways CEO, Doug Parker, announced that they have hired Millstein & Co., a restructuring firm, Barclay’s P.L.C. Banking and Financial services and the Latham & Watkins L.L.P. law firm to analyze a merger attempt.  This came on the heels of the fourth-quarter and 2011 earnings results.  U.S. Airways is not the only airline seeking an acquisition.  Delta Airlines has shown interest in acquiring U.S. Airways.

Facebook is becoming ever so popular these days.  We are awaiting the announcement of the big IPO.  It was reported that Facebook is expected to file a form S-1 with the SEC later this week.  Having to report company revenue and profits, the value is expected to be between $75 and $100 billion.  This is one of the steps that must be completed in order to trade publicly.  This will be the IPO Event of the year but will possibly not become a full-fledged reality until May.  It will make Facebook one of the largest Internet companies and possibly even make history.  This will give the company access to new cash and give it the advantage to use the value of its stock to acquire other companies and have the ability to reward its 3,000 employees.  Let’s see what this week brings.

News is constantly in the making and we will continue to bring you recaps each week.

This marks the 99th year as we celebrate USA Track and Field’s 2012 Visa Championship Series.

The victorious winners of the evening seemed to be the athletes of the United States  and Jamaica who were shining in many of the major competitions.  Some of those winners include Lolo Jones, Terrence Trammell ,Ryan Whiting, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Asafa Powell.

Jones beat a deep field in the 50-meter hurdles in the U.S. Open at Madison Square Garden. She finished in 6.78 seconds to hold off Britain’s Tiffany Porter.

“I was such a mental mess the night before,” she said. “Just thinking, ‘Am I healed from surgery? Am I fit? Am I in shape?’ Just to have this one under my belt and with such a tough field — it’s just a sigh of relief that all that hard work paid off.”

The heavy favorite in the 100 hurdles at the 2008 Olympics, Jones clipped the ninth hurdle, shattering her gold medal hopes in an instant. Before she could even dream about redemption at this summer’s London Games, she had to get back on the track. The 29-year-old Jones had surgery in August to fix a tethered spinal cord.

In the first few months afterward, when various parts of her body would hurt, Jones would “freak out” and fret to her doctor: “The surgery didn’t work. My career is ruined.”

“Typical athlete,” she said. “But he’s just like, ‘Calm down. Your body’s adjusting.’ And sure enough, after a week, things would go back to normal.”

The Jamaicans swept the 50 dashes in a customary show of strength. Former 100 world-record holder Asafa Powell edged countryman Nesta Carter in the men’s race, winning in 5.64 seconds.

This is the first time since 2004 that Powell has raced indoors, as he tries a different approach after years of disappointments at major championships. Always a fast starter, Powell was right at home at the especially short distance, 10 meters less than the normal indoor 60.

“As soon as I got out of the starting block, the race was over,” he said.

Veronica Campbell-Brown easily won the women’s 50 in 6.08 seconds. She is seeking to become the first woman to win three straight Olympic gold medals in the 200.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” Campbell-Brown said of Saturday’s victory. “Each race is preparation for what is to come this summer.”

Earlier, 22-year-old Silas Kiplagat showed he had learned well from 37-year-old Bernard Lagat. The Kenyan won the mile, beating the man who had dominated at that distance in the Garden.

Kiplagat, the silver medalist in the 1,500 last summer in the world championships, overtook the American with just under a lap to go and won in 4:00.65. Lagat was 0.27 seconds back.

Lagat won the Wanamaker Mile in the Millrose Games at the Garden a record eight times before finishing second last year. The 2007 world champion in the 1,500, the Kenyan-born Lagat now focuses on the 5,000.

“I feel like I was strong the entire way. The thing I take from this is I’m really ready now” to train to run a fast 5,000, Lagat said.

Kiplagat and other young Kenyan runners were in elementary school when Lagat won his first Olympic medal in 2000 and still look up to him. So Kiplagat was grateful for tactical advice Lagat gave him before the world meet in South Korea.

The Millrose Games moved uptown to the Armory after nearly a century at the Garden, with the USA Track & Field-sponsored Open taking over the space.

Reigning world champion Jesse Williams of the United States won the high jump in 7 feet, 6 inches. American Terrence Trammell, a two-time Olympic silver medalist, won the men’s 50 hurdles. Ryan Whiting of the U.S. was first in the shot put with a throw of 69-5¼.

To see all the results of the U.S. Open go to:

http://usopen.usatf.org/Results.aspx

If you missed the event last night, it will be broadcast on ESPN2 tonight, January 29th from 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.

As Jason Wu fans and followers await the big day when Jason’s new and exciting line will be available to the public, the party took to Hudson Street in Soho for the big launch this past week.

On Thursday evening, January 26th, the Red Carpet was rolled out and the street was totally transformed into a charming Parisian playland.  Between those delectable French macaroons and the high-energy performance of one of the most sought-after French bands, Yelle, the attendees were kicking up their heels all night long.  Yelle was quite the diva herself decked out in fringed black leather.

Looking lovely and ready to celebrate were model turned actress, Jamie King, the ‘CW’s Successful Gossip Girl’ Blake Lively and talented actress Chloe Moretz.   The designer was just as thrilled to see his guests as they were to see him.  Lively and Moretz were wearing Wu cream-and-noir combos befitting for the occasion.  So many people love Jason Wu’s designs and he sums up his collections with one sentence, “It’s about knowing who you are”.  He has a sense of enthusiasm that keeps them coming back for more.

Also in attendance were Emmy Rossum, Gail Simmons, Kelly Bensimon, Shanina Shalk, Harley Viera-Newton and Mia Moretti.  Models gave guests a sneak peak into this latest collection for the majority of the evening.  These days Jason Wu is much about work and little about play.  He has long days of fittings that keep him going from the early morning hours to late in the day.

Those that came out to celebrate did some shopping and braved the crowds of long lines to the check-out counter.  They all shared in cocktails and caviar, sugared apricots and petite pies.  As the night began to wind down, the crowd also been to thin out.  Most all walked away satisfied customers who had enjoyed a perfect evening.

Jason Wu’s new line for Target, ‘The Mischief Is In The Details”, will be available in stores and online on February 5th for a limited time.  With fresh spring dresses, pleats and ribbons, the nautical stripes of the full skirt and accessories to match, you simply can’t go wrong.  What makes it even better is the very affordable price tag.

Now every woman can be a Jason Wu fashionista!

http://www.target.com/c/brand-shop-Jason-Wu-for-Target/-/N-56hts 

The influence of fashion on many industries is very apparent.  Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week brings together designers from around the globe all creative in their own right and giving us a sense of style for the seasons.  With the next New York Fashion Week less than 2 weeks away, designers are gearing up to unveil their newest Fall/Winter 2012 Collections.

But this is not the only task keeping them busy these days.  The year has started off with multiple awards events and more to come.  Designers eagerly look forward to the opportunity to have pieces from their collections worn by celebrity beauties on the Red Carpet.  The world becomes their audience, their critics, their admirers.

It’s no wonder that glamorous designer, Jenny Packham, is an all-time favorite of many popular actresses.  Her clothes make every woman feel extra special as they slip into gowns of sequined intricacy made from rich fabrics of silk and satin.  Vanessa Hudgens amazed fans at The People’s Choice Awards this month in a Jenny Packham black and gold low cut halter gown with train and seductive slit up the middle.

Kate Winslet took us back to the era of Audrey Hepburn in her black and white Jenny Packham satin gown which was simple yet most flattering for the Golden Globe Awards.

A sophisticated designer who knows how to bring out the curves of the body is designer Monique Lhuillier.  She knows how to give fans a dramatic look with lace and glittering tulle and evening gowns are definitely her specialty.

Sarah Michelle Gellar took to the Golden Globe Red Carpet in a strapless blue and white full skirted gown by Monique Lhuillier which was a perfect fit for the occasion.

The yellow strapless Monique Lhuillier mermaid gown with ruffled bottom was extremely complimentary to Paula Patton as her dress of choice at The Golden Globe Awards.

Debra Messing took to the Red Carpet in a one-shouldered brown Monique Lhuillier gown and looking picturesque.

Each season, talented designer Tadashi Shoji, attracts a larger customer base with luxury beyond belief.  He turns women into fairy princesses with dresses of dreamy fabrics and draping that only Tadashi can master.

This year for The Golden Globe Awards, he dressed Octavia Spencer, a newcomer to the flashy Red Carpet but she looked outstanding in a pale purple v-neck gown with diamond closure.

J. Mendel is the King of Ready-To-Wear with flowing creations and a mix of solids and patterns, fabrics and fur.  It’s apparent that he knows what a woman wants in her wardrobe.

Claire Danes has grown into a stunning beauty and J.Mendel brought out her beautiful features on The Golden Globe Red Carpet in a black and white striking gown with open back.

Regal designer, Reem Acra, has a sense of royal splendour and a unique fashion style.  She was one of the designer names that we saw over and over, first at The People’s Choice Awards and then at The Golden Globe Awards.

Canadian actress, Cobie Smulders, chose a strapless knee-length Reem Acra dress in a captivating blue.

Julie Bowen was a princess in a pale peach Reem Acra gown with bell sleeves.  Madonna chose Reem Acra metallic and black with ruffles of a different sort that gave the dress a most gorgeous appearance.

A designer with class and worldly appeal, Michael Kors, reaches out to the women who want to be noticed.  With a long list of awards to his credit, he continues to please with his elegant designs.

Mary J. Blige was dazzling in a Kors original halter top glittering, form-fitting gown, finished off with feathers at the bottom.

She carried a clutch to match the gown.  It was certainly a fine representation of a world-class designer.

A very versatile designer, Vera Wang, has entered all aspects of the fashion world with a sense of excitement and exquisite design.  Daring to make a statement, her clothes attract in a celestial sort of way.  She dressed sizzling sexy star, Sofia Vergara, in a deep blue strapless embellished gown showing off her curves in a spectacular way.

Also spotted in a Vera Wang gown was Glee star, Naya Rivera.

Another favorite of the fashion world is native New Yorker, Donna Karan.  Her feminine instincts have made her an immediate success with two outstanding lines, DKNY and Donna Karan New York.

She too can credit many awards to her name and collections that exude beauty at its best.  At The People’s Choice Awards, lovely Ashley Greene turned heads in a black Donna Karan leather dress with lace turtleneck.

American Idol star, Katherine McPhee, decided  on Donna Karan to shimmer on The Golden Globe Red Carpet in a pale exquisite dress that complimented her flattering figure.

The designers that put the ‘C’ in Couture are definitely Badgley Mischka.  Their alluring sense of style enthralls the women of the world and captures the heart of many a suitor.  Make no mistake that their clothes are one-of-a-kind and give the woman grace and stature.

Kaley Cuoco was shining as she walked The People’s Choice Red Carpet in a Badgley Mischka gorgeous gown with just the right amount of embellishment.

We have much to look forward to as the Oscars approach and Mercedes-Benz Fall/Winter 2012 New York Fashion Week is upon us.  These fabulous designers continue to make our world a more beautiful place.

Entry is open until Sunday, February 5th.  Submit a 3 minute video to redcarpetjournalist.com to showcase your interviewing skills and prove that you deserve to represent all the future broadcast journalists at the prestigious Oscar Awards.  Teams should be comprised of one reporter, one producer and one videographer.  Sixteen finalist teams will be chosen with two teams from Chicago, Fresno, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Raleigh and San Francisco (ABC-Owned Television Station Markets).  The winners will be chosen by an expert panel of judges from The Academy and KABC-TV.

The winning team will ultimately be flown to Los Angeles and participate in all the great events associated with the Oscars – Animated Feature Symposium, Foreign Language Film Award Press Event, Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Symposium and the Governor’s Ball Preview.  The memories will continue with reporting live ‘On The Red Carpet At The Oscars’ pre-show (1:30 PM – 4:00 PM PT)

For complete contest rules and online entry form, go to REPORTING ON THE RED CARPET

GOOD LUCK!

The President welcomes the 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins to the White House.

Beverly Hills, CA – Nominations for  the 84th Academy Awards were announced today (Tuesday, January 24) by Academy  of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak and 2010 Oscar® nominee  Jennifer Lawrence.

Sherak and Lawrence,  who was nominated for an Academy Award® for her lead performance in “Winter’s Bone,” announced  the nominees in 10 of the 24 Award categories at a 5:38 a.m. PT live news  conference attended by more than 400 international media representatives. Lists  of nominations in all categories were then distributed to the media in  attendance and online via the official Academy Awards website, www.oscar.com.

Academy  members from each of the branches vote to determine the nominees in their  respective categories – actors nominate actors, film editors nominate film editors,  etc. In the Animated Feature Film and Foreign Language Film categories,  nominations are selected by vote of multi-branch screening committees. All  voting members are eligible to select the Best Picture nominees.

Nominations ballots were  mailed to the 5,783 voting members in late December and were returned directly  to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the international accounting firm, for  tabulation.

Official  screenings of all motion pictures with one or more nominations will begin for  members this weekend at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Screenings also  will be held at the Academy’s Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood and in London,  New York and the San Francisco Bay Area.

All active and life members of the Academy are eligible to select the  winners in all categories, although in five of them – Animated Short Film, Live  Action Short Film, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject and Foreign  Language Film – members can vote only if they have seen all of the nominated  films in those categories.

Academy  Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February  26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC  Television Network beginning at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET. The Oscar presentation  also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

Nominations for the 84th Academy Awards

Actor in a Leading Role Demián Bichir in  “A Better Life” George Clooney in  “The Descendants” Jean Dujardin in  “The Artist”  Gary Oldman in “Tinker  Tailor Soldier Spy” Brad Pitt in “Moneyball”

Actor in a Supporting Role Kenneth Branagh in “My Week with  Marilyn” Jonah Hill in “Moneyball” Nick Nolte in “Warrior” Christopher Plummer in “Beginners” Max von Sydow in “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”

Actress in a Leading Role Glenn Close in “Albert Nobbs” Viola Davis in “The Help” Rooney Mara in  “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Meryl Streep in “The Iron Lady” Michelle Williams in “My Week with Marilyn”

Actress in a Supporting Role Bérénice Bejo in “The  Artist” Jessica Chastain in “The Help” Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids” Janet McTeer in “Albert Nobbs” Octavia Spencer in  “The Help”

Animated Feature Film “A Cat in Paris” Alain  Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli “Chico &  Rita” Fernando  Trueba and Javier Mariscal “Kung Fu Panda 2″ Jennifer  Yuh Nelson “Puss in  Boots” Chris  Miller “Rango” Gore  Verbinski

Art Direction “The  Artist” Production  Design: Laurence Bennett; Set  Decoration: Robert Gould “Harry  Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″ Production  Design: Stuart  Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie  McMillan “Hugo” Production  Design: Dante Ferretti; Set  Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo “Midnight in Paris” Production  Design: Anne Seibel; Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil “War Horse” Production  Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

Cinematography “The Artist” Guillaume Schiffman “The  Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Jeff Cronenweth “Hugo” Robert Richardson “The Tree of Life” Emmanuel Lubezki “War Horse” Janusz Kaminski

Costume Design “Anonymous” Lisy Christl “The Artist” Mark Bridges “Hugo” Sandy Powell “Jane Eyre” Michael O’Connor “W.E.” Arianne Phillips

Directing “The Artist” Michel Hazanavicius “The Descendants” Alexander Payne “Hugo” Martin Scorsese “Midnight in Paris” Woody Allen “The Tree of Life” Terrence Malick

Documentary (Feature) “Hell  and Back Again” Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner “If a  Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front” Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman “Paradise  Lost 3: Purgatory” Charles  Ferguson and Audrey Marrs “Pina” Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel “Undefeated” TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas

Documentary (Short Subject) “The  Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement” Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin “God Is  the Bigger Elvis” Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson “Incident  in New Baghdad”James Spione “Saving  Face” Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy “The  Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom” Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen

Film Editing “The Artist” Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius “The Descendants” Kevin Tent “The  Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall “Hugo” Thelma Schoonmaker “Moneyball” Christopher Tellefsen

Foreign Language Film “Bullhead” Belgium “Footnote” Israel “In Darkness” Poland “Monsieur  Lazhar” Canada “A Separation” Iran

Makeup “Albert  Nobbs” Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle “Harry  Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″ Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng “The Iron Lady” Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

Music (Original Score) “The  Adventures of Tintin” John Williams “The Artist” Ludovic Bource “Hugo” Howard Shore “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” Alberto Iglesias “War Horse” John Williams

Music (Original Song) “Man or Muppet” from “The Muppets” Music and  Lyric by Bret McKenzie “Real in Rio” from “Rio” Music by Sergio  Mendes and Carlinhos Brown Lyric  by Siedah Garrett

Best Picture “The Artist” Thomas Langmann, Producer “The Descendants” Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” Scott Rudin, Producer “The Help” Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers “Hugo” Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers “Midnight in Paris” Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers “Moneyball” Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers “The Tree of Life” Nominees to be determined “War Horse” Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

Short Film (Animated) “Dimanche/Sunday” Patrick Doyon “The Fantastic  Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg “La Luna” Enrico Casarosa “A Morning Stroll” Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe “Wild Life” Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

Short Film (Live Action) “Pentecost” Peter McDonald and Eimear O’Kane “Raju” Max Zähle  and Stefan Gieren “The Shore” Terry George and Oorlagh George “Time Freak” Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey “Tuba Atlantic” Hallvar Witzø

Sound Editing “Drive” Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis “The  Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Ren Klyce “Hugo” Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty “Transformers:  Dark of the Moon” Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl “War Horse” Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

Sound Mixing “The  Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson “Hugo” Tom Fleischman and John Midgley “Moneyball” Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick “Transformers:  Dark of the Moon” Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and  Peter J. Devlin “War  Horse” Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart  Wilson

Visual Effects “Harry  Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″ Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson “Hugo” Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning “Real Steel” Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel  Barrett “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

Writing (Adapted Screenplay) “The Descendants” Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim  Rash “Hugo” Screenplay by John Logan “The Ides of March” Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau  Willimon “Moneyball” Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Story by Stan Chervin “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” Screenplay by Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan

Writing (Original Screenplay) “The Artist” Written by Michel Hazanavicius “Bridesmaids” Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig “Margin Call” Written by J.C. Chandor “Midnight in Paris” Written by Woody Allen “A Separation” Written by Asghar Farhadi

ABOUT THE ACADEMY         The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

GOP CANDIDATES ON TO THE SUNSHINE STATE

The GOP Candidates are making their mark on the Sunshine State in preparation for the January 31st primary election.

The candidates that remain seem to be feeling the tension with accusations flying as the debates get under way in Florida.

It was recently determined that Rick Santorum was the victor in the Iowa Caucus by 34 votes.  After Iowa, we were on to New Hampshire where Mitt Romney was the clear winner.  His confidence level was high going into the next primary but Newt Gingrich easily slid out in front in the South Carolina race.

Tampa, Florida was the recent location for the latest debate sponsored by NBC News, The National Journal and Tampa Bay Times.  Mitt Romney focused on Gingrich’s record as House Speaker and accused him of lobbying after his term in government.  He called him an ‘influence peddler’ for Federal Mortgage insurer, Freddie Mac, while being paid a hefty sum of money ($1.5 million) while acting as consultant.  At this very same time, the American people were suffering during the housing crisis.  On the other hand, Romney has been in the hot seat with his evasive response to releasing his tax forms.  However, on Sunday he said that he will release his 2010 tax return on Tuesday as well as an estimate of his 2011 tax liability.

Also engaging in the debate was Pennsylvania Senator, Rick Santorum and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas.  Romney and Gingrich agree that a military response is the best course of action against Iranian effort to block the Strait of Hormuz.  Paul prefers to reduce the U.S. Military presence around the world.  He is in favor of opening relations with Cuba while Gingrich is of the opinion that the Cuban government should be overthrown.

Since the U.S. Space Program is near and dear to the hearts of Florida voters, Gingrich and Romney were in agreement that with commercial investment, the Space Program could get the boost it needs.

Florida is largely Republican and each candidate is vying for these important votes.  Early voting began last Saturday and 53,000 ballots have been cast with 180,000 absentee ballots filled out and returned.

Nationally, Mitt Romney holds a slight marginal lead of 29%, Newt Gingrich is at 28%, Ron Paul coming in third at 13% and Rick Santorum finishing last with 11% of the vote.

IN THE NEWS – WEEK OF JANUARY 15th

There was a wide range of newsworthy items that took center stage the week of January 15th.

Of course, the week began with a more detailed timeline of events unfolding on the doomed Italian cruise ship.  Tapes were released of conversation between the Captain and the Coast Guard.  The incident is still under investigation but a woman said to have had dinner at the Captain’s table also stood behind his actions.  The possibility exists that unregistered passengers were on board making it difficult to determine the true count of the missing.  At this time, it stands at 20.  The dead is up to 12; 4 French, 1 Italian, 1 Hungarian, 1 German, 1 Spanish National and 4 unidentified bodies (1 female and 3 males).

Martin Luther King Day was celebrated across the nation on the 16th.  The new Memorial erected in Washington, DC, was certainly a way to unite in memory of the civil rights leader.  The President and his family took part in a volunteer project at Browne Education Center in Washington.  This was an appropriate way to honor a great man.

We are all very familiar with Yahoo!.  However, what some may not be aware of is that the Internet Company’s Asian assets have been struggling for quite some time.  Yahoo! co-founder, Jerry Yang, decided to resign as Director and from the boards of Yahoo! Japan and Alibaba Group after being a large part of the start-up company back in 1995.  It was a bittersweet ending culminating years of exciting and rewarding experiences.  Stock shares climbed a bit on announcement of the news.  Just weeks ago, Scott Thompson from Ebay’s PayPal unit, was appointed as Yahoo!’s CEO and this comes right on the heels of that transition.

Another established company has been a victim of the tough economic times.  Eastman Kodak and imaging went hand in hand for decades.  The 130-year-old company filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.  While in bankruptcy, the company is expected to continue to try to auction off a lucrative portfolio of 1,100 patents with the possibility of a $3 Billion worth.  Although the company has been trimming staff and cutting costs over the last few years, this will allow them to emerge leaner and they may focus on becoming the leader in their industry again.

APPLE is at it again.  On January 19th, the innovative leader announced iBooks2 for iPad.  The future has arrived and textbooks are now interactive and will promise to make learning more fun.  Diagrams, photos and videos make it exciting to go to school.  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and McGraw-Hill are all on the iBookstore with prices of $14.99 or less.  If you have a Mac, you can even create your own iBook textbooks.  APPLE is stepping out to revolutionize the education world and make learning loads of fun.

One of the most controversial items of the week was the cancellation of the Keystone XL Pipeline deal.  The proposal would have transported a low grade Canadian pseudo oil all the way from an Alberta province to Houston, Texas.  Because of the route going from Canadian soil to US soil over 1700 miles, it required Presidential approval.  There were many red flags which would have worked negatively against farmers and environmentalists.  Republicans tried to sell the Pipeline through conveying the advantages as they saw them; creation of many more jobs and less reliance on the Middle Eastern oil market.  Both were not truthful.  Friction was created between Republicans and the President.  The President denied moving forward with the initiative and laid the blame back on Congress.  If adopted, this would have endangered the health and safety of the American people and more importantly, the environment.

As the week came to a close and another week was ready to begin, two announcements were revealed that had a large impact on the public.

Joe Paterno, famed Penn State Coach, succumbed to lung cancer at the age of 85.  For almost half a century, college football was his life and it was evident in the success of his team.  The last few months of his life were full of turmoil and heartbreak involving his cover-up of child molestation charges by his assistant, Jerry Sandusky.  He was a legend in his time and loved by all that came in contact with him.  Paterno took his team to the Orange Bowl and claimed victory.  Recently he had spoken to the media to clear the air.  He will be missed by all and many have gone to pay tribute to him and set up memorials with candles and flowers in order to pay their respects.

A year has gone by since the dreadful shooting in an outside Arizona shopping mall where Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot and wounded.  It is a miracle just how far she has come.  She realizes the important topics in Arizona are jobs, border security and veterans and in order to accomplish the goals, everyone must work together.  Giffords is so very thankful for the outpouring of support and prayers that her constituents have shown.  In order to focus on her total recovery, she has made a decision to step down from office in order to do what is best for Arizona.

We now begin a new week with more news unfolding each day.  We look forward to bringing you more informative news next week.

Angelina Jolie puts her heart and soul into every acting role that she undertakes and every performance that she gives.  She has taken on some very difficult and controversial roles throughout her career and they have paid off with big rewards.  Jolie has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and three Golden Globe Awards.

Jolie has been actively involved in philanthropy as Goodwill Ambassador  for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and has a large heart for those in need.

Now Angelina Jolie has stepped into the Director’s and Writer’s Chair with her first screenplay, a film full of emotion and conflict that Jolie did extensive research on in order to give audiences true authenticity and honesty in only a way that Jolie can master.  ”In the Land of Blood and Honey” takes us back to the 1990′s in Sarajevo and the bitter Bosnian War.  With a cast of entirely Yugoslavian actors bringing their own war experience to the project, a Serb Police Officer named Danijel (Goran Kostic) meets a Muslim artist, Ajla (Zana Marjanovic) right before the war and violence begin.  As they start to fall in love, the bombs go off and the awful atrocities begin.

Danijel becomes an Army Officer and Ajla is one of the women held captive and stripped of her belongings and her dignity.  Is this the path that both man and woman were forced to take or could they have fought to maintain the strong bond that began to develop?  Jolie explains it as “an element of survival, will they save each other, help each other or turn against each other?”

Perhaps the most ironic fact is that Jolie was only sixteen during this horrific time and a world away from the carnage which would ultimately lead to the death of over 100,000 people and millions of citizens displaced from their homes.

Angelina threw herself into deeply understanding what these people went through, the ‘ethnic cleansing’ that was forced upon them.  Sadly, between 20,000 and 50,000 women were raped during this war, leading to prosecution of rape as a crime against humanity.  Jolie also had to make sure that she was familiar with the Bosnian culture and spoke with Bosnians to get a first-hand view.  She read books, talked to journalists and even spoke with U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke who was directly involved with the small nation at that time.

The actors and actresses gave first-hand accounts of experiences that left fearful marks on their characters.  Some were painful to recount but to make it as realistic as possible, Jolie has included them in the film.  Memories are sometimes the hardest to bear and filming may have been harrowing at times but the cast did a tremendous job and were pleased with Jolie’s final product.

“In the Land of Blood and Honey” was shot in English and Serbo-Croatian versions, creating a struggle to determine what will be agreeable to all.

Her biggest critics will most likely be the audiences in Bosnia and Serbia and she will anxiously be awaiting their response.  The movie has already had an initial screening in Sarajevo, the Bosnian Capital and was received well.  The film was limited released in the United States on December 23, 2011.  Belgrade will be the next city to premiere the film in February.

Jolie was passionate about the subject and was inspired behind the camera.  Her role models were Clint Eastwood and Michael Winterbottom, both whom she has recently worked with and who she hoped to similarly pattern her style after.

There must be an inspiration behind every story and when that time comes again, perhaps Angelina Jolie will be ready to try her talents at writing and directing once more.

Photos Courtesy of John Varvatos Facebook Page and www.fashionqande.com

You might say that music and fashion just seem to click together.

There has been a direct correlation between music and fashion over the decades. Designers create the fashions, rock and punk bands and musical artists wear the fashions and fans translate that style, buy it and become it. Thus, the evolution of trends and the rising popularity of specific designers.

The latest union of this artistic creativity is American Contemporary high-fashion menswear designer, John Varvatos, with American punk rock band, Green Day. This high-energy band will be the new face of the Varvatos 2012 Spring Campaign. Varvatos has earned quite a reputation. In 2000, he was honored by the Council of Fashion Designers of America with the Perry Ellis Menswear Award for the most promising new talent in the industry. He went on to win the CFDA’s Designer of the Year Award the next year. In 2005, John received the CFDA’s 2005 Menswear Designer of the Year Award claiming victory over Ralph Lauren. In 2007, Varvatos was GQ’s Designer of the Year.

This latest campaign takes us to none other than the fashion capital of the world, New York City, where we are catapulted to the top of a skyscraper on crossbeams overlooking Manhattan with the band in shades. The inspiration was Philippe Petit’s “Man On a Wire” Act. Billie Joe Armstrong is sporting a military band jacket, distressed denim and lace-up boots. He has a style of his own. Tre Cool brings on casual but definitely cool in his open peacock jacket with laceless shoes and Mike Dirntis the epitome of class in a long equestrian jacket complete with leather boots. The campaign is sure to be a hot seller.

In the past, Varvatos has used ‘The Roots’, ‘Cheap Trick’, Alice Cooper and Iggy Pop to sell his chic fashions.

 

The list is almost endless of the many musicians and rock stars that have inspired designers to create some of their best collections. Designer of perfection, Donatella Versace, was taken by Christina Aguilera whose singing talent and entrancing beauty captivated the fashion world. She became the face of ‘Versace’ where glamour abounds.

David Bowie was one of the musical giants of pop music and he was always dressed to perfection. He created a futuristic image with ‘Ziggy Stardust’ and caught the attention of many a designer with his starstruck look. The most coveted designer of all was Gucci who used this concept complete with glitter and sequins to create his Fall 2006 Collection. It was flashy with gold lame, velvet pantsuits, beading and space-dyed mini skirts.

Twin brothers Dean and Dan Caten, are designers with a passion for making their styles work and making their collections come alive on the runway. They have attracted musicians such as Fergie, Madonna, Lenny Kravitz and Justin Timberlake who love their clothing and wear their designs.

 

The ‘D Squared2? Spring 2008 Collection in Milan came about when superstar, Rihanna, gave them an idea with her best-selling album, “Good Girls Gone Bad’. She had that special gift of fashion sense.

Long-time English designer, Vivienne Westwood, was part of the 1970?s London Punk Movement with a unique style that has been widely accepted by the celebrity world. She shocked and interested many with her provocative designs and her inspiration was the punk band, SEX Pistols, daring in their own right and now almost synonymous with her earlier lines.

 

The 90?s brought some exciting years and European designer genius, Jean Paul Gaultier, rocked the fashion world with his alliance with the magnetic Madonna who was making a name for herself. She made history in that era wearing Gaultier’s bondage lingerie and pushing a baby carriage down the runway. She had no inhibitions. Gaultier has even designed outfits for her “Blond Ambition” and “Confessions Tour”.

 

Then there were musicians who create their own style and have designers attempting to follow in their footsteps. Lenny Kravitz, Mick Jagger and Bruce Springsteen all lay the groundwork for curious designers to blaze that trail.

 

Each generation harbors a few iconic legends that will set the fashion world on fire and inspire many a new and established designer to create an out-of-this-world collection followed by a seasonal campaign.

By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger

Photographer: George Whylie

Videographer: Maxine Nolan

Photos Courtesy of: www.grammy.com

As the countdown to the GRAMMY Awards on February 12th continues, all kinds of announcements about the highly anticipated evening are building excitement for all the heartfelt fans!

It will be a huge night hosted by none other than a two-time GRAMMY winner himself, LL Cool J. This marks the first time in seven years that the GRAMMY Awards will have an official host and one that is both an actor and talented rap artist. LL Cool J is simply thrilled to be a part of this monumental occasion. He is no stranger to the event as not only has he been a past winner but he has hosted “The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! – Countdown to Music’s Biggest Night” since its start in December of 2008. Some of the other familiar names that have hosted past GRAMMY Awards shows are Queen Latifah (47th Annual GRAMMY Awards), Jon Stewart (43rd and 44th Annual GRAMMY Awards), Billy Crystal, Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O’Donnell.

The lineup of performers is finally taking shape and great sounds will resonate throughout the evening. Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift will all bring the audience to their feet.

The Foo Fighters have six nominations which include Album of the Year and Best Rock Album of the Year for ‘Wasting Light’, Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for ‘Walk’, Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for ‘White Limo’ and Best Long Form Music Video for ‘Foo Fighters: Back and Forth’.

Bruno Mars also has six nominations to his name. He has been nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for ‘Grenade’, Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Doo-Wops and Hooligans and Producer of the Year, Non Classical (as a member of the Smeezingtons, with Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine).

Nicki Minaj is up for Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance for ‘Moment 4 Life’ with Drake, Best Rap Album for ‘Pink Friday’ and Album of the Year (as a featured artist on Rihanna’s ‘Loud’).

Jason Aldean is nominated for Best Country Solo Performance for ‘Dirt Road Anthem’, Best Country Duo/Group Performance for ‘Don’t You Wanna Stay’ (with Kelly Clarkson) and Best Country Album for ‘My Kinda Party’.

Taylor Swift does it again with nominations for Best Country Song for ‘Mean’ and Best Country Album for ‘Speak Now’.

Kelly Clarkson is nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for ‘Don’t You Wanna Stay’ with Jason Aldean.

Just announced today, GRAMMY nominees Coldplay and Rihanna will make history as they perform together live on stage. GRAMMY 2012 Musicares Person of the Year, Paul McCartney, is also making a guest appearance and will perform for fans that evening.

Four-time GRAMMY winner Rihanna has four nominations: Album Of The Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Loud; and two nods in Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “What’s My Name?” (with Drake), and “All Of The Lights” (with Kanye West, Kid Cudi & Fergie).

Seven-time GRAMMY-winning group Coldplay is up for three awards: Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Paradise,” and Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for “Every Teardop Is A Waterfall.”

This will definitely be “Music’s Biggest Night” with a star-studded list of performers and nominated artists. The event will take place live on Sunday, February 12th, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, broadcast in high definition with 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 8:00 – 11:30 PM (ET/PT). All forms of media will promote coverage of the event from radio (Westwood One/Dial Global) to online at www.thegrammy.com or www.cbs.com or www.youtube.com/thegrammys.

NEW YORK (January 17, 2012) – Madison Square Garden will host perhaps the best and deepest fields it has seen in several years as the 2012 Olympic track & field season kicks off in earnest with the U.S. Open Track & Field event on Saturday, January 28.

Full fields for the meet were announced by USA Track & Field on Tuesday and indicate that Bernard Lagat will be busy trying to win a ninth mile title in the Garden; the men’s high jump adds American depth; and the sprints and hurdles are even more stacked with talent than they were a week ago.

Stars such as David Oliver, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Asafa Powell, Jesse Williams, Nesta Carter, Christian Cantwell, Adam Nelson, Dawn Harper, Kellie Wells, Tiffany Ofili Porter, and Jenn Suhr all have been announced previously.

The inaugural edition of the U.S. Open is the first event of USATF’s Visa Championships Series and will be held in the newly renovated Garden. The first major professional meet in the United States to kick-off the 2012 Olympic year, it will be broadcast on Sunday, January 29, from 7-9 p.m. on ESPN2.

Lagat faces challenge in mile; top jumpers on tap
The winner of a record eight Wanamaker Miles at the Garden, Lagat will have no free pass to a ninth Garden win. At the U.S. Open, he will take on 2011 World Outdoor 1,500m runner-up and 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Silas Kiplagat of Kenya, two-time World Indoor silver medalist Daniel Komen Kipchirchir of Kenya, and Henok Legesse of Ethiopia, who owns a mile personal best of 3:54.81.

In the men’s high jump, world champion Williams will take on 2010 World Indoor bronze medalist Dusty Jonas, 2004 Olympic fourth-place finisher Jamie Nieto, and 2007 USA Outdoor champion Jim Dilling.

More fireworks in sprints, hurdles
The defending World Indoor champion, Campbell-Brown will have her hands full in the women’s 50 meters with reigning U.S. indoor champion Alexandria Anderson and Bianca Knight, who led off Team USA’s gold-medal winning 4x100m relay at the 2011 World Outdoor Championships. In the men’s sprint, 2010 USA Outdoor runner-up Trell Kimmons joins the field.

A man who has seen success at Madison Square Garden, Terrence Trammell replaces Jason Richardson in the men’s 50m hurdles. The 2009 and 2010 Millrose Games hurdles champion, Trammell is a two-time World Indoor champion in the hurdles and is the defending World Indoor silver medalist. Also mixing it up will be 2011 U.S. Outdoor runner-up Aries Merritt.

In the men’s 600 yards, 2005 World Outdoor 400m hurdles gold medalist Bershawn Jackson and Trinidad’s Renny Quow will renew their Garden rivalry. Jackson won the 600 yards at the 2007 and 2010 Millrose Games at the Garden, while Quow was the champion in 2009 and 2011.

Other top athletes announced Wednesday include World Junior champion and 2011 USATF Youth Athlete of the Year Ajee Wilson in the women’s 800 meters, Anna Pierce in the women’s mile, Ginnie Crawford in the women’s 50m hurdles, Greg Nixon in the men’s 500 and Monica Hargrove in the women’s 500 yards. A student at the Neptune Academy of Allied Health and Science on Monmouth, N.J., Wilson looks to follow in the Madison Square Garden footsteps of a fellow Jersey Girl, the legendary Joetta Clark-Diggs, whose high school records Wilson broke in 2011.

Athlete Fields, 2012 U.S. Open
Fields as of January 17, 2012; subject to change

Men’s Events
50 meters: Trell Kimmons (USA), Kimmari Roach (JAM), Asafa Powell (JAM), Justin Gatlin (USA), Daniel Bailey (ANT), Nesta Carter (JAM)
600 yards: Bershawn Jackson (USA), Renny Quow (TRI), Greg Nixon (USA), Tabarie Henry (UVI)
Mile: Bernard Lagat (USA), Silas Kiplagat (KEN), Henok Legesse (ETH), Daniel Komen Kipchirchir (KEN), Anthony Famiglietti (USA), Matt Elliott (USA)
50-meter hurdles: Aries Merritt (USA), David Oliver (USA), Terrence Trammell (USA), Jeff Porter (USA), Dwight Thomas (USA), Omo Osaghae (USA)
Shot Put: Christian Cantwell (USA), Adam Nelson (USA), Ryan Whiting (USA), Cory Martin (USA)
High Jump: Jesse Williams (USA), Dusty Jonas (USA), Jamie Nieto (USA), Jim Dilling (USA)

Women’s Events
50 meters: Bianca Knight (USA), Veronica Campbell-Brown (JAM), Alexandria Anderson (USA), Tehesia Harrigan (IVB), Jessica Young (USA), Gloria Asumnu (NGR)
500 yards: Monica Hargrove (USA), Jasmine Chaney (USA), Keshia Baker (USA), Davita Prendergast (JAM)
800 meters: Ajee Wilson (USA), Fantu Magiso (ETH), Jessica Smith (CAN)
Mile: Anna Pierce (USA), Stephanie Garcia (USA), Lauren Hagans (USA), Brenda Martinez (USA)
50-meter hurdles: Kellie Wells (USA), Lolo Jones (USA), Dawn Harper (USA), Tiffany Porter (GBR), Nia Ali (USA), Ginnie Crawford (USA)
Pole Vault: Jenn Suhr (USA), Becky Holliday (USA), Jillian Schwartz (ISR), Lacy Jansen (USA), Mary Saxer (USA), Janice Keppler (USA)

The ambience was hard to beat with food vendors serving an authentic Jamaican vegetarian menu and as is customary the event was no alcohol, no violence and no meat.
The  evening came alive with  performances from some of the most talented names in Reggae.  Performances from the likes of Tony Rebel, Capleton, Luciano, Yami Bolo, Maxi Priest, Gramps Morgan, Queen Ifrica, Tarrus Reiley, Damian Marley, Stephen Marley, Jah 9, Romain Virgo, Iba Mahr, C-Sharp, Sensi Love, Cali P, Admiral Bailey, Johnny Clarke, Mikey Spice and Raging Fyah and others all put on an exciting show that got the crowds moving and swaying to the beat.  Johnny Osbourne performed for the first time in 15 years in Jamaica and  the crowd got what they expected from him.

Children of Tony Rebel, Davi & Abatar Rebel a long with Various Reggae Artistes Including Queen Africa, Gramps Morgan, Maxi Priest, Jonny Osbourne, Cali P, Tarus Riley, Jah Cutta, Johnny Clarke, Admiral Bailey, Raging Fiyah and others gave Tribute to Tony Rebel via FOREVER REGGAE TV as he clebrated his 50th Birthday at Rebel Salute 2012.

Each year Rebel Salute seems to get even bigger, even better.  It started as a small birthday  bash and has grown to attract thousands of people from all over the world who have a love for Reggae Roots.  It was a success in showcasing Jamaican culture, a means to partner with cultural groups, organizations, corporations and government and a platform for artists to champion their causes.

Pure Fame Media / FOREVER REGGAE TV Team was Honored to cover this celebration.

Reggae Rocks at Rebel Salute 2012……..

The stars just kept coming from smiling Reese Witherspoon in a red Zac Posen gown to Mary J. Blige in Michael Kors blush sequins and feathers.

She wasn’t the only one in feathers. Evan Rachel Wood also made a strong statement in green sequins and her share of feathers.

Bubbly Sofia Vergara stole the night with her personality which was just as beautiful as her Vera Wang strapless gown with mermaid-like skirt.

But one of the most down-to-earth women had to be Octavia Spencer, Best Supporting Actress Nominee and Winner for ‘The Help’. She was wearing a lavender Tadashi Shoji gown with a Judith Leiber clutch and Irene Neuwirth jewels.

There was many a surprised winner giving a touching acceptance speech with Morgan Freeman being awarded one of the great honors of the evening. Jimmy Fallon was the comedian of the evening with his spoof on Adam Levine’s hit song, ‘Moves’. Ricky Gervais once again pulled it off for yet another year.

Here are the list of winners:
MOTION PICTURES
— Picture, Drama: “The Descendants.”
— Picture, Musical or Comedy: “The Artist.”
— Actor, Drama: George Clooney, “The Descendants.”
— Actress, Drama: Meryl Streep, “The Iron Lady.”
— Director: Martin Scorsese, “Hugo.”
— Actor, Musical or Comedy: Jean Dujardin, “The Artist.”
— Actress, Musical or Comedy: Michelle Williams, “My Week With Marilyn.”
— Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, “Beginners.”
— Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, “The Help.”
— Foreign Language: “A Separation.”
— Animated Film: “The Adventures of Tintin.”
— Screenplay: Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris.”
— Original Score: Ludovic Bource, “The Artist.”
— Original Song: “Masterpiece” (music and lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost, Jimmy Harry), “W.E.”
TELEVISION
— Series, Drama: “Homeland,” Showtime.
— Series, Musical or Comedy: “Modern Family,” ABC.
— Actor, Drama: Kelsey Grammer, “Boss.”
— Actress, Drama: Claire Danes, “Homeland.”
— Actress, Musical or Comedy: Laura Dern, “Enlightened.”
— Actor, Musical or Comedy: Matt LeBlanc, “Episodes.”
— Miniseries or Movie: “Downton Abbey (Masterpiece),” PBS.
— Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Kate Winslet, “Mildred Pierce.”
— Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Idris Elba, “Luther.”
— Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story.”
— Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Peter Dinklage, “Game of Thrones.”
___
PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED
Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award: Morgan Freeman.

Many may not realize the tremendous philanthropic efforts of the Hollywood Foreign Press, the team behind The Golden Globe Awards. They are giving away a record amount of $1,579,500 to film-related organizations and charities this year including scholarship programs. They get a large A+ for making dreams come true!

Although we haven’t yet made it one month into the new year, many newsworthy stories took place over the last week.

The Republican candidates traveled to New Hampshire as the second stop of the primaries, all with aspirations to head to the White House. Former Massachusetts Governor, Mitt Romney, took the lead and his optimism will carry him to the finish line confident that he will be the overwhelming winner in the end.

Tensions are building between Iran and the United States. Iran has accused Israel and the U.S. of killing nuclear scientist, Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, in a bomb explosion. U.S. Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta, vehemently denies the accusation. Iran has been urged to halt its quest for the nuclear bomb by U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. Iran claims that its nuclear program is strictly in place for producing civilian energy. Later in the week, Iran convicted and sentenced an American to death who had been on trial for spying.

Standard and Poor’s has been keeping a watchful eye and has decided to downgrade many European governments based on their financial situations. Affected are the credit ratings of France and Austria now downgraded one notch. The credit rating of Italy, Spain, Portugal and Cyprus have also been downgraded by 2 notches. Also downgraded a notch were Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia. As a ripple effect, this resulted in the modest decline of stock markets around the world including the United States.

Just as former Presidential candidate, John Edwards, was set to go to trial on criminal corruption charges, it was announced that Edwards has a very serious heart condition that will need a medical procedure next month before it becomes life-threatening. This will once again delay the trial as he will not be able to travel and will need ample time to recuperate. If Edwards were found guilty, he could face up to 30 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine.

In a strange twist of fate, Natalee Holloway was officially declared dead this week just as Joran van der Sloot was found guilty in the brutal slaying of a 21 year-old girl in a Peruvian hotel. His sentence is 28 years in prison. He was tried in Peru and as the decision was announced, there was no remorse on his face , no expression.

Six and a half years after her disappearance in Aruba, Natalee has been legally declared dead although no body has been recovered. Holloway’s father has been continuing to pay her medical insurance but believes that she would want him to stop so that he may now concentrate on putting the funds into a college fund for her younger brother.

After years of turmoil and turbulence and much violence, the United States and the Taliban may be getting closer to beginning peace talks. If President Hamid Karzai is in agreement with the negotiations, we could be on the way. It is possible that Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Marc Grossman, will head to Kabul this coming week to formulate the details. We are all hopeful but we must understand that there are pre-conditions that will need to be met during this peace process were it to take place.

The week ended with a horrible tragedy as the Italian luxury liner, Costa Concordia, hit a sandbar near the island of Giglio, off the coast of Tuscany and quickly began to go down in what has been compared to a modern day Titanic sinking. Although parent company, Carnival Corporation, stands convinced that the crew acted in the best interests of the passengers and were brave and quick to begin emergency procedures, many of the passengers disagree. Chaos created fear and panic and survivors tremble when they recount the series of events that led up to their rescue. At least five people are dead and many more are missing. The ship’s captain, Francesco Schettino, has been detained for alleged manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship while passengers were still on board.


It was certainly a big week but perhaps the coming week may prove to be even bigger. It has already been announced that Jon Huntsman’s campaign will announce that Huntsman will drop out of the GOP race this week and endorse Mitt Romney.

The New York City Opera is one of the cultural classics that New York City has to offer. It has been in existence for close to 70 years entertaining enthusiasts. The tough economic times have now made their mark on the arts and a bitter labor dispute is what has ensued. The New York City Opera has lost a portion of its endowment and the audiences have become smaller and smaller in recent years, mostly due to financial and managerial problems.

Many a great opera singer launched their career here from the likes of Beverly Sills and Placido Domingo to Renee Fleming and Gianna Rolandi. Beverly Sills served as the company’s director from 1979-1989. Many well-known American composers had their work showcased over the years. The company has also produced several musicals and operettas including works by Stephen Sondheim and Gilbert & Sullivan.

The Opera made their home for many years in the luxurious Lincoln Center, a very convenient location to draw in mass crowds. But in May of 2011, in order to conserve and reduce costs, the Opera decided to perform elsewhere around the city. This helped with operating savings. Unfortunately, another unavoidable step was the elimination of 42% of the administrative staff, many who had been longtime employees. The company’s collective bargaining agreements have also had to be restructured. What this means is that instead of currently being paid for a guaranteed number of weeks of employment, the artists will only be paid for the time they rehearse and perform. That could mean as drastic as 22 weeks of payment now would become 60 hours of employment pay. That is almost a 90% pay cut, a tough sacrifice for those affected.

However, this has been the structure for quite some time now for the Los Angeles Opera, the Houston Grand Opera, the Seattle Opera and more across the country.

A federal mediator came in to help in the negotiations process but everything came to a halt. There was a lockout imposed on the musicians who were scheduled to rehearse this week. The first performance of the season is set for February 12th at The Brooklyn Academy of Music and although there is a deadline to try and reach a comparable solution, New York City Opera has decided to take things ‘one day at a time’.

Let’s hope that we have many more years to come of the New York City Opera.

The words artist and inventive go hand in hand. Recently, four designers paired up with Lexus, luxury vehicle division of Japanese Automaker, Toyota Motor Corporation. The result is a limited collection of unique clothing and accessories from recyclable parts of a Lexus CT hybrid which was completely dismantled. The January 2012 issue of Vogue Magazine will unveil these astonishing results which are sure to become a hit for all you fashion-conscious fanatics.

The creations are truly works of art and extend you into the future of fashion in a glorious and significant way.

The Nomadic Sanctuary is a stylish trench coat using leather seat covers and cargo covers along with plant-based plastic. This design is brought to us by eco-designer, John Patrick.
Patrick believes in all organic and agrarian and launched the ‘John Patrick Organic Collection’ and “ORGANICPLAYA” in previous seasons.

The Valve Collection transformed valve lifters into astounding jewelry. Also used were crank bearings and hose clamps. The designer behind this was famous jewelry designer, Eddie Borgo. His aesthetic work is urban inspired with out of this world pieces that get plenty of attention and acclaim.

The Environmental Crown of Virtue is for the woman who wants to make a bold statement. A true crown is made with a transmission starter and exhaust manifold gasket also pairing eyewear into the mix as part of the crown. The creator is eyewear designer, Moss Lipow, who believes that eyewear must make a strong statement. Did you ever think that a rear bumper could be so beautiful?

Finally, the Luna Shoe used armrest leather trim, clear washer fluid plastic tubing and windshield wipers to produce an impressive wedge shoe. They could not have picked a more suitable designer than Alejandro Ingelmo who uses asymmetrical cuts, sharp detail and functional design to produce the most stunning accessories.

It seems truly remarkable that creativity has no limits.
See for yourself in the latest edition of Vogue Magazine (January 2012) or go to: VOGUE

FAVORITE MOVIE: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
FAVORITE CABLE TV COMEDY: Hot in Cleveland
FAVORITE MOVIE ACTOR: Johnny Depp
FAVORITE MOVIE ACTRESS: Emma Stone
FAVORITE TV COMPETITION SHOW: American Idol
FAVORITE TV CRIME DRAMA: Castle
FAVORITE MOVIE ICON: Morgan Freeman
FAVORITE SCIFI/FANTASY TV SHOW: Supernatural
FAVORITE DAYTIME TV HOST: Ellen DeGeneres
FAVORITE LATE NIGHT TV HOST: Jimmy Fallon
FAVORITE ACTION MOVIE: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
FAVORITE ACTION MOVIE STAR: Hugh Jackman
FAVORITE DRAMA MOVIE: Water for Elephants
FAVORITE COMEDY MOVIE: Bridesmaids
FAVORITE COMEDIC ACTOR: Adam Sandler
FAVORITE COMEDIC ACTRESS: Emma Stone
FAVORITE TV GUEST STAR: Katy Perry, How I Met Your Mother
FAVORITE TV CELBREALITY STAR: Kim Kardashian
FAVORITE MOVIE STAR UNDER 25: Chloe Moretz
FAVORITE NEW TV DRAMA: Person of Interest
FAVORITE NEW TV COMEDY: 2 Broke Girls
FAVORITE ENSEMBLE MOVIE CAST: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
FAVORITE ANIMATED MOVIE VOICE: Johnny Depp, Rango
FAVORITE MALE ARTIST: Bruno Mars
FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST: Katy Perry
FAVORITE MOVIE SUPERHERO: Ryan Reynolds as The Green Lantern
FAVORITE BOOK ADAPTATION: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
FAVORITE NETWORK TV DRAMA: Supernatural
FAVORITE TV DRAMA ACTOR: Nathan Fillion
FAVORITE TV DRAMA ACTRESS: Nina Dobrev
FAVORITE CABLE TV DRAMA: Pretty Little Liars
FAVORITE NETWORK TV COMEDY: How I Met Your Mother
FAVORITE TV COMEDY ACTOR: Neil Patrick Harris
FAVORITE TV COMEDY ACTRESS: Lea Michele
FAVORITE BAND: Maroon 5
FAVORITE COUNTRY ARTIST: Taylor Swift
FAVORITE R&B ARTIST: Rihanna
FAVORITE HIP HOP ARTIST: Eminem
FAVORITE POP ARTIST: Demi Lovato
FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST: Katy Perry
FAVORITE SONG OF THE YEAR: E.T., Katy Perry ft. Kanye West
FAVORITE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Born This Way, Lady GaGa
FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO: T.G.I.F., Katy Perry
FAVORITE TOUR HEADLINER: Katy Perry, California Dreams

Congratulations to all the winners and we will see you next year!

Flashback to 2008, a year of a Presidential Election and a supporting fashion campaign to accompany it known as ‘Runway to Change’.

We are now in the beginning of another Presidential election year and what better way to start it off than with ‘Runway to Win’, the latest fashion campaign. Women all over the country are keeping up with the many fashions of First Lady, Michelle Obama. Without even realizing it, she sometimes sets the trends with her many stylish looks.

It is no secret that many of the big names in the fashion industry are staunch supporters of our current president.

‘Runway to Win’ has been mentioned on BarackObama.com, the President’s blog page and it has been described as a “collaboration by some of the country’s top fashion designers in support of Obama 2012″. A favorite at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, Tracy Reese, and celebrity creative designer, Jason Wu, are just two of the many designers getting on the bandwagon to create “Obama-inspired designs”. You might recognize some of the other great names contributing to this campaign and some of the most respected in the fashion industry; Tory Burch, Joseph Altuzarra, Rag and Bone, Diane Von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, Narciso Rodriguez, Alexander Wang and Rachel Roy. Each will be inspired and will use their creative talents to design something along the lines of a canvas tote, graphic tee or some other fashion item for ‘Runway to Win’.

The campaign will kick off with trend-setting designer, Marc Jacobs, unveiling his new tee-shirt design.

There is no doubt how the momentum may have picked up. Editor-In-Chief, Anna Wintour, and Vogue Magazine have been the most high-profile supporters of the President throughout his years in office. Wintour has given many a fundraising dinner with a plate price of anywhere from $1,000 per person all the way to $35,800 per person. The President has won her praise.

Go to: Runway to Win to sign up and get all the ‘first access’ details, sneak peeks and more in the coming weeks and months and follow your favorite designer to the finish line……

‘RUNWAY TO WIN’ – PROUDLY MADE IN THE USA!

Another primary is down and former Massachusetts Governor, Mitt Romney, presses forward as the solid winner of the New Hampshire primary. Voter turnout set a record as was expected. Front runner Romney took 39% of the vote, Ron Paul came in second with 23% of the vote and Jon Huntsman finished third with 17% of the vote. Those trailing behind were former House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, and former Pennsylvania Senator, Rick Santorum, holding in fourth place with Texas Governor, Rick Perry, finishing last.

The leader is still working hard to maintain his lead as the candidates head for South Carolina. He is proclaiming that he will support the return to American ideals while at the same time he was taking a swing at President Obama and what he currently stands for, “This President puts his faith in the government. We put our faith in the American people”, Romney is quoted as saying.

Ron Paul is attracting a younger crowd and he is campaigning for freedom in America. He is confident and stands tall with the principle that he is right behind his contender, Mitt Romney. Huntsman also keeps an optimistic attitude with his bipartisan approach.

On the Democratic side, President Obama received all the votes in the Democratic primary.

South Carolina is a much more conservative state and Romney has a bit of a blemish now that he will have to smooth over and it is based on his statement of, “I like being able to fire people”, the end of a longer statement referencing health care. It was definitely not meant in the context that it was taken in. Rivals are quick to use it as ammunition against him. Huntsman was quoted as saying, “Governor Romney enjoys firing people. I enjoy creating jobs.”

While the Republicans were making their rounds in New Hampshire, Vice President Joe Biden held a video teleconference on Tuesday evening with New Hampshire supporters. He highlighted Obama’s successes in his current term of office while criticizing the Republican candidates. The biggest accomplishments of Obama are stabilizing the financial system, passing stimulus legislation, creating 3 million jobs, passing health care reform and rescuing the auto industry. The focus will continue to be on the middle class.

Most Americans are focusing on the economy and that continues to be a major driver in this election.

We will see what South Carolina holds for the Republicans as they make their way to the state for the next crucial primary.

EXPRESS FASHION ROCKS THE PAGEANT WORLD!

For the first time ever, this fashion forward retailer will be the official sponsor of the 2012 Miss America Program.

There could be no better choice to represent these strong, confident and talented young women, the type of women who are savvy and stylish in their own unique way. Express is proud to be joining in partnership with this successful organization for the year. More importantly, education and scholarships play a large role in this program, making it so much more than just a beauty contest.

The pageant features 53 young women from across the United States including District of Columbia, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and each will be showcasing their Express fashions of choice. Miss America 2012 takes place on Saturday, January 17th live at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. The contestants will be featured in clothing from Express all throughout the pageant events taking place from January 5th all the way through the big day when the official winner will be crowned, January 14th.

Express is right there dressing the girls during the arrival ceremony, a Miss America Fashion Show which took place today, preliminary competition events and the pageant itself which is the culmination of a fantastic week of memorable experiences. The girl who will be crowned as Miss America will wear Express during scheduled press appearances throughout the coming year and it is even possible that she will be featured in a future Express Advertising Campaign.
As Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanian stated perfectly,”We are thrilled to work with Express who shares in the same philosophy as Miss America of empowering young women and inspiring them through their spirit, their energy and their incredible fashion collections”.

Being yourself and being comfortable with self-expression is a winning quality as both the Miss America Organization and Express Fashion can attest to!

The first appearance after the winner is crowned will be on January 17th in New York City for television, radio and press interviews and a personal appearance at the National Retail Federation “Big Show” in the Jacob Javits Center.

Express has been in the business for over 30 years and knows how to spot a winner! Express will even be giving some expert advice on the latest spring trends.

Don’t forget to watch the Miss America 2012 Pageant from Las Vegas on Saturday, January 14th.

Dream Castle boasts a full bar with a wide variety of champagnes and sparkling wines as well as bottle service. Thinking of having a wedding reception, luncheon or anniversary? A room is available for private parties.


Why not see what all the talk around town is about. Come over to Dream Castle Restaurant and Lounge located in Blue Diamond Shopping Center Shop #20 near the Montego Bay Airport, Jamaica. Phone 876-953-9300 to place your orders.

While you are down in the land of the tropical palms or planning to attend JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL, why not book a stay at Dream Castle Villas? It is like a Utopia of pampered pleasure and a romantic retreat for time away…………
visit: Dream Castle Villa

Every year the Javits Center in New York City draws a global crowd of visitors attending events from graduations to merchandise expos to fashion events. However, as we progress into the next coming years, the scenery in Midtown Manhattan close to this location is beginning to change. Colossal residential projects are in the works giving this portion of the city a fresh and vibrant change.

Silver Towers is a sleek skyscraper with 1360 residences each having integrated kitchens, top of the line appliances, a magnificent view of the Hudson River as well as a captivating view of historical landmarks all across the city. MiMa is on 42nd Street with over 800 units, a hotel, luxury services at your doorstep, state of the art exercise facilities and even comes complete with a dog city. Mercedes House is known as New York City’s next architectural icon with rental apartments having a stunning view of the Hudson River in a modern tower of glass and greenery. The high rise will have 850 units.



The largest development by far will be Gotham West. This rental and condominium complex will occupy almost entirely the block of 44th-45th Street from 10th to 11th Avenue. The grand opening will take place in 2013. The mix will consist of 1263 units as small as a studio and as large as a three bedroom in market-rate and income-restricted rental apartments and condominiums. One of the goals of this private developer, Gotham Organization, is a desire to make it affordable to live within the city with over 682 units being classified into this category. This is the largest project undertaking by a private developer. Also within this area will be 1700 square feet of retail space including a specialty store. In the midst of it all will be a landscaped Wi-Fi enabled two-level private courtyard that residents will be able to share and socialize in.

Where once an elementary school occupied a red brick building in the area, 25 condos will replace and the school is relocated to the Upper East Side. A new school will be constructed in the area with a completion date of Fall of 2013.

Quite a bit of money is going into making this area what it will eventually become. Gotham Organization is investing $200 million and tax-exempt bonds from the State’s Housing Finance Agency will fund a portion as well.

This will definitely revitalize the area, a feat that may be just what Midtown Manhattan needs. A few blocks south is Hudson Yards. There is speculation that New York Fashion Week may already be outgrowing Lincoln Center after just a few seasons and Hudson Yards may be the perfect solution and destination for this fashion event. It may be called ‘The Culture Shed’ within Hudson Yards. With this would also come a giant Nordstrom store and Coach’s Headquarters. The additional possibility of a mall is not far off either.

Good news is that oversaturation would certainly not present a problem and this would only generate more demand for housing and signify stability and permanence in this upcoming area.

The minds are in motion and we will be eager to see the finished product in 2013.

The 84th Annual Academy Awards take place in February for audiences around the world.

On Sunday, February 26th, 2012, 49 cities will host Oscar viewing parties during the ceremony. Oscar Night America (ONA) is a program that enables local charities to host Oscar viewing parties while at the same time raising money for their organizations. This year marks the 19th year in a row that this event has been taking place.

Not only does the Academy celebrate the talent of a diverse set of individuals, but they also reach out to do many year-round philanthropic activities in support of great and special causes.

ONA takes place in cities all across the United States such as Atlanta, Baltimore, Detroit, Denver, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Richmond, Raleigh, Palm Beach, Minneapolis, Providence, Springfield, Seattle and Tucson to name just a few. The parties range from black-tie galas to costume parties where the guests dress up as famous couples. Red carpets will be laid out to introduce local celebrities. Each ONA party will receive copies of the official Academy commemorative poster and the official Oscar show program. Only one charity party in a given media market may participate in ONA. Events are produced by local non-profit organizations, with the active participation of the local ABC-TV affiliate station.

In 2011, 51 charities held parties raising over $3.5 million and 17,332 guests attended. Benefitting organizations were the American Red Cross, Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics, United Way, Starlight Children’s Foundation and The Ellie Fund (breast cancer support services).

Concept Marketing Development of Santa Barbara, California coordinates the program and since its inception, over $33.5 million has been raised for local charities keeping the money within the community where it was raised.

Make sure to watch The Academy Awards on ABC on Sunday, February 26th, 2012, televised live from the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood and Highland Center and broadcast in over 200 countries worldwide.
OSCARS

Looking for the next great dream, action and relaxation destination to head off to this year?

One of the top destinations in the world is a small country in Central America known as Costa Rica, ‘The Rich Coast’. The country has been recognized and praised for its environmental sustainability. The charming scenery is made up of a variety of waterfalls, endless beaches and soaring mountain landscapes.

The country is rich in culture and history that will enhance the most inquisitive of tourists. Spanish is the primary language. Amazingly, Costa Rica contains 5% of the world’s biodiversity. Around 25% of the country’s land area is in protected national parks and protected areas which happen to be the largest in the world. Get ready to see 700 species of birds, turtles, howler and white-throated capuchin monkeys, all kinds of reptiles and over 2,000 plant species. You will feel like you have reached a tropical paradise definitely worth a few pictures to remember the region by. The rainforest covering the mountains has come to be known as Mother Nature’s finest.



For the avid action traveler, immerse yourself in surfing, hiking, rafting, canopying, diving, Deepwater fishing, Sport fishing and snorkeling.


Scuba Divers will find an ocean adventure of volcanic rock formation, rock pinnacles and plankton rich waters. Get ready to experience such marine life as white-tip reef sharks, bull sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, diamond sting rays, dolphins and possibly even a whale or two at certain times of the year. Some of the colorful reefs and rock formations attract jacks, grunts, yellowtail snapper, angelfish and eels. Dive sites such as Monkey Head and Virador range in depth from 50 to 70 feet while Los Meros and Escorpiones offer shallow diving. Before you head home, don’t miss an excursion to the Catalina and Bat Islands. It’s an indescribable experience like none other.


Costa Rica has the best Sport fishing in the world. Tourists arriving for this activity will find the waters rich in sailfish, marlin, tuna, wahoo, snapper and tarpon.


Costa Rica has exquisite resorts and hotels to accommodate every traveler’s needs. Be pampered and treated to a relaxing day at the spa or a peaceful dip in the pristine waters. Build an appetite to enjoy casado (rice alongside beans with meat, chicken or fish) and a salad. Try some of the salsa with a kick, traditional plantains, white cheese and tortillas. Vegetables like squash round out the meal and coffee is widely favored every morning to get you off to a bright start.

There is no better place to share a peaceful vacation with your family or alone with your sweetheart………

Visit the following sites to find out more about this land of enchantment, Costa Rica….
Costa Rica Tourism
Dive Vacations in Costa Rica

As profound as it sounds, over a period of history, the world has been changed by three apples.

The first apple was the fruit taken from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil by Adam and Eve. The result of this action was the expulsion of the man and the woman from the Garden of Eden. The apple opened their eyes. Because of this action, God condemned the man to a life of toil and the woman to create new life through painful childbirth. This became the beginning of the creation of the human race. It can be said that ‘The Apple’ tempted Adam and Eve on the ‘Tree of Life’ and the ensuing actions and consequences started mankind.

Time marches on and in the summer of 1665 when the plague broke out in London, Isaac Newton was attending college at Cambridge University. He decided to go home to Lincolnshire to wait it out and ended up staying there for two years as the disease took its course. Newton was very studious and his mind was in constant motion. One day as he was sitting in his garden, an Apple fell on his head. Perhaps it was something that could have happened with not a second thought given, but being the analytical individual that he was, Newton realized that the direction in which the apple fell was towards the Center of the Earth. This was called, ‘Newton’s Eureka Moment’ and the defining moment of The Law of Gravity or at that time it was called ‘The Law of Universal Gravitation’. It truly changed our lives and laid out the groundwork for the entire universe as we know it today.

We can all say that there is an Apple that has revolutionized our world today. Steve Jobs co-founded Apple Computer in 1976 and that was the beginning of a huge technological advance with the creation of the personal computer which would then be replaced with the ‘interpersonal’ computer. Jobs was compared to a modern day Thomas Edison. His innovative ideas have given us a means of total communication through a device that can be held in the palm of our hands. This has created a dependency on technology to carry us into the future.

Will there be a fourth Apple that will change the world as our children know it today?

Fashion is in full swing now!

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week kicks off in Berlin with Autumn/Winter 2012 Collections from January 18th through January 21st. This will mark the 10th year of the fashion excitement in a magical kingdom. This is the event where rising design talent is given an opportunity to shine for the world to admire and follow.

This year the theme will be appropriately labeled ‘ICONS OF STYLE’.

One designer to keep your eye on will be Guido Maria Kretschmer. Guido is unique in his style and is devoted to the international corporate fashion range. He is one of the most successful corporate fashion designers in Europe. He also works for international opera, theatre and film productions.

Viewing his collections, you will be lavished in luxury. His dazzling dresses and lace-smitten coats are simply lovely testaments to his detail of design. His latest collection is inspired by Russian and Far Eastern images while whisking us away to the mysterious West Asian region with clothing that is beautifully draped and innovative in fabrics and shapes. Accessories and jewelry are key items to accompany the outfits. Followers that are attracted to Guido’s clothing lines are just as gorgeous as the clothing itself including Jane Seymour and Charlize Theron.

This collection will feature 180 items and fabrics of choice are silk and fabulous faux fur. There is also a bit of cashmere and angora thrown into the mix. Pale pastels in elegant gowns can be seen as a reminder of the cold tundra. There is a bit of brightness to provide an exciting undertone. As is always the case with Kretschmer, his dresses are favored because they place the woman on a pedestal of glory and elegance.

Some of the other great designers to keep a watchful eye on are Dimitri, Escada Sport, Rena Lange, Hugo by Hugo Boss, Rebekka Ruetz, Dietrich Emter and so many more.

The Countdown Begins to Mercedes-Benz Autumn/Winter 2012 Fashion Week in Berlin.

Following on the heels of Fashion Week in Berlin will be Mercedes-Benz Fall 2012 Fashion Week in New York City beginning on February 9th.

The employment situation for December was reported today. As we are approaching the Presidential Election, optimistic results are key for President Obama.

The economy is continuing to heal and will need a push by extending the payroll tax cut and government continuing to provide emergency unemployment benefits through the end of 2012. We must also carry out the steps of the newly adopted American Jobs Act.

Payroll employment rose by 200,000 jobs for the month of December. The private sector increased by 212,000 jobs. Unemployment fell to the lowest level since February 2009, to 8.5%. This was caused by employment growth. Over the last 12 months, unemployment fell by 0.9 percentage points.

Private sector jobs have been added for 22 months straight which equates to 3.2 million payroll jobs. In 2011, net 1.9 million private sector jobs have been added, the most since 2005.

The sectors with increases in December were Transportation and Warehousing (+150,200), Health Care and Social Assistance (+28,700), Retail Trade (+27,900), Manufacturing (+23,000), Leisure and Hospitality (+21,000), Construction (+17,000). Local governments lost 14,000 jobs and state government employment reported no change.

The big takeaway today is that we must continue to try and put more Americans back to work in order to stimulate the economic growth.

New York City will be transformed to the ‘Down Under’ from January 24th through January 27th as “The Australian Five” make their way to the city of great culture and design.

This stylish event is an alliance of The Woolmark Company and Australians in NY Fashion Foundation (AINYFF). It is commonly known as G’Day USA Initiative. Five Australian designers will be given an extraordinary opportunity to display their fashion talents in a more intimate and personal setting at the Crosby Street Hotel near Soho. Respected industry professionals will be able to preview the designers’ fabric innovations and design skills.

There will be an elegant cocktail presentation on January 26th and the designs will be launched for all to view and admire.

The designers are all unique in their own innovative ways. Christopher Esber is from Sydney, Australia and began his fashion career in college. A boutique fell in love with his collection and that was the beginning of his success story. He uses neutral colors to bring out the beauty of a woman in sheaths, shift and tuxedo coat dressing and much in the way of tailored style.



Brazilian born Fernando Frisoni designs both a signature menswear and women’s wear line. From 2003 through 2006, he was a stylist with his own street style page “Urban Style” in the Sydney Sun Herald. His collections are avante-garde inspired with relaxed tailoring.

Kim Ellery of Perth has an extensive background as Market Director at bimonthly Aussie style glossy ‘Russh’. She launched her very first collection in 2007. Ellery’s inspirations for many of her collections are created by fellow artists. Tailored outfits in pastels are some of her most elegant pieces.

Hailing from Macedonia, Magdalena Velevska premiered her first collection at Rosemount Fashion Week in 2009. She is extremely creative and has developed her own fabrics. She is a designer of exploration. The colors of her most recent collection are bright and electric and pleats abound. Before venturing out on her own, she gained experience with established labels.

Lastly, Michael Lo Sordo is a graduate of East Sydney’s Fashion Design Studio and became heavily involved in fashion in 2008. Before deciding to branch out on his own, he worked within a group show.

This is the perfect way to spread the word to international markets and share some very individualized talent and creativity.

Since these designers are new to the American market, Conde Nast’s Asia Pacific Editorial Director at Large, Nancy Pilcher, will be doing the mentoring. There will be loads of fashion excitement during this four-day event and prior to the introduction of the designs, there will be a seminar on breaking into the U.S. retail market, hosted by fashion favorites, Julie Anne Quay, V’s Executive Director and Brana Wolf and Laura Brown, Editors of Harper’s Bazaar and Richard Christianson of Chandelier Creative. The Australian consulate will host this informative seminar.

We can’t wait to see what is in store for us…………….

Rebel Salute is undeniably a masterpiece! What began as a show to commemorate the January 15 birthday of reggae icon Patrick “Tony Rebel” Barrett has become a staple on the live music events calendar. Every year since its first staging in 1994 in Brooks Park, Mandeville, Tony Rebel and Flames Production Inc. has delivered a world-class roots show unlike any other while promoting and preserving the healthier aspects of reggae music. The show has since then been moved to its new home at the Port Kaiser Sports Complex and is set against the backdrop of the unspoiled beauty of the parish that is known as the “bread basket” of Jamaica – St. Elizabeth.

Rebel Salute treats patrons to a drug-free, violence-free, alcohol-free and meat-free, family-oriented environment. Food vendors serve a strict Jamaican vegetarian menu, which is complimented by a diet of cultural roots rap from reggae’s finest. One can truly immerse themselves in Jamaican culture here as authentic Jamaican arts and crafts are also on display and for sale.

Rebel Salute has captured the adoration of roots reggae lovers worldwide, magnetically pulling thousands of people to areas of Jamaica’s South Coast not traditionally famous for live music festivals. Combined with the warm hospitality and abundant culture of the Jamaican people, this event is not one to be missed. Hailed today as a spiritual renaissance, it has become the bedrock for the exposure and celebration of Jamaican roots music. As the first cultural event for the New Year, the showcase has become a very proud process of reclaiming the moral high ground once occupied by Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and others. Nothing can be more symbolic of Jamaica’s cultural legacy than a resounding clash between the heart and the mind: “when the music hits, you feel no pain”.

Objectives of Rebel Salute 2012:
•To showcase authentic Jamaican culture through music, art, fashion and food.
•To promote cultural exchange between Jamaica and the African Diaspora.
•To promote community tourism and encourage social and environmental responsibility.
•To partner with cultural groups/organizations, corporations and government, forging lasting alliances that will preserve and promote authentic Jamaican culture both locally and internationally.
•To provide a platform for artists to champion their causes.
•To expose “Saluters” to an event experience where profanity is prohibited, healthy eating is supported and a family vibe is encouraged and highlighted.

The race is on! As the Republican candidates began their fight to the finish, the results are in for the Iowa Caucus. Front runner Mitt Romney barely beat out Rick Santorum but did so by a mere 8 points in order to become the leader in this primary caucus.

Santorum will have to keep the momentum going as they head to New Hampshire, a state very close to Romney’s home state of Massachusetts where he served as Governor. This will possibly give him more of an edge in the polls. Santorum will sell himself as the more conservative candidate in this race and one with a blue-collar background that voters will easily be able to relate to. However, he will have to contend with Romney and his campaign accusations that Santorum is a Washington insider with no business experience, a necessary skill to take over the position of President of the United States.

Surprisingly, Ron Paul inched up to third place in Iowa with more of the Independent voters backing him as well as those voters coming to the polls for the very first time. Rick Perry and Michelle Bachman came in with a distant 4th and 5th place finish with Jon Huntsman choosing not to compete in Iowa but instead focusing on New Hampshire. Perry has announced he is heading back to Texas to assess his run. Today, Michelle Bachman decided to drop out of the race due to her poor finish in Iowa.

This is the closest-ever margin of victory in a Republican Presidential contest. Romney had 30,015 votes and Santorum had 30,007 votes.

As the candidates head on to New Hampshire for the next debate as well as that state’s primary election next Tuesday, word is spreading that Senator John McCain will be endorsing Romney and announcing it in New Hampshire.

After New Hampshire, it will be on to South Carolina on January 21st and then on to Florida for the next primary.

It seems as if 2011 has passed us by at a very quick pace. We look forward to a new year ahead. What does the entertainment industry have in store for us in 2012? Who will become the hottest celebrities of the year?

As we pose the question for the new year, we look back in retrospect at the old year. Celebrities like to make their mark in the world and there were a handful that seemed to stay out in front throughout the year.

The Kardashian Family became a household name. They attracted an overwhelming audience in 2011 with their dramatic reality show. Everyone seemed to want to keep up with Kim, Khloe and Kourtney and now even Kylie and Kendall Jenner are becoming fashionable favorites. The Kardashian girls set the trend in fashion, have been savvy in business ventures and seem to know how to attract attention in almost everything that they do. Audiences have been following their romantic lives with the ups and downs of courtship, marriage and separation. What will be their good fortune in 2012?

April 2011 will go down in history as the largest royal wedding since Charles and Diana. Debonair Prince William wed his lovely bride, Kate Middleton, whom he had courted for many years. It was a wedding like none other with millions of spectators across the globe to witness the pageantry of such a spectacular event. While all eyes focused on the stately bride and groom, Pippa Middleton who is the sister of the bride, was introduced to the world and the public soon began to develop interest in this young beauty as well. Kate and Pippa have made the front covers of many a fashion magazine and continue to set the stylish trends each season. What will 2012 hold for the royal couple and their family?

While one union became history, another union was dissolved. The loving couple of Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez sadly ended and Lopez didn’t waste any time finding a new and younger partner. She kept busy as an ‘American Idol’ judge, continued to amaze audiences with her unparalleled dance moves and she evened out the year with her new clothing and home goods line for Kohl’s. What is in the cards for Miss Lopez in 2012?

Lady Gaga quickly moved up to be one of the hottest entertainers of the year in 2011. Her over the top costumes caught the attention of young and old alike and her performances seemed to always captivate crowds. To end the year, Gaga created her ‘Lady Gaga’s Workshop’ at Barney’s in New York City, a most ingenious way to pull us into her world with clothing, goodies and all kinds of neat items, taking up the 5th floor of the department store. Through this project, Lady Gaga decided to donate 25% of the sales to her new ‘Born This Way Foundation’ to embrace humanity, empower individuals and eliminate intolerance. Will she continue to rule the music world in 2012?

To round out the list of 2011 celebrities, young heartthrob, Justin Bieber, had young girls swooning every time he hit the stage. He attended and performed at almost every award event from L.A. to New York City and around the world and his romantic encounter with the charming Selena Gomez seemed to intrigue his fans. He grew up right before our eyes and ended the year in Times Square performing a powerful rendition of The Beatles hit, ‘Let It Be’. Will his successful stardom continue in 2012?

Who will become our favorites this year? Will we continue to search out the old or become enthralled with the new? Stay tuned, the year is only just beginning………

‘There is no better ship than friendship’. We look back upon 2011 as a tough economic year for the history books but look ahead with a sense of optimism at the year ahead of us, 2012.

Moderate temperatures in the low 50′s brought a crowd of excited partygoers to the streets of Times Square early in the day on Saturday, December 31st, to await the welcome of a bright new year. You could easily find representation in Times Square from countries as far away as London, England and Beijing, China. A very upbeat group of girls decided to make a road trip from Dallas to ‘The Big Apple’ to herald in the New Year amongst the massive throngs of people only to head back home once the clock struck midnight.

People lined the streets and filled the barricaded areas with not an empty space to be found. As day turned into evening, blue balloons and matching Nivea ‘Dare to be Kissed’ hats could be spotted for blocks with a hint of confetti dotting the skies like snowflakes of winter in the night sky.

The festivities opened with a special presentation from Beijing, China’s municipal government and a traditional and colorful Chinese lion dance. The crystal balls at Times Square emitted red and yellow light to signify fortune and good luck in the coming year as part of a Chinese cultural tradition. This was a promising symbol of better cultural relations between the two countries.

A smiling and animated Ryan Seacrest, synonymous with New Year’s Eve in Times Square, walked into the crowd early in the evening to greet his fans and followers as they reached out for a hug and a picture to remember. Also cheering in a brighter year was Carson Daly, Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin.

Excitement filled the brisk air as the celebrity couple, Bill and Giuliana Rancic, dominated the stage at intervals. They shared conversation with the crowd, read resolutions from visitors who dropped their wishes in a ball at the Times Square Visitors Center and a surprise engagement took place as a Florida couple made their way to the stage. The proposal was broadcast live on the Toshiba big screen in Times Square. Sponsors for this event included Nivea, Philips, Waterford Crystal, Toshiba and Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark. This year was the 104th anniversary of the historic ball drop.

You could feel the thrill and excitement of this special evening as you glanced up at all the billboards that lit up the night and the star of the evening, the ‘crystal-paneled’ ball, 400 feet above the street and decorated with 3,000 Waterford crystal triangles. A remembrance of those we lost on 9/11 took place for a brief moment since this past year marked the ten-year anniversary.

With an impressive line-up of stars, the revelers received a real treat with performances by:
Rapper, singer-songwriter sensation Pit Bull
Grammy-nominated artist Drake
Young girl heartthrob, Justin Bieber, doing a rendition of The Beatles hit ‘Let It Be’ accompanied by favorite guitarist and musician, Carlos Santana
New York native and singing sensation, Lady Gaga, performing a medley of hits, “Heavy Metal Lover”, “Marry the Night” and “Born This Way”
Musical success, Nicki Minaj, captured the crowd with her passion for song and celebration



There were additional performers throughout the evening entertaining the crowds of people and keeping them moving to the beat.


An unlikely couple, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Lady Gaga, shared a kiss at midnight as the big ball dropped and then they took to the dance floor to none other than ‘Auld Lang Syne’ which led into ‘New York, New York’. We were all caught up in this New York moment.

Celebrations took place all across the world at different historic moments that signal in 2012 and fireworks lit up the night.




As quickly as New Year’s Eve came, the day was over but we are eagerly opening the curtain this morning to a new and brighter today, 2012, with most of our troops back home, an election year and hopefully a healing economy in our near future.

Thanks go out to Times Square Alliance for once again planning and making this a very successful event.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

January 2012 has been proclaimed as National Mentoring Month by President Obama. Our youth will be the future and there are many challenges that confront them in the world today.

Mentors are individuals that give of themselves by sharing their time, knowledge and experiences with an open heart. They set positive examples and are eager to contribute to a brighter future for our children by guiding them towards success in a complex society.

Children need a support network to instill confidence in themselves that they can achieve any goal that they set forth to undertake. Diligence and self-discipline are exceptional qualities that mold our youth into strong and determined individuals.

President Obama is committed to expanding mentorship opportunities across the country. Mentors strengthen the American family. As part of the steadfast commitment to support service members and their loved ones, new mentorship opportunities for children from military families are being funded. Faith and community groups are being engaged to help recruit mentors to guide our youth in education, employment and engaged citizenship.

It’s time to make a powerful and lasting investment in the youth of today which also benefits each community across the United States. If you feel that you have those leadership skills, now is the time to help a child discover the best in themselves.

Visit MENTOR

Back in December 2010, we introduced our readers to the fearless and determined group known as ‘Sea Shepherd Conservation Society’. They have been doing outstanding work as a non-profit organization to end destruction of habitat and the slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans. By continuing their devoted cause, they will conserve and protect our ecosystems and species.

Captain Paul Watson and crew are now back in action and it is time for an update. To preface the newest mission to the Antarctic, the Japanese government announced at the end of September that they were increasing the budget for whaling by close to 600%. A good portion of those funds were slated for rebuilding the country after the recent earthquake and tsunami but will not be used for that purpose. This drew heavy opposition from the Japanese citizens as well as criticism from over sixty international organizations. Unfortunately, it appears that the Japanese government is partial to a small but certainly powerful economic elite associated with the fishing industry and plans to assert its authority over the rich waters of the Southern Ocean.

This is where Sea Shepherd and Operation No Compromise enter the picture. As a blessing on Christmas Day, the crew intercepted the Japanese whaling fleet a thousand miles north of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. This year the tactic used by Sea Shepherd’s Captain Watson on the Bob Barker and the Steve Irwin is the use of a drone known as Nicole Montecalvo. Bayshore Recycling of New Jersey was kind enough to donate this strategic piece of equipment.

The drone was deployed and was successful in locating and photographing the Japanese factory ship, Nisshin Maru on December 24th. This has put the ships of Sea Shepherd at a large advantage knowing the exact whereabouts of the Japanese fishing vessels far before they reach their whaling destination. They have been able to intercept them before they reach their final destination. This, in turn, has prevented any whaling slaughter.

As Captain Paul Watson describes it, “We now have eyes in the sky”. This also alerts them to any immediate, impending and potential danger. The ultimate goal of this 2011 campaign was to ensure that not one single whale will be butchered. So far the success is evident.

Many people may not be aware that over 20,000 dolphins, porpoises and small whales are slaughtered in Japan from September 1st through March of the next year. This takes place in a village known as Taiji in a ‘Cove’. Due to the efforts and dedication of Sea Shepherd volunteers who have become Cove Guardians with a constant presence in this dangerous area, unnecessary and ruthless destruction has been curbed.

The good deeds of Sea Shepherd and their campaigns are being recognized and applauded all throughout the world. They have maintained a strong presence in The Galapagos, participated in the Gulf Rescue Oil Spill, are carrying out Operation Desert Seal to defend Namibian Cape fur seals from being slaughtered and continue to defend the shark and bluefin tuna from becoming extinct.

There is so much that humanity can learn from this committed organization. All the individuals that take part in these campaigns are volunteers that have an allegiance to saving our marine wildlife.

Visit SEA SHEPHERD to gain a better understanding and follow them and support them throughout the year. Good deeds never go unnoticed.

In the 90′s came the true meaning of the Supermodel. These were models that young girls looked up for their beauty and their finesse who graced the covers of most of the major fashion magazines and runways of New York, Paris and Milan.

Today, two Supermodel legends who also happen to be best friends, are once again making an appearance in the pages and on the cover of Vogue’s January 2012 issue, nearly a decade later. The shoot is labeled ‘Vice Versa’ which is a true masterpiece by Steven Klein.

They have made an amazing comeback showing the multidimensional female persona through New York designers such as Donna Karan, Michael Kors, Derek Lam, Carolina Herrera, Ralph Lauren and the list continues. The clothes are elegant and the scenes are captivating. These two beauties have been photographed by the fashion world’s best over the years such as Arthur Elgort, Steven Meisel and Peter Lindbergh. Top name designers such as Karl Lagerfeld and John Galliano favored them to represent their winning collections.

After becoming instant successes in the modeling world, they both decided to move into the acting arena and co-starred together as hosts on MTV’s ‘House of Style’ as well as making their acting debuts in several films.

The face of Chanel’s Coco perfume was Shalom Harlow. Shalom comes to us from a hippie upbringing in Canada and did her first shoot for Vogue in 1992. She was featured on the cover five times. Her striking features got her discovered at the young age of 16 while attending a rock concert. Shalom means “peace” in Hebrew. She truly aspired to be a dancer but her modeling career took off and that became her future. Her look commanded refinement and gentility and thus she was the ideal Haute Couture model. It was versatile enough to get her a variety of work and much praise in the fashion world. She was seen in many major ad campaigns such as GAP. Harlow’s personality was just as beautiful as her elegant looks. She has appeared in ‘Vanilla Sky’ and ‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days’.

Amber Valletta was discovered at an even younger age of 15. She is an all-American midwestern girl who has done 16 Vogue covers and made her debut in Vogue in 1993. Her winning looks always pushed her to the fashion forefront and she has been the face of Versace and David Yurman. Valletta has appeared in films such as ‘Hitch’ and ‘What Lies Beneath’. Not only is Amber recognized for her talents but she also is very serious about philanthropy. Valletta takes part in charity projects for wildlife preservation and the fight against breast cancer. Most notably, she gives back through her most recent charity, Charity Water.

Simply stated, Amber makes sure that people in developing countries have clean drinking water. For her birthday in 2013, she is setting her ambition on going to Ethiopia to build a well. Everyone deserves clean drinking water.

These two women represent beauty in every sense of the word. We know that this will not be the last time that we see them in the pages of Vogue and they have proven that beauty is ageless and timeless.

As the last of the holiday gifts are opened and we look back at how much we spent on gifts during the holiday season, consumers can rest assured for now that the payroll tax cut has been extended another two months. There were some uncomfortable moments as stalemates ensued on both sides but an agreement was reached prior to breaking for the holidays.

This $33 billion bill also includes a 2-month extension of emergency federal unemployment benefits and a “doc-fix” which is a delay in scheduled payment reductions to doctors treating Medicare patients.

It is a win win situation for not only the middle-class American but also for the Democratic Party as well.

Obama also signed an appropriations bill funding government through September 2012, an issue that has seemed to be creating ongoing problems and uncertainty in the economy up to this point.

The payroll tax cut will stay at 4.2% instead of the previous 6.2%. If this bill had not been extended, the middle-class citizen would have had an approximate $1,000 tax increase. This equates to a reduction of $40 take home per pay period. This is a significant dollar amount.

Obama also wants to make sure that those out there seeking work don’t begin to lose their unemployment insurance on January 1st.

Congress will consider continuing the extension for a longer period of time when it reconvenes in January.

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Outside the pure white snow is falling as the snowman and the squirrel converse,
Inside the magnificent Christmas tree is adorned with bulbs shining bright,
The logs in the fireplace are crackling and warm giving off light,
The presents surround the tree and the stockings are overflowing with goodies.

Soon the wrapping paper and toys will be all over the room and the giggling, oohs and aahs will be the welcome result.
On Christmas Day, childrens’ wishes come true,
Smiles abound and kisses and hugs are plentiful,
The big meal to mark the celebration is plentiful with everything delicious,
This holiday is a time of giving,
A time of sharing with family and friends,
A time to believe in all that is good,
The holiday is a time to put aside hostilities and to be kind to all those individuals who have touched our lives.

From our family to your family, have a very Merry Christmas!! Thank you to all of our readers for the success that you have given us!