10 things you can’t afford to live without

 

Tom Kolovos, NBC5 Street Team

We are all being forced to cut back on the non essential things in our lives. Here’s my list of things you can’t afford to live without. Feel free to leave a comment with your own list.

10 New York Times Select. The online version of the newspaper of record. If you were part of the 70% + of people who thought Iraq was responsible for 9/11, don’t worry, you won’t hate everything. The Op Ed page has Bill Kristol who convinced John McCain to put Sarah Palin on the Republican presidential ticket. You’ll like him. 

     

9 indianmathonline.com  You can’t afford those damn American Girl dolls anymore for your children/other people’s children? Good.  You are not the only one that thought they were always a transparent antifeminist waste of money. American girls don’t need dolls, they need math skills. Come to think of it, so do boys. Playing with dolls or soccer balls will not be a valued skill set in the 21st century global economy. If that surprises you, then you need to fork over $150 a year, per child, ASAP–before their math score turns out to be 150 on their SAT.

                                

8 Window shopping. You go to a museum to educate yourself about the history and quality of art. You don’t go there to bitch that you can’t afford the art or to ridicule the artists. Try the same logic in a high end department or specialty store.

 

7 A museum membership. Museums exist for a reason. If you are unsure why, now would be a good time to find out for yourself and for any children in your life.

6 A good hairstylist/colorist. Length is not a hairstyle. Peanut brittle is never a convincing shade of hair color even if you are the governor of California and are married to a Kennedy. Oh, and ladies –male and female alike–highlights are not a hair color either.

5 A great pair of  shoes and jeans. I mean ones that other people consistently compliment you on and not the ones you’re wearing while you are reading this.

4 A friend that will bring you chicken soup when you have the flu. That eliminates everyone from your Facebook/bigmuscle/jdate account. Now what? 

3 Your own personal Gayle King: Someone who (or something that) would have no real reason for being if it were not for you.

2 A loving mother. Just like she keeps telling you: you really are going to miss her when she’s gone.

 

1 The knowledge of what  the hell has happened to Nicole Kidman’s face.  Did anyone catch a glimpse of Clutch Cargo Kidman on “Oprah” this week? Caveat emptor.

tomkolovos.com

 

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Back in Black (from the bridge to nowhere)

Tom Kolovos, NBC5 Street Team
I’m back!

I have not blogged for almost 3 months and over the next few moths maybe I can find the time to tell you why.

Let’s start with why I’m back to begin with. Since I started blogging for nbc5.com, I’ve been posting my picks for the best and worst dressed celebs at the major awards shows. Hey, it’s frivolous fun and at the end of the day not a dumb thing to do when your website is called TheBestDressedList.com.

Since the Emmy Awards will be handed out tonite, I will post the obligatory list tomorrow.

But in a week in which the headlines have been about the  surprise(?) enormous mismanagement of the U.S. economy and the reality that we face an international global economic collapse that would make the Great Depression look like a trip to Disneyland, I’ll be honest with you, the list of who is wearing what will be frivolous.

As an image consultant, I’m sometimes asked a really important question: “Can a client who has very little substance, make up for it by finessing great style?” Quite frankly  I’m surprised I’m not asked this question more often. My answer is always: “No. Not in the long run.” 

The reason I believe this to be true is because if great style, or any style at all, could be a substitute for substance, it would have to be based on smoke and mirrors, misrepresentations and, a word we are uncomfortable using publicly, lies. Eventually, the truth will come out and the charade is over.

Or maybe not. Maybe not if we all really want to collectively continue to believe the charade because it’s more comforting than the truth.

As I write this, I defy anyone to suggest to me that ordinary Americans have the slightest clue about the global economic implications of the last week. While I’m at it, I defy anyone in the Bush administration to have explained it to me sometime before this week.

It’s going to take a long time and, OMFG, a lot of my money and yours before the charade is exposed and we can go back to hitting our collective “the fundamentals of the economy are strong” snooze button. 

Funny enough–well, funny only in a black comedy ( and I don’t mean The Jeffersons)– the political landscape in the country is facing an equally crucial wake up call. I had no idea how utterly naive it would seem in 2008, when it seemed perfectly logical in 2007, for me to tell USA Today that: 

“This is an election, maybe the first one since Kennedy-Nixon, where appearance really does matter, because we have credible female, black, Hispanic candidates, style and substance may actually be competitive, or even equally important to the public.” 

Suddenly, it doesn’t really matter how many sources have picked up that quote or in how many foreign languages. As of the day Sarah Palin joined the the Republican presidential ticket, substance has taken a seat at the very back of the political tour bus. How Ms. Palin, and therefore John McCain,  has been packaged to the public in this election will make it possible for those of us who grapple with image, either for a living or academically, to think, rethink, publish, blog and (maybe even blush) for years to come.

After a lot of thought and head scratching, I have lots to say on the subject of image and politics in this election. I will share them with you in blog size bites in the next few week/months. (Yes, Marcus, I know this blog is too long….)

Enjoy the Emmys tonite.

TheBestDressedList.com

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Obama vs. McCain in a Maki Roll Showdown!

D.C. “Fete Select TV” Crenshaw, NBC5 Street Team

The political scene has been at the forefront for Chicagoans the past 18 months.  My personal friend and Illinois Senator Barack Obama has taken the world by storm with his charisma and inspiring speeches that have won over hundreds of millions of people.  John McCain is experienced, but is trying to change his perception of being old and out of touch with typical Americans.  With the help of the media, You Tube and cyberspace nothing has been off limits when comparing and contrasting the Presidential candidates on policy, style, age, family, wealth, and now…um…sushi?

Yes folks, it’s true.  Now Obama and McCain will go “maki-to-maki” in a taste test at RA Sushi for the best maki roll.  You will have a chance to vote for either the Obama roll or the McCain roll as the best political roll conceived by the RA Sushi chef.

The “Blue” Barack Attack Roll is layered with smoked salmon, cream cheese, cucumber and artichoke rolled in rice and seaweed and topped with crunchy blue tempura bits, finished with a sweet eel sauce and wasabi mayo.

The “Red” McCain Terrain Roll consists of spicy tuna, crab mix and cucumber rolled in rice and seaweed and topped with crunchy red tempura bits, finished with a sweet eel sauce and spicy mayo.

In a non-biased taste test, I personally liked the McCain roll better, although I think that they could have come up with something better for Barack who represents more flavor than the roll that represents him.  Nonetheless it was an interesting and enjoyable taste test.

During both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions starting today thru Sept 5th, you can taste and vote for your favorite Presidential roll on the Campaign Platter at RA Sushi for $10.  A portion of the proceeds, $3 from every sale of the Campaign Platter, will benefit Rock The Vote.  The winning candidates roll will be inaugurated onto the menu at all three Illinois RA Sushi restaurants starting on Friday, September 12 through Friday, Oct 3.  Also diners will be able to register to vote at RA Sushi Chicago on Monday, Oct 6, as part of a Rock The Vote event that will be held there.

Check out RA Sushi at www.RAsushi.com for more information.

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