What do YOU do in Your Calvins?

Just asked these models in the latest Calvin Klein Jeans TV spot. Hot on the heals of last year's Eva Mendes controversy (which I argue was extremely tasteful and well done), Mr. Klein's disciples went ahead with this bad boy (totally NSFW). If PR is what they want, PR is what they will get because we all know sex sells.

Most Bizarre Unintentional Product Crosspromotion Ever.

So I was looking into Philips Electronics based on a friend's input who might get a job with them. Lo and behold after a few jumps through Wikipedia and rummaging through information on the Dutch company, I came across a link to this product they are pushing in the UK.

Philips is plugging it as an "Intimate Massager". It looks like a ladies contraceptive. Wikipedia refers to it simply as a vibrator. (And don't even get me started on the Amazon page's description.) Hey, one person's massager is another person's vibrator I guess. And who am I to judge anyway?

But the most disturbing, or fitting (depending on your psyche) part of this little story is this. Check out below the web page on Amazon UK's site that sells this product. Anyone else think it a little fanboy-ish that the Amazon engine determined Lara Croft fit into the "Similar Items" section of this product page? Somewhere, a gaming geak is "1-clicking" his way to what he thinks is his best chance at getting Angelina Jolie in bed (or Meghan Fox, if you believe the rumors that have already been squashed).

THIS Is How It Is Done.

I was looking back through some pics of styles I like, trying to find a particular look I remembered seeing when I suddenly came across this picture.

courtesy: Scott Schulman

The point: This is absolutely, positively how a blazer or suit jacket arm length should be tailored. Period. (And how much cuff to show on a dress shirt under it.)

Here are the keys:

• Your shirt cuff should meet the break of your wrist when your arm is straight by your side in a comfortable position (NOT to be confused with how to measure yourself for a shirt sleeve- i.e., crooked elbow, shoulder to wrist).
• You should show 1/4 to 1/2 inch of cuff before your jacket begins (again, same position- arms by your sides).
• Caveat: You will notice when you bend your arms (e.g., while driving) you may see your wrist and the jacket may seem higher up your forearm than you are used to. But this spec is still the difference from being well-dressed versus being stylish.
  

I have argued this point with a seamstress altering one of my jackets and several store clerks at various times trying on clothes and all were in the wrong (IMHO).

*Side note: I have a dress shirt on right now given to me as a gift and it is not my customary brand/sizing, but a close facsimile; It is driving me nuts because, despite the shirt stating the same measurements, the sleeves are juuuust a bit longer than my usual measurement and it is driving me crazy! (Yup, I have issues.)

Coincidence? I Think Not.

Dan Shanoff points out in his Sporting News column and on his eponymous site, Dan Shanoff.com, "Meanwhile, Pete Carroll is a bit of a d'bag for ripping Mark Sanchez's decision to turn pro. Yeah: Like Carroll is now going to go out and actively recruit the kind of player who doesn't have the ability to turn pro after 3 seasons. Quit whining."

Agreed Dan- Carroll needs to shut it. But what's not mentioned here is the fact that, despite, Carroll's insistence that Sanchez is not NFL-ready (yet), he still has a better chance to go higher in the draft- say, 1st rounder, and easily 1st day- than he would next year when the NFL Draft Class will most assuredly feature Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, and Tim Tebow. Not saying any of these guys is better than Sanchez, but it gives NFL Personnel gurus a lot more to consider for both this season (draft Sanchez and develop him for 2010/11?) and next (or draft a franchise-QB in McCoy or Bradford for immediate impact?*).

*I'm not saying McCoy or Bradford will be a franchise-type QB. But given their pedigrees (big time college programs, on-field collegiate success, Heisman finalists/winners) these guys are as close to locks as any prospect. And throw a year of serious QB-centric training at Tebow (why else stay at UF?) to make him 1st Round material and Sanchez becomes just an also-ran. But this year? The guy locks Top 2 QB status in the Draft.

That is something Pete Carroll should be proud of and not criticizing.

How Does the City of Anaheim Save Tax Dollars?

Usually, stories like this one about how the City of Anaheim and its mayor, Curt Pringle, says the City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to give up its battle to restore the team's name to the Anaheim Angels come from the side of the professional sports team.

You know the scenario- the team spinster, er... PR rep steps up to a podium tells you the owner has decided not to retain Joe All-Star because they see their club headed in a different direction, or they couldn't come to terms, or any excuse to deflect the fact that said club (and owner) simply decided Joe was not worth $20mil per year and a hefty increase to ticket prices the following season that further screw their fan base after the last slate of crappy contracts they committed to.

But here we have the City of Anaheim and their CEO (mayor) Curt Pringle playing the angles so the blip on the radar that this story is somehow, what, favors the city over the Angels? The money quote, "...it's in everybody's best interest to take no further action."

Basically, the guy is trying to save face over a laughing stock lawsuit that has twice failed and that costs the taxpayers money. It took the current economy to do it, but at least someone in Anaheim City Hall was wise enough to look at the books and say,"Um, we are paying a legal retainer to fight WHAT?"

Yeah, way to go Anaheim, your solid now. Of course, you're also left with the Ducks and not much else, but hey, now you can spend your tax dollars on, say, a city float for this year's Rose Parade.

CES Hangover

I've been sorting through various posts and highlights from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Vegas last week. Some really cool stuff (and lots of "ughs" too). But I'll try and post some products that caught my eye. Starting with this baby.


The LG HBM-800 is a bluetooth headset/speaker combo. Subject to a performance review, what I like about it is it's ability to bring "handsfree" to another level with Bluetooth.

I've used a Bluetooth earpiece for a couple of years and I hate the stigma (and discomfort) it now brings- evil stares like those previously reserved in the "good 'ol days" for the few people who had- gasp- cell phones. More importantly, I hate the discomfort of having something stuck in my ear while in transit. Quality headphones (like my Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 buds) Bluetooth is not.

Also as discouraging is the typical mediocre performance you get out of your cellphone's speaker when attempting to go handsfree in, say, the car. If this LG has a quality speaker (both in terms of audio and mic/noisecanceling), it may just make its earpiece expendable on the road. The visor clip in the new HBM-800 makes it ideal to stow right above your head and push the "talk" button without the ear-canal damaging pressure you exert attempting to engage your earpiece.

But that earpiece would come in quite handy leaving your vehicle to continue a call (with its switching feature) or in crowded places where a speaker is just useless (and obnoxious). The design looks promising, though it has a bit of a garage door opener groove going on. But if the performance quality is there, I'll overlook its lack of cutting edge style in v1.0.

Recession-proof Clothing

Sure, there probably is not much that is recession-proof these days, but that does not mean not taking advantage of the recession to outfit your sorry (and aesthetically lacking) self with new duds at the expense of all the clothing stores practically giving away their wares.

For me, that means stocking up on certain staples in my wardrobe. The button down shirts I use (and it's a specific kind) are virtually pocket change right now. Seriously, the outfitters are so desperate for sales, everything in stores seems like a "loss leader".

Fortunately for me, it's not just some one-off item, but something I use over and over. A little pearl of wisdom I plan to pass to my kids (if for nothing more than Father's Day gift ideas)... while I am all for patterned shirts in my closet or thin V-neck sweaters, you can never have enough white and blue button-downs.

Thanks Miami!

Well, THAT was certainly worth not seeing the Patriots in the playoffs for the first time since 2002.