It's long been established that the traditional Barbie doll does not accurately represent the adult female form, and that the proportions are out of whack. Now that Mattel has launched a new line of black Barbies to appeal to those of African descent, they are receiving the same kind of criticism that the regular old white Barbie has been getting for years - that they don't authentically represent black women.

While many are pleased that their daughters can play with Barbie dolls that look more like them, others point out that the the line of "So in Style" black Barbies do not represent all black women. Some argue that they look more liked mixed race women, and features like afros, kinky hair, and more flattened noses and large lips noticeably absent. Instead, it is argued that the dolls look more like the black women featured in hip-hop videos - slim with small noses and straightened hair. Many say that they should have more natural black hairstyles, like braids and afros.

Others, however, point out that many black women in fact do straighten their hair. So in that sense, it is not an inaccurate representation.

Nike Inc. and Cleveland Cavaliers' star LeBron James are once again working on creating a new shoe - the Nike Air Max LeBron VII. On August 7th at 12:00pm, an event will be held in Akron, OH to discuss their latest collaboration.

The event will be held in Akron at the Community Center, where LeBron played basketball during his childhood. Hosting the event will be Kenan Thompson, a comedian. Nike designer Jason Petrie will also be on hand to discuss the Nike Air Max LeBron VII.

The Nike Air Max LeBron VII, which is likely to become available in a variety of colors and editions, will be unveiled at the event. Unlike previous Nike LeBron shoes, which were from the Nike Zoom family, the new shoes will come with a full Max Air cushioning system. The LeBron Zoom line appears to have now been retired.

If you thought that the Snuggie craze had finally subsided with the warmer weather, think again. Once the cold weather settles in again this fall, the informercials will be back in full force, and this time there will be even more of them thanks to a new Snuggie product - Snuggie for Dogs.

The Snuggie for Dogs is similiar to the Snuggie for humans, and is basically just a loose fitting fleece blanket with holes in it for your dog's legs. It will be available in sizes extra small, small, medium and large, and in your choice of blue or pink.

It's about time. Announced Tuesday in conjunction with AT&T, Barnes & Noble bookstores nationwide will now offer free Wi-Fi access. The majority of the retail stores are already hotspots through AT&T, but the once paid access service will now be free of charge in an attempt to expand customer awareness of Barnes & Noble's growing e-book library.

Those with laptops, and Wi-Fi equipped smartphones and other wireless devices will now be able to surf the web in stores without being required to set up an account or pay.

Recently, BN took aim at Amazon.com and its Kindle e-book reader, announcing its own "eBookstore" along with plans to release its own dedicated e-book reader. Offering Wi-Fi for free in their stores is at least partially geared towards building customer awareness of the new eBookstore.

The BN eBookstore launched with 700,000 titles, 500,000 of which are free public domain books available through Google. Comparatively, Amazon.com has an inventory of 300,000 titles.

Dots, a Cleveland area discount retailer store, has announced that they have moved their headquarters from Solon to nearby Glenwillow. A press release stated:

"It is with great pride and extraordinary pleasure to announce the next chapter in Dots history," said Robert Glick. "Dots' new campus is a statement to Northeast Ohio of our dedication to our customers and our employees who support the Company's retail stores."

With significant growth over the last five years, Dots outgrew its old Solon-based facilities and looked to consolidate its operations into a single building. The new Dots campus is an important milestone for the business that Glick founded over 20 years ago as an off-price fashion apparel retailer. Since then, Dots has emerged as a leader in affordable women's fashions, with 424 stores in a 26 state footprint. The retailer employs over 4,000 associates.

When Crocs (NASDAQ: CROX) hit stores and the fashion scene in 2002, many were left scratching their heads. The plastic clog shoes were (and still are) hideous, and yet they were being snatched up from store shelves like crazy. Over the years, fans have touted the comfort of the clogs while the rest of the world just can't wait to be rid of eye sores. Well my friends, it looks as though the end might finally be here.

In 2007, Crocs boasted a profit of $168.2 million. But in just one year, the company found itself struggling with debt. It lost $185.1 million and cut 2,000 jobs, and its stock price dropped 76%.

Crocs now has until September to pay back the losses. But as consumers now show little interest in the $30 shoes, the company is left with a surplus. There is no demand for Crocs.

Speaking with the Washington Post, Damon Vickers, manager of an investment fund at Nine Points Capital Partners in Seattle, said:

"The company is toast. They're zombie-ish. They're dead and they don't know it."

With cutbacks in so many fields and unemployment soaring a little bit of good news came out today for Clevelanders. 125 jobs at Cleveland Hopkins Airport are looking to be filled.

Here are a few highlights from the press release issued earlier this afternoon:

The ongoing transformation of retail, food, and beverage concessions at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) is generating a growing number of employment opportunities for Cleveland-area residents. BAA Cleveland, developer of the new AIRMALL(R) at CLE, is working closely with a host of local, regional, and national concessions operators who will open units at CLE and seek to hire and train new staff members

"We are looking for motivated, customer-friendly people to staff the concessions at the new Airmall at CLE, a development project that will dramatically enhance the passenger experience," said Mark Knight, president of BAA Cleveland.

Below is a list of positions that are to be filled. To apply, please visit airmall.com or call 1-800-ITS-FAIR for more information regarding the job vacancies.

-- Auntie Anne's Pretzels
-- Bruegger's
-- Great Lakes Brewing Company
-- Hudson News

Walmart announced Wednesday a new clothing line - Miley Cyrus & Max Azria - which will only be available at Walmart stores. The line, which brings together teen sensation Miley Cyrus and famed fashion house BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP Inc., will arrive in all Walmart stores and on Walmart.com in early August. In addition to the new clothing line, Walmart also announced that they will be the title sponsor of Miley's upcoming concert tour.

The Miley Cyrus & Max Azria line aims to offer customers affordable and trend-right apparel, and includes tops, pants, graphic tees, shoes and accessories. All items in the collection are priced at less than $20.

Many of the pieces in the collection were influenced by Miley. Speaking of her new line, she said:

"I love creating looks that are all about personal expression and individuality. Collaborating with Max Azria has been an amazing experience, and I'm really excited about launching this line with Walmart. There's even more to come!"

Of working with Miley, Max Azria said:

On Wednesday, Blockbuster Inc. announced that in keeping with previously disclosed plans to launch an online video game rental service by summer, that they would launch a pilot program in the Cleveland area beginning June 30. Blockbuster is planning to expand the program nationwide by the end of the year, which would make it the only by-mail service to offer both movie and video game rentals.

The Kentucky Derby and Mattel have teamed up to commemorate the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby this Saturday, May 2, 2009 at Churchill Downs with the official Kentucky Derby Barbie doll. This classic event is more than just any old horse race - it's a time-honored tradition, the first leg of the prestigious Triple Crown races, and the place to be seen. It's also a famed fashion event, where both the ladies and the gents put on their best.

This year, Barbie, a fashion icon herself, showcases the legendary Derby fashion with a floral sun dress, sassy spring sandals, a faux pearl necklace, and of course, an oversized white hat with blossoming flower accents.