Buzz up!8 votes ShareretweetEmailPrint AP – Pictures of a victim, flowers and candles are set out at a tunnel in Duisburg, western Germany, on Tuesday, …
Slideshow:Germany’s Love Parade Play Video Music Video:Aretha And Condi Make Music In Philly CBS 3 Philadelphia Play Video Music Video:First Fan Already In Place For Music Fest CBS4 Denver By JUERGEN BAETZ, Associated Press Writer Juergen Baetz, Associated Press Writer – Tue Jul 27, 2:33 pm ET
BERLIN – A memorial service will be held for the 20 people crushed to death in a mass panic at the Love Parade techno festival, German officials said Tuesday, as hundreds of people lit candles, left notes and placed flowers at the site of the tragedy.

People in the western German city of Duisburg gathered to express their grief near where the victims died and 500 others were injured in a jammed tunnel that was the lone entry to the annual festival meant to celebrate peace and love.

Some cried and clung to loved ones. Many lined up to sign a condolence book placed between two red candles in the middle of the tunnel.

People also expressed deep anger at city authorities, particularly Mayor Adolf Sauerland, whom they blame for failing to adequately plan for the event. Organizers have come under fire for allegedly trying to squeeze as many as 1.4 million revelers into too small a space and for allowing only one access point onto the grounds.

One note read: “Sauerland, resign! You failed

What follows is a cross between “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and “The Girlfriends’ Guide to Toddlers” — an exhaustively researched and delightfully witty account of author Melanie Rehak’s adventurous year working at a local restaurant and tracing its food supply to the sources, as well as grappling with her young son who won’t eat a thing.

Through her visits to dairy, produce and animal farms, Rehak gains a deeper appreciation for the difficulties facing local farmers — and the need to support them. Organic food seems more expensive because the costs are more visible, one of her sources tells her. But the costs of conventionally grown food include public funding of irrigation projects and crop subsidies, not to mention pollution and food-borne illnesses.

Back on the homefront, readers can track the budding language skills of Rehak’s son, Jules, in the myriad ways he refuses almost every edible thing she offers him — from “No” to “No this” to “No chicken. No pasta. No fish.”

The juxtaposition between these dual tracks in Rehak’s life — food and parenting — makes for an amusing read. After methodically describing how to butcher a duck, and the struggle involved in clipping a baby’s nails, Rehak dryly concludes: “You genuinely feel it’s easier to butcher a duck.”

Despite her conviction that local is the way to go, Rehak (author of “Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her”) is reasonable and flexible in the belief, knowing that it’s not always possible to be choosy.

The general issue of accessibility of local produce and livestock, however, is unfortunately not addressed, a gaping hole in the book.

“Eating for Beginners” is funny, informative and relatable. And if you find your mouth watering at some of the dishes mentioned, Rehak is considerate enough to include recipes at the end of each chapter

“This is such a big deal because there is always the question [of] if you approach to design in an artistic way and whether you view your work as art,” Laura Mulleavy said. “It is amazing to have a community you are not always part of recognize your work.”

Rodarte was nominated for the award last year but was beaten by Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein. Michelle Obama, who has been seen wearing the label before, is honorary patron of the event which will take place on October 14 in New York. The sisters went on a low-key night out to celebrate their win.

“The Lakers are playing and they have kind of taken over our town,” Mulleavy said to WWD, “so we will probably just take over the jukebox at this little place we like to go to. And then, of course, we will just get back to work.”

Paying tribute to the design industry as a whole, Obama, who wore Isabel Toledo for the occasion, recalled the words of one of her husband’s favourite musicians:

“The great jazz musician Miles Davis – one of my husband’s favourites – once said, ‘Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there,’” said Obama. “I think that is pretty much a good description of what each of you does every day: You’re playing what’s not there.”

“[Designers have] spent their lives pushing boundaries,” she said to WWD. “We know a little about boundary pushing- or just outright ignoring them altogether.”

Resin pendant with a 18″ silver ball chain necklace! Hand poured and sanded.

This oval pendant measures about 1″ x 1.5″

VINTAGE Glass Royal Blue Heart Lock Key Brass Necklace Description
THE DETAILS

18″ antiqued brass chain dangles this beautiful vintage royal blue glass heart (approximately 3/4″ high x 1/2″ wide or 15mm high x 14mm wide) along with a key and cute little heart lock charm. This piece is has an s-hook brass closure. If you desire a different length, simply indicate your desired length in the “note to seller” box upon checkout.

? This listing is for one royal blue heart necklace. Also available in ruby red in the necklace section.
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Pink Crystal and Bronze Filigree Pendant Description
Intricate bronze filigree wrapped around an pale pink prism that glitters with sweetness. The beauty of simple antiquity is captured in this piece.

The pendant measures 2.5 inches long, and comes on a 20 inch bronze chain with lobster claw clasp.

Well, that last excuse has now been struck invalid. I recently stumbled upon these adorable Camper high-heeled bicycle shoes. The bright yellow shoes were created to expressly for bicycling. They’re made of leather with a rubber sole, so your foot can breathe and move on your bike. The shocking yellow color will help ensure you’re seen if you’re riding at night (Of course, you have reflectors, too, right?). Best of all: the peep toe style and chunky heel will look just as fresh off the bike. Now, if only I could figure out the helmet hair…

Holmes turned up fresh and perky for “The Extra Man” premiere, held at the Village East Cinema in downtown New York and greeted her costars with hugs. Paul Dano and Kevin Kline co-star with Holmes in the low-budget comedy created by the duo that brought the world “American Splendor” and “The Nanny Diaries”: this time, co-writers/directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini focus on Kline’s character, an aging gigolo who acts as an escort for wealthy widows.

Ironically, despite the chummy greeting that the three leading actors shared on the red carpet, earlier in the afternoon Kline had joked to reporters that he barely knows Holmes.

“I’ve made two films with Katie Holmes, and have yet to act with her,” he chortled. “She was in ‘The Ice Storm’ and I waved to her, and now she’s in ‘The Extra Man’ with Paul Dano!”

The actress that Kline has known forever is Phoebe Cates, his wife of more than 20 years; she and their daughter Greta Simone Kline joined him for the fun, both at the screening and the after party, along with friends Tracey Ullman and Rachel Dratch. Dano brought Zoe Kazan, his girlfriend of the moment, and a gaggle of supermodels, including Doutzen Kroes, Kim Stolz, Lena Gerke, Yaya DaCosta and Jessica White turned out, too. Even members of the fashion world wanted to see “The Extra Man,” with designers Elie Tahari, Cynthia Rowley and Nanette Lepore on hand, along with musician Sean Lennon, but Holmes left right away, off to her private helicopter and back to work in Toronto.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act of 2010 holds some unwanted legislation for the jewelry industry in regards to new gold tracing requirements, but the NRF said in a press release Thursday that a provision within the legislation that aims to reduce the debit card swipe fees charged by banks is good news for the retail industry, in general.

Language within the financial services reform bill–which was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, passed the Senate Thursday and is now headed to the desk of President Obama to be signed into law–requires the Federal Reserve to set regulations for banks that would mandate that they set “reasonable debit card swipe fees.” According to the NRF release, more reasonable fees will make it easier for merchants to give discounts to customers who use cash or debit cards instead of credit cards.

“This is a landmark step forward in protecting Main Street against the excesses of the banking industry,” Mallory Duncan, NRF senior vice president and general counsel said in a statement. “Five years ago, most consumers didn’t know these fees existed or that the banks were quietly taking billions of dollars out of their pockets. But today, we have a bill on its way to the president’s desk that tells the big banks ‘Enough is enough.’ The days of big bank bailouts are coming to an end–Congress has clearly sided with Main Street businesses and their customers.”

When they introduced debit cards as “check cards” a generation ago, banks began saving huge sums over the cost of processing paper checks, and debit-card transactions were initially redeemed by retailers at full value, just like checks, the NRF says.

However, banks subsequently began charging swipe fees for debit-card transactions, as was the case for credit-card transactions, reducing retailers’ revenues on such transactions. Swipe fees–officially known as interchange fees–are a percentage of the transaction charged by card company banks each time a card is swiped to pay for a purchase. The fees average between 1 percent and 2 percent for debit cards and 2 percent or more for credit cards, the NRF says. Overall swipe fees charged to retailers and other business by Visa and MasterCard banks totaled $48 billion in 2008, with debit-card swipe fees accounting for $20 billion of the total.

For consumers, the price of these fees may be driving up the price that they pay at the counter, the NRF suggests.

“This is an all-around win for consumers,” Duncan said in the release. “By requiring debit fees that are reasonable and proportional to actual costs, retailers will see their costs reduced and will be able to pass on the savings through lower prices and greater value for their customers.”

It is not yet clear how “reasonable” fees will be interpreted, percentage wise, but the Fed would be required to consider banks’ actual costs for processing the transactions and the fact that paper checks drawn on the same accounts are paid at face value, the NRF says.

The amendment would also bar the credit card industry from interfering with merchants who offer a discount or other benefit to customers who pay by cash, check or debit card rather than credit cards, and would allow merchants to set minimum purchase amounts of up to $10 for credit cards, the release said.

Given that retailers employ some one out of five American workers and consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of the nation’s gross domestic product, “the road to recovery clearly runs through retail,” the NRF said in a press release issued Friday. But currently, consumers and retail businesses alike are too concerned about jobs to spend money on goods or invest in their companies, the organization contends.

“We need some clarity of thought and some clarity of purpose among all of the leaders on both sides of the aisle and both chambers when we speak about encouraging people to get out there and invest and consume,” NRF President and Chief Executive Officer Matt Shay said in a press release issued Friday. “Our members aren’t going to hire people and put them back to work as long as they know consumers don’t believe that the recession is over. As far as we’re concerned, the recession hasn’t ended because consumers don’t believe it has.”

The head of the NRF was among executives from more than a dozen business associations who participated in a forum on job creation held at the U.S. Capitol Friday morning by House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), and the House GOP’s America Speaking Out program.

Shay also said that there are “trillions of dollars in assets in cash sitting on balance sheets at the Federal Reserve and on the books of many businesses,” including retailer members of the NRF, but that businesses are afraid to invest capital because of the uncertainty that exists about what is going to happen next. Such companies need greater access to credit and more certainty in federal tax policy and the regulatory agenda, Shay said in the release.

The head of the NRF said he was particularly concerned by the idea of a VAT or similar consumption tax, one of the concepts that have been discussed by the federal deficit commission, which is looking at everything from spending on programs such as Social Security and defense to taxes and tax breaks in order to accomplish its mission of reducing the deficit.

NRF has long opposed consumption taxes because of the negative impact on consumer spending, and has commissioned a study on the impact of a VAT that will be submitted to the deficit commission later this year, the NRF release said.