Paying homage is a nice gesture, but sometimes it can piss off people.

Earlier this week, Jean Paul Gaultier hosted his haute couture runway show in Paris. As he showed off his new line, he paid tribute to the Amy Winehouse by having his models rock the beehive hair do that the late singer regularly rocked. While many saw this as a sign of respect, the Amy Winehouse family saw it as a slap in the face.

“We don’t support Jean Paul Gaultier collection,” Mitch Winehouse tweeted yesterday. “It’s in bad taste.”

In an interview with The Sun, the singer’s father says the tribute came as a total shock to him and the rest of the family. Seeing photos from the show upset the family, as they are still “grieving for her loss” and “had a difficult week with the six-month anniversary of Amy’s death.” He was upset to “see her image lifted wholesale to sell clothes,” especially since they were not consulted on the issue. He also felt the models were dressed in poor taste.

“We’re proud of her influence on fashion but find black veils on models, smoking cigarettes with a barbershop quartet singing her music in bad taste,” he says. “It portrays a view of Amy when she was not at her best, and glamorises some of the more upsetting times in her life. That’s upsetting for her family.”

Amy Winehouse was not the only person upset over the fashion show. Friend of the late singer and Fashion Police panelist Kelly Osbourne tweeted that ”although Gaultier was paying homage to her friend & icon to the world, she found it to be lucratively selfish and distasteful.”

Running a close second to her bubba Harper on the adorbs scale is Victoria Beckham’s new advertisement for her forthcoming diffusion range, Victoria by Victoria Beckham.

Originally seen in the Telegraph earlier today, the teaser video hints at a big, booming color palette as well as ultra-feminine scalloped detailing. Fashionista have reported that the real advertisement itself will be even better; Victoria Beckham herself is rumored to make a cameo. The full-length and teaser have been created by filmmaker, Quentin Jones.

It’s a surprisingly youthful teaser, wouldn’t you agree? Like, almost suited to tweens if you go by the featured model. Personally, I’d like VB to utilize the ridiculous good looks under her own roof, i.e. her god of a husband, David Beckham, who managed to make quite the impression modeling his new H&M underwear line. Then again, it wouldn’t work with men and all. A cameo in the full-length perhaps, team? Do it.

Oprah Winfrey always gets what she wants. But so does Barbra Walters. Unfortunately, only one of the talk show queens is going to get the most anticipated TV interview of 2012 – and it’s going to come at a price.

It’s been reported that since Pippa Middleton has announced her forthcoming book on party planning, both Oprah and Walters are willing to put down as much as $500,000 each in hopes of getting the new author to sit down and chat it up for an hour. Each host’s network has already submitted their requests to Middleton’s publisher, Penguin, sources said.

The book is expected to pull from the 28-year-old professional party planner’s day-to-day while working with London-based events company Table Talk.

A friend told the Daily Mail last November: “It will be about entertaining and how to throw the perfect party. It’s not just about being the perfect hostess – it will also include recipes and information about how to host different types of events.
Pippa has been sketching out the chapters and has decided to start each one with an amusing anecdote.”

What more perfect to chat about for an hour? And spend $500,000 to actually do it.

When did you first move to Craig? “My dad came to Hayden in 1964 to work on the first unit of the power plant when I was in junior high. My husband and I still live in Hayden, but I started coming here a lot for my business.”

Motto or outlook on life? “Life is not a dress rehearsal. You’ve got to live every day like it counts and make a difference for other people and for yourself.”

How did you first get involved in your job? “I had been coming to this dry cleaners for several years and bringing in my clothes for Gary Loyd to clean. He was looking to sell and probably leave the area and I thought that might be a pretty good business to have. As a customer, you have no idea what goes on behind the counter and I had no dry-cleaning experience and no business experience, in fact. I was a stay-at-home mom when my kids were growing up and did some different jobs.”

Favorite part of your job? “The people of Craig have been very welcoming of me, and I know the business has been here for about 60 years with Gary and his father. I’ve felt a real loyalty from people and it’s given me an opportunity to get to know a lot of families and businesspeople.”

Favorite part of life in Northwest Colorado? “The people. We have close-knit communities here because we’re rural and remote and we form bonds with people that I think we wouldn’t if we lived in a bigger area. There’s a lot of community spirit and people pulling together. I see it in Hayden and Craig, like starting a fundraiser and pulling together to make things better for others and make it all work. It’s just an awesome thing.”

Favorite meal from a local restaurant? “The prime rib sandwich from J.W. Snack’s with a side of okra. People think okra is kind of slimy, but if you get it fried, it’s kind of like eating French fries.”

A store or restaurant you’d like to see in the area? “When Walmart set up, I liked the idea of having the Sonic with the whole drive-in thing. Maybe we could get something like a Herberger’s, where you’d have a little different choice as far as clothing and bedding and things like that.”

How would you describe your life to a person you’d just met? “I feel like I’m very blessed. I haven’t had a lot of hardships in my life, and I’ve been married to the same person for 44 years with two wonderful children and grandchildren.”

Proudest accomplishment? “Right after Hurricane Katrina, there was a group of us who went to New Orleans, and we were also able to go a second time. There’s another group going in April to help in Joplin, Mo. I’m glad that I’m able to reach out and make life better for other people. I’d been to New Orleans several times before, and seeing people with their whole life in a crate that you’d put Christmas decorations or out-of-season clothes in was very humbling, seeing how they just picked up and moved on. We did a very small amount, but it just gave you a good feeling to be part of it.”

The former backup dancer, nicknamed K-Fed and then K-Fat by the tabloids after his weight blew out dramatically, is one of the competitors in Nine’s new reality show, Excess Baggage.

33-year-old Federline made headlines around the world last week when he collapsed and was hospitalised while filming a challenge with the Greater Western Sydney Giants AFL team in Sydney.

It was the second time the father-of-five suffered a health scare during the shoot. He was also admitted to Karratha Hospital in December.

He said he was “terrified” during last week’s collapse.

“One of the reasons why I’m doing this is because I don’t want to worry about episodes like what happened on Monday,” he said.

“The whole thing just makes me real cautious about what I’m doing and what I’m putting my body through.”

K-Fed will answer PerthNow readers’ questions about his weight gain and loss, his health scare, life as ‘Mr Britney Spears’ and his future career plans on Tuesday at 2:30pm.

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Two high-ranking federal officials spoke with optimism and advice to about 125 local residents Friday, but some residents took the question-and-answer session as a chance to vent about a wide variety of issues ranging from unemployment compensation to an inability to get green cards for business ventures. Other residents asked questions about how to better promote the area.

Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor Jane Oates and Adam Wilczewski, chief of staff for the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration, extended an ear and promised to take considerations to Washington D.C.

Wilczewski filled in for Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce Suresh Kumar. The event took place at Florida Atlantic University’s Port St. Lucie campus.

Oates and Wilczewski sat through a question-and-answer session, though some of the questions turned into pointed comments about various business matters.

Former president and CEO of Port St. Lucie-based First People’s Bank Dave Skiles was one business leader who addressed the guests. His bank closed in July.

“You want to wonder why our recession has lasted so long, and it’s because banks are getting squeezed so badly by the overzealous regulations,” Skiles said. “In our area alone, we lost three community banks. One of them was mine.” Skiles received a round of applause after his comments.

Some residents expressed hope and asked how the Treasure Coast can continue to build its economy.

The two officials offered solace and advice on how the region can continue to improve its economy along with commenting on what the Treasure Coast is doing well now.

Oates said she was impressed with the amount of collaboration already taking place throughout the Treasure Coast.

“I really think that this area is doing everything right,” Oates said.

Wilczewski stressed the importance of exporting to foreign countries. He said only 1 percent of businesses in the U.S. currently export. He said the Department of Commerce is working to make it easier for companies to do so in part by vetting potential foreign clients.

“There’s no reason why companies don’t export,” Wilczewski said. “(With) 95 percent of consumers overseas, why wouldn’t you? It makes perfect business sense. More exports create more sales and more sales create more jobs. And the International Trade Administration is here to help.”

When was the last time you used a laptop?

Whether students type an essay in Microsoft Word, scroll through an article in PDF form or compile notes in Google Docs, technology serves as an integral part of our day-to-day college lives.

Naturally, when professors issue a “no laptops allowed” classroom policy, many students become discouraged.

Max Rubin | Daily Trojan

We understand why they do it, as laptops are often considered a distraction. But as technology develops, it becomes increasingly intertwined with education. Instructors who don’t allow laptops in the classroom are behind the times.

Many professors argue that laptops are distracting. But let’s consider why students become tempted to hop on Facebook or to chat with friends in the first place — in many cases, they simply aren’t engaged in class.

Two-hour-long oral lectures and 50-slide PowerPoint decks full of black-and-white text do not keep students’ attention.

In many fields, the online sphere defines the future of the industry. Banning technology in the classroom sends conflicting messages about that development.

Banning technology assumes that the only solution to students’ short attention spans is the removal of distractions.

Students will inevitably face those same distractions as professionals once they enter the workforce. Rather than accusing laptops of being distracting, professors should use technology to their advantage to make classes more engaging.

A recent study by the Southern Cross University in Australia found that Twitter helps shy students share their ideas in the classroom and encourages class participation.

In the study, students anonymously tweeted their comments on class material and those comments showed up on their professors’ laptops via PowerPoint. In this manner, professors used laptops to engage students rather than distract them.

At a recent conference for journalism educators, Robert Hernandez, an assistant professor of professional practice, monitored a live Twitter feed, illustrating its ability to enrich conversation and encourage idea generation.

Twitter is a great example, but it’s only a starting point. Professors can brainstorm other ways to engage students through the use of online collaboration and technology tools.

Though USC does not have an official policy on laptops in the classroom, President C. L. Max Nikias recently mentioned in KPCC Radio’s “What is the Future of Higher Education?” roundtable discussion that USC has prioritized the integration of new technology into the classroom environment.

As part of this strategy, the university has added courses that weave interactive components into the usual lectures.

The responsibility of avoiding distractions on laptops, however, lies solely in students’ hands. Though it’s not a crime to discretely send a time-sensitive email in class, it’s another thing to spend an entire lecture scrolling through Facebook. Even if we opt to use our laptops, professors deserve our attention and respect.

Technology in the classroom is ultimately a two-way street. Professors must adopt it in a way that engages students and teaches them the material, and students should actively participate and not abuse laptop privileges in class.

Whether professors decide to allow laptops or not, they cannot deny that laptops are an increasingly essential part of student life.

If professors look to technology as a potential medium for improving the classroom experience rather than hampering it, both parties will benefit.

Blacks comprise 9 percent of Indian River County’s population, but make up 50 percent of the people living there with AIDS.

That disparity concerns county health officials and they are sponsoring the National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 4 at the Gifford Youth Activity Center, 4875 43rd Ave.

“The goal is to help reduce the risk of getting or spreading the virus in the black population, which has a disproportionately high rate of HIV infections,” said John May, 52, HIV outreach coordinator for the Indian River County Health Department.

The actual awareness day is Feb. 7, but officials are observing it on a weekend to attract more people.

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day does not do away with World AIDS Day, observed globally Dec. 1, but complements it, May said.

Martin County health officials plan to have staffers knock on doors of the East Stuart community to offer free HIV testing from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 6.

St. Lucie County Health Department will hold its day 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 11 at Pioneer Park, Avenue M and 29th Street in Fort Pierce.

Q: Why did you partner with the Indian River County Pastors Association?

A: One reason is that if community leaders can get out there and encourage people to get educated and tested, it will help stop the spread of HIV and AIDS. Getting more leaders educated about HIV and encouraging other leaders to do the same can have a great impact in the community and prevent the spread of this disease. If the pastors can preach over their pulpit about HIV awareness and local government leaders can take a stand and pass along the message about the importance of getting educated, tested and treated, it will benefit those in our community and county. Education is knowledge and knowledge is power.

Q: How has HIV/AIDS impacted the black community on the Treasure Coast and Florida?

A: When it pertains to HIV/AIDS, silence is death. Today, there is still silence in the black community and people continue to get infected and die from this preventable disease.

Q: Are there any estimates of how many people are living with HIV/AIDS in Indian River County and Florida?

A: There are 134 reported people living with HIV and 378 people living with AIDS in Indian River County. Blacks account for 50 percent of people living with HIV and 52 percent of people living with AIDS. In Florida, there are 46,814 reported people living with HIV and 48 percent are black, and 121,570 reported people living with AIDS, of which 49 percent are black.

Blacks account for the highest proportion of people living with HIV/AIDS when compared to white and Hispanic populations.

Q: What issues are leading to the spread of the virus in the black community?

A: Individuals not getting educated, tested, treated and not using protection are the main issues contributing to the spread of HIV in the black community. Without having the proper knowledge about one’s status, there is continued risk of spreading the disease, and there is greater risk of contracting the disease for those without proper prevention education.

Q: Please, detail the reasons people give for not getting tested.

A: People say they don’t have time and some just don’t want to know, possibly for fear that they may have the disease and the stigma attached to having the disease. Also, many people have a fear of needles.

Q: What support groups are available to people who are living with HIV or AIDS?

A: Indian River County Health Department and the Indian River County AIDS Awareness Network reach out through education and testing and encourage those infected with the virus get treatment. For more information call 772-794-7477. We want people to pass the message, not the disease. Get educated, get tested, get treated, get involved.

Women died after being hit by a train at a Hertfordshire foot crossing in what is thought to have been a “tragic accident”, police said.

The 16-year-old, who has not been named, died after she was struck at Johnson’s Footpath Crossing in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, at around 11.45am on Saturday.

British Transport Police (BTP) said she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Network Rail (NR) said investigations were carried out on the crossing immediately after the incident and showed no faults with the safety measures in place. Flashing lights, audible warnings and signalling systems were all operational, a spokesman said, and there were no problems with the fence and gate at the crossing.

“The crossing was tested immediately afterwards, as always happens when something tragic like this happens,” he said.

“The crossing was shown to be in full working order.”

An investigation examining the full circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death, who is thought to be from Bishop’s Stortford, is being carried out.

Both Network Rail and British Transport Police are treating it as accidental.

BTP said: “The incident is being treated as a tragic accident and it has been declared non-suspicious.” An on site investigation had been completed and the crossing was reopened shortly after the incident because it was in full working order, the NR spokesman added.

NR is also co-operating fully with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, which is involved in examining the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death.