We're always asking, 'what do you need' for Father's Day? My husband named a few items, some whose maker you may not have heard of. Blåkläder Workwear offers a line of very durable work clothes, many with extra pockets for special purposes such as jeans with flap pockets at the knees to add knee pads. My husband bought their Roughneck Kangaroo black vest which, as the name suggests, has multiple utility pockets — or pouches — front and back providing lots of storage for tools and materials, as well as cell phone, keys and more. And don't forget the new sunscreen rules when he ventures out as well as perhaps a new hat.

Ben Bernanke speaks: "I am all for beauty, romance, and sexual attraction — where would Hollywood and Madison Avenue be without them? But while important, those are not the only things to look for in a partner. The two of you will have a long trip together, I hope, and you will need each other's support and sympathy more times than you can count. Speaking as somebody who has been happily married for 35 years, I can't imagine any choice more consequential for a lifelong journey than the choice of a traveling companion."

If lawmakers take action sooner rather than later, more options and more time will be available to phase in changes so that the public has adequate time to prepare. Earlier action will also help elected officials minimize adverse impacts on vulnerable populations, including lower-income workers and people already dependent on program benefits.

Reviewer Julia Sneden writes: The Bookman's Tale involves a blazing romance, a marriage followed by tragedy, a rare book mystery, and even a murder. If you like books, history, and mysteries involving old books, this is the story for you. Being reminded of the brave, intelligent, controversial women who broke through many barriers a good hundred years before the 1950's has been a fascinating experience and I have read Rebels at the Bar with profound gratitude.                                                                                    

Ah, the Edwardians – with their sumptuous clothes and candelight dinners, their bone china, their silks, their gleaming silver. Merchant and Ivory and the BBC have made fortunes selling fanciful pastiches of this era to the viewing pubic, all the while touching lightly on a less seemly back story.

This is the first major international exhibition in more than a generation to survey visual and decorative arts in Britain during the reign of King Edward VII (1901–1910). The exhibition immerses visitors in the sumptuousness of British art and society immediately before World War I, while encouraging them to consider the multifaceted character of the era that fostered such material lavishness.

Roberta McReynolds writes: The Energy Index for our home was 834; we had used 39% less energy than similar homes, which our utility estimated saved us about $530 last year. This has made me even more conscious of turning off those light switches and making a glass of ice tea instead of turning on the air-conditioner this summer. The next time we meet, if you notice my blouse is a bit wrinkled, you’ll know it’s not because I’m lazy ... I’m just trying to get good grades on my next report card. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

Whether as warming layers that comfort us during sleep, decorative furnishings on our walls and floors that enhance our waking hours, or shields providing protection from the elements or evil spirits, textiles are present throughout all moments of our lives.