Mackenzie Carpenter

Madison Avenue, take heed: The American Medical Association has weighed in on the controversial and widespread practice of photoshopping models and actresses -- Kate Winslet, Faith Hill and others -- to make them look younger, thinner and/or more voluptuous.

In a vote at its recent annual convention, the nation's largest medical association adopted a new policy to "encourage advertising associations to work with public and private sector organizations" to establish guidelines that would discourage airbrushing or retouching in advertising, "especially those appearing in teen-oriented publications."

LONDON -- Knit your own royal wedding.

Need we say more?

A 64-page manual with that actual title is for sale at the venerable Hatchards bookshop on Piccadilly here, along with slightly more tasteful royal-wedding-themed literary offerings. And yes, the book really does show you how to knit your own Royal Family, including Kate Middleton in her wedding dress, albeit one in wool with mohair trim.

From "Prince William" champagne to "Kiss Me Kate" beer, from refrigerators to Pez dispensers, from comic books to condoms, enterprising marketers are plastering the young couple's image and name on every conceivable type of merchandise. Much is available online, but stores are hawking royal-wedding memorabilia on the streets of this city to apparently eager American buyers.