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Saturday, 30 June 2012

INTERESTING STUFF: 30 June 2012

KEEPING UP WITH SHIFTING MEDIA CULTURE
The New York Times, this past week launched a Chinese language edition:

Of course, I can't read a word of it (if you don't count the Bloomies ads) but I think it's good to know this exists and you can see it here.

12 ELDER COUCH POTATOES
It's on a public access channel, not network or cable, so few will see this “reality show” on which a dozen Los Angeles elders work to get off the couch and, as the show name states, On the Move to shape up physically.

The program will last only six weeks, so I suppose it will be hard to declare a winner but the reason I'm posting this is because, to me, there is something creepy the the physician/host. See what you think.

You can read more here.

BORN OUT OF HIS TIME
Michael Arenella is a 34-year-old jazz musician and bandleader (the Dreamland Orchestra) from Brooklyn and each summer he hosts a jazz-age lawn part on Governor's Island in New York. No big deal until you learn he is a walking, talking fashion vision of the 1920s and he lives the part year 'round.

"...from shoes both vintage and custom-made. To recreate the jazz age, he not only studies the music of the ’20s and early ’30s but also wears its hats, cuff links and ties...

"He drives the cars, rides the trains (when possible), gets the haircut, plays the horns and sings through the microphones and megaphones (he owns seven) of the period...

"He wears modern clothing only when jogging, “though I do have this fantasy of running the marathon in leather-soled shoes and wool knickers,” he said, laughing."

Take a look:

You can read more about Mr. Arenella here and see more photos of him in a New York Times slide show.

IF YOU DROP YOUR PHONE IN THE TOILET
I don't know who this guy is but he's funny in a lowkey way and for some reason I trust his advice about fixing a mobile phone you've dropped in water:

CENTENARIAN LONESOME GEORGE DIES ALONE
So sad. The tortoise was more than a 100 years old and believed to be the last of his subspecies. Here's the story:

You can read more here.

OFFERED WITHOUT COMMENT
The Vatican has hired Fox News (you know, “fair and balanced”) reporter, Greg Burke, to improve its public relations and, one supposes, pump up its tarnished image. You can read more here and here.

IDENTITY THEFT
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the growing problem of identity theft and now the Federal Trade Commission, which does excellent work in public education, has launched a new identity theft section to its website.

There you will find a lot of useful information including this video (among several others):

There are companion pamphlets on how to prevent identity [pdf], safeguard your children against it [pdf] and what to do if your identity is stolen [pdf]. The website is an excellent resource.

RITA HAYWORTH AND ALL HER DANCE PARTNERS
Nothing like this exists anymore – the kind of gorgeous, choreographed dancing that was commonplace at the movies in our youth. Longtime Elder Storytelling Place contributor, Nancy Leitz, sent this lavish montage of Rita Hayworth doing that beautifully.

HENRI, AGAIN
In an April Interesting Stuff, I included two videos of the charmingly depressed French cat, Henri. Here is a new episode in his life:

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Interesting Stuff is a weekly listing of short takes and links to web items that have caught my attention; some related to aging and some not, some useful and others just for fun.

You are all encouraged to submit items for inclusion. Just click “Contact” in the upper left corner of any Time Goes By page to send them. I'm sorry that I probably won't have time to acknowledge receipt and there is no guarantee of publication. But when I do include them, you will be credited and I will link to your blog if you have one.

Posted by Ronni Bennett at 05:30 AM | Permalink | Email this post