WOMEN'S HEALTH EXPERTS SPEAK OUT
After the squeaker of a vote in the Senate this week that did manage to defeat the horrific Blunt Amendment, we definitely need to blow off some steam and this video should do it for you. Send your thanks for the tip to Kavan Peterson, co-founder and editor of ChangingAging. Enjoy.

GLOW IN THE DARK SNOW BOARDER
According to YouTube, filmmaker Jacob Sutton presents this electrifying dash across the French Alps using only a trusty Red Epic camera (whatever that is). You can find out more about how it was done here or, like me, just enjoy the amazing beauty.

REQUIRING REAR VIEW CAMERAS IN ALL CARS
Having vowed that I will drive my little, red, 2004 PT Cruiser until until it or I die, whichever comes first (preferably the latter), this doesn't affect me. But it's a really good idea:

"Federal regulators plan to announce this week that automakers will be required to put rearview cameras in all passenger vehicles by 2014 to help drivers see what is behind them. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which proposed the mandate in late 2010, is expected to send a final version of the rule to Congress on Wednesday."

The more I think about it, this is an excellent move to help keep elders driving safely longer and it the sort of improvement - with others that are gradually be added to cars - that could get me interested in buying a new one. You can read more here.

STOP MOTION PENCIL DANCE
This video was created by documentary filmmaker Jonathan Chong (also known as dropbear) as the official video for the song, Against the Grain by Melbourne indie-folk band, Hudson. It's amazing, colorful and fun – take a look.

These days, computers can do a lot of animation but there are still artists who, like Chong, do it by hand and I cannot imagine how they have the patience to shoot frame-by-frame such small increments of movement.

It doesn't explain that patience, but here's a short, behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Against the Grain video.

25 FASCINATING BRAIN FACTS
Did you know?

• The brain consumes a whopping 20% of the oxygen in your bloodstream

• On average, a single brain cell is connected with about 25,000 others

• It takes only about 10 seconds to pass out after the loss of blood flow to the brain

Staff writers at onlineuniversities.com have pulled together 25 fabulous facts about the brain. Go read them all here. It will give you renewed respect for taking good care of it.

OKAY – NOW I AM OFFICIALLY UNCOMFORTABLE
Am I the last person in America who remembers that is wasn't all that long ago we did not use the word, "condom," in polite company? Laughable in 2012, huh? Nowadays, various phrases explicitly referring to government-required vaginal penetration are tossed around in the media like cotton candy and we've all become accustomed to it.

Me too, I suppose, until I bumped into this clip online of Joan Rivers and Barbara Walters who started out talking about conventional cosmetic surgery and somehow wandered into vaginal tightening territory. Oy.

88TH BIRTHDAY PARTY
Jan Adams of Happening Here, who is on hiatus from her Gay and Gray column here while working on an important political campaign in California sent along this link to the 88th birthday party celebration of pioneering gay playright, George Birimisa.

Said George:

"I’m still emotionally digesting my 88th birthday party. It used to be 99% queer but now I have 9 heterosexual friends...at the party of about 25.

"It was a humdinger. Such a change from the old-old days where everyone was getting drunk and dishing everyone else. And my 80-year-old sister was lovy-dovy with her 89-year-old boyfriend."

UNDERGROUND PARK FOR NEW YORK CITY?
I'm pretty sure most of you don't track what goes on in New York City with the devotion I do but perhaps you have heard of the High Line, the amazing park built on a long-abandoned railway tressle on the west side of town. It even has its own website.

Nikki of Nikki's Place alerted me to a proposed new park for Manhattan, an opposite number to the High Line called the Low Line. And here's a video about what it might be like:

The designers are trying to raise money for the project from potential backers via Kickstarter. You can read about it here and, if you think it is a worthy idea, you can invest by pledging as little as $5. The deadline to reach the $100,000 goal is 6 April.

SMALLEST LEGAL LIVING SPACE IN CALIFORNIA
After 40 years of living in 800 square feet in New York City, I relish now having nearly twice as much space to spread out in. Nevertheless, I've always been interested in how well designed tiny living spaces can sometimes be on boats and small dwellings.

This is a video tour of the smallest legal living space in California – 160 square feet – a marvel of space-saving ideas. You can read a bit more information here.

GETTING OLD IN COLD PARIS
Europe has suffered through an unusually cold winter this year and such weather is always particularly hard on old people. Claude Covo-Farchi has written a lovely essay titled, Getting Old in Cold Paris at her blog, Photoblogging in Paris. This is one of several accompanying photos.

CONTINUING OUR OCCASIONAL SERIES IN INTERSPECIES COMMUNICATION
A mother cat and her orphaned baby squirrels. Too cute.

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.