U.S. HOSPITAL SHIPS USNS MERCY AND USNS COMFORT

Here's a video about the history and operation of the two U.S. hospital ships, now in New York City and Los Angeles that are helping with coronavirus treatment. They are much older than I knew.

HERBEE THE HEDGEHOG AND AUDREE THE CAT

A German woman named Talitha Girnus posts many photo updates of her hedgehog and Bengal cat.

”...the two have become inseparable,” reports Bored Panda. “Talitha takes pictures of them against stunning backdrops as they all go on adorable adventures together. Not going to lie, their photos make me want to pack a suitcase and travel the world just like them (after the lockdown ends, of course).

“'A few months after I adopted Herbee from a girl who couldn’t keep him due to severe allergic reactions, I adopted Audree. She was three months old when I got her and she was originally already reserved for someone who wanted to breed with her. But the lady canceled on her two days before I called,' Talitha told us.”

Take a look:

More cute photos at Bored Panda and at Istagram.

A GIFT FOR OUR TIME

Someday, after COVID-19 is history, people will ask what the heck? These earrings? Why?

See and read more here.

HOW THE KITCHEN EVOLVED OVER 500 YEARS

According to Bored Panda,

”The designers of Home Advisor took the last 500 years and digitally remade the same kitchen based on the trends and/or necessities of that century. The project is called 500 years of kitchen design. Every single kitchen is unique and you can see that each century has held different standards for them.”

From the 1600s to mid-century modern (1900s), take a look at the video:

More information at Bored Panda.

OUR NEW VOCABULARY

Here is some more doggerel from reader Henry Lowenstern, this one titled, The Blame Game.

[EDITORIAL NOTE: Recently, I've mis-stated Henry's last name in some posts. It is Lowenstern, not Lowenstein. My apologies to Henry.]

The President wants everyone to know
that it was not he who was slow
to react to the coronavirus crisis.
The blame, he says, should go to
the World Health Organization (WHO),
the Obama administration
and to the governor of any state
that managed to procrastinate.
His administration, he declares, deserves and wants
plaudits for its excellent response.

WORLD WILDLIFE FUND LISTS SELF-ISOLATING ANIMALS

We humans are not the only ones who are self-isolating. Some members of the animal kingdom live that way all their lives, according to the World Wildlife Fund. As The Guardian reports:

”Occupying our oceans for more than 100m years, marine turtles are terrific navigators, in some cases swimming hundreds of thousands of miles between feeding and nesting grounds. They prefer to interact or congregate with only one other turtle for short periods for mating or nesting.

“...Once the hatchlings emerge, they will begin a long solo journey in the ocean where, if they manage to survive, they will remain alone for many years.”

Photograph: Jürgen Freund/WWF

More self-isolating animals at The Guardian.

MORE ISOLATION NEWS

TGB reader, Joared, sent this with a note that she poached it from someone whose name she does not recall:

"Isolation Day 10 –
"Struck up a conversation with a Spider today. Seems nice. He's a Web Designer."

Teehee

ANOTHER NEW BOB DYLAN SONG

Bob Dylan surprised fans again on Thursday by releasing his second new song in three weeks, I Contain Multitudes. As Rolling Stone reports,

”He nods to David Bowie (rhyming 'all the young dudes' with the title phrase), Edgar Allan Poe ('Got a tell-tale heart/Like Mr. Poe/Got skeletons in the wall/Of people you know'), Irish poet Anthony Raftery’s 'The Lass From Bally-na-Lee,' and William Blake, among others.

“And occasionally, he may be intent on pure shock: 'I’m just like Anne Frank/Like Indiana Jones/And them British bad boys the Rolling Stones,' he sings.

Here is the song and you can follow the lyrics here.

More at Rolling Stone.

NEW YORK CITY: THE NEW NORMAL

Matt Chirico made this video of New York City. He explains on the Youtube page:

I felt I needed to document how much the #coronavirus has changed #NewYorkCity. New York on pause has turned the city that never sleeps into an empty and desolate city. These popular spaces, which are normally overcrowded with visitors are now left bare.

“I made this short film to capture the new tone of NYC. Please share to help slow the spread so that we can get back to our beloved city that never sleeps!

All these years since I had to leave – my god, how I miss my city.

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” at the top of any Time Goes By page to send them. I'm sorry that I 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.