Weekender: The Sharing Farm
May 10, 2007 – In Richmond, Canada south of Vancouver, volunteers are growing thousands of bushels of food for the poor. It all started when five women decided to do something and started digging up a small plot just big enough for six rows of plants. Now they’ve made a video they hope will inspire others. View the multimedia page. Listen >
LINKS: The Richmond Fruit Tree Sharing Project website

No! I Don’t Want to Join A Book Club
May 9, 2007 – No! I Don’t Want to Join A Book Club is a compelling tale about a woman turning sixty whose love for her grandson changes her life. Virginia Ironside’s novel is published by Plume. Listen >

Some Fun With Mnemonics
May 8, 2007 – The use of mnemonic devices to help us remember things is as old as the hills. Some witty little sentences that really stand for something else.
Listen >

LINKS: mnemonic on vitamins

Grapefruit and Medications
May 7, 2007 – Grapefruit doesn’t mix well with some prescription drugs. Why this happens and some of the possible side effects. There are more than fifty medications that interact adversely with grapefruit so ask your doctor about it. Listen >

LINKS: Ezine articles website; The Science Daily website

Finding The Wilderness When You Cruise To Alaska
May 6, 2007 – AARP’s travel editor Ken Budd send a native Alaskan out to find some wilderness ten minutes from where the cruise ships dock. Some advice on getting out into the wild FAST. Listen >

Pitch And Stitch
May 5, 2007 – The knitters and cross-stitchers of Pitch and Stitch ask for the worse seats when they attend baseball games. Then they eat hot dogs and visit with hundreds of other people who bring their needle art projects to work on too. Listen >

LINKS: Pitch And Stitch

Weekender: A Home Rehabilitation DVD On Exercising Your Knee
May 3, 2008 – Want to strengthen your knees at home? Now you can watch a physical therapist demonstrate exercises that may help you feel better on a new DVD made by on orthopedic surgeon. It’s called: The Home Rehabilitation Series,Volume One: The Knee and is published by BodyworksMD. Listen >

LINKS: BodyworksMD website

Cooking Without Recipes
May 2, 2008 -  Host Alyne Ellis’ fond memories of a dinner she had with the late Helen Worth, a friend and master chef who  wrote a wonderful book on how to cook intuitively. Cooking Without Recipes is published by The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc. Listen >

Osteoporosis Information
May 1, 2008 – Osteoporosis can be devastating but there are things you can do to significantly prevent fractures because your bones are too weak. Now a new video produced by The Alliance For Aging Research tells you what you need to know and you can get advice on how you’re doing if you’ve already been diagnosed. Listen >

LINKS: The Alliance For Aging Research website

Inner Beauty Foods
April 29, 2008 - Marshmallows with collagen, yogurt with aloe vera and anti-wrinkle jam made with lycopene… foods that claim to bring you inner beauty are big business but watch out. Listen >

LINKS: Foods to Help Keep Your Skin Healthy on Web MD

Your Eyes And Sugar
April 28, 2008 - According to the USDA, fifteen percent of our population suffers with age related cataracts and almost that many have Macular Degeneration. Studies show eating carbohydrates that break down quickly, like sugar and Coke, doesn’t help.
Listen >

LINKS: Good vs Bad Carbs on Web MD

Weekender: Loretta Swit: Memories of M.A.S.H. And Beyond
April 26, 2008 – It’s been years since Loretta Swit played Margaret – better known as “hot lips” - on the hit TV show M.A.S.H. But when she wasn’t chasing Frank Burns on camera, she was pursuing many interesting ideas and hobbies and she still pursues them today. Listen >

LINKS: BodyworksMD website

Now If I Can Just Play An F Chord
April 25, 2008 – Host Alyne Ellis is struggling to take up a new hobby and move beyond what she thinks is one of the hardest beginning chords on the guitar – that infuriating, little pinky pain: the F chord. Listen >

The Global Seed Vault
April 24, 2008 – Located in Norway, just a few hundred miles from the North Pole, where the permafrost is a thousand feet deep, this top security repository will store millions of seeds…nearly every variety on our planet. Listen >

Link: The Global Crop Diversity Trust Website

I Need An Operation… Now What? – Part Two
April 22, 2008 – If you are thinking about having surgery in a doctor’s office think carefully and ask questions first. Here’s some advice from Dr. Thomas Russell, the executive director of the American College Of Surgeons. His new book is I Need An Operation… Now What. It’s published by Thomson  Healthcare. Listen >

LINKS: The American College Of Surgeons Website

I Need An Operation… Now What? – Part One
April 21, 2008 – It’s the word everyone dreads: operation. In the last five years one in three Americans has had surgery. What you need to research before you go under the knife: advice from Dr. Thomas Russell, the executive director of the American College Of Surgeons. His new book is I Need An Operation… Now What. It’s published by Thomson  Healthcare. Listen >

LINKS: The American College Of Surgeons website

Weekender: The Earth Day Network’s Green School Initiative
April 19, 2008 – The Earth Day Network has made it their mission to change our schools into green environmentally clean and healthy schools within a generation. Listen >

LINKS: BodyworksMD website

Plant Walls For Your Home
April 18, 2008 – Tired of wall paper and painted walls in your home. Now there’s another alternative… a living vertical wall where shallow rooted plants grow year round with little care. Listen >

LINKS: Elevated Landscape Technologies website; Green Living Technologies website

Our Presidents And The Great Outdoors
April 17, 2008 –  Many people who have occupied the Oval Office have loved the rural life. And even in these modern times the tradition continues through photo opportunities. Listen >

Music To Cheer You Up At Tax Time
April 15, 2006 – Whether they’ve gone in the red or not with Uncle Sam, musicians have sung the blues about income taxes. Here’s a sample to keep you company as you crunch your way to the bottom line. Listen >

LINKS: Taxalicious website

Sitting Bull’s Hair Is Returned To His Great-grandson
April 14, 2008 –  Sitting Bull’s hair, the strands he tied his eagle feathers to, has been returned to his relatives.  For the Lakota it’s a chance to finally offer his spirit peace. Listen >

LINKS: National Museum Of The American Indian website

Weekender: The Newseum
April 12, 2008 - A huge museum opened yesterday in DC. Right on Pennsylvania Ave with a stunning view of the Capitol it’s called The Newseum – another words a museum dedicated to news. Host Alyne Ellis got a behind the scenes tour before it opened. Listen >

LINKS: The Newseum website

Is An Annuity Something You Should Consider?
April 11, 2008 – Should you buy a guaranteed lifetime income solution: an annuity. A new survey conducted by looks at who is and who isn’t interested in this option. Listen >

LINKS: Retirement Savings on the AARP website; Smart Money website; Fire Seeker website

Economic Stimulus Payments For Low-Income Seniors
April 10, 2008 – If you’re a low-income senior who doesn’t need to file an income tax return, this year you should get touch with the IRS. The federal government is sending economic stimulus payments to America’s low-income seniors. The simple form is due on or before October 15th. Check the link below to find out more about secure authorized places that can help you complete it. Listen >

Do Vitamins Improve Your Mood?
April 8, 2008 – Can taking vitamins affect your mood? Researchers in Great Britain are testing to see if they make a difference … with inmates. Listen >

The Slow Design Movement
April 7, 2008 – Some designers have opted out of the fast lane in favor of a slower pace and a way of doing things that has in turn affected their art and the produces they make. Listen >

LINKS: Slow Food website; Flocks website; The Slow Home website

Weekender: The Beatles: Meditation And Music
April 5, 2008 -  It’s been 40 years since the “fab four” went to Rishikesh in search of inner peace. AARP’s travel editor Ken Budd talks about how the trip influenced their music and brings us up to date on what its like to travel there. Listen >

Messies Anonymous
April 4, 2008 – If you’re spring-cleaning and need help with clutter, here are some options from Messies Anonymous – everything from clubs to join to a master plan for getting your house under control. Listen >

LINKS: Messies Anonymous website

A Beer, A Cozy Chair: An Inventor’s Paradise
April 3, 2008 – Good inventions should be simple, inexpensive and useful. That’s the advice of The International Federation Of Inventors Associations. See if you think these examples of new inventions fit the bill. Listen >

LINKS: The International Federation Of Inventors Associations

Complaining Choirs
April 1, 2008 – Got a gripe? Turns out a lot of people do and they’re forming choirs to sing about the things that made them aggravated: in Birmingham, England its low wages, in Helsinki it’s the destruction of forests; in Chicago it’s some ordinary angst. Listen >

LINKS: Complaints Choirs Of The World

The Benefits Of V8 Juice
March 31, 2008 – The history of V8: today the vegetable drink is a billion dollar brand with a low sodium variety and the boomers, in particular, are lapping it up. Listen >

Weekender - John Brown’s Farm
March 29, 2008 – Years before abolitionist John Brown fought at Harper’s Ferry he lived in western Pennsylvania. On the land that was once his farm, near Blooming Valley south of Erie, there’s The John Brown Museum and a celebration is held there every May to honor his birthday. Listen > Visit our multimedia page to learn more.

LINKS: Pennsylvania Tourism website; Contact the John Brown Museum

The Complete Idiot’s Guide To A Healthy Relationship
March 28, 2008 – This little book, written by psychologist Dr. Judy Kuriansky, offers a lot of wise ways of to communicate better with a partner and how to solve some of life’s relationship pitfalls.
Listen >

A Presidential Retreat Opens Again
March 27, 2008 – There’s a new historic landmark open in Washington, DC: President Lincoln’s Cottage, on the grounds of what used to be The Soldiers Home. Mr. Lincoln may have written the draft of the Emancipation Proclamation there. Listen >

LINKS: President Lincoln’s Cottage website

AARP’s Money Management Program
March 25, 2008 – Do you need a trustworthy reliable buddy sitting next to you when you write checks to pay your bills every month? Find out more about AARP’s Money Management Program. Listen >

LINKS AARP’s Money Management Program on the AARP Website

A New Study Convinces Non-Exercisers To Get Moving
March 24, 2008 – Researchers at UCLA have been working with seniors who have not been exercising and are convincing them that if they believe they can do it, they will. Listen >

Weekender: Eva And Me
March 22, 2008 – Host Alyne Ellis went to visit the lady who saved her life to hear the story of what happened and learn more about Eva Nungesser. Listen >

Learn more about the remarkable reunion that Alyne calls A Journey Worth Taking on the AARP Blog.

Some Fun With Words
March 21, 2008 –Unscrambling words can be fun, but someone has taken this little exercise to a whole new amusing level. Don’t read any further if you want to play. (The answers are: Lies – Let’s recount; I’m a dot in place and twelve plus one.) Listen >

Learn It Online At Monkeysee.com
March 20, 2008 – If you want to ice skate like a champion, change guitar chords with the best of ‘em, or develop some bartending flair, now’s your chance to find out how the experts do it! Listen >

LINKS: Monkey See website

Getting Your Grocery Bills Down
March 18, 2008 – Every time you drag home a bag of groceries, your wallet is getting lighter. Prices are going up. Tips on ways to save at the checkout counter. Listen >

Reverse Mortgages
March 17, 2008 – Are they a good idea? Don Redfoot of AARP’s Public Policy Institute goes over some of the things you should consider before taking this step. And listen to Mike Cutherbert’s longer interview on Prime Time Radio on this same subject.
Listen >

LINKS: Reverse Mortgages: "Niche Product or Mainstream Solution? Report on the 2006 AARP National Survey of Reverse Mortgage Shoppers" on the AARP website

Weekender: Idle Hour Farm
March 15, 2008 - Ten retired champions – hunters, jumpers, and polo ponies - wander the green pastures of Idle Hour Farm in Camden, South Carolina. They are watched over by 71 year old Bob Russell with love. Visit our multimedia page to learn more. Listen >

For more information email the Idle Hour Farm

A Tale of Two Trees
March 14, 2008 – Anne Frank’s beloved chestnut tree and Robin Hood’s oak: experts in Holland and England are raising money to preserve these old trees that offered comfort in times of danger and adversity. Listen >

LINKS. Sherwood Forest: Under the Major Oak Tree on the BBC website; The Anne Frank House

The Pharmaceutical Industry’s Sales Pitch
March 13, 2008 – Every week  - chances are  - your doctor has a very well informed visitor: a salesman peddling prescriptions. What you can do to ask the right questions when you get sick and need some meds. Listen >

LINKS: Pharmed Out website

The Complete Book Of Aunts
March 11, 2008 – Rupert Christiansen’s charming little book about all the different aunts in books, on TV, and in real life: some make your life oh so much better. Others: watch out and run the other way. The Complete Book Of Aunts is published by Grand Central Publishing. Listen >

Green Burials
March 10, 2008 – Ramsey Creek Nature Preserve in South Carolina is a lovely area to walk in and its chapel has hosted many weddings … and funerals. When it opened a decade ago it was the first green burial site in the United States and amongst the trees and flowers are small stones that mark the graves. Listen >

LINKS: Memorial Ecosystems website

Weekender: A Trial Lawyer Finds His Soul
March 8, 2008 - Gary Gwilliam has spent his life in court. He’s a personal injury lawyer who’s sweated through some big trials against automakers and firms with huge resources. His job is to protect the little guy. Now he’s written a book about learning to deal with his high stress lifestyle. His book: Getting A Winning Verdict In My Personal Life: A Trial Lawyer Finds His Soul is published by Pavior. Listen >

AARP’s Tax-Aide Program
March 7, 2008 – April 15th is coming up fast. If you’re sixty or over and you need some help getting your taxes done, check out the nation’s largest, free, volunteer-run tax preparation and assistance program; it’s run by AARP. Listen >

LINKS: AARP’s tax-aide program

Mattie The Madame
March 6, 2008 – It might be the world’s oldest profession but in Denver, Colorado, Mattie Silks was a woman who took prostitution to a whole new level. She rolled up her sleeves instead of her skirts, and took on the west. Listen >

LINKS: Denver History Tours

Some DC Women To Think About This Women’s History Month
March 4, 2008 – The owner of the Hope Diamond, a crusader for women’s political rights, the woman who planned a Presidential assignation: Washington, DC’s women have made fascinating choices that have changed the world. Listen >

LINKS: Alexandria Colonial Tours website; Hillwood Museum And Gardens website

Only Your Nose Knows
March 3, 2008 – Can you sniff out the right person for you to marry? Experts say someone’s smell is so important that it influences one’s choice in a mate. Now you can get a dating company to match you up. Listen >

LINKS: ScientificMatch website

Weekender: Note By Note
March 1, 2008 –  Steinway & Sons still makes its pianos using the same methods it perfected 150 years ago. It takes a year to make just a Concert Grand. We follow one piano L1037 and meet the craftsmen who make it and the musicians who yearn for that special sound that brings out the nuances in the music they’ll play. Now an independently produced film tells their story. Listen >

LINKS: Note By Note website; Steinway & Sons website

Loving Grief
February 29, 2008 -  “This book is what I would say softly to you, if you and I were sitting on the porch after the setting sun has left us, two shadows facing each other … this is what I would murmur to you about grief.” Author Paul Bennett’s little book Loving Grief about losing his beloved wife and his journey forward as he embraces his sorrow. Listen >

LINKS: Loving Grief website

Talking With A Youngster About Money Can Be Fun
February 28, 2008 - How can we help young people get ready for their financial lives and even start them thinking about retirement planning? Here’s one solution: an online tutorial where you can get advice from other boomers who have done it successfully. Listen >

LINKS: Helping Ensure Financial Success For Youth on the Generation United website

Robotic Deer
February 26, 2008 - Bambi’s got a buddy and he’s collecting big bucks. Follow a ranger in New Hampshire as he hunts Bambi’s killers with some high tech gadgetry. Listen >

A New Rating Of Senior Care Facilities
February 25, 2008 - If you’re shopping for a nursing home or a retirement community, here’s one new tool to check out: a website where consumers rate everything from home health care to Alzheimer’s facilities. And don’t forget Medicare and AARP’s online resources too. Listen >

LINKS: Senior Decision website; Nursing Home Performance Data on the AARP website; Medicare website

Weekender: Tracing your African American Roots
February 23, 2008 - Today we’ll follow the paper trail that begins just after the Civil War, a time when former slaves started legally identifying themselves by first and last name Three invaluable sets of records housed at The National Archives tell their stories.
Listen >

LINKS: The National Archives website

The International Dictionary Of Black Composers
February 22, 2008 -  It’s been cited as one of the best reference books ever. Reading the wealth of info in The International Dictionary Of Black Composers is inspiring and it’s easy to then locate more articles, CD’s of published works, and learn a lot more about both legendary and contemporary African-American composers. Listen >

LINKS: The Center For Black Music Research website

Robert Moog’s Storage Shed
February 21, 2008 – When Robert Moog, the inventor of the Moog electronic synthesizer died, his passing was mourned by musicians around the world. Moog kept most of his working papers and many of his machines in an old storage shed. It’s a treasure trove. Visit the multimedia page. Listen >

LINKS: The Robert Moog Foundation website

Insomnia Part Two
February 19, 2008 – Some advice on one thing to try to change your sleep habits if you suffer from insomnia: get out of bed!
Listen >

LINKS: Government’s Site On Women’s Health; The National heart, Lung, And Blood Institute website

Insomnia Part One
February 18, 2008 – Over thirty million Americans suffer from the ravages of insomnia and research shows that lack of sleep is associated with illnesses. Dr Andrew Krystal,   the director of the Insomnia And Sleep Research Program at Duke University, details some of the new findings. Listen >

LINKS: The National heart, Lung, And Blood Institute website; Government’s Site On Women’s Health

Weekender: The Center To Champion Nursing In America
February 16, 2008 – AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation have announced the creation of The Center To Champion Nursing in America. Its mission will be to address one of the most critical issues in healthcare today: the persistent shortage of nurses. Click here to learn more. Listen >

LINKS: The Center To Champion Nursing In America website

Limit Your Salt Intake
February 15, 2008 – How much is too much? Experts say we live in an age when eating over 2300 milligrams a day is easy to do and if you have high blood pressure, don’t go above 1500. Listen >

LINKS: RGJ website; The American Heart Association website

Valentine’s Day In the Animal World
February 14, 2008 – The birds and the bees: some humorous tales of procreating frenzy. Listen >

Did President Lincoln Have Cancer?
February 12, 2007 – According to cardiologist and amateur historian, Dr. John Sotos, he did. He says our 16th president was suffering from something called MEN 2B and this could have also made him very tall. Listen >

Now Jeeves Has A Laptop
February 11, 2008 - Are you rich enough to afford a household manager? Today’s high tech butlers don’t come cheap. It’ll cost you at least 75 thousand dollars a year to get that old fashioned service. Listen >

LINKS: Starkey International website

Weekender: The Experience Wave
February 9, 2008 – A new national poll conducted by Experience Wave, a non-profit advocacy organization for boomers, says people under 65 want to keep working and volunteering. What the government can do to make these plans easier for boomers.
Listen >

LINKS: Experience Wave website

Plan A Star Gazing Trip For Valentine’s Day
February 8, 2008 – In two thirds of the US there is too much light pollution to even see the Milky Way. Here are some really dark places for you and your honey to go star gazing on Valentine’s Day. Listen >

LINKS: The International Dark-Sky Association website

Does Helicopter Parenting Work?
February 7, 2008 – Just how involved should you be in your son or daughter’s college academics? Check out the new National Survey Of Student Engagement for some answers. Listen >

LINKS: National Survey of Student Engagement website

NASA’s Magic Pill
February 5, 2008 – High on the coldest mountain on earth scientists have been studying core body temperatures and the problems that arise when you get too cold or too hot. They are aided in their research by a very special pill.

The Psychiatric Service Dog
February 4, 2008 – Some people with mental illness, including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, are training their dogs to do everything from turn on the lights to nudging them to stop repetitive behaviors. Visit mutimedia page.

LINKS: The Psychiatric Service Dog Society website

Weekender: The Alphabet Lady: Mystery Writer Sue Grafton
February 2, 2008 – Author Sue Grafton has been writing her alphabet mystery series for over twenty years. Wth only six letters to go, her latest book if T Is For Trespass is published by Putnam Press. This story tackles elder abuse. Visit multi-media page.
Listen >

A Self-Tuning Guitar
February 1, 2008 – Sick and tired of searching for that perfect G. Now a new musical instrument called a “robotic guitar” can zero in on those hard to find pitches in the blink of an ear. Listen >

LINKS: Gibson Guitars website; The Powertune System on Tronical website
 

AARP’s Computer Games For Boomers
January 31, 2008 – Improve your memory and sharpen up with computer games designed for boomers. Listen >

Sleep Apnea
January 29, 2008 - If you’re falling asleep in the daytime or snoring, you may have sleep apnea. Some lifestyle changes may help or you may need a special machine at night, but don’t underestimate how serious this condition can be when you stop breathing repeatedly in the middle of the night. Listen >

LINKS: The American Sleep Apnea Association website

Campaign Buttons: Past And Present
January 28, 2008 – With the presidential campaign in full swing, those campaign buttons are full of messages you can wear on your lapel. One collector fills us in on some slogans of yesteryear.
Listen >

Weekender: Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips
January 26, 2007 – A resilient optimist and a group of other cancer survivors she calls her "posse" offer some fabulous tips on living with cancer and not letting it define your life.  Kris Carr’s Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips is published by Skirt! Press. Check out our multi-media page. Listen >

Rock And Roll Fantasy Camp
January 25, 2007 – Play your guts out and jam with famous performers at Rock And Roll Fantasy Camp. For the founding member of the Billy Coulter band in DC it was a real blast. Check out our mulit-media page. Listen >

LINKS: Rock And Roll Fantasy Camp official website; The Billy Coulter Band on Billy Coulter's website

Green Up Your Kitchen Counters
January 24, 2007 – Eco-friendly countertops for your kitchen that are durable enough to withstand both Mother Nature and household wear and tear. Listen >

LINKS: Enviroglas website; Countertops by The Richlite Company

Some Tips On Athletic Shoes
January 22, 2007 – Better buy the right kind for your foot. What to think about before you head out for a walk or a run. Listen >

LINKS: Running Shoes on Dr. Pribut’s Sports Pages

Exercise Socks
January 21, 2007 – What you put on your foot can mean the difference between Athlete’s Foot and healthy comfort. Some advice from a podiatrist on exercising with the right socks. Listen >

LINKS: Exercise Socks on Dr. Pribut’s Sports Pages

NASA’s New Map of Antarctica
January 18, 2008 – NASA has photographed the southern hemisphere in such detail that now you can get a real grasp of the world’s coldest continent…from the smallest details to the widest patterns that can only be seen from space. Listen >

LINKS: Looking at Earth on the NASA website

Does Hospice Care Save Medicare Money?
January 17, 2008 – A new study at Duke University crunches the numbers. Listen >

LINKS: Hospice Use Saves Money for Medicare, Study Finds on Duke University website; General Hospice Information on the AARP website

The Livable Communities Awards: The Winning Developers
January 15, 2007 – The National Association Of Home Builders and AARP have announced winners of The Livable Communities Awards. Two developers have been singled out for their lovely multi-generational communities. Listen >

LINKS: Universal Design on the AARP website

The Livable Communities Awards: The Winning Builders
January 14, 2007 – The National Association Of Home Builders and AARP have announced winners of The Livable Communities Awards. There are five winners: two developers, a remodeled home in North Carolina, and two builders with homes in Arizona and Georgia. Listen >

LINKS: Livable Communities Awards on the AARP website

Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Turns Twenty
January 8, 2008 – Meet the man who’s been looking for fascinating stories and trivia for twenty years. He’s Gordon Jawna, the editor and publisher of Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader. Listen >

LINKS: Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader website


Talking With You Grandchildren About The Environment
January 7, 2008 – Lots of things used to be mighty different years ago – everything from commuting to the products people cleaned with around the house. What can you teach your grandchildren about the times when life was slower and people lived a life full of more natural products? Listen >

Weekender: The Earth Day Network’s Green School Initiative
January 5, 2008 –The Earth Day Network has made it their mission to change our schools into green environmentally clean and healthy schools within a generation. Listen >

LINKS: The Earth Day Network website

The Old Farmer’s Almanac
January 4, 2008 – The mysteries that lie beneath its pages harken back to another time and place and so does its secret of predicting the weather. Listen >

LINKS: The Old Farmers Almanac website

How Is Your Retirement Savings Plan Going?
January 3, 2008 – It’s the question everybody should be asking. Are you prepared for retirement? Social security, pensions, and personal savings may not add up to enough unless you are really prepared. Listen >

LINKS: Video On Retirement Planning on the AARP website; Quinn’s Money For Life in the AARP Bulletin

Some Movies With A New Years Theme
January 1, 2008 – If starting off 2008 with the tube and a blanket feels good, here are three movie suggestions  centered around the theme: time passes quickly. Listen >

LINKS: Father Time’s Net website; Movies For Grownups on AARP website

Some Early Timepieces
December 31, 2007 - Pause for a moment as you wait for midnight and 2008 to pay homage to the Egyptians and some of the earliest clocks. Listen >

LINKS: The Federal Government’s Time Exhibits website

Weekender: Staying On That Diet You Are About To Start
December 29, 2007 – Get some tips on how get back on track when you have reached for that extra cookie or piece of pie from clinical nutritionist Janet Zalman. Listen >

Get Yourself  “A First Footer”
December 28, 2007 – For centuries people in Scotland have hedged their bets on good luck in the new year by inviting a guy who looks just right to be their “first footer” at midnight. Listen >

LINKS: A Hogmanay Essay on the redwood review website

LINKS: Edinburgh’s Hogmanay website

Problems With Prepaid Funeral Plans
December 27, 2007 – Thousands of consumers, who have pre-paid funeral arrangements, have been shafted when the mortuaries and funeral homes they counted on squandered the money. 
Listen >

Virtual Volunteering
December 25, 2007 – Thousands have discovered the joys of volunteering using a computer or a telephone. Now it’s easy to give the gift of your time and expertise without ever leaving home. Listen >

LINKS: Vitual Volunteering on the AARP website

The History Of Silent Night
December 24, 2007  - Good thing a church organ was broken and a moving Christmas Carol was written for midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Listen >

LINKS: The Hymns And Carols Of Christmas website

Weekender: The Cell Phone Blues: Why Consumers Are In The Red
December 22, 2007 – Cell Phone Companies – what a pain! Extra charges, hefty termination fees, and just where do you get good reception any way? Now AARP’s Public Policy Institute has sent some recommendations for improvements to Congress. Listen >

LINKS: Wireless phones on the AARP website

Some Military Files Are made Public
December 21, 2007 -  The military service records for those who served in 1945 have just been released to the public. It’s a gold mine for researchers. Listen >

LINKS: National Personnel Records Center

Talking About Giving Up the Car Keys
December 20, 2007 – It’s hard to tell a loved one when it’s time for them to stop driving. Get prepared to have the conversation go as smoothly as possible by taking a seminar called: “We need To Talk.” It’s been put together by AARP, The Hartford, and the AgeLab at MIT.  Listen >

LINKS: AARP’s “We Need To Talk” seminar on the AARP website

Applying For Social Security Disability Benefits
December 18, 2007 – If you provide all the necessary information, this complicated process may move a little faster. Some advice from the co-founder of The Social Security Disability Coalition. Listen >

LINKS: Social Security Disability Coalition on MSN website

The First Boomer
December 17, 2007 – She was born one second after midnight on Jan 1, 1946. Kathy Casey Kirshling gets calls from the press every decade asking her to “speak” for the baby boomer generation. Listen >

Weekender: Elder Wisdom Circle
December 15, 2007 – All across the country, thousands of seniors are writing letters to the younger generation who write them for advice.  Now there’s a new book of their wise grandparent type advice:: The Elder Wisdom Circle: A Guide For A Meaningful Life, published by Plume. Listen >

LINKS: Elder Wisdom Cicle website

That Tune That Never Ends
December 14, 2007 – They repeat and repeat until you think you’re gonna go wild. Songs that get stuck in your head and what to do about them. Listen >

Forever Cool: What Does Your Wardrobe Look Like?
December 13, 2007 – Do you look like you are dressing for your prime time years? Check out: Forever Cool by Sheri Mathieson, an award winning style consultant. It’s published by Clarkson Potter and drop those floral prints and dark shirts for sure. Listen >

What Did Shakespeare Look Like?
December 11, 2007 –  You’ve seen that picture of the world’s most famous playwright with the big head and the ruff collar. Now there’s a much more flattering possibility – an oil painting that has just passed some forensic authentication tests. Listen >

LINKS: Globe and Mail website

The Dreidel Collector
December 10, 2007 – In recent decades dreidels have changed a lot. There are still some made of wood, but many are now made of precious stones. Some spin, some don’t but one avid collector, Dr Herman Berliner, loves them all! Listen >

Weekender: Wangari Maathai - Nurturing Kenya’s Seeds Of Change
December 8, 2007 – Wangari Maathai was the first African woman and the first environmentalist to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Now the Greenbelt Movement she founded has become an international cause. Her memoir is called Unbowed and is published by Anchor Books. Listen >

LINKS: The Greenbelt Movement website

It’s Better To Be A Buddy Than To Be Alone
December 7, 2007 – Studies show people are healthier when they are socially active and friendships can actually lengthen you life. Listen >

The Mindset List
December 6, 2007 – What do today’s eighteen year olds take for granted? What pivotal historical events have they missed? Every year Beloit College in Wisconsin puts out the Mindset List to try to answer these questions. Listen >

LINKS: Beloit College’s Mindset List website

Farmers Are Getting Older
December 4, 2007 – Farmers are staying on the job longer aided by better medical care and advances in technology. Listen >

Re-adding Your Name To The Do Not Call List
December 3, 2007 -  If you put your phone number on the “Do Not Call” list you may soon have to sign up again. After five years, telemarketers can start calling you again. Listen >

LINKS: The FTC’s national Do Not Call Registry

Weekender: The Story Keepers Of Visiting Angels
December 1, 2007 - Visiting Angels is a national agency that provides care giving services to the elderly in their homes. Their goal is to tape the memories of 100 veterans from WWII by the end of 2008. Listen >

LINKS: The Library Of Congress’ Veterans History Project website; The Story Keepers website

A New Theory About The Appendix
November 30, 2007 – You never think about it until it goes bad, but now scientists at Duke University Medical School think they know why you have one. Listen >

AARP’s Financial Literacy Quiz
November 29, 2007 – How savvy are you about your money? Now you can find out by going online and taking a little 15 question quiz that covers everything from social security to Medicare. Listen >

LINKS: Your Money in the AARP Bulletin

Weekend: Making The Piano Speak
November 17, 2007 – "Luxurious arrangements" are what pianist Emile Pandolfi offers his audiences...and some critics have said his music goes to the very soul. Listen >

LINKS: Emile Pandolfi Official Website

The IRS’ New Foreclosure Webpage
November 16, 2007 – The IRS has added a new section to its website to answer tax questions about losing your home: Foreclosure Tax Relief Available To Many. Listen >

LINKS: The Internal Revenue Service website

Listening to Amelia
November 15, 2007 – Aviator Amelia Earhardt sent her last messages in July 1937. Who heard her? Could it possibly have been a teenager in Florida? Listen >

LINKS: TIGHAR, The International Group Of Historic Aircraft Recovery website

Warm Springs: A Memoir
November 13, 2007 – Travel back in time to the polio center President Roosevelt lovingly molded into a place of spiritual and physical healing. It had a profound impact on author Susan Shreve who was a patient there for awhile in her teens. Warm Springs: Traces Of A Childhood At FDR’s Polio Haven is published by Houghton Mifflin. Listen >

LINKS: Warm Springs book review on AARP The Magazine Online

Reaching For The Plastic: Credit vs Debit Cards
November 12, 2007 – Many of us pull out our bank machine card and buy something in a store as a debit or a credit. Consumer Reports Money Advisor has a better suggestion. Listen >

Weekend: The Virtual Driver
November 10, 2007 – It may feel like a really bad night on the road or you may do just fine. Find out how you can brush up your driving skills with the Raydon Corporation’s Virtual Driver. One was on display at the AARP conference in Boston. Listen >

LINKS: Virtual Driver Interactive website; Driver's Safety on the AARP website

The Fit That Doesn’t Lie
November 9, 2007 – Bathing suits can be a real bother if they don’t fit right. Now, in some places, you can get sized up scientifically in style. Listen >

LINKS: Lori Coulter’s True Measure website

A WWII Ship Tour Here In The US
November 8, 2007 – Have you been watching the Ken Burns series on WWII? Maybe it’s time to get closer to where the action was without leaving the U.S. Visit an old ship. Listen >

MIT’s Huggable Bear
November 6, 2007 – Boy oh boy is he cute! His name is Huggable and this teddy bear may one day help grandparents communicate with their grandchildren and keep patients in hospitals more in touch. The bear got trotted out at the AARP conference in Boston. Listen >

Autumn: The Diet Robot
November 5, 2007 – No one likes to hear a friend or loved one ask questions about their weight every day. Not to worry. A robot developed by the folks at the MIT Media Lab can do it  - possibly with a lot more success. Host Alyne Ellis met Autumn and her creator at the AARP conference in Boston. Listen >

Weekend: The Birth Of Geroscience
November 3, 2007 – The Buck Institute For Age Research in California is launching a new scientific discipline called Geroscience, an interdisciplinary approach to understanding how we age. Listen >

LINKS: The Buck Institute For Age Research website

The Senior’s Guide To eBay
November 2, 2007 – Creating an account, insertion fees and even how you can find someone reputable to sell or buy things for you… it’s a very understandable little book. The Senior’s Guide To eBay is published by Eklektika Press. Listen >

Bathrooms That Are Easier And Safer To Use
November 1, 2007 – Want to stay put and make your bathroom more accessible? How about just plain roomier? Some tips from Leslie Segrete, the co-host of The Money Pit on making that room where so many people fall a lot safer. Listen >

LINKS: The Money Pit website

AARP’s My Dream Job Contest
October 30. 2007 – Write an essay about yourself. Tell us your story. What are you hoping to do next in life? Maybe you can be a winner in AARP’s My Dream Job Contest. Listen >

LINKS: My Dream Jobs on the AARP website

Some Musical Ghosts
October 29. 2007 – Some rockin’ and rollin’ ghosts, the music they loved, and the people they inspired. Listen >

Weekend: Crittercam: Seeing Through Animals Eyes
October 27, 2007 – It’s amazing what scientists have seen and learned since 1987 when they began attaching cameras to animals. Now a new exhibit from National Geographic celebrates the invention of the crittercam and the discoveries it has made possible. Listen >

LINKS: Crittercam on the National Geographic website

Managing Your Energy Level – Part Two
October 26, 2007– Some advice from the Director of Nutrition at the Human Performance Institute in Orlando. WHAT you eat and WHEN can really make you feel a lot more energetic. Listen >

Managing Your Energy Level – Part One
October 25, 2007 –Are you bringing your best self to that executive meeting? Not if you ate the wrong thing ahead of time. Listen >

Seniors and Sex
October 24, 2007 – Many Americans are staying more active than you might think as they age! Americans pushing 60, 70, 80 or even 90 don't forgo sex just because they're aging according to a study out of the University Of Chicago. Listen >

LINKS: University Of Chicago study

Some Stonehenge Knock-offs
October 23, 2007 –This side of the pond, has got it’s share of weird circles, all inspired by Stonehenge’s mysterious rocks on Salisbury Plain in England. Listen >

The Story Of The Word Permafrost
October 22, 2007 – How one little word got invented when some one in a staff meeting wanted to know what was in a bag? Listen >

Weekend: Belva Lockwood
October 20, 2007 – Belva Lockwood was the first woman to plead a case before the US Supreme Court and the first woman to run for president. A new book : Belva Lockwood: the Woman Who Would Be President by biographer Jill Norgren fills in the exciting details. It’s published by the New York University Press. Listen >

Operation Respect: Don’t Laugh At Me
October 19, 2007 – The little song that inspired musician Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul, and Mary to create a school curriculum now used around the world. Listen >

LINKS: Operation Respect website

The Silver Anniversary Of The CDOctober 18, 2007 – We celebrate the invention of the compact disk with some fun facts including the first piece ever distributed and the music that dictated the amount of recording time on each disk: 74 minutes. Listen >

Gotta Love Those Golden Retrievers
October 16, 2007 – Golden retrievers all have that loving needy nature but host Alyne Ellis’ dog seems to be getting into some trouble because he rules her house. Listen >

Computer Aids For Reading And Writing
October 15, 2007 – There are computer programs that can read to you and you can dictate what you want written down. Some technology aids to get you up to speed when reading or writing is difficult. Listen >

LINKS: Kurzweild and Dragon Naturally Speaking website; Digital River website

Weekender: Angels Gate
October 13, 2007 – From the outside it looks like a regular house but inside hundreds of sick and injured animals live out their remaining years or days in peace with a very special couple who welcomes them into their loving home. Listen >
Visit our special multimedia gallery on Angel's Gate.

LINKS: Angels Gate website

Log On And Get Going With AARPfitness.com
October 12, 2007 – AARP has just started a new website where you can check everything from your body mass index and daily nutritional needs to finding a gym and a trainer. Listen >

LINKS: AARP Fitness website

The Hollow Tree And The Deep Woods Book
October 11, 2007 – The coon the possum and the old black crow - cavort in this lovely old children’s book by Albert Bigelow Paine. Listen >

LINKS: Decent News website

Operation Respect: Don’t Laugh At Me
October 09, 2007 – The little song that inspired musician Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul, and Mary to create a school curriculum now used around the world. Listen >

LINKS: Operation Respect website

New Advances For The Eye
October 08, 2007 – Learn about the new intraocular lenses for cataract surgical patients and new progressive lenses for glasses. Listen >

Retraining The Brain: The Spit Belt Treadmill
October 2, 2007 – Scientists are experimenting with helping patients walk better after brain injuries by putting them on treadmills with two separate belts, one for each leg. Listen >

LINK: YouTube video

Around One More Point
October 1, 2007 – Mary Gazetas and her sister Phoebe spend weeks every summer traveling the coastline of British Columbia in canoes. Now Mary has written a book about their time on the water: Around One More Point, published by TouchWood Editions.