Senior Women Web

Michelangelo's First Painting; a little-known work has its American premiere at the Met

The painting’s provenance has been a matter of debate for hundreds of years. Ascanio Condivi, writes that the master’s first painted work was a depiction of Saint Anthony being riven by monsters, a painting in imitation of a 15th century German engraving by Martin Schongauer, a facsimile of which hangs alongside the exhibit’s main attraction.

Six Patient Behaviors That Drive Doctors Nuts

"Another patient had stopped a diuretic she used with a blood-pressure medication, just because she didn't like the side effect of more urination during the day," he said. "When she came in, her blood pressure was over 200."

Hard Copy

"At the South any voter who owns five slaves equals politically three northern gentlemen like myself, who feel no whit inferior to the best of their chivalry though he own a thousand slaves"

Women of Note - WASPs, a missing chapter in the history of the Air Force

‘You and more than 900 of your sisters have shown you can fly wingtip to wingtip with your brothers. I salute you . . . We of the Army Air Force are proud of you. We will never forget our debt to you.’

Lunch With a Legend

Editor's Note: Recently, The New York Times ran an article on Ray Bradbury and his lifelong enthusiasm for "halls of books." We thought that peg enough of a reason to reprise an article by a departed and enthusiastic supporter of seniorwomen.com, Jean Po…

The Disturbing Afterlife of Discarded Digital Devices

"at an open-air market in Ghana, where hard drives from the United States and elsewhere are being resold, sometimes to criminal gangs who mine them for credit card data, Social Security numbers and other identifying information"

Browsing a Collection of Decorative Objects & Tattooing

A locket's miniature bears the inscription, Nelson For Ever Huzza; the back of an ivory brooch bears the name and date 'Emma Hamilton 1803'; and King George V in 1882 is given a dragon tattoo in Japan

How To ... ?

Joan L. Cannon writes: Have you noticed the upswing in the numbers of books on how to live well, richly, generously, spiritually, fulfilled ... and on and on? I wouldn't dare to presume to know what would be useful for strangers. I'd make a terrible miss…

Does It Pay to Be Smart, Attractive, or Confident (or All Three)? A study explores "Relationships Among General Mental Ability, Physical Attractiveness, Core Self-Evaluations, and Income"

Yet, although the inside clearly counts, a plethora of empirical research has demonstrated that when it comes to income, attractiveness makes a difference too.

The Art of Babbling

Brice Marden informs about his painting, Cold Mountain, the NYPL highlights its Art Deco Paul Poiret fashion images and Paul Law lectures on The Abundant Childhood: Nature, Creativity & Health

The Needs of Women Veterans Addressed

"The VA recently reported that within 10 years, women are expected to become 10 percent of the VA’s patient population. Women are seeking VA health care at a faster rate than their male counterparts. Women who are seen at the VA today are also younger and of child-bearing age. These statistics beg the question: Is the VA ready?"

Risks of Sharing Personal Genetic Information

"If you receive information on your breast cancer risk and share it with others, you might also be sharing information about your daughter’s risk for breast cancer — even though she never consented to have that information shared."

Zahra Rahnavard demands apology from Iran’s President Ahmadinejad

Times of London Online - A diminutive 64-year-old grandmother who refuses to be bound by the rigid constraints imposed on women in Iran proved more than a match for the President of the Islamic Republic ... http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/worl…

Investigating a Reverse Mortgage; The GAO Issues a Report

Should I use an estate planning service to find a reverse mortgage? FHA provides this information free, and HUD-approved housing counseling agencies are available for free or at very low cost, to provide information, counseling, and a free referral to a list of FHA-approved lenders

Wedding Traditions from Victoria to Diana

Lt. Matt Luoma sent his wife Lillian a nylon parachute from France during WWII. In April 1945, Lillian entered the Fifth National Sewing contest sponsored by the Cleveland Press, and won first prize in the Victory Group for this negligee and gown made for a belated honeymoon. The design incorporates the original parachute seaming in the skirt of the negligee.

Decor Shopping Using Surface Graphics

From classic chairback graphics to lions and turtles and foxes, oh my! Consider a tropical, Polynesian retreat, a pixelated romper room or architectural details from a historic Savannah district.

It's a Gray Area, Part II

Roberta McReynolds writes: One section of the aisle was devoted to ending the ‘brassiness’ problem. I didn’t even know what brassiness was before walking into the store. Now I stood the risk of losing sleep over the fear my hair might look like an alloy…

The Woes of the Single Humor Writer

I did try to join one of those couples swap clubs advertised on the Internet — purely for research purposes, of course; but they refused me membership when they investigated and found out about me. Not that I’m a writer, but that I didn’t have a mate to swap.

Now that We’ve Taken Back America, What Do We Do With It?

Now that We’ve Taken Back America, What Do We Do With It?: This year there was more interest in identifying what can be won. Energy and immigration were high on the agenda. Culture war concerns — e.g. race and gender — got an honorable mention but not much more than that.

The Judge, the Girl Sleuth and Scorned Literature

‘Perhaps I’ve stumbled upon a clue!’ Nancy thought excitedly. (The Clue in the Diary, p. 15). Explored in a Girls' Series Books Rediscovered online exhibit: The appeal of once-scorned literature included the Nancy Drew, Dana Girls and Kay Tracey mysteries

Current Reading, Cum Laude in Evading Bandits

15 Tips from well-traveled New York Times columnist, Nicholas Kristof, for students abroad pursuing a degree but also for the novice and experienced traveler: Buy a secondhand local cell phone for $20, outfit it with a local SIM card and keep it in your pocket.

Call Me Woman Who Swims With Turtles

Ferida Wolff writes: They have always been seen as mystical creatures, a symbol of longevity and bring good luck into a house. Some say that if you dream of a turtle, it foretells of an incident that will bring amusement or an improvement in business.