1 . Stuck inside his room at an assisted-living center, Bob Coleman knew he could not go out in public with the coronavirus spreading. But he could still connect with others by sharing his love for country music over the internet.

“Hello, everybody. It’s a bright day in Franklin, Tennessee,” he said into his microphone. “This is Bob Coleman, better known as the Karaoke Cowboy, coming to you from Room 3325. Let’s just jump right into it.”

Then Coleman began to play the music he loves — hits from country music stars like Hank Williams, Dwight Yoakam and Brad Paisley. The 88-year-old carefully chooses each song.

Coleman is a resident of Somerby Franklin, an assisted-living center about 32 kilometers south of Nashville. He formerly served in the United States Air Force. He and several other retirees have turned into disc jockeys, or DJs, for a new online radio hour known as “Radio Recliner (摇椅电台)”. The 60-minute show was launched last month, starting with retirees in middle Tennessee. It has since expanded, with residents of assisted-living centers in Georgia and Alabama taking part in the project. Many jumped at the chance to work as a DJ to ease the loneliness of social distancing rules.

A Georgia and Alabama-based marketing company called Luckie came up with the idea of Radio Recliner. One of its clients is Bridge Senior Living, which operates more than 20 centers for older adults in 14 states.

The volunteer DJs record themselves on their phones. The audio is then sent off to audio production specialists who deal with the technical side of Radio Recliner.

New shows appear weekdays at 12 o'clock. Listeners can send song requests in honor of family or friends.

Mitch Bennett is Luckie’s chief creative officer. He says the idea was to provide a sense of community to older people who have been spending a lot of time alone. “For this generation, radio was the original social media,” Bennett said. “Dedicating a song to someone you love, and having them hear it along with everyone else, is a special way of connecting. It’s a great time to bring that feeling back.”

I’m Caty Weaver.

2 . While many people will turn to computer programs to help kickstart their child’s brain, there are also TV shows for young children. They will learn without realizing it!

WordGirl

This show, which first ran on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), is perfect for children who could use help to expand their vocabulary. The show follows a young superhero as she protects Fair City while also subtly teaching children how to use new words.

Arthur

This show started back in 1996 and it is still going on today. PBS has a great track record with children’s shows and Arthur is probably their finest work. This shows Arthur and his friends as they learn all about the world around them. The show touches on important themes of family, friendship, and education. Over the years there have been some famous actors on the show as well — Matt Damon, Art Garfunkel, Joan Rivers and more.

Dinosaur Train

Kids love dinosaurs and that’s just a fact. Let your children learn about our ancient friends with this lovable, exciting, and educational TV show. The computer-generated imagery (CGI) is well done and the colors pop off the screen. The show follows along as a steam train travels through time in order to soak in each era of dino-life, teaching us along the way.

Nature

Nature does a great job teaching children about the world around them. This show was first started in 1982 and it is still running on PBS to this day. Kids will learn everything there is to know about nature all over the world. Nurture your child’s fascination with the environment and the world will be better for it!

6 . The world’s best underwater hotels

The underwater rooms at Atlantis The Palm really are fit for the king of the seas. Set alongside a huge aquarium , they are pretty much the most romantic place you could ever dream of, as long as you don’t have nightmares about sharks! This unusual hotel room costs around $7,000 a night.

The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island doesn’t have an underwater room, but you can still have dinner below the waves, without having to wear a diving suit. The Ithaa Undersea Restaurant is located sixteen feet below sea level and while you eat happily, sharks and fishes swirl (旋转) above your head. Set menus cost upwards of $300 per person. Book at least a couple of weeks ahead.

The Utter Inn was designed by local artist Mikael Genberg and is one of the cheapest underwater hotels out there, floating on Lake Mälaren, near Stockholm. From $250 a night, this is more like an unusual ship’s cabin than luxury (奢侈的) accommodation, but as an appealing twist on traditional Swedish living, it’s now a very fashionable place to spend the weekend.

Jules’ Undersea Lodge is named after the author of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and is the oldest underwater hotel, surrounded by angelfish and other species off the coast of Florida. Getting there is somewhat of a challenge — it’s located 21 feet beneath the surface of the sea. Brave couples can stay the night here for $800.