3 Good Things: Grandparent benefits, Bennifer and dog walking

By Philip GrayDeputy Op-Ed Editor

July 26, 2022 3:01 AM PT

Listen to Lassie

When a border collie wants you to go somewhere, you go. Whether you’re a sheep or a member of the Nevada County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue group. That’s what happened earlier this month in Tahoe National Forest after a hiker fell 70 feet and broke his hip. The hiker’s dog, Saul, got the attention of the rescuers who were looking for the man. “Hey, I think this dog is trying to lead us somewhere,” one searcher radioed to HQ. That was one smart human, heeding one smart dog. Saul led the crew to his human, who was airlifted to a hospital.

Sunday with Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell’s glorious, soulful, vulnerable return to the stage at the Newport Folk Festival on Sunday was all the more moving because Mitchell, 78, had not performed a full public concert since having a brain aneurysm in 2015. It doesn’t feel quite right to say “Joni Mitchell’s back,” though, does it? Hearing her anew, I have to say: She never left. That’s the gift of an artist like her. Here’s her rendition from Sunday of George Gershwin’s “Summertime,” and here’s her latest take on the unforgettable “Both Sides Now.”

Tiger surprise

“There are 40% more tigers in the world than previously estimated.” That’s the NPR headline, and yes, you read that right. Experts say there probably has been population growth thanks to conservation efforts (to somewhere between 3,726 and 5,578 tigers), but mostly they attribute the revision to improved counting as a result of vast efforts by governments. That kind of investment is encouraging in its own right.

And one more ...

Want to exercise just enough to live longer? There’s new research for you: A 30-year study found that people who exercise 150 to 600 minutes per week reduced mortality the most. People who exceeded 600 minutes saw no further reduction in mortality risk.