The photographer Richard Renaldi is a matchmaker for tense times, asking complete strangers to pose with their bodies touching, as if they were intimates. Mr. Renaldi has been working on his portrait series, which he calls “Touching Strangers,” since 2007, and plans to publish a book about his experiences. One of his goals, he said, is to get people to think past the divisions — ethnic, religious, socioeconomic — that often go unexamined in urban life. “For a lot of people, it’s an exercise for them to be able to push their own comfort level,” he said.
It's a nice idea. In some of the pictures you would never know these people are strangers and others show the discomfort of the participants. As the TV show "CBS Sunday Morning" stated in their 8/11/13 expose, "Most photographers capture life as it is but with these strangers Richard Renaldi has something much more ethereal and and elusive. He shows us humanity that could be, that most of us wish it would be, and as it was - at least for this one fleeting moment in time."
You can find out more about this project and view some of the pictures at The New York Times and Renaldi's website.
It's a nice idea. In some of the pictures you would never know these people are strangers and others show the discomfort of the participants. As the TV show "CBS Sunday Morning" stated in their 8/11/13 expose, "Most photographers capture life as it is but with these strangers Richard Renaldi has something much more ethereal and and elusive. He shows us humanity that could be, that most of us wish it would be, and as it was - at least for this one fleeting moment in time."
You can find out more about this project and view some of the pictures at The New York Times and Renaldi's website.
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One day I was walking down the beach with some friends when someone shouted….’Look at that dead bird!’ Someone looked up at the sky and said…’where?’
---------------------- http://onestopcoolin.blogspot.com
Subconscious gender responses to "Let's go for a drink?"
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My sister has a lifesaving tool in her car it’s designed to cut through a seat belt if she gets trapped. She keeps it in the trunk…
---------------------- http://onestopcoolin.blogspot.com
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My friends and I were on a Lager run and noticed that the cases were discounted 10%. Since it was a big party, we bought 2 cases. The cashier multiplied 2 times 10% and gave us a 20% discount….
---------------------- http://onestopcoolin.blogspot.com
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I was hanging out with a friend when we saw a woman with a nose ring attached to an earring by a chain. My friend said, ‘Wouldn’t the chain rip out every time she turned her head?’ I had to explain that a person’s nose and ear remain the same distance apart no matter which way the head is turned…
---------------------- http://onestopcoolin.blogspot.com
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I couldn't find my luggage at the airport baggage area. So I went to the lost luggage office and told the woman there that my bags never showed up. She smiled and told me not to worry because she was a trained professional and I was in good hands. ‘Now,’ she asked me, ‘Has your plane arrived yet?’..
---------------------- http://onestopcoolin.blogspot.com
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While working at a pizza parlor I observed a man ordering a small pizza to go. He appeared to be alone and the cook asked him if he would like it cut into 4 pieces or 6. He thought about it for some time before responding. ‘Just cut it into 4 pieces; I don’t think I’m hungry enough to eat 6 pieces.
---------------------- http://onestopcoolin.blogspot.com
I can't work today. Something has crashed on my keyboard.
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One day a man cutting a branch off a tree next to a river accidentally dropped his ax into the water. Dejected, he cried out for help. A genie then appeared and the woodcutter related how his ax had fallen into the stream and he needed it to make a living. The genie was moved by the man's contriteness so he reached down into the water and pulled out a golden ax. "Is this your ax?" the genie asked. "No," replied the woodcutter. The genie reached again into the water this time pulling out a silver ax. "Is this your ax?" the genie reiterated. Once again the the woodcutter replied "no." The genie reached in a third time and pulled up an iron ax. "Is this your ax?" the genie queried. With a big smile the woodcutter replied, "Yes." The genie was so pleased with the man's honesty he gave him all three axes to keep.
Some time later the woodcutter was walking with his wife along the river bank and she fell into the water. When he cried out, the genie again appeared and asked him, "Why are you crying?" "Oh generous genie, my wife has fallen into the water!" The genie remembering the honest man reached down into the water and came up with Angelina Jolie. "Is this your wife?" the genie asked. Without hesitation the woodcutter replied "Yes." The genie was furious at the lie and demanded the woodcutter explain himself. "Forgive me. It's just a misunderstanding. You see, if I had said 'no' to Angelina Jolie, you would have come up with someone like Cameron Diaz. Then if I said 'no' to her, you would have come up with my wife. Had I then said 'yes,' you would have given me all three. Benevolent genie, I am a poor man, and am not able to care for three wives, so that's why I said yes to miss Jolie."
The moral of this story is: Whenever a man lies, it is for a good and honorable reason, and for the benefit of others.
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One day a man cutting a branch off a tree next to a river accidentally dropped his ax into the water. Dejected, he cried out for help. A genie then appeared and the woodcutter related how his ax had fallen into the stream and he needed it to make a living. The genie was moved by the man's contriteness so he reached down into the water and pulled out a golden ax. "Is this your ax?" the genie asked. "No," replied the woodcutter. The genie reached again into the water this time pulling out a silver ax. "Is this your ax?" the genie reiterated. Once again the the woodcutter replied "no." The genie reached in a third time and pulled up an iron ax. "Is this your ax?" the genie queried. With a big smile the woodcutter replied, "Yes." The genie was so pleased with the man's honesty he gave him all three axes to keep.
Some time later the woodcutter was walking with his wife along the river bank and she fell into the water. When he cried out, the genie again appeared and asked him, "Why are you crying?" "Oh generous genie, my wife has fallen into the water!" The genie remembering the honest man reached down into the water and came up with Angelina Jolie. "Is this your wife?" the genie asked. Without hesitation the woodcutter replied "Yes." The genie was furious at the lie and demanded the woodcutter explain himself. "Forgive me. It's just a misunderstanding. You see, if I had said 'no' to Angelina Jolie, you would have come up with someone like Cameron Diaz. Then if I said 'no' to her, you would have come up with my wife. Had I then said 'yes,' you would have given me all three. Benevolent genie, I am a poor man, and am not able to care for three wives, so that's why I said yes to miss Jolie."
The moral of this story is: Whenever a man lies, it is for a good and honorable reason, and for the benefit of others.
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Space Saving Cost Cutting
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One day a man was in a terrible car accident where his face was severely burned. The doctor told him that they couldn't graft any skin from his body because he was too skinny. Hearing this, the wife offered to donate some of her own skin. After testing it was determined that the only area of the wife's skin suitable for the operation would have to come from her buttocks. The husband and wife agreed that they would tell no one about the source of the skin and requested the doctor also honor their secret. After all, this was a very delicate matter.
After the surgery was completed, everyone was astounded at the man's new face. He looked more handsome than he ever had before and all his friends and relatives just went on and on about his youthful beauty! One day, he was alone with his wife when he became emotionally overcome with her sacrifice. He said, 'Dear, I just want to thank you for everything you did for me. How can I possibly repay you?' 'My darling,' she replied,' I get all the thanks I need - every time I see your mother kiss you on the cheek.'
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