Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Good to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

Beyond the Speedo: The Secret Lives of Public Pool Swimmers

Artist Judith Starkman takes us inside the "secret lives" of the swimming addicts who religiously flock to a pool in Los Angeles.

Zak Stone
By Zak StoneJul 24, 2011
Zak Stone
See Full Bio

The public pool is a sacred space for many. In this "great equalizer" of the modern city, you can cast aside workday anxieties for the calming, repetitive act of swimming laps. Plus, you can get almost naked in public.

That's the takeaway of a new public art project, "The Secret Life of Swimmers," by Judy Starkman, a Los Angeles-based director and photographer. A lifelong swimmer, Starkman is a habitué of the Culver City Plunge pool, where she noticed the daily metamorphosis that her fellow swimmers underwent upon arriving at the pool. Starkman decided to photograph the individuals that compose her pool community, once in their swimwear and then again dressed for their "secret lives" at work, synagogue, or family time. Her subjects include everyone from a fireman to an academic to an antique flute restorer. “They are young and old. Some are in fantastic shape, but most are just regular people," according to Starkman.

Culver City will display banner-sized prints of Starkman's photos along several major streets for the next two years. Click through the slideshow above to check out a selection. Or visit the project's website to see the online gallery and a video by Starkman about the project.

Photographs by Judy Starkman. The streetlight pole banner and virtual gallery portion of "The Secret Life of Swimmers" concept was made possible with the support of the Culver City Cultural Affairs Commission, the Culver City Parks, Recreation & Community Services Commission, and the Culver City City Council.

artpublic artcitiesswimming poolculver cityswimmingjudith starkman

The Latest

insects, bugs, scientific research, bug populations, environmental research
Science

Bugs are vanishing at 'alarming' rates. Researcher shares what's behind the 'bug apocalypse.'

seasonal depression, seasonal affective disorder, mental health, mental health tips, serotonin
Health

Doctor shares 'realistic' 3-step practice to beat seasonal depression

hotel story, malicious compliance, receptionist, rude customer, Reddit, viral story, Days Inn, customer service, funny, revenge
Past Events

A hotel guest demanded a room on a non-existent 4th floor. The receptionist's comeback was perfect.

Earth's heartbeat, microseisms, 26-second pulse, seismology, Bight of Bonny, Jack Oliver, geological mystery, Gulf of Guinea, seismic tremors, Earth science
Past Events

Scientists puzzled by Earth's 'heartbeat' that triggers little tremors every 26 seconds

More For You

happiness, gratitude, mental health, gratitude mindset, therapy

What is the best stage of your life?

Photo credit: Canva

Spanish psychologist says 'best stage' of life begins with a specific mindset shift, not your age

As we grow, it's common for kids to say, "I can't wait until I am older," and then it transforms into, "Youth is wasted on the young." Many of us tend to think nostalgically of the past or hope for a better future, often at the expense of the present. This dissatisfaction is common and normal, but can often get in the way of enjoying life by either waiting for the "best stage" of their life that is still to come or wondering if the best stage has already come and gone. One psychologist believes that the best stage in life can happen in the here and now.

Spanish psychologist and author Rafael Santandreu argues that the "best stage" of a person's life, barring certain circumstances, isn't a specific age range or moment of accomplishment. Instead, it begins when a person shifts their mindset away from complaint.

Keep ReadingShow less
Li Jingwei, kidnapped map, family reunion, Douyin, child trafficking, hand-drawn map, Zhaotong, viral video, China news, emotional reunion

A man looks at a map

Canva

He was kidnapped at 4. A map he drew from memory 33 years later led him back home.

For 33 years, Li Jingwei had no idea where he came from. Kidnapped from his village in 1989 at the age of four, he grew up in a different province with a different family. He eventually forgot his birth name and the names of his parents. But there was one thing he never forgot: the landscape of his home.

Images of a specific bamboo grove, a small pond, and a winding road near a school were etched into his memory. In late 2021, inspired by other high-profile family reunions in China, Li decided to trust those memories.

Keep ReadingShow less
Aaron Arias, Jamal Harris, kidnapping rescue, Dallas teens, Charles Atkins Lewis, 911 call, Good Samaritans, viral rescue story, bystander intervention

Traffic at night with overlaid text reading "I'm witnessing a robbery. not a robbery, a kidnapping!"

Canva

Teens rescue a kidnapped woman after noticing her mouth 'help me' from the backseat

Situational awareness can be the difference between life and death, and for one woman in Texas, the quick thinking of two teenagers made all the difference. In an incredible display of bravery, Aaron Arias and Jamal Harris turned a casual drive into a daring rescue mission.

Aaron Arias, then 19, and Jamal Harris, then 17, were driving through Dallas to pick up a friend when they noticed a young woman in the backseat of another car. From the passenger seat, Harris initially thought the woman was "attractive," but quickly realized she was mouthing something urgent. According to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth, it became clear she was silently pleading for help.

Keep ReadingShow less
vaccines, father, daughter, chickenpox, virus, dementia, memory, thinking, brain

Daughter holds father's hands.

Photo credit: Canva

Scientists stumble onto ​possible breakthrough dementia vaccine that was hiding in plain sight

As we age, most of us begin to experience some basic decline in memory, thinking, and everyday functioning. In more extreme cases, such as Alzheimer's, the impact can be devastating. Modern science is exploring new treatments to address the complications posed by different forms of dementia.

Some fascinating and positive news emerged from a study aimed at better understanding the effects of the shingles vaccine. Scientists stumbled upon unexpected data suggesting a link between vaccination and a reduction in dementia cases.

Keep ReadingShow less
Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, funny animal photos, nature photography, wildlife humor, funny animals, viral animal pictures, conservation, Paul Joynson-Hicks

A chimp with its hand behind its head; otters appear to be laughing in the water; an otter looks like its surprised

Comedy Wildlife Photography

20 hilarious pics of animals playing around in the wild

Nature documentaries usually focus on the majestic side of the animal kingdom: the thrill of the hunt, the beauty of flight, or the grandeur of migration. But anyone who has spent time observing animals knows there is another, musch goofier, side to the wild.

Since 2015, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, created by photographers and conservationists Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam, have been dedicated to capturing those unscripted, laugh-out-loud moments. With a mission to entertain while raising awareness about wildlife conservation, the competition celebrates the clumsy, expressive, and downright hilarious side of nature.

Keep ReadingShow less
Joe Eszterhas, Michael Ovitz, CAA, Hollywood history, Basic Instinct, show business feud, leaked letter, foot soldiers, super-agent, 1989

Hollywood sign with text overlay reading: "I am not an asset. I am a human being. You are an agent."

Canva

The epic fax that preceded the downfall of Hollywood's most feared agent

In 1989, Michael Ovitz wasn't just an agent. He was the gravity that held Hollywood together. As the co-founder of Creative Artists Agency (CAA), he didn't just book jobs; he packaged entire blockbusters, effectively telling the studios what they were making and who would star in it. He was the "King of Hollywood," a man who operated in the shadows, characterized by his zen-like calm, his terrifying efficiency, and the widely held belief that crossing him was professional suicide.

But empires often crumble from the smallest cracks, and Ovitz’s armor didn’t meet its match in a boardroom coup or a stock market crash. It met its match in a fax machine.

Keep ReadingShow less
worrying, anxiety, anxiety management, if then plan, habits

Two words, one plan, anxiety eased.

Photo credit: Canva

Worried about things you can't control? Mental strength trainer's 2-word plan can ease your mind.

Ever fret about something that's out of your control? You get anxious about it, worry about how it could go wrong, and that makes you even more anxious? Then you get to a point where the anxiety just grows as you put the "what if?" in a hyperloop in your mind? It's a terrible state to be in, but luckily two words could help you.

Self-described "mental strength trainer" and licensed therapist Amy Morin shared a way to help ease anxiety and catastrophizing.

Keep ReadingShow less
Robert Redford, Twilight Zone, Nothing in the Dark, Gladys Cooper, death portrayal, classic TV, George Clayton Johnson, Robert Redford tribute, Hollywood legend, 1962 television

Robert Redford in "The Twilight Zone"

The Twilight Zone' screenshot from Next Best Thing via YouTube

Robert Redford's haunting portrayal of Death in 'Twilight Zone': 'It isn't me you're afraid of'

The death of Robert Redford on September 16 at age 89 marked the loss of a Hollywood icon whose career spanned such breadth and depth that selecting a single definitive performance feels nearly impossible. Yet as word of his passing spread, countless fans found their minds returning to one of the actor's earliest roles—his unexpectedly poignant portrayal of Death in The Twilight Zone. The performance has lingered in viewers' memories for decades, but in light of his death, it now resonates on a deeper level.

"Nothing in the Dark," episode 16 of the anthology series’ third season, originally aired on January 5, 1962. And while it’s rarely mentioned in the same breath as "Time Enough at Last" or "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street," it’s still generally considered a staple—even ranking 18 out of 156 on IMDB’s user-voted ranking.

Keep ReadingShow less
© Copyright 2025