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 Keynote Speaker

Going Like Sixty

Articles
2,891
Views
24,006,000
Location
Florida
Member Since
Oct 2006
Mark Van Patten is Going Like Sixty.

I'm baby boomer man who turned 60 in late 2007. Boomer born in 1947 for search engine optimization. I retired from the newspaper business July 1, 2011.

Contact me: goinglikesixty(at)gmail(dork)com or @goinglike60. Facebook? Friends and family plan only, you can friend me and depending on my mood, I may take you into my inner-circle. We have a club-card and secret handshake, but no dues.
What is unique that's not in your bio?
I still have lots of hair. On my head.
What's your favorite accomplishment?
Uncle Milton's trust fund.
How do you define cool?
Anything Bianca writes is cool. Anything Jeremy wears is cool. Anything Marissa does is cool. Trend Hunter is cool. Therefore, I am cool. Next question?
What is your secret to uncovering trends?
RSS feeds. I use Google Feed Reader which allows feeds to be sorted into folders. I can filter the feeds into different folders and prioritize how and when I read the feeds. I use the keyboard short cut to buzz through the feeds very quickly. Because of this I hate truncated RSS feeds. I still have a few in my reader, but only because they have proved themselves to be valuable resources. I subscribe to a handful email blasts from good sources.
What do you enjoy most about Trend Hunter?
Being able to be conversational about a huge variety of topics. Often I will find myself holding back just a little because someone is excited that they made a "discovery" that had been covered by Trend Hunter a week before. At my age, it can be a challenge to keep up, but Trend Hunter keeps me ahead.
What is your favorite trend?
Luxury. Cars, yachts, architecture, real or conceptual.
What are your tips for writing a juicy post?
Keywords. Sometimes it's awkward to get a keyword in the post as often as Google likes. But keywords can grab monumental traffic if used properly. Jeremy and Bianca taught me that the right keyword used throughout a post is worth the effort. Otherwise, I just go with whatever impressions I have first. I think if I analyzed my posts, I probably have three forms: Conversational; write like you are telling someone what you just found. Factual; straight up about the trend and it's impact. Off-the-wall whacky: sometimes you just get feeling goofy and it's fun to write a post that reflects your feelings at the time.
How do you reset to be creative?
I write more. I have five blogs and I love to comment on other blogs and participate on the Trend Hunter Wall. I read more. Looking at other writing styles is a good kick start. As a last resort, I eat M & M's in their intended order: Red, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Green and Blue.
What inspires or excites you?
Inside information. And... Going Like Sixty
Predict something awesome for 2020?
Favorable: Most televisions are gone, replaced by Pico projectors in phones that are mass market affordable. Unfavorable: Digital divide will have widened because of government interference.
Multi-Lingual Social Media
Multi-Lingual Social Media
Mybabilon.com Crashes Language Barriers
While Facebook is dominating social media news with its stock offering, an inventive company in Costa Rica has put a new twist to social media. MyBabilon.com has a feature that breaks down the... MORE
Silky Fair Frocks
Silky Fair Frocks
Shabby Apple Boutique Releases Green Leaf Line Using Vintage-Inspired Photos
Shabby Apple makes custom, one-of-a-kind dresses that have been creatively designed and beautifully executed. Green Leaf is the new line of 100% silk hand-crafted dresses that achieve the highest standard… MORE
Plus Size Magazine Covers
Plus Size Magazine Covers
The Vogue Italia Full-Figured Cover is a Welcome Surprise
The latest issue of Vogue Italy features plus-sized models on the cover. Tara Lynn, Candice Huffine and Robyn Lawley are a part of the June issue cover story and the lovely full-figured ladies were photographed… MORE
Badass Frankfurter Grillers
Badass Frankfurter Grillers
The Cthulhu Weenie Roaster is the Ultimate Skull-Shaped Hot Dog Cooker
This skull-like hot dog griller is called the Cthulhu Weenie Roaster. Cthulhu is supposed to strike fear into mere mortals. It is the one of the diabolical figures from Lovecraft Mythos. Why the giant… MORE
Upcycled Steampunk Lamps
Upcycled Steampunk Lamps
Gilles Eichenbaum Uses Vintage Rejects for Light Fixtures
It's time to revisit Gilles Eichenbaum who first made an appearance back in 2009. Eichenbaum has continued his craft and art of transforming vintage junk into steampunk lighting fixtures. Eichenbaum toiled… MORE
Brilliant Blooming Lamps
Brilliant Blooming Lamps
The Modular 'Blossom Light' by Ewa Sendecka Features LED Systems
Polish designer Ewa Sendecka uses LED systems and a modular design to create a beautiful brilliant light design she calls the Blossom Light. Using the same materials that are designed to hold up microphones,… MORE
Simplified Health Symbols
Simplified Health Symbols
The USDA MyPlate Graphic Replaces Ancient Food Pyramid
I never paid much attention to the USDA Food Pyramid to encourage me to eat healthy, but MyPlate might change that. Who could figure out all those different levels? Did the big bottom mean I could eat… MORE
Iconic Marketing Celebrations
Iconic Marketing Celebrations
The Louis Vuitton 'Voyages' Show at the National Museum of China
The Louis Vuitton 'Voyages' show has the iconic brand going to a land where it has ventured before: The National Museum of China. The French fashion behemoth, known for its luxury, is moving to the east… MORE
Eerily Fantastical Prints
Eerily Fantastical Prints
The Corey Helford Gallery's Awe-Inspiring Flight and Fable Series
Three female artists will be doing a show at the Corey Helford Gallery in Culver City, California, titled Flight and Fable. These fantastical works are a showing of figures, animals and fantastical scenes.… MORE
Faded Beauty Photography
Faded Beauty Photography
Shane Woodward Makes Soft-Focus Photos Look Sharp
Photographer Shane Woodward takes inspiration for his unusual photographic stylings from his love of old movies. The Texas-born photographer got his start just five years ago after his sister gave him… MORE
Illusory Staircases
Illusory Staircases
Interior Design Blog Features Stupendous Stairways That Command Attention
This collection of staircases will make readers wish they had a second level to their home or office. Perhaps adventurous interior designer will add a stairway to nowhere as just a design element. These… MORE
Bike Booze-Carriers
Bike Booze-Carriers
The Bicycle Wine Rack by Oopsmark Has a Steampunk Aesthetic
Oopsmark is a steampunk designer who loves to work in leather. Apparently, Oopsmark also loves the fermented juice of the grape because he has made a leather bicycle wine carrier. This is a great Father's… MORE
Culinary Fashion Films
Culinary Fashion Films
Retro Pizza-Making in Precious by Monica Menez for Willems Wonderglasses
Monica Menez made a sexy, spectacular lookbook in her latest fashion film called Precious. The short film features a retro-styled model making pizza in an sensuous way. Shot in lovely lighting with fantastic… MORE
Celebrity-Studded Gaming
Celebrity-Studded Gaming
The New Black Ops Characters are Causing Commotion in the Gaming World
Black Ops gamers will love the new Activision and Treyarch levels for Call of Duty: Black Ops. The new zombie level for Call of Duty: Black Ops is mind-blowing, especially with the addition of some awesome… MORE
Psychedelic Swimwear
Psychedelic Swimwear
Agua Bendita Releases Avant-Garde Bikinis for Summer 2011
The Aqua Bendita Swimwear collection for 2011 features a psychedelic splash of vibrant colors. Despite the limitations of the skimpy bikini, Victoria's Secret model Candice Swanepoel and top Israeli model… MORE
iPod-Enhanced Surgery
iPod-Enhanced Surgery
A Breakthrough Concept for Navigating Around Knees and Hips
Remember iPods? Seems that the "old" technology of yesterday has a new life as a medical devide. Not sure that I would want my orthopedic surgeon using an iPod to navigate around my joints in surgery,… MORE
Trashy-Chic Photograhy
Trashy-Chic Photograhy
The Danil Golovkin Garbage Reign Photo Shoot Celebrates Royalty
Danil Golovkin has mashed up fashion, photography and what some would argue fine arts for this photo shoot called Garbage Reign. Is it a coincidence that just a week before the royal wedding, Golovkin… MORE
$6,400 Luxury Toilets
$6,400 Luxury Toilets
The Over-the-Top Kohler Numi Bidet Toilet is a Palatial Place to Poop
If your bum deserves the best (or your poop doesn't stink), you are ready for the Kohler Numi, an ultra-luxurious toilet-bidet with its own footwarmer and built-in music system. The heated seat rises and… MORE
Aging Eye Celeb Blogs
Aging Eye Celeb Blogs
The Chicks With Steve Buscemi Eyes Tumblr Site is Hilarious and Odd
This Chicks With Steve Buscemi Eyes Tumblr site presents a number of celebrities donning the eyes of the iconic star Steve Buscemi. These mash-up photographs will definitely make you look twice as it… MORE
Elected Comic Book Characters
Elected Comic Book Characters
The Governator is a Comic Book Featuring Schwarzenegger
Some say Arnold Schwarzenegger has always been cartoonish. From his early days as an outrageous body builder to his movie roles as a cyborg terminator—and even some would argue—as governor of California.… MORE
Exploding Cakes
Exploding Cakes
Turn Up the Volume is the Latest Wicked Video for Autoerotique
My friend and Trend Hunter 'Cowbag,' aka Emmylou Cakehead of Cakehead Loves Evil, should have made this video for the band Autoerotique. It is done in a manner that is so her style. Alas, the exploding… MORE
Iconic Toy Mashups
Iconic Toy Mashups
These Star Wars Rubber Duckies Bring Kids Fun in the Bathtub
Duck Fader, Pondtrooper, Luke Pondwalker and Princess Layer are ready to do battle for control of your bathtub. These hilarious Star Wars rubber duckies have water-activated LEDs that flash various colors… MORE
Designer Period Protection
Designer Period Protection
Kotex Hires Patricia Field to Create Pretty Pads
Kotex is breaking out of the traditional feminine sanitary napkin advertising mold. They have hired famous designer Patricia Field to create a series of pads that they are calling “haute.” I’ll wait for… MORE
Monstrous Knit Designs
Monstrous Knit Designs
Badass Needler Tracy Widdess is Skilled at Brutal Knitting
Tracy Widdess is a monster knitter. Focus on her sci-fi based Tumblr blog and you will see the depths of depravity and despair applied to her custom knitted headgear. It will blow your mind. Widdess… MORE
Wearable Portable Shelter
Wearable Portable Shelter
The Lullatic Portable Home is a Haute Life-Saving Apparel
The Lullatic Portable Home is the perfect mix between fashion and necessity. Three Middlesex University students, Franziska Lusser, Hanna Nielsen, and Luca Romanyi, obviously were out too late one night… MORE
Brainwave Music Composition
Brainwave Music Composition
Eduardo Miranda's EEG System Aims to Revolutionize Musicianship
Beethoven was deaf when he composed his greatest works; with this EEG system by Eduardo Miranda of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research at the University of Plymouth, the next great… MORE
Marshallmallow  Chick Marketing
Marshallmallow Chick Marketing
Peepster Uses a Modified Volkswagen to Promote Sugary Sweetness
If you live east of the Mississippi, there is a chance for you to catch a glimpse of the Peepster. The genius idea is from Just Born, the company that produces the iconic Easter candy Peeps. The Peepster… MORE
Delectable Dessert Furniture
Delectable Dessert Furniture
Kibiljo's Milan Design Week 2011 Creations are Simply Sweet
Kabiljo, a Viennese designer house, created two odd signature furniture pieces at Milan Design Week 2011, both looking good enough to eat. The first is called the 'Let them Sit Cake,' featuring multiple… MORE
Macho Museum Ads
Macho Museum Ads
Historically Hardcore is a Mash-Up of Pop Culture and Dead Guys
Three art school project posters are making the rounds of the design blogs as a series of ads for the Smithsonian Museum, but there is one problem--the immensely creative and well-executed Historically… MORE
Mechanical Cyborg Arms
Mechanical Cyborg Arms
Revolutionary Equipois Exoskelton Limb Makes Gun Shows Obsolete
Forget juicing up to build the biceps for an impressive gun show--with the world's first exoskeleton arm, pumping iron gets a cyborg assist. The x-Ar from Equipois will be on the market to help give "dynamic… MORE
Social Media Stock Pickers
Social Media Stock Pickers
Study Proves That Twitter and Facebook Correlate to Market Performance
When you tweet, Wall Street listens. When you Like, Wall Street is watching and aggregates your likes to determine a brand popularity and indicate future stock prices. Using social media to predict a stock… MORE
Pop-Up Portable Coffee Shops
Pop-Up Portable Coffee Shops
The Nescafe Nomadic Cafe Center Gives You Your Caffeine Kick Anywhere
The Nescafe Nomadic Cafe Center is a concept by Australian designer Bobby Lowe, who decided to merge an urban coffee center and a retro travel trailer into one through this design. Created in hopes to… MORE
Pacman Rears
Pacman Rears
Bizarre Lower Back Tattoos that Take a Crack at Creativity
Tattoos on the lower back were made popular in the late 90’s with young women originally sporting the look. Now lower back tattoos, aka “tramp stamps,” are being seen everywhere—even some guys… MORE
Innappropriate Dessert Branding
Innappropriate Dessert Branding
The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck Roams NYC
The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck wants to replace your Mr. Softee craving. Hoping that NYC gays and lesbians have good humor, Doug Quint, a bassoon blower (phallic enough?) is driving around the Big Apple in… MORE
Bottle-Stopper Laxatives
Bottle-Stopper Laxatives
Italian Dulcolax Ad Proves They Can Uncork Anything
This Italian campaign for Dulcolax uses popped corks to prove their laxatives can help you when you are all stopped up. The ad from Saatchi & Saatchi, Milan, Italy is just too clever for me. Seems like… MORE
Future Car Exoskeletons
Future Car Exoskeletons
Recycled Aluminum 'Stauro' Vehicle Runs on Oranges
Taylor Welden led an experienced seven-person team to design the “Stauro” city vehicle. The frame of the car, which cane be seen in the gallery here, is part of the design. Made from 100% recycled… MORE

Featured Ideas

Galactic Ceiling Fan
Galactic Ceiling Fan
Brisa 2000 Steampunk Ceiling Fan
A fan designer stares into space, and voila, the Brisa 2000 Steampunk is created! The ceiling fans look like a moon and the international space station orbiting the earth. It's available in polished chrome,… MORE
Pizza Vending
Pizza Vending
The ‘Let's Pizza' Machine Makes Dough and All in Just 3 Mins
Three minutes for a fresh pizza? Where do I get one of these? Claudio Torghele invented the “Let’s Pizza” machine, which makes pizza from scratch at your command. Torghele is officially at the top of… MORE
Buy Diamonds, Get Money Back
Buy Diamonds, Get Money Back
DeBeers $300M Price-Fixing Dispute
DeBeers, the diamond monopoly, acted like one, and got caught doing it. It turns out, if you purchased any jewelery from the company, you may be entitled to a rebate on your dazzler. Individuals can… MORE
Razor Blades as Accessories
Razor Blades as Accessories
Cutting Edge
When cocaine was just hitting the fashionable circles, it was chic to wear a razor blade to show that one was among the coke “elite." Now the goth/punk/emo crowd has adopted the double edge razor blade… MORE
Free Electric Cars (With Subscription)
Free Electric Cars (With Subscription)
Project Better Place
To give electric cars a jolt, Project Better Place proposes a plan similar to the cell phone launch. Their idea is to heavily subsidize the cost of the equipment and charge only for the service. In this… MORE
Leather-Clad Conventions
Leather-Clad Conventions
The Biggest Balls in DC This Week Won't Be at Inauguration
Tuxedos and gowns are at the ready all over Washington, D.C., but so is leather. The 25th Anniversary of the Mid Atlantic Leather Weekend, the second largest fetish event in the world, took place between… MORE
Real Laser Gun Ship
Real Laser Gun Ship
Laser-Enchanced Boeing C-130H
Ever since the military invented the laser, they have been expanding its use as a weapon. The latest is Boeing's instillation on a C-130H. "Boeing completed the laser installation Dec. 4 at Kirtland… MORE
Glass Foosball Tables
Glass Foosball Tables
Custom Lux Minimalist Game Table is Sweet and Shatterproof
TrendHunter.com may be the place that Obama needs to reference to get consumer confidence back into spending mode. Today, we feature the Lux Minimalist foosball table made of stainless, aluminum and unbreakable… MORE
Knuckleduster Shot Glass
Knuckleduster Shot Glass
The Warhol Philosophy Collection
How does the same designer decide she's going to do a "brass knuckles" shot glass and later decide the world needs tea cups with handles on the bottom? Oh, knuckles! Simone Brewster's China Cups and Punch… MORE
Flashy Little Dresses -  Tassles, Heavy Metal and Cocktail Colors from David Koma
Flashy Little Dresses -  Tassles, Heavy Metal and Cocktail Colors from David Koma
David Koma recently won the prestigious Harrods design award. Now, he’s introduced a Fall/Winter ‘09 collection that is certainly not airport security friendly. The collection includes dresses adorned… MORE
Innovation in Traffic Control
Innovation in Traffic Control
The Rumbler Siren Shakes Car
I know this has happened to you. You're rocking out to a tune in your car, and suddenly are aware that an emergency vehicle is very close. You never heard the siren. Now, a number of police departments… MORE
Offices for Skaters
Offices for Skaters
Old Movie Theatre Converted to Giant Bowl Workspace for Comvert
Comvert is a store founded by skateboarders that specializes in clothes, skateboards, and accessories under the brand name Bastard. When they needed a flagship store, they took an old movie theater in… MORE
Regulating Blogs
Regulating Blogs
Should Blogging Permits be Required?
India is discussing regulating blogs. A recent NDTV show hosted by the popular Barkha Dutt who is managing editor of 24x7 moderated a discussion of bloggers and legal experts. The same discussion is taking… MORE
Retro Turntable With USB
Retro Turntable With USB
The Roxy
I love it when something retro pops up that is clever, useful and affordable. Even the name is retro: The Roxy. OK, it's a music player, which is becoming retro, but if you are into this design theme,… MORE