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The Baby Boomer Generation is a source for trends, research, comment and discussion of and by people born from 1946 - 1964.
Covering issues on the Boomer Generation including original content for Boomers, bulletin boards, user comments, Sixties and Seventies music, Baby Boomer culture, health and coverage of issues for "Aging Hipsters."
January 24, 2009
Mrs. Hughes: Boomer Humor
For starters, she's middle-aged. For seconders, she's funny. Did I mention she began her career as a comic at age 49? Interesting article from 1981 in the New York Times about creativity in old age. (Not that we're old, of course.) While it has nothing to do with Mrs. Hughes, parenting or comedy, it does offer even more inspiration for us potential second lifers and late bloomers.
How midlife driving differs: I live in a neighborhood of blue-haired drivers, and I'm beginning to understand them. This is both dangerous and frightening. Back in the day, when I found myself going 20 in a 35 mph zone, it was because I had just taken the last puff off a big fatty with my friends in the car, and it never occurred to me that my mental state had been altered in such a way as to emulate the blue-hairs.
Now-a-days, my patience level has replaced the haze of THC in my brain, and I applaud those who take their time on the road. Of course, after living and driving in Manhattan for 12 years, I also appreciate those lunatics who pull out of a strip mall, flying across oncoming traffic to swerve into my lane about 6 inches in front of my car. "Nice NY cabbie move," I say to myself. After being captive in the back seat of many a NY cab, I know that when it's your chance, you must take it, seize the day, make your move and hope for the best.
If you missed this afternoon's Inaugural Celebration--We Are One concert, HBO will be presenting it again this evening. And if you don't subscribe to HBO, get this--they have opened up access to the channel to all of us for this one event. More details at HBO.
Putting aside jaded musical taste, remnants of cynicism, and the football game, this was a wonderful LIVE show: sincere, entertaining and moving at times. Personal fave moments: Soulful Bettye Lavette and just as soulful Jon Bon Jovi; Pete Seeger doing what he's been doing for eons--talking the lyrics a beat ahead so that we can all sing along; Renee Fleming looking ab fab singing the crap out of "You'll Never Walk Alone"; Garth Brooks rousing the audience with--guess....OK, you can't guess-"Shout."
Because of both the place and the date, parallels to the March on Washington were obvious and yet inspiring. Lots of star power speakers made sure we didn't miss that or any other historical significance. And they did a darn fine job.
The presidential family and guests seemed to be having a grand time, although I can't imagine they weren't cold--the girls didn't even have mittens on. My hands got cold just watching.
Like Grant Park, the audience was thrillingly diverse. Where else will you see a balding boomer standing next to young tween black girls and punksters with what looked to be painful piercings and Gen-X parents with kids on their shoulders and they're ALL singing "This Land is Your Land?" and not even ironically.
We've been asked to post the following request to fellow boomers:
I am a doctoral student in communication at the University of Alabama currently working on my dissertation project. The project is based on the baby boomer demographic and how siblings in this age range communicatively negotiate a family health crisis. I feel confident that health crises are a concern for baby boomers. Ultimately, I am interested in finding out if baby boomer siblings rely on each other in a crisis of this type, or if they turn to significant others or friends for social support.
In case you are just returning from outer space or have short-term memory loss, a reminder:
Today is Election Day. If you haven't already done so, please get out there and vote. Although the following information does come from the Obama campaign, it is useful for anyone who's not sure where to vote or who has problems at the polls:
Where and when do I vote?
Find your polling place, voting times, and other important information by checking out these sites below. These resources are good, but not perfect. To be doubly sure, you can also contact your local elections office.
Here's what I learned while reading the paper today. Yes, it's the NY TImes and while some out there will grumble about its 'liberal bias', it is the paper of record and they don't make crap up.
What is known, however, is that Ms. Palin has had long associations with religious leaders who practice a particularly assertive and urgent brand of Pentecostalism known as "spiritual warfare."
Its adherents believe that demonic forces can colonize specific geographic areas and individuals, and that "spiritual warriors" must "battle" them to assert God's control, using prayer and evangelism. The movement's fixation on demons, its aggressiveness and its leaders' claims to exalted spiritual authority have troubled even some Pentecostal Christians...
...Russell P. Spittler, provost emeritus at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., and an eminent scholar of Pentecostalism, said, "Most Christians would accept the view that there are forces and powers in the world that oppose Christian virtues." But, Mr. Spittler added, "Spiritual warfare makes a religion of identifying demons by names and ZIP codes."
So, the potential next-in-line for the presidency has been prayed over to be protected from "every form of witchcraft" and believes she can do some sort of demonism demographic study and come up with her own Black List. Wonder if they have my zip code.
Obama=Hitler
You heard it here first. According to an article by Jim Rutenberg in today's Times, an email went out to Jewish voters in Pennsylvania this week that equated a vote for Obama "with the 'tragic mistake' of their Jewish ancestors who 'ignored the warning signs in the 1930's and 1940's.'" And it was not sent by some crank political action group, but by the Pennsylvania Republican Party's 'Victory 2008' Committee.
Naturally they repudiated it, after the fact, and let a staff member take one for the team. That strategist says the email was approved. Of course it was. Pardon my naivete, but I still thought perhaps the McCain campaign had one slender thread of decency left. Apparently I was wrong. I only ask, in the most respectful way possible, are they freakin' insane??
As aging Hipsters, we've had the benefit of watching as the tenor of politics has grown ever more divisive. Negative campaigning isn't new - you can find examples as far back as Jefferson - but today the message seems designed to divide and polarize. And now, an even more insidious set of code words is creeping into the campaign with the expressed purpose of stirring racial hatred.
Perhaps MaCain reasons that if he can scare enough white people into voting against a black man, he might have a chance to once again split the electorate into numbers that favor his campaign. In the McCain/Palin world, "real Americans" means white people living in predominantly white states. "That One" is code for anything different than white.
What he doesn't count on is Obama's uniquely compelling message to bring real change to the country and unify the electorate. You don't have to even have a firm grasp of the issues to make a choice. Just observe. McCain - cranky and annoyed, attacking at every opportunity, or Obama - cool and composed with a message that looks to the good character of all Americans.
McCain would have us believe it's about experience. But experience without leadership is a hollow promise. It's really about judgment. McCain chose a divisive course when he unleashed his judgment on us in the form of Sarah Palin. Sure, she has "energized the base" (read, pander to the far-right) but at what cost?
There was a time when I might have supported McCain, but this single decision signaled that he had caved to the Republican hate machine and embraced its narrow agenda. Include the fact that he hired the same Rove disciples responsible for torpedoing him in the last election and we get a clear picture of a man who says "Country First" yet means McCain first... at all costs.
Once again, all you have to do is observe to see the contrast. If it's a matter of judgment, I'll take Biden as an indication of good judgment and Palin as an example of poor judgment.
I'm no socialist (whatever that means) but like to think I can spot fairness when I see it. The Bush administration has made a mockery of the American Dream by forcing a greater percentage of the tax burden on the middle class while easing it for the top 10% of wealthy Americans. And unfortunately, if the current trend keeps up, the top 10% will be the only ones working any way.
This election is about protecting the middle class. Not just the white, right-leaning, evangelical middle class, but the entire middle class. Its about creating jobs that help every American aspire to something greater. The "real Americans" in this race are the ones who realize it's time to stop focusing on greed and start thinking about what's fair.
This may be the best political email we've received all season.
Dear Red States,
We've decided we're leaving. We intend to form our own country, and we're taking the other Blue States with us. In case you don't own a map, that includes Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and all the Northeast. We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation, and especially to the people of the new country of New California.
To sum up briefly:
We get stem cell research and the best beaches. You get Texas, Oklahoma and all the slave states.
We get Elliot Spitzer. You get Ken Lay.
We get the Statue of Liberty. You get Dollywood.
We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom.
We get Harvard. You get Ole' Miss.
We get 85 percent of America's venture capital and entrepreneurs. You get Alabama.
We get two-thirds of the tax revenue, you get to make the red states pay their fair share.
Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the Christian Coalition's, we get
a bunch of happy families. You get a bunch ofd single moms.
Please be aware that Nuevo California will be pro-choice and anti-war, and we're going
to want all our citizens back from Iraq at once. If you need people to fight, ask your evangelicals. They have kids they're apparently willing to send to their deaths for no purpose, and they don't care if you don't show pictures of their children's caskets coming home. We do wish you success in Iraq, and hope that the WMDs turn up eventually, but we're not willing to spend our resources in Bush's Quagmire.
With the Blue States in hand, we will have firm control of 80 percent of the country's fresh water, more than 90 percent of the pineapple and lettuce, 92 percent of the nation's fresh fruit, 95 percent of America's quality wines (you can serve French wines at state dinners) 90 percent of all cheese, 90 percent of the high tech industry, most of the U.S. low-sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools, plus Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Cal Tech and MIT.
With the Red States, on the other hand, you will have to cope with 88 percent of all obese Americans (and their projected health care costs), 92 percent of all U.S. mosquitoes, nearly 100 percent of the tornadoes, 90
percent of the hurricanes, 99 percent of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100 percent of
all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, and Bob Jones University.
We get Hollywood and Yosemite, thank you.
Additionally, 38 percent of those in the Red states believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale, 62 percent believe life is sacred unless we're discussing the death penalty, abortion providers, homosexuals, Muslims, or gun laws, 44 percent say that evolution is
only a theory, 53 percent that Saddam was involved in 9/11 and 61 percent of you
crazy bastards actually believe you are people with higher morals than us lefties.
By the way, we're taking the good pot, too. You can have that dirt weed they
grow in Mexico.
Thinking About Buying a Motorcycle: Boomers on Wheels or in Mid-Life Crisis
Untitled Document
Got the Bug, Got the Motorcycle Bug
Driving along you notice the graybeard motorcycle rider in the lane next to
you. The wind is blowing his beard back and you can see the wrinkles on his
face. You figure he must be fifty or sixty years old. It gets you thinking.
Or, what about all of these new motor scooters that seem to be popping up all
over the place? Students, blue collar workers and the occasional professional
are all just putting along enjoying the 90 miles per gallon fuel savings. Hmmm,
looks like fun.
A lot of people just like you have the bug, the motorcycle rider bug. But you
have it real bad and you are seriously thinking about actually doing it, buying
a motorcycle and having a little fun yourself. What’s the holdup?
Well, motorcycles can kill you. Yes they can. But on the other hand, you spouse
may kill you just for considering a motorcycle. OK folks, a little humor, lets
not get too morbid here, you are only thinking about getting a motorcycle right?
You haven’t actually done it yet.
Boy, the McCain camp can't get anything right: they actually have me on their email list. The good thing is I now get to see what they're sending supporters. We also hear from friends and relations in battleground states about the kind of advertising the Republicans are doing there. And it's ugly. I'm not naive, both sides have been known to skirt around the edges of the truth. Which is why we urge you and everyone you know to avail yourselves of these great fact checking websites:
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