Baby Boomer Men Not Sold on Going Green

Baby boomer women have a clear edge over baby boomer men when it comes to understanding what it means to "go green."

According to Crowd Science's Just Ask! opinion survey men over the age of 55 are nearly twice as likely to believe that shopping "green" makes no difference. They are also much less likely to check that their purchases come from "ethical" companies than women (30% vs. 42%) and twice as likely to believe that the green movement is just a marketing ploy (16% vs. 8%).

The survey also concluded that education plays a key role in understanding green behavior, as 21% of those with a post-graduate education will pay substantially more for green products as opposed to 12% of those with a basic undergraduate background or less.

So is this where I'm supposed to say women are just smarter than men?

New Year Brings New Changes for Baby Boomers

The first wave of baby boomers will be turning 65 in 2011. The National Council on Aging is offering a free online screening service to help boomers learn more about Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage, as well as to get information for over 2,000 federal, state, and local benefits programs for which they may be eligible.

The NCOA believes it’s a good time to use BenefitsCheckUp to find out about available prescription drug benefits, including Medicare Part D, and if you qualify for the Low-Income Subsidy (Extra Help). Using the online service, baby boomers can also discover whether they are eligible for additional benefits that help pay for healthcare, energy bills, food, and other household costs.

You can begin by completing an online questionnaire at www.benefitscheckup.org

Baby Boomers and Unhealthy Eating in North Carolina

I have discovered that I live in what is known as a "stroke belt state." People living in the “stroke belt” states eat more fried fish than people living in the rest of the country, which may contribute to the high rate of death from stroke in those states, according to a study published in the December 22, 2010, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Although we've been told omega-3 fatty acids in fish, especially fatty fish, may reduce the risk of stroke, other research suggests that frying fish leads to the loss of those natural fatty acids.

The study also found that blacks living in the stroke belt eat more fried fish than whites. The stroke belt includes the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana. People living in the stroke belt are more likely to die from a stroke than people living in other parts of the country.

The data gathered for this study was gathered using participants across the United States, age 45 or older.

I eat fried fish at least once a month and am over the age of 50.

Who Wants Grandma's Money?

It's that time of year again when grandparents everywhere are shopping around to find the perfect gifts for their grandchildren.

There are 78 million of us baby boomers out here--many who probably have grandchildren AND money. We spend an average of $500 annually on our grandchildren and, collectively, the total amount spent by grandparents nationwide is in the billions.

According to The Grandparent Study 2002 Report from AARP, the top reasons grandparents spend money on their children are birthday gifts (97 percent), holiday gifts such as Christmas, Hanukah, or Kwanzaa (96 percent), because they enjoy buying things for grandchildren (93 percent) and to entertain or have fun with their grandchildren (90 percent).

Back in 2006, KB Toys attempted to capitalize on the booming grandparent market by offering a Grandparents Rewards Club. Anyone at least 50 years old could save 10 percent off their entire purchase at KB Toys every Tuesday, all year long just by singing up.

KB Toys has since gone out of business. Perhaps they just didn't know how to court us.

I wonder whose hit list we'll be on next this holiday season.

Baby Boomers and HIV/AIDS

The number of HIV/AIDS cases for the 50 and older crowd appears to be on the rise. Not only are baby boomers reportedly engaging in more casual sex, but they're also doing it at the risk of contracting more sexual diseases.

Currently, about 19 percent of all people with HIV/AIDS in the United States are age 50 and older according to a report from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

In an analysis of National Health Interview data, a researcher found that almost half of women over age 50 were totally uninformed about HIV, compared with only 14 percent of younger adults.

SHAME and EMBARRASSMENT has led to silence and that has contributed to an upsurge of HIV cases among individuals 50 and older over the course of the epidemic.

To read more about this study, please click on the headline "Baby Boomers and HIV/AIDS"

Baby Boomers Need Social Media

The Tsunami of old age is going to going to come crashing through very soon. What is the world going to do with nearly 80 million baby boomers?

Geriatrician Dr. Phil Wood says baby boomers can be proactive by taking measures to enjoy life well into the golden years. Boomers can do this by remembering that whatever is good for the heart is good for the brain, so fruit and vegetables should form part of a healthy diet and the more colorful the fruit and vegetables, the better.

He also adds baby boomers should be active in the social networks to stimulate their brain activity. The use of brain and exercise together are very important.

Start blogging, join a community forum, get active on Facebook and/or Twitter.

In other words, use your retiring years to remain active, increase your social networks and eat sensibly.

The use of brain and exercise together are very important.

What's Driving Baby Boomers to Drink?

Kids, depression, loneliness, anxiety, divorce, grief, feeling unworthy....these are just a few of the reasons that may explain why more and more baby boomers and the elderly are turning to the bottle to drown their sorrows. Alcoholism is on the rise for some in this age group.

Of course, the average person who may have a drinking problem probably isn't going to admit it. They would rather call themselves a "social drinker"--which means their doctors may be none the wiser--even though it presents an escalating health risk as we age. The theory, Don't Ask and I Won't Have to Lie , probably rings true for many.

According to an article in the Los Angeles Times earlier this year, a new study found that among men and women 50 to 64 years old, almost 1 in 4 men and 1 in 10 women were described as a "binge" drinker - meaning that at some point in the last 30days, he or she has downed four (for women) or five (for men) servings of alcohol in a single two-hour sitting. This is defined as the amount needed to attain a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 (the level at which most states consider a driver intoxicated).

So instead of asking, "What's in your wallet?"---someone might ask, "What's in your liquor cabinet?"

Mel Gibson Blames Behavior on Menopause

Mood Swings and depression are just two of the symptoms associated with menopause. Now actor Mel Gibson thinks he may have been suffering from it when he said and did those horrible things to the mother of his child.

In a handwritten letter obtained by TMZ, Gibson is quoted as saying:

"I haven't really got a grip at the moment....I don't know why I'm so whacky and depressed but I need to get well and re-enter life...Maybe it's some kind of male menopause..."

Wouldn't it be nice if every woman, entering this stage of life, could just blame her bad behavior on menopause? We could curse and scream and be as mean as hell in one moment--and in the next breath say, "Oh excuse me--I was having a menopausal moment."

We could call someone every rotten, dirty name under the sun--including the "N" word that Mel used--and then ask for forgiveness because we're whacked out and depressed at the world.

Menopause: It's not just for women anymore.

Suicide Rates are Up for Baby Boomers

Suicide rates for middle-aged people are on the rise-- particularly for white men without college degrees -- and a combination of poor health and a poor economy may be driving it, according to a new study.

Sociologists from Rutgers University in New Jersey and Emory University in Atlanta found that suicide rates have climbed since 1988 for males aged 40-49 years, and since 1999 for females aged 40-59 years and males aged 50-59 years.

Men and women with a high school degree or less are more likely to commit suicide. Rates in men with a high school diploma went up 11.7 percent in the 40 to 49 age group and 27 percent in the 50 to 59 age group. Women in those groups saw their suicide rates increase by 15 and 17 percent, respectively.

In 1979 the suicide rate for men aged 40 to 49 was 21.8 per 100,000. It rose to as high as 24 per 100,000 in 1996 and to 25 by 2005. For men 50 to 59 it was 23.9 in 1979, fell to 20.4 per 100,000 in 1999 and rose again to nearly 23.8 in 2005.

Another interesting note is the fact that the study seems to indicate the risk of suicide was substantially larger for unmarried than for married people, with unmarried middle-aged men 3.5 times as likely to commit suicide as married middle-aged men.

Personally,I would've thought just the opposite.

9/11 Should be a Day of Remembrance and Tolerance

Nine years ago today thousands of people lost their lives in an attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. It has been called the worst terrorist attack in our nation's history.

There's no doubt that what happened was a tragedy and should never be forgotten. But what we ought to forget are the bigots and other idiots who have used this day to fuel the flames of hatred against others: Folks like Terry Jones, who calls himself a Reverand in Florida. For the past couple of weeks, this man has generated tons of media coverage for threatening to burn the Quran--a man with a congregation of about 50 people. This act alone should make everyone question whether Jones was called to the pulpit by a Higher Power or if he called himself. One could argue that he, too, is a terrorist threat.

9/11 should be a day of remembrance---but also of tolerance for others who may not worship as we do. Not every Muslim is a terrorist and those who believe that are small-minded.

Instead of focusing so much on the things that divide us--why not work on healing those wounds and proving to the rest of the world that America is great for something other than war.

Burn Baby Boomers Burn with Jane Fonda

It doesn't matter that she's 72-years-old or that her photo has either been photoshopped or she's spent tens of thousands of dollars on cosmetic surgery. Whatever the case might be, former actress Jane Fonda has managed to put back on her leotards and get moving again.

Fonda is preparing to release two new DVDs specifically for the tired and shiftless baby boomers. She's gonna help us put back the pep in our step.

She did the same thing nearly 30 years ago when she released her first workout tapes and got women excited about working their bodies.

If she still moves as good as she looks in this photo, the DVD will be worth our hard earned baby boomer dollars.

The Scandal Behind the Egg Recall

Just about everyone has heard about the egg recall. Twenty-three states and a half a million eggs affected. What you may not have heard are the details behind this recall. The majority of the recalled eggs have come from Wright County Eggs, putting the focus on the company's owner 75-year-old Jack DeCoster.

This pre-boomer is no stranger to controversy. He's been involved in legal cases that have forced him to settle with the federal government for hiring illegal immigrants, for tolerating sexual harassment at his company, and has faced a litany of animal cruelty charges. DeCoster has also paid millions of dollars in fines and settlements over the years stemming from complaints about the health violations at his farms.

In 1996, for example, the egg farmer was forced to pay more than $3 million in fines after the U.S. Labor Department found dead chickens being picked up by workers with bare hands. The complaint also stated that DeCoster's workers also lived beside manure and rat-infested trailers, according to the Associated Press. The complaint led to a boycott of DeCoster's eggs by several major supermarkets.

In 2000, the Iowa attorney general dubbed DeCoster a "habitual violator" of the state's environmental laws and ordered him to pay a $150,000 fine for failing to properly dispose of the hog and chicken manure and had let it run into a nearby creek.

Earlier this year, DeCoster pleaded guilty to 10 counts of animal cruelty over his company's treatment of its chickens. In June, DeCoster was ordered to pay more than more than $100,000 in fines and restitution.

The charges and subsequent guilty plea came after an undercover investigation by Mercy For Animals, a national non-profit animal protection organization, that said they witnessed live birds being thrown in the trash, employees whipping birds by their necks in an attempt to kill them, and hens living in cages so small that their wings could not be lifted without getting snagged on wires.

With all of these violations, don't you think more drastic measures should've been taken--like SHUTTING DOWN HIS OPERATION?

States Not Prepared for Aging Baby Boomer Drivers

If your doctor suggests you give up driving at the age of 70 due to age and weakened motor skills, will you follow doctor's orders? More importantly, will that information be passed on to your state's Department of Motor Vehicles so they will know NOT to renew your license?

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety believes all states should have medical advisory boards to review driver capabilities. In addition, state licensing policies and practices should put into place standard reporting laws that provide civil immunity for clinicians, law enforcement, and licensing personnel who report people they believe may be medically unfit to drive.

So does that mean if I have a "lead foot" and get a speeding ticket for driving 10 miles over the speed limit, a police officer can declare me unfit to drive? Or what about all of the older drivers who drive below the speed limit?

By 2025, people aged 65 and older will account for 25 percent of all U.S. drivers.

Will You Outlive Your Money?

If you were to retire today, how much longer could you survive before your money runs out?

That's a question some of us don't think about or don't want to think about but the truth of the matter is the future is going to look gloomy for many baby boomers and they know it.

In a survey, people between the ages of 44 and 75 were asked what they feared more: death or running out of money.

61 percent said they feared running out of money
39 percent said death

56 percent said they are afraid they won’t be able to cover their basic living expenses in retirement.

36 percent said they had no idea whether their nest egg was sufficient

Allianz Life Insurance Co. of North America, conducted the poll of 3,257 people.

Blacks and Cancer

Blacks with cancer are up to twice as likely as other races to die from the disease, according to researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Center.

Why?

According to the study, blacks are often diagnosed with more advanced cancer are are more likely to have other underlying health problems, such as hypertension or diabetes. That problem could probably be resolved, somewhat, if more blacks made routine check-ups as a part of their overall health care--instead of going to the doctor only when "something hurts," and the pain becomes unbearable.

Another reason cited is the fact that black patients are less likely to be advised about cancer screenings and less likely to receive surgery or chemotherapy. That is another problem that could also be resolved if physicians and other health care providers treated ALL patients equally. And then, it would be our responsibility to follow up on those screenings and surgeries.

Hospitals that treat primarily black patients tend to have fewer resources and offer lower quality care. No surprise there.

The study also concludes that blacks tend to trust their doctors less, the care received is often not as good and in some cases they may be unable to pay.


**information courtesy of Newswise **

How to Age Successfully

There's a saying that what you do in the dark will eventually come to the light. For some baby boomers who survived the drug crazed 60s, that might be a frightening thought.

Now it appears that what you do before the age of 50 will determine how well you age. Who knew?

According to researchers from the New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, people are more likely to be successful to age successfully if:

1) They are educated,

2) Never been in prison,

3) Married

4) Drink in moderation or not at all

5) Work for pay or do volunteer work.

The lead author of the research study, Dr. Rachel Pruchino, says "Our research shows how aging is a lifelong process. The person you become at a very old age is really a function of how you lived your earlier years."

Funny, there's nothing in the research that talks about exercise or eating healthy.

The Price of Living Longer

Living longer is going to cost many baby boomers, according to a recent study conducted by The Employee Benefit Research Institute.

A third of middle-income workers will likely run out of money after 20 years of retirement and significantly more lower-income workers will deplete their savings after 10 years, according to the new study.

The nonpartisan research group based in Washington says its retirement readiness study found that living longer, saving too little and inadequate planning for health care costs will leave many retirees short of money to pay basic living expenses.

The study finds that 64 percent of workers earning less than $30,000 a year will run out of money within 10 years of retiring. About a third of workers making between $30,000 and $70,000 will run out of money after 20 years of retirement. One in 10 workers making more than $70,000 won't have enough money.

"Early" baby boomers, meaning people who now aged 56 to 62, have a 47 percent chance of not having enough money to pay basic retirement costs and uninsured medical expenses, the study concluded.

"Late" boomers aged 46 to 55, as well as Generation X workers aged 36 to 45, have about a 45 percent chance of running short on cash.

Jack VanDerhei, research director for EBRI and author of the study, says baby boomers need to stop deceiving themselves into thinking they are going to have enough money for retirement.

Many workers will likely be forced to continue working beyond retirement age.

Time Flies in Boomer World

Today is Ringo Starr's birthday. The oldest of The Beatles turns 70. Hard to believe that the drummer of the young English rock group that took America by storm in the 60s is a member of the post boomer generation.

In my mind, The Beatles have never aged. I still see them as four handsome young musicians with the bowl-type haircuts playing for millions of screaming, adoring fans. I was seven years old when I sat glued to my TV set watching them on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Ringo's birthday is a reminder that I, too, am getting older.

They say time flies when you're having fun. I say time flies whether you're having fun or not. Ask Ringo.

By the way, what was your all-time favorite Beatles' song?

To learn more about what Ringo is doing on his birthday, click on the title of this blog post.

Are You Wearing Grannies Panties?

Twenty or thirty years ago, I would never have any problem deciding what to wear on a hot day like today. Tube top and bikini shots, along with my sandals and some cool shades. But now at 50-something, that attire is definitely out.

So what's a poor baby boomer woman to do when she wants to look cute and cool for the summer even though she's having to deal with a little middle-age spread?

Lifestyle writer Aliceann Toole offers her thoughts on fashion for boomer women. She says, "Just because we reach that certain age, we don’t throw our fashion sense out the window. Just because our bodies have changed over the years, we aren’t ready for shapeless “granny” clothes … even if we’re grannies."

I agree with her synopsis but then the question becomes, "Did I have any fashion sense to begin with?"

I still have the right to wear grannies panties, if I want to, don't I?

How has your fashion changed over the years?

Senior Tips on Making Whoopee

1. Wear your glasses to make sure your partner is really there.

2. Set timer for 3 minutes, in case you doze off in the middle.

3. Set the mood with lighting. (Turn them ALL OFF!)

4. Make sure you put 911 on your speed dial before you begin.

5. Write partner's name on your hand in case you can't remember.

6. Use extra poly-grip so your teeth don't end up under the bed.

7. Have Tylenol ready in case you actually complete the act..

8. Make all the noise you want....the neighbors are deaf, too.

9. If it works, call everyone you know with the good news!!

10. Don't even think about trying it twice.

***I love emails like this that make their way into my mailbox***

The Very Next Time...Consider This

This morning I received a blessing in a blog post. It came from my Fabulously 40 and Facebook friend, Tori Fisher. She reminded me of how important it is for us not to be so quick to pass judgement on others and to be thankful for what we have.

Seeing this post this morning reaffirms how important social media has become in my life---where someone I've never met who lives hundreds of miles away can touch my life in a special, positive way.

Here's a portion of her blog post:

The very next time you get upset because someone cut you off in traffic; consider that they might be rushing to get to a loved one who needs them…

The very next time a clerk is rude to you at a grocery store, consider that they just received their paycheck and it’s been confirmed that they simply cannot feed their children…

The very next time you say something hurtful, mean or just downright ignorant to someone, consider how that might make you feel if someone said it to you or your mother…

THANKS TORI!

To read her entire post, please click on the title of this post and it will take you directly to her blog.

Gym Etiquette for Baby Boomer Women

In my aerobics class today, one of the women broke her beaded bracelet while swinging her arms to the beat of the music. As a result, beads flew all across the floor, creating a possible hazard for anyone who would've stepped on them during our dance step routine. As she proceeded to pick them up she said, "I knew this would happen." I thought to myself, "Then why did you wear it in the first place?"

I am always amazed at the boomer women who come into the Duke Center for Living for a workout. As a fellow boomer, I feel I must've missed the memo on the appropriate attire to wear because I am no where near looking like they do. Nearly every women who comes in has on make-up and is loaded down with very nice jewelry. It's almost as if they're afraid to be seen in public without being made up and they fear robbery if they leave their valuables at home.

I even saw one woman in the locker room actually putting on eyeliner BEFORE she began the aerobics class.

The purpose of going to the gym is to get a good workout so you can increase your endurance and burn some calories. It's not about what you look like going in....but rather what you feel like after the workout.

Besides, makeup and sweat just don't mix.

The Image of Bill Cosby

Let me start off by saying, I am NOT an image consultant but I do feel qualified to say what I think looks good and what doesn't.

That brings me to the reason for this post and my thoughts on the attire comedian Bill Cosby chose to wear while speaking to the graduating class at Shaw University in Raleigh, NC this past weekend.

I did not attend the graduation but I did see a news clip and I was stunned at his appearance. He wore a long sleeve tee-shirt and sweat pants. I was so shocked by his dress that I had difficulty listening to his message. It looked as if he had just gotten off a plane and ran right over to the Stadium without time to change. I'm not sure what message he was trying to send but it wasn't a good one in my opinion.

Here is a man who is constantly speaking out about the negative images in the black community and how parents must take reponsibility for their children's behavior. I totally agree with him on that, however, Mr. Cosby must own up to what he says by portraying a positive role model for young people. Dressing down may meet them on their level but it sends a wrong message.

Someone suggested to me that maybe he dressed that way as a joke. If that was the case then the reporter failed to do her job in explaining that.

Would Mr. Cosby have gone to Duke, Temple or Princeton dressed like that? Maybe so, but the point is no matter who you are you should set a positive example to young people who look up to you---and not just with your money.

Maybe I am really out of touch but I can't imagine speaking to any group of young people in similar attire---unless we were on some type of outing event. What do you say?

Shame on Lawrence Taylor and the State of New York

I don't know which is more shocking----the fact that former NFL player Lawrence Taylor would allegedly have sex with an underage girl or at the laws in the state of New York.

For those of you who have been living in outer space for the past couple of days, media reports allege the former NY Giants star paid a 16-year-old girl to have sex with him in his hotel room. The girl, according to reports, was delivered to his hotel room by a pimp.

She had been reported missing by her uncle, who called the New York Police Department saying he had received a text message from her. That message led police to an address in the Bronx where the 36-year-old alleged pimp was arrested and charged in the case.

Not long afterwards, Taylor was also arrested at his hotel room.

The 51-year-old faces a maximum of one year in prison on the solicitation charge, which is considered a misdemeanor. The maximum sentence for third-degree rape, a felony, is four years.

I don't know whether this baby boomer is guilty or not, however, my second thought when I heard the news was why would he need to stay in a hotel if he owned a home nearby--especially since his wife was staying at their second home in Florida?

My first thought was how could the State of New York think a convicted rapist of a CHILD should only receive the maximum sentence of four years in prison?

Perhaps that's why we have so many perverts running around.

Parenting Your Parents

If you are not already, you may someday find yourself taking care of your aging parents. It is not an easy task by any means, but one that is necessary in order to ensure their quality of life remains intact---especially if they become disabled. As primary caregivers for our parents, my husband and I have gone through a crash course on the subject.

I'd like to offer some tips on elderly care:

If you are not in a position to take care of your parents, make sure you do as much research as you can on nursing homes/assisted living facilities. They are NOT all the same.

Stay on top of your parent's nursing home and medical care. Visit as often as you can to let staff know you care about what's going on. Sadly, many elderly are "dumped" into nursing homes by family members, who rarely come back to visit them.

Know what medicines are being prescribed. If you don't know what they're for, ASK.

Know the medicare and medicaid laws as it relates to your state. What we discovered is some laws are different from state-to-state. This is especially important to know if you must transport your loved one to a different state.

Don't be afraid to challenge the system. When my mother-in-law sustained some bruises that no one could explain, we filed a grievance with the County Social Services and then the State. As a result, one nurse was fired---another resigned and my mother-in-law was watched much more closely. Of course, we weren't the most liked family after that but you do what you have to do in order to protect your loved one and ensure their safety and well being.

Know your parent's history. I think this is especially important if you're loved one has dementia because they won't be in a position to answer for themselves. When my husband tranferred his mom from one facility to another, he was asked a lot of questions about her and her family history. Some of it he knew--some he didn't.

Keep a journal. Don't count on your memory to remind you of things. Write it down and you'll know for sure and be sure to always get names of people involved in your parent's care.

If you have anything else to add, please feel free to do so.

Beauty is Only Skin Deep for Many Baby Boomers

Anti-aging procedures are on the rise according to a recent survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and they have baby boomers to thank for that.

AACS President Dr. Mark Berman says even though baby boomers are getting older they want to look younger, which would account for the significant number of facelifts among the group between 2008 and 2009.

According to the AACS numbers:
•Facelifts rose 44 percent from 2008 to 2009 in procedures by AACS members, totaling 34,455 in 2009.
•Blepharoplasty procedures (eyelid lifts) went up 42 percent, from 42,602 to 60,507.
•Mon-invasive anti-aging procedures such as Botox (up 157 percent) and fillers (up 245 percent) also rose.

•Average age of facelift patients is 54.1 years.
•Average age of blepharoplasty patients is 52.3
•Average age for Botox is 46.6
•Average age for fillers is 46.8

It would appear that aging gracefully has taken on a whole new meaning.

Baby Boomers Can Connect to Medicare Online

The Federal Government is doing its part to get baby boomers up to speed when it comes to dealing with technology. The Social Security Administration is now making it possible for you to register for Medicare benefits ONLINE, even if you are not ready to sign up for your monthly Social Security check.

The new online application, which takes less than 10 minutes to complete, is for people reaching the Medicare eligibility age of 65 who want to delay filing for Social Security retirement benefits

To apply online for Medicare do the following.
● go to www.socialsecurity.gov and
● choose Retirement/Medicare under the header, “Select Below To Apply For.”

You will be asked a brief series of questions.

If you have a question or need additional information, there are “more info” links.

When you’re done, just select the “Sign Now” button to submit the application.

There are no paper forms to sign, and usually no additional documents are required. If more information is needed, Social Security will contact you by phone or letter.

Make sure you ***tweet this*** to let all of your baby boomer friends on Twitter know.

Baby Boomers and the Tea Party

Despite what I may have been led to believe, the so-called Tea Party Movement is not made up of uneducated red necks from the trailer park. According to research conducted by CNN, tea partiers are mostly college educated white, male baby boomers, who earn more than $50,000 a year, live in rural areas, and identify themselves as conservatives.

These baby boomers---so-called activists---let it be known that they did not want to see the Health Care Reform Bill pass and their actions were nothing short of despicable. For example, a crowd of them shouted the "n word" at Congressman John Lewis, They yelled homophobic epithets at Rep. Barney Frank, an openly gay congressman. And one protester actually spat on a Black member of Congress.

But they didn't stop there. Death threats were issued to Democrats who voted for reform—one had a coffin left on his lawn and another was told snipers would kill the children of lawmakers who voted yes. Several Democrats had their district offices vandalized, and a gas line was cut at a home that tea partiers mistakenly believed belonged to Rep. Tom Perriello.

Who said baby boomers were the most diverse generation?

Where are the Baby Boomers Located

It should come as no surprise that the majority of baby boomers reside in the largest states. According to data recorded by the US Census in 2008, here is how the top states ranked for baby boomers:

California 8,809,263
Texas 5,637,468
NY 5,081,366
Florida 4,647,133
Pennsylvania 3,372,858
Ohio 3,056,377

Meanwhile, according to the AARP, here are the top places for baby boomers to reinvent themselves in retirement:

1) Loveland, Colorado
2) Las Cruces, NM
3) Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
4) Portland, Oregon
5) Greenville, SC
6) Sarasota, FL
7) Ann Arbor, MI
8) Tuscon, AZ
9) Montpelier, VT
10) Honolulu, HI

How many of these cities have you visited and what do you think of them? I've been to Greenville, SC and as a baby boomer I can definitely say it is NOT a place for African-American baby boomers to spend the rest of their lives.

Baby Boomer Women Out Number Baby Boomer Men

It's no longer a man's world when it comes to baby boomers. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau in 2008, women outnumber men by nearly two million. Women also outnumber men in every state but the following:

Alaska
Minnesota
Nevada
North Carolina
North Dakota
South Dakota
Wisconsin
Wyoming

According to the data, there are 77,329,698 baby boomers (men and women born between 1946 and 1964). Men account for 37,854,617; women 39,475,081.

Does this surprise you?

What We Want in a Man

Isn't it interesting how our ideas of what we want in a man changes as we age.

When we're in our 20's.....

1. Handsome
2. Charming
3. Financially successful
4. A caring listener
5. Witty
6. In good shape
7. Dresses with style
8. Appreciates finer things
9. Full of thoughtful surprises

When we're in our 30's....

1. Nice looking
2. Opens car doors, holds chairs
3. Has enough money for a nice dinner
4. Listens more than talks
5. Laughs at my jokes
6. Carries bags of groceries with ease
7. Owns at least one tie
8. Appreciates a good home-cooked meal
9. Remembers birthdays and anniversaries


Our 40's........

1. Not too ugly
2. Doesn't drive off until I'm in the car
3. Works steady - splurges on dinner out occasionally
4. Nods head when I'm talking
5. Usually remembers punch lines of jokes
6. Is in good enough shape to rearrange the furniture
7. Wears a shirt that covers his stomach
8. Knows not to buy champagne with screw-top lids
9. Remembers to put the toilet seat down
10. Shaves most weekends

Our 50's......

1. Keeps hair in nose and ears trimmed
2. Doesn't belch or scratch in public
3. Doesn't borrow money too often
4. Doesn't nod off to sleep when I'm venting
5. Doesn't re-tell the same joke too many times
6. Is in good enough shape to get off the couch on weekends
7. Usually wears matching socks and fresh underwear
8. Appreciates a good TV dinner
9. Remembers your name on occasion
10. Shaves some weekends

Our 60's......

1. Doesn't scare small children
2. Remembers where bathroom is
3. Doesn't require much money for upkeep
4. Only snores lightly when asleep
5. Remembers why he's laughing
6. Is in good enough shape to stand up by himself
7. Usually wears some clothes
8. Likes soft foods
9. Remembers where he left his teeth
10. Remembers that it's the weekend

The 70's.......

1. Breathing.
2. Doesn't miss the toilet.

Just a little humor from my girlfriend Maria.

Tom Brokaw and The Boomer Report

On Thursday night, Tom Brokaw did a report called BOOMERS on CNBC. It was of great interest to me because I was born in 1957---which means I am a part of the baby boomer generation.

Part of Brokaw's report was done at the University of Michigan. I'm not sure why. If I had been doing that report I would've gone back to Kent State University because that is where four young people (who would be baby boomers today)were gunned down by the police while protesting agains the Vietnam War. But that's just me.

Much attention is being paid to baby boomers these days as the first wave of us moves towards retirement and social security. Brokaw attempted to give us a 50 year look at the boomers in a two-hour period.

Yes, we were the first generation to grow up with television; many of us lived through the civil rights era and the Vietnam War. But the “real” image of a baby boomer is what I question. Brokaw failed to show the true diversity of us as a group. We are not all white kids who grew up in the suburbs watching the Mickey Mouse Club. He referred to us as the most diverse generation but the fact of the matter is some of us actually grew up in a separate and unequal society and according to a Duke University study, diversity has not led to equality. Brokaw didn't talk about that. Instead, he showed us how one black man in America was living a life he never dreamed of. The fact of the matter is many blacks in the boomer generation are no better off relative to whites than their parents and grandparents. Many older southern baby boomers can still tell you stories about the Jim Crow laws and the impact it had on their lives.

We have also been called the wealthiest generation but despite what some would have you believe, we are not all living in the land of milk and honey. Some of us may have plenty of disposable income but, according to the Duke Study, quite a few of us are struggling financially.

One thing I will agree with in the report is a comment made by author J. Walker Smith. He said baby boomers became more focused on self and a promise of economic prosperity as they grew up. They became more focused on "things", and tried to live beyond their means. Greed and ego were also the order of our generation.

Maybe that explains some of the financial mess we're in. You think?

Baby Boomer Men Are Just Happier People

· If Laura, Kate and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah.
· If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla and Four-eyes.

EATING OUT·
When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it’s only for 32.50.
None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back.
· When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

MONEY
· A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.
· A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn’t need but it’s on sale.

BATHROOMS
· A man has six items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel ..
· The average number of items in the typical woman’s bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify more than 20 of these items.

ARGUMENTS·
A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

FUTURE·
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
· A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

SUCCESS
· A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
· A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

MARRIAGE
· A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn’t.
· A man marries a woman expecting that she won’t change, but she does.

DRESSING UP
· A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail.
· A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

NATURAL
· Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.
· Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

OFFSPRING
· Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favourite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.
· A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
A married man should forget his mistakes. There’s no use in two people remembering the same thing!

~Author Unknown…but I found it via BabyBoomerTalkOnline.com

Baby Boomers Don't Read Blogs

I'm a baby boomer and I write blogs. As a matter of fact, I have more than one active blog. I also read blogs written by fellow boomers but, according to the latest research, I am in the MINORITY because the majority of baby boomers don't read blogs. The study claims the number of blog reader/writers is below 10%. Although 49% of boomers use online reviews and recommendations on a retailer’s site to make their purchase, only 9% looked to other blogs or communities for recommendations.

Another interesting statistic involves Twitter. The study also showed that Twitter is not very popular with us boomers either---only 10 percent of us are "tweeting."

Meanwhile, Lisa E. Phillips, eMarketer senior analyst and author of the new report, “Boomers and Social Media” says about 47% of online boomers maintain a profile on at least one social network, and Facebook was, by far, the most popular with 73 percent of boomers maintaining a profile.

So what do you think of this study? Is it pretty much on the money or totally off base? Also, if you are a baby boomer with a blog, please post it here.

Baby Boomers Give a Thumbs Up to Fox News

More than 1100 baby boomers nationwide say they watch and trust Fox News more than any other news network.

According to a new poll by Public Policy Polling, 52 percent of Baby Boomers say they trust Fox as an informed source for news--while CNN comes in a distant second at 33 percent.

Why do you think that is?

Unfortunately, this survey does not break down the numbers to determine the number of white males polled versus women and other ethnic groups. I will point out that 1151 people surveyed nationwide is merely a small drop in the a very, very large bucket but I'm sure FOX News will get mileage out of it.

Another interesting fact in this survey is CBS and ABC News were last in the polls. Does this have anything to do with the fact that both networks have female anchors.

Hmmmmm...............................

Baby Boomers Beware of Free Trial Offers

Have you ever been the victim of a "free trial offer"? This is where a company offers you a sample of their product or service for a limited period of time.

Not long ago, I had to cancel my credit card and have another one re-issued because I became a victim of the free trial offer. I heard about a particular product on the radio targeted for baby boomer women and decided to try it out. All I had to do, they said, was give them my credt card number to cover the nominal cost of shipping and handling. I was also advised to call them within 30 days if I was no longer interested in receiving additional product. No problem, I thought.

After trying the product, I decided I wasn't interested...but guess what? I got busy---lost track of the 30-day trial period and failed to notify the company. As a result, I received more product the following month and a nice $49.95 added to my credit card. I immediately called the company to cancel and returned the product unopened. The following month I didn't receive any more product but another charge for $49.95 showed up on my credit card bill. I called the company again. I was told they had not received the product I returned to them and it takes awhile for the cancellation process to go through. My bank advised me to cancel the card.

When signing up for these trial periods, make sure you know the following information:

1) You should be aware that by accepting a free trial offer, you might be agreeing to buy additional products and services, if you do not cancel within a specified period of time.

2) Consumers don’t realize that by providing their card number, they may effectively be signing a contract allowing the merchant to automatically bill them for further merchandise and other things like shipping at the regular price after the trial period is over.

3) Reading the fine print is key to staying clear of trial offer traps. More often than not, if you’re not interested, it’s your responsibility to cancel the product or service to avoid any further charges from the merchant after the prescribed trial date.

4) If you have a problem with a trial offer, try to resolve it with the seller first. If you are dissatisfied with the response, contact the Better Business Bureau Federal Trade Commission or your local consumer protection agency.

Sex and the Single Baby Boomer Woman

The Shady Lady Ranch in Nevada has been given the go ahead to hire the state's first legal male sex workers. As a matter of fact, this is the first time in the history of the world that male prostituion is being made legal.

Brothel owner Bobbi Davis was quoted as saying, "I personally feel, as do the many other women who have made contact with me since I started this, that this is a service whose time has come."

No word yet on the MO of the women she will market to however here's a statistic that might help her:

57 million American women 45 and up, nearly half—25 million—are unmarried.

And there's also the unhappily married women who would , perhaps, love a "getaway weekend" on the ranch.

So what do you think about offering legalized male prostitution in a controlled and confined enviroment?