Things I Don't Get, Part 1

1. If our taxes are higher than ever, how come our public schools, our roads, our senses of personal safety and security (and those of our children and grandchildren) are worse than ever?

2. Talking about schools, when and how did we come to accept the fact that teachers must buy - out of their own pockets - paper, pencils and other supplies for their students?

3. Talking about reaching into our pockets, when and how did we come to accept the fact that parents and other loved ones of our military members must buy - out of their own pockets - bullet-proof vests and other protective gear for our soldiers and Marines?

4. Why can't you just hook up your computer to the wire coming out of the wall and get to the Internet - how in the world did all of these settings, devices and other complications come about?

5. Geraldo Rivera.

BlogSpeak 101

It occurs to me than some BoomVista-istas might not be familiar with the conventions of BlogSpeak-MessageForumSpeak-InstantMessageSpeak, some of which are popping up in our various comments sections.

Here is a primer:

BTW=By the way
FWIW=For what it's worth
BRB=Be right back
TIA=Thanks in advance
TKU=Thank you
LOL=Laughing out loud. (Everyone probably knows that one.)
K=OK (=Okay)
:)=Happy, laughing
:(=Sad, crying
IMO=In my opinion
CUL=See you later
IDNBYCAYOINCSB=I'm done now but you can add your own in the comments section below.

How about Len Barry's hit - "1, 2, uhm...uhm..."

This email is making the rounds (contributed by Sandy):
----
BABY BOOMER HIT PARADE!

It's been fun being a baby boomer ... Until now. Some of the artists
Of the '50s and'60s are revising their hits with new lyrics to accommodate aging baby boomers. They include:

1. Herman's Hermits--- Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Walker.


2. The Bee Gees--- How Can You Mend a Broken Hip.

3. Bobby Darin--- Splish, Splash, I Was Havin' a Flash.

4. Ringo Starr--- I Get By With a Little Help From Depends.

5. Roberta Flack--- The First Time Ever I Forgot Your Face.

6. Johnny Nash--- I Can't See Clearly Now.

7. Paul Simon--- Fifty Ways to Lose Your Liver.

8. The Commodores--- Once, Twice, Three Times to the Bathroom.

9. Marvin Gaye--- Heard It Through the Grape Nuts.

10. Procol Harum--- A Whiter Shade Of Hair.

11. Leo Sayer--- You Make Me Feel Like Napping.

12. The Temptations --- Papa's Got a Kidney Stone.

13. Abba--- Denture Queen.

14. Tony Orlando--- Knock 3 Times On The Ceiling If You Hear Me Fall.

15. Helen Reddy--- I Am Woman, Hear Me Snore.

16. Leslie Gore--- It's My Procedure, and I'll Cry If I Want To.

17. Willie Nelson--- On the Commode Again.

Boomer Facts

(Thanks to Coop for the suggestion)

- Our numbers (those born between 1946 and 1964) are estimated at 76.4 million, and that represents 27 percent of the U.S. population. (Source: MetLife).

- Subtract deaths and add immigrants and our current population is estimated at 78.2 million (The Boomer Century).

- Nearly 8,000 Americans turn 60 every day (The Boomer Century).

- According to the 2000 U.S. Census, more than half of all baby boomers live in the following nine states (in order of size): California, Texas, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and New Jersey.

- Only about one in seven of us expects to begin collecting Social Security at age 62 (The Boomer Century).

- About one-third of all Boomer households have at least $100,000 in investable assets, but about four in 10 Boomers have less than $10,000 in retirement savings (The Boomer Century).

- Can't we just get along? Baby boomers have a higher divorce rate than prior generations: 14.2 percent of boomers are divorced (U.S. Census Bureau).

- Nearly 17 percent of us belong to minority groups: 12 percent are black, four percent are Asian or Pacific Islander, less than one percent are American Indian and Alaskan Native. People of Hispanic origin (who may be of any race) comprise
9.8 percent of the baby boomers (MetLife).

- Baby boomers have a higher level of education than any generation before them. Nearly 89 percent completed high school and 28.5 percent have a bachelor’s or higher college degree (MetLife).

- We're not responsible for Geraldo Rivera. He was born on July 4, 1943, three years before the beginning of the Baby Boom.

- We're also not responsible for Anna Nicole Smith. She was born on Nov. 28, 1967, three years after the end of the Baby Boom. (Sorry, but the Commissioner of Major League Blogging has ruled that every blog must mention, at least once, Anna Nicole Smith, and now we've done it twice in the same post. Any broadcast or re-transmission of this post without the express written consent of the Commissioner of Major League Blogging is....highly unlikely.)

- Fifty-five percent of America's elected national and state officials are Baby Boomers - including 74 percent of the 50 state governors(Scripps Howard).