1. The Lone Ranger left behind a silver bullet.
2. The Ed Sullivan Show.
3. On Route 66.
4. To protect the innocent.
5. The Lion Sleeps Tonight.
6. The limbo.
7. Chocolate (Bonus opportunity: Who was pictured along side that question?)
8. Louis Armstrong.
9. The Timex watch.
10. Freddy The Freeloader, and "Good Night and may God Bless."
11. Draft cards (bras also were burned).
12. Beetle or Bug.
13. Buddy Holly.
14. Sputnik.
15. Hoola-hoop.
And here it is.
Most questions are easy; some not so much.
Click 'Comments' at the bottom of the post to list your guesses/answers or to comment about someone else's comments. The full list of correct answers will be posted later in the week.
(And thanks to Mark, a loyal BoomVista-ista, for the contribution.
------------------ A TEST FOR OLDER KIDS ---------------
1. After the Lone Ranger saved the day and rode off into the sunset, the grateful citizens would ask, "Who was that masked man?" Invariably, someone would answer, "I don't know, but he left this behind..." What did he leave behind?
2. When the Beatles first came to the U.S. in early 1964, we all watched them on The _______ Show.
3. "Get your kicks, ________."
4. "The story you are about to see is true. The names have been changed __________."
5. "In the jungle, the mighty jungle, ___."
6. After the Twist, The Mashed Potato, and the Watusi, we "danced" under a stick that was lowered as low as we could go in a dance called the "_______."
7. "N_E_S_T_L_E_S", Nestle's makes the very best___."
8. Satchmo was America's "Ambassador of Goodwill." This great jazz trumpeter's name was ___.
9. What takes a licking and keeps on ticking?
10. Red Skelton's hobo character was named _____ and Red always ended his television show by saying, "Good Night, and "___ ___."
11. Some Americans who protested the Vietnam War did so by burning their ______.
12. The cute little car with the engine in the back and the trunk in the front was called the VW ___? What two other names did it go by?
13. In 1971, singer Don MacLean sang a song about, "The day the music died." This was a tribute to _______.
14. We can remember the first satellite placed into orbit. The Russians did it. It was called _____.
15. One of the big fads of the late 50s and 60s was a large plastic ring that we twirled around our waist. It was called the _______.
So, how much money do or will we need to retire comfortably? And what does that mean exactly anyway...comfortably?
I think a reasonable definition is: Will Mrs. BoomVista let me buy a new car when I want to? OK, more seriously, a reasonable definition is: Enjoying your retirement while spending wisely and modestly and, most importantly, without becoming obsessed by your bank account or net worth.
Coop, a loyal BoomVista, sends along some advice that passed through his computer the other day. It comes from a firm called Daniel A. White Associates, which says it "solely serves the financial needs of those nearing retirement and those already retired."
Much of it is pretty obvious, but it never hurts to review the obvious. Here is the material, which some bracketed remarks from BoomVista:
As retirement rolls into view for the Baby Boomer generation, many people are wondering if their nest egg will provide the quality of life they have been dreaming about for so many years.
There is no universally accepted method for calculating how much money is needed to cover retirement expenses. But a comprehensive evaluation of your financial situation will improve the accuracy of whatever planning tool you use to measure your nest egg. Here is a summary of information you will need.
- Retirement expenses. Start by figuring out current living expenses, then determine what will change in retirement. Most retirees spend less on expenses like food [Huh?] and clothing, but many spend more on travel and second homes. Don't forget health care when estimating your annual retirement budget in today's dollars. [That's certainly the biggie, isn't it? BoomVista's plan - Have Mrs. BoomVista continue working for the health insurance...pretty much forever. :) ]
- Cash flow sources. Be conservative on what you expect from Social Security, although President Bush has promised full benefits for everyone born before 1950. [See this previous post.] Pensions, annuities and reverse mortgages will reduce the amount you need to withdraw from investment accounts. [Many other experts advise extreme caution when considering reverse mortgages.]
- Future events. Downsizing to a smaller home or selling property will add to your nest egg. Money you expect to inherit should be included in your calculations.
- Investment return and risk. How much risk you are willing to take will affect how fast your nest egg grows and how safe it is after your retire. While you are still working, you can take more risks to increase investment returns because you will have time to recover from a stock market setback. But once you've retired, it's advisable to reduce investment risk in order to protect your nest egg from sudden declines in value when you need to make withdrawals.
- Retirement date. People who work past 65 will have a bigger nest egg and fewer years of retirement expenses to cover. [They also will get more work-related aggravation.] Some retirees have found they should have kept their jobs for a few more years.
- Expect the unexpected. Don't rely on formulas based on average investment return, inflation and longevity rates, because deviations from the norm can throw off projections. [This is good advice.}
- Keep saving. The best way to improve your odds for a carefree retirement is to keep adding to your nest egg. [Duh.]
BoomVista has a rigidly applied rule that every post somehow must be related to Baby Boomers. But this one...wait...I have it! Baby Boomers have senses of humor, right?
Allrighty then, here we go (and thanks to Rick, a BoomVista-ista, for this contribution).
--
These are from a book called Disorder in the Court: Great Fractured Moments in Courtroom History and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place.
ATTORNEY: What is your date of birth?
WITNESS: July 18th.
ATTORNEY: What year?
WITNESS: Every year.
ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
WITNESS: I forget.
ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot?
ATTORNEY: How old is your son, the one living with you?
WITNESS: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which.
ATTORNEY: How long has he lived with you?
WITNESS: Forty-five years.
ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?
WITNESS: He said, "Where am I, Cathy?"
ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?
WITNESS: My name is Susan.
ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo?
WITNESS: We both do.
ATTORNEY: Voodoo?
WITNESS: We do.
ATTORNEY: You do?
WITNESS: Yes, voodoo.
ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken?
WITNESS: Would you repeat the question?
ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?
WITNESS: By death.
ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?
ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?
WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?
WITNESS: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.
ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
WITNESS: Oral.
ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on him!
ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.
If this is true, it's scary stuff.
According to a front page Washington Post article, our generation may be the first to enter retirement in worse physical condition than the previous generation.
Basically, it suggests that the many advances in medicine and health are being counteracted by overweight and stress, among other things.
The first two paragraphs:
"As the first wave of baby boomers edges toward retirement, a growing body of evidence suggests that they may be the first generation to enter their golden years in worse health than their parents. While not definitive, the data sketch a startlingly different picture than the popular image of health-obsessed workout fanatics who know their antioxidants from their trans fats and look 10 years younger than their age.
"Boomers are healthier in some important ways -- they are much less likely to smoke, for example -- but large surveys are consistently finding that they tend to describe themselves as less hale and hearty than their forebears did at the same age. They are more likely to report difficulty climbing stairs, getting up from a chair and doing other routine activities, as well as more chronic problems such as high cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes."
Read more here, preferably as you work out on the treadmill or somedamnthing. C'mon people. This is not acceptable. And, in most cases, it's at least somewhat under our control. (And thanks to David, a BoomVista-ista, for the tip.)
Offered for your enjoyment simply because we're old enough to remember Abbott and Costello (and thanks to Jack, a BoomVista-ista, for the contribution).
--
If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their famous sketch, "Who's on First?" might have turned out something like this:
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.
ABBOTT: Your computer?
COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.
ABBOTT: What about Windows?
COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?
ABBOTT: Wallpaper.
COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT: Software for Windows?
COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO:! Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT: I just did.
COSTELLO: You just did what?
ABBOTT: Recommend something.
COSTELLO: You recommended something?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: For my office?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my omputer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT: Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: Word in Office.
COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue "W."
COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue "W" if you don't start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.
COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT: One copy.
COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!
(A few days later)
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?
ABBOTT: Click on "START"
OK, the phone rings at 10:30 p.m., and that means someone needs help, and as a Boomer, you play the little mental game we all play or have played: "Who's On My Line - The Kid or The Parent?"
That is, is it my young-adult-of-a-child or my aging parent or parent-in-law?
With the kids (they're never too old to be "the kids"), you at least have some clue. Whatever the problem, you've probably seen and dealt with it before.
But for the other side of the spectrum, for your elders, that's another story. Doctors who are supposed to care for patients but instead seem overly impatient. Hospitals and their baffling bills and schedules. Insurance companies (don't even get us started there). Pharmacies. Social Security. Transportation issues. Groceries. Nursing homes, ALFs, and on and on and on.
At one point a few years ago, I and Mrs. BoomVista found ourselves dealing with those issues nearly simultaneously for my mother, her husband and my mother-in-law and my father-in-law. The word 'nightmare' doesn't begin to capture it. But what do you do? They cared for us, now we must care for them.
A friend and loyal BoomVista-ista, Coop, also went through it and he found a place that might help. He recommends that we take a look at Elder Care Online. I haven't been completely through the site, but it certainly seems like an excellent resource.
This is Elder Care's welcome message:
ElderCare Online is a beacon for people caring for aging loved ones. Whether you are caring for a spouse, parent, relative or neighbor, we are committed to providing an online community where supportive peers and professionals help you improve quality of life for yourself and your elder.
It looks like a great place to start. If you have tips to share or an observation, please click the "Comments" link right below this post.
First, a reminder that the finale - either season or ultimate - of "Friday Night Lights" is on the air tonight (NBC, 8 p.m. EDT, 7 p.m. CDT). For more information and to learn why we should care, see the previous BoomVista post on this subject.
Third, Susan sends along this advice from today's San Jose Mercury News:
--
By Charlie McCollum
San Jose Mercury News
Want to save "Friday Night Lights"? Here are some things you can do:
Go to fan site www.fnl-online.com, which outlines its campaign to keep the show on the air.
Write to Kevin Reilly, president of NBC Entertainment, at 3000 W. Alameda Ave., Burbank, Calif. 91523. Be polite. He loves the series.
E-mail your thoughts to NBC by going to www.nbc.com/Footer/Contact_Us. Go to the pulldown under "questions not found on the FAQ page." Use the pulldown to find "Friday Night Lights" and send your message.
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.
(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).
