New Seniors

What’s next for New Seniors?

Don Potter: Editor-in-Chief — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 02:25:34 +0000

We pre-boomers were sandwiched between the Greatest Generation and the Baby Boomers. Those of us born between 1930 and 1945 learned much from our parents who suffered through the Great Depression and sacrificed during WWII before realizing much of the American Dream following the war.

Pre-boomers also enjoyed the peace dividends. However, many of us believe we were the “Forgotten Generation” that made significant contributions to our country and the economy while teaching our younger brothers and sisters what life was all about.

The Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, were the darlings of the news media and the target of many advertising dollars for most of the second half of the past century. They were the hope for the future. But, they didn’t want to wait; to them the future was now. They have changed the face and the philosophy of America in more ways than we could have imagined — some good and many not so good. What this will mean to future generations remains a big question.

Loving the America in which I grew up and seeing the need for our generation, more than 30 million strong, to have a continued voice in those affairs that might be near and dear to us, I started a personal blog. Pre-boomerMusings.com was introduced in May of 2009, and I posted articles on it several times each week since then.

With the first of the 76 million Boomers turning 65 in 2011, it was easy to see that New Seniors were becoming a mighty force. So in January 2009, a few friends and I launched NewSeniors.com. This online magazine was dedicated to covering subjects of interest to those who were already 65 or about to reach this major milestone.

In the past year and a half the site has matured and features articles written exclusively by New Seniors for New Seniors. Videos, quotes and other matters of interest to those 65+ also added to the rich content of NewSeniors.com. We wrote extensively about issues such as health care and Social Security which have considerable impact on New Seniors.

We often talked about nostalgia, not to avoid the present but to enjoy the past. We believed part of our mission was to remind New Seniors about how good living in this country was for us and that we had a moral obligation to keep America great for our children and grandchildren. To this end, NewSeniors.com constantly reminded the hundreds of thousands of visitors to the site how important it is to get involved in shaping the future, particularly since we have the voting clout to make things happen.

Thank you for helping to make NewSeniors.com a popular place for those 65+ to visit. Our growth has been most gratifying. However, for now, we will be taking a hiatus from our regular posting schedule. You will be able to continue to access the vast library of archived articles and videos until we return. Again, thanks for your support; and we ask that you continue to help the trailing generations to achieve the American Dream.

Is nostalgia an escape to the past?

Don Potter: Editor-in-Chief — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 00:50:03 +0000

Enjoying thoughts of times gone by does focus on what was rather than what is. However, most people don’t live in the past, so an occasional trip back to the “good old days” is a pleasurable diversion. This mental process may also provide a valuable perspective on how to more effectively deal with the problems we all face today.

Now that summer is here most New Seniors will, no doubt, have some favorite recollections of their youth. From playing with friends and neighbors to get-a-way cabins by the lake or cottages by the ocean to going to camp or being involved in local activities the time was full but we always wanted to have more things to occupy our time. Over the years, the reality of youthful impetuousness and the desire to be constantly entertained has given way to an appreciation, maybe a yearning, for those easier softer times.

Younger people may look at nostalgia as an older person’s day dream. This may be because the young are not far enough away from life’s events for people, places and things to have a lasting impact or meaning on them. Another reason that the past is significant is when the product, service or circumstance no longer exists. And, the older you get the more things disappear and the more attractive those memories become.

In due time the Gen X, Y and whatever other generational groups come along will find their own moments of nostalgia. These may be the quiet days before the Internet was invented, remembering their first cell phone, what was “in” prior to body piercing and tattoos becoming popular, or how enjoyable life was before the great recession. Time will reveal what is worth remembering for today’s younger people when they become tomorrow’s older people.

New Seniors who were born in the ‘30s through the mid-‘40s are considered pre-boomers. While the depression is not stored in their memory banks, WWII is. They remember the war years and the ultimate victories. The coming on the scene of television, 45rpm records, the Korean Conflict, 3-D movies, moving to the suburbs, and the birth of rock and roll were all important events in the lives of pre-boomers.

Boomers did not start arriving until 1946, but they took what their older brothers and sisters had and expanded on it. They experienced Vietnam with its protests, civil rights and the women’s movements, plus a whole lot more. They are turning 65 at the rate of 4 million individuals per year and will continue to do so through 2030 until all 76 million of them have attained New Senior status.

What will be nostalgic in the minds of boomers as they continue the aging process? Will it be the historic events such as those mentioned above, those that are frivolous in nature like or strictly personal situations that can be conjured up anytime they want to take a break from the stress and strain of modern life? Whatever the reason remembering the good times can’t be a bad thing.

Explore the vast NewSeniors.com library!

-NewSeniors Editorial — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 00:46:26 +0000

Discover hundreds of articles and videos to enjoy and share. Move your cursor to the right. Pick from the categories in the Journal or the Neighborhood, and click for hours of great reading and viewing with New Seniors in mind.

The greatest evil of all

-NewSeniors Editorial — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 01:22:02 +0000

No, it is not terrorists, countries possessing nuclear weapons or the street thug lurking in the shadows to take your money or possibly your life. The evil is the growing numbers of generally good people – the person next door a family member or a life-long friend – who have lost faith in the American Dream and the desire to be free and achieve.

With more than 14 million workers unemployed and millions of others under-employed or lacking skills to get ahead the future looks rather grim. And with manufacturing jobs going overseas, most of them unlikely to return, our once big consuming society is about to turn into a nation of individuals who are just-getting-by.

Government spending has done little to improve the situation. To the contrary, the United States is deeper in debt than at anytime in the 235 years since our founding. Our elected representatives can’t or refuse to find common ground on spending issues. And, the unfunded liabilities at the federal, state and local levels are about to leave these government entities and individual voters broke.

Americans have always rallied to overcome adversity. The question is will we be able to do it again? This nation does best when we unite and work together to accomplish the seemingly impossible. We did this through wars, financial crisis, physical disasters and more. Yet many wonder if we have strayed so far from the founding principles that selfish interests will take precedence over consideration for the greater good.

The 76 million Baby Boomers were told they were special and acted that way. Referred to as the “me generation,” they changed the national landscape over the past 50 years. It was the baby boomers who fought against the war in Vietnam while fighting for civil and women’s rights. They continued to make an impact throughout all these years.

Boomers, for better and worst, helped make America what it is today. Now, they are becoming New Seniors as the oldest of them turn 65 this year. And, they will continue to do so at the rate of 4 million per year through 2030. However, it must be remembered, this generation has not been known for making sacrifices.

The folks who are part of Gen X, and Y along with those coming after them are scrambling to provide for their families, as are the younger Boomers. So, the New Seniors must act like the adults. We have the experience and desire to make America the land of opportunity for our children, our grandchildren and their children as it was for us.

There’s a lot on our collective plates. Besides stopping the spending spree, we must address the short and long-term future for both Social Security and Medicare. At the same time, faith in America has got to be restored. We have seen this happen before, yet many of those who have not experience great national problems are turning pessimistic and believe that America is on a path of decline. This defeatist attitude is truly the greatest evil of all. New Seniors can play an important role in overcoming such thinking.

Kentucky River Shanty Boat

Your Neighbors — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 01:00:39 +0000

Take a ride on a shanty boat with a couple of self proclaimed morons. This trip down the Kentucky River is one you will never forget. 

Don’t send a man to the grocery store!

Your Neighbors — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 00:00:42 +0000

Jeanne Robertson knows how to tell a good story – and this one is sure to make you laugh! Born in 1945, and crowned Miss North Carolina at age 16, the 6’2” humorist and professional speaker says her reign as a beauty queen was the catalyst for her career.

If cats could talk – very funny video

Your Neighbors — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 23:00:31 +0000

Imagine what you would hear if you could hear cats talking…

Nobody made sacrifices like the Greatest Generation

Don Potter: Editor-in-Chief — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:55:57 +0000

Over the most recent Memorial Day weekend, several movie networks paid tribute to those who served in the armed forces during WWII. Watching these films made me realize how much they sacrificed in order for us to remain free. Maybe we can take a page from their book and apply it to overcoming the continuing financial crisis facing the country.

These men and women, many not even out of high school and having just gone through a decade-long depression, put the safety of their family, friends and community ahead of themselves. They came from rich and poor families, educated and nearly illiterate ones, some were famers others city dwellers. The make up was as diverse as America itself.

Everyone was part of the war effort. Besides those fighting the war, defense work was a priority at home. Rationing of food, gas and luxuries was commonplace. Even the children were involved with paper and scrape metal drives plus selling War Bonds in conjunction with the schools. Virtually all families had someone in the armed services and every community suffered when one of theirs was lost in the war.

World War II was fought by every American in some way. That’s why New Seniors and those older remember it so vividly to this day, nearly 70 years later. Sadly, the people who lead us to victory are leaving us at an increasing rate. The Greatest Generation is big in its accomplishments, but their ranks are becoming smaller. We already miss their wisdom, and the courage they displayed is remembered in stories rather than in news reports as it once was.

Before it’s too late, we should talk to these true American heroes and find out why they did the unselfish things they did without asking for praise or reward. This is something New Seniors are well equipped to do. In fact, it is our responsibility to honor these patriots and get the word out to the rest of the population, starting with the aging Baby Boomer who benefited so much from what these folks did. Tell them to get over Viet Nam, when the only thing many of them did was to complain rather than serve. If they can’t do that, the future of America looks bleak, indeed.

Then, pass the word on to the Gen X and Y groups who never had to sacrifice anything until recently when jobs became scarce, cars and homes were reposed and their credit cards got maxed out. This are the generations that have not paid their dues but seem unwilling to pay more for services they intend to use in the future. They don’t realize that unless we all help finance Social Security and Health Care there won’t be any programs to aid them.

And, last but not least, what about the politicians? They are not being asked to sacrifice their personal money. We just want them to have the courage to make the right decisions, without regard to party lines. Government programs must be fixed so people can start earning money in order to pay for the changes that will ensure funds are ready when needed and the United States can collectively have the courage and wherewithal to remain the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Is “kindergarten-ready” another term for indoctrinating our grandchildren?

a NewSeniors contributor — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 04:37:17 +0000

The current administration recently announced federal funding to the tune of $500 million for innovative early learning programs for children under the age of 5. Advocates claim this will get children, particularly the poor, prepared for kindergarten and result in them having better opportunities to learn. Opponents believe this is not the government’s job and that the costs will escalate well beyond initial projections.

Jennifer Garner, actress turned advocate for Save the Children, thanked the administration for the funding but warned, “this is not enough.” She went on to tell reporters, “I have a child entering kindergarten and believe it or not, a huge part of why you are successful and bright and cheerful, clean, pretty looking people is because you were able to sit in a circle when you got to kindergarten – that is kindergarten readiness.”

So let’s get this straight, Ms. Garner and others like her believe that being able to be still and sit in a circle is kindergarten readiness? Try selling this concept to the parents of any healthy, active 5 year old boy or even some girls. Could the objective of the program be to produce a bunch of cookie-cutter kids that behave the way they are told and, therefore, can be trained in a way that will allow the government to teach young absorbent minds what it wants them to learn?

Isn’t it the parents responsibility to provide the early instruction, basic training if you will, for the children? They teach the toddlers by example, reading to them and exposing them to society. Family values are a big part of a child’s development. Should parents leave this up to the state? What about the notion of religious teaching? No school receiving federal funding will be permitted carry out the wishes of all parents, so whatever the children are taught will necessarily be religion-free.

By taking the child out of the home environment the parent forfeits the early nurturing contact with the youngster and deprives the children this basic need. Operating under government regulations will mean all children must receive the same degree of care and attention in order to provide equal treatment.

Some may argue that many families are comprised of working couples or single parents, which justifies the need for toddler schools. This is outweighed by the potential loss of parental control and authority government run facilities the will occur. If you doubt this, look at today’s public elementary schools compared to when we were young. Bible reading and prayer are out, but revisionist history and gender diversity education are in.

This new program is designed to establish the government as the super-parent, the all-knowing and all-providing entity that will take care of everyone’s needs from the cradle on, and do it fairly as opposed to the way a living, loving parent does. Is this what America is becoming? If you like this, go with it. If you question this approach to raising our kids, contact your elected representative and let them know that you believe parents must have responsibility over their children.

Triple play from SHINDIG! Yeah baby!

Your Neighbors — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 02:39:20 +0000

The year was 1965 and the British Invasion was in full swing. Shindig! was the hot TV show for teens, and a new kind of cool was being born. This clip features Herman’s Hermits performing “I’m Into Something Good,” Manfred Mann performing “Doo Wah Diddy,” and Gerry & The Pacemakers performing “Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying.” Yeah baby!