Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"
Writing Her Own Sequel
Joyce Wadler
The New York Times
March 1, 2007
Overview: Wadler writes about Sarah Davidson, age 65, who was forced out of her job at age 50, struggled to find a new job and decided to move away in search of a meaningful life. She reports, “Davidson, who made her name with the 1977 novel Loose Change, about three women of the '60s coming of age, has now written Leap! What Will We Do With the Rest of Our Lives? It focuses on a time in life that Ms. Davidson has christened the Narrows, when the old professional and personal identities have been stripped away and one is left in the dark. Ms. Davidson, a former writer and producer of ''Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,'' chronicles not only her own struggles, but also those of other successful boomers who have found themselves sidelined.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/01/garden/01davidson.html?_r=1&ref=garden&oref=slogin
Senators search for ways to keep boomers on the job; Flexible schedules and other changes may be needed to head off a national labor shortage
Jonathan Peterson
Los Angeles Times
March 1, 2007
Overview: In this article, Peterson explains how many employers are adopting work programs that cater to older employees. Working later in life is extremely important right now, due to the impact boomers will have on the nation's economy once they begin to retire. "A wave of retiring workers will weigh down economic growth in the coming years unless Americans save more and employers take steps to hang on to more of their older employees, experts said.”
Women's changing image
Jenice Armstrong
The Philadelphia Daily News
March 1, 2007
Overview: Armstrong reflects on advertising and marketing campaigns as well as Americans’ attitudes on aging and beauty. Specifically she writes, “As baby boomers are maturing, America also is coming to grips with the notion of mature beauty. Age aside, British actress Helen Mirren was one of the most applauded women to make her way across the red carpet on Sunday night. I'll bet that you know plenty of examples of other women over the age of 40 who haven't turned in their sexy cards.” The article goes on to say, “on one hand, America is broadening its definitions of female attractiveness as it allows its favorite on-air personalities - Katie Couric and Diane Sawyer among others, yet at other times when confronted with modern-day images of what, say, 50 looks like - they're taken aback.”
http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/living/16807439.htm
Calling it quits: women act early but men take ages
Bernard Salt
The Australian
March 1, 2007
Overview: This piece concentrates on Australian baby boomers and their marriage trends, while comparing them to the previous generation. Salt writes, “the depression generation was prepared to slog it out in marriage until parted by death, the boomer generation is more likely to go solo into old age than to suffer the pain of an unhappy relationship.”
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21303399-25658,00.html
Poll: Boomers rate for fun, music
Thomas Hargrove and Guido H. Stempel III
Knoxville News Sentinel
February 27, 2007
Overview: This article shares key findings from a national survey of 1,008 adults conducted by Scripps Howard News service and Ohio University that “Americans agree that the baby boom - the folks who flamboyantly celebrated sex, drugs and rock-n-roll - is the nation's fun generation… But baby boomers are credited for enjoying life and for producing the best music of any recent generation.” Additionally the survey results show that “Baby boomers, more than other generations, are most likely to say old age doesn't begin until 70 or even 80. Three-quarters of boomers say old age happens sometime after age 69.”
http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/national/article/0,1406,KNS_350_5384358,00.html