Saturday, 24 May 2008
This Week in Elder News: 24 May 2008
In this regular weekend feature you will find links to news items from the preceding week related to elders and aging, along with whatever else catches my fancy that I think you might like to know. Suggestions are welcome with, however, no promises of publication.
In February, I published a TGB Interview with Australian novelist Peter Carey, an old friend and New York neighbor of mine who has been honored in the past with two prestigious Booker Prizes. Now, to celebrate their 40th anniversary, the Man Booker Prize is allowing the public to vote in a one-off special “Best of the Booker” prize and Peter is one of six previous winners nominated for his brilliant, Oscar and Lucinda. You would be doing me a personal favor if you would vote for Peter here.
It is established fact that the media has been giving Senator John McCain a pass in asking the hard questions. Brave New films is taking up the slack for us with their YouTube videos. In less than a week, this one has been viewed by more than 1.1 million people which, as alternet.org points out, is way beyond the audience numbers of the cable news networks. (3:14 minutes)
While we are discussing Senator McCain, a new Pew survey shows that more old people think he is too old to be president than young people. Check out the numbers.
A sinking economy and corporate layoffs are hitting older workers harder than young ones. It is particularly difficult for those in their 50s who haven’t accumulated enough savings to retire, but can’t get hired after being downsized. One excuse is that older workers cost too much compared to 20-somethings. But even slashing salary requirements can’t get 50-somethings hired. Read more here.
In Melbourne, Australia, a week or so ago, pensioners took to the streets for a shirtless protest against the stinginess of government pensions. "…it's about standing up for your rights," [said one protester]. "Who can survive on $270 a week?" (Hat tip to Peter Tibbles)
I had intended to direct you to a news story in the West Central Tribune of Willmar, Minnesota, about the benefits to elders of Nintendo Wii. But the story is now behind a firewall that requires either a long registration page or payment of $2.95 for the one article. So too bad for them. And anyway, it is probable that Erickson Retirement Communities were the first to recognize the benefits.
I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve agreed with Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan. This is one of them: her comparison of Senator Hillary Clinton with three former and formidable women heads of government.
UPDATE: Although I stand by my thoughts on this Noonan/Clinton column, it became moot within an hour or two of my finishing the weekend elder news update yesterday for publication this morning due to Senator Clinton's unfortunate Robert Kennedy reference in South Dakota. Given the instant and near-universal revulsion to her comment, Senator Clinton's candidacy is undoubtedly over. But she lost my potential vote in March when, on 60 Minutes, she said that Senator Obama is not a Muslim, "as far as I know", [emphasis added] - as unredeemable a political statement as I've ever heard.
My brother once sent along a video of him singing Happy Birthday to me while he accompanied himself on the ukulele. That’s excuse enough for me to end today’s news features with blues guitarist, James Clem, playing a lovely version of Sunny Side of the Street on ukulele. (3:02 minutes) (Hat tip to lilalia of Yum Yum Café)
Quote of the Week:
"The propagandist's purpose is to make one set of people forget that certain other sets of people are human."
- - Aldous Huxley
Posted by Ronni Bennett at 05:42 AM | Permalink | Email this post
Comments
Oh, my...oh, my...someone said out loud...something that should be a consideration in any political party.
Most responsible businesses and non-profit organizations have a contingency plan in place, including a succession plan, to keep the organization functioning regardless of miss-fortunes that may befall. How different should be the planning of a political party?
What will the Republican party do should (I'm not wishing for it, I assure you) Mr McCain have a heart attack or stroke or assassination attempt prior to his choosing a running mate or prior to the November election. What will they do?
Similarly, what will the Democratic party do should a Lee Harvey Oswald appear on the scene (or a heart attack or stroke)? I certainly wish no ill to Sen Obama; but, I don't fault his "understudy".
Sen Clinton's statement is an unfortunate case of speaking truth when people would rather ignore the uncertainties in life. This is one more case of words being blown out of all proportion, in my judgment. Certainly, this is not much different from Sen Obama's “cling to guns or religion” statement--which was also blown out of all proportion.
Posted by: Cop Car on May 24, 2008 9:01:28 AM
"old people think he's too old..." Well, I sometimes think that old people are often prejudiced agaist old people. On the other hand, they want to be treated "just like folks" themselves.
Posted by: notdotdot on May 24, 2008 9:43:19 AM
Anyone who has lived through being 76 (the age McCain will be at the end of his term if elected) knows that energy flags and memory begins to play tricks. I think this is why more elders think McCain is too old. It is why I originally thought he was too old until it was pointed out to me that many great leaders of the past were his age. I revised my opinion, but I still think Reagan was showing the beginning of dementia during his last term in office and his afternoon naps are legendary.
It has to take an extreme amount of energy to be President with the daily challenges that cross his desk in the Oval Office. (present occupant excepted; and we all know how that turned out).
Posted by: Darlene on May 24, 2008 10:52:23 AM
I think the problem is that Barry and Hill are both exhausted, and when you get into that situation, anything can happen. I once went through a job interview process in which I was constantly meeting and being grilled by a succession of very important people; the one who beat me out for the job turned out to be more qualified, but I didn't help my chances any when late on the second day, my mind was beginning to shut down and I said something incredibly stupid, the sort of thing you recognize immediately as a foolish mistake. While I contracted foot-in-mouth disease in just two days, they've been going at it for months. At this point, I would not be surprised at anything they might say.
As for Grampy McSame, if I were the GOP hierarchy I would be more concerned about his temper than his health: I can't see him going through the general campaign without having a full-scale meltdown, perhaps with f-bombs, in reaction to some question or comment, all of which will be captured on tape and replayed ad infinitum.
I have no objection to older people running for and holding high office, as long as they don't give me the impression they've left their best years behind them intellectually and judgmentally. That's the problem I have with McCain: although he's only two years older than I, he always gives me the feeling there's a generational gap between us. While it may be true that age is only a number, it's also true that the same number may vary considerably in size among individuals who share it.
Posted by: Deejay on May 24, 2008 11:19:18 AM
How very cool! I just voted for Peter Carey. Oscar and Lucinda is one of my fave novels--I read it in Australia, where I focused on Australian authors. I even liked the film version :) O & L gave me insight to what life in Sydney was like before I got there!
Posted by: Claudia on May 24, 2008 4:32:23 PM
Ronni, I would like to commend you for including the duration for every YouTube clip you post. Good on you for best practices in accessibility :) Just to say I appreciate the "behind-the-scenes" thoughtfulness you bring to TGB, in addition to dynamite content and management :)
Posted by: Claudia on May 24, 2008 4:41:30 PM
would i go shirtless for single-payer health insurance? those australian women are setting the bar very high for people like me--good for them. me? have to think about it.
Posted by: naomi dagen bloom on May 25, 2008 12:00:11 AM
Ronni:As I've often said, I don't watch much of anything about this "campaign." I don't believe much of anything reported in the press. So after watching the Youtube video,I rest my case. Dee
Posted by: Dee on May 25, 2008 2:36:57 PM
