September 11, 2008

On September 11, 2001, my daughter was 18 months old. I lived 35 miles from my place of work, which in Los Angeles translated to a 1 - 1 1/2 hour commute each way, each day. I had to pass Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) each day on the way to and from the office and I was sandwiched between LAX and the Port of Los Angeles.

I remember being transfixed watching the news, watching the towers fall and then, actually leaving...for work. Against my best instincts that told me to stay home with my child. At the office, I was filled with angst, worried that something would happen in LA in concert with the terror-filled day in New York. I remember leaving the office mid-day along with many other parents, and returning home on eerily empty highways, as many other Los Angelenos had elected to stay home that day, following their instinct and watching the ongoing telecasts.

This morning, my daughter was adding the date to an overlooked piece of homework as she sat in the back of my car on the way to school. I heard her talking to herself, trying to figure out the month and date to put down on the piece of paper. July, 7, August 8, September 9! 9...11...2008. She was too young to remember that day, but hearing her so innocently say 9...11... and it having no real meaning for her...brought tears to my eyes on the long, short drive to her school this morning.

My heart is with those who lost families and friends on September 11th. My heart is with New Yorkers who cannot go through this day without reliving their September 11th.

What is McCain doing? Why, oh why Sarah Palin?

As a 49 year old woman, who climbed the corporate ladder, bumped my head against the glass ceiling many times and ultimately found a happy and successful career managing an operation quite a bit larger than the city of Wasalia, I have a lot to say about McCain's choice of Sarah Palin and a bit about the Republican Party.

I won't say it all, because I can literally go on for hours, and, frankly, I find the whole thing pretty interesting and fun just in terms of entertainment value (see this Huffington Post article from earlier in the week). There are a couple of items I am compelled to point out, even though they have been talked about in other media circles. (Great article by Gloria Steinem that has engendered a big response, btw.)

1) Executive experience. 75% of small business owners have more experience running businesses than many, many of our country's politicians. Who wouldn't want someone with P&L, multi-million dollar budgeting and large staff management and maybe some international business activity to bring that experience to the table. Heck. I have that. 20 years of it. Oh...and I've travelled to many, many countries and experienced diverse cultures so far. I have had a passport since I was a little child. And I speak French, a smattering of Spanish, and horrible Italian. Guess I could run...I've got the portfolio for it. And I'm a woman.

2) Foreign and national policy. The US is the mightiest consumer force in the world (or at least will be until China overtakes us in the near future.) With that might comes a tremendous responsibility to know and understand the nuances of our national stand against foreign issues and to be able to handle the pressure of making decisions that will ultimately affect the entire world. Palin does NOT have that experience. And no common sense, maverick (??) spirit, or spunk can make up for that lack of experience. Joe Biden does. A lot of it. Enough to support Obama through the in's and out's of foreign decision-making.

3) Representative of women. Not of me. That is for sure. I do not support the NRA. I believe in a woman's right to control her decisions and her body. Women fought long and hard to take the steps forward that I see embodied in Hillary Clinton's policies and career choices. There is no question that Palin has followed a fantastic career path, but there are many, many fine women Republicans who would have made much better VP candidates in terms of what they would have brought to the table as a potential president. I would not have faith in Palin's decision-making abilities if she had to take over the Presidency. Up until now, I had believed that I would use my voting right to support a female candidate regardless of party affiliation, because it would further women's advancement through the old boy's network. I could not vote for her because what she believes in overall is counter to my general belief system and that does not promote what I believe are women's rights. That fills me with sadness over a lost opportunity.

4) Representative mix: Did you watch the Republican Convention? Did you see any people of color? I counted. I saw 2 black men and 1 black male security guard, 1 black woman, and one latino male. That's it. It was a very white convention and if I were a black or latino Republican I'd have been a bit worried and a lot insulted.

5) What are the real reasons for choosing Sarah Palin? That is really what everyone is talking about. I'd also like to share another terrific article from Cryo Kid that takes an interesting look at exactly that question. I'll give you a hint. Russia. Alaska.

Charles Darwin Gets Cyber and Online

Some people wake up to the sound of an alarm clock. Others to music, ocean sounds or the dog licking their face. I wake up to National Public Radio. As I break my way into consciousness, my mind gets a bit more stretched with information and stories that I would otherwise never have learned about.

This morning, the first thing I heard was that on the first day Cambridge University launched their new site dedicated to Charles Darwin, they had over 7 MILLION hits, crashed their smokin' servers several times and had over 14,000 downloads of the pdf version of the Origin of Species. The documents (over 20,000 of them) had previously only been available in person at Cambridge. Documents range from handwritten recipes, to theory rewrites, to the pros and cons of marriage. Who wouldn't want a peek into the mind of the very real man whose observations of variety of birds sparked a revolution of insight into the science of evolution?

Say hello to Mona Lisa Consulting!

What do the Mona Lisa and I have in common? Well, for one thing, we were both conceived of before 1959. I'm sure, dear readers, that none of you find that quite as funny as I do. Oh well. At least I'm chuckling.

The other thing Mona Lisa and I have in common is that we are both part of the Mona Lisa Consulting team. Owner, Edith Bodnar and her partner, Veronica Vargas, set a goal of bringing some very strong talent together to tackle some of the bigger image, branding and marketing challenges facing medium to large size companies in a tighter and tighter global marketplace. And it gives me great pleasure to be on their roster as one of their consultants. You'll notice their link on the sidebar.

And if, like me, you love to look at that gorgeous image of the Mona Lisa, you'll appreciate the graphical approach this group has taken with a modernization of the interpretation of this great masterpiece.

"Bisphenol A" Officially Dangerous

In my own efforts to live a "greener" life, one of the changes I made was to buy a high end Nalgene bottle (the high quality plastic bottles that are not supposed to leach toxins into the water) so that my daughter could use it instead of individual bottles of water that are so wasteful and harmful to the environment. My child has been drinking water from this bottle for over a year. We've saved about $300 on buying bottled water and stopped about 300 bottles from going into the trash or recycling bins at school.

On Tuesday, Canadian journalist, MARTIN MITTELSTAEDT of The Globe and Mail, released an article on a Canadian ban of Bisphenol A (or BPA -- "7" in the recycle arrow circle).

"...the designation as dangerous could pave the way for the hormonally active chemical to be listed as toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, which would allow Health Minister Tony Clement to issue specific measures to curb its use.

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is one of the most widely used synthetic chemicals in modern industry. It is the basic building block for polycarbonate, the see-through, shatter-proof plastic that resembles glass, and is also used to make the epoxy resins lining the insides of most tin cans, along with some dental sealants, sports helmets, and compact discs."

BPA has been looked at for quite some time, (NPR was reporting on this issue in August 2007) but assurances have always been that the small amount of BPA that gets into our bloodstream is harmless. That is no longer the determination.

On Tuesday, NPR again reported on this issue, as the US, (along with many other countries) has to figure out how to deal with this issue. According to MITTELSTAEDT, "U.S. tests have found that more than 90 per cent of the population carries in their bodies trace residues of the chemical, whose molecular shape allows it to mimic the female hormone estrogen. Small amounts of BPA can leach from food and beverage containers during use, such as when they are heated, exposed to harsh dishwashing chemicals, or contain acidic substances. Health Canada is testing Canadians' BPA levels, but the results will not be available for several years.

In response to concerns over the safety of BPA, many specialty retailers, including Mountain Equipment Co-op, have pulled polycarbonate plastic containers from their stores, and BPA-free bottles are been flying off shelves, creating shortages. Hudson's Bay Co. announced last month that it had “secured large quantities” BPA-free baby products, a sign of how quickly even the mass market has moved against the chemical.

Independent researchers in dozens of studies have linked trace BPA exposures in animal and test-tube experiments to conditions involving hormone imbalances, including breast and prostate cancer, early puberty and changes in brain structure, particularly for exposures during key points of fetal or early neonatal development. "

I'm more than concerned. I'm alarmed. My daughter and many of her friends show signs of early puberty. Hormonal imbalances are becoming more and more frequent in young women. Last night I wiped my house of as many items with BPA as I could find. That, unfortunately, will not wipe out the years of exposure that my daughter has already had to the substance. When I was a kid, before the advent of Tupperware, our milk came in glass bottles with cardboard caps. We kept food in glass dishes with a plate to cover it. There were no microwaves...we reheated on the stove top. TV dinners had just been developed and fully-prepared off the shelf meals were unheard of. We DID have to worry about lead in paint, asbestos in our walls, and a lot more second hand smoke than today.

As we move forward, we'll have to move backwards in order to preserve the health of our children.

If We Live to 150, then 80 is the new 50...?!

Last night I watched the Barbara Walters Special on ABC -- Live to 150. A few years ago, I'm sure I watched another show that talked about living to 125 so the advances in longevity research in just a few short years have had a quick impact on projections of lifespan. According to the program, the last year alone has brought incredible new information to the table and that follows the past 30 years of an increased pace of discovery through the marvels of scienctific research.

I've included a couple of links for readers who missed the show and would like a bit more info, but here were the talking points that completely jazzed me.

1) Aging is being looked at as a disease, with diabetes and alzheimers being the greatest enemies of aging. So rather than looking to prolong life with miracle remedies, scientists are looking at how to isolate and treat the aging genes, which in turn, will promote a longer, healthier life span.
2) There is a chemical in red wine that does, in fact, help prolong life. Don't start drinking the red stuff, though...you'd need to drink 1000 bottles a day to get enough resveratrol to prolong life. However, studies on lab rats are really promising. Even the obese rat lived 30% longer, with greater energy, than the healthy rat with no drug intervention.
3) Body parts are already being grown through stem cell cloning-- including hearts and other vital organs.
4) My child may find she lives a healthy several hundred years.
5) Extreme caloric reduction does help resist aging. I, however, would not enjoy life with extreme caloric reduction, so I'll have to hope for the red wine intervention.
6) 80 will become the new 50.

That is where I had to pause and take a big breath. If we live that much longer, that means that we will have to find a way to financially support ourselves throughout a longer life span. The ageism that we are now experiencing in job search, will advance about...30 years...and at 50 we'll only be at early-mid career. At 80 corporations will start weeding us out. If you stayed in one job for your lifetime, you could technically be with one employer for 60 years (oh lordy!), which would never fly...basic cost of living salary increases alone would have you earning far more than any job was worth by the time you'd be...I don't know...75ish?

Small business ownership would thrive, with the median owner age being...what...90? As a mom, I'd be able to give my child unsolicited advice for...130 odd years. Oh my.

The implications of just ONE of any of the many advances affecting our general population would mean a redefinition of career and jobs, employment environment, health care, marriage (yikes..being married to the same fella for 120 years? Doubtful.), child rearing, family living, world population, financial impact (would only the rich, rich be able to live a long life? What about a 120 year old blue collar worker? How would he/she make ends meet?), financial planning, pharmaceutical strategies, housing...even death planning. That is just touching the tip of the iceberg.

Divorce rates, for example, have increased over the decades, not (in my opinion) due to more lax divorce laws. No...I believe it is because people are living longer. If women don't die in childbirth in their 40's, or men in their 50's, then married folks have to live together for that many more years. What will happen when a couple marries in their twenties? Perhaps renewable marriage contracts every decade? Perhaps NO marriage? Who would commit for 130 years to ONE person? Call me flighty, if you must...but not me, that's for sure!

And if I changed jobs every 5 or so years, forget the one-page resume. I'd need about 10 pages by the time I was 85!

The advances are fascinating and actuaries are already sharpening their pencils in glee.

http://www.bizjournals.com/eastbay/stories/2008/03/31/daily20.html

http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-ettell5632893apr01,0,5189932.story

The new Canadian spelling of Boomer....Zoomer!

Canadian media mastermind, Moses Znaimer (if you are Canadian, you'll definitely know who he is, and if you are not, then keep your ears open...because you will...) has recently taken over as executive director of CARP (the Canadian version of AARP) and is shaking things up...in a positive way. Just as he reinvented the face of Canadian radio and television, he is going to add his golden touch to CARP.

For starters, he'll be renaming the popular CARP magazine "Zoomer" and hopes that Zoomer will become part of the Canadian lexicon as he rebrands and freshens up the 50-plus focused organization. Full press release...and worth a read.

Siblings, Donors, DSR and Oprah!

I have so many items to cover this week, but they will have to wait another day. I'll be sharing a brilliant start up, Brighter Planet, and the web-conference I took part in (all about carbon offsets, carbon footprints and conservation.) And I'll introduce you to an innovative new way to help boomers and 50 plussers get a virtual foot in the door through video-resumes at CV-Vision.

But all that is temporarily pre-empted today because of an exciting bit of news that flew into my email this morning...

As announced earlier this week, my mom released her new book "Cryo Kid: Drawing a New Map." One of the resources in the book is Donor Sibling Registry (or DSR). Headed by the dynamic Wendy Kramer, DSR evolved out of a desire and a need for donor offspring to connect and a desire from the anonymous donors themselves to contact their offspring.

I found out about Wendy after I'd had my daughter (by DI, or donor insemination -- long story, better buy the book!) I'd used the California Cryobank in order to find a donor, however, I hadn't had success finding out if my daughter had any siblings...or for that matter if her biological father would want to know about her. Out of the blue, someone mailed me a copy of an article...about the Donor Sibling Registry. I jumped online, donated my $40 for a membership, and searched out my donor. Imagine my delight when his number connected me to four moms and eight other siblings. The rest of the story is outlined in the book, but I contacted Wendy Kramer minutes after connecting with the first mom and we've stayed in touch from time to time.

I let Wendy know about the release of Cryo Kid, and coincidentally, she let me know that she was going to be on OPRAH (Friday, February 8th) specifically to look at donor fathers and siblings. My DVR is set up and ready to go.

The world is changing due to technology. No matter what anyone wants or believes, it is changing as fast (faster) than the internet changed our method of communication. I'm proud to say that I'm a supporter of DSR, one of society's changers. I'm proud to be connected to Wendy Kramer through her registry. She's a dedicated and enthusiastic warrior, and I'm delighted that she is getting the additional recognition this week.

From one Boomer to Another: Shame on you, Ann Coulter.

I am a Jew. I'm proud of it. I find my spirituality in my faith, just as Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and other believers in different faiths do in theirs.

"If it was good enough for Jesus to be a Jew," says my 71-year-old mother, a practicing Jew, "it is good enough for me."

So, what has sparked my indignation on this fine California morning? Why am I so upset?

Because of Ann Coulter.

Ann, shame on you! Earlier this week, the outspoken Coulter, offended interviewer, Donny Deutsch, and pretty much his entire wide audience, by declaring that the world would be better off if we were all Christians. She took it a step further by stating that the Christian view is that Christians are perfected Jews.

All I can say, is "Oy vey."

How can Coulter, a staunch Republican, so blatantly forget that the United States of America built up its immigrant base with people escaping all kinds of intolerance (and for many, religious persecution.) Coulter is a tail-end Boomer, but not quite a 50-plusser, yet. Maybe in a few years she'll have matured just a tad.

On the plus side, in one fell swoop, she destroyed the Republican base in America. As a Democrat myself, I've got to say, "Good going, Ann. See you in my version of heaven."

To read the full, completely offensive transcript of the interchange between Deutsch and Coulter, follow the link.

California Sunshine No Longer Enough

At the end of May, the Public Policy Institute of California (www.ppic.org) sent out a release detailing recent findings on a potentially dramatic impact on the California economy. For the full release, click here. What is alarming to the state is that there are now less college educated workers moving INTO California and those who already live here are not graduating in sufficient numbers to keep up with work demand. An overall shortage of college educated workers in California means potentially higher wages for those who will choose to live and work here. Part of the challenge is the soaring increase in cost of living. Home purchases are not affordable, traffic is really horrific in the major metropolitan areas, gas prices are high. Sunshine just ain't cutting it anymore.

This is the start of a geographic shift in our own country (a few weeks ago I wrote about the massive Chinese migration happening across that great geography) and I also suspect, strong opportunities for the hoards of 50 plussers, who have the skill sets, are prepared to stay where their roots are, and are willing to work.

Keep your eyes on California. All trends start on the West Coast. If California need can help drive employment for the 50 plusser, then we will see that sweep across the country...from the West, through the Center of our country (which needs the most help right now) all the way to the Eastern shores.

Critical Mass

This morning I was listening to a story on National Public Radio about NPR correspondant, Rob Gifford's incredible voyage across China and his resulting book, China Road. Because I am deeply interested in China's progression into capitalism, my ears perked up listening to him talk about the more than 100 million Chinese leaving rural areas and traveling across China to the big cities to find jobs. What I found particularly interesting was Gifford's recognition of the "critical mass" movement literally afoot. How can a government control the physical (and societal) movement into the 21st century? Simply, it can't. What will be uniquely interesting is to see how this huge nation evolves. The movement is forward and momentum is picking up. At some point, there will be a point of confrontation and no return. That is critical mass.

At the same time, there is a word that has cropped up at least 50 or so times in over 10 conversations over the past two weeks.

"Re-tooling."

Re-tooling is the new term for reinventing, reframing, retraining, repositioning, retrofitting, re-entering, recertifying, re-educating...re-anything you'd like. It came up specifically (and for about the fifth time in the week) in a great conversation with a top notch recruitment manager who is looking for ways to connect 50 plussers with jobs. The conversation is for another post, but what was particularly fantastic was the use of the term "re-tooling" and what this concept means to 50 plus. Re-tooling is taking the skills that a 50 plusser has, but that are not applicable to open positions, and reshaping, retraining, and repositioning that applicant for success in a field they were possibly never trained in.

A couple of years ago, I brought up a Korn Ferry survey and my observation that there would come a time in the next five years, where employers would find themselves facing a serious lack of skilled workers without having established or created strong succession plans. We're seeing the start of that wave now.

Fields that are having real trouble filling positions are, in fact, in the industries I pointed out back then.

• engineering (look at the postings on Gen Plus for HNTB, just as one small example),


• education


• finance (if any of you have posted your resume on Monster or Careerbuilder, you'll know how quickly you are inundated with B2B offers of commission only employment),


• healthcare, healthcare, healthcare,


• transportation,


• science.

And that is just the beginning. So, after listening to the story behind China Road, I couldn't help but make my own connection: that in the next few years, the Gen Plus, 50 Plus, Boomer demographic will be marching their own road across the employment landscape. Our critical mass always has and will continue to re-tool the way business flourishes or flounders in the US and Canada.

Gen Plus -- Re-tooling 50 Plus?

Tower of Babel -- on a level playing field!

One of the features I LOVE on Google is the translation tool -- it opens up information from around the world! So, if you speak a language other than English, head over to http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en, simply type in our url, http://genplus.blogspot.com (or the url of any page you are interested in) in the "Translate a Web Page" box and you will have the text in your language of choice. (Works as a translation from another language to English, as well!)

Here is the above copy translated into Spanish:

Una de las mejores características que Google tiene que ofrecer es su herramienta de traducción. Si hablas una lengua con excepción de inglés, la cabeza encima a http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en, mecanografía simplemente adentro nuestro URL, http://genplus.blogspot.com en “traduce la caja de un Web page” y tendrás el texto en tu lengua de la opción.

And into Chinese:

一個最好的特點谷歌必須提供給他們的翻譯工具. 如果你講英語以外的語言 ,頭部交給 http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en ,簡單型的url , http://genplus.blogspot.com在"翻譯網頁 "信箱,你將有文在你所選擇的語言 .

How about a bit of French?

Un des meilleurs dispositifs que Google doit offrir est leur outil de traduction. Si vous parlez une langue autre que l'anglais, le chef plus d'à http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en, saisissent simplement notre URL, http://genplus.blogspot.com dans la boîte « traduisent page Web » et vous aurez le texte dans votre langue de choix.

Italian?

Una delle caratteristiche che migliori Google debba offrire è il loro mezzo di traduzione. Se parlate una lingua tranne l'inglese, la testa sopra a http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en, scrive semplicemente dentro il nostro URL a macchina, http://genplus.blogspot.com “traduce nella scatola di Web page„ ed avrete il testo nella vostra lingua della scelta.

Or Russian...

Одна из лучших особенностей Google может предложить их инструмент перевода. Если вы говорите на другом языке, чем английский, на голову над http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en, просто введите в нашем сайте, http://genplus.blogspot.com в "Перевести страницу" в ящике, и вам придется текст на русском языке по их выбору.

Here is how you say Gen Plus, Boomer, and 50 Plus in all those languages -- see if you can figure out which language each one is in (although, like the language of love, they appear to be fairly universal terms! Isn't that nice to know!):

GEN más, Boomer, y 50 más
GEN plus, Boomer, et 50 positifs
GEN plus, Boomer und 50 Plus
根加, boomer , 50 plus
Рашид Plus, Бумер, и 50 Plus

Now go have some fun traveling the world over the weekend and let me know what you find!

Introducing The Z-List to Gen Plussers!

Very off-topic tonight, but I think many of you will find this interesting. In the blog world, there is a concept, called a "meme", which is a viral marketing concept. Each meme is based on a theme. For example, there might be a meme on your top ten favorite cities of all time. The meme concept gets circulated to other bloggers and before you know it, you are aware of the top ten favorite cities of one hundred other bloggers. I have recently discovered a meme list, called the Z-list on Dosh Dosh, a great site for bloggers. Dosh Dosh credits Mack Collier from A Viral Garden with starting ‘The Z List‘ (the original list) in December 2006.

This is a list of "NOT A-list" bloggers, but rather a tongue-in-cheek reference to the wealth of fantastic, fascinating blogs that scoot around conventional popularity contests by producing great quality on the web. There are a lot of really interesting blogs here, although I've not had time to visit all of them, so I'm unable to personally endorse any particular blog that I'm not familiar with. However, I am familiar with quite a few of them. Many of these bloggers offer excellent, generous help about blogging, branding, and business in general.

These blogs are predemoninantly about blogging, business and marketing, but there are also quite a few that just offer great insight and info on specific subjects. If you are excited about hearing what other bloggers from around the world have to say, you might want to take a little trip through some of the links below. So, if you see a blog title that appeals to you, just head on over! I was very excited to see The Boomer Chronicles on the list as they are one of the very popular blogs on our Blogging Boomers Carnival. It is against protocol to put one's own blog as an addition to the Z-list. If you wish to add the list to your own blog, cut and paste the "source" code from the links below into your blog post and feel free to add my blog to your post. For more detailed instructions, head over to Dosh Dosh.

Make Money Online With Dosh Dosh

A Viral Garden

Connected Internet

Blog-Op

Can I Make Big Money Online

Blogtrepreneur

Blogging to Fame

Million Dollar Experiment heads Down Under

Kumiko’s Cash Quest

Calico Monkey

Internet Bazaar

Shotgun Marketing Blog

BrandSizzle

bizsolutionsplus

Customers Rock!

Being Peter Kim

Pow! Right Between The Eyes!

Billions With Zero Knowledge

Working at Home on the Internet

MapleLeaf 2.0

Two Hat Marketing

darrenbarefoot.com

The Emerging Brand

One Reader at a Time
One blogger’s experiment in building and engaging with online communities.

Ruminate this site
Reviews blogs and sites so that we don’t have to.

SMogger Social Media Blog
The ethical use of social media for bloggers and other web users.

SuccessCREEations
Blog Consultant bringing the twin passions of business and blogging together.

Successful Blog
The legendary Liz Strauss, blogger extraordinaire and creator of the SOB award.

Troy Worman's Blog
Focus on writing, ideas and connections

Copywriter's Crucible
The importance of copy in corporate blogging

Copywriting Tuneups
How to measure reading effectiveness and why it is important in the blogosphere

Dipping into the Blogpond
Blogging about starting an Internet company in the Sutherland Shire.

BrandSizzle
Broad and deep insight into the branding process.

Own Your Brand!
Blog to help businesses re-imagine their brands.

The Emerging Brand
Corporate branding blog focused on leadership.

The Engaging Brand
Using technology and marketing knowledge to improve business communications.

What is Brand?
Japanese readers/speakers? Anyone?

Presentation Zen
(Site in English) Tips for great presentations, marketing, and business communications.

Dummies Guide to Google Blogger Beta
Complete help on the new blogger. Blogger Hacks, Blogger templates. Adsense. Search engine Optimization.

Bob Sutton
Discussions of “jerks” in business.

Perspective
Health, wealth and the freedom to choose. Archived blog. New one is jugaad (http://www.nitibhan.com/jugaad).

Ramblings from a Glass Half Full
Views on business life.

Simplicity Mary’s Blog
Business development, marketing troubleshooting

Funny Business
Wide ranging discussion on business with a funny and pictorial approach.

Creative Think
Fun Ideas to stimulate your creativity.

The Copywriting Maven
Marketing and SEO copywriting tips.

Brain Based Biz
Tips for stirring creativity in business.

Experienceology
How to create great customer experiences on the web and in the “real” world.

Creating Passionate Users

raving lunacy

Anne 2.0

Emily Chang - eHub

Darren Barefoot - Vancouver Technologist, Writer, Raconteur, Miscellanist

Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas ...

ALLIED by Jeneane Sessum

Presentation Zen

good to know

Logic+Emotion

gillianic tendencies

Steve's 2 Cents

Listics - Frank Paynter's Voice and Vision

Escape from Cubicle Nation

Blog Sisters: Where men can link, but they can't touch

Designers who Blog

E-Commerce Blog by Solid Cactus

Brand Autopsy

Unconventional Thinking

The Boomer Chronicles

Renovate Your Life with Craig

I Dream of Kimchee

The Moronosphere

SYLVIA HUBBARD'S STORIES

Paula Mooney

Inspiration Lane

me,myself & me

A Gota de Ran Tan Plan

How Can I do That

Bonnie Writes

Flee the CubeStarting up a small business in web design.

Community Guy
Online and offline community building tips and tricks.

A Free and Decent Blog Host
Technology news focusing on blogs and blog software

Billions With Zero Knowledge
Changing the world with little bits of knowledge

Connected Internet
All things to do with technology, mobile phones and gaming.

darrenbarefoot.com
Tech news, writing and marketing

Deepak
Focuses on the technology of the Internet and loves Google.

MapleLeaf 2.0
Tech news stories relating to Canada

Scott Burkett's Pothole on the Infobahn
Musings on technology, IT management, and online community.

Small Surfaces
Interaction design, user interface design, user experience, usability and social trends related to mobile devices.

TechBuzz
Tech new and reviews written by 17 year old in India. Awesome.

Masey.com
Design and photography blog.

Through the Lenses
Travel/photography blog includes stunning shots and photography tips.

Travel And Vacation On Blog
Lightweight travel guide/destination information on selected cities. Needs more.

The Best Guides to eCommerce with Favor
Viral marketing tools, memes and SEO tips.

Web Metrics Guru
Web analytics, in particular for blogs

The Future of the Web
Use of new technologies for the web.

Social Media on the fly

Did you know that May is Better Speech and Hearing Month? Can you repeat that?

Back in 1994 (oh, so long ago) I suffered from an acute bout of viral labrynthisis, basically a virus of the ear canal. I was bedbound for about 2 weeks, dizzy for months, and suffered some permanent hearing loss in my left ear after about a year's recovery. To this day, when the weather gets heavy, I find myself getting dizzy, I have to walk on the left side of someone if I'm going for a long walk, and I often can't tell where sounds are coming from.

So, imagine my excitement (and, I must admit trepidation) when I was contacted by Sherri Weiss on behalf for Phonak, a leading hearing aid manufacturer regarding their activities throughout "Better Speech and Hearing Month". They have a quick test on their Web site to help determine if you have a hearing loss and helps refer folks to hearing professionals in their local areas (http://www.hear-the-world.com/hoeren_und_hoerverlust/hoerverlust_erkennen.htm). I took it and discovered (though not to my surprise) that I should really go get my hearing checked again.

So, in celebration of Better Speech and Hearing Month (May), why not get YOUR hearing tested?

It's no surprise that 50 plussers lead active (and noisy) lifestyles. I certainly remember blasting my eardrums out at the unending stream of concerts and nightclubs in the 70's and 80's.

According to Weiss, it should also be no surprise that Baby Boomers suffer from a significantly higher degree of hearing loss than their parents.

She also passed along the following stats: From 1971 to 1990, hearing problems among those between the ages 45 and 64 jumped 26 percent, according to a National Health Interview Survey. There was also a 17 percent increase in the 18 to 44 age group. In California, where researchers surveyed 5,000 people, the rate of impairment jumped 150 percent between 1965 and 1994 among those in their 50s.

And how does that affect you in your job? Weiss mentions a study from the National Academy on an Aging Society (1999) found that labor force participation rates are lower for people with hearing loss than for others. Some 67% of the working age population with hearing loss is employed, compared to 75 percent of the working age population without such a loss. In addition, close to 13% of workers age 51 to 61 with hearing loss report that hearing loss limits the type or amount of paid work they can do.

Phonak also sponsors a worldwide hearing initiative, Hear the World (http://www.hear-the-world.com/ueber_hear_the_world.htm) to educate the public about the importance of hearing, the social and emotional implications of hearing loss, and the available solutions for those with hearing impairment. Program ambassadors include: Plácido Domingo, The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Bryan Adams and Joss Stone.

Phonak US headquarters are in Warrenville, IL and Phonak will get back to me regarding how they promote 50 plus employment opportunities in their own company.

The most recent HEAR THE WORLD event occured in New York on May 1st, with two mobile audiology units (with audiologists on site to perform hearing tests) stationed in Manhattan.

A black, black week for Blacksburg, VA

Like so many others, I am so deeply saddened and disturbed by the tragic shootings that took place this week at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and survivors of this massacre. To pay your respects, or to read more about this tragedy, please visit the official Virginia Tech website:
http://www.vt.edu/

Strategic Planning with a 50-Plus Edge

I'm very pleased to announce the release of the first Gen Plus e-workbook, "Keep Dreaming: Creating a Strategic Plan for the Rest of Your Life". Over a year in the making and with thanks to some terrific beta testers, this introductory edition is now available through the Gen Plus shop.

What is "Keep Dreaming..."? This e-workbook is a course that brings together the concepts behind strategic business planning to your life plan! Using proven business and marketing strategies in this electronic workbook, you will be able to develop a Strategic Plan for moving into the next phase of your life.

I've always believed that one can manifest one's own destiny. Every time I have set my sights on a goal and created a strong vision and a plan to get there...guess what? I've been able to do just that. So I'm urging you to leave your fear behind you! I've taken the best of what I've learned in my over 15 years as a corporate executive, managing hundreds of people, creating mult-million dollar budgets, creating and executing strategic and marketing plans for significant operations in both the US and Canada, and re-shaped it, in a very user-friendly way, to help you achieve your personal strategies, targets and goals.

The course incorporates easy-to-understand worksheets and forms, that will help you identify objectives, hit your goals and measure results. At the end of this course, you will have a written plan and a developed approach to achieving success for your future.

And because of the many, many questions I've gotten from my readers over the years about using computer skills, I've created this course so that no computer skills are necessary - other than you being able to click through to order the e-workbook, and then to download and print out the 50 plus pages. I am dedicated to your success, and I am offering this limited introductory edition for $14.95 (retail price is $29.99). Why? Because I really want you to take control of your destiny and the only way to do that is to create it. It doesn't matter what type of person you are, what resources you have, or where you live. All that matters is that you have a dream and you just aren't sure how to get there. Do you remember the movie "Field of Dreams"? "Build it and they will come." That was the promise. Let me help you build it.

The book is not yet available in print, however, if you would like to be on a wait list for the printed publication (it will retail at around $99.95) rather than the e-workbook, please email me at wspiegel@genplususa.com and I'll make sure to let you know when it is available.

Vintage 90's...or dot.com to sub-prime

Staying abreast of the news that past couple of days, watching as more and more of the "sub-prime" lenders see their empires slipping away, I've been having a niggling feeling that I've seen all this before.

This morning, waking up at the crack'o'dawn with my daughter coughing and feverish and my dog's wet nose plastered against my cheek, I had the feeling that I'd been waking up like this for some time. And then, (of course, because what ELSE would one think about before the sun rises) I had a 90's flashback -- of the dot.com crash, where everyone realized that the emperor wasn't wearing any clothes -- followed by the deja vu of seeing the sub-prime market come crashing down. I always thought the no-interest, sub-prime market was ridiculous because it was lulling people with insufficient financial savvy into a false sense of ownership, thinking that their financial picture would change before mortgage rates rose. Kind of similar to stock prices climbing over the concepts of web-based companies, with venture capitalists looking for the next manna from heaven.

We'll see thousands of employees flooding the marketplace after losing their sub-prime jobs and thousands of bankruptcies and foreclosures. The job market will stagnate slightly as the marketplace rebalances again. Sound familiar? But whereas there were no assets to pick up on after the dot-com crash, there is real property that was stacked up again the sub-prime mortgages. People will be picking up property from the misfortune of others and the real estate market is projected to readjust and then restabilize. I sense that 50 plussers, with some financial savvy and a bit of savings may end up the big winners as this game unfolds over the next few years.

BBC Brings Language to the Web. Hello. Bonjour. Hola. Hallo. Ciao. 你好 こんにちは

In the ultimately coolest move that the internet has to offer the traveller, the BBC brings Language Learning to a whole new level. For all you 50 plussers who are chomping at the bit to explore more of the world, check out their site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/ and test your skills in Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese and Portuguese...just to start.

Thinking of travelling to foreign climes...Spain, perhaps? Take the Fast Track route, where you take on a secret agent character, Jamie Blond, and practice your Spanish along the way to picking up clues.

Move over Italian for Dummies. I'm heading over to the centro storico in Verona, to meet up with my online friend Marta.

A lot of fun and it'll take some of the language fear out of your travel plans! Let me know what you think! (In any language.)

Italy, Life and Entrepreneurship

I have just returned from my first trip to Italy (and this will not be my last, I assure you). Italy is an unusual country. There is bountiful, abundant history textured by gorgeous art and stunning architecture, which gives you both a step back in time and a truly "living" country. But the true richness of Italy lies in its people. I am certain that the reason that anyone who has been to this gorgeous country returns over and over again is due to the warmth of the Italian culture. There is a sense of family so that you are embraced into the hearts of Italians. Welcoming, warm, balanced. Although the fast-pace of the west creeps into Italy little by little, for the most part, most stores and restaurants still shut down for the mid-day break. People return to their homes, have lunch with their families and then return to tie up business for the day.

Unlike the American culture, which seizes every opportunity to gain property and money, the Italian culture seizes every opportunity to embrace life. And that is a big win. And also...what is causing a major economic challenge. With the weak American dollar against the Euro, Italy is hard hit in its tourism revenue. And even Americans visiting are spending far less than in past years. Even though European tourists still flock to Italy, the loss of the US dollar has affected the pocketbooks of the Italian population terribly. On top of the bad economy, there is political strife at the highest levels of government and within this conflict, a clear challenge. Entrepreneurship is barely limping along in Italy. There are very few new mom and pop shops. Very few small owner operators starting up new ventures. And with no zip, no zing, no zeal for pursuit of the unknown and the promising, the Italians are facing a crisis of despair over their futures.

As one lovely gentleman said to me, "Yes, Signora, Italia is a beautiful place for a tourist to visit...but to live? Ah no. The life is too hard. The job market is impossible."

So, what happens is that with no entrepreneurs, there is very little job creation and very little turnover of existing staff. Which means no job-hopping opportunities. So many Italians are "stuck" in their jobs...possibly for life. And to kick that one up a notch, the Italian Baby Boomer generation is also just starting to look at bleak retirement prospects and little chance of continuing employment after retirement...and few opportunites for those 50 and older.

A gorgeous, gorgeous country, with beautiful people and a scary lining for 50 plussers sitting underneath the political cloud.

"It's kind of like a forced attitude change."

Because Gen Plus focuses on services for 50 plussers, I'm always drawn to media reports on the workplace. And a few days ago, The Globe and Mail, considered Canada's leading source for news, published an excellent article by Virginia Galt, on the shifting views that are emerging on the work landscape.

For the full article, click on the link

What were the main points?

Well, first, the article highlighted a few significant Canadians who have started new careers after 65:

"65 means freedom to start a whole new career"

For a growing number of well-established Canadians, ''the retirement dream'' involves work -- and not just hobby jobs but substantial second careers. At 68, Canada's new ambassador to the United States, Michael Wilson has been far too busy to even contemplate the prospect of traditional retirement -- although he did schedule a ski vacation before taking up his new duties in Washington, D.C., this week.

The latter part of the article is what really interested me. The statistics and the temperature -- which mirrors what is happening in the US, the UK, Australia and many other "aging population" countries around the world.

The temperature

Employers will eventually have no choice but to consider hiring retirees for some positions, says Prof. Armstrong-Stassen.

And employers will have to change their attitude because there will not be enough younger people to fill the void when the baby boomers start to retire, she says.

"It's kind of like a forced attitude change."

But Ms. Patten, as an HR executive, says attitudes towards older workers have already changed for the better. "There is a returning respect for the richness of experience."

She ponders the question of whether Mr. Wilson, Mr. Purdy and Mr. Iacobucci are trend-setters in taking on substantial new challenges later in life.

"I think you'll see much more of it," Ms. Patten says.

At 60, Ms. Patten herself says she also has no intention of retiring.

"For some of us," Ms. Patten adds, "traditional retirement is just not part of our DNA."

The stats

62.5: THE AVERAGE RETIREMENT AGE IN CANADA, UP FROM 61 IN 2000.
7.8%: PERCENTAGE OF CANADIANS 65 AND OLDER WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN THE LABOUR FORCE.
75%: PERCENTAGE OF WELL-OFF WORKING CANADIANS 45 AND UP, WHO EXPECT TO WORK AFTER RETIREMENT.

SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA, IPSOS-REID AND UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR