Tom Rush on the Gentle Art of Forgetting

This is a post from an excellent website "Fifty is the New."..http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/

Honey, Did you Put Away the Groceries… (or did I)?
December 23, 2008, by Prudence Baird

If you have ever found the dishwasher running and wondered who turned it on—even though you’re the only one home—then this song is for you!
I was lucky enough to see folksinger Tom Rush at the fabulous and vintage Colonial Theater in Keene, New Hampshire, last month. He makes mis-remembering acceptably cool.

Learn more about Tom Rush at his website >>

As We Say Goodbye to George Carlin--One last laugh at the Boomers Expense

George Carlin who died this year we can all agree has some good riffs --this one at the boomers' expense:



For historical purposes Carlin was born in 1939. Carlin is not alone in his view that boomers took more than their share, are narcisstic and hypocritical. But here is a challenge for you dear reader--can you or anyone find some kind words to say about us--failing this can you share some other good funny material about our incorrigible ways?

Boomers, Corruption and a New Years Plea

The list of bad guys of 2008 is a long one--but what do they all have in common? I am talking about the current Illinois Governor, Elliot Spitzer, John Edwards and then all those various heads of big organizations like the SEC and Freddie Mae who deny any responsibility for the currrent crisis but are inevitably implicated in the mess of greed and corruption. We cannot leave out our good Senators and Congressman as well who took campaign contributions and pushed for more relaxed regulations. Senator Charles Schumer from New York being one prime example as the New York Times reveals. Well what do they have in common? Most of them were boomers. Even if we exclude Bernie Madoff (with all your money) who is 70 (and Bill Clinton who committed his sins a while back and punished us all for them by allowing the incumbent to win campaigning on a false promise of bringing "honor and dignity back to the White House.")

So here is my hope for the new Obama's presidency that it will continue to indicate by words and action a new tilt towards morality, public welfare, trust and responsible government. But the new President can only take it so far. As the Schumer article makes clear the system invites a level of corruption that is hard to detect because manipulators can be so well rewarded.

If Obama will insist on having all his cabinet officers--recruit people with years of consistent public service, and ensure that the "end justifies the means" politicians and staffers don't sabotage a commitment to morality and transparency that he has pledged. We all have a trust to help him fulfill this necessary correction to our current politics to avoid another meltdown that could take our political system down with it as well as our financial one.

Neil Young has a solution to the crisis in Detroit

Blogging on Huffington Post--the great rocker says:

Find a new ownership group. The culture must change. It is time to turn the page. In the high technology sector there are several candidates for ownership of a major car and truck manufacturer. We need forward looking people who are not restricted by the existing culture in Detroit. We need visionary people now with business sense to create automobiles that do not contribute to global warming.

It is time to change and our problems can facilitate our solutions. We can no longer afford to continue down Detroit's old road. The people have spoken. They do not want gas guzzlers (although they still like big cars and trucks). It is possible to build large long-range vehicles that are very efficient. People will buy those vehicles because they represent real change and a solution that we can live with.

BabyBoomReview Celebrates Obama's Historic Victory!

BabyBoom Review is currently collecting the experiences of those who lived through the sixties and want to write about what they learned that can apply to the new Obama administration.

In the spirit of this project and connecting the generations--take a look at this very sixties video tribute to Obama (see below) and then check out the art of Michael Cuffe at his website

Paul Simon Donates Song to Obama Campaign

Paul Simon babyboom tune smith extraordainaire gives his very appropriate song
"American Tune" to the Obama campaign for
use in an effective ad. Go watch here:

Ralph McTell Back in the Swing

Sounds of Ralph McTell and Dylan share top bill
Oct 31 2008 Folk With Pete Willow
RALPH McTELL and the Dylan Project share the billing for a one-off musical treat in the Midlands tomorrow. Birmingham Town Hall Singer-songwriter and Ivor Novello award-winner McTell will start the evening with a solo set and will be playing such all-time favourites as Streets of London and From Clare to Here.
The date at Birmingham Town Hall will also be the only Midlands appearance of his current UK tour.
The second half sees blues-rock singer and guitarist Steve Gibbons, fronting an all-star line-up playing powerful arrangements of Bob Dylan songs.