Today, a baby boomer turns 50 every 7.6 seconds, and by mid-century seniors will outnumber young people for the first time in history.

Each year the staff at Beloit College in Wisconsin puts together a list to try to give the faculty a sense of the mindset of that year's incoming freshmen.  Here is this year's list:

• The people who are starting college this fall across the nation were born in 1982.

• They have no meaningful recollection of the Reagan Era and probably did not know he had ever been shot.

• Black Monday 1987 is as significant to them as the Great Depression.

• There has been only one Pope.

• They were 11 when the Soviet Union broke apart and they do not remember the Cold War. They have never feared a nuclear war.

• They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up.

• Tianamen Square means nothing to them.

• Their lifetime has always included AIDS.

• Bottle caps have always been screw off and plastic.

• Atari predates them, as do vinyl albums. The expression you sound like a broken record means nothing to them. They have never owned a record player.

• They have likely never played Pac Man and have never heard of Pong.

• They may have never heard of an 8 track. The Compact Disc was introduced when they were 1 year old.

• As far as they know, stamps have always cost about 33 cents.

• They have always had an answering machine.

• Most have never seen a TV set with only 13 channels, nor have they seen a black-and-white TV. They have always had cable. There have always been VCRs, but they have no idea what BETA is. They cannot fathom not having a remote control.

• They were born the year that Walkmen were introduced by Sony.

• Roller-skating has always meant inline for them.

• Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show.

• They have no idea when or why Jordache jeans were cool.

• Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave.

• They have never seen Larry Bird play.

• They never took a swim and thought about Jaws.

• The Vietnam War is as ancient history to them as WWI, WWII and the Civil War.

• They have no idea that Americans were ever held hostage in Iran.

• They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are.

• They don't know who Mork was or where he was from. They never heard: "Where's the beef?," "I'd walk a mile for a Camel," or "DE plane, de plane!"  They do not care who shot J.R. and have no idea who J.R. is.

• The Titanic was found? They thought we always knew where it was.

• Michael Jackson has always been white.

• Kansas, Chicago, Boston, America, and Alabama are places, not groups.

• McDonalds never came in Styrofoam containers.

• There has always been MTV.

• They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter.

Success is.....

A person needs only two tools: WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40. If it moves and it shouldn't, use the tape.

Any and all compliments can be handled by simply saying "Thank you" though it helps if you say it with a Southern accent.

Some people are working backstage, some are playing in the orchestra, some are on-stage singing, some are in the audience as critics, some are there to applaud. Know who and where you are.

The five most essential words for a healthy, vital relationship: "I apologize" and "You are right."

When you make a mistake, make amends immediately. It's easier to eat crow while it's still warm.

I've learned to pick my battles; I ask myself, "Will this matter one year from now? How about one month? One week? One day?"

Being miserable because of a bad or former relationship just proves that the other person was right about you.

Be really nice to your friends because you never know when you are going to need them to empty your bed pan and hold your hand.

Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect; it just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections.

"I don't say we all ought to misbehave, but we ought to look as if we could." - Orson Welles

Submitted by Ann Fougnier (who, by the way, will be 29 this year)  --Thanks, Ann. 01/08/01

THIS IS A FUN QUIZ. THE ANSWERS ARE AT THE END. DON'T CHEAT!!!! 

1. Name the Beatles. ___________ __________ __________ ___________ 

2. Finish the line: "Lions and Tigers and Bears, ______ _____!" 

3. "Hey kids, what time is it?" _____ ______ _____ _____. 

4. What do M&M's do? ___ ___ ___ ___, ____ ____ ____ __ 

5. What helps build strong bodies 12 ways?______ _______. 

6. Long before he was Mohammed Ali, we knew him as _______ ______. 

7. You'll wonder where the yellow went, _____ ____ ____ ____ _____ 
_____ ________." 

8. Post-baby boomers know Bob Denver as the Skipper's "little buddy." But we know that Bob Denver is actually Dobie's closest friend, ______ G. _______. 

9. M-I-C: See ya' real soon; K-E-Y: _____ ____ _____ _____ _____! 

10. "Brylcream: ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ _____." 

11. Bob Dylan advised us never to trust anyone _____ _____. 

12. From the early days of our music, real rock 'n roll, finish this line: 
"Oh I wonder, wonder, who, I wonder who; ____ ______ _____ _____ ____ _____?" 

13. And while we're remembering rock n' roll, try this one: "War...uh-huh,huh...yea; what is it good for? , ____ _____." 

14. Meanwhile, back home in Metropolis, Superman fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice, and _____ ____ _____. 

15. He came out of the University of Alabama, and became one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. He later went on to appear in a television commercial wearing women's stockings. He is: 
Broadway _____ _______. 

16. "I'm Popeye the sailor man; I'm Popeye the sailor man. I'm strong to the finish, ____ _____ ____ ___ __________. I'm Popeye the sailor man." (be literal with this one!) 

17. Your children probably recall that Peter Pan was recently played by Robin Williams, but we will always remember when Peter was played by: ______ _________. 

18. In a movie from the late sixties, Paul Newman played Luke, a ne'er do well who was sent to a prison camp for cutting off the heads of parking meters with a pipe cutter. When he was captured after an unsuccessful attempt to escape, the camp commander (played by Strother Martin) used this experience as a lesson for the other prisoners, and explained, "What we have here, ____ ____ ____ ____ ____." 

19. In 1962, a dejected politician chastised the press after losing a race for governor while announcing his retirement from politics. "Just think, you won't have ____ ____ to kick around anymore." 

20. "Every morning, at the mine, you could see him arrive; He stood six foot, six, weighed 245. Kinda' broad at the shoulder, and narrow at the hip. And everybody knew you didn't give no lip, _____ _____, _____ 
_____ _____." 

21. "I found my thrill, _____ _____ _____." 

22. ________ ________ said, "Good night, Mrs. Calabash, _____ ____ _____." 

23. "Good night, David." "_____ ______,______." "And ______ ______ _____ ____ ______." 

24. "Liar, liar, ____ ____ _____." 

25. "When it's least expected, you're elected. You're the star today. _______ _____ ______ ______ ______." 

26. It was Pogo, the comic strip character, who said, "We have met the enemy, and ____ ___ ____." 

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ANSWERS: 
1. John, Paul, George, Ringo 
2. Oh, my 
3. It's Howdy Doody Time! 
4. They melt in your mouth, not in your hand. 
5. Wonder Bread 
6. Cassius Clay 
7. when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent 
8. Maynard G. Krebbs 
9. Why? Because we like you. 
10. A little dab'll do ya. 
11. over 30 
12. who wrote the book of love 
13. Absolutely nothin' 
14. the American way 
15. Joe Namath 
16. "cause I eats me spinach" 
17. Mary Martin 
18. is a failure to communicate 
19. Richard Nixon 
20. Big John, Big Bad John 
21. On Blueberry Hill 
22. Jimmy Durante Wherever you are. 
23. Good night, Chet. (And) Good night for NBC news. 
24. pants on fire 
25. you're on Candid Camera 
26. he is us 
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SCORING: 
24-26 correct - 50+ years old 
20-23 correct - 40's 
15-19 correct - 30's 
10-14 correct - 20's 
0- 9 correct - You're, like, sorta a teenage dude(?) 

A few years ago, I was unit editor for an eleventh grade 20th century history book. My unit included the mid-60s through the Ford administration. What fun working on a project that included our "coming of age" years. Sad to say, that there were three chapters after mine...not feeling too old! Oh well.  

I was able to include two pieces of SHS in the book, however. One is an image of the rubbing of Billy Kranz's name from the Vietnam Memorial and the second,  is a picture from the yearbook taken at our junior prom. So, if anyone out there is a 11th grade history teacher (or God forbid, you have a kid in the 11th grade!) check out American Odyssey by Glencoe, Unit 9.

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