s ’ y a d o T Vol.1 No.3
The Beat Goes on: Boomer Bands That Still Got IT Go Wild for SalmonAlaska Style On Your Own: How to Manage the Finances of Single Retirement
Get Sour on Sweets! Boomer Travel: Booming Summer Adventures Today’s BoomeR
Featuring The Only B2B -Business 2 BoomeR Marketplace!
Up Coming Cruises-Book Now! Odyssey of the Ancient Crusaders 2012 “CU Winds of Change EduCruise” September 21 – October 3, 2012 Hawaiian Islands Adventure 2012 “CU Discovery EduCruise” November 3– 10, 2012 A Western Caribbean Adventure 2012 “Credit Union Discovery EduCruise” November 4-11, 2012 A Southern Caribbean Holiday EduCruise 2012 December 29, 2012-January 5, 2013 An American Wine Country EduCruise 2013 “Credit Union Winds of Change Forum” May 11 - 18, 2013
2 Today’s BoomeR
This Issue July / August 2012 Volume 1, Number 3
Boomer Travel
5
Booming Summer Adventures
Going Sour on Sweets
10
Boomers Managing Diabetes
On Your Own
Founder John Vardallas & Alexandra Maragha Editor-In-Chief Alexandra Maragha
12
How to Manage the Finances of Single Retirement
The Beat Goes On
’s y a d To
13
Boomer Bands That Still Got IT
Contributing Writers : Karyl Richson– Social Security Gary Knowles– Travel Writer Advertising Team For Letters to the Editor, articles and feedback as well as advertising inquiries email Alexandra@TheAmericanBoomeR.com
Boomer Healthy Eating 16
The American BoomeR.com
Go Wild for Salmon-Alaska Style
John Vardallas CAE, CUDE CEO/Founder Professional Speaker Business/Lifestyle Strategist Boomer Sage and Blogger JohnVardallas@TheAmericanBoomeR.com (608) 577-8707
Social Security
18
Take Your Parents on a Meaningful Tour of Social Security Website
B2B Marketplace
19
Business 2 Boomers Marketplace
Letter to the Editor
23
Why The Rolling Stones Were the World’s Greatest Rock Band
Alexandra Maragha Co-Founder, Editor-In-Chief Today’s BoomeR Alexandra@TheAmericanBoomeR.com Today’s BoomeR Vol.1 No.3 Today’s BoomeR is published six times (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/ June, July/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec) a year by The American BoomeR.com 769 North Star Drive (Suite 207) Madison, WI 53718 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
The American Boomer @American_Boomer Today’s BoomeR 3
EDITOR’S LETTER
’s y a d To
The Beat Goes On...and On
(feature)
Some of the best music that I have ever heard , and have been moved by, are the sounds from the 1960’s that my Boomer parents grew up with. The sound, the tone, the lyrics, and the feeling make most songs of today only hold to the standards of nearing “one hit wonders”.
p. 10
Those who sang the music created it and lived the experience allowing for an even deeper connection to prevail and also further touch those who heard it.
p. 4
Alexandra Maragha Editor-In-Chief Alexandra@theamericanboomer.com
p. 12
4 Today’s BoomeR
Even more, those who created these hits are still able to be re-lived and introduced to all generations. Once household names of the Baby Boomer generation, The Beatles, The Beach Boys and Neil Diamond are now being welcomed back into the homes of the Babies of Baby Boomers. Not just a line from a song, not just a title, not just the artist, but the entire experience that makes these bands living legends who still got it. Rock and read on this issue!
BOOMER TRAVEL
Story and Photography by Gary Knowles
JetPacking in the Outer Banks
“Lift Off” to North Carolina for a Booming Summer Adventure Today’s BoomeR 5
“First in Flight” is the slogan embossed at the top of North Carolina automobile license plates, but it might be more accurate to say “Slipping the Surly Bonds of Earth – Daily.” These “Tar Heels” – an ironic nickname earned during the Civil War when they “always held their ground like their feet were stuck to it” seems to have come a bit unglued since then. They now have a thing for getting up, off the Earth. Maybe it’s in their DNA. They seem determined to see the planet from a higher position.
enced the exhilaration of “flying.”
To get fired up for a North Carolina adventure, visit “Wright Brothers National Memorial” operated by the National Park System at Kill Devil Hill. Start at the Centennial Pavilion and watch the Park Educator’s detailed historical program using a full-size replica of Wrights’ flying machine. Take a look at the reconstructed 1903 Hangar and living quarters/workshop. Walk up the long path to Kill Devil Hill like the Wrights did before each of their 1000+ glider flight experiments. You’ll The first and most famous fliers seem to have been appreciate their dogged determination. A soaring 60 drawn here. Those Ohio-based bicycle shop brothers, foot monument commemorates their achievement. Orville and Wilbur Wright chose North Carolina for Back beKitty Hawk Kites “Kite-Boarding their air-borne experiments. Their tenacious and crea- low, walk tive spirits gave the human race the opportunity to the path “kiss the sky” while snacking on mini-pretzels. The marking Wrights spent three years at Kill Devil Hill on North the four Carolina’s Outer Banks, on the windy eastern edge of flights the continent, tinkering with kites, learning to ride and they steer gliders, crashing into sand spits and eventually made that rigging a motor to the reconfigured mangled bits. December day. “Wright Brothers National Memorial”
This should get your own Icarus gene twitching, urging you to “ride the wind!” That’s just what the flying folks at “Kitty Hawk Kites Flight School”, almost in the On December 17, 1903 the wind was blowing a brisk shadow of the Wright Monument, have in mind. Hang 27 mph at 10:35 a.m. when Orville Wright climbed gliding pioneer John Harris launched this business in aboard the 40 foot wide, 605 pound “flyer.” His home- 1974 at Jockey’s Ridge State Park and they’ve been built twelve horsepower motor sputtered to life pow- getting people air-borne ever since. It’s tallest natural ering a pair of propellers. Machine and pilot sped sand dune system in the Eastern United States. Thirtydown a rail and…became airborne. For twelve marvel- five instructors teach about 10,000 people a year. A ous seconds Oliver steered the craft over the flight beginner lesson ($99) runs about three hours with five path, traveling 120 feet before landing on the sandy flights ranging from 30 to 100 yards, traveling 5 to 15 soil. It was the first time in history humans had experi- feet over the sand. An instructor will run alongside as 6 Today’s BoomeR
you glide and, great news, carry the wing back up the dune for you!
Kitty Hawk Kites understands your pain. In 2012 they introduced a dream-come-true JetPack over-water experience. A 200 hp motor blasts water in a powerTo add a water element to your flying adventure, step ful stream through a hose at high speed to two nozup to “kite-boarding,” a “mash-up” of surf-boarding zles and you fly, under control, over the water. For with hang-gliding. Galan Fowler, a Kitty Hawk Kite$250 you strap on the pack, get the introductory inboarding staffer says, “The steady winds here construction and fly up to 35 feet above the ocean. stantly reshape the Outer Banks and also create the finest kite-boarding conditions in the world.” He says beginners go through a two-day, six-hour training session ($400) approved by Professional Air Sports Association. PASA created teaching methods that are now industry standards for safe, professional instruction. Scanning the beach loaded with ‘boarders, an observer might conclude it’s a sport for the college-crowd. Fowler says, “Quite the contrary.” Kitty Hawk Kites Hang gliding
“In reality, most of our students are forty-plus. One gentleman we trained recently was 76. Some have prior sailing or wind-surfing experience, but most are true beginners. They choose kite-boarding because the equipment is lighter-weight and it’s a relatively safe, low-impact sport. About 90% get certified and go on to have another three-hour lesson ($300) before buying their own gear ($1900 - $2600).”
Luke Baer of Kitty Hawk Kites, tried it and reports, “It’s totally awesome. It takes a bit to get a feeling for controlling your pitch, but once you get up there’s nothing like it.” Flight time, depending on your stamina, can be up to thirty-minutes. You must be at least 16 years old and in good physical condition.
For a back-from-the-future, feet-off-the-ground adFor the ultimate, those who grew up envying NASA venture, try horseback riding. On Hatteras Island test pilots with jet-packs, will be delighted to hear that “Equine Adventures” offers guided rides ($100-120 “Equine Adventures” Hatteras Island
Today’s BoomeR 7
per person) through Buxton Woods and Coastal Reserve lands that wind up fulfilling every rider’s dream: a ride through the surf on the white-sand beach. Wild, unending shoreline stretches ahead and riders enjoy spectacular views of historic Hatteras Light. This suggests yet another option for getting elevated: lighthouse climbing! The Hatteras Light at 208 feet is tallest in the country. It has 248 iron spiral stairs, the equivalent of a 12 story building. There’s a $7 climbing fee ($3.50 for those over 62 and children under 11) and tickets are limited to ensure a pleasant climbing experience. Drive north on Highway 12 about 100 miles to Corolla to climb the 214 steps of the 158 foot Currituck Beach Lighthouse ($7 fee). Then hop aboard “Bob’s Wild Horse Adventure Tours” for an unforgettable fourwheel drive guided beach tour. You’ll see the majestic beauty of the Wild Horses of Corolla, descendants of two oneHatteras Light House horses brought to the New World by Spanish explorers minute flySpiral Staircase inside Hatteras Lighthouse of the 14th Century. ing sessions and a Even more high flying adventure awaits at Fayetteville, smile that about 240 miles west of the Outer Banks. will stick on your face ZipQuest is a 2.5 hour tree-top tour ($85) composed of for a week. eight separate ziplines and three “Indiana Jones-style” canopy bridges. Your feet won’t touch the earth for The Fayetteville Area, “America’s Hometown,” is the duration of the expedition that includes a traverse proud of to be the home of a dedicated military comover Carter’s Falls, a 150 foot, 12 foot high waterfall. munity and Fort Bragg. The remarkable Airborne and Special Operations Museum (free admission) comTo really “fly,” forget the wing, forget the parachute, memorates heroism and operations of America’s warjust leap into the air! You can at Fayetteville’s Parariors from the 1940s with the conception of the U.S. clete SkyVenture – indoor skydiving. You’ll go with an Army Parachute Test Platoon to today's airborne and instructor into a vertical wind-tunnel with a column of special operations units in the Persian Gulf. These stoair moving upwards ries are told with life-sized dioramas, unique artifacts, in a vertical column. detailed displays and large movies. It’s been used for military training, Outside the museum gift shop the urge to fly strikes but serves now as again. A young boy flings a little plastic airplane across another North Car- the hall. “Zzzzzooooom!” he yells. His Mom gives him olina airborne thrill one of those “Mom looks” and he runs over a bit ride. For $63 you’ll sheepishly and picks it up. get a flight suit, an Though you understand, the parenting, part of you SkyVenture indoor skydiving introductory lesson, wants to shout, “Go ahead Orville, let’er fly again!” *Gary Knowles, Today’s BoomeR’s Travel Writer, is freelance photo-journalist and travel consultant based in Madison, Wisconsin. He is the Upper Great Lakes Columnist for Journal and Topics Newspapers in Des Plaines, IL, serves as Travel Advisor to the Wisconsin Public Radio’s Joy Cardin Show and is author of “The Great Wisconsin Touring Book – 30 Spectacular Auto Tours.” 8 Today’s BoomeR
WHEN YOU GO: Airborne and Special Operations Museum Fayetteville, NC PH: 910-643-2773 www.asomf.org Fayetteville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (free guide and travel planning assistance) PH: 1-800-255-8217 www.VisitFayettevilleNC.com Outer Banks Visitor Bureau (free guide and travel planning assistance) PH: 877-629-4386 www.OuterBanks.org Currituck Travel & Tourism (free guide and travel planning assistance) PH: 252-435-2938 www.ComeToOurBeach.com Currituck Lighthouse Corolla, NC PH: 252-453-4939 www.currituckbeachlight.com Equine Adventures Hatteras, NC 27943 PH: 252-995-4897 www.EquineAdventures.com
-
Hatteras Lighthouse PH: 252-995-4474 http://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/climbing the-cape-hatteras-lighthouse.htm Kitty Hawk Kites PH:1-877-359-8447 - Hang Gliding PH: 252-441-2426 - Sailboarding PH: 252-987-2297 - JetPack PH: 877-359-8447 www.kittyhawk.com Paraclete SkyVenture 190 Paraclete Drive • Raeford, NC 28376 1-888-4SKYFUN OR 910-848-2600 http://www.paracletexp.com Wright Brothers National Memorial Kill Devil Hill Milepost 7.5 Highway 158, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina PH: 252-441-7430 http://www.nps.gov/wrbr/index.htm ZipQuest 533 Carvers Falls Drive Fayetteville, NC 28311 PH: 1-910-488-8787 http://www.zipquest.com
Paratrooper display at Airborne Museum - Fayetteville Today’s BoomeR 9
as many calories as fat. If you choose to drink alcohol, only drink it occasionally and when your blood sugar level is well-controlled. It's a good idea to check with your doctor to be sure drinking alcohol is acceptable.
Get Sour on Sweets Living with Diabetes The Basics of a Healthy Diabetes Diet Contrary to what you may have heard, there is no "diabetes diet," per se -- and that's good news! The foods recommended for a diabetes diet to control blood glucose (or blood sugar) are good for those with diabetes -- and everyone else. This means that you and your family can eat the same healthy foods at mealtime. However, for people with diabetes, the total amounts of carbohydrates consumed each day must be monitored carefully. Of the different components of nutrition -carbohydrates, fats, and proteins -- carbohydrates have the greatest influence on blood sugar levels. Most people with diabetes also have to monitor total fat consumption and protein intake, too.
Diabetes and Glycemic Index For years, researchers have tried to determine what causes blood sugar levels after meals to soar too high in those with diabetes. Potential culprits have included sugar, carbohydrates, and starches, among other foods. The glycemic index is a ranking that attempts to measure the influence that each particular food has on blood sugar levels. It takes into account the type of carbohydrates in a meal and its effect on blood sugar.
maintain a healthy weight. Choose foods high in fiber such as whole grain breads, fruit, and cereal. They contain important vitamins and minerals. You need 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day. Studies suggest that people with type 2 diabetes who eat a high fiber diet can improve their blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Similar results have been suggested in some studies in people with type 1 diabetes. Serving Sizes and Diabetes
Be sure to eat only the amount of food in your diabetes meal plan. Excess calories result in excess fat and excess weight. In people with type 2 diabetes, excess body fat means less sensitivity to insulin. Weight loss in overweight and obese people with type 2 diabetes helps improve blood sugars and reduces those risk factors which lead to heart disease. Your dietitian can help you determine the appropriate serving sizes you need, dependFoods that are low on the glycemic index appear to have less of an impact on blood ing on if you need to maintain your weight, gain weight, or lose weight, and if sugar levels after meals. People who eat you have high or low blood sugar levels. a lot of low glycemic index foods tend to have lower total body fat levels. High glyTo keep your blood sugar levels in check, cemic index foods generally make blood In women with gestational diabetes, sugar levels higher. People who eat a lot you need to make healthy food choices, it's important to eat multiple meals exercise regularly, and take the medicines of high glycemic index foods often have and snacks per day as recommended. higher levels of body fat, as measured by your health care provider prescribes. A the body mass index (BMI). Do not skip meals. dietitian can provide in-depth nutrition education to help you develop a personalTalk to your doctor, a registered dietitian, Eat meals and snacks at regular times every day. If you are taking a diabetes or a diabetes educator and ask if the glyized meal plan that fits your lifestyle and medicine, eat your meals and take cemic index might work to help gain better activity level, and meets your medical your medicine at the same times each control of your blood sugar levels. needs. day. The glycemic load takes into account the Note: If you are taking some of the newer Learn the ABCs of a Diabetes Diet effect of the amount of carbohydrates in a diabetes drugs, some of these tips may The goal of nutrition for people with diabe- meal. Both the type of carbohydrate and not apply to you; ask your health care protes is to attain the ABCs of diabetes. The the amount have an effect on blood sugar. vider the tips you should follow. A stands for the A1c or hemoglobin A1c test, which measures average blood sugar Eating Right With Diabetes The Sweet Truth about Food and over the previous three months. B is for Diabetes If you have diabetes, it's important to eat blood pressure, and C is for cholesterol. right every day to keep your blood sugar You might have heard that, as a person People with diabetes should attain as near levels even and stay healthy. Here's some with diabetes, you shouldn't have any table sugar. While some health care providas normal blood sugar control (HbA1c), easy tips: ers continue to promote this, many -- realblood pressure, and healthy cholesterol Be sure to eat a wide variety of foods. izing that the average person lives in the levels. real world and will probably indulge in a bit Having a colorful plate is the best way of sugar every now and then -- have Alcohol and Diabetes to ensure that you are eating plenty of adopted a more forgiving view. Most exfruits, vegetables, meats, and other Use discretion when drinking alcohol if perts now say that small amounts of sugar forms of protein such as nuts, dairy you have diabetes. Alcohol is processed are fine, as long as they are part of an products, and grains/cereals. overall healthy meal plan. Table sugars do in the body very similarly to the way fat is Eat the right amount of calories to not raise your blood sugar any more than processed, and alcohol provides almost 10 Today’s BoomeR
similar amounts of calories from starches, Get the facts and start enjoying the foods which is found in many foods that we con- you love on a diabetes diet. sume. It is important to remember that Artificial Sweeteners and Diabetes sugar is just one type of carbohydrate.
The Stats Add up for Boomers
Artificial sweeteners can be added to a variety of foods and beverages without adding more carbohydrates to your diabeRead food labels. Learn how to deter- tes diet. Using non-caloric artificial sweeteners instead of sugar also greatly reducmine how much sugar or carbohyes calories in your favorite foods. drates are in the foods that you eat.
When eating sugar, keep these tips in mind:
Substitute, don't add. When you eat a sugary food, such as cookies, cakes, or candies, substitute them for another carbohydrate or starch (for example, potatoes) that you would have eaten that day. Make sure that you account for this in your carbohydrate budget for the day. If it is added to your meal for the day, then remember to adjust your insulin dose for the added carbohydrates so you can continue to maintain glucose control as much as possible. In other words, readjust your medications if you do add sugars to you meals. Sugary foods can be fattening. Many foods that have a lot of table sugar are very high in calories and fat. If you are watching your weight (and many people with diabetes must), you need to eat these foods in moderation!
Check your blood sugar after eating sugary foods and talk to your health care provider about how to adjust your insulin if needed when eating sugars. Ultimately, the total grams of carbohydrates -- rather than what the source of the sugar is -- is what needs to be accounted for in the nutritional management of the person with diabetes. Diabetes Diet Myths Before you start a diabetes diet, get the facts. So many people believe that having diabetes means you must avoid sugar and carbohydrates at all cost, load up on protein, and prepare "special" diabetic meals apart from the family's meals. Wrong! Most individuals with diabetes can continue to enjoy their favorite foods, including desserts, as long as they monitor the calories, carbs, and other key dietary components and keep a regular check on their blood glucose levels.
Here are the facts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Keep in mind that foods with artificial sweeteners are not necessarily zero carbohydrates foods. Many have carbohydrates; therefore, you must read the food labels to determine the gram amounts per serving that these have in order to take into account the effect that these carbohydrates have on your glycemic control. Foods labeled with artificial sweeteners can affect your blood sugar.
As long as you are aware of the content of carbohydrates you can adjust your meal or medication to maintain blood sugar control. "Sugar free" means no sugar has been added, but you must remember these foods still contain carbohydrates which does affect your blood sugars. Examples of artificial sweeteners you can use include:
Aspartame
Acesulfame-k
Saccharine
Sucralose
Other non-nutritive sweeteners Pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid saccharine, and people who suffer from phenylketonuria should not use aspartame. People with phenylketonuria are unable to metabolize phenylalanine, an amino acid that's a common part of many proteins. Some artificial sweeteners -- such as xylitol, mannitol, and sorbitol -- have some calories and do slightly increase blood sugar levels. The American Diabetes Association cautions that eating too much of any artificial sweetener can cause gas and diarrhea.
Always consult with your doctor. This and more can be found at www.webmd.com
In 2008 that 68% of adult incident cases of diabetes were diagnosed between the age of 40 and 64 years. About 15% were diagnosed before the age of 40 and about 17% were diagnosed at age 65 or older.
In 2010, over 1 million people ages 45-64 were estimated to be new cases of diagnosed diabetes in the U.S.
In 2010, 85.5% of adults ages 45-64 years, and 88.9% of adults ages 65-74 years who have diabetes use a type of diabetes medication.
To know more about these studies and more information about diabetes from the CDC, visit their website at
www.cdc.gov/diabetes/ index.htm Today’s BoomeR 11
?
On Your Own: How to Manage the Finances of Single Retirement By Bruce Watson It's a tough time to be growing old. Between battles over Medicare and Social Security, disappearing pensions, and a Wall Street meltdown that decimated the investment portfolios of millions of Americans, the path to a secure retirement is more tenuous than at any time since the 1960s. And thanks to advances in health care and smarter lifestyles, those shaky finances are having to sustain us for longer. "It's not uncommon for a retiree to live 20 to 25 years after retirement," says Caroline Delaney, executive vice president at Hillis Financial Services -- a far cry from the four years that the average retiree could expect to enjoy 50 years ago. To make things worse, a growing number of baby boomers have to factor in an extra complication: They're facing the difficulties of retirement and old age without a partner by their side.
Planning Ahead When it comes to the health problems that arise in old age, married retirees can usually rely on their spouses for support. But for singles, long-term care can be more problematic: "Many divorced couples have grown children who can help them out," notes Jack Hillis, president of Hillis Financial Services. "But they often don't like to impose on their kids." This becomes a particular issue when it comes to end-of-life decisions. "Typically, a married couple will give each other the medical power of attorney, which gives them the right to 'pull the plug' in case of incapacitation," Hillis notes. "As single people approach old age, they need to find a trusted friend or child to take that responsibility." Not surprisingly, many elderly people build a social circle to help them deal with the strains of old age. "More and more, we're seeing what we call a Golden Girls situation, in which elderly people move in together for companionship and to share expenses." But while living together can save money on household expenses, it doesn't do much for health care costs. People who live into their 80s, Hillis says, face a 50% chance of needing some form of long-term care - and, without a spouse or companion, the price of help can add up quickly. Hillis encourages his clients to begin preparing for these costs early: "For people in their 50s who are still single, we suggest that they look at long-term care insurance."
Lifelong Singles Hillis notes that, depending on their circumstances -- and their spouses' level of life insurance -- widows and widowers may not face major economic hardships. But for lifelong singles, a comfortable retirement requires a great deal of planning. "Singles need to accumulate as much equity as a married couple," says Delaney. This is largely due to the nature of retirement costs: "Many expenses are fixed," she explains. "They are the same, regardless of
whether you're married or single." With this in mind, Hillis suggests that lifelong singles should begin seriously planning for retirement in their 30s, when they are likely to have more than sufficient income. "Singles often don't have many of the high initial expenses -- like college educations for children -- that married couples have to cover," he explains. "We suggest that they plow money into their 401(k)s and work on [moderating] their spending. They have to realize that they can't spend all their money on expensive toys."
Real estate can be a great investment, Hillis notes. In addition to providing a place to live, it can also provide equity for use in retirement. "Someone who has rented needs to build up other assets," Hillis emphasizes. "This is why they need to start retirement planning as early as possible."
Divorced from Your Assets While retirement is tough for the never-married, it can be even more brutal for the divorced. Even under the best of circumstances, Hillis notes, a marital split wreaks havoc on finances: "Divorce is the opposite of compound interest. Your finances are cut in half." For couples who divorce later in life, however, it can be particularly devastating. "If you divorce in your 40s, you have plenty of time to plan," Hillis notes. "But when you divorce later, there's less time to prepare for retirement." Among baby boomers, this problem continues to get worse. Boomers made up a large part of the record wave of divorces in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and are still dissolving their marriages at a stunning rate. Almost a quarter of today's divorces are "gray divorces" -- the dissolution of couples who had been legally bound for 20 years or more. In addition to slashed assets, many of these divorced retirees and soonto-be retirees also have to deal with their own financial ignorance. "In many marriages, there is one spouse who handles all the family finances, and the other is in the dark," Hillis notes. "We advise that both spouses should know about their finances and be familiar with their financial advisers."
Bruce Watson is a senior features writer for DailyFinance. You can reach him by e-mail at bruce.watson@teamaol.com, or follow him on Twitter at @bruce1971.
12 Today’s BoomeR
The Beat Goes On: Boomer Bands That Still Got IT Today’s BoomeR 13
Despite the ups and downs, the break-ups and those lost, the bands and music of the 1960’s and even 1970’s, was and continues to be the soundtrack of the Baby Boomer generation. Favorites like Fleetwood Mac, Carlos Santana, The Rolling Stones, and The Bee Gees have all left their sound. Whether their music was the song of your first slow dance, your first road trip, or just filled in between everything else, the sounds of the boomer generation continue to please all. The Beatles, The Beach Boys and Neil Diamond still make everyday headlines with their anniversary tours and ongoing releases.
By Alexandra Maragha
The Beatles They brought the “British Invasion” to its peak and their music has lasted to be the favorites of post Boomer generations. They still release music and Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr still make headlines with appearances and music tours. The Beatles had 27 number one hits combined on both American and British charts and recorded 208 songs as a group. Sir Paul
In this photo released by MPL Communications, Sir McCartney turned 70 years old in June, and is prepar- Paul McCartney is seen at the Diamond Jubilee concert ing to continue to take the stage. He's preparing for a at Buckingham Palace, in London Monday June 4, featured role closing the London Olympics opening cer- 2012. (AP Photo / MJ Kim, MPL Communications) emony on July 27 - just another global audience The Beach Boys measuring a billion or more for one of the most popular performers in pop history. Even McCartney Fifty years in the making, three brothers, their cousin may be a bit nervous for that one, but he won't be and a good friend changed the American pop music short of material: Consider a back catalogue that landscape. The Beach Boys brought their California includes "Yesterday," ''Eleanor Rigby," ''Penny Lane" smooth sounds and harmonies to achieve 36 top 40 and a few dozen other classics, including perennial hits, four No. 1 singles, two No. 1 albums and over 100 crowd pleasers "Let It Be" and "Hey Jude." For more million recordings sold. In 2004, Rolling Stone information about Paul McCartney visit Magazine listed The Beach Boys as the Greatest Artists http://www.paulmccartney.com of All Time. The Beach Boys 50th anniversary tour has Search online or check with your local retro rock radio station for news and tour dates on your favorite Boomer music group.
14 Today’s BoomeR
reunited Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Dave Marks and Bruce Johnston to bring all of their hits and a new released single “That’s Why God Made the
Click this image to watch The Beach Boys behind the scenes video on their official YouTube Channel!
Radio” from their recent album out this past June, that is No.3 on the Billboard chart. The 50th anniversary tour continues with much more to come from the Beach Boys. To check tour dates and more information visit http:// www.thebeachboys.com/
Neil Diamond After being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2011, it has been quite the year –and years- for Neil Diamond. Since the launch of his career in the 1960’s with hits like “Solitary Man” and “Cherry, Cherry”, he has sold more than 115 million records worldwide and has had 13 Top 10 singles. His most recent album release, “The Very Best of Neil Diamond,” spans 46 years of songs and growth through his career. The tour includes Diamond’s classics such as “Sweet Caroline” with a few changes to each line up while on tour to get all of the songs in. To see all the concert dates and more information about Neil Diamond visit http://neildiamond.com
(Above) Neil Diamond. Photo Courtesy of NeilDiamond.com Today’s BoomeR 15
BOOMER HEALTHY EATING: Go Wild for Salmon– Alaska Style Wild salmon is a health “super food” with its rich omega 3 fatty acids that can aid in maintaining and improving longevity. It is one of the most versatile fish to cook and prepare. Try these recipes and techniques from AlaskaSeafood.org that will be sure to make you go wild!
Alaska Salmon Burgers 1 can (14.75 oz.) or 2 cans (7.5 oz. each) traditional pack Alaska salmon OR 8 to 10 oz. skinless, boneless salmon (canned or pouched) 1 egg, slightly beaten 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 1/4 cup thick barbecue sauce 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (about 2 slices of bread) 4 cheese slices, if desired 4 Hamburger buns or rolls Procedure: Drain salmon thoroughly, squeezing out excess moisture. In bowl, flake salmon with fork. Add egg, onion, barbecue sauce and bread crumbs. Blend thoroughly until mixture is almost smooth. Divide and form mixture into 4 patties. Preheat broiler/oven or grill to mediumhigh heat. Place patties on spray-coated broiling pan or well-oiled perforated 16 Today’s BoomeR
grill rack, set 4 to 5 inches from heat. Cook about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Add cheese slices, if desired. Serve on buns or rolls.
Visit Alaska Seafood.org for more recipes and cooking information.
Planked Alaska Salmon with Asian Glaze 1 bunch green onions, trimmed and sliced lengthwise 2 pounds Alaska Salmon fillets or portions 3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger root* 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice 2 teaspoons soy sauce 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic *Add 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes for additional heat, if desired.
Creamy Alaska Salmon Pasta
1 package (8 oz.) elProcedure: Soak wood plank in water 30 bow macaroni or minutes to 2 hours. Pat wood plank with small shell pasta paper towels and spray-coat or lightly oil 1 cup fat-free milk one side. Place green onions on plank; top 1 package (1.2 oz.) creamy pesto sauce with Alaska Salmon. mix or lemon dill sauce mix 1 Tablespoon butter Blend remaining ingredients; rub 1/2 to 1 1 shallot, finely shopped, or 1/4 cup teaspoon on each salmon portion or all minced onion onto salmon side. Let the salmon rest 5 1/2 cup (4 oz.) sliced mushrooms minutes before cooking. 1 large Roma tomato, seeded and diced 1 jar (6 oz.) quartered marinated Heat grill to medium-high heat. Place the artichokes, drained planed salmon on the grill using indirect 1 can or pouch (6 to 7.5 oz.) Alaska heat (not directly over heat). Reduce heat salmon, drained and chunked to medium and cook in covered grill for 10 to 15 minutes. Cook just until salmon is Procedure: Cook pasta according to opaque throughout. package directions; drain. TIP: Try a cedar wood plank to enhance the aromas when grilling. Also keep a spray bottle handy to minimize any flames that may flare on the plank and be aware of your grill’s temperature. Most planks can also be reused if not overly charred or cracked.
Meanwhile, in small bowl, whisk milk with sauce mix; set aside. In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallot and mushrooms; cook 3 minutes. Stir in milk mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, artichokes, pasta and salmon; stir until pasta is heated through. Today’s BoomeR 17
Social Security: Take Your Parents on a Meaningful Tour of Social Security’s Website By Karyl Richson Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Milwaukee, WI
Do your parents spend much time online?
access to your Statement, which includes detailed estimates of future benefits, and a summary of your work history Sometimes older parents can be apprehensive about using through the years. This is especially helpful for parents who the Internet and conducting business online. There is no reamay be planning for retirement. son they should be when it comes to Social Security’s online services at www.socialsecurity.gov, which are consistently Our website offers many other services as well, such as rated not only the best and easiest to use in government, but online forms and publications, an easy application to apply in the private sector as well. for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs, icons to our Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages, and information What are some of the reasons your parents may want to visit categorized by subject matter or by audience. www.socialsecurity.gov? Allow us to show you around so you can give Mom and Dad the proper tour. Take your parents for a visit to www.socialsecurity.gov. It is one small way you can give back to those who have given so Front and center, there is always a series of illustrated panmuch for you. els. This is where we share new messages, initiatives, and items of interest, such as breaking news and tips on new or improved online services. Your Social Security Questions Answered To the right, you’ll find a big question mark: that is where you can find our most frequently asked questions — and the answers to them. If your parents have a question about Social Security, chances are someone else had the same question. We have collected them on our website, and it is easy to search for questions on a variety of Social Security topics. Smack dab in the middle of the page is where you can find press releases and the latest news about Social Security. To the left of the page you will find our top services. Virtually anything you want to do online can be found here: apply online for retirement, disability or Medicare benefits; get an instant, personalized estimate of future benefits with our online Retirement Estimator; and obtain information about how to get or replace a Social Security card. One of the hottest new services is getting your Social Security Statement online. Just complete the authentication process, much like the sort you would go through when requesting a credit report online, and you’ll be able to set up your online Social Security account. Once you do, you will have online
18 Today’s BoomeR
Q: My husband and I are both entitled to our own Social Security benefits. Will our combined benefits be reduced because we are married? A: No. When each member of a married couple works in employment covered under Social Security and both meet all other eligibility requirements to receive retirement benefits, lifetime earnings are calculated independently to determine the benefit amounts. Therefore, each spouse receives a monthly benefit amount based on his or her own earnings. If one member of the couple earned low wages or did not earn enough Social Security credits (40) to be insured for retirement benefits, he or she may be eligible to receive benefits as a spouse. To learn more about retirement, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/retirement.
B2B—BUSINESS 2 BOOMERS
MARKETPLACE
The Marketplace for Everything Boomer!
Advertise with us and connect directly with America’s Baby Boom generation! Be apart of the “B2B - Business 2 Boomer Marketplace” and allow Boomers to visit your Today’s BoomeR storefront direct! Become one click away from your Boomer consumer!
Advertise With Us! s ’ y a Tod Take Advantage of our Special 2012 Introductory Rates!
Click on the “storefront” ad to enter each store in the B2B Marketplace!
For more information about how to Advertise and Subscribe email Alexandra@theamericanboomer.com Rates
1/4 Page
1/2 Page
Full Page
1 time
$200.00 per ad
$500.00 per ad
$700.00 per ad
6 times
$150.00 per ad
$400.00 per ad
$600.00 per ad
Don’t Miss an Issue! Subscribe to Today’s BoomeR FREE by visiting www.TheAmericanBoomeR.com! Today’s BoomeR 19
B2B—BUSINESS 2 BOOMERS MARKETPLACE
The Marketplace for Everything Boomer! 20 Today’s BoomeR
B2B—BUSINESS 2 BOOMERS MARKETPLACE
The Marketplace for Everything Boomer! Today’s BoomeR 21
B2B—BUSINESS 2 BOOMERS MARKETPLACE
The Marketplace for Everything Boomer! 22 Today’s BoomeR
Here is a Sneak Peak of the Next Issue of Today’s BoomeR! September/October Issue:
Back to School for Boomers
“BoomeR-Prenuership”
Boomer Travel: Fall in Love with Foliage
Boomer Healthy Lifestyle: Game Day Grub
Don’t Miss Out! Subscribe FREE @ TheAmericanBoomer.com
...And More! *Letter to the Editor: Ten Reasons Why The Rolling Stones Were the World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band Submitted by Gary Pig Gold 1. BRIAN JONES' HAIR Not only the longest, and the blondest, but the most distinctive coif to come out of the (first) British Invasion... hence his invariably being positioned as the focal point of the band’s publicity photos, not to mention album covers. 2. ANDREW LOOG OLDHAM Take equal parts Col. Parker and Phil Spector, mix with a liberal helping of Laurence Harvey (cf: "Expresso Bongo"), garnish with a dash of Anthony Burgess, and you have the wonderlad who transformed himself from failed pop crooner Sandy Beach to frustrated Brian Epstein gofer to chart-topping svengali of the world-famous anti-Beatles all in a mere eighteen months. 3. THEIR STAGEWEAR As a young impressionable tyke of nine, I remember how totally dumbstruck I was when chancing upon the Stones on a Red Skelton special in '64. After months spent innocently bopping to squeaky-clean moptops on The Ed Sullivan Show, imagine my stupefaction when Mick Jagger, striped sweatshirt hanging, first suggestively shook his maracas in my parents' living room. 4. THE "PRODUCTION" ON THEIR RECORDS The scene is Olympic Sound Studios, London, May 10, 1963 as recording of “Come On,” the Rolling Stones' first release, has just been completed: Roger Savage (engineer): "What about the mixing?" Andrew Loog Oldham (producer): "What's mixing?" 5. CHARLIE WATTS' DRUMMING Especially on "Paint It, Black"! 6. THEIR ALBUM COVERS From "December's Children" to (the untruncated original issue of) "Some Girls”, without forgetting “Through The Past Darkly,” “Sticky Fingers” (particularly the Spanish edition!) and the until-recently-banned “Beggars Banquet,” Stones songs have always come both lovingly and luridly packaged inside the most quintessential photos, graphics and liner notes this side of “The Who Sell Out.” 7. "CHARLIE IS MY DARLING" Forget "A Hard Day's Night," "Lonely Boy" and even "Gimme Shelter": for a true docu-style glimpse of those once-swinging Sixties, "Charlie Is My Darling," produced, of course, by Andrew Oldham, boldly treads where no Arriflex had been before. 8. THEIR INSPIRED CHOICE OF SONG MATERIAL Nary a Stones album or concert has existed solely on the works of Jagger/Richard(s)... some dusty old (rhythm'n') blues tune has been given the nod, and been performed in testament to, the moss upon which the band has always rolled (excepting during that "Satanic Majesties" detour). 9. THEIR IMPECCABLE FLAIR FOR SELF-PROMOTION From the early daze of urinating on gas stations ("we piss anywhere, maaann...") in 1965 to their jet-setting, trend-setting string of designer drug busts in the Seventies, the Stones have always been their own best press agents. 10. LEWIS BRIAN HOPKIN JONES, 1942 - 1969 R.I.P.
Do you have something to say? EE--mail Alexandra@TheAmericanBoomer.com *The views expressed are not those of Today’s BoomeR, nor those of The AmericanBoomeR.com. All letters to the editor are reviewed before publication.
Today’s BoomeR 23
24 Today’s BoomeR