Exhuming Old Polls

From 1976 to 1988, the share of high school seniors believing that "most people can be trusted" declined from 32 to 23 percent. In a nationwide 1985 survey, the share agreeing that "most people try to be fair" ranged from a low of 47 percent for 18-to-24-year-olds to a high of 71 percent for people over age 65.

Sources: "Monitoring the Future: Questionnaire Responses from the Nation's High School Seniors" (University of Michigan, 1975-1988); Kantor and Mirvis, The Cynical Americans (book)

Random Rant

To all hipsters of Gen X and Gen Y: STOP WEARING VINTAGE 60's/70's CLOTHES. This just gives credence to the babyboomer's misguided belief that their generation is teh awesomest evaahhh.

Listen up boss....

. . . . I want beer and strippers in here every Friday aftanoon.

Employers who recognize Gen X and Y's needs will retain them longer and get more and better work from them. Create a "fun" work environment. Employers who embrace a fun, rather than conventional company culture create a higher rate of job satisfaction with younger employees.

I suppose I should show some gratitude to Gen Y since before they entered the workforce it was always "If those Gen X slackers don't like it, tough, just fire them."

Also, I hope to Satan that the 20 somethings of today eventually get a better nickname than "Gen Y". And they better name themselves, too. If left up to the boomers or Gen Xers it will either be very lame or very sarcastic.

I'm still just a bill

Yep, I'm definitely going to read this book

UPDATE: Here's a book review.

Another interview with Jeff Gordinier:

"As soon as Britney broke, a change took place. It was a rebellion against what I'd call rock 'n' roll values, in favor of blunt corporate values."

Wish I could take credit for this

Thank you, Chuck

The problem with every genre (or subgenre) of music isn't initiated by those that created it, but the fools who ape the format to compensate for their own lack of creativity. Such is the case with 'Death Metal'. Originally it was played by those that wanted to explore a faster region of metal using bizzaro song structures and covering topics you'd hear in a horror B-movie. It wasn't long before the music was inundated with Satan worshippers and the truly psychotic that counted on songs about necrophilia to bring themselves unearned attention. Fuck, most of these 'acts' were forced to use a ton of guitar distortion to hide their innumerable playing mistakes.

None of this negative shit applies to Chuck Schuldiner and his band, Death, a instrumental force that were melodic as well as virtuosos on their chosen instrument. Even if you're "one of those" that do not like his growling into the microphone, you may still find satisfaction watching Chuck melt the guitar neck.

In 2001 Chuck's contributions to music came to a awful ending- he was cut down by cancer at age 34.



RIP my man.

Random Reflection

As a guitarist a question I've been asked throughout the years is "who are your guitar idols". If I don't answer fast enough, or if the questioner likes to put words in my mouth they'll often interject the names of "Hendrix", "Page", or even "Clapton". The truth is none of these boomer heroes had any influence on me plugging into an amp. Guitarists Gregg Ginn (Black Flag), Dr. Know (Bad Brains) and Kirk Hammett (Metallica) will forever be the reason I started and remain picking up my axe.


NOTE: If you're in Florida, and your metal band needs a really bad lead guitarist, send me an E-mail as I might be interested.

Douglas Coupland on today's technology

I remember in the 80s when cellphones first started to pop. I remember how, if you saw someone using a cellphone on a street, you immediately thought they were an asshole: gee, my phone call is so important I have to make it right here and right now!

Debt: transcending generations

From the Orlando Sentinal:

Generation X and Y responders reported nearly nine in 10 with debt. The Silent Generation reported having the fewest members in debt. But still, seven in 10 reported non-mortgage debt. Baby boomers fell in between. Sadly, 23 percent of retirees surveyed had at least as much debt when they retired as they did savings.

New Book: X Saves the World

I haven't read this yet, but I will, and I already recommend it since the last line in this interview with the author he said "Eventually, whether they'll admit it or not, the Boomers are going to die".

'case you're interested

....I'm sure Courtney negotiated a sweet deal on this one. Jeebus, I'm sorry for this....I've done my best to avoid the Gen X/Nirvana connection, but this was all the media felt was worthy to write about Gen X all day. (Full Disclosure: I'm an unapologetic Nirvana fan. I'm just sooooo tired of somehow forever being labeled as a unwashed, flannel clad mope that doesn't know how to tune his guitar.

In About A Son, Cobain talks with candour about the tensions between him and his bandmates, his relationship with wife Courtney Love and his isolated childhood.

The documentary is based on 25 hours of previously unheard interviews with Cobain by journalist Michael Azerrad between December 1992 and March 1993. The interviews formed the basis of Come As You Are, Azerrad's definitive biography of Nirvana.

They're onto us

From Branding Strategy:

Andaz is squarely aimed at the maturing Generation X market. Gen X'ers are now evolving from their grungy 20th-century adolescence and rapidly becoming the major market segment for business travel. Like all great demographic segments, they demand alternative brands to those patronised by their parents - the baby boomers - especially when these boomers continue to stay in these hotels into their retirement. It is a classic dynamic targeting problem - you can't have the fathers and the sons staying at the same place.

But there is more to Andaz than simple target marketing. X'ers are notoriously uncomfortable with generic global brands and prefer to seek out local specialties and experiences instead. While their parents might prefer hotels with identicalbathrooms from Atlanta to Zurich, X'ers like to celebrate local differences. Andaz will attempt to cater to this by allowing each of its hotels to celebrate their local autonomy through different designs and offerings. Andaz will also cater to the X'er market by offering organic food and environmentally-sound operating principles.

"That's beautiful, man."

If Kevin Smith were to have spent even a dollar more on this 20K movie production I would have been pissed.

Oh fuck...

......now I know I'm gettin' old when AARP acknowledges my existence:

"These generations face new challenges when it comes to building lifetime financial security," said Nancy LeaMond, Executive Vice Presidentof Social Impact at AARP. "The good news is that they realize how theretirement landscape is changing and are confident that they can achieve their financial goals, the bad news is that they know more about makingtheir iPod work than making their savings work for them."

Random Reflection

I'm stupid enough to admit to a degree of babyboomer envy. Particularly in the case of 'free love'. When boomers were the youth it was "let's smoke a joint and have sex". When Gen X were the youth it was "let's get AIDS tested and have sex".

2 Generations Enter, 1 Generation Leaves

How to get along with them younger folk......

Generation Y’s closeness with their parents is a drastic switch from Generation X — those roughly born between 1965 and 1976 — who had the least amount of parental involvement.

“There tends to be some clashing,” Whalen said. “Generation X says ‘we fought for everything we have, did it on our own’ and there are conflicts between generations.”

Generation X lacks the “pack mentality” that Generation Y possesses.

“Generation X is more individualistic and can get things done on their own,” Whalen said. “Generation Y tends to need teams to be more productive. It’s more difficult for them on their own.”

Me need to learn

Lifelong learning opportunities crucial to Generations X and Y

It's something we're more likely to focus on when thinking about relationships or lifestyles: Is the new beau someone I want to live with?Am I going to get a flat in the Plateau and walk to the shops or choose a residence where I have to drive to services?

These questions raise issues of commitment. Up until a few decades ago, commitment extended all the way into the workplace, where workers were usually expected to be loyal to their place of employment.

80's Metal Head Trivia

Slayer guitarist, Kerry King, laid down the solo on the Beastie Boys track, No Sleep Til Brooklyn. He was also featured in the video (seen knocking the gorilla off the stage).

The following video must be played LOUD. This may not take you to hell but you'll be close enough to smell the sulfur.

Yes, we buy homes

From Baaaaaah-ston.com:

Manco's house-hunting technique, however, was a textbook example of the tech-savvy and independent-minded generation: He conducted nearly all of the transaction, from initial research to negotiation - online. After finding the home online, he researched what the previous owners paid for it and conducted meticulous data analysis using elaborate spreadsheets. He further scoped out the property and neighborhood using satellite images from Google Earth and made his offer through Web brokerage Red Fin.

Mad skillz? Well sorta.

Although I believe the writer's categorization of Gen X being aged 24-40 is incorrect I think the article is for the most part accurate.

From The Michigan Journal:

Members of Generation X are often viewed as knowledgeable, independent and balanced. Unlike their Boomer parents who embrace a concensus-style of leadership, and the Traditionalists, whose leadership structure is modeled after the military, Gen Xers look for competence among their supervisors and mentors. When hiring Gen Xers, be prepared to earn their respect, not the other way around. Don't worry though, this group expects to be held accountable to their own expectations, so when working with a Gen Xer, describe the desired outcome but leave the process up to them, meaning no micromanaging. With their business savvy and technological acumen, Gen Xers often exceed expectations.

As the most independent generation, Gen Xers are very resourceful and don't believe any person or institution will see them through. As children, they were the latchkey kids responsible for taking care of themselves after school until their parents made it home from work. This independence carries over into the workplace where, after their parents lost jobs following years of loyal employment, they learned that dedicating one's career to a single company doesn't always pay off. Many managers are leery of hiring members of Generation X, fearing that after a year or two on the job they'll abandon ship for a more lucrative offer, but this generalization isn't necessarily true.

More Douglas Coupland

CLIQUE MAINTENANCE: The need of one generation to see the generation following it as deficient so as to bolster its own collective ego: "Kids today do nothing. They're so apathetic. We used to go out and protest. All they do is shop and complain."

Home Boy Alone

Remaining relevant for more than a single decade in Hip Hop and/or Rap is beyond difficult, it's rarely ever done. I heard Snoop's 'Sensual Seduction' for the 1st time this past weekend (yeah, yeah I know the song's been out awhile, I'm just lame and caught up in my own past) and you know what? It didn't suck.

Yet I prefer....

Random Reflection

I finished college before the Roaring 90's began, a time when revolving door jobs were the norm for grads. I worked for a company that hired me to work just under the weekly hour requirement for them to provide me with benefits (FKN faceless big business assholes!).

To supplement my lack of income I bounced at a somewhat rowdy place my friends worked at. All of us had degrees we would have been happy to've used if the economic climate were different. The most frustrating part of this were the old goons that looked at us with contempt ("Why are you wasting your degree working there?" / "When are you gonna get a real job?"). I mean Jeebus, didn't they have access to the Wall Street Journal's job reports? Fuck, even Ivy Leaguers realized they made a mistake by graduating on time. The last thing I wanted to hear from was some greying, fat prick that had the same degree I had but just happened to be born at the right time in Our Country's history.

All and all it was a fun era that extended my time without priorities. I lived in the unfinished basement of a duplex I shared with 3 other friends and a pooch. Half of our furniture were lawn chairs and sofas we lugged around for a few years after graduating.

I wonder if they'll ever remake this? I doubt it.

Ford briefly had it right. Starting in 1979 they were the 1st auto manufacturer that figured out how to make a fast car with the new emission standards. Throughout the 80's they continually improved, reaching their pinnacle in 1987 with the Stang shown above.

With a little extra $ you could add a computer chip and/or change the rearend ratio and drop the 1/4 mile time by a second and dust any Vette of the era. Even the simple mods (using a K & N Filter/taking out the silencer) would give you a 10 horsepower gain. Best of all it looked nothing like the Stangs of the 60's and generally turned off Babyboomer buyers who always thought artifacts of their youth should still be in vogue.

Of course it didn't take long for the Boomers to have their way again. Ford, instead of attempting to attract the youth's dollars, and ensure future buyers, began to offer the retro 60's Stang in 2005 to take the Boomer's money 1 final time. I don't blame the twentysomethings of today for buying the Evo, STI and Speed3. Ford turned their back on them and will make it nearly impossible to earn their $ in later decades.

You Dick!

In my quest to find the 1st movie to document GenXers I came up with no other than Fast Times at Ridgemont High.


If ya have any other suggestions let me know.....

Brett Favre Retires

Sad day to see a great at anything go into retirement..........my favorite story about this modern day jester was as a rookie, with the Atlanta Falcons, Brett missed the team picture because he was too drunk the night before.

Here's a nice piece by SI.

More Douglas Coupland

BLEEDING PONYTAIL: An elderly sold-out baby boomer who pines for hippie or pre-sellout days.

The Van Halen Effect

Van Halen, teh awesomest rock band of the '80s, created a tribal following of posers that wanted a piece of the loot and girls. Lacking the showmanship and guitar creativity these once new bands compensated by using more hair spray and neon colored gee-tars. The result was a disgusting mess and eventual crash when Nirvana got a record deal and put these dudes out of work.

I know I'm going to lose my Metal Head cred by playing this, but hey, the chick was smokin' (If anyone wants my Megadeth T-shirts, ticket stubs, records, et cetera, just shoot me an E-mail. I'm no longer worthy.)


LT Nixon- Don't give me shit over this one

80's Babyboomer Mantra