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.