Have a Great Weekend!
Boomer Reason
Few things cause the heart to palpate more than a mask. Just ask Catherine Zeta-Jones. Intrigued to passion, unmasking the mysterious Zorro, played by Antonio Banderas, provided the romantic friction a beautiful woman responds to. Today, more than a few are impassioned over the continued belief that face masks forced on our school children will do more good than harm. Jeffrey H. Anderson, a former director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, did a deep dive into the evidence of mask-wearing. Read 'Do Mask work? A Review of the Evidence.' In a romantic sense, the mask worked well for Zorro. The movie, 'Legend of Zorro,' was a box office hit (2005).
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Never has a word so quickly entered into everyday conversation than the word 'systemic.' Its usage appears to know no limits. We have come to describe every grievance with it. If left unchallenged, we may soon need a new word to describe the 'systemically systemic.' Essayist Peter Savodnik examines closely what it means when something is, for example, systemically racist. He rightfully asserts that unless you can peer into the heart of a person and show evidence of racism, a belief in systemic racism requires a significant degree of faith. Read 'The Faith of Systemic Racism.' Boomer Humor
Garrison Keillor is a very funny man. He starred on the Grammy-winning PBS radio series called 'A Prairie Home Companion' for decades. Fortunately, we still have this 79-year-old honorary boomer with us. Read his 'The good fortune of NOT finishing first.'
Speaking of masks, I nearly sent a mask enforcer at a health facility into cardiac arrest a couple of months ago. Clumsily attaching a mask to my face just as I entered through the main door, I jokingly muttered to her that I found my mask in the parking lot. For a moment, she looked deeply into my eyes for any sign I was serious (the mask hid my smirk). When she determined I was kidding, she began to laugh uproariously. Now she remembers me every time I step foot into the clinic and we share a laugh. I think we're friends. Boomer History
1955 hospital bill goes viral; $60 cost of birth including 3-night stay. Today, that will get you an aspirin. Read the full article.
Robber Barons in the New Gilded Age- Are Zuckerburg, Bloomberg, and Bezos modern-day monopolists who stand like trolls at our information chokepoints? Is there historical precedence that might shed light on when so much power is in so few hands? Essayist Micheal Lind looks back at the gilded age of steel, oil, and railroads for clues. Read 'Robber Baron in the New Gilded Age.'
Boomer Faith
"Like the cardinal virtues of courage and justice, solidarity can only be itself when fully realized in action. So how might we acquire and live out the virtue of solidarity in our own age?" The Virtue of Solidarity. Read 'The Virtue of Solidarity.'
Boomer Family
From Mitch Album- As death tightens around us, don't hesitate to tell loved ones how you feel. Great read.
I think I share this regret with many of you; we have many questions for our father whom we can no longer ask.
If you're a young boomer, there's a chance you still have your father. The folks at Fatherly website put together a list of 12 questions one might ask their father. If it's not too late, give it a go. Read '12 Questions to Ask Your Dad Before He’s Gone.'
The Force-Feeding of Will
One Year Ago- I wrote an essay on the strong will of Will, a fictitious name I used so as not to embarrass my own children. Strong-willed children usually grow up to become strong-willed adults.
“He’s got your grandfather’s jawline,” I whisper to my wife as I attempt to deflect my contribution to my son’s obvious stubbornness. For the last 10 minutes, she’s been holding a spoon to his mouth, which he refuses to open. It’s some mash of goodness that we have deemed essential to his ability to grow and thrive. He must eat what is good for him. He simply must. ... continue here
