[manaboutown]

The baby boomers...I was born in 1942 ahead of them by a few years. I feel much more an "Ike" - silent generation - and recall as a college senior when incoming freshmen were pot smokers. Everything really changed after around 1965 which was the peak SAT score year. It went downhill thereafter in many, many ways, the dumbing down of school curricula, cultural disintegration, debasement of ethics and morality and much, much more.

I have a long time friend in my neighborhood who is now 86 years old. He grew up during the depression, while growing up along with his brother spent several years in an orphanage until his father took him home after regaining the financial ability to do so. He worked hard his whole life and owned a successful local retail business. He has three children now in their early to mid sixties. HE IS PAYING THE MORTGAGES FOR TWO OF THEM, AGED 65 AND 64!...as they are unable (unwilling?) to do so. One has a bachelors degree from Stanford which my friend no doubt paid for!