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What Costs $1.2 Trillion And Will Likely Cripple Our Economy For A Generation? (Hint: It's Not War.)
There's a lot to be said about this issue, but at the most basic level, something has got to give.
07.31.14
OK, Boomer, you're right about this one.
The gaze of the approving Boomer.
Over the past few years, Baby Boomers (1946 to 1964) have been getting a lot of grief from the generations that came after them, Gen X (1965 to 1980), Millenials (1981 to 1996), and now, Gen Z (1997 to 2012). Their grievances include environmental destruction, wealth hoarding, political polarization, and being judgemental when they don’t understand how hard it is for younger people to make it in America these days.
Every Baby Boomer is different, so it's wrong to paint them all with a broad brush. But it’s undeniable that each generation shares common values, and some are bound to come into conflict.
However, life in 2023 isn’t without its annoyances. Many that came about after the technological revolution put a phone in everyone’s hands and brought a whole new host of problems. Add the younger generations' hands-on approach to child rearing and penchant for outrage, and a lot of moden life has become insufferanble.
These problems weren’t created by Boomers but by their hyper-online children and grandchildren who can’t seem to get their faces out of their phones.
A Reddit user named AnitaVodkasoda took to the AskReddit forum and asked posters to admit there were some things that Boomers got right. “What is something you can say 'I'm with the boomers on this one' about?” they asked, and many responses came from people fed up with the modern-day frustrations caused by technology and social media.
Here are 19 things that people think that Boomers got right.
"Any business which requires you to use an app. I don’t want to download an app, make an account, and remember said password for the account. Especially because the app doesn’t even work a lot of the time or is extremely convoluted with the frontend design." — Sammy_Henderschplitz
"Kids do great with totally unstructured outdoor play. They don’t need an organized game or activity. If you take a bunch of kids to a park and keep an eye on them they’ll figure out stuff to do together and often come up with creative and interesting things that adults wouldn’t have thought of. Just keep them physically safe and let them run around and do kid stuff. You don’t need to curate everything." — HeavyHebrewHammer
"Concert ticket pricing is too high. Once you get in a beer is $17!" — Whatabout-Dre
"Every business asking for tips at checkout. Digital menus. Not being able to own things anymore like software or having to pay monthly fees for car features." — mutualbuttsqueezin
"Phones at concerts. I take one pic when the artist comes on and then I just enjoy the show. You’re never gonna look back at your sh**** videos with you singing off-key in the background lol just enjoy the music." — Used_Eraser
"Social media is unhealthy and children shouldn't have unrestricted access to the internet." — horrorflowers
"Parents who let their kids use tablets in public spaces with the volume all the way up, no headphones, and not doing it to stop an imminent tantrum (if they truly cannot get the kid out of that shared space for some reason) are trashy af. Fight me." — kishbish
"Touchscreens in cars suck." — sketchy_painting
"Calling any business and getting an automated system that takes you 12 minutes to get through, doesn’t answer your question, and you can’t get a real person." — SexyJesus7
"The 'my kid is never wrong' attitude every parent seems to have now. And we wonder why there’s a teacher shortage." — Cinderjacket
"Learn to write a professional email. The number of Gen Z kids I’ve had who send me emails without salutations, with emojis and shorthand like lol omg etc, without proper spelling and punctuation, is crazy. That is fine for texting or exchanges with people you’re friends with, but it’s not for the workplace." — pistachiobees
"Paper straws suck." — JohnYCanuckEsq
"Don't get tattoos on your face." — Disastrous-Aspect569
"Just tell us if you are having a boy or girl. Or wait until the baby is born. We don’t need to assemble for some ridiculous reveal. I don’t want pink or blue dust all over the place." — Kevin Dean
"I think people tend to be too sensitive, personal outrage shouldn't be so important. It's disheartening to see so many people whine and cry and fight over inconsequential nonsense while pressing issues remain unaddressed." — Empathetic_Orch
"Movies, and some TV shows for that matter, are mixed idiotically these days. I don't appreciate having to crank the volume way up to hear the whispered dialog, only to have a music swell or explosion or something blow my head clean off. No amount of tweaking my sound system has fixed this." — broberds
"Being able to afford a house." — The-Black-Douglas
"Headlights are too damned bright now." — 15all
"Get off my lawn." — Disastrous_Motor_189
Funny kangaroos, monkeys and more!
The 2023 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, known for being one of the most entertaining photography contests, has just wrapped up, and this year’s top prize goes to Jason Moore for his hilarious and brilliantly captured photo of a kangaroo, cheekily named “Air Guitar Roo.” Not only did this fantastic shot win the overall competition, but it also rocked the Creatures of the Land category, too.
Jason's photo stood out among a whopping 5,300 entries submitted by 1,842 photographers from 85 countries. Moore’s photo of the female western grey kangaroo was taken in the outer suburbs of Perth, Australia when Jason visited a field of wildflowers to snap some pics of the many adult kangaroos and joeys playing there.
“The shoot turned out to be a great session, and I am quite fond of several images that I captured,” Moore said in a statement. “Not many people know that kangaroos are normally fairly docile and even a bit boring most of the time if I’m honest. However, when I saw this roo striking the air guitar pose, it immediately brought a smile to my face, and I knew that I had captured something really special."
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards was started in 2015 by Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam to create a competition focused on the lighter, humorous side of wildlife photography while assuming an essential role in promoting wildlife conservation.
Here are 14 of the big winners.
A kangaroo rocking out.
© Jason Moore/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
"On this day, I had been out with my camera photographing some waterfowl at a nearby lake. I had been up at sunrise to take advantage of the 'golden hour' light, but it turned out to be a disappointing morning on the water. After leaving the lake, somewhat dejected, I decided to swing past an area of open bushland, because there are often a 'mob' of Kangaroos feeding and sunning themselves in a field close to the road. ... The morning light was still favorable so I grabbed my camera and headed off to a spot where I could get down to eye level with my subjects. I ended up shooting about 40 or 50 frames of the kangaroos with various content including mum’s, joeys and also some action shots of them bouncing along through the yellow field. The shoot turned out to be a great session, and I am quite fond of several images that I captured. However, when I saw this animal strike this pose it immediately brought a smile to my face and I knew that I had captured something special." — Jason Moore
A heron takes a dive.
© Vittorio Ricci/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
"An unusual end of a perfect moment." — Vittorio Ricci
An otter with perfect form.
© Otter Kwek/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
"The otter was leaping while attempting to grasp the overhanging leaves, and during an unusual landing, it ended up in the Arabesque pose. I showed this photo to a ballet teacher, and she commented that the otter is a natural but just needs to tuck in its tummy a bit — precisely what a ballet teacher would advise." — Otter Kwek
This greenfinch is very adamant about something.
© Jacek Stankiewicz/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
"I caught this scene while watching birds in the Bialowieza Forest. My friends interpret this scene in two ways. One, a young naughty kid is arguing with a parent. Two, a kid is reporting to the parent that their brother did something wrong: 'Look he broke a window!'" — Jacek Stankiewicz
A turtle is about to have a meal.
© Tzahi Finkelstein /Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
"The swamp turtle is surprised and smiles at the dragonfly resting on its nose." — Tzahi Finkelstein
This owl is so over it.
© John Blumenkamp /Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
"While photographing the great gray owl shown in my image, I had been busy working to capture that majestic-looking pose. As the owl preened and then sat still for a short while, it stretched once more and for a quick moment gave the pose shown. As it did, I grinned and thought… now that’s funny!" — John Blumenkamp
A proud family of gannets.
© Zoe Ashdown /Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
"At RSPB Bempton Cliffs, each year between March and October, around half a million seabirds use the chalk cliffs towering above the North Sea to nest and raise a family. Gannets mate for life and they return to the same nest year after year to raise their young. Lying safely at the top of the cliff face, I was able to observe the affection shown between the gannets each time one returned to the nest. They have a greeting ritual, they rub beaks and entwine their necks; it’s how they strengthen their bond. But it’s also a brilliant opportunity to catch them in various poses. I didn’t realize I’d taken this image until I got home, but as soon as I saw it I laughed out loud! They look like proud parents, posing with their baby." — Zoe Ashdown
A puffin doing the upside-down Snoopy routine.
© Brain Mattews /Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
"A puffin does an inverted snoopy impression while watching jelly fish." — Brian Matthews.
Silly little joey!
© Lara Matews/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
"Taken at Westerfolds Park, a beautiful and surprisingly wild pocket of land in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, famous for its kangaroo population. The mob was enjoying some morning sunshine when this joey decided to get silly and try his hand at boxing." — Lara Mathews
A sophisticated monkey.
© Delphine Casimir/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
"This picture was taken in the monkey forest in Ubud, Bali, a crazy place where monkeys are king! This forest is special even magical and sacred to the Balinese people. Maybe our dandy is the reincarnation of a divinity?" — Delphine Casimir
"And on my right, is a deer."
© Pratik Mondal/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
A white-winged dove disrupted mid-flight.
© Wendy Kaveney/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
"A white-winged dove appearing to fly head-on into a cholla cactus skeleton." — Whitney Kaveney
Why is that snowball alive?
© Jaques Poulard/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
"The white grouse is coming towards me and looks like a snowball with eyes." — Jaques Poulard
A grey fox that looks like it's enjoying a fine cigar.
© Dakota Vaccaro/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
"While I was working deep in the Virginian woods, a family of grey foxes took up residence under the deck of the abandoned cottage next to my work housing. One day, while practicing their hunting skills on bits of moss and branches, one of the kits lunged at a small chunk of wood and started rolling around with his prize. Tired after his hunt, the kit lounged on his belly still holding the wood in his mouth which gave the strong resemblance of a cigar." — Dakota Vaccaro
Honestly, do you know the difference?
After over a thousand years of peaceful relations, European semi-superpowers Sweden and Switzerland may finally address a lingering issue between the two nations. But the problem isn’t either country’s fault. The point is that the rest of the world can’t tell them apart. They simply don’t know their kroppkakor (Swedish potato dumpling) from their birchermüesli (a Swiss breakfast dish).
This confusion on the European continent has played out in countless ways.
Swedish people who move to the United States often complain of being introduced as Swiss. The New York Stock Exchange has fallen victim to the confusion, and a French hockey team once greeted their Swiss opponents, SC Bern, by playing the Swedish National Anthem and raising the Swedish flag.
Skämtar du med mig? (“Are you kidding me?” in Swedish)
To help the world finally recognize the differences between the two nations, Sweden has created a landmark proposal to end the confusion once and for all.
Sweden (not Switzerland)www.youtube.com
“If people struggle to separate our two countries, we need to help them. We can’t change the names of our nations, but we can become more distinct. Sweden offers the luxury of a different nature, that’s why we think it’s time to decide who promotes what, and hopefully, we can reach an agreement,” said Susanne Andersson, CEO of Visit Sweden.
The Swedish proposal is simple and practical, just like its citizens. The country hopes to make a clear distinction between the two countries by deciding who talks about what. “We will be able to communicate things like sandbanks, rooftops and silence. Meanwhile, Switzerland will focus on banks, mountain tops, and loud noises,” Andersson said in a statement.
The Northern Lights in Sweden.Photo: David Schreiner/Folio/imagebank.sweden.se
The Swedes hope that people will learn to distinguish Switzerland's technological advancements, such as particle accelerators and luxurious watches, from Sweden’s natural phenomena that, instead of winding you up, help you wind down.
The first draft of the official settlement was presented to Switzerland and can be read at the Visit Sweden website. “We’re hoping that Switzerland will negotiate with us on this important matter. But if they want contemporary fashion, the answer is no. They get to have leather couture, and we think that’s fair,” Andersson said, referencing the yellow-painted leather pants traditionally worn by herdsmen in Appenzeller.
A rooftop in Stockholm, Sweden. Emmie Bolmstedt/Visit Sweden
If Sweden and Switzerland come together on an agreement to distinguish their national identities, it’ll be a big win for the entire world. But, until then, the best way for you to truly learn the difference is to visit Sweden yourself.
Sweden’s calming, beautiful nature will refresh your spirit like no place on Earth. Imagine sailing on its pristine lakes while a sharp breeze runs through your hår (hair). Enjoy a hike in perpetual daylight during the Midnight Sun Period, or feast your ögon (eyes) on the mesmerizing Northern Lights in Swedish Lapland.
Looking for some high-altitude adventure? You and a friend could even take a yodeling tour in the Alps in the shadows of the magnificent Matterhorn. Sounds like fun? Sorry, got you. The Matterhorn is in Switzerland, and Swedish people don’t yodel; it throws off their lagom—a unique brand of Scandinavian chill.
Find your lagom by planning your trip to Sweden today.
"Imagine if discussing how to navigate the minefield was as dangerous as the minefield itself. That's what I feel like we're living in now," Noah says.
Trevor Noah launches his "What Now? with Trevor Noah" podcast.
If there's one thing Trevor Noah excels at (besides stand-up comedy), it's talking about hot topics. When Trevor Noah was hosting "The Daily Show," his "Between the Scenes" segments where he chatted with his live audience during breaks often went viral. In these clips, Noah would find ways of speaking about controversial issues in a way that was clear, concise, thoughtful and wise.
With his new podcast "What Now? with Trevor Noah," he's taking those conversations even further.
A video of Noah explaining the premise behind the podcast shared by Carrick Ryan gives voice to what so many people are feeling about social discourse in the modern age.
"If there's one thing I've always loved, it's having a spirited conversation," Noah begins. "I've always loved how the words coming out of another person's mouth can change how the mush in your brain processes or sees the world that it's seen a certain way for such a long time."
However, Noah points out, people appear to be losing the ability to have those conversations. He explains that he recently attended an event where people of all ages were having "interesting" and "dynamic" conversations about difficult topics, and every few minutes he'd hear someone say, "Now, I would never say this in public, but…." or "I would never say this if I was being recorded, but…"
"So many of us have opinions and ideas about the world we live in that we are either unable, unwilling or too scared to share," Noah laments. "And I thought to myself, if we cannot have conversations about difficult things—if the conversations themselves are now the difficult things—then what hope do we have of fixing the difficult things?"
Noah compares the current conversational reality to a minefield, which is one of the most dangerous places you can step foot in because you don't know where the mines are buried.
"All you know is at any moment something could blow up," he says. "Imagine if discussing how to navigate the minefield was as dangerous as the minefield itself. That's what I feel like we're living in now," Noah says.
Watch:
Noah's description of the social landscape hit home for many people who shared their thoughts in the comments.
"This is why I enjoy Trevor Noah so much—he always digs beneath the surface." – Carol A.
"That actually made me cry and I don’t know why. I feel pretty hopeless when it comes to the world. I am disgusted with the human race. We have never learned and never will, thousands and thousands of years have proven that. The helplessness of watching what is going on around me makes me numb." – Elisabeth T.
"He is talking about having a legitimate conversation. That means exchange of ideas, opinions, and experiences. It doesn't mean, 'How can you possibly believe ...?' And the response cannot be, 'I believe this completely and you'll never change my mind so stop trying.' This isn't a conversion or a intervention. It's a conversation. Know the difference." – Deb A.
"Partly because to address a controversial issue in a way to accurately say what you want requires a range of vocabulary and thoughtfulness from speaker and listener that is a bit scarce these days. Every issue is considered binary, you are judged to be for or against things. It's like standing on the edge of the minefield discussing tactics with one view as there are no mines and the other the area is one big mine." – Peter H.
Some people talked about the importance of listening to one another while others questioned whether productive conversations could be had with certain groups of people, such as conspiracy theorists or religious fundamentalists.
However, who we have those "spirited conversations" with may not matter as much how we have them. If we want to see how it's done, Trevor Noah offers a solid example. Find "What Now? with Trevor Noah" wherever you listen to podcasts.
And somehow....still relatable.
This video is nuts.
Usually when celebrities do a video revealing what’s in their bag, you can almost guarantee that there will be zero traces of any half eaten candy bars, wads of crumpled receipts and other junk items most people carry around everyday.
Instead, viewers can expect a rather aspirational fare—luxury skin products (that said celebrity is a brand ambassador for, no doubt)…top-of-the-line health foods…at least one New York Times Bestseller.
But not Jennifer Garner. No no no. When Jennifer Garner does a purse contents reveal, you can expect something messy, hilarious and oh-so relatable.“What’s in my bag? I’m embarrassed to even show you,” the actress wrote in a TikTok video caption. But truly, her embarrassment is making everyone feel seen.
In the clip, she dives into her backpack—that’s right, a backpack, not even a purse—and pulls out a notebook, an iPad, a datebook, a pouch of pens (because “pens are life”) plus a two-sided glasses case, which she notes anyone “over 50” will understand why they’re necessary.
And because she’s a mom, she of course carries around items for kids, including two books— “The Whalebone Theatre,” which she's reading with her 14-year-old, and “The Giver,” which she's reading with her 11-year-old.
And then come the snacks. The copious, profuse, abundant amount of snacks.
At first it’s just three protein bars and a nearly empty bag of chocolates with one last piece remaining. “Lucky day! It’s my lucky day!” Garner exclaims as she grabs the last piece. Followed by another, definitely empty candy bag. Oh how quickly purses become glorified trash cans.
Garner then sends herself into a giggle fit as she pulls out not one, not two but eight different bags of nuts…quite literally squirreled away in various hidden pockets. Plus more candy.
"I'm so scared," she struggles to say while cry-laughing on the floor. "I'm not going to have any nuts!"
Watch the hysterical video below:
@jennifergarner What’s in my bag? I’m embarrassed to even show you…. 🥜🌰🥜🐿️
♬ original sound - Jen Garner
Garner might be embarrassed by the video, but judging by the comments, it’s only made fans respect her more.
“All this video did was remind me how much I love Jennifer Garner,” one person wrote.
Another added, "Note to self if we are ever around Jennifer Garner we will not go hungry or be bored while waiting for the storm to pass by love it!"
And perhaps this comment nails the moment best of all:
"Love that she is as unhinged as the rest of us. 😂🥰"
Kudos to Jennifer Garner for giving us a laugh and making us feel seen. Stars, they’re just like us—especially when it comes to snack packing.
"I was just doing my job man. I was just doing my job and actually came across somebody who needed help."
At 1:30 am on a Monday morning in February, an AMBER Alert went out in southern Louisiana about a missing 10-year-old girl from New Iberia. It was believed she had been kidnapped and driven away in a 2012 silver Nissan Altima.
A few hours later at 7 am, Dion Merrick and Brandon Antoine, sanitation workers for Pelican Waste, were on their daily route when they noticed a vehicle that fit the description in the alert.
The sanitation workers thought it was suspicious that a silver sedan was parked alone in a field in St. Martin Parish.
"Something told me, like just look, I said what is that car doing in that field like that? What the car doing? Guess what, that's the dude with the little girl," Merrick said in a Facebook Live video. "That's God."
The video has been seen over 1.5 million times since it was posted on Monday morning.
To prevent the possible kidnapper from escaping, they parked the large sanitation truck the wrong way on the highway to "Make sure they couldn't get out," Merrick said. Then, they called 911.
When police arrived they arrested Michael R. Sereal, the man whose car was mentioned in the AMBER Alert. The police were also able to safely recover the girl who appeared unharmed. She was later taken to the hospital to be evaluated by medical personnel.
The Iberia Parish Sheriff's Department's online sex offender registry has a Michael Roy Sereal but authorities wouldn't confirm it's the same man.
The young girls' family got in touch with the two men who saved her and have shown amazing gratitude. "I'm just so happy and blessed that I have actually seen the car and we actually responded like we were supposed to respond," Merrick told KHOU.
Merrick hopes that his actions will inspire others to be proactive as well. "Don't be scared if you see something. If you know something is wrong, report it," Merrick said. "Call authorities because it could save someone's life."
via Office of the Louisiana Attorney general
The two men were applauded by the St. John Parish's Sheriff, who offered to buy them lunch.
"I was just doing my job man. I was just doing my job and actually came across somebody who needed help," Merrick said. "Got me tearing up."
The AMBER Alert system was created in 1996 after nine-year-old Amber Hagerman was abducted and murdered while riding her bike in Texas. Since its inception, nearly seven in 10 AMBER alert cases have resulted in children being successfully reunited with their parents.
In 17% of the cases, the child's recovery is a direct result of the alert.
As of December 2020, 1,029 children rescued specifically because of the system.
This article originally appeared on 02.09.21