#boomer women adventure travel

[originallandlockedmariner]

2023

Pickleball. Generative AI. Lula takes office in Brazil, Amazon Rainforest throws a party. Prince Harry refusing to stop talking about his frozen penis no matter how many times society begged him to stop. UFOs are real. Viral cat dubbed ‘largest cat anyone has ever seen’ gets adopted. Pee-Wee’s big adventure ends. Musk & X. Turkey-Syria earthquake kills thousands. India surpasses China as ‘country squeezing in the most peeps’. Tucker Carlson ousted. Miss USA and her 30 lbs moon costume. Wildfires in Kelowna and Hawaii. Macron tinkers with retirement age of the French. Paltrow can’t ski. Big Red Boots. Bob Barker leaves us. Alabama mom delivers 2 babies from her 2 uteruses in 2 days. Charles III. Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russian forces as the war drags on. Taylor Swift is Time’s Person of the Year. African ‘coup belt’. Flo-Jo dies in her sleep. Chinese spy balloon shot down. Hollywood writers strike. Human ‘nice mugshot’ Shitstain and his 91 indictments. Highest interest rates in 2 decades. The Bear’s Christmas episode. War in Gaza. Shinzo Abe is assassinated. Alex Murdaugh. Ocean Cleanup removes 25 000 lbs of trash from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Vase purchased for $3.99 sells for $100 000 at auction. Barbenheimer. A third of Pakistan is flooded. Lionel Messi is the GOAT. Travis Kelce. The Sphere opens in Las Vegas. Regulators seized Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, resulting in two of the three largest bank failures in U.S. history. “The Woman In Me”. WHO declares COVID ain’t a thing no more. Titan sub sinks, rich people die. Matthew Perry drowns. Dumbledore Dies (again). Massive sales of ‘Fuck Trudeau’ flags for jacked-up micro-dick trucks. Everything Everywhere All At Once. June-August was the hottest three-month period in recorded history across the Earth. Tina Turner dies. And the Beatles release a new song?! Wow… You got big shoes to fill 2024.

Archives for context:

2020

Kobe. Pandemic. Lockdown. Koalas on fire. Harry and Meg retire. Toilet paper hoarding. Alcoholism. Impeach the f*cker. Parasite. Bonnie Henry. Tiger King. Working from home. Sourdough bread. Harvey Weinstein guilty. Zoom overdose. Dip your body in sanitizer. 6 feet. Quarantine. OK Boomer. Home schooling (everyone passes). Murder hornets. Dolly Parton. Don’t hug, kiss or see anybody, especially your family. Chris Evans’ junk. TikTok. Glory holes. Face masks. CERB. West Coast wildfires. Stay home. Small Businesses lose, big box stores win. F*ck Bozos. ‘Dreams’ and cranberry juice. Close yoga studios, but thumbs up to your local gym. Speak moistly to me. George Floyd. BLM. F*ck Trump. Phase 2, 3 and Summer. RBG. Baby Yoda. Biden wins. Bond and Black Panther die. No more lockdown. Back to school and work. Just kidding... giddy up round 2. Giuliani leaks shit from his head. Resurgence of chess. UFOs are real. Restrictions. Dave Grohl admits defeat. Monolith. “F*ck... forgot my mask in the car”. No Christmas shenanigans allowed. Bubbles. Alex Trebek. Use the term ‘dumpster fire’ one too many times. Jupiter and Saturn form 'Christmas Star'. Happy New Year Bitches!!!! 2021... you better not sh*t the bed!!

2021

“We love you, you’re very special”. Failed coup attempt at the Capital. Twitter, FB and IG ban Donny. Hammerin’ Hank goes to the Field of Dreams. Bozo no longer richest man but still a twat. Leachman, Tyson, and Holbrook pass. The economy is worse than expected. Kim and Kanye split. Brood X cicadas. Dre has an aneurysm and nearly has his home broken into. Bridgerton. MyPillow CEO is a douche. Covid restrictions extended indefinitely. Captain Von Trapp dies. Proud Boys officially a Terrorist Organization. Richard Ramirez. Cancer takes Screech. Travel bans. Impeachment trial (again?… oh and this was barely February? WTF??!!) Suez Canal blockage. Myanmar protest. Kong dukes it out with Godzilla, while Raya watches. Olympics. Friends compare elective surgeries. F9. Canada Women’s Soccer Gold. Free Britney. Multiverses. Residential Schools in Canada unearth children’s bodies. Kate is Mare of Easttown. Cuomo resigns. Disney and Dwayne cruise together. Wildfires. Delta variants. Musk passes Bezos. Candyman x 5. Capt. Kirk goes to space. F*ck Kyle Rittenhouse. Astros didn’t win. Squid Game. Goodbye Bond. Dune is redone. Angelina is Eternal. Astroworld deaths. Meta. Omicron. Three Spidermen. Tornados in December? World Juniors cancelled. Pills against Covid. School opening delayed. And Betty White dies. 2022… my expectations are ridiculously low…

2022

Wow… eight billion people. Queen Elizabeth II passes away after ruling the Commonwealth before dirt was invented. The monkeypox. Russia plays the role of global a**hole. Wordle. Mother Nature rocks Afghanistan. Hover bike. Styles spits on Pine. Olivia Newton John, Kristie Alley, and Coolio leave us. Pele was traded to team Heaven. FTX implodes. Madonna and the 3-D model of her vagina. Pig gives his heart to a human. Beijing can brag that it is the first city ever to host both the Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics. Uvalde. $3 trillion Apple. Keith Raniere gets 120 years. The Whisky War ends with Canada and Denmark going halfsies. Mar-a-Lago. Nick Cannon brood hits a dozen. Shinzo Abe is assassinated. Inflation goes through the roof (if you can actually afford to put a roof over your head). Volodymyr Zelensky. European heat wave. Bennifer. Salman Rushdie is stabbed on stage, Dave Chappelle tackled, and Chris Rock is only slapped. Thích Nhất Hạnh. Heidi Klum goes full slug. Cuba knocked out by Ian. Liz Truss and 4.1 Scaramuccis. Taylor Swift breaks Ticketmaster. Human shitstain Elon Musk ignores helping mankind and buys Twitter instead. Riri becomes a mommy. NASA launches Artemis 1. Trump still a whiny little b*tch. Music lost Loretta Lynn, Christine McVie, and Meat Loaf. Democracy died at least three times. Pete Davidson continues to date hottest women on the planet (no one understands how?!) Microplastics in our blood. Alex Jones is a c*nt. So is DeSantis. Argentina wins the World Cup. Meghan and Harry. Eddie Munson rips Metallica in the Upside Down. tWitch. Roe vs Wade is overturned by the micro dick energy of the Supreme Court. CODA. James Corden shows he is a "tiny Cretin of a man". Amber (and the sh*t on the bed) Heard (round the world). Sebastian Bear-McClard proves he’s one of the f*cking dumbest men alive. Latin America's ‘pink tide’. Anti-Semitic rants by Ye. Bob Saget. A verified blue checkmark. Godmother of punk Vivienne dies. And, Tom Cruise feels the need for speed yet again. 2023… whatcha got for us?!? Nothing shocks me anymore.

@daily-esprit-descalier

[ankita784]

Understanding Luxury Travel Market Size: Growth and Projections

Understanding Luxury Travel Market Size: Growth and Projections

Market Overview

According to Straits Research, the global Luxury Travel market size was valued at USD XX Billion in 2023. It is projected to reach from USD XX Billion in 2024 to USD XX Billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 7.3% during the forecast period (2024–2032).

The Luxury Travel market, an evolving segment in the industry, is witnessing substantial expansion fueled by avant-garde technologies and escalating consumer demand. Market analysts scrupulously gather data through polls, focus groups, and in-depth scrutiny of industry patterns. These analysts utilize both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to ensure a comprehensive and precise market report. The report encompasses intricate insights on market size, growth prospects, competitive milieu, and consumer predilections. By harnessing advanced analytical instruments and expert acumen, the report delivers invaluable recommendations and strategic guidance for stakeholders, empowering them to make enlightened decisions and seize emerging prospects within the Luxury Travel market.

Competitive Players

The competitive landscape of the Luxury Travel market includes several key players who have a significant impact on market dynamics. Major companies operating in this market include:

Abercrombie and Kent USA, LLC

Virtuoso, Ltd.

Scott Dunn Ltd

Butterfield and Robinson Inc

TUI AG

Travcoa (The Luxury Travel Group)

Micato Safaris, Inc.

Ker and Downey

Tauck, Inc.

Black Tomato Group

Thomas Cook Group Plc

Cox and Kings Ltd

Kensington Tours Ltd

Zicasso, Inc.

Backroads

Lindblad Expeditions

Exodus Travels

Get a free sample of the Luxury Travel Market @ https://straitsresearch.com/report/luxury-travel-market/request-sample

Luxury Travel Market Segmentation

The comprehensive Luxury Travel market analysis has been divided into categories such as category, application, and delivery mode, with each subset examined according to geographical segmentation. This research will keep marketers updated and assist in pinpointing target demographics for a product or service, including insights into market share.

By Type of Tour

Cruise/ship expedition

Adventure & safari

Celebration & special events

Customized & private vacations

Culinary travel & shopping

Business tours

Small group journey

By Age Group

Millennial (21–30)

Generation X (31–40)

Baby boomers (41–60)

Silver hair (60 and above)

By Type of Traveller

Absolute luxury

Aspiring luxury

Accessible luxury

Booking Channel

Phone Booking

Online Booking

In booking

By Tourist Type

Domestic

International

By Tour Type

Independent Traveller

Package Traveller

Tour Group

By Consumer Orientation

Men

Women

Regional Analysis

Europe:The Luxury Travel market is predominantly led by the Europe region, which holds the largest share and has established itself as the market leader due to its robust infrastructure, high demand, and mature industry presence.

North America: The North America region is the fastest-growing area within the Luxury Travel market, exhibiting rapid growth rates driven by emerging market opportunities, increasing consumer demand, and expanding infrastructure.

Buy Full Luxury Travel Market Report @ https://straitsresearch.com/buy-now/luxury-travel-market

Key Highlights

The purpose of this study is to examine the manufacturers of Luxury Travel, including profiles, primary business activities, news, sales and price, revenue, and market share.

The study provides an overview of the competitive landscape among leading manufacturers worldwide, including sales, revenue, and market share of Luxury Travel percent.

It illustrates the market subdivided by type and application, with details on sales, price, revenue, market share, and growth rate broken down by type and application.

The research covers key regions by manufacturers, categories, and applications, including North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and South America, with sales, revenue, and market share segmented by manufacturers, types, and applications.

It also investigates production costs, essential raw materials, and production methods.

Principal Motives Behind the Purchase:

To gain deep analyses of the industry and understand the commercial landscape of the global market.

To analyze production processes, key problems, and potential solutions to mitigate future issues.

To understand the most influential driving and restraining factors in the Luxury Travel industry and their global market impact.

To gain insights into the market strategies employed by the most successful firms.

To understand the market's future and potential.

About Straits Research

Straits Research is dedicated to providing businesses with the highest quality market research services. With a team of experienced researchers and analysts, we strive to deliver insightful and actionable data that helps our clients make informed decisions about their industry and market. Our customized approach allows us to tailor our research to each client's specific needs and goals, ensuring that they receive the most relevant and valuable insights.

Contact Us

Email: sales@straitsresearch.com 

Address: 825 3rd Avenue, New York, NY, USA, 10022

Tel: +1 6464807505, +44 203 318 2846

Luxury Travel Market, Luxury Travel Industry, Luxury Travel Market Share, Luxury Travel Market Size, Luxury Travel Market Trends, Luxury Travel Market Regional Analysis, Luxury Travel Market Growth Rate, Luxury Travel Market Analysis, Luxury Travel Market Forecast

[chemicalsectorupdates]

Sustainable Practices in the Premium Cosmetics Market: Environmental Implications

The Growing Demand for Luxury Skincare and Makeup

Changing Consumer Preferences Over the past decade, consumer spending habits have shifted towards premium, higher-quality products. As economic stability has increased around the world, more consumers now have the discretionary income to indulge in luxury goods rather than just necessities. This trend is clearly seen in the beauty industry, as sales of mass-market cosmetic brands have slowed compared to accelerated growth at the upper end of the market. According to market research, global sales of prestige beauty products grew by 8% in 2019 alone, far outpacing overall cosmetics sector growth. Consumers, especially younger millennials and Gen Z, are willing to pay more for products they perceive as superior in quality and that align with their personal identities and values. Clean formulas, sustainably-sourced ingredients, and elegant packaging have all become highly desirable attributes prompting many shoppers to trade up to pricier premium brands. The Rise of Clean Beauty Another driver of heightened premium beauty demand has been an increased focus on natural, non-toxic personal care products. Often referred to as "clean beauty," this niche within the industry centers around formulas made without questionable chemicals, dyes, preservatives, and other additives. Many consumers now scrutinize ingredient lists and seek out brands taking an transparent, eco-friendly approach. According to market research surveys, over 60% of women said they would be willing to pay a premium for beauty products with cleaner formulas. International Growth Opportunities While North America and Western Europe remain the largest markets for premium cosmetics currently, other regions worldwide present sizable prospects for future expansion. According to industry analysts, emerging luxury beauty markets like Latin America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, India and China will see some of the strongest growth rates globally over the next five years. Rising affluence and exposure to global trends through travel and social media are fueling tremendous appetite for prestige brands across these areas. Targeting Young Consumers While aging baby boomers wield significant spending power and remain important customers, companies recognize the next major luxury demographic will be millennials and Gen Z. Those born from the 1980s onward now represents billions in collective buying influence and a generation of consumers just entering their prime spending years. Therefore, targeted branding campaigns directly at these younger audiences have become a strategic imperative. Product Innovation and Personalization As competition in the premium segment intensifies, differentiating through innovative new product formulas and personalized services has become vital for brands. Thoughtful formulas providing multifaceted skincare solutions rather than just cosmetic coverage continue to gain traction. Custom blending technologies now allow creations of individualized cosmetic shades and potions tailored precisely for a range of skin tones, eye colors, concerns, and lifestyles. Luxury companies are also getting creative with adventurous new palettes, textures, application tools, packaging designs, and smart connectivity features. Unrelenting Quality Commitment While flash and fun help sell in the short-term, prestige brands wouldn’t last without delivering uncompromising quality year after year. Discerning luxury consumers expect the best performance, dependability, and results from expensive products. Leaders in the space like Kiehl’s and La Mer continuously test boundaries through intensive research yielding breakthrough formulas. In summary, consistently evolving customer demands as well as global economic developments have accelerated growth in the luxury beauty sector. By targeting affluent younger consumers worldwide, incorporating sustainability and clean principles, personalizing engagements, launching visionary new products, and maintaining supreme quality above all else — premium cosmetics companies

[aronasouris]

Is Travel Replacing Retail Therapy For Today’s Millennials?

Although this might sound far-fetched at first, as shopping is a faster and often a cheaper way of spending one’s money as compared to travelling, however, with the recent Covid-19 crisis, the volatility and uncertainty surrounding the travel landscape and policies, the travel sector is now seeing higher consumptions.

Over the past decade, there has been a rise in travelling to gain experience. Many industries have also discussed the growing popularity of this rising class of consumers who seek and value experiences.

There is a consensus held on the fact that while the generation ‘Baby Boomers’ (born 1946-64) ensured necessities (housing, education & security) for themselves and their offspring, ‘Gen X’ (born 1965-1980) didn’t feel the need to worry about the necessities and instead worked towards attaining material quality of their lives (bigger houses, cars, superior education, and achieving financial stability and comfort.) Millennials purely live for the experiences that life has to offer.

The majority of the research we run using our futuriZm technique to understand future consumers show that a small group of consumers will start the trend, and eventually the rest of the market will follow suit. The contemporary generation eagerly anticipates experiences and prioritises making memories.

A few distinct trends that are picking up could shape the future of leisure travel.

Recently Evolved Travel Trends Revitalising The Industry:

China:

Growing in importance for the travel sector is China. In 2019 alone, over 155 million visitors spent more than $250 billion outside of its boundaries, making it the top source of international travellers before Covid-19. A floodgate is expected to open when China opens its borders to travellers who are currently deprived of global travel. So it comes as no surprise that the Gulf States are negotiating special terms with Chinese officials to establish more routes.

Proximity Travel:

Commonly referred to as ‘staycations,’ is the practice of travelling to locations nearby for a short break. Brands are actively seeking out close-by travellers and developing packages with unique features in response to the shortfalls in air traffic when air travel is not yet operating at its peak (or pre-COVID level) capacity. Understanding this market's needs is crucial to giving travel businesses the swift boost they require to resume their halted pace.

Revenge Travel:

With "escape" on their minds, consumers are coming out of lockdowns with a new, intensive post-pandemic type of travel bucket list. Travel for retribution has become popular, either to make up for lost ground or to comfort their pandemic-bound selves of the lockdown imposed upon them. Understanding the needs of these segments is crucial as they may differ drastically from the regular travellers. They may want to experience nature, culture, lifestyle, heritage, entertainment, a combination of these, or something else entirely.

Buddymoon:

A "friendcation," that allows one to take a fly-and-flop trip with peers, is growing in popularity. This enables you to go on vacation on a budget, much like going Dutch while dining out with friends. After all, budget is a driving factor when it comes to making travel plans. Buddymoon greatly aids in controlling it.

Brocation:

Much like Buddymoon, which is mostly associated with men, embrocation involves both independent men and women travelling in groups that are growing in popularity. Brands need to consider these groups alongside families and ask themselves if they are fit to accommodate their needs.

Bleisure:

While the concept isn’t new, mixing business with leisure is certainly evolving. Previously, business travels used to get over before the weekend began (Luggers filling a Friday evening, and Thursdays for most Gulf markets). Today business trips include parties and leisure and adventure activities too. Hotels that generally cater to business stays may want to look into amenities suited for leisure stays too.

Offbeat Travel:

This is a fresh approach to travel that seeks out “underrated” remote locales away from areas over-saturated with tourists, where life is more relaxed and languid. The travel sector can take advantage of this tendency to meet a dispersed demand. Tourists travel to off-beat locations to enjoy the experience, mix with the locals and avoid crowds.

Maxibreak:

Also known as the mini-sabbatical – it’s longer than your average holiday and the chance to find a new vocation while on vacation, perhaps as part of the ‘great resignation’. The industry can create great value by devising offers which cater to this trend which is different from the short-term travellers.

You can capture insights into the evolving travel trends with innovation and new-age market research from Borderless Access. The solutions under BA Insightz use the latest tech-driven methodologies that identify patterns in travel behaviour. They gather actionable data for brands on preferences for travel experiences.

Overall, the industry is optimistic, which is understandable given the fact that people believe they have recovered from an incident that no generation in existence has ever personally witnessed before. Both consumers and businesses want to reclaim lost ground and completely overhaul the sector.

[phyllisstoller]

Too much TV; not enough Boomer Women's Travel

Too much TV; not enough Boomer Women’s Travel

Admit it, you watch television more than before the pandemic. And you probably begin earlier, say around 5PM? Every other ad tells you, that seniors are needy, forgetful, have skin problems and are too frail to push a swing or stir cake batter.  Your hair is falling out and your glow is gone. Moreover you sweat too much and your jeans are too tight. Too much TV and not enough travel.

Do not…

[tinydooms]

Top 5 Books to Read in 2022, tagged by @counterwiddershins

This is actually a tough one, because I don't usually go into the year with a book list. I just pick up books as they interest me. So I'm going to go with genres and themes rather than actual books.

1. Action-adventure stories written for adults, not YA, with solid plots that have adventure, romance, and feelings as themes, not the focus. I'm getting very tired of all the adult books I read navel-gazing at things like aging/family/relationship problems. Give me stories where external shenanigans cause some internal examination, not stories based entirely on one's interior life. Kids and youths shouldn't be the only ones to get plot-driven stories.

2. Modern detective stories that a. stare actual private detectives, not cops doing their job, b. where the main protagonists aren't stereotypes or caricatures and c. comfortable in themselves, not constantly chafing against class/gender/social restrictions. I'm so sick of every single character in a detective story having an inferiority complex. Give me solid, well-rounded characters with issues that can actually be dealt with but who don't act like assholes. Elly Griffiths I am looking directly at you as I type this.

3. Popular history books that are well-written and thoroughly researched on a wide variety of interesting topics. I resent that "popular history" often equals "poorly written and researched". I am a reasonably well-educated, academic woman who doesn't work at the university level and never did a PhD; as much as I like a good scholarly article, I don't read them for pleasure. I would like to be able to sink my teeth into something meaty without running into either poor writing or poor research. "Easily understood by the many" does not and should not equal "shoddily written and researched" and this is a hill I will die on.

(ETA: I know these exists; I would particularly like to see more on my particular areas of interest: fashion history, history of travel, history of archaeology/anthropology, biographies of female writers and scientists and scholars and artists)

4. Elegant erotica. Look, I love a good sex scene, but I was just put off my oats entirely by a supposedly-YA novel with five-page, overly descriptive love scenes. I don't need to know what your lover's vulva looks, feels, and tastes like. I am fully with Toni Morrison when she said, "Sex is difficult to write about because it's just not sexy enough. The only way to write about it is not to write much. Let the reader bring his own sexuality into the text. A writer I usually admire has written about sex in the most off-putting way." Give me lovers laughing in bed together, teasing each other, enjoying themselves, but don't give me blow-by-blow (har har) accounts of what goes where and who does what.

5. Fewer novels set during World War Two, please, God, why do we keep writing and publishing cozy women-having-adventures-during-the-war stories? My mother adores them and they are the bane of my existence. Is this boomer nostalgia? Probably. Whatever it is, it annoys me and I would love to see less of it. Does this make me a snob? Again: probably. But I stand by it.

tagging @belphegor1982, @oldshrewsburyian, @sanspatronymic, @ricochetoconnell What would you all like to read this year?

[xanderwithanx]

HEY, Slash Travels and/or motorsearches.com! Do you think anyone on this fucking website watches Everybody Loves Raymond????? Anyone at all???? Do you think these stupid gay idiots care about Raymond's fucking mother-in-law? Do you THINK we want to bitch about the mothers of our spouses, as if we're fucking straight boomers??? By GOD. "Yes, haha, women ARE horrible, especially if they're Old, and ESPECIALLY if they're related to the ol' ball-and-chain!" I'm going to eviscerate you with my talons. Slash Travels and/or motorsearches.com watch your backs, because I'm coming for you, and ALSO fucking Raymond Barone and his whiny fucking voice; I'm going to end you, and everyone on this stupid fucking app, if I see one more ad from Slash Travels and/or motorsearches.com. It's almost 2 in the morning, and I'm in a blinding fury. NEVER show me Everybody Loves Raymond again, or, by God, I'm going to nuke myself from orbit. Your website titles don't even relate to one another OR the post, leading me to believe this is a vessel for some kind of terrible brainrot virus that will steal my data and personally kill my future mother-in-law, although with the way things are going with ads on this fucking website, I wouldn't be suprised to learn this is an new half baked Everybody Loves Raymond ARG, which would send me back to the psych ward in record time. Oh, are we going on a ~travel adventure~ to the wonderful world of Everybody Loves Raymond? Are we going to hop in our ~motor cars~ and see the wonderful sights of Raymond Barone's mother-in-law? Are we going on a whimsical journey through stolen posts from Twitter and reddit, which you merely complied to gain traffic to your shit websites? Which. Is. It. I'll see you at dawn, which is only in a few hours, so you better start RUNNING.

[missmudpie]

Name Ten Films That Have, For Whatever Reason, Stuck With You

@millennialfangirl tagged me, and this was harder than I thought and I might have gone over the ten.  Also, tumblr is being tumblr and not cooperating with gifs, so only the first film has one.  Here they are, in chronological order:

Casablanca, 1942

Look, Casablanca is the best film ever made.  Is it my favorite?  No, but it’s the best, much better than Citizen Kane, which is often heralded as the pinnacle of cinema but is about a rich old white guy who loves his sled.

Here’s looking at you, kid.  Of all the Gin joints.  Round up the usual suspects!  I’m shocked - shocked!- to find that gambling is going on in here (Your winnings, sir.). This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.  As Time Goes By.  Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman and a supporting cast to die for.  Renault throwing away the bottle of Vichy water.

I could go on, but here’s why Casablanca has stuck with me: It’s one of my Dad’s favorite movies, too.  When I think of Casablanca, I think of him.  One Christmas (I can’t remember if I was in high school or college), the old timey theater in town played Casablanca.  I got us tickets as his Christmas present.  It is one of my favorite movie-going experiences (more on that below).

Star Wars, 1977

When I was little, we used to go to my maternal grandparents’ house every Tuesday, and I would watch Star Wars.  I was probably waaaaay too young - there’s audio of me playing out Star Wars with my My Little Ponies and I was like, three.  On my college essay, I wrote about how Return of the Jedi was my first movie (true story, I was six months old and slept through the whole thing, because apparently taking your sleeping infant to the movies is something parents did in the ‘80s).

Star Wars is where I learned about the Hero’s Journey.  About princesses and rebellions and wizards and flying spaceships.  I devoured the Timothy Zahn books and Young Jedi Knights series.  And yes, I’m a little down on it all after Episode IX - but I still love it.  It has impacted me in so many ways.  I know my life would be the poorer for not having seen it.

Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981

If Princess Leia was the first damsel I saw who get herself out of distress, Marian Ravenwood was the one who solidified the idea that women were perfectly capable of getting into and out of trouble themselves, thank you very much.  Then there’s Harrison Ford in being Peak Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones - Intelligent, clever, brave-bordering-on-reckless.  Who wouldn’t want to go on far-flung adventures to find hidden treasure, and maybe punch some Nazis while you’re at it?

The Goonies, 1985

Speaking of far-flung adventures, how about going on one in your hometown?  Booby-traps, pirates, Italian gangsters, Sloth, hidden treasure - it’s every kid’s playtime fantasy come magically to life.  I still want to go down those tunnel slides and shoot out into a hidden lagoon.  They just don’t make movies like this any more - fun, family movies that don’t dumb down the action or characterization for kids, that’s a ride for both kids and parents alike.  This was the first movie I showed my kids during quarantine.

The Princess Bride, 1987

Inconceivable.  The Six Fingered Man.  Death cannot stop truly love.  Only mostly dead.  Have fun storming the castle!  Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya.  You killed my father.  Prepare to die.  ROUSes.

This is a perfect movie.  It is.  It is lightning in a bottle and it should never, ever be remade (those were just rumors, right?).  This is romance and humor and suspense and two of the best swordfights in cinematic history (fight me on this.  No, really, fight me.  I took fencing in college because of this movie), all wrapped up in the sweetest Happily Ever After.  I love it so much.

Jurassic Park, 1993

I’ve told this story before, but here it is again.  In the summer of 1993, I was 10 and my sisters were 8 and just turned 6, and we convinced our parents that we were for sure old enough to see Jurassic Park - a book my mother had read and thus knew what level of horror to expect.  It did not go well.  I ended up burying my head in my dad’s chest; my youngest sister was in my mom’s lap; and my middle sister, with no where left to go, ended up under the seat in front of her.

Now, it’s the movie we quote (Hold on to your butts).  When my youngest had jello recently, I told him to hold it up and look scared, then texted the picture around.  We all knew immediately what I meant.  The DVDs are given as gifts and then immediately stolen.  My youngest sister can recite the entire movie.  I can’t wait to scare my sons with it.

The Shawshank Redemption, 1994

I don’t remember this movie when it came out; I remember it was this movie I hadn’t really heard of at the Oscars, where it won none.  Not until I was much older did I realize what a travesty that was.  I first watched this on a pep band bus trip in college - not the time or place to truly appreciate it.  Months later, I rented it (remember renting movies?) and fell in love with it.

This is a beautiful movie about friendship and hope and finding light in the darkness.  It’s always on TV, and I will always stop and watch at least a few minutes of it.  The ending - the last half hour, really - is pure cinematic poetry, but noting beats Red’s monologue as he travels to find Andy on that Mexican beach.

That Thing You Do!, 1996

This movie is Capital-D-Delightful.  Just thinking about it makes me smile.  This is the movie that tipped me from Tom Hanks Fan to I Love Tom Hanks and Need Him to Be My Best Friend.  He WROTE and DIRECTED this gem of a movie.  The talent.  The song is legitimately catchy, the characters are Wonder-ful (see what I did there?), and it’s all in Day-Glo ‘60s color.  I love this movie and make no apologies.

Toy Story 2, 1999

Speaking of Tom Hanks, this is my favorite Toy Story.  Look, the first is a technological marvel, but Woody is an ass throughout most of the film.  The fourth is it’s own thing, and the third is really, really good and I ugly sob at the end, but it’s also got a lot going on there.  But the second - oh the second is beautiful in its simplicity.  In addition to all of Andy’s toys, we get Jesse and Bullseye and even Stinky Pete.  It’s an ode to friendship and love and the realization that life, for toys and people, eventually ends, and we have to appreciate every moment we have now.  It is my favorite Toy Story.

Finding Nemo, 2003

I don’t know if it’s my favorite Pixar film, though.  It depends on the day, but most of the time that distinction goes to Finding Nemo.  I first saw it when I was twenty, a decade before my first kid was born, but it has greatly influenced how I parent.  The conversation between Dory and Marlin in the whale, the idea that keeping anything from happening to your kid cuts both ways, the leap of faith, the mantra of “just keep swimming,” the notion that your kids don’t just want, but need to have independence - it’s all there, in Pixar’s stunning ocean animation.  I get choked up just thinking about it.  “Now go have an adventure!”

Honorable Mentions:

Forrest Gump, 1994

I loved this movie.  I love Tom Hanks in this movie.  I would watch it in snippets during college, while I ate dinner or lunch or just needed a quick study break.  But it’s been years since I last saw it, and I wonder if it still holds up.  It’s a Boomer movie made when the Boomers were - basically, just a little older than we old Millennials are now.  It’s American history in the last half of the twentieth century, but the big events - Vietnam, Civil Rights, even AIDS - are filtered through the lens of a straight white man who kinda wanders into history but doesn’t really get why the moments are historic.  I feel like it’s a film I appreciated at a certain time, but wouldn’t love as much now.

Avengers: Endgame, 2019

There just hasn’t been enough time for this movie to make the list.  Ask about it again in ten years.  Although, to be honest, I haven’t seen the whole thing since I saw it in theaters, and I fear it won’t live up.  It was the best movie-going experience I’ve ever had.  The crowd was so into it, and the last battle had everyone, me included, screaming at the screen.  Part of what makes Endgame so special to me is that, among the three big franchises that ended last year (Avengers, Star Wars, Game of Thrones), this one actually stuck the landing.  And yes, I could argue that Steve Rogers’ end doesn’t actual make any sense and deprives Peggy Carter of her agency - but in the emotional moment of the film, it worked.  That portal scene is the culmination of twenty-plus films, and I still can’t believe it works as well as it does.

Thanks again for this! I second tagging @lerayon for this.  I feel like I’m kinda cold-calling mutuals from our Arrow days, so no pressure.  But I’d love to hear what @machawicket @dust2dust34 @dettiot @theshipsfirstmate​ have on their lists.

[jcmorrigan]

//Oh!, ok, got it. I take almost everything literally, and don't understand idioms, metaphors, expressions, slang, certain jokes, and/or figurative language, sorry. //I've never seen the show, I've heard( that) it's bad though. If so, why?

Duly noted!

Okay, so the thing is, my memories of it aren’t clear. I know I did watch it as a child, since I was a 90s kid. It was never really something I...bothered to remember. I was more into Chip & Dale: Rescue Rangers as a kiddo (though somehow that one hasn’t held up to me as well on a rewatch; it kinda feels like a lesser version of Darkwing Duck and I never got past the pilot)

I had completely forgotten about it, and then all of a sudden I’m watching a review by a certain Internet critic who I am ashamed to admit I used to like watching (because people yelling at things that don’t make sense is my kind of humor; don’t worry, I stopped with him and instead just focused on the likes of Mozenrath and other fictional characters who would do exactly that), and he brings up Shnookums & Meat and I just go “IT WASN’T A DREAM. THAT WAS REAL.”

I admittedly haven’t actually watched it since...25+ years ago, but on principle, the thing is, it’s obviously a clone of Ren & Stimpy. It can’t be coincidence that while that show was at its peak, Disney decided to do a slapstick comedy series about a cat and a dog who sort of liked each other.

Am I defending R&S? No. I HATE that show and everything it stands for. I have a pretty high tolerance for cartoon hijinks that can be offputting or violent (The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy is one of my favorite cartoons to this day), but every single R&S clip I’ve seen feels...off. And I think I’m feeling the negative energy that radiates off John K. wherever he goes; I have heard horror stories about how he talks about women and his ego in what tropes he thinks he “invented” in animation. Also the fact that they tried to revive R&S as a show specifically way raunchier tells me quite a bit about what the spirit of it was at the core (compare and contrast: Samurai Jack’s final season was also TV-MA, but instead of crudeness, this was used to be able to up the stakes, have Jack deal with the topic of mortality, show carnage to depict the villains’ reach, have some edgy jokes that aren’t OOC for the characters involved, and yes, depict some sexual tension between a loving couple. SJ proves that the problem isn’t in suddenly making your show more adult, but in HOW YOU DO THAT).

So back to Shnookums & Meat, and unfortunately I am forced to type out that title each time because Disney never got that its abbreviation was “S&M”? You’d think that wouldn’t have cleared production. But anyway. This is the 90s, when Disney’s image as family-friendly and wholesome entertainment is in full swing. Meanwhile, Boomers absolutely HATE R&S. It only gets its popularity from the kids, and though I can’t speak to what percentage of that popularity rode solely on the shock-value factor, it was definitely a sizeable percentage. Disney’s already in the lead with the parents here. If they want to win this war, all they have to do is continue making shows with simple-yet-unique premises (along the lines of “Scrooge McDuck travels around the world having adventures”) with goofy banter, charismatic characters, and this same image of wholesome fun. Easy, right?

Except SOMEBODY in the writers’ room steps forward and legitimately pitches “We need to make a copycat show of that horrible one our target audience’s parents ban them from watching.” AND THIS GOT APPROVED, SOMEHOW

And I mean maaaaaybe Shnookums & Meat is the actual better version of R&S with good dialogue and far less discomfort? But the fact that it exists at all on the worst premise it could possibly have just makes me feel embarrassment rising even acknowledging its existence.

[radioactive-synth]

odd numbers for tamir >:3

1. which faction did they side with (NCR, legion, yes-man, or house)?

at the begining, she did sided with the NCR before she got in NV, but then after she killed Benny, she found Yes Man and she liked his plans and she allied with him3. melee, guns, energy weapons, or unarmed?

shotgun, sometimes sniper rifle, knife5. SPECIAL stats?

4 ST 9 PE 10 END 10 C 1 INT 10 AG 11 LCK7. favorite companions? least favorite companions?

Rex!!! and Arcade, Raul, Lily and Veronica are her fave companions9. gender / sexuality / ethnicity / species / etc.?

cis female / pan / african-american / human/cyborg11. when, why and how did they become a courier? how long did they remain a courier before benny shot them?

at the age of 15 she gave up of the caravan group and took the job as courier. she was around 20 when Benny shot her13. how did they deal with benny?

she tricked his goons that he was a liar, and she lured him into his apartment and killed him with her bare hands15. what do the people in freeside think of them? the followers, the kings, the garrets, the van graffs?

she is in good relation with the Freeside, the Followers, the Kings, is neutral with the Garrets and Van Graffs17. what’s their reputation with the khans / the brotherhood / the boomers / the powder gangers?

peaceful with the Khans, ignores the Brotherhood, allied with the Boomers, enemy with the Powder Gangers19. what is their motive for taking vegas?

she thought it would be cool21. what do they look like? how tall are they? are they attractive? any piercings, tattoos, scars?

she is around 1.60 m, has white hair, slim frame but with muscular arms, no piercing or tattoos, has scars on her face and body, and yes she is very attractive ;)23. do they speak any languages other than english?

Spannish and a bit of Chinese. does learn a bit of Greek from Olivia25. what were their parents like? are they still on good terms with their parents?

her parents were killed by raiders when she was 4 yrs old, and she cant remember them, their names or her own name27. how’s their karma?

in majority, good, with the Legion and Powder Gangers, is very bad29. do they take chems? if yes, when and which ones?

she only tries mentats rarely31. where do they usually sleep? do they have more than one home location? do they live with any other people?

she has Lucky 38 as her main home, but she also gets accepted in Sanctuary and lives with Cait in a house

33. do they flirt a lot? is it well-received?

she does like to flirt, and it well received35. what do their companions think of them? are they close? have they done any companion quests?

Rex thinks of her as his master and bff, but he sometimes must think more for her, as Tamir tends to be too reckless, and he pulls her out of danger before she launches in. he is basically her impulse control lmao

Arcade thinks that she has a good heart and good intentions, but she is very reckless and hard to control sometimes. they remained friends but he refuses her offer to join her again in adventures. Tamir and Rex do visit him at his clinic and talk for hours.

Raul also thinks she is good, but they were in danger many times, and sometimes his jokes arent understood by her. they remained friends but they rarely see each other.

Tamir likes to visit Lily and bring her stuff at Jacobstown.

i havent thought much for her and Veronica, but they are still friends, but didnt seen each other for a long time

37. do they draw, paint, play any instruments?

no39. have they ever been irradiated? how did they deal with it? did it have lasting effects?

she got sick a few times, but she treated herself with radaway

41. do they like long journeys through the mojave, or do they prefer to travel more quickly? do they prefer using roads or travelling through the deep desert?

it depends, but she has a motorcycle for longer trips, like for Sanctuary trip. she does love to travel around alot43. do they watch movie holotapes? what are their favorites? least favorites?

that idk...45. what do they do after hoover dam?

continues to rule over New Vegas, gets rid of Legion, saves the women and children from the faction and offers them homes, jobs and education in NV47. what are their vices? are they an alcoholic, a thief, a hoarder?

she is a kind of alcoholic, as she drinks whiskey a lot49. did they kill caesar? vulpes inculta? what about prominent ncr figures, like kimball and colonel hsu?

yes and yes, and she did scared NCR after the Hoover Dam, so NCR are not interfering with her anymore.

thanks!!!

ASK ME ABOUT MY COURIER

[findingkathybrown]

Travel Blog for Women Over 50 to Follow Now in USA

Welcome to Travel Blog for Women Over 50 to follow now in 2021 – All blogs featured include destination ideas for USA getaways and some international locations.

Many popular travel blogs feature 20’s or 30’s something- beautiful ladies lounging in bikinis on some distant beach. Don’t get me wrong, I have the utmost respect for these gals, but their travel interests always seemed a little more fast-paced than my middle age body will allow.

Even though my personal travel pace is slow with a good martini, many of these top travel blogs written by people over 50 are quite adventurous. I’m sure one of these amazing blogs will inspire your future travel itineraries.

MCCOOL TRAVEL – CHARLES MCCOOL What makes this traveling blog so great is real-world trip advice and tips. When I’m planning a getaway, the most important points for me to know are the best places to dine, top hotels, hidden gems, and authentic images. McCool Travel Blog manages to provide me with honest, thoughtful perspectives on great locations.

ONE ROAD AT A TIME – POST RETIREMENT TRAVEL Abi and Patti are an inspiring couple showing how when retirement is done right, the road can lead almost anywhere. I love all the wonderfully written stories highlighting getaways in the USA and beyond.

I find myself very much aligned with this couple’s traveling style, with many articles on national parks, outdoor attractions, and historic points of interest. Consequently, I often read about one of their adventures and wish Steve and I could have tagged along.

FAMILY TRAVELS ON A BUDGET – KAREN DAWKINS Truth be told, I know Karen personally and she happens to be a good friend. This top over 50 travel writer and I met several years ago at a media event. I’ve certainly learned a lot about travel writing from this amazing lady.

Family Travels on a Budget is a go-to vacation planner for families that often include cruising, theme parks, small-towns, and island getaways. I love family travels on a budget for gathering ideas for trips with the grandkids.

However, not all highlights are just for the family. Guests will also find some really great couples experiences.

LUGGAGE & LIPSTICK – PATTI MORROW Luggage and Lipstick creator Patti Morrow is the Boomer blogger this Gen Xer aspires to become. In the first place, this chic is fearless and looks fabulous while jumping out of airplanes, scuba diving, and exploring the world.

This 50 plus women’s adventurous spirit, light-hearted humor, and age-defining beauty will keep you daydreaming about the next stunning location.

TRAVELS WITH TAM – TAMMY MINTON Tam is taking you with her on a tour of exotic places. This popular blogger is in love with natural surroundings, luxury destinations, scuba diving, and cares deeply for the environment.

While I may be touring my home country of the United States, Tam is journalling about her time in Antarctica and other distant lands.

GETTING ON TRAVEL ONLINE MAGAZINE Getting on Travel is a collaborative online magazine with an incredible group of writers over the age of 50. Experiences include luxury resorts, beach getaways, cruising, food, wine, and casinos.

[aion-rsa]

Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Many Influences of Indiana Jones

https://ift.tt/38Z54Pj

When Raiders of the Lost Ark was released in 1981, it was like a jolt of lightning from out of the past. As with George Lucas’ Star Wars before it, here was a throwback to many of the cinematic touchstones high and low that Baby Boomers grew up with: Saturday morning serials, prestige Oscar winners from yesteryear, and even boys’ pulp magazines were sifted through, borrowed from, and recontextualized into one of the most thrilling action-adventure movies anyone had ever seen. Somehow Lucas, who was a producer on the project, director Steven Spielberg, and the whole Indiana Jones team were able to craft a movie simultaneously retro and new.

Of course the younger generations who were swept up in Indy’s adventures may not have noticed any of this. They were here to see Indy outrun a boulder. And as the years have passed, Raiders of the Lost Ark and the whole Indiana Jones trilogy has become its own influential touchstone, passed from one era to the next. But for that very reason, it’s fun to revisit where this now seminal classic in its own right came from 40 years later, and how it’s kept Hollywood traditions alive well into the next century.

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

The first of several Michael Curtiz movies that will appear on the list, The Adventures of Robin Hood offers subtle influence on Raiders of the Lost Ark. And you can see it clearly in the scenes set at Marion Ravenwood’s bar in Nepal. First Indy enters the establishment by casting a large, heroic shadow on the wall; the sequence then relies on yet more shadows as the Nazis follow suit, projecting a looming darkness across the room; finally the scene ends with Indiana Jones shooting one of those baddies, and audiences only see the Nazi’s shadow die.

This is all inspired by Curtiz’s famous use of shadowed silhouettes during the climactic sword fight between Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone in the best Robin Hood movie.

Busby Berkeley Musicals

The musical sequence that opens Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is centered around the song “Anything Goes,” which was written for Cole Porter’s 1934 stage musical of the same name. It was adapted into a 1936 Paramount Pictures spectacle starring Bing Crosby and Ethel Merman, however the way Spielberg stages the Temple of Doom sequence has more in keeping with 1930s musicals choreographed and/or directed by Busby Berkeley at Warner Bros.

As the filmmaker who pioneered the imagery of dozens of dancers and showgirls forming elaborate geometric patterns and kaleidoscopic shapes, Berkeley relied on complex overhead shots filmed from cranes. Eventually such elaborate staging fell out of favor in lieu of singular song and dance pairings like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers later in the decade, but in his time Berkeley was responsible for famed dance sequences in 42nd Street (1933), Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933), Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935), Footlight Parade (1933), and Stage Struck (1936). Spielberg obviously wanted to pay homage.

Clark Gable and Carole Lombard play with horses at the Encino ranch in 1939.

Carole Lombard

Less a direct cinematic influence than a source for characterization, Carole Lombard’s on and off-screen image as a tough-as-nails glamour girl was written into Marion Ravenwood. The character was of course eventually played with her own spark by Karen Allen, but Spielberg and company originally looked toward screwball comedy star Lombard for inspiration during the writing and casting stage. Spielberg even said about Allen that “Karen was the clear favorite because she had spunk and was a firebrand, and she reminded me of ‘30s women. She had that Irene Dunne and Carole Lombard [energy]. She seemed perfect for the part.”

Lombard is a particularly interesting comparison because the ‘30s and ‘40s actor got her start in Hollywood as a starlet who appeared in drawing room dramas, but then carved her path to stardom by playing fast-talking women in Ernst Lubitsch and Howard Hawks comedies, with the latter urging her to carry her own off-screen persona into her characters. Athletic, foul-mouthed, and able to keep up in terms of drink with the men in her life, she brought as much of that into her comedies as censors would allow. Also, perhaps coincidentally, her tragic death in a plane crash drove her husband Clark Gable into World War II with an alleged death wish, which somewhat mirrors a plot point in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Casablanca (1942)

As yet another Michael Curtiz film, the impact of Casablanca is all over the Indiana Jones movies. A sweeping love story and terrific World War II melodrama filmed during the actual war, Casablanca is generally considered the best movie produced under normal circumstances during Hollywood’s Golden Age. It’s thus an easy touchstone for Spielberg, who emulates many ideas from the picture.

Likely the most noticeable is how both movies communicate international travel while filming on a backlot. Casablanca is not the first movie to show a map onscreen and then draw a moving line across it, which is then juxtaposed alongside international stock footage, but it’s the most famous movie to do so. You can see Casablanca’s influence every time Indy got on a plane, boat, or submarine.

Additionally, much of the relationship between Indy and Marion feels partially inspired by the wounded romance in Casablanca. While, as indicated above, there is not necessarily a lot of Ingrid Bergman’s Ilsa in Marion, Ilsa’s embittered bad blood with Rick (Humphrey Bogart) after a failed relationship is an obvious influence on Indy and Marion. Indeed, Allen’s first line to Ford in Raiders is “Indiana Jones, I always knew you’d come walking back through my door.” It seems a blatant riff on Rick saying, “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.”

Gunga Din (1939)

The plot and much of the imagery in Temple of Doom is lifted nearly top to bottom from George Stevens’ Gunga Din, including many of the elements now cited as problematic in both pictures. In Gunga Din, audiences follow Cary Grant, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., and Victor McLaglen as a trio of British officers in 19th century British India. Over the course of the film, Grant’s Sgt. Cutter and his Indian sidekick Gunga Din (Sam Jaffe) discover a secret Thuggee cult, even though the religious order was thought to be extinct. Worse for the colonial powers, the Thuggee intend to expel British rule by following a fanatical, human sacrificing leader (Eduardo Ciannelli) to war.

Read more

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Raiders of the Lost Ark Has the Greatest Exposition Scene in Movie History

By David Crow

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How Marcia Lucas Saved Raiders of the Lost Ark’s Ending

By Kayti Burt

Almost all of the second Indy movie’s story about a hidden temple with an Indian cult leader who tortures white heroes comes from Gunga Din, as do several set-pieces and gags. Like Temple of Doom, Grant and Jaffee’s characters struggle with an elephant transporting them through the countryside, and much of the third act pivots around a rope bridge in which Thuggee followers are trapped as the ropes are broken, leaving the fanatics flal to their deaths.

It should be noted Thuggee gangs, which were said to practice ritualistic murder as a part of highway robberies, did probably exist in 17th and 18th century India, although they did not scheme for world domination, nor did they rip hearts from victims’ bodies. Some modern Indian scholars have argued their alleged religious practices were exaggerated or invented by the British authorities who used propaganda while stamping out 18th century gangs.

James Bond Movies

It’s no secret that 007 was a major influence on Indiana Jones. Spielberg originally wanted to make a James Bond movie in the 1970s. After Eon Productions turned him down—so as not to relinquish creative control to the new popular director of Jaws—Lucas pitched his buddy on the concept of what became Indiana Jones.

Elements of Bond still found their way into the Indy movies. Each film is a standalone adventure, and at least three out of four of them follow a rhythmic pattern where after an opening sequence shows the tail-end of Dr. Jones’ previous adventure, we return to his day-to-day life back home. Authority figures then arrive to assign his next quest. Also during all three of the original Indiana Jones movies, Indy had a new love interest from the start.

The influence is so blatant for Spielberg that he came up with the idea of introducing Indiana Jones’ father in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade… and having him played by Spielberg’s favorite 007, Sean Connery.

King Solomon’s Mines (1950)

Indiana Jones is unquestionably influenced by Alan Quartermain. Whether intentional or not, most fedora-wearing adventurers and great white hunters of western fiction derive from this 1885 literary creation by author Henry Rider Haggard. So the question, then, is which version of Quartermain most directly influenced Spielberg and Lucas? While perhaps the 1937 movie adaptation produced by the Rank Organization (more on them below) was on Lucas’ mind given his nod to the company in Temple of Doom, the most famous iteration of Quartermain’s adventure in King Solomon’s Mines for Baby Boomers comes from a 1950 MGM movie released during Lucas and Spielberg’s youth.

That picture starred Stewart Granger as Quartermain, a white hunter living in what would become South Africa during the 19th century. There his services are requested by an English noble to retrieve his missing brother from the mysterious African interior and to find the legendary mines belonging to biblical figure King Solomon (sound familiar?). The 1950 film made plenty of changes, such as adding a female love interest for Quartermain and reducing the prominence of any black African characters in the already racist Victorian novel to even more primitive stereotypes. It also hasn’t aged particularly well. But it’s probably the closest to a “definitive” cinematic variation on the first adventure novel which created the concept of a “lost civilization” with connections to the Bible, a theme which Indiana Jones would return to time and again.

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

As the beloved epic from most older Baby Boomers’ childhoods, David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia is a gargantuan spectacle unlike any other. Filmed in breathtaking 70mm and in the actual deserts traversed by T.E. Lawrence, its visuals are still astonishing 60 years later. Particularly since they really went to those places.

Spielberg attempts to homage that mythical quality repeatedly in the Indiana Jones movies. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indy standing tall in the low light of a sunset as workers excavate the Well of Souls visibly emulates the majesty of Peter O’Toole’s Lawrence standing atop a train as men cheer his backlit silhouette. More directly, the final image of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a pure reversal of the most magnificent sunrise you’ve ever seen. In Lawrence of Arabia, Lean captures the sun slowly unfurling over Arabia’s dunes before Lawrence and a companion travel across the sand. In Last Crusade, Indy and multiple companions ride directly into a sunset, which recreates the famous Lawrence of Arabia shot.

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Arguably the first film noir ever made, The Maltese Falcon made Bogie a star and John Huston an A-list director. It also is a smaller influence on Raiders of the Lost Ark. The Maltese Falcon begins as a murder mystery before giving way to a larger plot in which a sordid collection of gangsters and criminals fight over a MacGuffin called the Maltese Falcon. Alleged to be an ancient, bejeweled prize from antiquity hidden beneath a common-looking facade, men kill and die for it as it’s passed back and forth, a la the Ark of the Covenant.

At the end of the movie, it’s revealed the Maltese Falcon is actually a fake—a forgery made from graphite. While the MacGuffins are a lot more powerful in the Indiana Jones movies, the idea of a magnificent ancient prize driving men mad carries over from The Maltese Falcon, and both Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade riff on the reversal, with the Nazis initially finding only dust in the opened ark in Raiders, and the villain of Last Crusade being fooled into thinking the Holy Grail would be made of gold and covered in jewels.

Plus, Peter Lorre’s slimy and giggling depiction of the character Joel Cairo in this movie (as well as several others) appears to be an inspiration for the Nazi played by Ronald Lacey in Raiders.

The Man With No Name Trilogy

Sergio Leone’s seminal Spaghetti Western trilogy—which includes A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965), and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)—were a significant inspiration for Spielberg when he first imagined Indiana Jones’ personality. While there’s more than a hint of Humphrey Bogart to how Harrison Ford plays Indy, there’s also a darker menace, particularly in his first outing. During Spielberg, Lucas, and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan’s famed story conference for Raiders, the transcripts of which have been saved for posterity, Spielberg name drops a lot of influences for Indy’s personality, including Toshirô Mifune, who starred in multiple Japanese movies directed by Akira Kurosawa. He also mentions Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name.

Read more

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How Raiders of the Lost Ark Continues to Influence Pop Culture

By Kayti Burt

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Indiana Jones 5 Set Photos Reveal New Characters and Movie’s Setting

By John Saavedra

In truth, the Man with No Name is directly inspired by Mifune’s samurai in Yojimbo (1961), but we felt the final allusions in Raiders more overtly leaned toward Leone’s Westernized interpretation of the desperado. You can see it in the first scene when we’re introduced to Indiana Jones through a series of rapidly edited together close-ups of an enemy drawing a pistol, Indy’s whip (as opposed to his own revolver), and finally an extreme close-up of Indy’s eyes, shaded beneath a fedora, as he steps into frame while disarming a foe. It’s Spielberg’s version of countless Leone shootouts starring Eastwood. To further accentuate the influence, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is filmed in the same Spanish desert as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly when Indy and his father travel to a fictional Middle Eastern country on their quest.

The Rank Organization Logo

A small nod occurs at the top of Temple of Doom when the Paramount Pictures logo turns into an engraving of a mountain on a Chinese gong that is soon rang in. This is an overt homage to the opening title card of movies produced by the British film studio the Rank Organization, which began with a man also hitting a gong. The studio produced early Hitchcock classics like The Lady Vanishes (1938) and seminal ballet ghost story, The Red Shoes (1948). We imagine Lucas and Spielberg were winking at some of Rank’s pulpier material though, like the first adaptation of King Solomon’s Mines (1937).

Republic During the 1930s-1950s

Admittedly, I’m no expert on the weekly serials that ran in movie houses each Saturday morning during the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s. However, George Lucas clearly is since they visibly informed Star Wars as much as Indy, what with interstellar adventures like Commander Cody. On the other side of the paradigm there were a cornucopia of mid-20th century Republic serials about adventurers and masked superheroes fighting Nazis that clearly made an impact. One that seems like a specifically heavy influence is Secret Service in Darkest Africa, a Republic serial from 1943 which despite its title is set in a largely lily-white Casablanca (original, ain’t it?).

Over the course of its week-to-week adventures, American secret agent Rex Bennett (Rod Cameron) infiltrates the Third Reich by posing as a Nazi officer in the SS. However, his cover is blown when he goes to Africa to beat the Nazis from discovering an ancient Muslim Tomb which is said to have a scroll that will tell “the Muslims” how to fight in World War II (yep). With incidents like Rex out-swimming German boats to impersonating German personnel, it all has an air of Indy.

Another serial with special consideration is Republic’s Zorro’s Fighting Legion (1939). One of the more popular serials from the FDR years, this classic more than any film I’ve seen likely inspired Lucas for emphasizing Indy’s bullwhip. As with the opening scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Zorro uses his whip to disarm foes, swing out windows, and even escape an avalanche. But the stunt that most clearly inspired Indy is a scene where Zorro falls between the horses and under the wheels of a stagecoach, hanging by his trusty fingers. He then catches the back of the carriage and climbs on top to reach the driver’s seat. It’s spectacular, as seen in the above clip, and more or less taken whole cloth for the same stunt from Raiders.

Secret of the Incas (1954)

I’m not sure if Lucas ever publicly spoke about Secret of the Incas, but this Paramount Pictures pulp had a heavy, heavy influence on Raiders of the Lost Ark. Like the Indiana Jones movies, the filmmakers behind it were clearly big fans of The Treasure of Sierra Madre (more below). Also like Indy, they took it in a decidedly more Saturday morning direction. A young Charlton Heston stars in this movie as Harry Steele, a fedora-wearing, leather jacket sporting, adventurer who is after fortune and glory, kid. Fortune and glory. When Harry gets wind that some dastardly archeologists are on a dig down in Peru, having discovered a lost ancient kingdom, Harry gets the bright idea of sneaking onto their dig site and stealing a golden sunburst right out from under them.

Sounds familiar, eh? It’s nowhere near as exciting as Indy, but the basic framework about a gold-seeking cad in a fedora fighting rivals over a buried, priceless MacGuffin is all from here, complete with a love interest who is wooed by Harry’s rival.

Ursula Andress in She (1965), Hammer Studios’ campy adaptation.

She (1887)

This 1887 novel by H. Rider Haggard is considered one of the first and most influential adventure yarns ever written. It’s also an incredibly racist work authored by a Victorian Englishman who spent seven years living in South Africa, making it a prime example of what’s now dubbed “imperialist literature.” Nonetheless, it influenced many other authors, including Rudyard Kipling, J.R.R. Tolkien, Graham Greene, and others who’s work, in turn, influenced Indiana Jones.

She is worth separating from Haggard’s other most popular novel, King Solomon’s Mines, because unlike that story, there was never really a definitive film adaptation of this book. However, Merian C. Cooper of King Kong fame (also an adherent to Haggard’s adventure stories) attempted an Art Deco interpretation of the text in 1935.

In the original story, readers follow the adventures of Horace Holly, the ward of explorer Leo Vincey. Together they discover a lost city in the African interior in which primitive natives worship an immortal white woman whom they refer to as “She Who Must Be Obeyed.” In fact, she is so beautiful that any man becomes her slave after one look into her eyes. Curiously, the Indiana Jones movie which most emulates this is Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, in which a lost “kingdom” hidden in the Amazonian jungle is protected by primitive natives who worship, if not a white woman goddess, then crystal skulls and the godlike alien beings they belong to. Also if you look into those crystal skulls’ eyes for too long…

The Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948)

Reportedly Huston’s favorite collaboration with Bogie, The Treasure of Sierra Madre is the most influential work on Indiana Jones’ appearance and devil-may-care attitude. This post-war picture stars Bogart as Fred C. Dobbs, a fedora-wearing, hard-drinking, malcontent who becomes obsessed with finding buried treasure. Also prone to wearing a nice weathered leather jacket, Dobbs is a nastier piece of work than Indy. When we meet Dobbs, he’s a drunk with a violent temper. After he and business partners discover gold up on the Sierra Madre mountain, he becomes consumed by greed and ultimately attempts to murder his only friend. He also challenges bandits to a shootout to protect his prize, which eventually results in his death.

Indy never goes so far—which may be why he doesn’t end up getting macheted. But Ford’s visage, as well as the world weary grumpiness he reserves for Belloq or his father, is taken straight from life up on the Sierra Madre.

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10 Baby Boomer Marketing Strategies That Drive Leads

The type of products and services you offer should dictate which generations you market to.

For example, if you sell extreme sports products, your target audience is going to be millennials. However, if you sell something related to retirement or an offering that would appeal to older adults, you’ll definitely want to include baby boomers in your marketing plan.

There are over 76 million people who fall into this generation. It is a unique generation filled with people who want to get the most they can out of every day and some of whom refuse to retire quietly.

Understanding what baby boomers want can help you form a successful marketing strategy.

Who Are Baby Boomers?

Baby boomers include anyone who was born between 1946 and 1964. This audience age range includes people around 56 to 74 years old in 2020. They were given the name baby boomers because of the increase in births after World War II during a great economic boom.

They lived through the rise of TV, various political protests, the civil rights movement in the U.S., the women’s liberation movement, and the ever-popular Woodstock. These events, no doubt, shaped and influenced who they are.

Some boomer characteristics include the following:

Self-assuredness

Strong work ethic

Competitive

Disciplined

Resourceful

Team oriented

Mentally focused

Most of the baby boomer generation didn’t grow up with technology like later generations, which means they may have a different approach to purchasing products.

However, you may be surprised by some of their character traits, including the following:

They are more financially stable with more disposable income than other generations.

They are less influenced by peers.

They purchase more things online than millennials.

About half of baby boomers watch videos online.

Facebook is their favorite social media platform.

Essentially, baby boomers are a great generation that still has a lot of relevance in today’s marketplace. This is where the concept of generational marketing comes into play.

What Is Generational Marketing?

Generational marketing is a marketing approach that segments specific generations. In generational marketing, a company tends to adapt their marketing messages to fit the needs of their target generation.

The marketing tactics a company uses are dependent on the common traits and behaviors of the generation.

Some of the living generations today include:

Silents: Born 1927 – 1945

Baby Boomers: Born 1946 – 1964

Generation X: Born 1965 – 1981

Millennials: Born 1982 – 1996

Generation Z: Born 1997 – Present

Baby boomers are particularly unique because they have the highest value as consumers on the market today! To take advantage of this, you must know how to market to them in a way that is valuable to them and to your business.

How to Market to Baby Boomers: 10 of the Best Strategies and Examples

Here are 10 tips to help drive marketing geared toward baby boomers:

1. Avoid Slang and Abbreviations.

Even though baby boomers are a lot more hip than some might think, it is best to stay away from slang or abbreviations that might be confusing to this crowd.

They are used to texting with their grandchildren, but those texts contain proper grammar, and abbreviations often have to be explained. In your marketing efforts, make sure you are spelling things out and being clear. Abbreviations can lead to confusion for any generation.

2. Make Sure Sites Are Mobile Responsive.

Just because older people sometimes struggle with technology doesn’t mean they don’t own the latest gadgets. A little over half of people between the ages of 60 and 69 own a smartphone.

That number jumps for those in the 50 to 59 year old range, with 73 percent of those people owning a smartphone. With the majority of baby boomers owning a smartphone, it’s important that your website is mobile responsive.

Camping World does a good job of maintaining consistency between their desktop and mobile websites. At the same time, the site is responsive for smaller screens, allowing shoppers to browse or RVs easily from a smartphone.

Note how the image features an older couple with their extended family.

3. Avoid Clickbait.

Baby boomers are smart. They aren’t going to fall for clickbait articles. If you don’t come right out and tell them what the article is about, they aren’t going to bother with it.

However, if you present what you have to offer in an upfront way, then they are likely to click on it as long as the topic pertains to them.

4. Provide Helpful Information.

Baby boomers are mature. They’ve been on this earth for quite a while and they don’t have time for a bunch of nonsense. They want information that will help them live their lives to the fullest.

They want it up front and factual. If you give baby boomers the information they need, they will run with that information and feel they are equipped to make the best decision possible.

Medical Guardian offers a blog that provides information to help seniors live healthy, full lives. They cover a variety of topics, including personal finances for seniors, how to age successfully, and even tips on how to know if you need a medical alert system.

5. Determine the Best Social Media Platform.

When it comes to marketing on social media, you need to figure out where seniors congregate. Even though Instagram and Snapchat are popular, growing platforms, they are not so much so with baby boomers.

About 90 percent of them state they prefer Facebook over Instagram. The key to marketing to this generation is figuring out where they congregate and reaching out via Facebook ads.

6. Don’t Use Hashtags.

About half of baby boomers say they’ve never used a hashtag. Although a quick post with hashtags might seem like a great idea to reach people searching for that tag, it may not be effective with baby boomers and might just confuse them.

Instead, just state what you mean upfront and avoid cutesy hashtags. If you use a hashtag, keep it to a single word and don’t try to put in hashtag phrases.

Look at how AARP markets to its members and potential members on Twitter. Even though they are on the site that is the king of hashtags, they don’t use a hashtag to present this short video. Instead, they use straightforward text and facts to pull the user in.

7. Give Great Customer Service.

Baby boomers grew up in a time when there were no cell phones or automated machines that interacted with them as customers. They like one-on-one interactions as a group, and they appreciate companies that go above and beyond to show that they are an important part of the business.

If your target audience is baby boomers, look at the world through their eyes and figure out where your interactions might lack the human touch.

8. Never Use the Word “Old.”

Remove the word “old” from your vocabulary. Even though they might be over 60, they don’t feel old. Baby boomers as a generation are living older than generations before.

They want to spend every moment of that time experiencing life, traveling the world and going on adventures. Also be aware of copy that is a bit condescending about their age.

T-Mobile seems to have realized that more and more Boomers are buying smartphones. Their recent marketing focuses on value for the 55 plus consumer, which is something this generation appreciates.

Yet, nowhere in their advertising do they say that their plans are for seniors. In fact, doing so might even limit your marketing efforts because even a campaign targeted to seniors can impact other generations.

9. Target Their Money to Spend.

Even though there are more millennials than baby boomers, 70 percent of the disposable income in the United States is in the hand of boomers. Understanding that this age group has money to spend and is willing to invest in the latest gadgets and technology will change the way you market.

Boomers have money to spend, but they want to spend it wisely, so make a case for why your product will be a good match for them and why it is the best choice out there.

10. Dedicate Information to Improving Lifestyle.

When creating your marketing campaign, hone in on how your product or service will improve the baby boomer’s lifestyle. This is the generation that saw televisions come into every home and began to use telephones for everything.

Even though they do prefer face-to-face interactions, they also will go online. Because they have disposable income, they also don’t mind spending money on a little comfort and luxury. Appeal to how you can improve their lives, and you have a better chance of selling to them.

Marketing Strategies Targeting Baby Boomers

To effectively market to any generation, you need to understand the basics of what makes that generation unique. Study the time period in which baby boomers grew up, talk to people in that age group and look at generalizations about the generation as a whole.

At the same time, however, be aware that each person is an individual. You have to find the exact mix that works to reach those who are interested in what you have to offer.

10 Baby Boomer Marketing Strategies That Drive Leads published first on https://wabusinessapi.tumblr.com/

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‘The vibrancy and vitality of the color grey’. 

A piece written for the Superstock Agency on how and why sixty is the new thirty.

“You can’t avoid getting older, but you don’t have to get old,” said George Burns, the well-known comedian and centenarian a few years ago.

Ageing is all in the mind. Seniors aren’t counting their time away, begrudging the march of Father Time; instead they are looking forward, thinking about everything they still want to do and achieve in life.

People are living longer nowadays. The Boomers have a larger disposable income. They are retired, or semi-retired so they have more time on their hands and the choice of what to do with all that time. They are fitter, more active and have a younger outlook.

Don’t forget that in the Sixties, when huge social and cultural shifts occurred and men and women no longer dressed like their parents as soon as they turned 21, they expressed themselves through music, art, sex and fashion. Those folk that were responsible for the Sixties revolution are now in their seventies. Times may have changed but their outlook hasn’t. Don’t underestimate their vibrant joy for life - and image usage capturing this should be about attitude and spirit, not age.

A good example of this came from retail giant Marks & Spencer in the UK. It has made older women feel proud about the stage they are at in life and recently ran a fashion campaign celebrating these strong women and their achievements. With notable figures like Emma Thompson, Tracey Emin, Helen Mirren and Annie Lennox featuring in the photographs, they made their point clearly and stylishly and were shot by another notable older female, Annie Leibovitz.

According to AARP, nearly 10,000 adults turn 65 every day. This group of sexagenarians has over forty-five times the net worth of their younger counterparts. That’s a lot of potential for marketers to target.

Senior consumers want to see marketing showing moments of fun, energy and adventure. And despite what younger generations may believe, they are also eager consumers of technology. According to the Pew Research Center, ‘The 74+ demographic is the fastest growing among social networks.’

Research conducted by ‘Pragma’, the Retail and Commercial Strategy Consultants, says many see ‘growing older’ as a positive, as they have more time for experiences and what they want to do with their time.

 These folk are redefining ageing. They are taking risks, travelling the world, returning to study, being entrepreneurial and starting second careers. Their kids have flown the nest, so they are enjoying rich cultural lives, moving back to cities to be near theatres, galleries and museums and because they don’t feel old - they still feel like they are in their thirties or forties - they have no interest in slowing down.

Gransnet.com revealed recently in research conducted through its subscribers that 30% of over fifties say that they respond well to ads that make them feel something - ads that are funny, sad or surprising.

These seniors are choosy customers who are wiser, more rational and less influenced by fashion and trends than younger consumers. Imagery and marketing messages need to be subtle and engaging, showing independence, a freedom of spirit and a sense of adventure, capturing emotional truths, caught moments and credible casting. All underpinned by concepts around Vitality, Wisdom, Experience, Energy, Enthusiasm, Adventure, Fun, Love and Togetherness.

Many usages of this imagery are within the healthcare industry, conveying a positive, upbeat approach to life, health and vitality. Others may be cross-generational family images celebrating key milestone moments such as birthdays, anniversaries and weddings. This shows the family unit representing dependability, longevity and resilience in these tough economic and political times.

Other popular imagery usages are in business, with seniors of all ethnicities, shapes and sizes, featuring in regular business pictures as part of the workforce - as well as in top management positions. And then there are the more unusual, artisan, craft-based businesses too, where the presence of a skilled, more mature worker/owner communicates key concepts around Tradition, Quality and Heritage.

However, British Vogue’s beauty and lifestyle director Jessica Diner, says, “In 2019, women over 50 remain conspicuous by their absence in the beauty and fashion industries, as well as the wider media landscape. Age discrimination most definitely still exists, both consciously and unconsciously, leaving many women feeling excluded and invisible.”

Presenting an elegant middle finger to those who think age is a barrier, May’s issue of British Vogue features octogenarian Jane Fonda along with a celebration of the creativity and talent of older women. Fonda says “It’s important to understand that older women are the fastest growing demographic in the whole world. It’s time to recognize our value.”

The ‘Non-Issue Issue’, as Vogue has billed it, is published in partnership with French cosmetics company L’Oréal Paris. Fitness fanatic Fonda joins the likes of Helen Mirren in the magazine that editor-in-chief Edward Enninful, who has made it clear he wants to make fashion more inclusive, describes as proving that “a person’s age will always be a more intriguing, nuanced and inspiring factor than a simple number could ever suggest."

For imagery, communications and content to really resonate with seniors, there has to be a tangible benefit, like all effective advertising.

Maria Garrido, CEO of Havas X says it needs to help, inform and educate. For content to be more relevant, it needs to focus on important lifestyle elements such as staying healthy, staying connected, love and relationships, travel and experiences. With a keen interest in technology, when they have a positive experience with a product or service, 68% of seniors say they share it with their social networks.

Being in good physical shape is one of three top priorities for 41% of seniors. The second is staying in touch with what is going on in the world, identified by 77%.  

The third priority, according to 46% is ‘having people in my life who really care about me’.

There is a huge still untapped opportunity to turn silver into gold. Whatever you call the over fifties - older, mature or senior, ageing ain’t what it used to be. 

Thank goodness!

[ericfruits]

Pensioners are an underrated and underserved market

“THERE’S NOTHING WRONG with bingo and chicken,” says Tom Kamber, before explaining why you won’t find either in the senior centre he runs in Manhattan. Instead, members of the Senior Planet Exploration Centre are given VR goggles and other digital gadgets to play with, though most head straight for a wall of computers to check their Facebook accounts or shop online. A group of 15 seniors, some in their 80s, clad in sportswear, huddle around their fitness coach. People come for classes on starting their own businesses, using smartphones, booking travel on the web and setting up online dating profiles. “We just demystify the technology and away they go,” explains Mr Kamber.

Businesses could learn from this. With longer lives, more free time and a lot of cash, older people clearly present a “silver dollar” opportunity. In America the over-50s will shortly account for 70% of disposable income, according to a forecast by Nielsen, a market-research organisation. Global spending by households headed by over-60s could amount to $15tn by 2020, twice as much as in 2010, predicts Euromonitor, another market-research outfit. Much of this will go on leisure.

Yet the market has failed to respond to this opportunity, even though it has been clear for a long time that the baby-boomers would start to retire in larger numbers, in better health and with more money to spend than any previous generation. They feel much younger than their parents did at their age, and most of them have no intention of quietly retreating from the world. “Retirement used to be a brief period between cruise ships and wheelchairs, with a bout of norovirus,” says Joe Coughlin, who runs the AgeLab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Now it has become a complete new stage of life, as long as childhood or mid-life, which boomers want to structure very differently; “yet we still offer my grandfather’s retirement.”

Over-60s adventure travel has become a booming business opportunity. In America more than 40% of adventure travellers are over 50, according to the Adventure Travel Trade Association. In Britain older travellers are the largest spenders in the industry, with the fastest growth in the 65-74 age group. Instead of comfortable cruises or bus tours, they demand action, from expeditions to the Arctic to cultural trips to Asia.

Jane Dettloff, a 73-year-old from Minnesota, has just returned from a two-week cycling tour in Chile. “The culture, the cuisine, the beaches and—oof—the Andes wine!” By day the 16 women, aged 61 to 87, pedalled, chatted and “felt like young girls again”. By night they enjoyed “wine-o’clock, without the whining about pills”. The travel company that organised the tour, VBT, does not explicitly bill itself as a specialist in senior travel, but offers subtle hints: “at your own pace”, “since 1971”, “good wine”. More than 90% of its customers are over 50.

Out of date

Another emerging market is dating. Whereas overall divorce rates are falling in some countries, including America, Australia and Britain, “silver splits” are soaring as new pensioners suddenly face the prospect of spending a lot more time with their partner. Americans over 60 are now getting divorced at twice the rate as they were in 1990, and Britons at three times the rate, write Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott in “The 100-Year Life”. More than a quarter of the members of Match.com, a popular dating website, are between 53 and 72, and that group is growing faster than any other.

Older people seem more concerned than younger ones about the risks of online dating, prompting the setting up of specialised sites such as Stitch, an online companionship site with 85,000 members. “There’s more fun to be had after 50,” proclaims its promotional video, adding that “it’s all very safe.” Older customers seem more willing to pay for online memberships than the young, provided they add value. Stitch screens members and organises social events, explains Andrew Dowling, the co-founder. “Most people want companionship, but dating does change with age.”

Jody, from New Jersey, was inspired by her nieces, who all use dating apps, and ended up at a Stitch “drinks and mingling” event in a trendy New York bar. It turned out to be ten women sipping Margaritas, laughing as they swapped experiences of disastrous online dates and debating whether they would be more likely to meet a man if they went in for predominantly male activities such as mountain biking or golf.

Women spend more on trying to find a companion than men, because in the higher age groups there are more of them (in the rich world they live an average of five years longer), and they are more likely to be single. In 2014 nearly three-quarters of American men over 65 were married and only one in ten was widowed; of women in the same age group, under half were married and one in three was widowed. In Europe, too, women over 65 are more than twice as likely as men to be living alone. This can be problematic if they lack adequate savings, but also opens up new demand for all sorts of things that hardly anyone would have imagined a generation ago.

One is different sorts of accommodation. With longer time horizons ahead of them, the younger old are spurning lonely granny flats and looking for something more convivial, closer to a bachelor pad. “Retired golden girl seeks two cosmopolitan, easy-going, positive people with a (wacky) sense of humour to share this lovely, charming property,” starts an ad on goldengirlsnetwork.com, a single-senior housemate-finding website.

But businesses that want to get into this new market of the younger old should note that they are fussy. They do not see themselves as old, and will respond badly to ads specifically targeted at older people (as Crest found when it launched a toothpaste for the 50+ age group). The over-50s are also intolerant of websites or gadgets that underdeliver, says Martin Lock of Silversurfers.com, the largest over-50s community in Britain: “If something doesn’t work, they’ll be the first to leave.”

Between now and 2030, most of the growth in consumption in the developed world’s cities will come from the over-60s, according to McKinsey, a consultancy. So this is the market to go for; but to provide the wherewithal, the financial industry will first have to reinvent itself.

This article appeared in the Special report section of the print edition under the headline "Don’t call us silver"

The new oldMore in this special report:

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[jenniferfaye34]

#Giveaway + Excerpt ~ The Baby Contract by Nan Reinhardt... #books #readers #romance @TulePublishing

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Nan Reinhardt will be awarding a set of 6 handmade wineglass charms and a $10 Starbucks gift card. (USA only) to 5 randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

She wants a baby…he wants a family Firefighter and paramedic Tierney Ashton has always been a bold adventurer, but at thirty-four she longs to embark on a new adventure—motherhood. But who will be the father? Although financially challenging, a sperm bank appears to be her best option. That is, until she shares her dream with her long-time pal, Brendan Flaherty. Government analyst and world traveler Brendan Flaherty returns home to River’s Edge to help out at his family’s thriving winery and his brother’s new community theater. He also plans to finally achieve his lifelong goal of writing a novel. But when Tierney shares her wish, Bren offers to be her baby daddy—with one condition. Marriage. It seems like a perfect contract, but will love get in the way?

Buy Link for The Baby Contract Kindle Barnes & Noble Kobo

Read an Excerpt This could work. She wasn’t involved with anyone and neither was he. Fact was, his job kept him so busy with late nights and travel and meetings all over the world, it had been hard to maintain much of a romantic relationship with anyone in DC. Since he’d been home, he’d dated a little, but that spark he’d waited for all his life had yet to materialize. However, he truly meant what he’d said to Tierney. “Why?” he repeated with a bit more force. “Why is it any crazier than picking a father for your baby off a website?” Tierney’s eyes narrowed. “You would do that? Go to Nell’s with me, collect a... a sample, and let her inseminate me? Just like that?” Brendan nearly had to pick his jaw up off the table. That’s what she thinks I'm suggesting? How could she have known him for her whole life and believe for one moment that he’d simply give her his... his... Oh, good Lord. And then what? Walk away? He ran one hand over his face “Of course not!” She sat up straighter. “Then what, Bren? Because, honestly, right now, that’s all I’m looking for.” “Well, we... I... I-I can’t do that.” He was floundering, which frustrated him because he rarely floundered. He made presentations regularly to large groups of highly placed government officials all over the world. He could explain the intricacies of diplomacy, answer questions, and meet-and-greet in seven different languages. Now, he was stuttering in front of a woman he’d known since they were both kids. Who knew the most awkward moment of his life would be with Tee? Go figure. About the Author:

Nan Reinhardt is a USA Today-bestselling author of romantic fiction for women in their prime. Yeah, women still fall in love and have sex, even after 45! Imagine! She is a wife, a mom, a mother-in-law, and a grandmother. Nan has been a copyeditor and proofreader for over 25 years, and currently works on romantic fiction titles for a variety of clients, including Avon Books, St. Martin’s Press, HarperCollins, Kensington Books, Tule Publishing, and Entangled Publishing, as well as for many indie authors. Although she loves her life as an editor, writing is Nan’s first and most enduring passion. She can’t remember a time in her life when she wasn’t writing—she wrote her first romance novel at the age of ten, a love story between the most sophisticated person she knew at the time, her older sister (who was in high school and had a driver’s license!), and a member of Herman’s Hermits. If you remember who they are, you are Nan’s audience! Her latest series, the Four Irish Brothers Winery series is available from Tule Publishing and all book retailers. Books 1 through 3 are currently available; Book 4 releases July 16, 2020 and is available for preorder. Visit Nan’s website at www.nanreinhardt.com, where you’ll find links to all her books as well as blogs about writing, being a Baby Boomer, and aging gracefully…mostly. Nan also blogs every third Tuesday at Word Wranglers, sharing the spotlight with five other romance authors, is a frequent contributor the RWA Contemporary Romance blog, and she contributes to the Romance University blog where she writes as Editor Nan. Website: http://www.nanreinhardt.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authornanreinhardt Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NanReinhardt a Rafflecopter giveaway