[AP] The oldest baby boomers — once the vanguard of an American youth that revolutionized U.S. culture and politics — turn 80 in 2026.
The generation that twirled the first plastic hula hoops and dressed up the first Barbie dolls, embraced the TV age, blissed out at Woodstock and protested the Vietnam War — the cohort that didn’t trust anyone over age 30 — now is contributing to the overall aging of America.
Boomers becoming octogenarians in 2026 include actor Henry Winkler and baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, singers Cher and Dolly Parton and presidents Donald Trump, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
THE AGING AND SHRINKING YOUTH OF AMERICA
America’s population swelled with around 76 million births from 1946 to 1964, a spike magnified by couples reuniting after World War Two and enjoying postwar prosperity.
Boomers were better educated and richer than previous generations, and they helped grow a consumer-driven economy. In their youth, they pushed for social change through the Civil Rights Movement, the women’s rights movement and efforts to end the Vietnam War.
"We had rock ’n’ roll. We were the first generation to get out and demonstrate in the streets.
Not even close, but whatever.
We were the first generation, that was, you know, a socially conscious generation," said Diane West,
Really not even close, but it’s cute that they think so…
a metro Atlanta resident who turns 80 in January. "Our parents played by the rules. We didn’t necessarily play by the rules, and there were lots of us."
#1
"Interesting article. One correction to it though: In the second paragraph, all of which is correct, they mentioned that Boomers "protested the Vietnam War". True, but Boomers also FOUGHT the Vietnam War."
It's all relative. Compared to the Depression year, for most it was. However, if you compare what it was really back then and what we have now, you'd rate that as near or just above the poverty level by today standards.
#4
"We had shag carpet that we raked, and Avocado/Goldenrod appliances. So, not so cool..."
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/23/2025 11:51 Comments ||
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#5
Guilty as charged, sort of. One big problem for us Boomers is that we ARE dying off. Most of my friends are Boomers, and I lose a couple or more every year.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/23/2025 12:12 Comments ||
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[IsraelTimes] In very rare engagement with Israeli media, Prince Turki al-Faisal says kingdom won’t forge ties with Israel without ‘resolution to Palestinian issue entailing two-state solution’
Oh well. There are other who are interested.
Saudi Arabia’s former intelligence chief, Prince Turki al-Faisal, told The Times of Israel on Sunday that Riyadh is currently not even entertaining the idea of normalizing relations with Israel and will only do so if Jerusalem begins acting like a “normal country.”
“Saudi Arabia is not considering a normalization deal with Israel. Should Israel become a normal country with normal acceptance of international law, then Saudi Arabia will consider normalization,” he said in an interview.
While Prince Turki made the comments in a highly rare engagement with Israeli media, the content of his remarks was another demonstration of just how far the world’s leading Arab and Muslim nation appears to be from forging ties with Israel, despite Washington’s strong desire to see it happen.
Prince Turki is known for adopting a harsher tone against Israel than that of his government in recent years, but his positions have been reflective of Riyadh’s official stance on potential ties with the Jewish state.
He served as director general of Saudi Arabia’s General Intelligence Directorate from 1979 to 2001
…I seem to recall he was the Kingdom’s connection to Al Qaeda and other pet Sunni jihadi movements, among other interesting projects he undertook for the family. Priorities changed after they saw the unexpected response to 9/11…
before shorter stints as the Gulf kingdom’s ambassador to the UK and the US. He has continued weighing in on international affairs since his retirement from public life, and he currently serves as the chairman of the King Faisal Foundation’s Center for Research and Islamic Studies.
Although Saudi officials generally hold a no-contact policy with Israeli media, Prince Turki agreed to answer a series of questions regarding the prospects of a potential normalization agreement between Riyadh and Jerusalem.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Leonid Tsukanov
[REGNUM] More than six years have passed since the mysterious suicide of the notorious American financier Jeffrey Epstein, but passions surrounding his name and the large-scale criminal network he created continue to rage not only in the United States, but also far beyond its borders.
Recently, the FBI added fuel to the fire by releasing part of the declassified "Epstein dossier." Among other things, the files contained fragments of photographs of the financier with Saudi elites—King Salman Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
And although the footage was clearly not taken on Epstein's "mysterious island," where the illegal events unfolded, the long-since-since-since-dead rumors about secret ties between the House of Saud and the American financier have resumed.
THE MONARCH'S "FRIENDS"
Despite the fact that the consulting firm "J. Epstein & Co" advised a large number of contractors, including businessmen close to the Saudi elite, the financier himself was not allowed into the palace until a certain time.
His first encounter with the House of Saud occurred only in the mid-1980s, at the instigation of the financier's patron, entrepreneur Leslie Wexner. Wexner was friends with King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, the fifth ruler of Saudi Arabia.
Among other things, he helped select contractors for the implementation of modernization and infrastructure projects in the kingdom and supported large-scale international transactions.
However, after 1995 – when the seriously ill Fahd handed over the throne to his half-brother Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz – the ties between businessmen and official Riyadh weakened sharply.
Abdullah, who sought to minimize the influence of Western business on Riyadh's policies, began to communicate very coldly with yesterday's "friends" of the court.
Furthermore, Abdullah's first executive order was to audit the treasury, closing most of the projects he deemed questionable, including those implemented in the interests of Wexner and Epstein.
However, Epstein's despondency didn't last long and he became close to Salman bin Abdulaziz, then governor of the capital province. Despite his distance from the throne, Salman was a de facto independent player and maintained ties with representatives of the US and Europe, allowing him to conduct business without regard for the royal court.
And when Salman became king in 2015, new profitable opportunities opened up for American businessmen (including Epstein).
PASSING THE BATON
Interestingly, King Salman was in no hurry to publicize his friendship with Epstein after ascending to the throne, even though the financier hoped to improve his affairs somewhat through his "friendship with the king."
One of the reasons for this behavior was discontent within the ruling house. Not all members of the dynasty were willing to recognize Salman's right to the throne, preferring to see the more manageable Muqrin ibn Abdulaziz
…briefly crown prince of Saudi Arabia from January to April 2015, during the first three months of his half-brother King Salman's reign, before being replaced by Mohammed bin Salman. He’s the 35th and youngest living son of King Abdulaziz…
in power, and any reckless move could have provoked a palace coup.
As a result, the dialogue with Epstein was secretly transferred to Mohammed bin Salman, the current heir to the Saudi throne and then deputy crown prince. Epstein met him in 2016, when he attended as a guest the "Forum for the Future in the Desert," organized by an ambitious member of the royal family.
Judging by the fragments of declassified correspondence included in the "Epstein dossier," bin Salman received the American guest extremely warmly—as an "old friend" of his father. Epstein and bin Salman subsequently met several more times, including in the company of other world leaders (for example, French President Emmanuel Macron ).
It's worth noting that by that time, Epstein had already served time in his home country for soliciting minors for prostitution and had been branded a lifelong international sex offender. His reputation within the financial community was effectively ruined.
However, at that point, bin Salman was hardly interested in the financier's personal troubles—he was more interested in his experience in stock market trading and his new connections with American elites.
Epstein wasn't the least bit bothered by the situation, and his friendship with the Crown Prince reaped the benefits, establishing, among other things, business ties with Saudi security officials, financiers, and businessmen.
MYSTERIOUS PASSPORT
Most likely, members of the Saudi ruling house were unaware of the true extent of Epstein's shadowy life. Or even if they knew, they weren't directly involved. In any case, none of the heirs have been publicly spotted on his island.
However, as the investigation into the Epstein case progresses, new leads leading to the Persian Gulf continue to emerge.
As early as 2019, investigators suspected that the disgraced financier used forged documents, produced with the participation of Saudis, to travel the world without attracting undue attention, in part because of his lingering stigma as a sex offender.
Initially, the focus was on an Austrian passport issued in 1987 listing Saudi Arabia as the place of permanent residence, but other leads later emerged.
Among other things, it came to light that certain "Saudi documents" were mentioned in passing in the correspondence of other suspects in the Epstein case. The financier allegedly used them while traveling in the Middle East and also used them as leverage in negotiations with local, particularly Saudi, businessmen after his Austrian passport expired.
In 2025, prosecutors mentioned the "Saudi document" several times—but always in passing, as the original was never found. Nevertheless, the investigation is certain of its existence.
Saudi Arabia does not permit dual citizenship. Moreover, even formally listing "Saudi Arabia" as the country of residence in an Austrian passport required the consent of Riyadh, which would have been impossible without the intervention of the kingdom's highest officials.
The House of Saud, as usual, remains silent and does not comment on the latest “sensations” related to the “Epstein case,” considering them “empty attacks” on the ruling dynasty.
Nevertheless, a targeted "anti-crisis" has already been launched in the Arabic-language segment of the internet: bloggers who previously participated in promoting the "city of the future NEOM" brand and other Saudi projects are vying with each other to talk about slander and attempts by enemies to denigrate the House of Saud.
Moreover, depending on the source, the clients of the negative campaign are said to be either Israel or the kingdom’s “closest neighbors” – hinting at either Iran or the UAE.
Such a violent reaction indirectly indicates that the Saudis do have something to hide in this high-profile story.
#3
Don't expect any negative repercussions for the Soddies. Whatever they did, they'll get away with it. Anybody who questions them will lose his head.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
12/23/2025 13:31 Comments ||
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#4
How can it be scandalous for them to like young girls?
[Quillette] In the aftermath of the Bondi Beach terror attack, Jack Pinczewski examines why the massacre shocked much of Australia while leaving many in the Jewish community grimly unsurprised. Drawing on his proximity to Bondi and his experience in politics and Jewish civic advocacy, Pinczewski argues that the attack was not an aberration but the foreseeable outcome of a long period of moral and institutional failure.
Indeed.
The video traces how anti-Jewish rhetoric was normalised across political discourse, media, universities, and civil society, while existing laws and norms designed to curb hatred were inconsistently enforced or quietly abandoned. Rather than focusing on security logistics or firearms policy, Pinczewski situates the violence within a broader failure of leadership and accountability. The result, he argues, was an environment in which antisemitism could flourish with minimal consequence—until it became lethal.
Thankfully, the Australian government has (too late) come to understand the deadly rhetoric that causes such massacres and is now arresting any who dare say the same, online or off.
We’ll see if the leftwing government can keep up something so counter to their beliefs. Not the arrests — they’re keen on arresting people for thought crimes, an ever expanding target in the usual totalitarian way.
[NYPost] The wholesale adoption of diversity, equity and inclusion ideology in almost all our major institutions has done untold damage to American society.
It was advertised as something noble — a way to open opportunities for women and minorities who had been unfairly denied them.
But through a combination of bureaucratic laziness and political malice, DEI soon became something approaching a ban on hiring millennial white males at the beginning of their careers.
The harm goes far beyond the wreckage it imposed on those young men.
"Affirmative action," of course, has been around for decades, and anyone who’s worked at a major institution in America, whether government, corporate or academic, has seen its effects. IMO, for the most devastating effect you have to look to K-12.
When I was applying for law-professor jobs years ago, I was well aware that minority or female candidates were likely to get more interviews, and more job offers, than "traditional" candidates like me.
Back when I was a lab technician, in the latter half of the 1980s, I worked alongside a young man with a BS in chemistry from Harvard. (Also a BA in theology from an obscure seminary somewhere in Michigan, but that’s another story.) His wife had a PhD and was fast tracked up the management ladder, but when they were working on grad school applications he calculated the odds, accepting the fact that as a white man from the Upper Peninsula he was not going to be able to compete, wasting the investment, while his brilliant wife would — and was — avidly courted at every stage of her career. She ended up a division head, while he became a house husband when she did a stint in China and had kids. Fortunately for the marriage, he was of a philosophical temperament, and the family and community benefitted from his training.
But the degree of discrimination then was comparatively minor: a question of a thumb on the scale.
He was one of three house husbands in my PTA circle in the 1990s. All had made the same calculation; all three wives thrived in their careers.
Sometime around 2014, the thumb turned into a brick.
That became undeniable last week when Compact magazine published "The Lost Generation," a detailed exposé of DEI’s impact by Jacob Savage, a writer who suffered it directly.
"The doors seemed to close everywhere and all at once," Savage writes.
"In 2011 . . . white men were 48% of lower-level TV writers; by 2024, they accounted for just 11.9%. The Atlantic’s editorial staff went from 53% male and 89% white in 2013 to 36% male and 66% white in 2024."
And so on, Savage recounts, in one prestige industry after another.
Crucially, the burden of diversifying the American workplace didn’t fall on all white men.
Boomers and GenX executives were too senior to fire, had friends in their various industries and had experience that few minority candidates could offer.
It was new hires, and junior employees looking to move up, who were shut out.
And shut out they were: Savage offers not only statistics, but compelling personal stories of white men in various fields whose careers were stifled by officially sanctioned discrimination.
Many aiming for lucrative careers were sidelined into menial jobs as their opportunities dried up overnight — as others with comparable or lesser qualifications were fast-tracked.
And the people pushing these policies demonstrated zero sympathy for those hurt by them.
Those at the top got to feel good about themselves (and to brag about their progressive bona fides), as others bore the costs.
Savage’s article set off some heated debate — Vice President JD Vance’s X post recommending it got 4.4 million views.
It opened the door on a topic that has made Americans uncomfortable for years, but that hasn’t been considered fit for public discussion.
His descriptions of individual tragedy are heart-wrenching — unless you’re one of those people who thinks the hopes, dreams and lives of others aren’t worth considering if they’re of the wrong race or gender.
But there’s much more to this than men’s hard-luck stories.
Because the DEI fad didn’t just wreck American lives. It went a long way toward wrecking America.
First, the institutions that went all-in for DEI had several things in common: Not only did they openly (and largely illegally) discriminate on the basis of race and gender, they also went to hell.
Pick any one of these industries — media, government, academia, the corporate world, tech — and they’re pretty much all much worse than they were a decade or so ago.
The legacy media has burned its credibility to a crisp, Joe Biden’s mad DEI-fueled hiring spree bloated federal payrolls without improving services or efficiency, and academia’s descent into leftist lunacy has destroyed Americans’ trust.
With young men’s careers stalling out or withering away at a crucial age, DEI impacted a whole generation’s willingness to marry and have kids.
We fret about the nation’s "baby bust," wring our hands over declining rates of homeownership and bemoan epidemic levels of loneliness among young people.
Maybe unfairly barring a whole cohort of them from good jobs is a reason why.
And if you’re puzzled that so many Gen Z men have moved hard right, perhaps it has something to do with society’s major institutions saying that men are awful, white men are worse, and they won’t hire any of them?
Of course they’re angry. When you make war on a group of people, they tend to get mad.
A diverse society needs more meritocracy, not less.
If jobs are handed out based on qualities like race and gender, people have every reason to resent and suspect the qualifications of those who beat them out. That, IMO, explains the recent outbreak of open anti-semitism - a very useful tool for redirecting the resentment of hoi polloi away from the rulers. "Redirection" and the employment of a common enemy. Appears to be a frequently utilized theme.
The DEI fad undermined a core strength of America, even as it hollowed out a generation.
It’s time to undo it.
And now that Jacob Savage has had his say, I hope a million plaintiffs’ lawyers file antidiscrimination suits against its perpetrators.
This is INSANE 🚨 Mike Benz does through Jeffrey Epstein documents
“Jeffrey Epstein negotiated the f*cking contract to move the CIA’s proprietary airliner, Southern Air Transport, which was busted running drugs and guns during Iran-Contra”
…personally was the authorized signatory on the deal with Southern Air Transport to move it to a military base in Columbus, Ohio, to service the Limited
Hey, any of you guys got any bright ideas about how you would go about in 1994, convincing the Central Intelligence Agency to move its proprietary CIA airline used for covert operations, based in Miami, to f*cking up and move its entire operation to f*cking Columbus, Ohio, just to service your personal company instead of the CIA?
What do you think he cold called the CIA? You think he just schmoozed the CIA? Or is it because he was handling Khashoggi’s money during Iran-Contra that purchased the guns that Southern Air Transport a decade earlier was moving?
Adnan Khashoggi is the notorious Saudi Arabian billionaire arms dealer and international middleman. He was one of the world’s most prominent arms brokers in the 1970s and 1980s, facilitating massive deals between Western defense contractors (like Lockheed and Northrop) and the Saudi government, earning billions in commissions.
Jeffrey Epstein was so deeply involved in our government and international affairs
#1
This Benz fellow quickly went from anti-deep state to a leading antisemite along with Tucker Qatarlson. Ten bucks says he has a second house in Qatar just like Tucker.
Screaming conjectures which create a diversion. The actual evil-doer's must be delighted with this sort of mad spewing. Some sort of IC connection is likely, but there's no discussion of ranch, money trail, or visitor rosters (island or ranch).
Oftentimes, what is not discussed is more revealing that that which 'is' discussed.
#3
Oftentimes, what is not discussed is more revealing that that which 'is' discussed.
A sort of negative traffic analysis, so to speak.
Like a news report about a crime that omits any identifying information about the perp, but totally gives the game away.
[DailyCaller] Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard called Islamist ideology “the greatest near and long-term threat” to American freedom and security.
Gabbard warned that the political ideology seeks to establish a global caliphate governed by Sharia law during a speech at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest conference Saturday.
“At its core, it is a political ideology that seeks to create a global caliphate that governs us here in America, threatening Western civilization,” Gabbard said. “Governance by Sharia law.”
The former Democratic congresswoman and Iraq War veteran pointed to specific American cities where she says the ideology has gained a foothold.
“In places like Dearborn, Michigan and Minneapolis, Minnesota, Islamist clerics are openly pushing this Islamist ideology, trying to recruit and radicalize young people,” Gabbard said.
She also cited a conference earlier this year involving the Council on American-Islamic Relations that she said “issued a call to action to use American legal and political systems to implement Sharia law.”
“This is already underway in places like Houston,” Gabbard added. “Patterson, New Jersey is proud to call themselves the first Muslim city.”
Gabbard connected the threat to the September 11 attacks, which she said motivated her to enlist in the Army.
“We were confronted with the reality of the length that they will go to try to attack the foundations of who we are as a country,” she said.
The DNI warned that without action, America could face situations similar to European countries where citizens face arrest for social media posts or silent prayer.
“A free society cannot survive if it refuses to defend itself,” Gabbard said.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
