KeghartVahe H. Apelian, 6 January 2012
I was reminded of the title last week during my dealings with Vako, the programming wiz kid, as far as I am concerned, of Keghart.com. I had encountered some glitches. When I clicked on some of my earlier articles posted at Keghart.com, I got a notice 
that I am not authorized to access the page.
It was not only I who was not allowed access. Any reader would not have been able to read the articles in question as well. I am trying to have Miss Effie Chambers inducted into Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame. My first attempt was turned down last year. It was a close call I was told. But I am persisting and I need to have a wider audience read the two articles posted in Keghart.com. As far as I am concerned, Miss Chambers is an illustrious daughter of Iowa, well ahead of her time. She deserves her state’s recognition.
Vahe H. Apelian, 6 January 2012
I was reminded of the title last week during my dealings with Vako, the programming wiz kid, as far as I am concerned, of Keghart.com. I had encountered some glitches. When I clicked on some of my earlier articles posted at Keghart.com, I got a notice that I am not authorized to access the page.
It was not only I who was not allowed access. Any reader would not have been able to read the articles in question as well. I am trying to have Miss Effie Chambers inducted into Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame. My first attempt was turned down last year. It was a close call I was told. But I am persisting and I need to have a wider audience read the two articles posted in Keghart.com. As far as I am concerned, Miss Chambers is an illustrious daughter of Iowa, well ahead of her time. She deserves her state’s recognition.
Vako resolved the issue through persistent inquiries, all the while guiding me to let him know about how, when and where I encountered the problem. There were many emails exchanged. There may not have been the need to send so many emails had I been able to communicate with Vako with technical terms. I told him in one of our early emails that when it comes to technical terms related to the cyber world, I am a dinosaur. That’s when I was reminded over again of what some of my generation tell me that there is no respect for the ageing seniors any more.
There was a time when the patriarch of family would have inherited land from his father. In time he would have passed it to his children, especially to his son. Over the years, the father would have also accumulated knowledge his son would need as how to best till the land. A whole lot has changed these days, thanks to the technological advances driven by the young and the restless in the persons of Jobs, Wozniak, Gates and others.
These young nerds were crazy enough to think they can change the world, and they did, as Jobs said. They helped pave the way to mega farms, superstores such as Wal-Mart, wiping away the small farms, mom-and-pop businesses that at one time constituted the core of the average family’s livelihood that would have passed on to the next generation. The late Sam Walton, sitting in his office in front of a computer, with a click to the button of his key board, he would have had all sorts of figures displayed in front of his eyes coming from any of the many and many stores he owned anywhere in world. Such centralized and readily accessible knowledge was not possible few decades ago.
The Baby Boomers, born on January 1, 1946 onward, hit the magical number 65 on January 1, 2011. There again, 65 is a number that is outdated and has no relevance any more. It was the acceptable retirement age at one time into one’s so called “golden years”. That is not true any more. Officially retirement kicks in at the age of 66 in the U.S. for the Baby Boomers. You may collect pension as early as at the age of 62 for early retirement or as late as at 70. Naturally, your pension changes accordingly. However, these two extreme numbers revolve around the magical number of 66. There again, it is not a static world any more, but the upcoming fluid world. The younger you are the older your retirement age will be. It increases in increments of months.
For all the Baby Boomers out there, much like me, I have some advice. Brace as you step into a world far away from the cushion and the cocoon that was your work and world. Do not expect respect. It’s true that banks and restaurants offer perks to seniors, but those perks are not bestowed upon the seniors out of respect. The banks, the restaurants and the like want their business, that’s all. They will do anything to entice you to dispense off your golden eggs, if you were able to build a golden egg nest, that is. Learn to respect your children, and your grandchildren. You will need them to program the blinking time on your microwave oven or VCR or program your other household utensils, let alone the devices in your car. Where on earth did the words “Apple,” ‘Bluetooth,” “BlackBerry” come about to mean what they mean these days?
Your children and grandchildren have a lot to teach you in this topsy-turvy and crazy world. Respect them and be content with your lot. Respect is due to those, including Vako, who have the skill and the knowledge many of my generations do not. Respect is not lost. It is still around but it has shifted and reversed the generational gear.
Keghart
Keghart
