Veteran US actor Tom Bosley, most famous for playing all-American father Howard Cunningham in the 1970s TV series Happy Days, has died at the age of 83, his agent says.

After Happy Days, Bosley had a string of roles in TV shows, most notably as a crime-solving priest in The Father Dowling Mysteries.

He also played an active role in the Screen Actors Guild.

His agent Sheryl Abrams said he died in hospital on Tuesday morning.

Happy Days began in 1974 and ran for 11 series, becoming a worldwide hit.

From the BBC.

Boomers identified as a great market to target for online opportunities. The word is not to worry about the other generations as there are plenty of opportunities to market to the 78 millions baby boomers in the US, let alone the rest of the world.

As the recession continues younger generations are scaling back on their expenses but boomers continue to spend in markets such as travel.

So not only is it an opportunity for the major brands to cash in, but also anyone with a business, especially an online business as more boomers become internet savvy.

See the full report here.

After the last post a sobering reminder of some of the issues that go with getting older.

This article from Fox Business titled What Baby Boomers Need to Know About Alzheimer’s is a reminder of the health risks we are all facing as time marches on.

“November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness month. Fellow baby boomers, I know very well what you think when you hear the word “Alzheimer’s.”

‘Never going to happen to me. Was a shame to see that happen to my once-so-sharp and witty [name of friend/relative you know affected by the disease here]. That just happens to old people, I’ll never get old.’

But deep down, we all know there is more to it than that. And here are some statistics from the 2010 Alzheimer’s association report that we cannot afford to ignore:

•One in 8 people aged 65 and older (13%) have Alzheimer’s disease

Related Links
How to Recognize Caregiver Burden
Risk Factors and Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s
The A, B, Cs and 1, 2, 3s of Annuities
Baby Boomers Disproportionately Represented in Bankruptcy Proceedings
Lost Your Job? Try Not to Take it out on Your 401(k)

•Every 70 seconds, someone in America develops Alzheimer’s. By mid-century, someone will develop the disease every 33 seconds

•The number of Americans surviving into their 80s and 90s and beyond is expected to grow dramatically due to advances in medicine and medical technology, as well as social and environmental conditions. Since the incidence and prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias increase with age, the number of people with these conditions will also grow rapidly.

•The 85-years-and-older population currently includes about 2.4 million people with Alzheimer’s disease … when the first wave of baby boomers reaches age 85 (2031), an estimated 3.5 million people aged 85 and older will have Alzheimer’s.

•By 2050, the number of Americans aged 65 and older with Alzheimer’s is projected to number between 11 and 16 million – unless medical breakthroughs identify ways to identify or more effectively treat the disease. Barring such developments, by 2050 more than 60% of people with Alzheimer’s disease will be 85 or older.”

Pretty sobering! For the full report click here.

According to the MetLife Mature Market Institute, the boomers are pushing new ground for an aging population. It seems like only yesterday that we were all 20!!!

Following is an extract from the story.

Over the next decade, aging early baby boomers will result in a 50 percent increase in the number of people 65 to 74 years old, a growth rate not seen in 50 years.

The study, Early Boomers: How America’s Leading Edge Baby Boomers Will Transform Aging, Work & Retirement reports that those born between 1946 and 1955 will transform the American concept of retirement by forgoing the tradition of a leisure-filled life.

The late 20th Century pattern of working until about age 65 and then spending one’s remaining years in the leisure pursuits is very likely over. Instead, their financial obligations among other things will encourage many of them to remain in the workforce, some indefinitely said the report.

Read the full story here.

A great article written by Phil over at BabyBoomerBaloney.com. It’s an attitude that is on the increase, and not only amongst us, the Baby Boomers but all generations. How often do you hear, comments along the lines of, “it’s not fair” and ” I want it now, why should I wait”.

Anyway this particular post struck a chord with me so I put it up in full for you to read.

“Class warfare” is the scourge of America. I think it is a huge problem for many of our citizens here in the United States. When things don’t work in your life, blame the wealthy.

Do the rest of you Baby Boomers out there ever get tired of this pathetic claim? I have a few acquaintances who actually believe that anyone that has had any type of success in life has obtained it by cheating others. All businesses, large and small, are corrupt.

I don’t understand this thinking (lack of). I am not wealthy or even close to it. But I have never blamed anyone for my failures in life. I am quite happy with whatever success I have had on my journey and I feel that hard work and determination helped me get to where I am in life.

I have several close friends that have been successful with their businesses after years of hard work and they are among the most decent people I have met in all my years. They have had success because they treat everyone they meet, customers and friends alike, with dignity and respect.

We all have family members or friends that are frustrated with their lives. Their negativity prevents them from getting out of their own way. Many of these people are now asking the government to take care of them. Each one of us is supposed to find a path to the good life no matter what our backgrounds might be.

Unfortunately, negativity has a partner. Many of our national politicians, in an effort to gain votes, tell our frustrated citizens that everything is against them. Wall Street cheats them, big business cheats them, schools don’t give their children good educations, and discrimination and hate will never let them obtain a good job. Vote for me and I will make things better for you.

What hogwash! When a man or a woman in this country wants something and then works hard to get it… there are no limits. Guess what? There is room in this life for individual success for each and every one of us. The difference is, some of us give up.

A great parent and a great teacher, in my mind, is that adult that helps a child to understand that God blesses everyone. As long as that child learns to pursue what is important in life.

Phil has a great site with some fun stuff as well. Ie I like the other recent post re Gordon Lightfoot. So here’s a link to the Baby Boomer Baloney site