a senior moment

Since it's my birthday I get to have my cake and eat it too...and blog myself. Today the world revolves around me. Actually, it always revolves around me, the world just hasn't figured it out. And if that doesn't fly, I'll plead senility. I am now 61.

To bring this into focus, here's what was going on the year I was born


1949

How rich or poor were we?

Average Wages Per Year: $2,950.00
Minimum Hourly Wage Rate: 70 cents per hour
Average Cost of a New House: $7,450.00
Average Cost of a New Car: $1,420.00
Cost of a Gallon of Gas: 17 cents
Cost of a First-Class Stamp: 3 cents
Yearly Inflation Rate: -0.95%
US GDP (1998 dollars): $267.8 billion
Federal Spending: $38.84 billion
Federal Debt: $252.6 billion
Dow Jones High/Low: 200/161
Consumer Price Index: 23.8
Unemployment: 3.8%





What was going on in the world?

What were we driving?

What were we wearing?

What were we watching on television?

What movies were in the theatres?

Who else was born in 1949?

Here are two things that came into the world the same year I did and I wouldn't mind getting either one of them for my birthday:

1949 Chevy Pickup

Philip Johnson's Glass House




But I'll settle for some birthday wishes...

The Tune Weavers
The Crests
The Orlons
Elvis Presley
Evis Impersonator
Tony Christie
Paul McCartney
Stevie Wonder
Jeremih
Uriah Heep
NOFX
The Sugarcubes
Altered Images
The Smiths
Michael Jackson
Luke
Destiny's Child
R. Kelly
The Killers
Wynton Marsalis
Marilyn Monroe
The Arrogant Worms
Betty Boop
Mickey Mouse
The London Times
Winnie the Pooh
Hipopótamo
Forever Friends
RattleBox
Cowboy Bob
Frankie & Eddie
The Addams Family
Kojak
and a few more