Older characters in movies have often been stereotyped in insulting and degrading ways. The elderly have been shown as irritable, depressed, slow-witted, lonely, sickly, whiny, rude, horny, and foul-mouthed – as if that's all they had to offer. Cinema has often reflected society's attitudes toward the 50-plus crowd who in real life were often ridiculed or ignored.

But hopefully the times are a-changin ', as Bob Dylan famously sang.

This year, the Academy's Oscar nominees include a notable number of people over 50, including Mel Gibson, for directing Hacksaw Ridge; Jeff Bridges, for Best Supporting Actor in Hell or High Water; Viggo Mortensen, for Best Actor in a Leading Role in Captain Fantastic; Meryl Streep for Best Actress in a Leading Role in Florence Foster Jenkins, and Isabelle Huppert for Best Actress in a Leading Role in Elle.

And they don't happen to fit into the typical stereotypes. Jeff Bridges, 67, stars as a Texas Ranger tracking down a pair of bank-robbing brothers. Viggo Mortensen, 58, plays a father devoted to raising his six kids with a rigorous education that challenges his philosophy about life. Meryl Streep, 67, once again proves older women can still steal scenes front and center. And Isabelle Huppert, 63, plays a woman who turns the tables on her attacker.

Maybe that's a start. Perhaps Hollywood, and society at large, haven't completely forgotten the value of the elderly with their knowledge, life experience, and insight.

As an article in the San Diego Tribune pointed out, we baby boomers "are reinventing society's idea of ​​what it means to grow old. Seniors today carry cell phones, not walkers. They sit on bicycles, not rocking chairs. and checkers have been replaced with jogging, white-water rafting and skiing. Seniors are healthy, vibrant, influential members of our society. "

As the oldest of the 77 million baby boomers approach their 70s, the elderly and their concerns will inevitably be given more attention. As to whether ageism will worsen or get better is a matter of debate.

Erdman Palmore, a professor emeritus at Duke University who has written or edited more than a dozen books on aging, remains fairly optimistic. "One can say unequivocally that older people are getting smarter, richer and healthier as time goes on," Palmore said. "I've dedicated most of my life to combating ageism, and it's tempting for me to see it everywhere … But I have faith that as science progresses, and reasonable people get educated about it, we will come to recognize ageism as the evil it is. "

Is Hollywood slowly adapting to reflect these changes as we baby boomers forge ahead refining the landscape of aging?

Hopefully. The movie industry has been complaining about ageism in Hollywood for a long time. According to CEO JoAnn Jenkins at a movie industry roundtable discussion hosted by Variety, ageism is another diversity issue that Hollywood needs to consider more. "The truth is that 70 percent of the disposable income in this country is in the possession of people 50 and older," Jenkins said. "And 25 percent of people who are moviegoers are people over the age of 50. They are actually putting butts in the seats in the movie theaters. Yet we see across the board that the marketing industry is spending 75 to 80 percent of their dollars focusing on people who are under the age of 30, and mostly young males. "

Jenkin's opinion corresponds with two academic studies that showed 30-somethings were heavily over-represented in movies, 40-somethings did all right, while 50-somethings were significantly under-represented and the over-60s severely so.

Recently Humana invited me to watch and participate online in a panel discussion they sponsored, Over Sixty, Under Estimated: A Healthy Look at the "Silver" Screen at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles that included baby boomer actress Francis Fisher. During the discussion, the panel made a good point. These days, if Hollywood ridiculed an ethnic group, the LGBT community, or the disabled in movies, people would be in an uproar. So why do people quietly tolerate the way movies make fun of older people?

We're not grumpy old codgers cussing up a storm. I'm over 50 and still consider myself an active, vibrant member of society. Let's hope this year Academy nominees proves that Hollywood is catching up with the times.

Source by Julie Gorges

When it comes to selecting the right conference rooms for your business or organization, you want something more than just a long table with a set of chairs. You want meeting rooms that will enhance what you and your partners are gathering together to accomplish. Your room needs to be spacious, comfortable, easy to access and able to accommodate whatever presentations, group dynamics and creative endeavors you expect to undertake. As you review the office space rooms available to you and your company, keep in mind your needs as well as your budget.

1. Start with logistical considerations: You need to have enough room in your conference rooms to fit every person who is going to attend your meeting, workshop, seminar or event. Find out what kind of space will be provided, and then think outside the box a little bit. Figure out how you can maximize the space you are provided. Instead of one long conference table, maybe three or four smaller tables will work. Maybe you'll want to do away with tables altogether and stick with chairs only. Once you have a headcount of how many people you will need to fit into the meeting rooms, you can narrow your search. Always leave a little extra space. If a room accommodates 25 people for example, make sure you'll only have about 20. This will leave you extra room for equipment, bags, food and any other necessities.

2. Comfort: Comfort is important too. Check out the room's climate. Make sure you will be able to adjust the temperature in the conference rooms in case your group gets hot or cold. Ensure you can bring food and drinks into the workspace. Bring a few colleagues with you to test out the comfort level of various rooms. Windows always help, especially if there is a nice view, and you might want to ensure you are not in a high traffic area which might cause distractions. Make sure the chairs are comfortable, especially if everyone will be there for extended periods.

3. The availability of Technology is very important: You will need meeting rooms that allow you to set up whatever computers and audio visual equipment that are necessary for your meeting. Wireless internet access is almost always necessary in today's digital world. If you are planning to have meeting participants join you virtually, you will need to have all the necessary video conference equipment in your conference rooms. Some offices will come with everything you need already installed, and others will require you to bring your own equipment. Remember this when you are comparing prices and rates.

Finding the right meeting rooms for you and your colleagues, clients or partners is essential in a successful business enterprise. Take your time in visiting and assessing all of your options, and in addition to considering your budget, make sure you also take note of the size, comfort and technological set up of each space you visit. Remember to ask for anything that isn't automatically provided. Certain services might be available even if they are not apparent initially.

Source by Saraha Branhardt