Category Archives: Technology

If you want to know how old you REALLY are, then consider the media you use instead of the generation you were born into! This idea is from Penelope Trunk (Brazen Careerist) & Margaret Weigel (who has done research on digital media engagement at Harvard & MIT): “”We should not judge people rigidly by the years they were born… if we want to define people by categories, it should be by behaviors because this is something each of us chooses.” 

Add up your points to figure out what generation you’re really a part of:

Do you have your own web page? (1 point)

Have you made a web page for someone else? (2 points)

Do you IM your friends? (1 point)

Do you text your friends? (2 points)

Do you watch videos on YouTube? (1 point)

Do you remix video files from the Internet? (2 points)

Have you paid for and downloaded music from the Internet? (1 point)

Do you know where to download free (illegal) music from the Internet? (2 points)

Do you blog for professional reasons? (1 point)

Do you blog as a way to keep an online diary? (2 points)

Have you visited MySpace at least five times? (1 point)

Do you communicate with friends on Facebook? (2 points)

Do you use email to communicate with your parents? (1 point)

Did you text to communicate with your parents? (2 points)

Do you take photos with your phone? (1 point)

Do you share your photos from your phone with your friends? (2 points)

0-1 point – Baby Boomer

2-6 points – Generation Jones

6- 12 points – Generation X

12 or over – Generation Y

While Penelope & Margaret created this test June 25, 2007, it is already dated. Further, what about Generation Z (otherwise classified as iGen, Gen @ and Generation Now)?

My car was getting difficult to drive, more specifically it was taking Herculean effort to turn the wheel. Thinking that the power steering fluid might be low, I drive to visit the trusty Mini-Mechanics (Mini is particular about its fluids, you can’t just use the Canadian Tire brand). Six hours and a **whopping** $6500 later…. and my wee car is whistling like new again. Power steering failure was diagnosed by the Mini-doctors, who only operate using brand new parts to repair the offending malfunction, refusing to patch the problem. Both the power steering rack and the power steering motor-pump are just shy of $2000 EACH and there were other apparently rusty parts that needed to be replaced in order to put my car back together. Hip hip hoooooooooray for warranty!! 

A bit of internet research finds that 100 years ago I could have bought 5.5 cars for $6500 or 1000 quarts of milk or 1000+ loaves of bread. However, at an average income of $637 per year (or $53 per month), I would most likely be walking.

Interesting statistics from one century ago: 

• Total vehicle production in the U.S. is 4,192
• Top speed for new cars is 8 mph. Gasoline fuel efficiency is 35 mpg
• Total vehicle registration is 8,000. There are 10 miles of paved roads
• In 1900, 115 auto deaths – 96 lynchings
• Theft is a problem, even in the early days, so the Leach Motor Carriage has a removable steering lever – an early anti-theft device
• Avg. Income (US)………………………………………… $637/year
• New Home (Median Price)…………………………….. $2,225
• New Car (Avg. Cost)……………………………………. $1,168
• Milk (Qt)…………………………………………………… $0.07
• Bread (Loaf)………………………………………………. $0.04

I don’t have a pic of my Cooper, which is most certainly NOT red (that would clash with my hair 😉 so here is a more interesting Mini XXL Luxury Limo for you to gaze upon, complete with a pool in the rear.

//PJ