The New York Times reported on a new home fashion and lifestyle trend known as "Cowboy High Style." It is has become popular with fifty-something baby boomers who were influenced while growing up by television programs like Roy Rogers and Gunsmoke.

Many are building rustic log cabins in Wyoming and Montana -- some made from recycled materials. They are accessorizing their surroundings with antler lamps, animal hides, cowboy hats, saddles, and Indian artifacts.

However, the spirit of the trend seems to run deeper than cowboy and Indian imagery. Architects and interior designers are using inspiration from the agrarian culture along with the lifestyle and values of old ranchers to influence their new home designs. There is even a magazine to promote this trend called Cowboys and Indians.

Readers tend to be older and affluent -- almost half living on the West or East Coast. The magazine includes articles about cowboy bars and Indian photography along with ads for $5 million rustic lodges and fox-fur throw blankets.

Senior Focus

As the nation of baby boomers age over the next 25 years, a new psychiatry is predicted to emerge for older persons struggling with everything from physical decline and loss of friends to retirement and relocation. Geriatric psychiatry is aimed at the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional problems that affect older people.

It was recently reported in the AARP Bulletin that the number of Americans with late-life mental or emotional problems is expected to climb to 15 million. Millions over 65 already grapple with the stresses of growing older -- the number is expected to increase sharply as the nation's population ages.

The experience and expertise of geriatric psychiatrists is considered crucial for spotting the signs of Alzheimer's disease along with distinguishing them from those of other dementias or drug interactions. Geriatric psychiatrists often observe warning signs of alcohol or prescription drug abuse before primary care physicians. The highest suicide for any age group is Americans 65 and older. It is believed that geriatric psychiatrists would be able to spot hidden suicidal tendencies that may elude other doctors.

Nationwide, there are fewer than 2,600 board-certified geriatric psychiatrists -- only about one for every 14,000 Americans age 65 and over. The need is opening up a challenging and exciting psychiatric field that will increase the understanding of the developmental changes in aging as well as the biology of aging.

Source: Eastman, P. (March, 2003). Restoring the inner self. AARP Bulletin, 16-18.

Clean-Hands Technology

Ten years ago, R. Douglas McPheters wrote a novel. "It was a thriller about a Manhattan loan shark operating in what's left of the Soviet Union." The book was never published, but Mr. McPheters became fixated on one of his fictitious inventions: a holographic keypad that floats in midair.

Under his system, a holographic keypad begins with a holographic image of a real keypad, recorded by lasers on photographic film. This image is mounted on a plastic plate, which has infrared sensors behind it that can detect when the keypad is manipulated. When a light behind the plate is activated, the image appears to hover in front of it.

A wave-source sensor detects when a finger or other object enters the space that seems to be occupied by one of the holographic buttons and sends a signal to the actual equipment the buttons are meant to control.

The invention has drawn interest in a wide range of fields, including the military, medical, automotive and manufacturing sectors. It will be used to create "touchless" information kiosks that would be placed on sidewalks in New York City and nearby Westchester County. Doctors will be using the technology in the operating room.

Holographic controls are useful in dirty environments, places where workers need to keep their hands clean or in consumer applications where repeated use and durability are issues. They would also benefit people without the strength or agility to manage regular controls and could be used by drivers to dial the phone.

To learn more, visit the company online.

One final thought

Top 10 Stupid Inventions

1. Black Highlighter
2. Braille Driver's Manual
3. Clear Correction Fluid
4. Fake Rhinestones
5. Inflatable Dart Board
6. Mesh Umbrella
7. Motorcycle Air Conditioner
8. Sugar-Coated Toothpaste
9. Super-glue Post-it Notes
10. The system that allows you to report power failures via the Internet

Published: October 23, 2003

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

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Kathy Lamancusa is a trend strategis, professional speaker and author who tracks the forces that impact our lives. Over 1.6 million copies of Kathy's books are in print, and she has appeared on numerous television and radio shows including Oprah! She is a public speaker who can offer organizations entertaining and enlightening peeks into what is coming and what is shaping change so that they can better reach their own customer bases.




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