In 1965, Jack Weinburg, leader of the Free Speech Movement at Berkeley, coined the phrase “Don’t trust anyone over 30″. Of course, the Constitution mandates that, to be elected to the Senate, you must be over 30. But, although this quote is an arbitrary standard, let’s see how it holds up against the Senate today (the 111th) and the Senate on May 4, 1970 (the 91st):

Some interesting numbers:

• The average and median age of Senators in the 91st: 58
• Average and median age of Senators today: 64
• Number of Senators today were over 30 at the time of Kent State: 30
• Number of Senators today who were under the age of 15 at the time of Kent State: 16
• Number of Senators who served in both sessions: 2 (Robert Byrd and Daniel Inouye)
• Number of Senators today who were 19 or 20 in 1970 (the age of the fallen): 9

Interesting point: All these numbers are very, very close to evenly split between political party.

The median age of the US by the 2000 census was 35.

It always seems that, by polling numbers, the older generation is out of touch. When fully half of the senate falls in the 65+ category, consider these numbers:

• One of my favorite recent infographics, on gay marriage
• Gallup numbers on Health Care Reform:

Very current Gallup numbers show young people being hugely disillusioned about voting for the Senate Midterms. And no wonder, when there are no viable candidates to represent them.

I guess I’m still floored that 30% of our current Senate wouldn’t have been trusted then.

(Above numbers I got using Freebase, naturally)

I could tell from the DJ seat people were enjoying it. Nobody milling about, everybody dancing who was willing and able. Numerous people gave me pats on the back and I heard one complaint “Dammit, Barak, stop playing such good stuff; I shouldn’t be out this late, I have a final tomorrow!”

Because people have requested it, here’s my playlist with comments:

• Louis Jordan – Three Handed Woman
• Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On

// This got people going. Soul is one of my signatures

• Etta James – W-o-m-a-n
• Lighthouse Family – Ain’t No Sunshine

// This was a big win. I don't think I've heard this version played before. Sort of a more triphop version, I like it

• Tina Turner – Night Time is the Right Time
• Wayne Cochran – Little Bitty Pretty One

// A neat remix

• Rolling Stones – Honky Tonk Women

// Biggest fail, actually. Great song, in general. 
// Works on the right night. Didn't fit like I wanted it to. 

• Big Brother and the Holding Company – Turtle Blues

// I decided to play Janis Joplin. This got a number of positive comments  

• Kim Massie – Temptation

// A standard at East Bay houseparties -- it went over pretty well

• Eric Clapton – County Jail Blues

// Re-blues-ify

• Ray Charles & Van Morrison – Crazy Love

// Expect more from this album in the future.

• Karrin Allyson – Everybody’s Cryin’ Mercy

// Slow it waaaay down going into my finale

• Dobie Gray – Drift Away

// I love this song. It's also fun to dance to. People really appreciated it
// less as dancer-music-snobs but as people dancing to something fun

• Etta James – Son of a Preacher Man

// Classic, soul.

• Celine Dion – Le Ballet

// I've played this at things before. Heard it first at FNB. People like it though
// regardless if it's Celine Dion (in her french days, before Titanic)

• Ray Charles – Hard Times (Nobody Knows Better)

// Slow and a great ending song.

Network card works better (maybe when it got the updates something clicked) but the network is SLOWER. I dunno what they did wrong, but my Samba NAS takes forever, until I read this: http://jamespo.org.uk/wp/archives/190 — This seems to make it work fairly well

Still best to get video drivers straight from nVidia. Sorry MS.

I like the new Explorer. It has it’s faults, but it’s an improvement. Sidebar, meanwhile, is stupid and nobody uses it.

Still no major incompatibilities. So far so good.

Just finishing up these few quick notes before I write something completely different.