ShAARP Session: Observations from AARP

We are very excited to announce today that GRAMMY® Award-winning Country star Faith Hill appears in a new public service announcement that encourages Americans to volunteer their time to make America a better place.

Faith's ad, featuring AARP Create The Good is one of the iParticipate series you'll see on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC.

Got 30 seconds? Take a look at Faith's ad and let us know what you think and how you like to make a difference. As she says, "There are so many ways to serve. What will you do?"

If you're looking for ideas and inspiration to make a difference on your own time, in your community, on the things you care about, visit AARP's www.createthegood.org to get started.

Blythe Danner, Gwyneth Paltrow, Morgan Freeman and Matthew McConaughey are among the performers featured in the PSAs. iParticipate was recently launched in New York's Times Square with Create The Good volunteers. We were joined by New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and 15 mayors from around the country, numerous celebrities, including Ashton Kutcher, Tyler Perry, Tim Daly (ABC), Christine Baranski (CBS), Randy Jackson (FOX), Michelle Trachtenberg (NBC), among others, and key service groups to launch the initiative. Check out the pictures and video in Create The Good's Facebook group.

Hot on the AARP News radar this morning is a front page article in the New York Times that takes a look at the effect the bill taken up this week by the Senate Finance Committee would have on seniors receiving health benefits through Medicare.

The debate is heated, and AARP had a voice in the article: David Certner, legislative counsel is quoted, saying "It's unfair to single out seniors to pay more for their health benefits when other high-income people are not being asked to pay more."

On the other end of the news spectrum, AARP The Magazine is getting a lot of attention for its cover stories in recent issues. On Bruce Springsteen's 60th birthday, the New York Times' "Well" blog posted "The Boss Turns 60," and talked about how fans of the rock legend never thought they'd see the day Springsteen was on the cover of AARP's magazine. But, as Nancy Graham says, "...he really personifies our message at AARP that attitude matters more than age."

An atypical place AARP news is showing up? PerezHilton.com. The ubiquitous celebrity gossip blogger featured the magazine's November/December issue cover with Natalie Cole. The story includes excerpts from ATM's article and calls Cole "a true inspiration." Fun fact: 93% of PerezHilton.com readers are under the age of 45 - with 70% between 21-34. We're really extending our reach!

Former football star and Republican Vice Presidential candidate Jack Kemp passed away this weekend. Over the past few days there has been an outpouring of eulogies from people across the political spectrum who have hailed Kemp as an example of what is best about American politics.

Here is Washington Post columnist EJ Dionne

Politics in recent years has often been a breeding ground for hatred. Kemp was the opposite of a hater. He was all positive energy. If there was one thing he did hate, it was racism. Over and over, he tried to get his party to reach out to African Americans -- not simply the more affluent in their ranks, but the very poor whom he really did believe would benefit from policies geared toward enterprise, including supply side tax cuts, enterprise zones and tenant ownership of public housing. He was serious about this mission when he served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Jack truly and deeply wanted to give people the chance to improve themselves. He had seen how it could work close up. His father had started with nothing. He borrowed money to buy one truck and eventually developed his business into a profitable trucking company. Jack wanted to distribute that kind of opportunity and as broadly as possible. As the author of the Kemp/Roth tax-cutting legislation, Jack became the godfather of the Reagan domestic agenda.

There's some great celeb news lately! Here's more for you!

After Bruce Springsteen performed at Superbowl, the Daily News decided to take on a question about our many aging rock stars - like Elton John, Paul McCartney and others - are these older rockers losing their steam?

No way! In fact, it seems that many older artists are just getting better with age. In fact, Springsteen's new album "Working on a Dream," was titled No. 1 on the latest Billboard's Top 200 Album list. A snippet of the Daily News' review of the album:

No other current, seasoned star has managed to tower over the charts while scoring that kind of zeigeist bullseye. "Working on a Dream" could serve as a virtual soundtrack to the country right now.

It's all about hope at a time when we could really use some, tempered by a realization that for such positive emotions to seem real they can't come out of nowhere.

The songs on "Dream" may be overwhelmingly uplifting, but they all find their narrator achieving his state of grace only after moving through long, lean years of pain and disappointment.

I'm sure people personally relating to this album is partly why it's so successful - as are all of his records. No matter what, you're still Forever Young to us, Bruce!

With the announcement of her being cast in a cinematic adaptation of French writer Collete's Chéri, Michelle Pfeiffer talked to folks about the joys of being an older actress. While many think (and say) that older actresses tend to lose work as older men get even more Hollywood jobs, Pfeiffer said that her roles have become even more interesting as she's aged.

She also talks about how it felt to turn 50:

"If you think hitting 40 is liberating, wait till you hit 50 -- and I was surprised at how liberating it was," she said. "The anticipation of something is always much worse than the reality."

And for that, Pfeiffer is is our crush of the week. Cheri was released in Berlin, and is a contender for the top Golden Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival. Good luck, Michelle!

If you haven't seen the Golden Globes yet, you should. It's been a phenomenal year in movies and television, and it was great to see who took the cake home last night. (Not to mention the glitz and glamor was pretty fun too!) Some highlights:

• Slumdog Millionaire sweeped in winning awards for Best Motion Picture - Drama, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Original Score. Whew!
• The lovely Kate Winslet double dipped for her two wins for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama and Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
• Mickey Rourke's awesome comeback in The Wrestler won him Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama. We're pretty proud of this baby boomer!
• Health Ledger won the award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for his work in The Dark Knight.
• 30 Rock killed the awards in TV comedy, and the made-for-TV flicks Recount and John Adams dominated as well.

Congrats to all the nominees and winners for a great year of on-screen entertainment. Click here to check out all the winners.

Judy Collins sat down for a Q and A at Life@50+. Shaarp Session caught a bit of the interview and heard a great story about Collins' early days. She grew up in a family of social activists, and got her start at a very early age. How? Her parents bought her a copy of the < a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_American_Songbook">Great American Songbook, which she learned by heart. (Today, she jokingly refers to the Great American Songbook the "Rod Stewart Songbook," for his acclaimed album. She clearly had talent. And her family's commitment to social justice and activism stayed with her through her long career. Her first benefit concert, she said, was a show for the Jonas Salk Foundation.

Here she is talking to Life@50+ conventioneers.

A huge age discrimination lawsuit was recently settled (one of 23 to be resolved) over Hollywood talent agency International Creative Management. And the agency is only one of many others who are being sued by screenwriters over 40 who are saying they were "gray-listed" by the TV industry and pushed out of their jobs in preference for younger writers.

This isn't just some typical Hollywood scandal lawsuit; it's apparent that this is a problem within the industry, so much that ICM has also agreed to to develop an panel of experts to examine its representation practices, as well as create a "job relief" program designed to promote the top 25 percent of older TV writers.

Paul Sprenger, lead attorney for the writers, says "What we're trying to do is factor age out of decision-making."

ICM actually hasn't admitted to doing anything wrong, and the $4.5 million in settlement they're paying in one case will come out of insurers, but at least they're taking action with this new panel and program. Some other defendants in this slew of cases are major U.S. networks like ABC and Fox, and huge production companies Walt Disney Co and Warner Bros. We can only wait to see how those pan out.

Man, I love the Brits. Raunchy humor, pubs, fish and chips. What's not to like? Here's another good reason - they celebrate the beauty of their more experienced countrymen! Check out this new poll of Britain's sexiest older men. Mamma Mia! Star Pierce Brosnan tops the list. And he's in good company - his handsome compatriots Mick Jagger, Sean Connery, Rod Stewart, and Paul McCartney are also ranked high. Who would top your list?

We talked to Martina while she was here at AARP promoting the latest findings from a Red Hat Society/AARP survey. See what she had to say about working out, staying fit and her best work out buddy!

What surprised you the most from the Red Hat Society study?
Nothing really surprised me about it. It is what I experienced throughout my tennis career. We all do better when we have support and friendship. On the tennis tour, most of the women have always been supportive of each other, and we needed that. Everybody does. Chris Evert and others have consoled me after a loss, and I'd console them after a bad day too. We women were always good at getting along. We spent a lot of time with each other, and I guess that's part of it, but we also seem to have an instinct for nurturing within us.

How important do you believe the social aspect of group exercise is for women?
Group exercise is in many ways like a team sport. I always loved playing on a team because your teammates always try to find ways to make each other better. You bring the best out in each other. You build friendships too. As the old saying goes, there is no "I" in "team." Like a team, classes provide camaraderie and support. A lot of people don't stick with exercise because they never get into a group. They hop on a treadmill and get bored in a week or two. Nobody talks to them, and they don't know how to work the any of the equipment. But a class offers opportunities to create new friendships, cheer each other on, and get fit in the process.

Who's your best workout buddy?
Anyone with a positive attitude who will have a positive influence on me. How do you find that kind of person? You can tell a lot about people by the way they act and interact - how they carry themselves, how they're dressed, or whether they look you in the eye during conversations. How they do they treat servers in restaurants? Do they deal with them like human beings or treat them as someone who is subservient to them? Are they compassionate? Are they respectful of other people? Can they admit their mistakes? Positive people are dependable, they make fitness fun, and, they are committed to good health as you are. They bring upbeat, inspiring energy to your efforts. And they make the best workout buddies.

What do you recommend folks do to keep up their work out routine?
To improve your health habits and get in better shape, physically and mentally, get support from friends, family, and others. Having a support system increases your motivation so that you try harder, and even get in shape faster. No matter what your fitness level or goals, support can take you to the next level. It's the extra boost that can keep you going when you feel like giving up. It can restore your flow when you're at a low ebb. And it can make the difference between success and failure. I guess the best thing about a support system is that you always have people on your side.

Get someone from your support team to be your workout partner. You will probably walk more briskly and farther when you walk with a friend than if you walk alone, and you will most likely have more fun. You are less likely to cop out and not do it. You have a scheduled commitment with someone. You do not want to let them down. You want to help them get better. There is a synergy that helps both of you strive for your best.

What motivates you to stay fit?
Performance. Not just on the tennis court or in the gym, but to enjoy life. I need to move, I need to think, I need to be on my toes. I also like to push the limits of my body while it is still capable of pushing the limits. All of this is what motivates me. I know that I can only do as well as what I put into my body. You cannot ask your body to perform and then not put good things into it. So it is what you eat, what you drink, as well as how you work out and how much rest you get. I do not want anything to hold me back from doing what I want to do.

AARP members love to walk to stay fit, are there any tips you have for our walkers out there?
Of course, walking is the best all-round exercise. The body is designed to walk. I love to walk on the beach for exercise. I encourage walkers to "break your own records." For example, challenge yourself to walk farther each week, or outdo the distance you walk on the treadmill. To get camaraderie of group exercise, participate in a walking club, or start one in your neighborhood or at work. This gives you a great built-in support system to keep you going.

The sports world is abuzz this week with swimmer Dara Torres' record-setting 50-meter free-style win, qualifying her to compete on behalf of the United States at the 2008 summer Olympics. The catch? Torres is a 41 year old in a sport dominated by teenagers. She may be getting older, but she still got game.

Inspired by Torres' success (and who isn't?) The Miami Herald listed a few other athletes who excelled in their craft after hitting 40.

-Eamonn Coghlan: In 1994, the 41-year-old Irish miler and former world champion at 5,000 meters becomes the first person over 40 to run a sub-4 minute mile. Coghlan clocks a 3:58.15 at a race in Cambridge, Mass.

-George Foreman: In 1994, at age 45, the boxer regains part of the heavyweight title he lost to Muhammad Ali 20 years earlier, stopping Michael Moorer with a two-punch combination in the 10th round. Foreman captures the IBF and WBA championships to become the oldest champion in any weight class.

-Jack Nicklaus: In 1986, the golfing great wins his last major championship, the Masters, at age 46.

-Nolan Ryan: In 1990, at age 43, threw the sixth no-hitter of his career, blanking Oakland 5-0 while pitching for the Texas Rangers. The next season, at age 44, Ryan tossed his seventh no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays.

-Darrell Green: Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in February in his first year of eligibility, the Washington Redskins cornerback was 42 when he retired after the 2002 season. He had at least one interception in 19 consecutive seasons.

-Martina Navratilova: A month before her 50th birthday, in 2006, the tennis champion finished her career by winning her 59th Grand Slam title, teaming with Bob Bryan to take the mixed doubles championship at the U.S. Open. To this illustrious list, I would add hockey legend Gordie Howe, who played until the age of 53 (and on a team with two of his sons!) I suppose we could also add Roger Clemens, but perhaps with an asterix? Who else would readers add to the hall-of-after-40 fame?

Welcome to the big 5-0, Kevin Bacon! We're still trying to figure out our degrees from Kevin Bacon, but with AARP's network of over 39 million members it can't be too high. Now that he's of eligible age, we look forward to being able to welcome Bacon as a member (FYI: that would give us a Bacon number of one. Did you know that there is an actual computer program that calculates exact Bacon numbers and the so-called Center of the Hollywood Universe?).

Instead of sending cards or flowers, wish our buddy a happy birthday by visiting Six Degrees. Last year, the organization was founded with Bacon's support using the idea of connection to promote and raise funds for different charities. As Bacon writes, "It's a small world...accomplish something good."

So last weekend a group of ten divas got together in Atlanta, GA for an AARP 50th Anniversary concert. (Yes, AARP can now join itself...) The divas represented old to young, hip hop to gospel and shared their passion with the crowd.

Here's a picture of Queen Latifa belting out some tunes for you!