My mother is celebrating her 60 birthday this weekend! This special occasion made me think about how much time has changed! In my 33 years, things have drastically changed, so I can only imagine how momma must feel having experienced an additional 27 years! So in honor of this special day, I have decided to put a few facts down about how times were in 1949 when she was born.
Costs:
Car: $1,650
Gasoline: 26 cents/gal
House: $14,500
Bread: 14 cents/loaf
Milk: 84 cents/gal
Eggs: 25 cents/dozen
Candy Bar: 5 cents
Soda: 5 cents
Postage Stamp: 3 cents
Movie Admission: 60 cents
Stock Market: 200Average
Annual Salary: $3,600
Minimum Wage: 40 cents per hour
Unemployment: 5.9%
Life Expectancy: 68 years
Other interesting facts:
-RCA Perfects a system for broadcasting color television
-First Polaroid Camera sold for $89.95
-The Emmy Awards for US Television first presented
-A new type of TV programming appeared, Soap Operas (the name came from the fact many soap manufacturers sponsored the shows to catch the stay at home mom with advertising) .
-First Volkswagen Beetle The Peoples Car sold in US
-The first automatic street lights are installed in New Milford, Connecticut
-The world's first commercially available computer 'The Ferranti Mark 1' was released
-President's salary increases to $100,000
-More then 50% of men smoke regularly, along with about 33% of women
-The Soviet Union tests its first atomic bomb
A few of the people born in 1949:
Wolfgang Puck, celebrity chef
George Foreman, boxer
Andy Kaufman, comedian
Robert Palmer, singer/guitarist
John Belushi, actor
Eddie Money, singer
Erik Estrada, actor
Patrick Duffy, actor
John Oates, musician ("Hall and Oates")
Billy Joel American musician
Hank Williams Jr., singer
Tom Berenger, actor
Jeff Bridges, actor
In 2036, I will turn 60. I am excited (and a little scared) for what the future has in store. We are a world and society of change.
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."- Mahatma Gandhi
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