# Old Folks: Stand and be counted **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 9, 2010, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845 "2010-03-09T13:15:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2010, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/81 "2010-03-18T19:49:20Z")
I’m 59, and in the poll. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/82 "2010-03-18T19:59:15Z")
Hell, I was 42 when I started posting here… This place ages a person. ---
**Author:** ![PhiloVance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19adc/32.png) [@PhiloVance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhiloVance)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/83 "2010-03-18T21:41:34Z")
Well, I guess **KlondikeGeoff** has me beat. I’m 72, a full ten years younger than he; actually less as my birthday is in December. My DOB is in my profile. Must be the California sunshine that keeps us feeling young. 😉 Oh, and I voted in this poll, not the others though. I don’t hang around much. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/84 "2010-03-19T13:57:27Z")
There looks to be a decent chance that we’ll get to a new page, so I’ll wait for that moment to post the much-touted summary data I’ve been collecting, but I wanted to urge any of you over the age of 49 to make your presence in that group visible by posting to one of the threads mentioned above with either your year of birth, you age, or both. “How old are you?” Started: 03-02-2010, 04:55 PM by Giles, the thread with the poll data, has a current count of 141 who voted in one of those ranges. I have managed to account for 138 unique Dopers who have posted to either of the other two threads. This current thread has identified 54 such people. “What Dopers were born in the same year?” Started: 03-05-2008, 04:41 PM by Asimovian, has accounted for 103 people, some of whom posted both places. I have left **Sampiro** ’s thread to **Sampiro** to analyze and summarize as he indicated he would. None of the responses to that thread are in my totals. Please, if you want to be counted in the “Dopers Over 49” category, please post here or at the other two threads where I’m gathering data. Thanks! Zeldar ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2010, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/85 "2010-03-19T20:54:20Z")
I haven’t contributed to any of the current threads on our ages but for the record I’m 70. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/86 "2010-03-20T05:31:04Z")
50 and i’m in the poll I’d dodgy at both ends, but the bit in the middle is in excellent working order ---
**Author:** ![longPath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@longPath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longPath)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/87 "2010-03-20T13:29:01Z")
I was born in 1954 and so am 56 y. o. I didn’t participate in the poll but I will now. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/88 "2010-03-20T15:15:19Z")
> [@KlondikeGeoff](#): > > \*\*AuntiPam \*\* was the first to note that pore ol’ me is probably the oldest. I’m 82, until August, if I make that. > > Still wondering who ended up in the 90s. Maybe a typo? Hate to lose my title as Geezer Emeritus of the Dope. I believe my parents have both lurked here, you should hope that they don’t join - they are 83 & 91 😉 Mom in particular is a confirmed computer junkie. Dad just checks stocks and autoblogs (bought a new car last June). Oh, yeah, I am in the poll - at 61. ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/89 "2010-03-21T14:20:09Z")
I’ll be 54 on March 25, 2010. Didn’t vote in the poll. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/90 "2010-03-23T12:23:44Z")
It’s looking as if the activity on this thread has wound down to a crawl, if not a stop. I’ll be posting that summary data on Thursday, Mar/25. If you want to be in the posted tally, this is your last chance. Thanks to all who have participated in these ages threads and polls, and for your patience waiting for the summary. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/91 "2010-03-23T12:32:45Z")
I look forward to seeing the results. ---
**Author:** ![KittenKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kittenkat/32/306_2.png) [@KittenKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KittenKat)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/92 "2010-03-23T14:44:07Z")
I posted in the poll linked to in the OP. I will turn 52 on April 8th. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/93 "2010-03-23T14:46:20Z")
**Zeldar** : Now we know how many active members there are, this sort of data’s going to be much more meaningful. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/94 "2010-03-23T15:03:34Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > **Zeldar** : > > Now we know how many active members there are, this sort of data’s going to be much more meaningful. True. I still believe the Lurker population could be polled or inquired from for their interest in things despite not posting often. Lots of folks just like the reading of all this “information.” 🙂 And it’s also my hunch (with not a lot to go on but that) that we’re only seeing maybe half (possibly a bit more) of the Over 49 crowd in these threads. And I suspect that’s a higher percentage than in the younger groups. Let’s face it: being old is not trendy. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/95 "2010-03-23T15:31:11Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > True. I still believe the Lurker population could be polled or inquired from for their interest in things despite not posting often. Lots of folks just like the reading of all this “information.” 🙂 Has anyone deliberately tried to entice lurkers to post? I know there was a thread a while ago about who had the fewest posts in relation to the length of their membership, which drew some minimal posters out of the woodwork. I’m not sure a lurker-enticing thread would work, though, because what makes them lurkers is not posting. (Obviously.) > [@](#): > > _And it’s also my hunch (with not a lot to go on but that) that we’re only seeing maybe half (possibly a bit more) of the Over 49 crowd in these threads. And I suspect that’s a higher percentage than in the younger groups. Let’s face it: being old is not trendy._ I’m sorry: I’m not sure what you’re saying here. That about 50%(+) of those qualified to post have posted in these two threads, and that a smaller percentage of under 49s post in…what? There haven’t been any age-qualifying threads for younger people, has there? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/96 "2010-03-23T15:51:53Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > Has anyone deliberately tried to entice lurkers to post? I know there was a thread a while ago about who had the fewest posts in relation to the length of their membership, which drew some minimal posters out of the woodwork. I’m not sure a lurker-enticing thread would work, though, because what makes them lurkers is not posting. (Obviously.) I’ve mentioned before in threads on the issue: [Lurkers Anonymous: Roll Call](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=328473) 08-02-2005, 05:23 PM Zeldar [Lurkers Anonymous: Roll Call Part II](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=468241) 05-15-2008, 10:12 PM Hirka T’Bawa And I have suggested somebody else (not me this time) set up a new thread to see how things may have changed since 2008. > [@](#): > > I’m sorry: I’m not sure what you’re saying here. That about 50%(+) of those qualified to post have posted in these two threads, and that a smaller percentage of under 49s post in…what? There haven’t been any age-qualifying threads for younger people, has there? Mostly the hunch is that there are probably as many Over-49 Dopers who haven’t posted in these threads as have. And I suspect that lack of desire to share one’s age is a primary motivation for not posting. Again: just a hunch, and I hope I’m wrong. And I would guess/wager/feel that that percentage of qualified Dopers would be less in the younger age groups. Especially the dominant 30-49 group. It’s not that I’m underplaying the shape of the graph in **Giles** ’s poll data. I still feel comfortable with the overall age groups at the Dope, especially among active posters. I just suspect a large number of people aren’t into polls and sharing personal data. That’s more true (as I see it) for older people. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/97 "2010-03-24T20:25:30Z")
What the hey! Here’s that summary I’ve been promising, and a day earlier than I said last. The left column is from [What Dopers were born in the same year?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=458574) The right column is from both this thread (marked with \*) and other sources, including profiles and posts in **Giles** ’s “How old are you?” poll thread. Notice that I did include the 1960 birth years since those people will be in the Over-49 group this year. I realize the chronology may be confusing, but I had to guess wherever both pieces of information weren’t available. ```auto Monstera deliciosa 1960 Monstera deliciosa 49* Wile E 1960 Wile E 49 NinetyWt 1960 NinetyWt 49 KayElCee 1960 Dinsdale 1960 Baldwin (BANNED) 1960 Right-Wing Atheist 1960 Spoons 1960 Sunglasses 1960 Malacandra 1960 xtisme 1960 penultima thule 1959 penultima thule 50* seosamh 1959 seosamh 50 Ruby 1959 Ruby 50 Sternvogel 1959 Sternvogel 50* ShermanAter 1959 ShermanAter 50 ThisSpaceForRent 50 Freddy the Pig 50* Icarus 50* Bin-Gay 1959 BwanaBob 1959 Hakuna Matata 1959 Landshark 1959 SmartAleq 1959 Rico 1958 Rico 51* freckafree 1958 freckafree 51* Emily Litella 1958 Emily Litella 51 Dolores Reborn 51 KittenKat 51* Tinkertoy 51* Gail 1958 CairoCarol 1958 fishbicycle 1958 Spectre of Pithecanthropus 1958 Cub Mistress 1958 DistendedPendulousFrenulum 1958 Kilvert's Pagan 1958 Boyo Jim 1958 casdave 1958 Gail 1958 amarone 1958 Cheez_Whia 1957 Cheez_Whia 52 Czarcasm 1957 Czarcasm 52 DfrntBreign 1957 DfrntBreign 52 Qadgop the Mercotan 52* Satchmo 52* LIONsob 52 CateAyo 1957 CateAyo 53* kittenblue 1957 kittenblue 53* BobLibDem 53* Booker57 1957 Who_me? 1957 kapri 1957 Jali 1957 Julius Henry 1957 Frank 1957 gardentraveler 1957 Sassy 1956 Sassy 53 Equipoise 1956 Equipoise 53* RJKUgly 1956 RJKUgly 54* legalsnugs 1956 legalsnugs 54* Yllaria 1956 Siam Sam well into my 50s CalMeacham 1955 CalMeacham 54 Anaglyph 1955 Anaglyph 54 thirdwarning 1955 thirdwarning 54 koeeoaddi 1955 koeeoaddi 54* silenus 1955 silenus 54* 3acresandatruck 1955 3acresandatruck 54 Shodan 54* Oy! 54* Oslo Ostragoth 1955 Oslo Ostragoth 55 Caprese 55* sinjin 55* Fear Itself 55* Duck Duck Goose 1955 twickster 1954 twickster 55* blondebear 1954 blondebear 55* FairyChatMom 1954 FairyChatMom 56 Crotalus 1954 Crotalus 56* RTFirefly 1954 RTFirefly 56* longPath 1954 longPath 56* swampbear 1954 Baker 1954 kitemaker_chuck 1953 kitemaker_chuck 56 stanger 1953 stanger 56 Cicero 1953 Cicero 56* Dr. Woo 56* glee 1953 Archergal 57* RealityChuck 57* LurkMeister 57* kunilou 57* rbroome 1952 NineToTheSky 1951 NineToTheSky 58* Colibri 1951 Colibri 58* Sunrazor 1951 Sunrazor 58 Labdad 1951 Labdad 58 Voyager 58* SpectBrain 1951 Anna Nimity 1951 J-P L 1951 Burton 1951 HillKat 1950 HillKat 59 Gagundathar 1950 Gagundathar 59 becks2cents 1950 becks2cents 59 SecTech 59 TreacherousCretin 59 kelly5078 59* KatiRoo 59* AskNott 1949 AskNott 60* Roderick Femm 1949 Roderick Femm 60 Quasimodem 1949 Quasimodem 60 seanchai 60* Ragiel 1949 Clothahump 1948 Clothahump 61* jasg 61* pinkfreud 1948 pinkfreud 62 UncaStuart 62* SandyHook 1947 RunSilent 1947 Chefguy 1947 Fir na tine 63* picunurse 63* kayT 1946 panache45 1945 panache45 64* Giles 64* Ruby Slippers 64* AuntiePam 1945 AuntiePam 65* MemoryDump 65* samclem 65* Zoe 1943 Zoe 66 gonzomax 1943 gonzomax 66 gommsn 66* sunstone 1943 movingfinger 1942 movingfinger 67 John Carter of Mars 67* chowder 1941 chowder 68 Zeldar 1941 Zeldar 68* LouisB 1940 LouisB 69 Ignatz 1939 fortytwo 70* PhiloVance 72* Hari Seldon 73* KlondikeGeoff 1927 Klondike Geoff 82* ``` ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/98 "2010-03-26T02:21:40Z")
50 and 1 month… ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/99 "2010-03-27T07:46:47Z")
I was born in 1943 and I am 66. Hello, **John Carter of Mars**! Good to see you here! When is your birthday? ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845/100 "2010-04-06T22:11:21Z")
FWIW I am 55. **FairyChatMom** (the old broad!) is six months _and_ six days older than me! 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-folks-stand-and-be-counted/531845.md?page=6)