Right, left or center?

Question

Back in the 1970s, I bought stock in a company called KinderCare, which ran a chain of child care centers. It tried to make them as uniform and reliable as McDonalds' hamburgers. KinderCare catered to baby boomers who were having babies right, left, and center. Half of my friends were pregnant at that time. A major social shift was taking place in the United States, with women going to work in record numbers. Someone had to mind the babies of all those two-income families, and the stock of KinderCare soared on the crest of a new social trend.

The above is quoted from the book Come Into My Trading Room of A. Elder.
What do the phrases "right, left and center" and "in record numbers" mean?
Any answer will be great!

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]KinderCare catered to baby boomers who were having babies right, left, and center. A major social shift was taking place in the United States, with women going to work in record numbers. What do the phrases "right, left and center"[/nq]
Everywhere. Anywhere they could drop a kid, they did.
[nq:1]and "in record numbers" > mean?[/nq]
more than ever before.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]KinderCare catered to baby boomers who were having babies right, left, and center.[/nq]
In the UK, I'm accustomed to using "left, right and centre". But I see OED favours "right, left and centre". Is the order of the directions significant? Pondian?

John Dean
Oxford

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Back in the 1970s, I bought stock in a company called KinderCare, which ran a chain of child care centers. ... Elder. What do the phrases "right, left and center" and "in record numbers" mean? Any answer will be great![/nq]
This is the first time I have seen "right, left, and center", but something happening "right and left" is a common expression meaning something like "everywhere and frequently". "Right, left, and center" is a cute extension of that idea. I chuckled when I read it.

"In record numbers" is more obvious: in numbers that are setting records; more than ever before.
Bill
Reverse parts of the ISP name and the user name for my e-address

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]In the UK, I'm accustomed to using "left, right and centre". But I see OED favours "right, left and centre". Is the order of the directions significant? Pondian?[/nq]
I was just going to say "It's always right, left, and centre" for me. But now I'm not quite sure. No, yes, I am. r,l,c. Deffo. I think.

Mike.

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[nq:2] Everywhere. Anywhere they could drop a kid, they did. more than ever before.[/nq]
[nq:1]In the UK, I'm accustomed to using "left, right and centre". But I see OED favours "right, left and centre". Is the order of the directions significant? Pondian?[/nq]
No, I don't think so. I'm used to left, right and center myself. Maybe they do it differently in Indiana, though. And that does seem strange although it scans better that way because looking at the outfield and reading left to right as we do, it would be left, center and right (fielders). They may bat in a different order, though, because the center fielder is often a better singles hitter and the LF / RF positions often hit farther down the lineup because of more power.

When is Opening Day, anyway? (That's pondian.)

Usenet · Answer

I understand now.
Thank you again.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Back in the 1970s, I bought stock in a company called KinderCare, which ran a chain of child care centers. ... Into My Trading Room of A. Elder. What do the phrases "right, left and center" and "in record numbers" mean?[/nq]
The book isn't worth readin judging by the errors in the short exerpt quoted.
To start with it was the parents of the baby boom not the babyboomers who were having the kids left right and centre aka: all over the place. Following the second world war husbands took wives and had the children it had not been possible to plan for until then.
As for the babyboomers -the offspring of the parents who had all got married and had children at around the same time, in the 70's they were having sexual adventures left right and centre. Most of the progeny of such liasons were ******** or not the children of their fathers.

A situation that persists to this day, despite the seriousness and prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases.
As for any shift taking place in the United States, with women going to work in record numbers: The fact is, they were doing that during WW II and were being laid off in record numbers soon after, which is how the baby boom got going.
[nq:1]From the 70's on women were making decisions not to marry and havechildren and those that married were putting off having the children and had fewer.[/nq]
Before you start swallowing statistics you need to make sure there are any. And if there are make sure they are the correct ones.

Perhaps a search for census statistics will sort out a few things. Beware bald numbers. Some need qualifying as migration patterns change. You might query too how diseases can influence things by questioning what happend following both world wars.
By and large social patterns did not change so much following WW II due to stronger family and religious ties and due to a plague in the 1920's.

Usenet · Answer

Thank you very much!

Usenet · Answer

The commoner expression is "left and right".
I think the author of this text was trying to be clever by adding 'center'.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]The commoner expression is "left and right". I think the author of this text was trying to be clever by adding 'center'.[/nq]
Maybe.
But "left, right and centre" is a standard phrase in British and Irish English. Results from Google suggest that it is also used in at least Australia, India, South Africa and New Zealand to mean "everywhere".

The Longman Dictionary of English Idioms (a British publication aimed at EFL students) has "left, right and centre" with "right, left and centre"; "left and right"; and "right and left" as alternatives.

There was a British movie named Left Right and Centre: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055079/

Peter Duncanson
UK (posting from a.e.u)

Right, left or center?

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