What's Driving Baby Boomers to Drink?

Kids, depression, loneliness, anxiety, divorce, grief, feeling unworthy....these are just a few of the reasons that may explain why more and more baby boomers and the elderly are turning to the bottle to drown their sorrows. Alcoholism is on the rise for some in this age group.

Of course, the average person who may have a drinking problem probably isn't going to admit it. They would rather call themselves a "social drinker"--which means their doctors may be none the wiser--even though it presents an escalating health risk as we age. The theory, Don't Ask and I Won't Have to Lie , probably rings true for many.

According to an article in the Los Angeles Times earlier this year, a new study found that among men and women 50 to 64 years old, almost 1 in 4 men and 1 in 10 women were described as a "binge" drinker - meaning that at some point in the last 30days, he or she has downed four (for women) or five (for men) servings of alcohol in a single two-hour sitting. This is defined as the amount needed to attain a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 (the level at which most states consider a driver intoxicated).

So instead of asking, "What's in your wallet?"---someone might ask, "What's in your liquor cabinet?"

Mel Gibson Blames Behavior on Menopause

Mood Swings and depression are just two of the symptoms associated with menopause. Now actor Mel Gibson thinks he may have been suffering from it when he said and did those horrible things to the mother of his child.

In a handwritten letter obtained by TMZ, Gibson is quoted as saying:

"I haven't really got a grip at the moment....I don't know why I'm so whacky and depressed but I need to get well and re-enter life...Maybe it's some kind of male menopause..."

Wouldn't it be nice if every woman, entering this stage of life, could just blame her bad behavior on menopause? We could curse and scream and be as mean as hell in one moment--and in the next breath say, "Oh excuse me--I was having a menopausal moment."

We could call someone every rotten, dirty name under the sun--including the "N" word that Mel used--and then ask for forgiveness because we're whacked out and depressed at the world.

Menopause: It's not just for women anymore.

Suicide Rates are Up for Baby Boomers

Suicide rates for middle-aged people are on the rise-- particularly for white men without college degrees -- and a combination of poor health and a poor economy may be driving it, according to a new study.

Sociologists from Rutgers University in New Jersey and Emory University in Atlanta found that suicide rates have climbed since 1988 for males aged 40-49 years, and since 1999 for females aged 40-59 years and males aged 50-59 years.

Men and women with a high school degree or less are more likely to commit suicide. Rates in men with a high school diploma went up 11.7 percent in the 40 to 49 age group and 27 percent in the 50 to 59 age group. Women in those groups saw their suicide rates increase by 15 and 17 percent, respectively.

In 1979 the suicide rate for men aged 40 to 49 was 21.8 per 100,000. It rose to as high as 24 per 100,000 in 1996 and to 25 by 2005. For men 50 to 59 it was 23.9 in 1979, fell to 20.4 per 100,000 in 1999 and rose again to nearly 23.8 in 2005.

Another interesting note is the fact that the study seems to indicate the risk of suicide was substantially larger for unmarried than for married people, with unmarried middle-aged men 3.5 times as likely to commit suicide as married middle-aged men.

Personally,I would've thought just the opposite.

9/11 Should be a Day of Remembrance and Tolerance

Nine years ago today thousands of people lost their lives in an attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. It has been called the worst terrorist attack in our nation's history.

There's no doubt that what happened was a tragedy and should never be forgotten. But what we ought to forget are the bigots and other idiots who have used this day to fuel the flames of hatred against others: Folks like Terry Jones, who calls himself a Reverand in Florida. For the past couple of weeks, this man has generated tons of media coverage for threatening to burn the Quran--a man with a congregation of about 50 people. This act alone should make everyone question whether Jones was called to the pulpit by a Higher Power or if he called himself. One could argue that he, too, is a terrorist threat.

9/11 should be a day of remembrance---but also of tolerance for others who may not worship as we do. Not every Muslim is a terrorist and those who believe that are small-minded.

Instead of focusing so much on the things that divide us--why not work on healing those wounds and proving to the rest of the world that America is great for something other than war.

Burn Baby Boomers Burn with Jane Fonda

It doesn't matter that she's 72-years-old or that her photo has either been photoshopped or she's spent tens of thousands of dollars on cosmetic surgery. Whatever the case might be, former actress Jane Fonda has managed to put back on her leotards and get moving again.

Fonda is preparing to release two new DVDs specifically for the tired and shiftless baby boomers. She's gonna help us put back the pep in our step.

She did the same thing nearly 30 years ago when she released her first workout tapes and got women excited about working their bodies.

If she still moves as good as she looks in this photo, the DVD will be worth our hard earned baby boomer dollars.

The Scandal Behind the Egg Recall

Just about everyone has heard about the egg recall. Twenty-three states and a half a million eggs affected. What you may not have heard are the details behind this recall. The majority of the recalled eggs have come from Wright County Eggs, putting the focus on the company's owner 75-year-old Jack DeCoster.

This pre-boomer is no stranger to controversy. He's been involved in legal cases that have forced him to settle with the federal government for hiring illegal immigrants, for tolerating sexual harassment at his company, and has faced a litany of animal cruelty charges. DeCoster has also paid millions of dollars in fines and settlements over the years stemming from complaints about the health violations at his farms.

In 1996, for example, the egg farmer was forced to pay more than $3 million in fines after the U.S. Labor Department found dead chickens being picked up by workers with bare hands. The complaint also stated that DeCoster's workers also lived beside manure and rat-infested trailers, according to the Associated Press. The complaint led to a boycott of DeCoster's eggs by several major supermarkets.

In 2000, the Iowa attorney general dubbed DeCoster a "habitual violator" of the state's environmental laws and ordered him to pay a $150,000 fine for failing to properly dispose of the hog and chicken manure and had let it run into a nearby creek.

Earlier this year, DeCoster pleaded guilty to 10 counts of animal cruelty over his company's treatment of its chickens. In June, DeCoster was ordered to pay more than more than $100,000 in fines and restitution.

The charges and subsequent guilty plea came after an undercover investigation by Mercy For Animals, a national non-profit animal protection organization, that said they witnessed live birds being thrown in the trash, employees whipping birds by their necks in an attempt to kill them, and hens living in cages so small that their wings could not be lifted without getting snagged on wires.

With all of these violations, don't you think more drastic measures should've been taken--like SHUTTING DOWN HIS OPERATION?

States Not Prepared for Aging Baby Boomer Drivers

If your doctor suggests you give up driving at the age of 70 due to age and weakened motor skills, will you follow doctor's orders? More importantly, will that information be passed on to your state's Department of Motor Vehicles so they will know NOT to renew your license?

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety believes all states should have medical advisory boards to review driver capabilities. In addition, state licensing policies and practices should put into place standard reporting laws that provide civil immunity for clinicians, law enforcement, and licensing personnel who report people they believe may be medically unfit to drive.

So does that mean if I have a "lead foot" and get a speeding ticket for driving 10 miles over the speed limit, a police officer can declare me unfit to drive? Or what about all of the older drivers who drive below the speed limit?

By 2025, people aged 65 and older will account for 25 percent of all U.S. drivers.