Older Americans today are the biggest, richest and most active group of seniors in the history of the world. And three out of four baby boomers say they have no intention of seeking a traditional retirement. Employers, social-security reformers, Madison Avenue ... is anybody paying attention?

Sunbathing is still wildly popular, but there is also a growing group of dissidents who say: Stop being blinded by the sun's dangers. Going forward, look for new interest in sun-safe clothing and permanent sunscreen. And look for more litigation and regulation as the movement gets hotter.

In the late '70s, the average dad in a two-parent home spent about a third as much time with his kids as the average mom. By the late '90s, that number had jumped to 65% on weekdays, and 87% on weekends. Are marketers paying attention? Where are the ads for dads buying gifts for kids?

Of course, gender stereotypes also exist on the other side. Would you know from car ads that women make up the majority of car-buyers in the U.S.? Someday soon, smart carmakers, dealers and marketers are going catch on.

Single women are on the rise and now make up the second-largest group of homebuyers in America, just behind married couples. Watch for their interests -- in everything from home security to vacations -- to get some attention.

All those single women are spending lots of time at work -- evidently with attractive peers. As of 2006, almost 60% of U.S. employees said they'd had an office romance, up from just 47% in 2003. HR policies could be up for an overhaul.

With all that work, it's hard to get the sleep we need. The average American now sleeps fewer than seven hours a night, which is about a 25% drop from a century ago. For the moment, it's big business for the sleeping-pill people and the caffeine people. But we need to tackle its huge repercussions for our safety, productivity and civility.

Speaking of kids, more and more of them are growing up left-handed. It's a little about genetics, but mostly it's about liberalized parenting practices that now stress individuality instead of conformity. It used to be thought that southpaws were about 1 in 10; the truth is they may be closer to 1 in 6. Look for more lefty-aimed products and services.

Thought all Latinos in America were Catholic? About 25% of them -- some 10 million people -- are Protestant, and more specifically Pentecostal or born again. They played a big role in re-electing George W. Bush in 2004. Watch them closely in 2008.

Almost 3 million adults say they turned online dates into a long-term relationship or marriage. From DateAGolfer.com to Positive Singles (a site for singles with STDs), singles now have unprecedented tools for finding the one they want.