Today, we focus on the growth of men growing beards during a period of economic uncertainty that can only be described as "hairy."

According to Christina Binkley, the style columnist for The Wall Street Journal, growing a beard is "one of those tiny luxuries unleashed by unemployment, a time when people are briefly released from workaday habits and may wish to take stock of their lives before setting out anew."

The unemployment beard can also be a camouflage device. Remember Al Gore? The former vice president grew a beard when he suffered a job loss in the 2000 election. You can understand why a former poster boy would want to hide behind a beard. In the end, maybe the gambit did work for Al. He lost the election, but he won the Nobel Peace Prize -- a sign that the Swedish judges not only do not mind beards, but are also major ZZ Top fans.

That's not so farfetched. According to Binkley, the influence of the music business can be seen in the increase in the bearded population. At Rudy's Barbershop, in trendy West Hollywood, Calif., clients are arriving for their appointments with photos of bearded musicians from the Foo Fighters and the Kings of Leon.

Given the difficulties of today's job market, one can understand why an unemployed, middle-aged, middle manager would rather see the face of a groovy, macho Foo Fighter in the mirror every morning before he packs his sandwich of surplus cheese and heads out for a day at the unemployment office

Also not to be discounted in understanding the sprouting of so many beards is the wimp factor. Salon owner Suki Duggin says hers her clients often associate facial hair with power and rugged masculinity, Binkley reports. "They joke with me about it -- 'I feel like a real man,' Duggin says with a cackle."

You can understand the feeling. First, your manager treats you like you are inadequate. Then, you are jettisoned from the work force, a loser on the loose. You could spend your unemployment check on steroids and start spending your days in the gym, pumping up your muscles and your ego, but let's face it -- that takes work. It's so much easier to simply stop shaving. And think of all the money you'll save on Barbasol! Continued...