November 30, 2007

Men Lie

          In a recent study, science confirmed what most women know: when given a choice for a mate, men go for good looks.  And guys will not be surprised to learn that women are much choosier about partners than they are.

          In a study conducted by the National Academy of Sciences, which used speed dating, it was found that no matter what men said, they wanted in a mate according to previously filled out questionnaires  that listed such categories as wealth, status, family commitment, physical appearance, healthiness and attractiveness.  The men’s choices for people they asked to date did not reflect their stated preferences.  Instead, men appeared to base their decisions mostly on women’s physical attractiveness.

          One surprising result of the study was in the women’s choices.  Scientists said that women were aware of the importance of their own attractiveness to men and adjusted their expectations to select the more desirable guys.  Scientists state the goal for women is to choose men who will stay with them, therefore, women made offers to men for dates who had overall qualities that were on a par with the women’s self rated attractiveness.

 So, it turns out, the women’s attractiveness influenced the choices of both men and women. NY Sun 9/4/07

If You Think Ethanol is a Good Idea

          you’ll love oil!  Do you think the price of oil will go down?  If it does, then think of the consequences to ethanol:
                    Tax Subsidies forever?  Can ethanol survive without them?
                    Ethanol imports come knocking.  Can U.S. producers keep Brazilian ethanol at bay?
                    Transportation and distribution: The Achilles Heel of ethanol.
                    The growing political clout of the ethanol lobby
                    Big Oil:  Friend or foe of ethanol?
                    Can ethanol survive $30 a barrel oil?
           The chief purpose of Ethanol right now will be to create a lobby to sustain the high price of oil.

Michigan Taxes Financial Advice

          as an unnecessary service and lumps it in the same category as tanning salons, psychic readings, escort services, and massage.
          You would think, in a state, which has the highest unemployment rate in the nation, 7.4%, which is 61% higher than the national average of 4.6%, they would want to encourage their citizens to pay for advice in their hour of need.
          Or maybe this is part of the thinking process which got Michigan in the fix it is in now.
          Oh yes, they also raised their income tax rate 40% from 3% to 4.35%.  Talk about hitting someone when they’re down.  Investment News Daily 10/2/07

Italian Observations         

          Finally, she got me to go on a vacation.  So, we went to the land of great food and wine and so it was for two weeks.  We sideswiped Switzerland and went to Milan, Florence, Padua, Verona, Venice, Sorrento, Naples, Capri, Pompeii and Rome.
          Every dinner eaten no matter where was a great meal.  I had a taste test for gnocchi the whole trip and found heaven in Florence.  The house wine was great, no matter what!!
          One can read that the birthrate is only 1.2 children in Italy vs. 2.2 in the U.S  It becomes apparent when we did not see one pregnant woman the whole trip and nary saw a stroller.
          Everyone talks about the beauty of Tuscany.  I was not impressed.  It looks just like the Hudson River Valley.  Those people who extol the Tuscan scenery have not been to New York.
          The most noticeable part of Italy was how fashionably and nicely dressed the Italians were, especially in Northern Italy.  Compared to them, Americans dress like slobs when they saunter out of their abodes.
          Lots of graffiti in Italy, looks like New York in the 1970s.
          I especially appreciated the swat team aiming submachine guns at us in Rome airport from the balcony.  I guess the Democrats are correct, there is no war on terror anymore.
          The gypsies were not much of a problem, only one person in our group got pick-pocketed and because the guide had warned the men to keep their wallets in their front pockets, the thief got a packet of Kleenex for his trouble.  I did appreciate the armed policeman in the breakfast room in Rome, protecting us from the gypsies.
          We saw the flags of Italy, otherwise known as the hanging laundry drying outside.  We found out laundry is hung outside to dry due to the lack of clothes dryers which is due to the high price of electricity which in turn is due to the need to purchase electricity from France and Switzerland which had the foresight to build nuclear power plants and have extra power to sell to their neighbors.  Our naysaying anti nuclear anti oil Luddite Democrats should take a trip to Italy to see the logical results of their policies.
          Particularly interesting was seeing what I will call the church of the patron saint of lawyers.  In Padua, the jawbone, vocal chords and tongue of St. Anthony is on display for all to see.
          Now that I have been to Italy, which, except for Milan, still has the medieval street system, I have a renewed appreciation for the grid pattern.  A portable GPS should be required for all Italian cities.
          Most of all, I especially appreciated the shop owner who had to close for a 1 ½ hour lunch in the middle of the day while we were still in his store making sizeable purchases.
          Audrey learned to relax with a Limoncello.
          A foreign vacation is nice but you could pick me out when we returned home to Newark Airport, I was the one who kissed the ground.  There is no place like the good old US of A.  And that is what I gave thanks for this Thanksgiving. 

          If you have any questions about the foregoing or any other financial matters, please call us.  If you want to read more, visit the AOHL Newsletter Archives at www.lisch.com

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