Of sense and sensibility

Excerpt from Reuters :

Woman seeks rich husband, banker says "crappy" deal
Wed Oct 10, 2007 10:39am EDT
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Deal or no deal? An online exchange between a woman looking for a husband who earns more than $500,000 a year and a mystery Wall Street banker, who assessed her potential for romance as a business deal, has cause quite an Internet stir.

The anonymous 25-year-old woman recently posted an ad on the free online New York community Web site Craigslist, http://newyork.craigslist.org/, appealing for advice on how to find a wealthy husband.

"I know how that sounds, but keep in mind that a million a year is middle class in New York City, so I don't think I'm overreaching at all," the woman, who described herself as "spectacularly beautiful" and "superficial," wrote.

"I dated a business man who makes average around 200 - 250. But that's where I seem to hit a roadblock. $250,000 won't get me to Central Park West," she said, asking questions like "where do rich single men hang out?"

The mystery banker, who said he fit the bill, offered the woman an analysis of her predicament, describing it as "plain and simple a crappy business deal."

"Your looks will fade and my money will likely continue into perpetuity ... in fact, it is very likely that my income increases but it is an absolute certainty that you won't be getting any more beautiful!" the banker wrote.

"So, in economic terms you are a depreciating asset and I am an earning asset," he said. "Let me explain, you're 25 now and will likely stay pretty hot for the next 5 years, but less so each year. Then the fade begins in earnest. By 35 stick a fork in you!"

"It doesn't make good business sense to "buy you" (which is what you're asking) so I'd rather lease," he said.

While the woman has since removed the ad from Craigslist, it -- ...........

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Ok, oddities aside, one interesting piece I did hear on NPR was that Nokia was making a bid to buy Navteq. Now, as we all know, Navteq provides a large chunk of navigational information. With the potential of Nokia phones being inherently equipped with such software, I am sure a large chunk of cell phone makers will be rushed to sign into similar deals?(Ahem, is anyone from Motorola listening? ;)

Footnote
My reading cart glares at me as I pass by, there's quite a few in the pile. I am so overdue. But I choose to hang on to every minute and second of the warm days that this year seems to be lending. Apparently we are near-drought conditions in our county for some weeks now. Winter is also rumoured to be warmer than usual.