Came accross an interesting piece about an 85 year old Duchess in Spain, who is marrying a man 24 years younger. This in itself isn't news but what makes this story interesting is that the Duchess Maria del Rosario Cayetana Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Francisca Fitz-James is a multi-millionaire, and to underline that their relationship is based on real love, she is giving away all her worldly possessions including big buckeroonies.
The Duchess, who is one of the wealthiest women in Spain, is estimated to be worth between $850 million and $5 billion, give or take a million or two, and one could see how the wealth could add to her attractiveness ("Oh Eleanor - you're such a cynic!"). Hence the decision to give away all her worldly possessions to prove to the world that love will pay the bills...or at least that her relationship with one Alfonso Diez, a civil servant is based on something else other than money and all that it can buy.In addition, her six offspring aren't crazy about the forthcoming nuptials and this was the basis for her decision. Really, in the end, the kids/grandchildren will be the real beneficiaries, being the recipients of her fortune.
"Alfonso doesn't want anything. All he wants is me," she had commented regarding their relationship earlier in the year.
Don't want to sound cynical but one wonders if this was before or after Alfonso was made aware that they would be living on love, alone. Thinking further about their relationship, why bother marrying at all? Why not just live together as many people do these days?
A further thought (too much time on my hands, obviously) in as far as the wedding is concerned. Having not been invited to "the wedding" (Will and Kate)...that is to say, my invitation having been lost in the mail, perhaps - just perhaps - an invitation will be/could be/might be forthcoming to this one? I mean - what would one wear if one was invited to a wedding of a multi-millionaire-ess Spanish Duchess who will have a modest affair having given away her fortune? I shall be checking my mail box in the event that an invitation could be wedged inside.
According to a report in a Spanish newspaper, her eldest son, Carlos, inherits the Liria Palace in Madrid and the Monterrey Palance in Salamanca, as well as the family fortune. Her only daughter, Eugenia, inherits an estate in Ibiza and a further 600 acres near Seville.
The duchess has been friends with Diez for several years. There were rumors of a wedding in 2008 but her children nixed the idea of marriage. Will be looking for wedding updates to see if the nuptials will actually take place. Wonder if Debrett's has a section on attending Spanish weddings of Spanish royalty that were wealthy give away their fortune for love...
UPDATE: October 5: the nuptials have indeed taken place. The Duchess wore a salmon, shin-length dress by Spanish designers Victorio y Lucchino. The bride expressed her happiness in an impromptu dance to the delight of onlookers.
Photos: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2045627/Duchess-Alba-marries-toyboy-Alfonso-Diez-lavish-wedding-ceremony.html
Showing posts with label money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label money. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Finger length an omen of future earning success
One has to ponder how much money was allotted to the group conducting this study. More to the point it strikes me that British researchers seem to have access to a cache of funds for - how shall we say - unusual studies.
In this case scientists at Cambridge University, presumably through close-up studies, have deduced that a man's fingers could predict his future success. The researchers who studied the forefingers of financial traders, concluded that those whose ring fingers are longer than their index fingers make the most money.
Say what?
The link could be down to testosterone exposure in the womb, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences says.
This exposure may improve rapid decision-making skills and has been linked with aggression.
The same ring-to-index finger ratio, which is determined in the womb, has previously been
associated with success in competitive sports.
Researcher John Coates and his team reported last year that testosterone seemed to boost short term success at finance after they found City traders with higher levels of the male hormone in the morning were more likely to make an unusually big profit that day.
He said studies suggested similar associations with finger length are also seen in women.
The article on http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7825890.stm states that "when the researchers looked only at the experienced traders, those with longer ring fingers earned far more than those with shorter ring fingers - £838,000 compared to £154,000 on average, respectively."
Seems that Belgian researchers, not to be outdone by the Brits, have discovered that "men with longer ring fingers become less "socially minded" - less willing to give money to a fellow participant - after watching aggressive movies."
Who cares? Gimme a break!
I dunno. Given the current state of the economy around the world with people starving, becoming homeless and the loss of employment, why on earth would someone waste/conduct a study that focuses on fingers and their potential for whatever?
In this case scientists at Cambridge University, presumably through close-up studies, have deduced that a man's fingers could predict his future success. The researchers who studied the forefingers of financial traders, concluded that those whose ring fingers are longer than their index fingers make the most money.
Say what?
The link could be down to testosterone exposure in the womb, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences says.
This exposure may improve rapid decision-making skills and has been linked with aggression.
The same ring-to-index finger ratio, which is determined in the womb, has previously been
associated with success in competitive sports.
Researcher John Coates and his team reported last year that testosterone seemed to boost short term success at finance after they found City traders with higher levels of the male hormone in the morning were more likely to make an unusually big profit that day.
He said studies suggested similar associations with finger length are also seen in women.
The article on http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7825890.stm states that "when the researchers looked only at the experienced traders, those with longer ring fingers earned far more than those with shorter ring fingers - £838,000 compared to £154,000 on average, respectively."
Seems that Belgian researchers, not to be outdone by the Brits, have discovered that "men with longer ring fingers become less "socially minded" - less willing to give money to a fellow participant - after watching aggressive movies."
Who cares? Gimme a break!
I dunno. Given the current state of the economy around the world with people starving, becoming homeless and the loss of employment, why on earth would someone waste/conduct a study that focuses on fingers and their potential for whatever?
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
I'm so angst-ridden: yet another e-mail asking me for help!
Why me, I ask you? Huh? I just this very minute... Okay five minutes ago...received this e-mail and am so fraught with indecision. I mean - the sender even addressed me by my first name!
"Dear Eleanor,"
Not just Eleanor mind you, but dear Eleanor.
"Please, do not be offended as this came to you without your permission. Which ever way you may look at it may it please you to repond either negatively or positively, so that i will know what next to do."
Respond either...negatively or...positively... Uh-huh...no neutral response for this person!
"I am Mr. Blah-blah, thirty two years of age and the fifth son of the reknowned Gambian industralist and the director general of D Sawmill, Chief Blah-blah-blah, who has companies and industries all over West Africa ."
So at this point - I'm impressed. Here somebody who obviously recognized my fame as a writer/wanna-be playwright/aspiring artist etc. etc. is a man of wealth and power. The man owns a sawmill! I've never known a sawmill owner before and better still - he's rich.
"As it may interest you to know, i got your contact through the internet professional data base by divine inspiration as i made this operation my only way of survival and i decided to contact you in order to tackle this without delay."
Ohmyohmy... Divine inspiration no less!
"My father Chief, Chief Blah is a victim of polygamy and womanizing married to twenty eight wives with sixty three children, very stingy and brutal to all of us, but mine is different as i have no brother or sister of the same father and mother due to the premature death of my mother in child birth on the 24th jan 1979 when i was only six years old, remaining under the brutal care of my wicked father who turned me to a slave istead of a son.."
Now things get a little confusing for me, here. His dad was a victim of polygamy and a womanizer married to 28 wives and has 63 children... Mr. Blah-blah has no brother or sister of the same(?) father and mother due to the death of his mother... Uh-huh... So that's 28 woman times... No divide that by... Forgetaboutit. Math never was my strong subject in school.
"With all his wealth, he could only make me the assistant sales manger in one of his alliance wood industries (D SAWMILL) republic of the Gambia with seviere maltretment and underation, irregular and poor salary , after depriving me of proper education and insisting that i must work under him. Being under my father gives no future to any ambitious young man , so for the purpose of my own progress and to liberate myself, i managed to make away with his THREE MILLION FIVE HUNDREND THOUSAND USA DOLLARS in a safe box when he was on holidays and came to republic of Togo where i deposited it in one security company."
Well...Mr. Blah-blah didn't do too badly all things considered squirreling away 3,500,000 USD, which he appears to have stored in a safe box. Right?
"Here in Lome iam like a refugee , no place of my own to lay my head, always hidding from people who may know me or my father, Please, iam here begging you to assist me urgently in the release and transfer of the fund to your account , then you invite me to come ,invest and live in your country as a partner or any way you may want it providing i get out quickly from here because of my shylock father."
That's it! All I hav'ta do! Allow Mr. Blah-blah to deposit money in my account! So as a good will gesture, I'm gonna send Mr. Blah-blah a return e-mail inviting him to invest in my ice-making company in Labrador. I mean, it's the least I can do.
"I am Waiting in hope for your urgent reply."
Me too.
Writers & Friends
www.jrslater.com/forum
"Dear Eleanor,"
Not just Eleanor mind you, but dear Eleanor.
"Please, do not be offended as this came to you without your permission. Which ever way you may look at it may it please you to repond either negatively or positively, so that i will know what next to do."
Respond either...negatively or...positively... Uh-huh...no neutral response for this person!
"I am Mr. Blah-blah, thirty two years of age and the fifth son of the reknowned Gambian industralist and the director general of D Sawmill, Chief Blah-blah-blah, who has companies and industries all over West Africa ."
So at this point - I'm impressed. Here somebody who obviously recognized my fame as a writer/wanna-be playwright/aspiring artist etc. etc. is a man of wealth and power. The man owns a sawmill! I've never known a sawmill owner before and better still - he's rich.
"As it may interest you to know, i got your contact through the internet professional data base by divine inspiration as i made this operation my only way of survival and i decided to contact you in order to tackle this without delay."
Ohmyohmy... Divine inspiration no less!
"My father Chief, Chief Blah is a victim of polygamy and womanizing married to twenty eight wives with sixty three children, very stingy and brutal to all of us, but mine is different as i have no brother or sister of the same father and mother due to the premature death of my mother in child birth on the 24th jan 1979 when i was only six years old, remaining under the brutal care of my wicked father who turned me to a slave istead of a son.."
Now things get a little confusing for me, here. His dad was a victim of polygamy and a womanizer married to 28 wives and has 63 children... Mr. Blah-blah has no brother or sister of the same(?) father and mother due to the death of his mother... Uh-huh... So that's 28 woman times... No divide that by... Forgetaboutit. Math never was my strong subject in school.
"With all his wealth, he could only make me the assistant sales manger in one of his alliance wood industries (D SAWMILL) republic of the Gambia with seviere maltretment and underation, irregular and poor salary , after depriving me of proper education and insisting that i must work under him. Being under my father gives no future to any ambitious young man , so for the purpose of my own progress and to liberate myself, i managed to make away with his THREE MILLION FIVE HUNDREND THOUSAND USA DOLLARS in a safe box when he was on holidays and came to republic of Togo where i deposited it in one security company."
Well...Mr. Blah-blah didn't do too badly all things considered squirreling away 3,500,000 USD, which he appears to have stored in a safe box. Right?
"Here in Lome iam like a refugee , no place of my own to lay my head, always hidding from people who may know me or my father, Please, iam here begging you to assist me urgently in the release and transfer of the fund to your account , then you invite me to come ,invest and live in your country as a partner or any way you may want it providing i get out quickly from here because of my shylock father."
That's it! All I hav'ta do! Allow Mr. Blah-blah to deposit money in my account! So as a good will gesture, I'm gonna send Mr. Blah-blah a return e-mail inviting him to invest in my ice-making company in Labrador. I mean, it's the least I can do.
"I am Waiting in hope for your urgent reply."
Me too.
Writers & Friends
www.jrslater.com/forum
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