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Deal or No Deal :)

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'Spectacular' Woman Seeks Rich Husband on Craigslist


ABC News: Wanted: Man Who Makes $500K a Year
'It's a Crappy Deal,' Retorts Investment Banker in E-Mail Thread That's Gone Viral

By SUSAN DONALDSON JAMES

Oct. 10, 2007 —

Wall Street is abuzz about an intriguing merger proposition: A "spectacularly beautiful" 25-year-old woman placed an ad on Craigslist seeking a husband who makes at least $500,000 a year.
The mystery woman -- under ad number 431649184 -- said "$250,000 won't get me into Central Park West," where one apartment recently sold for $42.4 million, the highest price ever paid for a condo in New York City.
It wasn't her audacious proposition that sent traders rolling with laughter in the pits but the witty response fired back by someone claiming to be an investment banker who said he fit the bill.
"It's a crappy business deal," he wrote.
"What you suggest is a simple trade: You bring your looks to the party, and I bring my money," he reasoned. "But in economic terms, you are a depreciating asset, and I am an earning asset. ... Your looks will fade and my money will likely continue into perpetuity."
"You're 25 now and will likely stay pretty hot for the next five years but less so each year," he added. "Then the fade begins in earnest. By 35 stick a fork in you!"
The e-mail exchange was forwarded around the financial district faster than insider information on a hot deal.
"Everyone on Wall Street got it," said a spokesman in the investment banking division of JPMorganChase, where the pithy response was first thought to originate.
The incident caused a massive headache for the public relations department at the financial giant, which warded off calls from reporters about the identity of the alleged author. It turns out the young employee at the New York investment bank had just forwarded the e-mail to his friends, without noticing his electronic signature, and it wound up on all the blogs.
"I feel terrible for the kid," said 30-year-old banker Kevin, who was downing a quick burrito at Chipotle around the corner from the New York Stock Exchange Tuesday. "He got the e-mail just like the rest of us."

Ad Appears Legitimate

The original ad appears to be legitimate, according to Jim Buckmaster, CEO of Craigslist.
"I don't see any evidence that this ad was anything other than sincere," said Buckmaster, who said the ad was first posted Sept. 25. "Although you never know."
The witty exchange struck a chord in Kevin, whose eventual income might lure such a husband hunter.
"It was a perfect response," said Kevin. "It was a classic reaction to a gold digger."
His slightly older tablemate agreed but said gold diggers on Wall Street were nothing new.
"Back in the day, they'd go to the World Trade Center and hang out at Moran's," said David, 37. "They'd come in three or four at a time and buzz the whole crowd. All the traders had a certain look, and they'd start to introduce themselves."
Still, Kevin said he was "shocked and appalled" at the woman's brazen approach. "It's sickening that a person would only look for rich men. Find your own job and earn your own living!"
The husband hunter defended her direct approach.
"Please hold your insults -- I'm putting myself out there in an honest way," she wrote. "Most beautiful women are superficial; at least I'm being upfront about it. I wouldn't be searching for these kinds of guys if I wasn't able to match them -- in looks, culture, sophistication and keeping a nice home and hearth."

'I'd Rather Lease'

But her responder retorted: "So in Wall Street terms, we would call you a trading position, not a buy and hold ... hence the rub ... marriage. It doesn't make good business sense to buy you (which is what you're asking), so I'd rather lease. In case you think I'm being cruel, I would say the following. If my money were to go away, so would you, so when your beauty fades, I need an out. It's as simple as that. So a deal that makes sense is dating, not marriage."
"Seeing such a naked gold digger out there is not surprising, but it's troubling," said Marco, an investment banker.
Marco and his officemates Michael and Tim, all in their 20s, were not eager to give their full names and corporate addresses after the JPMorganChase snafu. But they admitted they had received multiple copies of the forwarded e-mail from numerous friends.
"It sounded like a younger guy," said Marco, who recognized the gold digger from his undergraduate days.
"Everyone is broke in college, but there are certain guys with discretionary income who can pay for dinner instead of going dutch," he said.
"In college, some girls would only date guys of a certain social status," said Tim. "They won't come right out and say it."
But one woman in her mid-20s applauded the husband hunter's candor on Craigslist.com.
It's "not about the money, and it is not a matter of materialism," she wrote. "Rather, it provides an umbrella under which many other qualities seem to fall: premium educational background, high level of motivation, a family who raised the man well (and therefore good genes and similar breeding) and a socio-economic background that reflects your own."
The number of women seeking well-paid husbands so they can stay at home rather than climb the career ladder is on the rise, said Marty Nemko, a San Francisco career coach who has counseled an estimated 2,000 women in 20 years.
"Gold digger doesn't mean millionaire," said Nemko. "Their issue is to stay at home and lead and middle-class life and be taken care of."

Women Prefer Home

Nemko estimates that about two-thirds of the women he counsels want "a nice, comfy part-time job.
"These women increasingly tell me, 'I saw my mom, and I am grateful to the feminist movement to allow mom to be there in the power suit and shoulder pads and all that. And she's not so happy.'"

Nemko advises five ways to find Mr. Right, including telling all the friends you know that you're looking, online dating; general flirting, going to singles events speed dating, taking classes.
Choosing the venues and "extracurriculars," like taking up sailing, golfing or going on a cruise, can enhance the odds that Mr. Right will have money.
"But don't go on the Carnival line," he said. "Make an investment in the Celebrity."
Placing an ad on Craigslist is another way and not an immoral one, said Nemko.
"I would rather see stating the objective on its face rather than subterfuge," said Nemko. "It sounds like a fair deal if you make a fully consensual agreement."
Still, most men "recoil" from the prospect of being targeted by a gold digger even as men themselves are "not as honorable in the things they pursue," said James Bassil, editor in chief of Ask.Men.com, which draws about 10 million readers a month.
As coldhearted as it seems, the Craigslist plea reflects the "functional relationship" between many men and women, said Bassil, who wrote the book "From the Bar to the Bedroom."
"Women are attracted to ambition, and that translates into security with high earning power," said Bassil. "Men value looks and beauty and equate the relationship with how good-looking their women are."
Some who read the Craigslist exchange wonder if that forum was too lowbrow for a rich man and question the authenticity of the husband hunter's request.
On New York's site alone, Craigslist boasts more than 500 million page views and 2.5 million classified ads per month.
"This posting was made on rants and raves, not w4m [women for men]," said Susan MacTavish Best, a spokeswoman for Craigslist. "So, you know, to some extent, I'd guess the person was quasi thinking out loud and expecting feedback, not posting an outright ad. But who knows."
Attempts to reach the poster of the ad through a Craigslist e-mail went unanswered, so there's no way to tell how many responses were received.


Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures
 
it's amazing how fast these things spread - half a dozen friends forwarded this to me within last week. :wall
 
Here's the original ad...

What am I doing wrong?

Okay, I'm tired of beating around the bush. I'm a beautiful (spectacularly
beautiful) 25 year old girl. I'm articulate and classy.
I'm not from New York. I'm looking to get married to a guy who makes at
least half a million a year. 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.

Are there any guys who make 500K or more on this board? Any wives? Could
you send me some tips? 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. I know a woman in my yoga class who was married
to an investment banker and lives in Tribeca, and she's not as pretty as
I am, nor is she a great genius. So what is she doing right? How do I
get to her level?

Here are my questions specifically:

- Where do you single rich men hang out? Give me specifics- bars,
restaurants, gyms

-What are you looking for in a mate? Be honest guys, you won't hurt my
feelings

-Is there an age range I should be targeting (I'm 25)?

- Why are some of the women living lavish lifestyles on the upper east
side so plain? I've seen really 'plain jane' boring types who have
nothing to offer married to incredibly wealthy guys. I've seen drop dead
gorgeous girls in singles bars in the east village. What's the story
there?

- Jobs I should look out for? Everyone knows - lawyer, investment
banker, doctor. How much do those guys really make? And where do they
hang out?
Where do the hedge fund guys hang out?

- How you decide marriage vs. just a girlfriend? I am looking for
MARRIAGE ONLY

Please hold your insults - I'm putting myself out there in an honest
way.
Most beautiful women are superficial; at least I'm being up front about
it.
I wouldn't be searching for these kind of guys if I wasn't able to match
them - in looks, culture, sophistication, and keeping a nice home and
hearth.
PostingID: Pers-431649184


THE ANSWER:

Dear Pers-431649184:

I read your posting with great interest and have thought meaningfully
about your dilemma. I offer the following analysis of your predicament.
Firstly, I'm not wasting your time, I qualify as a guy who fits your
bill; that is I make more than $500K per year. That said here's how I
see it.

Your offer, from the prospective of a guy like me, is plain and simple a
crappy business deal. Here's why. Cutting through all the B.S., what you
suggest is a simple trade: you bring your looks to the party and I bring
my money. Fine, simple. But here's the rub, 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!

So, in economic terms you are a depreciating asset and I am an earning
asset. Not only are you a depreciating asset, your depreciation
accelerates!
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!

So in Wall Street terms, we would call you a trading position, not a buy
and hold...hence the rub...marriage. It doesn't make good business sense
to "buy you" (which is what you're asking) so I'd rather lease. In case
you think I'm being cruel, I would say the following. If my money were
to go away, so would you, so when your beauty fades I need an out. It's
as simple as that.
So a deal that makes sense is dating, not marriage.

Separately, I was taught early in my career about efficient markets. So,
I wonder why a girl as "articulate, classy and spectacularly beautiful"
as you has been unable to find your sugar daddy. I find it hard to
believe that if you are as gorgeous as you say you are that the $500K
hasn't found you, if not only for a tryout.

By the way, you could always find a way to make your own money and then
we wouldn't need to have this difficult conversation.

With all that said, I must say you're going about it the right way.
Classic "pump and dump."
I hope this is helpful, and if you want to enter into some sort of
lease, let me know.
 
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