Wednesday, May 30, 2007  Stupid Reuters Tricks  Trick #1: The
weekend’s big news story was that men don’t like to shop and
they’re not very good at it. At least, that was the opinion of
some group called TNS Retail Forward. As far as some kind of
data to back that up, you’ll be somewhat disappointed with the
link: other than demographic information the rest of it is just
apocryphal stories and opinion by someone named Mandy Putnam
about men.  What can we hope for next from Mandy Putnam and TNS
Retail Forward? Perhaps a similarly exhaustive scientific study
to show that women are bad drivers, or the long-hoped-for study
that children like candy. Come on, Mandy, follow up that sizzle
with some steak!  Seriously, this is news? Or is this just
sexist opinion dressed up as science and packaged as news?
Trick #2:  Study shows older baby boomers who are healthy,
wealthy, and have meaningful things to do in their life are
generally happier.  What a miraculous find: people who have
financial resources, are healthy, a