The Economist took an unsurprisingly British perspective on the result of last week’s summit of European leaders. Calling it “Europe’s great divorce,” the magazine that calls itself a newspaper led with the United Kingdom’s decision not to sign onto a new treaty of 23 nations that is designed to establish more careful, centralized governance over each country’s budget. This is all intended to promote austerity and more responsible decision-making in Europe, in the hopes that this will relieve investor angst over the 17 countries that make up the troubled eurozone. I’m not sure that the U.K. is the story here, unless of course you’re British. And like a lot of market watchers, I’m doubtful this deal will solve the crisis.

Let’s start by addressing a common misunderstanding about annuities. The debate about whether or not they make sense in a low-interest rate environment has nothing to do with short-term interest rates (like the overnight rate, for example). Short-term rates don’t drive annuity prices, long-term rates do. This is because it is long-term rates that determine the return on investment annuities providers – like my employer – can earn to pay the holders of their annuities.

I think the Lovely Lisa is sending me a message. Yesterday, for my 45th birthday, she gave me a pair of winter-wear running shoes, complete with lining. This could be a less-than-subtle hint that it’s time for me to start running again (and to stop being such a wimp about cold weather). Possibly, it’s a shove in the direction of stop-dressing-like-an-old-man. My fear is that it’s both at once, in which case I’m sure to disappoint her.