"People seem to prefer to invest in familiar local businesses even where currency and country risks do not exist. For the United States, studies have shown that individual investors and even professional money managers have a slight preference for investments in their own communities and states. Trust, so crucial an aspect of investing, is most likely to be fostered by the familiarity of local communities." -- Allen Greenspan in a speech on Nov 20, 2003.

I've been off visiting family in a whirlwind tour of the Northeast US (PA to CT to MA to VT to NY to PA). More on this later. First, I need some sleep. ;)