It's Tuesday, so that means a press conference at the headquarters of the AARP, the American Association for Retired People. Boring? Not at all.
The AARP, the most influential lobby in the US - "grey power" and all that - is presenting the results of the largest study ever done on the sexual behaviour of Americans who are 45-plus. All is being revealed in the house organ called Modern Maturity, which has a sultry Susan Sarandon in a sweater on the cover with the headline "Great SEX. What's age got to do with it?"
Not much, according to this scientifically conducted survey of 1,384 adults aged 45 and over by the National Family Opinion Research last March. Many "myths" are debunked, such as that "older women don't have sex". The reality is that "a new sexual woman is emerging".
Only 36 per cent of women between 45 and 59 think that "people should not have a sexual relationship if they are not married", whereas 66 per cent of women aged 75 and older believe it is taboo.
This is a generation gap of course but there is also a "partner gap", as only 21 per cent of women of 75 and older have partners compared with 58 per cent of men in the same age group.
As for older American men, the myth that Viagra and other drugs have "greatly enhanced their sex lives" compares with the "reality" that "few of those with self-reported problems are taking these new drugs and for those who are, frequency hasn't increased but the sex is better".
This is certainly a more interesting press conference than listening to Washington politicians arguing about tax cuts. And as it happens, only two of these politicians make it into the "Who's sexy now?" list, which the magazine also presents under such categories as Steam Heat (Richard Gere, Susan Saran don), Tropical Heat (Harry Bela fonte) Anytime Sexy (Julie Chris tie, Tom Selleck), Sexy in Boots (Dolly Parton), Vintage Sexy (Lauren Bacall, Sophia Lauren, Paul Newman and Sydney Poitier).
A few more categories for the top 50 are: Sexy Sans Hair (Sean Connery and Patrick Stewart); Witty Sexy (Steve Martin); ButtKicking Sexy (Harrison Ford, Pam Grier); Sexy Divas (Lena Horne, Kathleen Battle).
How do you get into the top 50? According to the editor, Hugh Delehanty, you have to have three characteristics. "The first is a commanding presence that makes people take notice. The second is an air of mystery. The third is that those selected have arrived at a place in their lives where they're comfortable with who they are and we find that very sexy."
But back to the more serious stuff. The number of oldies who view their partners as "romantic and/or physically attractive" does not decline with age. Among men, the number saying the phrase "physically attractive" strongly applies to their partner is 59 per cent at age 45-74 and 62 per cent when they are 75 or over.
For women, the percentages are somewhat lower but among those aged 45-59, just 29 per cent judge their male partners to be "romantic" compared to 53 per cent among those 75 or over. Yes, we men just keep getting more romantic.
Just over half of all those polled (54 per cent) are extremely or somewhat satisfied with their sex lives but this rises to two in three for those with sexual partners. Not surprisingly, "reported sexual activity declines with age for both men and women as health declines and many lose their partners". Those who want chapter and verse can plough through the 70-page survey.
Why do Americans go in for these sex surveys? One of the authors of this one, Susan Jacoby, told us that the French and Italians don't have to bother with them and wonders if Americans even read them.
But the "influential sex therapist" Helen Singer Kaplan once told Ms Jacoby the reason is that Americans "want to know, `How am I doing?' They suspect that somewhere out there, someone else is having more fun in bed."