Many thanks for your comprehensive response. Apologies but I'm still confused for a basic lingo reason. Don't laugh but I'm not sure which measurement you mean when you recommend "2.2 or higher" to make Lion work well.

I see three measurement numbers with "twos" in my hardware profile-

Model Name: MacBook Pro
  Model Identifier: MacBookPro2,2
  Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
  Processor Speed: 2.33 GHz

Which hardware measurement should I compare with your recommendation? In other words, do I meet or flunk your 2.2 threshold? My guess is that I flunk because you're referring to my Processor Name (Core 2 Duo) rather than my Model Identifier (2.2) or Processor Speed (2.33). Just want to be sure.
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It must have been may have been my fault.  When I say 2.2 or higher I am referring to processor speed.  I should have said 2.2ghz or higher although Apple only requires a Core 2 Duo processor regardless of speed of the processor.  Lion supports all Core 2 Duo processors, not to be mistaken with Core Duo processors.  You do not flunk my personal threshold for Lion. I would give the go ahead on that machine.