The Billionaires Club
Women make up only 7% of the list but only Doris Fisher who opened the first Gap Store in 1969 is self made. Ms Fisher is jointly listed with her husband Donald at 293rd with the value of over £1 billion. Take note women entrepreneurs out there and make money. By the way women appear mentioned five times in the top 20.

Women in the Boardroom
Norway’s government is forcing companies to guarantee that at least 40 per cent of board members are women – this plan was unveiled on the eve of International Women’s Day ‘a milestone in the history of the fight for equality’ quoth the Children and Family Affairs who oversees women’s rights. Other Western nations should follow suit – given the performance of some companies an injection of estrogen would be a great idea! Don’t worry about your menfolk – at least 60 per cent of the board members will still be men! Sigh. I guess domination is a way off yet.

Remember those world bank statistics – women do two thirds of the world’s work yet earn only one tenth of the worlds income and own less than one percent of the world’s work yet own only one tenth of the worlds income and own less than one percent of the world’s property.

Did She Fall or Was She Pushed?

Martha Stewart, the world’s good taste guru faces multiples charges on alleged insider trading which netted her $US225,000.00. The case, relating to a multi-million dollar scandal, some commentators say is flimsy – evidence includes whited out phone records, two different coloured ball points on a contract and a witness who claims he was offered time off work and a ticket to somewhere warm to live on her behalf. Ask yourself these questions – if she did; why? If she didn’t; why has she been targeted. Another interesting and confusing factor is the shares she bought and sold (Imclone) have now piled on steam and are looking good. More on this later!

Mortgage Stress
The stress of taking on a mortgage and keeping up the payments makes people sick, and mortgages should come with a public health warning, a report in Britain’s Times newspaper said yesterday.Ý Propelled by the widespread British dream of owning their own homes, many buy houses they cannot afford and then find themselves trapped in crumbling buildings they cannot keep up, it said, quoting a study in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). Among the deleterious effects, the BMJ study says, are that homeowners falling behind on their payments become so fearful of losing their homes, that they drink and smoke too much, their relationships break down, and they even have more car crashes, because they are so preoccupied.

Money can buy happiness
You can buy happiness and two British academics have worked out what it costs. Andrew Oswald and Andrew Clark of the University of Warwick’s Economics Department calculated the cost of happiness based on a study of 10,000 people over the last 10 years. The study calculated the monetary value of contentment from events such as marriage and children as well as the cost of the distress caused by things like divorce and death. The results showed our health is our most valuable asset, with a major decline in health costing about $15 million. Widowhood would cost $500,000 and divorce not much less at $400,000. Newlyweds can console themselves that despite the cost of the wedding, the happiness of marriage is worth $210,000 a year.

Oprah on herself

“I don’t think of myself as a businesswoman…there’s this part of me that’s afraid of what will happen if I believe it at all.” Oprah happily admits that she cannot read a balance sheet and she’s so wary of investing her own money in the stock market that she once hoarded $US50 million in cash calling it her personal ‘bag lady fund’ (from a Fortune interview). After the final interview she called the journalist to say “I’m not sure why I did it (the interview) I’m uncomfortable talking about money and money issues.” Subtext anyone?

Pay Inequality for Women to Go

The Government, according to Margaret Wilson, intends to address and close the gender gap within the next five years. Apparently according to the detractors this will increase the burden on taxpayers and have a dramatic impact on the ability of business, punishing those who generate wealth and create jobs in this country. Phew!! Perhaps instead mens wages should be reduced by 20%. (We currently earn 80% of males wages – high by world standards.

Women and Work

Ms Burk from the US National Council of Women’s Organisations who triggered the recent PGA Tour drama claims that Bank of America executives “are willing to profit from women’s work, but they’re not willing to treat them as equal participants in society. That’s what I call hypocrisy”

Why Women Should Rule the World

Kim Campbell, former Prime Minister of Canada, offered a solution to today’s scandal-riddled world: women leaders. ‘The qualities that are defined as masculine are also the same qualities that are defined as the qualities of leadership. There is virtually no overlap between the qualities ascribed to femininity and those to leadership’. Yet in several studies, Campbell said: ‘results show that when you have a critical mass of women in an organisation, you have less corruption’. Peru and Mexico have even implemented initiatives based on such thinking. And Campbell warned that ‘lest you think that all we aspire to for the world can be accomplished by male-dominated organisations, I have only to say to you: Enron, Taliban, Roman Catholic Church’.

FINANCIAL SPELLS

Pins
If you find a pin it is good luck - pick up the pin and kiss it three times

Salt
Plenty of salt in the house betokens plenty of money

Umbrellas
Can bring extraordinary good fortune. Tape a coin to the handle of your umbrella and ask for 'pennies for heaven' and wish with your eyes closed, for a shower of money. Money will come within a week.

Elephants
Are lucky - if you want trunks of money buy an elephant charm or ornament on the first day of a new job or venture - the trunk must be up not down. Rub the trunk for good luck and ensure it is always facing the door. Do not forget to thank your elephant - it won't then forget you.

Rainbow
When you see one take our a coin, preferably silver and hold it up to the arc. Trace the shape of a rainbow, buy or pick and iris and put it together with six other coloured articles - so that you make up the colours of the rainbow and put them with your lucky coin.

Eggs
Eggs are associated with prosperity. If you have found a double yolker your wealth for the year is assured but to be sure after you have eaten the egg put the crushed shell in a pot and plant a red geranium or yellow marigold.

Flowering Wreaths
Make a wreath (preferably with hope) and touch it when things go well financially - replace each year.

Dimples
If you are lucky enough to have a dimple it is like having the touch of the fairies on your face. If you find some one with a dimple touch it for luck.

Rosemary
Is a very powerful herb - have some at the door of your house if you wish to have plenty of money in your domestic life.

Four Leaved Clovers
Long regarded as bringing luck - if you find it by accident take the clover home place it next to a symbol of your new job or business venture and wish out loud that all your financial affairs will soon be in clover - carry it with you in that connection.

Coal
If you find a piece of coal, spit on the coal and burn it - especially with a fragrant herb.

Shoes
Shoes have always been associated with prosperity - owning shoes separated the rich from the poor. After an especially lucky day take off your shoes stuff one full of scented herbs and say 'Keep my feet my firm on the ground but may the heights I reached today come again.' Now wish firmly for a repeat of the days success. In the morning take a sprig of the herbs and put them with your account books or the drawer where you keep money.

WOMEN POWER
A recent article related the story of a passenger who was physically and verbally abused by a taxi driver. Despite his being known to the police and her complaint he was still employed by the taxi company concerned. The aggrieved passenger sent an email to 10 friends telling them of her experience and asking them to make an 'educated decision' about whether to use the cab company concerned. Within 24 hours the email had circulated to thousands of people and the company lost about 60% of its business. Imagine if you sent an email to ten of friends telling them about a great investment decision you made...Have you made a great investment decision? Planning for retirement? Insuring your income? Saving some of your salary?