Will France ban the Burqa? | The price of taking a husband’s name | Blanche Lincoln, financial reform Tigress | Jan Brewer, Sherriff of the West | Fast-growing female-led companies
Will France ban the Burqa?
French President Nicolas Sarkozy says a bill to ban veils covering women’s heads in public places could come in May. Obviously this is quite controversial is essentially targeted at Muslim women who wear veils, like the niqab (full veil where just eyes are seen) as part of their religion.
Sarkozy sees veils as harmful to women’s dignity with no place in French society, but a bill could be unconstitutional.
What do you think?
The price of taking a husband’s name
A new study finds that women who keep their own last name after marriage make more money than women don’t (about $1,200 more). They’re also seen as more independent and less caring. Hmmmm. Really? I must be doing something wrong. I kept my name but don’t make as much money as many friends who didn’t. (I like to think I’m caring, too!
About 70% of people favor taking a husband’s last name, and seems like $1,200 isn’t enough to push someone over the edge. But the study (although small) offers an interesting look at how other people perceive the name change—or not—with pros and cons on each side. Read the report.
Let’s discuss this one.
Blanche Lincoln, financial reform Tigress
Perhaps the unlikeliest of Congressional suspects, Blanche Lincoln, a Democrat from Arkansas, pushed through the toughest language yet on financial reform.
She wants derivatives (assets that get their value based on the value of an underlying asset like corn or a mortgage—think of them like a bet on what the price of corn will be in a few months) to trade on an open, transparent index so people can see what's being bought and sold and also allow for regulation of the trades. Imagine that! While banks aren’t happy, it’s the lack of transparency and regulation on these trades put the economy in the gutter in the first place.
Lincoln got one Republican to vote with her team on this—a real feat in the otherwise steady stream of party-line votes we’ve seen on everything else. The Senate could vote on financial reform—the latest hot topic in Washington post health care reform—in the coming week.
Jan Brewer, Sherriff of the West
On Friday, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed the toughest immigration law into place that the country has seen so far, aimed at thwarting illegal immigration. There won’t be a lot of wiggle room on the border for illegal immigrants under these new rules, which Obama swiftly criticized as threatening “to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans.”
Fast-growing female-led companies
Want to work for one of the Top 50 fastest-growing companies led by women? Check out the list compiled by the Women Presidents’ Organization. The Wall Street Journal says these companies on average grew by $30 million in revenue last year. You’ll find everything from IT companies to lingerie sellers on the list.
