Today is Fair Pay Day. Today, as an average woman, I will finally earn what an average man made in 2008. Took me almost 4 more months to get even. That's because I make 78 cents for every $1 a man makes. But at least I am Caucasian, if I were African American I would only earn 69 cents and, even worse, if I were Hispanic, I would only earn 59 cents.

Are things improving. No. For example:

In 2006, women physicians earned 72% of their male counterparts.
Women in sales were at 64%.
Women in construction at 86%.
Women in computer and mathematical occupations at 85%.

While we applaud President Obama for signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, this law simply reinstates rights we had previously before a shocking Supreme Court decision.

We cannot continue this discrimination against women. Especially when women are often the sole providers in many households. Equal pay for equal work. What's so shocking about that?
What's so frightening about that? What's so hard about that?

Ladies (and gentlemen). Let's all stand up and make it happen. We can start by demanding the passage of the The Paycheck Fairness Act, It would deter wage discrimination by closing loopholes in the Equal Pay Act and barring retaliation against workers who disclose their wages. The bill also allows women to receive the same remedies for sex-based pay discrimination that are currently available to those subject to discrimination based on race and national origin.

Now, I need to go back to work. My earnings for 2009 are just beginning. And I am already 4 months behind! Reminds me of the guinea pig on that wheel! OK, no wheel. I just learned those are really bad for guinea pigs...maybe worse than pay discrimination for women???

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 12:26 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

More and more, sisters are doing it for themselves! Look for this movie in a theater near you soon.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 6:24 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Melanne Verveer has been named as Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues. This is an unprecedented step in elevating the importance of global women's issues to the forefront.

Melanne Verveer is Co-Founder, Chair and Co-CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership, an international nonprofit that invests in emerging women leaders - pioneers of economic, political and social progress in their countries. Prior to founding Vital Voices, Verveer served as Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady in the Clinton Administration and was chief assistant to then First Lady Hillary Clinton in her international activities. Verveer also took the lead in establishing the President's Interagency Council on Women, which serves as a model for governments to address issues of concern to women.

Previously, Verveer served as Executive Vice President of People for the American Way, a civil rights and constitutional liberties organization where she played a key role in the passage of several landmark civil rights bills. She was Coordinator for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs for the U.S. Catholic Conference, Field Manager of Common Cause and worked in the U.S. House and Senate as Legislative Director and Special Assistant respectively. Verveer is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Women's Foreign Policy Group, the Washington Institute on Foreign Affairs and Women In International Security.

Hat tip to Lynn Sweet, Chicago Sun Times

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 1:36 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Today, President Barack Obama signed an executive order creating a White House Council for Women and Girls to focus the federal government's efforts on advancing the interests of a group that has long done less well than men by a number of measures.

The mission of the Council will be to provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families.

During its first year, the Council will also focus on the following areas:

Improving women’s economic security by ensuring that each of the agencies is working to directly improve the economic status of women.
Working with each agency to ensure that the administration evaluates and develops policies that establish a balance between work and family.
Working hand-in-hand with the Vice President, the Justice Department’s Office of Violence Against Women and other government officials to find new ways to prevent violence against women, at home and abroad.
Finally, the critical work of the Council will be to help build healthy families and improve women’s health care.

The Council will be chaired by Valerie Jarrett, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor, and will include as members:

The Secretary of State;
The Secretary of the Treasury;
The Secretary of Defense;
The Attorney General;
The Secretary of Interior;
The Secretary of Agriculture;
The Secretary of Commerce;
The Secretary of Labor;
The Secretary of Health and Human Services;
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;
The Secretary of Transportation;
The Secretary of Energy;
The Secretary of Education;
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
The Secretary of Homeland Security;
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations;
The United States Trade Representative;
The Director of the Office of Management and Budget;
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;
The Administrator of the Small Business Administration;
The Director of the Office of Personnel Management;
The Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors;
The Director of the National Economic Council; and
The Director of the Domestic Policy Council.

In addition to the initial list of members, the President may designate additional heads of other Executive Branch departments, agencies, and offices.

All this thinking big stuff is making me VERY happy and excited for the future.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 1:29 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

From my roommate Dorothy to the fabulous women on the recent trip I took to Cambodia:

Dear Sisters:

International Women's Day is here again with it powerful emotions about what it means to be a woman in this century.

Thoughts of the Japanese Comfort Women, those who remain, now between 70 and 90 years old and still just trying to get the Japanese government to say the simple words: "We're sorry."

Thoughts of women in Cambodia and Zimbabwe and Sudan and Nicaragua and Iraq and Afghanistan and Palestine and Juarez and in the new squatter camps springing up in so many of our own U.S. cities -- just trying to figure out how to keep on living and making a home for their families.

Lesbians in California, fighting for official recognition of their families and everywhere living their love against enormous odds.

Women throughout the world, struggl ing in the face of an ever more severe social discomposition where governments and corporations and military establishments have carved a life that does not include or support life.

I think of the White House--built in part by slaves and inhabited now by a beautiful black family--and despite my best attempts at reason, hope lights its small flame.

We are all in this together, and today I simply take a few moments to celebrate the millions of brave women on whose shoulders we stand and whose hands we hold.

It was an amazing journey with you as my sister travelers. This is a bond we will forever share.

Happy International Women's Day!

Love in action,

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 7:01 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

“Now, more than ever, we need to be vigilant to ensure that measures designed to promote gender equality are not cast aside under the excuse that ‘we can no longer afford them’. The simple truth is that we can no longer afford to exclude 50% of the world’s population from fully enjoying their economic, social, political and cultural rights.”

Commit yourself to gender equality. Here's a good place to start, donate $25 to a microfinance organization that provides small loans to women entrepreneurs around the world so they can build their own economic 'power'. Visit KIVA. A donation also makes a great gift - mother's day, father's day, graduation, birthday, etc. Or even an International Women's Day gift to a relative, friend or coworker!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.org

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 9:50 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

June Harltey assisted her brother to die after he repeatedly begged each and every family member. She has now been charged with assisted suicide. You can read the details of this heartbreaking story in this Sacramento Bee article. It brings to my mind the words heartbreaking, courageous, love, compassion and most certainly not criminal. However, others have different ideas:

The sister made a grave mistake," said Randy Thomasson, president of SaveCalifornia.com, which opposes all forms of assisted suicide. "This lady cannot get off scot-free for killing her brother. Charges must be pressed.

"It needs to be said loud and clear that suicide is never the answer, and helping someone who is depressed to commit suicide is a crime. What the depressed person needs is counseling, not death." Italics added by me.

Counseling? And by the way even if it was relevant, would you, Mr Thomasson be ready to foot the bill for that counseling for June's brother and for every other like him? I would bet not!

Can anyone be more heartless than Mr. Thomasson today?

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 6:34 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Just in from "The Phnom Penh Post", Monday February 16 2009:

Page 6 (national news) - "Man Robbed By Street Prostitute"

A 44-year old moto-taxi driver had his bike stolen by street prostitutes on Saturday while he was touching the girls in a Phnom Penh park. The man realized that his bike was stolen and escorted one of the prostitutes to police for questioning. The 21-year old girl admitted she'd passed the bike's key to her friend to steal while the man was busy touching her body.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 6:34 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

A piece from my new favorite website, PulseWire, hosted by World Pulse, the organization that brings together women's voices from around the world. I was just with Worldpulse in Cambodia talking to powerful women leaders - more on that later. It is entitled Widow and is written by Ooluss Louisa Ibhaze. She lives in Lagos. She is working to have an anthology of her work published.

My husband died in his sleep but my in laws said I killed him. How could I have killed my husband? After all, my uncle had married me off to such an old man because he could not repay the debt he owed. I had only set eyes on him a few days to the wedding and only known when my aunt had pointed him out, “That is your husband.”

On the wedding day, I had wept. I didn’t understand what was happening as I had only just had my first period and my aunt had not educated me on the intricacies of womanhood, I was but a child. Before I was escorted to his hut , my aunt and the other women had said to me , “Do as your husband says and be a good daughter to your mother in law.” Left alone in his hut, it finally dawned on me that my new role and duty as a wife had begun.

Old enough to be my grandfather, he was kind and treated me well , I took good care of him. Pregnancy came with agony and my young body struggled. I was a child carrying another child and it didn’t help that the women advised me to be strong. It seemed like forever and somehow I miscarried and bled and bled. I wasn’t angry at him for making me pregnant , instead I felt I had failed him as a wife. So how could I have killed this kind old man? Didn’t his family know that at his age he was prone to having a heart attack? I had never been bold enough to ask him why he had not married earlier in his life. I was just a wife.

Five years after the miscarriage and I had still not conceived, his family said I was witch and a man. That it was part of the reason I had killed their son and brother. Come to think of it, a hut and a piece of land was too small a reason for me to take a life.

They had shaved my beautiful hair with a new blade as a sign of respect for the dead. His corpse had also been washed and the water given to me to drink to prove my innocence. After which they isolated me in a hut far from the others, where I sat shivering at night from the fear of the thought that my male in laws might prey on my young body to satisfy their lust as had happened to some other young widows. Every night before I went back to that hut, I had to do the forbidden which was to carry firewood from my hut to the forest instead of the other way round..

What more did they want from me? Hadn’t I wailed louder than other women and attempted to jump into the grave to show how bereaved I was ,as was expected? Hadn’t I endured the humiliation of having a herbalist throw his cowries on the sand and leave without a word to prove my innocence?

My body itched from days without bathing and my mourning clothes stank, I was hungry too. Tomorrow I would be inherited by my husband’s brother, who already had two older wives. They would mock my barrenness and my new husband might beat me because of their lies.

Carefully I slipped out of the hut and stealing my dead husband’s bicycle, I begin to ride fast into the night, towards the light in my head. Leaving the past behind. I was free…

I think it's a beautiful piece!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 2:52 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

From the New York Times

Lilly’s Big Day

By GAIL COLLINS
Published: January 28, 2009
President Obama is scheduled to sign the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law today. (This is, technically, his second bill-signing, not the first. But you cannot possibly expect us to make a fuss about legislation fixing the salary of the secretary of the interior.)

“I’m so excited I can hardly stand it,” Ledbetter said recently after the bill passed the Senate.

Obama told her story over and over when he campaigned for president: How Ledbetter, now 70, spent years working as a plant supervisor at a tire factory in Alabama. How, when she neared retirement, someone slipped her a pay schedule that showed her male colleagues were making much more money than she was. A jury found her employer, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, to be really, really guilty of pay discrimination. But the Supreme Court, in a 5-to-4 decision led by the Bush appointees, threw out Ledbetter’s case, ruling that she should have filed her suit within 180 days of the first time Goodyear paid her less than her peers.

(Let us pause briefly to contemplate the chances of figuring out your co-workers’ salaries within the first six months on the job.)

Until the Supreme Court stepped in, courts generally presumed that the 180-day time limit began the last time an employee got a discriminatory pay check, not the first. In an attempt at bipartisan comity, the Senate decided to simply restore the status quo, rejecting House efforts to make the law tougher. Even then, only five Republican senators voted for it — four women and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, who is currently the most threatened of the deeply endangered species known as moderate Republicans.

Ledbetter, who was widowed in December, won’t get any restitution of her lost wages; her case can’t be retried. She’s now part of a long line of working women who went to court and changed a little bit of the world in fights that often brought them minimal personal benefit.

Another was Eulalie Cooper, a flight attendant who sued Delta Air Lines in the mid-’60s when she was fired for being married. Not only did a Louisiana judge uphold the airline industry’s bizarre rules requiring stewardesses to be young and single, Cooper was denied unemployment benefits on the grounds that by getting married she left her job “voluntarily.”

But she began a pattern of litigation that eventually ended the industry’s insistence that women needed to look like sex objects in order to properly care for passengers on airplanes. Next time you talk about US Airways Flight 1549’s spectacular landing on the Hudson River, remember that the three flight attendants who kept calm in the ditched plane were all women in their 50s and give a nod to people like Eulalie Cooper.

Patricia Lorance, an Illinois factory worker, went to court after her union and employer secretly agreed to new seniority rules that discriminated against the women who had been promoted in the post-Civil Rights Act era of the 1970s. Like Ledbetter, she lost her court fight because of a ridiculous ruling about timing, which had to be fixed by Congress.

Working at a series of lower-paying jobs after the factory closed, and then disabled by physical ailments, Lorance lost track of her case long before it finally wound its way through the Supreme Court. “But to this day, I am rather proud of myself because I was not a dumb person. I believe in just standing up and fighting for your own rights,” she said in a phone interview.

Ledbetter’s real soul sister is Lorena Weeks of Wadley, Ga. Weeks, now 80, had worked two jobs to support her orphaned siblings, then struggled with her husband to set enough money aside to assure their children would be able to go to college. A longtime telephone employee, she applied for a higher-paying job overseeing equipment at the central office. Both her union and the management said the job was unsuitable for a woman because it involved pushing 30-pound equipment on a dolly, even though Weeks regularly toted around a 34-pound typewriter at her clerical job.

Weeks v. Southern Bell helped smash employers’ old dodge of keeping women out of higher-paying positions by claiming that they required qualifications only men could fulfill. But it was a long, painful fight during which Weeks was terrified that she might lose her job entirely. “I felt like I was so alone, and yet I knew I was doing what God wanted me to do. Going back to the fact my momma had died working so hard. And I knew women worked and needed a place in the world,” she said.

It’s a good day for the feisty working women who went to court to demand their rights and the frequently underpaid lawyers who championed them. They’re strangers to one another; most of them made their stands and then returned to their ordinary lives. But they’re a special sorority all the same. And Lilly Ledbetter got to go to the inauguration and dance with the new president.

“Tell her congratulations,” said Lorena Weeks.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 2:20 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

My Shawshank Redemption The prison system is broken. But the Honor Program works. Save it. By Dortell Williams From the November 10, 2008 edition of CSMonitor Lancaster, Calif. - Next September will mark my 20th year in jail. It is not an anniversary I'm particularly proud of. I was convicted of murder and hopelessly sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

When I arrived at the infamous Pelican Bay Prison, I was shocked right out of my criminal-minded circuit of stupidity. The flow of in-house narcotics profits didn't appeal to me anymore. My drug-dealing days had already brought me to terrestrial hell. Like the majority of prisoners on the yard, I just wanted to do my time as trouble-free as possible. I simply wanted to build on the better part of me, redeem whatever part of me was possible.

As the cycle of drug abuse, negative peer pressure, and unfettered rebellion roiled around my years of confinement, I began to long for something better. I wanted to be productive, do something better. That desire to build on the better part of me swelled, but with little
comfort and no outlet. With fervent disillusion, I came to see the California Department of Corrections (CDC) as nothing more than an empty shell.

It's a colossal department with two overriding modes of operation:
1) behavior control with a heavy stick as its main prod; and 2) the fostering of survival of fittest, thus encouraging a cut-throat atmosphere of criminal cronyism. In other words, if you don't join a clique, you could be swallowed up as a loner in the predatory food chain.

Scarce are the rewards for positive behavior, especially for lifers. Still, I managed to remain disciplinary free for 14 consecutive years (dodging the racism, prison-styled hazing, and violent clique initiations), in spite of the pervasive violence, negativity, and hopelessness. Ironically, it wasn't until I found myself in trouble (for being too friendly with a nurse), that I was transferred to the state prison in Los Angeles County, host of the Prison Honor Program.

Suddenly, my lack of cognitive stimulation and productivity was turned on its head. There was such a wide array of self-help opportunities to choose from, I didn't know where to start: yoga, creative writing, critical thinking, painting, and many other classes and activities. I also experienced a different type of peer pressure. My first day out, I was approached by a succession of other prisoners, echoing the same guidance as the first guy: "We don't 'bang' here; we don't play [prison] politics, racial or any other kind; and we respect every one, including the guards."

That speech has been an indelible part of my daily living for the past six years. I later learned that the program was initiated in 2000 by other reform-minded prisoners. Prisoners who also had an avid desire for inner growth and change. With the support of open-minded staff, peer-instructed classes were allowed, using inherent individual talents to sharpen the masses.

To my amazement, not a single class was racially segregated. Everyone interacts and we've come to understand one another better. On the yard, all races play and exercise together, a freakish sight after years of being programmed the other way. Graffiti is nowhere to be found, replaced instead by colorful, creative murals and other works of art. Since I've been here, racial riots, rapes, work stoppages, and the wide range of other wickedness are all memories of the past. I believe this is the only facility in the states that can make such a positive claim.

The success of the Honor Program cannot be denied. According to a study conducted by prison staff, the Honor Program saved the CDC (and taxpayers) more than $200,000 in its first year alone. Meanwhile, weapons infractions decreased 88 percent, and violence and hreatening behavior dropped 85 percent. In a state that features one of the nation's highest recidivism rates – two-thirds of Cailfornia's offenders return to prison within three years – such tangible evidence of behavioral correction is welcome indeed.

The secret to this is that it is a completely volunteer program. To our dismay, our success has earned only partial and inconsistent support from the institution and past secretaries of the department at headquarters in Sacramento. Sadly there is still a school of thought that doesn't believe in incentive-based programs or rehabilitation. For members of this camp, continuation of the failed model is sufficient. They want the stick and nothing but the stick. Sadly, the violence, deaths, and costly court interventions don't help them see the light. My hope is that the new secretary of the department, Matthew Cate, will see the light and help move corrections out of the shadows of the dark ages.

It would be a shame to see such a proven success – and a single tree that could yield a much fuller set of branches – go by the wayside.

• Dortel Williams is an inmate at California State Prison, Los Angeles County.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 11:58 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

From the National Women's Law Center:

A rule proposed by the Bush Administration would gut a program that helps women-owned small businesses compete on a level playing field for federal contracts. We've been advised that the rule may soon become final.

The program in question, the Women’s Procurement Program, aims to ensure that at least 5 percent of federal contracting dollars are awarded to women-owned small businesses. The Administration's proposed rule would limit the industries in which the contracting goal could be applied, and would require that each federal agency find that it has engaged in discrimination before using the flexibility granted by the program.

In late December 2007, the Small Business Administration issued a proposed rule that would dramatically undermine the Women's Procurement Program — a Congressionally mandated and bipartisan program to help women-owned small businesses compete on a level playing field for Federal contracts. The Center and its coalition partners filed comments opposing the proposed rule, but we have now been advised that the Administration intends to issue a final rule shortly that mirrors the deeply problematic proposed rule.

There is substantial evidence that women and minority owned businesses have been subject to discrimination in numerous ways, including in lending, in access to capital, and in basic access to contracting opportunities. In response to this evidence, Congress in 2000 passed a law to address this discrimination, setting a goal that 5% of federal contracting dollars be awarded to women-owned small businesses. That goal has never been met: although women-owned small businesses comprise 30% of all small businesses, in 2006, for example, they received only 3.4% of federal contracts.

Despite the continuing barriers faced by women-owned businesses, the SBA's proposed rule would virtually nullify the goals of the Women's Procurement Program by drastically limiting the number of industries in which the contracting goal could be applied and by requiring that each federal agency find that it has itself engaged in discrimination before using the flexibility granted by the Program. The proposed rule seriously misstates the applicable legal standards, and imposes unnecessary and inappropriate barriers that virtually ensure that the Women's Procurement Program will never be used.

We're tracking the developments on this issue, and we'll keep you informed about next steps.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 9:37 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

"...the only way we are going to solve our problems in this country is if all of us come together, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, young, old, disabled, gay, straight... that has got to be our agenda."

Barack Obama
August 1, 2008

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 3:43 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

The Chinese American Council of Sacramento (CACS) has published Canton Footprints, Sacramento's Chinese Legacy.

This book captures Chinese Americans contributions to Sacramento's diversity and their integral part in Sacramento's rich history. Canton Footprints, Written by eminent Chinese American historian Philip P. Choy, it brings together over 150 years of Chinese American history in Sacramento. Through more than 40 oral histories, Choy shows the role and influence that the Chinese American community has had in shaping Sacramento.

The 160-page book includes 178 historical photographs and is offered in soft bound and hard cover. The photographs from the Anna Wong Lee Collection and 19th Century lithographs and engravings from Philip Choy's private collection give visual impact to the importance of the Chinese American Community's role in Sacramento history.

The author, Philip P. Choy will give a lecture and sign copies of the book on Sunday June 1, 2008 at a CACS dinner to be held at the Holiday Villa Restaurant, 7007 S. Land Park Dr.
Sacramento, CA. The cost is $25 per person.

The book costs: $20 paperback, $30 hardbound.

To place orders for the book, contact: Donna Scotti, PO Box 60267 Sacramento, CA 95822
e-mail: CACSbookorder@comcast.net.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 10:25 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Yesterday I thought for a second I was back in the 1960's - a time when I couldn't get a credit card in my own name and as a naval officer's wife, I had to have calling cards in my husband's name - Mrs. Douglas Parrillo - property of.....

I was on the phone with United Airlines. I was attempting to take some of my miles and purchase two tickets for my in-laws. How hard could that be? And then I was informed that I couldn't use my miles because we didn't have the same last name. Later, I thought I should have agreed to have my in-laws change their last names to match mine, but at the time, I went into my completely sarcastic mode. "It might surprise you to know, but actually women are now allowed to have different names from their husbands, etc. etc." Nope, that didn't work, except to raise my blood pressure to some dangerous level.

So, then, I did what I always have to do with United Airlines. I asked to be transferred to International Reservations where the agents are firmly rooted in the 21st century.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 2:28 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Check out the frightful prospects for women and minorities at Dallas-based companies. Written and researched by my husband, Pierre Cutler, who was shocked by what he found. I taught him well!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 1:54 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Forbes counts 99 women billionaires worldwide in 2008, 16 more than the previous year. But that's still less than 9% of the total. Only 10 of these are self-made, including Oprah Winfrey, J. K. Rowling (of Harry Potter fame), Meg Whitman, former CEO of Ebay, and Zhanj Xin, who with her husband, runs SOHO China.

Check out the article

And while you are at it, you can also check out the billionaire bachelors

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Thursday, March, 20 2008
4:30 to 6:30 PM
University Union, Ballroom III
Sacramento State

Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers Union will share her thoughts on U.S. immigration policy and the impact for women during her speech that follows at 7:30 pm.

Sorry for the short notice, but definitely worth attending.

Call 916-278-6370 for more info.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 11:29 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Michelle Obama said the following the other night, and has been taken to task over and over again for it:

What we have learned over this year is that hope is making a comeback. It is making a comeback. And let me tell you something — for the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change. And I have been desperate to see our country moving in that direction and just not feeling so alone in my frustration and disappointment. I’ve seen people who are hungry to be unified around some basic common issues, and it’s made me proud.

Cindy McCain took her to task without naming her:

I am proud of my country. I don’t know about you. If you heard those words earlier, I am very proud of my country.

Be careful Cindy. Something about not throwing stones when you live in a glass house. I think being a drug addict and, worse still, stealing from your own charity for your stash, and then trying like crazy to cover it up, might give you a little more compassion as to how much pressure is put on political wives, who never asked to be in the spotlight.

A little solidarity and respect among politician's spouses - is that too much to ask?

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 3:54 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

I went shopping for a Valentine's card yesterday. I ended up buying two. One because it was romantic, and the other because it made me laugh out loud. I almost bought three because I found the perfect one for my husband to buy for me, but that seemed a little too planned!

Here's the romantic one:

I believe
that we
are magic,
that all things are possible,
that life is precious,
that peace is reasonable
that laughter is special,
that blessings are divine,
that love is grand,
and that you are
the best thing that's every happened to me.

I love you

And now for the funny one:

if we weren't together and i
saw you on the street, i'd bash
your head in with a brick so
you would fall down and i
could be there to catch you.

First one is a Recycled Paper Greetings and the second is from uncooked.

Have a fabulous day and celebrate it any way that feels great for you.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 4:09 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Now here's an example of a female stereotype:

The candidate with the more limited demographic appeal is clearly Hillary Clinton, who so far has proven herself a rock star only to the Virginia Slims-'n'-menopause set and their sensible-shoe-wearing sisters in the upper middle classes.

You can read the whole post on the Campaign Standard blog, the blog of the Weekly Standard.

I don't know about you, but I stopped smoking Virginia Slims in the mid-1970's, i surgically avoided menopause and I think I am the only part-time sensible-shoe wearer in my band of sisters.

Talk about code words - I can see the Tucker Carlson crowd guffawing over quotes like this.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 8:13 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

I received this blog with a request to post today. I am thrilled to be able to do so. The message is very powerful.

A few weeks ago I was lamenting the fact that all too often women seem to thwart the growth and promotion of their fellow females rather than mentoring, encouraging and supporting them. In the past two weeks I have learned that women do support women when it counts…

My 18 year old daughter, who has always been the picture of health, has had a very tough beginning to 2008. She had an emergency appendectomy and two days later suffered complications that led to not one, but two life threatening surgeries. She remains in the hospital and is looking at a lengthy recovery period. As the women in my life – friends, clients, colleagues and acquaintances – learned of the situation, the emails, text messages and phone calls started pouring in. Warm thoughts and prayers were sent for her speedy recovery. Some arranged to provide meals for my family; others arranged rides, homework help and care for my other two children. Some arranged for doctor-friends to call and visit the hospital. Cards, flowers, magazines and stuffed animals were sent to the hospital and to my home. All these women lead busy lives. They have families and jobs. They rallied to support a fellow woman when it really counted.

I am forever thankful for the wonderful women in my life.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 6:54 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

The Vagina Monologues holds a special place in my heart. It was the first outing of a group of women in Sacramento that turned into the book club that is so special to me. What a great shared experience and how great it felt to be part of a group of strong women.

And now the Vagina Monologues turns 10. And here are 2 great ways to relive those great times.

Locally, Sac State will be offering two performances, which they expect to sell out quickly:
Feb. 14 and 16, 2008
7 p.m.
Hinde Auditorium
Tickets: $20 General, $15 Student
Sac State Ticket Office located in the University Union or at tickets.com Proceeds for all performances will benefit the Sac State Violence and Sexual Assault Support Services Program and the SHARE Institute. For more information or question, please contact the Women’s Resource Center at (916) 278-7388.

And in what could well be one of the most amazing feminist events of our lifetimes, check out V to the TENTH

Transforming the Superdome into the SuperLove Dome, V-Day will stage a once in a lifetime event featuring international performances of The Vagina Monologues by Selma Hayek, Oprah Winfrey, Jane Fonda, Glenn Close, Ashley Judd, Marisa Tomei, Kerry Washington, Ellen DeGeneres, and musicians Joss Stone, musical guests including Common, Eve, Charmaine Neville, V-Day activists from across the globe including Kenya, Afghanistan, Iraq, the Philippines, Democratic Republic of Congo and Eastern Europe, men standing up for women and much more. Proceeds will benefit women and girls around the world and in the Gulf South. Tickets are priced from $1,000-25.

Now that's the way to celebrate. I am getting out my I Love My Vagina t-shirt (proudly given to me by my step-daughter) right now!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 1:55 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

This blog caught my attention this morning. Especially in light of the fact that the upcoming SacWomen/SAGE event on 1/23 will explore female stereotypes in the media. This blog adds an additional aspect, not only do women look like they will sell their soul for a diamond, men look like idiots for thinking they will.

I've been happy this year to read a couple of blog posts written by men just slamming the ever-living shit out of the popular holiday commercial message, "All women are whores, just set the price." Otherwise known as ads pushing luxury goods like diamonds and cars with a fairly unmistakeable message.

These ads go far beyond just saying, "Hey, it's fun to spoil someone you love on occasion," and straight into making rather f***** up insinuations about how marriage and heterosexual relationships are transactional--her love and sex for your baubles. That women give love because they love and have sex because they desire doesn't enter the equation. There was one ad awhile back that was pretty close to explicit on this--a guy runs through the streets declaring he loves a woman. She's angry with him for his romantic and inexpensive gesture. He presents a diamond. Now she likes him again. Women's affections are a commodity, says the ad, not a normal human expression. Jamie at Masculinity and Its Discontents:

For some reason this one really gets to me. Scene: woman kicking back on the couch, watching the tube, as her young-architect/artist skinny, t-shirted, sandy-haired studmuffin puts the finishing touches on her pedicure, blowing gently on her toes.

He: How's it look, sweetie?

She: It looks great!

He: I dunno, I think maybe they could use one more coat.

Cut to smarmy announcer: because you're not that guy, go buy jewelry at Bob's.

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 9:45 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

This blog caught my attention this morning. Especially in light of the fact that the upcoming SacWomen/SAGE event on 1/23 will explore female stereotypes in the media. This blog adds an additional aspect, not only do women look like they will sell their soul for a diamond, men look like idiots for thinking they will.

I've been happy this year to read a couple of blog posts written by men just slamming the ever-living shit out of the popular holiday commercial message, "All women are whores, just set the price." Otherwise known as ads pushing luxury goods like diamonds and cars with a fairly unmistakeable message.

These ads go far beyond just saying, "Hey, it's fun to spoil someone you love on occasion," and straight into making rather f***** up insinuations about how marriage and heterosexual relationships are transactional--her love and sex for your baubles. That women give love because they love and have sex because they desire doesn't enter the equation. There was one ad awhile back that was pretty close to explicit on this--a guy runs through the streets declaring he loves a woman. She's angry with him for his romantic and inexpensive gesture. He presents a diamond. Now she likes him again. Women's affections are a commodity, says the ad, not a normal human expression. Jamie at Masculinity and Its Discontents:

For some reason this one really gets to me. Scene: woman kicking back on the couch, watching the tube, as her young-architect/artist skinny, t-shirted, sandy-haired studmuffin puts the finishing touches on her pedicure, blowing gently on her toes.

He: How's it look, sweetie?

She: It looks great!

He: I dunno, I think maybe they could use one more coat.

Cut to smarmy announcer: because you're not that guy, go buy jewelry at Bob's.

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 9:45 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Teresa (Teri) Takai has been appointed the new Chief Information Office for the State of California. She was previously the director of Michigan's Information Technology Department and state CIO.

During her tenure in Michigan, she restructured and consolidated Michigan’s resources by merging the state’s IT resources into one centralized department servicing 19 agencies with more than 1,700 employees.

Unlike Michigan, California has a very decentralized technology organization and a tainted history with oversight culminating 5 years ago in a scandal with a $95M agreement with Oracle. The state spends more than $2 billion annually on IT hardware, software and services.

Let's wish Teri luck moving into this 'old boys' network. And when it all gets too much, come visit us at SacWomen!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 5:15 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

The Iraqi government has ordered all policewomen to hand in their guns. The policewomen earned the title by graduating from the police academy. Men with the same training have not received the same order. Read the whole story

So, here we go again, supporting, with billions of dollars, a government that would much rather support right wing religious fanatics than women.

Why do my tax dollars have to pay for this blatant sexism? I think I will write my representatives, again!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 6:25 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

My husband left home at 6:30 yesterday morning. He drove to his office and worked until 5PM. He drove home and arrived at 6PM. A full day, by most accounts. But not for my husband! When he got home he sewed two buttons on his shirt and two on his back pants' pockets. Then he made dinner for both of us.

Over the nice dinner he made, we were discussing what a good subject all of this would be for a blog - how my friends would be so jealous of his domestic skills. And then I noticed. Two small holes in the front of his t-shirt. The t-shirt he had been wearing when he was cutting the thread from the buttons.

I guess he is not completely perfect!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 5:38 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

What do you think?

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 4:15 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Teen birth rates in California are dropping dramatically, and last year were the lowest the state has ever recorded. Public Policy Institute of California researchers explored changing birth rates and fertility trends in the state, and found that in some counties, teen birth rates fell more than 25 percent from 2000 to 2005. They also found that over the last two decades, California has experienced an accelerating trend in delayed childbearing--a growing percentage of women are not giving birth until their early forties. Despite this rise in birth rates among older women, rates of childlessness in the state are also increasing.

You can download and read the whole report here

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 2:53 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Pierre and I are visiting South Padre Island in Texas. We are staying in a bed and breakfast owned by a French/English couple. Our English host suggested we take dinner at the Peninsula. We arrive to find out that it is the most upscale and expensive restaurant on 'the island'.

The parking lot was full of high-end vehicles, Audis, Acuras, Lexuses, Range Rovers, etc. Inside the restaurant was a lovely family of 5 dining - a young couple with 3 charming and well-behaved children. We had an enjoyable meal and only at the end did we realize we were the only English-speaking guests in the restaurant.

When we returned to the parking lot, we noticed that all of the license plates were from Mexico, except for ours.

Lou Dobbs, the Mexicans are coming and they have lots of money.

Gillian Parrillo and Pierre Cutler
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 6:40 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Surprise! Women on the Board Earn More a headline on Business Week trumpets. And it continues:

A recent study shows that in corporate boardrooms, female directors actually make more than their male counterparts

Stop being fobbed off. The world is not equal for women and taking a piece of data and reporting it completely out of context is unconscionable.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 3:20 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Ms. Magazine's 35th Anniversary issue is on the newstands. I am pretty sure that I bought the first issue in July 1972.
It seemed like the right thing to do.

Everything I had always imagined for myself had just come crumbling down. The doctor husband, lifetime marriage, big house in the suburbs, 4 perfect children, stay at home mother, join a bridge club, dabble in a little philanthropy, etc., etc.

That March, my husband announced he couldn't be married anymore. Our children were almost 3 and 1. It was years later that he admitted to me that he was gay. There were some things you just didn't talk about back then and there had been no signs in terms of our intimacy level during our 5+ years of marriage.

I became the first to ever get divorced in my family - the family that was all living 3,000 miles away. The girl who had finallly made good after her flameout at Catholic school..."and here we go again with her".

But later I became the first in my family to take a child support case to the Court of Appeals and win and do most of the research myself to keep the cost down! (Good grief, it was the year he gave more to a charity than he paid to his kids).

I became one of the first to fight for a credit card in my name (back then if you didn't have a husband to have his name on the card, no card)

I became one of the first to put my kids through college with no help from their father.

I became one of the first to forgive my husband, not for leaving me (I had done that years before), but for emotionally abandoning his kids.

And I became one of the first to have their children thank them for never saying a bad word against their father (I am sure I said one or two) and always supporting and facilitating them to ensure they preserved a relationship (how ever small) with him. (I knew I couldn't be their mother and their father and knew how special a relationship with both of your parents should be).

I gathered strength from a consciousness-raising group that lasted more than 20 years.

I marched (pushing my children in strollers) for ratification of the equal rights amendment.

And eventually, I became a senior executive in Corporate America at a time when the glass ceiling was very much in tact.

And then one day, I quit and married again after being divorced for 27 years. But I did keep my last name, the only I had owned and for which I had built the brand for 33 years (and yes, it was my first husband's last name too!)

And looking back, we all survived - in fact, we thrived, just in different lives than we had planned - and I wouldn't change a thing!

And I am pretty sure that without the National Organization of Women and Ms. Magazine and all the brave feminists out there over all those years, I wouldn't have even thought to have done most of it, let alone have succeeded in doing it.

Thank you Ms.Magazine. May you publish for another 35 years!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 8:28 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Why are the top 224 paid CEOs in the U.S. all men? According to the Forbes Special Report on CEO Compensation, published this past May, Ann Mulcahy, CEO of Xerox (NYSE symbol XRX), is the highest paid female CEO, but ranks 225th on the list.

Women should be outraged! Women investors should be outraged!

After a quick scan of the the top 500 paid CEOs, I found just twelve women on the list. This is not progress.

Suggestion - women should stop this nonsense by insisting corporate America begin treating women fairly both in pay and position. And if corporate America refuses to act, then women should stop investing in male led companies until companies do the right thing.

Just twelve women in the top 500! Fellas, this is ridiculous. Anne, you might have delivered stellar results as reported earlier this week on www.SacramentoExecutive.com, but you are not being paid commensurate with the men and their results.

And we think America is ready for a female President? Hillary, I'm sorry, but the numbers don't bode well.

Pierre Cutler
The Sacramento Executive

Posted by Pierre Cutler at 6:11 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Austrian Removes 'Sexist' Urinals

By MAZIN ELFEHAID
The Associated Press
Thursday, October 19, 2006; 6:18 PM

VIENNA, Austria -- An Austrian businessman announced Thursday that he would get rid of urinals shaped like a woman's mouth from a public toilet near Vienna's national opera, after facing pressure from politicians who demanded their removal.

The urinals, which are located in the "Opera Toilet," a lavishly decorated public restroom, feature thick, lipsticked lips, a set of teeth and a bright red tongue.

An urinal shaped like the mouth of a woman are seen at a public toilet near Vienna's national opera, on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2006. The businessman who runs the toilet announced Thursday that he would get rid of the urinals, after facing pressure from politicians who demanded their removal.

"We think that it's tasteless, misogynistic and offensive," Marianne Lackner, media spokeswoman for the Vienna Department of Women's Affairs told The Associated Press.

The department, headed by Social Democrat Sonja Wehsely, said it was appealing to the owner's good will, but was also exploring the possibility of legal action.

Monika Vana, the Green Party's spokeswoman for women's affairs, also denounced the toilets, telling the Austria Press Agency that they are "sexist and inappropriate."

"The owner thinks the idea (of the urinal) is funny," Lackner said, adding that it seemed he was not prepared for the hostile reactions.

Neuhold Gerhard, owner of the toilet's operator Neuhold Gerhard Limited, said in an interview Thursday with Austrian public radio that he would remove the urinals.

"If there is such outrage in Austria then it's not a problem," he said. "We will remove them in the next 14 days."

Gerhard added that he thought it odd that public interest has only now been focused on the urinals, as they have been around for three years.

The urinals first made a splash during recent campaigns for national elections, as they were the only facility available near Austria's National Opera.

"The thing that surprises us the most," Lackner said, "is that no man has ever said anything about this."

I MUST NOT LOSE MY SENSE OF HUMOR....I MUST NOT LOSE MY SENSE OF HUMOR....

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 6:51 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Today I was reading about women on corporate boards and how women have the reputation of asking very direct questions - a good thing, in my book.

Here's another woman who wrote some pretty direct stuff about Citibank and is now getting death threats because the stock tumbled after her report. Goodness knows what threats she will receive when they hear the CEO is going to resign!

Here's the story from the London Times Online:

Meredith Whitney, the analyst who prompted a $369 billion (£177 billion) plunge in the value of US shares on Thursday by issuing a negative note on Citigroup, hit out at Wall Street’s culture of intimidation yesterday after receiving several death threats from investors in the bank.

Ms Whitney, a CIBC analyst who is married to the former World Wrestling Entertainment champion Death Mask, prompted a near 7 per cent drop in Citigroup’s shares on Thursday, after suggesting that the bank needed to raise more than $30 billion to restore its capital cushion.

She also downgraded her recommendation on Citigroup’s shares to “market underperform” in the note that set off America’s biggest stock market decline since August.

Ms Whitney, Forbes’s second-highest ranked stock picker for 2007, told The Times: “People are scared to be negative, especially when a company has such a wide holding. Clients are not pleased with my call and I have had several death threats.

“But it was the most straightforward call I’ve made in my career and I am surprised my peer analysts have been resistant. It’s so straightforward, it’s indisputable.”

Ms Whitney, whose marriage to John Charles Layfield, the wrestler, 2½ years ago was detailed in The New York Times, said that she has never felt any pressure from the Wall Street firms themselves to be positive. But she said investors could be “nasty and belligerent” if they felt you had lost them a lot of money by influencing the price of their shares.

“No one had the moxie to put in print what I put in print,” she said.

Ms Whitney’s note came two weeks after Citigroup reported a 57 per cent drop in its third-quarter profits, following a $6.5 billion writedown, much of which related to the credit crunch.

That writedown intensified recurring calls for Chuck Prince, Citigroup’s head, to stand down, although he remains at the helm of the world’s biggest bank.

But in a move that will fuel speculation about his position, Mr Prince yesterday cancelled a speech he had been due to give tomorrow at the US Japan Business Conference. A Citigroup spokesman said he had cancelled the appearance to prepare for the company’s new listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Monday.

Ms Whitney, 37, met Mr Layfield in 2003 when they were panelists on Bulls & Bears, a programme on Fox News.

Mr Layfield credits Ms Whitney with helping to make him more sophisticated. The New York Times reported him saying at their wedding: “She took a country boy like me and kind of refined me. I know what fork to use now at the dinner table, and I drink my beer from a glass.”

My lead would have read:

Meredith Whitney, Forbes' second-highest ranked stock picker for 2007 and the only analyst who had big enough ovaries to report the truth, issued a negative note on Citigroup, prompting a $369 billion (£177 billion) plunge in the value of US shares on Thursday.

I might have added:

To whom she is married and what she does in her spare time has nothing to do with the dismal failures at Citigroup and have not been included in this story because they are not relevant.

The reporter, Tom Bawden in New York, might want to put his sexism away for his next story, or he may have to suffer the wrath of women worldwide - although we draw the line at death threats!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 4:32 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Whitney Roberts, the local leader of Ladies Who Launch, and an attendee at the first meeting of SacWomen sent out her monthly newsletter. It included this:

Thanks, Whitney. Great recommendation. Much appreciated. And can't wait to maximize the synergy between our organizations to the benefit of the women of Sacramento!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 7:57 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Real power -- the power to make decisions, to create change and lead -- is key. Once women have it, the world won't change for them alone; it will also change for the better, for men, for families, for communities and for workplaces. Marie C. Wilson, President of The White House Project

"The feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism, and become lesbians." -- Pat Robertson

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 5:25 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

A 2007 survey of 2,000 women conducted by AAA (source: USA Today, Kitty Bean Yancey) shows 24% of American women have taken a girlfriend getaway in the past three years and 39% plan to take one in the next year. Where are the women going (and leaving the men behind)?

• Las Vegas
• Art safaris to Carmel-by-the-Sea (see www.artistacreative.com)
• Cruises in the Galapagos Islands (see www.ecoventura.com)
• Dog-sledding in the Northwoods (www.adventruesingoodcompany.com)
• A "Men? Oh Pause" escape in South Beach (www.fairmont.com/turnberryisle)
• Surf 'n' turf in central California (www.thedolphinbay.com)
• Cowgirl Boot Camps in California wine country (www.alisal.com)

When? Early December. Destination? Lake Tahoe.

Pierre Cutler
The Sacramento Executive

Posted by Pierre Cutler at 7:40 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

California Department of Education sponsors the

Achievement Gap Summit
November 13-14, 2007
Sacramento Convention Center

This summit will bring together educators from across the state to address a major crisis facing public schools in California and throughout the nation: the systemic gap between our highest- and lowest - performing students. In an effort to narrow this achievement gap, teachers, administrators, policymakers, and others are invited to hear from experts as well as to propose workable solutions for improving academic achievement for all students. This issue is a critical one for Californians.

Keynote speaker: Tavis Smiley - broadcaster, author, advocate and philanthropist. Smiley hosts the late night television talk show, Tavis Smiley on PBS, and his radio show The Tavis Smiley Show on public radio.

The cost to register is $50.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 7:37 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Reported on Science Daily:

Contrary to popular opinion, feminism and romance are not incompatible and feminism may actually improve the quality of heterosexual relationships, according to Laurie Rudman and Julie Phelan, from Rutgers University in the US. Their study also shows that unflattering feminist stereotypes, that tend to stigmatize feminists as unattractive and sexually unappealing, are unsupported.

They found that having a feminist partner was linked to healthier heterosexual relationships for women. Men with feminist partners also reported both more stable relationships and greater sexual satisfaction. According to these results, feminism does not predict poor romantic relationships, in fact quite the opposite.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 5:49 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

As Pierre reported in the previous post, 60% of graduate students are women. Women are getting a lot more educated than men, but a report released by UC Davis today questions why they are bothering. The third annual UC Davis Study of California Women Business Leaders found that:

• Women hold 9.4 percent of the 3,283 board seats in the 400 largest public companies in California, up from 8.8 percent in 2006.
• Almost half -- 47 percent -- of the companies have no women directors and more than a third -- 34.3 percent -- have only one.
• Women hold 11.6 percent of the companies' 2,878 top executive offices, down slightly from 11.7 percent in 2006.
• Half -- 49.8 percent -- of the companies have no women in executive offices and less than a quarter -- 21.9 percent -- have two or more.
• Only 3 percent of the companies have a woman serving as CEO.
• Retail and finance industries had the highest percentages of women in top executive positions. Pharmaceuticals and media had the highest concentrations of women on the board.
• Three fourths -- 76 percent -- of the telecommunications industry and two-thirds -- 67 percent -- of the electronics industry had all-male boards. Similarly, 73 percent of telecom companies and 83 percent of electronics companies had all-male executive teams.
• The largest corporations, overall, have the most gender equity.
• Among counties with more than 20 companies in the survey, San Francisco County leads the state with 16.9 percent women directors. Santa Clara County has the lowest percentage, at 7.3 percent.
• San Francisco and Marin counties each have 20 percent women executives; Los Angeles has 12.5 percent; San Diego County, 10.2 percent; Orange County, 9.2 percent; and Santa Clara County (Silicon Valley), 9.1 percent.

"Too many board rooms and executive suites in California still look more like 1957 than 2007 in terms of gender equity. And we've seen no real change in three years," said Nicole Woolsey Biggart, dean of the UC Davis Graduate School of Management, which conducted the study in partnership with the Palo Alto-based Forum for Women Entrepreneurs and Executives.

"At a time when public companies are suffering from lapses in corporate governance and failures in leadership, they cannot afford to ignore the talent and perspective available in half the population and close to half the work force."

When are corporations going to wake up and recognize what they are losing by keeping educated women out of their businesses? What do consumers and investors need to do to bring this discrimination to an end, once and for all? Maybe the Power Women 50 index will bring some much needed attention to what a great job women do when they are 'allowed' to run public corporations.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 11:38 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Thanks to SacWomen reader, John Hughes, who provides a very complete review of Band of Sisters, American Women At War In Iraq, a book that I blogged about a few weeks ago.

Visit John's blog to read the whole review. His bottom line, "an interesting read, but not a classic."

What are you reading next, John? We welcome your well-written and researched reviews!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 1:13 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Women lawyers are slowly taking seats in corporate board rooms at Sacramento's largest private law firms, but minorities still lag far behind.

About one in four partners is a woman; for minorities, it's less than one in 14, according to an informal survey by the Business Journal.

That's marginally better than a similar survey three years ago, when slightly fewer than one in four partners was a woman and one in 16 partners was a minority.

Yet the numbers reflect a huge disconnect between the leadership at large local law firms and the population they serve.

Today, women account for more than 50 percent of the entering law school classes, up considerably from the 3 to 4.5 percent from 1947 to 1967. It appears that it is going to take a lot of time for the equality in admissions to bubble to the top of law firms. We can help by searching out and using firms that have a positive female leadership track record.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 12:27 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Governor Schwarzenegger has appointed Sharon Lueras to a judgeship in the Sacramento County Superior Court. Lueras, 50, lives in Fair Oaks and most recently served as lead corporations counsel with the California Department of Corporations. Previously, she served as deputy attorney general for the California Attorney General's Office. Lueras was a deputy district attorney for the Yolo County District Attorney's Office from 2001 to 2002 and held the same position with the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office from 1992 to 2001. She was in private practice from 1991-1992 where she specialized in personal injury cases.

Lueras is a Sacramento woman - she received her JD from McGeorge School of Law and a BA from CSUS. The compensation for this position is $171,648.

Many congratulations Sharon. SacWomen wishes you well!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 1:40 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Before the bottom fell out of the sub-prime lending market, Coleen Colombo, Isabel Guajardo, Linda Howard-James, Cheryl McNeil, Michelle Seymour and Sylvia Vega-Sutfin were highly paid and successful employees of BNC Mortgage, Inc.'s Sacramento branch. The women complained to their BNC superiors about fraudulent lending practices. BNC management told them "don't worry about qualifications, just write loans." After the fraud complaints, management retaliated. Each of the women was subjected to harassment designed to force them to quit. An account manager sexually harassed the women. When they complained, the branch manager laughed it off. Eventually, all six women resigned rather than subject themselves to further harassment.

In a September 26, 2007 ruling by California's Third Appellate District, these employees of BNC Mortgage, Inc., who were forced to resign after reporting fraudulent mortgage lending practices, have won the right to sue the company in court and have their cases heard by a jury.

Kudos to these brave women They have a long road ahead through the Court process but they have the support of many women who have dealt with many of these same issues.

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 6:31 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Units at the new L Streets Lofts project at 18th and K are flying. The 12 penthouses valued from $750K-$1.2M are almost completely sold out. The largest unit is 2092 square feet with a price tag of $1.2M - giving a dollar per square foot price of $574. Is that the highest price paid downtown ever? If not, it must be for a condo.

Check out the website - it's slick and it gives a great idea of what the space will look like and how convenient the building is to everything fun to do in the new urban Sacramento.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 6:07 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Print off this picture of Radhakant Bajpai, who is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the longest ear hair - more than 5".

Give the picture to your husband and tell him that's why you nag him to trim those unsightly hairs from his nose and ears and he should be very grateful to you.

Of course, he might respond that he could have been in the Guinness Book of World Records which would have allowed him to quit his job and live a life of luxury.

When you have finished laughing, hand him the nose hair trimmer!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 7:28 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Today I get an email from my car dealership. It read in part:

We wanted to update you on some exciting news! We are changing the way cars and trucks are sold! We have recently become an Ask Patty Certified Female Friendly dealership! We understand that car buying can be challenging, especially for woman. Ask Patty, the premier automotive advice site for women, has certified our dealership and service center. We have made the commitment to provide a better buying experience for all consumers. Our partnership with Ask Patty represents an increased commitment to the female car buyer to provide a safe and comfortable buying experience.

We understand that car buying can be challenging, ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN.

So off I went to the AskPatty website expecting to see Stepford women, and was pleasantly surprised to see a post about Saudi women not being able to drive and how that impacts their lives in terms of working. Further research showed, however, that the founder is male. Although the President, who wrote the blog, is a woman.

But then I went back to my first thought. Why do women need this extra kind of a gentle auto buying process? And wow was I surprised when I researched and found this on the AutoChannel:

The national survey of 1,000 female car buyers finds that an astonishing 77 percent of women plan to bring a man along for their next vehicle purchase - a slight increase from the 75 percent who indicated the same in Capital One's 2004 survey.

While 85 percent of women feel that they were treated fairly during their most recent car purchase, the study findings suggest that women are most likely to bring men to make their purchases as a means to better-manage the financial aspects of the transaction. (Nearly seven out of 10 women feel they are at a greater disadvantage then men when it comes to buying a car.) In fact, 70 percent of women continue to find the financial aspects of the car-buying process the most difficult, indicating that their greatest challenge is obtaining a good deal on price.

"It's troubling to see that women still do not feel empowered to manage the car-buying process on their own. It's important that women realize that confidence and purchasing power requires education - not a male companion. Rather than turning to a man for support, women should instead take advantage of the variety of educational resources available to them," said Diana Don Colby, director of financial education at leading financial services company Capital One.

Gillian Parrillo
The Sacramento Executive

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

The non-fiction book "Band of Sisters: American Women at War in Iraq" is truly an amazing chronicle that finally gives us access to a more complete history of the Iraq War. Gripping testimonies from our women warriors. This powerful account of women on the battlefield gives us a different understanding of what comradeship is all about! This could very well be about your sister, wife, mother, daughter or your girlfriend. She is out there risking her life and soul as part of our new military force.

"What price freedom?" The experiences of these women give us a totally different and profound look at that question. This book is destined to become a military classic! There is power in these stories that must be shared. The American Authors Association gives this book its highest book rating of FIVE STARS and its recommendation as a must read book!

War has no gender and neither does courage or death. This book explores the role of women warriors on the battlefields in Iraq. It also explores the meaning of what comradeship is all about. It is an amazing tale of sisters, mothers, daughters and women of all backgrounds who risked life and soul to fight alongside their brothers. A must read!

Bombs and bullets are equal opportunity killers--it makes no distinction to what gender the warrior is. Our military women in Iraq chronicle a story that needed to be told. Our nation needs to listen and acknowledge what they have done and continue doing. They are a sisterhood of warriors like no nation has ever known the likes of! It is a tale of terror, courage, fear, loyalty, and survival. A must read book by all Americans!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (1)

Greg Toppo and Anthony DeBarros of USA Today reported on Wednesday that "women feed the jump in college enrollment."

According to Toppo and DeBarros, "for every four men enrolled in graduate school in 2006, there were nearly six women." And in undergraduate school, the numbers are almost the same. Women last spring earned 58.5% of the bachelor's degrees.

Hey, I think my new book titled "The Fattening Up and Dumbing Down of America" has a chapter called "And the Guys are Dumbing It Down The Most!"

Pierre Cutler

Posted by Pierre Cutler at 2:15 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Women business owners are prepared to face risk: most (66%) are willing to take above average or substantial risks for business investments.

Women and men business owners have different management styles. Women emphasize relationship building as well as fact gathering and are more likely to consult with experts, employees, and fellow business owners.

Women owners of firms with $1 million or more in revenue are more likely to belong to formal business organizations, associations or networks than other women business owners (81% vs. 61%).

From Key Facts About Women-Owned Businesses

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 2:39 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Moira Cameron, 42, becomes the first female Beefeater, beating out 5 men for the job. Look for her when you visit the Tower of London!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 3:14 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

SacWomen announced its launch on August 20th. Yesterday, September 2nd, SacWomen was featured in The Blog Watch a weekly column in the Sacramento Bee that prints a selection from 3 regional blogs from the previous week.

The same day, someone bought 3 books through the SacWomen page and made $1.43 for SacWomen. Add that to the .87 made through advertising click-throughs, and we are over $2!

Last week, two of our sponsors from Sacramento Executive agreed to also sponsor SacWomen - both women, although to be fair, I didn't ask the guy sponsors yet! I'd like to make this an all women funded venture.

We are on a roll!

Tomorrow I finalize our meeting place for our October networking event.

I watch with amazement as it all happens and I try to add one new Web 2.0 skill each day. And when it works, I am amazed all over again.

And to think not so long ago - maybe 10 years, I sat in a conference room with the senior executives of our company and debated whether to allow our employees access to the Internet, which we regarded as a grand distraction from their real job!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 9:45 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Young women in New York and several of the nation's other largest cities who work full time have forged ahead of men in wages, according to an analysis of recent census data.

The shift has occurred in New York since 2000 and even earlier in Los Angeles, Dallas and a few other cities.

Economists consider it striking because the wage gap between men and women nationally has narrowed more slowly and has even widened in recent years among one part of that group: college-educated women in their 20s. But in New York, young college-educated women's wages as a percentage of men's rose slightly between 2000 and 2005.

The analysis was prepared by Andrew A. Beveridge, a demographer at Queens College, who first reported his findings in Gotham Gazette, published online by the Citizens Union Foundation. It shows that women of all educational levels from 21 to 30 living in New York City and working full time made 117 percent of men's wages, and even more in Dallas, 120 percent. Nationwide, that group of women made much less: 89 percent of the average full-time pay for men..........

''Citified college-women are more likely to be nonmarried and childless, compared with their suburban sisters, so they can and do devote themselves to their careers,'' said Andrew Hacker, a Queens College sociologist and the author of Mismatch : The Growing Gulf Between Women and Men

Source: New York Times

This has all kinds of ramifications for the future. Will women start marrying in lesser numbers? Will those that do marry and have children decide to have their less-educated, lower-earning spouse raise the children? How will this affect these children?

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 11:53 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

From Bob Shallit's column in the Sacramento Bee:

Runners' high: Kudos to three board members of the Sacramento Entrepreneurship Academy, who competed in last weekend's Luna Bar Women's Triathlon at Rancho Seco Park. They entered to raise awareness of the academy's mission to train would-be entrepreneurs.

Investor (and runner) Gillian Parrillo was in her first athletic competition. Only a bit more experienced was attorney (and bike rider) Michelle Hallsten. The ringer in the group was former health care exec (and outstanding swimmer) Brenda Diesel.

The team, called the Big Bad Broads, did fine, finishing 12th among the 15 teams in their, um, semi-advanced age group. They also had lots of spirit.

"We were the only team to have a chilled bottle of champagne and three glasses at the finish line," says Parrillo.

Hey Bob, we were 12th out of 15 relay teams of all shapes, sizes, abilities and ages. I am pretty sure we were the most semi-advanced in terms of age!

Now my two teammates are discussing their next event. This is the first time I am glad I live in Texas and can use it as an excuse for not repeating this madness. One medal per year is enough for me!

Sorry for the photo quality. No one brought a camera, so my phone was the only option!

Gillian Parrillo
The Sacramento Executive

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 1:19 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Another day, another man shaming his wife publicly. The line is endless. From Hillary, to Dina McGreevy, wife of former New Jersey Governor Jim Greevy, to Suzanne Craig, wife of the Senator Larry Craig, who has just admitted to getting arrested for lewd conduct in a men's room at an airport. Each, Stepford wife-like, silently standing by the side of the guy who have just broken their heart and made a mockery of their relationship. Don't you just feel their skin crawling with complete embarassment? Doesn't your skin crawl right along with them?

I just want one of those women to suddenly open their mouth at the press conference and scream, "You SOB, you are going to pay for this." Or better still, refuse to show up and act like all is forgiven and life is back to normal.

At least Donna Hanover, Rudy Guiliani's second wife, tried to maintain her dignity, by refusing to leave the New York Mayoral residence, Gracie Mansion, or relinquish her "official" duties. Holding her ground, she made him move out.

Come on political wives, don't be so pathetic. Demand more, expect more, and be a better role model to others.

Gillian Parrillo
The Sacramento Executive

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 8:20 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (2)

Beverly Scott, General Manager of the Sacramento Regional Transit Authority since 2002, seems all but certain to be confirmed as head of the larger Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. Scott makes $171,684 as RT head, but the job in Atlanta has a base salary of more than $250,000.

Ms. Scott won kudos during her time in Sacramento - for winning extra Federal funding, working to build a collaborative regional agency, overseeing the growth of the light rail system to Meadowview and Folsom and making transnit more user-friendly. Recently, she has been pushing to place a measure on the 2012 ballot to authorize a new half cent sales tax and dealing with a downturn in ridership.

While a more than $80K salary increase is worth a move, I wonder how frustrated she was that many of her ideas fell on deaf ears. This is a question the search committee will have to explain when they go looking for replacement candidates - why exactly did she leave?

Too bad she is going - she would have been a great speaker for a SacWomen's event! Luckily we still have a few more strong women in town we can tap!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 7:22 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

The Indians that lived in and around the Sutter Buttes were the Southern Maidu or Nisenan. These Indians, like all American Indians, were descendants of the migratory peoples that crossed the Bering Straits from Asia and then spread southward into the North and South American continents.

There is no precise way to date the American Indians' arrival in what is now the United States, but by 15,000 years ago, people were living throughout the American continents. The best guess at the number of Indians living in present day California at the time of the arrival of the first Europeans is between 310,000 and 500,000. Authorities agree that the Indians of California made up about 10% of the entire Indian population north of Mexico.

The greatest concentration of Indians within the state was in the Central Valley. The Maidu, which simply means "the people," lived in the Sacramento Valley and surrounding foothills. The southernmost Maidu were the Nisenan.

Maidu society was organized in tribes. A tribe was a conglomeration of villages numbering from two to twenty or more. One village was the main village, sort of the capitol, and this would be the site of the ceremonial and religious buildings such as the temescals or sweat houses. Some villages had populations of 500 or more, and others were made up of one or two families. The villages were very loosely organized. Leaders of the villages were mainly advisors, not decision makers. There might be one leader for war, another for religious matters, but there was not a designated leader who could speak for the entire village on all matters.

Being hunters and gatherers, much of their energy went into food gathering and preparation. As with most Native Californians, the acorn was the staple of the Nisenan diet. It took a great deal of time to gather and prepare the approximately 2,000 pounds of acorns every adult ate in a year. Acorn meal provides more calories per serving than either wheat or corn, an important factor in a hunting/gathering society's diet. However, before an acorn can be used for food, it must be processed. Acorns contain tannic acid, and this must be removed prior to using them as food.

The acorns would be gathered in the fall, with some being prepared immediately while the rest of the supply was stored in cone-shaped baskets for use over the winter months. After shelling the acorns and removing the membrane that surrounds the meat, the meat was ground into a meal in mortars. The meal was then placed in a sand basin near a stream or river, and warm water was poured over the meal. This was repeated until the water leached the acid out of the acorns and left the Nisenan with a nutritious meal that they could eat as a mush, soup or bread.

Besides acorns, the Nisenan utilized nearly everything that nature had to offer as a food source. A few animals were not eaten, such as the grizzly bear, coyote or owl, but for the most part, the diet of the Nisenan was varied. Fish, game, seeds, insects, nuts, berries and grasses all had places in their diet. The Nisenan were not farmers because there was no need to farm. The valley and foothills provided enough food and shelter to meet their needs.

The Nisenan were followers of the Kuksu ceremony. This religion originated among the Patwin people and spread throughout the entire Central Valley. Partially because of the abundance of food sources, the Nisenan had the time to develop and practice a very elaborate and intricate form of this religion. The ceremonies consisted of dressing up in elaborate costumes and impersonating gods by performing ceremonial dances. Death released a person's soul to travel west. A spirit might enter a coyote, an owl, a snake, a lizard or perhaps become a whirlwind and be transported to the final resting place. If someone died in a home, the dwelling was abandoned, and the name of the deceased was never mentioned again. The Nisenan cremated their dead and performed yearly mourning ceremonies to honor those who had died.

As with all Native Americans, the most deadly contact the Nisenan had with Europeans came in the form of microbes. In 1833, a trapping party from the Hudson's Bay Company brought malaria into the Central Valley. Within a few short months, thousands of Indians had died. It is estimated that 75% of the Central Valley Indians died in this epidemic alone. In a few short months villages that had numbered in the hundreds were empty. When the discovery of gold was made in 1848, thousands of men poured into the region to hunt for gold. The fertility of the valley floor was soon recognized, and the farmers and ranchers began carving up the land. The Nisenan's environment was altered forever, and those that remained were forced to live in a new society.

Suggestions for further reading:
The California Indians by R.F. Heizer and M.A. Whipple. 19.71, The University of California Press.

Indians of the Feather River by Donald P. Jewell. 1987, Ballena Press.

Maidu, An Illustrative Sketch by Roland B. Dixon. 1910, U.S. Government Printing Office.

The Natural World of the California Indians by Robert F. Heizer and Albert B. Elsasser. 1980, The University of California Press.

The Northern Maidu by Marie Potts. 1977, Naturegraph Publishers Inc.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 8:40 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

This country for many years has had a vibrant press with a myriad of voices from either side of the political spectrum and incorporating all genders, religions and races. All of that is about to come to a screeching halt. In March of 2006, the US Postal Service (USPS) submitted a postal rate increase to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). The submission contained a provision to increase the periodical rate by 11.7% - an increase to be shared by all publishers equally. After a 10-month comment period, the PRC, much to everyone's surprise, rejected the rate suggested by the USPS and, instead, adopted a complicated formula that had been suggested by Time Warner. The 758-page recommendation was so complex that many small, independent magazines couldn't possibly adequately assess the impact on their publications within the 8 days that was allowed by the PRC for formal responses. And so the 'media conglomerate' formula became law. Now, the independent voices are feeling the pinch and many will be pushed to bankruptcy as few have adequate resources to cover this enormous impact.

Long-serving dedicated reporters, who already work for peanuts,are putting pen to paper and begging for contributions to keep their voices alive. We, the public, will have fewer and fewer news sources and even scarier, fewer and fewer independent voices. As the independent voice of main stream media has practically collapsed in this country, the loss would be devastating.

If you recognize this as a crisis, please put your name on this petition to Congress and the Postal Board of Governors.

Please watch this video as Bill Moyers explains the terrible impact this will have:

Remember, this isn't a Democrat or Republican issue, it impacts all religions, all political parties, all races and genders, and most importantly the freedom of speech this country has been so deservedly proud of since its founding.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 9:38 AM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

A women-owned and led Sacramento company has made it onto Entrepreneur' Magazine's Hot 500 list of America's fastest growing small businesses. Response 1 Medical Staffing of El Dorado Hills met the exceedingly difficult growth criteria to finish 130th out of a pool of more than 19 million businesses. The company had a revenue increase of 235% from 2003 to 2005.

Response 1 Medical Staffing, Inc. was founded in April 2002 by Cheree Love, a woman with experience as a nurse and a recruiter. She began her business from her home with little money. She credits her phenomenal success to treating her recruits with excellence and they, in turn, refer other nurses to the company. The company website shows mostly women in leadership roles.

Cheree, despite having a high flying company and raising two teenage daughters, has found time to devote to great philanthropic causes in Sacramento. She serves on the Board of the American Heart Association and is in training to run a fundraiser marathon. A touch I really enjoyed on her website - she lists her phone number and email address and encourages people to contact her.

Congratulations Cheree and your team. You are a great example of the professionalism and drive of women in Sacramento. We are proud to call you a SacWoman!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 6:47 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)

Sacramento is one of the nation's top 20 regions for female executives and women-owned businesses, according to a just-released report.

The four-county area -- from Yolo County's biotech companies to midtown Sacramento's chic boutiques -- ranked No. 18 in a national survey of female executives and women-owned businesses, and the third highest-rated city in the state, according to a Bizjournals study.

And soon there will be even more good news for Sac Women, when SacWomen, a new blog and networking group, run by the founders of Sacramento Executive, opens for business. Watch this space. And if you don't already get Sacramento Executive invitations and want to be added to the Sac Women invite list, send an email to gillian@sacramentoexecutive.com. It's going to be fun!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Pierre Cutler at 6:15 PM | Permalink | Can you digg it? | Comments (0)