Reading: Women Take the Lead

From the Korean Times:

The more culturally aggressive nature of the female half of the population is behind new statistics that show women read more than men, a book publicist said Wednesday.

A survey by online recruiter, www.incruit.com, showed that of 906 salaried workers, women outnumbered men in the number of books they read by 3.9 to 2.6 per month.

About 31 percent were self-help titles, while those in the genres of classical literature, business, sociology and real estate followed.

In contrast, some men feel reading books is feminine. "I read newspapers and magazines but rarely buy books or read them," said one man in his early 40s.

He added that television is another factor blocking his reading habits.

Florida: Women & Farming

From Miami Herald:

Women have always participated in farm life, but historically in the background as wives and daughters. Now they're taking charge.

About 460 Miami-Dade farms, or nearly 20 percent, are run by women -- a share that is inching up even as agricultural acreage dwindles. In Broward, the figure is 157 farms, or nearly 30 percent.

Consider these numbers from the U.S. Census of Agriculture: In 2002, 11 percent of the nation's 2.1 million principal farm operators were women; five years later, the figure had risen to 14 percent. In 2007, 22 percent of Florida's farms were run by women, a 28 percent increase in five years.

``It's been a slow, steady evolution, much of it due to the nursery industry,'' says Debbie Brady, president of Florida Agri-Women, founded in 2003.

Women in Rail

From Jessica Stannic @ Dynamic Business:

Rail specialist recruiter and member of the Total Recruitment Group, OnlineRail, has launched a networking group in Victoria to give an opportunity for women in the mail dominated rail sector to socialise and support each other.

The Women in Rail Networking Group aims to bring together women who represent the rail industry in Victoria, according to event coordinator, Helen Stephens.

“This is a great opportunity for all women involved in the rail industry to catch up once a quarter in an informal, social environment to discuss the various aspects of the industry from a female perspective.”

In addition to the networking group OnlineRail have created a Facebook fan page to promote and support women in the rail industry.

The first OnlineRail Women’s Networking Group will be held on 23 October from 5pm onwards at the Atomic Bar &Café, 185 Nelson Place, Williamstown, Victoria.

Israel Releases Palestinian Women

From Outlook India:

Signalling a breakthrough in the deadlock over prisoners' exchange, Israel today decided to release 20 female Palestinian detainees in exchange for a new videotape of an Israeli soldier abducted three years ago.

The video will be viewed as an evidence that Sgt Gilad Schalit is alive after more than three years of captivity in Gaza.

The exchange will be carried out on Friday after the Justice Ministry today posts the names of the Palestinian prisoners on its website and no legal hassles delay the process.

The suggestion for an "unequivocal" proof of the Israeli soldier's condition came from the German mediator, working together with the Egyptians.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu congratulated Hagai Hadas, who is leading efforts to release Shalit, and the team on their "professional work" away from the spotlight.

"It is important that the whole world will know that Gilad Schalit is alive and well, and that Hamas is responsible for his fate and well being," Netanyahu said.

A statement released by the PMO said the cabinet decided to respond positively to this initiative as a "confidence building measure within the framework of the indirect negotiations" with Hamas over Schalit.

Gulu Women in Business

From New Vision:

A total of 1500 women have trained in business skills and functional adult literacy in Gulu district. The elderly mothers from Koro, Bobi, Bardege, Layibi, Pece and Laroo divisions, were also trained in early child-care development, computer skills and family planning.

The representative of the women, Benah Ayaa, 50, said leaders and development partners should focus on the economic status and the rights of women to attain education. She said during the six-week training by Volunteer Action Network and Women Global Empowerment Fund, over 100 women groups were given loans ranging from sh500,000 to sh2m to start businesses. The loans are repayable after six months.

Native Women Targetted by Apathy

From the Canadian Press:

A new report says the federal government's feeble efforts to stop violence against native women should shock Canadians.

Amnesty International says Ottawa must get to the heart of why more than 500 native women have vanished or been murdered in the last 30 years.

The report says federal cash for studies and sensitivity training for police has not stopped the attacks.

Amnesty urged Ottawa to produce a national action plan to co-ordinate standard police investigations and fund victim services.

The human rights watchdog, as well as opposition MPs, are among those urging a national investigation.

The United Nations has also called on Ottawa to look into why the deaths and disappearances of hundreds of native women are unsolved.

Hillary Hails Indian Women

From the Times of India:

US secretary of state Hillary Clinton on Wednesday hailed Indian women peacekeepers' role in preventing violence against women and girls in Liberia, saying they have set an example that must be emulated in UN peacekeeping missions across the world.

"The Indian unit has helped to motivate more Liberian women to participate in a campaign against rape, launched jointly by UN and the Liberian government," she said, adding the women peacekeepers have "set an example that must be repeated in UN peacekeeping missions all over the world". The secretary of state asked member states to include women in designing and implementing national and international peace building programmes. "More bodies like the Indian unit in Liberia were needed to combat sexual violence in the conflict zones," she added.

Secret Women's Business

Wonderful article by Eliza Knight @ Seduced by History:

Digging into the Mystery of the Hystery of Contraceptives and the Curse of Eve
- contraceptives, female monthly cycle and all that goes with it

Don't ever complain that we've got it bad today!

Divine Sisterhood

From Joanna Bounds @ Yahoo Lifestyle:

If you're lucky enough to have a best friend, you'll know they're worth their weight in Tim Tams. She's been there through break-ups and breakdowns, celebrated your successes, and held your hair back when you puked. She knows secrets even your husband doesn't (she'll take them to her grave). And now there's scientific research to back the fact that hanging with her makes you feel good - female friendships lower women's stress levels, and are one of the reasons we live longer than men.

But new research shows that, compared to our mums, there's been a huge drop in the number of friends 30-something women can rely on during a crisis. Twenty years ago, women reported having two very close friends. In 2005, that number fell to one. "That's a 50 per cent drop, which makes for a public health crisis," says the man who conducted the research, Dr Paul Dobransky, psychiatrist and author of The Power of Female Friendship. "It's not completely clear why, but it's likely related to the [fact that] people are spending more time on their careers." But in these times of uncertainty, we need mates more than ever.