Like It Is

And this time, who better to do it than a sleazy politician who simply loves to engage in point scoring. This time it is Jack Layton of the New Democrats, who is accusing the banks of “gouging customers with the fees they charge to withdraw and deposit cash at ATMs” (Automatic Tellers, or Cash Points if you’re a UK reader).

Mr Layton, in an election style street corner rant, said that for a bank to charge a customer who wants $40 or $60 of their money out from an ATM is unfair. And that the $19 billion profits Canadian banks made last year should be enough to waive ATM convenience fees.

Yes, of course we all hate banks making money. We have no problem shelling out over inflated payments to buy a gas guzzling new car that drops a third of its value as soon as you drive it from the showroom, or taking out a mortgage of several thousand dollars to buy our dream home. We are happy to pay $1.75 for a plain tea, several times a day, Read the rest of this entry »

Who said cocaine is bad for your career? Not, it appears, if you are Teflon girl Kate Moss.

Less than 12 months after revealing pictures of Kate Moss allegedly snorting cocaine were sensationally reported in the press in September 2005, resulting in the loss of several major modelling contracts – Kate is back. Along with billionaire Sir Peter Phillips, Kate, known to be a style icon, is now creating a new fashion range for Topshop, one of the UK’s biggest and most successful fashion retailers.

Not only is she back, her profile has reached even dizzier heights than before, with her annual income estimated to have risen to about 30 Million uk pounds. More than enough for several lines. Fashion lines. What else?

Now, you might ask, how is this possible? Where are all those bleating, sorry, hypocritical, sorry big fashion names that hastily dropped Kate on the cocaine allegations protesting (albeit reluctantly) that having a coke-head modelling for them was bad for business because it might send the wrong message? Well, I’d guess that they are all in line with blank cheque books waiting patiently to sign her up (again) for, oh, probably around double her usual asking price. But if, perchance I am wrong, plenty of others are lined up. Ms Moss isn’t going to run out of work anytime soon.

By the way Chanel and Burberry were two fashion houses who said, according to reports, that they would no longer be working with Kate Moss. Burberry, according to reports in 2005 said that it was to end its association with the model following the cocaine allegations. Considering Burberry was one of the first to say “how high?” when Ms Moss said “jump” hypocritical doesn’t really come close.

According to the Business section on BBC News Ms Moss is currently featured in at least 15 major campaigns for clients, including Rimmel, Agent Provocateur, Virgin Mobile, Dior, Luis Vuitton, Roberto Cavalli, Stella McCartney, Bulgari, Chanel, Nikon, Versace, Calvin Klein Jeans and Burberry.

Now that’s a coup that must make even Madonna shake her head and wonder where she went wrong. Probably just by being Madonna, but that’s a whole other story and we won’t go there.

As a recovery stage from drug use allegations the Topshop deal certainly takes some beating. Far more serious for some, however, might be the the fact that Kate Moss is credited with sparking the return of the skinny jean, mini dresses and hot pants. If this particular allegation is true, resign yourself to them being around for a long, long time.

Last week Helen Green was awarded over 800,00 UK pounds ( a little under $US 1.5 Million) by the High Court in the United Kingdom for the bullying campaign she had sustained over four years while working for Deustche Bank a well known German Investment bank in London. The chief perpetrators were four women and a man. On August 6th The Sunday Times of London did an interview with Ms Green. Called Sex, The City and the 800K Woman, the interview is revealing, not least for the fact that though her case was the most high profile it is by no means an isolated one .

But what I found most frightening was the statement by a woman that said that Green’s award was an “insult to everything women have fought for”. And that she should have shrugged off the bullying. The High court judge obviously did not think so. And I think we should be applauding this woman for having the courage to fight back. Because of this, at 36, she has lost the career she loved and fought hard for and now has little or no chance of a career, now certainly not in investment banking.

In a time when we so easily talk about women supporting one another, where was the support for Helen Green? From women there was none, despite her ordeal. There was,instead, scorn and derision and the most vicious of attacks.

If this is what women have fought for this is a sad day indeed.