After just three years as editor of News of the World, Brooks admitted to paying the police for news information. Two years later, accusations arose that the company had hacked Prince William’s voicemail, and in 2006 Clive Goodman and Glenn Mulcaire were arrested in connected with these claims. They served four and six months respectively–Mulcaire admitted to five more counts of voicemail interception.

At the end of 2007, James Murdoch became CEO of News Corp’s European and Asian sectors, and the next year he admitted to paying Gordon Taylor £700,000 over claims of phone hacking. In June of 2009, Rebekah Brooks became the general CEO of News International. In July, it was revealed that reporters hacked celebrity phones with the knowledge of senior news staff between the years 2003 and 2007, while Andy Coulson was editor. He resigned as communications chief in 2010.

In February of this year, more potential victims of phone hacking were discovered pertaining to the Goodman/Mulcaire case of 2006. In April, News of the World admitted its connection to phone hacking, and in early June they paid £100,000 to Sienna Miller for having hacked her phone years ago. Just two weeks later, police found 300 e-mails revealing Coulson had paid off police officers.

In early July, some voicemails were deleted from murder victim Milly Dowler’s voicemail. This action led police and family to believe Dowler might still be alive, but in reality her phone had been hacked. News Corporation decided to close the News of the World operation on July 7. On July 8, Andy Coulson was arrested for accusations of corruption and phone interception, but spent only nine hours at the police station before being bailed out until October 2011.

By mid-July, nine News of the World employees had been arrested in total, and the FBI launched an investigation into possible hacking of September 11 victims’ phones. Rebekah Brooks resigned on July 15, and was arrested two days later on counts of phone hacking and corruption.

In August two more editors were arrested, and it was discovered that Andy Coulson had continued to receive money from News International after he had resigned.

Murdoch will not claim responsibility for the content of his news publications, claiming News of the World was “just 1%” of the business he owned.

Many of us have been unemployed at some point in our adult lives. Whether it was the terrifying period between graduation and that first “real-world job,” an unexpected lay-off, or just an unconquerable need for change, unemployment can be incredibly taxing.

Although in the first few days or weeks it can be a good idea to try to enjoy the free time you do have, an extended period of unemployment can drag on, and drag your spirits down with it.

Unemployment remains a pretty big problem in the United States right now. Read on to find out just how much of a problem it is, who’s being affected, and what industries, demographics and regions are hardest hit.

Employment and Unemployment Stats:
Right now in the United States, about 14 million people are unemployed. Compared to the 9.8% rate of unemployment in 2009, we’re actually doing better currently at 9.1% unemployment, but the woes aren’t over.

The southwest and southeast corners of our country are the hardest hit, though the biggest changes in unemployment rates over the last year occurred in some of the northern central states and in the south.

Compared to some of the worst eras in our country’s financial history, a 9.1% rate of unemployment is not that problematic. It hit 23.6% in 1932, 21.7% in 1934, but then lowered for years. By the 40s it remained quite low until the 80s–1982 reached 9.7%, then lowered again in subsequent years back down to 5.5% by 1988.

In the year 2000 we reached a low not seen for decades–4.0%. But in the rest of the decade, the rate climbed slowly, until the jump between 2008 and 2009 from 5.8% to 9.3%, reaching 9.6% in 2010.

As of August 2011, there were 239,871,000 people in the civilian population who were not institutionalized. Of these, 153,594,000 made up the labor force: 139,627,000 employed, 13,967,000 unemployed. 86,278,000 were not in the labor force.

Those 16 and over were at an unemployment rate of 9.1%, with the highest percentage of that (25.4%) being teenagers. The next largest group was African Americans, at 16.7%.

Since most of America’s unemployed are those still of high school or college age, it follows that adults 25 and over are unemployed at a lower rate–7.8%. 11.3% of these do not have a high school diploma, while only 4.3% have a bachelor’s degree or more.

Reasons for Unemployment:
Nearly 8 million people in this country lost their jobs or finished a temporary job, landing them in unemployment. That’s 56.4% of unemployed people.

3,644,000 are re-entrants into the job market.

10.1%, or 1,411,000 unemployed people, are new entrants.

7.5%, or 973,000, left their jobs on their own.

Duration of Unemployment:
Most people–43.1%–have been unemployed for 27 weeks or more.

24.1% have been unemployed between 5 and 14 weeks, while 18.8% spent about a month or less unemployed.

14% endured joblessness for between 15 and 26 weeks.

Persons at Work Part-Time:
About 18% of the workforce in the United States is employed only part-time.

Of the 25,139,000 part-time workers, 8,604,000 of them are part-time for economic reasons. While 5,593,000 cite slack work conditions, 2,579,000 simply couldn’t find full-time work.

Persons with Multiple Jobs:
Most of the 4.7% of employed people with multiple jobs have one full-time and one part-time job. There are 6,649,000 multiple jobholders in the US, and 3,599,000 of them work this way.

The next most common division of time finds people holding two part-time jobs–1,692,000 multiple jobholders do this.

1,061,000 people say their hours vary on one or both of their jobs.

A small portion of people with multiple jobs (241,000) have multiple full-time jobs.

Employment by Selected Industry:
The industry with the greatest over-the-month change positively was Education and Health Services, with 32.7 hours worked weekly on average and $772.37 earned each week.

Information faced the most losses, though on average they work more and earn more–36.4 hours a week, $1,147.33 earned each week.

Employment by Educational Attainment:
Candidates with a bachelor’s degree or higher have the highest numbers of employed people–44,648,000. They also have the lowest rate of unemployment, at 4.6%.

The highest numbers of unemployment are high school grads with no college degrees, though a greater percentage of people with less than a high school diploma are unemployed.

Those with less than a diploma also make up the smallest amount of the employed population, at just over 10 million.

Employment by Veteran Status:
7.7% of veterans over 18 are unemployed. That’s 877,000, compared to 10,497,000 employed veterans.

Gulf War Era II veterans are suffering the highest rate of unemployment among vets, at 9.8% or 192,000 unemployed. That’s compared to 1,759,000 who are employed.

Vets of WWII, the Korean War or Vietnam have the highest rate of employment, at 3,094,000 employed. Just 6.9% or 258,000 of these vets are unemployed.

Employment by Gender and Nativity:
Foreign-born women ages 16 and older suffer the highest rate of unemployment, at 9.6%, while foreign-born men ages 16 and older have the lowest rate of unemployment at 7.8%. This is lower than any category of native-born men and women.

Of course, it’s vital to note that the foreign-born workforce is comprised of just over 2 million individuals, while the native-born workers are nearly 12 million.

Wrapping Up:
If you’re unemployed or facing unemployment, chances are you know others going through the same thing. Arm yourself with these stats, keep your chin up and take the workforce by storm!

THIS year, Americans will spend an estimated $17.6 billion on Valentine’s Day—that is the second highest grossing holiday, coming second only to Christmas, and ahead of Mother’s Day, Halloween, and Easter. So just whose wallet is at the mercy of Cupid’s arrow, and what are they buying? Read on to find out.

You might be surprised to discover that while overall consumer spending is down, Valentine’s Day-related spending is on the rise. For example, in 2001, the average American spent $82.60 on the lover’s holiday. In 2008, at the start of the economic decline, the average spending was $122.98. This year, those celebrating will spend a whopping $126.03.

If you’re wondering who is on the receiving end of all those flowers and chocolate, let’s take a look at just who Americans are buying for: 89 percent of you will buy for a spouse or significant other; 61 percent of you will buy for kids, parents, and other family; 25 percent of you will buy for friends; 21 percent of you will buy for your child’s classmates and teachers; 20 percent of you will buy for your pets, and 11 percent of you will buy for your coworkers.

Gender weighs heavily on the price tag of Valentine’s Day—the average male spends $168.74, which is nearly double the $85.76 that the average female spends. Additionally, your geographic location and age play a role in how much you will spend. Northeast residents are the biggest spenders, doling out an average of $146.30. The south comes in second at $128.67, the western region in third at $119.82, and the Midwest spending the least at $110.96. Meanwhile the 25 to 34 age range spends the most at $176.85, with the 65-plus category spending the least at $79.97. The rest go as follows: 18-24 spend $148.05; 35-44 spend $141.82; 45-54 spend $122.43; 55-64 spend $88.13.

The final breakdown of Valentine’s spending stats targets the gifts on which money is spent. Greeting cards top the list for the favorite item to purchase—52 percent of you will spend an average of $13.33 on cards—leading the way for people to spend billions on the holiday. 50 percent of consumers spend an average of $21.47 on candy; 36 percent spend an average of $71.99 on an evening out; 36 percent will spend an average of $37.44 on flowers; $19 percent will spend an average of $156.51 on jewelry, 15 percent will spend an average of $71.30 on clothing, and 13 percent will spend an average of $63.55 on gift cards.

We all know that song with the little kid singing, “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth!” Well, as we get older we start wanting things a little more complex than that. All we want for Christmas are his-and-hers Kindles! Check out what Americans went for last year and what we’re pining after this holiday season!

Last year, the typical US shopper spent $688.87 on gifts for others. That’s a lot of dough-ho-ho!

Digital picture frames and remote helicopters were popular in the thrifty price ranges, while vacuuming robots and Apple hardware were among the favorite expensive gifts above $50 and $100.

When in doubt, cash, gift cards, electronics, toys, clothes, jewelry, games and sporting equipment are often safe bets. They’re the categories Americans cite most.

This year, people are hoping for a Playstation Move, CoD MW3, Apple iPods and iPads, Kindles, GPS systems, Canon digital cameras and Asus lightweight laptops. If they’re really lucky, they’ll get to mount a Samsung 40-inch LCD HDTV on their walls.

Toddlers want to build, learn, play with animal toys and take care of baby dolls.

In the 2-4 age range, easels, garbage truck toys, tea sets, the Batcave and a Barbie townhouse are the keys to their little hearts.

Over 5, kids start getting into more complex games like Bananagrams and Set. Building sets remain popular, too.

Games are great choices for kids above 8–but LEGO is still quite popular!

Men are mostly after technology this year, and women are too–but they’d also like jewelry, yoga equipment and pajamas.

Steer clear of scented candles, cheap gadgets, photos of yourself, socks, self-help texts, themed gifts and anything out of date or thoughtless.

Gift cards have been a popular present for some time, with 77.3% of Americans having planned to buy one for someone else last year.

A fifth of people anticipated returning at least one gift last year–hope it wasn’t yours!

Ultimately, last year 23 million people were still shopping on December 24. Don’t join them this year. Get to shopping; you can do it! If it comes down to cash or homemade “love coupons,” go for the cash. And remember, you can get gift cards in grocery stores now!

Most people go all-out for Thanksgiving. They want the biggest turkey, the best artisan bread for their stuffing, the most popular pumpkin pie in the city.

But all these things can be tough on your wallet, and when holiday shopping rolls around, you might wish you’d spent less on the turkey dinner. Here are some ways to trim the fat on your Thanksgiving budget.

Among the cheapest stores to buy food fixings are Walmart, Target, WinCo and Costco. Not surprisingly, they’re some of the largest retail chains in the United States.

When you’re shopping, remember that item sales vary from week to week. Start your shopping early so you can get deals on all your items as they appear.

Keep the fruits and veggies seasonal to save on the price hikes from out-of-season produce.

Write your menu ahead of time and bring a shopping list to protect from impulse buys.

Brrr–think about buying a frrrozen turkey to save money. No one will know, except your wallet.

Although it’s tempting not to do any dishes on Thanksgiving night, paper plates and cups are expensive. Bite the sponge and wash those dishes.

Ask people to bring some of the menu items, so one person isn’t stuck with the whole bill. (Then one person won’t be stuck with washing all the dishes, either.)

Diners in 2010 spent 25% more on Thanksgiving than they did in 2009. The biggest culprit? It’s actually celery, costing 29% more last year.

If you’re going out of town, plan your trip dates early. Prices go up as the departure date nears.

Avoid exorbitant bag-checking fees by traveling only with carry-ons where ever possible.

It’s also valuable to know the most expensive airports to fly out of: San Francisco is the worst, for example, so one might consider driving to Oakland instead.

Getting back into the kitchen: 66% of Thanksgiving face-stuffers will stuff their faces with home-cooked goods this year.

All the turkeys raised in 2010 together weighed 7.11 billion pounds.

A total of 2.4 billion pounds of sweet potatoes were produced in 2010.

Even with all the jack-o-lanterns and pumpkin pies, only 1.1 billion pounds of pumpkin were grown in the United States last year.

2.1 billion bushels of wheat will be harvested this year for your dinner rolls, pies and bread.

Food isn’t only on the table. It’s also in many place names in the United States.

There are 4 cities and 11 townships in the United States with “Turkey” in their name.

Other Thanksgiving-themed names are Plymouth (37 places and townships), Pilgrim, and Mayflower.

Remember to gobble your turkey, not your savings, this Thanksgiving.

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Whether you’re in the 99%, the 1%, or attempting to ignore the issue altogether, Occupy Wall Street is a pretty enormous–and now international–movement. It’s still making the news daily, blocking traffic, raising voices and making itself heard.

Take a look at how the protests got started, how they’ve evolved, what the mission is and how the public and government perceive it.

July 13, 2011:
Adbusters publishes a blog post asking for people to rally on Wall Street.

The important point they make is that there should be no official leadership at the protests, and that what the group hopes to achieve may only be decided when the entire group agrees. The movement was spearheaded by a group and was meant to be carried on as a group, too.

The hashtag #occupywallstreet first shows up on Twitter.

July 26:
A website, Facebook page, and Twitter profile have been created for the movement by this time.

Adbusters asks for global involvement after less than two weeks of domestic protests.

August 23:
The hacktivists at Anonymous debut a video to show their support for Occupy Wall Street.

They also promote OWS on Twitter.

September 17:
Rally and march day. Occupy Wall Street sets up a temporary city in Zuccotti Park, New York City.

OWS’s city has its own newspaper, food and wi-fi.

Police and protesters begin to clash.

September 24:
Over 80 people are arrested during an NYC march to Union Square.

Accusations fly against the NYPD when its use of excessive force and pepper spray is brought under fire.

October 1:
Over 700 people are arrested while marching across the Brooklyn Bridge.

NYPD says the myriad protesters were blocking traffic.

October 5:
Nearly three months after the movement’s inception, major unions across the United States begin to support the protests.

In fact, Occupy Wall Street’s approval rating was 19 points higher than that of Congress that day–33% approval to Congress’ 14%.

October 6:
In accordance with the high approval rating, the movement begins to spread much faster across the United States.

In the nation’s capital of Washington, D.C., protestors vow they will occupy the city for weeks.

October 11:
As must be expected with every movement, a counter-movement develops.

“The 53%,” a play on the 99% that Occupy protestors identify with, claims to be the percentage of the working class that pays to support the protestors.

“The 53%” feel the protestors are complaining publicly to avoid working, thereby missing out on perhaps attaining a higher financial class.

October 12:
NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg tells the protestors they must vacate so that Zuccotti Park can be cleaned.

Not to be discouraged, the protestors begin cleaning the park themselves.

October 14:
In response to a job well-done, Zuccotti Park’s property management company, Brookfield Properties, decides that the protestors do not need to vacate the park for cleaning.

October 15:
Occupy Wall Street has occupied Earth.

951 cities in 82 countries hold protests.

October 17:
Adbusters side with Robin Hood, asking for a Global Robin Hood March at G20 on October 29.

The march would promote a Robin Hood tax on the 1%–take from the rich, give to the poor.

October 19:
The NYPD announces plans of discipline for an officer who pepper-sprayed women on the September 24 march.

October 25:
500 protesters in Oakland refuse orders to move.

The police respond with tear gas to clear them out.

October 26:
Since the number of shooting victims in NYC in the first week of October was 154% higher than the same time in 2010, NYPD blames Occupy Wall Street on the rise in gun crime.

The number was up 28% for the entire month.

Digital Takeover:
Occupy Wall Street is in 82 countries, 951 cities worldwide.

Its Facebook page has over 100,000 fans.

There are over 14,000 followers on Twitter.

Meet-Up has formed 2,340 groups worldwide for local protests.

On October 27, 2011, #occupywallstreet was tweeted 918.4 times per hour.

Beliefs:
80% of surveyed protestors believe the very rich should pay higher taxes.

88% believe the government should limit the salaries of CEOs.

98% think health care should be free, and the same amount believe insurance companies profit too much.

95% believe the government should regulate prescription drug prices.

32.5% think government would manage health care poorly.

93% feel student loans should be forgiving, and also that internet and cell phones should be free.

How Much of the National Wealth is Consumed by the 1%?
In the United States, the top 1% earns 20% of national wealth.

In the United Kingdom, they earn 16%.

In Canada, 14% of national wealth is earned by the top earners.

In Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Australia and Japan, the top 1% earns about 10% of the national wealth.

Poverty:
5% of United States citizens live below poverty.

That number is 9% in Canada.

10% of Australians are below the poverty line.

14% of United Kingdom residents live in poverty.

In Belgium, it’s 15%.

In Germany and Japan, 16%.

Portugal is home to 18% of citizens living below poverty.

It’s worth noting, however, that some protesters in “the 99%” make about half a million dollars annually.

Slogans:
Aside from the “We Are the 99%” slogan that Occupy Wall Street is known for, there are some other popular slogans seen on signs globally.

These include “We Are Too Big to Fail,” “Will Work for Money,” “Human Need Not Corporate Greed,” “OUT$OURCED,” and “People Over Profits.”

Final Note:
Keep an eye on Occupy Wall Street–it seems to be far from over.

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A bond is a savings instrument that you purchase at a fraction of its face value, then hold until it matures. For example, you may purchase a fifty dollar savings bond for twenty-five dollars, and it may take ten years for that bond to mature to its full value. You get to choose when to cash your savings bonds in, and you get what they are worth when you exercise that option. If you are considering your investment options, then you may want to consider savings bonds. Keep in mind that, just like all other investment vehicles, savings bonds come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Here are the pros and cons of investing in savings bonds.

Pros:

No risk. Savings bonds are better than low risk options. They have absolutely no risk. When you purchase a savings bond, you know exactly what it will be worth, and when it will mature to its full value – no mystery involved.

Minimal required investment. It’s possible to start investing by way of savings bonds with as little as twenty-five dollars (even less, if you participate in an employer matching program). This is ideal if you are new to investing, on a tight budget, or are looking for inexpensive supplements to diversify your existing investment plan.

No commissions or fees. You don’t have to go through a broker to purchase savings bonds, so there are no broker commissions or fees to account for.

Cons:

Low return. As compared to other, more risky, investment instruments, savings bonds offer only minimal returns.

Penalties for early cash-ins. You will pay three months’ worth of interest if you cash your savings bonds in at the six month mark. Additionally, you must hold onto your savings bonds for at least five years in order to avoid paying a cash-in penalty.

Return cut-off. Savings bonds stop working for you at the thirty-year mark. It doesn’t matter how long you hold on to them – they simply stop collecting interest after thirty years.

As you can see, there is a lot to think about when it comes to investing in savings bonds. It’s your money, and you owe it to yourself to do your research and figure out what’s best for you. Consider these pros and cons of savings bond investing. You also may want to consider starting small and making a minimal investment in savings bonds in order to decide if it’s right for you, before you make a bigger commitment and purchase that ten-thousand dollar bond.

Do you think you know the story of Mother’s Day?  If your historical knowledge of the day begins and ends with a dutiful child’s desire to honor and celebrate their mother, then you are under informed at best. A more inclusive knowledge would include the fact that Mother’s Day became a national holiday in 1914, when President Woodrow Wilson signed the bill setting aside the second Sunday of May as a special day to celebrate mothers.

This version is slightly better, but only slightly.  The roots of Mother’s Day are much deeper than that. The concept of Mother’s Day was not originally to honor mothers or motherhood, but rather an idea that mothers band together during a time of deepest sadness to prevent their same burden falling upon others.

It was Julia Ward Howe in 1870 who penned the Mother’s Day Proclamation.  This document is credited with being the first official call for an observance of a ‘mother’s day.’ The intent, however, was far from the traditional celebration observed today.  Instead of removing mothers from the kitchen  and sitting them down in the bosom of their doting family to enjoy a relaxing meal and afternoon gift giving, the proclamation was a call to action.

Julia Howe, who had been deeply affected by the pains and horrors of the Civil War, called upon mothers everywhere to rally for peace. She stated, “We women of one country will be to tender those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.”

Who would ever have thought that this day of flowers, chocolates, and meals out had, at its core, the broken heart of a mother protesting war to spare other women the same agony?

If you are asking yourself what happened, you are not alone.  How did this maternal peace rally become the lazy Sunday afternoon affair we now enjoy?  The wheels of commercialism have all but buried Julia Howe’s original design and intent.

No early sponsors of Mother’s Day stood by and let this metamorphosis take place without a fight.   After Howe’s efforts, Mother’s Day had yet to catch on, but the torch was taken up by Ann Reeves Jarvis and her daughter Anna Jarvis.  Anna Jarvis saw the fledgling holiday begin to take wing, then in dismay, it drew the attention of the florist industry who smelled a major opportunity.

Florists were not wrong. Mother’s Day today is a $14 billion dollar industry, and flowers are no small part of the spending.  May sees the highest floral sales of the whole year, even beating out June and its attending plethora of weddings.

As florists began to advertise flowers for Mother’s Day, and even hold Mother’s Day events, Anna Jarvis began to decry the shift into commercialization of such an important day. She protested saying, “[Mother’s Day] is to be a day of sentiment, not profit.”

Standing idly by was not her way.  She took action.  Jarvis sued sponsors of a Mother’s Day events in an effort to prevent it from taking place.  In 1930, she was arrested for disturbing the peace by trying to prevent the sale of flowers at a Mother’s Day event.  Not to be beaten, in 1938, Jarvis attempted to get a copy write for Mother’s Day, enabling her to control use of both the term and the holiday itself.

In her attempts, she failed.  She died alone, and ironically, childless, in 1948.  Yet in spite of her destitute condition, she was cared for in her blindness by an anonymous benefactor who paid for her care.  Any guesses who that benefactor was?  The Florist’s Exchange.  Anna Jarvis had been instrumental in getting Mother’s Day set apart by the US Government as a national holiday that whatever else she did later was a minor imposition when compared to the jump in posy profits.

So, what are you getting for your mother this year? I don’t think she’d appreciate the history lesson and a call to make love, not war.  Wherever Mother’s Day may have begun, it is now a day to thank perhaps the most thankless of jobs. And if this means lining the pockets of corporate America, why fight the establishment?  Your mom probably doesn’t think about this – what she wants is the time together!

To learn more about the history of Mother’s Day and popular gift categories, click the graphic to the left.

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Kate Middleton and Prince William have dated for 8 years. The moment they announced their engagement, a media circus began. For example, the blue Issa dress Kate wore during the official announcement sold out within 24 hours on net-a-porter. Amidst this chaos, have you been wondering what the upcoming royal wedding costs, when stacked up against the cost of the average American wedding?

You’re Invited…

It is estimated that 1800 people have received invitations to the wedding, and of those 600 will attend the reception at Buckingham Palace. A more intimate circle of 300 will attend the after party. 1.1 million visitors are expected to flood London for the wedding, yet London only has 120,000 hotel rooms.  Worldwide, 2 Billion people are expected to watch the royal wedding. To keep up with the unprecedented media demand for more information about the wedding, Comcast is adding 130 shows to an on-demand channel covering everything leading up to the ceremony.

Overall, this event is predicted to bring about $995 million to boost the British economy. $1,007,252,000 is expected to be generated by the wedding for Great Britain. Prince Charles’ wedding to Princess Diana in 1981 cost approximately $47.8 million, while Prince William’s wedding to Kate is ballparked at between $16 and $64 million.

With This Ring…

Middleton’s engagement ring, which was formerly Princess Diana’s ring, has an 18 carat sapphire. Its worth is currently estimated at $398,000. QVC made a simulated knockoff of the royal bling just five days after the engagement was announced priced at a mere $34.95.

The Average Nuptials…

While we all enjoy the spectacle of the royal wedding, in truth, most weddings are much more modest. Traditionally, the father of the bride was supposed to pay for everything; nowadays, 30% of couples pay for the wedding themselves, while the bride’s parents pay around 17% of the time. The average wedding budget is $20,000. On average, the wedding rings cost about $1,016.

Usually, guests at a typical wedding number about 178, and they each spend between $70 and $100 on a present. Over 91% of couples have a registry.

99% of couples then take a honeymoon, and they spend an average of three times more on that trip than on any other vacation. The average honeymoon budget is $3657.

Per year, $72 billion is spent on weddings, $19 billion is spent per year on gifts, and $8 billion is spent on honeymoons. In 1945, the average cost of a wedding was $2,200. Over time, that has increased drastically; one of the most expensive years for weddings was 2007, with an average cost of $28,000.

The Demographics of Weddings…

Most grooms are about 26.9 years old, while the brides are usually 25.3 years old. 1/3 of wedding couples have already been married once before. In 1945, there were 1.61 million weddings – that number has risen to 2.3 million weddings in 2010. Worldwide, the most wedding ceremonies are performed in Istanbul, Turkey, with 166,000. A close runner up? Las Vegas, Nevada, with 114,000 annual ceremonies.

While Kate and William have opted to marry in April, most weddings occur in summer – June and August are the most popular months for weddings. The least popular month is January, with only 4.7% of weddings.

Is America truly the land of opportunity for everyone, regardless of gender? Or are other places in the world more conducive to women’s careers in the media? The answer to this question is more complex than you might think. If you subdivide the world into seven regions, you can get contradictions not just across different sides of the ocean, but within regions as well. The regions we looked at are: Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Nordic Europe, the Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and North Africa, and Asia and Oceana.

Among the seven regions, the ranking from highest number of women employed in upper management to the lowest numbers are as follows:

1.     Eastern Europe – 48%

2.     Nordic Europe – 43.4%

3.     Western Europe –  43.20%

4.     Sub-Saharan Africa – 41.7%

5.     The Americas – 36.8%

6.     Middle East and North Africa – 35.1%

7.     Asia and Oceana – 20.7%

If you combined, all the statistical data into one huge lump sum, then roughly 35.1% of women across the world are employed in positions of some authority.

But even if women are employed in larger numbers in a given region, does that mean their salaries are high too? How do they rate when stacked up against male colleagues in the same field? Well, let’s look at the average salary for women in top-level management in each region:

Nordic Europe – $109,230.20
Eastern Europe – $27,300.28
Western Europe – $374,324.69
The Americas – $89,242.23
Sub Saharan Africa – $28,300.34
Middle East and Northern Africa – $18,332.14
Asia and Oceania – $41,986.59

In most regions, women employed in top-level management earn significantly less than their male colleagues. In the Americas, for example, men earn an average of $115,934.37. The only regions that did not follow this trend is Asia and Oceania, where men earn, on average, approximately $6000 less per year than women. So while Eastern Europe may lead the pack when it comes to promoting female employees, they earn much less on average than men in the same fields – a trend that is echoed in almost every other continent.

So, where does the glass ceiling hang when it comes to each region? Are some countries more progressive than others on the same continent? Not surprisingly, the answer is yes. In fact, it’s easier to point out which countries seem to offer a relative parity between the genders than it is to list the ones with an obvious glass ceiling.

Middle East and North Africa – Israel
Sub Saharan Africa – South Africa and Uganda
The Americas – Venezuela and Mexico
Asia and Oceania – Fiji and New Zealand
Eastern Europe – Bulgaria, Estonia, Romania, Russia
Nordic Europe – Finland and Sweden

The bitter reality still holds true – for women expecting to advance in the field of media, jobs may pay less than their male counterparts, and they may have fewer opportunities for promotion. By the data we’ve compiled, women in Nordic Europe, specifically in Finland and Sweden, have the best chance for advancement as well as a high salary – though their salaries are still much lower than men in the same field.