The World’s Most Powerful Women 2013

German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 4, 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Our annual snapshot of the 100 women with the most impact are top politicians and CEOs, activist billionaires and celebrities who matter. In roughly equal measure you’ll find next gen entrepreneurs and media mavens, technologists and leaders in philanthropy — all ranked by dollars, media momentum and impact (see full methodology here).

We’ve selected women that go beyond the traditional taxonomy of the power elite (political and economic might). These change-agents are actually shifting our very idea of clout and authority and, in the process, transforming the world in fresh and exhilarating ways.

This year the list features nine heads of state who run nations with a combined GDP of $11.8 trillion — including the No. 1 Power Woman, German Chancellor Angela Merkel.  The 24 corporate CEOs control $893 billion in annual revenues, and 16 of the women here founded their own companies, including two of the three new billionaires to the list, Tory Burch and Spanx’s Sara Blakely.  Speaking of, this year’s class has 14 billionaires valued in excess of $82 billion.

Read more:  http://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinehoward/2013/05/22/the-worlds-most-powerful-women-2013/

Town By Town: Why A Lot Of People Want To Live In Lansdale

Location of Lansdale in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note: This is the desired effect of revitalization in case anybody in Pottstown Borough government cares!

One in a continuing series spotlighting real estate markets in this region’s communities.

If you’ve been house-hunting and Lansdale is on your list of possibilities, consider setting aside Saturday to give this Montgomery County borough the once-over.

Don’t expect to be alone, though, because June 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is Lansdale Day, which typically attracts up to 5,000 people downtown, from Green Street to Cannon Avenue, to a fund-raiser for the Rotary of North Penn.

Even without the lure of a day of fun along West Main Street, a lot of people – especially younger ones and first-time buyers in search of affordable housing – have been heading to Lansdale lately.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/classifieds/real_estate/town-by-town/20130526_Town_By_Town___Lansdale_is_a_small_town_in_itself_.html#tC7Fk3Og5huI6fhJ.99

‘Fast & Furious 6’ Fuels Record Weekend At Box-Office

The exhaust smoke hasn’t even cleared, and already Hollywood can brag about its biggest money-making Memorial Day Weekend ever.

Hollywood Reporter hit the accelerator with its gushing, declaring the expected four-day take of $316 million to be “absolutely monumental,” leaving previous late May holiday weekends choking in its dust.

“One of the biggest weekends of all-time!” writes Paul Dergarabedian.

Indeed, BoxOfficeMojo.com gives the previous champ as Dec 25-27, 2009 (led by Avatar), with a distant $259.9 million in total domestic ticket sales. Then again, add in the the $58.3 million from Monday, Dec. 28, 2009, and the comparable four-day total becomes an unsurpassed $318.2 million.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20130527_Fast_Furious_6_fuels_record_weekend_at_box-office.html#L7vC5qrcf6jQuktw.99

Lancaster Summer Arts Festival Still Going Strong After 50 Years

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fifty years ago, Lancaster was a very different place than it is today.

There was no Long’s Park amphitheater, no Gallery Row and the Fulton had barely survived being turned into a parking lot.

If you loved concerts, art shows, dance recitals or children’s shows, your options were few and far between.

But the Lancaster Summer Arts Festival, which officially got started 50 years ago this summer, began to change all that.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/853425_Lancaster-Summer-Arts-Festival-still-going-strong-after-50-years.html#ixzz2UVEwz5pM

Tax On Airline Flights Could Increase

The cost of flying might be going up, but this time it’s not the airlines raising prices.

The Obama administration has proposed raising the taxes on air travel by about $14 per flight, a move airlines strongly oppose.

Higher taxes are needed to help reduce the deficit, pay for improvements at the nation’s airports and add thousands of new immigration and customs officers to reduce wait times to process foreign visitors, the administration says.

Airlines say higher taxes will backfire and hurt the economy.

Read more:  http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/la-fi-travel-briefcase-20130527,0,2840007.story

Skippack Teen Charged In Brutal Stabbing Of Girlfriend: Update

Location of Skippack Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

SKIPPACK TOWNSHIP, PA — A 16-year-old reportedly stabbed his 17-year-old girlfriend to death while breaking up with her Saturday night on the Skippack Trail near Palmer Park.

Tristan Brian Arthur Stahley stabbed Julianne Siller multiple times before hiding her body in the woods off the trail, according to an affidavit filed by the state police in Skippack and the Montgomery County Detectives.

Siller, of Royersford, had been going out with Stahley “off and on” since January, the affidavit said.

Stahley, of Skippack, was arrested Saturday night and charged with murder of the first degree, murder of the third degree and criminal possession of a weapon, court documents said.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130527/NEWS01/130529382/-skippack-teen-charged-in-brutal-stabbing-of-girlfriend#full_story