Since so many of our teammates are Kiwis, it seems appropriate to recognize this day in history 112 years ago. On 19 September 1893 New Zealand was the first country to grant women the right to vote. And today it looks like Kiwi voters -- women and men -- have returned Helen Clark to another term as PM, which should put her among the longest running lady leaders of any country, ever.

And, Dicko, given this development, how do we play the Kiwi dollar over the next year or two?

Meanwhile, in another of our "home" countries -- Germany -- in national elections over the weekend the challenger, Angela Merkel, has collected more votes than the incumbent, Herr Schroeder. However, unlike Ms Clark who appears to have enough support to form a coalition government, Ms Merkel has a tougher battle ahead if she is to become Germany's first-ever woman Chancellor.

Frau Merkel, like "Uncle Mirko" Groeschner, grew up in the former DDR, i.e., East Germany; and since the wall came down in '89 both have made steady climbs in their respective fields.