Thousands of women in search of inspiration and opportunities turned out Tuesday for a conference that featured everything from a talk by Oprah Winfrey to advice on careers, families and sex.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and wife Maria Shriver opened the star-studded, 18th annual California Governor's Conference on Women and Families at the Long Beach Convention Center.
The event benefited from their celebrity ties, attracting speakers such as Winfrey, Queen Noor of Jordan and actress Jamie Lee Curtis.
"Welcome to the estrogen festival!" Curtis told the cheering audience.
About 300 nurses and supporters staged a protest outside the conference hall against Schwarzenegger's decision to delay state-mandated decreases in the number of patients a nurse must monitor. Several nurses snuck into the hall during his speech and unfurled a banner reading "hands off our ratios."
As they were escorted out, the governor told the audience, "Pay no attention to those voices over there. They are only the special interests, if you know what I mean ... Special interests don't like me in Sacramento because I'm always kicking their butts." Representatives of the California Nurses Association criticized the remark.
More:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...709EST0114.DTL
Would you like to comment?
