Half of the people on the planet are women, so I suppose it’s time to present a list of my favorite ones. This list is in no particular order because I wouldn’t want to rate any of them. Who would do such a thing? Moreover, this compilation doesn’t include relatives; therefore, my mother isn’t here (bless her heart). It also doesn’t include the deceased, who could appear on another list I may eventually write. Regarding the distaff, Simone de Beauvoir wrote, “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman.” Please enjoy!

1. Christina Aguilera is my favorite Latina. Within the world of pop music, it would be hard to identify a young female pop star who’s received more recognition, praise and awards than Christina Aguilera. One of many young divas to work on the Disney Channel, Christina’s four-octave soprano helped catapult her to prominence in 1999 with the release of her first album, Christina Aguilera. Christina soon developed a reputation for her steamy, risqué performances, particularly on the hip-hop-influenced video “Dirrty,” some of the lyrics of which are “sweat until my clothes come off.” About her rep, Christina declared, “I am not your little cookie-cutter virgin.” For the standards of the time, I’d say Christina’s performances are simply de rigueur.

In 2008, Hillary Clinton, or Thrill Hill as I call her, was the first woman to make a serious run for the presidency of the United States. Hillary was also a senator from New York from 2000 to 2008. Now of course she’s the acting Secretary of State, globe-trotting from continent to continent and drinking champagne with heads of state. What a job! But perhaps Hillary’s greatest achievement to date has been coping with her philandering hubbie, Bill, for which she deserves some kind of award, don’t you think? Hillary Clinton is certainly one of the greatest ladies in the history of the United States. Who would argue?

Joan Rivers, my favorite ancient broad, has had so many “lifts,” her current address is on the moon! She had, of all things, an “eye lift,” at the age of 32 in 1965. No dim bulb, Joan graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English literature and anthropology in 1954, and has written several autobiographies and as many comedy books. You gotta love Joan’s sense of humor too. Man, she can take it and dish it out! As the "Guest of Honor" on a Comedy Central celebrity roast, various comics lacerated Joan with the filthiest jokes imaginable, but when Joan got her chance, she got even – as she probably always does. I’m sure when they eventually “put Joan away,” her remains will outlast the pyramids. In fact, she’ll probably have herself buried in one!

Christiane Amanpour works as an international correspondent for CNN, her work shown on programs such as 60 Minutes. Her first assignment working as such was covering the Gulf War in 1990. Half-Iranian (her mother is British), Christiane lived in Iran until about the age of 20, and then left during the Iranian Revolution. Christiane can be seen reporting all over the world, sometimes wearing a flak jacket in war-torn areas. About this, she said, “U.S. soldiers, with whom I now have more than a passing acquaintance, joke that they track my movements in order to know where they might be deployed next.” Incidentally, Christiane named her son Darius, a kingly Persian name going back 2,500 years.

Miley Cyrus is a pretty, toothy brunette from the rolling, verdant hills of Tennessee, where she grew up with famous dad and country singer, Billy Ray Cyrus. Miley’s blonde-coiffed Walt Disney persona, Hannah Montana, has turned the teen world upside down and every other way you can think of. This superstar pop diva, actress and songwriter is one of the most admired girls in the world. Incidentally, by the time Miley is 18 years old, she could be a billionaire. Big deal - who cares about money? On a more serious note, Miley’s stature could one day be comparable to that of Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe or Michael Jackson. But let’s hope she doesn’t end up like them. I predict Miley will do just fine; she has character.

Bernadette Peters may be the most famous Broadway star in the U.S., having acted in such productions as Annie Get Your Gun, George M! and Gypsy, winning two Tony Awards along the way. Bernadette has also worked extensively in movies, as well as television, receiving an Emmy nomination for her role on Fox’s hit show Ally McBeal. Also a phenomenal singer, Bernadette has recorded numerous albums and singles, and frequently performs in concert as a solo act. Bernadette has often worked with musical stage legend Stephen Sondheim, their latest collaboration the CD Sondheim Etc. Etc.: Bernadette Peters Live at Carnegie Hall(The Rest of It). If there’s a more talented performer around, who is it?

Angelina Jolie  keeps the paparazzi jumping wherever she goes, even if it’s to the hospital to give birth, which she seems to do with regularity. How many children does she have anyway? Joking aside, Angelina is perhaps the greatest young female star in Hollywood, having won a much-coveted Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1999. Angelina also has interests in humanitarian causes and travels to third world countries to see what’s happening with its refugees and poor people. But it hasn’t always been a smooth ride for Angelina. As a teenager, she used to cut herself for some kind of “therapeutic benefit,” as she put it. Regarding this period, she said, “I’m still at heart – and always will be – just a punk kid with tattoos.”

elen Mirren has made a career of playing queens in movies, having done it six times, including once each for both Elizabeth I and II, the only woman to play both parts, in fact. Of English and Russian descent, Helen learned her acting craft doing Shakespeare back in the 1960s. Over the years, Helen has worked in the theatre, movies and television, winning accolades and awards in all of them. Perhaps her greatest claim to fame was winning an Oscar for Best Actress in 2006, playing the part of Elizabeth II. On a trivial note: Helen provided the voice for the supercomputer “Deep Thought” in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Amy Mainzer is an astronomer specializing in astrophysical instrumentation and galactic astronomy. Since 2003 she 's worked as a research scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California and is Deputy Project Scientist for the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer. Mainzer has appeared regularly on the History Channel’s program, The Universe, on which she tells everyone about nebulas, black holes, neutron stars, brown dwarfs, asteroids, comets, planetary atmospheres and just about any other astronomical phenomena one cares to know about. Amy can show me the stars anytime!

Tessa Dunlop is a British historian, presenter and narrator often seen on television programs, particularly for the Discovery and History channels. Intelligent and articulate, Tessa will tell you all you need to know about subjects such as the pyramids in ancient Egypt, Romanian gypsies, pirates of the Caribbean, Charles II or Jack the Ripper, as well as commentaries on the arts and entertainment. Tessa also lectures on various subjects and can be heard regularly on BBC radio. This dynamic, brainy woman is seriously impressive and not bad to look at either!

Well, there’s my list. Of course, I could have added many more illustrious chicks, but I least this gives you an idea of what I find attractive in women.

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