TIME thinks women are worth a quarter

This year's annual list of the world's most influential people, as compiled by Time magazine, doesn't make the female gender look very good. There are only 25 women on the list — or 24, if you count Angelina Jolie and Suzanne Wright as halves, since they are featured as couples alongside their husbands.

The list started in 1999, when Time named the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. Surprised by its success, the magazine decided to make the list annual. Unfortunately, both in 1999 and 2004, the number of women were also disappointing: 17 and 22, respectively. At this rate, we'll have an equal number of men and women on the list somewhere around 2019 (if we're lucky.)

I must confess I liked the women in last year's list better. OK, so I only say that because the first person to appear on the list is Tina Fey, but what can I say, I love me some Tina! (Actually, she writes about Lorne Michaels (Saturday Night Live's creator) in this year's list and it's pretty funny stuff, as usual). This year's list has the obvious (Hillary Clinton and Oprah Winfrey), the surprising (Miley Cyrus), and our very own team member Suze Orman.

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Suze Orman, also known as the Money Lady, is the only out lesbian on this year's list, so we better treasure her. Still, I must say I'm surprised Ellen DeGeneres didn't make it — don't they know how many Emmys the lady has?

This year is the sixth time Oprah Winfrey is nominated, so that makes her the most listed person over the years. Actually, it makes her the only person who's been on all the lists. Pretty neat.

Hillary Clinton is listed for the 4th time, along with Condoleezza Rice, George W. Bush (who wasn't on the list last year), Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Hu Jintao.

I do enjoy reading the list every year (well, Ann Coulter in the 2005 list? Not one of their smartest choices), because you learn about the achievements of wonderful people, such as Mary Lou Jepsen or Susan Solomon, for example, who are clearly contributing to a better world. (Oh dear, how corny was that?) Still, it's a shame that are so few women in it, because, after all, we are in the 21st century and I can't believe there aren't any more influential ladies out there.

I don't know if I'm sounding like a crazy feminist here, but I really don't think so. What do you think about the women (not) on the list?