current events Silvio Berlusconi
Image credit:  Ricardo Stuckert

Three of the World’s Most Interesting People

by Morgan Dick – Henry Wise Wood High School, Calgary AB Oct 21, 2009

Whenever most people in our country think of politicians, that same empty character always comes to mind. Guarded. Expressionless. Steadfast, but seemingly devoid of personality or passion. But you’d be surprised at just how out of the ordinary many politicians really are; some are extravagant, some ardent, some scary – but always interesting. Case in point:

Silvio Berlusconi
This man (pictured above) is the current Prime Minister of Italy – and my personal guess is that he inspired the entire Dos Equis ad campaign. Currently doing his third stint at the country’s helm, he also owns about half of Italy’s popular media outlets. Berlusconi also owns the AC Milan soccer club, AND is a successful songwriter. On top of that, he boasts a pitch-perfect, very-suave, very-creepy smile. But what Berlusconi is maybe even more well known for is his crassness, and for his many mistresses. He did make former showgirl and nude model Mara Carfagna one of his ministers. Smooth movies, Silvio. The perma-tan is maybe not the only thing you have in common with Hugh Hefner…

Taro Aso
Living in a similar kind of luxury is Japan’s current Prime Minister, Taro Aso, who reportedly dines in extravagant restaurants and hotels daily. He also reads manga, and he’s Roman Catholic – which puts him in a one per cent minority religion within his country. Aso is fluent in Portuguese and English, and to round off the resumé, also went to the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal with Japan’s shooting team. He’s known for charisma and strong opinions which often wedge him into difficult spots. And he’s always looking sharp – if you ask me, kinda like Japan’s James Bond. (Image from World Economic Forum)

Tymoshenko

Yulia Volodymyrivna Tymoshenko
At age forty-eight she’s been Prime Minister of the Ukraine twice, in 2004 playing a crucial role in the Orange Revolution in her country. (That November reports started flooding in that a recent election had been fixed by the government; Tymoshenko’s compelling speeches at rallies and protests helped to push the revote.) Pre-politics, she made her fortune in the energy sector – and is even wanted in Russia for allegations of fraud. Since that time, Tymoshenko has made several reforms to the Ukraine’s energy policies, and her relations with Russia have only gotten worse. All this, plus her trademark Princess Leia-reminiscent braids, have made her famous in European politics. (Image by Harald Dettenborn)

Comments (3)
Login or register to post comments. All comments have to go through a queue for approval to keep the nasty stuff out, but we'll post yours as soon as we can.

Surprising!

Submitted by ninakiri on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 19:15.

As naive as it might sound, thinking of politicians, I don't ever think of them as people, just figures that make very important decisions in our world. It's cool to see that they can be interesting as well. Not only that, but it kind of angers me that people who may have smart and important things to say will never get their voice heard while other people who spend money extravagantly dining wherever they want and choosing nude models to be their ministers are making global decisions.

Boring politicians?

Submitted by Dystel on Mon, 11/09/2009 - 18:51.

Even politics aren't boring, and never have been! I wonder how anyone could think the politicians themselves aren't worthy of the fame and adoration of the masses! Think celebrities, only with even MORE wealth and power. Wait, scratch that. This is starting to seem like a bad idea. Personality cult, anyone?

Maybe it's better if we kept the fascinating backgrounds and habits of politicians under wraps. Still, I have to say that Vladimir Putin is my favourite politician. He puts all of the recent U.S. presidents to shame. In his exchanges with Bush and his comments on Hilary Clinton, he flaunts his razor sharp wit and leaves the reporters awestruck. What's even more amusing is the fact that when he has to sit through press conferences, he scribbles on notepads to appear busy. I think that only adds to his charisma, as it makes him seem as if he's too busy and important to pay attention to the trite questions and comments. The politicians listed above seem just as extraordinary, and it's great to know these interesting facts about them.

It's interesting to read

Submitted by deborahchu on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 17:38.

It's interesting to read about such colourful characters in the world of politics, when the politicians we see on our screens everyday seem like such staid, generic personalities. That's probably even the kind of cut-out they aspire to fit into! It's nice to see that, despite some disreputable acts, these people aren't afraid to be true to themselves and live a life less ordinary.

Current Issue
table of contents
April 2012 Issue: Youthink Magazine
In this Issue
Past Issues
ICBC driving test tips | Youthink
5 Tips to Pass Your Road Test

Heed this advice from ICBC and you'll be in the driver's seat in no time.

Easy get in shape tips | Youthink
5 Fun Ways to Get Fit This Spring

Getting in shape doesn't have to mean toiling away in a gym.

Teen bullying | Youthink
Mob Mentality: When Bullying Becomes a Group Activity

Groups of seemingly normal boys can be just as bad as a menacing bully.