Davos, Shmavos

The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland recently ended. What do you think, were Sharon Stone and Angelina Jolie  invited to Davos to lure the attention of men who have vivid memories of their naked scenes on screen? Or because of the content of what they had to say?  I think we can be pretty certain there are hundreds more qualified women and men who should have been invited to attend in their place. But does their fame and beauty count for something valuable towards achieving global economic advancements or security?

Comments

[Mary O'Hayes]

Davos, Schmavos - you got that right. Davos is a joke, lots of glitterati and famous beautiful people and senators who lost presidential elections. I'm not sure that anyone besides elitist Europhiles takes Davos seriously. Like so many modern conferences, people talk a lot and congratulate themselves about their progressive outlook, and precious little gets done.

[lizriz]

I read the linked article, and I don't really get why the press was referring so much to clothing, unless it was just stuck in for flavor with more serious articles.

I do know, however, the Angelina Jolie has done significant work on the topic and does have an official position and certainly does deserve to be there. Whether Brad is there working or not, I'm sure she's not the only one who brought her partner.

Honestly, I think she does activist work as much as she acts in any given year, and she's been involved for a while now.

[Liz Neville]

There must be something about this conference that brings on brow-furrowing by the wonk-wannabees, and seriously silly style reviews by the clueless media. To wit: Newsweek's coverage in their "Style" section, pointing out how world-leader types are "keeping it real" and shunning formal attire. I was very keen to discover that thuggish dictators such as Venezuela's appalling Hugo Chavez (described, by the irony-free reporter, as "populist"-- sort of like Luca Brasi, I guess) favors a "down-to-earth red guayabera shirt"-- with the ever useful bulletproof option. Angela Merkel, despite her history-making election as Germany's first female Chancellor, is dismissed as having "boxy suits" and "no-style hair"-- and never mind her impressive background as a scientist and survivor of Eastern Bloc policies. But the capper has to be "trendsetter" Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's "prez"-- why, copies of his namesake jacket are a top seller in those famously stylish Iranian bazaars! Why, you'd never guess that he's a Holocaust-denying, fuel-rod-processing, up-in-flames nutcake who wants to "wipe Israel off the map"-- he's dashing! he's sexy! he's oh-so-now with his funky cotton sportcoat.

I think the Newsweek editor who let this one go has been spending a little too much time under the famous "Davos" influence.