# Can you identify these very prominent people on the world stage? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 15, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-these-very-prominent-people-on-the-world-stage/621998 "2012-05-15T16:01:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-these-very-prominent-people-on-the-world-stage/621998/21 "2012-05-16T18:38:24Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I think you’re over-estimating the importance of many of them. They’re players on the Chinese stage, but only Hu and Wen are currently players on the world stage. Wait, you said Hu is important on the world stage? Wen? ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-these-very-prominent-people-on-the-world-stage/621998/22 "2012-05-16T20:09:01Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Wait, you said Hu is important on the world stage? > Wen? The Who’s on stage? And Bob Weir? And Steve Howe? ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-these-very-prominent-people-on-the-world-stage/621998/23 "2012-05-17T00:35:11Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Wait, you said Hu is important on the world stage? > Wen? I thought Hu was on first. mmm ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-these-very-prominent-people-on-the-world-stage/621998/24 "2012-05-17T04:51:26Z")
Hu are eight people who have never been in my kitchen. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-these-very-prominent-people-on-the-world-stage/621998/25 "2012-05-17T13:08:08Z")
> [@ducati](#): > > Hu are eight people who have never been in my kitchen. 🙂 Well, I am \*one \*of them. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-these-very-prominent-people-on-the-world-stage/621998/26 "2012-05-17T15:04:11Z")
“Hu is the president of China.” “That’s what I’m asking.” “Hu.” “Me.” “No, that’s the secretary.” I know Hu and Chen. That’s it. I have no idea why you think these people are important to an American like me. I mean, a _movie director?!_ C’mon, man. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-these-very-prominent-people-on-the-world-stage/621998/27 "2012-05-17T15:15:27Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > All the same, each one of them is important to understanding what’s going to be happening in your world in, say, the next year. Except maybe for Zhang Yimou, I just threw him in there. How does that mean they are “very prominent on the world stage” right now? “Prominent on the world stage” means they are currently highly involved in **international** politics, and are noted figures in international diplomacy… ya know, the “world stage.” It sounds like, if anything, they are prominent on a regional stage, in an influential region of the world. That’s not the same thing. Mayor Michael Bloomberg of NYC is important in understanding what’s going on in my world in the next year. He’s one of the most powerful mayors in America, he’s at the center of America’s culture and finance, and is one of its richest men. That doesn’t make him prominent on the world stage. He actually has no interest in non-local politics. I wouldn’t expect Chinese people to know who the hell he is. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-these-very-prominent-people-on-the-world-stage/621998/28 "2012-05-18T04:06:45Z")
I’m not even sure why the international guys are important. Sure, they can do something in the future, but that’s the point where they start getting important. It’s not as if I can prevent them from doing what they are going to do. Life sucks when you get all worried about things you can’t control. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-these-very-prominent-people-on-the-world-stage/621998/29 "2012-05-18T04:22:32Z")
Oh, well, thanks for voting. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-these-very-prominent-people-on-the-world-stage/621998.md?page=1)