"To the left, two, three, four. And back to the left, to three, four. And once again to the left, two, three, four."
In what has become the hottest left-leaning fat-burning routine since the Jane Fonda Workout, Hugo Chavez has appeared in his own exercise video. Clad in a blue and white tracksuit, the Venezuelan president, along with members of his cabinet in similar sports casuals, perform a series of stretches and knee lifts for state-run TV, backed by a gym-friendly soundtrack.
While the move is unlikely to concern the numerous stick-thin celebrities planning to launch exercise videos in time for Christmas, it's a message to Chavez's political rivals. The 57-year-old is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments for cancer in Cuba and is keen to show that he's strong enough for the Venezuelan elections next year.
It's not the first time a president has attempted to impress with displays of physical prowess. Just a few years ago, Vladimir Putin released a calendar-worthy series of photos of him doing "Action Man" in the Russian wilderness, riding horses topless and wrestling bears (OK, we made the bear bit up).
Perhaps the move could inspire a host of similar offerings from politicians looking to get one up on their opponents. Should the Republicans in the US find a candidate that doesn't have the world in hysterics, maybe "leaked" footage of her winning an arm-wrestling competition would impress those sitting on the fence.
All eyes are now on Latin America's other sportswear fanatic to see when he'll finally release his exercise video. Knowing Fidel, however, it'll probably be about 90 hours long.
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
Price: from Dh285,000
On sale: from January 2022
