Euro Notes: In Italy, It Helps to be Pretty in Politics

Who said this? A female legislator with the nickname -- wait for it -- Mara La Bella, or Mara the Beautiful.

32-year-old Mara Carfagna used to be a model and showgirl. She's the new -- wait for it -- Minister of Equal Opportunities. Seriously!

There's more! The article then says:

Silvio Berlusconi, 71, has been a fan of Miss Carfagna for several years, and had to apologise to his wife last summer after he remarked that if he was single, he would try to marry her.

Miss Carfagna is unmarried, but has a boyfriend whose name sums up the number of her admirers, Marco Mezzaroma, or Mark Half-of-Rome.

This entire story is just . . . Goodness, I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried! Oh, Italy.