Entertainment Tip-Bits Old & New

** A rather unusual documentary ~

It's titled 'Pekin Express', was showing on Spanish TV4, subtitled ' From Moscow to Pekin, on one Euro A Day'

A group of people composed between the ages of 19 to 54, started their journey from Moscow to arrive at Pekin, and each participant was given one Euro a day, which was not allowed to spend on transport or accommodation. They had no money at all, no credit cards or any other financial means, except for the daily 1€. Each group member was provided with a compass, a map, a knapsack and nothing else.

This contest was directed by Paula Vazquez and produced by Boomerang. The director of Atenna 4, Fernando Jerez, said of it as a programme that generates "spectacular emotions". The mechanical part of this programme was very simple: these people would walk the distance of 10,000 kilometres separating Moscow and Pekin, with nothing more than their purpose, determination and strength, and their one € a day.
The total trip was divided in 12 stages, each lasting 3 days.

They were closely followed by the television production team constantly, and be witnesses too to their triumph or failure.

** A refreshing concept ~

While in England, the British regulator of publicity prohibited some while ago 2 posters of the film, 'Wanted' starred Angelina Jolie to continue exhibiting in public all over the city. It was considered 'glamorising violence and the use of arms'.

In one the posters, the alluring Jolie was shown with knife and gun in hand, with the other actor James McAvoy aiming with 2 pistols, one in each hand. The other poster showed several scenes with both actors armed to the teeth and the writing across the front: " 6 weeks ago I was like you, then I met her and my life changed forever ". Still the same format then: glamour, sex, violence, ingredients that sell just about anything in today's market.

Tags:Documentary,Moscow,Pekin,Wanted

• Current Mood: awake

Very Strange Story Of Cigars

A man from Charlotte, North Carolina, having purchased a case of very expensive cigars, insured them against, among other things, fire. Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile, the man filed a claim against the insurance company, stating that the cigars were lost 'in a series of small fires'.

The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason that the man had consumed the cigars in the normal fashion. The man sued – and won.

In delivering the ruling the judge, agreeing that the claim was frivolous, stated nevertheless that the man held a policy from the company in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable. and also guaranteed that it would insure against fire, without defining what it considered to be 'unacceptable fire', and was obliged to pay the claim. Rather than endure a lengthy and costly appeal the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid the man $15,000 for the rare cigars he had lost 'in the fires'.

After he cashed the cheque, however, the company had him arrested on 24 counts of arson. With his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case being used against him, the man was convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000 fine.

It could only happen in America, that's all I can say - apart from 'Damn ridiculous, the lot of them'

Tags:Cigars,Fire,Insurance

• Current Mood: cynical

Sport & Plastic With Grace

It was quite unimaginable, 25 years ago, the novel idea of the prestigious firm Swatch, incorporating plastic for the production of their watches. It wouldn't go down well at all with their high profile long and well established.

Today, nobody could doubt the efficiency of this humble material, at that time made the watchmakers and designers shaking their heads incredulously. It has since become indispensable material now, especially for their more sporty lines.

The genius idea came from NIcholas G. Hayek, at present the ministration and delegated consultant of the Swatch group. To celebrate their 25th anniversary Swatch launched a new line of sports watches, made of plastic of course, denominated Chrono Plastic Collection. There are 6 newly designed models, of black and white, or with rubber face and strap, in orange, yellow or turquoise blue, that incorporated to the more than 6 million different models they had put on the market during these 25 years. Quite an astounding number of watches don't you think?

This collection is inspired in the free-running or Parkour, a new practice in which one runs round the city route overcoming pre-set obstacles in the fastest time possible; not just that, but the most graceful way and with harmonious movements. I think I could manage these requirements minus the running bit!!!

This new sport is oblivious of social class, ethic or sex origin, the objective of Swatch to diffuse and spread with the new collection of watches. Okay, all that is understood. The trick is how to run very fast and looking graceful at the same time?

Tags:Sport,Plastic,Watch

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• Current Mood: artistic