‘A luxurious adventure’ – you can’t think otherwise on Explorer II, an exploration ship designed for cutting through the perfidious icy waters of Antarctic Ocean. She disguises the sparkling sumptuousness inside with the hardware of an adventurous ship. Explorer II is a true work of art with an interior crafted with lustre of brass and suavity of wood. She can accommodate up to 300 guests, but when cruises to Antarctica, the number will be limited to 198. When one takes a trip to Antarctica with Explorer II, she brings a rare touch of comfortable, informal refinement.
“147,000 sq km of China’s sea below clean water standard”
State Oceanic Administration announced Thursday that nearly 147,000 square kilometers of China’s sea was below the clean water standard in 2009, up 7.3 percent from the previous year.
The country’s marine environment, particularly the coastal waters in Liaodong Bay, Bohai Bay, Hangzhou Bay, the mouths of the Yangtze River and Pearl River, was not good, according to the Administration’s bulletin.
The offshore eco-systems have kept deteriorating because of environment pollution, habitat loss, biological invasion and low bio-diversity, and around 76 percent out of 21 offshore eco-systems under monitoring were reported “sub-healthy” or unhealthy in 2009, it said.
The data also showed 73.7 percent of 457 sewage outlets went over their pollutant discharge limits, with those in Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Guangxi the worst.
Also, the total pollutants carried into sea by rivers increased considerably in 2009 compared to the previous year, it said.
Courtesy : China Daily
“Celebrating 100 years of Hollywood movie magic”
THIS week marks the centenary of Hollywood and 100 years of movie magic. The 17-minute silent film In Old California was the first to be shot in the then village of Hollywood and was released on March 10, 1910.
The movie, an adventure set in Spanish colonial days, was an overnight success.
Director DW Griffith discovered Hollywood on his trips to sunny California and loved the stunning scenery and friendly people.
By the late 1910s, Hollywood had become synonymous with cinema and its burgeoning glamour. We take a look at some of the most iconic movies through the decades…
1910s
Intolerance (DW Griffith, 1916)
This film is considered one of the great masterpieces of the silent era. Stung by criticism of his film The Birth Of A Nation (1915), Griffith added three stories to his feature about modern social inhumanity to create a vast epic discourse against the evils of intolerance. The film moves through tales of injustice – the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre in 16th century France, the crucifixion of Christ, a modern workers’ strike, and a story of ancient Babylon.
1920s
The Jazz Singer (Alan Crossland, 1927)
This was a landmark as the first “talkie”. For the £250,000 investment, the studio raked in £2million and its success established talkies as the future. In fact, only about one quarter was “talkie”, which means sound-synchronized dialogue was used.
The first all-talking feature-length picture was the gangster film Lights Of New York made in 1928.
1930s
The Wizard Of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939)
The story of Dorothy, a midwestern farm girl swept away to the land of Oz, was an established national favourite when the expertise of MGM transformed it into a magical musical that moved from the dustbowl of the Depression years to a Technicolor future. Its songs made Judy Garland a star then an icon.
1940s
It’s A Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946)
Starring James Stewart as George Bailey, a man whose imminent suicide on Christmas Eve brings about the intervention of his guardian angel Clarence Odbody. Clarence shows George all the lives he has touched and contributions he had made to his community.
1950s
The African Queen (John Huston, 1951)
Stars Humphrey Bogart – who won the Academy Award for Best Actor – and Katharine Hepburn. It’s a war movie that tells the tale of how a gin-swilling riverboat captain is persuaded by a missionary to use his boat to attack an enemy warship in Africa during WWI.
1960s
Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)
Hitchcock’s powerful psychological thriller is the mother of all modern horror suspense films. It depicts the encounter between a secretary, Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), who is in hiding at a motel after stealing from her employer, and the motel’s owner, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), and the aftermath of their encounter.
1970s
Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976)
Set in New York, Robert De Niro is the star as a mentally unstable Vietnam veteran who works night time as a taxi driver. Becoming isolated, he lashes out at his perceived decadence and filth of the city. Nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won the Palme d’Or at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival.
1980s
Raging Bull (Martin Scorsese, 1980)
Robert De Niro won an Oscar for his portrayal of Italian-American middleweight boxer Jake La Motta. The film was made in black and white and showed the depth and intensity of which Hollywood films were still capable. It has since been voted the best American picture of the 80s in a number of critics’ polls.
1990s
Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994)
Won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and revived the flagging careers of Bruce Willis and John Travolta. Pulp Fiction joins the intersecting storylines of LA mobsters, smalltime criminals, and a mysterious briefcase. Considerable screen time is devoted to conversations and monologues that reveal characters’ perspectives on life.
2000s
Avatar (James Cameron, 2009)
Hollywood’s centenary is being marked by James Cameron’s Avatar, the most expensive film ever and the most profitable. Made in 3-D, its story is a mish-mash of borrowings from all over, and almost every frame is indebted to an army of special effects technicians. It’s a picture economically dependent on being shown to a global audience.
This year Oscar nominees will be offered the most expensive goody bag in the event’s history.
The £61,000 of treats include an African safari, tickets to a £10,000 stay at the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel and a £5000 three-night getaway to a luxury hotel in Connecticut as well as a chance to relax on a private island in the Caribbean.
More bizarre presents include a year’s supply of mints and new mattresses.
Courtesy : dailyrecord.co.uk
Traditional and emerging maritime markets from Asia look set to firm their grip on world shipping through an all-time record participation at, the world’s most prestigious shipping trade exhibition.
The trade shipping event will be held for the 22nd time in Greece, June 7th to 11th at the Hellenikon Exhibition Centre.
India will make its Posidonia debut with a 300 sqm Pavilion of the Shipyards Association of India. The committed Far East presence at Posidonia 2010 is already 45 percent larger compared with the 2008 Exhibition bringing the total floor space of Asian participation up to 3,166 sqm, an increase of 1,000 sqm from two years ago. Korea will display its biggest ever Posidonia exhibitor participation, with KOSHIPA and KOMEA creating an impressive Korean Pavilion. Equally important is the increased stand alone presence of their major shipyards, which will include STX Business Group, Sungdong Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co Ltd and SPP Shipbuilding Co LTD.
The Monaco Yacht Show brings together professionals from the international luxury yachting sector; ship-builders and designers, equipment suppliers, brokers and service providers. The MYS is renowned throughout the sector for being the show that must not be missed in the luxury yachting sector because it is the only yacht show exclusively devoted to Superyachts of at least 25 meters in length.
The only boat show in the world devoted exclusively to international luxury yachting.
- Stands held by 500 leaders in the international yachting industry and related businesses: 85 shipyards, including the best customized yacht builders in the world.
- The most prestigious assembly of big vessels on the planet: 100 exceptional yachts in the water, including 30 to 40 motor and sailing yachts on their world premier launches or being launched in 2009.
- Quality rather than quantity. 27 400 participants in 2009 including a decision-making private clientele with extremely high purchasing power, plus international professional visitors.
- 4 days of intensive networking punctuated with cocktail parties, evenings, conferences, etc.: the ideal opportunity to make new contacts in a festive, friendly context.
- The pleasure of returning to Monte-Carlo to stay in one of the Principality’s magnificent hotels, many of which have been renovated.
