Disabled parking space on a budget.
Insurance firm sees a profit in moon shine
In an attempt to broaden their range of online products Chinese company Taobao Insurance is selling an internet-based policy that guarantees Chinese people who take advantage of it will see the moon during the annual Moon Festival, when the moon is at its roundest and brightest. "People living in 41 cities of China can pay a premium of 99 yuan ($21) and receive 188 yuan if they fail to see the moon through poor weather. The company will stand the loss if the cities are cloudy, foggy or hazy on the evening of the festival." (China Daily)
What a dreadful waste
"I could not help but cringe when reading in the Herald about the Bunol (Spain) tomatina festival where people throw ripe tomatoes at each other in a giant food fight," writes Ross from Rotorua. "It was not the thought of the mess but the fact 130 tonnes of the fruit was being wasted. I had just left a supermarket where they are priced at $11.99 a kilo. At a rough calculation that's $1.5 million worth. The town is in debt to the tune of €5 million ($8.4 million) and charges visitors to take part."