3 Metre Long Barbed Wire Jellyfish Spotted Near Gozo

Apr 3 2024

Marine biologist Alan Deidun took to social media to share footage of a 3 metre rope like creature known as the barbed wire jellyfish.

Spotted near Gozo, the Apolemia uvaria – ‘or more mundanely known as the stingy, stingy, stingy’ – is a highly stinging siphonophore species belonging to the same group as the Portuguese man o’ war.

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The colony was filmed and photographed by Lewis Mark Sell and can be found down depths of up to 1000m and includes thousands of individual tentacled zooids.

The zooids are all happy to paralyse any helpers small creature which comes its way. Deidun described it as nature’s version of a long fishing line or drift net.

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Iconic Titanic ‘Door’ Prop Sells For $718,750

Apr 3 2024

The iconic floating piece of wood that saved Rose from the blockbuster movie ‘Titanic’ has been sold for an insane $718,750 at an auction raising funds for charity.

The piece of wood is one of the most contested parts of the film as many fans still to this day think that it was large enough for both Jack and Rose to fit on rather than Jack having to sacrifice his own life for his love.

In the movie the character Jack, portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio, argues that the panel, which is part of a door frame, was only large enough for his lover Rose, played by Kate Winslet. Tragically, he later succumbs to the freezing waters of the Atlantic Ocean, with his body sinking into the depths below.

According to auctioneers Heritage Auctions, the prop, often misidentified as a door, was actually based on a complete piece of debris recovered from the 1912 tragedy.

The auction included props and costumes owned by famous restaurant chain Planet Hollywood.

Other props that were sold included Tobey Maguire’s Spiderman suit sold for $125,000 and an axe used by Jack Nicholson in ‘The Shining’ sold for the same amount. More notably the whip from ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’ sold for a whopping $525,000.

Overall the auction raised a staggering $15.68m, making it the one of the most successful sales of a prop and costume collection, Heritage Auctions said.

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Hilarious New Black Comedy By Writer Of Porn The Musical!

Apr 3 2024

A new black comedy by award-winning writer Malcolm Galea is set to be staged at Spazju Kreattiv on the 12-14 and 19-21 April. The Heimlich Hustle is the story of a hapless couple whose life is turned upside down when they let a passionate and eccentric young artist into their lives. Before they know it, their life has been turned into a frantic rollercoaster ride involving viral videos, questionable art pieces, and accidental death.

Malcolm Galea has previously written such plays as Porn the Musical, Il-Kbir Għadu Ġej and some of your favourite Christmas pantomimes. However with The Heimlich Hustle, he has explored a new level of crazy.

The show stars Malcolm Galea, Angele Galea, Davide Tucci and Myron Ellul, with direction by Chiara Hyzler who most recently directed the pantomime Beauty and the Beast.

The Heimlich Hustle is supported by Arts Council Malta and Galea’s Art Studio. Tickets can be booked from kreattivita.org

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Maltese Salaries Amongst The Lowest In Europe

Apr 3 2024

According to research done by Eurostat, Maltese people earn less per hour than the majority of other EU countries.

The data published by Eurostat shows that by average workers in Malta only get €14.2o an hour before tax, which is less than half of the whole EU average hourly salary of €31.8

Malta is currently placed 25th out of 30 other European countries with mainly Easter European countries trailing behind the Mediterranean island.

In last place is Bulgaria with a very low average of €9.3o an hour. After Bulgaria one can find Romania with €11 an hour, Hungary with €12.80 an hour and Latvia with €13.50 an hour.

Countries such as Croatia, Poland and Lithuania all offer wages that are similar to Malta, with all being in the €14 – €15 range.

When it comes to top half of the table, Luxembourg is currently first with their people earning an average of €53.90 an hour, more than €20 higher then the EU-wide average.

The data takes not only salaries but also social security contributions, showing the total amounts it takes for employers to employ staff.

A more negative stat for Malta is the fact that since 2016 every EU countries’ average hourly wage has increased except for Malta’s. Eight years ago the country was sitting at an average hourly rate of €14.20 the same amount found today.

Since 2016 there have been seven countries that have leapfrogged Malta in the total standings and now offer higher wages.

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