THE GREEN PRINCE
Prince Charles has made headlines for being “green,” but the environmentally friendly future king of England may have a hard time topping this next move.
Less than 24 hours ago Madame Tussauds unveiled a new wax figure of Prince Charles to reflect his efforts to combat climate change. Workers at the museum designed a one-of-a-kind “green” version of the Prince of Wales by recycling wax from a 1989 figure of the royal and updated it with 82 pounds of organic beeswax, 55 pounds of clay and fiberglass. Artists also used organic pigments to color the skin. But that’s not all—to cut down on the amount electricity used to produce the piece, sculptors worked exclusively with their hands in the daylight, and rode bicycles to attend planning meetings during the four-month project. Finally, according to museum directors, the planting of three trees in a local park will offset all of the excess carbon generated in making the figure.
The new and improved princely figure is part of a new multi-million dollar exhibit of the royal family that will remain at the museum until the foreseeable future.
“STAR WARS” MARATHON
Die-hard “Star Wars” fans are taking time off from their day jobs to hole up in a darkened theater for the next 17 hours.
Welcome to the “Star Wars” marathon–an event designed to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of the original film.
Thousands of fans showed up for a free showing of all six “Star Wars” movies Wednesday morning at the Los Angeles Convention Center. That’s where they will remain until the marathon wraps up at 2 a.m. Thursday. (Event organizers said the marathon would include brief intermissions.)
“Because the saga spans 30 years, it spans multiple generations of fans as well,” an event spokesman told news reporters. “There are people in costume, families. It’s an interesting mix.”
(People in costumes? Can you imagine sitting in a plastic Storm Trooper outfit for 17 hours?)
If you missed your chance to get in on the marathon you can still show your loyalty to the legendary movies by attending the “Star Wars Celebration IV” at the Convention Center. That event is open to fan club members on Thursday and the public Friday through Monday. It is expected to include costume contests, autograph sessions with “Star Wars” celebrities and even a Storm Trooper “Olympics.”
Will you be there?