Muslims: The Turd in the punchbowl at Topshop Party

A report on Topshop boss Sir Phillip Green's recent birthday party from the Daily Mail. And it sounds like some party!
Some 500 cases of vintage champagne - that's 3,000 bottles, 30 per guest - caviar, lobster; dancers flown in from around the world; fireworks shooting upwards to form the shape of palm trees before melting into the night sky; supercharged searchlights which seemed to touch the stars.
The star turn is George Michael, who is believed to have received £750,000 to go on stage. And, if the rumours are to be believed, the American singer and actress, Jennifer Lopez.

Dateline: Maldives

My Prediction: Lots of seething, restless Muslims.
But while the guests guzzled champagne and danced the night away in paradise without a care in the world, the Maldivian islanders were not quite so taken with the spectacle.


Cue the jungle drums:
The construction of the Buddha, in particular, has troubled the locals, who are devout Muslims. "The islanders are obviously used to tourists, and Christianity as well, but they are not used to such overt signs of Buddhism and this has unsettled them," said one local source.

Uh-oh. Topless babes.
As well as the controversy over the Buddha, there has also been consternation among the locals at the more decadent displays over the past few days, in particular a troupe of topless dancers.
For while going topless isn't banned in the Maldives, it is frowned upon by the Muslim community and all tourist literature asks holidaymakers to refrain from removing their tops.
A source said: "The staff were told before the party that they might see things that might shock them but they must not take offence.

Curses!
There are dark mutterings among the deeply suspicious Maldivians all over Baa Atoll (there are 19 atolls stretching across 800km) that Sir Philip's birthday party has brought a curse to the region north of the capital, Male, where the Soneva Fushi Resort stands on the island of Kunfunadhoo.

Bad taste bikinis!
The following day the revellers stayed in bed till late, emerging around lunchtime to get ready for Sir Philip's bikini party in the afternoon. Again, the bikini dress code is felt to be in bad taste by the locals - due to their Muslim beliefs.

Being a Wall Street survivor, I do hope this guy isn't somekind of scammer like Koslozski at Tyco. The party sounded outrageous and you know he had to make some Maldivian muftis and mullahs mad with this melee!