The price of dying is going up in Rome, if a city auction of prime cemetery lots is anything to go by.
The most expensive burial ground in the city’s prized Verano cemetery is on offer for 312,629 euros — the price of a modest apartment — before tax.
Like living real estate, the plot is described as being of “classical style, in brick and slate-roofed, with decorative elements in (white) travertine rock and Cararre marble,” according to the write-up in brochures.
The tombs, one of which can hold up to 28 coffins, can be viewed via Google Earth with pictures placed on the Web site www.amaroma.it
Future inhabitants will become neighbors of such luminaries as actor Marcello Mastroianni, writer Alberto Moravia or other cinematic figures in Roberto Rossellini and Luchino Visconti.
Rome mayor Gianni Alamanno hopes to raise 2.5 million euros from the sell-off of tombs whose owners are no longer known, are empty or are threatened with collapse, and offers a 75-year lease.
The auction is due to end on July 24.(AFP)
羅馬市正在標售頂級墓園，若依拍賣標準來看，死後想安息將付出更高的代價。
這座位在羅馬市最重要的維拉諾公墓內的頂級墓園起標價三十一萬兩千六百二十九歐元，相當於一戶小公寓未稅前的價格。
就如同活人的房地產一般，拍賣型錄中形容這座墓園「屬經典風格，磚砌主體配上板岩材質屋頂，還飾有（白色）石灰岩和卡拉瑞大理石」。
其中一個墓區可容納多達二十八具棺木。透過「Google地球」可觀看張貼在www.amaroma.it網站上的各墓區照片。
未來的遷入者將可與影星馬塞羅•馬斯托依安尼、作家艾伯托•莫拉維亞，及電影界聞人羅伯特•羅塞里尼、盧契諾•維斯康提等名人為鄰。
羅馬市長賈尼•阿萊曼諾希望藉由低價出售這些無主、空置或瀕臨倒塌的墓穴，籌募兩百五十萬歐元；租賃期限為七十五年。
拍賣活動至七月二十四日截止。
（法新社�翻譯：林倩如）
A: A mint Labubu doll was sold for a record 1.08 million Chinese yuan — or about US$150,300 — at an auction. B: That much for a doll? That’s insane. A: The character of toy company Pop Mart has sparked a global frenzy thanks to celebrity endorsements, like pop diva Rihanna and Blackpink member Lisa. B: Where can we admire all the Pop Mart dolls? A: The world’s third Pop Mart flagship store is located in Taipei’s Ximending area. Let’s go together. A: 一個薄荷色的「拉布布」玩偶在拍賣會上，拍出108萬人民幣天價、高達15萬美元！ B: 一個玩偶？這也太瘋狂啦。 A: 這個泡泡瑪特玩具公司旗下的角色正在全球掀起狂熱，而這都要感謝天后蕾哈娜、Blackpink的Lisa等名人的加持。 B: 哪裡可以看到泡泡瑪特推出的公仔啊？ A: 全球第三家泡泡瑪特旗艦店就在台北西門町，我們去逛逛吧。 （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
A: What are some of the hottest auction items other than the Labubu doll? B: NBA player Stephen Curry’s basketball card, actress Jane Birkin’s Hermes “Birkin bag,” and Princess Diana’s dresses also attracted robust bidding recently. A: How much can a trading card cost? B: Curry’s Paris Olympics autograph card was sold for US$518,500, or NT$15.3 million. A: Wow, it broke the record held by MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani’s baseball card. That’s amazing. A: 除了 「拉布布」玩偶以外，還有哪些熱門拍賣品？ B: NBA球星史蒂芬柯瑞的球卡、女星珍柏金的原版愛馬仕「柏金包」、戴安娜王妃的禮服最近都引發競標。 A: 一張卡片能有多貴啊？ B: 哈這張印著柯瑞在巴黎奧運的簽名卡，拍出51萬多美元天價、高達台幣1,530萬！ A: 哇他打破了MLB球星大谷翔平球卡的紀錄，真是令人驚奇。 （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
The traditional five-day workweek was introduced around a century ago and has since become the standard, along with punching in at 9am and leaving at 5pm. Recently, however, challenges to this formula have been increasing, particularly among young people. In the UK, 200 British companies have changed gears and decided to adopt a permanent four-day workweek for their employees. The new schedule will not cause any loss in pay, which is expected to result in greater employee satisfaction. Among those leading the charge for the new model are charities, marketing firms, and technology companies. Advocates of the policy say
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