What color is your parachute?

While Londonmark searches the job market for a position as Jewel Thief Trainee, scientists in France create a new test to foil gem smugglers. Well, not all gem smugglers.... only those individuals looking to illegally import and export emeralds.

I never did like emeralds. If I were to adorn myself in precious stones, I'd go with blue, blue, blue - blue diamonds, sapphires, and lapislazuli.

I own The Italian Job. I bought the DVD for the cars - the adorable Minis that zig and zag across the film. I also like the heist concept.... $27 million in gold bars. If I only knew how to crack a safe.... set an explosive charge.... download schematics to ancient Venetian buildings.... read a map. I'd do it. I'd be a thief by trade.

With the know-how.

Which leads me to - WHERE do you learn this stuff? And do thiefs really go through the elaborate plans we see in movies? I mean, really! Do they?

Think Thomas Crown - he created an elaborate diversion (hired a bunch of Czech thugs, created a Trojan Horse, had it delivered to the Met, stole a helicopter, provided the thugs with explosives) to yank one Monet painting off a wall.

Stupid Question of the Day: Are the heists we pay $10 to see at the cinema based at all on any real-life attempts to steal? Do thieves really go through all of that trouble?

And if you had the know-how, would you turn to a life of crime? Keep in mind, I'm talking elegant robberies here people, not petty crime.