has the public when it is exposed to the annual swimsuit edition of "The Bermudian'' magazine.

But, this time around, it wasn't the tantalising pictures of gorgeous, scantily-clad Bermudian women which made the April issue possibly its best-selling ever.

No, the main reason why 9,000 copies of the magazine were sold all over the world was not due to beauty -- but down to the section of the publication which was devoted to Bermuda's international insurance industry.

That is what prompted an order for 100 copies from Japan and that is also also what caused one Californian businessman to part with $38 for just one magazine ($4 for the product and $34 to have it Federal Expressed to his office).

"I was amazed at how some people from the more remote corners of the world got to hear about the issue,'' said publisher Mr. Kevin Stevenson. "I was even more surprised at the lengths they were prepared to go to to get a copy.

The copy that went to California is probably the most expensive magazine we've ever sold.

"Bulk sales to the business community alone came to 4,000 copies. It's without doubt the biggest selling magazine we're ever produced and possibly the biggest selling magazine ever in Bermuda.

"A huge number went overseas. People were calling up from all over the place.'' * * * FLY High-flying Bermuda businessmen will no longer to able to use electronic devices like laptop computers during take-off and landing on flights operated by America's largest air carrier, American Airlines.

The playing of compact discs has also been banned for flight below 10,000 feet, which effectively comprises the above two flying manoeuvres.

The ban is AA's conservative approach to a much-debated issue of whether electronic devices might interfere with flight, although there has been no scientifc evidence to support this theory.

Electronic devices that either transmit or receive signals, such as cellular telephones, radio-controlled toys, and FM radios, are already banned from use on the airline.

* * * BUC Johnson & Higgins has denied reports that it is in the planning stages of setting up a new insurance entity in Bermuda or in the midst of taking over an existing company, which has been speculated upon in the local business community recently.

A J&H spokesman in New York said on Friday: "I am aware of no new major developments of this nature being planned at this moment.''