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Usain Bolt is aiming to wow the world with his performances at the Olympics.
Bolt got back into the groove on Thursday night with victory in the Rome Diamond League 100metres in 9.76 seconds, the fastest time in the world this year.
It was his fourth fastest time ever, with the previous three all world records.
Sharp: Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt wearing the 2012 Jamaican Olympic kit with Cedella Marley
Bolt will draw inspiration from London's Jamaican community during the Olympics, and he warned rivals like Tyson Gay and Yohan Blake that his Italian job was just the start
'I know I can go faster because this is the start of the season. I have a long way to go,' Bolt said.
'I'm really looking forward to competing here. I haven't competed in London for a while so I'm really looking forward to it.
'I know all the Jamaicans living here are looking forward to it also so I'm just preparing to put on a great show.
'At the end of the day I just want to wow people after this Olympics so I'm looking forward to it.'
Bolt was in London today to launch Jamaica's Bob Marley-inspired Puma kit for the Olympics.
Asked whether he will need to improve on 9.76secs to win gold, and whether he can go faster, Bolt said: 'That's what I do.
'The season is still early. Everybody is running 9.8 so that's good competition. 9.7 is also good so for me.
'I'm happy with the way it is and just want to continue working hard and run faster so I'm looking forward to it. I'm ready to go.'
Bolt's performance in Rome put to bed any questions about his form after he ran 10.04secs in Ostrava last week.
'I never doubt my ability, never. People forget, and I keep explaining to people, that athletes have bad days,' he said.
'Every athlete can - cricket, football, any sport - you have bad days and that was just one of mine and I got past it and now I'm just moving forward."
Bolt decided after Ostrava that he needed a few early nights, which clearly did the trick.
His triple Olympic triumph in Beijing was fuelled on a diet of chicken nuggets - but there will be no repeat of that in London.
'The good thing about the fact we are in London is there will be a lot of Jamaican food - the only thing I have to worry about is putting on weight,' he said.
'There will be no chicken nuggets this year.'
Bolt briefly experienced the immigration problems for which Heathrow has been roundly criticised by a member of the International Olympic Committee.
Barbara Kendall, 1992 Olympic windsurfing champion, wrote on Twitter: "Heathrow Airport Immigration is a nightmare!! took me 2 hours to get through and it is not Olympic time yet."
But being the fastest man ever to have walked the earth has its perks.
'I came in today on an Italian airline today just behind a flight from Asia. I think it was from India and there were so many people on the flight and I was at the back of the queue,' Bolt said.
'Surprisingly, somebody recognised me so I got to the front of the line.
'So, so far it's been pretty good!'
The Jamaican kit was designed by Cedella Marley, who drew inspiration for the outfits from her father and his music.
'We took the fit of what my dad would wear and updated it to 2012,' Marley said.
'You have the Iron Lion military jacket, the Buffalo Soldier shirt. I tried to incorporate the Bob Marley fit in as many pieces as possible where we were able to accommodate that.
'You did see dad on the jacket, right? So that's a little piece of him that's going to be in London.'
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
Hornets reject Royals bid - SkySports
Source: www1.skysports.com
London firms stumble over trademark hurdles - The Guardian
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
London Welsh to contest decision soon – Rugby News Update - Bettor.com
London Welsh to contest decision soon – Rugby News Update
London Welsh, a club that plays in the Championship, the second tier of rugby in England have defeated the Cornish Pirates over a two-legged final to be declared champions.
However, they are not being allowed promotion into the Aviva Premiership, the top tier of rugby in England, as they do not fill the minimum requirement criteria. Their application to join the country’s elite was rejected by the Professional Game Board, a decision that was upheld by the Rugby Football Union.
After securing the title, the club is keen to fight their case in order to secure their promotion into the top flight. They have a minimum of three months to know what tier they will be playing in, as the new season will start by then. It provides the club a very small window of opportunity to take the matter to court or settle for an out of court settlement. London Welsh were waiting till the season concluded, and now that they have emerged winners, they are in a strong bargaining position.
Club chairman, Bleddyn Phillips, said, "We shall be lodging an appeal in the very near future and in parallel we are pursuing all other available opportunities to make sure we can take our rightful and deserved place in the Aviva Premiership."
John Taylor, the managing director of the club has said that the refusal of the RFU has brought the situation into a tipping point. He referenced the need of the RFU to make the Championship a professional body, and they need to support the lower league teams, in order to create a culture where the teams have an opportunity to advance.
He said, "The feeling is that even if we were to be in a situation at the end of it for whatever reason we didn't win this appeal, and we are going to fight it very, very hard, things will never be the same again. They will not be prepared to go through this again at the end of next season.”
It is going to be a long summer for London Welsh and they have to make important decisions regarding the future of the club.
Source: blogs.bettor.com
London 2012: June events calendar and diary - Daily Telegraph
David Nash at Kew, Kew Royal Botanic Gardens; June 9 – April 14 2013
The works of sculptor David Nash will go on display at Kew Gardens this month, with sculptures, installations, drawings and film in place in the open air, garden glasshouses and on-site exhibition spaces. Nash is renowned for his work with wood and the exhibition will see the artist work on a ‘wood quarry’ in Kew, where he will create new pieces for the exhibition using trees from Kew Gardens that have reached the end of their natural life.
Bt Artbox Project, throughout London; June 18 – July 16
Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s traditional red telephone box is an icon of British design but this month it gets a temporary revamp from select artists and designers. Keith Tyson, Romero Britto, Zandra Rhodes and Giles Deacon are among those selected to participate in the BT Artbox Project, which will see them decorate a full-size, fibreglass replica of the K6 telephone kiosk, which will then be displayed in different areas of the city.
Codebreaker - Alan Turing's life and legacy, Science Museum; June 21 – June 2013
One hundred years after his birth, Alan Turing is celebrated with a free year-long exhibition at the Science Museum. Examining his life and legacy, the exhibition considers his contribution to computer science – which still holds influence today – and remembers his wartime codebreaking successes. The exhibition will display one of the most comprehensive collections of Turing-related artefacts, including machines he developed and worked on.
BP Portrait Award 2012, National Portrait Gallery; June 21 – September 23
The National Portrait Gallery follows its exceptionally popular Lucian Freud exhibition with the BP Portrait Award. This is the most prestigious portrait competition in the world, with a £25,000 prize going to the work judged to best showcase contemporary portrait-painting technique. Admittance is free.
New London theatre and performing arts openings
London 2012 Festival, throughout London and nationally; June 21 – September 9
The London 2012 Festival is the cultural complement to the London 2012 Olympic Games and the culmination of the four-year Cultural Olympiad. Throughout the capital, and throughout the country, thousands of events will take place to ensure millions of people will have the opportunity to participate in this exceptional summer. Highlights in London include the BT River of Music festival, which will see act including the Scissor Sisters and the Noisettes perform at six separate Thames-side locations, and an enhanced West End LIVE in Trafalgar Square which will this year see the casts from every one of London’s West End musicals perform for free. You can see coverage of the festival as it progresses on our London 2012 Festival portal.
Southbank Centre Summer Festival; June 1 – September 9
The Southbank Centre has another summer’s entertainment sorted with its Festival of the World. With a focus on learning, the event seeks to showcase how art can transform lives with a programme that’s challenging, moving and engaging. Highlights include Bryn Terfel’s four-day celebration of Welsh culture and Unlimited, the largest series of commissions by disabled and deaf artists ever undertaken in the UK.
New London restaurant and bar openings
Chase and Country Tails Terrace, Harvey Nichols; June 4 - July 15
Hopes are high for a good summer and if clement weather does grace us then the Chase and Country Tails Terrace at Fifth Floor Harvey Nichols is going to be popular. Created by Chase Distillery, the terrace’s traditional English-countryside look is inspired by the Herefordshire countryside where the company is based. More a bar space that serves food than a restaurant, the terrace will serve drinks featuring Chase spirits and mini tasting dishes created by Fifth Floor restaurant executive chef Jonas Karlsson.
Beard to Tail pop-up restaurant, 24 Chart Street; June 12-15
Shoreditch cocktail bar Callooh Callay tries its hand at the food trade with the four-day opening of the Beard to Tail pop-up restaurant. The meat-heavy menu is set to feature plenty of hearty, homely dishes with mains priced at £8-£13. The space will accommodate only 35 covers. Annoyingly bookings aren’t taken but you can expect the cocktail list to provide compensation. The pop-up precedes the opening of a permanent Beart to Tail restaurant, currently set for September 2012.
The Cube by Electrolux, Southbank Centre; June 1 – September 30
A Room for London, the boat-shaped, one-bedroom hotel, is perched atop the Queen Elizabeth Hall already; now The Cube by Electrolux plonks itself above the adjacent Royal Festival Hall. A pop-up restaurant sponsored by the appliances manufacturer, it will feature dishes created by Michelin-starred chefs stationed across the British Isles, including Sat Bains, Claude Bosi and Tom Kitchin. Guests who dine here will be served at least five courses with matching wines, and only 18 people will be accommodated at a time. Lunch at the Cube by Electrolux costs £175 per person, while dinner costs £215. Bookings can be made through the website.
Eat London afternoon tea, Wyndham Grand; June 1-30
Chocolatier Damian Allsop newly created Eat London chocolate bars are influenced by London’s cultural diversity (coffee and banana crunch are used for the Brixton bar; ginger, peanut and soy for China Town) and to celebrate their launch the Wyndham Grand London Chelsea Harbour hotel has launched an Eat London afternoon tea for the month. The tea features traditional teatime treats that have again been adapted to represent different parts of the city and costs £28 per person. On June 9, Allsop will be present at the hotel to run a two-hour chocolate masterclass – that costs £40 per person.
Afternoon Rock tea, W London hotel; June 1 onwards
The W London hotel is now serving Afternoon Rock tea, its variant of traditional afternoon tea. Launched to coincide with this summer’s Jubilee and Olympic festivities, the tea celebrates all things British with a menu that’s inspired by great British rock bands. Served on a three-tier stand made from original vinyl records, items served are named after rock albums and songs. London’s Burning, for example, is a chocolate pudding and hazelnut crunch; Cherry Bomb is a chocolate, mascarpone and cherry dessert inspired by The Runaways’ 1976 song.
Other London openings
ZSL London Zoo Lates, London Zoo; June 1 – July 27
From now until the end of July, London Zoo will be open late on Fridays and the venue is offering a packed Zoo Lates programme of events to celebrate. Running from 6pm-10pm the adults-only event will feature live comedy and cabaret performances on site, a silent disco (loud music disturbs the animals) and, of course, the opportunity to observe the hundreds of different animal species resident in the zoo.
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Plans for revamped Parade unveiled (From Watford Observer) - Watford Observer
Council unveils plans for new look Watford town centre
12:00pm Friday 1st June 2012 in News By Mike Wright, Chief Reporter
A bridge over the pond, less clunky street furniture and more trees and green spaces make up proposals to dramatically revamp the northern end of Watford town centre.
Designers commissioned by Watford Borough Council unveiled their vision for the top end of The Parade this week as part of a £4m regeneration scheme.
The plans, which will now go out to consultation, are for a much less cluttered Parade with space for public events and a cleaner pond.
The main features included: a wooden footbridge over the pond connecting the east and west banks. The pond itself will be smartened up, with the water cleaned, new foliage and new bordering.
The weir feature of the pond is set to go and there will be large steps leading down to the water for people to sit on.
The cycle lane markings in The Parade is set to be removed and the street opened up as an expansive pedestrian area.
Yet the cycle lane will remain in the underpass under Rickmansworth Road and one of the stairs cases leading up from the subway will be removed.
A line of trees will be planted across The Parade’s boundary with Rickmansworth Road, in a new raised grassy area.
South of the pond there will be more grassy areas with trees created.
The current plans do not show the Memory Wall, which was erected in The Parade in 2001, nor the large concrete balls that flank the vehicle acccess through the Parade. .
The designers, from the firm BDP, said they envision the new uncluttered Parade to be a space that will facilitate more outdoor events.
Two of the mock-ups they produced showed the street being used as the setting for an outdoor market and a music concert.
Mark Savage, who gave the presentation for BDP, said the overwhelming message the firm had got from consulting with the public over the plans was that they wanted the pond to remain.
As a result he said the plans had been designed to give the historic water feature a new lease of life.
"99.9 per cent want the pond to be retained," he said during the presentation in Oceana.
"It is a very important asset and a very unique asset. They would like to retain it and they would like it improved."
Now the provisional plans have been drawn up they will be showcased to the public at forthcoming events and in the council offices.
A series of drop in sessions are also being planned in June in Charter Place, Watford Central Library, Watford Town Hall and by the pond itself.
The firm said the plans were not cast iron and that aspects would be changed if they met with public disapproval.
Construction is slated to start in early 2013 and the work is expected to take around a year to complete.
The plans have come about as part of a drive by Watford’s elected mayor, Dorothy Thornhill, to draw more businesses to that part of the town by making it a more presentable environment.
At Wednesday’s meeting she said: "This whole agenda is about the economic prosperity of Watford. It is important that we as a council invest in the infrastructure in difficult times.
"It is no good waiting until things get better as by then we will be on the back foot and we want to be on the front foot."
The mayor also stressed that the £4.3million being spent on the project came from capital money which had to be spent on infrastructure.
"I hope that, like me, you will be excited by it," she added. "But no doubt there will be some things where you think you are not sure about that.
"We want to come up with master plan we can all be proud of."
Anyone who has thoughts on the design of The Parade can email their comments to the designers at whatifwatford@bdp.com
Comments(23)
TRT says...
12:11pm Fri 1 Jun 12
Reg Edit says...
12:35pm Fri 1 Jun 12
I think it says it all when Dotty says "This £4.3million has to be spent". No it doesn't dotty, you can find a way to use it to reduce council tax bills or refund it to the people of Watford, or spend it where and when necessary, not just on this whim because you've got the cash sitting around doing nothing. That's the problem with modern politicians, they have a need to spend our money on vanity projects like this.
Tell me this dotty, what would happen to the cash if this scheme didn't go ahead? DO YOU HAVE TO SPEND IT?
I'm very pleased to see they resisted the urge to plant a statue of St Dotty at the top of town, opposite the Town Hall. Had it gone ahead, I am sure the feathered residents of Watford would have shown it the due respect it deserved!
£4.3 million is actually a lot of money. If it's not needed, just give it back to us. There's no need to waste it. That's £54 each, and I would rather have £54 in my pocket than let you loose on the top of the town.
And in case anyone hasn't noticed, there's a recession on at the moment. Surely it would be better to tighten our belts and batten down the hatches until it passes. Someone tell the Liberals, I don't think they've noticed.
anon34 says...
12:50pm Fri 1 Jun 12
TRT says...
12:52pm Fri 1 Jun 12
If you want to spend it on environmental improvements, what about Lower High Street, which looks like a baked concrete wasteland now that there are no shops there anymore. Or lifts for High St station, with a bridge over to the pyramid and into the Harlequin, in preparation for CRL.
Or straightening out the kink in Cycle Highway 6 at Riverside, with that 1 in 5 gradient that kids on bikes find either great (but no so great for the walkers round the bend) or completely terrifying?
Or bring a cinema back into the town centre?
Or doing something with "The Artichoke", which has been empty for 15 years now.
This is an unimaginative scheme, even though the mayor has some fanciful idea about turning the high street into a place for concerts and parades, and it is basically throwing good money after bad. Most of that £4.3 million will end up in the pockets of architects and consultants anyway, leading to a need to skimp on the actual construction materials.
RogerF says...
12:55pm Fri 1 Jun 12
Barley says...
1:28pm Fri 1 Jun 12
TRT says...
1:31pm Fri 1 Jun 12
TRT says...
1:34pm Fri 1 Jun 12
LuthersLoveChild says...
1:34pm Fri 1 Jun 12
Maclanx says...
2:50pm Fri 1 Jun 12
The Rover says...
3:09pm Fri 1 Jun 12
nrlincoln says...
4:07pm Fri 1 Jun 12
LuthersLoveChild says...
4:15pm Fri 1 Jun 12
TRT says...
4:21pm Fri 1 Jun 12
LuthersLoveChild says...
4:28pm Fri 1 Jun 12
Reg Edit says...
4:30pm Fri 1 Jun 12
The Rover says...
4:38pm Fri 1 Jun 12
Barley says...
5:43pm Fri 1 Jun 12
Reg Edit says...
7:07pm Fri 1 Jun 12
not all the councillors are filthy rich. It's a madness that inflicts them to think the money is theirs to spend as they see fit, and then they look for things to spend it on so that they can try to justify why they got elected in the first place.
We need people in the council, both local and county, who will treat the money like it is their own and only spend it wisely.
Daniel Hannan made a great speech in the USA. He recounted a time in the EU parliament when a natural disaster had happened. One EU MEP stood up and said "we must give 5 million euros". He was warmly applauded. Another stood up and said "no, we are the EU, a rich nation, we should give 10million". He too was warmly applauded. A third stood up and proposed that this too was not enough, and that the EU should give 13million. Applause all round. Daniel stood up (he is the missing UKIP MEP, currently undercover in the Conservative party) and suggested that as an act of solidarity with the victims of this disaster, the EU MEPs should each give up one day's EU parliament attendance allowance to the disaster fund.
Guess what? No applause.
I think our local council are afflicted by the same disease, "generosity with other peoples money".
Vote UKIP - we won't forget whose money it is and we'll save you a packet.
Come to our stand in Charter place tomorrow, meet some of our team and find out more about our policies. We look forward to meeting you.
dontknowynot says...
7:38pm Fri 1 Jun 12
Reg Edit says...
8:07pm Fri 1 Jun 12
Here's an idea for council, I hope dotty is listening as I've found a way out of this dilemma so the £4.3 million doesn't have to be wasted on dotty's latest flight of fancy.
The £4.3 million has to be spent on infrastructure projects. Seems stupid, but ok, rules are rules, even if they lack common sense. I suppose it's a bit like civil service budgets, where if there's money left over in January it has to be spent by april or you will get a reduced budget for that the following year. Stupid I know, but it's tradition in the civil service.
Well, what if the £4.3 million wasn't spent at all?
The council could reduce next years budget for infrastructure by....£4.3 million!
If the council budget was reduced by £4.3 million, then council tax could be reduced by.....£4.3 million.
To you and me, that's a tax cut of £54 per voter.
Where would you rather that £54 be, spent by the council poncing up the pond or in your own pocket?
And why spend so much, is it just because you budgeted £4.3 million (probably £5 million with all the consultants fees)?
Dotty, you really don't have to spend this money - we don't want it wasted in this or any other way.
GeorgeRyan says...
9:30pm Fri 1 Jun 12
AWatfordTaxpayer says...
10:22pm Fri 1 Jun 12
Source: www.watfordobserver.co.uk
London pre-open: FTSE to rise on Greek polls - Life Style Extra
BP has revealed that it wants to sell-up at TNK-BP, the joint venture it set up with a consortium of Russian investors, as speculation has run rampant in recent days of a breakdown in the relationship between the British oil firm and its partners. The group said on Friday morning that it has received "unsolicited indications of interest" regarding its stake in TNK-BP.
Real estate investment trust Great Portland Estates (GPE) has bought interests in two properties in the heart of London's St James's district from fund management firm Henderson Global Investors. GPE is paying 39.0m for the leasehold interests in French Railways House and 50 Jermyn Street, SW1. The purchase price reflects a net initial yield of 5.1% and a capital value of 782 per square foot. The 1950's properties are multi-let to nine tenants, producing a gross rent of 2.12m per annum, which reflects an average rent of 46.50 per square foot on the offices and 125 per square foot Zone A on the retail space.
Telecoms giant BT Group has sold its application development services business in France to IT services company Osiatis. In a brief statement, BT said that the sale "allows BT Global Services in France to focus further on its core strategy, which is to offer networked IT services and communications solutions to corporate customers and the government sector."
Source: www.lse.co.uk
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