Last Sunday Wembley stadium in London, England played host to its sixth Regular Season game as the New England Patriots blowout the St Louis Rams, 45-7. Although mentions of a potential franchise being based in the UK were tentatively whispered back in 2007, those whispers are now being echoed by some of the most prominent figures in the sport.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft is one of the most outspoken persons on the issue, claiming “it’s time for you [UK] to have your own NFL franchise”, based in London and cited the way London handled the recent Olympics as proof that the city could host a permanent franchise.

The NFL has also taken significant steps towards finding out if a permanent franchise would be viable in the UK. By securing the Jacksonville Jaguars to repeated appearances from 2013 through 2016 at Wembley, the league will be able to evaluate whether or not a fan base can be built to a level that would sustain a franchise. They have also arranged a second Regular Season fixture in 2013 to be played in London, when the Minnesota Vikings will host the Pittsburgh Steelers. As well as rewarding UK-based NFL fans with an extra game, it will also go a long way to finding out if the consistent sell outs of Wembley are due to novelty, or if it can occur on a more regular basis.

Whilst things are progressing as well as could be expected in regards to the NFL’s international ambitions, there are a number of obstacles which first need to be tackled. League commissioner Roger Goodell has put his weight behind growing the game in the UK over other potential markets such as Germany and Mexico, but feels that the sport needs to be in the top five viewed sports before a franchise could be considered. Given the congested sports market in the UK, American Football will first need to overcome the likes of golf and motorsport, before it sits amongst the national sports of soccer, rugby union and cricket.

Another potential problem is logistics. The distance, and time required, to travel to and from London 16 times a year, not to mention preseason or possible playoff appearances, would certainly be an issue for some teams and owners. It is, however, not an unthinkable proposition. There is not a large difference in distance between London and the NFL teams based on the East Coast than there is between East Coast and West Coast based teams. The Patriots also proved last week that a team can fly into London on the Friday, perform to a high level on the Sunday, and be back at their training facility by the Monday.

Concerns have also been raised over the desire college players would have of joining an overseas based franchise in the NFL Draft, the primary resource NFL teams have for acquiring new players. Whilst this may limit a London-based franchises pool of players to select from, it is not a death sentence to the prospect of an overseas franchise. The creation of a London-based team would do miracles for the game at college level in the UK, something which is currently miles behind their American counterparts, and thus create a larger pool of players who would be willing to play in the UK. In addition to this, London would likely be a desirable location for free agents, as the city could likely rival anything that a New York or Chicago for example, could offer.

For arguably the first time since the inception of the International Series, a franchise in London within 10 years actually seems a realistic option. Many experts have even said that London could likely get a franchise before Los Angeles, given that the infrastructure is already in place, and the huge potential fan base the UK offers if the sports profile can be grown. With television audiences growing swiftly every year in the UK, and the continued success of the International Series, it may be time to start thinking of some potential franchise names. I’m going to put the London Bulldogs on the table.

Image Courtesy : New England Patriots

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London, England — The Commission for a Sustainable London 2012, cautions against complacency when it comes to securing the lasting legacy of the London Games. Following a hugely successful Games for Team GB, it is important that the determination required for sporting success is deployed to ensure that London 2012 is remembered as one of the most ambitious and successful sustainable regeneration projects too.

Shaun McCarthy, Chair, Commission for a Sustainable London 2012, said: “I have always seen London 2012 as a sustainable regeneration project interrupted by a few weeks of sport! There is no doubt that East London has exploded on to the world stage as a place to visit, live and work. However, much is still to be done. It is important that the London Legacy Development Corporation works to ensure the positive momentum gathered from the Games is not lost.”

According to the Commission, the work done to build a community after the Games is a notable achievement. The Olympic Village is set to deliver 2,700 homes; the operations centre will become a school; and the athletes’ polyclinic will become a modern GP clinic. This represents a major contribution to London’s housing shortage.

Jobs are key to legacy. The Commission was impressed by the contribution of the Games during the construction phase as 7,438 jobs came from the five host boroughs. Whilst figures for LOCOG are less clear, it is estimated that 6,000 people have been recruited through their local job brokerage scheme. Nonetheless, the Commission believes that local jobs are important and it encourages the legacy company to actively focus on jobs as much as the ODA and LOCOG have.

The next legacy challenge is promoting healthier lifestyles based on sport. The Commission believes getting more people active takes investment at a community level and a clear plan. Currently no such plan currently exists outside London. Supporting community and school sport will also give a chance for budding young athletes to become the sporting stars of the future.

The Commission for a Sustainable London 2012: The aim of the Commission is to provide independent assurance and commentary to enable the sustainability objectives of the London 2012 programme to be achieved and to support a sustainable legacy. The Commission tracks all the recommendations made here: http://www.cslondon.org/recommendations

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Andy Murray stunned Roger Federer to win the Olympic gold medal at Wimbledon yesterday just 28 days after a gut-wrenching defeat saw the Brit in tears on centre court.

Murray did not drop a set, beating the world number one 6-2, 6-1, 6-4, in a one-sided encounter which showed the world Murray is capable of beating the big guns on the big occasions.

It was revenge for the Scot who lost the Wimbledon final to the Swiss just a month earlier on the same court.

“It’s number one for me – the biggest win of my life,” said Murray., who took inspiration from team GB’s performance on the athletics field on Saturday night.

“I have had a lot of tough losses in my career and this is the best way to come back from the Wimbledon final.”

Murray had  beaten world number two Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the semi-final and looks to be in imperious form entering the American hard-court season.

Many believe this could be the boost the Brit needs to win his first grand slam.

He will now prepare for the final major of the year – the US Open – and will enter with renewed confidence.

“I hope this will give me the confidence to go there and believe in myself a bit more than I have in the past,” said Murray, whose straight sets victory on Sunday was his first in five sets over Federer.

“Hopefully I can have a good run and give myself a shot at winning.

“I’ve had a lot of questions asked about me many times. I’m just glad I managed to put on a performance I’ve been waiting for.

“It was a huge match for me. It was a big match for Roger as well. I’m sure he would have wanted to win the gold – it’s one of the few things he hasn’t done in his singles career.

“To win today, in the way I did, makes those losses a little bit easier to take. It will help with the way I go into the [Grand Slam] matches and I hope it will make me a better player.”

Murray went on to claim a silver medal in the mixed doubles with Laura Robson. They lost in the championship tiebreak to number one seeds Victoria Azerenka and Max Mirnyi.

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Now that the Olympics are facing their fourth competition day, the medal count panorama is starting to get its usual shape with China and USA in the first positions.

China’s delegation is still at the top of the medal table with a total of 14 medals, of which eight are gold, four silver and two bronze.

On Sunday, July 29 there were 14 gold medals at stake, of which two were awarded to the Chinese divers Zi and Wu Minxia in synchronized three-meter springboard. Chinese woman Guo Wenjun also climbed to the top of the podium in the shooting category after winning the rounds of the 10-meter air pistol.

With these two new medals, China reached six golden medals -now they have 8 golds after today’s victory in men diving in the 10 meter synchronized, and Sun Yang winning in the 400m swimming freestyle with a new Olympic record- which leads them as the best country, so far, in the London Olympics.

The United States is the closest to the Chinese, with a total of 13 podiums, 3 of them being gold. On Sunday 29th the shooter Kimberly Rhode (Skeet) and swimmer Dana Vollmer (100m butterfly) caused the American anthem to be played, for a country that can already presume to have three gold, five silvers and five bronzes.

Kimberly Rhode has become the first American athlete to win five medals in an individual event in five consecutive Olympic Games. Will she make the record bigger in Rio, Brazil is a question on everyone’s minds.

The other gold, Dana Vollmer, broke the 100m butterfly world record at the Olympics, finishing in a time of 55.98 seconds.

The six first places in the medal count go for Italy that has gone up to the podium 8 times (2 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze), France (2,1,3 respectively), Republic of Korea (2,1,2) and Russia (2,0,3).

It is still early to make any conclusion, but it seems that both China and USA are full of expectations. On the other hand, the UK (one silver and one bronze), Germany (0 medals), and Spain (0 medals and loosing in soccer where they were favorites) are not doing as well as originally expected.

MEDAL COUNT

• China 8 Golds 4 Silver 2 Bronze 14 Total
• USA 3-5-5-13
• France 2-1-3-6
• Italy 2-4-2-8
• Republic of Korea 2-1-2-5
• Russia 2-0-3-4
• Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 2-0-1-3
• Kazakhstan 2-0-0-2
• Japan 1-3-3-7
• Romania 1-2-0-3

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Kyiv, Ukraine – Ukraine will be the only emerging market in the top ten best performing countries at the upcoming 2012 Summer Olympics in London, according to the study compiled by American bank Goldman Sachs. The authors of the research The Olympics and Economics 2012 expect Ukrainian athletes to win 9 gold medals (and 27 total) at the high profile sports event.

Explaining the methodic used to produce The Olympics and Economics 2012, the author states: “Ultimately, it appears that gold does go where growth and the overall growth environment are best.” The report quotes Tim Hollingsworth, the Chief Executive of the British Paralympic Association: “When you create a world class environment you are far more likely to create world class athletes.”

The indicator used by Goldman Sachs experts to assess the probability of a country winning a certain amount of medals was the Growth Environment Score. The analysts used income, as well as political conditions, macroeconomic stability, macroeconomic conditions, human capital, technology and the microeconomic environment as reference points.

Ukraine took the tenth position in the Goldman Sachs rating with other countries in the top ten being the USA, China, the UK, Russia, Australia, France, Germany, South Korea, and Italy. In 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing Ukraine scored 11th position on the medal table. Ukrainian athletes won 7 gold medals, 5 silver, and 15 bronze then.

Interestingly, the authors of The Olympics and Economics 2012 singled out the sports, most affected by the economic variables. They are cycling, judo, rowing, and swimming. Though Ukrainian judoka Roman Gontiuk and cycler Lesya Kalitovska did win bronze in Beijing, Ukraine won gold in shooting, archery, fencing, athletics, canoeing, and boxing.

The Games of the XXX Olympiad will host more than 10,000 athletes representing 204 nations. Ukrainian 2012 Olympic team features 245 athletes. The 2008 Olympic champions Artur Ayvazyan (shooting), Natalya Dobrynska (athletics), Olga Harlan (fencing), Vasyl Lomachenko (boxing), Inna Osypenko-Radomska (canoeing), and Viktor Ruban (archery) will perform in London.

Ukraine doesn’t just aim to rank high in the competition, the country plans to place 2022 Winter Olympics hosting bid in 2014, according to Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Borys Kolesnikov.

The full text of the Goldman Sachs report can be found here.

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For the first time ever Saudi Arabia has announced that Saudi women will be allowed to compete in the Olympics. Saudi Arabia is one of three countries the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been pressuring to allow female competitors. The other two countries, Qatar and Brunei, have also announced that they will be sending athletes this year. Qatar will be sending three women: a shooter, a swimmer, and a runner; and Brunei will send a woman for the hurdling title.

The Saudi Embassy in London issued a statement announcing the decision which stated, “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia wishes to reaffirm its support the sublime meanings reflected by Olympic Games and the cherished values of excellence, friendship, and respect that they represent.”

The IOC has been working for several months with the Saudi government and issued a positive statement on March 19 that read, “the IOC is confident that Saudi Arabia is working to include women athletes and officials at the Olympic Games in London in accordance with the International Federations’ rules.”

Minky Worden, the director of Global Initiatives at Human Rights Watch said, “It is only right that the Saudi government should play by the Olympic rules. But an 11th-hour change of course to avoid a ban does not alter the dismal and unequal conditions of women and girls in Saudi Arabia.” Worden did admit that the announcement “pins them down to finding a woman. The Saudis should be on a bit of a desperate search” right now.

The Saudis have already allowed one woman, Dalma Rushdi Malhas, to compete in the equestrian competition at the Singapore Youth Olympics. After hearing the announcement that women will now be allowed to compete in the Olympics Malhas said it was “a dream come true. This just opens so many doors for women.”

Unfortunately, due to an injury her horse has suffered, Malhas missed the June 17 qualification and will not be prepared for this Olympic competition. She is still hoping that she will be able to attend the next equestrian competition at the Olympics.

Earlier this year the Human Rights Watch advocacy group said that the reason why women were not allowed to compete in sports came form a “predominant conservative view that opening sports to women and girls will lead to immorality: ‘steps of the devil’ as one prominent religious scholar put it.”

In Saudi Arabia women cannot drive, vote or hold public office, although some of these restrictions may change in 2015. Women are also not allowed to marry, leave the country, open bank accounts, or go to school unless they have the permission of a male guardian such as a father, husband, or brother.

In 2009 and 2010 Saudi Arabia closed its private gyms for women. The only exception for this restriction is the Jeddah United basketball section which is a private sports company.

Previously, female athletes were banned from the Olympics because the crowd includes both men and women who would be watching these women.

King Abdullah came to the throne in 2005 and has tried to do some modern reforms. However, the king has faced large opposition from religious conservatives on every policy that would ease restrictions against women.

One area that King Abdullah has tried to ease restrictions on is driving, but he has heard opposition on this as well.

Manal al Sharif, a Saudi female activist, was arrested and jailed after posting a video on YouTube of her driving. Sharif is helping to organize- and is participating in- the second annual driving protest. Sharif said about the Olympic decision that it “isn’t one of those things we’re crying out for” because they are more interested in their “basic rights.”

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Uganda’s track event athletes have failed to qualify for the 2012 London Summer Olympics. The athletes arrived at Namboole Stadium, a national stadium in Uganda, and were informed that there had been a double-booking with a religious rally.

The Ugandan athletes blame their failure to qualify on the poor quality of the track they had to use, as opposed to using the national track for their time trials. The athletes used the track at Makerere University, which is uneven and has no time precision measurements. Many of the athletes are disappointed, since they will not have another chance to qualify.

The Ugandan Athletics Federation claimed that at least five of the athletes at the time trials qualification would have passed if they had used the other stadium. One of the sprinters statet means we have to wait for another four years.” Another athlete, Okiror Anthony, a 400 meter runner said, “I feel bad because I would have qualified as I was close to the time.”

Namboole Stadium was being used for a religious rally by Japanese Happy Science. According to the BBC there is an assumption within Uganda that the Happy Science group’s money got them the stadium over the potential Olympic athletes.

Brian Rycroft, a spokesman for the religious group, claimed that they booked the stadium through a third party and had no idea that there was even a conflict. The BBC also reported that several evangelical pastors in Kampala have called the religious group a cult. Rycroft took offense to the cult accusations and stated, “People are welcome to join us from whatever background, race, or religion. And they’re free to leave anytime too if they don’t want to stay in Happy Science.”

The Happy Science rally was the first major rally held in Africa, and thousands attended the event. Happy Science claims to be one of the largest and fastest-growing religions in Japan. It was founded in the 1980s by Ryuho Okawa and has grown substantially since then.

Happy Science, a polytheistic religion, has only recently begun its efforts in Africa and has offices in Kampala, Uganda; Durban, South Africa; Lagos State, Nigeria; and Ghana. According to their website, Happy Science “is a religion established by Master Ryuho Okawa – a living Buddha and Savior of the 21st Century. It is a religion which unites all people and, through its unique and powerful teachings, aims to bring happiness to every individual to create a utopia on earth.”

Some of the Ugandan athletes will get another chance to qualify in Benin at the African Athletics Championships.

Image Courtesy of  Uganda Athletics Federation

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London is bestowed with multitudes of international events this year. As Londoners get busy with preparations for the Olympics in July, the city gives its entertainment buffs an unforgettable experience. Terracotta Far East Film Festival has collaborated with the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office to bring the Hong Kong 15 film festival to the Queens City of London this summer. The festival will be held at the popular Odeon Covent Garden from July 2 until July 14. This is indeed a moment of pride for London, as its dissidents will experience cinema of a different caliber and prestige. The film festival will also mark the 15th centenary of the historical release of the British colony of Hong Kong to China.

The festival features 15 brilliant moments of cine magic from the world’s most advanced city. People can connect with Hong Kong in a way they have never connected before and experience the thrills, romance, drama, history, culture and arts of this vibrant city. To make this event memorable, organizers have selected versatile and diverse movies from varied genres to showcase the city’s historical past and its transformation through time.

On June 15, 2012, the festival website released the exciting list of up-coming movies being presented at the symposium. According to the festival website, “The diversity of Hong Kong cinema will be represented through a panorama of films divided in three sections: ‘Currents,’ ’15 Years Review,’ and ‘Shaw Brothers Classics.’” An extensive list includes films by national award-winning directors and brings to us internationally acclaimed actors such as Daniel Ip. The festival is gearing up to provide its audience with varied and multi award-winning movies. The world cinema has come a long way and these festivals are a testimony to the journey independent filmmakers, script writers, and actors have embarked on to make a difference in the art of filmmaking. Hong Kong 15 film festival will also expose the masses to upcoming Hong Kong film intellect from around the region.

The complete list of movies:

Current:

• ‘A Simple Life’ by Ann Hui
• ‘Big Blue Lake’ by Jessey Tsang Tsui- Shan
• ‘White Vengeance’ by Daniel Lee Life
• ‘Without Principle’ by Johnnie To,
• ‘The Bounty’ by Fung Chi Chiang,
• ‘The Detective 2′ by Oxide Pang,
• ‘East Meets West 2011′ by Jeffrey Lau,
• ‘Wu Xia’ by Peter Chan.

15 Years Review:

• ‘Made In Hong Kong’ by Fruit Chan
• ‘When Beckham Met Owen’ by Adam Wong
• ‘Infernal Affairs’ by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak,
• ‘Sparrow’ by Johnnie To,
• ‘Dream Home’ by Pang Ho-cheung.

Shaw Brothers Classic:

• ‘The 36th Chamber of Shaolin’ by Liu Chia-Liang,
• ‘One Armed Swordsman’ by Chang Cheh.

For booking and all other enquiries, please visit the Hong Kong 15 film festival website.

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Harmondsworth, England – One of British Airways’ fleet of 747s is now featuring a very special emblem to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The celebratory aircraft will be flying its message of congratulations around the world.

Designed by 11-year-old Blue Peter winner, Katherine Dewar from Chester, the official logo has been emblazoned on the side of the British Airways aircraft alongside the words, “Congratulations, Celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee”.

Katherine Dewar said: “Since winning the competition, it’s been like a dream come true to see my design in so many different places around the UK but I never expected to see it on a huge jumbo plane.

“I love going on holiday to Florida and hope the next time I do I’ll be lucky enough to fly on this plane so I can look out the window at my design.”

British Airways’ Captain Mark Mannering-Smith said: “As the national flag carrier I can’t think of anything more fitting than British Airways carrying a message of congratulations to Her Majesty around the world.”

Customers travelling on flights arriving into London over the Jubilee weekend (June 2-5, 2012) will hear British Airways captains making congratulatory announcements to mark the occasion.

In British Airways’ Heathrow lounges, customers will be offered a regal afternoon tea, including a selection of traditional British sandwiches, sweet treats and a special Jubilee blend of tea from Twinings.

Premium customers in the Business and Concorde lounges will be invited to raise a glass to toast Her Majesty with a champagne cocktail, ‘Pimms Royale’, or the award-winning English sparkling wine, Balfour Brut.

For those looking for some pre-flight pampering, there’s also a selection of Jubilee treatments at the Terminal 5 Elemis Spa exclusively for British Airways’ First, Club World and Gold Executive Club members. These customers will be able to choose from four ‘Royal Therapies’ and massage treatments, including Royal Rose facials, hand treatments and musclease foot and body workouts.

British Airways offer holidays in London with a range of hotels to choose from including great value budget hotels to luxurious five star hotels and apartments in central London.

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London, UK – A British Muslim community has set out plans to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with street parties, lighting up of mosques throughout the UK, feeding the homeless and a launch of 200 special Diamond Jubilee buses across London – a unique contribution to this historic event.

Ahmadiyya Muslims will play the national anthem in street parties across 30 towns and cities from London to Glasgow. In Birmingham for example the celebrations will feature the Royal Navy band playing the national anthem at the mosque and congratulatory messages being read out in 60 languages by local community representatives.

There will also be special prayers for The Queen at 100 mosques and prayer halls belonging to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community – one of the oldest Islamic groups in Britain.

The community has also launched a special edition of the book ‘A Gift for the Queen’ written by their founder, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, on the occasion of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

The National President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK, Mr Rafiq Hayat said:

“In the history of the British monarch there have only been two diamond Jubilees, and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community have been involved with both.

“We share in our country’s pride and joy at Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. It is our heartfelt prayer that may God continue to protect the Queen and we look forward to the festivities of the Jubilee weekend and to make them as inclusive as possible.

“As Muslims, we are duty bound to serve Queen and country and we regard this as an important part of our religion as we were taught by Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that loyalty to one’s country is a part of faith.”

In addition, Ahmadi Muslims will:

- Take part in the Big Lunch on 3rd June

- Light up all its mosques across the UK

- Say special prayers for the Queen on 1st June

- Feed the Homeless – 10,000 will benefit from this endeavour

- Hold charity walks to raise GBP400,000 for the Queen’s charities

- Fundraise through the community’s women’s network

- Organise blood donation sessions

- Hold interfaith symposia throughout the UK

A charity walk by thousands of community members around the Tower of London has already raised tens of thousands of pounds for the Queen’s Jubilee charities.

London buses with the special Diamond Jubilee poster also feature the peace campaign website for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

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Washington, US – The Herschel Space Observatory has shown galaxies with the most powerful, active black holes at their cores produce fewer stars than galaxies with less active black holes. The results are the first to demonstrate black holes suppressed galactic star formation when the universe was less than half its current age. Herschel is a European Space Agency-led mission with important NASA contributions.

“We want to know how star formation and black hole activity are linked,” said Mathew Page of University College London’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory in the United Kingdom and lead author of the Nature paper describing these findings. “The two processes increase together up to a point, but the most energetic black holes appear to turn off star formation.”

Super massive black holes, weighing as much as millions of suns, are believed to reside in the hearts of all large galaxies. When gas falls upon these monsters, the material is accelerated and heated around the black hole, releasing great torrents of energy. Earlier in the history of the universe, these giant, luminous black holes, called active galactic nuclei, were often much brighter and more energetic. Star formation was also livelier back then.

Studies of nearby galaxies suggest active black holes can squash star formation. The revved-up, central black holes likely heat up and disperse the galactic reservoirs of cold gas needed to create new stars. These studies have only provided “snapshots” in time, however, leaving the overall relationship of active galactic nuclei and star formation unclear, especially over the cosmic history of galaxy formation.

“To understand how active galactic nuclei affect star formation over the history of the universe, we investigated a time when star formation was most vigorous, between eight and 12 billion years ago,” said co-author James Bock, a senior research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena and co-coordinator of the Herschel Multi-tiered Extragalactic Survey. “At that epoch, galaxies were forming stars 10 times more rapidly than they are today on average. Many of these galaxies are incredibly luminous, more than 1,000 times brighter than our Milky Way.”

For the new study, Page and colleagues used Herschel data that probed 65 galaxies at wavelengths equivalent to the thickness of several sheets of office paper, a region of the light spectrum known as the far-infrared. These wavelengths reveal the rate of star formation, because most of the energy released by developing stars heats surrounding dust, which then re-radiates starlight out in far-infrared wavelengths.

The researchers compared their infrared readings with X-rays streaming from the active central black holes in the survey’s galaxies, measured by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. At lower intensities, the black holes’ brightness and star formation increased in sync. However, star formation dropped off in galaxies with the most energetic central black holes. Astronomers think inflows of gas fuel new stars and super massive black holes. Feed a black hole too much, however, and it starts spewing radiation into the galaxy that prevents raw material from coalescing into new stars.

“Now that we see the relationship between active super massive black holes and star formation, we want to know more about how this process works,” said Bill Danchi, Herschel program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Does star formation get disrupted from the beginning with the formation of the brightest galaxies of this type, or do all active black holes eventually shut off star formation, and energetic ones do this more quickly than less active ones?”

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LONDON, UK – Pop-up shops in some of the capitals trendiest shopping areas can offer jobseekers valuable work experience exposure, says reed.co.uk

As more and more high-street retailers continue to fall victim to higher rental and business costs in London’s most fashionable shopping areas, forcing multiple outlet closures, the number of temporary pop-up shops occupying the vacated space is seemingly on the rise. reed.co.uk, one of the UKs leading job sites, claim these temporary ventures are providing opportunities for jobseekers to gain relevant work experience exposure, especially if they wish to attain future retail or sales jobs in the capital.

Since the turmoil of the economic recession in 2008 heaved financial pressure on retailers, many of the UKs leading high-street brands have had to shut-up-shop in some of London’s most bustling shopping areas. Continual rises in costs have only added to the number of closures, however the vacated space has meant smaller, pop-up shops are now emerging across the capital; giving smaller traders the chance to benefit from higher levels of shopper traffic, even if it is for a limited time only.

With relevant experience highly sought after by prospective-employers, reed.co.uk say jobseekers, aiming to improve their chances of gaining jobs in London are now considering applying for work experience in pop-up shops; especially if, in the past, financial constraints have limited the time available to undertake unpaid placements.

The job site admits that one of the biggest barriers jobseekers face when undertaking work experience placements is financial sustainability- after-all most placements do not offer a wage or any sort of payment for work. However with pop-up shops only trading on a temporary basis (most are only typically open for a month at a time), reed.co.uk claim attaining work experience for such a short period of time is ideal for those unable to commit for greater lengths of time.

“Pop-up shops provide ideal opportunities for jobseekers to gain valued work experience, quickly. Not only can they gain great exposure to the retail industry as a whole, but they can see how smaller businesses can thrive in such a competitive environment,” said a spokesperson for reed.co.uk.

“However it’s not just small clothing retailers taking advantage of higher levels of shopping traffic- as you’d expect. Many restaurant owners, artists and top-brand designers, including Vivienne Westwood and Stella McCartney, have also jumped at the chance to temporarily rent from previously vacated shops, so there are plenty of work experience opportunities in several career sectors.”

With pop-up shop venues set-up across London, most notably in Shoreditch, East London (Box Shoreditch- the world’s first pop-up mall), Carnaby Street and Camden, shop owners have exposure to some of the busiest shopping areas in the world.

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London, UK – Dorothy Perkins has revealed the launch of a new collection entitled ‘A Postcard From’ by London-based designer Olivia Rubin. The collection will appear exclusively in Dorothy Perkins’ top 25 stores and online.

‘A Postcard From’ is inspired by Olivia’s memories of her travels and aims to evoke a mood of summer fun. The new collection will include dresses, tops, swimwear and accessories, all featuring Olivia’s signature prints. In addition to its bright pink shades, the collection’s colour palette includes neutral tones of grey and pastels. With these soft colours expected to make a big splash in SS12, the collection represents a fresh, young point of view that’s very much on-trend.

Known for her distinctive prints, Olivia brings her signature patterning to the collection. It includes an array of jersey with blush-coloured shells, bikinis and beach bags with bold coral designs and chiffon maxi dresses with tropical bird prints.

Olivia’s collection also features many of her signature silhouettes, which have been seen on a range of popular female celebrities in recent years. The collection is aimed to flatter every woman, with sizes ranging from 8 to 18.

The collection is also an opportunity for fans of Olivia to wear her looks at affordable, high street prices. The accessibility of the range and the inclusion of versatile accessories is what has excited Olivia most about the collection.

Olivia commented on her collection: “I’m so excited to be working with Dorothy Perkins and to bring my designs to the high street. The collection focuses on strong yet simple silhouettes, as I always design feminine shapes with an original take, in order to create a versatile piece that can become a wardrobe staple. Also I have introduced jewelry and swimwear to the range, which will be the first time I have added accessories to one of my collections.”

The Olivia Rubin London for Dorothy Perkins collection will be available online at http://www.dorothyperkins.com. It will also be available in the following UK stores from the end of April 2012.

Image Courtesy of Ardfern (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons

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London, UK – London & Partners launches new SMG Insight / YouGov research which shows London fever has spread around the world.

London is set to inspire the world over the next 4 months in the run up to London 2012 according to new research launched by London & Partners which shows the extent of international excitement about the Olympics and the host city, London.

In central London, outside the Olympic Park, a celebration of cultures will be hitting the streets, with National Olympic Committees creating a festival atmosphere by offering opportunities for fans from around the world to show their support for their athletes. Over 40 nations will be represented through official NOC Houses situated around London. The NOC houses will offer fans an opportunity to experience the national entertainment and culture, watch sports on big screens and join in celebrations during athlete appearances.

London 2012 is also creating a lasting global sporting legacy with over one-in-four people from sampled nations inspired to take up swimming and one-in-five considering taking up cycling this year. To capitalise on this interest plans are already in place to launch a new world-class cycling event in the city following the Games – cycling’s equivalent of the London Marathon.

Such is the excitement about the Games in China that two-thirds of the Chinese population, the hosts of the 2008 Olympics, are inspired to participate in Badminton during 2012 and over half intend to take up table tennis.

Music, culture and outdoor spaces are also important for international visitors to London. London’s river, squares and parks are an important attraction for visitors with almost 6-in-10 stating that they intend to visit London’s famous outdoor spaces. In these spaces, BT will be hosting BT London Live sites where medal events will be shown on the big screen and a daily schedule of cultural and arts showcases from around the world will be shown.

Retail will also experience a significant boost with over 40% of visitors planning to go to world famous shopping locations such as Harrods, Selfridges and Oxford Street.

Iain Edmondson, Head of the Major Events team at London & Partners, said: “During the Games, there will be a festival atmosphere filling the streets of London with numerous opportunities for the public to experience the spirit of the Games even if they don’t have tickets. After 2012 people will be able to turn the inspiration of the Games into participation, by entering London’s world-class mass-participation events such as the London Marathon, London Triathlon and new road cycling event.”

Key results from the London Sport Global Inspiration Survey show that:

•   28% of adults are inspired to take up swimming during 2012. 20% inspired to take up cycling.
•   Both modern and historic sporting locations are the most inspiring Olympic venues. 23% want to see the Olympic Stadium, 18% Olympic Aquatic Centre and 18% Wimbledon
•  23% of those surveyed favour watching Rafael Nadal and Michael Phelps. Rising stars such as basketball player Jeremy Lin (20%) and cyclist Mark Cavendish (13%) also feature as inspirational figures around the world. Usain Bolt is the most popular athletes for UK residents, with 28% stating that they are inspired to watch him.
• 69% of the Chinese population are inspired to watch basketball during 2012. Nearly a third (30%) of the international survey is inspired to watch athletics/running.
• Half of visitors to London are inspired to visit a museum or historic building. Slightly more (53%) will visit a tourist attraction such as Madame Tussauds and 57% will visit a park, river or public space.

The full report can be viewed and downloaded from here:

http://vlstatic.com/l-and-p/assets/events/london-sport-global-inspiration-survey-report.pdf 

For the full list of NOC houses available to the public and what’s going on in London throughout 2012 go to http://www.visitlondon.com/2012 

Image Courtesy of   Pete Niesen / Shutterstock.com

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Cruelty Free International has announced the support of singer-songwriter Joss Stone for its mission to end product testing on animals worldwide.

More than 80% of the world still allows animals to be used in cruel experiments for the sake of beauty. Despite progress with some countries and companies, animals, including rabbits, guinea pigs, mice and rats are routinely injected, gassed, force-fed and killed for cosmetics testing. In a global market it is important that all countries ban the practice to avoid testing simply moving around the world to those countries with no effective laws.

Joss is raising awareness across the world about the continued cruel use of animals to test everyday beauty products and toiletries. She said: “Thousands of animals continue to die each year for lipstick, toothpaste, fragrance and other products, so it’s crucial that we campaign for a global ban. Cruelty Free International has taken on this challenge and I am pleased to support them, and I urge you all to do the same.”

“I’m proud to support Cruelty Free International. At last someone has stepped up to the plate to take on the task of ending cosmetics tests on animals around the world.” Joss Stone commented on his new role.

Cruelty Free International, the new global non-profit organization, was established in March by the BUAV, one of the world’s longest standing and most respected animal protection organizations. Cruelty Free International will place the issue of animal testing on the agenda of many governments for the very first time as part of a global strategy to tackle product testing. With offices in London, Boston and Singapore, it will work with governments, regulators, companies and partner organizations worldwide.

“We are thrilled to have Joss Stone on board and are grateful for her support in helping us with our mission for a global ban on the use of animals to test cosmetics.” Cruelty Free International Chief Executive, Michelle Thew, stated.

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First of all, I cannot tell you how excited my country is to be hosting the Olympic Games this year, it has been the talk of the nation for many years now and it is now just a few months away from reality. But people realize there will be millions of guests flooding in to the British capitol from around the world come the summer, and not all will be familiar with the ways public transport works in England.

It can be very simple, but it can also be very much a pain. Trains will be your easiest way to get around, or the underground, depending on where you are going. Travel early is always the first tip I give people since London is a busy city at the best of times, never mind when a global sporting event is taking place there. There are plenty of underground stations nearby the Olympic Park and once you get used to it, it will be very easy for you to find your way around.

If you are planning on taking the train to the Olympic Park, the three nearest train stations are Stratford station, Stratford International station and West Ham station, all accessible from the bigger stations in the city centre, such as King’s Cross and Euston. Stratford and West Ham also provide underground travel, and again, these two stations will be your best bet when making your way to the Olympic Park.

There will be hundreds of bus services and coach services taking people to and from the Olympic Park from all around London. Even if you are planning to live within walking distance, this can be useful at times since, despite what people think, England can be very warm in the summer. There are Taxi services almost everywhere in London, and if you are over here for a while, why not rent a car for the time of your stay and make your way there in your own comfort.

If you are planning on travelling further north, perhaps to take in some football (soccer) in Manchester, or Birmingham, trains run from the centre of London to both cities. London is a complex city, but there are too many travel services to get lost. Somehow you will always have a route to the Olympic Park and though it may be confusing for a few days, once you know what you are doing, London is not much different to any other major city for transport.

If you want more information on travelling to the Olympics once you arrive, take a look at the website London2012.com.

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Hard Rock is on the hunt for rock stars on the rise to take the stage at the 2012 Hard Rock Calling music festival in London’s Hyde Park. Hard Rock Rising, the global battle of the bands, will give one local band from this international competition the chance of a lifetime – to be on the bill with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at one of the world’s most-anticipated concert events.

Rising to the Occasion – the Road to Hard Rock’s Main Stage

Hard Rock, in partnership with ReverbNation, will host an open registration for bands wishing to participate in the global battle from Friday, January 6, 2012, through Tuesday, January 17, 2012. The combination of Hard Rock’s iconic brand and ReverbNation’s extensive network of over 1.8 million artists around the world will give great undiscovered bands an international stage to jumpstart their careers.

“Hard Rock believes it is critical to support emerging artists and discover new musical talent through the Hard Rock Rising program,” said John Galloway, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Hard Rock International. “We are confident our partnership with ReverbNation will help us secure world-class talent that we can showcase to the international music community at this year’s Hard Rock Calling festival.”

“Hard Rock is a worldwide icon of music, the perfect brand to provide this opportunity to deserving artists,” added Mike Doernberg, ReverbNation CEO and Co-founder. “From day one here at Reverb, we’ve been all about the artist and opportunities like Hard Rock Rising extend that mission exponentially.”

To register, future rock stars can visit one of 86 participating Hard Rock Cafe Facebook pages. Following open registration, fans decide who moves on to the live performance phase of the program and can vote on any Hard Rock’s city-specific Facebook page by downloading free tracks from bands of their choice.

After fans choose their favorites, participating Hard Rock Cafe locations around the world will host a series of live competitions featuring these local bands. One winner will be selected from each location by the other participating bands. These local winners will be narrowed down to the top ten bands worldwide via fan voting on participating Hard Rock Facebook fan pages. Finally a panel of celebrity judges and music industry professionals will select the top three winners.

The first place winner will be flown to London for the ultimate rock star treatment, including a spot on the bill at Hard Rock Calling 2012. Second and third prize winners will receive $5,000 and $2,500, respectively, in ReverbNation PROMOTE IT credits, a revolutionary tool that creates targeted, highly effective Facebook advertising campaigns for musicians and venues promoting songs, Facebook pages, and concerts.

Greetings From Hyde Park – Hard Rock Calling 2012

Hard Rock Calling, an iconic festival now in its seventh consecutive year, has established itself as one of the UK’s premier outdoor music events. The 2012 festival will take place from Friday, July 13 to Sunday, July 15 in London’s Hyde Park. Headliners for the festival will include Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, who will take the Main Stage for their second Hard Rock Calling performance.

Hard Rock Calling 2012′s performers will join a long line of rock ‘n’ roll greats who have taken the stage at this iconic festival including: Aerosmith, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, The Who, Pearl Jam, Peter Gabriel, The Killers, The Police, Rod Stewart, and Bon Jovi.

Hard Rock Calling, produced by Live Nation and presented by Hard Rock International, is a unique and historic musical event with a main stage, second stage, renowned bands, on-site Hard Rock Cafe, as well as a variety of additional attractions.

Mat Hayward / Shutterstock.com

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In this hard financial climate, it seems that getting together and letting off a bit of steam with friends is still the mainstay for survival against a hostile world. It has been interesting to see how or even whether the current recession has hit the entertainment industry, and an analysis at specialist stag-do organiser DesignaVenture has certainly thrown up some remarkable stats to the contrary.

If  planning a girlie or guy trip away, here is what 2011 indicated in the popularity stakes:

It might be all the celebs that raised its profile this year, but Rob Brydon, Katherine Jenkins, Rhod Gilbert and Batchelor Gavin Henson have certainly wooed to the green, green grass of Wales, which was up 32% as a destination in 2011.

Ever popular stag-dos to Bristol are still climbing, with a rise of 23%. Who would have thought that a West Country accent would become so trendy? Did the Royal wedding pull London up a notch, or was it all just Made in Chelsea? Maybe, as visits rose by 17%, though Nottingham’s rockin’ party culture also kept it nudging forward and up 16%.

Even with such a dismal summer, Britain’s coastal resorts still remained on the party radar, and benders to Bournemouth leapt up by 9%. And what are revellers doing on their mad weekends away? Most popular daytime activities are the motor sports, specifically, karting (indoor and outdoor), rage and dirt buggies, quads, rallying and the like.

For those keen to get kicks after the daily grind, other outdoor pursuits on the rise are clay-pigeon shooting, deep-sea fishing (thank you Robson Green) and the outer limits of gorge scrambling. Goodness, the nation is an adventurous lot. Clearly, there are still some traditionalists though, as steadfastly holding their firm favourite position are the dog and horseracing venues.

Plus, proving that gambling is now disconcertingly one of the country’s top occupations, casino nights are hugely popular as part of a party package. Curiously, people have not all lost their heads completely by going on totally liquid nights out, as a spokesperson from DesignaVenture also advised, “Night-time activities are on the up, with more meals with bars and clubs being pre-booked so our clients were not leaving anything to chance”.

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There is any number of quotes with which an article on anything Shakespearean could be written, but none does “the Bard” justice like a quote actually uttered in the theatre, and nowhere more so than at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. The building is an impressive attempt at Elizabethan authenticity, and the actors do a great job of interacting with the audience, as well as producing top-notch theatre.

Although it is not the original building, it is as careful a reproduction as can be built, based on a Dutchman’s surviving drawing of the style. People have a choice of vantage points for the stage: the cheap-seats are not seats at all, but are instead a standing area on the ground below the stage (originally for people commonly called ‘groundlings’ in Shakespeare’s time); cushions are available to rent for the well-worn wooden benches on the three levels surrounding the stage.

According to historical accounts, each section of the theatre required a fee: one would pay a penny into an agent’s box; one would again pay into a box to get to the seats, and again to get into the next level. Once the play began, these agents would return the boxes to an office, hence, the term ‘box office.’

The current Globe was built on the site of two previous versions on the south bank of the River Thames. One burned down after an accident with a cannon-ball; the second was razed by the Puritan Cromwell. The original theatre preceding those two had been located on the north bank until the land lease expired and the company was evicted.

‘Shakespeare’s Globe,’ as it is known now, sits in a pretty area overlooking the river. The cylindrical building has a white and wood-beamed Tudor façade, and the food vendors outside help provide an idea of what the ‘arts scene’ might have resembled at the height of the theatre’s popularity.

But “the play’s the thing,” and the performances staged here are some of the best in the world. The actors are experienced Thespians, the stage itself, as well as the building, provide the authentic setting, and the writing is already quite well known.

If London is the historical capital of Western civilization, then Shakespeare’s Globe is the capital of Western theatre. To attend a performance here is to participate in one of Western culture’s greatest and oldest traditions, and to treat oneself to the height of culture and entertainment.

The 2012 season has just been announced, and, as is the norm, it promises some of the most popular and famous plays written: ‘The Taming of the Shrew,’ ’Twelfth Night,’ and ‘As You Like It,’ for the laughs; ‘Richard III,’ ’Henry V,’ and, of course, ‘Hamlet,’ for the drama. Often, other playwrights are included in the season, but this year it really is ‘Shakespeare’s Globe.’

Padmayogini / Shutterstock.com

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Some believe the centre of the world is wherever they are; others believe it is one among several ‘World Cities.’ The definition varies by location, by culture or personal interpretation. What is less ambiguous is the list of these major cities. No version of this list should omit London as one of the great capitals of this world.

It is arguably the most important Western city in history, or was, and it remains one of the top tourist destinations anywhere. Such large cities are considered to share many characteristics, good and bad, such as a greater focus of culture, higher crime, more pollution and greater diversity. London is a good exemplar of these and many other big-city traits.

There is the typical list of ‘pros and cons’: some of the best theatre in the world, heavy traffic, free museums and galleries, high living-costs, density of historical sites, the oldest — and it shows — underground railway systems in the world. There are some surprising contradictions as well.

Living expenses can be very high; rent in particular can be exclusive. On the other hand, groceries are often on sale, and some are regularly quite cheap. Alcohol is usually cheaper than in many other countries, which often leads to public altercations; taking the last train home can be an odious experience.

This national alcoholism is often debated, but remains undeniable; nonetheless, the level of creativity and contribution to the global pool is equally irrefutable. In many cases, the intoxicants might spur the creative contribution. It can be dangerous to walk the streets at night: many know someone who has been beaten for no discernible reason; knife crime is a problem; racial violence is reported on occasion.

Yet London is also far less intimidating than one might expect: it is possible to walk for over an hour at night and see very few other people. Some people are quite friendly; others, who appear threatening, are actually the most gentle and warm — and misunderstood — people one might encounter.

The city boasts a range of museums and galleries full of some of the most famous pieces in the world. Many charge no admission. Access to this culture is considerable, especially given the value of these collections to Western civilization.

In all too typical fashion, it is the arts that are always under attack from the government, whichever party is in power: London, and the entire country, produce more world-class art –whether art, music, film, literature – than almost every other country, and it has some of the most respected and productive schools; still, each government is quick to undermine these national resources by cutting funds.

This is not limited to these islands, of course. London is fiercely proud, and rightly so. It can make fun of itself, and realise its faults. It is exclusive but welcoming; dangerous in parts, safe in others. London can cost an arm for a concert, but smaller venues are often cheaper than a cinema ticket. Alcohol does not cost an arm, but might cost a liver.

The pubs vary from cozy to clubs: one can find an intimate atmosphere or lose one’s hearing with the music. London offers a great density and diversity of experiences; it is expensive, but worth a visit or a longer stay. The contradictions can be a fascinating diversion, and can inspire those who investigate the city.

Bon voyage!

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Wedding-style organ notes fade in, echoed chords slowly infiltrate and the dulcet tones of Miss Welch begin for what can only be the starter track of the new Florence and the Machine album, “Ceremonials.” The second album after the storming success of 2009’s “Lungs” is no disappointment, barging its way into the UK album chart at number one and shuffling its nose into the Top Ten in the US chart.

It seems the only way is up for the redhead and her roadies; starting a national tour on March 2, they will be rocking stages with their new sound at Dublin’s O2 Arena, through Bournemouth, Cardiff, Nottingham, London, Glasgow, Manchester, and finishing at Newcastle’s Metro Arena March 16.

Speculation about the band’s tour may not be isolated to the music, though: questions of what outfits she may wear onstage will undoubtedly paint headlines in the papers. Something of a London ‘it’ Girl, much focus has been on Florence’s indie-hippy persona, inventive clothing and, of course, fantastic flaming hair.

She is in the company of many successful Brit artists of late such as Adele, both of whom find their careers rocketing in the US, and their appearances scrutinized in magazines. Florence, however, seems to regard the matter with little interest: “It’s not inner turmoil. It’s total escapism. I’m not wrestling with my emotions. It’s a dress,” she said.

The singer has previously declared she is not interested in that side of her career: “I already feel like mine is planned out for the next two years, so I don’t think I’d like to get anymore famous!”

What remains is the music. Facades aside, what we have left is a truly soulful album. While “Shake It Out,” a lead track from the album released a few weeks ago, may have been a more obvious and go-getting start, what is chosen instead is the more subtle and vocal-based “Only If For a Night.” It is one of the more gothic and mournful songs, which, although a slow-burner, particularly for new fans, generates a feeling of familiarity.

While criticized for multi-tracking on vocals in many, if not most, of the tracks, this new sound creates an almost tribal-like feel, as in “What the Water Gave Me,” released over the summer. It is also in these songs that we hear the much examined similarity to Kate Bush: the warbling trills and mordents that somehow complement the unique mesh of harps, bells, organs, guitars and drums to create that atmospheric sound specific to the Brit indie group.

The more radio-friendly tracks also make an appearance, such as “Heartlines,” with a return of the tambourine beat we all love and mood-lifting choruses you know you will find yourself belting alongside to, regardless of whether or not you know the lyrics. Tickets for the 2012 tour will be on sale November 25.

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The current exhibitions in London for this year’s London Design Festival have generated a lot of interest, but perhaps not as much as the Textile Field by french designers Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec. These “fields” are essentially slanted slabs in different shades of green and blue.

Its very eye catching and appealing. Not one person who walks into that gallery can resist the urge to sit a while, despite the “unEnglishness” of it all. So what is the draw? The view above when you sit down? Unfortunately not. Your natural instinct is to lie down and look up.

The hall is large and with such beautiful surroundings, it seems to make sense that this ceiling would be stimulating to look at as well. But any visitors that may give in to curiosity, lay down, and look expectantly upwards will be met with a sight to make your eyes sore. All that are installed on the ceiling are bright glaring spot lights.

This can be a huge let down. However, this lack of view did not stop people from sitting down for quite a length of time. One of the most striking things about this exhibit is how people lay on this “grass”. The majority lay with their legs hanging over the edge, with their head going downwards.

Surely this is the most uncomfortable position, so some people’s solution to this problem was to do exercises; most popular was the bicycle move with your feet above your head. Many others lay and talked to those that were next to them. The sheer size of the exhibition–over 240 square meters–makes you feel small, childlike even.

In synthetic reality our inhibitions somehow end up getting left behind the moment we remove our shoes. There was therefore rather an interesting response to the exhibition, but a very positive one. People seemed to feel a great deal of freedom with regards to how to interact with the display. All ages showed signs of enjoying simply taking a moment and sitting. Or lying.

Or even doing exercises. And perhaps this is its genius: that gets us to stop and just be. In the chaotic, often stressful city of London it is rare to find a place to relax and smell the roses, however fake they may be. Imagine taking this idea and duplicating it, in various sizes, all across the city. Creating spaces for people to go and read or chat or sleep.

A small oasis in the midst of our busy lives. This set-up is one that would be probably welcomed by people of all ages, especially in a city environment it is often not practical to go and find a real field to sit in. These could be the fields of the future. Designed for our comfort, fields for the material age.

However, let us remember that sitting in a museum, beautiful as it may be, is no substitute for nature. While our interaction and experience with these textile blocks may be positive, hopefully people would never wish to exchange the joys of the outdoors for a well designed mock-up.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/smallritual/

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Fashion Designer Stella McCartney celebrated her 40^th birthday surrounded by her famous friends at a party in London last week. McCarney showed up in a sparkling blue-sequined dress of her own design, her hair pulled back into a simple bun and her skin glowing. The entire look was very modern and elegant.

Stella McCartney is the daughter of famous former Beatles Sir Paul McCartney. She was born and raised in London. Although being only 40 this year, Stella is a well-recognized and honored fashion designer.

Her achievements are in fashion and social awareness and have been proven in the following awards: the Woman of Courage Award for work against cancer at the prestigious Unforgettable Evening event (2003, LA), the Star Honoree at the Fashion Group International Night of the Stars (2004, NY), the Organic Style Woman of the Year Award (2005, NY), the Green Designer of the Year at the ACE Awards (2008, NY) and many others.

In 2009, she was honored by the NRDC, featured in the Time 100 and recognized as a Glamour magazine Woman of the Year. Stella is a lifelong vegetarian and does not use any leather or fur in her designs. Her collections include women’s ready-to-wear, accessories, lingerie, eyewear, fragrance and organic skincare.

Recently McCartney has opened 15 freestanding stores in prime locations including Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, London’s Mayfair, LA’s West Hollywood, Paris’ Palais Royal and in Milan, as well as opening doors in Beirut, Las Vegas and Rome. Her collections are now distributed in over 50 countries through 600 wholesale accounts including specialty shops and department stores.

Being a top fashion designer to celebrities, it was no surprise that Stella’s party had an impressive guest list. According to the Daily Mail UK, among the celebrities who accompanied Stella’s birthday fun were model Kate Moss, actress Kate Hudson who arrived with her partner and Muse frontman Matt Bellamy and Gwyneth Paltrow.

One of the guests of honor was Sir Paul McCartney, Stella’s father who arrived with his fiancée Nancy Sheval. Other guests included U2 frontman Bono who showed up with his wife Alison Hewson, actress Jamie Winstone, actor Alfie Allen, singer Sharleen Spiteri and designer Tom Ford.

It wasn’t just Stella who proved that maturing women can still be attractive and stylish. Looking at the photos from Stella’s birthday party available on dailymail.co.uk, beautiful women such as Rachel Weisz said that turning forty was “so not a major milestone.”

The all-night birthday party took place at the Asprey House in Wellington Arch and ended with an after-party at the Groucho Club in Soho according to Daily Mail UK. There may be more partying time in Stella’s McCartney future, because she’s set to show her spring 2012 designs on October 3 during Fashion Week in Paris.

 
Simon James / Shutterstock.com

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Two weeks after David Cameron’s speech, British officials met last Thursday with representatives of Research in Motion, Facebook and Twitter to discuss ways to control or limit social media in order to resist violence and turmoil in the streets.

The government’s home minister, Theresa May, said that the goal behind the meeting was not to restrict social media, but instead “crack down networks being used for criminal behaviour”. The discussions in the meeting revolved around allowing more power to law enforcement to have access to data from these networks in order to fight back any possible organized riots.

In earlier statements, Research in Motion, the developer of BlackBerry, expressed its will to cooperate with local telecommunication operators, law enforcement and the British government. The company agreed to provide the British police information from the BlackBerry Messenger network.

Gordon Scobbie, a senior police officer who attended the meeting, suggested that Twitter could assist the police by compelling users to use their real names instead of nicknames. In a reply to this, Sean Garrett, a Twitter spokesman, said that Twitter was not considering requiring real names, insisting that the meeting was not a negotiation.

Meanwhile, Facebook said that it had already deleted certain groups, and had removed accounts created under fake identities. The company further emphasized that its social network was used in a positive way by Britons reacting to riots, including clean ups by residents in many neighborhoods.

Cameron’s initial suggestion seemed to be absent at Thursday meeting, as May informed social networks that the government had no intention of restricting Internet services.

Facebook, Twitter and other public sites on the Internet played a crucial role in linking many social movements in the Arab world, and leading them towards systematic change. However, the restriction and control of the Internet in Tunisia did not help in keeping the old regime in power. In Egypt, turning off the Internet for four days was a motive to enrage passive citizens to go out to protest.

Banning Internet use in the UK could have been a fatal step and could have worsened the situation even more. On the one hand, the action would undermine the credibility of the country as an ancient democracy, and as a promoter of liberties in the third world. On the other hand, taking such actions would encourage regimes that have been criticized by the West for limiting freedoms to further sustain their control over the media.

Image Courtesy of  GeorgeRexTA [at gmail [dot] com] (Flickr: London Riots, Croydon) [CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

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Many people believe that Social media services were instrumental in organizing the seemingly ubiquitous riots that garnered attention, but recent news have proven that most of the communication took place via the Blackberry BBM service. The riots began shortly after the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan on August 4.

Twitter became one of the best tools used to monitor the crisis occurring in London. According to Experian Hitwise, a web analytic company, 3.4 million people from the U.K. accessed Twitter’s homepage on August 8.

Twitter is said to have played an active role in the horrific London events that took place on August 6. People believed that Twitter’s service was used by organizers in planning this riot but latest news shows that Blackberrys were the main form of communication between rioters, most likely due to the free BBM service provided when purchasing the phone.

This particular phone is also inexpensive, compared to other smart phones available in the market. According to the Daily Mail, a vast majority of those arrested are under the age of 20, the youngest being 11 years old.

In a recent study done by Ofcom, it was found that Blackberrys are popular among adolescents and teens. The reason for this is because of the free BBM service that offers a free alternative to SMS. It is also a secure and less traceable alternative as opposed to tweeting and texting, which is why rioters used BBM to communicate.

Messages sent via Blackberry informed the participants of the plans in the area. For example, one message referred to Oxford Circus, a busy intersection of London where numerous businesses were attacked. It read, “everyone from all sides of London… meet up, smash up shops and get some free stuff,” adding: “if you see a fed [police] … SHOOT! “

The Guardian has acquired information of Government involvement in tracking down riot organizers. They have sought out help from security service MI5 and the electronic interception centre Government Communications Headquarters.

But not all of social media is being used for sinister purposes.

The recent commotion in London has inspired other social media users to take to Facebook and Twitter in order to clean up the streets. The website, Riotcleanup.co.uk, among others, has sprung up as part of a massive effort to combat the aftermath of the rioting.

The grassroots organizations are coming together in order to restore order. Such initiatives are proof that technologically enabled youth can do as much good, if not more, than the harm of others.

The inspiration of the page came from following the #londonriot hashtag. The creator noticed that #riotcleanup was becoming a popular trend on Twitter and decided to create a page dedicated to reshaping the destruction that took place in London. Today a little more than 82 thousand people are following this page. The riot clean up page had a positive effect, motivating people to volunteer, and to contribute in the effort to clean up the mess left behind.

Twitter, Facebook and RIM will meet on August 25 with Home secretary Theresa May and the police, in order to discuss the possible prevention of rioters from accessing social media services.
By hughepaul (Flickr: Police push rioters towards… my house.) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

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Two weekends ago, a riot in Tottenham followed a peaceful protest over the police shooting of Mark Duggan. The violence escalated in the streets of London and soon spread to other cities around the British country. The spectators looked in shock as young British people acted out in complete anarchy.

As England deals with the aftermath of the worst street riots in decades, musicians react on London riots on Twitter. Musicians M.I.A., Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos, Example and many others, made statements about the situation on their personal Twitter accounts.

Kapranos, the lead singer and the guitarist of the Glasgow band Franz Ferdinand, asked the Prime Minister to do something about all these riots and widespread looting. He said, “Where the fuck are the Bullingdon boys? What’s wrong you cunts? Would you only end your holidays if it were Fortnum & Mason being looted?”

M.I.A brewed contention with a riot-sympathizing tweet “I’m going down to the riots to hand out tea and mars bars.”

Example, with humor and frustration said, “All these Nandos on fire? That’s some over cooked chicken wings. Pull the army of Afghanistan and stop all this bullshit now please,” before adding, “If you’re gonna set fire to any house in London please make it the Big Brother house.”

Moreover, as Spinner previously reported, a Sony warehouse where thousands of records were stored for many indie labels was burned to the ground (on Tuesday 9 Aug), undoubtedly affecting independent music throughout Europe.

“What music fans can do to show their support for the indie label community, and help them survive this disaster is to buy a digital download of an album from any one of the digital retailers in the UK, as well as going to their local record store while stocks last,” the Association of Independent Music has stated in a press release (via NME).

In the face of continuing violence several artists have now taken to the streets in an effort to help clean up London. ”At the Bethnal Green clean up, nice to see so many people ready to help in the community!” pop songstress Kate Nash tweeted about helping out.

Scroobius Pip, poet and musician, simply posted, “This is Britain punching itself in the face. Repeatedly”

The fact is that many theories have been posited about the underlying causes of the riots in England — from moral decay to excessive consumerism. According to criminologists, the reasons for the riots are many, including social exclusion, welfare dependence, spending cuts, weak policing, racism and opportunism.

The situation in England has been reflected in foreign publications, from Europe, Asia, Middle East, U.S. to Africa, all of which try to explain what exactly happened in the streets of London and other cities, and why. Anthony Daniels in the New York Daily News said:

“The riots in London and elsewhere in England have confirmed what I long knew and have long preached to my disbelieving but totally unobservant countrymen: that young British people are among the most unpleasant and potentially violent young people in the world.”

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Amy Winehouse’s family and close friends said their last goodbyes at the private ceremony at Edgwarebury Cemetery. Her father, Mitchell Winehouse said goodbye to his daughter at the private ceremony in North London.

“Goodnight, my angel, sleep tight. Mummy and Daddy love you ever so much,” he said.

Her issues with drugs and alcohol have been well documented. Winehouse died alone in her bed as many addicts are, alone in the dark fighting off demons. It is still unclear whether she took an overdose of drugs or a lethal combination or bad drugs, (or none of the above) but according to rumors, those disastrous habits are probably the cause of her death.

Winehouse never got on top of her disease. It controlled her for the majority of her short life, right up until the very end.

She joined the “27 Club” — also known as the Forever 27 Club or the Curse of 27 — alongside Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Dave Alexander of the Stooges and Kurt Cobain. The 27 Club is the title for a group of influential musicians who all died at the age of 27 and they all are generally considered to have led a “rock and roll” lifestyle.

Unfortunately, she never received the help she so badly needed. Media is full of clips showing her stumbling across the stage during a show and it is well known, Winehouse wasn’t a fan of rehab and wrote a hit song about it.

“They tried to make me go to rehab but I said no, no, no,” she sang.

An article in the Daily Mail said, “Generous Amy Winehouse spent £130,000 sending her friend Alex Foden to rehab, when perhaps she should have spent it curing herself.”

It’s easy for those who are not addicts to judge and make comments about drug addicts or alcoholics because most people are lucky enough to have a mind that knows when to stop.

Things are very different in the minds of addicts. Most people may believe that if she had just checked herself in, she could have walked away from all those poisons. Sadly, things are not as easy as many people think. Rehab can give the tools, but each person has to walk the road alone. Only Amy Winehouse could have helped Amy Winehouse, but she didn’t ask to be an addict in the first place.

Broadcaster Piers Morgan struck out at Winehouse’s record company and promoters in the wake of the singer’s death. He claimed that Winehouse did not receive enough support from “the people making money out of her” as she battled her personal problems.

Morgan said to Access Hollywood,“I do blame people. Where were all the people making money out of her when it mattered? Really, where were they? You know, it’s just not good enough that they’re all going to make millions out of it now she’s dead. You know, the album ’Back To Black’ is number one… but people let her down.”

In her short life, Winehouse won five Grammys and three Ivor Novello awards, among many others. She had sold thousands of records and was popular at the time of her death.

She received her first guitar when she was 13, and began writing music a year later. She began working soon after as a journalist in addition to singing with local group the Bolsha Band. Her special talent couldn’t go unnoticed for long. She became commercially known singing jazz. She seamlessly blended old R&B with the music of jazz crooners and came up with something that sounded simultaneously fresh and classic.

An anonymous source close to Winehouse’s record label has said that the late singer had recorded around 12 new songs which may now see the light of day. She had been in and out of the studio for the last three years, according to the spokesperson. If any new material is released, it would have to be decided on by her parents, as well as her label and management company, reports The Guardian.

Winehouse achieved what she did without compromise. Many singers will come and go having small moments of popularity but there will be one Amy Winehouse.

The fact is that the majority of musicians who made a huge career, from rock bands to individually artists, their careers had something to do with drugs and some sort of addicted habits. Many popular songs were written during drug use and it is difficult to know whether or not the songs would be the same if written under sober conditions.

In one or another way music and drugs are correlated. The true inspiration may only exist when they move from the reality to another place and there you find the great conception. It is not just luck that some of the greatest songs were written during drug use. Probably only in their personal moment of use they had those great inspirations. Fortunately or unfortunately, music would not have been the same without drugs.

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The riots in Britain that began in London last weekend has spread throughout the country as rioters clashed with police in Manchester and Birmingham.

Prime Minister David Cameron cut short his vacation to return to a country that seemed to be on the verge of anarchy. As he called on the police to take a tougher stance against the rioters, there was talk of deploying rubber bullets for the first time on the mainland. Until now, they have only been used in Northern Ireland. It was also announced that the police presence in London would increase from 6,000 to 16,000 in a bid to crack down on the civil disorder gripping the capital. In addition, the Army’s emergency infantry battalion could be deployed if the situation worsens.

The riots began after a vigil on Saturday for a London man, Mark Duggan, who was shot during a police operation in north London. Since then, the situation has steadily worsened as the police tried to wrest control of the streets from marauding gangs of thugs. Although initial reports said that Duggan fired at officers, subsequent evidence has shown that that was not the case.

Much of London is now in a state of virtual lockdown, and many businesses are closing early so that their employees can get home before dark. Scotland Yard has come under scrutiny for its failure to rein in the rioters, with officers initially being told to watch and wait rather than proactively pursue the looters. But as public and political pressure mounted, the Metropolitan Police decided to change their tactics and take a more aggressive stance.

The escalating violence forced London’s Mayor, Boris Johnson, to return from his own holiday in order to attend to the situation. While visiting one of the areas hardest hit by the riots, Johnson was heckled by Londoners angry with the police. His attempts to deliver a speech were repeatedly disrupted by angry jeering from the crowds.

Although the increased police presence in London appears to have helped stabilize the situation in the capital, violence erupted elsewhere in the UK. In Manchester and Salford, rioters managed to stay one step ahead of the police as they burned and looted throughout the city. In Nottingham, a police station was firebombed, and there were reports that a gun may have been fired at officers in Aston, Birmingham.

It was announced yesterday that the House of Commons, which is currently in recess, is to be recalled so that MPs can debate the riots. This is actually the second time the Commons have been recalled this summer, as they were called back at the end of July in order to discuss the News of the World phone hacking scandal.

So far, almost 700 people have been arrested in London alone in connection with the riots.

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It has been a dramatic weekend in Tottenham, north London, where the gathering of around 300 people in the streets turned into an overnight riot that saw petrol bombs being thrown at police while vehicles and building were set ablaze.

The Daily Telegraph could report that 26 police officers were injured, at least one of them left with serious head injuries, while 42 people have been arrested. According to the London Ambulance Service, a total of 10 people had been treated and nine were admitted to hospital.

A gathering of around 120 people had earlier Saturday staged a march from the local Broadwater Farm area to Tottenham police station in protest of the death of 29-year-old Mark Duggan who was shot by police in a gun fire exchange on Thursday. A friend of Mr Duggan told news media that marchers had wanted “justice for the family” and “something had to be done.”

“This guy was not violent. Yes, he was involved in things but he was not an aggressive person. He had never hurt anyone,” said the 53-year-old marcher.

Another member of the original protest, Vanessa Robinson, said the demonstration outside the police station had begun peacefully. She told the BBC that the situation had then turned into “absolute chaos.”

What police officers described as ‘missiles’ were thrown at the police station and what appeared to be young, mask-clad people began to throw petrol bombs, bricks and anything they could get their hands on off the street at officers who were attempting to calm down the masses.

In the early hours of Sunday local time, many rioters had moved to the nearby retail park where they were seen looting shops. Sky News reporter Simon Newton, who was at the scene, said he saw youth wheeling out televisions and bagfuls of clothes. Police were not in the area.

During the violent escalation, two police cars and a double decker bus was set on fire. A branch of Aldi supermarket was also torched and Sky News believes the looters had targeted shops in the aftermath. Also residential areas were disturbed.

Local politician David Lammy made a statement on his website that said “We already have one grieving family in our community and further violence will not heal that pain.”

Mr. Lammy appealed for calm while the investigation takes place. “The Tottenham community and Mark Duggan’s family and friends need to understand what happened on Thursday evening when Mark lost his life. To understand those facts, we must have calm.”

In another statement, Commissioner Rachel Cerfontyne, of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said “I understand the distress that the shooting of Mark Duggan has caused to his family and in the community and that people need answers about what happened to him.”

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Mayor of London Boris Johnson said to the BBC: “Violence and destruction of property will do nothing to facilitate [the IPCC] investigation and we urge those involved to respect the rule of law.”

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