2013年07月23日
To have all the baby gift?
Kate and William, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, whose baby is expected any day now, have been inundated by gifts ranging from the practical to what some may see as the downright bizarre.
PHOTOS: Kate shows off royal baby bump in London
The couple's local Asda supermarket in Anglesey, north Wales, where William is based as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot, iphone Case has presented them with - wait for it - their very own parking space.
"The Duchess of Cambridge has graced the store with her presence several times before and we hope that the addition of her own parking space will entice her and her little prince or princess of Cambridge back to Asda," said the store's manager, Peter Ellis.
An ordinary parking space for parents with children has been decorated with crowns and the words "HRH reserved".
Fine jewellery-maker Theo Fennell said he was "thrilled" to have been asked by one company to create an 18-carat white gold bracelet valued at STG10,000 ($A16,571) for Kate.
The glamorous trinket also has a more mundane use - it is "the world's most luxurious nappy rash cream holder", digitizing embroidery according to a spokeswoman for Sudocrem, makers of the antiseptic healing product.
However, acknowledging that the duchess was likely to have received many lovely gifts, the spokeswoman said they would auction the bracelet for one of the charities of which she is patron.
Animal rights activists at PETA also put their thinking caps on and decided to send an imitation sheepskin rug to the couple cem1 pcb, because - they said - "sheepskin blankets traditionally given to newborns in some parts of the UK are products of animal suffering".
For the new baby's parents, PETA thoughtfully included some vegan caviar and "faux" gras.
Meanwhile, shortly before she was ousted recently as Australian prime minister, Julia Gillard told Women's Weekly magazine that she was knitting the couple a kangaroo.
Not to be outdone, the prime minister of New Zealand announced that he had an even more unusual gift in mind: "We're giving them Kim Dotcom," John Key reportedly joked at a media briefing.
Finland has already sent the royal couple a baby starter kit - traditionally given to all Finnish parents - containing everything from bra pads for breast-feeding, IP Camera Manufacturer to romper suits, condoms and nappies. The box itself doubles up as a crib.
"We were delighted to receive the very kind gift of the maternity package from the Finnish government," said a royal spokeswoman. "It was a very thoughtful gesture and we're very grateful for it."
The palace was more reticent about other gifts, saying only that they will be "logged" and the donors will be thanked.
PHOTOS: Kate shows off royal baby bump in London
The couple's local Asda supermarket in Anglesey, north Wales, where William is based as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot, iphone Case has presented them with - wait for it - their very own parking space.
"The Duchess of Cambridge has graced the store with her presence several times before and we hope that the addition of her own parking space will entice her and her little prince or princess of Cambridge back to Asda," said the store's manager, Peter Ellis.
An ordinary parking space for parents with children has been decorated with crowns and the words "HRH reserved".
Fine jewellery-maker Theo Fennell said he was "thrilled" to have been asked by one company to create an 18-carat white gold bracelet valued at STG10,000 ($A16,571) for Kate.
The glamorous trinket also has a more mundane use - it is "the world's most luxurious nappy rash cream holder", digitizing embroidery according to a spokeswoman for Sudocrem, makers of the antiseptic healing product.
However, acknowledging that the duchess was likely to have received many lovely gifts, the spokeswoman said they would auction the bracelet for one of the charities of which she is patron.
Animal rights activists at PETA also put their thinking caps on and decided to send an imitation sheepskin rug to the couple cem1 pcb, because - they said - "sheepskin blankets traditionally given to newborns in some parts of the UK are products of animal suffering".
For the new baby's parents, PETA thoughtfully included some vegan caviar and "faux" gras.
Meanwhile, shortly before she was ousted recently as Australian prime minister, Julia Gillard told Women's Weekly magazine that she was knitting the couple a kangaroo.
Not to be outdone, the prime minister of New Zealand announced that he had an even more unusual gift in mind: "We're giving them Kim Dotcom," John Key reportedly joked at a media briefing.
Finland has already sent the royal couple a baby starter kit - traditionally given to all Finnish parents - containing everything from bra pads for breast-feeding, IP Camera Manufacturer to romper suits, condoms and nappies. The box itself doubles up as a crib.
"We were delighted to receive the very kind gift of the maternity package from the Finnish government," said a royal spokeswoman. "It was a very thoughtful gesture and we're very grateful for it."
The palace was more reticent about other gifts, saying only that they will be "logged" and the donors will be thanked.
2013年07月11日
The embodiment of the royals
THE BOOKIES MAKE them favourites to win by eight points. The pundits are overwhelmingly in their camp too.
But Jim Gavin knows that Leinster titles aren’t won on the back of betting slips or by ex-players sitting in studios and that’s the mantra he is preaching as Dublin look to clinch their eighth provincial crown in nine seasons.
Standing in their way are old rivals Meath. The Royals’ current incarnation may be a far cry from the national superpower which gleefully scuppered the Dubs on so many occasions during their gripping back-and-forth in the late 80s and 90s but they still have to be respected, Asian college of knowledge management if not feared.
“I’m not a gambler, I never have been, and I don’t look at what the bookies say,” Gavin said, brushing off the fact that Dublin are as skinny as 1/12 to win on Sunday and an anaemic 2/1 to go all the way and lift the All-Ireland again in September.
It’s a two-horse race really and no matter what form either team brings into a Meath-Dublin game, whether it be a pre-season game, National League or Championship, they are always competitive to the best of my knowledge. And I’d expect the Leinster final to be absolutely no different.
It’s not unusual for the capital’s hype machine to move up through the gears in the early weeks of the Championship but Dublin’s performances so far have raised expectations even more than usual. Critics will point to their opponents, Westmeath and Kildare, Set up Business in Hong Kong as counties in development or transition but the ruthless manner in which the Dubs racked up successive 16-point victories can’t be ignored.
Fortunately, Gavin says, his players are used to dealing with the buzz.
“Whatever pundits say about teams, that’s their opinion. What’s important to me is the attitude of the Dublin players and I know from obviously working closely with them for the last seven months now that they are very focused and they have shifted from the last game to the next.
“It’s a Leinster final, it’s a game against Meath that is going to be competitive so no matter what people talk about outside the Dublin camp, the players don’t get distracted.
Dublin keeper Stephen Cluxton picks the ball out of the net for the fifth time during the 2010 Leinster SFC semi-final defeat to Meath (©INPHO/Donall Farmer)
They are well used to it at this stage anyway. Growing up in that environment in Dublin there is always expectation and talk of the potential of teams, but that is all it is. Even the last day we still haven’t realised our potential. There are lots of areas for improvement. We are always looking to get consistency of performance and over the 70 minutes against Kildare that wasn’t there.
The warning signs are there. Dublin’s only provincial defeat since the summer of 2004 came at the hands of Meath — and it stung, an 11-point walloping in the 2010 semi-finals.
Gavin has personal experience of the Royals’ bite too. In 2011 his U21 side were the reigning All-Ireland champions when they lost to Meath in the first round of Leinster. Five of Meath’s current senior panel — Donal Keoghan, Ciaran Lenehan, Bryan Menton, Paddy Gilsenan and Michael Newman — started in Páirc Tailteann that evening while Gavin’s young Dubs included the familiar faces of Kevin O’Brien, James McCarthy, Dean Rock and Ciaran Reddin.
“Both teams will want to get their hands on the Delaney Cup,” he said. “Both teams have good form, storage cabinet good National League form, good form in the Championship and both have got big scores in their opening games. And similar enough styles of play, physical defences and competitive midfield and very good forwards – so both sides will feel they have a chance to win the cup.”
But Jim Gavin knows that Leinster titles aren’t won on the back of betting slips or by ex-players sitting in studios and that’s the mantra he is preaching as Dublin look to clinch their eighth provincial crown in nine seasons.
Standing in their way are old rivals Meath. The Royals’ current incarnation may be a far cry from the national superpower which gleefully scuppered the Dubs on so many occasions during their gripping back-and-forth in the late 80s and 90s but they still have to be respected, Asian college of knowledge management if not feared.
“I’m not a gambler, I never have been, and I don’t look at what the bookies say,” Gavin said, brushing off the fact that Dublin are as skinny as 1/12 to win on Sunday and an anaemic 2/1 to go all the way and lift the All-Ireland again in September.
It’s a two-horse race really and no matter what form either team brings into a Meath-Dublin game, whether it be a pre-season game, National League or Championship, they are always competitive to the best of my knowledge. And I’d expect the Leinster final to be absolutely no different.
It’s not unusual for the capital’s hype machine to move up through the gears in the early weeks of the Championship but Dublin’s performances so far have raised expectations even more than usual. Critics will point to their opponents, Westmeath and Kildare, Set up Business in Hong Kong as counties in development or transition but the ruthless manner in which the Dubs racked up successive 16-point victories can’t be ignored.
Fortunately, Gavin says, his players are used to dealing with the buzz.
“Whatever pundits say about teams, that’s their opinion. What’s important to me is the attitude of the Dublin players and I know from obviously working closely with them for the last seven months now that they are very focused and they have shifted from the last game to the next.
“It’s a Leinster final, it’s a game against Meath that is going to be competitive so no matter what people talk about outside the Dublin camp, the players don’t get distracted.
Dublin keeper Stephen Cluxton picks the ball out of the net for the fifth time during the 2010 Leinster SFC semi-final defeat to Meath (©INPHO/Donall Farmer)
They are well used to it at this stage anyway. Growing up in that environment in Dublin there is always expectation and talk of the potential of teams, but that is all it is. Even the last day we still haven’t realised our potential. There are lots of areas for improvement. We are always looking to get consistency of performance and over the 70 minutes against Kildare that wasn’t there.
The warning signs are there. Dublin’s only provincial defeat since the summer of 2004 came at the hands of Meath — and it stung, an 11-point walloping in the 2010 semi-finals.
Gavin has personal experience of the Royals’ bite too. In 2011 his U21 side were the reigning All-Ireland champions when they lost to Meath in the first round of Leinster. Five of Meath’s current senior panel — Donal Keoghan, Ciaran Lenehan, Bryan Menton, Paddy Gilsenan and Michael Newman — started in Páirc Tailteann that evening while Gavin’s young Dubs included the familiar faces of Kevin O’Brien, James McCarthy, Dean Rock and Ciaran Reddin.
“Both teams will want to get their hands on the Delaney Cup,” he said. “Both teams have good form, storage cabinet good National League form, good form in the Championship and both have got big scores in their opening games. And similar enough styles of play, physical defences and competitive midfield and very good forwards – so both sides will feel they have a chance to win the cup.”
