Bob still #1 Marley statue unveiled in Serbia

[Sir X]

Marley statue unveiled in Serbia


A Jamaican musician celebrates the statue's unveiling


A statue of late reggae legend Bob Marley has been unveiled in a small Serbian village during a rock festival as a token of peace in the Balkans.
Musicians from Croatia and Serbia were joined by rock fans for the midnight ceremony in Banatski Sokolac.
Organisers said Marley, who died in 1981, "promoted peace and tolerance in his music".
Serbia recently erected a statue of iconic film character Rocky, while Mostar in Bosnia has one of Bruce Lee.
Jinxed
Another Serbian village put up a statue to actor Johnny Weissmuller, best known for his depiction of Tarzan.
Serbian musician Jovan Matic and veteran Croatian rock star Dado Topic took the covers off the Marley statue at the Rock Village event.
It depicts him holding a guitar, with his fist raised in a defiant pose.
Organisers claim that the Marley statue, which was created by Croatian artist Davor Dukic, is the first monument in Europe to the Jamaican-born star.
Bosnia's bronze statue of Bruce Lee, erected in 2005, was seen as a symbol against ethnic divisions deepened by the country's fierce civil war in the 1990s. The Serbian village of Zitiste put up a statue to Rocky - played by Sylvester Stallone - last year in a bid to shake off a run of bad luck. A series of floods and landslides had led some people to believe the village was jinxed.

[Sir X]

Notting Hill Carnival under way


Nearly 64 masquerade bands will parade in the carnival


Notting Hill Carnival, Europe's biggest street party which showcases Caribbean culture, has descended on the streets of west London.
More than 750,000 people are expected during the two-day event, which begins with a children's parade later.
The 44th carnival's theme, Welcoming the World, is in keeping with the Olympic handover ceremony in Beijing.
Police have installed metal detectors on the three-mile route to try to stop the carrying of guns and knives.
Officers will also be on the lookout for dangerous dogs after concerns were raised by organisers last year.
Officers have seized three pit-bull terriers and arrested nine people over drink-driving, public order, street robbery, warrant and drugs offences.
Nine other people were arrested in a pre-Carnival intelligence operation.
Giant screen
About 64 masquerade, or Mas, bands and 38 sound systems will reverberate at the event throughout the Bank Holiday weekend.
The carnival also is a celebration of London's ethnic cuisine with 300 stalls serving staple Caribbean fare such as jerk chicken, fried fish, curry goat and Jamaican patties.
Sunday is children's day at the carnival - J'ouvert - which will see thousands of youngsters parade down the streets in colourful costumes dancing to the beats of steel bands.
Food consumed at carnival
Five tons of chicken
One ton of rice & peas
One ton of Jamaican patties
30,000 corn cobs
15,000 fried plantains
12,000 mangoes
16,000 coconuts
5m hot and cold drinks
10,000 litres of Jamaican stout
25,000 bottles of rum
70,000 litres of carrot juice


The procession begins at the junction of Ladbroke Grove and Kensal Road from midday onwards.
The carnival procession passes through Westbourne Grove, Chepstow Avenue, Great Western Road, Kensal Road and Ladbroke Grove, all of which have been closed to traffic since Saturday.
Buses in these areas will be diverted and Tube stations at Holland Park, Ladbroke Grove, Latimer Road, Notting Hill Gate, Royal Oak and Westbourne Park will have restrictions in place to control the crowd.
As the first day of the parade coincides with the official handover of the Olympic Games from Beijing to London, a giant screen has been installed at Pleasance Park, near Ladbroke Grove, so that revellers can watch the events from Trafalgar Square.
This year the Metropolitan Police have spent £6m to tighten security along the route.
They have also sent 200 letters to people who might consider committing crime at the carnival warning them to stay away.
Last year several people were stabbed at night after the carnival and there were two shootings, including one where a boy aged 14 was shot in the leg.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison said: "I would love to have a carnival where there is no crime at all. Are we going to achieve it? We will do our best."
London Notting Hill Carnival Limited, the event's organiser, said the carnival would add close to £100m to the city's economy.







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[Gamma]

is that another statue behind bob's?