Category Archives: news

Stanley Johnson Book Launch

Stanley I Presume

stanley-johnson3Boris was present at the book launch to mark the publication of his father’s autobiography (up to 40 years old) at Waterstones in Notting Hill Gate last night.  His glamorous sister, Rachel Johnson, interviewed Stanley and we were regaled with side-splittingly funny stories about the Johnson clan.  You have to read this awesome book to hear details about his population control initiative and ‘Pills Grim Progress’, his poetic prowess, solace he found in pollution control, the briefcase he lost off a landrover in a desert containing family passports and flight tickets, that was later found and handed to him with the words:  “Stanley, I presume?”, and many perfectly true and amazing stories from deep and darkest Devon. For more information about interesting books visit this Book First blog. Mossgreen Childrens Books can guide you to know the process of book launching.

This autobiography goes back to Boris’s grandfather, greatgrandfather and King George II.

Stanley *you rock* and now all we need is to read your sequel for 40 years + …

Available from all good bookshops and Amazon.co.uk ISBN:  987-0-00-729672-9

Roman Quiz Results

Congratulations to the winners!

 

First Prize: Peter Lythe.

Second Prize: Emma Clarke.

As several entrants all achieved full marks, the winners were chosen according to whoever had submitted the fullest entries.

A special mention to the following for their outstandingly high standard answers:   Glenda Profit and B. Stafford (full marks), Salvador Gossens, Stas Stankovic and Mandy Allen (only one answer not fully correct).

 

 

ANSWERS TO THE ROMAN QUIZ.

Continue reading Roman Quiz Results

Roman Quiz and Prize

Roman Quiz – Devised by Jaq and Angela  rome-coloseum-2

Prize – a PC Game

Boris-Johnson.com has been offered a chart-topping pc game Rome: Total War as a giveaway courtesy of www.pcgames.co.uk

Rome: Total War
With the glory days of the real-time strategy game now nothing but a distant memory, Activision’s Total War series has come to totally dominate the strategy market and Rome is such a huge leap above the already impressive Medieval and Shogun titles that the series has almost become a mini-industry in itself.

Set, fairly obviously, during the hey day of the first Roman Empire, the game gives you total control over your own faction with the game once again split between a turn-based strategic world map and real-time tactical battles. The former allows you to build and maintain armies and buildings, but also gives increased control over diplomacy and trade–elements that were largely overlooked in previous titles.

The real draw of the game though is the tactical battles which are now displayed using some quite staggering 3D graphics that can see up to 10,000 separate warrior in battle at one time. With units ranging from elephants and inflammable pigs to centurions and escaped slaves just watching the battles unfold is as epic as any Hollywood blockbuster. What’s perhaps most impressive about the game is that controlling such huge numbers of soldiers is actually surprisingly easy with a simple point-and-click interface making everything as smooth as possible.

Rome: Total War is one of those rare breed of games that is largely impossible to fault. In technical and gameplay terms it gets everything right and unless you have a pathological hatred of strategy games this is easily one of the best PC games ever made. –David Jenkins

Answers by end of 28 February 2009 please to: borisanswers@hotmail.com

Continue reading Roman Quiz and Prize

After Rome: Holy War and Conquest (BBC)

What a pity that this intelligent documentary that started on Saturday night is so condensed!  Boris was caught up in the Mayoral campaign after the two-part documentary had been commissioned but, ‘written and presented by’, it – so far – takes in a huge range of art, thought and world-class invited experts.  The Crusades, in their swashbuckling stories-for-boys image, are given a revisionary kick.  Mono-theistic religions are all given a history lesson.  The academic experts are articulate and balanced.  The economic arguments are merely hinted at rather than fleshed out.  The art that is accessed is fantastic – but underplayed.

This could be an Attenborough-style BBC project with Boris instead of David.  As it is, it shows Boris as a multi-lingual history scholar with great sensitivity to intercultural relations.  Not bad for a subsequently elected Mayor of a world-rated capital.

Resignation of Sir Ian Blair

Press Release

Mayor’s statement on resignation of Sir Ian Blair
2-10-2008

“Sir Ian Blair has made a lasting and distinguished contribution to policing, in London and across the UK, for the last 34 years.

He will be especially remembered for his successful introduction in London of the Safer Neighbourhood teams and for falling crime levels virtually across the board.

In the face of a chronic and dangerous terrorist threat, he can be very proud of his record in helping to keep millions of Londoners safe from harm.

But there comes a time in any organisation when it becomes clear it would benefit from new leadership and clarity of purpose. I believe that time is now.

And following a meeting with Sir Ian yesterday, he has agreed to give someone else the chance to offer new leadership for policing in London. And I am sure he has done the right thing.

I will always be grateful to Sir Ian for the productive start he has made to our plans to tackle serious violence and to reduce disorder on public transport.

He leaves having made London safer and with our gratitude and best wishes. There is no doubt that he will continue to make a significant intellectual contribution to crime fighting in the UK and abroad.”

See GLA site

Boris opens new cycling venue

Boris officially opened Redbridge Cycling Centre with its 2km circuit and off road trail on Tuesday, 19 August.  The track has been created as a public facility to compensate for the loss of the Eastway Cycle Circuit which is being turned into the VeloPark for Olympics 2012.    After thanking all those involved and having a quick race round the track with some children, Boris cheerfully described it as a ‘breathtaking’ facility that all could enjoy.  Here’s the video link.

Boris is Mayor of London

Boris Johnson is the new Mayor of London. In a contest that has fascinated media all over the world, Boris beat his rival, the eight-year incumbent Mayor Ken Livingstone, by 139,772 votes. The election drew a record turnout by London voters, reflecting the high profile of the two main candidates.

Political commentators describe Boris as the most powerful elected Conservative politician in Britain today. As such, he has promised to work “flat out” to repay the confidence of Londoners and to make Greater London “greater still”.

Boris still here!

Despite his massive London commitments, Boris is still (somehow) fitting in his constituency work.  See this week’s Henley Standard where he is reported at two quite different Watlington events: one reopening the Watlington Memorial Club and the other welcoming the new M40 Watlington-London bus route that should ease the daily commute for many.