Olympics 2012 -13

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One of the to the London 2012 Olympics staff on the track you might not have noticed is the Mini MINI. Three Mini MINIs painted red, white and blue  almost “Italian Job” that's the first one with Michel Caine are being deployed for the crucial task of retrieving hammer, shot and javelins for the athletes. They are operated by Games Makers assigned and trained for this duty.  

The cars are roughly a quarter scale of the full-sized car and carry the athletic equipment situated inside, accessible through the adapted sunroof.  

While I'm typing up this the final of the Olympic 100 meteres is coming up in an hour or so, but spare a thought for some of the less auspicious athletes. In the qualifying of the 100meteres a slightly tubby 32 year old  Chris Meke Walasi clocked 11:42 seconds in the heats... and he didn't even finish last 

Another great day for team great Britain and the Olympics in general, special celebrations continue at the track following yesterdays three gold medals, on the water Britannia rules the waves, cycling and gymnastics add further medals and even in tennis “yes tennis” team GB win a gold and a silver. These victories adding another two stamps the the gold medal collection issues by the post office. 

With everything going on in the Olympic village, 36 year old Former world champion Kim Collins was removed from the 100 meters event by the St Kitts and Nevis officials for spending a night in a hotel “with his wife”. 

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

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Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

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2012 Olympics Statue Chosen

UIn case people do not know, and that goes for those in the USA, the next Olympics are being held in England (I'm still hoping to get some tickets. Today it was announced that the design of monument to mark the London 2012 Olympic Games was a design by Turner Prize-winning artist Anish Kapoor.

Here Is The Article:

A spiraling sculpture designed by Turner Prize-winning artist Anish Kapoor has been chosen as the monument to mark the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The 115m tall piece, named the ArcelorMittal Orbit, will be placed in the Olympic Park and will be 22m higher than New York's Statue of Liberty.

The £19.1m design incorporates the five Olympic rings and will offer visitors panoramic views of London.

London Mayor Boris Johnson revealed plans for the tower on Wednesday.

"I am deeply honored to be invited to undertake this challenging commission," Kapoor said.

"I am particularly attracted to it because of the opportunity to involve members of the public in a particularly close and personal way. It is the commission of a lifetime."

The artist will work with leading structural designer, Cecil Balmond of engineering firm Arup.

ArcelorMittal Orbit will be built near the Olympic stadium

Organizers said Balmond had worked on "some of the greatest contemporary buildings in the world", including the CCTV building in Beijing, as well as numerous Serpentine Gallery pavilion commissions.

''Long after the Games are over, our aim is to have a stunning spectacle in east London that will be recognized around the world," Mr Johnson said.

"Anish Kapoor's inspired art work will truly encapsulate the energy and spirit of London during the Games and, as such, will become the perfect iconic cultural legacy.


Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:
Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond
Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat
Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

Sunday UK Blog - No Beef from the Queen

This week as the clock ticked by the 1000 days until the Olympics opens in Great Britain, Queen Elizabeth II visited the Olympic Park in east London to inspect preparations for the 2012 Games. Her Majesty planted the first of four thousand trees on the park site and met workers involved in the project. She walked along a section of what will be the 100-meter track and went to the top of the stands to view the work on the main stadium. Unlike some countries leaders the Queen at a sprightly 83 did not use fashionable transport. Instead her majesty, who will be also be celebrating 60 years on the throne when the Olympics open, traveled to the top of the stadium in a builder's lift, or as one official called it a "shabby cage".

While the Queen made no complaints about the trip, there was plenty to "beef" about at one of her castles. Two Yeoman Warders or "Beef Eaters" from the Tower of London were suspended and a third is under investigation over charges of bullying Moira Cameron, who two years ago became the first female beefeater in the tower's 1,000-year history.

The term Beefeater most comes from the original Wardens' payment in rations that included beef, as well as mutton and veal. Feeding beef to elite troops to make them strong is good nutrition planning for one's army. This may also be connected to the etymology of the word "beefy" meaning strong and large, since the general public would have been unable to afford beef as a regular part of their diet. Retiring as a Yeoman Warder and continuing to eat beef rations would have been seen as a generous reward in a society that may not otherwise have cared for their aging population.

Yeoman Warders began guarding the Tower of London in 1485; today there are 35 Yeomen Warders and one Chief Warder. All warders are retired from the Armed Forces of Commonwealth realms and must be former senior non-commissioned officers with at least 22 years of service.

The Tower of London said in a statement: "We can confirm that three Yeoman Warders are under investigation in response to allegations of harassment. Two have been suspended. We take such allegations very seriously and our formal harassment policy makes it clear that this is totally unacceptable."

It said an investigation was already under way and should conclude within two to three weeks. "Meanwhile, the Tower of London is a close-knit community and, understandably, this is a difficult time for us all."


Barry



BARRY EVA (Storyheart)

Author of Young Adult Romance/Fiction book
"Across the Pond"