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The Pre-London 2012 Olympic News Thread (June 22nd to 27 July)


London 2012 Olympics: Syrian head of Olympics Committee General Mowaffak Joumaa refused visa to attend Games
General Mowaffak Joumaa, the head of the Syrian Olympic Committee, is understood to have been refused a visa into England for the London Olympic Games.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9349019/London-2012-Olympics-Syrian-head-of-Olympics-Committee-General-Mowaffak-Joumaa-refused-visa-to-attend-Games.html

Leading equestrian official resigns from London 2012

LONDON (Reuters) - A top British official has resigned from the committee overseeing the London 2012 equestrian events in a row over public access to pre-Games horse inspections.
Hugh Thomas, event director of the Badminton horse trials and a designer of past Olympic courses, told Reuters the decision by organisers not to admit the public was "disgraceful".
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/leading-equestrian-official-resigns-london-2012-114635326--spt.html

London 2012 Festival has began.
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London 2012 Olympics: extra tickets put on sale
The London organising committee for the Olympic Games (Locog) has moved to get 50,000 extra tickets on the market as it rushes to fill stadiums with only 35 days to go until the opening ceremony.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9348856/London-2012-Olympics-extra-tickets-put-on-sale.html

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Giant beds enter the Stadium

I do not like the look of giant novelty beds :(

Theres a point to why theyre so big, all will be revealed.

London 2012 Olympics: seating plans reveal poor views for highest-priced tickets

London 2012 Olympic fans who have received their high-priced tickets are discovering they may have to bring their binoculars to the Games after checking their seating allocations.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9349698/London-2012-Olympics-seating-plans-reveal-poor-views-for-highest-priced-tickets.html

Theres a point to why theyre so big, all will be revealed.

And agreed its really rather good!

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New British Airways ad.

Just wondering, so London isn't going to do the world torch thing?

How is the progress going on the Horse Guards Parade stadium for the beach volleyball?

Just wondering, so London isn't going to do the world torch thing?


The IOC banned them after all the fuss of the Beijing relay.

London 2012 Olympics: Saudis allow women to compete

Saudi Arabia is to allow its women athletes to compete in the Olympics for the first time.

Officials say the country's Olympic Committee will "oversee participation of women athletes who can qualify".

see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18571193

How is the progress going on the Horse Guards Parade stadium for the beach volleyball?

I can't comment directly on the arena's progress as it is difficult to get within viewing distance: I tried to cycle down the Mall last Wednesday evening (20th June) and was surprised to discover the extent of the road closures round there. The whole of the Mall is closed to cyclists and pedestrians except for a route from Admiralty Arch, along the north pavement to Carlton House Terrace steps, presumably this stretch only being left open to allow public access to the ICA. I asked a security guard if this was for the construction of the beach volleyball venue. According to him last Wednesday was the first day of a closure that will be in effect until after the Paralympics in September. However, he said that Birdcage Walk was also closed, whilst his colleague insisted it was open so I'm not too sure how much they really know. I didn't have time to find out for myself but I imagine pedestrians are still allowed to access as far as the Cabinet War Rooms on the south side, although obviously Horse Guards Road itself, as well as that end of St James's Park has been fenced off. Here are maps of the area during the games which indicate work also needs to be done on supporting areas in the park itself: http://www.london2012.com/venue/horse-guards-parade/maps/

The IOC banned them after all the fuss of the Beijing relay.

Ah Ok, so they think similar protests would occur at the London one? I thought that the relay itself was a very good promotion for the olympics, be it protests or just the torch landing in different countries. It's very difficult to engage into the games if everything is 'up there' and with so little promotion in Aus atm.

In Australia, if you don't catch the Coca Cola ads or read the sports news at the back of the paper, you probably won't know when the olympics will be held and what's happening to them since there is so little news coverage in Australia about the games.

Just wondering, so London isn't going to do the world torch thing?

Athens did it because it was the Games returning home, Beijing did it because bigger was better as far as the Chinese were concerned.

Before that relays didn't travel the world. London 2012 is returning back to the norm.

Sydney had an Oceania wide relay iirc.

London 2012 will be most expensive Olympics ever

LONDON 2012 is set to be the most expensive Olympics to date with a projected cost of £8.4bn, according to a report released yesterday.

Researchers at the University of Oxford’s Said Business School say this equates to a 101 per cent overrun compared to the original budget of just £4.2bn in 2005.

But Professor Bent Flyvbjerg and his co-researcher Allison Stewart say that this compares favourably to an average cost overrun of 179 per cent for Olympics held during the last 50 years.

But it is substantially more than the typical cost overrun of 47 per cent for Games held in the last the decade.

“While all major programmes are prone to cost overruns, due largely both to optimism and conscious strategic misrepresentation, overruns of the Games are in a league of their own,” Flyvbjerg said.

The researchers found that a major problem for organisers is that, unlike other major investment programmes, each Olympics is unique to the host city and involves thousands of staff who do not have experience of working on equivalent projects.

Organisers are also prone to purposefully underestimating costs for political reasons, leading the researchers to recommend an approach known as “reference class forecasting” – essentially using the consistent level of past overruns to calculate a more realistic budget for future Olympics.

The report also offers a warning to London 2012 organisers: “Though there is little the London Games can do now to limit the cost overruns, it is important the Committee keep a firm hand on the budget in the remaining weeks leading up to the Games, or the situation could worsen.

“As we learned from Delhi’s Commonwealth Games in 2010 and the Athens Olympics in 2004, in the final stages of preparation the focus can quickly shift from cost control to delivery at any cost, resulting in significant additional overruns.

“Transportation, security, and broadcasting are three areas that could potentially require urgent financial attention if the organisers’ projections are incorrect.”

http://www.cityam.com/latest-news/london-2012-will-be-most-expensive-olympics-ever

London 2012 - A mystery: where is the London cauldron?

London’s Olympic Stadium is ready, with a pristine track, a well-manicured grassy field and rows of gleaming seats to welcome 80,000 fans. But one thing is clearly missing.

Where’s the cauldron that will hold the Olympic flame?

Organisers usually keep back details about the Olympics’ opening ceremony, including the flame lighting, to ensure the appropriate drama, so it’s no surprise that they’re being coy. But usually there is some structure - somewhere - that indicates where the flame will burn throughout the games.

There is one tower next to the Olympic Stadium that could solve the mystery - the ArcelorMittal Orbit, a ruby red sculpture of twisted steel that looks like a smashed rollercoaster. Except that Olympic officials say this crazy sightseeing contraption won’t be it.

“No, it’s not the cauldron,” said Peter Tudor, the director of venues for the Olympic Park Legacy Corp. “I would know if there was a massive gas pipe inside.”

Well, if it isn’t there, then where? The question has become as much of the mystery as the opening ceremony itself.

In the ancient games, Greeks lit a ritual fire to commemorate Prometheus and his theft of fire from Zeus. Then at the 1928 Amsterdam Games, a cauldron was lit - although no one is quite certain about how that came about, said Bill Mallon, co-founder of the international society of Olympic history.

But fire really took hold at the Nazi-backed 1936 Berlin Olympics. Chief organiser Carl Diem came up with the idea of a relay starting at Olympia in Greece, and a tradition was born. Torchbearer Fritz Schilgen was chosen to light the cauldron because he was a good looking guy - a theme repeated in 1948 when the dashing John Mark took the flame in London.

Mallon said the cauldron lighting really became a wow moment at the 1952 Summer Games in Helsinki. The Flying Finn, Paavo Nurmi, one of the best long- and middle-distance runners ever, brought the flame into the stadium and Hannes Kolehmainen, another Finnish long-distance great who competed in 1912 and 1920, lit the cauldron. The combination of local heroes and fire proved lasting.

After that, Olympic organisers stayed up late at night trying to figure out how to outdo the games before. Some memorable moments:

- An archer at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics lit the cauldron with a flaming arrow.

- In Atlanta in 1996, Muhammad Ali, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, held the torch high and bent over to light a wire that led to the cauldron - his arm shaking but his resolve firm.

- At the 2000 Sydney Games, gold medalist Cathy Freeman lit a ring of fire in a pool of water.

Given the pressure, it’s unlikely the British will go for some sort of virtual cauldron, however Earth-friendly or sustainable that might be. Historians like Mallon puts its apparent absence to the fact that the London organising committee plans to outdo the theatrics of other games.

“There will be a cauldron,” Mallon said. “I’ll betcha the cauldron will rise out of the stadium somewhere.”
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=145107

Im still convinced it will rise atop a green structure from the tor to illustrate "greeness" It will probably have some sort of carbon capture helmet over it as well and will be fueled by biofuel.

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g371/Afiq_Nadzir/1month.jpg

I hope you're not passing that off as official.

Rather ungrammatical.

London 2012: Olympic venues prepare for world's media
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With up to 28,000 media people expected, organisers had to plan for everything from technology to beer rations
Passenger jets have been chartered, military airwaves cleared and the beer and pizza supplies checked. The London 2012 summer Olympics is poised to become the biggest media and broadcasting event in history with an invasion of commentators, celebrity anchors, reporters, technicians, makeup artists, camera and sound operators from 190 countries.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jun/26/london-2012-olympic-venues-media?newsfeed=true

The final push to finish the Olympic venues
bbc video http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18606456

Olympic rings lowered at Tower Bridge

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18609468

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They do look good.

I love Tower Bridge, lived near there for a while.

Oh, and "welcome to the Club", here are the massive Olympic Rings in Newcastle, on the Tyne Bridge. More detail about this in some of the recent posts in the "Torch Relay" thread . . .

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8020/7185105027_f76df8d1d4_b.jpg

The tower bridge rings: have they made them so the rings look the same from the east and the west?

Yes, only the black ring is the same colour on both sides.

Main Press Centre (MPC) has today been officially opened.
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One Month to go Media Press Conference in the Main Press Centre

There is supposed to be a light show at Tower Bridge for turning the lights on for the Olympic Rings tonight.

One Month to go Media Press Conference in the Main Press Centre

Well that looks nothing short of amazing.

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:okay:

Met Office reveals climate of Olympic Games venues
27 June 2012 - With just over a month to go before the start of the Olympic Games, detailed climatology information from the Met Office provides an insight into the typical weather that can be expected in July, August and September.

see for detail http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/news/releases/archive/2012/Olympic-venue-weather-statistics?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

BBC Teaser....
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Another BBC teaser...

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Isles of wonder indeed, that music is quite epic it has to be said.

I'm loving those mini teasers.

I'm loving those mini teasers.

Are they doing one that involves Westfield Stratford as well?

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That would be a mall teaser.

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Don't worry, I've already got it and I'm on my way out...

London 2012: Roadworks to end and Games Lanes begin
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18664236

The countdown has started...

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BBC showed full version after the football tonight

Olympic medals delivered to Tower of London for safe keeping ahead of Games

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/olympics/article-2168103/London-2012-Olympics-Medals-delivered-Tower-London.html#ixzz1zYIFTFWe

I loved that little teaser after the football the other night, took me completely by surprise and instantly got the hairs standing up on edge! So simple but just gives you a little nudge to remind you (not that anyone around here is thinking about much else!).

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Could anyone arrange publicity as good as this for the 2012 Olympics/Olympic Rings?


Another video of lightning striking the Tyne Bridge
By Kate Usher, Evening Chronicle, July 3rd 2012

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nechronical/jul2012/3/3/featured-lightning-striking-the-tyne-bridge-309345107.jpg
Lightning striking the Tyne Bridge near the Olympic Rings

THE London 2012 promotional team would struggle to come up with a publicity stunt as impressive as this one from Newcastle, which could have been conjured up by Zeus himself from Mount Olympus.

In the stunning video, taken from Central Newcastle, you can clearly see the Olympic rings currently fixed to the bridge and hear the dramatic crack of thunder a split second after the lighting hits.


Read More, and Watch Video - http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/evening-chronicle-news/2012/07/03/another-video-of-lightning-striking-the-tyne-bridge-72703-31313868/#ixzz1zZlSj6UK

Olympics road chaos fears as major stretch of M4 closes over crack

The M4 motorway between London and Heathrow Airport has been closed to all traffic after cracks were found in a "sensitive" area of the road structure, prompting fears of traffic chaos during the Olympics.

see http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/9383326/Olympics-road-chaos-fears-as-major-stretch-of-M4-closes-over-crack.html

London 2012 Olympics: Children welcome athletes with words of peace

Ahtletes arriving for this summer's Olympic Games in London in a few weeks will be greeted by hopes for a more peaceful future - expressed in dance, music and a symbolic 'truce wall'.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/london-2012/9382007/London-2012-Olympics-Children-welcome-athletes-with-words-of-peace.html

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Ralph Lauren Opening Ceremony uniforms for 2012 London Olympics mix flight attendant with Greenwich guerrilla

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/ralph-lauren-uniforms-opening-ceremony-2012-london-olympics-mix-flight-attendant-greenwich-guerilla-article-1.1111322#ixzz20J7VnnM0

Very nice, apart from the hat. Where can I get a Ralph Lauren jacket like that?

Armed forces on Olympics standby

The armed forces were due to provide some 13,500 servicemen and women

The UK's armed forces are on standby to provide an additional 3,500 troops to help with security at the 2012 London Olympics, the BBC has learned
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18804547

London 2012 Olympics: Games tour bus gets lost on first official tour of Olympic Park
For fans of the BBC comedy series Twenty Twelve, it would have seemed all too familiar.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9394768/London-2012-Olympics-Games-tour-bus-gets-lost-on-first-official-tour-of-Olympic-Park.html

So will there be a 'no brand' type theme at this year's olympics like Beijing did? Or will we see the clothing/sporting brands milking these games?

So will there be a 'no brand' type theme at this year's olympics like Beijing did? Or will we see the clothing/sporting brands milking these games?

Yes adidas etc.

massive black front page on todays Evening Standard screaming about the M4 lane opening and the army being called to fill in! How pathetic the press can be

The G4S thing is a shambles, the M4 thing is just unfortunate timimg I think.

I'm much more worried about the weather than either of these things if I'm honest. When will it stop?!

It is the only thing they will talk about now becasue parliament is over and epople are starting to go on holiday so expect the press to find any little thing to sensationalise.

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SUNSHINE may at last be on its way to Britain in time for the start of the Olympics, experts have confirmed.

Britain’s atrocious summer is finally about to improve, weather experts cautiously predicted today.

Forecasters believe the conditions that have bombarded Britain for months are finally weakening, bringing the chance of clear days for the beginning of the Olympics.

The UK has been hit by 25 consecutive days of wet weather up to yesterday, with April, May and June being the wettest on record.

Today weatherman Liam Dutton, gave hope to the nation saying: “I’ve been looking forward to this day.

"I can finally see a possible end in sight to the continual deluge of very wet weather that’s been with us since April.”

The Channel Four forecaster added: “There were hints that the jet stream would head further north towards the end of the month.

"At first I was doubtful, however for a few days in a row now a number of different weather computer models have been suggesting a trend to drift northwards for the next two weeks."

The movement of the jet stream further south over the UK - possibly due to the melting of ice in the Arctic - has seen the UK battered by daily rain storms for months.

“It will be a gradual process so don’t expect to open the curtains tomorrow and be greeted with blue skies and a heatwave,” Mr Dutton said.

“What you wil notice is that the unsettled weather will become increasingly confined to the north-western parts of the UK.”

Senior forecaster Stephen Davenport of forecasters Meteogroup told The Sun: “Liam has gone public with the thoughts we’ve had recently.

“We are starting to see signs of the jet stream shifting and high pressure building.

“Next week we will see a few false starts, but longer periods of warm weather, but then by the next week we will be dominated more by high pressure than low pressure.

"It means there will be more warm weather, with temperatures more likely to be average for the time of year, leading up to the Olympics.

"It is still hard to say what weather patterns would be over the three weeks of the Olympics" he added.

The predictions are an improvement since last week, when the Met Office forecast “inclement” weather over the UK for the next 30 days.

It also comes as Britain can expect to have a dry St Swithins on Sunday.

According to folklore St Swithin’s Day determines the weather across the UK for the next 40 days and 40 nights.

Sunday is expected to be the driest day in the past six weeks, the Met Office confirmed.

Tomorrow is expected to be “disturbed, but cool and showery with rain in the south, while Sunday will be mostly dry with rain moving across Scotland and the odd shower in the south".

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4428296/Going-for-gold-Sun-to-shine-in-time-for-Olympics.html

“What you wil notice is that the unsettled weather will become increasingly confined to the north-western parts of the UK.”

FFS

'The UK has been hit by 25 consecutive days of wet weather up to yesterday, with April, May and June being the wettest on record.'

I bet it has rained in the United states every day ever!

Seem to be a fair amount of hockey and handball tickets currently available for those who want to enjoy a sunshiney day in the Olympic Park

Watching TV newshttp://img692.imageshack.us/img692/7181/cimg6034popr.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/692/cimg6034popr.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us) tonight in Melbourne thought this Navy ship got close to the Thames Barrier.....did it ?

Yes. This was when it came in to the Thames back in May. You can tell the tug driver is pooing himself a bit when the back starts swinging out.

May Entry http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17950813

July Entry http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18838595

2nd time it was a little better :P

London 2012: Athletes start arriving for Olympic Games

A waxwork figure of sprinter Usain Bolt was unveiled at Heathrow Airport ahead of the Games


Thousands of athletes and officials are to begin arriving in London for the Olympic Games, as questions remain about recruitment of security staff.

Preparations for London 2012 are intensifying with the opening ceremony just 11 days away.

The first priority "Games Lane" has begun operation on the M4 and the Olympic drug testing lab starts work.

Meanwhile, the chairman of G4S has refused to express support for his chief executive over the guards fiasco.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18852034

London 2012 spectacle thrills crowds in London
A one-day performance of a dazzling, action-packed spectacular iconic locations around London
to celebrate the count down to the Olympic Games in London.

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London 2012 Olympics: athletes begin to arrive for Games
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9402562/London-2012-Olympics-athletes-begin-to-arrive-for-Games.html
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Much needed shot in the arm for the economy (foreign exchange) i was thinking these athletes, journalists and coaches are going to be spending for three weeks. Westfield London, and of course Weymouth and the football venues.

Ten to a room and one shower for 75 people: Inside the 'slum' camp for Olympic cleaners
They sleep in portable cabins, some of which have been leaking in the rain, at the campsite in East London

The bad weather has left the site flooded with stagnant water, forcing the cleaners to use abandoned crates as makeshift ‘stepping stones’
‘It is like a slum inside,’ says one worker from Hungary.


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Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2174034/London-2012-Olympics-10-room-1-shower-75-people-Inside-slum-camp-Olympic-cleaners.html#ixzz20mE17XYg

London 2012 Olympics: capital braced for travel chaos as Games Lanes open on Heathrow's busiest day
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9402617/London-2012-Olympics-capital-braced-for-travel-chaos-as-Games-Lanes-open-on-Heathrows-busiest-day.html

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London 2012: 32 mile queue as first Games lane opens on M4

Traffic crawled into London today as the opening of the first Olympic Games lane coincided with an accident on the M4 to create the 'perfect storm' of travel chaos leading to 32 mile queues

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9402563/London-2012-32-mile-queue-as-first-Games-lane-opens-on-M4.html

11 Days to go, just looked on 10 Day weather forecast and it is showing next Tuesday and Wednesday as cloudy with sun, chance of precipitation = 0%, Keep the faith!!! :| :D

Around 58 staff from the security firm were due to arrive at the Hilton Hotel on Gateshead Quayside on Saturday, July 14, to provide security ahead of the Olympic football teams arriving.

But Sky Tyne and Wear has learned that less than 10 showed up, and Northumbria Police have been forced to fill in.

Northumbria Police Federation has described the security firm’s blunder as "shambolic".

More on this story on http://tyneandwear.sky.com/news/article/25287 (http://tyneandwear.sky.com/news/article/25287)


Let us hope the bill is submitted ASAP to G4S


KEN

London 2012 Olympics: American and Australian team buses get lost from Heathrow to Olympic Park :lol:

Opps! :|


Scores of Olympic athletes and officials have been making circuitous routes around London as untrained bus drivers transporting them from Heathrow Airport have been lost en route to the Olympic Park in Stratford.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9403023/London-2012-Olympics-American-and-Australian-team-buses-get-lost-from-Heathrow-to-Olympic-Park.html

London 2012 Olympics: London ( Torch Arrives in the Host City ) torch relay route announced
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (Locog) has revealed the flame will start its seven-day tour around all 33 boroughs of the capital by abseiling down the Tower of London.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/torch-relay/9402853/London-2012-Olympics-London-torch-relay-route-announced.html

Good start lol.

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Heathrow today

London 2012 Olympics: American and Australian team buses get lost from Heathrow to Olympic Park :lol:

Opps! :|


Scores of Olympic athletes and officials have been making circuitous routes around London as untrained bus drivers transporting them from Heathrow Airport have been lost en route to the Olympic Park in Stratford.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9403023/London-2012-Olympics-American-and-Australian-team-buses-get-lost-from-Heathrow-to-Olympic-Park.html

do coach drivers really need training on how to read a road map?!

The Mail, Grauniad & Torygraph are having a competition as to who can produce the most negative olympic stories in the space of 24 hrs

but taking 4 hours to drive from Heathrow to Stratford and the coach driver saying he hadn't driven in London before and didn't know how to use the sat nav?!

Are G4S doing the coach service too?

I think they're games makers

Welcome to London! US star moans as bus gets lost looking for Olympic Village

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/olympics/article-2174232/London-2012-Olympics-Kerron-Clement-moans-getting-lost-way-Village.html#ixzz20mxTSsQm

Been failing in a Manchester venue with G4S Staff Fail To Show and Police having to take over.

http://news.sky.com/story/960789/cops-drafted-in-after-g4s-staff-fail-to-show

G4S Olympics staff failed to arrive for security work

Only 17 of an expected 56 G4S staff turned up for work at an Olympic team hotel in Salford, the chairman of the Greater Manchester Police Authority has said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18856922

Once the games start there will be other news stories to fill columns with. Right now parliament is shut schools are about to close and people are going on holiday. August is always a scarce month for news. Expect these negative headlines by people who wish they were involved somehow after all the venues were finished in time and the costs have been met.

Time for a Commercial break......

sw_DHbet8cA

I'm finding the current reporting overly negative and i especially can't understand it from the BBC who surely should be the one trying to be positive and bigging everything up.

Yes there have been failings and problems and mistakes but what people seem to be forgetting or not taking into account is what a massive task this is, it's huge, on a scale we've never seen before. There are bound to be issues, everything isn't going to run 100% smoothly. What's making it appear worse and highlighting it is the media and i think they should be ashamed.

I hope that next week when it's really the countdown the tide turns and the news and media turns to what a moment is about to be upon us.

I'm finding the current reporting overly negative and i especially can't understand it from the BBC who surely should be the one trying to be positive and bigging everything up.

Yes there have been failings and problems and mistakes but what people seem to be forgetting or not taking into account is what a massive task this is, it's huge, on a scale we've never seen before. There are bound to be issues, everything isn't going to run 100% smoothly. What's making it appear worse and highlighting it is the media and i think they should be ashamed.

I hope that next week when it's really the countdown the tide turns and the news and media turns to what a moment is about to be upon us.

It's always the way. There will be problems. Let's hope they won't be major. At the moment there's no good news stories to balance it. When the games begin there will be plenty of stuff.

They have nothing else to report on or do at this time of year just look at the useless jobsworths in parliaments discussing gay marriage and Olympics security at this time of year. Once the games begin lots of stories will come out and with the teams settled in the olympic park they will win over the misers

This is the kind of time i expected to be glued to the news to see the teams arriving, the village being populated and see the final preparations. But i'm now not watching the news because all that is being overtaken by constant talk of security (STILL) or how Heathrow is coping or how the Olympic lanes are coping.

The media is really pissing me off now, it is so desperate to flaw the games before they've begun. Everything is constantly negative, meaning more people are getting annoyed with it and killing the excitement. Then you go on the internet and if it isn't people complaining about it being a waste of money, or saying it'll be terrible and we'll balls it up, then they're sat making little slideshows and montages of how London 2012 is actually the start of World War 3, with Anti-Christs landing in UFOs and nuclear explosions, thousands dead and the end of days (I doubt even Danny Boyle is that eccentric).

Yet those who have already flown in from around the World have said that check in was fast, people were friendly and welcoming, the village is amazing and they're really geared up for an amazing event - does that get coverage? Of course not.

..I just want to see some nice, lovely things before it starts! That's all!!! :| :(

The media is really pissing me off now, it is so desperate to flaw the games before they've begun. Everything is constantly negative

Welcome to modern day Britain. Where have you been all your life? Just reading the comments below most articles suggests these papers know their market quite well.

thought this was a good user comment on the Guardian page:

It's curious how the media got behind the mindlessness of the Jubilee but seem determined to piss all over the Olympics, which is at least a celebration of people who've really achieved something.

Why ant we all just enjoy this big party. Money is always spent on huge projects I never see. This is something you can enjoy if you so want! Guess its just moaning brits !

thought this was a good user comment on the Guardian page:

It's curious how the media got behind the mindlessness of the Jubilee but seem determined to piss all over the Olympics, which is at least a celebration of people who've really achieved something.

Yeah, but its corporate greed innit... down with the elite and all that :nuts:

The Guardian readership seems to think no fun should ever be allowed and we could spend every penny on hospitals and employing more people

'I read on another blog the 10 billion pounds being spent on this olympic farce would have given pensioners free heating in the winter for the next 5 years.'

The Daily Mail seems to think it's a waste of money too. And think of all the bloody foreigners coming here!

Why ant we all just enjoy this big party. Money is always spent on huge projects I never see. This is something you can enjoy if you so want! Guess its just moaning brits !

I actually think most people are excited for them, as evidenced by the Torch relay crowds. Those who shout loudest though, tend to get more attention.

Guardian readers are self righteous types they think they should run the country but just look at everything the government fails at.

The news is the news, they pick up what's newsworthy. That's fair enough. Sometimes the tone annoys me more than anything else, or the overexaggeration and portrayal of everything as a crisis, but really, can anyone say this shouldn't be top headlines right now? Only 20 out of 300 promised G4S staff turned out in Surrey today apparently. That's a mess, and one they should be footing the bill for. And of course it has much bigger implications for the outsourcing of police services in future to such firms.

The bus story was overblown though. Coe said in the Press Conference today that 98% of journeys from the airport to the Village yesterday were fine. That puts that story in context.

sounds a bit pathetic... the Chinese German love fest continues...!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-18867521

London 2012: China's Liu Xiang leaves 'cold' London

Liu Xiang pulled out from the London Grand Prix last Friday

Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang is to avoid London's "wet and cold" weather until he competes at the Olympic Games, his coach says.

Sun Haiping said Liu, one of China's top sporting heroes, would train in Leverkusen in Germany.

He had arranged to train at St Mary's University College in Twickenham.

Liu won gold in Athens in 2004, but pulled out of the 2008 Beijing Games ahead of his much anticipated race, an action which shocked China.

"Other Chinese teams have also chosen to move their base thanks to London's cold weather, so Liu Xiang is not the only one," Mr Sun was quoted as saying by the China Daily.

They wont be acclimated to Londons conditions though so that is a bad decision.

Todays weather is fine and next week it's supposed to get better. It is funny they have gone to Germany who's weather in general is as crap as ours.

Looking it up, the 10-Day forecast for London and Leverkusen are pretty much identical.

Waste of time going over there.

Welcome to modern day Britain. Where have you been all your life? Just reading the comments below most articles suggests these papers know their market quite well.

I know, I know... but it doesn't bother you as much when it is calling other places because it makes your own country/place etc look better :| :D

I've even just seen a small article that brands the games makers as heterophobic and favouring same sex couples for how athletes are given their rooms and use of single beds... I mean, what next?! Are we going to be branded xenophobic for hosting the games in our own country?! The mind boggles, but at least the journalists make use of the creative writing element of their degrees.

I know, I know... but it doesn't bother you as much when it is calling other places because it makes your own country/place etc look better :| :D

I've even just seen a small article that brands the games makers as heterophobic and favouring same sex couples for how athletes are given their rooms and use of single beds... I mean, what next?! Are we going to be branded xenophobic for hosting the games in our own country?! The mind boggles, but at least the journalists make use of the creative writing element of their degrees.

This is probably the same people who complain about mixed sex hospital wards!

What I have taken more from all this bad press is not the negativity of the press but the hypocrisy.

London 2012 Olympics: 'We are ready despite transport and security hitches', says Seb Coe
Sebastian Coe has sought to play down London’s Olympic troubles, saying that, security aside, the city remains on track to deliver the Games

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9405927/London-2012-Olympics-We-are-ready-despite-transport-and-security-hitches-says-Seb-Coe.html

Yeah, but its corporate greed innit... down with the elite and all that :nuts:

The Guardian readership seems to think no fun should ever be allowed and we could spend every penny on hospitals and employing more people

'I read on another blog the 10 billion pounds being spent on this olympic farce would have given pensioners free heating in the winter for the next 5 years.'

The Daily Mail seems to think it's a waste of money too. And think of all the bloody foreigners coming here!

I actually think most people are excited for them, as evidenced by the Torch relay crowds. Those who shout loudest though, tend to get more attention.

How the hell do you know what the guardian readership think?

I'm a Guardian reader AND a massive supporter of the Olympics. Maybe you think I'm the only one?

Guardian readers are self righteous types they think they should run the country but just look at everything the government fails at.

Yeah. Like providing security for the Games. Oh wait, it wasn't The government what let us down, it was the government that stepped in to provide soldiers. And, incidentally, it was also a government agency that delivered the venues on time and on budget.

Todays weather is fine and next week it's supposed to get better. It is funny they have gone to Germany who's weather in general is as crap as ours.

Ever been there? I don't remember a summer day in Germany that wasn't warm!

How the hell do you know what the guardian readership think?

I'm a Guardian reader AND a massive supporter of the Olympics. Maybe you think I'm the only one?

I reckon you must be if you read the general consensus of the comments below articles on their website. I presume most of their print readers must differ from the Pravda regulars on the net :lol:

Yeah. Like providing security for the Games. Oh wait, it wasn't The government what let us down, it was the government that stepped in to provide soldiers. And, incidentally, it was also a government agency that delivered the venues on time and on budget.

Yeah its these state assholes was their ever a referendum on whether we wanted these games or did they juc 3 billion oh no wait 9 billion quid at this sports week

kqIx76JcfMo

Ever been there? I don't remember a summer day in Germany that wasn't warm!

hmmm, Germany has the same type of climate, similar average temperatures and similar rainfall to us.

Just looking at the weather in Frankfurt it is raining during the next few days, maybe not every summer day is warm. ;)

Yeah its these state assholes was their ever a referendum on whether we wanted these games or did they juc 3 billion oh no wait 9 billion quid at this sports week

Oh, sorry I didn't realise you were anti Games. Goodbye.

It's always the way. There will be problems. Let's hope they won't be major. At the moment there's no good news stories to balance it. When the games begin there will be plenty of stuff.

In fact, there are starting to appear plenty of stories going the other way:

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/london-2012-shiny-happy-village-people-7953504.html
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/olympic-village-is-a-hit-with-athletes-16186305.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jul/16/athletes-olympic-village-bus?newsfeed=true

I reckon you must be if you read the general consensus of the comments below articles on their website. I presume most of their print readers must differ from the Pravda regulars on the net :lol:

Totally agree, the distance between Guardian readers and Daily Mail readers has never been smaller, they appear to be united on this subject.. whinge whinge, whine whine....moan. On the whole though it's the Daily Mail readers who are showing a slightly sunnier disposition, some of THEM even dare to say that they are looking forward to the games.

HIlZmMBYUy8
London Mayor

.
Here in Newcastle, St James' Park is pretty well ready
for the Olympic Football Tournament . . .


http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv345/manorpark_photos/Newcastle%204/SJPOlympicRings003.jpg


http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv345/manorpark_photos/Newcastle%204/SJPOlympicRings002.jpg


http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv345/manorpark_photos/Newcastle%204/st-james-park-ready-for-olympic-football.jpg


http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv345/manorpark_photos/Newcastle%204/47YZ0.png


http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv345/manorpark_photos/Newcastle%204/1342022579.jpg


http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv345/manorpark_photos/Newcastle%204/1342349150.jpg

.

Surely the other advertising has to come down?

Athletes village cafe closed as water runs dry
The Associated Press

The cafe in the village's shopping area was closed for several hours on Wednesday and other "grab and go" cafes were also affected.

With the cafe doors closed unexpectedly, staff told athletes and guests trying to gain access that there were "water restrictions."

Organizers told The Associated Press that a "couple of water pipes and connections" were slightly late being installed and are still being checked before being operational.

Organizers expect the issue to be resolved by Thursday. There were no indications that athletes' apartments were affected.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/07/18/4639660/athletes-village-cafe-closed-as.html#storylink=cpy

Wow... 1 cafe out of several goes without water for a few hours.

Stop the presses.

And if it's the 'cafe' I'm thinking of in the village plaza, it's actually more of a kiosk, like you get in train stations.

You need these negative presses. Look what happened with Beijing, a lot of bad press before hand but the games themselves (after it officially started) ran very smoothly. You will need to wait for the games to begin before we can determine how prepared and how well it was held!!!

Plus, you need the international perspective on the games as well, also known as the 'general view'

Surely the other advertising has to come down?


Yes, all Sports Direct signage (etc) has to go, and most of it has.

The Leazes End roof (seen in one of the photos, that you are referring to) WAS covered up, but it seems to have come uncovered!

They will HAVE to fix that, probably already have (again) since that photo was taken.

Totally agree, the distance between Guardian readers and Daily Mail readers has never been smaller, they appear to be united on this subject.. whinge whinge, whine whine....moan. On the whole though it's the Daily Mail readers who are showing a slightly sunnier disposition, some of THEM even dare to say that they are looking forward to the games.

Well the typical Daily Mail reader (ie my Mum) cant help but be slightly nationalistic/patriotic so they're torn on whether they want the Olympics to be a disaster really or a great success for the British Brand.

The raunchiest Olympics ever? Record 150,000 condoms handed out to athletes for London Games - that's 15 EACH

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2175783/The-raunchiest-Olympics-Record-150-000-condoms-handed-athletes-London-Games--thats-15-EACH.html#ixzz213bwxFFd

Border staff, and London - Midlands train staff go on strike :( Worst possible time. This isn't a negative press spin ad nauseum, it's what's actually happening.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9412287/Border-force-staff-to-walk-out-ahead-of-Olympics.html

I think - with the worst features of a democratic, capitalist society in microcosm - the Olympics is being hijacked and the country held to ransom, not just by the usual corporate interests but more blatant personal greed aswell.

Olympic Torch arrives at the Host city , London today.

A Royal Marine Commando will abseil with the Olympic flame into the Tower of London today.

The torch will then be carried around the Tower by an athlete and a Tower of London-nominated torchbearer.

It will be welcomed by Mayor Boris Johnson and Lutfur Rahman, the mayor of Olympics host borough Tower Hamlets.

The torch will spend the night under guard at the 11th century Tower.

http://i46.tinypic.com/20hkqk4.png

Steady on, don't forget its journey through Guildford and other local areas of mine today.

London can wait.

Olympian Roger Black will carry the Flame in Godalming. He was hugely popular during the fourteen years he represented Great Britain in international athletics and remains highly admired by many for overcoming several serious injuries and setbacks during his career.

Austin Playfoot, the last Torchbearer of the day, will light a celebration cauldron on stage at the evening celebration. Austin, 82, was a Torchbearer in 1948 and he helped launch the Torch design under the Olympic Rings in St Pancras International station in June 2011.

The evening celebration takes place at Stoke Park, Guildford and includes performances from Rizzle Kicks, dance duo Twist and Pulse and other dance acts.

The Flame will travel through the following communities on day 63: Maidstone, Gillingham, Chatham, Rochester, Higham, Gravesend, Brands Hatch, Borough Green, Seal, Sevenoaks, Riverhead, Godstone, Bletchingley, Redhill, Reigate, Dorking, Westcott, Shere, Chilworth, Godalming and Guildford.

Source: www.london2012.com

Border staff, and London - Midlands train staff go on strike :( Worst possible time. This isn't a negative press spin ad nauseum, it's what's actually happening.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9412287/Border-force-staff-to-walk-out-ahead-of-Olympics.html

I think - with the worst features of a democratic, capitalist society in microcosm - the Olympics is being hijacked and the country held to ransom, not just by the usual corporate interests but more blatant personal greed aswell.

Although I would agree with the transport strikes and threats of strikes as greed and opportunism, I have no problem with the border staff, however their timing is annoying. The border staff are not striking for money but work condition reasons, conditions we have known for a while, dealing with people who have queued for 4 hours cannot be easy, and this is the government's fault by cutting staff numbers.

005WwR2U03g

Although I would agree with the transport strikes and threats of strikes as greed and opportunism, I have no problem with the border staff, however their timing is annoying. The border staff are not striking for money but work condition reasons, conditions we have known for a while, dealing with people who have queued for 4 hours cannot be easy, and this is the government's fault by cutting staff numbers.

I have real problems with such a disruptive strike being timed to fuck with as many people as possible on the basis of only around 10% of union members voting for it.

I do have sympathy for their cause, but less so after this bullshit.

FYI for all who want to visit SJP.

Lockdown begins on 21 July (Sunday)

There'll be no access to the stadium aside the glass atrium entrance (where there'll be a full security checkpoint for Newcastle staff and LOCOG bosses to enter) and the Level 1 Car Park which is the LOCOG staff area (catering etc)

All the car parks will be closed. NUFC staff and LOCOG Officials will be parking at the Metro Radio Arena and shuttled up to St James Park.

There's no conferences, no ground tours, no visitors.

Club Shop and Shearers remain open aside matchdays. There'll be a visibly increased presence.

The government needs to change the law so unions cannot strike on an 11% vote. 89% of people in this union either don't support this strike or didn't feel strongly enough about the issue to vote, yet a strike is happening.

Sack them and then replace them with the squaddies who will be sacked soon theyre are many people who are out of work and would gladly work.

Although the counter argument to that is governments are time and again voted in on low percentages, in the 2010 election on a turnout of 65% the Conservatives got 36% of the vote so out of the voting population the Conservatives got only 23% of the vote. If you then add the Liberal Democrats the current coalition government only got 38% of the votes, meaning almost two thirds of the UK population eligible to vote didn't vote for the current government, and yet we are happy to say that they are the legitimate government.

But my argument is that perhaps governments need over 50% to win out of the total eligible to vote, not just those who did vote. Perhaps this should be the rule for Union strikes too.

^^ You have to have a government, even if it's a minority one. You don't HAVE to have a strike. The two situations and the percentages involved are not really comparable. Sure the voting system could do with some reform, but that counter-argument is a nonsense. You can't just say, if people don't feel stronly enough, "let's not have a government then" but you can and SHOULD say, if people don't feel strongly enough "probably best not to strike then."

Take the Olympic tickets away from those strikers who have them.

If they are going to eff up the Olympics for others they ain't welcome.

^^ You have to have a government, even if it's a minority one. You don't HAVE to have a strike. The two situations and the percentages involved are not really comparable. Sure the voting system could do with some reform, but that counter-argument is a nonsense. You can't just say, if people don't feel stronly enough, "let's not have a government then" but you can say, if people don't feel strongly enough "probably best not to strike then."

Nonsense, they are more similar than you think. Imagine a union as a government, both are hierarchical systems that control those beneath them whether that be voters of fee paying members. These strikes are a direct response to government cuts, cuts imposed by a government only 38% of the people voted for. So if the government can impose cuts with a minority, why can't a union strike with a minority?

Why do we have to have a government, every heard of Anarchy? And not the simplistic view and wrongful use of the term anarchy, like the newspapers use when to describe lawlessness, but the traditional meaning of the word Anarchy, where there is no government and people live their lives without outside interference; commune and co-ops are similar ideas.

"Anarchism advocates stateless societies based on non-hierarchical voluntary associations" ie no government

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarchy

I do agree however this is terrible timing, if they want people to endear to their arguments, better to do it at a time when you don't annoy the majority. I am also uneasy with the 11% figure and I repeat that I think it is wrong to strike with less than 50% support, just as I think it is wrong to have governments voted in with minority percentages. Getting that allusive 50% isn't difficult, look how the French vote for their President, with two rounds, the second round a dead heat where by the nature of having two runners means one will have over 50%. There are also plenty of systems around the world where a certain turnout is needed for a vote be it electoral or referendal, otherwise the vote is void.

Of course the unions are going to try to maximise their power- they have precious little other option .... especially with this Govt. The whole point of striking is to maximise inconvenience - not borne of malice, but to allow management / the Government every incentive to negotiate.

London 2012 Olympics: Let's celebrate a world united


http://http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9417131/London-2012-Olympics-Lets-celebrate-a-world-united.html

Super-yachts dock in London as business heads to Olympics
Luxury craft owned by Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen, among those moored in London.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/london-olympics-business/9418300/Super-yachts-dock-in-London-as-business-heads-to-Olympics.html

Will the fine weather last for the Olympics?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/18944514

Will the fine weather last for the Olympics?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/18944514

"Dunno!" is the weatherman's answer, it was ever thus.

It's not looking very good for Friday Evening. Is this going to heavily affect the opening ceremony??

It's not looking very good for Friday Evening. Is this going to heavily affect the opening ceremony??

NO rain is part of British Culture:)

The sunny weather being enjoyed by many parts of the UK is unlikely to last for the start of the Olympic Games, forecasters said, with possible showers forecast for the opening ceremony.

There will be seaside weather early this week in the south, with temperatures in the mid-20s along the coast and possibly reaching 30C (86F) in central London on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The conditions for the final days of the Olympic torch relay through the capital appear ideal.

However, more unsettled weather is likely on Friday when Danny Boyle's opening ceremony takes place at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford. "It's a few days off yet, so it is still confusing as to where we might see rain. But it looks like the drier weather in the south may well break down a little bit, and there is more of a chance of a few showers," said Met Office forecaster Helen Waite.

While the south of Britain experienced warm sunshine on Sunday, rain did push into northern Scotland, where there were also strong winds.

Rain is predicted to push southwards on Monday, into Northern Ireland and northern England, and may turn heavy over higher ground.

The rain will ease off during Tuesday and Wednesday, and northern parts of Scotland may well see bright weather returning and winds easing, said Waite.

While it sizzles in the south, a band across central parts of the UK, north Wales and northern England, will see cloudy and muggy conditions with outbreaks of rain and drizzle.

With the games under way, next weekend will remain unsettled in the south, with perhaps more persistent rain further north.

Temperatures will return to those normal for the time of year, with Saturday predicted to be around 22C or 23C in London.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jul/22/warm-weather-olympics?newsfeed=true

Going to be tragic if it rains in my opinion, i genuinely hope it does not we will get a clearer picture by Tuesday.

"Dunno!" is the weatherman's answer, it was ever thus.

That's a pretty good video actually. You can't accurately predict the weather that far in advance. Fingers crossed.

45119481

Friday - bbc
http://i46.tinypic.com/2ymuhjl.png

It's not looking very good for Friday Evening. Is this going to heavily affect the opening ceremony??

thunderstorms! Sounds perfect!

The weather prospects seem to be improving for Friday, however things can change. The Met office has more in depth figures than the BBC, although the BBC uses the Met office data. The key feature is the 'precipitation probability'

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/?tab=5day

This morning the probability at 1600 was 40%, at 1900 60% and at 2200 40%, now that has changed to 40, 40, 20 respectfully, so it might rain just before the ceremony and possibly not during. But with the British weather we cannot predict anything!

Give it 48 hours we will have it pretty much nailed down by then.

Major TV Channel's start broadcasting news from the Olympic Park
http://i45.tinypic.com/14kcgp5.png
bbc News

:banana::banana:

London 2012: What to expect entering the Olympic Park

See > http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18950524

The weather prospects seem to be improving for Friday, however things can change. The Met office has more in depth figures than the BBC, although the BBC uses the Met office data. The key feature is the 'precipitation probability'

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/?tab=5day

This morning the probability at 1600 was 40%, at 1900 60% and at 2200 40%, now that has changed to 40, 40, 20 respectfully, so it might rain just before the ceremony and possibly not during. But with the British weather we cannot predict anything!

Plenty of time for it to go either way. Last computer models were showing the worst of any showers to stay the other side of the channel but it could easily change again. Either way, it'll be cooler and not as good as this week's stunning weather, but still better than the last 7 weeks of crap.

More private firm blunders,

http://www.standard.co.uk/olympics/olympic-news/london-2012-olympics-foreign-visitors-queue-for-six-hours-to-get-their-olympic-tickets-7965982.html

London 2012 Olympics: Foreign visitors queue for six hours to get their Olympic tickets
Share

23 July 2012

Hundreds of foreign visitors were today forced to queue for up to six hours to collect Olympic tickets after arriving in London for the Games.

Purchasers from the United States, Australia, Sweden and Canada had to stand outside in temperatures approaching 27C at a college in Paddington because of an administrative blunder by ticket agency CoSport.

Staff at the company, which has the exclusive rights to sell “premium packages” to seven countries, were struggling to issue tickets that had been bought online.

By 1pm today a queue of more than 200 people was snaking out of the doors of the City of Westminster College’s Paddington campus, where the tickets were due to be picked up.

Some visitors are thought to have left without collecting their tickets because they could not be found, while those who did wait had to cover their heads with coats and umbrellas because of the heat.

http://www.standard.co.uk/olympics/olympic-news/london-2012-olympics-royalty-meets-hollywood-as-starstudded-games-party-season-starts-tonight-7965881.html

London 2012 Olympics: Royalty meets Hollywood as star-studded Games party season starts tonight

23 July 2012

London’s Olympic party season starts tonight with a glittering gala at the Royal Opera House — as Britain’s richest man Lakshmi Mittal hosts a reception in Kensington Gardens for Indian athletes.

It marks the beginning of a month-long party programme set to provide a £100 million boost to the hospitality industry, with an event being staged at almost every public space in the city.

They range from parties with Brazil at Somerset House; a Dutch beer hall at Alexandra Palace and nights hosted by Hollywood stars.

Tonight the 100-plus members of the International Olympic Committee will enjoy the full-red carpet treatment as they attend an evening reception with the Queen at Buckingham Palace followed by a cultural programme at Covent Garden opera house — which hosts the traditional curtain-raiser to the Olympics’ annual congress starting tomorrow.

Boris Johnson will perform an Olympic ode in ancient Greek written by an academic at Oxford University, the Mayor’s alma mater.

At the same time, Mr Mittal hosts his lavish bash at the Serpentine Gallery. The steel tycoon, who will be carrying the Olympic torch through Kensington and Chelsea this week, is thought to have invited several leading Bollywood stars to the event.

London is preparing to “party itself out” in a month-long fiesta as organisers today warned everything is being thrown at the Olympics.

Hollywood stars, members of the royal family and billionaires from across the globe will attend a clutch of members-only parties as London welcomes an extra 500,000 visitors to the capital.

Top of every invitation list is Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s UK-themed party on Wednesday at the Victoria and Albert Museum, at a cost of £60,000. Singer Rihanna is expected to entertain guests who include David and Victoria Beckham, Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Others expected to attend the charity black-tie dinner — held in honour of boxing legend Muhammad Ali — include Sir Christopher Lee, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Lewis Hamilton.

Hollywood’s most high-profile couple are said to have installed giant black chandeliers, covered the walls in black chiffon drapes and will serve British classics such as fish and chips and Beef Wellington. With the party finishing at 10pm, Brad and Angelina are then hosting an afterparty at their £20 million townhouse, which they have rented while in London.

Actress Nicole Kidman is expected to join record-breaking Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps at a cocktail reception and secret garden party hosted by watch brand Omega at its Greek Street base during the next three weeks.

Meanwhile, Docklands has been transformed into a “billionaires’ playground” with its own private beach and easy access to local helipads.

Several super-yachts have moored in Canary Wharf and are expected to host members-only parties for the world’s most powerful people.

Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich is rumoured to be on his way to London in Eclipse, the world’s largest private yacht at 557 feet which has its own missile defence system.

John Lewis, the Official Department Store for the Olympics, has wrapped 4 of it's shops, including the flagship Oxford Street site, for the Olympics - images in linked article.

http://www.retail-week.com/events/london-2012/in-pictures-john-lewis-wraps-its-stores-in-giant-olympic-banners/5038941.article?blocktitle=London-Olympics&contentID=7926

^^ Subscriber only content. Grab the pics and post them?

Oops! Sorry! Try this link....

http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/1142330/John-Lewis-gets-patriotic-store-wraps/

Friday from BBC
http://i45.tinypic.com/2r554w3.png

See video - contains news and small spoilers. ( from itv)
http://vimeo.com/46271416

Friday from BBC
http://i45.tinypic.com/2r554w3.png

Basically it looks like it's going to p*ss it down during the Opening Ceremony. Contingencies have surely been put in place for this, so it isn't a washout. Right?

Will the grass turn to mud? that will be a proper English festival, moshers moshing in the mud.

Basically it looks like it's going to p*ss it down during the Opening Ceremony. Contingencies have surely been put in place for this, so it isn't a washout. Right?

can you open a new thread please

People need to calm it with the weather.....a) the above forecast isn't the bbc weather forecast i see for Stratford on Friday. That says that there is a chance of light showers. Also another weather forecast "chance of a few showers". Some light showers aren't too bad at all. Infact the fact it's gonna be cloudy and less fine actually helps in terms of it appearing darker during the ceremony.

Some people talk like it's gonna be torrential rain!

Unless there is major pressure change then we should be confident that a rainshower wont be huge.

London 2012: More troops deployed for Olympics
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18966360

Some shots of the rings on the eastern side of the Tyne Bridge.

http://i1071.photobucket.com/albums/u512/MrSwall/SaturdayWander-21stJuly2012012.jpg

http://i1071.photobucket.com/albums/u512/MrSwall/SaturdayWander-21stJuly2012014.jpg

http://i1071.photobucket.com/albums/u512/MrSwall/SaturdayWander-21stJuly2012011.jpg

Certainly the Olympics have given a lot of interesting photo opportunities.

We keep getting the Arabic wrong...

London 2012: Westfield Arabic banners 'incoherent'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18971686

Westfield Stratford is displaying huge banners welcoming visitors from all over the world for the Olympics.

The Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu) said the words were back to front and not joined up as they must be in Arabic.

Westfield Stratford apologised and said it would replace the posters.

The error follows a similar mistake by the train firm First Capital Connect.

The rail firm sent posters to 13 stations printed in English and seven other languages intended to warn people not to leave items unattended

St James’ Park sees local security
staff drafted in for Olympic football
by Adrian Pearson, The Journal, July 24th 2012

http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv345/manorpark_photos/Newcastle%204/dfsd-image-2-735267310.jpg
New security measures around St James' Park

MORE THAN 500 security staff had to be drafted in at the last minute to save Olympic football at St James’ Park. Newcastle City Council was forced to intervene after it emerged security firm G4S would not be able to provide the expected number of security staff for games the ground. The City Council was contacted last week by the local branch of the Olympic organising committee, Locog, to say it did not believe G4S would be able to provide staff for football matches due to be played at St James’ Park.

With the first game due to take place this Thursday, the council was forced to quickly search for industry-approved security staff from across the region and as far south as Leeds. Newcastle United stewards will cover security inside the ground, with the 500 extra staff used immediately outside the ground. They will check bags and marshal spectators, while carrying out routine public safety and security functions for the tournament which runs until August 4.

Stephen Savage, responsible for Newcastle City Council’s Olympic operations, said: “In discussions with safety providers, it became apparent that there would be a shortfall in G4S staff. A decision was taken to source local people with approved training to manage the stadium on match days.” It is expected Locog will pick up the bill for the new staff. A G4S spokesman said: “Work will be taken over by private security firms that already provide security on match days.

G4S has faced repeated criticism after it emerged it would fail to provide enough staff to cover the London Games. At the same time it was revealed that Northumbria Police had to step in and provide extra security at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead Hotel, after dozens of G4S staff failed to turn up to help provide security for Olympic footballers.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2012/07/24/st-james-park-sees-local-security-drafted-in-for-olympic-football-61634-31457952/#ixzz21X3UGQsc

Despite the negative implications from the headline, this is a refreshingly positive article:

BBC News: French Olympians foxed by Games Lanes (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18984862)

Latest prognostication is Heavy rain shower for 7pm in Stratford.....How long will it last for though by 10 it should have cleared.

London 2012: capital basks in sunshine and high temperatures

Summer spell forecast to continue with previous warnings about rain for Friday's Olympic opening ceremony now downgraded

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jul/25/london-2012-sunshine-high-temperatures?newsfeed=true

Big Ben to chime 40 times / Let the Bells ring!

Friday's event will be part of an art project encouraging everyone across the UK to ring a bell at 08:12 on Friday.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18968027

3o5HLBhoK7w

ehhh it has got some roof?

3o5HLBhoK7w

ehhh it has got some roof?

Wow. That's a bad journalist. Sucked into a lazy narrative (London = rain, clouds, gloom), he doesn't even check a simple fact as to whether the stadium has a roof!!!

Surely he must have seen one photo from an elevated position? A little research before you fly 3,000 miles to report on a story would be advisable to any AP journalist in future.

lol how do paid staff get such things wrong?!?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-18991619

Flag row threat to Olympic game

The North Korean Women's Football team have walked off the pitch at Hampden Park in Glasgow.

The action was apparently in protest at the South Korean flag being mistakenly displayed beside players' names on a screen prior to their Olympic football match.

Kick off had been scheduled for 19:45.

North Korea are meant to play Colombia in the second of the opening matches being held at the ground.

Talk about setting off an international incident LOL

the mind boggles

Sorry, I'm late North Korean accident is more interesting

The dictator was not allowed to be on the Olympics in London
http://charter97.org/photos/20101113_luka3_t.jpg
Organizers of the Olympic Games denied accreditation of Aliaksandr Lukashenka.

This was reported on his account on Twitter by the Chairman of the Russian Olympic Committee Alexander Zhukov.

"President of the NOC and London Olympic organizing committee has not given accreditation," - he wrote.

The Belarusian leader is in the "black list" of the European Union due to repressions against the opposition, falsification of the elections, and human rights violations in Belarus. He, as well as more than 200 other Belarusian officials and businessmen, are forbidden to entry the EU.

At the opening of the London Olympics will arrive a record number of heads of states - about 120.

As charter97.org reported previously with a link to the British press, the organizers of games also are not going to invite a number of other notorious dictators, such as Bashar al-Assad and Robert Mugabe.

http://charter97.org/en/news/2012/7/25/55647/

Oops wrong Korea :lol:

https://p.twimg.com/Ayq2J88CcAE6cd5.jpg

I did laugh at that. It's far more effective than shooting at the North Koreans. Just pretend they don't exist!

Thankfully, the North Korean Population already know that the west is EVIL, so no harm done.

Latest prognostication is Heavy rain shower for 7pm in Stratford.....How long will it last for though by 10 it should have cleared.

The Met Office prediction is now suggesting the showers should move away earlier:

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/

(It's showing that Paris will have showers at the opening ceremony time though :-) )

Of all countries to stuff up the flag NORTH KOREA!
It is funny, I saw a long interview with the head of protocol last week on how this type of thing couldnt happen at London 2012 because of their multiple checks...
And the opening is still 2 days away.

Of all countries to stuff up the flag NORTH KOREA!
It is funny, I saw a long interview with the head of protocol last week on how this type of thing couldnt happen at London 2012 because of their multiple checks...
And the opening is still 2 days away.

Sorry they were offended but it couldn't have happened to a nicer group of people, or have happened in a more wonderfully ironic place. I think the script writers of Twenty Twelve considered this as a storyline but rejected it as too implausible! :)

Olympics: Media's biggest ever event?

Wow http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18984628

It's amazing. Even my local news (East Midlands Today) is being broadcast from the Olympic Park studio.

Not very nice! David Cameron slaps down US presidential hopeful Mitt Romney over Games gaffe

Mitt Romney blundered on the first day of his London visit with undiplomatic remarks on the Olympics.

David Cameron swiftly rejected the US presidential hopeful’s claim that Britain may not unite to “celebrate” the London Games.

The Republican sparked a backlash as he arrived in Britain by raising a series of questions over the staging of the Olympics in the capital.

“It’s hard to know just how well it will turn out,” Mr Romney, who is running to unseat President Barack Obama in November’s election, told NBC News from London, where he will attend the opening ceremony of the games tomorrow.

“There are a few things that were disconcerting,” he said.

“The stories about the private security firm not having enough people, the supposed strike of the immigration and customs officials -- that obviously is not something which is encouraging,” he warned.

Mr Romney also called into question whether the British people as a whole were behind the spectacle, saying this would be key to their success.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/london-2012-olympics-david-cameron-slaps-down-us-presidential-hopeful-mitt-romney-over-games-gaffe-7978418.html

Not very nice! David Cameron slaps down US presidential hopeful Mitt Romney over Games gaffe

Mitt Romney blundered on the first day of his London visit with undiplomatic remarks on the Olympics.

David Cameron swiftly rejected the US presidential hopeful’s claim that Britain may not unite to “celebrate” the London Games.

The Republican sparked a backlash as he arrived in Britain by raising a series of questions over the staging of the Olympics in the capital.

“It’s hard to know just how well it will turn out,” Mr Romney, who is running to unseat President Barack Obama in November’s election, told NBC News from London, where he will attend the opening ceremony of the games tomorrow.

“There are a few things that were disconcerting,” he said.

“The stories about the private security firm not having enough people, the supposed strike of the immigration and customs officials -- that obviously is not something which is encouraging,” he warned.

Mr Romney also called into question whether the British people as a whole were behind the spectacle, saying this would be key to their success.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/london-2012-olympics-david-cameron-slaps-down-us-presidential-hopeful-mitt-romney-over-games-gaffe-7978418.html

One wonders what Iain Duncan Smith thought of Salt Lake City 2002.

^^
Sorry, but; what a knob.

thats US foreign diplomacy for you ;)

He is probably bemused as to how such a small country can host an Olympics, he probably thinks the ceremony is a few people sat on picnic blankets in the gardens of Buckingham Palace with one of the Queen's servants lighting the cauldron.

He is probably bemused as to how such a small country can host an Olympics, he probably thinks the ceremony is a few people sat on picnic blankets in the gardens of Buckingham Palace with one of the Queen's servants lighting the cauldron.

All American Presidential candidates disregard the rest of the World and the importance of the Anglo/American relationship until they get into power and reality dawns. Look at Obama, to begin with he snubbed us but a year later we couldn't do no wrong and (almost sickly) praised us up to the rest of the World. We are a small island and we no longer have a huge Empire but we do have the Commonwealth, our head of state is many other country's, we still have many strategic domains all over the World and probably hold much more World wide clout than most other nations, our armed forces did a much better job than the American's in Afgan etc and they have much bigger and supposedly better armed forces than anyone else.....

We put ourselves down but the fact 120 VIP's are attending London, far far more than any other Olympics, speaks volumes and we should all be very proud! Even if it does rain lol

^^

Couldn't agree more, I reckon we're going to do a great job at hosting. Besides the minor hiccups of late.

I found this selection of the venues on the BBC website. No doubt the majority of you will have already seen them, but for those that haven't:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12675577

Delhi 2010 Village wont be ready

Greece 2004 Budget , venues etc

Beijing 2008 Human rights etc

You will always get the journos looking for a non story to sensationalize the event before the games.

Ring Your Bell to celebrate the start of the London 2012 Olympics - 8.12am to 8.15am Friday 27th July 2012

Let the bells ring for the London 2012 Olympics – interactive
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/interactive/2012/jul/25/bells-ring-london-2012-olympics-interactive

I f**king love Boris

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19003185

Ring Your Bell to celebrate the start of the London 2012 Olympics - 8.12am to 8.15am Friday 27th July 2012

Let the bells ring for the London 2012 Olympics – interactive
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/interactive/2012/jul/25/bells-ring-london-2012-olympics-interactive

After the recent episode of Twenty Twelve, I will get my jam jar ready

Can I use my door bell?

I'm sure they must have come up with the idea with the time of 20:12 in mind and then just had to press on even though 08:12 seems quite a random time now.

I f**king love Boris

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19003185

He is very good on this sort of thing. Is there ANYTHING else he is good at?

If Boris is not the next conservative leader i dont know who should be. He would lose millions of pounds in tax money down the back of his sofa and we would be like oh boris what are you like my son.

The bells thing was quite good, i think they have done a good job of including people in London 2012 who maybe not be going or are hundreds of mile away. The Torch Relay has been a huge success and now the bell ringing for everyone across Great Britain to be a part of bringing in the games.

Very well done.

He is very good on this sort of thing. Is there ANYTHING else he is good at?

Maybe he should have a go a wake boarding, surfing or becoming a physicist at CERN? :lol:

I really liked this on the BBC news, really does sum us up (in a general way, before someone complains):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18983558

http://i45.tinypic.com/9tnvpt.png
Torch relay is slowing heading towards tower bridge today - moving up the river.
Flame is on a Royal barge.

Eh?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19010407

Between 50 and 100 spectators have been left disappointed, after arriving to watch the first stage of the Olympic archery at Lord's cricket ground.

The event was advertised by games organisers as "unticketed", meaning the public would not be allowed in.

But, as the BBC's Joe Wilson explains, a number of people were left angry after interpreting the phrase differently.

He is very good on this sort of thing. Is there ANYTHING else he is good at?

Surely, that's all he has to be good at. Politicians are there to sell the ideas generated by the civil service and council officers.

Eh?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19010407

Between 50 and 100 spectators have been left disappointed, after arriving to watch the first stage of the Olympic archery at Lord's cricket ground.

The event was advertised by games organisers as "unticketed", meaning the public would not be allowed in.

But, as the BBC's Joe Wilson explains, a number of people were left angry after interpreting the phrase differently.

If the event was free, they'd have said "free".

And the fact that only 100 people turned up means most people understood that unticketed didn't mean free.

Wasn't the event a closed session anyway? So infact, noone got to see it.

Well, touch wood, but the sun is burning through the murk in London and it looks like the thunderstorms are missing us. Chances are looking good for a dry OC at least.

Can't help noticing that it pissing down in Paris.

Oh, and there are major floods in Beijing too.

http://trendsmap.com/

Just look all over Europe Olimpiadi, Olimpicos olympics etc UK is trending great news for the UK!!!

Wasn't the event a closed session anyway? So infact, noone got to see it.

Yeah plus it wasn't even in the stadium but rather in the warm up kind of section.

This made me giggle:


#Romneyshambles: 'Some Americans just shouldn't leave the country', says Carl Lewis

"Stay home if you don't know what to say," says nine-times gold medal winning sprinter


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/romneyshambles-some-americans-just-shouldnt-leave-the-country-says-carl-lewis-7981698.html

http://youtu.be/c3VbCdtJClo