Ker Farking Ching!

It is nice to see that those in charge of the London Olympics 2012 have come up with a novel, and amusing, way to make money out of the games.

They will fine anyone not authorised to use the designated Olympics roads during the games £200.

The designated roads cover approximately 2.5% of London's road network, and cross through some of the most congested areas of London.

The concept of these designated roads is to allow athletes, International Olympic Committee members, Olympic sponsors, the media and other junket hangers on not to endure what the average Londoner endures every day when trying to get to work.

All right for some, isn't it?

Ker Farking Ching!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Banquo's Ghost

The BBC, with a degree of partisan delight, report that Former Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell has been offered a place on the Olympic board running the Games.

I don't recall her as being particularly good when she was Olympics Minister, or am I biased?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Pissing In The Wind

The Olympics minister, Hugh Robertson, has engaged in the futile activity of pissing in the wind by urging the executives of the Olympic Delivery Authority to exercise some restraint wrt their pay and bonus packages.

It was revealed this month, for example, that ODA chief executive David Higgins is Britain's highest paid quango chief, on £384K last year. In fact, 9 ODA executives earn more than the Prime Minister's annual salary of £142,500.

Mr Robertson has suggested that ODA executives could make a gesture of deferring their bonuses until after the Games in 2012.

Fat chance!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Revenues Up?

It seems that, according to the Telegraph, as a result of the number of people pre-registering their interest in buying tickets for the London 2012 Olympics, accountants have upped their best estimate of revenue.

Seemingly they expect revenues to exceed £2.15BN, an increase of approximately £200M.

All very nice, maybe.

However, as the ticket prices have yet to be announced, how can they be so sure that these pre-registrants will actually follow through and buy their tickets?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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"Modest"

Figures recently released by the Government show that the nine senior executives at the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) are paid more than David Cameron's annual salary of £142,500.

However, Sir Craig Reedie, the architect of London's bid to host the Games and now a member of the International Olympic Committee's Executive Board, has told insidethegames:

"I think the professionalism that has been shown by the people at the top ODA is outstanding and in world competitive terms, the remuneration is modest."

So that's alright then!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Pie In The Sky

I see that a proposal for cable cars crossing the Thames, that has been knocking around since the 1990's, has been dusted off again using the London 2012 Olympics as the catalyst.

Transport for London (TfL) have it in mind to use cable cars to transport 2,500 people per hour between the Greenwich peninsula and the Royal Docks.

TfL believe that the £25m cost can be covered by the private sector.

Call me cynical, but I guarantee that this gets nowhere.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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U Turn On Cheap Tickets

The Telegraph reports that London Olympics organisers are backtracking on a promise, made during the bidding phase, to provide large numbers of cheap tickets for the 2012 games.

Seemingly the finances are now so tight that Locog needs to raise an extra £441M from ticket sales.

The ticket policy and prices will be presented this week, for approval to the International Olympic Committee.

Ker farking ching!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Money Matters

The Guardian reported last week that David Higgins, the chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority, earns between £390,000 and £394,999 a year. One of the 15 people working on the games who are paid more than David Cameron's £142,500.

Howard Shiplee, the director of construction, receives between £285,000 and £289,999. Godric Smith, its head of communications, gets nearly £200,000. In 2008, Higgins also received a £205,000 bonus.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Legacy Action Plan Delayed

Regeneration and Renewal reports that the publication of the Olympic legacy action plan, setting out how a goal to narrow the gap between east London and the rest of the capital on seven measures by 2030 will be met, has been delayed.

Seemingly "the current financial climate" is the excuse for the delay.

I wonder how often that will be used as an excuse for other delays, in the run up to the 2012 games?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Boris Urges Commonsense

It is refreshing to see at least one politician displaying some commonsense, wrt the London 2012 Olympics.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, has called for the marathon and triathlon events to be held at the weekend, in order to minimise the disruption to the transport network.

At last, a politician has the guts to admit (albeit indirectly) that London's transport network is shite and that the slightest extra pressure on it will cause meltdown.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) are not happy with Boris's proposals, and want the events held during the week.

Evidently the IOC is used to travelling first class away from the "hoi polloi" and has never had to endure the tube, train or bus system in London during rush hour.

Can someone tell me why we want these games in London?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Restrictions on Ticket Purchases

As noted a while ago on this site, Visa credit/debit cards have a sponsorship deal for the London 2012 Olympics which ensures that fans who want to buy tickets by card for the games can only do so if they use Visa.

Additionally, Visa credit and debit cards will be the only ones accepted at shops or cash machines at Olympic venues.

Unsurprisingly, some people are of the view that this is an unfair restriction. The Office of Fair Trading is now looking into the matter and is quoted by the BBC:

"The OFT and the European Commission are aware of these issues and are currently in discussion about what action, if any, should be taken."

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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The Oilympics

Lord Coe, Chairman of the London Olympics, has defended BP's sponsorship of the games and stated to the BBC that the oil spill in the Gulf "does not make a difference to us at all".

BP is a top tier sponsor of the 2012 Games.

London and Florida will both have their own legacies to look forward to.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Epic and Intimate

Danny Boyle, artistic director of the London Olympics July 27 2012 opening ceremony, has told the Telegraph that it will be "epic and intimate".

However, he has also stated that he does not intend to try to compete with Beijing's 2008 ceremony which cost £70M.

The event will highlight Britain's "idiosyncrasies".

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Slumdog Olympics

Slumdog Millionaire director, Danny Boyle, will be the artistic director for the London 2012 Olympic Games opening ceremony, organisers have announced.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Party Poopers

Chris Allison, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner, has warned that last minute events in 2012 to celebrate the Olympics could be "dangerous".

Mr Allison is heading the Met's 2012 security planning and preparations, and told the London Assembly's Health and Public Services Committee last week:

"People have got to understand that 2012 will be a very different year.

This is why it is important for the Greater London Authority to get people to sign up to say they are not going to do something last-minute because that could be dangerous.

They (event organisers) need to see that there will be a challenge for us in 2012 and to self-regulate."

I can't see this working at all.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Failed

In April I noted that the lofty plans by the ODA to use the canal system to supply raw materials for the Olympics site were unsustainable.

"..the financial downturn has scuppered the plans to carry out the necessary dredging work. Therefore the tide is only high enough to carry barges for a few hours each day..."

Today The Times reports that the plans have "failed".

By the way, it cost us £20M.

How many more Olympic promises will fail?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Pathetic!

The organisers of the London 2012 Olympics (currently budgeted to cost us £12BN - including £2BN running costs) had promised to create a "skills legacy".

So, with two years to go, how is this "skills legacy" doing?

The Evening Standard reports that the London Olympics has created only nine qualified tradesmen and women to date.

Pathetic!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Piss and Wind

As with all plans of mice, men and the ODA things do rather tend to fall apart when confronted with reality.

Such fate befell the grandiose plans of the ODA to construct a 120M wind turbine at the North end of the Olympic park, which was meant to supply 20% of the Olympic park's energy during the games.

David Higgins, CEO of the Olympic Delivery Authority, confessed to defeat the other day stating that the scheme was "no longer feasible".

Seemingly new health and safety measures had meant the original design was no longer viable, and the preferred bidder had pulled out.

No other contractors had come forward.

Another Olympic dream bites the dust!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Money Well Spent

Despite the Olympics "budget" running out of control (currently standing at £12BN including £2BN running costs), the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has paid Pringle Brandon £5K per annum (for the last 4years) for advice on how to divide up open-plan workspaces, and where it would be best to put desks.

Great!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.comwww.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Anti Doping Line Opened

The UK will launch of a confidential 24-hour hotline that will encourage anonymous callers (athletes, coaches, support staff, parents and friends etc) to provide tip-offs about those they think might be cheats, or supply and traffic in performance-enhancing substances during the Olympics.

All very well, maybe.

However, I guarantee that this will be abused.

What better way to put an athlete off his/her game by having them investigated for drugs the day before an event?

Who would want to do that?

Fellow competitors, bloody minded individuals, people with money bet on the event.

The list is endless.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.comwww.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"